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Random Track of the Day
Friday, August 5 2011 Well, after some pretty weird selections over the last few days, at least we have a proper song today. Granted, it's country, not my favourite genre, but this guy is all right. When you're born as a guy with the name Tracy, what can you do but change it to Trace, as he did. Trace Adkins has become one of the most popular and successful country artists in the last ten years, and this is from his second greatest hits collection. Fans of “The Apprentice” (like me) may have seen him on the “celebrity” version of the US series, where he came second, and proved what a nice, down-to-earth guy he is. This track is apparently only available on this compilation, which is titled after it. “American man”, by Trace Adkins. American man --- Trace Adkins --- from “American man : Greatest Hits Volume II” on Capitol Nashville http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...mericanMan.jpg A real blue-collar ballad in the mould of Springsteen and Earle, it's a song in praise of the workingman, with lots of steel guitar and harmonica. It's a little bit of a crossover, as there are some obvious rock tropes in there too, and as a track it's quite enjoyable, if not exactly standout. Some nice guitar and especially slide guitar in the track, and Trace's voice is tough and authoritative, like the man himself. Tell him yourself if you don't like this song --- if you dare! :) |
Your track of the day write ups are quirky as hell.
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Thx man. Where would this world be without quirks? Though it's worrying to hear that they could all be extinct in another three years! Please, please support the "Adopt a quirk" plan! For just three Andorian Pobble-beads a month you too could adopt a cute little quirk and save it from the ravaging attentions of boredom and political correctness which is even now threatening their habitat.
Thank your for your time. |
Freeman --- Labyrinth --- 2005 (Arise)
http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...r523ZkMUjnOLPQ Sometimes you just take a chance, you know, and you don't even know why? I can't recall what made me pick up this album. I knew nothing of the band, had heard none of their material, but something recommended them, and I decided sure why not? Turns out they're Italian, though they certainly don't sound it, and damn good too. They've had seven albums to date, of which this is the fifth. Weirdly, the one prior to this was called “Labyrinth”! Doing a Genesis on it, eh? The opening track is called L.Y.A.F.H, which you quickly find out stands for “light years away from here” --- why they didn't just call it that is beyond me. What, are they being charged per word or something? Anyway, it's a great opening, power progressive metal with big keyboards, chunky guitar and the clear, powerful voice of --- well, here's where it gets a little weird. Again. Each band member (or most of them) seem to have two names. In their Wikipedia entry there's a name for each with another bracketed beside it. Perhaps it's to make names which are a little hard to pronounce/remember easier. So the vocalist is called Roberto Tiranti, but also goes under the name of Rob Tyrant (good choice of name for a metal singer), while the guitarists are Andrea Cantarelli, or Anders Rain, and Carlo Andrea Magnani, aka Olaf Thorsen. The keyboard player goes under Andrea de Paoli, or Andrew McPauls. Only the drummer and bassist have the one name, Alessando Bissa for the former and Segio Pagnacco for the latter: poor old rhythm section, short-changed again eh? ;) I can only assume that the double-names are to make it easier for marketing outside of Italy, as the bracketed, or second names are all fairly anglicised, and though some bear a resemblance to the original, I don't know where Olaf Thorsen comes from! But anyway, for the purposes of this review I'll use the shorter, or second name, for each member. For those who have them. Avoid confusion and less typing for me, so that I can pack a lot more in to my exciting life that would otherwise be wasted adding extra words to this journal entry! It's a good opening, very powerful and very melodic, then things slow down a little for “Deserter”, which comes in on acoustic guitar but then gets going with a heavy riff and crunching vibe. Rob Tyrant's voice is VERY far up in the mix here, to the extent that sometimes the music drops back to a point where he's almost singing acapella. But when they're given their head, axemen Olaf and Anders can rock out with the best of them, with the keys a little subsumed in the mix, at least on this track. There's some of that annoying “death vocal” in the song too, but it's very much backing vocal, so not as annoying as I usually find this. I can handle this with bands like Leaves' Eyes, and it also happens with LostProphets, but as far as Opeth or Dimmu Borgir go, a little of that is all I can take and if the vocals are ALL screamed and growled that way, I hit STOP and then DELETE. But there's no need to worry, as Tyrant is a very accomplished vocalist, and like many European metal acts, he does not come across as sounding Italian; if anything, you would think he was head of some US band, with that somewhat universal sound. “Dive in open waters” is pure thrash metal, with drummer-with-only-one-name Alessandro Bissa pounding the skins as if he just saw a horrible insect crawling on them and is trying to kill it, the twin guitars setting up a wall of sound that, this time, kind of overwhelms Tyrant's vocals a little. Perhaps a small toning down might have been in order, as the poor guy has to shout to be heard above the apocalyptic cacophony setup by the band. And again, I can barely hear the keyboards: you there, Andew McPauls? Oh yeah, there you are, doing a rather nice solo. Fair enough, but when the guitars take over it's like you fade into the background. Someone needed to sort out the production of this album. One minute the vocalist is on his own without backing almost, the next it's hard to hear him. And as for Signore McPauls.... The song ends really strangely, fading out very quickly like a badly-done single edit, and we're into the title track, great hook and very commercial-sounding