The Thin Red Line

by Mike DeGagneBuilt on a sturdy pop foundation and powered by Alan Frew's accented voice, Canada's Glass Tiger found instant fame with their debut album, Thin Red Line, in 1986. From it, three singles cracked Billboard's Top 40, with the stylishness of the trumpet helping "Don't Forget Me (When I'm Gone)" reach the number two spot while utilizing Bryan Adams' gravely voice in the chorus to balance out the sharpness of Frew's. The tranquil but elevated sway of "Someday" took this, their second single, to number seven, while a busier, upfront pop push gave "I Will Be There" a number 34 placing. Frew's Scottish roots are called to attention on the title track, a story song about the feuding Argyll and Sutherland clans which betters any of the charted singles. Like many Canadian bands, Glass Tiger's success remained north of the border, and both "I Will Be There" and "You're What I Look For" were played on the radio but failed to make an impact. Thin Red Line would prove to be their strongest release, with their next couple of albums unsuccessfully attempting a harder, more synth-infused pop sound.