             |
NAZARETH - "Hair Of The
Dog" (1/2006)
It’s defined as
“a remedy that contains a small amount of whatever caused the
ailment” in The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, but the phrase
“hair of the dog that bit you” takes on new meaning with this
blizzard of rock fury that Nazareth unleashed in 1975. Not too many
look past their smash hit “Love Hurts” or the title track of this
album, but let me tell you, there is so much more to love
here.
I remember seeing
this one resting against my older brother’s stereo cabinet when it
came out. I was 7 years old and regularly spitting red food coloring
and playing one killer air bass just like my hero, Kiss bassist Gene
Simmons. Yes, it was the height of Kiss’ popularity and not too much
else was getting the attention it may have deserved. But, at least
in my brother’s collection, this album survived the Kiss takeover
and made it under the needle. The first thing that grabbed my
attention was the cover, which was predominantly purple in color
with some sort of hungry mutant dog pack. The back side was somewhat
reminiscent of those splendid Yes covers that were so captivating at
the time. The other thing that caught my attention was the brute
force of the first track on the album. As a 7-year old, anything
that my brothers liked that had the line “Now you’re messin’ with a
son of a bitch” would’ve been a hit regardless; but this tune had a
raw and savage sound that made my heart beat just a little faster.
With the cowbell popping and the drums in tight rhythm, the hammer
of the guitar groove comes strutting through to usher in the blow to
the head that was named Dan McCafferty. Before there was Brian
Johnson and the scratchy rawness of his AC/DC songs, Nazareth singer
Dan McCafferty was belting out a similar primal scream therapy. He
is heard throughout this album bringing a new level of intensity to
songs that already have a sharp sense of feeling to them. The grasp
of the heavy rock songs is great, but what’s more amazing is the
poise in which he translates that passion into a song like “Love
Hurts.” It’s anything but “pretty,” McCafferty’s voice, but somehow
this strong, overpowering screech transforms into a sensitive,
aching entity that bleeds with pain and tenderness. The screeching
hellion that is his voice is best represented by tracks like “Miss
Misery” and, my personal favorite, “Changin’ Times.” This is truly
an excellent performance by McCafferty and his instrument. The
underrated band that backs McCafferty here is also pretty darn
kickin‘.
Guitarist Manny Charlton wasn’t a premier guitar player on the scene
when this record was released, and he never became one of the big
guns either; but, here on “Hair Of The Dog,” he plays these songs as
good as anyone could. Backed by the deep and heavy groove of bassist
Pete Agnew and drummer Darrell Sweet, Charlton displays his
versatility with songs like “Rose In The Heather” and ‘Whiskey
Drinkin’ Woman.” With “Rose,” Charlton holds our hands as he gently
takes us through this instrumental of dreamy, harmonious, electronic
effect-filled guitar that sits nicely in the chaos and grit of the
songs around it. “Whiskey Drinkin’ Woman” finds Charlton settling
into a bluesy riff that plays as the backbone to the tune. Another
treat that this album offers is the final track of the album,
“Please Don’t Judas Me.”; a song with an incredible arrangement that
includes special guest Simon Phillips playing tabla, and Charlton
continuing to experiment with synthesizer and guitar effects.
Charlton not only takes on the guitar duties here, but he turns the
knobs as the producer of this classic as well.
I know that there has been a time in your
life when you got an album of music home and it disappointed you; a
time when a particular record did not live up to your expectations.
The Doctor recommended cure for this would be the “hair of the dog
that bit you.” This disc is “a remedy that contains a small amount
of whatever caused the ailment,” and it’s got large amounts of
ferocious bite. Take a dose of “Hair Of The Dog” and be cured of
what musically ails you.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
NICKELBACK - "All The Right Reasons" (5/2006)
Uncle Sam taught him to shoot
Maybe a little too
well
Finger on the trigger, loaded bullet
He hit the stage so
full of rage
And let the whole world know it
Six feet away,
they heard him say
"Oh God, don't let him pull
it"
Please
God, don't let him pull it
How could you put us through
it?
His brother watched you do it
How
could you take his life away? (What made you think you had the
right?)
How could you be so full of hate? (To take away
somebody's life)
And when I heard you let him die
And made the
world all wonder why
I sat at home and on my own I cried
alone
I scratched your name
On the side of a
bullet
Lyrics from "Side Of A
Bullet"
I
know all about the rep that this band has in the metal circles.
Nickelback is considered to be "pretty boy" metal, often dubbed as a
"passing phase" or wimpy pop radio fodder. Let me tell you, when the
band delivers lines like the one's above, they are a legitimate
force of rock 'n' roll bombast. Written for their fallen comrade,
ex-Damageplan / Pantera guitar legend Dimebag Darrell Abbott, "Side
Of A Bullet" is a song that should completely bury a lot of the
"prettiness" attached to the Nickelback name. There is an authentic,
pissed off, burning anger inside of singer Chad Kroeger that comes
smashing through on this tune. I think it's time we start to give
this band the respect it deserves. Don't get me wrong, they get
caught in the snafu of writing the radio hit again on this record,
but let's face it; these guys can rock out with the best of them for
a majority of the time.
I was about
to write that Nickelback is at their best when they play the heavy
groove, but I had to stop myself. Nickelback is just as good when
they write the radio hits like "Someday" from their last release,
"The Long Road," and "How You Remind Me" from their breakthrough
album, "Silver Side Up." They have perfected the art of balancing
melodic radio rock with fist pumping heavy metal. Nobody does it
better. I think the band shows its small weaknesses when they start
getting simple and adolescent with their lyrics.
Is
that your hand on my girlfriend?
Is that your hand?
I wish
you'd do it again
I'll watch you leave here limping
There
goes the next contestant
Lyrics from
"Next Contestant"
These lyrics come across as "tough talk" when the band is powering
them, but they just sound like an episode of "General Hospital" or
some schoolyard banter when they stand alone. They had something
similar to this kind of amateur-ish writing with their hit "Figured
You Out." Talk like "I like your pants around your feet" gets you
placed in the Old School Metal doghouse real fast. You must ask
yourself, "Would Black Sabbath or Metallica, or even newcomers like
Disturbed and Godsmack, ever utter these words?" Uhhhhh, ....no. So,
we've figured out why the old school, "true" metal fan have turned
on these guys; now let's find out why these guys have turned on
almost every other fan of rock 'n' roll out there. It's really very
simple - they can write catchy songs, and they can
play.
The disc starts off by rattling off a few
heavy, grinding rockers that really show that this band is capable
off dishing out the meat and potatoes metal. The tight, aggressive
grooves make "Follow You Home," "Fight For All The Wrong Reasons,"
and "Animals" three of the heavier songs in the Nickelback catalog.