but yet very heavy. These guys have almost got the balance right, if they could just ensure the keys are pushed a bit more up in the mix, as I'm sure old Andrew is doing some great work there, but most of the time it's hard to even hear him. “M3”, a song about the BMW M3 sportscar, is a suitably fast rocker, with the keys finally allowed to shine through and sounding really excellent, the twin guitar attack taking on a very Iron Maiden feel. A lovely little piano passage halfway in adds real character to the song, then there's a tremendous guitar solo from one of the two axemen. The Maiden influence continues in “Face and pay”, with a certain Metallica edge in there too, and a great bluesy midsection where Andrew McPaul finally gets to really show what he can do, but it's the creepily excellent “Malcolm Grey” that steals the show. The longest track on the album, at six minutes, it starts off with what sounds like a car crash, weird howling sounds and footsteps, creaking doors and rain lashing down. It's introduced musically by Andrew on beautiful piano before the guitars get in on the act and we hear the tale of a killer who tells us ”My hands are red with blood/ But it's not mine!” followed by a nasty laugh. The piano keeps an eerie counterpoint to the guitars as the song progresses, with some really great keyboard in there, proving that when allowed to, Andrew McPaul is as capable on the ivories as anyone. Rob Tyrant does a great job portraying the face of a killer who seems not to remember what he has done --- a split personality probably, as he asks, pleads really ”Can someone tell me/ If it's true or not? /I'm scared by the pleasure I've felt.” “Meanings” is a good ending to the album, with again nice keyboard and of course the ubiquitous heavy guitar, though you kind of feel that after “Malcolm Grey” the quality dipped towards the mediocre for the rest of the album, and there's not a lot that marks any of the final three tracks out for me. That said, this is a very good album, and although I don't know whether Labyrinth are known much outside their native Italy, they certainly should be. These guys can hold their own with the best prog metal out there today. TRACKLISTING 1. L.Y.A.F.H 2. Deserter 3. Dive in open waters 4. Freeman 5. M3 6. Face and pay 7. Malcolm Grey 8. Nothing new 9. Infidels 10. Meanings |
Of wars in Osyrhia --- Fairyland --- 2002 (NTS)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...yrhia-2003.jpg A metal band with a name like Fairyland? Surely not! Would you, as a self-respecting metal head, admit to your mates you were going to see Fairyland? Well, if you judged them solely on their name then a) you'd be an idiot --- haven't you heard about books and covers? --- and b) you'd be missing out on some of the most exciting and melodic symphonic power metal to come your way in quite a long time. Hailing from la belle France, Fairyland began life as Fantasia, under which name they released a demo album called “Realm of wonders”, but there was no label involved so “Of wars in Osyrhia” is officially their debut album. The brainchild of founder and keyboard player Philippe Giordana, it's a real diamond in the rough, one of those albums you hear and think “why the hell haven't I heard of these guys before?” Well, to be fair, after recording this album and its follow-up in 2006, Philippe split from the band and went off to form another version of Fairyland, who released an album in 2009 called “Score to a new beginning”, so they haven't exactly been all that prolific. But what they have released has more than made up for the dearth of albums. It starts off with a short introductory track, entitled “And so came the storm”, which comes across as a film soundtrack, with sounds of thunder and rain against keyboard played in a medieval type melody, and choral voices in the mould of Orff's “Camina Burana”, but things soon get heavy with “Ride with the sun”, some great keyboards and thunderous drumming, the vocalist Elisa C. Martin, perviously of Dark Moor, starts singing, though she's a little hard to hear in the mix. The backing vocals, interestingly, are much better, and it's easy to see how this is Giordana's baby as his keyboards take centre stage in the songs. It's essentially a concept album, as you may have guessed from the title, concerning a fairly standard storyline, that of the good hero fighting the evil force. But the concept is secondary, and the music is really good. Fairyland have been accused of being a clone of the band Rhapsody, but as I have never heard (of) them, I can't make that deliberation. Whether they are or not, this is music I most certainly enjoy. I'm still finding Elisa hard to hear though, at times she seems to have to sing louder than she should have to, to be heard above the eternal keyboard runs and the hammering drums. Like the Labyrinth album reviewed previously, perhaps this is just down to bad production, but it does steal a certain something from the album. Great guitar work from Anthony Parker on “Doryan the enlightened”, but almost as if he wants to make sure everyone knows that this is his band, it's matched by an equally dextrous keyboard run by Giordana. Boys, boys! Settle down! I must say, I do find the constant presence of backing vocals both at times overpowering (not least for poor Elisa!) and unneccesary. The first slow track, “The storyteller”, is a very good example of this. When left to her own devices, and with just piano or keyboard backing, you can hear Elisa very well, and clearly, but as soon as the backing vocals (I would almost call them a choir) come in, usually on the back of heavy drums, she's lost again. And I just don't see any reason why they, the backing vocals/choir, needed to be in this track. It's carried on a middle ages type melody, and would have been a good vehicle for the singer, but she has to contend with the ever-present choir, and she's just not up to the task. Few would be, to be fair. “On the path to fury” has a spoken intro, possibly the evil force against which the hero is struggling. It's hard to be sure, as the lyrics are not that easy to distinguish, given the problems I have already referred to with the vocals. It's another fast rocker, and yes, that choir is drowning poor Elisa out again! What a pity, as