             |
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!!
________________________________________________________________________________________________
PINDER BROTHERS, The - "Ordinary Man"
(9/2008)
Matt and Michael Lee Pinder, the two sons of Moody
Blues founding member Mike Pinder, have returned with another
charming pop set. Their first lp, Jupiter Falls, delivered
brilliant harmonies with sharp writing skills, and this release
picks up right where Jupiter left off. Exhibiting some of
today's brightest pop hooks, The Pinder Brothers blend Simon &
Garfunkel-type harmony vocals with a modern pop awareness. Most of
these songs were written and sung by Michael Lee, but it's the
pairing of Michael Lee and brother Matt that makes the magic happen
here. Their vocals compliment each other perfectly throughout the
disc.
Ordinary Man finds the boys digging a bit deeper
inside themselves for lyrical content. Songs like "Inside Me" and
"Empty Street" are deep and introspective, while a song like "Oh
Woman" has a spiritual and moody elegance. But there's still songs
like "Dear Diane," the first single from the album, and "Lay It On
The Line" that make you smile and sing along. Some of the highlights
for me were "Waves Crash," which has an amazingly cohesive band
sound, and "Believe In Love," which has an oscillating melody and
one hell of a guitar solo.
The Pinder Brothers have
managed to share an intimate piece of themselves while still
maintaining an upbeat and positive expression, and it's a real
pleasure to hear.
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 again drives the whole song. There’s
some dual layering of her vocals and a really strong hook running
through the majority of the song. You have to love the “I can fit
your whole house in my swimming pool” line, too. This pumped up tune
comes at a great time in the album. RATING: 7
Track 8: “Leave Me Alone (I’m
Lonely)” - Oh man, let’s welcome Pink to the 80’s pop scene! This
has a Pretenders meets The Corrs at a Babys or Hooters concert circa
1984. This is catchy as all hell pop brilliance. If she doesn’t
release this as a single I’ll slit my wrists. This is fantastic
stuff that makes me want to visit the mall one last time.
RATING: 9
Track 9: “U + Ur Hand” - Another
pumped up track that finds Pink maintaining her raw attitude. Of
course, the tune has a great hook, and some crunchy guitars that
make for a really good rock song. RATING: 8
Track 10: “Runaway” - Time to slow it
down again, which is a perfect time to do so. The flow has been
nearly perfect through the album so far. The chorus opens up and
gets a little loud, and then settles back in nicely for each verse.
Toward the end of the song all the energy culminates for a rousing
finale. This is a simple, yet effective track. A little short on
ideas, which causes it to stall a bit. Good song, but could’ve been
even better. RATING: 6
Track 11: “The One That Got Away”
- What starts out as a Country sound, turns into more of a
Joplin-esque acoustic blues track. This is a loose, pull up a stool,
sit on the porch kind of song. Not bad, you just have to be in the
mood for it. RATING: 5
Track 12: “I Got Money Now” - Ugh.
This is Pink doing Christina, or someone other than herself. Between
the drum machine background electronics and the dark spirit of this
ballad, the song puts a halt to the flow of the album and nearly
stops its pulse. Not a great song, and it comes at the
worst possible time in the album. We needed to pick things up with
an upbeat pop hook or a funky jam, not dive into an abyss of
electronic leftovers from Christina Aguilera’s “Beautiful.” RATING:
2
Track 13: “Conversations With My 13
Year Old Self” - Another ballad, but this time we get the real Pink,
accompanied by a piano and an orchestra. It’s an emotional piece
that could have been even more heartfelt and beautiful, but somehow
comes up a little short. RATING:
5
HIDDEN TRACK: “I Have Seen The Rain”
- Here’s a song that was written by her father, Jim Moore, during
the Vietnam War. Moore appears on the track playing acoustic guitar,
and singing with his daughter as they do the song in one take. They
harmonize beautifully on the track as it takes on a Crosby, Stills
and Nash Vietnam-era vibe. In the beginning of the track, Pink tells
of the thrill of recording with her Dad, and how this was the first
song that she ever learned. They also dedicate the song to “all the
vets out there.” This really isn’t a song that you can put a rating
on, because of where it appears and its personal significance. It’s
a special song that makes a great bonus addition to the disc.
OVERALL RATING: 7
ALIVE!
This is an album that is on target for
most of its duration. Although it falters a bit near its end, and
some of the songs are a little short on structure creativity, this
is a very well written selection of songs. As long as Pink stays
honest and true to her voice and style, the material ends up being a
thing of beauty. It is when she tries to play the role of an R&B
starlet that she starts to lose her edge, and ultimately her own
persona. But, who the hell am I? Her attempt at getting a piece of
the Gwen Stefani pie, “Stupid Girls,” is on its way to being her
most successful single yet. But, as we all know, not everyone in the
record buying/downloading public wants truth, honesty, and
individuality out of an artist - some just want a good beat that’s
easy to dance to. And with this Pink release, you get the best of
both worlds.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
PINK FLOYD -
"Animals"
(9/2004)
Oink...Woof....Baa......Only from the genius mind of Roger Waters
could you get animal noises like these to work. With only 5 tracks,
a total running time of just under 42 minutes, and song titles
like "Dogs", "Pigs", and "Sheep", Pink Floyd dazzled us with
art rock brilliance.
With guitarist David
Gilmour delicately brushing Waters' canvas, he shows that great
guitar playing can come by sacrificing speed for tone, and quantity
for quality. Roger Waters is the idea man in this band. A genius
mind with a knack for lyrical and musical expression. And, of
course, it's not like he got lucky here. Waters is the primary
writer for most of Pink Floyd's releases, and the sole writer of
their classic lp, "The Wall". So, you could think of him as the
draftsman for the band; the guy that draws the plans, inch by inch.
Gilmour is the builder of the band. He takes Waters' plans and
constructs a monstrous abode for which great rock craftsmanship can
be born and raised. There may be no two musicians who need each
other more than these two. Each of them is an inferior shell
without the other one. This fact has perhaps been made evident by
the solo releases from Waters, and the Pink Floyd releases sans
Waters. Waters solo records lack personality and form, but remain
inventive. The post-Waters Floyd bears great resemblance in sound to
the Floyd of old, but lacks the ingenuity and creative hand of a
genius songwriter. These two guys had enormous chemistry when they
were comrades, and this record may be the best example of their
craft.
Pink Floyd is one of
those acts that creates a world with their sound. Gilmour
creates a landscape of exquisite tone by playing half the notes of
your average rock guitarist. He has the uncanny ability to send a
shiver with only a single note. He plays under the notion that one
note struck at the precise time, is more powerful than a basketful
of notes played erratically; and it's amazingly effective.
As the record starts out,
"Pigs On The Wing (Part One)" is just under a minute and a half, and
it sets the mood for the rest of the record with a casual and
relaxed acoustic sound. As we slide into the epic "Dogs", we find
the band walking us through a maze of moods. Pink Floyd is all about
mood. As we hear in "Dogs", we start with a slight acoustic trot
that soon develops into a plateau of sound effects, and later into a
more sturdy but anxious finale. The tempo change after the
sound effects bridge, topped off by the powerful lyric "And when you lose control, you'll reap the harvest
you have sown", is nothing short of brilliant. The transition
from mood to mood is unparalleled. No one does this like Floyd,
....no one. As the record moves us through "Pigs (Three Different
Ones)", "Sheep", and back to the relaxed acoustic strumming of "Pigs
On The Wing (Part Two)" to finish off the record, we feel like we're
being taken on a journey. Now I hate to be redundant but,
....no one does this like Floyd either, no one.
Now, the whole concept
behind this album is very interpretive, but it is no doubt political
in nature. With lines like "Hey you,
Whitehouse, Ha ha charade you are". This line was directed
toward the British Moral Majority figure Mary Whitehouse. Mrs.
Whitehouse was the self-appointed head of the National Viewers and
Listeners Association, which "campaigns for broad national moral
standards in radio and TV." She’s been known for openly denouncing
Floyd and promoting censorship since their beginning in ’67.
And then there is the Waters adaptation of the 23rd Psalm, it reads
as follows:
"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not
want
He makes me down to lie
Through pastures green he
leadeth me the silent waters by
With bright knives he releaseth
my soul
He maketh me to hang on hooks in high places
He
converteth me to lamb cutlets
For lo, he hath great power, and
great hunger
When cometh the day we lowly ones
Through quiet
reflection, and great dedication
Master the art of
karate
Lo, we shall rise up
And then we'll make the buggers
eyes water."
It has been said that Waters was
partly inspired by George Orwell's classic novel Animal Farm in
which people are divided up into groups represented by animals.
However you like to interpret Waters lyrics, one thing is definite;
Pink Floyd's "Animals" is a masterful example of conceptual musical
art, crafted by a group of stupendous musicians.
POWERSOLO -- "It's
Raceday ...And Your Pussy Is Gut!!!"
(1/2008)
Now this is what I think of when
I think of indie rock. This is a starkly original band that raises a
high, hard middle finger to commercial acceptance. "It's
Raceday..." is a foray into a truly alternative genre that
Powersolo has branded as their very own. The album draws
directly from the psychobilly punk style with songs like "Baby,
You Ain't Looking Right?," "Good Behaviour," "Don't Hate Me Baby,"
and "Truckin'." Some might call it Stray Cats on acid or compare
them to Reverend Horton Heat or The Cramps, but make no mistake,
Powersolo has a sound all their own. This is a band that unabashedly
skips through the boneyard to piece together tracks like "Juanito,"
which sounds like something you might here by a mariachi
band in your favorite Mexican restaurant. It's
courageous moments like these that show the courage and
confidence of this band - the courage to do whatever they feel
like. "Oak Tree Girl" is another step away from the overall
punk attitude with its more mainstream acoustic pop sound, but it
goes over well because of the genuine spirit of the band. Even
when the album gives a
nod toward a country sound with tracks like "Hillbilly Child"
and "Broken Wings," the band stays true to themselves and the
songs are delivered with an indelible stamp - a stamp that says
"F*** you. We're Powersolo, and we can do whatever we
want."
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
PRINCE -
"Musicology" (6/2004)
Musicology 101 ~ class is
in session. If you took attendance, hopefully you would find those
artists who think they're funky and "phat". Folks like OutKast would
really benefit from the school of "Musicology". Yes, I
said "school", because that's what the exuberant Prince does on this
record - he schools us in the art of fine funk. With artists such as
Led Zeppelin's Robert Plant saying, "I could never be what he is, he
is an absolute genius", I start to get a funny feeling in the
pit of my tummy. Having one of my idols idolizing someone
the way that Plant did with that statement, makes me believe that
I'm in the presence of a true artist. This release does nothing to
disprove that line of thought either. Prince sticks to the usual
formula here, and the formula stays in high gear for most of the
duration of the record.
When it came time
to pick a first song, Prince was definitely feeling funky
and "in the groove". "Musicology" kicks off with its title
track, and it's killer old school funk. With the brass horn section
blasting through the popping bass line, this is a clinic for any
funk wannabe. Listen close, because nobody does it better than
Prince. Making reference to some of his influences, such as Earth,
Wind and Fire and James Brown, Prince pays homage in the most
respectable way possible, ...by returning the favor. He learned from
the best; and at times on this record, he proves himself
just as good, maybe even better. As "Musicology" subtly slips into
"Illusion, Coma, Pimp & Circumstance", another fantastic funk
gem, you start to think that you may have just boarded the funk
express. A song with a jangling guitar track that lays
down the sweetest hook known to funky man. One of my only complaints
about this brilliant record, is that not every song is a screaming
funk track. Prince does the old school funk thing better than anyone
alive, so you naturally want to hear him work it throughout the
album. When he switches gears, and does a great pop track, I find
myself longing for the sharp strutting of that heavy groove. When I
say "great pop track", I'm talking about songs like "A Million
Days", "Cinnamon Girl", and "If Eye Was The Man In Ur Life"; these
are all great songs modeled after such classics as "Little Red
Corvette" and "Raspberry Beret". Prince proves, once again, that he
can do just about any style he likes successfully.
As I listened to the record
progress, I found it hard to get past the fourth track, "Life O' The
Party. This is a real rocker. A song that starts with its
powerful background singer hook setting the pace. As Prince delivers
one of his strongest vocal performances in recent years, the
song dishes out an amazing blast of brass power. This horn part is
to die for. Go get the record just so you can hear the placement of
this horn part. It comes at a perfect place in the song,
and its one of the most simple and powerful pieces I can think
of. Brilliant. We head into the "Nothing Compares 2 U"-like
"Call My Name", and the Top 40 sound of "Cinnamon Girl", right
through to the jazz influence of "What Do U Want Me 2
Do?"; and, all are done with great success. Prince touches on all of
these styles throughout the record, but never returns to the super
funk from the first couple of tracks though. The superb thing is
that he remains a potent force throughout though, no matter what
mode he may go into, and that's rare. With an ability to do so many
things, why would you not do them all. I understand, I'm just a
sucker for that funk thing and can't get enough of it!
Prince even tries a
territory that he had yet to really venture into before this record,
and that's the "political statement" song. With "Dear Mr. Man" we
hear his thoughts on welfare, the ozone, and oil trade, and
it's still a good song! This guy rarely misses the mark.
Now, with the mention of missing the mark, I can tell you about the
only bad track of the record. "On The Couch" is a falsetto whiner
that steps into the pitfall of the usual "baby please don't" soul
banter that just gets annoying after a while. Prince is so much
better than this. Take "On The Couch" off, put another funk feast on
here, and you'd be real close to perfection.
If you dig hardcore funk
mixed with great pop songs, this will please your ears. A
sophisticated outing from a great songwriter and musician that has
proven himself a "genius" among his peers.
OVERALL
RATING: 8
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
QUEEN - "News
Of The World" (12/2005)
Queen is one of the
greatest, most talented rock bands to grace the planet....and this
may be the pinnacle of their existence.
Led by
the transcendent talent of singer Freddie Mercury, Queen has always
put out records that are congested with passion and style. "News Of
The World" wasn't any different, giving us songs like "We Will Rock
You" and "We Are The Champions", radio regulars that we know as well
as Mom. As you look down this amazing lineup of songs, it is hard to
not recognize this as one of the best rock records of all time. With
songs ranging from delicately poignant ("All Dead, All Dead") to
pompously pornographic ("Get Down Make Love"), you explore the
entire realm of what Queen has to offer.
The
record kicks off with the ultimate anthem of all time "We Will Rock
You", followed by "We Are The Champions", of course. I need to say
nothing more of these two tracks. Earth's entire existence has heard
these songs at least once. They are songs for all people and all
times. Masterpieces.
As we progress through the eclectic mix of
harmonies, we hear thrashing rockers like "Sheer Heart Attack" that
keep us riveted to the padded wall; and, we hear the gentle "ivory
tickling" from Freddie Mercury on "All Dead, All Dead". All of this
balanced out by the attitude and splendor of one of Queen's sharpest
songwriting efforts in "Spread Your Wings". To this day, "Spread
Your Wings" still has one of the most triumphant and rousing spirits
of any song that I've ever heard. You feel as if you have climbed
the mountain, and you can now take the ultimate leap of faith from
its summit. With all of these astonishing qualities already raining
down upon us, we then realize that this band has one of the greatest
guitar players in the world playing for them. As usual, Mr. Brian
May is incredible.
Coming upon the middle portion of the record,
Queen turns out three of the most uncharacteristic songs of their
career. With Roger Taylor taking on the vocal duties, we get a
vicious funky rocker in "Fight From The Inside", a song driven by a
sly, pulsing heaviness with great style and peculiarity. With "Get
Down, Make Love" we are treated to an almost chant-like explanation
of the ultimate kinky sexual relationship! With lyrics like "I suck
your mind, you blow my head", this is a raunchy rocker that's so
well written that it still seems to scream with poise. Both of these
tracks are followed by a bluesy piece entitled "Sleeping On The
Sidewalk", written and sung by guitarist Brian May. As you may have
guessed, the song has a brilliant lead guitar part, and is an
interesting diversion from the overall sense of the rest of the
record.
Starting to wind down, we get "Who Needs You" to send us
away. Here’s a song that transports us to, maybe Spain, or possibly
the Caribbean.....you can only imagine the brilliance here. This is
a classy ditty with a great percussion line, and an extraordinary
guitar tone that resembles a Spanish, or even Classical, guitar part
that's played with genius. Then we come to the final passion
delivery. "It's Late" is an incredible display of explosive vocal
strength, and it has a passion and vigor to it that is one of
Queen's most treasured trademark qualities. Listening to, and
singing along with, this track should make your body shake and your
fists clench; if these symptoms do not occur, check your pulse.
As they close the album appropriately with a
piano / vocal extravaganza, you get the feeling like you have
received royal treatment. This is a classy, delicate, raunchy, and
lovely recording. All of the greatest qualities that this great band
had to offer were on display with this record, a true rock
masterpiece.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
R.E.M. -
"Monster" (1/2006)
It's reviewing bands like R.E.M.
that make a guy like me uncomfortable. You know, it's just wrong to
say that you don't really like R.E.M., right? You see the problem
with me though, is I'm too honest. I'll tell you right now that I'm
not a big fan of R.E.M.'s music. Michael Stipe's whiny little
pansy-ass squeaking, and this "Shiny Happy" crap makes me toss my
cookies. I can deal with a few of the older tunes and a few of the
hits, but for the most part I think my life would progress nicely
without hearing another R.E.M. song - with one big exception. I
would demand that nobody take my "Monster" disc away. This disc is,
in my opinion of course, the very best R.E.M. album by leaps and
bounds.
This is an album that
found the band reinvigorated by introducing the power chord into
their brand of "new wave"/indie rock. The band always flirted with
the idea of adding that strong backbone to their sound, but always
seemed to opt for the artsy, alternative, "nerd rock" thing. Stipe's
odd, well enunciated whine takes on a totally new persona with this
release. Each word is sung in the same articulate manner, but this
time the themes are darker, more foreboding in spirit. A "feel good"
album this is not. This is a serious outing that reeks of inner
turmoil and outward, forthright feeling and emotion.
Form the first song,
"Monster" grabs you harshly and gets your attention so it can
deliver its message. "What's The Frequency, Kenneth?" is a strong
and melodic song based around an insane incident involving news
anchor Dan Rather. Some wack job viciously attacked Rather
while continually asking "Kenneth, what's the frequency?", and that
was enough inspiration for the band to pen this gem. Yeah, all of
this stuff comes from a pretty dark place - beautiful ain't it? What
could be darker than that? How about a relationship with Courtney
Love? "Crush With Eyeliner" is said to be written about Love while
Stipe was courting the junkie starlet widow of Kurt Cobain. And
speaking of Cobain, this album has a slight hint of "Nevermind" in
it; much heavier than anything previous, yet full of melodic poise.
Songs like "King Of Comedy" and "I Don't Sleep, I Dream" stay
planted in the shady areas of the alternative pop tree, with Stipe
doing a little more with his vocal range on the latter. As the band
gets lifted for the fast-paced hit, "Star 69," we get more of a
typical R.E.M. formula, except this has an urgency that most of
their past work lacks. "Strange Currencies" is a great ballad that
is your typical R.E.M. song; but even this has a fire in its belly.
We feel like we are getting a piece of Stipe while listening. He
leaves a piece of his soul behind with this one. Strangely enough,
the most diverse song that R.E.M. has ever recorded follows this
typical piece. Reminiscent of Smokey Robinson, "Tongue" leads the
band into a late 60's smooth Motown vibe that goes over unbelievably
well here. Really, it doesn't sound ridiculous for Stipe to be
singing like Smokey Robinson! I can't believe I just said that.
After this though, the band returns by doing a sneaky rock song that
creeps quietly, only to pummel you with an angst-ridden chorus that
rocks intensely. "Bang And Blame" is a great song that captures
the bands elevated style of songwriting as good as anything else
here. "I Took Your Name" is a filthy grunge rocker with a guitar
sound suspiciously familiar to "Crush With Eyeliner." I just revel
in the fact that this band "got dirty" for this record. This song
comes straight from the blackest alleyways of the darkest cities. It
is a beautiful thing. With the next track, "Let Me In," there is a
sonic wall of distorted chords that
Stipe politely sings against,
creating a repetitive array of systematic noise. This of course
leads to the noisiest track on the record, "Circus Envy." Saturated
with feedback and a distorted vocal track, there is also a fine
melody to be had here. It's a delicate balance that R.E.M. perfected
on this record. The final track of the album, "You," keeps the band
running with a heavier guitar sound, but this time being used for a
more atmospheric purpose. This is a slow pulsing song that
remains dark and haunting, just like much of what came before
it.
If you're looking for a
"feel good" R.E.M. record, look elsewhere. If you want to keep
your head swaying from shoulder to shoulder, buy a Go-Go's record.
This is serious rock and roll. R.E.M. recorded this from the
blackened core of its soul. It's sincere and genuine in its
delivery. It's a moment that, I doubt, will ever be captured again
by this band. The title of this record is so appropriate because it
really is a "monster" of a sound that was created, but another
appropriate title would have been "The Best Of
R.E.M."
________________________________________________________________________________________________
RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE
- "Rage Against The Machine"
(10/2004)
This is one of the greatest records
ever recorded.
From the opening notes of the first track ("Bombtrack"), to the bone
chilling lines of the final song ("Freedom"), this was an album that
got in your face and pummeled you with its' message. Rage Against
The Machine has something to say here, and they are demanding that
you listen. With singer Zach De La Rocha delivering a guttural
"Ugh!" that hits you square in the face on just about every track,
and lyrics that play out as the soundtrack to a revolution, Rage
became a force musically, as well as politically.
For a band that envisioned themselves more as political
activists, with being musicians taking on a secondary role, these
are legendary musical performances. Guitarist Tom Morello, a Harvard
grad, lays down one of the most innovative and stylish performances
in Rock history. His grinding, bleeping, squealing, screaming guitar
parts were something that had never been done in the Hard Rock
genre before. Sounding like some sort of erratic malfunctioning
machine, he assembled all of the aforementioned
sounds into a steel spine for his band to stand tall and
firm.
This is one of the greatest guitar performances ever
recorded.
While Morello's axe is ranting, Rage's rhythm section is
pounding out a foundation of power funk. Drummer Brad Wilk and
bassist Timmy C. lay the groundwork for the powerful core
that is the essence of Rage Against The Machine. This is the
nucleus of their sound. Every other element revolves around the
perfect base that is built by these two phenomenal players. With
Morello's guitar style being one that is more of
an accent to the overall sound, it opens the door for the
funky thumping of this amazing rhythm section to become the main
focus. Listen to the groove they throw down on
"Bombtrack", "Take The Power Back" and "Wake Up".
Wow.
This is one of the greatest rhythm section performances ever
recorded.
And then there's the voice.
It's a furious, pissed off Zach De La Rocha that is swinging the
revolutionary bat here, and he's a real slugger. His vocals are
revolutionary, plain and simple. Screaming out his social and
political views on each and every song, he gets right in your face.
The aggression and intensity is unparalleled. Ranting like the
forgotten ghetto son of urban America, we hear themes of racism,
police brutality, and international war. Much like Bob Marley was a
revolutionary voice for his generation and its' injustices, De
La Rocha screams his opinions and pleas for rebellion.
This is one of the most intense, and inspired, vocal
performances ever recorded.