To hear the Bon Jovi-type radio single "Photograph" sandwiched
between these hammering tunes, is like feeding the family Chihuahua
to a hungry bear; you love your Chihuahua, but you also like to feed
that bear. Now, this is where the album goes a little south. We get
two more of those Bon Jovi-types, and it just seems to slow down the
record a bit. "Savin' Me" and "Far Away" are both good songs, but I
think it's a case of enough is enough. I love you, I miss you, yadda
yadda yadda; we used to call them "chick tunes" back in the day. Two
in a row is two too many for this band. Now that we have plenty of
food for that hungry bear though, it comes back by way of "Next
Contestant" and "Side Of A Bullet." But the band quickly returns to
churning out another Kidz Bop destined radio tune called "If
Everyone Cared." They go on to give us "Someone That You're With,"
which is more of a straight forward rock song that, like almost all
of Nickelback's material, is well written with great structure and
hooks. It isn't until the final track of the record that we get a
new look from Nickelback. "Rock Star" is a song with enough lyrics
that just might qualify it as a novel. They're all creatively pieced
together to form a sort of Country rock rap about the rock star
lifestyle, with a hint of Kid Rock-influenced attitude thrown in on
the choruses.
Well we all just wanna be big
rock stars
And live in hilltop houses driving fifteen cars
The girls come easy and the drugs come cheap
We'll all stay
skinny 'cause we just won't eat
And we'll hang out in the
coolest bars
With the VIP's and the movie stars
Every good
gold digger's gonna wind up there
Every Playboy bunny with her
bleach blond hair
And we'll hide out in the private rooms
With the latest dictionary of today's who's who
They'll get
you anything with that evil smile
Everybody's got a drug dealer
on speed dial
Hey hey I wanna be a rock star
Lyrics from "Rock
Star"
If you're a Nickelback fan, and have enjoyed
their previous albums, I see no reason why you wouldn't find this to
be to your liking. Nickelback is a regular hit machine that has
found the perfect delicate balance of hard rock and radio rock. If
nothing else, they prove that they are consistent. They have been
popping out their brand of catchy rock songs for quite some time
now, and they show no signs of slowing down here. I'm just hoping
that the next record is full of those hungry bears, 'cause I hate
Chihuahuas.
OVERALL RATING: 7
________________________________________________________________________________________________
NIGHTWISH -
"Wishmaster"
(8/2004)
Let me start out by
telling you that this record was released in 2000. Let me also tell
you it is the only release from this Finnish act that I could find
at my local record store. Now, let me tell you how much I
love this band, and this record.
Sounding like nothing else on the
planet, this unique band has bridged the gap between Opera and
Metal. Think of a true opera singer with the likes of a Dream
Theater-type band behind her. That's the only way to try and
explain what infiltrated my ears when I first heard this band.
Singer Tarja Turunen is in a class by herself. Much like Jethro Tull
made the flute a Rock instrument, or Kansas rocked out with a violin
solo; Nightwish takes a genuine full blown opera singer, and makes
her a tool for churning out molten metal songs that
have incredible depth. Make no mistake either, she is not an
"operatic" singer; she is a straight up Opera singer. The band to
back this incredible voice is nothing short of stupendous also. With
all music and lyrics being written by keyboard player Tuomas
Holopainen, he has written a spine-tingling masterpiece here. Many
comparisons have been drawn to Evanescence, as of late. The only
similarity I really hear is that both bands have a great female
singer. I believe that the similarities end there. The ladies have
two completely different vocal styles, Tarja Turunen being an opera
singer and Amy Lee being more of a rock vocalist. The bands have two
totally different music styles also; Nightwish is a more complex and
progressive act, where Evanescence is much more mainstream. Both
bands are wonderful, but make no mistake.....they are
different.
From the very first track, we start an expedition of tremendous all
around musicianship. Turunen is a shock to the ears when you first
hear her. With the unexpected wailing of her triumphant tone on "She
Is My Sin", and the medieval chant of the record's second
track "The Kinslayer", you have no choice but to be shocked by
what this act is doing. An incredible band accompaniment makes
these first two tracks simply stunning. The surprises never
really subside either. From the light flute pieces in "Come Cover
Me" and "FantasMic" to the mounting drama of "Dead Boy's Poem", this
record is loaded with a diverse collection of pleasurable nuances.
Take note of the heavenly drum track on "Wanderlust", and the great
guitar riff to fire up "Crownless", or the guitar effect on "Deep
Silent Complete"; this is an all around group contribution that
is highlighted by Turunen's extraordinary vocal talent. Having
all the music and lyrics written by the keyboard player also,
you can just imagine what this has to offer on the keyboard
front. Many of the keyboard arrangements simply compliment the music
that surrounds them. The keyboards never move in and take over
any of these songs. It only makes sense that some of the finest
written keyboard parts would be written by the guy playing them,
huh?!
Great drum tracks, exquisite keyboard pieces, and adequate guitar
grind complementing one of the best singers in the world - what more
could you ask for?! As the record continues dealing out appetizing,
elaborate, and sensitive arrangements, you soon realize that this
can't get much better. Songs like "Come Cover Me", "Wanderlust",
"Bare Grace Misery" and "Crownless" all have a slight classic metal
influence to them; but with its' dark and haunting lyrics, its'
instrumental complexity, and Ms. Turunen singing, they barely
resemble anything that has come before them. With Turunen and her
opera stylings, any and all similarities to anything and
everything go straight out the window. There will always be those
who'll want to mention Iron Maiden, Dream Theater or Evanescence
though, when trying to describe this unparagoned
pleasure.
The
only thing lacking here is that "Perfect 10 tingle"; you know, the
shiver that keeps sprinting to and fro on the track that is your
spine. This is one of the most peerless presentations ever offered
in the metal genre, though. One of the most unique and
delightfully appealing sounds I've ever experienced. Hooray for ingenuity, originality, and talent. Hooray
for Nightwish.
OVERALL
RATING: 9
NINE INCH
NAILS - "With Teeth" (7/2005)
With teeth......hmmm.
With teeth......that must
mean that Trent is going to chew me up and spit me out with all of
the vicious, blood thirsty, rock and roll bite that he has
previously displayed on his most impressive material. Yes,
this one is going to brutalize my senses and attack me like the
neighbor's pit bull...........right?
With
teeth?
Hardly. This should be
called "With Dentures".
A long time ago, I think
it was sometime in the 50's, Trent Reznor was the most intense thing
that music had ever seen. "Pretty Hate Machine" was a techno-metal,
industrial genre pioneer. His "Broken" EP was simply mind blowing,
and "The Downward Spiral" wasn't far behind that. The last we heard
from Trent though, which really was a very long time ago, we got a
two disc serving of pure trash called "The Fragile". Since that
double set, he had influenced an entire genre of similar
artists to carry the torch in his absence. At the head of the pack
was an entity by the name of Marilyn Manson, a band which Reznor
helped popularize as well as produce. Manson took the intensity way
past the limits of imagination and he quickly became Reznor's
monster. Could Reznor, or anyone for that matter, possibly match the
intensity and artistry that Manson brought to the genre? Apparently
not. Now a lot of you are going, "You can't slam
Trent just because he's not like Manson!" And, to you I say, "Why
not?" NIN and Marilyn Manson are two peas in the same industrial
metal pod. Manson has a raw energy that can rip your heart out, and
a creepiness that even scares some fathers, as well as all the
mothers in the world. Trent is "Manson Lite" now. A step down
in intensity and songwriting ability is about all we get with this
record.
I shouldn't tell you that
this entire record is a disaster, because it's not. We get a few
decent songs that might demand your attention for a while, but not
too many. I found myself wanting to throw on a REAL album of this
type, like Manson's "Antichrist Superstar". Just mentioning that one
gives me chills, and makes me not even want to review this thing.
