               |
BOWLING FOR SOUP - "A Hangover You Don't
Deserve"
(2/2005)
Super songwriter/producer Butch
Walker leads this quartet from Texas through one of the brightest
records in recent years. This is a fun pop record with quirky lyrics
and some very tight production. There are those that might question
the band's musical integrity, as there are very few instrumental
extremities involved in BFS's formula. This is simply a fun,
creative, sing-along party that invites anyone with a sense of humor
and a craving for good time music. To give you a better
description of what you'll hear, I could tell you that they are
another version of Butch Walker's great Marvelous 3
project, but you probably aren't familiar with that, right? So,
let's try this.....
Drawn from a blueprint of vintage Cheap Trick, with an adolescent
punk groove similar to fellow rockers Green Day, Bowling For Soup
offers up a bright alternative to the irritating repetition of most
new generation power pop/punkers. Unlike Green Day, this band can
switch speeds. They write songs that stick to your insides. One
listen, and your on your way to an all day terrorization of
infectious pop hooks. They write intelligent lyrics full of
tremendous wit. This band is the best fun I've had with music since
Frank Zappa sang of "mammalian protuberances"; a subject in
which BFS refers to the happy couple as "breast-es" in their catchy
disc opener "Almost". They are comical and inventive with every
track here, and that tongue-in-cheek irreverence makes for
a delightful upbeat listen. With lyrics from their hit single
"1985" that ask "When did Motley Crue become classic rock?, And,
when did Ozzy become an actor?, Please make this STOP!!", the band
shows some "old school" savvy. They are thoroughly enjoying what
they do, and it is a mood that is transferred to the listener. The
"feel good" album of the year you could say. Maybe frontman Jaret
Reddick said it best...."If you want to be angry, this is not the
album for you," says Reddick. "If you want to smile and have a good
time and think about chicks and beer, this is your
album."
I
could copy a huge list of lyrics from this record that would either
impress you or, at least cause you to chuckle - but I won't do that.
I will urge you to go to their goofy, informative, jam-packed
website (www.bowlingforsoup.com) and get a quick listen to all of these tracks, watch a
video, and then rush out and pick up the party for
yourself.
OVERALL
RATING: 9
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CHEAP TRICK - "In
Color"
(5/2006)
First, there were The
Beatles. They came out of Liverpool with an incredible ability to
write pop songs like no one else. Let's face it, they started all of
this.
Then there were bands like
MC5 and Blue Cheer that beat the hell out of you with sledgehammer
riffing and fuzzy guitars.
Then came Cheap Trick, a
band that found the delicate balance between power and
pop.
"In
Color," the second album in the Trick bag, is a blueprint for power
pop as we know it today. Cheap Trick were one of the first bands to
combine catchy pop songwriting with power chords and guitar
solos, and they did it brilliantly. Arguably, this record serves as
a portfolio of their most groundbreaking material. You can hear
the band do straight forward pop songs ("I Want You To Want Me" and
"Come On Come On"), you can hear the Chuck Berry and Little Richard
influences at times ("Clock Strikes Ten"), and you can
hear the band rip things up with a bit more power than pop too
("Hello There" and "You're All Talk"). The real treat with this
band though is the perfect balance that they get from songs like
"Southern Girls," "So Good To See You," and "Oh Caroline." These
songs are leeches that cling to the rhythmic cavity of
your mind, and the only thing that will remove them is the fire from a different Trick tune. All
day, whether you like it or not, your lips will recite the melody of
"Southern Girls" over and over and over. These are "feel
good" songs that brighten even the darkest of days,
too. From the anthemic sing-along of "Southern Girls," to the
soft melody and vocal harmonies of "Downed" and the light bop pop of
"I Want You To Want Me," these are sounds that play during those
perfect summer days. So many of these songs draw pictures
of pool parties and easy drives with the top down, but
they also have enough rock fire power to make you swim a little
harder and drive a little faster.
Cheap Trick has had many hits throughout their existence, most
notably their huge monster hit, "The Flame," from 1988's "Lap
Of Luxury" album, but this is the record that laid the groundwork
for all of that. This is a record that influenced many of the
bands that are currently climbing the pop charts. If you want a
rock 'n' roll party that will have you clapping your hands, tapping
your feet, and jamming on your favorite model of air guitar - the
solution is black and white - pick up a copy of
"In Color."
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
COLDPLAY - "X & Y" (1/2006)
What is the big
appeal of these "reinventing the wheel" artists like Radiohead and
Coldplay? Maybe I'm the wrong guy to be reviewing this one, but I
just find the stuff to be drab and boring. Not to take anything away
from the talent of the band, they are doing what they do well.
Swirling pop skeletons flanked with the flesh of slow and dark
moods; it all seems a bit contradictory to me. The idea of the pop
song, in a traditional sense anyway, is to get you singing and
tapping your feet, right? Well, yes, Coldplay is "cutting edge" I
guess because they break all the "rules" of the pop genre. Are they
even a pop band? Is this "alternative?" Okay, so I can't categorize
it.......again, "cutting edge" right? Whatever you want to call this
kind of stuff, I just can't get into it.
The lead off track, "Square
One," and "White Shadows" sound a bit like early U2,
and are about the most upbeat tracks on the disc. "What
If".....dull, dark and slow moving. "Fix You" .....dull, dark and
slow moving. "X & Y" .....dull, dark and slow moving. "A
Message" .....dull, dark and slow moving. "Swallowed In The Sea"
.....dull, dark and slow moving. "Twisted Logic" .....dull,
dark and slow moving. Yeah, I know, monotonous as all hell, isn't
it? Dare I even mention the "hidden track" entitled "Til Kingdom
Come?" Man, if I wanted something this dull and mundane I'd just
listen to Springsteen's latest catastrophe. Don't get me wrong, the
production is sharp and it all has a unique, sophisticated,
mature feel to it. Actually, I think that may be the problem. I
think the songs would be better if they roughed them up a bit,
and the guys had a little more fun. They just don't sound like they
enjoy playing these songs. It's almost a robotic thing that's going
on here. Sound happy, or sound pissed off, or sound like your in
love or whatever, but give us some kind of passion and feeling
for Chrissakes!
I would ask just one thing
from all of the Coldplay fans out there, and there are a lot of you
I know. Please wait a couple of weeks to send the bomb threats
and other hate mail, I'm still backed up with all the Audioslave
fans.
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CORGAN, BILLY -
"TheFutureEmbrace" (4/2006)
With this much anticipated return to the music
scene, we find the ex-Smashing Pumpkins frontman going in yet
another musical direction. The Smashing Pumpkins started out as a
sort of punk/metal/alternative act, and quickly evolved into the
full blown alternative force that made them famous. When Corgan left
the Pumpkin patch and formed the short lived Zwan, we got an earful
of a more straight forward pop/rock sound. Now, with this, his first
solo album, Corgan gives us an atmospheric, electronic, alternative
pop record. Layered backgrounds of sampled effects, reminiscent of
industrial powerhouse Nine Inch Nails, are used as a canvas for
Corgan's dreamy pop whining. While I admire any band or artist that
seeks out new ways to present their art form, I found a lot of this
drab and irritating. If you are a fan of Corgan's voice, well, go
see a shrink - and then just ignore everything else I'm about to
say. I find Corgan's incessant whine to be most appealing, or at
least bearable, when he's doing heavier tracks. Well ...there are no
heavy tracks on this record. When things go at a slower pace, his
voice becomes something like eardrum acupuncture. This whole record
is set at one slow and steady pace. When the record kicks off, the
sound is somewhat fresh, and very well produced. But, as the record
wears on, the songs start to blend together due to the repetitive
nature of the style. The first five tracks have a certain
appeal, although nothing is spectacular, and then the rest of
the record just beats the hell out of the horse's
carcass. Almost all of these songs are done with the exact same
formula in tow. The only exceptions may be "DIA" and "Walking
Shade," which aren't a huge departure from the formula, but they are
a bit more simplistic and straight forward. Everything else sounds
like The Cure playing over a Trent Reznor background texture - and
of course, the piercing drone of Corgan's yammering to top off the
party. Not necessarily a bad sound, and this is not a completely
horrible record, but I think what bothers me is the fact that it
goes nowhere. So, unless you are a die hard fan of the slower
Pumpkins stuff, and you're just dying to hear a whole album full of
it, I would suggest that you embrace something else.
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CORROSION OF CONFORMITY - "In
The Arms Of God"
(8/2005)
Corrosion Of
Conformity is a band that I have seen go through many
phases. They came up in 1984 as a kind of hardcore "skater punk"
band with their album, "Eye For An Eye". It was the kind
of hardcore punk/metal that maxed out at two riffs, and two
minutes, for each song. Add a lot of screaming to the mix and, well,
you get the idea. In '85 they released "Six Songs With Mike
Singing", and it was basically the same formula with bass player
Mike Dean screaming. Some change in style was coming about
with 1986's "Animosity" album though. Songs were getting a
little bit longer, and they even ventured into three chord
territory once or twice. Still the same screamo punk metal, but
the tracks were actually starting to resemble songs somewhat. The
"Technocracy" album in 1987 was a similar offering to "Animosity",
also. It wasn't until 1991 that this band really came to be. With
the release of "Blind", C.O.C. became a viable, straight
forward metal band. They abandoned their street punk roots
and penned a precious metal album. With "Blind" came the
release of their first ever single, "Vote With A Bullet", which,
arguably, remains the best song they've ever written. You
had to ask yourself what happened. What happened in the four years
from the "Animosity" album in 1987, to the "Blind" album in '91?
Well, let me tell you. Pepper Keenan happened. Sure, the
guy brought his guitar playing to the band (and I mean
real guitar playing), but most of all he came with
real songs. The style of his writing was a perfect match for the
direction that the band was ready to travel. But, we
still needed to prepare ourselves for one more
contribution from Pepper Keenan. It was on 1994's masterpiece,
"Deliverance", that Pepper took over the lead vocal
duties - and the rest, as they say, is history. Keenan's
looser, deeper, and ultimately more punishing vocal style was yet
another perfect match for the band's overall sound. This is the
point where the band could've conquered the world (if it wasn't for
Pearl Jam, anyway). Their follow-up lp, "Wiseblood", was not quite
the force that "Deliverance" was, but it was still far above
the average metal album of the time. This band was set to explode,
it was only a matter of time. In between C.O.C. albums, Pepper
Keenan combined forces with Pantera frontman Phil Anselmo to bring
us the Down project. By cutting one of the best metal
records of all time, with that first Down disc, Keenan had proven
himself to be a premier songwriter and guitar player in the metal
scene. After returning to the C.O.C. fold, the band released
"America's Volume Dealer", which was, again, much better than your
average metal record, but not quite what "Deliverance" was. The band
released a live album in 2001, which shunned all of the releases
before "Blind" entirely; which made it perfectly clear that they had
found their calling. The band was now poised to carry on with
their top notch, straight forward metal formula, and release the
centerpiece of their career. Let's see if "In The Arms Of God" is
that record....
The disc
starts off with a spacey organ sound that plays as background to a
beautiful and passionate guitar solo. Yes, they start the song, and
the album, with a guitar solo - God bless them. The solo comes
to an abrupt end though as it ushers in the chugging riff of "Stone
Breaker", a loud and heavy opener that sets the pace of the album
nicely. This is a song that finds the band doing what they do
best; laying down a heavy groove, while supplying a raw and
fiery vocal track. With Pepper Keenan's trademark of turning almost
every word with an -er or -re suffix into an
-ah sound, this song is so hot it's on "fiah"!
The only negative thing about a song like this is the
difficulty that comes with recapturing the same intensity later in
the record, something C.O.C. doesn't really manage to do here.
As the album pushes on with "Paranoid Opioid", the guys show
their Black Sabbath influence proudly. This is a song that
has a bubbling bong water backing vocal, and a bridge that
has a cadence similar to that of Sabbath's "Snowblind".
Sixties psychedelia, and Seventies free-spiritedness has always been
an integral part of C.O.C.'s sound, and this track is a great
exhibition of those qualities. That "spacey" quality
continues through "It Is That Way", and finds it's way back
throughout the rest of the album also. It isn't until "Dirty Hands
Empty Pockets / Already Gone" that we return to the best C.O.C.
quality though, and that's the heavy groove. "Dirty Hands..." starts
out with a sly, sneering vocal which leads to a crushing
groove. But, even on this track, the grooving is short-lived as the
song segues into the thrashy "Already Gone" portion of the
song. As we continue to "Rise River Rise", we find the band doing an
edgy, swirling, psychedelic acoustic thing. Not bad, ...just
not great. I really like this band when it lays down a groove,
simply because they do it so well. The idea of giving the air a
right hook and a guttural growl of "Ooh!" appeals to me, and
there's not a lot of opportunity to do that here. "Infinite War" and
"In The Arms Of God" represent a slight return
for the band to their roots of thrashy punk metal. "So
Much Left Behind" is another tip-of-the-hat to Sabbath. And "World
On Fire" is just a good C.O.C. track that almost (that's right,
almost) recaptures the "groove magic" that I was so
yearning for with this record.
So, let's make
this long story short (yeah, right!). If you like past C.O.C. songs
like "Vote With A Bullet", "Clean My Wounds", "Senor Limpio", or
"Zippo", you'll only get about two tracks that are anywhere near as
good as those are here. If you prefer the more stoned,
spaced out, or thrashy C.O.C., as opposed to the groove
heavy C.O.C., this disc is for you. The band can lay down a brutal
metal assault, there is no doubt about that. This is a seriously
heavy outing that any fan of power metal should find some enjoyment
with. This album has not diminished my faith in their musical
abilities one bit. The band is tight and solid, yes, but they are
just not doing the style of songs that I would prefer to hear from
them. Yeah I know, ....picky,
picky.
OVERALL
RATING:
6
CRY OF LOVE - "Brother"
(8/2004)
Over recent years, the way of
the "classic rock" style has gone by the wayside. With the emergence
of "alternative" or "grunge", we have seen many bands with excellent
talent and songwriting prowess get thrown away with yesterday's
trash. Most times, in the world of the modern music industry,
timing is everything; this band, Cry Of Love, could have been
legendary if they had arrived in 1977 instead of 1993. Blending rich
and soulful vocals, impressive blues-inspired guitar riffs and
solos, a tight rhythm section, and a 10-pack of great songs, these
guys deserved to be recognized.
Naming their band in honor of
the Jimi Hendrix classic lp of the same name, Cry Of Love found that
1993 may have been the worst possible year to release an album of
this style. Nirvana, and anything remotely like them, ruled the
world. The alternative sound was in full swing, and the "guitar
rock" was left in the dugout. "Guitar rock" is exactly what
this record is, too. With current Black Crowes guitarist Audley
Freed the driving force here, this is jam packed; that's right,
packed with guitar jams. From the jangling funk of the lead off
track, "Highway Jones", to the spiritual revival sound of the final
cut, "Saving Grace", we're treated to all the wonderful elements we
come to expect from a classic rock artist. Sounding like the second
coming of Bad Company, with a twist of Zeppelin, Grand Funk and
Badlands, Cry Of Love proves to be worthy of the comparisons.
When you listen to "Highway Jones" you get that "sloppy" guitar
sound that Jimmy Page made famous. Loose jamming with a sense of
high tension and anticipation. You find yourself waiting,
.....yearning for the explosive climax. It's refreshing to hear
a guitar player that can put me on the edge of my seat again. The
second track, "Pretty As You Please", has the same tension and
anticipation to it; except this time, guitarist Freed maintains a
steady funk strut before he lets it rip. As we move to their single
from the record, "Bad Thing", we get the party feel of Grand Funk.
We got hand claps, a two-string bass line, and a snappy snare.
Reminiscent of "Some Kind Of Wonderful", it has that same simple
appeal also. The further we journey through this album, the better
it gets. Tracks like "Too Cold In The Winter", "Drive It Home",
"Hand Me Down", and "Gotta Love Me" all deliver great performances
from the entire band. Listen to the bass line from bassist Robert
Kearns on "Drive It Home", the passionate vocal track from
singer Kelly Holland on "Too Cold In The Winter", or the steady
foundation drumming of Jason Patterson throughout the record; it's
all perfectly in place on this release.
Some of the highlights here,
besides the blistering guitar work and vocal prowess, is the
hook-laden songwriting of a lot of these songs. You find
yourself clenching fists while you writhe to every note. Not just
singing along to the songs, but you might find your eyes tear
up from the passion and soul that you feel while you sing them.
This is what music is all about. I still get shivers when
I hear "Peace Pipe". This is one of the best rock songs I can
recall. If this track don't make you shake and shimmy, you need to
see another doctor!! I still sing at the top of my lungs when I
listen to "Gotta Love Me", "Bad Thing" or "Carnival". It's all about
the passion and soul here, and the undying spirit of rock 'n'
roll.
If you miss classic rock like
Bad Company and Led Zeppelin, and want to tap the steering wheel a
little harder on the way home, get this
record.
D-DAY 4-EVER -
"Detonator" (3/2006)
How many times have I
heard it? Probably two and half . . . three million times. The old
"I've got a friend that plays in a band" thing. I must say, there
has never been a time when I have not checked out a band that a
friend has asked me to check out. I love to support the local bands
and independents who are making squat and playing music for the
"love of the game," if you will. But, in all honesty, most bands
turn out to be average or below 9 times out of 10. Well . . . meet
that tenth band.
Hailing from South Africa,
D-Day 4-Ever is a five-piece hard rock outfit that is much more than
the typical unsigned band. We hear most unsigned bands doing
something that will get them on a bandwagon. Most young bands make
the critical mistake of trying to be somebody they are not. With
these nine tracks on D-Day's independently released "Detonator"
disc, the band proves that they are not out to "fit in." Don't get
me wrong, you might here a tinge of Godsmack in the blistering track
"Nothing", or some harmony vocals reminiscent of Alice In Chains, or
even a similar song style to that of fellow hard rocking South
Africans Seether – but make no mistake, D-Day 4-Ever is doing what
comes naturally to them.
This is a genuine
sound that flows out of the band like an open wound. The passionate
vocal performance from singer Jaco Jacobs on "Breathe," and the
beautifully melodic bass lines from bassist Roy Melville throughout
the record insure the listener that they are getting something pure
here. The band also overcomes the next big pitfall of the average
bar band, lack of diversity. Most young unsigned acts are stagnant
with their approach to the genre. It's almost as if they are afraid
to venture too far away from what's "acceptable." DD4E starts out
with a bass driven intro with some spacey psychedelic effects, and
quickly smacks us clear across the room with a riff that caused me
some voluntary head trauma. "Until The End" is just plain wicked.
It's the attitude and "punch" of Rage Against The Machine, with the
melodic majesty of an Alice In Chains – a most fresh and welcome
sound. One of the best songs that I've heard in the genre in a very
long time. As they move through songs like "Nothing" and "Breathe,"
we get a more outright assault in the same vein as bands like
Disturbed and Seether. The band starts to show the diversity that so
many lack though in tunes like "Oblivion," which has a little
softer, more melodic sound without sacrificing their intensity or
their integrity. This band wasn't afraid to show its melodic side
and write the song that they wanted – an admirable feat for a band
with everything to lose. Let's face it, they could have cut nine
songs that sounded like Seether, and billed themselves as the next
South African prodigy on the scene; but they chose to be themselves
and do what came naturally, and it's a beautiful thing. As you make
your way toward the end of the record, you'll find the band
traveling into areas of Chili Peppers-type funk mixed with their
signature metal crunch ("Fine"), and even into a Pantera-type
hardcore sound ("Down") that still sounds like a pure and natural
place for the band. Not too many will show this much diversity, and
better yet, not too many have the talent for it if they wanted to.
Talent is not a problem with D-Day 4-Ever.
So, I
always have my pan close by. I've put a lot of dirt and soot in the
pan over the years, and have definitely come up empty almost every
time. But when I poured the deep rich soil of D-Day 4-Ever in my
pan, I had that funny feeling. The one that I get when I shake it a
little and find myself a big fat gold nugget. This is a band that
needs to be discovered. South Africa may not be the Mecca for music
that L.A. or New York are, but I was able to find a shining nugget
there that has made me a little richer – and their name is D-Day
4-Ever.
For more info, visit the band's official website: www.d-day.co.za
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
D-DAY 4-EVER - "The Hand That's
Dealt"
(7/2008)
D-Day
4-Ever - "The Hand That's Dealt"
It’s not too often I get it.
No, I’m not talking
about sex with my wife. I’m talking about a whole other kind of
tingling sensation. The one I get when I’ve just heard a band poised
to take over the world.
South Africa’s D-Day 4-Ever is one of the most
powerful bands I’ve heard in years. Their power not only comes from
the heavy crunch and groove of their instruments, but even more so
from their use of rhythm and melody within all of the chaos. Every
song on “The Hand That‘s Dealt,” their first full-length disc, has a
huge hook that’s baited with a vicious groove led by bassist Roy
Melville and drummer Travis Mein. The bottom heavy thump and the
punctual plucking of Melville’s bass is always active and extremely
effective, while Mein provides rock solid thunder to keep the pace.
Meanwhile, guitarist Derius Erasmus and singer Jaco Jacobs
continually take the reins of this thoroughbred and ride it straight
into the winner’s circle. With Jacobs’ vocal style similar to that
of Seether frontman Shaun Morgan, along with the fact they both hail
from South Africa, you can rest assured that the comparisons between
the two bands will run rampant. And, even though I understand how
that might happen, it would be unfair to overlook the similarities
to other bands that are not from that region of the globe - bands
like Sevendust or Disturbed, for instance.
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The disc jump starts with a song called “Virus Inside”
that has a galloping rhythm interspersed with staccato, machine gun
drum parts and a sing-along chorus. The song that follows this is
the real killer though. “Numb” is a song that hammers one of the
catchiest hooks I’ve ever heard right through your skull. Melville’s
ever present bass flexes its muscle here with a funky stroll, while
Jacobs powers down the refrain with brute strength. This same
formula continues into the title cut, a song that finds Mein choking
and tapping cymbals with nice precision and artistic patience. It’s
at this point that the album now takes a giant turn and heads
straight towards a party. Raise your plastic beer cups, light your
lighters and start f **king bouncing! With Jacobs’ growl of “Hello
Afrika, how are you doing,” you can envision a huge crowd covered in
smoke going out of their minds. “Hello Afrika,” the band’s ode to
their motherland, is a rap metal-type song similar in style to Limp
Bizkit’s “Break Stuff” except this singer isn’t a whiny little punk
with a potty mouth. Instead, you get a vocal Goliath that’s
enveloped in crunchy thrashing and a brilliantly funky bass line.
This is an extremely simple tune, but it’s also great fun. The
record goes on to deliver 8 more solid tracks, 12 in all, and the
interesting thing is that there isn’t a song that runs more than
3:56. There are two ballads on the disc that are finely constructed
and emotionally powerful as well, which shows the band‘s ability to
“step outside of the box.” And speaking of going outside of the box,
“Wishes” is a song that has a gentle sway that incorporates a light
and easy female vocal harmony supplied by Scarlet Box singer Jenna
Phillips. The baritone of Jacobs’ vocal blends beautifully with
Phillips’ high alto for a welcome change of pace. “The Chill Song”
is a ballad of a different color; a well crafted power ballad with a
“Thank you for saving me” message that appropriately ends the
record.
“Even though your will’s been broken,
The wound’s
left open,
Forget everything you felt,
Take the time to
figure out what it’s all about,
And start playing the hand that’s
dealt.”
-- from the song, “The Hand That’s
Dealt”
D-Day 4-Ever is the Muhammad Ali of heavy rock here;
dishing out short, powerful, jaw-dropping jabs for just over 38
minutes. They keep it simple and put much of their emphasis on the
tremendous hooks that are contained within the refrains. The result
is a record full of addictive songs that will keep you up at night
as they play over and over in your head; and any real rocker will
tell you - that’s a good thing.
I want to play this thing for all of you.
I want to tell you that “Numb” and “Lost” are two
songs that I want to play over and over and over and over.
I want to tell you that there hasn’t been a new band
that’s excited me quite like this in a very long time.
I want to tell you that there’s about to be an
international sensation coming out of South Africa, and their name
is D-Day 4-Ever.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
DANZIG, GLENN - "The Lost Tracks
of Danzig" (1/2008)
Often referred
to as "Satan's Favorite Singer" or the "Metal Elvis," Glenn Danzig
has been captivating critics and audiences for over three decades.
Often the center of controversy, Danzig has maintained a consistent
fan base throughout his fluctuating career. Considered by many to be
the founding father of the "Horrorpunk" genre, he is one of the few
artists that has managed to stray from the punk scene and bring his
fans with him. Punk fans will usually turn hostile when an
artist decides to "go commercial" or "sell out," but that is not the
case with The Misfits and Samhain fans. The aforementioned
bands were started by Danzig as early as 1977, and were adept at the
two and a half minute thrashfest that punk fans are so
appreciative of. But in 1988, Danzig decided to strip himself of the
bloody dog collars and started to thrill his followers with a
more straight forward style of heavy metal reminiscent of early
Black Sabbath, complete with Satanic lyrics and visual themes. The
group, appropriately named Danzig, met with great success. The
reason so many of his punk fans did not abandoned him
and his change in musical style can be debated for weeks, but
the quality of his songwriting is undeniably sharp, which might
have something to do with it.
This two-disc set offers Danzig fans a look back at some material
that just didn't fit on the albums. It's that simple. These aren't
b-sides or tunes that weren't good enough to make the cut. The fact
is that Glenn Danzig is just too prolific!
The
set dishes out songs in chronological order, beginning with "Pain Is
Like An Animal" and "When Death Had No Name," which are both
excellent tracks that were intended for the first Danzig record in
1988. When I first heard some of these early tracks, I thought the
songs were great but was slightly disappointed with their production
quality.With the incomparable Rick Rubin producing the '88 Danzig
debut, I expected these tracks to be crystal clear. But as I
listened to the tracks "in context," I realized that I was digging
through Glenn Danzig's virtual closet full of basement tapes, and
that excited the hell out of me. Hearing the raw,
under-produced urgency in these songs brought the true purpose of
this collection to the forefront. This is a collection for the Glenn
Danzig fan. This is a huge helping of Glenn Danzig's
private stash. I now think the lack of production makes this
collection even more exciting. Having a pristine production quality
would make this simply another Danzig album, but instead you feel
like you're getting treated to something extra special.
The
set is loaded with impressive originals of course, but some of the
highlights here are the few cover songs that are done. T. Rex's
rocker "Buick McKane" takes on a new life as Danzig wails over the
incessant guitar riffage. And one of the darkest tracks on the set
turns out to be a David Bowie cover. "Cat People" starts out as a
slowly creeping black cat, and just as it's back fully arches, the
song attacks with an eerie brutality. The cover of The Germs'
"Caught In My Eye" has a mundane and rather monotone vocal, which is
offset by a snappy and hollow drum sound, making for a unique twist
on the original.
Now
I didn't love everything in this collection, but nevertheless, I
found the stuff that didn't appeal to me to be interesting. A song
like "Malefical" was hard on the ears, but I found the sound and
arrangement of the song to be fascinating. The vocal track
being suppressed, as if sung from under a blanket, really drove the
dark theme of the song home. One of the other things I'm not a fan
of is the electronic/techno side of Danzig that rears its ugly
head every so often. The "Shango Mix" of "Unspeakable" is just a
slow moving, pulsing, Nine Inch Nails-type of freestyle
whispering. You could chalk it up as innovative I suppose, but
it's just not what I'm interested in hearing from Glenn Danzig.
All
in all, this is quite a gift from Glenn Danzig. There are 26 songs
here that were pulled up from the depths of Danzig's heap of
unfinished compositions. Every fan of Glenn Danzig and his work
will praise him for taking the time to assemble this package
and get it released, myself being one of them. Many times these
"Lost Tracks"-type of albums are loaded with bits and pieces of
inferior work that just adds up to one or two keepers. This
collection is not one of those. These discs are chock
full of great Danzig songs. This is surely a must for every
Danzig fan.
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DARKNESS, THE - "One Way Ticket
To Hell ...And Back (4/2006)
The Darkness,
known for their retro hair metal riffs and their falsetto frenzied
front man, keep the same formula for this, their Roy Thomas
Baker-produced sophomore effort, “One Way Ticket To Hell …And Back.”
