Glass Tiger – Then Now Next (2012)

In fact, the vintage pop-rockers are healthier than ever these days, roaring back to life atop a new wave of ’80s nostalgia. They’re touring arenas across Canada once again with fellow retro-popsters Roxette. They recently released an expanded 25th-anniversary edition of their 1986 debut album The Thin Red Line. And they just put out the best-of Then…NOW…Next, with four new songs including the piano-pop cut I Take it Back, their first single in nearly two decades.

It all adds up to a perfect storm of interest and opportunity that no one predicted — not even frontman Alan Frew.

“It was just a case of everything lining up, the way life does,” the 55-year-old singer says from his old stomping grounds in Newmarket, Ont. “But it feels good to get back in the saddle.”

Not that he’s been at loose ends. An in-demand songwriter, Frew co-penned the title single from Johnny Reid’s latest album Fire it Up, which is up for two trophies at this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards (and has just been covered by Joe Cocker). You might have heard another of his tunes — the anthemic I Believe, sung by Canadian jazz wunderkind Nikki Yanofsky — played ad infinitum during the Olympics. Over the past few years, he’s also written an autobiography, tried his hand at acting and even gigged as a public speaker. Bottom line: He’s a busy cat.

While packing up after a rehearsal, the musical multi-tasker found a few moments to discuss his new Tiger tracks, going country and the irony of singing Don’t Forget Me for 25 years.

01. I’m Still Searching (Single Version) 3:51
02. Thin Red Line (Reverence Mix) 4:11
03. My Song (Single Version) 3:23
04. Diamond Sun (Single Version) 4:26
05. I Take It Back 2:53
06. I Will Be There (Single Version) 3:12
07. My Town (Single Version) 4:50
08. Love Is On The Way 2:44
09. Someday (Single Version) 3:34
10. Healing Hands (Radio Edit) 4:11
11. Animal Heart 3:48
12. Dont Forget Me (When Im Gone) (Single Version) 4:06
13. Stand Up (Give Yourself A Hand) 3:44
14. So Blind (Radio Edit) 4:07
15. Youve Got To Hide Your Love Away 3:19

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