we really could do with hearing more of her. More great guitar solos from Parker in this track, and the drums, courtesy of (I really should have mentioned him before, shouldn't I?) Pierre-Emmanuel Desfray (now you know why!) thunder along like galloping horses heading to the battlefield. Again, though, Philippe has to have the last word, and anything you can do, Anthony, I can do better, as he fires up the keyboard for another stunning solo. The first proper ballad comes in the shape of “Rebirth”, on harpsichordal keyboard and organ, and here finally we get to hear Elisa sing as she can sing. The choir only blast in for the chorus, on which she wisely takes a break from singing to allow them their head, then they return the favour for the verses. If only they would follow this arrangement for the whole album! Near the end there's even a harkback to Genesis' “Fountain of Salmacis” from “Nursery cryme”, then we're back into hard-rockin' epic territory for “The Fellowship”: the choir is used to good effect here, but to be honest, things seem to be thundering along on the same rails for the last few tracks. Now don't get me wrong. I'm not going back on what I said at the opening of this article. This IS a great album, but it's far from flawless. In fact, if I had to choose its major flaw I would say uneven distribution of work. If I were to break this album down in terms of a pie chart, it'd go like this:- Keyboards 60% Drumming 20% Choral/backing vocals/choir 10% Guitar7% Lead vocal 3% That just isn't good enough to ensure a great record. As I said earlier, this may be down to production, but the keys, though undeniably excellent, are overpowering, and the choir, though again impressive, doesn't seem to know when it should just shut up and let Elisa sing, resulting in her not being heard very clearly for a lot of the album. I haven't heard their other albums, but if they have sorted the percentage by then, I would hope and imagine “Fall of an empire”, the follow-up to this release, would be a lot better. At least “The army of the White Mountains” is different, taking a step away from the fast thundering rock to produce an instrumental almost entirely carried on keyboard. Notwithstanding what I said above about the overpresence of keys, this is a great little (little? It's over six minutes long!) track, and though it could be looked upon as self-indulgence by Philippe Giordana, it works very well as a sort of theme, breaking up the epic power-metal passages. It's quite a tour de force by the man, and deserves to be listened to. Even seems to use some melodic ideas from Star Wars, Star Trek and some western movies I remember! Then we're into the final, and title track, which is also by some way the longest, at just under eleven minutes. An epic in the grand tradition, it starts off with rolling drums and then strings to take it into some power guitar and keyboard with attendant ringing bells (of victory?), and the pace shifts up about three gears as the intro continues, vocals not coming in till about two minutes into the track, but again sadly quickly lost under the intervention of the choir. Nice string section then the power-metal continues with some great guitar work from Parker, real shredding stuff. There's a nice slow section then halfway through, where Elisa gets to sing unhindered and she really does have a good voice, then it all picks up again for a combined keyboard and guitar attack which leads into another medieval piece on keys, with the choir getting into full voice, and for once, sounding like they should be there, and actually adding to the atmosphere of the album instead of taking away from it. In the end though, I do feel this track is perhaps two or three minutes too long, and feels a little formulaic, as if they believed there had to be a ten-minutes-plus epic on the album. Still, for what it is, it's well executed, and closes the album very well. This album is one example of why it's better to buy the CD rather than download it, as a lyric booklet would have greatly enhanced my enjoyment of the album. It's not that I didn't love it, I did, but I found it hard to make out lyrics and therefore was unable to follow the story, which sounds on the surface like it really is well written and worth hearing. But even without the lyrics to hand it's still a really enjoyable album, and will be eaten up by anyone who enjoys power prog/symphonic metal and fantasy themes. TRACKLISTING 1. And so came the storm 2. Ride with the sun 3. Doryan the enlightened 4. The storyteller 5. Fight for your king 6. On the path to fury 7. Rebirth 8. The Fellowship 9. A dark omen 10. The army of the White Mountains 11. Of wars in Osyrhia |
Random Track of the Day
Saturday, August 6 2011 I tell ya, never mind Tumor's pushing a rock up a slope in Hell (see his journal for some incredible writing, but you had better not be squeamish! Or the Devil...), I'm getting mightily tired of rolling this gigantic three-thousand-sided die to try to determine what the Random Track of the Day is going to be. And the neighbours are starting to get suspicious as to what that noise is as I push it over. But hey, it's all in a good cause, and this is Saturday, so the Gods of Chance will be down the pub taking a well-earned day off, right? Gods don't work on the weekend, unlike we mortals. Maybe not, but their influence is still present, and yes, after tricking me yesterday into thinking I'd get something simple, like maybe a track from Coldplay (shut up!) or a hit single from George Michael (I SAID, shut UP!), maybe even a track from the new Pendragon album, what do I get? I'll tell you what I get. Classical music. Oh don't get me wrong: I love classical, but as esoteric choices and arbitrary picks go, this is right up there with the best. But hey ho, it's all the luck of the draw, as they say, and you never know, you might actually learn something if you listen to one of the great composers of all time. Look, it has to be better than listening to Justin Bieber, doesn't it? Of course, getting run over by a stampeding herd of diarrarhetic bulls has to be better than listening to Justin Bieber! Never fear, the Evil One shall never darken my music collection, so you won't be subjected to his off-key caterwaulings here. Of course, I can't say