ORION THE HUNTER
S/T
Portrait Records 1984
www.barrygoudreau.com

What’s the 4-1-1?
This is the first and only album released by the band formed by Barry Goudreau, formerly of Boston. Orion The Hunter was a short-lived band. They only created one album. Even though the album was pure genius, the group never got off the ground, and as such, nothing major ever came of their music. The band's sound combined elements from many rock genres and sounds of the day - there are definitely traces of Goudreau's old band Boston, but as a whole this sounds like something completely different - more like the AOR-style rock that was dominating in the decade of decadence.

On their lone album, Orion covers all the bases and then some. You've got hard rock ("Stand Up," "Fast Talk") ballads ("Dark And Stormy," "Joanna"), AOR ("All Those Years", "Too Much In Love"), and plenty more. Really, there aren't any weak tracks on the album. It stays pretty diverse and high-quality all the way though. As for flaws on this album, I really can't think of any. Unless you can say that the album never getting the proper credit is a flaw, this album is awesome. Don't be expecting anything revolutionary for the genre of AOR, though. This is just good music. It doesn't try to push the limits or anything like that - it doesn't have to.

The Verdict
Orion The Hunter was a great band despite their lack of popularity and short-lived reign. Barry Goudreau showed beautifully that he didn't need Boston to succeed in the musical world. The band only made one album, but their lone contribution to the world of rock music is a true underrated gem.

Did You Know?
Barry Goudreau formerly played in Boston. Michael DeRosier formerly played in Heart. Fran Cosmo became the new singer for Boston in the nineties.

Rating: out of 5

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--Darth Kommissar