Player-Player (1977)

Player was an exquisite soft rock band that blended the vocal harmonies of bands like America with the musical excellence of Steely Dan, in a style close to melodic rock. Player was founded in Los Angeles in 1976 by bassist Ronn Moss, who already had extensive experience in the city's music scene. The rest of the band consisted of British guitarist Peter Beckett, keyboardist and guitarist J.C. Crowley, and drummer John Friesen. For a time, they performed concerts as the opening act for Gino Vannelli, gaining a strong reputation on the California rock circuit. Even then, they were performing what would later become their big hit, "Baby Come Back". In addition to their concerts, the band dedicated themselves to composing songs intended for recording an LP, featuring a smooth and elegant rock sound with a strong emphasis on melodic vocals, guitars with a clear rock accent, and passages of synthesizers and keyboards. For this last endeavor, they enlisted the help of keyboardist Wayne Cook, who joined the band, though not officially. With enough material composed, they began searching for a record label to produce an album. Ultimately, RSO financed the release of their first album, which hit the market on September 1, 1977. Almost simultaneously with its release, and thanks to the song "Baby Come Back", the band achieved resounding success, reaching number one on the Billboard charts and remaining there for an astounding 32 consecutive weeks. But this debut album wasn't solely focused on the excellence of "Baby Come Back". The rest is an irresistible collection of unpretentious melodies, elegant rock with high-level pop touches, as reflected in the charming "Come On Out", "Goodbye (That's All I Ever Heard)", "Every Which Way", and "Love Is Where You Find It", the captivating rock of "Cancellation", the funky "Movin' Up", and the sublime ballad "Tryin' To Write A Hit Song", all of which together form one of the best debut albums in recent memory. A year later, Player released their second album, "Danger Zone", with some of the same characteristics as their debut, although featuring a more aggressive sound. While it didn't achieve the same level of success, it still earned a gold record for sales and spawned several impactful singles such as "Prisoner Of Your Love" and "Silver Lining".