the same for Tumor... heh heh. So aaaaanyway... here he is, in all his splendour, all the way from the nineteenth century and ready to rock your world (well, not really), Felix Mendelssohn and his Violin Concerto in E minor. Maestro, if you please.... Violin concerto in E Minor, 2nd movement---Felix Mendelssohn --- from “100 Popular Classics” on Decca http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi..._Bartholdy.jpg Amazingly, someone had actually uploaded a video of this to YouTube! Fair play cha! I thought I was going to have to make one up. Guess classical buffs can be internet-savvy too, huh? :) What's to say about the track? Beautiful, sweet, relaxing violin music (the title kind of gives it away, doesn't it?) with a full orchestra. Written in 1845 (and still sounding as good today), it is widely regarded as one of the best and most beautiful violin concertos of all time, and a work for students of the violin to master. This is only the second movement, and lasts approximately eight minutes. The whole thing usually runs for about thirty. There you are: don't say you never get any culture in your life! You never know what you're going to get when you read my journal! ;) |
Lead me on --- Amy Grant --- 1988 (A&M)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Lead_Me_On.jpg I said it in the review on Narnia, and I'll say it again: Christian rock is not my thing. I don't like to be preached to, and I don't want to be converted. I've seen too much horror and injustice in this world to believe that there's some all-powerful entity controlling it all. If there is, he/she/it has got some serious sorting out to do! But the thing about “Lead me on” by Amy Grant is that, when I bought the album I didn't know that it was Christian rock, well pop really. To be fair to her, kind of like Narnia earlier this album is not replete with praise to God, prayers, and encouraging people to 'fess up their sins. And it comes across as a really good mainstream pop album, with just the odd touches of God and Christianity in there, if you know where to look. If you don't, or choose not to, they won't leap out at you, and for me, as a non-Christian, that's a good thing, as it doesn't spoil the album for me. It's not going to rock your world, but it's nice easy-listening, and some tracks do actually pack a punch. It revs up with “1974” which, as you might imagine, is a fond look back to childhood and youth, with nice jangly electric and acoustic guitar, keyboards and Amy's gentle but powerful voice declaring ”We were young/ And none of us/ Knew quite what to say.” The first Christian influences are apparent in the lines ”Down upon our knees/ We had tasted holy wine.” Before I found out about her Christian leanings, I just took that to be a euphemism for the first love. Silly me. But it could have been. Really. It could. Really. It's a nice opener, if a little gentle, but that's put straight as the title track shows us Amy and her band can certainly rock out, after a fashion. With a slow lead-in on guitar and keys, it gets going with some funky guitar and well yes, okay, it's obviously a song of praise as she sings ”Lead me on, lead me on/ To the place where the river/ Runs into your keeping.” Doesn't prevent it from being a great song, by any means. Like I said, I have nothing against Christian songs, as long as they're not overly preachy, smug or trite. The songs on this album tick none of those boxes. Sure, you can envision this song being played at some Evangelical meeting, but equally you could see her performing it on stage at the likes of Giants' Stadium or the Hammersmith Odeon, or in smaller, more intimate venues. Nice guitar solo from Graham, sorry, Gary Chapman. Nice also to see that Amy writes or co-writes about ninety percent of the material on this album. As I've said before, I always feel it stands to the artiste if they are at least involved in some of the songwriting, otherwise you're just singing a bunch of songs someone else has written, and become, in effect, the instrument for someone else's vision, in some ways as much a tool as the guitar or keyboard in your band is. “Saved by love”, the first of four ballads on the album, is tender and personal, again the idea of being saved, but cleverly not necessarily by God, but by the love for her baby and her family, as Amy sings ”Laura loves her little family/ And she's the kind of woman/ Who loves them with her life.” It's a lovely little track, just namechecking God as the agency through which all this good stuff happens. Some really nice mandolin here, courtesy of Mark O'Connor, and some really effective Hammond from Benmont Tench. “Faithless heart” is the other side of the scale, another ballad but a bitter one, as Amy tries to resist the pull of the Dark Side (I guess we'd have to be honest and say she's talking about Satan here, given her beliefs), who is trying to make her break her vows and start an affair, or perhaps only thinking about doing this. It's a stark song, carried mostly on picked guitar and soft percussion, with some nice keyboard backing. One of the better tracks then, “What about the love” is Amy at her angriest, screaming at the horrors and wrongs of the world, the capitalism and materialism that takes over our lives till we can barely hear ”Angels to the left and the right /Saying “What about the love?” One thing Amy does not shrink from is the dichotomies within the church, with the opening lines of this song being ”I went to see my sister/ Who was staying with a friend/ Who had turned into a preacher/ To save the world from sin/ He said 'First deny your body/ Then learn to submit/ Pray to be made worthy/ And tithe your ten percent.'” It's a powerful song, where she speaks to her brother the stockbroker who tells her ”If you tell me where there's famine/ I can make you guarantees” and she wonders ”Is this all there is? / Power to the strong/” The moaning guitar in the song fits its tone perfectly, and at the end Amy with incredible self-bravery writes ”I looked into the mirror/ Proud as I could be/ And I saw my pointing finger/ Pointing back at me/ Saying who named you accusor?/ Who gave you the scales?