West Coast Music Releases Highlights from Year 2012

The West Coast AOR music is still popular and new releases, reissues and compilations.

At Blue Desert we always try to write about what is new and interesting and at the same time highlight some of the classic masterpieces. Some years a lot of material is released and other time less.

Here are some of the highlights that was released in the year 2012:

Andreas Aleman - It´s The Journey

Eidolon Productions 2012

Tracks: Power, If It´s A Dream, When It Happens, Right Out Loud, Helplessly In Love, I Knew It Was You, Keep On Keepin´Funky, Real Life Love, Dirty Love & Put Some Trust In Me.

Musicians on the It´s The Journey album: Andreas Aleman and others.

Sonic Station - S.T.

Frontiers Records 2012

Tracks: Intro, Love´s Gonna Show The Way, I Wish I Could Lie, Hold On To Me, You Have To Let Me Go, The Most Beautiful Fear, Running Through The Night, Never Let The Sunshine Die, My Last Refrain, Love You More & Reasons.

Musicians on the Sonic Station album: Alexander Kronbrink and others.

Soleil Moon - On The Way To Everything

Frontiers Records 2012

Tracks: History Repeats Its Pages, Love The Way You Love, On The Way To Everything, Blackbird, Goodnight Irene, Freedom, Burn, Down, Colorado, Move On, Here I Am, Ohio, Calling On The World, I´d Die For You & History Repeats Its Pages (Video Clip).

Musicians on the On The Way To Everything, album:Larry King, John, Blasucci, Michael Thompson, Gerey Johnson, Chris Siebols, Craig Bauer, Khari Parker, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tim Hipskind, Richard Patterson, Leland Sklar, Dave Hiltebrand & Steven Rodby.

Player - Addiction EP

Frontiers Records 2012

Tracks: My Addiction, Too Many Reasons & Baby Come Back (New Recording).

Musicians on the Addiction EP album: Peter Beckett, Ronn Moss and others.

Steve Lukather - Transistion

Mascot Records 2012

Tracks: Judgement Day, Creep Hotel, Once Again, Right The Wrong, Transition, Last Man Standing, Do I Stand Alone, Rest Of The World & Smile.

Musicians on the Transition album: Steve Lukather and others.

Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos

Reprise Records 2012

Tracks: Slinky Thing, I´m Not The Same Without You, Memorabilia, Weather In My Head, The New Breed, Out Of The Ghetto, Miss Marlene, Good Stuff & Planet D´Rhonda.

Musicians on the Sunken Condos album: Donald Fagen and others.

Kim Wagner - Universe Outside This World

Universal Music 2012

Tracks: The Song Oh!, A Different You, All I Ever Wanted, Dedicated To My Ex, Freedom, Give It Up, I Know You Better, Last Chance For Love, Light Above, Spin, Univers Outside This World & Talk Through The Night.

Musicians on the Universe Outside This World album: Kim Wagner and others.

Karizma - Perfect Harmony

Creatchy Records 2012

Tracks: CD1: Tink, Oh Sweet Oso, Mujaka, Ratso, Still Waters Run Deep, Pontier & Mambos Cafe. CD2: Delicious Juices, Zicaboo, And Yelling All The Time, My Brother, Donna, Shelly & Wheat Toast. CD3: Heavy Risin, Aliens (Ripped My Face Off), Dream Come True, Kimbissa/Cuba, Sting, Toast For Eli, From Above, Sweet Pea, 716 Stepney St. & Kaptin´Koma.

Musicians on the Perfect Harmony album: David Garfield and others.

