Forget your Tiffany's and Debbie Gibsons. Don't even worry about your Shana's. Today, we're talking about Alisha.
At the age of eight, Alisha was coaxed, or as they would call it, forced, into taking singing lessons, and recording sessions. She would join the group, The Babysitters in Brooklyn at the age of fourteen, and recorded a demo which made its way to producer Mark S. Berry.
Berry was looking for someone to sing the song, All Night Passion, and selected the young girl. With his help she would also secure a recording contract with Vanguard Records, which Berry would go on to produce.
Personally, I had never heard of Alisha until perusing my usual haunts, and it was here that I was pointed to a handful of her tracks. They were pretty good, actually, and this led me to track down her 1985 self titled debut.
Wow, what a hidden gem this one turned out to be.
If you're a fan of synthpop dance tracks, then this is definitely one for you to check out. Song after song got a thumbs up of approval, and was transferred to my shuffle list. Overall, it was just fun, peppy, and catchy.
The album spawned numerous top ten chart hits, which include, All Night Passion, Too Turned On, and Baby Talk. Mild hits, which hit the top 100, were, Stargazing, and Boys Will Be Boys. Her debut remains Alisha's most successful record to date.
Unfortunately, what it also has going for it is a poor CD transfer. Clicks, and pops plague this release, and the disappointment is compounded by the scarcity and high price tag that comes with it. I dare say, had I not ripped this to MP3 when I did that this CD would have eventually become unplayable with time. It's that defective, barely salvageable in its current state.
Alisha signed a new record deal with RCA Records, and released her follow up album, Nightwalkin' in 1987. It only produced one hit, and a second single was featured in the film, Mannequin. The singer attempted a comeback album in 1990 with MCA Records, releasing Bounce Back. While the title track was a top ten hit, as a whole, the record did not garner the critical reception wanted or needed. It remains her last album to date.
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Disclaimer: They Toy Box does not endorse or contribute to piracy. Retro Spins posts are intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. None of the music discussed here is available for sale, downloading or distribution.
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS February 6, 1982 |
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| THIS WEEK ON THE CHARTS February 6, 1988 |
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