For those that were fans of their debut, “Permission To Land,” there
will be reason to rejoice in this similar offering. If anything, the
band shows a slight maturity and a proven quality of songwriting
skill here. Incorporating more harmony vocals, and even a string
arrangement (“Seemed Like A Good Idea At The Time”), the band is
sounding even more like their idols, Queen. The AC/DC rhythm giving
way to the manicured chorus of vocal harmonies, and a Brian May
influenced solo, makes “Is It Just Me?” more than just a nod to the
majestic Queen sound. Rest assured, you‘ll hear the gang vocal
resurgence throughout the album that will bring flashes of Freddie
and the guys into your head again and again. The last two tunes on
the record, “English Country Garden” and “Blind Man,” could very
well land these guys in court. They wrote Queen songs instead of The
Darkness songs with these two. It‘s one thing to “do what you do”
and end up sounding like someone else, but when you write songs to
purposely fit in a box of some kind it ends up sounding fake and
premeditated. “Hazel Eyes” finds the band showing a bit of diversity
that gets away from the Queen thing with a unique song that has a
Slade-like Scottish traditionalism, while maintaining their hard
rock attitude. Probably their biggest step forward comes with a song
called “Dinner Lady Arms”, which is just a simple rock song with a
great hook that’s just really well written and arranged. The band
has a couple songs here that sound like leftovers from their debut
also. The title cut keeps to the rock steady rhythm section, and
“Knockers“ is a “cock rock“ anthem, for which they seem to do oh so
well. Perhaps the most interesting song is the dark and heavy
“Bald.” This is quite a huge departure in style for this group,
which sometimes seems locked into the lighter, sillier side of
things. Speaking of such horror, the lighthearted “Girlfriend” has a
bit of a 70’s disco flavor, so for that I’ll take some points off,
but overall this is a delightful hard rock record. It’s definitely
not perfect, but this record does prove that this band has a
legitimate amount of talent.
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DAUGHTRY - "Daughtry"
(1/2008)
It's not that I have
"American Idol SUCKS" tattooed across my forehead, but I
did give it serious consideration (the wife thought it "extreme").
This guy Chris Daughtry came in fourth place on the fifth season of
the huge television phenomenon, and he proves to be quite a talent
with his surprisingly solid debut record,
"Daughtry."
Bringing in some really
talented "real" rockers to lend a hand, this album is loaded with
some catchy, well written songs that actually rock, believe it or
not. The first track that I was exposed to was "It's Not Over,"
which is a dead ringer for a Nickelback track (and wait until you
hear the song "Crashed"). Sure, it's not the most original formula,
that's for sure. As a matter of fact, much of this album draws from
that same formula over and over; but when you do it as well as
Daughtry does here, I say "more power to you." I've heard a lot of
these types of songs before, but I still enjoy this record. These
songs are very well written and performed, and the production is
sharper than a block of three-year-old cheddar. Grammy nominated
producer Howard Benson, whose produced heavy hitters like Motorhead,
Sepultura, and Seether, comes in and makes this thing combustible.
But make no mistake, it's Daughtry himself that makes this explode.
Some of the other help that was brought in for the album comes in
the form of rock superstar guitarist Slash, who plays on another
Nickelback-like radio single, "What I Want." Even though it's far
from unique and original, this is still a great heavy rock
song. Another talented rocker brought in for this record was Brent
Smith. You may not know him or his band Shinedown, but Brent Smith
is that band's amazing singer/songwriter, and someone you should get
to know. The song co-written by Smith, "There And Back Again,"
sounds a lot like the Shinedown material, which makes it one heck of
a tune. You can also find Josh Freese, one of the hottest
session drummers in the world, doing the drumming duties on
each and every track on the record.
Daughtry does get a little
soft on us when he resorts to some syrupy crap, but even those
aren't too bad, and they are kept to a minimum. "Home" is
a really good acoustic ballad that sticks in your head
like peanut butter would stick to the roof of your mouth,
and it's got a great emotional refrain with some really
powerful lyrics. On the other hand, "What About Now," the song that
closes the record (co-written by former Evaescence guitarist Ben
Moody), is a ballad that's better left unheard.
If you are a fan of the
Nickelback stuff, you should like this record. My advice to you is,
don't feel like you need to be an American Idol watcher to
appreciate this guy. He's not an R&B singer. He's not a Soul
singer. He's a rocker, don't worry.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
DIMENSION X - "So ...This Is
Earth"
(12/2005)
Based
out of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this progressive quintet joins the
ranks of such acts as Symphony X and Dream Theater, and stands to
become a member of the elite group of such legends as King
Crimson and Yes. Mixing complex time signatures and arrangements
with sharp and hearty vocals is a combination that is sure to please
the pickiest of progressive music fans. Signed to Canada's
Unicorn Digital label for this debut, the band has done nothing but
please fans and critics alike. They recently landed a slot on the
Gigantour - sharing the stage with the likes of such metal
contemporaries as Symphony X, Life of Agony, and Fear Factory
- when it raged through their hometown of
Milwaukee. Listening to songs like the twisting, turning, and
sporadic "Xeno's Paradox," I'm sure they were a perfect fit for the
tour. "Xeno's Paradox" is a song that sums the band up fairly
well, offering the listener tremendous guitar work, cascading
keyboards, and a buffet of tempo changes throughout. You get treated
to many extraordinary talents of this band with this record.
"Corporate Ladder" showcases keyboardist Jeff Konkol, while
"Nothing's Changed" has bassist D.R. Burkowitz plucking and
slapping chaotically. The entire album flexes its musically
educated muscle, displaying classically trained and skilled
musicianship throughout. Truly a joy to listen to for any fan of
complex, progressive music.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DIO - "Holy Diver" (11/2005)
The Little Big
Man of Rock 'n' Roll, .....the Mighty Midget of Rock 'n' Roll,
.....he has even been dubbed "The King Of Rock 'N' Roll,"
apparently in accordance with his song of the same name. One thing
is definite - Ronnie James Dio is "of rock 'n' roll." He was born
and raised in the roots of the genre, and has flourished within
the splendor of its many generations. Starting out in the late
50's with small time bands like The Vegas Kings and Ronnie And The
Red Caps, he eventually found his way to a small taste of success in
the early 70's with Elf. But it wasn't until 1975 that Dio would
cement his place among the legends. Rainbow, led by ex-Deep Purple
guitarist Ritchie Blackmore, was the perfect fit for the towering
vocal abilities that Dio possessed. With many of the band's
songs dealing with medieval castles, mythology, and
fantasy, Ronnie came across as the force that would storm the
castle and carry the hero through to victory. After
Rainbow, Dio joined the ranks of the greatest heavy metal band of
all time, Black Sabbath. He cut two amazing records with the band in
the 80's, and a somewhat drab album with them in the 90's.
In between his two stints with Sabbath, and up until this day,
Ronnie James Dio has fronted the band that bears his name. "Holy
Diver" was the stunning beginning to the legacy we've come to know
as Dio.
This is a
classic hard rock record that fires on all cylinders through each
and every track. With the rousing opening cut, "Stand Up And
Shout," we're thrown head first into heavy metal heaven. A
blazing riff from the incredible Vivian Campbell, and
a thunderous rhythm section courtesy of ex-Rainbow bandmate and
bassist Jimmy Bain and drummer Vinny Appice. "Stand Up And Shout" is
a blast that makes the heart beat faster and keeps you wanting more.
And, speaking of more, we get the eeriness of the title track
delivered next. A galloping rhythm section and brilliant lyrics
highlight this masterpiece. The record continues to thrill and
dazzle. "Gypsy" returns us to the
"Stand Up And Shout" pace, "Shame On The Night" gives us a dark
and haunting vibe, while "Caught In The Middle"
introduces us to a more melodic side of the band. It's all
here in a beautiful ambient setting set off by the signature
Dio songwriting style. We saw it early on in the record with the
title track, and we get it again and again from tracks like "Don't
Talk To Strangers," "Straight Through The Heart," and "Rainbow In
The Dark." These are all songs that bring our fearless singing
warrior to enviable heights. Dio goes to areas where most
singers only dream about. The passion and overwhelming strength is,
in itself, stuff of legend; but it's the accenting, and the ability
to turn a word or phrase into something magical that makes Ronnie
James Dio a gift to the rock world. Not too many do it quite
like Mr. Dio.
Now, Ronnie
has played with many legendary musicians in his time, most notably
Ritchie Blackmore, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler, but it is Vivian
Campbell who accompanies Dio to the peak of the mountain here. Just
listen to his powerful fretwork on tracks like "Invisible" and
"Rainbow In The Dark." There are so many memorable measures of
excellence served up from Campbell on this record it would be
impossible to name all of them. He and Dio sound as if they are
forged together as one here, and they are striving for the same
feelings from the songs. That's a rare thing called chemistry that
is very difficult to achieve, especially to this degree. And, what
makes this one of the greatest hard rock albums of all time, is the
chemistry between all of the band members. Bain and Appice are in
perfect unison with each other and their other bandmates as well.
This was a perfectly tuned rock and roll machine that stamped out
one of the best records ever made.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DISTURBED - "Ten Thousand
Fists" (2/2006)
Upon hearing the band's name, legions of metalheads around the globe
begin to clamor for open space in which to thrash about. It's the
same type of response that Iron Maiden and Metallica got from the
metal community in the mid-80's; that
"this-is-the-real-deal-and-they-kick-ass" reaction. But Disturbed is
fairly new on the scene, and arguably, unproven to some. With their
debut, "The Sickness," they showed that they could be a huge
force on the metal scene. With their follow-up disc, "Believe,"
they became that huge force, capitalizing on their talents with
great commercial success. But that's only two records. How would the
band fare with their third attempt? Can they remain strong
and consistently produce classic metal songs like the metal giants
before them?
With "Ten Thousand Fists" they have added yet another jewel in the
metal crown that they are now the sole owners of. This is a
record that finds the band returning to all the things they do best.
The true grit, classic heavy metal grind that made their approach so
appealing, is back with a vengeance here. The sound that
guitarist Dan Donegan achieves with his instrument is becoming
legendary. That solid wall of chords that forms layers of punishing
ground for vocalist David Draiman to prowl around on is just
downright delicious. And what might even be more exciting than
Draiman's vocal talent, is the idea that the band writes near
perfect song melodies that seem customized to fit his style.
And of course, let's face it, Draiman is what gives this band its
forceful, distinctive sound. Sounding like a man-size
housecat trying to spit up a steel wool hairball has been
his trademark from the very beginning, and this release
reinforces his abilities even
more. His technique and adaptability is at
the root of virtually every great Disturbed track. He is a
singer that has a natural instinct for the song. Screaming and
screeching at the ideal times, while crooning and bellowing
beautifully when the song calls for it also. This is a near perfect
performance from vocalist David Draiman.
We have a great band to play great metal songs, but what exactly do
they have to say? I must tell you, I usually don't give the lyrics
too much thought. As long as it's not anything ridiculous, and the
words fit into the melody well, I keep my feelings of
what the artist wants to say at bay. This stuff is so strong
lyrically though, I must draw some attention to the prose used here.
Perhaps the most politically controversial song of the Bush-era
is on this disc. "Deify" starts with a short Bush snippet, and
develops into an angry and rebellious march that addresses
the frightening idea of the American public making our President a
god. The lyrics are as follows: "It seems so clear now what I must
do / you're no immortal I won't let them / deify you / they view you
as the new messiah / deify you / renew belief in some demented man."
All of this sung and played with the utmost intensity and passion,
of course. The other overtly obvious political statement comes by
way of a song called "Avarice," where Draiman sings: "Politics and
evil / all one and the same / Satan hides behind a different name."
But it's not only the current political situations that the band
sings of here. With the brilliant and penetrating "Sons Of Plunder,"
the band slams the music world's latest fads. "You say you've found
yourself a new sound / the shit's loaded and ready to go / a bit too
much just like the old sound / already heard it for the hundredth
time." They go onto say, "One hundred more all have the same sound /
running around with all the sheep that you know / 'it's so sublime
they're breaking new ground' / 'they're sure to have another hit
this time' / come on, can't you just leave it alone / it doesn't
have any soul / just find a thing of your own / and stop pretending
to know." And, of course, there is the rousing lyrical uprising of
the title track, "You will remember the night you were struck by the
sight of / Ten thousand fists in the air / power unrestrained / dead
on the mark / is what we will deliver tonight." Man, if that ain't
an opening song I don't know what is. It's all about the power and
the passion, and this band knows it all too well.
Who does a straight forward metal band like this choose to cover in
the midst of all their musical fury? Well, on their debut it was
80's pop act Tears For Fears, so the idea of covering a Genesis
track shouldn't surprise any existing fans. They chose to cover
"Land Of Confusion," which seems to fit the evident political
attitude of the band. They don't change the track a whole lot, but
they still find success in making it their own. Again, power and
passion make it all happen for these guys. They put some guitar
muscle behind the song, while Draiman's vocals are perfectly
tempered so as to not sound absurd. A challenging but beautifully
done cover song is the end product.
While most of these songs make you
want to scream and shout, and ultimately join those "ten
thousand fists" that are already in the air, there are a few songs
that sit at the just-slightly-above-average level. "Pain
Redefined," "Avarice," and the power ballad "Overburdened" are
better songs than most bands best stuff, but they sound
somewhat flat here. Where almost every other track gives us a
"catch phrase" or a memorable hook of some kind, these songs offer
little in that way. Hardly anything to complain about though, I
assure you.
Disturbed was at a crossroads here. Could they put
out three classic metal albums in a row? Well, they
have; and they have proven that intensity, soul, power, and passion
are the most essential elements of the
genre.
OVERALL
RATING:
8
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
DREAM THEATER - "Train Of
Thought"
(3/2005)
For
those of you that are familiar with Dream Theater, you've
probably heard what I've got to say before. Those
that are not familiar with Dream Theater and their brand of
progressive hard rock expertise, I would suggest taking the time to
seek out what they've done in the past. This is a band of musicians
that can do things with their respective instruments that you
might've thought were not humanly possible. As far as this
release goes, the listener will need to spend large chunks of time
with it just to absorb everything they hear.
Dream Theater can almost be classified as classical. They
are a tight group of five classically trained musicians, three
of them from the famed Berklee School Of Music, that have been
playing together as a unit for nearly 20 years - putting
out records that sometimes sound like training tools, or clinics,
rather than rock albums. Immediately upon hearing "As I Am", the
first track on "Train Of Thought", you can see where this is
going. On each and every tune these guys assault your senses with
every weapon in the arsenal. Soaring vocals over a wealth of
keyboards, some simply stupendous skin bashing, and some of the best
guitar work you might ever imagine. This is what Dream Theater is
all about. It seems that they are trying to display every
ounce of their instrumental prowess in each and every
song. I can stand confidently and say that this is probably the
most talented band on the planet. They can do things that will cause
your bottom row of teeth to disconnect from your skull. But what
about "the song"? What makes a good song? Your opinion of what
makes a good song, and the aspects in which you listen to music will
determine whether you like this album.
Let
me first say that I am a huge fan of this band. I am simply
overjoyed that there are musicians of this caliber making music in
this world. I am dead serious when I say you will be amazed by what
they accomplish with their instruments here. If you want to hear
great players just letting loose, and pouring all of their talents
into every note, this record is a must for you. I guarantee that if
you like to hear constant jamming filled with complex and intricate
technique, you will absolutely love this. There are keyboard solos
that shine. There is constant drum, cymbal and other percussive
flair throughout. There are guitars that get punished with every
technique known to man, and even a few that aren't yet known to man.
And that's just in one song. On the other hand, if you enjoy the
average toe-tapping four minute rocker exclusively, you might be
terrorized by this. AC/DC's "Back In Black" or Aerosmith's "Toys In
The Attic" this is not. Yes' "Tales From Topographic Oceans" or
ELP's "Works" records may be more like it. Much like Emerson,
Lake and Palmer before them, Dream Theater sometimes has a hard time
staying on track with song structure. A nice solid idea running
through a particular song may get obliterated by a six minute
instrumental tangent, and never return to any kind of form. Some of
their writing turns out sounding a bit avant-garde, or
broken, because of some of these prolonged explosions of
detailed instrumentation. But like I said before, they do astounding
things within those intervals. The best example of this comes on the
final track of this album, "In The Name Of God". The song structure
gets blown straight to hell with the large instrumental piece
mid-way through the fourteen minute plus track; but I would also
urge every human being out there to listen to this song at least
once. Look out below, there goes the jaw. To be truthful, I don't
know what "in the name of God" guitarist John Petrucci is doing
here, but it's amazing. I have questions about John Petrucci being
human, because his playing is way out of this world. Petrucci is
going to be playing alongside Joe Satriani and Steve Vai on the G3
tour for four dates in May. I promise you, he won't be overshadowed
in any way, .....believe me. This guy is one of the
greatest.
In
my opinion, a perfect record combines all the elements; great song
structure and form that stays glued together, along with great
talent at each player position. Does this record do that? No.
The songs do get derailed quite often, but the idea of having five
amazing players is pretty darn nice I must admit. So,
it really all comes down to what you want to hear. If you want to
hear five of the best musicians in the world doing everything in
their repertoire, you have exactly that - all on one disc. If
you are a musician, or someone that likes to study and analyze
music, this album is a must. This is for fans of the "progressive
art rock" genre. If you like bands like Rhapsody and Sonata Arctica
you should love this record. If you want catchy songs that hold
to the verse-chorus-verse structure religiously, "Train Of
Thought" might not be for you.
OVERALL
RATING: 7
DREAM THEATER - "Systematic
Chaos" (10/2007)
Before we begin, let’s state
right now what all of us are very well aware of already - the fact
that Dream Theater is the most talented band on Earth and its
surrounding planets. Does that fact change with this latest release?
Of course not. There isn’t anyone out there with even a tiny bit of
music sense that would deny this band its talent. The questions that
lie with any Dream Theater release are: 1) Do the songs have
consistent structure and melody? and 2) Can it possibly be any
better than their previous work? Well, I could end this review right
now and save the carpal tunnel episode for another day by just
saying “Yes,” but this is one I need to tell you about.
Just when you thought this band had
possibly reached its peak they release this jaw-dropper. This is an
album I can easily say is their best album to date. With their two
previous releases, “Six Degrees of Inner Turbulence” and
“Octavarium,” I thought the band had finally tapped out all of their
best songwriting capabilities. Sure, the instrumentation is
unmatched on those discs, but I thought the actual “song” had
suffered a bit. All of the time changes, soloing, and other flashy
displays of extraordinary talent can sometimes detract from the
songs, making them difficult to listen to on a casual basis.
“Systematic Chaos” takes the usual high degree of talent and fits it
all into perfectly structured song suitcases. These aren’t small
three minute packages, don’t misinterpret what I‘m saying here. The
band sticks to the progressive stereotype with most songs well over
the six minute mark, but each of them has a beginning, middle, and
end, and best of all, they each have a hook.
The album launches with “In The
Presence of Enemies, Pt.1,” which is a 9-minute song that begins
with a 5-minute instrumental run. This thing is just amazing. You’ll
get a chill down your spine as the keyboards of Jordan Rudess give
the song a galactic feel, the drums of Mike Portnoy keep your feet
moving, and the guitar of John Petrucci makes you question if this
can all really be happening. As the album flows into the very
Queensryche-ish “Forsaken,” the disc presents its shortest and most
structured track. This is a catchy one that still has everything you
love about Dream Theater sewn into it. Moving on to “Constant
Motion,” the band gives us a different kind of look. Sounding
similar to Metallica’s “The Shortest Straw,” this is a road that the
band has not walked in any previous efforts, but they strut their
stuff just wonderfully here. Even with Petrucci and Rudess solos
that put all others to shame, the real highlight of this song is the
staccato shouting that caps off the hook-laden refrain. Keeping with
the “road never traveled” revelation, the disc moves into “The Dark
Eternal Night,” a song that plays out as a tattoo on the bicep of
this killing machine. What song do you know that can have thrashing
double bass drumming, a ragtime keyboard segment, and an “art rock”
guitar spot in it, and still stay structured and effective? This is
a song that only Dream Theater could pull off, and pull it off they
have indeed.
Next up is a more traditional type
of Dream Theater composition. With a running time of 10:43,
“Repentance” is a mystifying, Pink Floyd-ish kind of atmospheric
work that is interesting, but ultimately ends up being a “Wall” (pun
intended) in an otherwise consistently paced album. I think if the
song was 4 or 5 minutes, it might not be quite the barrier; but,
after all the background mumbling and the choir voices “ahh-ing” for
the last five minutes, this one wears out its welcome. But the band
steps right back into the overall flow of the album with great
wonderment. “Prophets of War” is an excellent song that finds singer
James LaBrie exploring his voice a bit more than usual, and in turn
he gives off sparse hints of a hidden Freddie Mercury. All of this
leads to a couple of songs that cap off a wonderful musical journey.
Just shy of 15 minutes, “The Ministry of Lost Souls” is an epic song
that is emotionally charged lyrically as well as instrumentally.
Being a power ballad complete with an orchestral arrangement for the
first 7:30, the song takes on a completely different personality for
the last half. The intense jam that ensues, and slowly tapers back
into the refrain that was established in the first half, ends up
enhancing the song rather than depleting its effectiveness. This is
what great progressive rock songwriting is all about. And, as the
album closes with yet another lengthy song ("In The Presence of
Enemies Pt.2" being the most lengthy at a whopping 16:38), we
hear another great example of brilliance in progressive rock
songwriting. This just might be the heaviest of any Dream Theater
tracks too. With lyrics pertaining to a “dark master,” and growling
metal shouts of “war,” “fear,” and “death,” the blazing fast double
bass kick drums are just the cherry on top of this perfectly
executed musical assault.
Yes, I’m
a huge fan of this band, but I found some of the more recent work to
be difficult to access and very scattered in its presentation of any
sort of song structure. “Systematic Chaos” has brought back all of
the best elements of this incredible band. These are great songs
with astonishing solos built into them, not astonishing solos with a
song deeply hidden somewhere inside. I find it surprising to say
this, but this is the best Dream Theater album yet.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
DUNWICH - “Heilagmanoth”
(8/2008)
Hey, you like music? Yeah? Well, I’ve got
a real treat for you. Now pay attention. When I asked if you liked
music, I meant all kinds of music. Sure, you may have heard that
this band Dunwich is kind of like Nightwish. Okay, I wouldn’t
disagree. But, where Nightwish carries the torches to the castle
drawbridge, Italy's Dunwich sprints through every room in the castle
setting them ablaze.
This disc is so pure and artistic. With
its string, brass, and choir arrangements, “Heilagmanoth” transcends
all boundaries of commercial acceptability in their genre. But
here’s the funny thing, I don’t even know what genre this is! Yeah,
they have a phenomenal operatic female singer like Nightwish and
After Forever, but they use all kinds of other musical flavor that
those bands have not touched upon. The use of Irish and Japanese
flutes, Udo drum and bongos, among a mass of other instruments puts
Dunwich in a whole other genre really. It is almost a “classical
rock” kind of thing. It has the texture and poise of Brahms and
Bach, with the guitar crunch of rock contemporaries like Dream
Theater and Queensryche.
The drawback to making music like Dunwich
has here is the fact that not everyone can grasp the magnitude of
it. For the casual listener that’s looking for a catchy song to tap
their foot to, this will probably frighten them. This is for the
music aficionado; the person that can sit down and pick out a
particular chime or drum sound amidst the ocean of music and tune in
to it and fully enjoy it. The songs here are very complex and
detailed. For me, a person that listens carefully and analyzes the
intricate details, this was like a day in paradise. Dunwich puts
some wonderful elements to work here, and songs like “Beowulf,” “The
Flying Fear,” and “Leaves on the Altars to the Moon” are great
examples of a band that utilizes extraordinary talent to craft
exciting works of musical art.
Official website: http://www.dunwich.it/
MySpace profile:
http://www.myspace.com/dunwichband
________________
DYKEENIES,
THE - "Nothing Means Everything"
(12/2007)
My usual method of giving a
little background history seems a little silly this time around.
Everyone at the Are You On Something.com (www.areuonsomething.com)
website seems to be way ahead of me with this band, and my
friend Ray D'Ariano's great feature article on the band takes care
of all the personal details. No, I'm here to cover the music from
"Nothing Means Everything," The Dykeenies first full length slab of
music.
Whenever I locate any info about
this band online, there always seems to be some mention of bands
like The Killers and Arctic Monkeys. Not to say that I don't
see the parallels, but I think there are a couple of major
differences in The Dykeenies sound. First, these songs all have
their own distinct personality. I find The Killers to have a very
constant tone that runs throughout their material, and their songs
have a tendency to flatten out because of it. The Dykeenies
have a very diverse blend of tone on display
here. Secondly, there is a Pop sensibility to The Dykeenies
that is not found in other bands of their kind (dare I say the
newest "New Wave" genre?). These songs are all around three
minutes in length, with none of them reaching the four minute mark,
and they are all laden with hooks big enough to land a
whale.
Launching the disc with
"Panic," The Dykeenies seem to jump down your throat with a whiny, a
capella vocal that leads into a thrashing that reminded me
of The Sex Pistols. But, even though this track is the furthest
removed from the rest of the material, it still has the band's stamp
on it. The song is a different style, but the band still sounds
comfortable and "real" with their performance. And it just so
happens that "Panic" sits back-to-back with the catchiest Pop track
on the disc. "Waiting For Go" is a ditty that will infiltrate your
head and bang around in there for days on end. It's like some kind
of musical masochism, and it doesn't end with "Waiting For Go." The
next two tracks, "Stitches" and "Clean Up Your Eyes," remind me
of the first time I heard U2. It's not really the music that is
similar, but yet it's the chill that I got when I knew I was hearing
the "next big thing." These two songs are radio hits, plain and
simple. These songs are the voice of a band destined for
stardom. It's perfect production quality with the band
giving us amazing drum rhythms that roll and rumble sporadically,
sharp and intense vocals, with thought provoking lyrics that
are poetic and poignant. And, not to single out any one of these
talented musicians more than the other, but this drummer is
incredible. So many of the rhythms here are complex, but
they're never overplayed. Big Country skinsman Mark Brzezicki had a very similar style, and Dykeenies
drummer John Kerr is just as good, and just as much fun to listen
to. "In And Out," in particular, is a drum
clinic.
As the album
progresses we start to hear every facet of the band's diverse sound.
A song like "Things You Cannot See" might remind you of a late
70's/early 80's Peter Gabriel sound that was a bit deeper and more
serious, while "New Ideas" and "In And Out" lean more
toward The Clash's brand of fired up, crunchy Pop. You might even
here a Police influence on "Symptoms." All of these songs are
branded with The Dykeenies musical iron though. Packed with soaring
vocals, a big drum sound, hooks galore, and excellent production
quality, "Nothing Means Everything" is soon to be a modern day
classic.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"EDGEPLAY: A FILM ABOUT THE RUNAWAYS"
DVD
It was an
album with a gatefold that resembled the latest issue of
Playboy when you opened it. Singer Cherie Currie with a blue button
down shirt, buttoned way down; tough as nails guitarist Lita Ford in
her tight black v-neck; and rhythm guitarist Joan Jett looking
as casual and confident as ever. It was every young boy's
fantasy - a sexy all-girl rock band that were actually kids
themselves (all of them 16, except Jett who was 17). It's that debut
album from The Runaways that I still find myself dazzled by to this
day. Since its release in 1976 I have had an obsession of sorts with
this band. Now, when I say obsession it sounds so,
...um, ...sexually perverse. Well, maybe back in '76 it was a
sexually driven obsession, but today it's an obsession with a rock
band. A revolutionary rock band that silenced the cynics that
had, for so long, believed that women had no place in the male
dominated world of hard, driving rock 'n' roll. This film is their
story, from the band's beginning to its' sad demise.
This is a film that deals from the artist's point of view. We hear
from everyone but the most successful Runaway, Joan Jett. Jett has
not stated publicly exactly why she did not agree to participate in
the making of the film, but my guess is she did not want to rehash
the past and be any part of a "tell all" type of production. Let me
say that I admire that line of thought, if in fact that is the
reason for Jett's absence; but let me also say, ...Goddamn it Joan,
it would have been so incredible with your input. Is the
absence of Jett felt while watching the film? Of course. Absolutely.
With Jett writing or co-writing just about every song The Runaways
ever did, the soundtrack has virtually no Runaways songs on it
because of Jett's complete opposition. Is it still an
interesting account of the band without her? Absolutely.
The film is produced, directed, and edited by
ex-Runaway Vicki Blue, who now goes by the name of Victory-Tischler
Blue. All through the film she takes a backseat to all of the
original members of the band(except Jett, of course)when they
vividly reminisce of their time with the band. Going into this, I
was afraid I would hear too much about the later years that Blue was
a part of, and not enough about the beginnings of the band. I was
pleasantly surprised to find that the film dealt with the entire
history of the band from start to finish. Blue does a wonderful job
of walking us through almost every notable occurrence in the band's
history.
