TPOH is short for The Pursuit Of Happiness in case any of you’s were wondering but probably not as you already know this as you are all educated RAWKER’S!
Love Junk released in 1988 and produced by Todd Rundgren is simply a masterpiece which I would consider now as back in 1988 when I bought this on the heels of the fantastic single I’m An Adult Know there was so much rock out that it was hard to keep up but I really dug these Quirky Canadians. Hell even across the Big Blue Ocean Mr 1537 champions their cause as well! All Hail the LegoNater!
Moe Berg had the whole I’m a Geek look down but he could fizzle up a real good batch of hooky cancon hard rock and deliver it with a stellar band behind him.
Moe Berg – guitars, vocals
Kris Abbott – guitars, vocals
Dave Gilby – drums
Johnny Sinclair – bass
Leslie Stanwyck – vocals
The Charm of TPOH lye’s in the Women of the band. Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyck added ABBA like backing harmonies and Rundgren brings them to the forefront right with Moe and his singing which at time’s is part-time speak as well as sing!
Hard Rock blasted in a different way but a real cool original spin on things. Hell even Axl Rose dug em! Photo evidence…
Betcha Moe has this pic above his fireplace! Wouldn’t you?! I sure as Hell would!
Love Junk Tracks..
Coolest pile of Junk ..EVER!
All songs written by Moe Berg….
“Hard to Laugh” (2:38)
“Ten Fingers” (2:53)
“I’m an Adult Now” (4:25)
“She’s So Young” (3:34)
“Consciousness Raising as a Social Tool” (2:27)
“Walking in the Woods” (3:51)
“Beautiful White” (3:27)
“When the Sky Comes Falling Down” (3:25)
“Looking for Girls” (2:50)
“Man’s Best Friend” (2:35)
“Tree of Knowledge” (3:50)
“Killed by Love” (4:01)
“Down on Him” (2:30),
Hard To Laugh kicks off this album in fine fashion and a way’s back I reviewed this track all by its lonesome…Need a refresher click the link Friends…..
Cool Lil Numbers….The Pursuit Of Happiness/Hard To Laugh
Hard To Laugh has Old School Cheap Trick sensibilities but the ladies deliver that cool backing vocal vibe….
The second track is 10 Fingers and it’s another brilliant song as Moe gets down to the nitty-gritty act on this album about sexual frustration which delves into a lot of these songs. Moe though is clever through his lyrics and Man oh Man 10 Fingers Rocks! The Chorus is totally enhanced by the Ladies. Sooooo Good! Check out the video clip below….
I’m An Adult can we all agree right down to the video is an all time Classic song man. Back in 88 I was 21 . Later this year I hit the halfway point to 100! This song is Pure Genius and Moe I have to tell you I really don’t know if I’m a Adult Now! I try too try to be… The drums must be mentioned as they sound good on this album as it does not sound 80’s Whatsoever! Perhaps these Ladies/Gents were well ahead of their time!
She’s So Young has a single written all over it. Pop sensibilities reign supreme here. This tune and video were played a ton in Canada. I dig this kind of rock as the drums by Kilby kick it, move it along. Nice job fella!
Consciousness Raising As A Social Tool What a title wouldn’t ya say? Nice hard-driving AC/DC like riff a roll and that must be Kris or is it Leslie doing the second vocal as well. Crafty Hard Pop don’t ya just love.
Side 1 is a complete winner! Every track is top notch. Hence where the Singles came from. Side 2 though is no slouch either. Looking For Girls has Moe inner channeling his best Angus Young on guitar and even goes one better and drops the F-Bomb which would make his pal Axl happy! Killed By Love is another driving like AC/DC number which features a real slick bass line. Gotta love Moe on this album with these lyrics as he’s tormented by Women throughout! Down On Him Again ends the album with a nice like jingle jangle clean guitar sound with a REM’s Document like vibe except Moe sings “Your Going Down On Him Again” HAHAHA….fantastic!
Come to think of it for a second….let me ramble here…
AC/DC released Back In Black in 1980. I basically said in my review of that album it told me about he birds and bee’s of life if you catch my drift…
If I would have been 13 when Love Junk came out this album may have had the almost the same kind of impact as Back In Black lyrically as Berg captured on one album his vision of the birds and bee’s….!
I’M AN ADULT KNOW??? NOPE!
I got into this band a few years after this album came out and I like everything I’ve heard (which I believe is the first 3 albums). Haven’t played them in a long time but this post reminded me I need to do that. Thanks.
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Awesome give them a spin Rich! I like hearing that kind of thing when you drop a review and someone out there is ” Yeah I gotta check that out again!”
Thanks…
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I love this LP so much. I’m still convinced that I was the only person in Wales who had ever heard them. ‘Beautiful White’ is my fave, love that track.
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Your claim to fame Joe! You are the only person outside of Ontario that I know that digs these guys/gals!
What year did u discover TPOH?
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When ‘One Sided Story’ came out … possibly 89? or 90? I worked my way backwards from there.
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I believe it was the summer of 90. Purchased it on cassette so I could slap it in the walkman and ride to work playing it over rand over. Cigarette Dangles is an excellent track!
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I just loved the soppy one, ‘All I want’ I put it on a mix tape for my girlfriend a few years later … now we’re married.
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Moe would be proud!
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TPOH FTW!
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Sure Boss…whatever you say!
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I feel out of my element here. I don’t know much about the band (I deferred a journalist inquiry on the band directly to Joe) so I guess I will just echo Aaron’s comment.
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Fair enough Mikey…remember Stewy gave Moe the old accidental elbow years back…..or so the story goes about accidental!
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Stewy!! It took me a minute. What the Deuce!
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Looks to me like an album with Some guy screaming in a leather jacket!
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Ask your students this Geoff. “Am I an Adult Know?”
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I would DeKe, but I’m afraid they’d be too noisy when replying – and I sure don’t like the racket!
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Nicely played Geoff!!
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Those cheese eating High School boys can be noisy
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This one sounds really pretty good! Never heard of ’em, though. I’ll hit up Spotify or YouTube and then have a wee dig around Discogs!
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Thats awesome J….Joe also did a fantastic review of Love Junk as well! You will not be disappointed!
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