If I had to sum up Julian Leal’s self-titled 1985 LP with only a handful of words, I’d go with “power pop bliss.” I knew I was onto something special the first time I heard the record, which was only recently. The album, which is filled with super catchy tunes, has languished in obscurity for decades—and changes hands for big bucks. But Julian Leal has just been given a new lease on life.

In the summer of 1985, Julian Leal, a Chicago area musician/performer, recorded the material for his debut album at a small studio in Joliet, Illinois. Leal wrote the songs that were captured to tape, handled all of the vocals, and played nearly every instrument, save the drums. The record was released a few months later via his own label, JLI Records. He pressed up about 1,500 copies of the Julian Leal LP; originally copies now typically go for hundreds of dollars.
 

 
The new wavey, hook-filled, euphoric opener, “You and I,” will surely give you a sense of why Leal’s album is so coveted. Turn it up!
 

 
After his album came out, Leal subsequently self-released a number of singles. In 1988, he received the thrill of a lifetime when the A-side to his second 45, “Get Away,” was played on American Bandstand. Over the years, Leal met with several major labels, but nothing came from these encounters. He’s said that his demands for more artistic control than the majors wanted to give played a role. By the ‘90s, Leal had refocused his attention on his education. He resumed putting out new material a few years back, and still plays live, performing his old songs for new fans.
 

 
Many of the tracks on Julian Leal have been stuck in my head for days. Just try to keep this one from embedding itself in your cranium:
 

 
HoZac Records, a Chicago label, recently reissued an expanded version of Julian Leal’s 1985 debut LP. Get the album on HoZac’s Bandcamp, where you can also stream the entire, fantastic record.
 

 
The first Julian Leal clip we have for you is of him and his band performing “Catch Her Thrill” during the Romeoville Operation Christmas telethon in 1985. Romeoville, a suburb of Chicago, is Leal’s hometown.
 

 
The Leal B-Side, “A Fantasy,” was played during the same Romeoville telethon the following year.
 

 
We’ll end with the American Bandstand airing of “Get Away.” The song’s included on the Julian Leal reissue.
 

 
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