Surfers AOR Classics – Endless Blue

Sony Music 2012

Tracks: CD1: Intro: Wave, Any Way You Want It, Want You Tonight, Breakdown Dead Ahead, She Waits For Me, All Right, The Night Music, Wham Bam, Lotta Love, Barracuda, Hold The Line, More Than A Feeling, Wait For Me, You´re Only Lonely, Trouble Again, Blue Lagoon, I Just Want To Love You, Don´t Talk & That Old Song. CD2: Intro: Wave, After The Love Has Gone, I Just Wanna Stop, Lost In Love, Miss Sun, What A Fool Believes, If You Should Fall, Sexy Eyes, Reminiscing, Eye In The Sky, Heart To Heart, Missing You, Fool (If You Think It´s Over), It´s The Falling In Love, Can´t Say Goodbye, This Night Won´t Last Forever, Magic, Seeing You (For The First Time) & Go Crazy.

Musicians on the Endless Blue album: Wave, Journey, Pablo Cruise, Boz Scaggs, Airplay, Christopher Cross, Cecilio & Kapono, Silver, Nicolette Larson, Heart, Toto, Boston, Daryl Hall & John Oates, J.D.Souther, Karla Bonoff, Takanaka Masayoshi, George Duke, Larry Lee, Ray Parker Jr., Earth Wind & Fire 22. Gino Vannelli, Air Supply, The Doobie Brothers, Ned Doheny, Dr. Hook. Little River Band, The Alan Parsons Project, Kenny Loggins, Dan Fogelberg, Chris Rea, Carole Bayer Sager, Bobby Caldwell, Michael Johnson, Dick St. Nicklaus, Jimmy Messina & Paul Davis.

Music For Pleasure – LateNightTales

Groove Armada 2012

Tracks: You´re The Only Woman, Every Kinda People, I Keep Forgettin´, Georgy Porgy, What You Won´t Do For Love, Baby Come Back, Fly Like An Eagle, Get It Up For Love, Work To Do, Lowdown, How Long, Showdown, Get It Right Next Time, It Keeps You Runnin´, I´m Just A Kid (Don´t Make Me Feel Like A Man), The Guitar Man, Be Nice To Me & I´m Not In Love.

Musicians on the Music For Pleasure album: Ambrosia, Robert Palmer, Michael McDonald, Toto, Bobby Caldwell, Player, The Steve Miller Band, Ned Doheny, Average White Band, Boz Scaggs, Sugardaddy, Electric Light Orchestra, Gerry Rafferty, The Doobie Brothers, Hall & Oates, Bread, Todd Rundgreen & 10cc.

AOR - The Colors of L.A

AOR Blvd Records 2012

Tracks: Jenny At Midnight, Benedict Canyon, Kimberly, Under Your Spell, Brittany, Halo Of Light, Just One Kiss On Your Heart, Dreams From Silver Lake, You´re My Obsession, Teach Me How To Love You Again, Grace (Instrumental) & Never Gonna Let Her Go (Instrumental).

Musicians on the L.A. Concession album: Frederic Slama, Frédéric Slama, Tommy Denander, Steve Lukather, Jerry Hludzik, Joey Summer, Philip Bardowell, Michael Landau, Joe Pasquale, Rick Riso, David Foster, Randy Goodrum, Michael Thompson, Christian Trolle, Geir Ronning, David Williams, Brandon Fields, David Diggs, Vinnie Colaiuta, Tom Saviano, Bruno Levesque, Joey Heredia, Hussain Jiffry, Morris Adriens, Peter Friestedt, Kristoffer Lagerstrom & Miri Miettinen.

AOR - L.A Temptation

AOR Heaven 2012

Tracks: No Margin For Error, Above Suspicion, From L.A. To Paris, A Heartbeat Away, Silent Victory, No Ones’ Gonna Hurt Me Anymore, Second Chance At Love, Out On The Streets, Hold Back The Dawn, The Price To Pay, Outside Heaven & When The Darkness Falls.

Musicians on the L.A Temptation album: Frederic Slama, Paul Sabu, Göran Edman, Jerry Hludzik, James Christian, Chris Ousey, Philip Bardowell, Paul Shortino, Rick Riso, Hank Erix, Joey Summer, Tommy Denander, Michael Landau, Bruce Gaitsch, Christian Trolle, David Mark Pearce, Stefano Lionetti, Mario Percudani, Linkan Andersoon, David Diggs, Alessandro Del Vecchio, Morris Adriaens, Mike Baird, Pierpaolo Monti, Anna Portalupi, Urban Danielsson, Martin Karlsson & John Barbour.

