Black market changing of the guard front

$20.00

Black Market - Changing of the Guard

Format: LP
Label: El Mocambo ELMO 762
Year: 1981
Origin: Toronto, Ontario, 🇨🇦
Genre: rock
Keyword: 
Value of Original Title: $20.00
Make Inquiry/purchase: email ryder@robertwilliston.com
Release Type: Albums
Websites:  https://www.troianomusic.com/bands.html
Playlist: Ontario, Rock Room, 1980's

Tracks

Side 1

Track Name
Changing of the Guard
Turn Back
Oh Carol
Doctor Love
Girls

Side 2

Track Name
I'm Bored
Dr. Dee Jay's Band
Hell's Got No Fury
Lolita
Independence
The Shooter

Photos

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Black Market - Changing of the Guard

Black market changing of the guard front

Changing of the Guard

Videos

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Information/Write-up

Domenic Troiano reemerged in late 1980 with a new musical project. Black Market featured Troiano, Bob Wilson, and Paul DeLong in a no-frills power trio setting. "I've been typecast in a jazz-rock vein because the last three albums with Capitol had a variety of stuff, including some jazzy moments," Troiano said in 1981. "Black Market hopefully will remind people that I've been playing hard-edged, aggressive music for twenty years. I've been rockin' since high school and I don't intend to stop now." In the age of new wave and a minimalist approach to rock, Black Market seemed very appropriate for the times. Changing of the Guard, the group's debut album, was issued on independent label El Mocambo Records in 1981. Despite Troiano's enthusiasm about Black Market, the project only captured the attention of hardcore fans.

A year or so after Fret Fever was released, Domenic formed the Black Market project with Bob Wilson and Paul DeLong. The trio released their only LP, Changing of the Guard, in 1981. This is one of my favorite Troiano albums. It's akin to early Police, musically and in spirit: new wave with some reggae thrown in, played by musicians who can't hide the fact that they have talent. Despite the new wave influence, Domenic plays some great licks and solos in every song, and occasionally, his roots in blues and soul pop up to say hello. This album is probably the closest you can come to hearing Domenic's talent in its purest form. He sings all the songs, and the music, basic rock, is stripped down to its foundation: guitar, bass, drums. Not a horn, keyboard, or even a tamborine can be heard in the mix. If the verse-chorus-verse-chorus formula appeals to you, you'll love Changing of the Guard.

Domenic gives props to Chuck Berry and "rock 'n roll music" in "Oh Carol," a song that featues some doo-wopping in the verses. It's actually the closest Domenic came to writing a Big Star tune. The guitar intro to "Turn Back" sounds almost identical to "This is Your Land" by Simple Minds. Really the only song that sounds labored is "I'm Bored," which has a great groove but sounds like Iggy Pop doing fusion. The ballad "Hell Has No Fury" is a career highlight for Troiano, sporting brilliant guitar work and vocals, plus Bob Wilson playing fretless bass. Domenic gives reggae a shot on "Independence" and ends up with a fresh new guitar riff that is undeniably his. The album closes with the blues-rock scorcher "The Shooter," which is absolutely mind-boggling. Musically, it sounds like a Stevie Ray Vaughan standard played at 78 RPM. All of the musicians put the pedal to the metal from start to finish, and the results are astounding. This was basically Domenic's last song as a rock musician. At least he went out blazin'.

Domenic Troiano: guitar, vocals
Bob Wilson: bass
Paul DeLong: drums
Dick Smith: percussion
Prakash John: backing vocals
Roy Kenner: backing vocals
Shawne Jackson: backing vocals

Written by Domenic Troiano and Roy Kenner
Produced by Mike Jones and Domenic Troiano
Engineered by Mike Jones, assisted by Jeff Stobbs, Lenny DeRose, and Robin Brouwers
Recorded at Phase One Studios, Toronto, Ontario
Mastered by Neil Carter

Photography By Paul Till

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