Cheapo one-color album cover art and semi-ridiculous pedigree (“Canada’s number one male dance vocalist for two years running?” “Conquered the world of smooth jazz?” TOM JONES???) had me initially believing I was participating in an elaborate hoax of some sort. Not so. Laurice—best known in punk circles for that glam-ish song that goes, “When Christine comes around, I’m gonna smash her face in” he recorded as Grudge circa 1973—is a real human who did these very things of which he was accused! He also wrote and recorded a bunch of pop-rock-ish songs in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, usually as a session writer/singer/producer. I’d say it sounds like Marc Bolan fronting the Archies, but that falsetto rightly demands its reference to the pre-RSO Bee Gees (Laurice’s “Boston City” as much as admitting this, given the Bee Gees having that song “Massachusetts” and all), who actually weren’t that bad. Either way, I’m pretty sure this guy speaks to the pompatoose of love. BEST SONG: “Dark Side of Your Face” BEST SONG TITLE: “Flying Saucers Have Landed” FANTASTIC AMAZING TRIVIA FACT: Includes Laurice’s attempt at writing the theme for the Diamonds Are Forever movie.
–norb (Mighty Mouth)