/ I hung my head in sorrow/ I could almost feel the nails.” Powerful, honest, deep stuff. That would have been my pick of the album, were it not for the next track, the superb understated grandeur and sorrow of the haunting “If these walls could speak”. Written by one Jimmy Webb, who has also penned such timeless classics as “By the time I get to Phoenix” and “MacArthur Park”, it's a piano-driven acoustic ballad which wonders what stories the walls of a house would tell if they had a voice. It's immensely moving, the moreso due to the simple melody, added only to by some truly gorgeous violin, again thanks to Mr. O'Connor, and its powerful, impassioned vocal, the simple voice of a woman regretting her choices, and knowing there is nothing she can do about it now. It ends on a beautiful, almost heartbreaking piano melody, and is without question the standout track on the album. Unfortunately, as happens with many albums of any genre, there is a tipping point, and it's often just after the best track, and so it proves here. The rest of the album is not by any means mediocre, but in light of what has just gone before it's hard to imagine anything topping, or even equalling the supreme and simple beauty of “If these walls”, and indeed, nothing can. “All right” is jazz/funk with nice organ, and more than a hint of gospel, while “Wait for the healing” recalls somewhat the melody of the title track, but with a pretty damn fine violin solo at the end, verging on a hoe-down, I kid you not! It's not until the closer, the ballad “Say once more” that there's anything to talk about really, but it's a great track to end the album. A simple, honest love song with nice, gentle guitar and restrained keyboards and the song fades out slowly, leaving behind the echoes of what has been a truly special album. Without the Christian references --- and they're gentle, and understated without a doubt --- this is one great little pop album, showcasing a singer with a fine voice, great songwriting ability and a heart that's certainly in the right place. Amy knows what she believes, but doesn't force that belief on her listeners, so you can enjoy this album whether you agree with her faith or not. It's full of good pop songs, some truly exceptional ballads and would not look out of place on anyone's record shelf --- or, these days, on anyone's ipod, I guess! TRACKLISTING 1. 1974 2. Lead me on 3. Shadows 4. Saved by love 5. Faithless heart 6. What about the love 7. If these walls could speak 8. All right 9. Sure enough 10. Wait for the healing 11. If you have to go away 12. Say once more |
Random Track of the Day
Sunday, August 7 2011 Finally, a break! Okay, so in fairness this album was already reviewed by me some time ago, but this is one of the better tracks from it, and if I can allow an ambient instrumental or a classical concerto, I can certainly not disqualify this due to its already having been featured! Taken from the album “Original sin”, released in 1989, this is Pandora's Box, which was basically a project put together by Jim Steinman, of Meat Loaf fame. Some of the tracks later surfaced on El Meat's albums, notably “Good girls go to Heaven (Bad girls go everywhere)", “It's all coming back to me now” and “It just won't quit.” Of course, the second track mentioned there was also covered by Canada's answer to a year-long headache, Celine Dion. This track however was not covered by anyone, and is a Steinman original. Surprisingly, as detailed in my review of the album, the project was a flop and the album failed to gain any sort of chart success, with the result that it stands as the only Pandora's Box material. The lyric to “Safe sex” is really quite clever, and there's some lovely piano in the song. It's a ballad, sung by Gina Taylor, who was one of the multi-vocalists on “Original sin”. Safe sex--- Pandora's Box --- from “Original sin” on Virgin http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lsin_cover.jpg And that about wraps it up for the first week of “Random Track of the Day”. One thing you can certainly not deny, as that's that it has been random. We've had a country ballad, a classical concerto, an ambient instrumental, and a song about suicide bombers. Hey, if that's not eclectic, then Homer Simpson is a genius! Who knows what next week will bring? One thing is for sure: I have no clue, but whatever the die rolls for me, that's what I'll post. What --- you think I enjoy making YouTube videos for songs no-one has ever heard, ever will hear or wants to hear? ;) Man, I'm just the conduit through which the Fates work their magic. Mine is not to reason why, mine is just to roll that die! See ya some other time! |
Couldn't stand the weather --- Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble --- 1984 (Epic)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...theweather.jpg Another guitar hero gone long before his time, Stevie Ray Vaughan was discovered by the same man who brought us that workingman's hero, one Bruce Springsteen, and cut six albums before his death in 1990, with a further fourteen released posthumously. Seems almost ghoulish, but that's the music business for you: dead stars often sell more records than live ones. This album, however, was his second, and made with his band, Double Trouble, six years before his untimely death in a helicopter crash. Vaughan typified the “Texas blues” style of playing, and was feted by his contemporaries, remaining the inspiration and aspiration for many young guitarists to this day. The guitar jam “Scuttle buttin'” starts the album off, almost two minutes of fret-burnin' frenzy, which you really wish was longer, but then we're into the title track, with a bluesy start and then you would swear you're listening to the ghost of Jimi Hendrix, both in his guitar playing and his vocals, which is not too far off the mark, as he later tackles that old classic “Voodoo chile (slight return)”, and does a great job with it too. Like a certain Rory Gallagher, Stevie had a stripped down, no-frills band: it's just guitar, bass and drums, with the addition of a sax on just one track, and it's pure rock'n'roll from the word go. The pure blues of “The things that I used to do” conjures up the aforementioned Gallagher, and I find myself wondering if they ever got to play together? Would have been one hell of a gig. Elements of the great BB King in there too, methinks. It's pure heaven to listen to: this