So, don't worry, I'll be brief. The record starts with a sleeper.
Right from the start the record begins dragging its feet. "All The
Love In The World" isn't a horrible song; it's just a horrible song
to open an album that's posing as your comeback effort after a very
long hiatus. I think others, as well as myself, were looking for raw
energy and "bite" from this opening track - and instead we get a
drab ballad-type song similar to The Downward Spiral's "Hurt". It's
more about bad song placement than it is bad song, I
guess. The record starts to come alive in the second song, "You Know
What You Are?", but the chorus of "Don't you f**king know what you
are" being screamed over and over sounds a bit forced. Yeah, that's
right, wannabe Marilyn Manson. Songs like "The Collector", "Love Is
Not Enough", "With Teeth", and "Getting Smaller" are all tunes that
are similar in style to The Downward Spiral material, just not
as sharp and well written. It's no wonder that "The Hand That Feeds"
is the single - it's the best song hands down here. A tune that is
musically and lyrically sharp. "Every Day Is Exactly The Same" is
another single worthy tune. I find it a bit dull, but it is one that
will have you singing all day. "Sunspots" and "Beside You In Time"
are senseless feedback experiments that will lull you to sleep. And,
"Right Where It Belongs" is "Hurt" from The Downward
Spiral. This is a case of another decent song that is in the wrong
place. If this album didn't suck, and had power and force throughout
up until this point, this song would be a welcome addition to the
mix; but, this album does suck, so it's just another boring song
here.
Okay, I'm done.
Now......where's that Manson record.
OVERALL
RATING: 3
OSBOURNE, OZZY - "Prince Of Darkness" 4-disc box
set
It's always a
difficult task, writing a review for a box set. There are some that
are looking for a great big fat Greatest Hits package, and there are
others that are enthused by four or five discs of unreleased
demos and b-sides. Well, whichever you prefer, as long
as you're a fan of Ozzy, you should be pleased either way with
this one. This is a four disc box with some unreleased live cuts,
demos, b-sides, collaborations with other artists, and an
entire disc dedicated to the rock 'n' roll rebel's take on some
of his favorite tunes of the past. On top of all that you get
musically with this one, you also get some great liner
notes. An intro letter, as well as some brief comments about
each selection from the man himself, make this a real
introspective look into the career of a heavy metal
legend.
I'll break this down
disc by disc for you, and you will notice that it is arranged in
chronological order starting with the legendary first solo album,
"Blizzard Of Ozz", as part of DISC ONE; and winds down with the
newly recorded disc of cover songs that make up DISC FOUR.
DISC
ONE
This is a disc that the astute Osbourne fan will
probably be bored with. With the exception of "Spiders", a nice
b-side from the "Bark At The Moon" era, this disc is filled with
stuff that the dedicated fan already has. Even "Spiders" can be
found on the remastered version of the "Bark At The Moon" CD. It
does contain some decent unreleased live tracks, but the highlights
here are the classic tracks like "Crazy Train" and "You Can't Kill
Rock And Roll". This disc covers material through the "Bark At The
Moon" album. Track listing is as follows:
1. I Don't Know (live)
2. Mr. Crowley
3.
Crazy Train
4. Goodbye To Romance (live)
5. Suicide
Solution (live)
6. Over The Mountain
7. Flying High Again
(live)
8. You Can't Kill Rock And Roll
9. Diary Of A
Madman
10. Bark At The Moon (live b-side)
11. Spiders
(b-side)
12. Rock And Roll Rebel
13. You're No
Different
The "IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
INTERESTING THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE" rating: 2
The "GREAT SONGS ANY WAY YOU SLICE
THEM" rating: 9
DISC
TWO
This disc, much like
the first, is one that is just the second
part of the greatest hits package that started in disc
one. We get lots of unreleased demos and live
cuts, but most of them don't hold any real surprises. It
is interesting to hear the original demo of "Facing Hell" from the
"Down To Earth" disc though. This original demo entitled
"Bang Bang (You're Dead)" has a totally different lyrical landscape,
which gives the listener another angle in which to listen to the
tune. Depending on what you expect from a box set, this will
probably bore the loyal Ozzy fan. Personally, if I never heard
another live recording I'd be fine. I am just not a fan of the
live sound. And when I get a demo track to listen to, I am hoping to
hear some significant differences somewhere - either in arrangement,
or lyrically, or perhaps a different singer. Most of these
demos have only slight variation from the original
versions, with the exception of "Bang Bang (You're Dead)". Track
listing is as follows:
1. Ultimate Sin
(live)
2. Never Know Why (live)
3. Thank God For The Bomb
(live)
4. Crazy Babies
5. Breaking All The Rules
6. I Don't
Want To Change The World (demo)
7. Mama, I'm Coming Home
(demo)
8. Desire (demo)
9. No More Tears (single
version)
10. Won't Be Coming Home(S.I.N.) (demo)
11. Perry
Mason (live from Ozzfest live album)
12. See You On The Other
Side (demo)
13. Walk On Water (demo)
14. Gets Me Through
(live)
15. Bang Bang(You're Dead) (original demo for "Facing
Hell")
16. Dreamer
The "IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
INTERESTING THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE" rating: 2
The "GREAT SONGS ANY WAY YOU SLICE
THEM" rating: 6
DISC
THREE
Now, this is where it
gets interesting. This is a disc devoted to collaborations that Ozzy
has been involved with over his incredible career. With
everyone from Motorhead to Miss Piggy making an appearance here,
this is a real interesting disc.
I am the biggest
Sabbath fan on the planet(and if Mars has any, I'm bigger than them
too), so of course I have both of the Sabbath tribute records.
The first four tracks here are from those two records. With the
exception of "Psycho Man", the recently recorded Sabbath tune for
their live album "Reunion" and a few others, these tunes
all have a tongue-in-cheek goofiness to them. For myself,
I am thrilled to now own the collaborations with Miss Piggy and
Dweezil Zappa. I don't really love anything on this disc, but it
does round out any Ozzy fan's collection. I am the type of fan that
wants to own everything that an artist has ever recorded, no
matter how bad or ridiculous it may sound; this disc satisfies that
craving for completion. Even if you have the tribute records, the
Sabbath "Reunion" album, and the Infectious Grooves album with
"Therapy" on it like I do, you'll still get a suitcase full of
tracks that you don't have - and that's always a good
thing.
1. Iron Man (Ozzy with Therapy?)
2.
N.I.B. (Ozzy with Primus)
3. Purple Haze (Ozzy with Zakk Wylde, Randy
Castillo & Geezer Butler)
4. Pictures Of Matchstick Men
(Ozzy with Type O Negative)
5. Shake Your Head (Let's Go
To Bed) (Ozzy with Was Not Was)
6. Born To Be Wild (Ozzy
with Miss Piggy)
7. Nowhere To Run (Vapor Trail) (Ozzy
with Crystal Method, DMX, Ol' Dirty Bastard &
Fuzzbubble)
8. Psycho Man (with Black
Sabbath)
9. For Heavens Sake 2000 (Ozzy with Tony
Iommi & Wu-Tang Clan)
10. I Ain't No Nice Guy (Ozzy with
Motorhead)
11. Therapy (Ozzy with Infectious
Grooves)
12. Stayin' Alive (Ozzy with Dweezil
Zappa)
13. Dog, The Bounty Hunter
The "IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING
INTERESTING THAT YOU DON'T ALREADY HAVE" rating: 7
The "GREAT SONGS ANY WAY YOU SLICE
THEM" rating: 3
DISC
FOUR
This is the
reason I bought this box to be honest with you. I have just about
everything on the first two discs, and the third disc has a wealth
of nonsensical stuff. This was an entire disc of stuff that I didn't
have, and better yet, it's full of great classic songs. Now, the
only question that remained was "Is Ozzy's take on this classics
worth hearing?" Well, for me it's about 50/50. I like his take on
"21st Century Schizoid Man", "Mississippi Queen",
"Fire", "Sympathy For The Devil", and "Working Class Hero".
