BOOKS OF BEYOND - 1985
01 If I Can Be A Man
02. It's About Time We Change
03. Like Falling In Love Again
04. No Room For Euphoria
05. Flying Colors
06. Tonight She'll Run Away
07. When Love Is Coming
08. Books Of Beyond
09. You Can Do Anything
10. Unpredictable
11. Seven Ties
FS Orlonn: lead vocals, guitars
Skipper Flytkjær: guitars
Georg Olesen: bass
Morten Bucholtz: keyboards, grand piano, organ
Lars Daugaard: drums
Poul Halberg: guitars, backing vocals, producer
Jacob Andersen: percussion
Annika Askmann, Gry Harrit: backing vocals
Produced by Poul Halberg
Danish singer and guitarist FS ORLONN (real name Flemming Sørensen) recorded his first album "Books Of Beyond" in 1995 under the tutelage of producer Poul Halberg (ex Halberg Larsen, Ray Dee Ohh & Sanne Salomonsen Band), who also plays guitar and arranged some songs.
Musicians involved in the recording sessions include Skipper Flytkjær from the Chain Gang, Georg Olesen from TV-2 , Jacob Andersen (ex- One Two, another Danish band once presented here) and Skagarack's drummer Lars Daugaard among others.
Despite his Scandinavian origin, FS Orlonn has an American heart: "Books Of Beyond" features 11 self-penned tracks strongly influenced by US acts like '80s Eagles, Eddie Money's more classic rock era and even Benny Mardones, though, Orlonn's vocal timbre is like a cross between Swiss artist Rick Laine (his solo album was posted on this blog some time ago), Walk On Fire's Alan King, and Don Henley, perhaps from where comes the Eagles comparison too.
You will be pleased by excellent melodies and arrangements, sultry & smooth vocal harmonies and the top notch musicianship on display here. Just listen the superb guitar work on the pumping bluesy rocker "Flying Colors", one of my favorites.
Guitars have an important role on this recording, even through the more slow tunes as the soulful "No Room for Euphoria" or the terrific ballad "It's About Time We Change" where producer Poul Halberg drops a sharp solo.
The moving "When Love Is Coming" reminds me King Of Hearts (the Funderburk / Gaitsch band), "You Can Do Anything" Michael Bolton circa 1987, while "Tonight She'll Run Away" and "Seven Ties" have a WestCoast parfum all over.
FS ORLONN - Books Of Beyond (1995) back cover
Released by a Sony subsidiary (Northern Star), many cuts from "Books Of Beyond" were used for Danish TV series and a couple of singles got substantial airplay on local radio stations, but FS Orlonn decided to stop as solo artist, built his own studio and dedicated to produce commercials and record other bands since then (though, he released another album last year).
"Books Of Beyond" is an unknown, but stupendous album of classic sounding songs, backed up by a stellar production. Seriously, you'll be surprised by the quality on offer here.
Rare, out of print and really good, three reasons to add this baby to your collection.