As the film's title and cast are introduced in the opening scene, it
is befitting to hear a killer track from Suzi Quatro playing in the
background. Joan Jett was obsessed with Quatro, and the band was
based around the same "tough rocker chick" sound that Quatro was
popularizing for fans in Europe at the time. Cherie Currie was
actually told to learn any Suzi Quatro song for her audition. When
she chose Quatro's lame cover of "Fever", the girls were
busy looking down on her, while Jett and manager Kim Fowley
penned a little tune called "Cherry Bomb" on the spot. Currie ended
up singing the tune for her audition, and the rest as they say is
history. We also learn here that bassist Jackie Fox auditioned with
the Kiss classic, "Strutter". Fox later in the film explains that
each member had a particular musician that they emulated. Currie was
David Bowie, Jett was Quatro, Ford was Ritchie Blackmore, drummer
Sandy West was "probably somebody from Queen", and Fox was Kiss
crazy man Gene Simmons. You can't help but get the feeling that
these girls were doing what all young music fans do, just on a huge,
realistic scale. We are constantly reminded that these girls were
only 16 or 17 years old when they were touring the world with their
eccentric manager Kim Fowley. We hear tidbits from Fowley here also.
A guy that nobody liked, but everybody depended on. Horror stories
are told of Fowley's harsh, abusive language along with tales
of consistent drug use. Currie still hopes somebody blows his brains
out, as she says, "If anyone deserves it, that man does."
Is this a film filled with each member trash talking the other? You
bet. It's done with a classy vibe though. We get a complete history
to accompany the verbal assaults, which makes this a bit more than a
tabloid-type film. What exactly do we learn that we didn't already
know? Quite a bit actually. We hear about
Kim Fowley kicking Jackie Fox out of the studio while recording the
classic debut, and hiring Blondie bassist Nigel Harrison to play on
the record instead. A fact that I, a rabid fan, was unaware of. We
hear about singer Cherie Currie's sexual escapades with both Jett
and Sandy West. We also hear of her getting pregnant by another band
manager, and later getting an abortion. We hear about Jackie Fox
trying to kill herself, and her call to Randy Rhoads, who was a good
friend, for support. We hear of Sandy West's rough days of drug
running and jail time after the breakup of the group. We also hear
of Blue's battle with epilepsy while she was in the band. Yes,
folks, this was dysfunction at its horrible
best.
If you are a big fan of this band, you'll love to just watch these
women reminisce. Seeing how they look now, and hearing them get into
personal issues with a good friend (Blue) manning the camera was
exciting. I do think this is a film for the hardcore Runaways
fan though. If you are someone who never decided to check out the
band, this isn't the outlet you want to start with. There are a
couple of concert clips here, and some vintage footage of the girls
early on, but for the most part this is simply the band members and
people connected with the group talking to the camera. The
excitement level for the casual fan is pretty low. But, for the
hardcore, Runaways obsessed fan that still refuses to grow up, this
is a wonderful trip.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
EMERSON,
LAKE & PALMER - "Beyond The Beginning" two-disc DVD
set
(11/2005)
It was a blazing hot day, June 4th of 1977 to
be exact, and I was standing on the turf of Soldier Field, home of
the Chicago Bears. I was a young boy of only eight years and this
was all a little overwhelming. They called it the "Super Bowl Of
Rock;" an all day festival of sweat, smoke, and 70's rock and roll.
Being only eight years of age at the time, I can only recall a few
details of the day. I remember seeing the teenage girl on the
stretcher, either passed out from the heat or she just had a little
too much smoke. I remember Foghat doing "Slow Ride," which was one
of my favorites at the time. And, I remember seeing my first real
life monster that day, and he was mutilating a monstrous
keyboard.
Since that June day in 1977 I have always held Keith Emerson in the
highest regard. I have always thought of Emerson as one of the best
keyboard players in all of rock and roll. Well, upon watching this
DVD, I have altered that thought just slightly. Emerson is
not one of the best, he is the best. He is filmed
numerous times throughout this insightful set of over four hours
doing things that are beyond humanly possible. Emerson was a monster
on that day in Chicago, and every day before and after
apparently.
DISC
ONE
The first disc of the set
appropriately starts with early video clips of the
groups each band member was in prior to forming ELP. We
get to see "Fire" from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, complete
with a masked Carl Palmer on drums. We get "America" from The Nice,
with Emerson supplying his signature keyboard sound. And we get
Greg Lake playing bass and singing with King Crimson on their
classic, "21st Century Schizoid Man." Understanding the spirit of
ELP begins with hearing where these high caliber musicians came
from, and this is a nice way of doing that.
As we move to the ELP In Pictures section of the
disc, we see all phases of the band's existence. There is
some rare footage of the band played out in chronological
order, beginning with a Beat Club clip from 1970. "Take A Pebble,"
with its blinding blocks of vivid color, shows a young Greg
Lake taking on bass and guitar duties and Emerson showing his usual
brilliance. Watching Emerson reach into the strings of the piano and
strum the them like a harp, you get the feeling that this guy
was playing complete Bach and Mozart pieces at the age of three or
four. Watching him play from the back of his keyboard in the
next clip of the haunting "Knife Edge," you get a Hendrix vibe
from him. When he starts violently rocking his
instrument and goes into the guts of it from the back to create
some interesting effects, while on his knees of course, you
almost expect him to set it ablaze. Watch this clip to see the
monster that is Keith Emerson. Clips of the ELP epic "Tarkus"
follows, along with some excellent concert footage of the band doing
classics like "Hoedown," "Lucky Man," "Karn Evil 9," and "Touch and
Go." Mixed in with the live footage we get treated to things like
the MTV-inspired video for Greg Lake's hit "I Believe In Father
Christmas." An unusual performance of "Tiger in the Spotlight" has
the band sharing the stage with a full-size tiger! The video clip of
"Fanfare for the Common Man" is also an interesting one. It has the
band performing the tune in an empty, snow covered stadium
while donning oversized winter garb. There is an extended jam here
that is a real delight also. One of the best clips included in this
section of the disc though is from Oscar Peterson's Piano Party from
1976. The clip has Emerson and Peterson trading piano licks while
performing "Honky Tonk Train Blues." This is one of those "un-human"
times for Emerson. This performance is sure to blow anyone with any
appreciation for musical talent away. The footage of Emerson taking
his modular keyboard "stick" into the audience, after shooting an
explosive from one end of it in the clip for "Tarkus" from Royal
Albert Hall in 1992, isn't half bad either. There is all this talk
of Emerson, but you also realize with this set that he has bookends
that not only keep pace with him, but run in stride. With Greg Lake
featured in clips like "Lucky Man" and Watching Over You," you fully
realize the man's amazing talent. Aside from being a
gifted singer, Lake shows his prowess as a guitar player here as
well. And Carl Palmer.........well, he's just an Emerson with a drum
kit. Another monster, and a pure talent of the progressive genre.
The short but effective "Tank" drum solo clip shows just
how talented Palmer is, and what an asset he was to the ELP
sound.
The Bonus Footage
portion of this first disc is nothing to look at, but more of a
hardcore fan novelty. It shows the band in a rehearsal from 1973,
and if it only does one thing it shows us that they are human. You
see the band a bit apprehensive and unsteady while developing a
piece of a song, a state of mind that is just plain uncharacteristic
for this band. I just expected these guys to wake up in the morning
and simply play everything perfectly together, but I guess they
really are human. The Story of the Covers portion gives us
an inside look at the origins of the artwork, and some spooky facts
about the demise of the artists after delivering their work to the
band. And the ELP at Brands Hatch 1973 portion shows the
band in their leisure time competing in a road race where Lake
takes second place. The Interview with Bob Moog is a
special moment really. His relationship with Emerson in
particular was extraordinary. You could almost call Moog a fourth
member of the band. He developed much of his technology exclusively
for Emerson and ELP, and you can hear the adoration here.
DISC
TWO
This
disc gives us some nice footage from the
California Jam concert of 1974. The quality of the tape isn't the
greatest - there are some dropouts, and the audio is sometimes out
of synch; but the chance to see this band perform at such a
monumental concert is a treat. You get much of the same things here
that you get with disc one, performance wise - the beauty of
Lake's voice, the precision of Palmer's drum work, and of course the
brilliance of Emerson's alien-like finger work. Seeing Palmer play
what he does, while holding his sticks in the traditional fashion
(with the left stick held between the middle and ring fingers) is a
genuine thrill. But the highlight for many on this disc is the
"spinning piano" piece. Emerson plays a grand piano while it is
lifted off the ground and spun vertically through the air. Yeah,
...very cool.
The Beyond the Beginning portion of
this second disc is something to please the die hard ELP fan. It
features clips of the guys talking about every phase of the band's
existence. We hear about how "Lucky Man" created tension between
Emerson and his mates. We find out how the band was forced into
making their "Love Beach" record. And, most meaningful to me, we
find out how the "Works" tour was eventually the cause of the band's
demise. You see, it was the "Works" tour that I saw that hot day,
back in '77. I just find it strange that the one thing that
brought the monster down, is the same thing that brought
the musical monster inside of me to life.
For those that have not
experienced ELP and the power of music that they wield, this is a
great place to start. For those that thought ELP was a good band,
you will discover with this set that they were much more than
just "good." Emerson, Lake & Palmer were three of the
greatest musicians to ever venture into the realm of progressive
rock, and that fact is illustrated beautifully
here.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
epo-555 - "Mafia" (1/2008)
This is an
album that has a sound all its own, but epo-555 could
possibly be described as something like Radiohead meets Pink
Floyd. This is a record that has some dark moments, but the overall
feel of this album is like a breezy dreamscape. These songs almost
take flight and linger in the air, like feathers in a gentle wind.
The light and airy vocals, which are layered over thumping rhythms
and beautiful guitar pieces make this a real treat for anyone
looking to be taken on a musical journey. Much of the original,
creative sound of this record can be accredited to the album's
production, which was handled by the band itself. Putting just
enough echo into the vocals and making the rhythms just punchy
enough to carry the songs is really what makes this album so
special. Songs like "Grisslappan" and "Tess La Coil" feel like
wonderful musical friends to me now. These are songs that I
can embrace; songs that I can take a slow walk with, or
take off and fly with. This is one of those special
records that just "hits the spot." When your in the mood to
hear this style of light and dreamy alternative pop, this is
the only pill that will cure your ill.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FAGEN,
DONALD - "Morph The Cat"
(8/2006) "EMERGENCY SURGERY" feature
Donald Fagen, the voice of Steely Dan.
Donald Fagen, the genius of Jazz Rock.
Donald Fagen has finally returned with a new record to
follow up his Grammy nominated “Kamikiriad” release from 1993. Okay,
so “Donald Fagen, prolific recording artist” is a stretch, but when
this guy does do it he does it right. “Kamikiriad” was nominated for
Album of the Year, and it still remains a regular visitor to my disc
player. In my opinion, it was a perfect record. So, what am I
expecting to hear some thirteen years down the road? To be honest, I
expect nothing less than perfection from Fagen. For so many years,
he and Walter Becker thrilled and amazed me with their Steely Dan
albums; blending jazz, rock, funk and pop with an injection of wry
and dry humor. I go into this expecting to hear more great songs in
the same vein of that Steely Dan and “Kamikiriad” material. Does
Fagen have some surprises in store? Will this be the pillar of
perfection that “Kamikiriad” was? Let’s see.
Track 1: “Morph The Cat” - Opens with
the soothing, yet funky bass line, backed by the trademark
occasional keyboard jolt. There’s even a light horn all the while,
acting as the canvas for this classic musical collage. A light
breezy vocal track holds your hand as you skip through this one. I
now see that the track runs for almost seven minutes. Right at the
four minute mark, the vocals subside to allow the wailing guitar
solo. And, right at about five and a half into it, the vocals kneel
to the horn jam session, which continues until the fade out. So, we
have the usual elements you would expect from Fagen, all within this
first track. Great stuff. RATING: 8
Track 2: “H Gang” - Funky and tight.
This is the first single from the record, and it’s no surprise.
There is some excellent guitar work in the beginning and the end of
this one, along with a classic horn sound and sweet vocals that make
up another great song. RATING: 9
Track 3: “What I Do” - This song
stays in step with the attitude and rhythm of the last two songs,
but this time we get a harmonica solo at about two minutes and
fifteen seconds into this one. And this is another song of length,
clocking in at an even six minutes. Some nice backing vocal work,
added together with more of the harp to end the track. This one
seems to get a bit stale at six minutes though. Make this four
minutes and I think it works better, but not too bad.
RATING: 6
Track 4: “Brite Nightgown” - Funky
…real funky. Almost sounds like a Prince tune it’s so funky! This
one has a running time of over seven minutes, too! At about two
minutes and twenty seconds into the tune we get a long vocal break
that gives way to a funky guitar piece, as well as a keyboard jaunt,
which all lasts a total of about two minutes. When we continue the
vocal groove, the song turns excessively repetitive and seems like
it’s fading for the last three minutes. You get that “Is this ever
going to end?” feeling. Nice instrumental groove, but way, WAY too
long. RATING: 4
Track 5: “The Great Pagoda Of Funn” -
Nice steady pace that has that peaceful Steely Dan sway to it.
Beautiful blend of vocal harmonies and instrumental work, right up
until the horns take the reigns of the song with a blaring solo that
lasts for about a minute or so. As the song never loses pace, the
vocal harmonies and instrumental work seize the reigns once again,
only to lead us to yet another solo section, this time for the
guitar. This guitar solo, which starts just after the five minute
mark, continues until the fade, which arrives at just after seven
and a half minutes. This is another really lengthy song. This one
has a much better pacing than “Brite Nightgown” did, but it still
yearns to end a tad sooner. RATING: 6
Track 6: “Security Joan” - This one
has a more upbeat jazzy feel, with those incredible vocal harmonies.
There are plenty of lyrics and vocal groove to make this song, which
also clocks in over the six minute mark, a pure delight. The guitar
solo that’s smack in the middle of the tune is perfectly placed and
lasts a perfect amount of time, so as not to lose the flow of the
track. This is a great example of how to write an interesting song
that can last six minutes or more. Great stuff. RATING:
8
Track 7: “The Night Belongs To Mona”
- I immediately check the clock when this one starts, and we’re
significantly shorter with this tune. At just over four minutes,
“Mona” is a slow and steady walk that utilizes all the weapons, but
keeps it very simple. Nothing special here, but a decent straight
forward track nonetheless. RATING: 6
Track 8: “Mary Shut The Garden Door”
- A moody bass line, coupled with a jumpy drum beat makes for an
unusual edginess here. There’s almost a nervous tension to this one
as Fagen quickly spits out the title at the end of each verse. This
is another song that seems to be a run-on. Lasting slightly more
than six and a half minutes, “Mary” relies on some gentle harmonica
solos to capture us for a large portion of the time here. For me,
that just wasn’t enough. RATING: 4
Track 9: “Morph The Cat (Reprise)” -
This is a little reminder (just under three minutes) of what the
title track sounded like, in case you forgot. With only one short
verse here, this is really an instrumental that simply acts as an
unnecessary cap to the album. RATING: 4
OVERALL RATING:
6 ALIVE!
I love the Fagen sound; the easy tones, the soft sway,
the funky groove that runs through so much of this stuff; it’s all
part of why I love this guy, and all of that is represented here. On
the other hand, if that sound doesn’t do that much for you, don’t
look for this one to do anything to change your opinion. This is a
fairly consistent record. We have the usual ingredients that make
Fagen who he is, and for most of this record they make for an
enjoyable listen. But, quite a few of the tunes here could stand a
minute or two chopped off of them, while some just don’t work that
well, and a few of them are just spectacular. It’s nowhere near the
dish that “Kamakiriad” was, or any of the Steely Dan albums for that
matter, but that’s okay. Fagen is so distinctive and original in his
sound, and as he offers all of that up once again, I find it hard
not to appreciate it.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FAR CORNER - "Far Corner" (11/2004)
Dark....rich....robust....full of flavor.
No, I'm not going to review
Starbucks latest French Roast coffee blend, I'm talking about
Cuneiform Records' release of Far Corner's self-titled debut.
This is a record that you've
never heard before. A stark experimentation in originality. Billing
themselves as a chamber rock ensemble, Far Corner live up to that
description and then some. This is a quartet that uses only a cello
and keyboard, with a bass/drums rhythm section, to create their
unique sound. With three members of the quartet being
classically trained musicians with degrees from the University Of
Wisconsin-Madison, there is a strong classical vibe throughout the
record. Internationally renowned bassist William Kopecky, having
worked with rock outfits such as The Flyin' Ryan Brothers and guitar
wiz Michael Angelo, gives this release the cohesive rock/jazz sound
that keeps the band accessible to the average listener.
With the sly funk of his fretless pieces accenting the
classical dark cello arrangements played by cellist Angela Schmidt,
Kopecky gives the Stravinsky/Bartok influenced compositions an
injection of Jeff Beck/Mahavishnu Orchestra jazz rock. The mixture
is unique, and utterly original. Drummer Craig Walkner is
extraordinary in his precision. Playing elaborate drum beats and
intricate cymbal patterns, he is the perfect partner to Kopecky's
bass. With cellist Angela Schmidt providing layer upon layer of
direful, apocalyptic strokes of her instrument, this really is an
amazing collaboration.
Keyboardist Dan Maske, who
has a Ph.D in Music Composition from the University Of
Wisconsin-Madison, is brilliant with both composing and playing
here. The melding of jazz and classical piano and organ
arrangements, in the ocean of symphonic sound that he has written
for his bandmates, creates one of the most progressive sounds
available in music today. His playing could be described as Bob
James shakes hands with Bach, or Bruce Hornsby gets
attacked by Mozart. This type of jazz/classical playing has a sort
of tension and immediacy to it in this context. The manner in which
Maske composes lends itself to a live, or eclectic
improvisational style. When I asked the bandleader if he had a
specific formula when composing - like initial writing on
piano, with rhythm section then added, and cello pieces as topping -
he stated, "No one instrument is composed first. The instruments
are all written for pretty much simultaneously, as a whole. However,
a tune may be based on a theme or motive that I come up with on a
particular instrument such as 'Outside', which was stemmed from a bass
theme. 'Going Somewhere' was based on the percussion, etc. Even
though I'm the keyboard player, I prefer to step back and write for
the ensemble as a whole, as if I'm just the composer and won't be
playing the music myself." I believe, in sports, this is called "being a team
player". The idea of composing all of these parts simultaneously
seems unimaginable to this writer. With the complexity of these
arrangements, it takes a genius mind to have each of them
successfully converge and coagulate the way they do. It seems Maske
is that genius mind.
When I first put the disc into my player, the first
track that played was called "Silly Whim". The title brought
thoughts of rock stalwarts Rush, and the lyrics of their epic "2112"
song, from the record of the same name. I thought maybe Maske is, or
was, a Rush fan - and maybe the song would resemble Rush
in some strange way. Nope. Maske spoke to me about the origins of
"Silly Whim": "I was pretty much finished
composing the music for the CD when, as I was playing drums one day,
came up with three contrasting beats that seemed to work well
together. I combined them and then wrote music for the other
instruments to these drum beats and came up with the tune. The
whole thing was kind of unplanned, and I think I basically wrote the
whole tune in one day." He went on to say, "This was a big difference compared to the other tunes
which usually took weeks or months of composing, thus, it was a
'silly whim' of a tune. He also said he
was aware of the Rush track, and interestingly added, "I actually thought years ago that
if I ever started a heavy metal band, I'd call it SILLY
WHIM." Hmmm,
....interesting.
As I continued on through this
comprehensive, multifarious record, I came upon a track called
"Something Out There". This track stood apart from the rest because
of its' natural urgency, and its' separation into three parts
(appropriately titled I, II and III). The spirit of this track
strangely reminded me of the classic horror film, Night Of The
Living Dead". With the first part (I) staying somewhat serene, the
second part (II) being frantic and scatterbrained, and the third and
final part (III) having a "dust settles" feel to it - this track
plays out much like a film score. As it happens, this is the flow of
"Night Of The Living Dead"; with the characters barricaded in a
house with "something (zombies) out there" in the middle of the
film. I asked bassist William Kopecky if there was an
intentional theme to the track when it was
written. "'Something Out There' wasn't
'written' so much as 'spontaneously composed' live in the
studio", he said. He continued to explain
the unique technique in which the track was assembled:
" If memory serves, we totally improvised the 3rd
movement first, without a clue as to what we were doing, although we
did have a series of notes--not a conventional scale by any
means--from which we could pick and choose what we were going
to play. We played for about
10 minutes, but the computer crashed after only three or
four! (Dan Maske) took the fragment home and decided
to create a very loose framework for the track, consisting of
three parts: parts 1 and 3 being like bookends
in their airy, haunted atmosphere, while part 2 is a more
lively movement with a fiery organ solo and wild
drumming. So it does have a kind of storyline feel, I suppose,
but that wasn't intentional at its inception." He thankfully went on to say that he "could totally see the piece working in the context of
('Night Of The Living Dead')", which
helped in my decision to not seek mental help for my bizarre
thoughts on the song.
I did begin wondering how Far Corner might reach
titles for these diverse compositions. Maske
states, "Most of the titles were
chosen while I was in the middle of writing a tune. A couple
may have been thought up just after a tune was finished. I did have
CD
art imagery in mind (cold & remote wilderness) when
writing the tunes, and therefore the track titles can all find some
representation on the CD cover. 'Silly Whim' may be an exception."
Hmmm,
....interesting.
Yes, this is a record you've never heard before. This is the epitome
of originality in music.
It is
dark. It is robust. It is full of flavor. It may not be Starbucks French
Roast, but Far Corner's blend of talent and originality is certainly
my cup of tea.
FLOGGING MOLLY - "Within A Mile Of
Home"
(10/2004)
This is the
story of a young lad named Dave King.
Dave was born to the streets
of Dublin, Ireland, where he grew up on traditional Irish music. But
Dave was a restless young lad, and sought out alternative avenues of
releasing his musical aggression. "My family would go to the pub and gather up
people to come back to the house to play tin whistle, mandolin,
fiddle and spoons, with my mom on piano and my uncle on accordion,"
he reminisces. "But I wanted to run away
from that. As you get older, you want to pick up electric guitars
and play loud. You rebel against those traditional
elements." And rebel he
did.
A moderately successful
supergroup (of sorts) called Fastway, became the vehicle for Dave's
youthful angst. Comprised of Motorhead's longtime guitarist "Fast"
Eddie Clarke, UFO bassist Pete Way (who left the band just weeks
after their first record was released), and ex-Humble Pie drummer
Jerry Shirley, Fastway was a loud, rollicking explosion of sound.
Dave's vocals were reminiscent of a young Robert Plant. With his
tightly wound high tenor in full force, Dave and his various Fastway
bandmates released four records together.
After leaving Fastway, Dave
received an invitation from superstar A&R guru John Kalodner to
join another metal band called Katmandu. Dave accepted the invite,
flew from London to L.A., and recorded the lone Katmandu record.
Oddly enough, a cover of Irish band U2's "God Part II" was included
on the record; perhaps, ...it was a sign of things to
come.
Dave King has now surfaced
with a deep Irish brogue, and a bevy of musicians efficient in
traditional Irish and punk music. Yes, that's right, punk. Flogging
Molly is a unique blend of traditional Irish melodies, that are
played in front of a snappy pulse of punk attitude. The seven
musicians that make up the band might be found playing instruments
such as Tin Whistle, Bodhran, and Uilleann Pipes. Perhaps Dave King
said it best when describing his group's sound: "If it didn't have mandolin,
accordion, fiddle and whistle, it would be punk-rock, and if it
didn't have guitar, bass and drums, it would be traditional Irish
music. Flogging Molly has both."
"Within A
Mile Of Home" is a record that takes a blind leap from the cliffs of
Mt. Popularity. Chugging along at a comfortable pace, showing
no signs of losing its integrity. It's a risky,
adventurous variety of musical styles that would not normally be
heard together. When everything gets going, you can hear influences
of seminal punk bands like The Clash mixed with the traditional Irish drinking song. Songs
like "The Seven Deadly Sins" and "Tobacco Island" might best
exhibit this unique joining of styles, with the latter
describing the Irish being shipped to Barbados in the 17th
century by British military leader Oliver Cromwell to work as slaves
on the sugar plantations, and the former paying tribute to deceased
Clash guitarist Joe Strummer. Elsewhere we find songs that draw
directly from Irish roots. On "To Youth (My Sweet Roisin Dubh)" we
hear a straight forward tribute to King's homeland, and "Factory
Girls" finds King in a duet with Lucinda Williams to create a
serene folk piece. "Whistles The Wind", being the most traditional
song on the record, places us in the green pastures of Ireland upon
hearing it. Many of these songs are lyrically rich, containing
personal and historical idioms of King and his culture. As King says
of "Don't Let Me Die Still Wondering", "I
started writing that song when I heard Johnny Cash had died," King
says of the tune, composed, as always, on a typewriter manufactured
in 1916, the year of the Irish uprising. "There was a man who lived
life to the fullest. I don't want to be wondering on my deathbed
what I left behind. I want to leave nothing behind. I want to be
ready to go to the next world - and enjoy life here at the same
time." This is a record that draws from
culture, personal experience, and life in general.
Now, with any record that
exhibits various styles and takes risks, we usually get some
undesirable things happening. That does happen here, but not too
often. The sound can get a bit tedious at times, due to
very little variance; and it isn't something that most people could
handle hearing all day, every day. I do feel that this is a
record that requires being in a certain state of mind. In other
words, you gotta be in the mood for this one. If you are in the mood
for something original, that takes from the punk era as much as
traditional Irish lore, this is the record to listen to,
though.
All in all, this is a good
record. Not a great record, but it is good. You have to award points
for originality here. Flogging Molly are one of the only bands doing
what they do, and people seem to be flocking to the stores to buy
this record. "I'm finally doing what I
love," "I King says,
after describing the long path that he took before Flogging Molly
allowed him the ability to infuse the traditional sounds of his
youth with the punk-rock of his adulthood. I'm singing about what I want to sing about and people
want to listen." Debuting on the
Billboard chart at #20, you have to believe......it's good to be
King.
OVERALL
RATING: 6
FLYIN' RYAN
BROTHERS, THE - "Blue Marble" (4/2006)
"When a gifted team
dedicates itself to unselfish trust and combines instinct with
boldness and effort, it is ready to climb." -
Patanjali
Somehow I don't picture the Ryan Brothers as followers of
Patanjali's Yoga sutras, but I may be mistaken. The sound of this
latest disc, "Blue Marble," does everything to indicate that they
are at least following the advice of the above quote. Identical to
their last effort, 2002's "Legacy," The Flyin' Ryan Brothers exhibit
extraordinary amounts of unselfish musicianship and confidence. This
is a band made up of two of the best guitar players in the world,
Jimmy and Johnny Ryan; but that's really not what makes this
band tick. The guitar harmonizing brothers hire on other great
musicians to accompany their talent. Now, the problem that so
many bands face when acquiring an all-star lineup is the fight
that ensues for prominence. Almost all of your superstar
players start biting and scratching to have
themselves brought up more in the final mix and what
usually ends up happening is catastrophic.
Production levels come over as flat, and the "song" gets
lost in exchange for the "look what I can do" attitude that ends up
oozing from every flat, monotonous note. By listening to anything
that the Ryan Brothers have done, especially this release, you can
see that they obviously don't buy into that whole scene. This is a
record that has a bass player like none other in William Kopecky
(Kopecky, Parallel Mind, Far Corner), and he is not only
allowed to play freely here, he is encouraged
to let loose. There are songs on this record when Kopecky grabs the
reigns and steers the song while both Ryans ride
comfortably in the carriage behind him. It's all about confidence,
folks. The Ryan Brothers' confidence in their own talents, as well
as the talents of their supporting cast, and most of all,
the confidence in the heart and strength of their
songs as they are written.
The Flyin' Ryan
Brothers have to be the most underrated, undiscovered act in the
world. Sure, there may be great guitar players like the
Ryans in every city around the world, but very few have honed
their talents into a formidable music machine like the Ryans
have done. This is a band that has crafted songs, and shown great
sensibility and patience in their impressive writing style for many
years. Being recognized by the Grammy panel and winning "finest
fingers" contests is nothing new to this troupe. Although they have
yet to make the final Grammy ballot, it is only a matter of time if
the boys can keep up the pace of releasing artistry like "Blue
Marble."