Now we come to the purpose of this record, the lyrics. I would love
to list a few for you here, but there is just not enough room. The
power of the instrumentation is magnified and amplified by this
powerful lyrical content. This was a band on a mission. A
powerful voice of anger, freedom, justice, racism,
equality........you name it. They were making their statement here,
without being "preachy". If it's one thing I hate, it's "preachy".
They're not asking that you believe what they believe,
they're getting right in your face and telling you they are
going to change things, with or without your help! A true
revolutionary recording.
Let me leave you with a few lyric "one-liners" that set the
rebellious mood throughout the record:
-- "Anger is a
gift"
-- "A jail cell is freedom from the pain in my home"
-- "Just victims of the in-house drive-by,
They say jump, you say how
high"
-- "Something must be done about vengeance, a badge and a
gun"
-- "Fist in the air in the land of hypocrisy"
-- "Freedom.......freedom.......yea right."
This is one of the greatest records
ever recorded.
RING OF MYTH -
"Weeds" (1/2006)
Attention all Yes fans
that have been hungry for someone to carry the torch: Ring Of
Myth has arrived.
With an uncanny resemblance to
the vintage Yes of the 70's, Ring Of Myth still shines with
originality and impresses with raw talent. Singer/bassist Danny
Flores has the same sweet high tenor voice as Jon Anderson,
and a great ability to soar with the music's high flying
flair. The similarity to
Anderson is tremendous,
but Flores sounds very natural here just the
same. The music is also reminiscent of Yes in the way that finds the
band doing songs that are of epic length and proportion. The songs
that most resemble Yes are "Soft Disguise" and "Into Phase,"
which have running times of 8:11 and 9:55 respectively. The reason that Ring Of Myth
is more than just another Yes rip-off though is simple; they are
progressive in the true form of the word. This band has
taken the foundations that were laid down years ago by bands
such as Yes and King Crimson, and they have continued to build on
them with new and experimental nuances. Listening to a song like
"Drowning In Fire" secures my belief in this band as an up and
coming force in the progressive genre. With its eccentric bass line
fumbling about, and the effect-riddled sound of George Picado's
guitar, this is something that has its own personality.
This is the type of song that you would never hear Yes
doing, but it is still deeply rooted in that style. By taking
things a step further with some vocal effects ("Bird's Eye View")
and some heavier, more distorted effects ("Half Wing"), Ring Of
Myth make this record a "Yes of the 21st Century" kind of
thing.
www.unicornrecords.com
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
READY FIRE AIM
- "This Means Nothing" (9/2008)
New
York City is a place that ignites a few distinct sounds and images.
I think about the legendary acts that graced the sacred doorstep of
CBGB’s; bands like Blondie, The Ramones, and The Talking Heads. In
the early days of punk, it was The Big Apple that so many of the
legends called home. In the decades to follow, New York has gained
the reputation of having an “in your face” attitude with the music
that it breeds. Bands like Anthrax thrashed with a large attitude,
while The Beastie Boys and Public Enemy lit up the lyrical lip
service of the rap genre. But for some reason, you can always tell
when a band hails from New York. There’s that certain something. Now
let me tell you that Ready Fire Aim does not have that “certain
something,” and that’s just one reason to worship at their
feet. RFA are a band made up of singer/poet/actor/author/you name it
Sage Rader and DJ/producer Shaun Morris (a.k.a. Stakka). That’s
right, this is electronica, and it‘s straight outta Brooklyn.
Set in the same style as, perhaps, Depeche Mode or
New Order, RFA set the genre on fire without the thick English
accent. It’s always seemed to me that the pop songwriting side of
the electronica genre (Depeche Mode, New Order) was always left to
the British artists, and the heavy rock side of the genre (Nine Inch
Nails, Marilyn Manson) gave the Americans their voice. There have,
of course, been some crossover artists, but the general pop styles
have primarily come from England. When I asked DJ/producer Shaun
Morris about any difficulties the band might have getting gigs and
being accepted in New York playing their style of electronic pop he
commented, “I guess that's yet to be seen, we
are debuting the live show at Southpaw in Brooklyn on May 16th
(2008). We've been taking our time turning it into a live show as
Ready Fire Aim, like lots of electronic music, started in the
studio. The live show is heavier on the guitars than the record so
maybe we will be able to walk a fine line and appeal to both
sides?”
The record, “This Changes Nothing,” is a
fantastic trip through some brilliant pop hooks as well as being a
deep, intrinsic peek at what is bound to be the new face of American
electronic music. Rather than getting caught up in the experimental
sound possibilities that the genre typically has to offer, RFA stays
focused on the songwriting aspect of their music, and that very fact
alone keeps all of these songs structured and solid from end to end.
Singer Sage Rader told me about his acting experience in the film
“Beyond The Ocean,” and how that role came to influence the sound of
“This Changes Nothing.” “‘Beyond the Ocean’ was
a surreal happy accident. I love the entire process of filmmaking
and have been fortunate enough to get to do that. As a result of
‘Beyond the Ocean,’ I ended up being introduced to the whole Glitch
style of music that was being pioneered by Christian Fennez and this
whole Swiss crew. When it came to making the record, both Shaun and
I had a real feel for the artifacts and glitches that we wanted and
where we wanted them. It was a whole process of working and
reworking the sounds until the right one emerged. We got a little
crazy with the processing part. It was actually a lot of fun.”
Most of this record is filled with heavy groove pop hooks
that are brought to life by amazing, razor sharp synth beats. The
production is absolutely perfect, which makes the overall package
irresistible. While hearing the expected Depeche Mode and New Order
influence throughout the disc, I also stumbled upon something that
reminded me of 80’s popsters A-ha (“As If It Were That Easy”), as
well as an exquisite cover of Jane’s Addiction’s “I Would For You.”
Those of you that grew up in the 80’s and still love that happy,
keyboard-driven pop sound, this is a record that has much to offer
you. But oddly enough, the record does have a dark side that is
reminiscent of the Trent Reznor/Nine Inch Nails sound. Songs like
“Lush But Dark,” “Welcome Home” and “Laff It Up” all touch upon some
similar sounds that you might hear on a Nine Inch Nails disc. But I
guess it’s not very odd to hear some of these dark and heavier tones
after hearing singer Sage Rader’s thoughts on who he might like to
tour with in the future. “Marilyn Manson. I
think he puts on one of the best shows running, and I love the idea
of playing to the shadowy side of things. I find comfort in the
shadows.”
an·thro·po·mor·phic adjective - ascribing human characteristics to
nonhuman things.
-- Singer Sage Rader’s one word to describe Ready
Fire Aim.
Right now, RFA can be found on the independent
record label, Expansion Team Records. When I asked producer Shaun
Morris about moving on to a major label, he had this to say: “Indie is where it's at. They are more passionate than
the majors. Most of them are in the business of music for different
reasons. In my opinion, majors exist to make money, rarely
pioneering anything or sticking with artists that they believe in -
and that's not appealing to most artists.” But he did add a
glimmer of hope for some of you major label record execs out there
by adding, “Unless, of course, this offer were
to come with a ridiculous advance, and then I'd be saying ‘How high
would you like me to jump, sir?’”
MySpace profile:
http://www.myspace.com/readyfireaimnyc
Official website: http://www.rfasociety.com/
______________________________________________________________________________________________________
RIVERDOGS
- "Riverdogs"
(8/2004)
Released in 1990, and spearheaded by
ex-Dio guitarist Vivian Campbell, this record received no accolades
upon release. With sales virtually non-existent, it now sits in
cut-out bins all over the world for $.99......and there's still
nobody buying it. Well, I'm here to tell you that this is one
of the best records that I
own.
As you might expect from a band that
has a key player in the guitar world as its leader, you get a nice
heavy dose of Vivian Campbell on this record. The one thing you may
not expect, is to hear a vocalist that goes above and
beyond the challenge of playing alongside someone of Campbell's
talent. Vivian Campbell released three records behind the powerhouse
pipes of Ronnie James Dio, so this scenario was nothing new to
Campbell. As a matter of fact, with Riverdogs vocalist Rob Lamothe
at the helm, it had to feel very much the same.
Rob Lamothe is an impassioned and
vibrant force here. Coming from a totally different angle than the
Dio material, Lamothe gives this record a "rootsy" personality.
Like Dio, Lamothe is strong in his delivery. Unlike Dio, he sings of
his country and human issues that lie inside of it, instead of
slaying dragons and storming castles. And did I mention,
Lamothe is strong in his delivery? This guy makes you feel
every precious lyric; lyrics that all happen to be products of
his pen. When he sings "Born in chains (I can't
break free), Fire coming down like rain" in "Holy War",
...the room you're in gets hot. When he sings "Freedom rings, like a hurricane. America, you were
the promised land" in "America", ...you want to stand and
salute the flag. This is strength and passion at its' very best.
All of the songs on this record are
extremely well written; each with dignity, eloquence, and strength.
As human beings, we can all relate to the songs lyrically, as they
speak of issues relating to our world. It is very rare,
though, to find a band that has deep, emotional
lyrics sung by an even deeper, more emotional voice. Meanwhile,
these great lyrics and this sensational voice, are enhanced even
further by an incredible supporting cast led by Vivian Campbell on
guitar. As Lamothe pours every ounce of his being into these songs,
Campbell never seems to overplay his piece. The tone he achieves,
and the rhythm he sets are always perfect. He sounds very
comfortable with what he's playing, so therefore it never
sounds "forced" or overplayed. Vivian Campbell is a guitar
player that could very easily steal a spotlight. He's a player that
has the ability to overshadow his other band members, if he so
pleases. But, as we hear throughout this record, he exhibits
tremendous patience, and delivers exquisite guitar parts that
enhance instead of overshadow.
Sounding like an amalgamation of
John Mellencamp, Eddie Vedder and David Coverdale, singer Rob
Lamothe is the driving force here. As they kick off the album with a
song entitled "Whisper", you're immediately treated to all of the
elements being offered. Lamothe of course, a rock solid rhythm
section, and a super solo from Vivian Campbell. All of this topped
off with lyrics of great expression and feeling.
Mmm...mmm...mmm, this is sweet stuff. Moving into "Toy Soldier", all
of the same qualities remain intact and stay very effective. With
"Big House" we get it all once again. With Lamothe singing "I am
bound to you, Like steel is bound to rust", all the chills start
coming. As "Holy War" strikes down, my spine is shredded by so much
tingling. This is a track that sticks with you forever. I
still hear Lamothe belting out "Fire coming down like rain"
in my sleep. A tortured soul was singing this song when they
recorded it; just a great, great performance. I could bore you and
tell you, over and over again, how every song keeps up this enormous
pace, but I won't do that. Let me just leave you with a few
lyrical passages that are driven to success by all of the
aforementioned qualities of this
band.
"There's a light in my
eyes,
And it's blinding me as
much as showing me the way,
Well who will believe
me?"
from "Toy Soldier"
"There's a bullet in my
Daddy's gun,
I will make it sing,
I swear it's the
closest thing to Heaven,
I will ever
see,
When my own land covers
me."
from "Rain, Rain"
"Tommy got a medal in
the war,
He never wears
it,
Man's got a hole in his
head,
Nobody
cares.
Tommy hears voices at
night,
Nobody's there,
He never got used to being half a
man.
There's a fire burnin' the sky
tonight,
Come to take me
home,
Pull me from a cold black river if the angels
come."
from
"Spooky"
This record is one of
those rare treats. Severely talented musicians that put their heart
and soul into each and every note, and play for the betterment of
the songs instead of themselves. This is a real gem that I
would wish on any passionate music fan.
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
ROCK GODDESS -
"Hell Hath No Fury"
(7/2005)
This is a record I purchased back in
1983 or 1984. I took my fat fifteen-year-old self into the local
record store, and just looked for everything that looked METAL. As
most of you know, I tend to lean toward the harder edged music of
the world. And although I love Miles Davis, Jim Croce, and David
Sanborn - my true love of Hard Rock/Metal music was
in full bloom here in the formative years. So I come across
this record with three, count 'em, 3 hot metal chicks on the cover.
"Hell Hath No Fury" screamed the title across the top. These chicks
looked pissed off and heavy, ...consider it done. I plopped down my
$5 and change and ran home(got on the bus, ...whatever). When I got
home, I got a bowl of ice cream and fired up the stereo. As the slab
of vinyl began to spin my room began to light up and I got
goose bumps during certain tracks. I felt like I had hit the
jackpot. Now I bought a lot of records back in the day, most of them
from bands I'd never heard of; and, most of them I never wanted to
hear from again. I just took my chances most of the time because I
didn't want to miss anything - and this record still makes me
thankful I took those chances.
This is a record recorded
by a three piece English outfit with a 9-year old drummer,...and
they're all girls. In their native England they reached #84 on the
Billboard charts, but had no charting power here in the States.
Their previous record charted even higher in England(#64), but that
also failed to chart here in the U.S. Both were released on A&M
Records. This is a powerful display of raw talent. These girls
can play, and play they do. The lyrics can get a little simple and
not have much to say sometimes, but the energy and emotion that's
dished out is tremendous. The passion and strength in the lead vocal
is fantastic. Along the lines of Ann Wilson's intensity, but not
quite THAT good. It's sort of like saying Mother Teresa was a nice
lady, but she just wasn't God. With production duties going to Chris
Tsangarides, the sound is also top notch. From the title track
popping out of the gate, to the riff heavy "God Be With You" to
finish it off. It's all good. And, as I have said before, the mark
of a great hard rock band is the ability to mix
sledgehammer instrumentation, sonic and
full harmony vocals, and a good strong hook to reel you in. It's all
here, folks.
"Hell Hath No Fury" starts
with the title track doing all the right things. A sharp drum beat
accented by a brilliantly produced "splash" cymbal. Strong harmony
vocals that usher in a passionate and powerful lead vocal. And the
best part of all is that the harmony vocals get in the backseat
while the lead vocals drive the vehicle, and the vehicle is a
monster truck. The title track is followed by a great Gary Glitter
cover of "I Didn't Know I Loved You(Till I Saw You Rock &
Roll)." As childish and "bubblegum" as this song may seem, it takes
on new meaning here. Even the adolescent lyrics are played and sung
with passion and feeling. You get the feeling that this band could
cover "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" and get it to work. One of
the many highlights on this record is a track entitled "You've Got
Fire." I have been listening to this rocking, in-your-face track
for over 20 years and I got a chill from listening to it
yesterday - it is that good. Another gift of song this band
gave the world is "The Visitors Are Here." With a great keyboard
eeriness throughout the track, and the fury of singer Jody Turner,
this is another classic rock & roll song. There are many great
songs to be heard here, all I can say is find it and check it
out for yourself. If you are a fan of hard rock music in the same
vein as The Runaways, Girlschool, Joan Jett or The Donnas, ...you
need to find this record. I recently upgraded my adolescent
purchase to CD, and was shocked to find that there was
something still available and that other people were also thrilled
by this band. It was long out of print until 1998, when Renaissance
Records re-released this gem. I recommend looking on eBay or Amazon
for a compilation CD that includes their self-titled
debut, some additional tracks, and this female metal masterpiece.
SPECIAL CONCERT
REVIEW
The Paul Rodgers
Band
Northern Lights Theater
at Pottawatomie Bingo & Casino
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
April
18, 2007
It was one of those concert opportunities that makes
you pinch yourself. The incomparable Paul Rodgers playing to a crowd
of only 1,000 seemed like a surreal concept. Coming off of a
monstrous tour as vocalist for the newly revitalized Queen, it would
seem that only the largest venues throughout the world would be
accepted on his tour roster. But that is obviously not the case. In
fact, Rodgers and his band were so pleased with the fan reaction on
this very electric evening they would play three extra songs than
they had initially signed on for. The intimate crowd of this lovely
venue saw the band play a whopping six encores. It was obvious that
Rodgers was enjoying every minute of the small environment. It also
didn’t hurt that he was surrounded by some of the most talented
musicians in the world. This hard-hitting group was on fire too.
Rodgers was flanked by two talented guitarists with an age gap of 39
years. On one side you had guitarist and musical director for the
band, Howard Leese. Having spent more than 22 years as Heart’s
musical mastermind, there aren’t too many that are as seasoned as
Leese. Across from Leese was a 17-year old phenom by the name of
Kurtis Dengler. This confident kid played with an intensity rarely
seen from any artist much less an artist that’s not of legal age
yet. The rhythm section behind Rodgers was downright scary. Drummer
Jeff Kathan pounded the skins like he had a personal vendetta
against them, while bassist Lynn Sorensen swung and plucked his bass
like a caged animal - both of them playing in perfect rhythm every
step of the way.
  
The set was one that would please every Paul Rodgers
fan. Starting off the set, Howard Leese delivered the opening riff
of Bad Company’s “Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy.” And as Rodgers sauntered
out onto the stage with a wail that was embedded in the soul of
every classic rocker, there was an immensely powerful stage presence
in the small theater. Many fans found it almost impossible to look
away from Rodgers as he took total control of the room. With a
chiseled physique and an overwhelming power to his distinct tone,
you knew you were in the presence of rock royalty. This is a man
that still sounds as vital as he did in the late 60’s when he began
singing with Free. As the set list saw the band move through “Good
Lovin’ Gone Bad” and into “Run With The Pack,” we were also treated
to Rodgers ivory tickling talents. Hearing him bang out the opening
chords of “Run With The Pack” on the baby grand near the center of
the stage was just numbing. The upbeat solo track “Smile” added a
friendly release to the set, while the song that followed found
Rodgers doing what he does best, the Blues. “Louisiana Blues” rocked
and swayed with both Leese and Dengler making their instruments
scream. The big classic, “Feel Like Makin’ Love,” gave way to two
classics from Rodgers days with Jimmy Page and The Firm.
“Radioactive” and “Satisfaction Guaranteed” were songs that gave
bass animal Lynn Sorensen free reign. As he stroked and pumped the
neck of his fretless bass, he made a joyful noise that would have
made original Firm bassist Tony Franklin proud. As this led into the
Jimi Hendrix classic, “Little Wing,” the small Wisconsin gathering
witnessed the poise and expertise of Howard Leese. This is a silent
warrior in a spotlight stealing business. No calisthenics,
foot-on-the-amp posing or fancy dancing for this guy - just
unbridled professionalism and perfection. Every passionate note of
the Hendrix composition was played with beautiful tone and pure
emotion. Leese is a veteran and an expert in his field.
 
Perhaps the most surprising turn of events took
place when Rodgers announced a song that was written by the 17-year
old guitar wiz kid. Rodgers left the stage and allowed Dengler to
put on a show of his own. As Dengler struck the heavy chords of his
tune “Girl,” it was clear that this kid had writing talent as well
as guitar chops. Rodgers found his way back to the stage as his band
cut into the Free classic “Wishing Well,” followed by Rodgers
planting himself in front of the baby grand once again for “Bad
Company” - and again, every note was executed perfectly.
Perhaps the most emotional song of the night was a
song called “Warboys (A Prayer for Peace),” which is featured on
Rodgers newly released “Live in Glasgow” CD. The emotional lyrics of
this rocker sent a strong message of Rodgers hope of ending war and
his passion for world peace.
The band kicked into high gear for what seemed like
the final songs of the evening. “Shooting Star” and “Can’t Get
Enough,” two Bad Company crowd favorites were songs that lit up the
place. With Rodgers leading a sing along the crowd rocked and swayed
with more smiling faces than a group of kids at an ice cream parlor.
The band took a bow, left the stage, and soon returned to finish up
with two more encores; “Saving Grace,” and one of the most
recognized songs in the classic rock genre, “All Right Now.” While
Rodgers led yet another big crowd sing along, he began to autograph
items that were being handed to him from the front of the stage. As
he slowly paced from one side of the huge stage to another he signed
tour programs, CD sleeves, and even a baseball(?!).
  
As the entire band retired to the backstage area, it
would only be Rodgers that re-emerged for another tune. With an
acoustic guitar strapped tightly around him, the elegant “Seagull”
took flight. The gentle strumming and rich vocal tone of the song
seemed like a perfect ending to a fabulous set. But as Rodgers
struck the final strings of the song he glanced toward the backstage
area in search of his band. As he asked the crowd if they’d like to
hear more, he was met with a resounding positive cheer. The band,
looking lost and surprised, took their assigned places and continued
on. After a small group huddle near center stage, Dengler and Leese
hurriedly communicated with each other. After giving the impression
that they were “flying by the seat of their pants” deciding on the
right key to play in, they cut into a wicked rendition of Muddy
Waters’ “Standing Around Crying.” It was an incredible moment, as
was the following song, Bad Company’s “Simple Man.” I have always
viewed “Simple Man” as one of Rodgers’ finest vocal performances and
tonight’s version would live up to every expectation. As the set
closed with a popular Bad Company hit, “Ready For Love,” it was
clear that the band was having as much fun as the crowd.
   I came to find out while talking with Kurtis
Dengler after the show that he was deep into a cold cut sandwich
when Rodgers summoned the band out for those final three songs! “We
never go past ‘Seagull’,” he said with surprise. It was obvious to
everyone involved that Paul Rodgers was in the groove on this night.
He just wanted to keep a great night alive, as did every fan of his
incredible voice. And at 57 years old, that voice is still in
perfect shape. What was most noticeable to me about Rodgers singing
style is his microphone control. As he brought the mic closer to his
mouth for the softer tones, you could find him extending the mic
almost two feet away from his mouth for the stronger stuff. This
guy’s voice is so powerful he could have been projecting from the
next state over and it would have been caught in that microphone.
The mic never once touched his lips; and in this world of untrained
microphone kissers and swallowers, that’s a beautiful
thing.
SET LIST
ROCK ‘N’ ROLL FANTASY
GOOD LOVIN’ GONE BAD
RUN
WITH THE PACK
SMILE
LOUISIANA BLUES
FEEL LIKE MAKIN’
LOVE
RADIOACTIVE
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED
LITTLE
WING
GIRL
WISHING WELL
BAD COMPANY
WARBOYS (A PRAYER FOR
PEACE)
SHOOTING STAR
CAN’T GET
ENOUGH
-------------------------------
SAVING GRACE
ALL
RIGHT
NOW
-------------------------------
SEAGULL
-------------------------------
STANDING
AROUND CRYING
SIMPLE MAN
READY FOR LOVE
All photos by Scott "Dr. Music" Itter
www.paulrodgers.com
www.allrightnow.com
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SPECIAL CONCERT
REVIEW
The Paul Rodgers
Band
Washington County Fair
Park
West Bend,
Wisconsin
7/27/07
By
Scott “Dr. Music” Itter
Every time I make the trek up North to the bovine
infested state of Wisconsin, I feel like I’m performing a
colonoscopy on America with my car. Yes, Wisconsin surely is the
place you go to smell the “dairy air.” So, you wouldn‘t think this
city boy would be too thrilled about venturing two and a half hours
to the pastures of West Bend, Wisconsin on an overcast Friday
afternoon , but I was. I was very excited to be crossing the border
on this day because I had Paul Rodgers and his spectacular band
waiting for me at the end of this rainbow. And, with this show being
an outdoor, festival style event, I had the wonderful opportunity to
take my kids to see “the voice.”
