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ARTIST: Tower
ALBUM: Titan
LABEL: Dureco Records
SERIAL: 88.037
YEAR: 1982
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: 
LINEUP: Marian Pijnaker - lead vocals * Cor Van Hoogt - guitar, vocals * Henk Van Loon- keyboards, vocals * Ben Petersen - bass * Ton Hoogeboom - drums
TRACK LISTING: 01 Introduction * 02 Titan * 03 Get Back * 04 Moon * 05 We Are (The Boys And Girls) * 06 Goin' Home * 07 Space Man * 08 See You Tonight * 09 X-I-O * 10 Epilogue |
BackgroundPresented in a visually stunning sleeve; this is the kind of record that makes a lifetime of collecting worthwhile and all the duds I've encountered over the years - easy to forget. Tower called The Netherlands home and were pieced together by hit making collective Cat Music; the Dutch equivalent to Nicky Chinn and Michael Chapman and whose previous claim to fame included Nederglam glam faves
Catapult. 'Titan' was Tower's only album but included two top twenty singles 'See You Tonight' and 'Goin' Home', yet considering their success; it's a mystery why another LP wasn't released. Heavy touring and TV appearances naturally followed but Tower's ability to break big was greatly diminished by trickling out a handful of non-charting but excellent singles until their break-up in 1984.
The SongsWith a breathtaking album that sounds like the
Electric Light Orchestra fronted by
Pat Benatar; Tower had it going on in lead vocalist Marian Pijnaker whose sexy good looks gave the band hot video-age optics while blazing through seriously mind-blowing pop. From the opening classical rock strains of 'Introduction' which borrows liberally from compatriots
Focus; Tower on the title track are blissfully over-the-top with soaring vocals, a
Queen-like chorus and a reach for heaven guitar solo that would put
Robby Valentine to shame. 'Get Back' is pompy to the point of ridiculous, recalling Jeanette Chase's
Storm and with
ELO 'Time' inspired strings that pierce the sky like sugar-coated cathedral spires, it's as if I've died and gone to pop heaven. There are a couple ho-hum tracks, namely 'Moon' and the
Blondie influenced 'We Are (The Boys and Girls)' but the big singles, 'Goin' Home' and especially the deliciously infectious 'See You Tonight' more than make up for the record's inconsistencies with the grandiose prog rock finale 'X-I-O'/'Epilogue' the absolute icing on the cake.
In SummaryPijnaker and guitarist Cor Van Hoogt continued on as
Second Avenue; releasing a couple of singles before trying to revive Tower. Unfortunately it was not to be and incredibly 'Titan' has yet to be reissued on CD which is a travesty to say the least. As I've stated elsewhere on these pages, the Dutch contribution to progressive pop is enormous and Tower stands as one of the genres very best.
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