Orleans - Orleans II 1974

The right record deal can easily make or break a band; just ask the members of Orleans, who, in the 1970s, were well aware of the difference between a supportive and unsupportive label. The unsupportive label was ABC, which never really believed in Orleans and ended up dropping the band after two albums (Orleans in 1973 and II in 1974). The supportive label was Elektra/Asylum, which gave Orleans a lot more promotion than it had received at ABC; as a result, "Dance With Me" made Orleans a big name in soft rock in 1975. But "Dance With Me" was around before the band moved to Elektra/Asylum; in fact, it is among the songs on Orleans' second ABC album, II. Although ABC didn't think much of this 1974 release, it isn't a bad album. Some of the material is mediocre, but some of it is impressive -- and the record's best tracks demonstrate that ABC made a big mistake by giving Orleans the boot. Those tracks range from "Wake Up" (which addresses environmental concerns) to the anthemic "Let There Be Music" and the charming "Dance with Me." Commercially, this LP bombed -- that's what happens when a record company doesn't believe in an album and does little or nothing to promote it. But, thankfully, two of its best songs got a new lease on life at Elektra/Asylum. In 1975, "Let There Be Music" became the title track of Orleans' third album, and "Dance With Me" became the hit single that it deserved to be -- not just one of nine tracks on an underexposed LP that was plagued by inadequate promotion. Although uneven and imperfect, II deserved much more support than it got from ABC. AMG.

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