Angel City - 1980 - .Face to face

Released 17 march 1980

In 1980, CBS Records released Face To Face in the United States.  
This album contained previously released material taken from two Angel City albums originally released in the band’s native Australia
(where they were known as The Angels).  
Some of the songs on this album come from 1978’s Face To Face LP, and others from 1979’s No Exit LP
(both released by Albert Productions in Australia).  
There’s also a 1979 re-recording of the cut Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again (originally from the 1977 LP The Angels).  
Confused?  Of course you are.  
You see, because previous The Angels albums weren’t available in the United States, CBS chose to package this quasi “best of”
collection for U.S. release.  
Unfortunately, they gave the compilation the title Face To Face, which was also the title of The Angels’ 1978 LP.  
(The same kind of stuff happened with AC/DC albums around the same time period.)  
It’s enough to spin your head around.  As to why the band was known as Angel City in the United States?  
I’m guessing it was to not be confused with the band Angel.

Now that we’ve got the above logistical nightmare out-of-the-way, let’s proceed to the music…

Angel City’s sound was punchy, lean hard rock.  
To my ears, they were a cross between AC/DC and Tom Petty.  
More often than not, simple, palm-muted power chords and a steady back beat propelled the verse sections.  
The chorus sections would open up with ringing power chord strikes and infectious, pop-like hooks.  
The brothers Brewster provided the crunchy guitars, while Doc Neeson was responsible for the vocal charms.  
Favorites here included Take A Long Line and No Exit.

Explanation for the slower...

The band signed an international contract with CBS Records and, in March 1980,
released a new version of Face to Face on the Epic label -
a compilation of tracks from the Australian Face to Face and No Exit albums,
plus an edited version of the 1979 studio version of "Am I Ever Gonna See Your Face Again".

The band billed itself as "Angel City" to avoid legal problems with the Casablanca Records' act Angel.
The band has gone on to say they hated the international name "Angel City".


Face to face - 1978 - Australian version
01...Straight jacket
02...After the rain
03...Love takes care
04...Take a long line
05...Marseilles
06...Live it up
07...Be with you
08...Outcast
09...I ain't the one
10...Comin' down

Face to face - 1980 - US version + Europe
01...Take a long line
02...Marseilles
03...After the rain
04...Am I ever gonna see your face again
05...Shadow boxer
06...Comin' down
07...Out of the blue
08...Can't shake it
09...Waiting for the world
10...No exit