The disc
starts off with an artistic piece called "Baghdad," and the listener
is immediately thrust into a Songwriting 101 class. With Kopecky
handling bass, as well as sitar and tanpura (that's right, tanpura)
duties, and the Ryans constantly alternating lead solos with pace
setting harmonic guitar rhythms, the mood is entirely Middle Eastern
while maintaining a hard rock instinct. As the disc moves to
"Skytrain," the band is found cooking with more of a straight
forward jam recipe. Again, the brothers Ryan are playing the same
great style of twin guitar harmony, just this time it's through
gritted teeth. A beautiful rhythm track is pushed forward by a
blizzard of angry guitar licks, and a simply wicked bass chart. I
know this is getting old, but I'm telling you, this Kopecky guy is
not human. Get the disc and go three minutes into this song and
you'll see what I mean. Popping, slapping, and bubbling bass work
that most artists with their name on the cover wouldn't even allow
to happen for fear of being upstaged. The Ryan brothers welcome
this guy into their songs, and the invite pays off tremendously. On
the third track, the band has their own way of saying "there
goes Tokyo" by giving us a monstrous tune called "Godzilla Vs.
Mothra". Screeching and dive bombing guitars scattered around a
flurry of more brilliant harmonies makes me want for the rest of the
Godzilla films to be adapted to song. As the guys move to "The Road
To Galway," the traditional Irish jig is brought into the world of
rock instrumental music. This has been the Ryans trademark
for some time now - a nod to their Irish roots by way of their
extraordinary talents. "Galway" is a bright, light and airy
piece that comes at a perfect moment in the record. Most impressive
is the bridge section of this song that keeps the song from going
stale. The album goes to its longest and most passionate piece on
the album after this. "The Great Divide" is played with a feeling
that only few can capture in instrumental music. Hearing the Ryans
break off and play separately, and then seamlessly join together to
play in unison, only to split off once again is just pure magic.
This may be one of the best twin harmony guitar pieces ever
recorded. And after a display like this, the brothers thought they
would share the wealth again, only this time it's drummer Bob Behnke
that gets the spotlight. On a tune where Kopecky's sitar is the
"voice," "Gaza" starts out with a thirty-second drum barrage.
Between this and the 1:09 drum solo "Snake Stretcher"
(which has Johnny Mrozek on skins), it seems apparent that the Ryans
have faith and confidence in their hired drum help also. Giving an
entire title on the record to a drummer that does not have the last
name of Ryan? That's pure confidence. As the record moves toward a
more mood oriented vibe, the light strings of "Blue Ridge" power up.
This is a very nice melody that I felt could have been cut from its
5:32 mark. I think if the tune was a more simplistic 4:00, the
steady rhythm throughout the song would have been a bit more
memorable. But, let it be understood that this song is about tone
and texture. The longer running time gives the song a
chance to create a more "lazy" or spirituality relaxed tone, which
is also a nice break from the rest of the record. Another mood
piece, and a song that has a light, jazzy tone, is the stunning
"American Beauty." This sounds almost like a David Sanborn song that
got adapted for the guitar. The twin harmonies and the delicious
solos to close out the tune are beyond compare. As the album reaches
"Valley Of The Kings," and later "Babel," we get the somewhat
typical rock instrumentals that are in the same vein as Satriani or
Beck (Jeff). When the record returns to a slower mood piece called
"Avalon," I could almost repeat my thoughts of "Blue Ridge" verbatim
here also. The light drum tapping, and the dreamy tone are there to
behold, but I think the tune would have been more effective at
4:00 as opposed to its mark of 5:12. But again, this is a
deep mood piece that needs to transport you and keep you there in
order to complete its duties; so, as I did with "Blue Ridge," I do
see the reason for the extended length. The record comes to a
rousing close with the band paying their respects to the act
that is probably most responsible for The Flyin' Ryan Brothers
existence - Wishbone Ash. They tackle Ash's classic, "Blowin'
Free," and it couldn't have been any better. All of the solos are
razor sharp, the vocals are tender and light, and the alternate
arrangement at the end of the track is pure genius.
In a world that has virtually
left the rock instrumental genre behind, The Flyin' Ryan
Brothers have resurrected the spirit of this great art. To hear such
a complete and artistic entity such as this is oh so rare. To have
two masters of their instrument sharing their stage with other
players that are just as talented is also rare. All I would ask from
The Flyin' Ryan Brothers in the future is that they keep making the
same quality music while maintaining that unselfish
mentality - and, oh yeah, keep up those Yoga
sessions.
OVERALL
RATING:
8
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FLYIN' RYAN
BROTHERS, THE - "Totality" (9/2008)
Jimmy
and Johnny Ryan, the brothers who are responsible for some of the
most incredible twin guitar harmonies I've ever heard, are at it
again. I had a seat belt put on my music room chair because of these
guys. Whenever I listen to their latest stuff I strap in and get
ready for an amazing ride - and "Totality" just might be the
best trip yet.
When I first heard "Sibling Revelry," the earliest
of the band's releases, I thought the raw talent of the band
was blatantly obvious. Although the disc had a few songs that
were penguins, they were nesting with a flock of high
flying condors. With each subsequent release the band has
gotten more and more focused and polished. So when "Blue Marble" was
released in 2005, almost 10 years after "Sibling Revelry", the band
had become a buffed pearl; silky smooth harmony guitars with amazing
streaks of colorful bass and drum parts spilled across it. I thought
the band very well might've reached their pinnacle, but it seems I
was wrong. "Totality" is a giant nest that houses 13 soaring
eagles.
One of my favorite instrumental albums of
all time is Jeff Beck's "Wired" album. The reasons I find that album
so enjoyable is because of its keen sense of melody. Beck plays the
songs with a nurturing care, cradling each of them with patience and
all around instrumental texture. The Flyin' Ryan Brothers have done
the same with the songs on "Totality." There are songs that are
influenced by jazz, pop, rock, metal, and even Irish folk - and they
are all done with a focus on melody. I don't like to
explain each track in a review because I usually don't deem it
necessary, but I really feel a need to do so with this disc, to
fully explain what I heard out of each song.
1. "Totality" - This is a great intro, with a
70's, Angel-like keyboard fest. This comes at you with all
guns blazing.
2. "Escape Velocity" - a fast-paced rocker with
Kopecky wailing away on bass. It almost has an Iron Maiden kind
of tone, reminiscent of the instrumental "Losfer Words
(Big 'Orra)" from Maiden's "Powerslave" release. Edgar Winter's
"Frankenstein" also came to mind with the short soloing bursts from
Jimmy, Johnny, and Kopecky. And once again, William Kopecky proves
to be the best bass player on the planet. Three minutes into
this song Kopecky unloads with great ferocity, delivering a stretch
of machine-gun action inside of the already explosive and rhythmic
line he was already playing. Nobody, I mean, nobody, is as good
as this guy. This is a big, bad mofo rocker to start the
engines.
3. "Heritage" - This has the Flyin' Ryan
Brothers signature sound of guitar tone and harmony. With a real
renaissance sound, this sounds like a song that might be used to
usher in the Queen. This is one of those free-flowing songs
that sticks in your head long after the disc is in its case. Perfect
progression and flow keeps this one interesting and full of
flavor.
4. "The Choir of Eden" - Wow. This is a
mood piece that sits you down and gently sways your emotions in a
crib of melody and tone. Kopecky is the driving force behind this
song with his intuitive play on the fretless bass. I felt like I was
lobotomized by a bass guitar when I got through with this one. This
is really an exquisite piece.
5. "The Crosses of Annagh" - This is where the
amazing versatility and artistic integrity of the band shows up.
This as a traditional Celtic melody, with a beautifully modern
guitar adaptation. While achieving a "happy dance" feel, this also
gives you a "Braveheart"-type of battle emotion as well. Being a
huge fan of Celtic music, this is one of my favorite songs on the
record.
6. "Aeolian Rhapsody" - And this just might
be my favorite song on the record. The guitar here almost
sounds like a flute or a tin whistle. And here I go
again....you gotta hear Kopecky's brilliant bass line here. It acts
as a backup singer to the Ryans bellowing harmony guitar parts. This
is just an amazing arrangement. With a few Beatlesque moments along
the way, and a nice change of pace at the end of the
track, this is a song with a strong heartbeat well into its six
minute running time.
7. "Big Shotz" - This is Jimmy and Johnny
doing what they do best; rockin' out with incredible twin harmony
guitar licks, backed by a rhythm section like no other.
8. "Free to Fly" - Here's a free-spirited
piece that puts you atop a mountain covered with daisies.
Kopecky's fretless beast goes to work here again, sliding in and out
and back and forth like some sort of shifting lake of tranquil
melody. This is definitely another mood piece on the album, and
I will sometimes end up watching the time on these if they don't
move along; but this one just keeps shifting, especially near
the end, to keep you focused on the beautiful melody.
9. "Spirit's Call" - Picking up
where the previous track ("Free to Fly") left off, this is what
it sounds like when you decide to leap from that daisy covered peak
and you're flying across the sky. This is more of an upbeat,
free-spirited jam. If this album has a flaw of any kind, it might be
in the titles of these last two tracks. This one has a "Free
to Fly" feel, while track 8 has more of a "Spirit's Call" vibe.
But that's the wonderful thing about instrumental music, it is
always left to personal interpretation.
10. "Wes Is More" - Oh man, this one is
special. Written as a tribute to late Jazz guitarist Wes
Montgomery, this one has a big jazz feel, with Kopecky's
fretless hard at work once again. This just might be the most
versatile track on the disc. The song is played in a style
which Montgomery is widely known for, known as "the Naptown
Sound," which made use of octaves (playing the same note on two
strings one octave apart). At times, the fretless bass is
almost like a David Sanborn-style horn, while the twin guitars
create a free-flowing canvas. Did I already pick a favorite
song?
11. "Cosmic Calypso" - This song is
reminiscent of "Gaza" from the band's "Blue Marble" release with its
ominous and heavy sound and the prominence of what sounds like a
sitar. The bongos dispersed throughout the song are
ingenious. The eerie keyboard effects are an excellent
addition to the mood of the piece as well.
12. "Now And Forever" - Here's a beautiful closing
piece for the disc (next to "Heritage Reprise"). This is a
loving and gentle lullaby that sounds like an adaptation of "Ode to
Joy." There's no doubt that this was written with somebody
very special in mind. It's played with tearful emotion that
translates almost supernaturally through the speakers.
13. "Heritage Reprise" - When I first heard this,
I asked myself why the Flyin' Ryans might revisit the song
"Heritage" to finish off the album, and then I came to me....
"Heritage" is what this band is all about. Besides the song
having their signature sound, heritage is what these
brothers base their sound around. They are deeply in touch with
their Irish roots and even more in touch with the brotherhood that
they share as a band. And make no mistake, this is a band of
FOUR musical brothers. Just by listening to this "Totality"
disc you can clearly hear and feel what a close knit
family this band is. Throughout the record, Kopecky's bass
and Johnny Mrozek's drums are constantly being born from the same
groove mother -- while Jimmy and Johnny's guitars sing over all of
it together in perfect harmony and tone. "Heritage Reprise" is
just the Flyin Ryan's way of saying welcome to the family.
For anyone who is a fan of great instrumental
music, the Flyin Ryan's are about the best there is. After
hearing "Blue Marble" I had great expectations for this new album,
and it has exceeded my expectations. If "Blue Marble" was near
perfection, "Totality" is the picture of perfection. They have
taken the best elements of their excellent "Legacy" record, and the
finest elements of the "Blue Marble" record, and have crafted a real
work of art. Like I wondered why they closed with "Heritage
Reprise," I also wondered why they named the disc "Totality," and
then it came to me.... Totality is exactly what this
record is. It is a band working totally in sync and firing on
all cylinders. It is a record that is totally
balanced. And this is a record that is the sum of all its
parts....which makes it totally amazing.
One thing I can say for certain is this - their
next record won't be better than this one. It doesn't get any better
than this.
________________________________________________________
GODSMACK - "The Other
Side"
(7/2004)
When I heard that Godsmack was about to release a record of acoustic
material, I was immediately anxious to hear it. You know, ten
or twelve new songs that follow in the footsteps of "Voodoo"
and "Serenity". I am a fan of what this band has done in the past,
which is guitar driven metal in the same vein as bands
such as Disturbed, Anthrax and Metallica. Some of the brightest
moments on the previous records have come when the band settles
down a bit, and starts to experiment with alternative drum sounds
and a gentler lead vocal sound. Their self-titled debut is one
packed with hard hitting metal tracks, that have razor sharp
riffs and blistering guitar solos. It is when the band ends the
record though, that they show how diverse they can be. "Voodoo"
is an amazing track that incorporates Sully Erna's brooding dark
vocals, with an astounding tribal drum piece. It is what this
record, "The Other Side", is based upon; but, I think it falls a
little short in more ways than one.
Let me just say, before even listening I had a couple of
problems with this one.
First problem was the amount of material. There are
only seven tracks on the disc, with a total time of under
30 minutes!
My second problem was seeing that four of the slender seven
were old songs getting worked over acoustically. I had been looking
forward to an lp loaded with new songs that the band wanted to "get
off of their chest". I thought that the band possibly felt that
their standard issue record was not the forum to get too much of
"the other side" heard. I thought the band possibly had a vault full
of lighter acoustic tracks, and created a forum here for unleashing
all of them. What I got was an e.p. with seven songs, only
three of them new. That's what I get for thinking, I
guess.
What they do on the disc is musically worthy, and I still feel
that they are a force to watch in the future. All of the seven
tracks are well done. "Running Blind", "Touché" and "Voices", the
new tracks written for this release are great. With crisp production
and more great guitar work, this time acoustically, these songs are
real winners. Although it is disappointing to not hear more new
tracks recorded, the reworked stuff is well done also. "Re-Align"
and "Keep Away", two tracks that are normally heavy bashing, are
reworked here into bouncy, high-strung acoustic marvels. The last
track, track number 7(?), is an acoustic revision of the title track
of their inferior sophomore effort "Awake". The band not only toned
the song down, but they went from calling it "Awake" to calling
it "Asleep". I do love a band with a sense of humor! This track is
also done with a great deal of poise and class. The only track
that is slightly unimpressive is "Spiral". It's nothing terrible,
it's just simply not that interesting.
So, what we have here is a real good band, not ready to release new
material, trying to fulfill their contract with the label. If
this is factual, I don't know; but, it sure does seem that way. It's
the same in the music business as it is with anything else.
Politicians push harder and do more in an election year, sports
stars usually perform better in a contract year, and many rock stars
release the motherlode in a contract year. Let's say Godsmack
is into Universal Records for a three record deal, and they just
released a fairly successful first album on their contract. The
label and/or the band will want to get more product out there
to follow it up as soon as possible, even if there are only seven
songs ready. This means they will have plenty of material
left for the third and crucial "contract record". That's just the
way it works much of the time. The classic example of this is when a
new act cuts two records, and then releases a greatest hits package,
or a live album. Or, when a classic band such as Rush or Van Halen
keeps putting out greatest hits packages....over and over and over.
Kind of silly, I think.
This is a decent effort that's just like a maxi-single more than
anything else. The $9.99 Best Buy price is just crazy. If you can
get it used for four bucks or something, go for it. I'm a believer
in "you get what you pay for". If I pay close to full price, I
want close to a full album. If you got $10 to spend, let me
know, and I'll send you a list of other discs that are worth
it.
OVERALL RATING:
5
"GUITAR HERO"
for the PS2 videogame console (6/2006)
I liked Pong, I
really did. It was simple, yet effective. It was the Atari 2600 that
was the cat’s meow though. I had the Sears “Tele-Games” knockoff,
but the Space Invaders still made that menacing stomping sound when
they marched back and forth - that’s really all that mattered. Yeah,
I was a kid from the 80’s; Intellivision, Commodore 64,
Colecovision, right up to the first Nintendo NES system - I had my
hands on all of them. Having an 8-year old at home, I’ve gotten into
the new generation of videogame systems as well. We all know that
Microsoft’s XBOX and Sony’s Playstation 2 laugh in the face of
everything that has come before them, as they very well should.
These gaming systems nowadays have been bordering on virtual reality
for quite some time with their lifelike graphics and fluid
animation, and this game may have finally pushed them over the edge.
“Guitar Hero” is a unique videogame that allows its players to
actually “play” the guitar parts in such classic rock songs as David
Bowie‘s “Ziggy Stardust” and Blue Oyster Cult’s “Godzilla,” among
many others. The question I guess you should be asking at this point
is, “Why the hell is he telling me about a videogame?!” Let me just
tell you that this is about much more than a videogame, this is
about educating a generation of kids about the guitar and some great
rock ‘n‘ roll that was made with it.
I first saw the
game being played at a local videogame store. The guy who was
“working” the counter was glued to the 19” television that rested on
the glass in front of him. He clutched the Gibson SG shaped
controller tightly with both hands as he tapped away at the five
buttons along the neck, and clicked madly at the pick area of the
body. As I recognized that the song playing was a beautiful cover of
Pantera’s “Cowboys From Hell,” I commented about it to the clerk. He
simply returned with “That’s not a cover.” Instead of arguing
against his ignorance of the original song, I simply smiled and
considered myself lucky to see a young kid getting into something
musically substantial. My next comment went something like, “I gotta
have that!” and that’s when I was told I’d have to go elsewhere -
they were sold out. I went across the street to the local
electronics monstrosity and found a stack of about a hundred of
them. I laid out my $70 (guitar controller and game included), and
rushed home to do my best Dimebag Darrell impression. Now normally,
I wouldn’t be thrilled about anything that didn’t offer me material
from the original artists. But these songs are convincing (you can
hear them at the official website at: www.guitarherogame.com), and the opportunity to actually play these guitar
parts is so inviting that you get carried away by the elation of the
concept and forget about everything else.
Upon turning on
the game, I was asked if I wanted to do some kind of training
lessons. Being that I play guitar as well as I build space station
equipment for NASA, I thought I’d take them up on their offer. This
game talks about playing power chords and explains actual guitar
techniques like “hammer-ons” and “pull-offs.” I was immediately
given that “real deal” feeling. As I got to play my first song, I
was given a choice of only five tunes, and “Cowboys From Hell” was
not one of them. You see, you have to play the first five tunes in
the basement venue successfully, and then they give you five more to
play, and the venue changes to the local dive bar, and so on, until
you reach the big arena. Kinda like real life, huh?! There are a
total of six possible venues, with a five song set for each one
(thirty songs total). For now I could have “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll,”
“I Wanna Be Sedated,” “Thunderkiss ‘65,” “Infected,” or “Smoke on
the Water” - so I chose “I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll.” Holding that plastic
guitar was empowering, man, I gotta tell ya. As the animation on the
screen started, and the colored notes started cascading down the
screen, I was actually playing the guitar part for “I Love Rock ‘N’
Roll!” As I stretched my fingers across each of the appropriate
“fret buttons” while tapping the “strum bar” at the precise moments,
it was invigorating - until I missed a note. My likeability meter
plunged rapidly from green to yellow, and onward down to red. The
boos from the animated head-banging crowd were resounding. Finally,
the band just stopped playing, and basically told me I sucked. But
let me tell you, after playing that baby through a few hundred more
times, I started getting my “chops” with this thing. There is even a
“Star Power” feature here that, once you hit a significant number of
notes in succession, you can whip the crowd into a frenzy be lifting
the neck of the guitar straight up and striking a pose. There is
also a functional "whammy bar" that, when used to bend notes, will
increase your "Star Power" meter. Hell, this game is so realistic I
thought I was going to get groupies pouring out of the screen at one
point. After paying my dues on the club circuit, they eventually
told me “You Rock,” and I got to type my name on the bathroom wall
(right next to the urinal plunger to be exact). Besides this being a
great deal of fun to play, this game also includes a ton of bonus
material, like film footage of the session musicians laying down the
songs, and the development of the animation. There is also a long
list of songs from unknown bands that are all playable once you
progress to a certain point (or get a cheat code like I did!). And
maybe one of the best bonuses here is the track that Zakk Wylde
offers up for the game. This is the actual “Fire It Up” tune from
Zakk’s Black Label Society album “Mafia” that you can try your hand
at.
I finally did get
my chance to play “Cowboys From Hell,” and no matter how much I
practice it I still can’t make it through the whole song. Even with
my 8-year old lending me his “pro tips,” I still end up looking more
like Poison’s C.C. Deville than Pantera’s Dimebag Darrell. There are
times when I fight my little guy for the guitar controller, but most
of the time I’m thrilled to hand the axe over. I’ve never thought of
the video gaming industry as a ministry of youthful offerings, but
with the emergence of “Guitar Hero,” I’m beginning to change my
tune. You see, I’m a subscriber to all the “hip and happening”
corporate music magazines, and frankly, I’ve found the content to be
a little skimpy in the past decade or so. While MTV is showing some
naked “jackass” getting his ass bitten by a baby alligator, and
Rolling Stone is running stories about Scientology and “Flying
Tomatoes,” the developers of “Guitar Hero” have my 8-year old
bobbing his head and singing along to classics like “Smoke On The
Water“ and “Iron Man.” There may be a new outlet for our youngsters
to research great rock ‘n’ roll and feel like they‘re an integral
part of it, and unlike the MTV of the 80’s and the current Rolling
Stone crop, this one doesn’t include Kajagoogoo or stories about
snowboarding Olympians.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
GUNS
'N' ROSES - "Appetite For Destruction"
(6/2004)
I
have to get this off my chest, so here we go....
This is, by far, the most overrated record in Rock
history - by, probably, the most overrated band in Rock
history. This is an average (at best) record from just another
whiny, "dime-a-dozen" L.A. band. I could never see the appeal of
these guys. All I see is a mediocre band that has a real good guitar
player, and a singer that annoys me more than Mexican mole
sauce.....and I really hate mole sauce.
Yeah, yeah ....I know, this record changed the face of Rock 'N' Roll
~ blah, blah, blah. Yeah, changed the face from Britney Spears to
James Brown. And let me tell you, J.B. is no looker. This
record is annoying and redundant with just a few shining moments,
so please ......settle down.
I
usually like to leave the RETRO REVIEW for the worthwhile classics
from the past, and possibly notify an uninformed "patient" of
something they might have missed. This time I just need to notify
all of you that, if you somehow missed this one, there is no
need to look back.
The
record begins with one of those shining moments I
mentioned. "Welcome To The Jungle" is a good song with some raw
appeal. A whiny singer, that's writhing in throat pain, is just what
the doctor ordered for this particular track, ...it works
here. As we move on through the record we realize that this
isn't a singer at all, it's your pissed off ex-girlfriend trying to
reinvent The Ramones at the top of her lungs just to get back at you
for listening to all those good rock bands,.....and she's doing
a real bad job too. "It's So Easy" and "Out Ta Get Me" are typical
L.A. band attempts at traditional punk songs, ...average at best.
Sandwiched between these two stagnant punk songs is another shining
moment. "Nighttrain" is possibly the best rocker on the record. It's
got great groove, and the pissed off ex has finally settled down a
bit, giving your eardrum a little needed relief. "Mr. Brownstone"
and "Paradise City" are decent songs also. A typical L.A. rock
band formula on these, very "cookie cutter", but decent
nonetheless. And then, lo and behold, we return to the Ramones
imitation again. My dear lord, this is excruciating. "My
Michelle" is revolting. Why would anyone ever record this song, and
better yet who the hell would ever want to listen to it! "Think
About You" is pretty darn irritating also. It's got a nice rhythm
and structure, but that voice just blows the head clean off this
one. Yes, I consider Axl Rose one of the worst singers ever. I just
cringe at the idea of even calling him a "singer". And just as I say
that, the gem of the record shows up.
"Sweet Child O' Mine" really is a great song. The opening riff from
guitarist Slash is now legend, the great solo in the middle, the
overall structure of this song just works. Not even Axl could mess
this one up, ...he waits for the next track.
"You're Crazy" is yet another lame L.A. band attempt at punk. It's
sad really. And the track after this, "Anything Goes", is typical
"cock rock". Lame subject matter and lame songwriting usually leads
to disaster, and disaster is exactly what we get here. To
finish off the album, the band actually has another shining moment.
"Rocket Queen" is a winner with a cool groove, an interesting studio
effect, and a catchy chorus. Well, at least they finish strong,
right?
It
seems that the whole world thought that this record put sliced bread
to shame. For me, this record was stale sliced bread and, therefore,
was for the birds. Not even a talented guitar player like Slash
could save most of the stuff here. And just think, VH1 placed this
mess above Led Zeppelin II (#44)
and Led Zeppelin's debut record (#43), among many other great
classics, by placing it at #42 on its Top 100 Albums list; this
was enough to make me rush to the bathroom in a fit of
vomiting.
You
know, I actually would've given an overall rating of about
5 to this record, which is a fairly average score; but, because
of the hype that falsely surrounds this thing, I just needed to tell
you how overrated I think it is.
Thanks for listening, I feel much better now.
HEAVEN & EARTH - The Making
of Heaven & Earth featuring Stuart Smith
(11/2007)
This is definitely not your
ordinary band DVD. Forget about the slick MTV-type, bulging
pocketbook brand of dazzle. This is a friendly, straight forward and
informational DVD that actually brings you closer to the musicians
involved. Now….the musicians that you start rubbing shoulders with
here are masters of the game; guys like Joe Lynn Turner, Keith
Emerson, Howard Leese, and Ritchie Blackmore are just a few of the
greats that are featured here. The unique thing about this DVD is
the overwhelming personal touch and insight that's offered up. We
get a chance to see Keith Emerson , with tongue planted firmly in
cheek, joking about Stuart Smith and forming their band project
Aliens of Extraordinary Ability. With live scenes from a home video
of Emerson and Smith trading some wicked licks, the disc immediately
becomes priceless for any fan of Emerson. Hearing Emerson talk about
his experience with Smith, infused with heavy doses of his brand of
dry English humor, is really a pleasure to
witness.
The DVD is chock full of
great stories of Smith and his band. A huge chunk of the disc is
spent discussing the escapades of the band outside of the studio,
and that is the charming thing about this disc. We get plenty of
live footage and great insight into each of the songs on the Heaven
& Earth CD, but seeing guys like Kelly Hansen, Richie Onori,
legendary drummer Carmine Appice, Toto's Bobby Kimball and so many
others telling their funny tales of adventure is a real pleasure.
After watching this DVD you will not only feel closer to the Heaven
& Earth music, but you will feel personally closer to everyone
involved with the project as well.
The DVD is divided into mainly three sections – a section that
explains the inspiration behind the songs; a section of some great
live footage; and a section devoted to some strange and humorous
band member moments. The section of the disc that I feel makes this
one of the best and most thorough music DVD's available is the
section containing the band's stories. I saw music icons like
Ritchie Blackmore and Keith Emerson in a whole new light, I laughed
as Howard Leese explained how Stuart Smith broke one of his glass
tables after a night of drinking with Jeff Beck, and I was intrigued
by the great attitude and close friendship that radiated from every
player that appeared.
If you
haven't yet purchased the CD, let me tell you that it's a must have
for any fan of classic rock 'n' roll. Almost every musician I
mentioned above appears on the CD, plus many more. Get the CD and
immerse yourself in it, that's the first step. But, then you have to
see this DVD. I went back and listened to the CD right after
watching and it was like hearing it for the first time all over
again. I felt like I knew the players personally now. I knew all the
stories and I knew all of the intricate details behind every track.
The pairing of the CD and DVD is essential to truly appreciate this
great classic rock gem.
www.heavenandearthband.com
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
HERNANDEZ, PRISCILLA
- "Ancient Shadows - the ghost and the fairy" (10/2008)
Singer…. Songwriter…. Multi-instrumentalist…. Illustrator….
Nominee for Best New Age Vocalist at the Los Angeles Music Awards
2007…. Winner of Best New Age Album at the Independent Music Awards
2007. And, with her beauty, she could easily add model to her resume
if she so desired. Heck, I would bet she can probably even
cook.
Priscilla Hernandez proves to be a powerful force in the New
Age genre with this set of ethereal and hypnotic compositions. I
first got my dose of this disc while I was driving at dusk, and it
was a moment that I’ll remember for some time. The dreamlike
melodies and the light, airy vocals made my car feel like a magic
carpet. I was floating above the ground as I watched the sun fall
gently below the horizon, and this CD was nature’s
soundtrack.
These songs are inspired by fairies and elements found in
gothic literature. Tales of haunted houses, nymphs, and ghosts are
eerily brought to life through Hernandez’s otherworldly undertones.