As I arrived at the venue the band was midway
through their sound check, and it had to be the most unorthodox
sound check I’d seen in quite a while. Complete with audience
participation and requests, this was anything but your customary
four minute, one song sound check - in fact, it was practically a
half set! I mention this mainly because some faithful fan had the
smarts to holler for the Free song (and the first song that Rodgers
had ever written) “Walk in My Shadow,” and in response Rodgers asked
his band if they could possibly do that one later in the evening.
They all kind of looked at each other like they were cattle being
led to a Wisconsin slaughterhouse, but you just knew that you were
going to hear it in a few hours. As the sound check closed with
“Can’t Get Enough,” the small gathering behind the mud bath that was
at the front of the stage was singing the refrain, and Rodgers was
grinning from ear-to-ear and extending the mic to aid their
exuberant voices. It was a sound check set that was an appetizing
treat for the main course that was soon to be served.
As the reddish clay in front of the stage grew soft
and lumpy from the sprinkling that the dark clouds provided, gravel
and planks of plywood were laid to reinforce the ground and provide
a sufficient standing space. It was barnyard “hokeyness” at its
finest, but it worked out fairly well. I prefer the hardwood floor
of an indoor bar that’s riddled with plastic beer cups, but if this
is what I have to withstand to see one of the best bands alive
today, then so be it. It was 8:30 when the “Rock ’N’ Roll Fantasy”
began.
  
Making his entrance onto the stage with a wail and a
huge smile, Rodgers sounded as strong as ever. As he blazed through
every nook and cranny of his expansive career, the man known in many
circles as simply “the voice” was electrifying, as usual. The set
list on this night saw a few more Free songs than the set I was
treated to in April of this year. Hearing “The Stealer,” “Be My
Friend,” and “Wishing Well” sprinkled between Bad Company faves like
“Feel Like Makin’ Love,” “Run With The Pack,” and “Shooting Star”
was a testament to the versatility of Rodgers' supporting cast. This
band is as tight and power packed as they come. With the expertise
of guitarists Howard Leese and Kurtis Dengler, and the pile driving
bombast of a rhythm section that makes the term “Herculean” sound
weak, there really isn’t much that these guys can’t do. Bassist Lynn
Sorenson was truly astounding throughout the show, especially on
tracks like The Firm‘s “Satisfaction Guaranteed” and the fresh new
original, “Woman, You Done Me Wrong.” One of the things that makes
Paul Rodgers so great is the fact that he surrounds himself with
musicians that are vibrant and inspiring, and tonight these guys
were really put to the test. As the initial set heard the last notes
of the Bad Company classic “Can’t Get Enough,” the band came out to
perform their first encore, which happened to be the first song that
Paul Rodgers ever wrote - Free’s “Walk in My Shadow.” Having talked
with Howard Leese after the sound check, he made me aware that the
band had never played the song and had to learn it in mere minutes
while in the dressing room. I thought to myself that I just might
see this extraordinary band brought to its knees by this song. How
could they possibly sound tight with a song that they really didn’t
even know?! Well, I still don’t know how they did it, but it was
probably one of the strongest tunes in the set! The star of the tune
was drummer Jeff Kathan this time around. With his Cozy Powell style
of bottom heavy power drumming, he was rock solid in his
timekeeping. And at one point in the song Kathan did a crash cymbal
choke and the entire band froze in perfect unison before sliding
back into the heavy groove of the song. It was bone chilling to
witness this kind of professionalism in action.
The show ended with three of my favorite Bad Company
songs - “Bad Company,” the bluesy and triumphant “Simple Man,” and
the Rodgers signature piece “Seagull.” It was at this point that I
started to look into the future. As I stood behind my 7-year old
daughter as she clapped and danced atop a cement block that was
placed in the center stage mud, I thought about the memory that was
being etched upon her heart. As my 10-year old son maneuvered
himself just behind the first few rows of people that were pushed
against the stage and rose to his tiptoes to catch a visual, I
couldn’t help but imagine the impact that this would have on him as
an aspiring guitar player and music fan. When the set ended I took
the kids backstage to meet the band and had the pleasure of watching
their eyes glitter and sparkle. As my daughter lovingly embraced
Rodgers, and my son shook the hands of his musical idols, I realized
that the loving heart of this band is just as immense as their
musical talent. And just think ….all of these memories were had in a
state with a village called Mount Horeb, which is proud to call
itself The Troll Capital of the World and is home to a Mustard
Museum.
C’mon kids, grab those memories and let’s go
home.
www.paulrodgers.com
www.allrightnow.com
All photos by Scott "Dr. Music"
Itter
_______________________________________________________________________________________
RUNAWAYS, THE - "The
Runaways"
(8/2005)
Here it is folks, the beginning of
"grrrrl rock"; the angst driven rock of the female. This is the
record that influenced an entire world of angry teenage females
to express themselves through music - loud, raucous, rock and
roll music. This band was the Rosa Parks for the female
rocker. After this record, the female rocker would no
longer be riding in the back of the bus; in fact, if they cut
records anything like this one, they'd be driving it.
Let's state the obvious facts first. Yes, Joan Jett started this
all-female teen band (all 16 years of age at the time of recording,
except guitarist Lita Ford who was a whole 17 years old). Yes, Lita
Ford played lead guitar for this band. And, yes, they had
their only hit "Cherry Bomb" on this record. And as you dig deeper
into the spirit of this record, you realize that there is so much
more afoot here. I am hard pressed
to think of another release that is this spontaneous and raw. There
is a hunger and passion for fame that burns through every groove
here. These girls had a fire raging in their souls when they went
into the studio to record this classic, a blaze that really never
returned to them in their future recordings.
The record kicks off with their only big hit, "Cherry Bomb". A
classic rock song that has the seductive, "bad girl" sound that
epitomized an entire genre. Without sounding adolescent, the
band uses a simple "bare bones" approach that contains
nothing of any complexity. This is the appeal of the record. It
feels as if this band rehearses in the garage at the end of the
block, and you have their only recording. The band sings and plays
directly to the listener,....for the listener. I still feel that
they made this record specifically for me when I listen to it
now, nearly 30 years after its release.
As the girls rumble through this record, we realize that every tune
here (except the final track) is less than three and a half minutes
in length. Only the basics folks, and it's catchy stuff. With a
cover of Lou Reed's "Rock And Roll" added like salt to an already
tasty buffet, this is just good plain rock and roll. Even though
each and every song is stripped down, it rocks steady without going
off course. They rock with a boogie woogie style on tracks like
"Blackmail", and retain a catchy pop sound with tracks like
"Secrets". This has so much to offer the 70's straight forward rock
connoisseur. With melodies that will ring in your head for decades
to come, this is a real classic. The only somewhat "corny" piece here may be the 7-minute plus
final track "Dead End Justice". With energetic singer Cherie Currie
and a 16 year old Joan Jett doing some overacting, as
if they are escaping from a prison, it might sound a bit silly.
But in the context of the record, "Dead End Justice" still sounds
like good fun. It's a fine track by a group of 16 year old girls who
just recorded the most entertaining female hard rock album
of its time, and arguably, all time.
RUSH -
"Feedback"
(11/2004)
Well, ...at least it's not
another greatest hits package, or a live album.
Instead of
their musical integrity, the legacy that is Rush,
is vastly becoming known for its' "bleed the
consumer" technique of fulfilling contract. Whether it's
a Greatest Hits set, or a live lp - they have, in recent years,
become reliant on releasing something other than new
material. In the past seven years, Rush has released seven
records - only one of which has contained new original music. On
this, their 27th release, they give us an abbreviated e.p. of cover
versions of classic stuff they were playing in their formative
days. Honestly, I'm a little disturbed by their lack of new
material. I am more than anxious to hear some new songs from Rush;
and they need to give us, the record buying Rush lover, what we
thirst for very soon if they want to retain the respect that they
seem to be wildly abusing.
With all of
that said, this short disc of covers is pretty good.
Rush songs have always been branded with a certain
type of attitude and personality. Sometimes mystical, sometimes a
bit mechanical, but always radiant with a feel of perfection. Rush
albums aren't filled with songs of promiscuity and drug use; they
just don't do the party song, ....never have. They fill their
records with songs about machines, or stories of far away lands, or
trees that form governments. On "Feedback", we hear Rush have some
fun and loosen up a little bit. At the same time I miss hearing more
original Rush songs, this is a welcome change for this sometimes
rigidly perfect band. I think the only way to really review this
record is to tell you about each song on an individual basis. So,
let's do just that.....
1. "Summertime Blues" - This cover of
Eddie Cochran's bouncy track is really sharp and well done. Yes,
....Eddie Cochran. "No no, that was Blue Cheer!", you say. No,
.....they were just the ones to really popularize the much covered
tune.
Guitarist Alex
Lifeson really shines on this one. Lifeson finds a deep, heavy
"Working Man"-type chord and pounds away at it here. Sounding much
more like Blue Cheer than Eddie Cochran, it really is a pleasure to
hear Rush do simple and fun rock 'n roll. Even though they
are way out of their element here, they still sound great. It's the
sign of a truly talented band. You get the idea that Rush really can
play almost anything they choose.
2.
"Heart Full Of Soul" - This cover of The Yardbirds classic
is also very well done. With the galloping chorus, and unforgettable
riff, this was a great choice. Geddy Lee's relaxed vocal is a great
representation of the original. Excellent version of an
excellent song.
3.
"For What It's Worth" - Sounding a little stiff and overly
annunciated, Geddy Lee just never really seems to groove with this
one. It's a phenomenal Buffalo Springfield song, but just a little
too "culturally rooted" for Rush, I believe. The deep, sad
tone of Stephen Stills on the original, stating "There's something
happening here", made you feel like you knew what was
happening.....and it wasn't good. He put you in the moment.
Geddy Lee never achieves that same tone and presence, or
anything close.
I love
the original, I think this version is weak.
4.
"The Seeker" - Here's another great choice for Rush. They
fit this one like a glove. Geddy even
starts to sound a little like The Who's Roger Daltrey in his style
and tempo. Lifeson plays a fuzzy guitar to perfection. This really
works for them.
5.
"Mr. Soul" - This was a much better choice from the Buffalo
Springfield catalog for Rush to cover than "For What It's Worth".
This is a song that very well could be a Rush original. A very even
pace, with a guitar sound reminiscent of your typical Rush track,
just fuzzier. "Mr. Soul" has never been a favorite of mine, but
Rush brings the best out in this one. Nice.
6.
"Seven And Seven Is" - An odd choice, originally done by
Love, with a rapid tempo. Drummer Neil Peart may have even
played this one awake. Let's face it, Neil Peart has been
asleep for this entire record. This is a record with covers
that contain simple drum patterns. Neil Peart is a drummer that
is accustomed to playing some of the most complex patterns
in rock music. It's nice to hear a bit of life coming from the
skins here. This song makes me miss an original Rush record the most
though. I want Peart to dazzle me with his exorbitant rhythms
and inimitable style. They do a good job with this song, but once
again, this isn't one of my favorite songs to begin with
though.
7.
"Shapes Of Things" - Here's another example of Geddy Lee
sounding too annunciated and stiff. Don't get me wrong, I like what
they do here, but I like to hear this song done with more vocal
soul. If you ever get the chance, listen to Gary Moore cover
this one, and you'll see what I'm talking about. Rush does bring
this a step up in intensity from the original, though. Pretty good
stuff.
8.
"Crossroads" - Rush covers Robert Johnson?! Geddy Lee is
anything but bluesy. He ain't no Clapton, you
know what I'm sayin'? It's kind of like Johnny Cash covering Nine
Inch Nails, it's just plain spooky. Alex Lifeson nails it here
though. Lifeson, one of the most underrated guitar players of all
time, fills himself with Robert Johnson blues juice, and is
flawless. Hearing Geddy Lee singing "I'm going down to Rosedale,
take my rider by my side" is really quite comical. In all honesty,
Geddy does pretty well here, but this is just a bad fit for
Rush. Not believable. A little too far out of their element on this
one.
And that's
it.
Twenty seven
minutes and eleven seconds, folks.
Fulfilling
contract is what this is.
Rush is an
aging band. They may want to spend more time at home with their
families, rather than spending months writing and recording in the
studio. I don't know what it may be, but it is aggravating. Pearl
Jam recently ended their tenure with Epic records with a Greatest
Hits package. Artists do it all the time, and the label loves it.
Greatest hits package usually sell well, and it's virtually no risk.
The label knows exactly how the material was accepted on the first
go 'round, so they can only expect to mirror that initial acceptance
by putting on a little package dazzle to go along with all the
rehashing. When does it get to be too much though. Three hits
packages, two live albums, an e.p. of covers, and only one
original record in their past seven releases. This equates to being
able to sign a seven record deal, while only writing ten
original songs. I just see that as gluttonous, and abusive to the
integrity of the earlier material; but that's the music business, I
guess.
OVERALL
RATING:
5
SAYLOR, LYNN CAREY - "You Like It Clean" (6/2007)
Every few years a solo artist comes along that truly
fits the title of “singer / songwriter.” Okay, maybe it’s every
decade. I’m talking about an artist that sings material that they
have written themselves and have a personal bond with. Lynn Carey
Saylor is one of those rare artists, and she is extraordinary.
“You Like It Clean” is a disc that is radiant and
emotional; a disc that sounds both accomplished and spontaneous.
Saylor, besides having beauty beyond compare, has a voice that has a
soothing, genuine feel to it. She’s not overpowering these tracks
with vocal acrobatics; instead, she lets the keen songwriting and
bright melodies that she’s written drive these songs home. The “down
home,” “girl next door” natural tenderness of her voice is really
quite enchanting in a subtle way.
The songs here can range from a classic rock formula
(“Million Miles,” “Blink Of An Eye”), to upbeat pop (“This Is Your
Life”), to an “Americana” brand of adult contemporary similar to
Faith Hill or Shania Twain (“Do You Wanna Dance,” “You Like It
Clean”). Like other artists in the female adult contemporary genre,
Saylor has a kind and gentle, “au natural” appeal to her tone. The
supporting cast on these songs is also something to marvel and
praise. Names like Mark Schulman, former Billy Idol drummer and
current Pink skinsman; keyboardist Dan Siegel, who has worked with a
number of huge artists including Bela Fleck and Herbie Hancock; and
Queen guitar messiah Brian May, can all be found contributing their
talents on this disc. And, all of their efforts are exquisitely
produced by Saylor’s husband, Skip Saylor. Now, I know a lot of you
lost me after I mentioned Brian May. The classic rock icon actually
contributes his voice as well as his distinctive guitar tone here.
With solos on the poignant “If We Believe,” and another during a
remake of the classic Pat Benatar hit, “We Belong,” his
contributions are really something special. While singing background
vocals with the latter track’s songwriters, Eric Lowen and Dan
Navarro, May dishes out a solo near the end of the pumped up
rendition that is memorable, to say the least.
When you talk about this record from a lyrical
standpoint, you can’t help but feel that this is the heart and
strength of the disc. With lyrics that address issues like race
relations (“If We Believe”) and the tragedies of driving drunk (“I
Wasn’t A Friend”), Saylor motors her songs to complete perfection.
As she sings “I’d take the keys from your hand / And I’d make sure
you stayed / Instead I let you drive away / I wasn’t a friend
yesterday” from “I Wasn’t A Friend,” you feel the tragic guilt of
the words, but the song melody resonates with hope and light instead
of something that might reside on the dark and tragic side. Only the
finest songwriters are capable of such lyrical magic.
Look for Lynn Carey Saylor to explode. This is one
of the best albums of its kind to come out in a long time. Saylor is
ready to pack her bags for a tour in support of the album. She has
endorsement deals with SPG Guitars and Dean Markley strings. And,
she has a super producer for a husband, and brilliant musicians as
dedicated friends. Yes folks, very soon the whole world will begin
to “like it clean.”
Official website: http://lynncareysaylor.com/
MySpace
profile: www.myspace.com/lynncareysaylor
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SCHENKER -
PATTISON SUMMIT - "The Endless Jam Continues" (6/2005)
Michael
Schenker.
A guitar
player.
A guitar
god to many, myself included.
In the past,
Schenker has almost always been the main focus of whatever project
he's been involved with. The exception is possibly his very
beginnings as part of Scorpions, but I doubt it. He was probably the
feature attraction at that time too. The guy is an amazing musician,
not too many would argue that point. The one weakness he has showed
in the past, at least with his solo projects, is the ability to
write a complete album of solid songs. A nice portion of his
early solo work is excellent, ...but not everything. And, as
you follow his career up through the McAuley Schenker Group years,
the writing begins to suffer more and more with each release.
It may have taken Michael a couple of decades to realize (or admit
to) this weakness, but I think he's finally come to the harsh
reality - if you can't write, ...don't.
The Endless
Jam, released in April 2004, was a full album of classic cover
songs. That's right, cover songs, ....all of 'em. Schenker joined
singer Davey Pattison, along with bassist Gunter Nezhoda (Pat
Travers, Leslie West) and legendary power drummer Ansley Dunbar
(Journey, Whitesnake, UFO) for a run through classic songs from
artists like Montrose, Free, and Traffic. It's the same premise for
this current release; Schenker and Pattison keep Dunbar on staff,
while they find a wonderful replacement on bass in the form of
legend Tim Bogert of Cactus and Jeff Beck fame. Schenker is now
surrounding himself with talent that's just as good as he is (dare I
say better?), while not having to write a single note. Hey,
whatever it takes Mike.
This is a
record that might have surprising appeal for the fan who doesn't
necessarily want to hear these songs being done by yet another band.
I think this band is different though. First of all, they've
assembled four of the best players that the Rock world has to offer
here. These guys could play Helen Reddy covers and make them sound
exciting. With extended soloing and a few interesting
arrangement variations, they turn songs that you might consider "old
hat" into the king's crown. Secondly, they've chosen a set of songs
that are all distinguished, prestigious and credible. Songs like
"Too Rolling Stoned", "While My Guitar Gently Weeps", and "Dear Mr.
Fantasy" are all songs that exude a monstrous amount of class and
integrity. These are also songs that only few are able to do justice
to, much less improve upon; but on occasion here, this quartet makes
the great ones even greater.
The record
starts out with "Rock Steady", my personal favorite from Bad
Company. They do a fairly straight up cover for this one without
getting too fancy. Some extended jamming from Schenker,
and some thunderous fills from Dunbar make for a nice opener. With
"While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and later, "Dear Mr. Fantasy",
Pattison's smooth, bluesy vocal tone is showcased nicely. The band's
take on "Layla" is pretty electrifying simply for the extended
jam that's arranged into the ending segment. It's Schenker
doing what he does best - playing smooth, fast, and passionate. When
they cut into "I'm Losing You", you get a heavy duty dose of Michael
once again. Come to think of it, Michael can be found in heavy doses
throughout this record - and, well, that's what this is all about,
right?! Yes, Schenker is the featured attraction here once again,
but the difference is, this time he has a brilliant supporting cast.
Ansley Dunbar's work here is amazing. He is a big reason why these
songs are given new life. The rumbling precision, along with his
blazing speed, gives these tunes an edge they wouldn't
otherwise have. The best example of Dunbar breathing new life
into a song is when he lights up "Too Rolling Stoned" with a rhythm
and intensity that I can't even begin to explain. I am a huge fan of
the Trower original, but I must say this version takes the
cake. With Schenker's chugging riff through the verses, and the
jam that sits smack dab in the center of this thing all revolving
around Dunbar's manic display, this is by far the best tune on the
record. With similarly attractive versions of "The
Hunter", "Badge", "I Don't Need No Doctor", "Wang Dang Doodle", and
I'd Love To Change The World" rounding out the set, there's a whole
lot more of the same great things happening. Rock solid
bass, cool bluesy vocals, tight drumming, and superb guitar
work - these guys can light it up, no doubt. But with all that said,
it is an album of covers.
These are all
great songs. They are great songs that are either played to
death on radio, or songs that have been previously covered by dozens
of others. Even the fact that this quartet is near perfect in their
execution here, the reality remains that these are all songs that I
think we may all be a little tired of hearing. So, what's the
deal with the contradiction, right? First I say that the band is
superb and picks a great set of tunes to cover, then I tell you that
they are all songs we're tired of. Many of you totally understand
where I'm coming from, and a larger number of you just stopped
reading. So, here's what it all comes down to:
If you like
this set of tunes so much that you'd like to hear them one more
time, you'll probably like this record. If you like this set, and
like everything that Schenker does with his life, you'll love this
record. If you don't really care for most of these songs,
but you like Schenker, you'll like this - but don't spend more
than, say, eight bucks. If you respect
these songs but are a bit tired of them, and you'd
like to hear Schenker and the band put a new spin on some of
them - take a spot in line behind me, and punch "6" for an
overall rating on this one. A great band....doing great covers....of
great songs .........that you are probably greatly bored of by
now.
OVERALL
RATING: 6
SCORPIONS -
"Unbreakable" (4/2005)
Scorpions are a band that I
have followed since 1972, when they released their debut
record, "Lonesome Crow". Although I did not think much of that first
record, I became a huge fan of the band as they started to develop
into a top notch hard rock act with records such as "Virgin Killer"
and "In Trance", as well as later releases like "Animal Magnetism"
and "Blackout". Once Scorpions hit a stride, they seemed to be
an unstoppable force. Blending rich melodies and catchy
hard rock hooks with blazing guitar licks, Scorpions was
destined to become a worldwide supergroup. In 1984, with the
release of their "Love At First Sting" lp, Scorpions would finally
fly to the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Powered by
the record's first single, "Rock You Like A Hurricane", "Love
At First Sting" proved to be the album that would blow
open all the doors for Scorpions. The band would release a
double live record before releasing their next studio album, "Savage
Amusement", which proved to be a bit disappointing to longtime fans.
It wasn't until their next release, "Crazy World", that the band
would ultimately stumble and fall from hard rock grace, though.
The hugely successful single, "Wind Of Change", turned into a kiss
of death for the band. Like so many other bands, Scorpions seemed to
become obsessed with writing another successful radio
ballad. Every album that followed was weak. Like watching an elderly
loved one slowly break down physically, loving fans like myself had
to endure the apparent demise of a rock and roll giant. Their return
to being a significant force in the rock world seemed unlikely,
...until the release of this "Unbreakable" disc.
I almost didn't bother listening
to this one. I had really gotten tired of hearing sappy
Scorpions releases being promoted as "the return" of the band I once
loved. With "Unbreakable" though, it truly is a legitimate return
for the group. Only two of these thirteen tracks approach
"sappy radio ballad" status, and even those two aren't terrible
songs. "Maybe I Maybe You" is much like the great ballad "Still
Loving You" from "Love At First Sting", only it's not as great.
"Maybe I Maybe You" is like "Wind Of Change", ...almost exactly.
This is what I expected half the album to sound like, but only two
tracks to endure seems harmless here. The wonderful thing is that
these two largely average ballads are surrounded by rock songs that
mimic the sound of the groups classic material. Singer Klaus Meine
sounds as sharp as ever, and guitarists Matthias Jabs and Rudolph
Schenker make their presence known on a regular basis. This is what
Scorpions is all about - guitar based hard rock with great melodic
hooks. It's great to finally hear the band's return to this
brand of rock 'n roll.
