Tuesday, July 15, 2014

PAL - Truth For The Moment (1986)

Four years ago I posted the one and only single. "Talk We Don't", from 1980s funk/synth pop trio PAL on Lost Pop Treasures.  I have had their album on my wantlist ever since, and finally I have it to share, thanks to longtime Isle friend Robert G! :)  And it is every bit as good as I'd hoped, definitely something different from the "R&B" girl groups of the time.  PAL was Rebecca A. Sweet (aka Rebekha Sweet) and sisters Lanetta and Laretta Collier (aka Sinden and Rhett Cellier).  Luckily two thirds of PAL themselves saw my post on Lost Pop Treasures and filled us in on their past (which I've since also shared on Discogs), so I'll simply just repost that here.  Enjoy!

PAL's musical influences included Eurythmics, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Steve Winwood, Elton John, Fleetwood Mac... Most notably, it was Dave Stewart (Eurythmics) who telephoned Motown and inquired about the group after meeting them at an Eurythmics concert. He had assumed that PAL was already signed to Motown and upon being told they were not, asked "Why."  The group's name was inspired by "Pal" Shazar of Slow Children as it aptly represented the relationship of the members of the group.  PAL's music was only released in Europe as it was welcomed by the European licensees who had been anxiously awaiting a new fresh sound from Motown.  PAL's CD was somewhat altered from their original sound and true musical instincts, but they were lucky enough to maintain some elements true to their musical integrity as was showcased in "Talk We Don't." Simply told, PAL was not an" R&B" group but the record company enlisted the services of a Motown producer attempting to infuse R&B into their music in hopes of serving the American R&B base. This approach was again exercised in Motown's 12 inch remixes of "Talk We Don't" down-playing the breathing drums that were an integral part of the song's original music.  In January 1986, PAL embarked upon a promotional tour at the request of Motown's European licensees. The official video for the single "Talk We Don't" was produced in London utilizing the original track. PAL was told that their single at that time was the highest debuting single by any new group in Holland. PAL toured England, France, Spain, Germany, Holland and Belgium. They loved it!
Upon returning to the U.S., Motown was still at a loss as what to do with PAL. Even though the music had been so positively accepted abroad, America was not Europe. Motown never released PAL's music in America and this freed the group from any further recording obligations to Motown.  Around 1988, PAL disbanded and went on to lead very successful lives in other creative genres.

Here is a live performance of Talk We Don't

Download Truth For The Moment

1 Man About Town
2 Like It
3 Her Husband
4 On The Edge
5 Everybody's Nasty
6 Panic
7 Talk We Don't
8 Spellbound
9 Strange Dreams
10 Checkin' You Out

2 comments:

  1. Interesting album. It strikes me almost like an alternate-universe version of early Bananarama, given their quirky material.

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  2. Sadly never on Cd, Could Cherry Red do a Reissue on this fantastic lp?

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