Her gentle, delicate voice massages the rhythms of the 19 tracks
found on the disc. This could be described as angelic, sensuous,
eerie, or even sorrowful or depressing, but most of all these songs
stir the emotions and move you.
I like to explain this disc as something starkly unique. Just
imagine if your church organ could sing to you, or if your most
lucid and turbulent dreams had a soundtrack. This is what you get
with “Ancient Shadows,” along with a slew of amazing pieces of art,
all courtesy of the multi-talented Priscilla
Hernandez.
Official
website: http://www.yidneth.com/
MySpace
profile: http://www.myspace.com/priscillahernandez
_______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
HONEYMOON SUITE - "The Big
Prize"
(6/2005)
Oh relax, these guys aren't as bad as you think
they are; as a matter of fact, this record is damn
good.
This Canadian quintet, formed in
1982, found international success with their first single "New Girl
Now", and has had very limited international success since
then. Other than a minor U.S. hit with "Feel It Again", Honeymoon
Suite has been blacklisted as a "one hit wonder" here in the States.
To this very day they remain a prosperous act in their native
Canada, and are planning to release a new record by the end of next
year. This is just a great 80's rock record that got overlooked.
Packed with anthem-laden, finely crafted radio rock hooks, this
album is a sure winner for those of you that haven't gotten
enough of bands like Saga and Loverboy.
Okay, I'll admit it right now,
I'm a fan of that hokey 80's era stuff; you know, ...Duran
Duran...Culture Club...Cyndi Lauper - heck, I even like the one
hit tunes like 99 Luft Balloons! You should all feel very
special, I don't admit that to just anyone. But there's a difference
with this record. Sure, it's got a typical 80's AOR formula. It's
definitely not a groundbreaker in the originality forum. But this is
also no Kajagoogoo, ladies and gentlemen. This is a band with
true talent that is writing a complete album of songs. This
record has eight or nine solid tracks out of ten, only a dream for
that baby talk band I mentioned.
As soon as the record starts we
get a rousing anthem set in a Loverboy blueprint, and
peppered with a keyboard accompaniment, gang vocals, and a nice
guitar solo. "Bad Attitude" is one you'll find yourself singing
from when you soap up in the morning, until you rock yourself
to sleep. And it doesn't stop there. On through "Feel It Again",
"Lost And Found", "One By One", "Wounded", and most everything else
here, we get more of the same great formula. Heavily soiled with
keyboards, upbeat harmony vocals, and addictive hooks, these are
just fun songs to relive some happy times with. But, here comes the
major element of distinction for this band, and more specifically
this record - Ian Anderson. That's right, on the
fabulous tune "All Along You Knew", the great Ian Anderson
of Jethro Tull lends his talents on the flute. Not only is a
classic rock legend playing on the song, but it's a great
composition that deserves notoriety even without Anderson's
contribution. The abundance of flute is perfectly written into
this rock song, a skill that only a few could actually pull
off. This is a band that got lost in the shuffle. Between the
controversy
surrounding Boy George's eccentricities and the
attention given to Simon LeBon's pretty mug, these guys didn't have
a chance. It didn't matter how good the songs were. There was no
room for an ugly, non-controversial band. It's too damn bad
too.
If you are a fan of 80's
rock, and you love songs like "Working For The Weekend", you'll love
this album. For me, this was the definitive sound of the 80's.
Listening to this record makes me tap my feet and sing out loud -
and best of all, I don't feel bad admitting I like this one.
Enjoy the pleasure without the guilt, give this a
listen.
IDOL,
BILLY - "Devil's Playground"
(9/2005)
Comeback.
It's a strange word that we use every chance we get. I think we get
an extra large kick out of someone who fails when attempting to
stage one too. It's been over 10 years since Billy Idol has released
a full album of original material. 1993's pathetic "Cyberpunk" disc
was the last offering before he released a Greatest Hits package in
2001, which featured a new cover of Simple Minds' hit "Don't You
(Forget About Me)". This new disc is, at the very least, a comeback.
Heck, most people need hypnosis to recollect any memories
whatsoever. And don't lie, ....you want this to be an outdated, lame
attempt from an aging overweight "has been". Well, prepare yourself,
because this may very well be Billy Idol's best record.
Many of you
may be asking why the long absence from the music scene in which he
has previously garnered five platinum-plus albums. As he put it, "I
had a couple of kids (teenage son Willem Wolfe and young daughter
Bonnie Blue) and laid back during all the grunge stuff. I thought,
'God, how can I compete with that?' " Idol joins forces with his
longtime guitarist and writing partner Steve Stevens to put out a
classic sounding Billy Idol album. He gets every element that makes
the distinctive Billy Idol sound working here. Bassist Stephen
McGrath plays his parts in an even tempo with that perfect Billy
Idol tone/drone. Drummer Brian Tichy adds his crisp, rock solid
rumbling to round out the critical rhythm section chemistry. But I
don't think it ends there. Sure you have an excellent rhythm section
that captures that trademark Idol sound perfectly, and you have
Stevens on guitar, but most importantly you get Keith Forsey
producing this one. Forsey is the essential element needed to make a
Billy Idol record sound like a Billy Idol record. Forsey gets that
exquisite echo effect going for Billy's vocal tracks, and pumps up
that deep pulsing bass to create a beautiful rebirth for a lost rock
hero.
Nobody has
really taken the punk, metal and pop genres and mixed them as
brilliantly as Billy Idol. He is the master, and he
displays the unique sound throughout this record. We find a
supercharged Idol on the lead off track, "Super Overdrive". It is
evident from the first second of this record that Idol has not lost
a thing on the vocal end. As he growls "In the Devil’s
Playground
with an Idol mind" a capella to start the track,
the band waits in the wings for about three seconds before
they explode into the mix. Strap yourself in, put the
fist out there, and get the right side of your lip to touch your
nose because we're ready to light it up. As the frenetic pace
is maintained into the second track, "World Comin' Down", you get
the feeling of the teacher learning from the student. Billy
Idol gave birth to bands like The Offspring and Green Day, and this
tune sounds like something from one of those bands.
Not really the typical Billy Idol formula, but still remains honest,
and true to his capabilities. As he cruises into "Rat Race" we get
the classic Idol song - the slow crooning
that escalates to a controlled scream for the animalistic
chorus. "Scream" and "Body Snatcher" are also songs that
incorporate all of those same vintage Idol elements. It's a
beautiful thing. We get more than that though. We get Idol
delivering the biggest hook of his career with "Sherri"; we get a
comical Christmas pop song with "Yellin' At The Christmas Tree"; a
classic eighties flashback with "Romeo's Waiting"; and, we get
Idol's best Jim Morrison impression with "Evil Eye". We also see the
effect of what doing the VH1 Storytellers had on Billy here. He
serves up an abundance of acoustic fringed songs here. The first
being a dull cover of Ernie Mars' "Plastic Jesus", which is a song
that is average at best. The last three tracks of the record
devote themselves to the acoustic influence also, although these are
much more appealing. "Lady Do Or Die" is a Johnny Cash "spaghetti
western", complete with the mention of train whistles and
tumbleweeds; "Cherie" is a lamenting Idol proclaiming his
love with pure acoustic pop; and "Summer Running" starts
as a tender ballad that later explodes with the full fury of
some of your heaviest Idol tracks. These last three are decent
songs, but the placement leaves something to be desired.
The triple threat at the end of the record impedes the flow of
the whole album really. I think the entire record would sound
better if these songs were juggled a bit. We get a full
plate of music with this one though, and any fan of Idol's previous
material should eat most of this up.
Billy Idol
shows no signs of slowing down - not with his music, nor with
his appearance. Still sporting the bleached spiky hair and the six
pack abs, make no mistake ....this guy is still vital.
OVERALL RATING: 8
INCUBUS - "A Crow Left Of The
Murder..."
(7/2004)
Known as one of the "up-and-coming" acts of the past couple of
years, Incubus has actually been together for close to thirteen
years. It seems that they have been a band in search of an identity.
Starting out as a cover band, playing mainly Metallica and Megadeth
songs, and even hitting on hardcore funk/punk rock early in their
career, they have evolved into an alternative radio staple.
Incubus seems to have finally settled in and gotten comfortable with
the alternative style. Now it's just a question of whether they
can write songs to fit the genre.
With two tracks from this album that have already charted quite
well, it would seem that they will be just fine in the world of
Alternative Rock. The lead off track "Megalomaniac" and the classy
"Talk Shows On Mute" have both done well on modern rock charts.
"Megalomaniac", sounding unlike anything the band has ever done in
the past, has almost a Rush-like feel to it. With singer Brandon
Boyd reaching the upper octaves for the chorus portion of the track,
this is really the highlight of the record. Although the band is
very talented, and Boyd is quite interesting with his vocal style,
the record just never seems to "light up" after the great lead off
track.
This is one of those records that is very difficult to
review. The record shows evidence of a talented band that has
written some pretty good stuff, and I would understand if someone
thought this record was great, ........but that someone just isn't
me. I hate to give bad reviews to good bands, and this is a pretty
darn good band. I just feel that this act has so much more to offer
than what they serve up here. I think they are capable of putting a
whole album together, full of songs as good
as "Megalomaniac". This record starts to take on one
neutral sound, and rarely "wakes up" the listener. The songs start
to blend and mesh, and at times can be hard to
differentiate. The song can be playing, and I can be
looking directly at the back cover of the CD, and I might not be
able to tell you what track is playing. I never found myself
referring to anything "special" in any of these songs. Never
said, "That's the song with the great guitar solo" or "This is the
song with that awesome bass line, and great drum groove." If you go
to Baskin-Robbins 31 Flavors, and order vanilla in a cup, you might
like this record more than I do. This is pretty bland
stuff.
Being a very bland record, it's hard to site any
references here, but I'll try to highlight some points of interest
for you.
Of
course, as I've already mentioned, "Megalomaniac" is a real winner.
Great hook and nice vocal track. The title track has some nice
soaring vocal moments also. Another song entitled "Sick Sad
Little World" actually sounds like a crippled attempt at a Dream
Theater song. Not a bad song, but this is definitely not Dream
Theater. In fact, I must apologize to Dream Theater for drawing any
comparison. Another good solid track on this album is "Pistola". A
track that starts off with a UFO landing-type effect, and progresses
to a hook that follows you around for the rest of the day, this
isn't too bad. As for the rest of the record though,
....vanilla.
I
look forward to hearing more from these guys in the future. I really
think it's possible that they might cut a stellar album, ....but
this ain't it.
OVERALL
RATING:
5
INXS - "Switch"
(5/2006)
It brings back
thoughts of a band like Foreigner, who hired on a singer half their
age when Lou Gramm left the band. Or guys like Robert Plant, who go
solo with at least one member of his new band still being bottle
fed. Sometimes it’s a bust, as it was for Foreigner, but other times
there is an injection of youthful fire that the veterans have just
managed to lose over the years. INXS has tried their hand at this to
possibly breathe new life into a band that was left deader than
their former charismatic front man, Michael Hutchence. With the help
of a network reality based program, similar to that “Idol” show,
they got their young fireball by way of Canadian J.D. Fortune. Now,
half of this review is going to revolve solely around this new young
stud. I mean, c’mon, I think we’re all curious whether this boy can
carry the burden of raising the dead. For those of you that watched
the Rock Star INXS program, you are well aware of who Fortune is,
and you may have even felt that his competition, Chicago based
singer Marty Casey, should’ve gotten the job; but for those of you
that actually have lives, let me explain this guy for you - Michael
Hutchence Part 2.
When Fortune lit up the Rock
Star INXS stage with his original, “Pretty Vegas,” the wheels were
set in motion. It came across as one of the hottest INXS songs ever,
even though he was just a homeless, out-of-work Elvis impersonator
at the time. With his deep, sly tone and his slinky stage presence,
it was like watching Hutchence being exhumed. The similarities are
uncanny throughout this record. By first hearing “Devil’s Party,”
the lead off track of the album, you can’t help but get a chill. In
the spirit of “Devil Inside,” Fortune’s tone and attitude are eerily
on target with the INXS of old. With Kirk Pengilly’s sax stylishly
blaring, and Tim Farriss’ familiar jangling guitar part backing
Fortune’s strong, smooth and suave vocal, it’s all just a little
overwhelming. The band was trying to add a spark and breathe new
life, but this is a five alarm blaze that oozes with all of the
spirit of classic INXS material. Songs like “Perfect Strangers,”
“Hungry,” and “Us” are all crafted in the same sensibility and are
products of the vintage formula. And, even though the sound is
suspiciously similar to Hutchence’s work, it is not a cheap
imitation. Fortune’s tone is perfectly natural, and his comfort
level shines with every note.
Now make no mistake, the
record has its flaws. “Hot Girls”(in which Rock Star contestant
Deanna Johnston does some backing vocals) is a bit self
indulgent and silly, and “Like It Or Not” has the band playing a
messy Clash-type arrangement underneath Fortune’s forced and
unnatural vocal track. But, all in all, there is very little to
complain about here. Fortune proves that he can come with the goods
on both the rockers and the ballads. A good example of that
dexterity comes with a song called “Afterglow,” a U2 inspired
composition that beams with beauty and elegance. It is flanked by
contrasting rockers like “Pretty Vegas” and “Hot Girls,” but yet it
still finds its way into the steady flow of the album. And, when the
band is not doing the typical rocker or ballad they are exploring
other interesting song landscapes. With “Remember Who’s Your Man”
they plunge into a Prince-like R&B/Pop sound, while “Never Let
You Go” finds the group successfully experimenting with a Caribbean
jazz melody with a brutally catchy refrain and a perfectly placed
sax part. It’s a mixture that keeps the album flowing consistently
with captivating rhythms.
For those of you who were
saddened when “Sweet” Suzie McNeil got canned on the Rock Star INXS
show, this disc holds a special treat for you. The last song on
the record, “God’s Top 10,” begins with a spacey piano effect that
is soon accompanied by a husky female voice - the voice of contender
Suzie McNeil. A song that is obviously an ode to Hutchence, this is
a graceful and poignant lullaby that sounds almost celestial in
nature; it’s a thing of sheer beauty. McNeill does a splendid job
here, although her appearance is extremely brief, and her small part
acts as another brilliant diversion that keeps this album
interesting.
ROMANCE IS GONE
HE’S DRIFTING WITH THE
STARS
A LYRIC IN HIS POCKET
LITTLE GIRL IN HIS HEART
WHEN
SHE HEARS HIS SONGS
ON THE RADIO
I DON’T NEED TO TELL
YOU
WHAT YOU ALREADY KNOW
HE’S ON GOD’S TOP TEN
WHERE
HEAVEN NEVER ENDS
YOU SAW THE WORLD
AND THE WORLD SAW YOU ON
THE STAGE
WILD WILD WILD COLONIAL
BOY
from "God's Top 10"
It was a brilliant move on
their part. The remaining members of INXS wanted some new, young
blood in their frontman spot, and what better way than a network
reality show to pick someone, right? But you see, a good idea
doesn’t always bring about a good end result - dare I mention things
like Styx’s “Kilroy” concept or the Elton and Eminem duet? No, the
boys in the band still had to pick the right person for the job, and
that’s always a tricky task. But rest assured, they got the right
guy. As far as those of you who thought Chicagoan Marty Casey
should’ve got the spot, I can tell you this - it would’ve cost them
a Fortune, and that’s something they just couldn’t afford to
lose.
OVERALL
RATING:
7
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IRON MAIDEN - "Powerslave" (4/2005)
In
1984, while pioneering what has become known as the "New Wave Of
British Heavy Metal"(NWOBHM), Iron Maiden released one of the
greatest records in Metal history. With a fanbase inherited from the
popularity of their two previous releases, "Piece Of Mind" and "The
Number Of The Beast", Iron Maiden was poised to deliver........and
deliver they did.
"Powerslave" kicks off with the high energy rocker "Aces High",
which follows the classic Maiden formula like a Yellow Brick Road. A
song with break-neck guitar grinding, rapid fire drumming, and
the incredible thumping bass lines of Steve Harris. The bellowing of
vocalist Bruce Dickinson becomes so integrated with the band's
music, it also has the feel of an "instrument"- one sign of a truly
tight group of musicians. As "Aces High" comes to a close, the
gritty and tough opening riff of "2 Minutes To Midnight" leaps
out of it's cage. A simple, yet highly effective riff that
immediately sends your hands an invitation to an air guitar party.
As usual, you get the entire Maiden package here also; the rumbling
and rolling drum fills of Nicko McBrain, the banging and
clanging bass from Steve Harris, the superlative dual
guitar work of Adrian Smith and Dave Murray, and of course
the vocal hand of Bruce Dickinson to lead you right through to the
end. The lyrical adventure in this stuff is pretty fantastic
also. Whether Bruce sings "As the reasons
for the carnage cut their meat and lick the gravy, We oil the jaws
of the war machine and feed it with our babies", or when he
shouts "The body bags and little rags of
children torn in two, And the jellied brains of those who remain to
put the finger right on you", either way, you know you're on
a Maiden voyage. And when they leave lyrics and vocals out of a
tune, you get fiery instrumentals like "Losfer Words (Big 'Orra)". A
four minute plus display of pure musicianship which set this British
powerhouse way ahead of the 80's pack of "hair metal" bands. Iron
Maiden was the real deal. No talk of fun, sun, sex, or women. This
was serious, uncompromising metal that never backed away
from its goal; with a sound that never sacrificed its
integrity for a hit single. These guys put their talent on display
with challenging charts and arrangements to play, that came embedded
in songs that didn't "fit" the radio single format. They did the
kinds of songs that they wanted to do.
As
the album moves at a relentless pace, all of the astonishing
elements about this band are transferred from song to song. With
catchy songs such as "Flash Of The Blade", The Duellists" or "Back
In The Village" we are treated to a rigorous session of Metal
supremacy, a showcase of every nuance of this great band. As
we descend into the title track, ringing in at almost 7
minutes, we hear one of the best guitar solos on the record. A
memorable piece, impeccably constructed around one of the best
rhythm sections in metal history.
So,
here we are. The final track of this infallible record. Wouldn't you
know,....it's one of the greatest tracks ever recorded.
"Rime Of The Ancient Mariner" is a masterpiece adapted from Samuel
Taylor Coleridge's epic poem of the same name. In fact, I remember
the excitement I had when I found this in my High School English
textbook. I had finally found something I could relate to in
school!! Someone in that same English class brought a tape
of this recording in, to play for our straight-laced teacher. I can
recall sitting there for 13 and a half minutes listening to this
song with the entire class. A strange and beautiful moment.
Anyway,...yes, I said 13 and a half minutes. Iron Maiden was one of
the few groups that could get away with a 13 minute song, because
they kept things interesting. "Rime" is a song with peaks and
valleys, a song with a majestic quality. It tells the great tale
that Samuel Taylor Coleridge told, in almost the exact same
verbiage. Just the task of writing and arranging a song, to fit this
type of poetry, takes an enormous amount of talent. To make it last
13 plus minutes, and keep it from dragging, is astonishing. I am
convinced that only Iron Maiden could pull this off. Not only do
they keep this song going successfully, they leave you wanting more!
I have listened to this song 4 or 5 consecutive times before,
it's that good. This is the perfect closer to this resplendent
record. It's a record with a dark, medieval mood that plays out like
an Indiana Jones film. An adventure that is both exciting
and approachable, over and over again.
JAMIROQUAI -
"Dynamite" (4/2006)
I've
always been a heterosexual male that has treasured the feeling of a
warm, curvaceous female body pressed tight against my flesh. I am
married to a woman that I love dearly; a woman that I have made love
to for more than 14 years now, with a smile on my face after every
session. Why am I sharing such a large, intimate portion of my
personal life with you, the reader of a CD review? It's because
simply saying that this disc is better than sex would be doing it an
injustice. This thing is a melodic multiple orgasm that'll leave a
wet spot.
I've been impressed by every
release from Jamiroquai. The first few records found the band
flexing their muscle in the funk and dance genres, while tipping
their hats toward Contemporary Jazz on occasion as well. It has been
remaining consistent with melody and keeping the songwriting
invigorating that were the biggest challenges that the band had yet
to achieve. With their last release, "A Funk Odyssey," they came
very close to accomplishing a complete and vital record. "Odyssey"
was an exceptional outing that only stumbled occasionally. The fact
that this record is perfect does not surprise me one bit. They have
been teetering on the edge of greatness for quite some
time.
The disc starts out much like its
predecessor did with "Feels So Good." This track, "Feels Just Like
It Should," has the funk vibe that your grooviest Prince track would
have with possibly the greatest production qualities ever recorded.
There's vocal layering, keyboard spasms, a big phat bass track, and
a whole assortment of other goodies that are all rolled into a
perfectly mixed production that's so sharp you could cut the
Thanksgiving turkey with it. And as the disc moves on to the title
track, it offers even more in the way of production quality.
Throughout the entire album it just keeps getting more and more
radiant. This title track is a beautiful throwback to 70's disco,
while remaining a legitimate contender for the attention of the
latest club sound. The biggest bright spot in all of this is the
ability of the band to stay on target with the songwriting. All of
these tracks have a tremendous hook. All of these tracks have
displays of inconceivable talent. All of these songs are produced
perfectly. "Seven Days In Sunny June" gives
us a sweet pop/light jazz melody, with a refrain that will have you
begging the skies for sunshine. "Electric Mistress" returns the band
to their successful funk formula, complete with popping bass line
and soulful female backup singer. "Starchild" takes that funk
formula even one step further by fusing a disco string sound with a
cool jazz airiness. All of the tunes that follow dance down the same
paths with a few exceptions, but they all float on without ever
losing focus on the songwriting. There is the token ballad on the
record ("The World He Wants") that comes flanked by a sonically
astounding string arrangement, which makes it more of a dark and
sensual piece of art than simply a song. And "Talullah" is a
straight forward "cool jazz" tune with sensational horn and vocal
arrangements that are made even more illustrious by the production
here.
If you have been a fan of this band
but feel that they really needed to "turn a corner," well, guess
what? They've turned that corner and they're driving themselves
right into the land of milk and honey. If your a fan of funk acts
like Prince or Cameo but have never heard Jamiroquai,
welcome to paradise. This record takes the best qualities of
Prince and mixes them with influences that range from
Stevie Wonder to Earth, Wind and Fire to Herbie
Hancock. This is a blend that Jamiroquai has cooked with before,
but not quite with this kind of songwriting prowess. But the most
enlightening part of this effort as a whole is the fact that the
band took an already successful formula for making great jazz/funk
records, and improved upon it to make something more than just
great. This damn thing is orgasmic. Even if you don't like this sort
of thing, you have to listen to it solely for the production
quality; you won't believe your ears. So, lay your body down and get
intimate with something explosive -
"Dynamite."
OVERALL RATING: 10
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
JELLYFISH - "Spilt
Milk"
(5/2004)
True Pop music is hard to come by in this day and age of
"Alternative" music. This record is a Pop masterpiece that
celebrates the traditional formula of quirky lyrics, sitting atop
melodies that are both lively and irresistible. A bright and
cheerful overall mood is created with intelligence and poise. The
record was released in 1993, which makes it 11 years old.....barely
old enough to make the 10-year cutoff for the RETRO REVIEW; but this
is a record that, I think, everyone who loves music should know
about. I usually find something to enjoy on almost every record I
hear, but I rarely find a disc where I enjoy absolutely every
second. This is one of those records.
Led
by the writing team of drummer/vocalist Andy Sturmer and eccentric
keyboardist Roger Manning, Jellyfish lyrics radiate with wit that's
adapted exquisitely to charming warble. >From the very first
track, we're treated to a perfectly crafted vocal arrangement in the
form of an intro segment called "Hush", that only runs just over two
minutes with a smart segue into the boisterous lead off track.
"Joining A Fan Club" is a shining example of Power Pop at its very
best. Like its intro "Hush", it has a retro feel to it that
brings about some Queen recollections while staying true to its
stunning originality. And speaking of originality, the next
track entitled "Sebrina, Paste And Plato" is just an amazing
foray into a whole new realm of pop music brilliance. Starting with
the innocent pre-schooler vocals, and winding down with a swirling
"classroom chorus", this is the quirkiest slab ever served. With
lyrics like "Today's the day that Sebrina builds her box
lunch buffet. Kool-Aid, sandwiches, and chips for all the
shoulders", and one of the catchiest
hooks ever, this is stupendous stuff. And the pace never lets
up either. These are some of the best written songs that I've ever
heard.
With "New Mistake" we're introduced to subtle claps, clicks and
other appropriate percussion that lingers in the background. This is
one of the many things that this band does wonderfully; they adapt
the lyrics perfectly to the music that revolves around them. If they
sing of, say a broken window, they may accompany the lyric with
a small "crash" sound; a church bell, you might actually hear a tiny
chime; this is creativity at its best. You still want more creative
lyrics? Try these...."Father Mason
clutching his crucifix, baptized the baby in whiskey and licorice,
What a lovely way, drowning sins in tooth
decay." Brilliance. And, mind you, each
and every one of these tracks has an unbelievable hook. A "stick
with you forever" hook, not the two-week garden variety.
As
they slow things down a bit, they continue to thrill you with great
lyrics, tremendous hooks, and astounding vocal arrangements. Each
time I listen to this record, I still find it hard to believe that
any band could accomplish something so perfect. I've been listening
to this record for 10 years, and I still find new things that I like
about it; the largest of those things that impress are, most
definitely, the creative lyrics.
As
the record reaches its midpoint, the artistic flow starts anew. We
get a rousing rocker with a phenomenal pop hook, a formula much like
that of the first track, "Joining A Fan Club". "The Ghost At Number
One" stays true to the incredible Jellyfish formula of great lyrics,
enveloped by swirling pop melody. To add to the masterful structure,
the band throws in a Beach Boys vocal style bridge to keep things
interesting. And as they dip into the most frenetic track on the
record, "All Is Forgiven", we get a large dose of the Queen
influence. With rising vocal harmonies and an operatic chant-like
bridge, this is sculpted pop perfection. As the grinding of guitars
abruptly subsides, a tender acoustic lullaby called "Russian Hill"
waltzes in. It's pretty, and it's perfectly placed on this
record.
"He's My Best Friend" may be the best example of creative writing
you could ever get. As singer Andy Sturmer tells us about his
phallus, it's probably the most clever thing I've ever heard.
You want clever lyrics, get these:
"I've known him all my life, it seems so
inconceivable,
At thirteen we shook hands but, we've been always
inseparable,
He's cinnamon on my toast,
We're so close.
That's not to say we haven't had
our share of arguments,
He's so unpredictable he winks
acknowledgments,
When I would rather he closed his
eye,
Than push me aside.
My hand's a five leaf
clover,
It's Palm Sunday over and over,
I never had the
luck of swingers,
Till I was wrapped around your
finger.
He's my best friend.
You don't need a brain to
have a stroke of genius,
Or a beautiful girl to let
down your curls,
'Cause growing up is hard enough when your
a powderkeg for powderpuffs
(whether we're stayin' in or hanging
out),
I'd never ask another on a date to the ball,
He doesn't
need a rubber sweater or alcohol,
'Cause he gets tipsy from
exchanging looks,
And a little misty reading sticky blue dirty
books.
But he's my best
friend"
Of course,
the song is not only lyrically brilliant, but it's one of the
catchiest songs ever written.
It just goes on and on
with these guys. I'll say it, Jellyfish is one of the best pop bands
to ever record music. They were only around for two records, but
I've heard nothing like it since. Did I do this review because I
thought you might want to hear what I thought of Jellyfish? Of
course not, you have no idea who the heck Jellyfish is, right? Well,
that's why I wrote this review, because you needed
to know this band.
JOURNEY - "Look Into The Future" (10/2005)
Lying
beside you...here in the dark...feeling your heartbeat with
mine...Softly you whisper...You're s..#%+!^@* (the
needle violently scratches across the surface of the record).
No no no, that's your mama's Journey. This is a whole other ball of
wax. Way before the band found popularity with singer Steve Perry
and their tender radio ballads, this was a group of rockers led
by guitar prodigy Neal Schon and singer Gregg Rolie. Having
those two guys backed by the rhythm section of drummer Aynsley
Dunbar and long time bassist Ross Valory was a classic album waiting
to happen, ...and happen it did.