Some nifty arrangement alterations make "21st Century Schizoid Man"
and "Sympathy For The Devil" an interesting listen; "Fire" is just a
song that suits Ozzy perfectly; and "Working Class Hero" is a
song that captures the deeper, haunting voice that we heard
from Ozzy in the early Sabbath years. "For What It's Worth",
"All The Young Dudes", and "In My Life" are songs that are too far
removed from Ozzy's tone and style. I think if he would have
rearranged them instead of doing them straight up he might've made
these songs his own, but he just ends up sounding awkward and out of
place here. "Good Times" is off the beaten path too, but
it
is quite fun I will admit. The real blast
of pure schlock comes with a version of the Sabbath classic,
"Changes." Ozzy duets with daughter Kelly, and they alter the
lyrics to fit the occasion; "She is my woman" being changed to
"She is my baby" ....things like that. First of all, not
even Ozzy should have the right to alter the holy works of the
immortal Black Sabbath. And secondly, a Sabbath song should never be
made into a cute, cuddly, and really corny father-daughter dance.
1. 21st Century Schizoid Man (King
Crimson)
2. Mississippi Queen
(Mountain)
3. All The Young Dudes
(Mott The Hoople)
4. In My Life (The
Beatles)
5. Fire (Arthur Brown)
6. For
What It's Worth (Buffalo Springfield)
7. Sympathy For The
Devil (Rolling Stones)
8. Working Class Hero (John
Lennon)
9. Good Times (Eric
Burdon)
10. Changes - duet with Kelly Osbourne
(Black Sabbath)
OVERALL RATING: 6
So, that's what you get for
your 40-50 bucks; along with a beautiful 60-page booklet with great
photos and a brief quote from Ozzy for each song in the collection,
among other things. For my 45 bucks I feel like I got one pretty
cool disc of covers, another disc with some goofy, hard to find
collaboration rarities, and a really nice booklet. Is it worth the
$45 price tag? Not really; at least not for me, anyway. Ozzy has
just released the fourth disc of this set all by itself, with a few
added tracks. For the fan who has all of the Ozzy albums and a few
of the collaborative things on disc three, paying only $12 or $13
for the fourth disc alone is a great alternative. Or even better
yet, you can usually buy the whole deal used at Amazon.com for
around $20.
I think the concept of the
box set, in general, means different things to different people. But
I can say that no matter how hard Ozzy tries to make a parody of
himself, be it with "The Osbournes" series or with his cornball duet
with daughter Kelly as they trample sacred ground here, one thing
will always remain - Ozzy truly is the Prince Of
Darkness.
OVERALL RATING FOR THE ENTIRE BOX SET:
6
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
OUTKAST -
"Speakerboxxx / The Love Below" (4/2004)
Yo homies, ya'll gonna have
to 'scuse me on dis one.....dawgs.
After watching the Grammy
show, and seeing these guys take home the Album Of The Year award
(which, I feel, should have been given to Evanescence), I felt
a need to see what all the buzz was about. I also have a
"patient" out there that highly recommended this 2-disc set, and
she's dying to hear what I think about it.
Being a big fan of the 70's
funk sound (you know, the wicked bass lines, the blazing brass
sections, the soulful background singers), I was excited to hear
that this record had some of those key ingredients. Many have
described Outkast as being from the "Parliament School Of Funk", and
that alone sounds exciting to me. And, oh yeah, they won a
few Grammys - so, the record has to be decent, right? Well,
...let's take a look.
What you get here is a
great solution to the ever complicated "musical differences"
problem. This is a two disc set, with two drastically different
discs. As I read through the songwriting credits, I noticed
that each disc has its own key songwriter, and the two
rarely ever collaborate. Antwan "Big Boi" Patton is a writer or
co-writer on every track of the "Speakerboxxx" side, and contributes
to only one track on the "The Love Below" side. Andre' "3000"
Benjamin writes almost the whole "The Love Below" side himself.
Now, when I say the two discs are drastically different, I really
want to say that one consists of some really good solid 70's
funk stuff, and the other consists of trendy, adolescent "pimp
rap" hogwash. Patton's "Speakerboxxx" stuff is worth a listen,
while Andre' 3000's "The Love Below" side misses the
mark.
Let's go over the good news
first. "Speakerboxxx" is a keenly produced funk fest of great
proportion. You have all the elements of traditional 70's funk
reminiscent of Parliament/Funkadelic. "Ghetto Musick" maintains
a brisk, almost thrashing pace that subsides only to allow for a
soulful background singer bridge. It's original material that
incorporates some things from the past, while keeping it all
sounding fresh and new. As we move into the cool sound of
"Unhappy", we are immediately treated to the big hook of the song's
chorus. It's mostly a straight forward rap, with some good
background harmony, and a nice big hook. The horns start
to kick in early when "Bowtie" starts to rock and sway. This is what
Outkast does really well, but they just don't do it enough.
"Bowtie" is funky, rhythmic, soulful, and an overall delight. With
"The Way You Move", Outkast returns to having another killer hook
drive a straight rap tune. You can't help but like the harmonic
vocals, and the cool brass contained within the chorus here. It
really is great stuff. Keeping to traditional funk rule, they keep
the horns active throughout the "Speakerboxxx" side. "The Rooster"
plays like a modern Parliament song, keeping the horns blaring and
the rhythm smooth. On "Speakerboxxx", they rarely get to any of the
typical, juvenile obscenities that many in the rap genre resort
to. They stay fairly consistent with a traditional funk formula,
while adding some simple, harmless rap elements. They stray off
the path a bit with "War", but get right back on track with the
impressive "Church" as the next track. "Church" has yet another
hopping hook that is very infectious. Ironically, they end the
disc with some father and son banter that ends up "going south" when
the son tries his hand at rapping, and starts in with the
"motherf**ker" thing. Of course, dad thinks it's hilarious,
.....while the Doc thinks it's revolting.
All in all though,
"Speakerboxxx" has some real positive components, and makes for
quite an enjoyable listen.
*
* *
*
* *
*
Unfortunately, the horns
subside and the trash talk comes to the forefront here on "The Love
Below" side. With four tracks that are just plain stupid and
adolescent trash talkers, "The Love Below" brings this album to its
knees. "God (Interlude)" finds one of these guys talking to a
female God, asking for a "sweet bitch" that "doesn't even need to
have a big ol' ass". This is after telling God that he's never
cheated on any of his girlfriends, except for getting some
head, but "head don't count, right?" Yeah, this is junk. "Where
Are My Panties?" is another big waste of time that's meant to appeal
to the libido of a 13 year old boy. JUNK. "Good Day, Good Sir"
makes no sense and has no redeeming value. JUNK. "A Life In The Day
Of Benjamin Andre'" being the biggest waste of time, it clocks in at
just over five minutes of monotonous talking/rapping. JUNK. Four
garbage, filler tracks that waste over 10 minutes. It can only get
better, .....right?