The first track on the album,
"New Generation" keeps the "Wind Of Change" theme, but adapts
it to a real rock melody. The lyrics of "Here comes the
young/ the new generation/You are the only ones/ You are the
only ones who can make a change" never get soft and gooey. A steady
pulsing guitar riff keeps this song afloat, and it turns out to be a
decent track. Songs like "Love 'Em Or Leave 'Em", "Someday Is Now",
and "My City My Town", among many of the other tracks here, are all
songs that are typical Scorpions songs. On "Can You Feel It" we even
get the return of the voice box guitar solo that was so effective in
their killer classic "The Zoo". This is actually an album that may
be too typical! We don't get too much to really absorb here. This is
one that you hear, and you say, "Yeah, I know this....but I like it
this way." And for a band like Scorpions, that has been so detached
from their sound for so long, this is a welcome return to basics.
Some of the strongest material on the album comes from songs like
"Deep And Dark" and "This Time", which have a renewed, revived,
and refreshed intensity to them.
The
songs I can live without, besides the ballads, are songs that just
seem a little "cheesy" or adolescent. "Borderline" is a typical
fist pumper with a gang vocal chorus that isn't too bad, but
it's just not anything to write home about, that's all.
Oddly enough, the other track that's a bit tiresome follows
immediately after "Borderline". "Blood Too Hot", although it has
elements of guitar flair and that heavy sound I love from this band,
it comes across as your stereotypical metal track, complete with
chants of "ROCK!, ROCK!, ROCK!" Pretty cheesy stuff.
A song that is quite a departure from the rest of the
album is the final track, "Remember The Good Times". This is a
straight forward pop song. It sounds like something that Cyndi
Lauper might've written for them. Not a bad tune, it's just not
them.....or me, for that matter. Hey, you gotta try something
different though, ...right?
All in all, this is a good
record. Just to see a slight return of this classic band is great,
and this is just past slight, so I can't
complain too much.
The Scorpions camp says that they have intentions of releasing
another record at the end of the year, so I am already looking
to the future and hoping that the next record will be the full
blown return of Scorpions. But, until then.....there is
"Unbreakable".
OVERALL
RATING: 6
SEX & VIOLINS - "Sex
& Violins"
(5/2008)
Sex and violins; think about those two
things for a minute. Sex has got to be the single most desirable
physical sensation known to mankind. At its best, it’s an intense
and intimate ride that ends with every nerve ending screaming in
ecstasy. Violins; delicate instruments that need to be caressed
gently at times, but also need to be violently stroked occasionally
to drive them to dizzying heights. When you think about it, sex and
violins are similar in many ways. Here is a band that embraces their
name and translates their music to fit the two elements.
Vocalist/bassist Lynn Sorensen
reeks of raw sexuality here. Whether he’s pumping the neck of his
fretless bass during “You’ve Got Me Addicted” or spewing forth his
suave slurs during the verses of “Eva,” Sorensen captures the
essence of the band name in every breath he takes. It just so
happens that Sorensen is the violin player in the band, too. So when
he belts out “You run my bow down the small of your back, you’re a
night at the opera, you’re a sheer heart attack” during the chorus
of their namesake tune, “Sex & Violins,” it’s an effective foray
into the attitude of the band’s music. This chorus also sheds some
light upon some of the influences at work here; with “night at the
opera” and “sheer heart attack” referencing two classic Queen
records.
This is a classic rock record, plain and simple.
Sorensen sings with strength and passion, sounding like James “JY”
Young of Styx or Ian Astbury of The Cult (especially on “Feelin’
Alright”). He also delivers some wicked bass lines throughout the
disc. But the buck doesn’t stop at Sorensen and his animal
magnetism. Drummer Jeff Kathan drives each of these songs with a
tight snare snap and a bottom heavy bass drum. He provides a
concrete foundation that has Sorensen’s bass dancing all over it.
And then there’s the guitars….Joe Shikany and Ian Crawford give us
some heart stopping solo work on tunes like “Eva,” “Str8 2 Hell,”
and “Feelin’ Alright,” but I think it’s their patience that deserves
to be noticed. They never attack the song and smother it, but rather
let the song come to them. The subtle strings of “Outside Your Door”
and “Beyond These City Lights” are played perfectly; and instead of
jarring solos, Shikany and Crawford provide the song with more of an
atmospheric elegance. These are guitar players that know when to
play.
From the hard and heavy sound of
songs like “Las Vegas Rocks” and “Str8 2 Hell,” to the rap/rock of
“Tears Fall Astray,” to the sensitive innocence of “How to Love
You;” this is just plain fun. It’s nothing groundbreaking. They
aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel or anything. This band is a
modern day Van Halen; a good time, party band that just kills
instrumentally. I must say, that after hearing of Sorensen’s
accomplishments with the violin, I did yearn to hear more of his
playing when the disc was over. But other than that, I think The
Stones put it best when they said, “It’s only rock and roll, but I
like it.”
"Sex &
Violins" - Sex & Violins
________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SHINEDOWN - "Us And
Them" (6/2006)
As one of the newcomers on
the hard rock scene, Shinedown found some success with help from a
couple of hit singles from their promising debut lp, “Leave A
Whisper.” On later pressings of the disc, you can find a cover of
Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Simple Man” that is just pristine. So, as this
sophomore disc hit the racks, I was anxious to hear exactly what
this band had. Were they going to make the proper adjustments and
make a record better than the promising debut? Or would they be the
type that recorded every good song they knew on their first record
and now are left with nothing for the follow-up? Was "Fly From The
Inside" and "Burning Bright" all that this band had in them?
I'm here to tell you that this record, “Us And Them,” is better than
the first record, and it is one of the best releases of the
year.
The band shows more of a
comfortable groove on this disc. Backed by singer Brent Smith’s
armor piercing pipes, these tunes jump off the disc and swirl
through your head with a fervor rarely achieved by a band that’s
only on their second offering. Delicate poetry being read by an
adolescent girl to kick off the album is a priceless idea that sets
you up for the blast that follows. “Heroes” is one of the best songs
of the year. With compelling lyrics (“All my heroes have now become
ghosts / Sold their sorrow to the ones who paid the most / All my
heroes are dead and gone / But they're inside of me, they still live
on”), and a tight, raucous rhythm, this is a sensational way to
start a record. To continue the feverish pace, the band fires off
their hit single “Save Me.” Did I say “Heroes” was one of the best
songs of the year? Well, grab the chalk and draw another line for
Shinedown in the best songs of the year column. "Save Me" is really
something special. If I say that the light pop verses and the
powerful refrain of the next song, “I Dare You,” qualified for yet
another best song of the year honor you would probably not believe
me and stop reading, so I won’t go there. Let’s just say that it’s a
song that stands toe-to-toe with the best of them. This set goes on
and on with energetic, emotional, dynamic songs. You have the
in-your-face grit of “Yer Majesty” and “Atmosphere,” the sensitive
and moving balladry of “Beyond The Sun” and “Shed Some Light,” and
the radio rock simplicity of “Some Day.” A truly deadly example of
the band's groove comes by way of a song called "Atmosphere, which
has the funky jumpiness of your hottest Audioslave track. Another
treat on the album comes from a track called “Fake.” This is a song
that combines all of the strongest elements of the band; the nice
tight groove (very reminiscent of The Toadies “Possum Kingdom”), the
chorus with the big hook, and a soaring vocal performance. Now that
I mention it, let’s talk about this guy. Brent Smith is one of the
best singers of the genre. This guy can do it all. If you haven’t
heard the cover of “Simple Man,” my heart bleeds for you. Smith is
amazing on that track, and he continues his excellence throughout
this release. He’s got the strength, he’s got nice range, and best
of all he has passion trapped inside each and every note he blurts
out. He’s rare. He’s great.
No mention of anything
negative, right? Is there anything I don’t like? Is this the perfect
rock record? Let me say first that this is close to
perfection. I, personally, can live without a couple of these songs,
but that is not to say that they aren’t solid tracks. The Bon
Jovi-like swaying of “Some Day” is not one of the shining points of
the record for me, and the over-the-top frenetic sound of “Yer
Majesty” might place that song in a “typical” file, where it might
be joined by “Lady So Divine.” But, the greater part of this record
is a lesson in superb songwriting and solid musicianship.
Shinedown has definitely
proven that they were not a fluke. They not only came back with a
record as good as their debut, but they came back even stronger, and
that’s always a good thing.
OVERALL
RATING: 8
________________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
SLAYER - "Seasons In The Abyss"
(8/2005)
Slayer was already considered one of the
pioneers of the American thrash metal genre when they released
"Seasons in the Abyss" in 1990. Many would argue that they were not
the first of their kind, but few would argue that they are the best.
With a speed and fury parleyed with the utmost instrumental skill
and precision, Slayer has gone unmatched throughout their existence
on the metal scene. Formed in Huntington
Park (not the same place as
Huntington Beach,
goddamn it!),
California in 1982,
Slayer had released five full length albums and one EP by the time
they were set to unleash this record. Of the five full length
records that were released prior, the legendary "Reign In Blood"
album from 1986 is the one that is most recognized as the
"match that started the fire", so to speak. With the help of
producer Rick Rubin, they defined the entire genre of thrash metal
with "Reign in Blood", and they returned with Rubin here on "Seasons
in the Abyss" to continue their reign as the kings of
thrash.
"Seasons in the Abyss" is a different album than "Reign in Blood."
You have all of the wonderful qualities that come with any Slayer
record - the blazing speed; the chaotic grinding; the furious
screams from vocalist Tom Araya; and of course, the superlative
instrumental prowess of each member, especially guitarists Jeff
Hanneman and Kerry King. But this record was a step in another
direction for the band, a step toward a more accessible sound. With
songs like "Temptation," "Born Of Fire," and "Hallowed Point," you
get the typical rapid fire brutality that you come to expect from
this band, but songs like "Dead Skin Mask," "Skeletons Of Society,"
and the title track display a more patient Slayer. These songs don't
thrash as much as they just slowly grind. The tempos are slowed down
just a touch, and a more classic metal formula is in use
here. Being already established as the pioneers of thrash and
hardcore metal afforded the band an opportunity to mix things up a
little. It's great to just slowly bob your head to some of this
stuff without risking any self-inflicted cuts or
bruises. Slayer has always been one of those bands that make
you feel stronger when you listen to them. Slamming your head on a
brick wall becomes enjoyable, and you really believe that if you
bang hard enough you will bring the wall down. It is the
power of Slayer. And just because they have slowed the tempo a bit
does not mean that that power has been diminished. They maintain the
power and intensity, while adding a few hooks; a
welcome addition to the sometimes tiresome pace that
is usually held with previous records. This record gives the
classic metal fan a few more things to like, while staying true to
the hardcore fan as well.
Rick Rubin has been responsible for producing many marvels of modern
music. I think his contribution here was tremendous - not just in
sound quality, but in overall direction. I don't think he wanted to
make another "Reign in Blood." The overall sound is much crisper and
more pronounced here, a different quality than the raw sound that he
achieved with "Reign in Blood." The production quality on "Seasons
in the Abyss" shows more movement and flexibility, whereas
"Reign in Blood" came straight at you with everything it had. This
record truly is one of Rubin's best efforts as well as one of
metal's all time great records.
SQUIER,
BILLY - "Don't Say No" (4/2004) Former student of Berklee
School Of Music and ex-Piper frontman Billy Squier exploded onto the
charts in 1981 with the first single from this, his second solo
effort, "Don't Say No". "The Stroke" was a cocky, imperious rocker
with enough aggressiveness to level a small building. Billy Squier
had a Top 20 smash, and was poised to reach superstardom.
It was 1981, and I was
helping my big brother deliver church bulletins on a bright sunlit
Saturday morning. He worked for the printing company that produced
the bulletins (and still does!), and delivering was always just
a grueling extension of the work week. Being the typical 12-year old
kid brother, I would've carried all of the boxes on my back
for that five bucks at the end of the day, though. Besides the
five bucks, another one of the highlights for me also, was
getting the chance to listen to the local radio station all day
long with my big brother as we drove all over the Milky Way. This
particular Saturday morning was unlike any of the others though,
...this one had "The Stroke". When that "boom,
slap" - "boom, slap" - "boom, slap" of the drums came
emanating out from the 6x9's, and that crisp voice asked "Now
everybody, have you heard?", I was glued to that hot vinyl seat by
more than just the heat. Once that sledgehammer guitar riff fell, I
thought I would never recover; and, I guess, in many ways I haven't.
Needless to say, I was at
the local record store "boom, slapping" my hard earned five bucks
down on "Don't Say No" just hours later. The record did not
disappoint on any level either. This is a full record. No filler.
Just straight forward rock 'n' roll, folks.
The record starts off with
a whirring that reminds one of the approach of something
astral, and bursts into its landing with an explosion of guitar
whine and background bombast. This is "In The Dark", and it's as
much quality rock as you can get. As the song cuts and sways to its
heavy breathing finale, there is a few tense seconds of
silence.....and then it hits. "The Stroke" has perfect placement on
this album. Placed as the second track, Squier sets a frenetic pace
and sends a solid message of power. He came to rock you with this
record, you could make no mistake of that, just by listening to the
first two tracks. The pace doesn't let up for quite a while
here, too. The staccato riffing of "My Kinda Lover" and it's
swinging verses is perfect. The frenzied gallop of "You Know What I
Like", followed by the strut of "Too Daze Gone", .....impeccable.
Then it's time to hit with another bombshell. "Lonely Is
The Night" may just be the best tune here. From it's solitary vocal
and guitar intro, to the brilliant ambiguity of its structure, this
is a true classic rock song. So now it's time to slow it down a
little, right? Not a chance. You get one of the fastest paced songs
on the record instead. "Whadda You Want From Me" with it's pounding
drum intro, once again, has a real classic rock formula. With its
sharp wind-up guitar sound and ambitious pace, it's reminiscent of
the best Ted Nugent or Sammy Hagar stuff. Okay, it had to
arrive sooner or later. "Nobody Knows" is a poignant ballad that is
"Dedicated to the life of John Lennon". With Squier singing in a
high tenor falsetto, it has a tender vibe that somehow does remind
you of Lennon. It's a pretty piece that is well placed on a
tremendous platter of well served dishes. The pulsing pop of "I
Need You" just brings us out of "ballad mode" ever so slightly. A
foot tapper with some nice lyrical content. Which brings us to the
final, and title track of the record, "Don't Say No". This is
another classy rocker with more meaningful lyrical content. Until
the final three tracks, we were treated to an abundance of fun and
rowdy rockers. With these final three, Squier sends a message of "I
can write with class and dignity too". You get the whole package
with this record.
Billy Squier went on to
record a couple more consecutive platinum albums ("Emotions In
Motion" and "Signs Of Life"), but subsequent albums failed to hit as
large. "Don't Say No" remains the pinnacle of his
career.
If you are
one of the few people who enjoy classic rock, and do not own this
record - do me a favor, and go get it. This is what good time rock
'n' roll is all about. "Don't Say No" is a definitive
classic rock masterpiece.
STAPP, SCOTT -
"The Great Divide"
(8/2006)
Scott Stapp has been the whipping
post for critics and fans alike because of many reasons. The most
notorious altercation occurred in my hometown of Chicago a couple of
years back when Stapp, heavily drugged and visibly incoherent, laid
on his back and sang the wrong lyrics to the great Creed songs that
he helped to write. I initially wanted to give him the benefit of
the doubt when he began explaining his behavior. I liked this guy;
not only because he sounded spectacular singing those great Creed
songs, but because I really thought he was a good guy. After seeing
the VH1 "Behind The Music" program featuring Stapp's former band
Creed, and seeing him sing "With Arms Wide Open" with his young son
in his arms, I got a warm and fuzzy feeling inside. Since then,
Stapp has been found picking fights in bars, been intoxicated and
unruly whenever he's out in public, has divorced the wife he seemed
so happy with in that VH1 feature, and has ultimately taken a nose
dive on the respectability scale. But, with all of that said, I'm
not here to judge the morality of Scott Stapp; but rather to tell
you what this, his first solo record, sounds like.
When I first pushed the play button on this
one, I instantly started to cringe. With Creed, Stapp's soaring
vocal depth and smooth delivery, which was often criticized for
being suspiciously similar to Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder, was a
key element of the successful Creed sound. With "Reach Out," the
opening number of this disc, we get Stapp sounding more like Kurt
Cobain than Eddie Vedder. His voice sounds scratchy and rough - an
unfamiliar direction for the usually suave Stapp. Yes, the song is
an aggressive rocker where the particular throaty sound may be
appropriate, but this is Scott Stapp. Should Scott Stapp be allowed
to get away with this? I mean, this is the guy we depended on to
deliver the uplifting choruses and the soaring lyric play of Creed.
Can he really get away with being something else? It is my opinion
that he can't be something else, and let me tell you why. It's not a
natural sound for him. The whole thing sounds unnatural and forced.
The song itself is only average at best, but his vocal performance
is below average. So, with the first track, we find the apparent
strength that powered the fabulous Creed sound, being harsh and
unnatural. Things could be better. The record
begins to take more shape as it goes on, and Stapp becomes more
comfortable within his relaxed and glossy tone. Songs like "Fight
Song" and "Hard Way" have some significant muscle, but Stapp
maintains his composure and sings them with a natural intensity. You
could also make a case here that Stapp is sending a message to his
former bandmates within the strong lyrical content. In the opener,
"Reach Out," he growls "Welcome friends, I have nothing to hide /
The journey's end has left a mark inside / I'm sure you've heard the
rumors, jealousies, and all the lies."; or he sings in the best song
on the album, "Hard Way," "Just when I thought I had it all / Caught
a sucker punch and lost it all / Just never thought it would have
come from you." Whatever Stapp's intentions were when writing these
lyrics is really irrelevant; what is relevant is how he delivers
them to the listener. For half of the album the songs are worthy of
note, but the other half suffers from a lack of, . . . well . . .
something. Songs like "Sublime," "You Will Soar," and "Broken," the
three songs that close the album, are not as powerful and uplifting
as they were intended to be. Something is definitely missing, and I
think that something is former Creed guitarist and Stapp's
songwriting partner, Mark Tremonti. Tremonti brought more than just
his guitar to the Creed game, but he brought a real songwriting
savvy that is sorely lacking here. Even the addition of a choir to
the song "Broken" cannot lift the song to the emotional summit that
it was obviously intended to reach. The song just isn't written as
well as the Creed stuff that it is trying so hard to emulate. On the
other hand, I listen to the Alter Bridge record that Tremonti put
together and I am brought to tears from its emotional impact. There
is very little here by way of songs with that effect. Songs like
"Hard Way," "Justify," "Let Me Go," "Surround Me," and the title cut
are all songs that are enjoyable and well written, but most lack the
beating heart and the bleeding soul that Tremonti was so
successfully able to capture with his Alter Bridge project. These
are just good songs that have been given an average
presentation. I guess it depends what you're
looking to get from this record. If you wanted another great Creed
record, wait for the reunion album. As hard as Stapp has tried here,
he does not maintain the same majesty that Creed so readily acquired
with every release. If you heard the title track on your radio and
you want to hear more songs like it, you should be satisfied with
about half of this album. But for me, this was a disappointment
because I wanted this guy to succeed. I still want to like this guy.
But it turns out that now, not only do I think he's a bad drunk with
a bad attitude, but I think his solo stuff is average at best. It
could be worse I guess - he could be that nice guy that I thought he
was, and the solo stuff could just downright suck. Then I might feel
bad about the review.
OVERALL
RATING:
5
________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEELY DAN -
"Aja" (6/2005)
Named after a
sex toy from a William S. Burroughs novel, these guys were the
original "alternative" band. With their own unique musical
style, and their ironic (sometimes twisted) lyrics they were
ingenious. Before there was Lollapalooza and Limp Bizkit, there was
Steely Dan. Please, stop laughing and keep reading.
When you
tried to throw this one in a particular section of the record
store back in 1977, the year of its' release, you really had a
difficult task. To avoid complication, stores were filing the record
under Rock. You see, back then you only had 4 or 5 different
categories to choose from. Things like Hard Rock, Heavy Metal, Rap,
Hip Hop, Alternative, Smooth Jazz, and Acid Jazz were all nifty
names that came after 1977,...way after. Yes, in
1977 you had Rock, R&B, Jazz, and Classical, that was about it.
So, is this a Rock record? Well, kind of. Is it a
R&B record? Well, at times it is. Is it a Jazz
record? Well, it's not your "traditional" jazz
record. So where do we put this one, boss? If
you're the boss you reply, "Rock". Why was this filed under Rock? Well,
for 2 reasons really; 1 - It rocks very nicely at many points
throughout. 2 - Rock radio is playing it, ...this is the important
one. Rock radio grabbed this record and abused the airwaves with it,
and to this day these songs are in regular rotation on the classic
rock stations. I don't know about anybody else but, I have a hard
time seeing this as simply a Rock
record.
"Aja" is an
album that is rich in pure musicianship, tone, and texture. It may
sound as if I'm describing a Monet, I know, but this is
Rock at its' most artistic. With
Walter Becker playing guitar, and Donald Fagen providing the
synthesizer and soul for Steely Dan, this is a masterpiece. Donald
Fagen has a trademark voice that is soulful and smooth. With
this duo getting hired help such as Tom Scott, Larry Carlton, Wayne
Shorter, Rick Marotta, Steve Gadd, Venetta Fields, and Dean Parks,
it reads like an all-star Jazz Fusion jam, and that's a pretty
accurate description of what you get here. These are some of the
finest jazz session players in the world coming together to make one
of the most artistic records of all time. I would categorize this
record as Smooth Jazz if you gave me a choice. It's a record that
you take with you when you go down to Montrose Harbor at night to
look out at the awesome Chicago skyline and feel the cool
summer wind off of Lake Michigan. It's a record that makes
bathing an entirely new experience when it plays as a cleansing
accompaniment. It is a cool, breezy, Smooth Jazz record that
everyone should experience.
This is an album you
hate to see come to an end. With only seven tracks, and a running
time of just over 39 minutes, it ends way too early. With 5 out of
the 7 tracks still in regular rotations on classic rock radio, it
shines like a greatest hits diamond. Kicking off the record
is "Black Cow", with its funky bass line intro, its airy
background vocals, and the gentle sway of Tom Scott's tenor sax
sliding around -- it's nothing short of perfect. The album
continues to dazzle as it moves on to the title track, a slow
charmer that has an incredibly loose jam toward the middle of its'
almost 8 minutes. With Wayne Shorter taking the tenor
sax duties this time, and the brilliant Steve Gadd rumbling
incessantly with some of the greatest cymbal work ever done, this is
another gem. Can it get any better? Sure it can.
If you put the stellar "Deacon Blues" as the next track, the record
would continue to excel. Well, ...the next track is none other than
radio staple "Deacon Blues". Perfect. Can it possibly keep
this perfect pace going? Sure it can. With the
next track being another radio fave, "Peg" has a jumpy jazz rhythm
highlighted by a subtle background vocal provided by Michael
McDonald. As the next 2 tracks being the only tracks that haven't
seen radio airplay, the luck must be running out, right?
Nope. With "Home At Last" you, arguably, get the most Jazz
influenced song on the record. With phenomenal vibes played by
Victor Feldman, and brilliant guitar parts from Larry Carlton and
Walter Becker - it's another winner. "I Got The News" is a great
song also, with more amazing musicianship. So, how do they end
a classy record such as this? They "break out
the hats and hooters", of course! With one of my personal
favorites from Steely Dan, "Josie" is a sassy and street smart song.
A funky jazz strutter that sizzles with persistent
rhythm.
