Customer Reviews

Twitch

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Many people may say that Aldo's first release was his best...but in my opinion this is the definitive Nova! The songs are all stronger here and so are the vocals...Why this album was not a smash sales wise is beyond me, and must go down in history as one of lifes great mysteries (together with lack of chart success for Angel). Every song is perfectly crafted AOR, with stella musicianship (a trade mark of this great artist). Listen to the magestic glory of "Surrender Your Heart", "Fallen Angel" and "Stay" and you'll know what I mean! "Lay Your Love On Me" is worthy of a mention purely for striking similarities to the great masked marauders Kiss with "Heaven's On Fire." My recommendation would be that if you can buy any Aldo Nova CD start here and then get the rest...cause at the end of the day all releases by this great man will satisfy! Where are you Aldo? I keep looking towards the skies!

Twitch (1985). Aldo Nova's third studio album.

Back in 1982, a Canadian rock musician who goes by the name Aldo Nova, showed up on the music scene with a single popular hit 'Fantasy'. This anthem was hailed by many to be a classic radio rock staple and the future showed commercial promise for the lone hard rocker. Unfortunately, this was not to be. The debut album (1982) failed to really launch Nova's career, and so he disappeared into obscurity in the eyes of the world. However, under the radar, Nova continued to make music with his semi-prog album, Subject(1983). He did receive some help by a better known rock artist and best friend Jon Bon Jovi in many areas of album production. After two fairly hard rock albums, he decided to hire several session musicians and their third outing would take on more of a lighter approach.

Twitch(1985) took two years for Nova to make, but the longer time in the studio paid off with perhaps his strongest set of songs he's ever made. Instead of the faster, pompous hard rock jaunts found on previous albums, Twitch concentrates on a pop/rock melodic delivery both vocally and instrumentally, through the use of guitar, keyboards, and guest female vocals in various songs.

'Tonight (Lift Me Up)' and 'Rumours Of You' both offer the perfect touching, mellow-paced introduction to the ambient mood of Twitch. Following it is the excellent ballad 'Surrender Your Heart'. From here, Twitch brings back the edgier element of earlier albums with the rockers 'If Looks Could Kill' and 'Heartless'. It calms down again with the optimistic track 'Long Hot Summer'. 'Fallen Angel' is my personal favorite track because it combines the faster harder pace of Nova's earlier work with an ethereal melodic soundscape, making it one of the best songs of his career. 'Stay' is another good ballad that follows. The only track I thought seemed like filler was 'Lay Your Love On Me' because it lacked the emotional impact of other songs. Topping off the album is the instrumental title track which, although a bit generic, has some good guitar riffs towards the end.

Twitch, even though never heard by the general public mass majority, is a phenomenal collection of punchy rockers and beautiful ballads that could please most anybody. Given the chance, these songs could have contended with the likes of Bon Jovi, Whitesnake, and Hysteria era Def Leppard. 5 stars for solid musicianship, production, and musical execution by Nova and the various session-artists. If you like 80s melodic pop/hard rock and come in with an open mind, you will not be disappointed. This masterpiece has been hiding in the shadows for far too long. It's about time that someone gave it a spin. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Originally released in 1985, Twitch was the third album from Canadian singer/guitarist/keyboardist Aldo Nova. Nova is best known for his self-titled 1982 debut (and the hit single "Fantasy"), but the overlooked Twitch may just be his best work overall.

It says something that Nova, who was often brought in to help produce and write songs for other artists, was forced to accept outside help (including background vocals by Fiona Flanagan and Michael Bolton) with this album. Reluctant or not, Nova still turned in a terrific performance, and the result is one of the best examples of glossy melodic rock the mid `80s had to offer. The melodies are catchy, the synths are none too subtle, the guitar solos are perfect for `80s action movie training sequences, and even the bright cover reinforces the Miami Vice soundtrack vibe Twitch has going on. There's no "Fantasy" here, which meant the album didn't make much of a splash on the charts, but nearly every song on Twitch (aside from the throwaway instrumental title track that closes the album) could have been a radio or MTV hit.

I'm obviously a fan of this album, and can't see anyone who's still crazy about `80s era AOR and melodic rock not absolutely loving Twitch. Yes, it's soulless, plastic corporate rock, but it's soulless, plastic corporate rock perfection.

Edition Notes: Wounded Bird reissued Twitch in 2009. Like all Wounded Bird reissues, it has not been remastered, has no bonus material, and has minimal liner notes. It does, however, put this great album back into circulation, which is long overdue.