The side starts out with a
somewhat impressive show of class musically, with a "lounge act"
jazz sound; but, like much of "The Love Below", the lyrics are
beyond ridiculous. "Roses" is the best example of ruining a
good thing. This is a delicious hook that reels you in, and
then feeds you these lines:
"I know you'd like to thank your sh*t don't stank
But lean a little bit
closer
See that roses really smell like
boo-boo
Yeah, roses really smell like
boo-boo"
By far the best tune on this side musically, it gets
cut down with this nonsense. I told you earlier that Antwan "Big
Boi" Patton contributed to only one track on the "The Love Below"
side, wouldn't you know it's this one, the best one musically. It's
pretty clear to me, that we have two very different styles that both
needed to have their own disc here. As you roam through this
disc you find a few inviting ideas that are either ruined lyrically
("Spread", "Roses"), or just run on incessantly ("Happy Valentine's
Day", "Vibrate", "Pink & Blue"). Even the guest appearance of
sultry diva Norah Jones on "Take Off Your Cool", can't save the
track from just sounding lost and incomplete.
There are a few things
worth listening to, like "Behold A Lady", "Hey Ya", "Dracula's
Wedding" or the cool jazz/R&B sound of "Prototype", but
most of these songs are lacking one thing or another. Maybe the most
bizarre, and somewhat appealing, thing on this disc is the jazzy
instrumental of the "The Sound Of Music" classic "My Favorite
Things". An adrenaline loaded drum bit with a great piano piece,
topped with some horn parts, this is impressive work that strays way
off the path.
Here's what it comes down
to, .....if you're a sucker for redundant dance beats, and have no
regard for lyrical content, you might just enjoy "The Love Below".
If you like well crafted funk arrangements, some jumping brass
parts, and a slew of catchy hooks.....the "Speakerboxxx" side is the
cat's meow.
So, ...how do I rate this
thing anyway?! Hmmmm.........
"Speakerboxxx" rating:
7 "The Love
Below" rating: 3
OVERALL
RATING: 5
PACK, DAVID - "The Secret Of Movin' On" (12/2005)
David Pack, the sweet and passionate voice
behind easy rock hit makers Ambrosia, presents an album of artistic
and well written songs that fans of the Ambrosia style will surely
appreciate. A wealth of accomplished guests is present on the record
as well. You can find Heart’s vocal powerhouse Ann Wilson lending
her pipes to the opening and title track, which also happens to be
the first single from the disc. A song that is your typical easy
rock formula is wonderfully presented here with a great arrangement
courtesy of Rippingtons founder/guitarist Russ Freeman and smooth
jazz staple David Benoit, along with Pack himself. Another brilliant
arrangement with beautiful jazz inflections abound is the next
track, “Vertical Disbelief (That’s Not Me).” With a fantastic sax
solo from Eric Marienthal, and a Michael McDonald-type style to
it, Pack creates a smooth jazz masterpiece. “Tell Her Goodbye” is a
track that finds America singer/guitarist Dewey Bunnell singing like
James Taylor to a kind of Leon Redbone-type tempo. “A Brand New
Start” finds ex-Journey singer Steve Perry contributing his
production skills as well as his vocals on this syrupy ballad.
“Where We Started From” brings in guest vocalist, ex-Eagles/Poco
guitarist Timothy B. Schmidt to help make this an adult contemporary
gem. Pack rehashes a couple of Ambrosia’s biggest hits here also
(“Biggest Part of Me” and “You’re The Only Woman”), an exercise that
I usually frown upon. The new arrangements are slightly different,
and the songs still sound great here though. “The Secret of Movin’ On” is very much
rooted in the Adult Contemporary/Easy Rock genre, and Pack proves
that he can still write songs with the best of
them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PACTO DE
SANGRE - "Alerta"
(9/2007)
It begins as
so many metal albums before it have - the deep, ominous voice
telling its haunting tale; the tolling of a bell; pipe organ
keyboards that lead to a razor sharp metal riff. Yes it’s all been
done before, but this time there’s a twist - it’s in Spanish, and it
kicks ass.
This first track, which happens to also
be the title track, is an excellent song that brings back all the
best things about classic metal. With vocals reminiscent of bands
like Queensryche, TNT, and Tokyo Blade, and some great melodies to
match, this is quite refreshing to hear. The track also appears at
the end of the album, only this time it is sung in English; both
versions of the tune stand proud and strong. As the album moves
along, Pacto de Sangre stick to the classic metal formulas with
great success. The ballads “Ve a Predicar” and “Amen” are the
stereotypical power metal ballads, but they have excellent melody
going for them and a talented band to bring the well written
melodies to life. The band does wander a bit off the beaten path
with songs like “La Ley De Dios,” which has a faster-paced, more
aggressive sound reminiscent of early Anthrax. And songs like “Cae,
Cae” and “Arrepientete” border on the verge of death metal, complete
with growling bulldog vocals. I think the band is out of its realm
on these tracks, but the talent of the band still makes the songs
worth listening to. This band is best when it let’s the vocals soar
with the great melodies, and the guitars are enhancing those
melodies with nice tone and abrupt licks.
All in
all, this is a real thrill ride for the classic metal fan that
misses the "good ol’ days."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PARALLEL MIND
- "Colossus ADEA"
(8/2005)
I hate records like this.
You know, the ones that have so many
marvelous things happening that you'll never be able to tell
everyone about all of them. I mean, how do I tell of the small
things, like some of the amazing cymbal patterns being played by
drummer Joe Babiak; or the wicked bass lines being played by bass
virtuoso William Kopecky; or the variety of keyboard segments from
keyboardist Nibandh Nadkarni that had me scraping my jaw off the
linoleum? What right do these guys in Parallel Mind have, making me
review this complex and utterly astounding record of theirs? Yeah,
that's right, they're "making me" do this review; because,
you see, I haven't been able to sleep since I started listening
to this stuff. And, until I tell the world as much about this record
as I possibly can, I will not be able to rest
peacefully.
Parallel Mind is a progressive,
almost jazz fusion, trio consisting mainly of keyboards, bass, and
drums. They will, at times, sound like 70's classic rock bands like
Kansas, Yes, Angel, or Emerson, Lake & Palmer. At other times,
their sound will be more Herbie Hancock meets Bob James
with Narada Michael Walden on drums. (And let me tell you, I
don't get reminded of Narada very often while listening to
music today. Drummer Joe Babiak is one very special, gifted
musician.) And, to top it all off, these sounds are all arranged
with a modern Dream Theater-like precision and intensity.
So, here's what I'm going to do with
this monster. I'm going to give you the breakdown of each thing that
needs to be heard here, and give you the exact place to find each of
them. Damn these guys for making a stinking record
review into a seminar on music theory and analysis.
Jeez.
1. Chromanic
--- 0:01....That's right, from the very first second things get
interesting. We hear the staccato
pounding of
high pitched keys that
remind the listener of the shower scene in "Psycho."