Steely Dan is
one of my favorite acts, and this record is their shining triumph.
Are all the Steely Dan records good? Yes,
absolutely. Are they all this good? Nope.
There is a feel to this record that remains unparalleled. It was a
special moment in time; when all elements of sound, and talent, and
beauty came together to form a genuine masterpiece. Maybe the
greatest thing about this record is, simply, that it got recorded.
It's now locked in time, and it's ours to draw pleasure from
whenever we like. Don't miss your chance, draw yourself a bath and
check it out.
STEELY DAN -
"Everything Must Go" (4/2004)
One of Rock's
amazing wonders, Steely Dan has been the voice of consistency in an
ever changing genre for over 30 years now. After taking
home four Grammys for their last effort, "Two Against
Nature", they had no reason to change direction on this, their
follow-up release, "Everything Must Go".
Steely Dan continues to carry the flag of artistic excellence, and
play host to their own music classification. It remains virtually impossible to categorize a band
that takes pop hooks, blends them with light jazz
inflections, and delicately peppers all of it with some
sly lyrical innuendo. You simply call them the incomparable
Steely Dan. Their "outside the box" style remains intact here, and
they still make most of it sound fresh.
Having won
those 4 Grammys in February 2001(including the "big prize" of Album
Of The Year), being inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall Of Fame in
March of that year, and also getting honorary Doctor Of Music
degrees from Berklee College Of Music in May, Steely Dan has
remained just as dynamic as ever. The core of Steely Dan,
guitarist/bassist Walter Becker and brilliant keyboardist/vocalist
Donald Fagen, is still flawless. The utilization of only the best
session players in the world is still common practice for the duo
also. Before they even start writing or recording, these guys are
gonna get a 5 or 6 on a scale of 1-10 just on the sheer talent that
they bring to the table. So let's see what else they had to offer us
on this release in terms of accessibility and
passion.
The record
starts out with tongue planted firmly in cheek, as Fagen
utters: Attention all shoppers
It's Cancellation Day
Yes the Big
Adios
Is
just a few hours away
It's last call
To do your shopping
At the Last Mall
"The Last Mall" throws it
all down, too. A soulful tune in which you get the entire package
right away; the awesome horn section, the sensuous background
vocals, the jazzed up blues guitar of Becker, and, of course, the
undeniable soul of Fagen's voice. It's all on the table, and the
table is set for a fresh funky feast.
The
flow of the record is also typical Steely Dan. The
record dazzles you with its jazzy ingredients on all of
its tracks, and the occasional funk rock stuff gets
blended in ("Godwhacker" and "Green Book"), while the easy rock of
"Pixeleen" rounds out the album nicely. I've had conversations on a
great many occasions about how to classify Steely Dan, and I agree
that it is virtually impossible. Nobody blends jazz elements, with
rock, soul and pop stylings quite like this band. So where do
you file this stuff in your record store? I always tell people
that if I had to choose a bin to put
Steely Dan into, it would be the Jazz bin. I believe the foundation
of almost every Steely Dan song has its roots planted in a Jazz
format. Listening to "Everything Must Go" is a perfect example of
it, too. The last track on the record, which happens to be the title
track, is a straight up Jazz tune with capacious swaying
horns and a weaving vocal tone. Every other track has
those Jazz elements also, with a few other stylings fused in. Nobody
does it better than Becker and Fagen.
I've spoken of nothing negative yet, have I? Well, ...there's a
reason for that. It's tough to find a weak area on
this record. So, is it a 10, .........no. It's a record that
you may get tired of after a dozen spins or so. I'm not real sure
why this is, but I have a theory. The style doesn't really ever
change, and the record never really takes any risks. Much like
the Metal band that powers through each and every song with
relentless fury; they may be phenomenal musicians and great at their
particular style, but it may not vary enough to hold one's interest
for a prolonged period of time. A couple of the
tracks (maybe "Pixeleen" & "Everything Must Go") can
get a bit lengthy and drab also, although they are still
instrumentally sound. Becker and Fagen stick to what they do
best here, and stay on the path throughout.
You
get Steely Dan doing what Steely Dan has always done, and that's
make great "Jazz Rock". If you're looking for these guys to break
even more new ground, you might be disappointed. If you are a
fan of Steely Dan's customary offerings, you should thoroughly
enjoy this record.
You
can almost automatically consider any Steely Dan
effort "Doctor" recommended, as I am a huge fan of the band, so
here goes............
OVERALL
RATING: 7
THE SUBWAYS - “Young For
Eternity” (7/2006)
"EMERGENCY SURGERY"
feature
Let me just
say that I know little about The Subways, other than they are an
English trio that might be found donning canvas Converse All Stars.
By knowing this alone, it is hard to not have expectations. I am
expecting to hear a power pop record that draws influence from the
early English punk scene. I’m thinking that this is another band
that’s getting heaped onto The Strokes/Killers bandwagon. Am I right
on target with my suspicions, or will I be shocked by what I hear? I
don’t know about you, but I’m anxious to find out. So, sit back,
allow me to push the “PLAY” button, and let’s check it out.
1. “I Want to Hear What You Have Got To Say” - Starts with
some quick and quiet strumming and a thick English accented voice.
After about a minute of establishing rhythm, a big drum/bass sound
kicks in. The encompassing, full sound comes across like more than
just a three piece act. Nice. The song reverts back to just the
guitar/vocal thing for a few seconds before the second verse is
introduced, and this time it’s a female voice. Sung with the same
quick tempo that’s vaguely reminiscent of the Queens of the Stone
Age song “No One Knows,” this male/female vocal variance works well.
The song ends abruptly at 3:25, which is in my judgment a perfect
time for a tune like this one. A good solid opening track. Simple,
yet effective. RATING: 6
2.
“Holiday” - A supercharged punk song with some grinding,
pounding, and thrashing guitar chords. At 1:52, this is your typical
nu-punk song, if you will. The catchy hook keeps this one alive.
RATING: 5
3. “Rock &
Roll Queen” - Another typical Pop/Punk song as far as the
crunchy guitars and the sharp hook go; but this is a little closer
to a standard rock song with a few screams here and there, and a
running time of under three minutes. RATING: 6
4. “Mary” - Kind of a different
look from the band on this one. Again, very simple, except this time
the band trades the electric crunch for the acoustic strumming. A
fast-paced jumping, bopping acoustic rhythm makes this more Clash
than Sex Pistols. They still stay under three minutes too.
RATING: 5
5. “Young for
Eternity” - Rip it up! This one is a thrashing, hyperactive
jaunt that blazes through your head for just over two minutes. Sex
Pistols all the way. Cool track. RATING: 6
6. “Lines of Light” - Ooh, very
different. This one leads towards the Coldplay side of the genre;
slow, slightly atmospheric and artsy. Halfway through we get the
ahh-ahh-ahh’s and the loud, plodding guitars too. Thank God it was
only 2:12. RATING: 2
7. “Oh
Yeah” - Another thrasher that sounds like it was recorded in a
garage. They mix the male and female vocal sounds fairly well here
again. This is beyond simple, but might be something that could grow
on you. Very, very typical though. RATING:
4
8. “City Pavement” - Again, loud and raucous.
Not a bad song, but the repetitive nature of the record starts to
wear thin at this point. Almost every song is following the same
exact formula: stay under three minutes and be loud. Some pretty
cool attitude shines through on this one, though. Not too bad.
RATING: 5
9. “No Goodbyes”
- Upbeat acoustic guitar sound, joined by some decent harmony
vocals; a sound that reminds this listener of Oasis meets Fleetwood
Mac, perhaps. A light, breezy feel here is a welcome change for the
record. This is a pretty nice track that couldn’t have come at a
better time. RATING: 6
10.
“With You” - This has a more patient and thought out rhythm
to it. Still has the guitar chord grinding, but they take a backseat
to the melody that takes the wheel and drives this song. It’s a bit
repetitive, but a decent song nonetheless. RATING: 6
11. “She Sun” - Wow, another
acoustic ballad-type song……that goes nowhere. A pathetic dragging
vocal track that just slays anything musical that might be anywhere
near it. They don’t get too much worse than this one. Why does this
brutally boring song have to be one of the only ones over three
minutes? This is pure agony. RATING: 1
12. “Somewhere” - Starts out
with the grind, goes to slow and dull with that same agonizing vocal
that terrorized me on the last track, but soon picks up with those
loud crunchy guitars again. This sounds very similar to the Nirvana
method of songwriting. Now, this is a track that takes up almost
five minutes, and the last half is an overemotional foray into a
drum bashing, “nah-nah-nah,” “ohhhhh-ohhhhh” fest. RATING: 5
13. “At 1 AM” - Very cool riff
to start the tune and drive the rhythm of the song. “I need her
heart ‘cause mine is broken” is a nifty little lyric here as well.
This is one of the better tunes on the album. It’s simple like the
rest of the album, but it has some kind of spark (the riff) to keep
it interesting and different. RATING: 7
OVERALL RATING: 5 --
DEAD
Fans of The Strokes, The Killers,
and possibly even the Radiohead/Coldplay crowd, just might draw some
pleasure from this release. I’m not a big fan of the sound, but I do
recognize and respect the talent and originality of bands like
Radiohead and The Killers. What I heard on this one-time journey was
all of the typical components of the genre, with a heavier dose of
the punk roots running through it. Take The Killers, and sprinkle
some Jet and Coldplay on it, and you’ll have the dish that I was
served today. I’m not always opposed to the bandwagon jumpers, but
they have to be a tight outfit that stays honest and true to their
sound. The Subways don’t sound overly talented to me, and there are
a few songs that sound unnatural and dishonest to the attitude of
this band. I think this band should be more Jet than Coldplay, I
think that’s really who they are. More work with the offsetting
male/female vocals would have been a pleasant addition as well. Just
like we had in the early 90’s with the “Seattle sound,” we ended up
saturating the field with anything close to average, as long as it
sounded like Nirvana or Pearl Jam. In all of the bandwagon jumping
we did get some great ones like Stone Temple Pilots, Alice In
Chains, and Soundgarden out of it. I’m sure this fad in music taste
will play out much the same way. We’ll get some great, talented
bands that will give us years of great music; and we’ll also get the
bands that will make up the frayed edges of the musical cloth. We
still have bargain bins loaded with early 90’s Nirvana knock-offs,
but those should finally become a thing of the past. There are some
new kids in town. So clear those bins and make room for The Subways,
and the many more that are surely on the way.
__________________________________________________________________________
SWEET - "Live! In
America"
(10/2009)
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
CONCERT
REVIEW
SWEET -
Live In Milwaukee
(11/20/2009)
____________________________________________________________________________________
SYSTEM OF A DOWN -
"Mezmerize" (9/2005)
System Of A Down is
one of the most, if not the most, unique band in the
alternative music genre today. With their first release they showed
us that they were different and interesting, but didn't bowl anyone
over with their ability to write songs. It was their next disc,
"Toxicity", that made the world take notice of a band that had an
adventurous new sound, with some greatly improved songwriting
skills. I think the band reached their highest point with their
third release, "Steal This Album", when they used all of the weapons
that were at their disposal to create songs that were unique,
complete, and well crafted. In all honesty, I didn't think this
band would ever surpass the effort put forth with "Steal This
Album." I was wrong, .......very very wrong.
"Mezmerize" is one of the best records I've ever heard from this
genre. Where do I start with this thing? I don't think there's
anything the band doesn't do with this album. Every song is
perfectly written, and the performances are so tight they hurt. With
some heavy lyrical themes of the current war issues, mixed with one
of the finest vocal performances the genre has ever seen, this is a
phenomenal record. If you liked what SOAD had done on previous
albums, prepare yourself to be blown away. If you are new to this
band, welcome to the definition of originality in the alternative
metal genre. To give you an idea of where the band might be coming
from, guitarist/key songwriter Daron Malakian simply places a quote
in his portion of the band member "thank you's" section of the liner notes. The quote goes
like this: "'In your world you can take a pen and write on a piece
of paper and destroy 200,000 people or more and it's ok because
you don't have to see it..' - Charles Manson". This is a band with a
lot to say, and a really unique way of saying things.
As the record starts off, the band
immediately shows its patience with a soft and serene one minute
intro piece called "Soldier Side" which segues into the first single
"B.Y.O.B.", which stands for Bring Your Own Bombs. The lyric play
here is pure brilliance. Hearing the chorus of "Everybody's going to
the party - Have a real good time - Dancing in the desert
- Blowing up the sunshine" set to a light and airy vocal part
amidst instrumental chaos, you can't help but think that this is
just a perfect song. The metaphoric insinuation of the Allied Forces
in the Iraqi desert set in this playful rhythm is songwriting at its
very best. The
political view of the band is hammered through straight through to
the abrupt ending with angry shouts of “Why don’t presidents fight
the war? - Why do they always send the poor?" Powerful, catchy and
original. The chugging melody of "Revenga" follows and plays out as
another great song filled with artistic flair. It's the next song,
"Cigaro", that drops you to the floor though. Starting off with
singer Serj Tankian squealing the line "My cock is much bigger than
yours", this song explodes into an exquisitely produced frenzy when
the chorus gets going. Super-producer Rick Rubin may have outdone
himself with this disc. The mix done by metal mixmeister Andy
Wallace (Slayer, Rage Against The Machine, Nirvana, etc.
etc.) ain't half bad either. It's really a rare occurrence when
a band writes perfect songs, plays them perfectly, and has a
production team that makes them even better. This is one of those
rare occurrences. As the group cuts into the hook-riddled tune,
"Radio/Video", we see the best side of this band. In this song they
blend a chorus with a gargantuan hook; with an exotic, jumpy,
Caribbean-type rhythm; with an operatic "la la la" bridge of vocal
beauty. At times you have to ask yourself if they're serious with
all of this quirky jive. Just then you realize that it doesn't even
matter because it sounds so damn good. Then comes the song "This
Cocaine Makes Me Feel Like I'm On This Song." Any rapid fire, two
minute burner that uses the lines "Gonorrhea gorgonzola" and "I
hope your stepson doesn't eat the fish", and it makes it work, is
pure brilliance I tell you. This leads into another song with a
gigantic hook. "Violent Pornography" is one of the more straight
forward rock songs you're going to get from this band. Tarkian rolls
out the tongue twisting verses with his deep psychotic
edged instrument, and finishes with a chorus that you'll find
yourself bopping around to all day long. The next song, "Question!",
is another song that is fairly straight forward and well written.
These guys are anything but typical, but these two songs
are about as close as they will get to writing typical
alternative metal songs. "Sad Statue" follows with more sing-along
fun. A song with a big political message, and an even bigger hook,
this is yet another tune that will have you tapping those toes. And,
as we bolt through "Old School Hollywood" we get mention of Tony
Danza and Frankie Avalon and another great big hook. This is where
the band sets themselves apart from the rest. They get cooky and
crazy with the lyrics, and even more bizarre with the vocal styles,
.....but it all works perfectly. Pure brilliance I tell you. As the
record winds down with the extreme vocal prowess displayed in "Lost
In Hollywood", it really kicks in just how great this record is.
With the lines "All you maggots smoking fags out there on Sunset
Blvd." being delivered with a British-type punk arrogance, this just
might be the best tune on the record. A ballad of sorts, with
harmony vocal parts layered over the forthright lead piece, this is
artistic recording, producing, and songwriting.
This is a record with a running time of just over thirty-six
minutes, considerably short in today's market. Did I notice that I
only got thirty-six minutes? Nope. When a band writes 11
perfect songs and puts them in the right order, with sharp
production qualities, you just smile and enjoy what you got. I must
also mention that "Mezmerize" is only the first half of a
double album, the band writes on their website that we
can "expect another sheaf of surprises when Hypnotize sees the
light of day later this year." “The end of Hypnotize will tie
together Mezmerize,” Daron promises, “but it’s really tough to
explain until you hear it. Individually, in my opinion, they both
stand on their own, but until you hear the second one you won’t know
how the two records come together as one. We’re not leavin’ you
dry.” Dry? This album alone left me exhilarated, exhausted, and
wet with sweat, don't worry. This record is pure brilliance I tell
you.
OVERALL RATING:
10
One last little footnote to the
uptight censorship entities out there. When you edit the words
"choking" and "sodomy" from songs like "Violent Pornography", but
leave lines like "Two-fifty up the
ass" and "She slipped me out of her mouth" in Bruce
Springsteen's "Reno", without slapping so much as a Parental
Advisory sticker on it, just remember one thing...... We low-life
metal folk do best at the back of the bus
anyways.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
TAYLOR, JAMES - "Sweet Baby James" (7/2004)
When we speak of classic records, this is the kind of stuff we
have in mind. Maybe the most inspired singer-songwriter record of
all time. A record that has everything from a blues inspired jam,
packed with a big band horn section ("Steamroller Blues"); to a
gospel revival-like track ("Lo And Behold"); to a traditional
nursery rhyme made into a folk ballad ("Oh, Susannah"). And, of
course, there's one of the most emotional songs ever recorded,
...."Fire And Rain". For those of you that are not familiar with the
back story behind the song "Fire And Rain", let me give this
song new meaning for you. Grab the tissue box and read
on.
James
Taylor was a troubled young man that admitted himself to a mental
institution in 1965, at the age of 17. After spending nearly a year
institutionalized, Taylor found his calling as a
songwriter. After competing with a worsening heroin addiction,
he released a self-titled record on the fledgling Apple
label in December of '68; and, despite some
great songs, the album failed to spark any apparent interest.
Not until after another stint in a mental hospital did Taylor find
himself with a Warner Brothers contract upon
emerging.
When James
Taylor went off to record his first album for Warner Brothers,
shortly after he was signed, his girlfriend Susan had to stay at
home. They could not afford a ticket for her, and since it was 1970
and he was a new artist, the label did not front the money. As a
surprise, while he was finishing up on the album, his friends
and the label pitched in to fly Susan to be with him. Tragically,
the airplane crashed and she was killed. Since it was a surprise, he
did not hear about it until after he finished the album and the
label told him what had happened. Now, let's take a look
at the lyrics:
"Fire and Rain" - James
Taylor
Just yesterday morning they let me know you
were gone
Susan the plans they made put an end to you
I
walked out this morning and I wrote down this song
I just can't
remember who to send it to
I've seen fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought would never end
I've
seen lonely times when I could not find a friend
But I always
thought that I'd see you again
Won't you look down upon me,
Jesus
You've got to help me make a stand
You've just got to
see me through another day
My body's aching and my time is at
hand
And I won't make it any other way
Oh, I've seen
fire and I've seen rain
I've seen sunny days that I thought
would never end
I've seen lonely times when I could not find a
friend
But I always thought that I'd see you again
Been
walking my mind to an easy time my back turned towards the sun
Lord knows when the cold wind blows it'll turn your head around
Well, there's hours of time on the telephone line to talk about
things to come
Sweet dreams and flying machines in pieces on the
ground
I loved this song before I heard
the story, now I have to muster up strength each time I listen to
it!!! It's a great, sad, incredible story...and I hope it helps
all of you enjoy and appreciate the song just a little
more.
As for the
rest of the record, it's an incredible adventure of masterful
songwriting. With bright and jovial songs like "Sunny Skies" and
"Blossom", surrounded by others that can be solemn and sublime, this
record is true genius. JT gives the album great flow by placing his
energy in the perfect places. As soon as you might feel that the
album may be going down the "same ol' road", he sends out a spark of
enthusiasm that lifts the musical spirits in yet another direction.
Taylor shows a heavy penchant for the blues here, while
intermingling an explosive brass section; all the while,
supplying heavy doses of his signature guitar style. While
Taylor gets help from some friends such as Carole King (piano) and
future Eagles bassist Randy Meisner, it's his stellar songwriting
and heartfelt vocals that power this rocket.
This
is a record that can make you smile and skip through the
fields, it can make you dance and groove, and it can make you cry
with wild abandon, too. This is a record that launched the career
of, arguably, the best singer-songwriter of all time. This is
"Sweet Baby James" by James Taylor, ....and it's a piece of art that
everyone should own.
TEARS FOR
FEARS - "Everybody Loves A Happy Ending" (11/2004)
When Tears For Fears released
their breakthrough lp, "Songs From The Big Chair", in 1985, they
were essentially a duo comprised of Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith.
Now, on that album, Curt Smith's credits are listed as "bass guitar,
vocals", and as a co-writer on only one song ("Head Over Heels"). On
the other hand, Orzabal's credits are "guitar, keyboards, vocals",
and is listed as a writer or co-writer on each and every track. They
released a follow-up that did fairly well also ("Sowing The Seeds Of
Love"), but decided to call it quits in 1989 when lawyers got
involved. Orzabal explains, "On the
last tour, our manager at the time went bankrupt, and it was in his
contract that if he went bankrupt, the contract would be null and
void." There were subsequent complications on
the South American leg and the European leg. "Now, those are
the only places we made money. The rest of the places we lost money.
Our lawyer at the time said, 'What do you want to do about it? Do
you want him to continue as your manager?' Well, of course I didn't,
that would've been ridiculous. The manager is a friend of Curt's,
and Curt didn't see anything wrong with what he'd done, so he
appointed a second lawyer. He wanted another opinion - or he didn't
want the opinion he was given. And once you put two lawyers
together, you're starting a war, because sides have been taken. That
was really the nail in the coffin. There was so much financial stuff
to sort out, the only way out of it was for me to take the group
name so I could take on some of the debts, or else it would never
have been sorted out." Yeah, ...pretty
ugly.
So Orzabal continued on as
Tears For Fears, and released two records of new material that
gained low to moderate sales numbers. Although sales were slim, the
material was solid, and the overall sound was definitely Tears For
Fears. As I listened to these records, it seemed apparent that Curt
Smith was surely an expendable commodity. The Oates to the Hall, or
the Garfunkel to the Simon, if you will. So when it was recently
announced that Smith would be rejoining the band for a record of new
material, my reaction was simply, ...."okay, whatever." I didn't
really feel as though Orzabal needed Smith in order to put out a
good record; and maybe he would've put out a good record sans Smith.
But this is not just a "good" record, this is a very
good one.
This is a record that
sounds fresh - with a bright, airy pop spirit. Where the last
two Tears records were a bit dark, this one shines with good vibes
and pleasantries. Is it the reunion of these two friends that
brought the happiness back to the music? I'll let you decide that
for yourself, but I can tell you that this is a feel good
record.