Jeff Larson - The World Over

Red Bell Recordings 2012

Tracks: Your Way Back Home, Approaching Midnight, Midhaven Getaway, Monday Clouds Tuesday Rain, One Good Lie, This Morning In Amsterdam, See It Fall, Point Of Rising, In Time & Reason To Be Near You.

Musicians on the The World Over album: Jeff Larson and others.

Tom Snow - Hungry Hearts "Reissue"

BMG Records 1982

Tracks: Hungry Nights, Straight For The Heart, Love Hangs By A Thread, Our Song, Somewhere Down The Road, Soon, Don’t Call It Love, I Almost Let You Go, I Think I Know Too Much & Time Of Our Lives.

Musicians on the Hungry Nights album: Tom Snow, Dean Parks, Hadley Hockensmith, Abraham Laboriel, Lee Sklar, Michael Baird, Ed Greene, Tris Imboden, Jeff Porcaro, Jeremy Smith, Lenny Castro, Carol Carmichael Parks, Tom Kelly & Richard Page.

Robert Lamm - Living Proff

Blue Infinity Music 2012

Tracks: Out To The Blue, Arise (Storm), 4 Bells, On The Equinox, Those Crazy Things, Keep The Faith, Living Proof, I Confess, Liquid Sky (Bonus Track) & On The Equinox (JVE remix) (Bonus Track).

Musicians on the Living Proof album: Robert Lamm, Hank Linderman, Zosia, Trent Gardner, Robert Berry, Jason Scheff, Drew Hester, John Van Eps & Jegg Holmes.

Robert Lamm - The RVE Remixes

Blue Infinity Music 2012

Tracks: Beginnings, Saturday In The Park, 25 Or 6 To 4, Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?, Questions 67 & 68, It´s A Groove This Life, Another Rainy Day In New York City, You´re My Sunshine Today, On The Equinox & 25 Or 6 To 4 (Latin).

Musicians on the JVE ReMIxes album: Robert Lamm and others.

Michael Kratz - Cross The Line

Sony Music 2012

Tracks: Cross That Line, I Don´t Know How, Need You To Be Mine, Sleeping Mama, Don´t You Know, Until We´re Together, Holding On Again (Anni), Lonely Soldier, Hypnotized, You And I Are Meant To Be & Like Father Like Son.

Musicians on the Cross That Line album: Michael Kratz, Ole Viinberg, Kasper Viinberg, Hanna Therasa Henriksen, Kim Eskesen, Lasse Baggenaes, Niels Ole Thorning & Janus Bechmann.

Christopher Cross - Christmas

Sony Music 2012

Tracks: Silent Night, Christmas Time Is Here, The Christmas Song, Does It Feel Like Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, I’ll Be Home For Christmas, A Dream Of Peace At Christmas, Count Your Blessings Instead Of Sheep, Do You Hear What I Hear, The Best Christmas, Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas & O Come O Comes Emmanuel.

Musicians on the A Christopher Cross Christmas album: Christopher Cross, Danny O’Lannerghty & Michael Omartian.

Christopher Cross - S.T. "Reissue"

Sony Music 2012

Tracks: Say You’ll Be Mine, I Really Don’t Know Anymore, Spinning, Never Be The Same, Poor Shirley, Ride Like the Wind, The Light Is On, Sailing & Minstrel Gigolo.

Musicians on the Christopher Cross album: Christopher Cross, Andy Salmon, Tommy Taylor, Rob Meurer, Larry Carlton, Valerie Carter, Lenny Castro, Victor Feldman, Chuck Findley, Jay Graydon, Don Henley, Jim Horn, Eric Johnson, Jackie Kelso, Nicolette Larson, Myrna Matthews, Marty McCall, Lew McCreary, Michael McDonald, Michael Omartian, Stormie Omartian, Tomas Ramirez, Don Roberts & J.D. Souther.

