In the early 1980s, among the flat-out future maniacs of the hard rock L.A. music scene, a group of musicians came together to form the band known as Fortune. Deriving its name from founders Richard and Mick Fortune, the band quickly became a favorite on the whiskey, beer, and brawl scene which, galvanized by a thousand volts, culminated in the year 1985 with the self-titled LP "Fortune" now digitally remastered and transferred to this new CD. Along with the original ten recordings are three songs never previously released. The song 'Home Free' was written in 1985 but recorded in 2004 specifically for this 20th anniversary release by all of the original band members. And they are: L.A.GREENE (Lead Vocals, Guitar), BOBBY BIRCH (Bass, Vocals, Saxophone), RICHARD FORTUNE (Guitars, Vocals), MICK FORTUNE (Drums) and ROGER SCOTT CRAIG (Keyboards, Vocals) Also included on this new CD are the songs 'Breaking Down the Door', and 'Heart of Stone' both recorded live at the Rock N' Run with Fleetwood Mac, September 28, 1985 on the campus of UCLA. Voted by many as one of the all-time AOR Rock classics, this CD has everything for the melodic rock fan! See review by Metal Invader Magazine: Ok, first things first. GO AND FUCKING BUY THIS ALBUM ! IT's AWESOME! Now that we established this, we can try and write an objective (???) appraisal of the album. Originally recorded in 1985, by the Fortune brothers, Richard and Mick on guitars and drums and singer LA Greene, plus Misters Birch and Craig on bass and Keys respectively, It's beyond me why this album wasn't getting re-released for all these years and even now it's release came out of nowhere from a company that with all due respect I never heard of ever before. Nevermind that, a 12 ft statue should be erected to the guys that made this re-release possible. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I haven't had such a thrill since the first time I heard a Queen tune. Easily one of the best 3 AOR albums ever, if not perhaps the BEST, this album is the epitome of Melody. LA Greene, sounds like a sexier, sleeker, far more evocative Phil Collins and the band gives every Pompy, AOR or POP band a run for their money. Precise and immaculate musicianship, sometimes leaning towards jazz, sometimes classical, sometimes bluesy, sometimes all of those things at the same time. Simply put AWESOME. The "Thrill of it all" is a thrilling, chilling anthemic masterpiece, that might open a bit, like "Runaway" but has a refrain, every bit as alluring, as the aforementioned song has, if not more so. "Smoke from a gun" builds and builds to an AWESOME chorus, that is a complete antithesis to the verses. I remember telling a friend of mind, about this awesome band and how much he'd love this CD. He was like "OK,OK" 2 days down the line, he's calling me from Italy, while I'm in the UK, to tell me who amazing he thought, "Smoke from a gun" as well as any other song was...ehm, what can I say. "Stacy" There should be a number 0 invented for this song. It's better than a number 1. Saxophone solo included. "Bad Blood" is rockier, which is good, cause it helps, you collect your pieces from the floor after you 've been charmed, by the awesome "Stacey", or wake you up in the event that you have fallen asleep :P. "Dearborn station" oh dear, there is not one single weak track on this CD, this one is actually one of the best. Melodic, awesome, amazing chorus, a defiant fiery delivery of the verses, with an ever ascending, dramatic delivery. It's like a drama to one of those 50s movies about the poor boy falling in love with the rich girl, only not ridiculous at all. "Lonely Hunter" while borrowing a riff from "rock u like a hurricane" that must have come around about the same time. (memory doesn't serve me correctly at 6'o clock in the morning and I can be bothered to look it up on the interporn) quickly evolves into a huge anthem, but it's the first verse and the prechoruses that really had me on my knees, they must contain some of the most beautiful melodies I have ever heard in my life. Deep in the heart, has an almost rumba like rhythm, and a weird, Survivor like melody, which just reaches a beautiful conclusion with another fantastic chorus. Nice synths as well, very well utilized. And the hit parade doesn't stop because "Stormy love" follows suit. I 'm in awe, this is an impossible album. Many bands don't have so good best offs. This was the band's debut for god's sake. I demand a reunion. "Out in the streets" reminded my a bit of BOC, with keys overlaid and A very Phil Collins like vibe, from the late Genesis material era. The commercial stuff. "98F in the Shade " sounds like a sex party between Bon Jovi and "We can't dance" Genesis. Oh dear, adding insult to injury. Do I really need to say, that I'd sell my soul and even get an overdraft, to have written something like that ? "Home free" starts with a playfull key motif, and has a very uplifting vibe. Awesome. One of those tracks was only laid down recently. Heck i haven't got the booklet with me and I dunno which one it was, (probably the latter) and if it was written back then, but the performance of the band, is simply amazing. "Breaking down the door" opens like a Rush, song, only to stomp ya, and rock ya with a monolithic riff and a cool chorus, it's a live recording too and it's amazing to see how well the band sounded live. And to conclude the album we have "Heart of Stone" a beautiful, heart stopping ballad, again performed live, man, I was sobbing by the time it was over. And subsequently pressing repeat. If there is justice in this world, they should pass a law making it compulsory for everyone to own this album. I 've run out of superlatives, cool expressions and steam. Words fail to convey the majesty and grandeur of this excellent highly melodic band. I feel FORTUNate to have found this awesome band even 20 years after it actually released this awesome album. (Gimme a break I was 6 at the time and their distribution in Greece sucked :P) Nuff said. 24 K Gold.