The first track, which
happens to be the title cut, jumps out at you with a clanging alarm
clock bell and a sharp, clear voice urging, "Wake up! Your time is
nearly over", after a dreamy intro sequence. This song, and most on
this record, is filled with great harmonies and a hook that reels
you in. Mid-way through the track we slow to usher in a severely
Beatlesque moment. That won't be the last one, either. It
seems, many times throughout the record, that the band is
paying homage to their Liverpool heroes. These songs are well
written, with contagious melodies that will have you singing
them when the disc is in the jewel case. As we flow casually
through the disc, you have to compliment the continuity of the
material. Most of these are all the same type of pop song, but the
tempos and song structures are laid out in a way that makes for a
very smooth ride. The second track, and the first single from the
record, "Closest Thing To Heaven" is a breezy walk of melodic
harmonies. It's not until we move on to the third track of
this record though, that we know that they found a real
chemistry together while writing this album. "Call Me Mellow" may be
the most "feel good" song of the year. A beautifully original song
that sways with classic pop hooks and harmonies, and a light, fun
freedom. This is the one that sticks with you all day, and thank
goodness, .....it's a welcome guest. The album continues with the
same great attitude, and walks the classic pop high wire, only
falling once or twice. Toward the middle of the record we hear a
song that strays a bit from the formula, and takes a while to
accept. I began really enjoying "Quiet Ones" after listening to the
entire record about forty times through. The song plays out a little
like a U2 track with extra harmony vocals added to it. The track
right after this is another that takes time. I still haven't found
"Who Are You" as enjoyable as the rest of the record, but it's not
terrible. Oddly enough, the only other track I don't
quite enjoy follows "Who Are You". "The Devil" is another
strange track that never really decides where it's going; but again,
not a terrible song. After these three tracks stuck in the middle,
the record finishes strong. "Secret World" is incredible. A horn
section piece, a small string arrangement, and an awesome hook make
for a stupendous pop treasure. You could place the following track,
"Killing With Kindness", in with the three middle ones because
of its different direction; but, like "Quiet Ones", "Killing With
Kindness" gets better as you listen to it more and more. As we start
to wind down the record, the final two tracks are stellar.
"Ladybird" flies away with more Beatlesque harmonies, but it's the
final track that is a slight surprise in songwriting style. "Last
Days On Earth" has the makings of a 70's style Lou Rawls or Al Green
song. A lazy, deeper vocal track provides a "white soul" sound. A
really fresh sound that breathes new life into a record that has
plenty of life already. With this being the final track, you get the
feeling that we might hear more from this newly reunited duo. The
thought of more material coming out of the Tears For Fears camp
sounds great to me, that is ...if it sounds anything like "Everybody
Loves A Happy Ending" anyway.
OVERALL
RATING: 7
TEMPOSHARK - "The Invisible Line"
(4/2008)
Temposhark is an electronic rock band formed in London by singer and
songwriter Robert
Diament with programmer Luke Busby. The
joyful noise that they make on this disc, their debut, is something
to behold. If New Order and XTC threw a bash at Trent Reznor’s pad,
this is what it might sound like. They take their electronic
landscape and litter it with impressive pop chops, with all of it
sounding a bit edgy and unpredictable.
Most of the
disc can be summed up by listening to the first track, “Don’t Mess
With Me.” The song begins with a haunting string arrangement that
pulses behind Diament’s enticing lyrics. The whole composition is
starkly impressive; from the arrangement right through to the armor
piercing production quality. Produced by Sean McGhee, this entire
record’s sound quality is simply chilling. The multi-level punch of
the synths and the chest beating bass kick are some of the best
you’ll ever hear. Don’t make the mistake of throwing this one into
the pile of electronic dance CD’s that are scattered on the
floorboards of your Buick, though. This is more of a pop album than
it is a rave starter. Diament and Busby are musical fishermen that
get their hooks from the same tackle box as some of the best pop
acts of the past. Songs like “Joy” and “Blame” are memorable pop
masterpieces that will have you singing long after the CD gets
turned off.
One of
the best things about this record is the continuity from beginning
to end. The songs flow beautifully from one to the next. Going from
the pop sound of “Joy” and “Blame,” the attitude shifts ever so
slightly when harder-edged songs like “Knock Me Out” and “Crime” are
ushered in. And, what just might be the key to all of the success
here is the placement of the ballads. When softer songs like “It’s
Better To Have Loved,” “Battleships,” and “Winter’s Coming” appear,
they are perfectly placed within the pace of the album.
Temposhark sinks its teeth into you with a little help from a
friend or two, also. “Blame” is a song co-written by famed producer
Youth (Martin Glover), and the song “Not That Big” features a duet
with Grammy nominated artist Imogen Heap. The disc was released on
March 24th in the UK, and on March 25 in the US &
Canada.
Official website: www.temposhark.com
MySpace page: www.myspace.com/temposhark
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ THIN LIZZY - "Jailbreak" (10/2004)
Scott Gorham and Brian
Robertson. Has there ever been a better twin lead guitar record
ever recorded? After listening to a spine-tingling jamfest like
"Emerald", it would be tough to find anything better than Thin
Lizzy's "Jailbreak".
Gorham and Robertson are
astounding on this tremendous effort from 1976. This record has it
all; legendary frontman Phil Lynott providing solid bass work along
with his sly "ghetto" vocal, the incessant rhythmic rolling of
drummer Brian Downey, a range of song styles that is rare for any
artist from any decade, and of course.....there's Scott Gorham and
Brian Robertson with guitar acrobatics throughout. A truly amazing
record through and through.
Most people know the two
big hits from the record, "Jailbreak" and "The Boys Are Back In
Town", as they are in constant rotation on your local Classic Rock
stations, but it's the rest of the record that is really
electrifying. With songs such as "Romeo And The Lonely Girl",
"Warriors", and "Cowboy Song" rounding out the album, my jaw drops
every time I listen. From the initial explosion of the very first
note of the title track to kick things off, to the most amazing dual
lead guitar solos ever recorded on "Emerald", this is a record that
has so much to offer in every facet of the "classic rock
formula". With the jumpy, jangling guitar work that shuffles through
"Angel >From The Coast" and "Romeo And The Lonely Girl", and the
free and easy pop cadence of "Running Back", this is not only a
record with a lot of muscle, but a record with loads of eloquence
also. Check out the ultra-cool and mellow mood of "Fight Or
Fall", which reminds this writer of 70's African-American cultural
nuances such as the "afro" and Cooley High". This is an artful
record with phenomenal musicianship. It's difficult to talk about
anyone else with those two overwhelming
guitarists doing the job, but let's not forget an amazing drum
performance by Brian Downey. Numerous times I have listened to some
records and just wind up wishing for a crash cymbal to sound at that
perfect place, or a drum fill that never comes. Downey never
disappoints here. With constant drum fills rolling through almost
every track, and great explosiveness with precise timing, he
matches the guitar intensity extremely well. Check out the six
measure drum solo in "Warriors", ...great stuff.
I keep returning to it
though. Scott Gorham and Brian
Robertson. Wow.
This may be the only record that
the guitars have more "lyrics" than the singer. I believe,
that the sign of great guitar soloing is when the listener can
almost "sing" what's been played. When I think about this record,
and find it buzzing in my head at the dinner table, it is the finely
crafted guitar solos that I find to be the hooks here! This is an
amazing thing!! I cannot think of more than 5 records that have
solos that stick anywhere near this heavy. The guitar parts of this
record are songs within themselves. They take on personality and
character, and they ultimately become entities.
Amazing. Amazing.
Amazing.
If you are a fan of great guitar
playing, and you have not heard this entire record....PLEASE, find
it - hear it - end up "singing" the greatest solos ever recorded.
3 DOORS
DOWN - "Seventeen Days" (7/2005)
Going into this album, I had a lot of mixed feelings and
expectations. 3 Doors Down is a classic rock-type band with a bit of
a Southern influence, a sound that usually has great appeal to me.
Their first record, "The Better Life", was a good outing that left
me impressed. I thought, for a new artist, these guys held a lot of
promise for a very bright future; and I eagerly anticipated their
next effort. When I heard that second lp, "Away From The Sun", I
found a lot to like, but I was also disappointed that it was not a
more complete record. Much like their debut, the good songs were
very good, and the others were just there. So, with this third full
length record, the boys have yet another chance to put together a
complete album from start to finish. Let's see if they did it, shall
we?
When I threw this disc in, I was hoping to find my Album Of The
Year. I know this band is capable of writing great songs. If you
took the best of "The Better Life", and the best from "Away From The
Sun", and put them on one record, .....you'd have a superb package
of potent songs. Songs like "When I'm Gone", "Loser" and
"Kryptonite" are excellent tracks that are found floating among only
average compositions on their respective records. I wanted this band
to do it. I wanted this to be the over the top collection that would
blow me away. Well, this still isn't the one; and let me tell you
why.
3
Doors Down has a songwriting formula that is very traditional. They
tend to stick close to the standard "start slow and quiet, and
pummel them with the chorus" formula. In fact, they stick a little
too close to it. I love this type of songwriting, I'm a sucker for
it; but when you use it for 90% of the tracks on the disc, it gets a
bit tiring. With this record they consistently use the formula, but
it isn't quite as overbearing here as it was on the first two discs.
The other aspect of this band that gets a bit tiring is the
repetitive vocal tone. Singer Brad Arnold has a decent sound, but
the range and style hardly ever varies, creating a somewhat flat
playing field. There are not a whole lot of peaks and valleys in the
vocal aspect of the band's sound. With all of that said, I will
also say that this is probably the band's best effort.
As
soon as the disc starts rolling, we get a rough and tough, two and a
half minute rocker that blows your doors off. "Right Where I
Belong" doesn't fit into the typical 3DD formula. This doesn't
approach quietly, and then strike; this tune comes out swinging
right from the in-your-face opening riff. With Arnold ushering in
the guitar solo at the end of the track with a Skynyrd-like "Go on,
play it for me, son!" - this is what the band needs to
do more of. A little variation from the norm is a good thing,
and in this case a very good thing. The band reverts
back to the security of their "slow approach, pummeling chorus"
quickly though. "It's Not Me" is the first in a string of the next
six tracks that desperately cling to that recurring song structure
that is so prominent in the 3DD repertoire. It's not until we reach
"Never Will I Break" that we get something a little different. In
that string of six tracks we do have some winners though.
"Behind Those Eyes" is a great song that utilizes all of the band's
strong points, even though the song structure remains
predictable. "It's Not Me", along with the first single from the
album, "Let Me Go", are strong songs with a certain likeability that
3DD seems to tap into often somehow. Even though all their songs are
the same, you want to like these guys. Strange. There are a
fair amount of weak tracks here also, though. "Landing In London",
which features Bob Seger as a guest vocalist, falls short on many
counts. The song is typical, and it also never really develops into
anything. And, as much as I like Bob Seger, this is the last guy
that this band needed to sing. They could've used a high flying
tenor, or possibly even a female voice to offset Arnold's tone.
Seger and Arnold are very much alike, and there really is no magic
that happens. It also doesn't help that the song is close to
sounding like Seger's classic "Turn The Page".
After "Never Will I Break" we're treated to two more winners.
"Father's Son" and "Live For Today" are two of the best tracks on
the record. "Father's Son" is effective because of the lyrical
delivery. The lyrics "Maybe I'm just crazy or
the devil got inside/ But either way my soul is gone, I've learned
this all night/The one hand throws the whiskey, and the other throws
the gun/As he cries out to the heavens, I am not my father's
son" are delivered with a truthful, sincere feel that
makes the song highly effective. "Live For Today", ironically, gets
its strength from the vocal performance. Arnold reaches deep inside
for this one, and extends his vocal capabilities considerably. This
is, by far, the most passionate he has ever
sounded.
The
album finishes on a bit of a sour note. "My World", is a "run
of the mill" track that we hear all too much of from this band. One
of those songs that's "just there". 3 Doors Down has way too
many of those already. And then comes the proverbial slamming
of the door with the inevitable radio ballad "Here By Me". Look
out Kidz Bop, here comes 3 Doors Down again. Yeah, this is a perfect
example of how popularity of a certain song can kill a
band. Just like "Here Without You" was "Be Like That"
- Part 2, they are obviously writing Part 3 with "Here By Me".
This song comes out sounding forced, but you know what, ...the
kiddies will love it.
Supposedly, the title of the
record comes from the amount of time they took to write the
material for the record. They had originally set aside five
weeks to write songs for the CD, but much of that
time went by the wayside after Hurricane Ivan tore
through the band's studio, and guitarist Chris Henderson's
father died. The title refers to the 17 days of
writing that the band was left with to keep a February 2005
release date. As Henderson put it, "We had to
start working 24-hour shifts in the studio. And believe me, it's hard to get
rock musicians to be anywhere at 7 a.m., but we got it
done." Uh, ...yeah, ...I
guess.
So, ...I
didn't get the record I was hoping for, that's for sure. What I did
get is about half an album of really good tunes from this band,
..........again. I can't help but think that they should've pushed
the release date forward just one month, to March 2005, and maybe
named the album "Thirty-Five Days"; then I might've gotten the
album that I've been waiting for.
OVERALL
RATING: 6
TOTO -
"IV"
(2/2006)
They’ve been called a “faceless” band
by many. A band made up of brilliant studio gurus that just happened
to pull together for a few years to make some unforgettable music.
With their self-titled debut, and their wildly successful single
“Hold the Line,” the band was nominated for a Best New Artist
Grammy. But it wasn’t until this fourth album, that Toto would cash
in on the Grammy stash though. Garnering nominations in nine
categories, and winning in seven of them, Toto had officially been
given a face, and it was quite a pretty one too.
The extensive
writing credits for the members of this band are astonishing. David
Paich, keyboard player and key songwriter, has written and played
for a number of artists including Boz Scaggs and Cheryl Lynn, giving
the latter her gigantic disco hit, “Got to Be Real.” Vocalist Bobby
Kimball can be found working beside such legends as Tom Jones,
Barbara Streisand, Quiet Riot, The Tubes, Edgar Winter and Al
Jarreau. Bass player David Hungate’s resume holds names like Bryan
Adams, Chet Atkins, Cher, Alice Cooper, Neil Diamond, Barry Manilow,
George Jones, and Loretta Lynn - to name only a few. Let’s go on to
guitarist Steve Lukather’s resume. Names like Herb Alpert, Cheap
Trick, Chicago, Eric Clapton, Aretha Franklin, Earth, Wind &
Fire, Michael Jackson, and Elton John fill the pages there. I’m not
even going to go near the Porcaro brothers, Jeff and Steve, because
I think you’re getting the point here. These guys get around, and
they’re pretty darn good.
Sure, you can get six superstars together,
but that doesn’t mean that there will be chemistry between them -
especially six session guys. Session musicians are usually extremely
talented players that can fit into many different musical schemes
and adapt very well, but they are also multi-directional because of
this. So, to get a group of six session players together, and get
them all to move in the same direction, toward the same musical goal
is very very difficult. Not only did Toto achieve this, they wrote
some of the greatest songs of all time for this
album.
The radio pop of
“Rosanna,” which won the Grammy for Record of the Year in 1983,
kicks off the album, and the pace never lets up from there. “Make
Believe” is a song that incorporates all of the talents that the
band had at its disposal. The sharp tone of singer Bobby Kimball,
the wailing sax of guest musician Jon Smith, and the wonderful
keyboards and writing style of David Paich is all in full view here.
We get many different looks from the band as the record progresses.
Much of the record is rooted in the Boz Scaggs-style of “white
soul,” but there is so much more to this record also. A song like “I
Won’t Hold You Back” resembles some of the lilting balladry so
prominent in ‘70’s AM radio, but with the addition of some
orchestration and a superb production quality, the song plays more
like a Steve Perry-era Journey ballad of the ’80’s. Songs like “Good
for You” and “Waiting for Your Love” gives off an air of Hall &
Oates-type catchy pop and soul. “It’s A Feeling” may remind you of
something from Fleetwood Mac’s “Tango in the Night” album. “Afraid
of Love” may be the most energetic song on the album. Equipped with
a steady guitar riff and gang vocals, this is more on the 80’s
Loverboy -type of rock song. “Lovers in the Night” is another rock
song that sounds like a cross between little known posters Off
Broadway and the multi-faceted pop of Electric Light Orchestra. “We
Made It” sounds a bit like a Craig Chaquico-sung Starship song. The
upbeat #1 hit “Africa” caps off the album. Many of these songs have
excellent keyboard charts attached to them, and they end up driving
the songs more times than not; but this is a record that is chock
full of wonderful talent - songwriting talent, instrumental talent,
vocal talent. This is the definition of “complete package.”
Toto hasn’t made
much of a noise since this fourth album, and I used to ask myself
why. I think I finally figured it out. You see, it’s like I said,
these guys are all studio players. They are used to playing any and
every style imaginable, and are able to do it well. I think it’s
hard to keep to only one or two musical styles with a group of
musicians like this, and keep all of them going toward that
direction consistently without getting bored. But, rest assured, all
of them were on the same page for this record. Although I might
agree with an overall summation of this band labeling them as
“faceless,” I would quickly point out that this record was a
stunning portrait of musical excellence.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________ TOWER OF
POWER - "Tower Of Power"
(2/2005)
Released in 1973, this third release from the
Oakland-based jazz/rock/funk ensemble is undeniably stunning. This
self-titled record was a blast of brass, a fortification of
funk, and a jumping jazz pleasure that quickly became an outline for
all in the genre. If you wanted to make a great jazz fusion record,
this was the layout you worked off of.
The legendary Tower
Of Power horns. Setting the pace for every track on the record,
they put together an unequivocal masterpiece here. Every player
on this record, and there are 12 of them, is a consummate
professional. The tightest horn section you will ever hear. I'll try
and move on here and talk about the rest of the record, but just
give me a few more minutes to revel in the dynamite horns some more!
If you can actually listen to songs like "What Is Hip?", "Soul
Vaccination", or "Get Yo' Feet Back On The Ground" and not start to
blow your "air trumpet" and swing it from side-to-side, there
is no help for you. These are some of the funkiest jams that have
ever been recorded by a horn section. The sound is similar to
that of Earth, Wind, And Fire, Average White Band, or the early
Chicago material, just taken to yet another level. Tower Of Power
injected a Sly Stone-type funk and soul into their delivery that
still, to this day, goes unmatched. Okay, I think I can move on,
....for now.
A lot of that funk and soul feel
that radiates from these tunes is mainly a product of vocalist Lenny
Williams. Williams sings like a man possessed by a R&B/Soul
music demon. He could almost be labeled as a jazz vocalist here
though, as his voice tends to become part of the instrumentation
that constantly surrounds him. Unlike many of today's "Soul"
singers, Williams had the ability to adjust to each track's
personality. If the track called for a simple yet strong voice, he
kept it simple. He fought the urge to over embellish. So, when the
tracks that called for an immensely overdone Soul vocal came
along, and he delivered, they came off with style and flair. Like
every other instrument on this album, Lenny Williams' voice is
wrapped in tight also.
Much of this record, as any
Sly Stone record does, sends you back to the mood of the 70's era
television theme songs, or the "blaxploitation" film soundtracks of
the time. Songs like "Clever Girl", "This Time It's Real" or "Both
Sorry Over Nothin'" could easily fit into almost any of
the "blaxploitation" films. What a wonderful
way to return to the sweet 70's - with the tightest horn section in
the business, a band that amazingly matches the intensity of the
horns, and a singer that knows when to kick it into overdrive....and
can. You also get pre-Santana keyboards from Chester Thompson, some
great guitar work by Bruce Conte, and some manic precision
skinbashing from drummer David Garibaldi. This band did
it all on this record. They gave us smooth soulful Jazz, along with
vicious funk fusion jamming. This was a gift to the Jazz fusion
movement, a gift to any aspiring musician, and a gift to all those
who love true talent in music.
TRIUMPH - "Thunder Seven" (1/2005)
"The
ghosts of Woodstock still haunt the next of kin
But the screams
and shouts have turned to whispers on the wind
The time has come
to face the music again
Back 'em up against the wall and bring
the hammer down
Tell 'em that was then, my friend, but this is
here and now"
This is music that's still "here and now", and it's a
great all around record. The above verse is taken from the 2nd track
on the record, entitled "Rock Out, Roll On". A sensational song from
all sides. It has excellent lyrics, precision instrumentation, and a
killer hook. Any hooks with bait like this and...I'll bite!
This is a record chock full of
songs filled with this kind of exhibition of talent. It's a record I
fell in love with back in 1985, when it was released, and I still
adore it to this day. Let me tell you about
it.
Triumph has always been the "poor man's Rush"; hailing from Canada
and being a 3-piece band, there are many similarities between the
two powerhouse acts. Over the years, Triumph has been a bit
more straight forward than Rush. Sacrificing abstract, "artsy"
lyrics for a more straight forward approach, Triumph would
occasionally find themselves on shaky ground lyrically.
"Thunder Seven" has almost no lyrical flaws, and the dramatic
lyrical approach sets a definitive mood on each track. This is,
arguably, the band's finest hour. With lyrics such as
these below, Triumph redefined melancholy and
metaphoric:
"Andy Warhol's modern man builds a castle in the
air
The deck is stacked but his house of cards
Grows as high
as the market will bear
It won't take much to make his ship of
dreams
Come crashing to the ground
You just wait for the wheel
of fate to turn
And the wind of the wolf is gonna blow it all
down"
Taken from the fabulous "Stranger In A Strange Land" track, this is
precisely what this record demonstrates throughout all of its' 41
minutes and some change. Yes, this is a lyrical triumph
for this band, and for rock music in general. But that's only
the beginning.
Rik
Emmett. Mr. Rik Emmett. This is his record.
Although a great team effort, "Thunder Seven" is a sensitive,
rollicking, majestic, and poignant album because of Emmett's
showstopping musicianship. With two instrumentals, one of a
classical nature ("Midsummer's Daydream") and one of a jazzy
blues style ("Little Boy Blues") highlighting the record, Rik Emmett
is perfect. His vocals on the record are astonishing also.
Singing with style and fervor, he goes "out on a limb" here.
Sometimes lacking tremendous power and range, his vocal abilities
always seemed systematic, or "charted" on previous releases. This
record showcases not only his gorgeous guitar mastery, but it
also maximizes his vocal abilities like never before. Listen to
songs like "Time Goes By" and "Cool Down", and you are impressed
with the passion and charisma that his vocals lend to those tracks.
Listen to "Time Canon", an operatic masterpiece with beautifully
layered vocal tracks, and be blown away. Rik Emmett takes a
chance here, vocally, and rises to the challenge wonderfully. A
duet with drummer Gil Moore, on the fantastic "Killing Time"
track, was also a wonderful idea that worked beautifully. Gil Moore
takes on a great deal of the vocal duties on the record, actually,
and he does a fine job also.
Needless to say, the rhythm section of rock solid drummer Gil Moore,
and the stiff backbone of bassist Mike Levine is flawless. This is
just typical for them. Triumph has always been able to depend on
their musicianship, even when their writing has faltered at times.
All the things you love about this band appear on this record in
force. The best lyrics they've ever written are here; Rik Emmett's
guitar playing and vocals are even better than they usually are; and
these are the finest arrangements in the band's career.
"Thunder Seven" is a wonderful record, made by amazing musicians
performing at their highest levels.
Let
me leave you with more lyrics from the pulsating "Rock Out, Roll
On", and just tell you that this record truly is ...a
triumph.
"A chance will surely come your way
To say the
things you need to say
To play like no one else has played
And
blow them away"
TROUBLE - "Manic Frustration" (5/2005)
There are those few bands that just hang out on the fringes of
mainstream rock. They put records out that gain critical acclaim and
a loyal cult following. Trouble is one of those bands. Since forming
in 1979, Trouble has only released six records; but each of their
releases has been worthy of the waiting. With the release
of their debut record on Metal Blade in 1984, the band carried
the torch for psychedelic, Black Sabbath-style, minor
chord heavy metal. Although, Trouble had some openly
religious lyrics in their music, and the band was quickly labeled as
"white metal". With the release of their second and third lp's, "The
Skull" and "Run To The Light" respectively, sales had diminished and
the band decided to go on a three year hiatus. It wasn't until super
producer Rick Rubin convinced the band to start recording for his
Def American label that the band would continue with their glorious
noise. They recorded a self-titled record, with Rubin in the
producer's chair, in 1990. The record was a solid, mature sounding
disc that saw the band finally get some recognition. But it wasn't
until 1992's "Manic Frustration", that the band just ripped the roof
off. This is a snapshot of the band at their best. Rubin
produces once again, and the band puts all of the most exciting and
intense songs they have ever written on this album. This
is a masterpiece that no hard rock or heavy metal fan should be
without.