Richard Marx - Inside My Head

Frontiers Records 2012

Tracks: CD1: Had Enough, Wouldn´t Let Me Love You, Like Heaven, On The Inside, Through My Veins, Always On Your Mind, Loved, Come Running, All Over Me, Scars, Done To Me, Over My Head & Part Of Me. CD2: Don´t Mean Nothing, Should´ve Know Better, Endless Summer Nights, Keep Coming Back, Take This Heart, Hold On To The Nights, Angelia, Hazard, Too Late To Say Goodbye, Satisfied, Right Here Waiting & When You Loved Me.

Musicians on the Inside My Head album: Richard Marx and others.

Richard Marx - A Night Out With Friends

Zanzibar Records 2012

Tracks: CD: Endless Summer Night, One Thing Left, Hazard, Through My Veins, When You Loved Me, This I Promise You, The Letter, Satisfied, Should´ve Known Better, Right Here Waiting, Over My Head & Wouldn´t Let Me Love You. DVD: Endless Summer Nights, Keep Coming Back, One Thing Left, Hazard, You´re A God, Hold On To The Nights/Now & Forever, Always On Your Mind, Save Me, Throught My Veins, Take This Heart, When You Loved Me, Better Life, This I Promise You, The Letter, To Where You Are, Angelia, Satisfied, Should´ve Known Better, The Way She Loves Me, Don´t Mean Nothing & Right Here Waiting.

Musicians on the A Night Out With Friends album: Richard Marx, JC Chasez, Hugh Jackman, Sara Niemietz, Matt Scannell and others.

Richard Marx - Christmas Spirits

Zanzibar Records 2012

Tracks: The Christmas Song, Christmas Spirit, I Heard The Bells On Christmas Day, Let There Be Peace On Earth, O Come All Ye Faithful, Little Drummer Boy, O Holy Night, What Child It Is, Silent Night, Christmas Mornings, Santa Claus Is Coming To Town, White Christmas & Alleluia.

Musicians on the Christmas Spirit album: Richard Marx, Kenny Loggins, Sara Watkins, Sara Niemietz and others.

Gino Vannelli - Still Hurts To Be In Love

Music Avenue 2012

Tracks:People Gotta Move, Wild Horses, Hurts To Be In Love, Brother To Brother, I Just Wanna Stop, Crazy Life, Black Cars, Living Inside Myself, Venus Envy, Wheels Of Life, Just A Motion Away, The Surest Things Can Change & Put The Weight On My Shoulders.

Musicians on Still Hurts To Be In Love album: Gino Vannelli and others.

Michael Franks - The Dream

WEA Music 2012

Tracks: CD1 POP & FUNKY GROOVES: Can’t Seem To Shake This Rock ‘n Roll, Born With The Moon In Vergo, Monkey See Monkey Do, B´Wanna-He No Home, When The Cookie Jar Is Empty, All Dressed Up (With Nowhere To Go), Jealousy, Laughing Gas, Alone At Night, When Sly Calls (Don´t Touch That Phone), Your Secret´s Safe With Me, Woman In The Waves, Barefoot On The Beach, Somehow Our Love Survives, Practice Make Perfect, Now That Your Joystick´s Broke & Dream. CD2 JAZZ & EXOTIC SUMMER: Monk´s New Tune, Hearing “Take Five”, Don´t Be Blue, When You Smiled At Me, Popsicle Toes, Sanpaku, Eggplant, Sometimes I Just Forget To Smile, Mice, Rendez-vous In Rio, The Way We Celebrate New Year´s, Under The Sun, Tell Me About It, Tahitian Moon, Like Water Like Wind & The Art Of Love. CD3 SOFT & COOL SCHOOL: Dragonfly Summer, Nightmoves, Lotus Blossom, The Lady Wants To Know, On My Way Home To You, Living On The Inside, String Of Pearls, One Day In St. Tropez, Hourglass, Rainy Night In Tokyo, Never Say Die, All I Need, Like Moon Behind A Cloud, Blue Pacific, Still Life & The Cool School. CD4 RARITIES & UNRELEASED TRACKS + DUETS & COVERS: Coming Home To You, Jealousy (Geyster Remix), Blue Pacific (Alternate Version), This Will Never Do, Somewhere In The Rain, I Bought You A Plastic Star For Your Aluminum Tree, Foolish Heart, Antonio´s Song/The Rainbow, Leading Me Back To You, (Think) Where Are You Goin?, Ladies´Nite, When I Give My Love To You, Now Love Has No End, Island Christmas, Popsicle Toes & Nightmoves. CD5 MICHAEL FRANKS WITH CROSSFIRE LIVE: Don’t Be Blue, When The Cookie Jar Is Empty, The Lady Wants To Know, B’Wana He No Home, Chain Reaction, Antonio’s Song, Monkey See – Monkey Do & Popsicle Toes.