man could make a guitar do anything he wanted to, and he knew it. His version of “Voodoo chile”, as mentioned, is awe-inspiring, all eight minutes of it. Hendrix lives again, indeed! “Cold shot” is pure Texas Strut, if such a thing exists, and if it doesn't it should. Swagger and panache drenches this track, but it's the nine-minute “Tin Pan Alley” that really gets the attention, its slow, laid-back, lazy blues echoed later in fellow Bluesman (and sadly, also late of this world) Gary Moore's “As the years go passing by”. A song this good needs to be long, and luckily it is, but it never gets boring or seems overstretched: in fact, at the end you wish there was more. This, even more than his homage to Hendrix, is the centrepiece of the album, and without question its standout track. I could listen to this all day, every day. The album ends on two short tracks then, “Honey bee”, a swinging blues/boogie number, and “Stang's swang”, jazzy improvisation with added sax, a track which least represents rock to me, and which I would have preferred not to have closed the album, but close it it does. Not my cup of tea Stevie, sorry. Called too soon to play in the Great Gig in the Sky, Stevie Ray Vaughan was clearly emerging as one of the bright new talents of the blues world, and who knows what he might have achieved had he not taken that fateful helicopter ride that foggy August morning? But at least we have his music to remind us how good he was, and like I said at the beginning, even though he's left us his influence remains on the new rising stars of the rock and blues world, so that, in a way, like all true bluesman and rockers, he will never really be gone. TRACKLISTING 1. Scuttle buttin' 2. Couldn't stand the weather 3. The things that I used to do 4. Voodoo chile (Slight return) 5. Cold shot 6. Tin Pan Alley 7. Honey bee 8. Stang's swang |
Random Track of the Day
Monday, August 8 2011 Yeeehhaaaahhh! A new week, and a great choice for the first RtotD for this week, it's that man, the one, the only Mister Rory Gallagher! Now, there's not a lot I can say about Rory that I haven't already (though I will be featuring him at some point in my “Taking Centre Stage” slot), but basically, if you don't like Rory's honest guitar blues rock, then you just aren't fit to call yourself a rocker! Bullfrog blues (live)---Rory Gallagher --- from “Big guns: the very best of Rory Gallagher” on RCA http://cdn1.iofferphoto.com/img/item...lues-c7eb6.jpg There are of course so many different versions of this song it's hard to know where the RtotD comes from, and though my media player takes it from the compilation “Big guns”, I feel that on that album the version used may be from the 1974 “Live in Europe” session, so I've looked for a version played around that time, which is what I've linked to above. No matter what version it is though, it's Rory, it's seven minutes plus of rockin', rollickin', head-shakin' boogie blues. Need I say more? :) |
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Why do some artistes choose to split from their parent band and go solo? Sometimes it's to “stretch their wings”, to enable them to do things they wouldn't be able to do in their band, explore themes and concepts, and perhaps other musical styles, that the other band members are not interested in, and which would not fit with their own music. Sometimes it's a full split with the band (for whatever reasons), sometimes it's a side-project they can carry on while still with their band. Often, a band member going solo will follow the same sort of music trends as his own band (think Jon Bon Jovi, Gary Moore, Jon Anderson and so on), but other times they will go on a complete tangent, exploring other musical influences and interests, often deliberately distancing themselves sufficiently from the music they usually play to ensure their solo or side project is not seen as just another version of their band music (I'm thinking here of Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel and Freddie Mercury). In this new series, which I'm calling "Gone solo in the game", I'll be examining the work of some famous (and not-so-famous) artistes who have spun-off from their band --- whether fully or as a side project --- to pursue their solo interests, and asking did they do a good job or was their solo work rubbish, was it worth the effort and how much, if any, different was it to what they usually produced? As some artistes have a slew of solo albums (Gabriel, Anderson, Stevie Nicks, Roger Waters...) I'll be looking at a cross-section of their work rather than the entire catalogue, but where a solo artist has three or less albums I'll generally try to get through each of them, assuming I have or can get them. Because you see, it doesn't necessarily follow that if you like a band you're going to like their solo material, as I found out with more than one artist (Clive Nolan from Arena springs to mind) --- quite often, the very different direction they may go in in order to express themselves as individuals rather than part of a whole, and to differentiate their solo music from their band music, may mean that their solo material is not up your street at all. Would you listen to a Phil Collins jazz album (hey, would you listen to a Phil Collins album!)? Or what about Steve Perry, if he had decided to go all salsa or reggae? Would you still listen, just because of who they are? And if so, would you expect to hear generally the same sort of music you've been used to hearing from them in their band, and would you be disappointed if this was not the case? Or would you applaud them for taking a bold step into the unknown? To try to answer at least some of those questions, I'm going to start off with a man who made his name with hard rockers Thin Lizzy, but released two solo albums of his own. Sadly, his death in 1986 prevented his exploring this path further, but with all due respect for the dead, were Phil Lynott's two solo albums good, bad, or indifferent? Did he waste his time releasing them, or were they something he definitely should have done? Would we have wanted to see more of his solo stuff, or was two albums enough, or even too much? Let's see... http://www.trollheart.com/phillynott.jpg Solo in Soho --- 1980 (Vertigo) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Soloinsoho.jpg