2:15....Bassist William Kopecky assumes a lead
guitar-like role, and carries the entire song with a
simply pulchritudinous riff that has the rest of
the band stepping back for a few moments.This
is a quality that Kopecky has shown me numerous
times with some of his other projects,
and a rare quality only found in the best of
bass players.
5:40....Guest musician Saar Schnitman unleashes a guitar solo that
acts as a centerpiece to the
fourteen
minute-plus song. The
setting for the solo makes for a moment that is reminiscent of
a solo from, say, "Time" from Pink Floyd's classic, "Dark Side Of The Moon;" but
at the
same time, the guitar sound is more
Yngwie Malmsteen than David Gilmour. A
really
interesting and beautifully placed solo.
7:52....A drum segment that smokes.
8:05....A trumpet solo that
smokes.
8:51....A Deep Purple-like keyboard solo that
smokes.
2. Opposite Of Know ---
0:40....Yeah, it took a whopping 40 seconds this time. Excuse me
while I piece my jaw
back together. This is a
keyboard intro of lightning speed, and a vibrancy that sets
the
tone for a perfect arrangement.
4:04....A new keyboard sound is introduced that
is reminiscent of, say, 70's keyboard-based
band
Angel and their keyboard master Gregg
Giuffria.
5:50....Just another straight out keyboard solo
jam, backed by one of the best rhythm
sections you will ever hear.
During this entire track we
hear drummer Joe Babiak going through an excruciating drill with
rolling toms, and some shining percussion that is just
flabbergasting. And, of course, Kopecky is doing his thing once
again. This song has an overall mood and
keyboard sound reminiscent of, say, "Magnum Opus" from the
great Kansas album "Leftoverture."
3. Colossus ADEA - The
Guardian --- Another song reminiscent of the Kansas keyboard sound.
This may be the best
track to hear Babiak and Kopecky give a clinic
on what a rhythm section
should sound like. They hammer out a groove
while doing all sorts of fills, and
the
like.
4. -
Into The Depths --- With whale-like sounds that seem to be
submersed, and a haunting Indian
Classical vocal from Suman
Nadkarni, this is a song that plays out like the
score
to a horror film or some "Titanic" dark
moments. This is definitely the
"moodiest" piece on the record. It takes the record in an entirely different
direction, without
jeopardizing the flow of the record in the least
bit. The track
comes at a perfect time in this set.
5.
- Underwater Cities --- 0:01....Listen to bassist William
Kopecky follow the piano intro. His playing
compliments the piano piece perfectly. And as
the piano piece
changes, Kopecky's playing changes also, but
never strays from
keeping the flawless rhythm of the song.
2:26....Keyboardist Nibandh Nadkarni changes the sound of his keys, and
plays an ELP-like solo that acts like the
traditional guitar would in
any classic rock song.
6. -
Resurface Earth --- 0:01....Listen to that drum intro. Yes, yes,
yes.
0:48....Kopecky is playing a 6-string bass on this record, and he
shows you
what it is capable of here. He plays a small
accompaniment solo
that shines.
1:38....Once
again, the keyboards change and play out like a wailing guitar
before
settling back into the base rhythm of the track
once again.
7. Casa De Jig --- 0:01....Oh my,
what a great melody! Listen again to Kopecky just go into a frenzy
of funky bass
fills here, and throughout this entire track.
This guy is unbelievable.
4:04....The band goes into a Latino-like jig, complete with a
jamming trumpet, and then settles
back
into the form of the song.
5:36....Hand claps. That's a sure intro to a Irish fiddle
led jig; and the group does not disappoint.
With
guest violin player Hamid Assian playing his
fiddle like a true Irishman, it's enough to
make
The Dubliners or The Drovers stand up and take
notice.
This is my favorite song on the
record for a number of reasons. The light, airy melody is loose
and free, and just a joy to listen to. Kopecky's bass on this track
is stupendous, and I just can't believe I'm actually hearing someone
this good. I think this song is artistic genius that
incorporates all the great elements of Jazz, while sticking to a
progressive rock style. Amazing.
8. Beginning's End ---
0:01....What a menacing intro of swirling synthesizer! This thing
just screams, "I'm going to be
heavy!"
2:05....Babiak starts it with a drum beat, ........Kopecky rocks a
brilliant bass line, .......and
then Nadkarni
lets loose with a dark, crushing
keyboard sound that is just devastating.
The darkest moment on the record happens right here, and it's beautiful.
5:12....Ahhh.....yet
another incredible bass solo.
9:44....After a dreamy dip in the song's progression, a welcome
change in keyboard sound
opens up into an elaborate solo of grand
proportion, and then gently walks us through
to the end of the track, and the album.
These are stunning performances
that I am still amazed by. These are three of the most talented
musicians in the world. William Kopecky proves,
once again, that he can play anything. With The Flyin' Ryan Brothers
and Michael Angelo he plays hard rock, with Far Corner he plays an
eclectic chamber sound, and here he plays a jazz fusion /
progressive rock chart, much like his primary band
KOPECKY, that is of immeasurable skill. Drummer Joe Babiak is a precision player. He adds drum
fills constantly. He plays his kit like a doctor doing heart
surgery. A finely crafted, perfectly executed attack that leaves the
patient thankful he had the procedure done. I mentioned Narada
Michael Walden earlier. I never thought I would say this,
but ......this guy is pretty close. And then
there is the man on the keys, Nibandh Nadkarni. I cannot even begin
to explain what this man has done here. I can honestly say that
this may be the best recorded keyboard performance I think
I have ever heard. I will just leave it alone, right
there.
Well, now that I've gotten that
off my chest, maybe I can start listening to something
else.
And maybe, just maybe, I can get
some sleep now.
OVERALL RATING:
9
PEARL JAM - “Pearl
Jam” (11/2006) "EMERGENCY
SURGERY" feature
Like all of you, I was a big fan of the
first Pearl Jam record, “Ten.” The modern rock masterpiece set a new
trend in motion, and it still stands as one of the trademark albums
of the grunge movement. Their follow-up disc, “Vs.,” was another
thing of beauty, as was “Vitalogy.” Yes, Pearl Jam quickly
established themselves as one of the most unique and talented bands
of the time. But, in recent years, the band has faltered. Releases
such as “Binaural” and “Riot Act” failed to generate any interest,
and many fans have begun to doubt the band. I really do feel that
“Vitalogy” was the last great Pearl Jam record. Albums like “Yield”
and “No Code” have their moments, but really do pale in comparison
to the earlier material. This 2006 self-titled release is said to be
a return to form for Pearl Jam. Billed as a more “bare bones” rock
album, I was anxious to hear if Pearl Jam could still send a chill
down my spine.
1. “Life Wasted” - Nice to hear this. This is old school Pearl
Jam. Sounds like it was written around the “Vs.” or “Vitalogy” era
of the band. High intensity from Vedder here, along with a nice
guitar part and a tight rhythm section. Not the greatest song
they’ve ever written, but a nice return to form for the band.