What's the 4-1-1?
Canadian guitar sensation Aldo Nova was riding high with the release of his 1982 self-titled debut. Propelled by the infectious pop-metal classic "Fantasy," Aldo Nova went on to sell over two million copies. Aldo's 1983 follow-up Subject: Aldo Nova didn't fare quite so well. Executives at his record label were disappointed with the fact that Nova chose to do something different, rather than the same old same old. Subject: Aldo Nova was sort-of a concept album that wasn't necessarily bad, but not what you'd expect after hearing his debut.

For Aldo Nova's third album Twitch, the record company took the reigns and forced Nova to rely on outside songwriters and incorporate a more polished, keyboard heavy sound. Aldo has gone on record denouncing the whole Twitch experience, but fans of melodic rock beg to differ. It may have sucked for Nova not to have had as much control of the album, but the final product wasn't bad at all. With so many pros working on it, how could it be bad?

Get your dark shades, florescent t-shirts, a white sport coats ready because "Tonight (Lift Me Up)" will take you right back to the days of Miami Vice with its pulsing keyboard changes and fuzzy guitar power chords. The chorus hook is undeniable. Nova pours out plenty of emotions on "Rumors of You." I could see this track actually working for Rod Stewart at the time. "If Looks Could Kill" pushes the keyboards to the background and puts Nova's guitar skills on prominent display. Multi-layered vocal harmonies dominate the chorus.

Its more flashy guitar runs for Nova on "Heartless," as he lets out his frustrations about his latest love. The track has another memorable chorus that could easily pass for an eighties movie theme. The keyboard tones on "Fallen Angel" bounce similar to the way they did on Bon Jovi's "Runaway." However, it's the drums and vocals that a highlighted throughout. "Lay Your Love on Me" is drenched in some of the heaviest riffs on the album. Nova employs another Bon Jovi technique by using the Sambora voice tube (maybe that's why Nova's next album was on Jon's record label?).

Sadly, Twitch turned out to be a commercial flop. It didn't even place on the charts. Of course one has to wonder, if the artist doesn't support it, how far is it going to go anyway. Nova was able to get out of his contract with Portrait by the late eighties, but disappeared on the face of the Earth. He did reemerge in 1992 with the release of Blood on the Bricks, and again in 1997 with Nova's Dream. But don't cry for Aldo, he went on to write and produce for many famous and successful artists.

The Verdict
Aldo Nova may have hated this album, but I love it. If you're a fan of eighties melodic rock loaded with keyboards, guitars, and passionate vocals, you'll love it too.

Aldo writes some good pop songs and this album is no disappointment. I wasn't as thrilled with this release as I was his first two, but it still holds up and isn't a disappointment really. "Surrender Your Heart" is a great song and so is the infectious "Long Hot Summer." Aldo is a great songwriter and musician and his music is cool to listen to.

"Twitch" (1985) did not chart.
3rd and final album I bought by Aldo Nova. The 1-2 punch of "Tonight (Lift Me Up)" and "Rumours Of You", still resonate today 26 years later, both of these songs should of been big hits. "Surrender Your Heart", is a nice power ballad done with Fiona who made 4 albums between 1985-1992, and had a hit in "Talk to Me" in '85. As for the rest of the album, I found out it was a little to slick and just a tad boring, nothing like his first albums.

I've always loved this album. Pop/rock from the '80s. Very talented musicians. Wish they were still recording.

Side One
1. Tonight (Lift Me Up)
2. Rumours of You
3. Surrender Your Heart
4. If Looks Could Kill
5. Heartless
Side Two
6. Long Hot Summer
7. Fallen Angel
8. Stay
9. Lay Your Love on Me
10. Twitch

Twitch is not a bad album but it does not have the excitement of the first two albums. It is more of a pop sound than ever before. Twitch is a good listen and has it's moments but leaves you feeling a little short of satisfied.

AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE IN MY OTHER REVIEW OF ALDO'S "SUBJECT", HE IS A TRUE MUSICAL GENUIS. AFTER LISTENING TO "TWITCH", IT CAN ONLY BE SAID THAT THIS WORK OF ART IS HIS BEST ONE YET!
IHAD THIS GEM ON VINYL,NOW YEARS LATER I AM PROUD TO SAY THAT I OWN IT ON CD. HIS MUSICAL BRILLIANCE IS UNIQUE. I WILL CONTINUE TO ADMIRE ALDO NOVA FOR MANY MORE YEARS TO COME.
I LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE SOMEDAY ANOTHER MUSICAL MASTERPIECE FROM ALDO NOVA. BUT FOR NOW, ALL OF HIS GEMS WILL NEVER BECOME JUST MEMORIES.
LISTEN TO ALL OF ALDO'S WONDEROUS GIFTS, AND YOU TOO WILL HAVE TO AGREE THAT ARTISTS SUCH AS HE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.