The
self-titled debut and the follow-up record, aptly titled "Next,"
were experimental, guitar based jams that displayed Schon's extreme
command of his instrument. But it was this record where the band
really started to put some commercially accessible elements into
their songs. The catchy chorus of the lead track, "On A Saturday
Nite," and the pop beauty on their cover of The Beatles "It's
All Too Much" make this a stylistic departure from the first two
records. The band includes swatches of their instrumental expertise
here, but keeps it all glued together by melodies that are both
majestic and sharply written.
The
album starts with two of the most commercially acceptable songs that
the band had ever written at the time. "On A Saturday Nite" and
"It's All Too Much" was a side of the band that had never really
emerged until this point. But as the album moves along, we find
the band returning to the heavy guitar base that they attached
themselves to with the first two records. "She Makes Me (Feel Alright)" is an all out jam that
always makes me pick up my air guitar. With Rolie screaming behind
Schon's murderous soloing, this is a rocker that would make Steve
Perry wet his velour bell bottoms. The big difference between the
songs on the first two records that rocked hard, and the ones here,
are the consistent melodies and hooks that this record serves up.
The songs on this disc are cropped fairly short in comparison
to the first two, and the melodies don't find any time to drag
along. Instead of interrupting the song to give Schon extensive
jamming time, they fit his wicked soloing into the structure of the
song. The band's songwriting took a huge leap forward with this
record. Even on the 8+ minutes of the title track, the track never
loses its pace. Schon just exploits every inch of his instrument
with some of the best playing ever recorded, but it's all set around
a smoothly flowing rhythm that mesmerizes. Hearing Neal Schon
play on this record is just mind blowing, folks. Listen to the
title track, and catch the jam he lays down on "Midnight
Dreamer," and tell me that he's not one of the best ever. So many
think of this guy playing those later Journey radio hits where his
playing really takes a back seat; but there is so much more to
this guy. From playing raw funk with Betty Davis, and playing with
Santana early on, there aren't too many as accomplished as
Schon.
If
you want "Open Arms" and "Faithfully"-type songs, don't go near this
stuff. Journey is a two-headed monster, and that's the other
head. If you're looking for a more guitar based sound with a
deeper lyrical outlook, this is the Journey you're looking for. Plug
in your air guitar, light some incense, and rock out to this one.
You just might blow that air Marshall amp you're hooked
into.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
JUDAS PRIEST - "Angel Of
Retribution"
(3/2005)
Judas Priest, one of the dinosaurs of heavy metal, has gone through
many different phases since their inception some 30 years ago. From
the early hard rock sound of records like "Sad Wings Of Destiny",
the experimental guitar effects of "Turbo", the fast and furious
metal of "Painkiller", right through to the hiring of a new lead
singer - we've seen the many faces of Judas Priest over the
years. One thing that I think all metal fans, especially fans of
Priest, will agree to is that Rob Halford is the right guy for the
Judas Priest vocal job. Always considered one of the best singers in
the world by both fans and critics alike, Halford is a
key piece to the Priest puzzle. So here, after a 15 year
absence from the band, the "metal god" returns to pick up where he
left off.
Halford is one of the best trained voices in the business. When I
took the shrink wrap off this one I knew I'd get a Halford at the
top of his game. The question of vocal abilities never once entered
my mind. The songwriting questions were the ones that concerned
me. The two Priest records with Tim "Ripper"
Owens assuming the vocal duties have songs that are
inferior to anything else in the back catalog. Owens wasn't half bad
as a vocalist, but the songwriting efforts suffered. Glenn Tipton's
1997 solo effort, "Baptizm Of Fire", was a good
record. So, I knew at least Tipton was still capable of
writing a winner. Halford had proven his abilities as a
songwriter on projects like Fight during his hiatus from
Priest. I knew that having the chemistry of these two working
together again had the possibilities of being magical. Well, "Angel
Of Retribution" is not quite magical, but it's pretty
close.
When I heard rumors of this disc supposedly sounding like the
classic "Sad Wings Of Destiny" record, I was as giddy as a
schoolgirl. "Sad Wings Of Destiny" has always been my favorite
Priest record, and it is so for many reasons. I love the diversity
of that record. The idea of having a song like "Tyrant" sharing the
same space as a song such as "Epitaph" is a delicious thought to me.
My favorite Priest song, "Victim Of Changes" appears on this record.
The lyrical, as well as musical, content on the album is
serious and dark. No silly rockers. I really feel that "Sad
Wings..." is Judas Priest's finest hour. The idea of holding another
"Sad Wings..." in my hands made me shake. So, is this another "Sad
Wings"-like effort? Yes, ....and no.
This is a record with its' own personality. As we hear reflections
of past Priest efforts, and hear lyrical references throughout the
album that mention pieces of the band's past - nonetheless, we
are still given a "new" Judas Priest record. From the opening track,
"Judas Rising", we are yet again introduced to a Priest
that is majestic, as well as magisterial. These are the same guys
that taught so many metal bands the way to look, act, and
most of all ...play. The importance of their reemerging on
today's scene may be even more vital to the survival of metal music
than their initial arrival in 1974. The world is in desperate need
of a guitar based metal band. Even stalwarts like Metallica
have seemingly left the guitar solo behind. But, with this Judas
Priest release, the guitar loving metal fan finally has
something to smile about. From the first song to the last, this
record is chock full of artful, yet violent, guitar work. Guitarists
K.K. Downing and Glenn Tipton are vital ingredients to the overall
personality of the record. The solos, as well as the riffs and licks
that fill the small spaces, are almost all memorable ones. Screaming
guitars everywhere, .......this is heavy metal music
folks.
Here's the part where I tell you what you already know. Rob Halford
has not lost anything over the years. This man is going to sound in
2014, exactly like he did in 1974. It's all about being trained with
a singer of Halford's caliber. This is someone who knows about his
voice, and treats it like the precious instrument that it is. You
say, "How do you know?" Well, you don't sound this good by drinking
pints of Jack and smoking Marlboros. You only achieve strength and
range like this with careful care of the vocal folds. In other
words, ...Halford is the man. The entire band sounds amazing here.
Drummer Scott Travis has always seemed like a temporary member to me
for some reason. A great talent that came in after convicted child
molester Dave Holland left the band, his first appearance was on
1990's "Painkiller" release. That makes him the person to hold
the seat behind the skins for the longest time in Priest's
illustrious history. I have finally realized that he is the
best fit for the group, and these songs are evidence of
that. And Ian Hill, the silent solid one. Well, .....he plays
bass.
I
think the lyrical references to past Priest songs are a great touch;
homage to their monarchal past, if you will. In the double bass
drum mayhem and screaming guitars of "Judas Rising", you can hear
words like "sinners", "deceivers",
"faith" and "destiny"; making dedicated
fans think of the band's royal past. In the heaviness of "Deal
With The Devil" we get lines like "Under blood red
skies" and "Took on all the world", which of
course refer to the songs "Blood Red Skies" and "Take On The
World", two rockers from the band's past. One of the best songs on
the record, "Worth Fighting For", mentions "desert heat" in its
lyrics. Ironically, this is a song that sets the same tone as
"Desert Plains" did from their "Point Of Entry" release. A sly, cool
rocker that stays steady, with Halford remaining in a low register
vocal tone. "Demonizer" is more double bass havoc. A song
modeled after a Slayer-type song structure. As Halford demands,
"Out, demons, out", I can envision Slayer frontman Tom
Araya belting this one out. With words like "hellions",
"vengeance", and "rebel", and a line like "The
Painkiller rises again", "Demonizer" continues the lyrical word
play. I must say though, the most spine-tingling moment for myself
came when I heard the tender lines of "Angel". The slow, gentle
guitar strings, and the opening lyrics of "Angel - put sad wings
around me now, protect me from this world of sin, so that we can
rise again" gave me chills. As the song later picks up with
heavy chords and solid drumming, the chills made my head go numb.
Wow. Incredible strength, especially for the "Sad Wings Of Destiny"
fan. The following song, "Hellrider", returns the record to its
blistering guitar formula. Sounding like a leftover from the
"Painkiller" sessions, this is probably the best song for guitar
performance. The lyrical reference in this one is delivered with the
lines "Time to ram it down, Judgment for the tyrant".
Keyboardist Don Airey makes an appearance on the haunting
"Eulogy", which is a dark piano ballad with some light strings set
in the background. Once again, I think of "Sad Wings Of Destiny"'s
"Epitaph", and it makes me proud of this new Priest. As the lyrics
continue to honor the past, we have a reference to my second
favorite Priest record, "Stained Class"; as well as mentioning
"the sentinel", in honor of the "Defenders Of The Faith"
song of the same name. I get a spooky feeling like they made this
record specifically for me.
Strangely enough, the weakest tune on the album appears at the end.
"Lochness" is a song that has wonderful guitar pieces scattered
throughout its' thirteen minutes, but it has a few problems also.
The first being its length. At thirteen minutes plus, it's just not
the kind of song formula that's able to last that long. The
chorus is kind of light, and a little too basic for being a thirteen
minute epic. Without this track, the disc is just over 40 minutes;
which could be considered brief in today's age of digital media. Is
it a lack of material? I guess we'll have to wait and
see if the band can come up with more material in the
future, or if this was just a "last hoorah".
The
other thing to beware of with this package is the "special edition"
two-disc set. Don't be tempted by this farce. I put out the twenty
bucks for it, and it's really no different than the DualDisc version
for twelve bucks. The extra disc is a DVD of the live performances
that are already on the documentary film included with the DualDisc
format. There's nothing very "special" about this edition; the
DualDisc will work just fine, even for the die hard Priest
fan.
This release is a big step forward for Judas Priest. They have
broken new ground here by going back and breaking into the old
foundation that they laid more than 30 years ago. If all
the new metal acts out there can follow this example of old
school metal mastery, we just might see more guitar solos being
played, and more quality metal music being released in the very near
future. Thanks again to Judas Priest.
OVERALL
RATING:
8
KANSAS -
"Leftoverture" (11/2005)
Yes, it's the one
with "Carry On Wayward Son," now let's move on.
"Leftoverture," with a cover that sparks thoughts of
the "Lord Of The Rings" saga, was a masterpiece of expert
musicianship and masterful songwriting. Sure, the record kicks off
with the enormous radio hit "Carry On Wayward Son," but it's the
music that follows it that really secures this album's important
place in rock history. Kansas was a band that, like Jethro Tull,
took an orchestral instrument and wrote perfect rock songs around
it. Instead of the flute, Kansas found its niche with the violin.
The fact that violin parts are written into not only the slower
ballads, but the faster rock songs as well, is testament to strong
songwriting. Songs that can make the stoned 70's teen leap up and
jam on an "air violin" solo is something really special. I can
vividly remember standing tall in the middle of my bedroom as a
young impressionable kid, wielding my "air guitar" wildly around my
room, playing Jimmy Page's "Heartbreaker" note for note. Who hasn't
done that, right? Well, at the time of this album's release in 1976,
kids were resting that "air violin" on their shoulder and rocking
out to "Miracles Out Of Nowhere" with the same intensity. Only an
album filled with great players and great songs is capable of such a
feat, so let's take a closer look.
The album kicking off with a classic like "Carry On
Wayward Son" was a tell tale sign of wonderful things to come.
Taking complex instrumental arrangements and throwing them at the
mercy of a singer like Steve Walsh was a splendiferous endeavor.
Walsh uses tall amounts of adeptness while transferring the energy
of every word here. His ability to accent words and phrases in
perfect context shines throughout each and every song. Take the song
that follows "Carry On..." for instance, "The Wall." In this song we
hear a perfectly smooth electric guitar intro usher in Walsh's
gentle tone, which is backed only by an acoustic guitar. As the song
starts to take flight, it is the style in which Walsh sings to us
that makes this song so appealing. Just listening to him sing the
word "towering" is something that pushes the limits of musical
excitement. As the album slides into "What's On My Mind," we find
Kansas rocking harder than ever before. And again we hear Walsh turn
phrase after phrase in this one. After the man-eating guitar solo in
the middle of the tune, get a load of Walsh belt out the line,
"'Cause I'm attached to the better half of myself, and there is
nowhere else that I'd rather be;" intensity, poise, passion, and
style - it all adds up to a real tasty treat for the ears. When the
album moves through "Miracles Out Of Nowhere," "Opus Insert," and
"Questions Of My Childhood," we see the tremendous lyrical skill
that is woven into these beautifully constructed songs. All three of
these songs contain a tale or tales, and are eloquently filled with
proverbial passages and inspiring lyricism. The line "When the sun
is in the mid-sky he wears a golden crown / He soaks the world with
sunshine as he makes another round" from "Questions Of My Childhood"
is one that I still find myself blurting out in the middle of the
day. As the album starts to wind down with the moody Native American
themed ballad "Cheyenne Anthem" and the epic "Magnum Opus" with its
many parts, we see the full spectrum of possibilities that are
attached to this band.
This record is one of the best classic rock records
of all time, not simply because of the one big hit, but because of
the seven others that followed its example. The example that Kansas
set for themselves with this record in 1976, was one that they would
hold for years to come also. Their follow-up to this classic is one
you may have heard of as well, it's called "Point Of Know Return."
That one's not too bad either.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
KARMA NOIR - "Sick In My Way" (10/2008)
Formed in Tel Aviv at the end of 2006, Karma Noir takes the
“rap metal” sound of Linkin Park and crossbreeds it with the
operatic goth metal of Nightwish. Vocalist Kathy
Ben-Haroush, who was classically trained at the Israeli Music
Academy at Tel-Aviv University as a professional opera singer, is an
entity that is hard to look past. She is a singer that demands your
attention. Even when she yields the mic to the rapping of bandmate
MC Dror Shem-Tov (AKA Headwound), I find myself anxiously awaiting
her return. The mixing of these two styles is something that really
works well here.
“Sick In My Way” is
unique in the way that it delivers its combination of styles. It can
be overtly classy and elegant at the same time it drags you into the
back alleys of the city. “You,” the lead off track on the disc, is a
perfect example of this eccentric balance of style. While
Ben-Haroush dishes out a steady and melodic vocal part, the swift
shouts of Shem-Tov come at you like shotgun shells.
Guitarist/Bassist Raz Klinghoffer is
another pivotal member of the group as he produced, recorded and
mixed the disc.
Karma Noir makes it a
point to say that they are “currently unsigned and in search of a
major record label to take them under its wing.” With Klinghoffer’s
studio savvy, Ben-Haroush’s
vocal talents and the rest of the band’s impressive capabilities,
Karma Noir may be nesting under the wing of quite a big bird very
soon.
MySpace profile: http://www.myspace.com/karmanoirband
_____________________________________________________________
KILLSWITCH ENGAGE - "The End Of
Heartache"
(8/2004)
This may be the answer to prayers for many of you.
The
return of the heaviest kind of metal. Written in the same vein as
bands like Pantera and Slayer, Killswitch Engage prove even
more multi-dimensional with this solid release of brutally heavy
songs.
Being a "beat-you-over-the-head-with-a-sack-of-bricks" kind of
heavy, a band can sometimes get one-dimensional in its songwriting
approach. Rapid fire guitar shredding; super speedy, double bass
drum bashing; the relentless screaming of the angry
vocalist; all of which culminates into a one speed assault of
pure boredom. Not the case with Killswitch Engage. "The End Of
Heartache" finds guitarists Adam Dutkiewicz and Joel Stroetzel, who
both attended Boston's highly acclaimed Berklee School of
Music, playing many beautifully flowing speed pieces that
actually compliment each other, ...imagine
that. They diversify their heavy grind with a flourishing
sound of precision soloing and super tight control. "The End Of
Heartache" also sees a great big, full drum sound from drummer
Justin Foley. With much of his playing being fast, he still
remains steady and solid, exercising great control and patience. The
greatest gift that "The End Of Heartache" has to offer though, is
vocalist Howard Jones. This may be the most versatile
hardcore metal voice on the planet.
As
the record kicks off, we're treated to a sledgehammer assault of
tribal drum beats, grinding guitars, and screaming vocals
that ultimately climax into a smooth flowing plateau of
contained guitars and bellowing vocals. "A Bid Farewell" has an
instantly definitive sound; this is Pantera with a singer that can
"bellow"! This is not the Howard Jones your Mama listens to, make no
mistake. This brown-skinned Jones wouldn't be caught dead singing
"Everlasting Love" or "Things Can Only Get Better". With the ability
to scream and growl with the best of them, and actually sing with a
pleading passion in his voice also, Killswitch's Howard Jones is
"the cat's meow". No singer in this genre has ever been this
versatile, and it's a real breath of fresh air.
The
rest of the songs on the record continue with the same formula
securely fastened. Full, bludgeoning band sound with brilliant vocal
diversity. Each track seems to subside for a small period to
give Jones his time to shine. I think the biggest problem I have
with many of the "nu-metal" bands is the overwhelming lack of
diversity and songwriting skill. Killswitch Engage has made a full
disc of worthy tunes here. The record never gets boring or bland.
They keep the mandatory speed that is essential for their style,
while integrating a nice hook into each song. All of these songs
have some kind of "aftertaste". I'm not talking about the same
aftertaste you might get from the local take-out Chinese food, I'm
talking about something that sticks in your head after you listen to
it. Whether it's the multi-layered vocal hook on the chorus of the
title track, the gang vocal chants of "We will
prevail" on "Hope Is...", or the guitar riff that
opens "Declaration"; Killswitch always serves up something that
sticks.
The
only reason I could think of that a fan of the hardcore metal
genre might not enjoy this disc is because of its unique departure
from the customary metalcore formula. This record actually has
someone that "sings" on it, an unusual and risky venture for a band
in this genre. Is this a record that I will listen to constantly for
years to come, ...probably not; but it is a record that satisfies a
particular need perfectly. It's the Snickers of hardcore metal,
it really satisfies.
This record is the band's third release. Vocalist Howard Jones
and drummer Justin Foley are new additions to the band for this
record. Jones and Foley also perform with a band called
Blood Has Been Shed in their spare time. Foley has earned
his masters degree in percussion at the highly acclaimed Hartt
School of Music in Hartford, CT after earning his undergraduate
degree in percussion from the University of Connecticut, and
continues to perform with various Connecticut symphonies when not on
the road. Bassist Mike D'Antonio is an accomplished graphic
artist and designs all of Killswitch's album artwork and
merchandise. His company DarkicoN design boasts clients such as
Shadows Fall, Unearth, Ferret Music, Lifeforce Records and The New
England Metal and Hardcore Festival. This is a band packed
with talent that plays their music for all the right reasons.
Vocalist Howard Jones may have said it best when he
said, "You always want people to enjoy
it, whether they're the kids who are beating the crap out of each
other, the ones in the back nodding their heads or just the casual
listener. But first and foremost, we wanted an album that WE were
happy with. And we've made it." Well, Mr. Jones, I'm
pretty happy with it myself.
OVERALL
RATING:
8
KISS - "Hotter Than
Hell"
(9/2005)
I was engaged in conversation just this past week, about the band
Kiss as a whole, with a 16 year-old male. First let me say that I am
thrilled to be able to write that last sentence. When I was 8
years old, I was already a Kiss fanatic for a few years when I got
the chance to see them live. There has never been a more dynamic
live act in the history of rock 'n' roll. I have witnessed
almost everything from the classic Alice Cooper production to the
amazing Marilyn Manson in concert, and there is just nothing
like a Kiss show. I digress. I started to hear doubts about the idea
of Kiss really being all they're cracked up to be from
this young man, and thought I might steer him in the right
direction. He mentioned that he thought Kiss might be kind of lame
with hits like "Shout It Out Loud." My brother and I were quick to
point out that he was "picking apples from the wrong tree." "That's
'Destroyer', not one of the better albums," we said simultaneously.
I suggested listening to either "Hotter Than Hell" or the
self-titled debut, and my brother thought it was
easiest to just get a hold of the "Alive" set. Not a
bad idea either, I must admit. But for this session of RETRO
REVIEW, we're going to talk about my favorite Kiss record, "Hotter
Than Hell."
To call this my favorite Kiss album is risky, I must tell you. The
Kiss debut album is one of the best records in the history of rock
'n' roll. So why do I choose to write about this one and call it my
favorite? Well, there are a couple of key reasons. I love
the diversity of this record. With songs like "Parasite," "Goin'
Blind," "Watchin' You," and "Strange Ways," the band showed a much
darker side of themselves with this release. Largely based on "good
time" rock songs, Kiss started to tread on more
serious ground with these darker themes. This idea also made
the rabid "good time" rockers feel that much brighter and explosive.
When the record rolls around to "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll," shortly
after beating us to the ground with "Goin' Blind" and
"Parasite," your pulse tries to keep pace with
the stripped down power and simplicity of the tune. To this
day, I feel that "Let Me Go, Rock 'N' Roll" may be
the most rocking song in the expansive Kiss catalog; and I
really think that much of the appeal of the song is due in
part to the songs that surround it on this record. We get
much of the same effect when we arrive at "Mainline" after enduring
the menacing sound of "Watchin' You." "Watchin' You" is one of the
darkest and heaviest Kiss tracks, while "Mainline" is sickening
sweet straight forward pop. Much of it's light pop sound
is enhanced simply because it follows "Watchin'
You." We also get a variety of vocal sounds, with three
members of the band singing lead on at least one track on the
record. With five songs being sung by Gene Simmons, three by
Paul Stanley, and two by Peter Criss, the album takes on
great balance. And, of course we get the band's trademark "quick
strike" brevity here. With every song under the four minute mark,
the average song being about 3:20, these songs cycle through moods
like a female banshee with a bad case of PMS.
So, is this enough reason to find the debut album, with "Strutter,"
"Cold Gin," "Deuce," and "Black Diamond," trailing behind in the
second place position? In all honesty, I love them equally, and
there is no better place to start a Kiss experience than with this
or the debut record.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot
a couple things........ First, "Beth" sucks. And second, a note
to my mother...... I told you I'd still be listening to Kiss when I
grew up.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
KOPECKY - "Blood" (3/2007)
This just may be the most aptly named record ever. Kopecky
is a progressive power trio out of Wisconsin that consists of three
very talented brothers, Joe (guitar), William (bass), and Paul
(drums). But it’s not the kinship that makes “Blood” the perfect
title for this disc, it’s the massacre of sound that these siblings
concoct that bleeds profusely from every track.
To call this simply a
progressive rock album is doing it a grave injustice. This is a disc
brimming with avant-garde jazz, funk, and hard rock influence along
with being an expressive progressive rock record. Songs like
“Moontown” and “The Red Path” lean heavily toward the hard
rock/metal genre with power chords and riffage that would pair
nicely with most anything in the genre. And then there is something
like “Windows,” which is a more streamlined, stereotypical
progressive rock journey. I must also add here that I was going to
attempt to describe the set closer, “Opium,” but there really is no
way to do it. Let’s just say that I hope there is no random drug
test at work, because this would get me fired. This song is a trip.
It’s a hard one to grasp entirely, but I think the physical
absorption of the title had to have played a part in the outcome of
this one.
In all of these songs you will
find amazing feats of instrumental acrobatics from these talented
brothers. Joe Kopecky shows an amazing feel for “the song” here.
Playing simple chords when the song calls for them and letting loose
with complex fret board work only if it is beneficial to the ebb and
flow of the moment’s cadence. And of course, William Kopecky is the
backbone of the entire sound here. One of the best bass players in
the world, this brother is an absolute master of his instrument.
Plucking the high notes and bottoming out with devastating accuracy,
there is no better player in the progressive genre. This is all
combined with his lightning fast fret work and rich overall feel.
Paul Kopecky is a drummer that makes everybody around him sound
better. On “Blood” he lays down rhythms that dance with brother
William’s bass and compliment Joe’s guitar perfectly. While he is
enriching the overall sound, he can be found playing rumbling fills
and intricate cymbal patterns as a “cherry on top.” As if all of
this wasn’t enough, the boys got Grammy winner Trevor Sadler to
master the disc, and former Jungle Rot bassist Chris Djuricic to
engineer. Beautiful work, men……. bloody beautiful.
http://kopecky.8m.com/http://myspace.com/kopeckymusic
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
LOS LONELY BOYS - "Los Lonely
Boys"
(10/2004)
Los Lonely Boys Musical
Pie
40%
Santana
20%
Los Lobos
15%
Mana
10%
Eric Clapton
10%
Stevie Ray Vaughan
5%
Jeff Healey
100%
sheer talent
Combine all of the above
ingredients, included on Los Lonely Boys
debut lp, and insert in any CD player. Listen carefully. Allow all
tracks to simply amaze you. Be careful, contents will be hot!
Serves
just about any fan of great music. Get a slice now!!
That's right, these
youngsters found the recipe for a near perfect slice of music.
This threesome of brothers from Texas, all under the age of 25, are
about to usher in a new era of Hispanic-style pop/rock. After
the release of their EP, Willie Nelson heard them, put them on tour
as his opening act, and recorded them at his studio. Combining
heavy doses of guitar flair, with various percussion stylings
and a vocal approach that also varies frequently, it is
difficult not to like Los Lonely Boys.
As the record kicks off, we get
a catchy little rocker that sets the pace for the rest of the record
extremely well. "Senorita" follows the recipe exactly. We get
to hear the Boys touch on each ingredient ever so
slightly. It's a song that will keep you singing all day
long, too. Pace is something that many artists seem to forget about
when they are assembling their records. The flow and continuity of a
disc can add so much appeal to the songs when done correctly. This
record is as good as any when it comes to pacing. Every song seems
to compliment the one next to it. This kind of flow
and sequencing provides the listener with a vehicle to
travel from song to song, while never getting deprived of a
particular tempo or style. After getting the "big package" on
the opening track, we're set to hear each style stand on its'
own now. As we move to the hit single, "Heaven", we
get something that could possibly be called adult
contemporary pop fare. A gentle pop song with an infectious hook,
something Los Lonely Boys is getting real familiar with. Songs
like "Hollywood", "More Than Love", and "Nobody Else" all have great
pop qualities with an adult contemporary feel. The attraction of
this record lies in what the Boys do in between these pop gems,
though. Sandwiched in here are songs like "Crazy Dream", which has
reflections of the Stevie Ray Vaughan side of the band. "Dime Mi
Amor" has an extra cup of Clapton and Los Lobos mixed into the
recipe, with a rhythm guitar part running through it that reminds
this writer of something Doobie Brothers-like. Toward the
center of the album we get "Onda", in which the recipe suddenly
calls for 95% Santana. "Onda" is an extended jam, with wicked guitar
soloing, and fantastic Spanish-style percussion. Toward the last of
the record, we get a Clapton inspired track called "Real Emotions",
and we even get a song in the same vein as Journey's "Open
Arms" to finish the record. "La Contestacion" is one of the
few songs that is sung in Spanish, and it's a poignant lullaby
featuring an excellent vocal performance.
Much like Los Lobos has done in
the past, Los Lonely Boys have brought together the Blues Rock
and Pop genres, and peppered them with traditional Hispanic
overtones. The chief difference between the two bands is
accessibility. Los Lonely Boys has crafted an lp that is sure to
arouse a wide variety of music fans. Their pop hooks and soothing,
soulful vocals make for a delectable chunk of appealing art.
They may not be the pioneers that Los Lobos and Santana are, but
they have extracted all the wonderful elements of each, and forged
what should soon be a hit machine.
Many artists have this
recipe in their musical cookbook, and many have tried to make a
slice of musical ecstasy. Many have failed. Los Lonely Boys have not
failed. As a matter of fact, they have re-written the rule book on
how to cook up a sensational music feast. Los Lonely Boys use only
the finest ingredients, ...their names are Henry, Jojo and
Ringo.
OVERALL
RATING:
9
LYNYRD SKYNYRD
- "Pronounced Leh'-nerd Skin'-nerd" (4/2006)
This
record was unlike anything that had ever come before it. Lynyrd
Skynyrd was from the Southern United States, and they revolutionized
a genre that has come to be known as Southern Rock, or Country Rock.
Yes, there was The Allman Brothers Band, Ozark Mountain Daredevils,
Black Oak Arkansas, and a few others that emerged at the same time
as Skynyrd, but none of them crossed over to the Rock world as well
as Skynyrd. Where The Allmans were full of classy Blues and Country
jamming, and most of the other Southern artists were more Country
than anything else, Skynyrd opened up a family-size can of rock ‘n’
roll whoopass.