RATING: 7
2. “World Wide Suicide” - I like this one as well. Great groove
that Vedder sings to perfectly. It has a traditional song structure,
which I think was lacking in the past couple of releases for the
band. It’s a “no-risk” song formula; but more importantly, it’s
effective. RATING: 7
3. “Comatose” - Urrrrrgh! Really tight and strained vocal sound
on this thrashy Nirvana-like song. Just a simple punk song is really
what this is, and it’s not too bad. RATING: 5
4. “Severed Hand” - Another fast-paced song with a traditional
verse-chorus-verse structure. Once again we have a jamming guitar
solo that winds down the tune. Again, not a bad song, but nothing
great either. RATING: 5
5. “Marker In The Sand” - We finally get something a little
different on this one. This is a little more on the pop side of
things. Vedder usually lights songs like this one up, but he comes
up a bit short on this one. A nice, almost folk, sing along chorus,
but a stronger vocal would’ve helped this one a lot. RATING:
5
6. “Parachutes” - Wow. This is a total departure from what we’ve
heard so far. A soft, Neil Young-type of acoustic ballad. Weak
vocals again, only this time we get a boring melody that goes
nowhere in the background. RATING: 2
7. “Unemployable” - Much much better. This is a really good song.
It almost has a 70’s pop vibe to it, especially in the chorus. This
is the strongest performance from Vedder thus far. This just has a
really cool feel to it - free and easy. RATING: 8
8. “Big Wave” - The band goes back to the thrashy punk sound for
this one, which reminds me of Soundgarden’s “My Wave” in both title
and sound. A guitar solo thrown in here makes me smile; we don’t get
enough of those these days. Nothing special, but not horrible.
RATING: 4
9. “Gone” - The slow and soft verses give Vedder a chance to
shine like he did on earlier Pearl Jam songs like “Crazy Mary” or
“Yellow Ledbetter,” but he still falls a little short. Not a bad
vocal performance, but Vedder is just not as powerful as he once
was. Instead of giving me chills on songs like this, he just sounds
like any average singer. This is a really well written song all the
same though. RATING: 6
10. “Wasted Reprise” - Nice organ in this tune in which Vedder
just sings a small portion of the chorus of “Life Wasted” in his
best Neil Young impression. This is just a little 52 second filler
piece, and I think a rating would be inappropriate.
11. “Army Reserve” - This is a hard song to describe because it
has an almost U2 kind of instrumental sound, but it has a vocal
track that is intense and rough. There is nothing that really sets
this song apart from any of the rest. The songs are starting to
repeat themselves at this point. A pretty good song, but very
typical. RATING: 5
12. “Come Back” - A nice easy going crooner that allows Vedder
another chance to thrill, but again he comes across as an average
singer. Might be his best performance on the record, but it’s not
the Eddie of old. A lovely guitar part picks up the end of the
track, as does an intense Vedder. Not a bad song, but it does run a
little long. RATING: 5
13. “Inside Job” - Has a bit of a Pink Floyd / “Welcome To The
Machine” intro - interesting. The first half of the song is really
slow and moody, with a really nice bass line and some perfectly
placed piano accents. Halfway through, the song picks up and becomes
another typical song on the album. But, for being 7 minutes long, it
does hold your interest pretty well. RATING: 5
OVERALL RATING: 5
"DEAD"
This was really a tough one to pronounce “DEAD," because this
really isn't a bad record. There are
some real nice things happening here, and it is a return to form
somewhat, but I don't picture myself going back to this one very
often. This is one of the better outings since “Vitalogy,” but this
is not the emotionally charged Pearl Jam that was all about grabbing
you and squeezing the soul of your humanity. That hunger and passion
from the early years is still lacking. The strength and tone of
Eddie Vedder’s voice was enough to keep the most macho of men
sobbing in their beer; but, that intensity is not there anymore.
Instead of these songs sending a chill down my spine, I realized
that the chill is gone ….the chill has gone away.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
JOE
PERRY - "Joe Perry" (6/2006) "EMERGENCY SURGERY"
feature
TRACK 1: "Shakin' My Cage" - A blues boogie rocker.
Joe has a Brian Setzer sort of vocal, which makes the tune sound
like an overloaded Stray Cats tune. What's this? A nice long
solo, smack in the middle of the tune. Not horrible, but nothing
great. RATING: 6
TRACK 2: "Hold On Me" - Guitar riffing with Joe singing like the
Simple Minds guy! This is some really stiff vocal work. Joe proves
that he's not a singer, he's a guitar player. Imagine a Simple Minds
or Billy Idol song with some heavy chords. Not crazy about this one.
RATING: 4
TRACK 3: "Pray For Me" - Egyptian flavor with some light vocals.
Laid back and pulsing rhythm.This is a strange song. Pretty cool
acoustic guitar part, but the song goes nowhere. RATING:
2
TRACK 4: "Can't Compare" - This one has a big meaty chorus that
tries to pump up Joe's drab vocals. Really repetitive. It seems like
there's only a chorus and a guitar solo - no verses. A strange, dull
arrangement. RATING: 3
TRACK 5: "Lonely" - Big, revved up guitar intro.
Joe's vocal a little more sleek and dirty here, and it sounds much
better. The urgency is still lost here, even though there are some jamming guitar parts. RATING:
5
TRACK 6: "Crystal Ship" - Yes, this is Joe doing The Doors'
classic. I got to thinking that this was going to be 2:42 of
torture, but it's really not half bad. Joe is still real stiff,
but this is closer to his range and style. Pretty good cover.
RATING: 6
TRACK 7: "Talk Talkin'" - Has an almost revivalist feel to it. Kind
of a Stray Cats with George Thorogood song done at a Louisiana
church service. Cool guitar part and style, but the song is
just not written well. It doesn't stir the emotions like it should.
RATING: 4
TRACK 8: "Push Comes To Shove" - Another sleek and pulsing
Billy Idol-type song. It even has that vocal echo thing that Billy
loves so much. Again, not a well written song. Nothing to get your
attention. RATING: 5
TRACK 9: "Twilight" - This is an instrumental with layered guitars
done in a dual guitar style. Starts to sound like a little too much
at times, and the melody actually gets lost under all of the guitar
acrobatics. RATING: 5
TRACK 10: "Ten Years" - An Eagles/Tom Petty-type of Country song
that has almost a Dylanesque feel to it. Just when you think it
can't get worse, the vocals slit your wrists and leave you for dead.
The tune isn't bad, but the vocals kill off everything in sight.
RATING: 5
TRACK 11: "Vigilante Man" - This one's a rockin' foot tapper, with
Joe playing a mean slide part. Just a straight and simple Blues jam
with some nice guitar parts. RATING: 6
TRACK 12: "Dying To Be Free" - A galloping rhythm that exists as
just another strange arrangement. A dark chorus is the focal point
of this oddball. RATING: 5
TRACK 13: "Mercy" - An instrumental with another nice slide guitar
piece. Once again, we get a little too much guitar and not enough of
a full band sound. Not a bad song, just not a good one. RATING:
5
OVERALL RATING: 5
DEAD
Joe shows us over and over again on this record
that he can play guitar, but you know what, we all knew that
already. Joe also showed us that he sings like a grazing bovine, and
he writes songs that sound worse than a bad Britney Spears record.