Phil Lynott's first solo album, though in some ways it hardly counts as a solo effort, as most of the Thin Lizzy boys are involved on it, including Snowy White, Gary Moore, Scott Gorham and Brian Downey, although Lynott does write all of the material himself, bar three tracks, all of which he co-writes, and the songs are personal to him. So before we dismiss it as just “Thin Lizzy-Lite”, let's delve into “Solo in Soho” and see what we find. It opens well, with the hit single “Dear Miss Lonely Hearts”: heavy guitar which soon drops away as the song becomes more a pop than a rock song, but with a suitably hard edge, as Lynott takes the role of two people. One is writing to a newspaper “agony aunt” about an affair he has inadvertently started, the other is the respondent as she tells him what he should do. In fact, in the song there is a third person, one of the girls involved, who also writes to the agony aunt. The song is well known as it got a lot of radio airplay, and is a great start to the album, with rocky but not overly-present guitars, solid drumming and a great hook. Lynott is in great voice, of that there can be no doubt, and the twin guitar sound of Gorham and White on the track does make it something of a Lizzy song, but different enough to be Lynott's own. The second song is more in a Dire Straits vein, not surprising as Mark Knopfler is on guitar, for this ode to Elvis Presley. “King's call” was a minor success from the album too, but I definitely think it has too much of Knopfler's trademark guitar sound on it to be Lynott's own song. Still, at least it's not a Thin Lizzy clone. The song's lyric features snatches from “Are you lonesome tonight?”, cleverly woven in to seem like Lynott is talking to Elvis. Track three is “A child's lullaby”, and here is where Lynott really expresses his individuality, and takes a major step away from Lizzy, with strings and synthy keyboard, and very restrained percussion, hardly any guitar and some flute sounds which are probably made on the synth. This is one of the three tracks Lynott would write about his baby girls, and reveals the softer side of the tough rocker. “Tattoo (Givin' it all up for love)” is pure pop, almost disco, with brass (synth?) and a very boogie/funk bassline with an almost nursery-rhyme melody. This departs from Lynott's work with Thin Lizzy in as sharp a manner as “Sussudio” did for Phil Collins on his third album. I have to be honest: I feel like I've been listening to Kool and the Gang after that! Urgh! What's next? Ah, the title track, with girly laughs on the intro and then a heavy reggae beat against which Lynott tries his best Bob Marley accent. Nah, don't get it son, don't see it working at all. To his credit, Lynott does extend himself on the album, not only playing bass and singing as he did in Lizzy, but also playing keyboards, synth, string machine (whatever that is!), percussion, vocoder, minimoog and rhythm guitar, so fair play to him for that. “Solo in Soho”, the track, does contain a line that somewhat echoes the title track of Thin Lizzy's “Chinatown” album, where he sings ”When you're solo in Soho/ You got nowhere to go.” Rather like ”You don't stand a chance/ If you go down in Chinatown.” Soul music next on “Girls”, where Phil joins the Temptations, apparently! Keyboard is nice, but the backing vocals are a bit annoying. Again, I don't see it working, but then that's obviously because I'm looking for Thin Lizzy material, or at least rock, and this ain't it. Dammit though, it's bloody catchy! Stop it! Standout track next, after “Dear Miss Lonely Hearts”, the excellent (but another real departure from his rock roots) “Yellow pearl”, a song written by him with Ultravox's Midge Ure, and which in a remixed version surfaced on the second album, and was in fact the theme for the 90s version of “Top of the Pops” for years, without vocals. It's a hell of a catchy number, with some great vocoder work by Lynott, and a really great hook, almost Pac-man-like percussion. I can't listen to it without seeing the opening credits for that show, which we all watched as teens and adolescents. Nice harmonica (courtesy of Huey Lewis) on “Ode to a black man”, a much rockier/bluesier track than previous, and a good flip of the finger to the racist element in society. Good rockin', indeed. Steel drums and some interesting guitar from Gary Moore makes “Jamaican rum” a very happy, fun song, but there's not a lot in it, and it's the shortest track on the album, less than three minutes.Another short track winds up the album, three minutes of “Talk in 79”, with a great bass intro and a spoken vocal recalling the fate of punk and new-wave bands at the end of the seventies. Clever lyric like “The Rats were caught in their own trap/ And Steve Strange began to change.”[/i] Interesting idea but unsure if it really closes the album in the style it deserves. Still, it certainly lets Phil loose on his favourite bass guitar. So that's the first of Phil Lynott's two solo albums. On balance, I would say that it fulfils the conditions of being different enough from his band work to qualify as a proper solo effort, despite the presence of his Thin Lizzy bandmates, and there is definitely a lot of stuff on there which he would not get to play, or evens suggest, in Thin Lizzy, so a chance to stretch the wings, explore new horizons? A big yes on that one. TRACKLISTING 1. Dear Miss Lonely Hearts 2. King's call 3. A child's lullaby 4. Tattoo (Givin' it all up for love) 5. Solo in Soho 6. Girls 7. Yellow pearl 8. Ode to a black man 9. Jamaican rum 10. Talk in '79 And so on we go, to his second and only other solo album, 1982's rather unoriginally-titled “The Philip Lynott Album”. (Actually, the story goes that he wanted to call it “Fatalistic attitude” originally, but he didn't, and when asked why, he replied “I don't have a fatalistic attitude anymore!” Makes sense...) The Philip Lynott Album --- 1982 (Vertigo) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...nott_Album.jpg Two years on, and Lynott is back with his second solo album. Again, his Lizzy mates are here, though Gary Moore and Snowy White are conspicuous by their absence --- I think Moore may have been working on “Corridors of power” at this time, not sure. However he