The Colors Turned Red
Breaking Bounds
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25 years ago The Colors Turned Red was one of the most talked about bands around Norway, being an up-and-coming pop-combo and the next big thing up'n'out of the underground (the band started as Im Nebel in 1982, and their first release was a music cassette). They put out a couple of singles and a self-titled debut album (on the Danish label Mega - the album was even recorded in Denmark), which will be re-released (remastered) in April (on vinyl as well, on the label Made In Haugesund) as part of the album's 25th anniversary.

The Colors Turned Red (TCTR) went apart in late 1988, but they reunited in 2004 and they put out a second album, All the Way Up (on the CCAP label) in 2006. Well, I missed out the reunion, but this anniversary made me check the old vinyl singles ("Big Balloon" and "Too Proud To Tell", both taken from the debut album, plus Im Nebel's last release; a 7" called "The Colours Turned Red"), plus the original LP of course. Guess I must compare the two when the new one arrives, and really I'm excited to check the improved sound. It's an honour to welcome back: Johnny (Liadal) Hazard (vocals), Haakon Larsen (guitars, vocals), Bengt Hansen (keyboards, vocals), Morten Jackman (drums), and Ketil Torgersen (bass).

As a taster for the album comes "Breaking Bounds", which was one of my favourites at the time, and it's still a smashing song 25 years on. It has got this energetic drive, and it's the toughest track from the album. The new remastered edition seems to have added some punch and juice to the thinner ebb of the 80s guitar-rock sound. TCTR was a band inspired by classic guitar pop with hints of psychedelia, or rather: psychedelia with a dash of soul. "Breaking Bounds" is a organ-driven song, with Johnny Hazard's characteristic and distinct voice on top, and with Haakon Larsen's guitars as nifty seasoning. This is a classic, bouncy pop song. Catchy as hell. I'm looking forward to dig deeper into the full album with its new make-up.

Copyright © 2013 Håvard Oppøyen