Ken Sharp: 1301 Highland Avenue

I have long coveted a copy of 1301 Highland Avenue, the 1994 debut album by singer-songwriter  (and my former Goldmine colleague) Ken Sharp. I was knocked out by Ken's track "Break Down The Walls," a bubbly confection found on the first volume of Jordan Oakes' essential power pop compilation series Yellow Pills, and I wanted to hear more.

Alas, 1301 Highland Avenue was only released in Japan, and I couldn't fit its purchase into my budget at the time. The passing of two and a half decades has made the disc even harder to come by. I had the digital tracks, so I knew how great the album was, but I'm a physical media guy. I want the CD. And it didn't seem likely I was ever going to be able to get one.

Cover of original 1994 Japanese release

Until NOW! Tell 'em about it, Ken!

Greetings!

This year marks the 25th anniversary of my first album 1301 Highland Avenue, a frothy blend of innocent pure pop, bubblegum and a bit o' soul with melodies for miles. It was a Japan only release back in 1994 and has been sold out for almost 25 years and has not been available via digital channels.

Now I’m gearing up to release an enhanced and, in my humble opinion, a way better version of the album for the very first time in the U.S. on CD and as a special limited edition 2-LP set.

16 songs!

--NEWLY tweaked with a fresh coat of sonic paint and sounding fuller and richer, the album features a brand new song “1301 Highland Avenue” 

--Cool new artwork by Dan Sarka of The Vandalias (see attached) 

--The album features many new sonic enhancements—more vocals, additional guitar parts, drums on four songs that previously did not have them, horns, ukulele, glockenspiel and more!

--Features power pop icons The Rubinoos backing me on two songs

David Bash, pop music journalist and founder/CEO: The International Pop Overthrow Festival, is a long-time champion of the album and raves:

"Of all the albums I've heard since the Power Pop renaissance, "1301 Highland Avenue" captures the magic of '70s AM Radio as well as any. Awesome hooks which repeat (a lost art) and engaging lead vocals, it's an album which will stay in your head long after the record has stopped."

Reserve your copy now for what will be a very limited run of CDs and vinyl.

Pricing:

CD $10

2-LP vinyl $45 (Black vinyl)

2-LP colored vinyl $50 (Colored vinyl/choice of red, blue, green or white)

Sealed original 1994 Japanese CD (out of print for almost 25 years) $30

plus shipping/handling:

US

$5 (CD)

$10 (2-LP)

Canada

$13 (CD)

$21 (2-LP)

Europe/Japan

$17 (CD)

$28 (2-LP)

PayPal email is sharpk@aol.com

***Be sure to send payment using the “send to friends and family” option, list item ordered and don’t forget your address. ***

Big thanks for your continued support of my work. Grateful if you can help share the news with fellow pop music fans.

I hope you’ll join me on my journey to 1301 Highland Avenue.

I'm sold! And I mean that literally, 'cuz I've already bought mine. You should buy one, too. GO! And tell 'im CC sent you.

You can also order Ken's other releases and his books from his website http://ken-sharp.com/

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Fans of pop music will want to check out Waterloo Sunset--Benefit For This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, a new pop compilation benefiting SPARK! Syracuse, the home of This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio with Dana & Carl. TIR'N'RR Allstars--Steve Stoeckel, Bruce Gordon, Joel Tinnel, Stacy Carson, Eytan Mirsky, Teresa Cowles, Dan Pavelich, Irene Peña, Keith Klingensmith, and Rich Firestone--offer a fantastic new version of The Kinks' classic "Waterloo Sunset." That's supplemented by eleven more tracks (plus a hidden bonus track), including previously-unreleased gems from The Click Beetles, Eytan Mirsky, Pop Co-Op, Irene Peña, Michael Slawter (covering The Posies), and The Anderson Council (covering XTC), a new remix of "Infinite Soul" by The Grip Weeds, and familiar TIRnRR Fave Raves by Vegas With Randolph, Gretchen's Wheel, The Armoires, and Pacific Soul Ltd. Oh, and that mystery bonus track? It's exquisite. You need this. You're buying it from Futureman.

(And you can still get our 2017 compilation This Is Rock 'n' Roll Radio, Volume 4, on CD from Kool Kat Musik and as a download from Futureman Records.)

Hey, Carl's writin' a book! The Greatest Record Ever Made! (Volume 1) will contain 100 essays (and then some) about 100 tracks, plus two bonus instrumentals, each one of 'em THE greatest record ever made. An infinite number of records can each be the greatest record ever made, as long as they take turns. Updated initial information can be seen here: THE GREATEST RECORD EVER MADE! (Volume 1).