Screaming
dual guitar solos and a no-nonsense rebel singer named Ronnie Van
Zandt gave Lynyrd Skynyrd authorization to tear up the Rock radio
waves. Skynyrd was really the first to use their Country roots as
simply a canvas for their more Rock-influenced sound. With songs
like “I Ain’t The One” and “Poison Whiskey,” the band comes across
more like a bayou barroom brawl than a ‘Bama barn dance. Other
titles like “Gimme Three Steps” and “Things Goin’ On” show a more
playful side to the band, but they still maintain a Rock edge. It’s
songs like “Tuesday’s Gone” and “Mississippi Kid” that draw more
from the Country music influence, and these seem to be positioned
like a rowboat in the midst of the turbulent rock ’n’ roll storm
that the rest of the album creates around them. Throughout these
songs we are smacked with savvy guitar tone and dual harmonies from
the likes of the triple guitar attack of Gary Rossington, Allen Collins, and Strawberry Alarm Clock
bassist-turned-guitarist Ed King; but we always seem to forget about
one key player when talking about this band. Former
roadie-turned-keyboardist Billy Powell is a huge piece of the
Skynyrd pie here, adding his complex keys to mostly every nook and
cranny. Whether it’s the Old West saloon sound in “Things Goin’ On,”
or the Southern boogie pecking that cushions the heaviness of “I
Ain’t The One,” Powell’s presence is felt all over this record.
The album closes with what is
probably the most legendary classic rock song of all time, “Free
Bird.” It’s very rare that a single song gives off such an epic
feeling. “Free Bird” is like a full blown album all by itself.
Starting off with a slow and somber guitar tone that escalates into
a blazing jam session, this song has one of the most unforgettable
solos in the history of rock and roll. This is a truly amazing song
that has been covered and copied thousands of times over, and is
still heard lurking inside the songs of today’s up-and-coming
artists.
It was
truly a glorious moment to see Lynyrd Skynyrd inducted into the Rock
And Roll Hall Of Fame just recently; an honor that was well deserved
and long overdue. Their influence will forever be felt among artists
in so many genres. This album not only told us how to pronounce the
band’s name, it told us that the band known as Lynyrd Skynyrd was on
the scene and prepared to leave a mark on the backside of music
history.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MADONNA - "True
Blue" (10/2005)
Madonna has seen many
phases in her phenomenal career. The "True Blue" portion
of her career, arguably, could be seen as the turning
point in her illustrious career.
The year was 1986 and Madonna
was already established as an international superstar. With the
release of her debut record, she instantly found success. With hits
like "Borderline" and "Lucky Star" propelling her to great heights,
she was no stranger to fame. Her next record was the ever popular
"Like A Virgin", where she completely broke through and started the
incessant controversy that has followed her throughout her career. I
like to think of "Like A Virgin" as a nice warm-up for "True Blue",
her third and most complete release.
Let's get the obvious out of the
way here, first of all. We have Madonna, a regular hit factory,
giving us the singles "Papa Don't Preach", Open Your Heart", "Live
To Tell", and "La Isla Bonita". These are some of Madonna's best
songs. She has started to grow as a person and, more importantly, as
an artist. She broke away from the "dance bunny, teen star" persona
that had been ready to haunt her. She says, with this
release, that she can do other things than just techno dance
songs. With songs like "La Isla Bonita" and "Live To Tell" she
demonstrates great diversity as a singer and artist. These are
both ballads with a great message, and wonderful continuity. We hear
so often, dance music artists doing ballads and sounding like they
are tied down; sounding restrained to the point of not being able to
finish the song without adding some funk-inspired bridge or
something. Madonna sings these songs with passion and, more
importantly, patience. Looking back at her roll as Evita, and
the class that she has developed throughout the years following this
record, you've got to believe that her growth began here. Even the
jumping dance tracks have a fervor that others, that came
previously, did not possess. The title track is a perfect example.
"True Blue" has a slower tempo with a doo-wop shade to it. "Where's
The Party" is so sharp and full of Madonna muscle that you can
almost picture it as a hard rock track. "White Heat", "Jimmy
Jimmy" and "Love Makes The World Go 'Round" revert back to
something you might here on the first record, but there is just
something more here. It may be the company that these songs keep.
These more "fun" songs are surrounded by rich and well written
songs, which brings us to the primary writing force for these
songs.
Patrick Leonard is an incredible
songwriter. Working with, and releasing 2 records with, local
Chicago act Trillion in the 70's, he spent the beginning of his
career opening for acts such as Styx and Aerosmith. It wasn't until
he found Madonna that he found a listening audience though. She saw
his great writing abilities and jumped at the chance at a
partnership. Don't be fooled, the great Madonna songs that we
all know and love may be 9/10 Pat Leonard. He's Madonna's
secret weapon.
Surrounded by controversy,
and shrouded by both positive and negative publicity, Madonna
has emerged from the flames with her head on straight and held
way high. She grew up here on "True Blue". She continued to grow
in her future endeavors. If you want a great Madonna
record, and the beginning of it all......this is the record you
want.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MAHAVISHNU ORCHESTRA - "Visions Of The
Emerald Beyond"
(4/2004)
By simply
saying his name, Mahavishnu John McLaughlin, you feel a
sense of royalty. A guitar virtuoso that, early on in his
career, played with jazz legend Miles Davis. An expert musician that
cut his second solo effort with Jimi Hendrix's Band Of Gypsies
rhythm section: drummer Buddy Miles and bassist Billy Cox. This is a
man that has played with such legends as drummer Billy Cobham,
violinist Jean-Luc Ponty, and keyboard sensation Jan Hammer just to
name a few. He's played with only the best musicians in the world
and, therefore, he has made some of the best music in the world.
"Visions Of The Emerald Beyond" is a tremendous example of his brand
of musical perfection.
From the first note of this
masterpiece, you are treated to a blitz of music. A saturation of
masterful playing that remains relentless throughout the duration of
the record. Kicking the bonanza off with two tracks entitled,
"Eternity's Breath - Part I" and "Eternity's Breath - Part 2", we
learn what playing drums is all about. With Narada Michael Walden
pummeling his drum kit faster than you would have thought humanly
possible, he is nothing short of divine. As Jean Luc-Ponty starts
his descent upon the album, it just sounds too good to be
true. Between Walden's drumming and Ponty's frenzied playing,
it leaves the door wide open for the man of the hour to waltz in,
...and waltz in he does. With McLaughlin blasting into an onslaught
of guitar solo fury, and keeping pace with an already swirling
musical ocean, a short verse is introduced. Reminiscent of
vocal pieces you might hear in musicals such as "Hair" or "Jesus
Christ Superstar", we get a superb complement to the
instrumentation. Cerebral phrasing that is both uplifting and
vivacious. What a way to start a record.
McLaughlin sticks to this
formula almost exclusively throughout the record. A vibrant
jazz/rock collaboration that just obliterates the senses. Jean-Luc
Ponty, the son of a music teacher, is a violinist like no other
here. He incorporates speed ("Eternity's Breath - Parts 1&2"),
melody ("Cosmic Strut"), and tone ("Pastoral"), much like a talented
noteworthy guitar player would, to create a sound that is distinct
and resonating. On Ponty's signature piece, "Lila's Dance",
a delicate lull takes off into an intense jam with drummer
Michael Walden, and is sprinkled with some horns to create a rich
and elaborate delight. It is very difficult to include violin
on every track and still add something interesting and
different to each one. Ponty does it here, and keeps the listener
yearning for more. With McLaughlin adding brilliance in so many
ways, he becomes the perfect compliment to his players. We hear him
recklessly rip it up on "Eternity's Breath - Part 2"; he keeps a low
profile, adding just a rhythmic chord progression, on "Can't Stand
Your Funk"; and, towards the end of the record we hear some
experimentation with tone ("Earthship" thru "On The Way Home To
Earth"). He is an amazing player that surrounds himself with player
perfection, and Narada Michael Walden is the supreme definition of
perfection on this record. These are, arguably, the greatest drum
pieces ever recorded. If you are an aspiring drummer, and not easily
discouraged, this is a must hear. I can imagine many hopeful
drummers putting down their sticks after listening to this record.
It does not sound like something that any human being, with only two
arms, could perform. Most of the drum parts are done with blazing
quickness and extreme dexterity, wrapped tightly in a complex rhythm
structure that just astounds. When Walden is not attacking his kit,
he's doing intricate cymbal patterns ("Can't Stand Your Funk"), or
just playing a simple rock solid backbeat. If you can listen to a
song like "I Can See You", and honestly say that you've heard
something even more amazing done with a drum kit, please let me
know. Narada Michael Walden is an amazing musician, and
a stand-out on an album that includes some
of the best players that have ever recorded.
Anyone who is in love with
music, and can appreciate one's mastering of their instrument,
needs to hear this record. This is one of the most
amazing displays of talent ever recorded.
MARILYN MANSON - "Eat Me, Drink
Me"
(10/2007)
For those of
you that are not aware of my loyalties to Manson, let me enlighten
you to my past opinions. I love the hell out of this guy. I loved
"Portrait of an American Family," and I think "Antichrist
Superstar" is one of the best records I own. Hell, I even liked the
last two records. But now let me tell you the problem I have
with this latest release, “Eat Me, Drink Me.” I think I may have
literally loved the Hell right out of Manson. All that demonic chaos
that was so appealing on the first record, “Portrait of an American
Family,” and the masterpiece known as “Antichrist Superstar,” seems
to be diminished for this latest offering. Not to say that these
songs aren’t themed around subjects like blood and The Devil,
because they are. No, the chaos that this record lacks is contained
within the keyboard sound of Madonna Wayne Gacy, the thumping rhythm
section of bassist Twiggy Ramirez and drummer Ginger Fish, and the
spaced out guitar shred of John 5. And the reason that the record is
lacking in these areas is simple, none of these guys are in the band
anymore. Alienation and selling the name is what this record seems
to be about. Manson has pissed off everyone around him and now finds
himself trying to pick up the pieces of a unit that had carved a
unique and distinct niche in the industrial/electronica
sound.
These songs lack
any kind of squirming keyboards or driving rhythms that were so
prevalent in the past records. Instead, Manson strays from the sound
that made the band famous and likeable and tries to introduce a more
straight forward Metal formula. Almost every song here has a hand
cramping guitar solo, something that was unheard of from this band
before now. Oh, did I say “band?” I really have trouble calling this
a band anymore. This is Manson and Tim Skold, that’s it. They wrote
it and produced it together, and the lack of a band really rears its
ugly head. The signature creepiness of the Manson drawl is still
here, and there’s a little fire that comes from one or two of these
tracks, but for the most part this is pretty dull.
I think the basis
of this album is pretty well defined with the first single,
“Heart-Shaped Glasses (When the Heart Guides the Hand).” Let’s see,
Marilyn Manson does U2 or The Fixx, perhaps? Cyndi Lauper would be
proud of this one, and that’s never a good thing. There are songs
that try to capture the attitude of the “band” formerly known as
Marilyn Manson though. Songs like “Mutilation Is The Most Sincere
Form of Flattery” has the “Fuck you” lyric repeated over and over,
but the fact that the song is driven by a shallow guitar riff and
solo is what kills the track. Megadeth and Ozzy are driven by guitar
riffs and solos; a great Marilyn Manson track is driven by an eerie
keyboard chart and a life threatening rhythm section. “Are You the
Rabbit?” somewhat revisits the typical Manson sound with its heavy
rhythm, but it still lacks the keyboard fire that set so many Manson
songs ablaze in the past. The song that shines the brightest here is
“Putting Holes in Happiness,” and I think it’s for one simple
reason: it’s a well-written song. It’s driven by a guitar riff, and
it has a scorching solo right in the middle of it, but this one is
written and produced perfectly for that kind of approach; the rest
of these songs sound like old Marilyn Manson leftovers that never
got touched by the members that epitomized the sound of the
band.
This is really
the first disappointing record I’ve heard from Manson. I didn’t love
“The Golden Age of Grotesque” or the “Holy Wood: In the Shadow of
the Valley of Death” albums, but I thought each of those discs
represented the band well. They kept to what they did best and
delivered the goods on many different levels. With this record,
Manson truly starts his solo career. He is a man without a band, and
I think it's clear that he can’t make this journey alone.
OVERALL
RATING: 2
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MARINO AND MAHOGANY RUSH, FRANK -
"Live"
(3/2005)
This is
how it works with me. I wander the Earth inhaling, exhaling, and
trying to engage others in conversations about music. That's just
who I am, and that's what I do. I have to tell you, judging from
many a conversation I have had, there are only a handful of you out
there familiar with Frank Marino. That's a cryin' shame.
Here's a little insight on the character that we're dealing with
here. At the tender age of 14, a bad acid trip sent Marino to the
hospital. While recovering from the experience, and trying
to keep his mind off the trip, Marino started to
play the only musical instrument in the hospital's relaxation
room that he could find - a guitar. He was already self-taught on
drums, but the hospital only had a guitar. When Marino was
released some weeks later he was proficient on the instrument
to such a degree that it would later be considered strange and lead
to what eventually became the bane of his existence for a number of
years. Rumors spread after the release of the first Mahogany
Rush album, about three years later, that Marino either considered
himself the reincarnation of Hendrix or thought that Hendrix had
been reborn in his (Marino's) body while he was in the
hospital. Marino denies he ever made any statement to either effect,
but the rumors persist to this day and could possibly be the
very reason that so few know of his work. Critics slammed much of
his material around this time, usually citing Hendrix rip-offs
as the main negative. Well, I'm here to tell you that the guy
does sound like Hendrix, ....and it's
electrifying.
Frank Marino is one of those players that gets ugly and sweaty when
he plays. Oh, you don't even have to see him to know that. This is a
bare knuckles brawl. A guitar experience equivalent to the bloodiest
bar fight you can possibly imagine. Marino's angry blues style is
portrayed with an intensity rarely found on live records. Most live
records, at least in this critic's opinion, tend to have
a "flat" sound. I can only think of three or four live records
that bring a renewed passion to the songs on their setlists. I enjoy
a live record that adds another dimension to songs that I've already
heard studio versions of, and this is definitely one of those
live records. Marino rips into these tracks with an almost violent
fervor. Massive solos come hulking out of every open
door. Therefore, whenever things may get a little quiet, the
listener is pushed to the edge of their seat
anticipating the inevitable outbursts that are to come. The
best example of this lies in the blues track, "I'm A King Bee",
which later leads into an excerpt of Willie Dixon's "Back Door Man".
Marino slows the crowd down with a heartfelt blues interlude,
only to cap it off with a mind numbing explosion of axe fury. But,
come to think of it, this kind of thing is a constant on this
record! Check out "A New Rock & Roll" just after "Back Door
Man", ...guitar brutality at its' finest. The highlight of the album
comes just after that though. A blazing rendition of Chuck Berry's
"Johnny B. Goode" goes down like a triple shot of grain alcohol
and turpentine. With Marino's gruff voice shouting the opening verse
out a capella, except for some slight fret fingering, he
sets up the crowd for demolition. Upon completion of that
first verse, he unloads the opening riff with an intensity that
Johnny B. Goode will never be treated to ever again. He tears
through this song like a wrecking ball through a house of cards.
Marino is just simply insane throughout this entire record; letting
loose with vicious soloing whenever and wherever there is
opportunity.
The
record "winds down" with a couple of instrumentals that
really make that insanity plea stick. "Electric Reflections Of
War" is a guitar imitation of a war zone, complete with the sound of
bombs dropping and exploding. A small drum solo leads into the
second instrumental piece entitled, "The World Anthem", which is the
most tame and artistic time on the record. Once those two
instrumentals are out of the way, Frank Marino does what he does
best - Hendrix. As the opening riff to "Purple Haze" is being
played, you start to think of the kind of player that Hendrix was. A
natural talent for getting the most out of his guitar; bending and
squeezing it, to get whatever might be locked inside, out of it.
Frank Marino is that kind of player also. It seems to me that
Hendrix, most times he played, had forgotten about his audience
and created a world for just his guitar and himself. Playing
with such an inverted passion and fury like Hendrix had, was
more than just showmanship - it was a mentality that overcame
his entire body. With this record, Frank Marino obtains that
mentality. A rare moment when all goes black except for the guitar
that has now become a body part; a body part that will inevitably be
self mutilated.
The
comparisons to Hendrix will forever be drawn when speaking of Frank
Marino, and that's okay because Frank Marino would have made Jimi
proud with his performance on this record.
MAROON 5 - "Songs About
Jane" (5/2004)
Led
by the #1 single "This Love", and the #3 hit "Harder To Breathe",
Maroon 5's "Songs About Jane" could run off a long string of Top 10
hits. This entire disc is chock full of rich, soulful pieces that
could dominate the charts for quite some time.
It's rare to hear a band with this kind of talent, doing what comes
naturally. This is a band with a great singer that has good range
and style, and a sense of soul. It's this "sense of soul" that
dominates the sound here, and makes this record a real winner. With
songs like "The Sun" and "Sunday Morning", we get treated to a
suave, moody strut that's polished and pristine; at other times,
we're served some light funk, or a tender crooning. This record
offers an excellent variety of styles. The last act to offer a
sound such as this was the impeccable Jamiroquai, and
Maroon 5 is just as good here.
When the record kicks off with "Harder To Breathe", the band vaults
themselves right in your face. With a confrontational vocal track,
and an unbelievable groove from the rhythm section of drummer Ryan
Dusick and bassist Mickey Madden, one might even be reminded of Rage
Against The Machine. Don't get me wrong, the track is nowhere near
as heavy as any of the Rage stuff, but it has that same "heavy
groove thang". Unfortunately, they never really return to anything
with such a heavy groove. Instead, they write great melodies, that
have infectious hooks, with infallible poise. Already riding
the #1 success of "This Love", it should be just a matter of time
before they enjoy the success of radio-ready songs like "She Will Be
Loved", "Must Get Out" or "Sunday Morning". All of these songs have
that instant likeability factor. "Must Get Out" and
"Sunday Morning" are bright and cheerful, with sing along
choruses that are perfect for summer radio play; and "She Will
Be Loved" is just a flawless ballad that sticks like glue. After
just one listen, you prepare yourself to be reminded of the hook
each and every minute for the rest of the day. That's what Top 40
radio is all about. Everything on this record has a sense of
integrity and purity about it also. You get the feeling
that this is a group of accomplished musicians that have
fostered a passion for the old soul classics of artists like Stevie
Wonder and Marvin Gaye, because their similarities come
naturally and unforced. Maroon 5 is a band that is comfortable with
their approach to the modern soul sound. Listening to this record,
many similarities and influences can be heard. "Tangled", and
"Sweetest Goodbye" display a Stevie Wonder sound in some ways; "She
Will Be Loved", "The Sun" and "Must Get Out" have Terence
Trent D'Arby tinges; and, "Shiver" and "Not Coming Home" have some
Prince tendencies. While you hear all of these influences, you are
at all times aware of the fact that Maroon 5 is doing what comes
naturally to them, and the similarities sound totally
unintentional. This is a band with loads of talent, that has no need
to be someone else. They sound just fine being
themselves.
Well, ...this is the fun part. I have to give you reasons why this
isn't a 10. The only thing I can say is, I wish there were a few
more heavy groovers like "Harder To Breathe". When they thump and
groove heavy, they do it really well. I'd love to hear a bit more of
it. I can also say that some small brass parts may have
made a few tracks "pop" a bit more. Some soulful background
vocals, to compliment the fantastic lead parts, may have enhanced
their sound, also. But this is really nit-picking. This is a
great record.
OVERALL
RATING: 8
MARS VOLTA, THE - "Frances The
Mute"
(5/2005)
Yep, this is one of the painful ones to write.
You
see, I want to like this record, I really do, ....but I
don't.
I
like to think of myself as an aware, and somewhat knowledgeable
music fan. I have come to accept and enjoy many, many styles of
music in the course of my life. I can enjoy the simplest songs,
as well as the most complex compositions available. So, when I hear
someone tell me that if I don't enjoy this record it may be too
"smart" for me, I start to wonder about myself. All the brilliant
musical geniuses out there might consider me "shallow" for not
liking this one, because you know, if it's "outside of the box" it's
automatically good, right? Well, this is one of those that may be
too much for my feeble mind to handle, I guess.
The Mars Volta is a very
talented band that really "pushes the envelope" on this, their
second full length release. The phrase "outside of the box" was
created for this band. Much to the band's chagrin, many
have pigeonholed their sound as progressive. As they make
clear on their website bio, "The Mars Volta is neither a
concept album band nor a prog band", they go on to say, "Prog? How
can any innovative, forward-thinking art or music not be
progressive? We are really tired of those labels and questions".
When discussing concept albums, guitarist, co-founder and
producer Omar Rodriguez-Lopez stated, "Concept album? How can
any huge project that takes up most of your life for a year not have
a concept?" Okay, ....point well taken.
"Frances The Mute" is a story inspired by former band member Jeremy
Ward's discovery of a diary that he found in the backseat of a
car while working as a repo man. Supposedly, the diary was
written by someone who was adopted, and was in search of
their biological parents; a situation familiar to Ward, who is
now deceased. All of this sounds like a great concept (there, ....I
said it) for an album, right? Well, it is - but The Mars Volta gets
way too psychedelic to carry the storyline. I mean, you could listen
to this record 5,000 times and never guess what they might be
getting at lyrically. You might not even find any "story" there
at all. So, I agree, The Mars Volta is not a concept album band
- not a good one anyway.
The
Mars Volta is essentially a duo consisting of Rodriguez-Lopez and
singer/lyricist Cedric Bixler-Zavala; and the album is peppered with
droves of guest musicians. Among some of the guest musicians are
Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante and bassist Flea, with the
latter keeping his brilliant bass in its' case, and lending his
talents on trumpet instead. You can also hear Roger Manning,
former mastermind of popsters Jellyfish, "tickling the
ivories". Percussion guru Lenny Castro can also be heard
throughout the album. There is definitely no shortage of talent
here. The band has many moments where they display their more than
ample musical abilities. That's not the problem.
Along with the album having some excellent guitar work
scattered about, and some fine vocal acrobatics, the record is also
filled with long silences that many "smart" rockers might call
artistic. Well, with me being a moron rocker, I call them
nonsensical filler. As we hear at the beginning of "Miranda That
Ghost Just Isn't Holy Anymore", the band spends the first four
minutes, and the last two minutes, in almost complete silence.
There is some machine-like squeaking and sound effects, but for the
most part, it's all filler. Oh, excuse me, "smart" filler. Even the
opening track, "Cygnus....Vismund Cygnus" has a great spastic funky
bass line, along with some killer guitar work, but all of that is
followed by a three minute chunk of nothingness to finish
out the track. Oh, I'm sorry, "smart" nothingness. Then there
is "The Widow", which is by far the most radio friendly thing here,
and even that takes two and a half minutes at the end of its'
almost six minutes to devote to clicks and blurbs. Yeah whatever,
"smart" clicks and blurbs. There is just way too much down time
here. This record is around 77 minutes long, with about 30 of them
devoted to boring silences and useless noodling. Then there is
the song structure problem I have. Golly gee, I am brainless and
shallow.
The
band takes all of these small pieces of work, whether it is a
blistering guitar solo or a three minute chunk of warbling, and they
just play them randomly. That's what seems to take place with
this. The record has no cohesive element; nothing to keep a flow
going in any song, much less through the entire album. Two of the
songs that seem to try and hold firm are "The Widow" and "L' Via L'
Viaquez", but even these songs drift in places. All of the
great guitar work, and all of the sharp drum work gets lost in
the arrangement of the songs.
I view "the song" as a suitcase for all of a band's
musical abilities. You can have all the prettiest clothes - but
if you don't have the suitcase, you ain't gettin' on the Song Plane.
The Mars Volta has all the pretty clothes, but
their luggage got lost.
A
colleague of mine and I had discussed this record a bit, and he
enjoyed it. He appreciated all that the band had to offer in playing
talent, and didn't seem to mind the wacky, scatterbrained and
confusing song arrangements. He had also drawn some parallels to
George Clinton's Funkadelic of the 70's, and things of that nature.
I thought this was a great comparison. The overall sound
isn't really what resembles that Funkadelic stuff, it's
the wealth of talent and sporadic song arrangement that
definitely
resembles that same
avant-garde style. The strange thing is, I love that
Parliament-Funkadelic stuff. Go figure.
In
trying to explain this band's sound for you, I would have a
hard time. I could compare the vocal style and tone to early Robert
Plant, but that's only at certain times. I could tell you that the
song structure is similar to that of alt rockers Tool, but not
really. I could tell you that they get violently funky like the Red
Hot Chili Peppers, but only on occasion. Suffice it to say, it is a
completely unique and original sound. So, at the risk of
sounding even dumber than I already do, I will just keep my
mouth shut.
If
you just want to hear something you've never heard before, and
something that has some great elements scattered throughout the
course of the record - this just might be for you. If you want
to hear a talented band take risks, and play without any boundaries
whatsoever - this one's definitely for you. But please beware,
it may take you four or five weeks to figure out which song is
which. The album has five songs, and the CD has twelve tracks. The
track listing is a mess. Best of luck to you.
If
you want simple rock songs with traditionally structured
arrangements, that will hold your hand and walk you through while
you listen to them, go get an AC/DC record. If I didn't already
have them all, that's what I would do. But, then
again, why would you listen to a simplistic and shallow
moron rocker like me?
OVERALL
RATING:
4
MATISYAHU -
"Youth"
(11/2006) "EMERGENCY
SURGERY" feature
When I heard that an American-born Hasidic Jew was
doing a traditional Reggae record, I had to chuckle. I thought to
myself, “Man, people will try anything as a gimmick these days!” I
personally find it hard to take anything seriously that calls itself
Reggae and isn’t from Jamaica. I think the true sound of the music
has a lot to do with the region of the world that its creators are
from. I just can’t see Pennsylvania putting out a legitimate Reggae
artist - and that’s without calculating race and religion into it.
But it happened. Fans and critics alike are actually taking this guy
seriously. Matisyahu has been moving his product quite well. But
then again, American Idol disaster William Hung sold records too …a
lot of them …enough said. Let’s just say I still had my doubts when
I jumped into this one, but of course my mind is always opened. It
was time to open my ears and see what all this was about.
1. “Fire Of Heaven/Altar Of Earth” - Wow, this is impressive.
Real impressive. Lyric references to Mount Zion and a Reggae tempo
that would make Bob Marley’s hair straighten, this is fantastic
stuff. I am a fan of artists like Marley, Michael Rose and Black
Uhuru, and Coco Tea and this is right on target with its sound.
Great rhythm, great vocal sound, great lyrics - this is a great
Reggae song. RATING: 10
2. “Youth” - This is another song that follows the same great
Reggae formula as the previous track, but this one has some modern
niches that separate it from the first track. For example, the
roaring guitar solo just past the middle of the song. Not your
typical Reggae ingredient, but it really works well here. With
powerful lyrics like “Young man, the power’s in your hands/Slam your
fist on the table and make your demands,” and with an explosion
effect kicking in as the “slam your fist” line is delivered, this is
really what effective Reggae lyrics are supposed to be about -
rebellion and a fight for freedom. Other than the bit more “urban”
vocal tone, this is another great Reggae song. RATING: 8
3. “Time Of Your Song” - With some really nice background
harmonies and an excellent Reggae voice leading this one, this is
another great one. Catchy refrain that is lyrically strong once
again. This one has a little bit of an urban rap feel with the
pumped up beat, but this is rich in the elemental roots of the
Reggae genre nonetheless. RATING: 9
4. “Dispatch The Troops” - This one is a little more on the rap
side with a Reggae influence. This one is sung with a voice that
isn’t as effective, and it‘s more fast talk/rap than I would prefer.
The deep Reggae sound is lost a little bit, but it’s not horrible.
RATING: 5
5. “Indestructible” - This one has that big pumped up bass beat
going on, but the superb vocal keeps the Reggae vibe intact. As a
matter of fact, you could easily mistake this one for Michael Rose.
Cool background vocals and a nice hook in the chorus make this
another good one. RATING: 8
6. “What I’m Fighting For” - Now here’s something different. This
is an acoustic ballad with some inspiring lyrics and an excellent
arrangement. We keep to the Reggae mood in this two minute and 10
second quip by mentioning Zion and “Sons and Daughters of Abraham,”
but this is really not a Reggae song. This is more Dave Matthews
than Bob Marley, but it’s good. RATING: 7
7. “Jerusalem” - More of the same great cultured vocal sound,
blended with a brilliant song arrangement. We even get a couple of
lines from Matthew Wilder’s 80’s hit “Break My Stride” worked into
this one. This works as a gripping modern twist on the traditional
Reggae sound that is so honorably represented here. RATING: 8
8. “WP” - Different vocals on this one, and they are all pretty
straight forward rappers. Like much of the Rap music that I hear,
the artists have a lot to say, but the vehicle in which they use to
transport the message isn’t worthy of the trip. This really isn’t
any different. The song is weak, and the lyrical vomiting doesn’t
help it any. RATING: 3
9. “Shalom/Saalam” - This is just a little acoustic guitar
instrumental. Very nice, but not really a song.
