Arrows - The Lines Are Open

Tracks

Side 1

		Track Name	Length
	1	Heart of the City	03:25
	2	Talk Talk	03:46
	3	Bad Reputation	04:41
	4	Tell It to My Heart	04:44
	5	Wild One	06:09

Side 2

		Track Name	Length
	1	I Told You So	03:27
	2	Chains	04:24
	3	I Can't Let Go	05:11
	4	Hampton Avenue	04:42

Photos

Videos

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Information/Write-up

The Arrows were a Canadian new wave pop band fronted by powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Dean McTaggart, the group’s founding force and only constant member. Active from the early to mid-1980s, the band carved out a distinctive niche in Canada’s synth-tinged rock scene with their emotionally charged lyrics, radio-ready hooks, and polished production.

Formed in Toronto in 1981, the original lineup released their debut single “Treat Her Right” backed with “Come On Up.” Early sessions were tracked at the legendary Grant Avenue Studios in Hamilton and produced by a then-rising Daniel Lanois, whose ambient leanings added depth to their Misunderstood EP in 1982. That four-song release, featuring contributions from players like Earl Seymour on sax and Rusty McCarthy on guitar, captured the band’s early blend of urgency and sophistication.

By 1984, The Arrows had signed to A&M Records and teamed with producer David Tyson, who would become a longtime collaborator with McTaggart. The result was Stand Back, a sleek, tightly crafted album that spawned the national hit “Meet Me in the Middle,” which cracked the Canadian Top 40. The band’s rising profile earned them a slot supporting Chris de Burgh on his UK tour that same year, widening their international exposure.

Following that momentum, The Arrows released their second full-length album The Lines Are Open in 1985. Singles like “Talk Talk,” “Chains,” and “Heart of the City” reinforced the group’s knack for anthemic choruses and urban themes. Despite critical praise and solid domestic chart performance, mounting pressures for a crossover hit took a toll. After wrapping a cross-country tour, The Arrows quietly disbanded at the end of 1986.

In the years that followed, McTaggart transitioned into a successful songwriting career. He co-wrote a string of hits for artists including Amanda Marshall (“Birmingham,” “Dark Horse”), Terri Clark (“Unsung Hero”), and Wynonna (“Heaven Help My Heart”), among others.

Though their catalog was compact, The Arrows’ output remains a bright chapter in Canadian 1980s pop. A German import compilation Talk Talk: The Best of The Arrows was released in 1995, and both Stand Back and The Lines Are Open were reissued on CD in the 2010s, rekindling interest in the band’s shimmering, synth-infused legacy.
-Robert Williston

Dean McTaggart: vocals
Doug Macaskill: guitar
Rob Gusevs: keyboards
Glenn Olive: bass
Bobby Economou: drums
Memo Acevedo: percussion
Earl Seymour: saxophone, Steiner woodwind synthesizer
Vernon Dorge: alto saxophone
Rick Waychesko: trumpet
Steve McDade: trumpet
Charity Brown: backing vocals
David Blamires: backing vocals
David Tyson: backing vocals
John Rutledge: backing vocals
Sharon Lee Williams: backing vocals
Gerald O'Brian: emulator programming

Written by C. Mosby (track A1); David Tyson (tracks A2, A3, B1–B4); Dean McTaggart; Rob Gusevs (track B3)
Arranged and produced by David Tyson and The Arrows
Engineered by Lindsay Kidd
Mixing engineering by Bob Rock; Larry Alexander (track A2)
Assistant engineers: David Bottrill, Michael Fraser, Paul Shubat
Executive producer: David S. Moore
Management: David S. Moore, Demi Thompson, Spontaneous Productions Incorporated

Photography and art direction by Dimo Safari and Hugh Syme
Promotion by Judith Tyson

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