Musicians on The Dream 1973 – 2011 album: Michael Franks and others.

Peter Larsen - City Lights

Larsong Records 2012

Tracks: Thunderbolt, City Lights, Circle Called Life, America Sleeps Tonight, Cold Feet, Something In Your Eyes, Human Heart, Leave This Town, Courthouse, You Gotta Run & One.

Musicians on the City Lights album: Peter Larsen and others.

Richard Page - Songs From The Sketchbook

Little Dume Music 2012

Tracks: Falling Into Place, I Think It´s Gonna Rain, Every Day´s A New Day, I Wouldn´t Change A Thing, Don´t Let Me Down, Just Keep Lovin´, Long Long Road, I´m With You, Love Rescue Me & What A Friend.

Musicians on the Songs From The Sketchbook album: Richard Page and others.

Robbie Dupree - Arc Of Romance

Spectra Records 2012

Tracks: I Only Have Eyes For You, For The Love Of You, We Let The Stars Go & Coronation Street.

Musicians on the Arc Of A Romance single: Robbie Dupree, Thad DeBrock, Oli Rockberger, Jonathan Maron, Doug Yowell, Leslie Smith, Rick Chudacoff, Clifford Carter, David Spinoza, Bill Harris, Manuel Quintana, Jeff Pevar, Donna Lewis, Kyle Esposito, Mike Demicco & Ira Coleman.

Kilimanjaro - Open Your Heart

Kilimanjaro of Sweden 2012

Tracks: Open Your Heart, Beautiful One, Turn It Around, Fine Line, As Far As I Can See, Could You Believe, When I Close My Eyes, The End Of Time, Don´t Be Afraid, Writing On The Wall & Standing In The Rain.

Musicians on the Open Your Heart album: Andreas Tillborg, Emmanuel Sandström, Anders Köllerfors, Ronny Johansson & Johan Pihleke

Jim Messina - Live

Jasperilla Music Co. 2012

Tracks: Watching The River Run, Thinking Of You, Traveling Blues, Carefree Country Day, Kind Woman, Child´s Claim To Fame, You Better Think Twice, Holiday Hotel, Blacktop Cowgirl, She´s Gotta Rock, You Need A Man, Sinners and Saints & Your Mama Don´t Dance.

Musicians on the Live album: Jim Messina and others.

Chasing Violets - Outside Heaven

Perris Records 2012

Tracks: I Can´t Love You No More, No Margin For Error, The Price To Pay, When The Darkness Falls, Voices In The Wind, Above Suspicion, Outside Heaven, Hold Back The Dawn, No One´S Gonna Hurt Me Anymore, A Hole In Paradise, You´re My Obsession, Cease Fire & Juast Wanna Be Your Heaven.