10. “Late Night In Zion” - Just a dreamy pop song really. There
are plenty of thought provoking lyrics here, and the song is a nice
change of pace for the record. Drifts away from the Reggae sound and
more into the Pop genre and it’s not bad. RATING: 6
11. “Unique Is My Dove” - We almost get to a ska-like, upbeat
rhythm at times, with this nicely written tune. A very steady track
with a catchy chorus. Very simple rhythm, but still works pretty
well. RATING: 5
12. “Ancient Lullaby” - This one has a real Paul Simon
“Graceland” feel to it. Some interesting guitar work with a very
bright and positive drum beat and vocal. Extensive drum soloing
toward the end of this one kind of kills the direction of the song,
but it is a nice addition all the same. RATING: 6
13. “King Without A Crown” - This is a quick, “rap” kind of
Reggae. Stays in one speed a little too long, but it’s pretty
interesting to hear an electric rock guitar solo in a song that is a
hybrid of Rap and Reggae. I don’t love this one, but it does have
some qualities. RATING: 5
OVERALL RATING: 7 ALIVE!
This is a real shocker to me. I expected some white,
punk ass, suburban kid trying to rap about ganja and passing it off
as Reggae. This is the real deal folks. I don’t love everything on
this record, and as a matter of fact, the last six tracks are merely
average. But, this is a Reggae album, and when it shines it shines
brightly. The first seven tracks, with the exception of “Dispatch
The Troops,” are fantastic examples of deeply rooted Reggae music.
And I don’t know why I would think any differently going into this.
With Mount Zion being in Israel, and much of the traditional Reggae
themes dealing with religion and The Holy Land, who would be better
suited at this Reggae thing than a bearded white guy with a
yarmulke?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MERCYFUL FATE - "Don't Break The
Oath"
(7/2005)
"They're this heavy Satanic band, ....and their
singer sounds like Mickey Mouse."
It
was 1985 and I was in my third year at Lane Tech High School. Bands
like Motley Crue, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden were regulars on the
turntable. For the younger crowd, a turntable is what the generation
before you used to listen to 12" round vinyl things called
"records" on. Anyway.... Study hall was usually the place I got
the lowdown on what other people had their ears glued to, and the
place where I heard the above description of a band called Mercyful
Fate. Upon hearing this unorthodox narrative, I made it my mission
to hear this monster called Mercyful Fate. I went to my local record
store (they used to have ones that didn't sell refrigerators) and
found this anything-but-Disney-inspired cover. I tossed down my five
bucks(yeah, these 12" vinyl things were cheaper too), and
I rushed home to hear my spooky find.
As
I dropped the needle on the first groove I was introduced to the
band by guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael Denner. With a riff
straight from the depths of Hell, "A Dangerous Meeting" was under
way. As bassist Timi G. Hansen and drummer Kim Ruzz supplied the
solid backbone to the tune, I patiently awaited the first words to
come from Mickey wannabe, King Diamond. As Diamond sang the first
line, "Tonight the circle is meeting again", I remember thinking
that his voice was kinda high but Mickey Mouse was a harsh
comparison. As the second line, "Who will be the first to fall in
trance" was sung, I started thinking that his voice was more like
Minnie's than Mickey's! This ultra high falsetto was extremely hard
to get used to, and in all honesty, hard to take seriously. It took
many many hours of listening to appreciate the real depth of this
record. As I look back now to find other young metalheads
discovering this gem, I realize that I got in on the ground floor
with this legendary metal classic. It's ironic that I had trouble
taking this record seriously because the subject matter is anything
but a joke. With song titles like "Desecration Of Souls", "Night Of
The Unborn", and Welcome Princess Of Hell", this had the same vibe
of my musical heroes Black Sabbath. A picture of King
Diamond on the inside sleeve, with painted face of course,
gripping a mic stand with a cross made of what looked like
human bones was pretty darn scary at the time. The back cover showed
a small pic of each band member, and a non-descript silhouette of
Diamond with inverted crosses overhead. Yeah, King Diamond was the
new voice of Satan, picking up where Ozzy left off.
I
think what kept me coming back for more on this record was the
incredible instrumental prowess of the band. Getting used to
Diamond's squealing was the difficult part, but the instrumental
acrobatics of the band was inspiring. "Desecration Of Souls" was
about the easiest listen here, just because Diamond can be found
singing in his real voice for most of the song. It's a song that
exhibits strong band performance along with powerful bellowing from
Diamond. As I would come to learn later in life, King Diamond
surrounds himself with some of the best musicians money can buy, and
this record was no different. Guitarists Hank Shermann and Michael
Denner laid groundwork for many of the bands we now find on
alternative and metal radio. Even metal superstars Metallica
cover a Mercyful Fate song on their "Garage, Inc." release.
As
much as King Diamond's vocals are hard to swallow, what he lacks in
accessibility he stocks up on in originality. Nobody sounds like
this guy, ...except possibly Mickey Mouse. Smack in the
middle of the record we get a song called "The Oath", which strikes
a stark resemblance to Black Sabbath's self-titled song. As we hear
the strains of eerie keyboard effects that are backlit with a
chiming bell and a distant thunder, we get the spoken words of an
oath that the speaker swears to be a "faithful servant of his most
puissant arch-angel The Prince Lucifer". Yeah, .....boo. As we
progress through the tune we get some urgent operatic
chanting of "ahh-ahh-ahh" and "ooh-ooh-ooh"; throw in a time
change near the end of the track and it becomes pure black metal
bliss. The band gallops through "Gypsy", shreds through "Welcome
Princess Of Hell", and tantalizes us with "To One Far Away", a
ninety-one second instrumental with some more operatic chant layered
into it. The emergence of (what was) the final song "Come To
The Sabbath" proved to be a perfect closer. This song
displays all of the best qualities of the band, as well as the best
qualities of Diamond's voice.
As
I upgraded my worn out 12" record to the CD format recently, I got a
remastered version of this classic with a bonus track. The bonus
track, entitled "Death Kiss", is actually an early demo version
of the first track "A Dangerous Meeting". As it states in the
liner notes of the disc, as far as Diamond can recollect, this is
the first known Mercyful Fate recording ever. So, even though the
production is thinner and the vocals sound like a slightly
younger, inexperienced King Diamond singing, the song is a welcome
addition to the disc for any fan of the band.
I
got to thinking about the guy that turned me on to this
band with his unique description, and it turns out I can't
even remember his name. One thing I do remember though, oddly
enough; this was the same guy that turned me on to the Bible
wielding band Stryper back in '85. Oh well, ....you can't win 'em
all.
METALLICA -
"Death Magnetic"
(9/2008)
I know
there are quite a few disgruntled Metallica fans out there, myself
being one of them. The frustration of 2003‘s “St. Anger” hasn’t yet
dissipated, and none of us are sure if it ever will. Singer James
Hetfield has sounded more like Tom Jones than Tom Araya (Slayer) in
recent years, and shred master Kirk Hammett has had his hands tied
(mainly by King James and Lars, the Court Jester). Yes folks, the
Metallica legacy and all of the majesty that it brings has been in
serious jeopardy. If this “Death Magnetic” release isn’t a return to
“old school” Metallica, equipped with all of the finest elements
we’ve come to know and love, the band as we know it may officially
be down for the count.
Well, I’m here to tell you that the noise
has returned. The raw, guttural churning of Hetfield’s voice is
everywhere. Kirk’s killer riffage and the lightning fast wild
abandon infect this entire disc. And, the fact that Lars is playing
on a set of drums this time and not a set of Maxwell House cans is a
plus, too.
One of the other problems I had with “St.
Anger” was the length of the songs and the dull arrangements. On
“Death Magnetic,” the songs continue to be very lengthy, but this
time the duration is justified. With the disc’s 10 tracks
running for just under a total of 75 minutes, the average song
length is just under 8 minutes. But somehow, these songs are packed
so tight with cool grooves, hooks and solos that you hate to hear
most of them end.
With “St. Anger” I was reminded of the
“…And Justice For All” album more than any other from the band’s
catalog. With “Death Magnetic” I’m reminded of “Master Of Puppets,”
and that’s a good thing. Not to say that I don't like the Justice
album, but it had a much more progressive vibe. I feel that the band
traded in the direct hit to the face for a more drawn out
assault. With "Death Magnetic" you get a little of both. Okay, a lot
of both. These songs are long but they deliver sharp jabs to the
face and abdomen throughout their tenure. To give you an idea of
what you’ll hear from each of the songs on the disc, I’ve summarized
them below:
1. “That Was Just Your Life” (7:08) - After about a
minute and a half of the slow methodical intro, the band doesn’t
waste any time getting thrashy. Hetfield spits out words without
conscience or tonal concerns, Kirk whips through a rabid solo, and
the rhythm section is a well-oiled machine. A nice way to tell
everyone they’re back.
2. “The End Of The Line” (7:52) - This is much of the
same as the first track, just with a big giant hook attached to it.
The beginning rhythm of the song reminds me of “Escape” from “Ride
The Lightning,” but it quickly turns into a tight and punchy
slugfest.
3. “Broken, Beat & Scarred” (6:25) - Another
blistering pace gets going here with an intricate and funky rhythm
that’s highlighted by Hetfield’s savage vocal and Ulrich’s
ultra-tight drum action. The lyrics for this one are as primal as
the vocal and the pacing. Growls of “We die hard” and “What don’t
kill you will make you more strong” make this one pretty powerful
all around.
4. “The Day That Never Comes” (7:56) - The first
single from the album, this is most like something from the
self-titled “black album.” This finds the band slowing to allow
Hetfield the opportunity to sing out. Set in the same vein as "One"
from the Justice album, the song works itself into a
frenzy and flourishes with some great guitar work. Although this
style is a bit clichéd for the band at this point, this is done with
heart and soul.
5. “All Nightmare Long” (7:58) - Now this is some kind
of monster! No, not at all like the song. This is a huge monster
song with an absolutely vicious tempo, and an even more brutal hook.
Hetfield delivers “We hunt you down without mercy” and the rest of
the refrain so strongly that you feel your hands balling up into
fists. It’s okay…..it’s unavoidable. Just enjoy it. And look for an
amazing shredfest from Hammett here unlike we’ve gotten in many many
years. This is one of Metallica’s best songs, on this or any other
album.
6. “Cyanide” (6:39) - Another monster track with a
huge groove. This is a song where the influence of Metallica’s
newest member, bassist Robert Trujillo, can be heard. His work with
Suicidal Tendencies and Infectious Grooves was almost pure funk, but
his job here is to make the drummer with the world’s best chops
sound even tighter than normal, and he does just that. Trujillo and
Ulrich serve up an amazing backbone rhythm in this one.
7. “The Unforgiven III” (7:46) - Hey, maybe we can
kiss this series goodbye now, huh boys? This is another track that
allows Hetfield a chance to get back to the security blanket of the
“black album” again, but it's all good. This is fairly predictable,
except for the solo that Hammett rips off near the 6 minute mark. It
starts soft, gets loud, and returns to the valley again - you know,
you've been there before. And, like the other songs in this
"Unforgiven" series, it has a rhythmic commonality to tie everything
together.
8. "The Judas Kiss" (8:00) - Yet another rapid fire
tune with a huge hook. This one finds Hetfield splitting his time
between the "raw and the cooked," if you will. He maintains the raw,
angry vocal style for most of the song, but intersperses some
bellowing lines as well. This is how a versatile voice should be
used. You can look for another great Hammett solo in this one, too.
And, might I say, it feels SO good to say that.
9. "Suicide & Redemption" (9:57) - Wouldn't you
know, the longest track on the record is an instrumental. This is
one hell of an instrumental, too. This is another song heavily
influenced by the capabilities of Trujillo. They cut a deep groove
right down the middle of this one, and all sorts of great stuff
hangs off of it. The highlight of this one has to be Hammett's solo
though. With the chugging rhythm as a background, Hammett dishes out
a solo filled with passion, harmony and tone. It's not as much about
speed this time. It's all about melody this time out. But the thing
I like most about this one is that they never abandon that huge,
heavy groove.
10. "My Apocalypse" (5:01) - Wouldn't you know, the
shortest track on the record just might be the heaviest song the
band has ever done. Producer Rick Rubin had to be thinking Slayer
while he sat in the control room on this one. It almost sounds like
a Slayer cover. And I gotta tell you, it's just excellent to hear
Metallica get back to this style.
Well, there it is folks. The big, fat
metal machine that is Metallica is up and running once again. Along
with producer Rick Rubin, the band saw the need to get back to
basics, and they did what they had to. So, if you're looking for
"old school" Metallica, take your seats. Class is in session.
   
____________________________________
MONTROSE - "Montrose"
(6/2004)
I
am a man of 35 years...soon to be 36. I have experienced and enjoyed
many styles of music, on a consistent basis, during my
almost 36 years. I was introduced to music by my 2 older
brothers, who are 7 and 9 years older than myself, so I grew up
musically during the 70's. It was KISS, who I saw live when I was 8
years old, with steady doses of Elton John and Angel. There
were many records that I took for a spin on the turntable,
and I found myself enjoying most of them. Each record usually had a
single or two that was being played on the radio, and that was
usually the area of the record that the needle spent most of its
time. You put the record on, played the single over and over, and
moved on to the next record. This is what an 8 year old does.
Neglecting the songs that weren't playing on the radio didn't
seem sinful. But, there were those records that got extra attention.
All of the KISS records got a full go 'round. The Black Sabbath
records always lasted awhile. And then there was this record with a
yellow cover, peppered with pink. It had 4 guys with no shirts on
the cover, and the name of the band ensconced over all of them. The
name was MONTROSE, and this record turned my entire world upside
down. The riff heavy songs jumped off of the record, as if
the vinyl couldn't wait to spit out the next note. Every song
short and simple, with an intensity that made my walls shake and my
knees tremble. I remember feeling nervous and shaky while
listening to this record, and as an 8 year old boy, I didn't know
why...but I liked it.
I listen to this record at
least once a week to this very day. It is a reminder to me that hard
rock can still be simple, fun, and yet highly intense. This record
takes off like a fireball from hell, and never stops burning right
through to the end, some 34 minutes later. With every track, you get
an incredible riff to kick them off. From the frenetic
"Rock The Nation" riff that kicks off the album... to the staccato,
pulsing riff that cuts through "Make It Last", this is arguably
the sharpest, most intense hard rock record ever
made. With production credits going to renowned producer Ted
Templeman, this is still one of the best production efforts I
have ever come across. This record was a perfect fit for the
"headphones only" radio shows; in which those albums with shifting
sounds, or ultra clear keyboards or vocals were played. With its
razor sharp riffs, and its alternating speaker shifts, this record
fully utilized stereo sound. A record that was
way ahead of its time in 1973, when it was
released.
The
band consisted of the now legendary vocalist Sammy Hagar, guitarist
extraordinaire Ronnie Montrose, Bill "the electric" Church on bass
guitar, and powerhouse drummer Denny Carmassi rounding out the
lineup. This is a young and hungry Sammy Hagar, singing with a
fervor that he really could never recapture. I would be willing to
say, that if you didn't know who the singer was, Sammy Hagar
probably wouldn't even come to mind while listening to the record.
Sammy is so young on this record, a mere 26 years old, the first
song he ever wrote appears here ("Bad Motor Scooter")!
And
then there's Mr. Montrose himself. It's very rare that a guitar
player of Montrose's capability, blends so well with his other band
members. The riffs, as I've stated previously, are some of the best
ever recorded. The solos on this record are also astonishing. I
believe that the true sign of a great guitar solo, is being able to
"sing" it when its playing. When the solo virtually becomes a
part of the lyrics. When you can't hum the song in your head,
without humming that incredible guitar solo also. That is what every
solo on this record provides the listener. And, even though the
guitar parts of this record are so outstanding, the rest of the band
never gets left behind or overshadowed. This is the true sign of a
talented, and tight band. From drummer Denny Carmassi's
bombastic bass drum intro on "Rock Candy", to bassist Bill Church's
rock solid foundation throughout each track on the record, this is a
group effort. It is difficult to spotlight just one band member
here. This is a rare occurrence when a talented artist, with
the caliber of a Ronnie Montrose, names his band after himself.
I would guess, from the sound of this phenomenal record, that all
egos were set aside here. A wonderful thing. This record is a
true masterpiece, and should be a blueprint for anyone that wants to
play, produce, or just enjoy hard edged Rock 'N' Roll.
If
you were wondering if my walls still shake and my knees still
tremble when I listen to the record now...well, let me put it this
way; I have two young kids at home, so my walls rarely shake anymore
- but my knees do tremble, and I'm hoping it's
because of the tunes.
As for
getting that nervous, shaky feeling when I listen to the
record? You betcha.
And, do I
now know why I feel that way? You betcha.
Great
rock 'n' roll...it does it to me every time ~ and this is
great rock 'n' roll.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MOUNTAIN
OF POWER - "Mountain Of Power"
(6/2007)
Grooveyard Records is a label that claims to
be “a label dedicated to outstanding TOTAL GUITAR music from around
the world,” and this disc shoves that theory right down your throat.
Swedish guitar wiz Janne Stark of Locomotive Breath and Grooveyard
proprietor Joe Romagnola have assembled a set of obscure 70’s guitar
rock anthems that scream with an intensity unmatched in today‘s
music world.
The track listing alone
is impressive and demands a respectful tip of the cap. With songs
from underground legends such as Budgie, Point Blank, Captain Beyond
and Samson, Stark and Romagnola prove that they are students of the
game. These tunes were dug from the precious soil of 70’s hard rock,
and they weren’t found lying on the surface either; these guys dug
deep to find great songs that were worthy of modern representation.
Seeing songs from Rick Derringer and Moxy on the track listing was
something that had me respecting them instantly, but actually
hearing their amazing renditions of these songs was something
astonishing.
Most of the material
here is animalistic; primal and vicious. Like a rabid dog these
tracks come running at you full force. The impressive thing with
this disc is how it still remains structured and precise while it
rips your head apart. It never gets out of control and wanders. As
wild and untamed as these songs are, Stark plays his guitar with a
sense of melody and an attention to song detail that never falters.
With songs like Samson’s “Tomorrow Or Yesterday” demanding a steady
rhythm, nothing is lost when Stark starts to explode with guitar
fireworks. The poise and class of this band is really quite
phenomenal. Whether it is the dual harmony leads of Stray Dog’s
“Crazy” or the Rainbow-tinged spirit of Montrose’s “Black Train,”
Mountain Of Power captures the heart and soul of each piece and
delivers a blast of guitar fury that will please even the pickiest
guitar rock fan.
I can’t even remember
the last time I heard anyone tear into guitar solos like this; come
to think of it, it was probably in the 70’s. Every song houses a big
fat guitar part, and each of them is bone crushing. One of the most
impressive selections here is a song called “One Of A Kind.” It was
originally done by a band called Wireless, who had their record
produced by Rush frontman Geddy Lee. Yes, MOP does a wonderful job
in its rendition of the song, but that’s not why I find this
exceedingly impressive. They know who Wireless is!! Wireless is a
band that got past even the most seasoned rock fan when they were
buried by bubblegum pop in the early 80‘s. I find it terribly
exciting to have them back in this setting. It was the same feeling
when I heard their smokin’ version of Captain Beyond’s “Fantasy”
mid-way through the disc. Captain Beyond stands as one of the great
“unknowns” of our time, and it’s great to see a band like MOP
recognize that.
The super riff that
leads Neon Rose‘s “Love Rock”….the bashing of Mountain’s “Dreams Of
Milk & Honey”…..the caressing rhythms and blistering solos
within their original instrumental self-titled song…. No matter what
track you find yourself being assaulted by, you’re in for a real
treat. Guitarist Janne Stark is one of the best in the entire world,
and he has surrounded himself with some of the finest musicians
available. If you are a fan of guitar heavy hard rock, this just
might be the best thing you’ve ever heard.
MySpace profile: www.myspace.com/mountainofpower
Official
website: www.mountainofpower.com
CD
available from: www.grooveyardrecords.com
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
MYSTERY - "Beneath The
Veil Of Winter's Face" (11/2007)
I get CD’s thrown on my desk quite
often, and almost all of them have band names that are new to me. I
always give each disc a fair shake in respect of the efforts that
each band has put forth. But as you might imagine, much of the music
that these discs give out is forgotten just hours, if not minutes,
after I hear it. Some stuff sounds good and some of it bad, but
every once in a while I get something that makes the world stop
turning. “Beneath the Veil of Winter’s Face” is one of those discs
that has taken over my life.
The Unicorn
Digital record label (www.unicorndigital.com) was founded in 1995 by Michel St-Pere as a vehicle to
promote and release the music of his band, Mystery. The primarily
progressive rock label has since been an outlet for many wonderfully
talented acts such as Dimension X, Kopecky, Hamadryad, and guitarist
Daryl Stuermer. With this release, "Beneath The Veil Of Winter's
Face," you’ll find St-Pere handling guitar, bass and keyboard duties
as well as taking on the production responsibilities. And, as if
that wasn’t enough, he wrote all of the music and lyrics (with the
exception of one track) as well. After listening to this spectacular
set you’ll realize that those credits are all quite impressive too.
Not only are all of these tracks incredibly well written and
performed, they are superbly produced also.
The music of
Mystery is progressive, yes, but with a classic rock attitude that
spews with the spirit of early Genesis or Yes and the hooks and
vocal clarity of bands like Styx or Rush. Besides the immense talent
of St-Pere, this band has one of the best singers of the genre in
Benoit David. The crystal clear high tenor is a real breath of life
on this record. Much like Boston’s Brad Delp or Yes’s Jon Anderson
gave a bright and inviting sound to the music of their bands, David
brings all of these great melodies to life. It’s the kind of voice
that never gets tiring; in fact, you can never get enough of it.
Hearing him bellow on the poignant ballad “The Sailor and the
Mermaid,” or listening to his cheerful sway on the opening track
(“As I Am”), I find my spine tingling from time to time.
The thing I find
most appealing about the songs here is the bright, energetic feeling
that they have. Even the more subdued melodies seem to have a
positive cheerfulness to them. For example, the title track has a
choir type of chant with a deeper, more epic feel to it, but the
tight production and the clarity of David’s vocals make the song a
triumphant ray of light. There are so many examples of this kind of
energy that I cannot possibly tell you of all of them, but let me
point out some of my favorites. The amazing production levels of
“Snowhite” are something that every music fan should be treated to.
The two different levels of vocals and the bright smashing keyboard
sound are amazing. This is the perfect song.
Another intricate
part of this record is the many facets of St-Pere’s guitar playing.
Besides simply playing his parts, he provides an atmosphere for many
of these songs too. “Voyage to the Other Side” is a song that best
exemplifies this kind of subtle guitar playing that is so important
to this record. The swirling streaks of sound that are layered
beneath the soaring wail of the traditional guitar part make this
song something extra special. He also shows many styles of playing
on the record as well. Be it the rocking chords of “The Preacher’s
Fall” or the David Gilmour tone at the beginning of “Snowhite,” you
get the feeling that there isn’t much that St-Pere can’t do. If this
doesn’t end up as my Album of the Year, I will be shocked. Musical
artistry doesn’t get too much better than this.
One of the most
amazing things I find with St-Pere and the Unicorn label is the
passion that he has for the music that he makes available. If you go
to the label’s website you won’t be greeted by “everything Mystery”
as you might imagine. Instead, he promotes the latest Dimension X
release heavier than his own band’s incredible CD. As a matter of
fact, you actually have to search a bit to find this release. It’s
this unselfish “love of the game” that sets this label apart from
all the others of its kind. And St-Pere’s unselfish style of playing
and producing is what makes this Mystery album the only one
of its kind.
Official website: http://www.unicornrecords.com/mystery/
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's very special for me when I
can relay some of my musical adventures and experiences to my
readers, but it's even more special when a reader steps up
and shares their experience.
I recently had a great friend and longtime supporter of
Dr. Music's Weekly Checkup do just that. Joe sent his
analysis of some of the great songs that he heard on this Mystery
disc, "Beneath The Veil Of Winter's Face." He expressed a great
fascination for the album and its many lyrical twists. I have
included his commentary below, along with a response from
Michel St.-Pere, the author of these incredibly
thought-provoking lyrics.
As I
Am
Joe: Well produced, but not as strong as
some of the other songs melodically. To me, a confused
individual who, while unsure of what kind of person he is, yearns
for your acceptance of his undefined soul. While
initially he is willing to assist in this undertaking to define
himself, he then has a heroic change of heart as he cries "Let me be
who I am!"
Michel: Not only confused but pushed to be someone he is not,
or do something he does not want to do in order to be socially
accepted, a little bit like a teenage crisis. There is also a
part of resiliance and let go and auto
destruction.
Beneath The
Veil Of Winter's Face
Joe: This is a great song! First, what
is a veil? It is used to keep something hidden. Is
winter a metaphor for an unhappy life? I think so. The
"seasons change" and the "freedom flame" will show the way...but
unfortunately, "the more it changes, the more it stays the
same." There is no escape from
winter...
Michel: Again it is waiting
for something better to happen and choose a path that is different
than the one everybody else chooses. And yes, it is true the more
things change the more they stay the same, and we are not different
from our ancestors, and hopefully we can change things for our
children.
Snowhite
Joe: This song could easily have been on
"A Sleeper's Awakening" (ASA) as it shares the same feel
(although it is of much higher fidelity than ASA). It
describes to me a seedy side of humanity, but within is the glimmer
of hope in the form of a congregation safely inside its church;
the promise of salvation. But is salvation false? The
question is not answered, but perhaps that secret will be
shared in the future and on another
day...
Michel: It is a lot more simplistic
than that, but I love this analysis. Unless Joe is not talking about
Snowhite, I think he will be disapointed about the real meaning of
that song. Still, in the end, I like this analysis. ;-) And
maybe I should not spoil his thoughts by saying what the song is
really about.
The Sailor And
The Mermaid
Joe: This song is poetry. To me he
tells of how he is looking inside himself, searching his mind for a
better life. He cannot describe this "better life" except to
say that he has felt it before, and it is not that which he
is now living in. The boat and ocean are metaphors for his
room, and the loneliness and distance he feels from
happiness and love. His only beacon on this sea is an
almost remembered memory, to which his gateway is the ocean,
vast and limitless as eternity. I believe that the note he
left is a suicide note.
Michel: A suicide, or leaving a life that we are
not meant to be part of. When they find the note, people think
it is a suicide, but he really jumped to follow the mermaid on a
promise of a better life. If it wasn't for the Mermaid he would
have kept sailing his
ship.
The
Awakening
Joe: Likely my favorite
song on the album. I like the way it begins and ends with the
sound of the wind, as though the song was just a fleeting thought
which passed like a summer storm. A hint of King Crimson "I
Talk To The Wind" until the drums and instruments kick in.
The singer, reflecting upon losing all
that was familiar and safe to him, realizes that he no longer
attracts others with the gravitational pull of a sun. His love
has left him...or was it he that pushed her away? In the end I
think he realizes it was the latter, but still he blames her anyway
in one final denial of responsibility for his downward
trajectory.
Michel: I really tought that this song would go unnoticed, and
that would have been sad. However, it is always cited as one of the
best songs on the album. This song is the key for the whole album.
Once you understand the meaning of this song, you get the key for
the whole album. I want to say that I wrote my songs with a
certain theme to it but always make sure I delete all elements that
could give away the real persona of the song. What I mean by this is
that if I write about a Football player (example), I make sure
that for one listener who is working in a factory, the song can be
applied to his life; and it could also be applied for a woman
as well. So as my example here, you do not need to be a football
player to understand the song. That is also why we get
many different analyses for the songs, and I love
that. However, people seem to get the real meaning
anyway.
I had also
found myself surprised of lyrics that I had written, and realized
many years later that they really meant this episode of my life
while I thought I was writing about something
else.
OVERALL
Joe: This is one of the
finest productions I have ever heard. Whoever recorded and
produced this is brilliant! It is clean, crisp, melodic and
intellectual; everything about it makes one want to listen
and become immersed. "Beneath The Veil of Winter' Face" is my
selection for album of the year.
Michel: Thank you very much, I appreciate
it.
Extra special thanks to Joe for sharing his
musical adventure with all of us; and to Michel for taking his
valuable time to respond, and for crafting this incredible work of
art.
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LAWLER, PAUL AND PAUL SPEER featuring Satine
Orient - "Wonders"