Music Review:
PRIOR PARK 'Welcome to Prior Park' (INDEPENDENT)
California's Prior Park are a very classy aor hard rock band, their music has a late seventies - mid eighties feel, the songs are simple and grip their hooks into you from the very first play.
Vocally singer Jeff Heller reminds me of SAVANNAH's Earle Lord, NIGHT RANGER's Jack Blades, HARLAN CAGE's, Larry Greene and PASSION STREET's Rick Cartey, but I must point out that the band are in a class of their own and offer very fine and instantly memorable sing-along songs that get your feet tapping.
Onto the songs, the opening duo of "Once You Get Started" and "Let Me Be The One" are two very catchy songs with some nice guitar work, the nice thing is that Prior Park's music is very real, the production is raw and stripped down which adds to the LIVE feel, which makes the songs stand proud and in your face, these two songs are a pleasure to listen to,
and the more you listen the more addictive they become, especially "Once You Get Started".
On the next track "Aim For The Heart" we get a mix of southern rock a'la KANSAS and aor a'la NIGHT RANGER, I love the lyrical part on the chorus where Jeff sings "GO FOR IT"!!, this is most addictive and very very fun to listen to thanks to the summery southern melodies and catchy versus.
"It's Gonna Take Some Time" drops in pace and this is where the HARLAN CAGE similarities' fall into place, this is a moody piece, a sweet ballad of pure emotion. Prior Park rock things up a little with some cool guitar friendly Americana on "Bring The Magic To Me", this is also a nice song with some beautiful keyboard action. Now then with "In My Arms Tonight" Prior Park deliver a very classy ballad, just close your eyes and let the song , melt your body with it's passion filled delivery, awesome!!
Now then, with "One Kind Of A Woman" the band take on an almost new direction, you could say that this is pure west coast aor, but i'd sooner say that this song leans towards power pop bands like TEARS FOR FEARS and WHAM!! etc..still good though, then we get a very very special song, this is called "The Castle", and wins top song award with ease, and what a magical song it is, a total change in musical structures, as it leans towards progressive aor/rock, perhaps something that RICHIE BLACKMORE, IAN GILLAN or maybe even BOB CATLEY would be happy to record, in fact Prior Park should sell this song to Now And Then Records, i'm sure they could make great use of it for someone like CATLEY or STUART SMITH, or better still sign the god damn band!!
The last song "Impressions", is a song that maybe you'd find ERIC JOHNSON, SPOCK'S BEARD or even GENESIS creating, it's another stunning song that shows a sense of diversity within Prior Parks fold. And that's the refreshing thing about this band, they are not afraid to go with their natural instincts, they could have played it safe and turned out and album full mid-paced hard rock, but instead the album leaves you wanting more, so the final verdict, is simple, great songs played by great musicians, need you ask for more dear readers? One of the greatest independent releases of recent months, watch the record labels fight over these guys!!!

Contact: http://www.hellersongs.com - or Call Jeff @ 916-718-6645

Rating: 9/10 (Review by Nicky Baldrian)

All this music was recorded with friends who are still around and some who are not. (and they will be missed). The Bands Names Are: ""IAN SHELTER"" , ""TheJeffHellerCollection", "db Thrasher", and the most current band to date " Prior Park" for the new millennium, The music speaks for itself. It is Melodic. The songs are with meaning and with heart. So, if you like melodic music, Rock! Pop! with Jazz!, Folk, as most of the world likes to hum to a catchy tune. Give it a listen. These songs are available for up and coming Artists who would like to perform them and record them. Support The Independent musician / composers. Thank you. Interested parties may e-mail me at: jeffheller2002@yahoo.com or call me @ 916-718-6645

	Melodies The artist has designated this song as non-chartable.		Acoustic Adult Contemporary
	TOGETHER _6/15/15		Ballad
	Dreamer (a day dreamer) LIVE		Progressive Rock
	A different kind of bad		Acoustic Jazz
	The Castle		Folk/Acoustic Rock/Americana
	Once you get started		Melodic Rock
	I Looked Into A Mirror The artist has designated this song as non-chartable.		Ballad
	So Nice To Have You Here		Acoustic Ballad
	In My Arms Tonight		Ballad
	A Long Lost Friend Story		Country Rock
	I Will Remember You I Will Remember You		Ballad
	Impressions		Heavy Melodic Rock
	Boogie Loo - into No Matter What - Live 1986 Classic Rock		Classic and Progressive Rock
	You've got to find your love		Easy Listening/Soft Rock
	Long Lost Friend		Folk Rock
	Bring The Magic To Me		Melodic Rock
	It's Gonna Take Some Time		Acoustic Ballad
	Together (version one)		Folk/Acoustic Rock/Americana
	Aim For The Heart		Arena Rock
	One Kind Of Woman		R&B
	Gizzard (LIVE)		Instrumental Progressive Rock
	Picture on the wall		Heavy Melodic Rock
	Sensitivity		Classic and Progressive Rock
	Drivin Me Crazy		Country
	Runnin		Classic and Progressive Rock
	I Can't Live Without You		Classic and Progressive Rock
	She Turned Out The Light On Me		Classic and Progressive Rock
	Reflections		Classic and Progressive Rock

Comments                                                Add new Comment   View All

Steve April	4/5/2014 1:40:55 PM Hi, Welcome to IAC. Added a few of your tunes to m'stations, kudos. You've got an abundant output, wow, "I Looked Into A Mirrow", a sonic tapestry, kudos... Steve
Roy Muniz	2/24/2014 12:08:27 AM Listening to your music Prior Park and happy to be your new fan. The road to success has your name on its signs. All the best..all of you. roymuniz
Prior Park	7/27/2013 11:29:06 AM All songs are copy written and published through Hellersongs BMI. If you are interested in recording any of this material please contact Hellersongs BMI: Jeff Heller @ 916-718-6645 or contact the Harry Fox Agency.
		View All