Musicians on the China album: Sarah Fontaine, Melissa Fontaine, Frederic Slama, Tommy Denander, Jerry Hludzik, Paul Sabu, David Diggs, Philip Bardowell, Goran Edman, Christian Trolle, Michael Landau, Dane Donohue, Rick Riso, Bruce Gaiths, Erin Ragno, Mike Baird, Alessandro Del Vecchio, David Mark Pearce, Joey Summer, Stefano Lionetti, Colin Rodgers, Robert Sall, Tim Manford, Morris Adriaens, Anna Portalupi, Mario Percudani, John Barbour, Daniel Fontaine, Miri Miettinen, Pierpaolo Monti, Herman Furin, Sacha Spiegel, Urban Danielsson & Pat Thern.

Don Felder - Road To Forever

Rocket Science 2012

Tracks: Fall From The Grace Of Love, Girls In Black, Wash Away, I Believe In You, You Don´t Have Me, Money, Someday, Heal Me, Over You, Road To Forever, Life´s Lullaby & Give My Life.

Musicians on the Road To Forever album: Don Felder, David Crosby, Stills And Nash, Randy Jackson, Tommy Shaw and others.

Venice - A Venice Christmas Live

Lennon Records 2012

Tracks: The Family Tree, Hark The Harald Angel Sings, Ashes In The Snow, Winter Wonderland, Always, O Come All Ye Faithful, My Adobe Hacienda, Blue Christmas, O Holy Night, If I Were You/Joy To The World, We´re Still Here/Silent Night & Under The Boardwalk Medley.

Musicians on the Electric Live And Amplified album: Kipp Lennon, Pat Lennon, Michael Lennon, Mark Lennon and others.

Celine Dion & David Foster - The Best Of

Sony Music 2012

Tracks: The Power Of Love, All By Myself, When I Fall In Love, The Colour Of My Love, What A Wonderful World, Because You Loved Me, The Prayer, To Love You More, Tell Him, All The Way, I Surrender, The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, If I Could, I Hate You Then I Love You, The Power Of A Dream, If I Can Dream & (You Make Me Feel Like) A Natutural Woman.

Musicians on the The Best Of Celine Dion & David Foster album: David Foster, Celine Dion, Clive Griffin, Andrea Bocello, Taro Hakase, Barbra Streisand, Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Elvis Presley and others.

Brett Raymond - Only Love "Reissue"

Riverman Music 2012

Tracks: Walk Into Love, What About Me (And You), Only Love, It’s Not Like The Movies, Send It To Me, When You Say You Love Me, Please Don’t Look At Me That Way, We Just Can’t & Some Chances Around Here.

Musicians on the Only Love album: Brett Raymond, Jay Gruska, Randy Waldman, Steve Lukather, Michael Landau, Michael Porcaro, John Keane, Michael Fisher, Steve Tavaglione, James House & Joseph Williams.

Ulrik Elholm - Ulrik

Amazing Record Company 2012

Tracks: Army Of Angels, Lost Without You, Luv Me Like U Do, Arrow & How Come I Feel This Way?.

Musicians on the Ulrik album: Ulrik Elholm and others.

Marc Jordan - A Hole In The Wall "Reissue"

AOR Heaven Classix 2012

Tracks: Slipping Away, Margarita, She Used To Be My World, A Hole In The Wall, Where Did We Go Wrong, It´s Only Love, Love Like A Wheel, Thieves, Dance With Me, Hold On, Holding Up The Sky (Bonus Track) & Soldier Of Fortune (Bonus Track).

Musicians on the A Hole In The Wall album: Marc Jordan, Robben Ford, David Foster, Michael Baird, Michael Boddicker, David Boruff, Robbie Buchanan, Lenny Castro, Brian Eno, Steve George, Jay Graydon, Jerry Hey, Michael Landau, Steve Lukather, Richard Page, Mike Porcaro, Neil Stubenhaus, Ian Underwood & Ernie Watts.

Claus Tore - I´ll Be There

Lobo Entertainment 2012

Tracks: I´ll Be There, Won´t Let You Go & Won´t Let You Go (Music Video).

Musicians on the I´ll Be There single: Claus Tore and others.

Previous