My observation throughout this disappointing "once through" was that
all of these songs are either average or below average. Perry's
sometimes dazzling guitar playing saves this record from
getting worse ratings and being a total loss, but it is not
hardly enough to qualify this as a keeper. This one died quickly on
the operating table.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
PICTORIAL WAND - "A Sleeper's Awakening"
(10/2006)
Concept
albums. Tell me, who doesn’t love a good concept album? The Who’s
“Tommy”….. Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”…..Queensryche’s “Operation:
Mindcrime”…..all delicious slabs of musical wonderment. And, with
Queensryche’s disappointing release of “Operation: Mindcrime II”
earlier this year, this album fits the vacant glass slipper better
than any Cinderella you could possibly imagine.
How’s this for a concept? Norwegian
native, Mattis Sorum, starts constructing this masterpiece by
himself back in 2003. He decides to call his project Pictorial Wand,
and hires in musicians to play everything except guitars,
synthesizers, and organ, which he decides to play himself. Upon
hearing this unorthodox method of creating recorded music, I was
skeptical as to how tight these musicians would sound as a unit.
But, with Sorum bringing in a cast of over 15 performers - including
a cellist, flutist, and three different female voices to compliment
lead vocalist Petter Selliseth - his conceptual vision is vividly
brought to life. This is the best concept album I’ve heard since
Queensryche’s “Operation: Mindcrime.” This is a perfect record in
every way.
The concept deals with someone who
wakes up to realize that he is ashamed of how he has been living his
life, and starts on a journey of retribution. The seven deadly sins
are incorporated into the song titles, and some wonderful spoken
word passages add an eeriness that really binds it all together. To
lump this into the stack of cheap “Operation: Mindcrime” rip-offs,
or into the landfill of overly dramatic prog rockers would be a
travesty. This is a record that has many of the great qualities that
“Mindcrime” had, and it is a prog masterpiece, no question; but this
is a record that lives and breathes without the life support of any
outside influence.
From the very beginning of this
two-disc journey, we get great melodies, some spoken word, and
classic rock hooks with “The King & His Land - Pt.I.” We also
get a deeply passionate and yearning vocal exhibition from Selliseth
and three female voices, along with a brilliant orchestral
arrangement and stunning guitar work on “The Gate Of Lost Souls.”
The album has a musical flow equivalent to the fluid motion of a
lava lamp. The tempos rise slowly and dramatically, linger in a few
dark areas, and start to descend with a gripping ardor that really
is something to behold. The sound ranges from the classic rock
heaviness of Queensryche to the atmospheric artistry of Pink Floyd,
with a little Jethro Tull folk, ELP and Kansas-like classic rock,
and traditional classical influences thrown in for good measure. And
no matter how many diverse influences invade these songs, they still
remain structured, systematic, and thoroughly interesting. The
fervent and dramatic guitar solos …the complex keyboard sequences
…the surmounting intensity of the orchestration …the passionate
vocals - all intertwining and woven together like an elegant quilt
that makes your body tingle when you wrap yourself in it. Besides
being a perfectly choreographed album of music, this is a record
that makes the album’s artwork come alive. Take one look at the
foreboding cover art and you immediately start hearing the music.
This is a well thought out, complete package all the way
around.
While listening to both discs
straight through, I felt like I was cast out upon an ocean of sound
and melody; transported to another place. I have not heard an album
this solid in a very long time. To take so many elements of sound
and fit them together seamlessly would seem to be a dauntless task;
one that has been fulfilled perfectly by Mattis Sorum and his
talented cast. OVERALL RATING:
10
PERFECT!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
PINK - "I'm Not Dead" (8/2006) "EMERGENCY
SURGERY" feature
So we have Pink in the Operating Room. Well,
I’ve examined her a couple times before and came away with two very
different opinions. Her first record, “Can’t Take Me Home,” was a
typical, run-of-the-mill clone of every other R&B vocal album of
its time. There was absolutely nothing original about it, and it was
nothing but electronic dance trash - my opinion, of
course. With her second release, “Missundaztood,” she showed a
raw energy and talent that was delivered through strong vocals and
sharp songwriting. “Missundaztood” gave Pink her own personality.
She was no longer an R&B/dance queen clone. A huge reason for
the incredible improvement was due to the talents of her producer
and co-songwriter, ex-4 Non Blondes singer Linda Perry. She
even had guests like Steven Tyler of Aerosmith and Richie Sambora of
Bon Jovi making appearances on the album. For her third lp, “Try
This,” she proved that the Babyface-influenced days of electronic
dance beats was gone for good. She had Tim Armstrong of the talented
punk band Rancid help her with this one. Perry was also involved in
writing three songs for this album also, along with a producer
credit as well. You’ll even find a co-writer and producer credit for
Jonathan Davis of Korn on this one! Pink has come a long way, folks.
So, here we are with another disc from the pop/rock tough chick;
except this time we don’t hear Tim Armstrong’s name, or Linda
Perry’s name. Instead, she hires on Billy Mann and Max Martin, the
latter being the genius behind waste like Backstreet Boys and
Britney Spears, to produce the core of the disc. The great Butch
Walker is also credited as a co-songwriter and producer, but I gotta
tell ya’ - I’m still scared to death of this thing.
Track 1: “Stupid Girls” - I must tell
you, this isn’t the first listen to this song. It’s been impossible
to avoid as of late. This first single is a huge hit for Pink, but I
don’t think that much of it. I think Pink is losing grip of her
personality with this. She’s becoming a Gwen Stefani clone. This
song has a hook, but after that it’s just another “Hollaback Girl”
single. It really doesn’t have that raw edge that makes Pink an
individual entity. RATING: 4
Track 2: “Who Knew” - This is much
better. This is the real Pink. This has a real Linda Perry influence
to it. It’s just a plain and simple pop song with a nice hook. This
could pass as a new 4 Non Blondes song. There’s even a light string
sound backing the strong vocal at the end of the track. Nice stuff.
RATING: 7
Track 3: “Long Way To Happy” - Oh
yeah, this is great. The sleek and sleazy edge of her powerful voice
joined with a heavy guitar sound and pounding drums. And, of course,
there’s the great hook. It kind of runs short on ideas but it’s
still very nice. RATING: 8
Track 4: “Nobody Knows” - Time to
break out the emotional ballad, and it’s actually a good one. The
key for Pink is to keep it real. When she tries to do the Beyonce
and Christina Aguilera thing, she fails. She’s more Janis Joplin
than she is Mariah Carey, and that’s a good thing in my opinion. She
keeps it real with this one. Listen close and you might even hear a
little Janis. Again, maybe a little short on songwriting ideas, but
it’s pretty cool. RATING: 6
Track 5: “Dear Mr. President” - Ouch.
This is an acoustic guitar and a political Pink spouting off about
our wonderful President. Let’s just say she’s not a fan of the man.
She gets help from The Indigo Girls here, and together they vent
their anger about issues like war, abortion, and gay rights. And,
believe it or not, the somber seriousness makes this a great song.
This is done with class and passion, and turns out to be a pretty
powerful statement. RATING: 7
Track 6: “I’m Not Dead” - Wow. Pink
shows that she is a singer with loads of style on this track. This
is a super rock track that’s constantly being controlled by her
suave vocal. So when she decides to open up the vocals to a more
rambunctious level, the band follows her lead perfectly. It may be
really odd, but this is a well written song. RATING: 7
Track 7: “’Cuz I Can” - A pumped up
pace, with a rhythm not unlike a Gary Glitter hit. The menacing
attitude of Pink’s voice once a | |