The
record starts off with the best song they have ever written. "Come
Touch The Sky" bolts out of the gate, and smashes and thrashes for a
"short and to the point" two minutes and fifty three seconds. It is
clear from this opening track that the band is ready to conquer the
world. Rubin has them sonically perfected here also. The sharp, up
front sound of the crunching guitar riff, and the full band sound
are evidence of some of Rubin's finest work. As the opening cut
segues brilliantly into the single, "'Scuse Me", the manic metal
continues. This was a time in the band's long history where they had
all the pieces in place, and everything was a well oiled machine.
The band is beyond sharp on every track, singer Eric Wagner sounds
stronger than ever, and the production is top notch. Not a whole lot
more you could ask for out of a hard rock record, really. Songs like
the title cut, "Hello Strawberry Skies", and the other single,
"Memory's Garden", are some of the bands best songwriting works
also. Perhaps the most interesting and spellbinding arrangements
come by way of the ballads here though. "Rain" and "Breathe..."
offer up a big slice of dreamy psychedelia, with the latter track
paying homage to British idol Donovan and his hit,
"Atlantis". With "Breathe..." being the final track on the
disc, we are sent off with the soft, swaying chant of "Take me down
below the ocean, Where I wanna be, She may be" - and it couldn't be
any more perfect. To have a hard rock/metal act finish a powerhouse
album like this one with a lullaby-type chant from a Donovan track
seems crazy; but they not only get it to work here, it ends up
sounding like it was written specifically for this record.
Anyone that has ever been curious to hear this band, this is where
you want to start. Going to their other stuff after this will
work out fine, because you'll hear many of the great elements from
this disc scattered throughout the others. It seems like they took
every great element off those discs, and compiled them here on
"Manic Frustration", and put out one of the best metal
albums of the 90's and beyond. As the saying goes.....If you're
looking for Trouble, you've come to the right place....."Manic
Frustration".
* * * * *
I'd
like to dedicate this review to the power and glory of Trouble
drummer Barry Stern who recently passed away on April 1, 2005 from
complications following hip surgery. When I speak of his "power and
glory", I refer to his personality - I think his drum work speaks
for itself. The Chicago rock scene took great pride in having Barry
Stern to represent it. He will be forever remembered.
R.I.P.
TROWER, ROBIN - "Bridge Of Sighs"
(11/2004)
Robin Trower, former member of
Procol Harum, gave new meaning to the phrase "power trio" when he
released this record in 1974. From bassist James Dewar's solid
bass lines and drummer Reg Isidore's precision percussion, to the
wondrous swirling tones of Trower's guitar work, all the pieces were
firmly in place for this classic.
I think the operative word here
is "tone". Vocal or musical sound of a specific quality,
is one of the ways Webster defines tone. This record is
loaded with vocal and musical sounds of quality. Bassist James
Dewar, taking on the vocal duties, has a deep resonating tone that
projects each of these songs to a higher level. You feel a sense of
class and prestige when you here his voice. Songs like "In This
Place" and "About To Begin" play out like clinics for the
aspiring soul singer. The low, comforting tone is one that
might send shivers up the proverbial spine. In the more active
rockers like "The Fool And Me" and "Lady Love", his silky smooth
bellowing might also produce similar results. This is a man that can
sing, ladies and gentleman, and he ain't even the star of the show!
When Dewar's incredible vocals are set atop the free flowing
backdrop of Trower's guitar, there is a certain magic that permeates
the record. That's right, Trower's name is on the cover, and
deservedly so.
When I think of Trower's guitar
sound, I think of thick, rich, hard-to-pour syrup. If it is possible
for a guitar player to have viscosity, Trower has it. Trower's
guitar, like Dewar's vocal, has a deep resonating tone. A smooth
texture, packed with style and grace. One part Blues, another part
Soul, and a big part Rock 'N' Roll. From the opening gunfire riffing
of "Day Of The Eagle", to the bluesy drawl of the title track, you
very rarely here a string being plucked. It's an extremely unique
sound that Trower achieves here. Even the solos have a kind of
"fuzzy blur" to them. All the edges are soft, yet they
still have a raw intense feel to them. This really is a
one-of-a-kind sound.
I need all of you to do me a
favor.
Listen to the opening lines of
"Bridge Of Sighs", and tell me if you don't get chills when you here
drummer Reg Isidore lightly strike the chimes; or when you hear
Trower hammering that single note that he drags into his smooth
riff; or, most of all, when you hear James Dewar dip his voice
below the realm of reality to bring us the lyrics: "The sun don't
shine, The moon don't move the tides to wash me clean". If chills
don't find every inch of your body, seek help. As
this
gem ends, the winds blow directly into the mystic vibes of "In This
Place", another clinic-like masterpiece of guitar and vocal. This is
incredible stuff.
By the time we get to the most
popular track on the record, "Too Rolling Stoned", we are so "in a
groove". Another primary factor that makes this record what it is,
is the flow from track to track. There is a continuity here that
many records never truly obtain. For it not being a concept record,
it seems to take you on a journey, musically. As we roll past
the slow passion of "About To Begin", and on to the rocking of "Lady
Love" and the closer "A Little Bit Of Sympathy", we know that we
just experienced music royalty. And thirty years after its'
release, it is still a record that shines a little brighter
than most others.
TRUTH SQUAD - "Superkiller" (2/2005)
With a severe lack of guitar music in the
mainstream, the fans of the heavy guitar sound (you know, the kind
that comes with solos) have to turn to smaller record labels like
Grooveyard Records, and independent artists like The Flyin' Ryan
Brothers who are providing the world with great guitar music.
Yes, we have the finesse players like Eric
Clapton catering to the masses, but the only guitar style that
seems to fly in the mass market record industry these days is the
sort of Adult Contemporary style that your mother might listen to.
And, in the rock world, we've just come to accept the death of the
guitar solo in recent years. (Thanks, Nirvana.) Well, Jimmy Ryan of The Flyin' Ryan Brothers spits in
the face of acceptance here, and makes a record that your mother
will absolutely hate.
This record is a
knockout - a bare knuckle brawler that gets in your face and
hits you right in the gut. A disc filled with raw guitar energy,
complete with blistering solos and extraordinary structure. Eric
Clapton-types can be construed as the Sugar Ray Leonard's
of guitar music, wonderful musicians with poise and finesse,
succeeding with risk-free precision playing. That's nice.
That's fine. But this is the Rocky Marciano or the Jake LaMotta of
guitar music. No shuffling the feet, no playing cute games,
just a vicious pummeling attack. Jimmy Ryan is a real heavyweight of
the genre that takes a risk here by playing brutally heavy
guitar and keeping the production to a minimum. The result is a
raw, spontaneous, and energetic feel that is rarely
captured in any genre.
Being a record that
differs a great deal from the poised, twin lead harmonies
of the Flyin' Ryan Brothers material, the majority of the
songs on this record just come at you swinging. Tracks like "Road
Raga Pt.2" or "Chunky Voodoo" should have ear-splitting disclaimers
attached to them. These are songs that are both heavy, yet
harmonic; songs that are carefully constructed and built from some
of the finest materials the world has to offer. The tightrope walk
between "heavy" and "harmony" is one that most artists have trouble
balancing on. Jimmy Ryan and his Truth Squad group can be found
running across it over and over again though. Heavy rhythm sections
with frenetic pacing, fret hammering, and razor sharp riffing can be
found in mass quantities here; but it's the tracks like "More"
and "Heaven Sent" that set this trio apart. You get a stripped down
vocal track on "More" that is simple yet effective. Ryan's blue
collar vocal style, in time with a simple more conventional
song structure, make for a real winner. "Heaven Sent" is a
total change of pace that shows the "sensitive" side of the band;
a song reminiscent of, perhaps, Robin Trower's "About To Begin"
from the legendary "Bridge Of Sighs" lp. It's a slower,
more moody and stylish piece that still has a strange kind of
energy to it. This is the track that amazed me. When a band this
intense and raw can slow down to put over a song like this the way
that they do, you know that they have something special as a unit.
And speaking of the "unit".........
Bassist Bill Kopecky
is one of the best musicians in the world. I know that's a big
statement, but listen to Kopecky pluck his way through "Big Bang
Pt.2", or any of these tracks for that matter. He plays 4, 5, and
6-string bass.....he plays fretless like you wouldn't
believe......he even shines on e-bow, sitar, and some synthesizer.
This guy is a genius that any fan of music needs to
hear. Drummer
Johnny Mrozek excels here as well. Hearing Mrozek assault his
kit for most of this release is a real pleasure. He, like the rest
of the band, is aware of his role at all times. He sounds just as
proficient playing the smooth stuff as he does when he's lashing out
the hard stuff. These are all fine players, the lot of them.
A note to the music fan
that fancies the guitar: This is "Superkiller", and it is
super killer......and that's the
truth.
U2 - "The Joshua Tree" (12/2005)
Perceived by many as one of
the best records of all time, "The Joshua Tree" was a passionate and
voluble statement of towering proportions. With two singles, "With
Or Without You" and "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"
achieving #1 status, and another single, "Where The Streets Have No
Name" reaching #13, the band was poised to be crowned a fan favorite
for years to come. Along with being a fan fave, the Grammy Academy
fell in love also. The band received two Grammys for the record, one
for Best Rock Performance, and the other for the coveted prize of
Album Of The Year. The band was, deservedly, on top of the world.
When you start listening to the first
track here, "Where The Streets Have No Name," you are slowly drawn
in by a jangling guitar sound that has become the group's trademark.
The slow approaching intro takes a full minute and forty-five
seconds to reach fruition with singer Bono's soulful soaring capping
off a perfect opening track. All the signature U2 elements are
present on this opener; the "Edge" guitar sound, the systematic
rumble from drummer Larry Mullen, Jr.'s kit, the plodding bass lines
of Adam Clayton, and of course Bono's brilliant resonance at the
front of it all. This is U2, and this is classic stuff. As you
get further into the record, the formula remains intact. The band
never strays from consistency. With tracks two and three both being
#1 hits, "The Joshua Tree" vaults itself out of the gate and rarely
ever lets up. After the radio heavy hitters, comes my favorite track
on the record. "Bullet The Blue Sky" is a dark, creeping blast that
is both musically and lyrically striking. Perhaps the most powerful
song on the record lyrically, there is a penetrating section of
spoken word that is just simply stunning. As the album slows down
and allows for a more subtle U2 to shine, we get "Running To Stand
Still". With a gentle voice that howls symbolically to the sky, and
a weeping harmonica to finish the track, it is a great artistic
piece. A bellowing Bono leads us through "Red Hill Mining Town" with
great passion, and sends us on to "In God's Country". Another of
those signature pieces, "In God's Country" is a track that jogs
musically and runs lyrically. The Edge, with that frantic jangling
guitar, is the core of their sound. I have heard he achieved his
technique by not being able to play complicated leads very well.
However he achieved the sound really doesn't matter, the fact that
he's got it does. As the band trots through "Trip Through Your
Wires", and gives us an American barn dance feel, led by a simple
but sharp harmonica part, you can feel the record starting to wind
down. With the hopping guitar part of "One Tree Hill" and the
brooding of "Exit" and "Mothers Of The Disappeared", the album comes
to a somewhat somber close. A message that tells the listener that
this band has a lot that they still want to say. The fact that they
end the record with some of their more dark, progressive, and
artistic pieces says a lot. They made a full record, not just a
record that has attractive radio hits. They made a record that had a
lot to say, and it affectively is still speaking to us almost 20
years later.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________
U2 -
"How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb" (1/2005)
Bono is not God.
It
would be easy to rip this band apart. I could tell you that U2 is
just going through the motions here, and they are not being
adventurous enough. That would not be unfair to say. I could
also tell you that the hype that surrounds each U2 release is
something similar to the nonsense that cushions a Michael or Janet
Jackson release. The promotion, is something that promotes vomiting
more than anything else. This would also not be an unfair
assessment.
So
you may ask...."Doc, do you think that U2 is overrated?" Simply
put, ...yes. Do I think they are one of the most talented bands of
our time? Absolutely. Are they something other than human, like the
excessive promotion would have you believe?Uhh....no.
Can
I rip this latest U2 "media masturbation" apart though? Nope. Darn
it all. It sure would be great journalism fun though.
This rock "How To..." shows, once again, that U2 can
indeed transcend the boundaries of corporate rock music. This is a
formulaic package of songs that is more reminiscent of their "The
Unforgettable Fire" record than it is of their more recent
offerings. The reason that U2 can get away with repeating themselves
is because of their honesty. They seem to stick to the same song
structures on each release, but every song still embodies a
distinct personality despite the repetition. That is a quality that
is achieved through honesty and lyrical integrity. They believe in
what they say and what they play.
As
the record opens with their first single, the Grammy-nominated
"Vertigo", we're treated to a rocker that resembles songs like "Hold
Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" or "Discotheque" from the band's
more recent efforts. A fast paced, finely produced piece of rock
music. As the disc progresses though, we find the band heading into
a more "rootsy" direction. Songs with poise and character, as
well as swirling instrumentation and soaring vocals fill out
the rest of this album. Tracks like "Miracle Drug" and "All
Because Of You" bring forth visions of an arms wide Bono, circa
1982, standing atop an Irish hilltop filled with emotion and
sound. This is the era of the band that found them at their
hungriest, and arguably, their best. It's extremely inspiring to
revisit such a wonderful time, and to do it honestly makes it work
for them. The band actually revisits much of their past on this
record. "All Because Of You" is a song similar to Rattle
& Hum's "Desire", with one of the only straight forward guitar
solos from guitarist The Edge. "One Step Closer" and "Sometimes You
Can Make It On Your Own" are songs along the lines of Achtung
Baby's "One" or The Joshua Tree's "With Or Without You"
- poignant, gentle ballads. "Love And Peace Or Else" is a
cool, sly rocker that incorporates the blues edge shown on Rattle
& Hum with the rhythmic stride that resembles Depeche
Mode's "Personal Jesus". But it's "Original Of The Species",
Yahweh", "Fast Cars", "Miracle Drug", and "A Man And A Woman" that
take us back to the early days. These songs made me listen to "The
Unforgettable Fire", "Boy", and "War" when I got done hearing
them. A welcome return to the roots.
Throughout the record, we hear The Edge playing the loose jangling
style we all adore so much. It's the same guitar playing that we've
been hearing from The Edge since the band's inception, but it's
always so immaculate and honest, so it works. It is also the driving
rhythm for most of these tracks, just as in the past. When you
hear these songs, you just know that The Edge is the only man for
the job. I truly believe that it is The Edge, more than anyone
else, that makes this band what they are.
You replace him with the greatest guitar player in
the world, and you can kiss U2 goodbye. He's definitely not the
greatest player in the world, but then neither was Jimmy Page. Much
like Page, he's a fairly "sloppy" player that just creates a perfect
sound and emotion for the players around him. It's a special
gift that only few are blessed with.
So,
with The Edge at his best, Bono sounding like the young lad he once
used to be, and a rhythm section as solid as a day old
donut - this is the band's best since their "Achtung Baby"
release.
OVERALL
RATING: 7
___________________________________________________________
UFO - "You Are
Here"
(5/2004)
UFO. The no frills, hard-rocking English act that gave us gems
like "Too Hot To Handle" and "Lights Out", releases a brand new set
of tracks after more than three decades together. A large lot of you
would not call anything without guitar god Michael Schenker, "UFO";
and, believe me, I understand. One of the first things that comes to
mind when someone says "UFO" to me, isn't Roswell, or even "E.T.",
its Michael Schenker. The power shredder is missing on this new set,
and it really is quite evident.
If you can't get Michael Schenker to
do the album, who do you call? Well, former
members Pete Way, Phil Mogg, and Paul
Raymond gave virtuoso Vinnie Moore a ring. Definitely not a bad
choice, but it's just not Schenker. That raucous, but beautifully
rhythmic style; the brutally raw licks, followed sweetly by a gentle
touch; that's only one thing this record lacks. Make no
mistake, I'm not saying that if the guys had Michael in the mix here
they would have a great record. They did a record called "Sharks" a
few years back, in which Schenker did play on, and it
was really nothing special. It was great guitar work, surrounded by
mediocre songwriting. For this set, I think we get a kind of "double
whammy". Most of these songs are average at best, with a great
guitar player just playing his chart. You get the feeling that
Vinnie Moore is taking a bit of a stroll here. I'm reminded of Steve
Vai's brief stint with Whitesnake, and his performance on their
"Slip Of The Tongue" record. Even with his amazingly distinctive
sound and style, you couldn't tell Vai was the guitarist, it could
have been anyone. This is a similar situation with Vinnie Moore
sounding like just a hired hand playing what was put in front of
him. They are decent pieces, but nothing memorable or
inventive.
Next question: If you can't get former drummer Andy Parker to do the
record, who do you call? Well, the boys gave "the prodigal son"
Jason Bonham a jingle. Again, not a bad choice. I would even say
that this choice yielded much more fruit to the feast. You know it's
not Andy Parker. Jason plays his own style, with his sharp snare
sound and incessant cymbal work, this is a fresh new drum sound for
the group; not necessarily a better sound, just a "new"
sound.
Whenever a band puts their best efforts as their first tracks, I
just get the feeling that they were lacking for material. Whether
this is true or factual, I don't know, but that's the case here.
"When Daylight Goes To Town" is a simple, well written rocker
with a solid guitar part and worthy contributions all around. We
even get to hear Jason Bonham chime in on backing vocals. Nice
stuff.
All
the best tracks rise to the top of the set list here. The next
track, "Black Cold Coffee" is a furious, rumbling track that is
definitely one of the highlights of the record. After that we
get three more tracks that rock steady, and are slightly better than
the average. It's when we get to the center of the record that it
starts to suffer. With "Slipping Away" sounding like they stole it
from Def Leppard's smelly locker, it's just not what we come to
expect from our beloved UFO. "Sympathy" or "Baby Blue" are better
attempts at a ballad, but still just average at best. Yeah, I know,
too many ballad attempts, ...I agree. We are treated to what I think
is the best track on the record, here in the second half,
though. "Mr. Freeze" is old school UFO. This is really a
magical track. Something came over the entire band on this one.
Check out the jaw-dropping guitar solo on this one. You could put
this one on the "Lights Out" or "Obsession" lp's, and it would
not sound out of place really.
The musicianship is great in
this band. These are some of the best players rock music has to
offer, without a doubt. I think the songwriting is what's lacking
here. These songs are average at best. With Phil Mogg sounding
as great as ever though, he gives the hapless tracks enough spark to
leave them bearable.
All
in all, I get about six keepers out of twelve here. Six
was half of twelve when I was in school, and five was half
of ten, so .....it only makes sense....
OVERALL RATING: 5
VELVET REVOLVER -
"Contraband"
(9/2004)
For those who
are not aware, this is the joining of Scott Weiland, the heroin
addicted former voice of Stone Temple Pilots, and some of
the wreckage that was left from the big Guns N' Roses blow up.
Before you read any further, please be aware of my opinions on both
of these bands:
I
thought Stone Temple Pilots was excellent. Each of their records had
its' own personality, and they weren't afraid to experiment with
their songwriting capabilities in order to keep things fresh. I
don't think everything always worked, but they always avoided
sounding stale. I have always thought that Scott Weiland was an
excellent frontman with nice vocal ability, and tons of
style.
On
the other hand, I think Guns N' Roses is the most overrated band in
the history of mankind. Axl Rose is the most irritating thing I've
ever heard; and that's from a list that includes barking dogs,
rusted mufflers, and crying newborns. Their songs all start to sound
the same after a while (about 7 minutes), not that they put out
too many songs to begin with. I always thought that Slash was a
guitarist that was capable of great things though. Some of the solos
and riffs on some of the Guns tunes, that were
eventually obliterated by a squealing Rose, were pretty
magical. I also thought that Matt Sorum, after a solid stint
with The Cult, was a great addition to this hapless
band.
So,
....this project sounded very promising to me! The best elements of
Guns N' Roses (Slash, Sorum, and bassist Duff McKagan), combined
with the energy and talent of Scott Weiland, just might lead to an
amazing record.
Nope.
What a disappointment this record is. It lacks the songwriting
creativity that was so prevalent in the STP material, and falls
closer into the pitfalls of Guns N' Roses L.A. garbage. There
are some keepers here, but most of this is a waste of
time.
When we start off, we're immediately thrown to the dogs. "Sucker
Train Blues" is a Guns N' Roses song with Weiland taking over for
Rose. Not a terrible song, but it's just boring folks! How many
times can Guns 'N Roses write the same song?!! Weiland's vocals are
a huge improvement, but it's still the same old schlock. "Do It For
The Kids", the following track, is a little more stylish but it
too, is just plain boring. It never snaps out of its hypnotic,
monotonous, monotone tempo. Round and round and round and round
and......, you get the idea. Finally, with the third track "Big
Machine", we get some of the heavy groove and vocal layering
that added dimension to Weiland's style in STP. A solid rhythm
section and an interesting guitar part, lead to the record's first
keeper. Unfortunately, the thrill is short lived. "Illegal i Song"
and "Spectacle", .....boring. I apologize for the overuse of the
adjective, but I can't think of a better, more descriptive word to
use. I could call it "dull", but even a dull knife will cut butter;
the only thing this record is cutting, is "the cheese". Now,
right when I say that, "Fall To Pieces" shows up, and it's a good
one. It's unfortunate that things had to slow down to power ballad
mode to achieve success, but, whatever works I guess. Things
actually start to pick up a tiny bit at this point. "Headspace"
and "Superhuman" have some appealing things going on, but even
these songs are just average."Set Me Free" does some great things;
with a fast paced drum track, frenetic guitar riffing, and
Weiland finally finding some swagger - lo and behold, we have
another keeper. Wait a second now, we may have yet another! "You Got
No Right" is another power ballad-type tune with Weiland doing what
he does best - singing. Sounding a little Beatlesque at the start,
Weiland and his bandmates actually give the song its own identity by
its climax. Not a bad song. Then it really
happens.......
What came over these guys when they
wrote "Slither"?! This is a great, great song! It has all the best
elements that each band member has to offer, all in one song.
Wicked solo from Slash, Weiland's best vocal performance on the
record by far, and a killer rhythm
section that lays down a deadly groove. Super stuff. Have no fear though, the record ends with two more bores.
"Dirty Little Thing" and "Loving The Alien" are songs that really
never develop. Much like this entire record, these two tracks sound
like they get lost. Whether the songs on this record go for a
stroll in the park, or try a sprint to the finish line, they always
seem to get lost in a forest of darkness along the way.
For
all those Guns N' Roses fans out there (why are there so many of
you?!), you'll probably like this record. All of the STP fans....you
might like it, but probably not. All fans of creative and
stylish hard hitting rock 'n' roll ......you
might vomit.
OVERALL
RATING: 3
WHITESNAKE - "Good To Be
Bad"
(4/2008)
For me, Whitesnake represents the continuance of a
legendary time in rock and roll. When David Coverdale joined up with
Ritchie Blackmore and Deep Purple near the end of 1973, he added a
new dimension to an already successful formula. He gave the band a
rough and bluesy attitude with his great range and tone. The songs
were lyrically rich as well as musically urbane. When Coverdale
started his Whitesnake project in 1978, he brought all of those
elements with him. With songs centered on Coverdale’s love of the
blues, but with a hard rock feel, Whitesnake earned my respect as a
legitimate force. As the project moved into the 80’s, the songs lost
a lot of their blues edge and started to move toward a hard rock,
radio friendly genre that was being stereotyped as “hair metal.” I
could never see Whitesnake as a “hair metal” band. Poison, Bon Jovi,
Cinderella…..okay, Whitesnake, no. Whitesnake just had so much more
sophistication and pure talent than most “hair metal,” it was very
difficult to discuss them in the same forum, and it still
is.
“The
new album contains all the elements I enjoy about Whitesnake, and more. I
can hear moments that take me back to the bluesy, early years of the
band all the way through the band's musical history to fully embrace
the more electric aspects of where we are now, as a band.” –
David
Coverdale talks about “Good To Be Bad”
For the
most part, Coverdale’s perception is pretty accurate. “Good To Be
Bad” is definitely not “Snakebite” or “Lovehunter,” but it does have
some of the same tendencies as those early records. Songs like “A
Fool In Love” and “’Till The End Of Time” have blues-based melodies
that are very reminiscent of early Whitesnake. Most of this record
is set in the late 80’s, though. Coverdale surrounds himself with a
stellar lineup that includes guitarists Doug Aldrich (Dio, Lion,
Hurricane) and Reb Beach (Winger, Dokken, Night Ranger), bassist
Uriah Duffy (Christina Aguilera, Travers/Appice), keyboardist
Timothy Drury (Don Henley, Stevie Nicks), and drummer Chris Frazier
(Steve Vai, Edgar Winter). To hear Coverdale describe the album,
"It's a very solid, muscular, melodic rock record with a couple of
fine ballads, so there's a little tenderness when the moment calls
for it, and of course the ballads help balance out the chest
beaters! I find it a very complete piece of work, actually. It
covers a lot of musical ground, a positive chapter in the Book of
Whitesnake." Again, I would agree with this, for the most part. The
first three tracks of the record, “Best Years,” “Can You Hear The
Wind Blow?” and “Call On Me” are excellent hard rockers that
maintain a serious attitude and reflect the integrity of the band’s
talent. And, the first ballad of the album follows these three
rockers, and it’s a real beauty. With a great hook and a sensational
guitar melody and finely crafted solo, this just might be the band’s
best ballad.
As the
record returns to its hard rock purpose, we get the rambunctious
title cut. There’s a nod to the “Slide It In” record here with the
“to the bone” line that was so effective with that record’s hit,
“Slow An’ Easy,” but this song doesn’t come close to delivering the
same wallop. This song flexes the instrumental muscle that the band
sports, but it lacks the lyrical integrity that I look for in a
great Whitesnake song. The following track, “All For Love,” is also
one that just about any decent “hair metal” band could’ve written.
These two songs aren’t horrible, but they play into the hands of the
“hair metal” stereotype a little too
nicely.
The
second ballad of the record, “Summer Rain,” is one that coasts
softly and has some nice guitar structure, but it’s really nothing
to get too excited about. It almost plays out as a simple diversion
from the songs that surround it. It does break up the monotony of
having one heavy tune after another, but it really doesn’t do much
as a standalone track. It does serve as an usher to one of the
better hard rock tracks on the record though. “Lay Down Your Love”
has the reckless vocal abandon that I love to hear from Coverdale.
It has the big sing-along refrain, and it has a nice funk groove to
it. It’s lyrically shallow, but it packs so much punch that it
really doesn’t matter.
“A Fool In Love”
follows, and as I stated before, this is a slight return to the
Whitesnake of the 70’s. This is a strong song that needed to be
heard a bit sooner, and a bit more often. This is what Whitesnake
was born from, and I think returning to those roots more often is
beneficial to the integrity of their music. As I say this, the worst
track on the album pops up. “Got What You Need” is a lightning fast
rocker that steals its melody directly from the classic AC/DC song
“Let There Be Rock” and it thrashes about like a bad 80’s L.A. band
wearing too much makeup. This song, and songs like it, cheapens the
majesty that should encompass the Whitesnake legacy. And oddly
enough, the track that follows is another return to the classic,
blues based sound. “’Till The End Of Time” has a very traditional
blues structure that is made into a dark and moody ballad. The song
isn’t terribly exciting, but it is an arrangement that represents
the band well.
I have
mixed feelings about this release. It has been 11 years since the
last Whitesnake release, which was “Restless Heart,” an album that
remains unreleased in the U.S. The last U.S. release was “Slip Of
The Tongue” in 1989. Either way you look at it, this album is a long
time coming. With that kind of time, I feel that there should be
some better material, and perhaps more of it. There are 11 tracks
here – that’s an average of one track per year. That’s not exactly
prolific. Now I might feel differently if I loved everything on this
record, but I don’t. Most of these songs are good, but when there
are only 11 tracks and you can do without 4 of them, it’s hardly a
recipe for success.
Don’t get me wrong, this is a record that shows us a singer
in fine form. Coverdale gives an impressive performance, and sounds
like he did in the band’s heyday of the late 80’s. The band is one
that is perched at the top of the talent tree, also. There are solid
performances all the way around. It’s the shallow songwriting on a
few of the tracks that keeps this record around average. And, as a
U.S. citizen, after 19 years between releases, I expect slightly
better than average.
OVERALL RATING:
6
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
WINGS, PAUL McCARTNEY & - "Venus And
Mars"
(5/2006)
I remember being stretched out
in front of my older brother's stereo, watching the needle ride the
wave of vinyl that had the yellow and red orbs surfing upon it. It
was the "Venus And Mars" record, and it was a mainstay on the
turntable while I was getting my early education in
music.
Let me begin by admitting my
affinity for Paul McCartney. I feel strongly that he was the magic
man of the Fab Four. Now please, all Lennon fans, put your pens and
plastic explosives down and listen to me for a minute. The Beatles
had a wonderful balance of melody and lyrical reverence, both of
which were brought about by Lennon and McCartney for the most part.
I think Lennon contributed the lyrical posturing, and McCartney
contributed the melody. Contrary to what any book or film might
prove, I think this is how the chemistry worked itself out.
McCartney has proven time and time again with his solo work that he
can write lucid pop fare, but it wasn't until this album that we saw
a darker and moodier side of McCartney.
"Venus And Mars" is a sort of
concept record in which the title track opens the album with a
specific melody, and we return to a reprise of that same melody
halfway through the record. The reprise serves as a reminder that
the album is grounded in this planetary theme. In between these two
relevant compositions are songs that ebb and flow beautifully. As
the initial "Venus And Mars" leads directly to the pumped up
rocker "Rock Show," we get great melody and groove, but we also get
some vocal eccentricities not unlike those in earlier Beatles hits
like "Rocky Raccoon" or "I Am The Walrus." As "Rock Show" bows to
the beautiful and moody lull of "Love In Song," we immediately start
to climb and fall from song to song. The antique ragtime piano pop
of "You Gave Me The Answer" follows, but it is quickly followed up
with the more modern rock of "Magneto And Titanium Man," which is
lathered with some of the best vocal harmonies ever recorded. This
crisp wave of song climaxes with a song called "Letting Go." A
sleek, creepy classic rock song with a big fat horn section that is
quite a departure for McCartney, "Letting Go" puts a nice cap on the
first half of this record. After we get through the "Venus And Mars
Reprise" to start the second half, we gently progress to a strange
song called "Spirits Of Ancient Egypt." This is a strange song
because it is so difficult to categorize. It starts out a slow and
bluesy song, but we are carried by the melody to a mysteriously
upbeat pop tempo with a gong and some light chanting backup vocals
to spice things up. Then we start to rock out again. "Medicine Jar"
is a steady rocker with a wicked hook and vocals courtesy of Wings
guitarist Jimmy McCulloch. Suffering from drug addiction at the
time, McCullough sings of the dangers of drugs and alcohol. The
song, written in 1975, seems somewhat frightening when you make
yourself aware of the fact that McCullough died of a heroin
overdose in 1979. "Call Me Back Again" is in the old Motown blues
mode,
which is
drastically different from "Listen To What The Man Said" which
follows. The happy pop of "Listen To What The Man Said,"
complete with the memorable sax wailing from Tom Scott, lifts the
album back to a righteous glow. This is perfect pop songwriting from
the man that invented the art of pop songwriting. The album wraps up
with a tender ballad ("Treat Her Gently/Lonely Old People"), and a
small instrumental piece ("Crossroads") that completes an
adventurous ride with one of the greatest songwriters of all
time.
I'd like to leave you
with one of the funniest memories I have from this record, and
it is pure adolescence at its best. Growing up in an apartment
that was owned by an elderly couple that had never had any
children of their own, I'm sure that my older brothers and I, with
our need for cranking out the Kiss tunes on 11, were sometimes
less than desirable tenants. In any case, Mrs. McKissick wasn't
always the most pleasant landlord to have around. As we sang
along to "Letting Go," a friend and myself imagined holding
this poor lady's hands as she was hanging from a cliff. "Oh
...I feel like letting go." It still remains a favorite of mine
from this record, and I still chuckle and think about Mrs.
McKissick. Yes, we were sick little bastards, but we listened to
some great records.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
WISHBONE ASH - "Argus" (3/2005)
This is one of those records that I listen
to and wonder, "What would the face of rock music look like without
this record?" Although the face of Rock has gotten bloodied in
recent years by droves of mindless chart toppers, it's albums like
this one that are the skull beneath the skin. This album was
instrumental in forming the genre of "guitar rock" that many of the
best bands of recent years draw inspiration from. Bands like Thin
Lizzy, Judas Priest, Kansas, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, and countless
others have the "skeleton" of Wishbone Ash to help them stand tall
in the pages of rock history. "Argus" was the band's third album,
and arguably, the finest in their expansive catalog.
Immediately, from the opening
guitar strings of "Time Was" being gently plucked, the
influence of this band can be heard through many aspects of
what appears on this record. The mystic and medieval feel of songs
like "Warrior" and "Throw Down The Sword" can be reflected in future
acts like Rainbow and Dio. Although the overall sound may
differ, the lyrical style and musical structure are very similar.
Songs that are born around genius guitar work - in this
case, that of Andy Powell and Ted Turner - and the lyrics of
slaves, conquerors, and swords, are the elements that made up
the entire existence of many a band to follow.
The free and easy vocal tempos
and harmonies of songs like "Blowin' Free" and "The King Will Come"
are similar to those heard from classic bands like Crosby, Stills
and Nash and Yes; except Ash adds a whole new dimension with the
persistent dual guitar frenzy that exists throughout the tracks.
They create an entirely unique, distinct sound with this formula.
Bands such as Kansas, Styx, and Journey have all followed suit with
the formula. Again, the overall sound may differ a bit, but the
musical structures are very similar. Clean, melodic vocal tones
driven by a guitar based core.
Then we have a song like "Leaf
And Stream" that is a gentle lullaby with dark, sorrowful
overtones that are just naturally exciting and original.
Setting a mood somewhat similar to what Traffic might have done with
"John Barleycorn", "Leaf And Stream" is a calculated, mind tickling,
sensory overload. Something about this "ballad" that just gets my
heart to pump irregularly, and causes a shortness of breath
by song's end. Just observe the lyrics and see for
yourself:
Find myself
beside a stream of empty thought,
Like a leaf that's fallen to
the ground,
And carried by the flow of water to my
dreams
Woken only by your sound.
Alone I've walked this
path for many years,
Listened to the wind that calls my
name.
The weeping trees of yesterday look so sad,
Await your
breath of spring again.
Far beyond the hills,
Where earth
and sky will meet again,
Are shadows like an opening
hand.
Control the
secrets that I've yet to find,
And wonder
at the light in which they stand.
Released in the U.K. in April of 1972, Wishbone Ash
entered the U.K. charts at number eight and reached as high as
number three. With critical acclaim from sources like
Sounds and Melody Maker, and a rabid fan base,
readers of both publications voted "Argus" as Best Album Of The Year
in 1972; beating out two other timeless releases put out that same
year, Deep Purple's "Machine Head" and Jethro Tull's "Thick As A
Brick". In 2002, "Argus" received the royal treatment it so well
deserves. It was remastered and released on CD, complete with some
of the finest liner notes ever written, and three tracks previously
unreleased to the public. These three tracks were pressed and
released only to radio stations as a limited edition promo under the
title "Live From Memphis". It is quite a special gift to be
included here.
"Jailbait" is a bluesy rocker
that demonstrates the tremendous versatility of the band. Complete
with battling guitar leads, this is a gem. "The Pilgrim" and
"Phoenix" show the more artistic and precision side of playing that
the band was capable of. Besides being all out jams, these
tracks contain many intricate guitar techniques that you might
not hear in a blues-based jam. This is Ash at its artistic best;
simply brilliant in every way.
Whether
you are a fan of this incredible pioneer band of rock musicians, or
just someone who has had their life shaped by their "by products";
it is ultimately clear that the face of music would be drastically
altered if not for this band. Experience the "skeleton" of rock
music that is Wishbone Ash, and the flesh of rock's
existence that is "Argus".
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
WOLFMOTHER - "Wolfmother" (9/2006) "EMERGENCY SURGERY"
feature
Being hailed by many media outlets as
the “next Led Zeppelin,” Wolfmother has some large shoes to fill.
And I have to tell you, I’m so tired of hearing about the “next Led
Zeppelin” - let’s just lay all that to rest right now. I don’t want
the next Zeppelin. I want a kick ass band that is talented and
honest in their approach. What I would like to hear from Wolfmother,
is Wolfmother.
What I know about this band is
this: They are a three piece unit from Australia, and their
singer/guitarist Andrew Stockdale looks like the second coming of
Noel Redding - complete with bushy sideburns and a loose-curled
afro. I’ve also heard that these guys are going to take the world by
storm, but how many times have I heard that about a
band?
So, that’s all folks. That’s all I
know. So join me, won’t you? Let’s see what all the talk is
about.
Track
1: “Dimension” - Already, we have a bizarre start to the
disc. Singer Andrew Stockdale kicks off the disc with a high-pitched
squeal that sent my neighbor’s cat into an early heat cycle. This is
very cool. Big, fat, fuzzy bass sound, with a steady smacking of the
snare drum. Zeppelin, I don’t know, but on this one they sound very
similar to their fellow countrymen Jet to me. It’s got that kind of
Stones attitude and swagger to it. Oh….wait….what is this?!! A deep,
slowed down tempo that hits like a ton of bricks when it ushers in
the chorus. “Purple haze is in the sky….,” Stockdale wails with,
admittedly, a Plant-like tone. This is a really effective tempo
change that makes the song that much more interesting. Fantastic
song. RATING: 9
Track 2: “White
Unicorn” - An easy guitar strum plays as a great accompaniment to
Stockdale and his electrifying voice. A nice, cool and easy groove.
WHOA! The hammer comes down! This is a Black Sabbath-influenced
explosion of heaviness, ladies and gents. As the band reverts back
to the cool and easy groove, they return to finish punishing you
with the brutally beautiful heaviness of the chorus section again.
As they go into a quiet, spaced out, 70’s-influenced instrumental
bridge, they creep out of it to hammer you one more time before the
song ends. This song is a masterpiece. Not since the majesty of
Black Sabbath have I heard something equally as heavy that stays
true, honest, and genuine. RATING: 10
Track 3: “Woman” -
Again, we get a Sabbath style of heaviness, with a Robert Plant
vocal range. A fast-paced steady rocker that has a kind of
boogie-woogie swagger to it. They even throw in a Deep Purple-type
of organ solo in the middle of the song. This is another quick
hitting song that only lasts just under three minutes, and leaves
your ears lying in the ruins when it ends. Nice. RATING: 9
Track 4: “Where
Eagles Have Been” - A beautiful, almost Beatles-like lilt to
Stockdale’s voice in the beginning of this one. A sound that is also
reminiscent of a Zeppelin song like “Thank You.” As the song starts
picking up pace, Stockdale gets stronger and stronger. As the song
gets set for a big finale, there is a great vintage sounding organ
part that leads into a rousing guitar solo and skin bashing
festival. The song settles down once again and slowly fades away.
RATING: 7
Track 5: “Apple
Tree” - We get another fast paced Jet-type of punk song. Stockdale’s
voice is heard through some distortion effects here, and it works
quite well. The band once again goes into a slow paced Sabbath style
of deep and menacing heaviness. All of this gives way to a distorted
guitar solo that finishes off another quick strike rocker.
RATING: 7
Track 6: “Joker
& The Thief” - Ooh baby, what a great guitar riff to start this
one! The drums go thumping along in a rising crescendo type of way,
along with the organ adding the perfect tension. Then it all stops
for a relentless, pulsing guitar chord rhythm. Stockdale starts his
bellowing, which slightly resembles that of Jack White of White
Stripes, and the full dynamic of the band swirls behind him. Before
this one reaches its end there is a feedback frenzied guitar piece,
not unlike something that might come from Audioslave guitarist Tom
Morello, which fits the song perfectly. What an incredible sound
these guys have. This is another unbelievable track. RATING:
10
Track 7: “Colossal”
- A deep stalking heavy rhythm starts to march in the beginning of
this one. All hail Wolfmother! This is a dream come true. Imagine
the dark steady heaviness of Sabbath being fronted by a high-pitched
Robert Plant-type of voice. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow. A catchy-as-hell
refrain rounds out this perfect song and, as the stalking gloom
slows almost to a complete stop, all you can do is listen in
amazement. Unbelievable. RATING: 10
Track 8: “Mind’s
Eye” - A soft, atmospheric beginning with a steady tempo. More great
vocals go from easy to intense and emotional, with a powerful organ
hum backing it all up beautifully. The slow verse to rousing chorus
routine continues until we get to a bright keyboard riff which
sounds a little like an ode to ELP. The uplifting chorus then peaks
and ends this great song. RATING: 9
Track 9: “Pyramid” -
Urghhhhh…..a mean and nasty distorted guitar growls to allow for a
galloping bass line, which is then joined by a singing, hypnotic
guitar part. This soon turns into a fuzzy bludgeoning, very
reminiscent of a Blue Cheer-type of distorted attack. The roar
subsides to let the verses be heard, but continues its attack like a
cat pouncing on its prey whenever it gets the chance. The song seems
to run a bit long without much change, but is still powerful.
RATING: 7
Track 10:
“Witchcraft” - Another Zep-like song that relies mostly on a rhythm
groove and powerful vocals. The addition of a couple of 20-second,
Ian Anderson-style flute solos toward the end of the song makes the
somewhat tiring groove repetition that’s laid down a little more
interesting. RATING: 6
Track 11: “Tales” -
Wow. The soft, lilting vocal that screams “Lennon” has returned. We
get a dreamy melody that eventually leads to a charged up guitar
riff and a catchy chorus. It ends up with a very 60’s sound, with
great buildup and vocals that are really effective. RATING: 8
Track 12: “Love
Train” - A “Sympathy For The Devil” conga beat starts the song, but
is quickly cut short by a huge fuzzy groove. The funk groove and the
Robert Plant-sings-Prince style of squealing vocal make for a very
unusual song for this record. We get a great Jon Lord-inspired
keyboard segment, which I wish was a bit longer, toward the middle
of the song too. This is a cool cat. RATING: 8
Track 13: “Vagabond”
- A Folky, foot stomping song, not unlike something Zeppelin might
have done. Plays as a very simple song, maybe a little too simple,
but it also closes the album nicely too. RATING: 6
OVERALL RATING:
9 IT’S ALIVE, AND IT’S A
MONSTER!!
Oh my. The next
Zeppelin? I can see why they bill these guys as that, but they are
so much more than just a copycat Zep. Wolfmother is the real deal,
and this album has some of the best songs I’ve heard in decades. If
you’ve always wanted to hear Robert Plant front Black Sabbath, this
album is right up your alley. But, please, don’t pigeonhole
Wolfmother as the next Led Zeppelin. This is Wolfmother - nothing
more…and definitely nothing less.
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
YETI RAIN - "Discarnate" (7/2007)
Yeti Rain is an atmospheric mind trip that is dark and foreboding,
and even disturbing at times. Playing like the score to some
futuristic outer space horror film, "Discarnate" is a disc that will
leave your body numb and your mind frozen. I can safely say that I
have never heard anything like this. This defines unique. Unicorn
Records, Roger Ebner, and progressive rock genius William Kopecky
offer something that will alter your psyche. When I listened to this
I started to close my eyes. After that, the journey had begun. I
felt cold and shaky at times. I felt as if I was weightless and
drifting at times (and when you're 6'4" and 280 pounds this is no
small feat). I even had horrible visions and suicidal thoughts. No,
I'm not the most psychologically balanced individual, but I can
guarantee that this disc will stir something inside of your mind as
well. One listen and your cerebral cortex will be in grave danger.
Words like haunting and ethereal have been used to quite accurately
describe this project, and the listening experience has been summed
up as an "aural hallucinogenic." Yep. The disc should come with a
label something to the effect of "WARNING: Listening to this disc
may cause you to test positive on a random drug test." This really
is a dark, ambient and mysterious disc that acts as a mind altering
drug.
The
artists involved in this project, Roger Ebner and William Kopecky,
prove to be true visionaries with "Discarnate." William Kopecky is a
progressive rock giant that plays fretless bass better than anyone
I've ever seen. But if you want traditional jamming you'll have to
listen to William's Far Corner or Kopecky projects. You won't hear
outbursts of soloing or huge clusters of notes here, but that's
really the beauty of the whole thing. You can barely tell that
you're listening to someone playing a bass at all. This one is all
about tone and feel. The depth of the notes and the flow of tone is
what make this work. These pieces act as musical meditation; yoga
for the mind, if you will. The titles of these tapestries of sound
are as interesting as the music itself. "The Veiled Daughters of
Sleep," "The Prophets' Needle," and "Dreaming in the Teeth of
Forever" are a few of my personal favorites. The word discarnate is
defined as "having no material body or form," and I think the music
upholds this definition perfectly. This set is a mind bending sound
landscape where nothing is firm or rigid. The thick, smooth tones
flow like muddy chocolate syrup oozing down the knotty tree trunks
of a dark swamp.
If
you want to take a trip inside your mind, this is the soundtrack you
need. But beware; you may not be ready for this. You need to dig
deep inside your soul to invite this in, because that's the only
place where this disc can reside. This is an engrossing excursion of
sound that pleads with your mind to add some sight.
Like the disc, the written text of this review is a bit puzzling and
quite unusual. A review like you've never seen, telling you of
something like you've never heard. Yeti Rain takes some work. It
takes some soul searching to really enjoy the full effect. Like this
review, the music appears to be dark and confusing at first glance,
but if you open your soul and invite this disc inside, you will find
that the riddle will begin to solve itself. Do yourself a favor and
take the Yeti Rain adventure. It's a musical exploration like no
other.
www.unicornrecords.com
www.yetirain.com
____________________________________________
ZEL
- "True"
(10/2009)
 
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