also drafts in help from the likes of Midge Ure, Mel Collins and Huey Lewis, and again Mark Knopfler is on hand. So is the album any different to, or just a continuation of “Solo in Soho”? Let's have a looksee. It opens with the track which was supposed to have been the title of the album, “Fatalistic attitude” opens with a girl ringing a radio station while behind there's keyboards and bass with drum machines keeping the melody. [i]This{/i] song reeks of Ultravox, in the hisses, thumps and whistles of the percussion, not to mention the keyboard sound and almost no guitar. The lyric echoes lines form “Dear Miss Lonely Hearts”, like ”If this boy goes on like this” and ”This boy is going insane.” It's an odd track, vocals half-lost in the radio commentary as Lynott sings over it, but sometimes the two cross. “This man's a fool” is his “Sussudio”, with brass and disco rhythms, close vocal harmonies, and although the album is no longer called “Fatalistic attitude”, many of the songs do betray that dark side of Lynott in their titles, like this one, “Fatalistic” itself, “Don't talk about me baby” and the bittersweet “Old town”, but then there's hope and joy in songs like “Cathleen”, “Together” and “Ode to liberty”. The standout track though is “Old town”, with its upbeat piano and keyboards, and its great melody, and its recurring theme ”This boy is cracking up/ This boy has broke down.” It's a real pop opus, and with “Dear Miss Lonely Hearts” and “Yellow pearl” probably represents the apex of Lynott's solo career. “Cathleen”, though understandably slushy, is just TOO sugary for my taste. The spoken intro vocal just makes it worse. I know he loved his daughters, but this was weak by Lynott's standards, and it's frankly embarrassing. Move on. “Growing up” is introduced on a sweet sax solo by Mel Collins, and is a lovely little ballad, with something of the melody of “DMLH” in there somewhere. It's the story of a little girl who is growing up, and the thoughts of her parent who is watching, and wishing he could make it easier for her but knowing what she will have to go through. Lovely track, and a real example of the kind of ballad Lynott could pen when he really tried. Quite honestly though, it's the sax work of Collins that lifts this track out of the ordinary. Just superb. Then there's the remixed version of “Yellow pearl” from the first album, with a whole lot more punch and a screaming intro. This is the one they used for “Top of the Pops”, all right! Now, to be honest, I always thought this was called “Yellow peril”, and was about the Japanese, especially when you hear the lyric ”They will arise/ They will control.” Well, maybe not, or maybe the title was changed. Either way, it's a hell of a song, even second time around. “Together” is pure new romantic, and you can really hear the influence of the drum machines, while “Little bit of water” lets the guitars get a look in for once, forcing the keys to the background for at least some of the song. Nice bright piano soon gets in on the act though, and gives the song real heart. “Ode to liberty (The protest song)” suffers from Dire Straits-itis again, with Lynott even singing like Knopfler, which is a pity, as it's a good song, but really sounds like it belongs more on “Communique” or “Making movies” than here. It's interesting, as Knopfler did not have a hand in writing it, but he's stamped his identity all over it, from the inimitable guitar to the way it's sung. “Gino” begins with another great bass line, though I kind of think it's on a synth, and the song itself is again very new romantic, kind of reminds me of Depeche Mode or Visage, with a quasi-gospel theme, which is a little weird. Closer “Don't talk about me baby” is as close as we get to a Thin Lizzy song, with the wolf-whistle beginning and grinding guitar, and drums that at least try to be heavy and real. The verses are very restrained, with an odd single-note bassline, but on the choruses the song takes off, and at least as the album comes to a close you're left with a good rock tune in your head. TRACKLISTING 1. Fatalistic attitude 2. This man's a fool 3. Old town 4. Cathleen 5. Growing up 6. Yellow pearl 7. Together 8. Little bit of water 9. Ode to liberty (The Protest Song) 10. Gino 11. Don't talk about me baby So, that's the solo career of Phil Lynott. Four years after releasing this album he would be gone, and so this is all we have to judge him on as a solo artist. What's the verdict? Well, there's no doubt that he tried new musical styles and managed to experiment, though his distinctive voice could never be mistaken for anyone else. I'd say he was glad he got to try going solo; whether he would have persisted or not I don't know. I'm sure it was a lot of fun, and different to the vibe and way of working he would have experienced when cutting a Lizzy album, so for that on its own I'm sure it was worth it. Is it, however, worth buying the albums? On balance I'd say no. There are good tracks, but there are some real turkeys. If you simply have to have everything Phil Lynott has ever done, then go ahead, but don't say you weren't warned! And make sure you have that “skip” key ready --- there are times when you'll definitely need it! Next time, I'll be examining the solo work of Ric Ocasek, lead singer with the Cars. |
Postcards from Heaven --- Lighthouse Family --- 1997 (Polydor)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...28Album%29.jpg A “family” of only two, Lighthouse Family produced three albums between 1995 and 2001. “Postcards from Heaven” was their second, and in terms of commerciality, the most successful. The music of the duo, a mix of light pop, soul and some jazz influences with just a little of the blues thrown in, struck a chord with the record-buying public of the 90s, and this album went to the number two slot in their native UK, yielding five singles, three of which reached the top ten. Comprising vocalist Tunde Baiyewu and keyboard player and much-less-exotically-named Paul Tucker, Lighthouse Family were regular inhabitants of the charts during the late nineties. The album starts off as it means to go on, with a nice funky, jazzy upbeat number called “Raincloud”, with a really catchy tune, and distinctive vocals from Tunde, and what I assume must be drum machines, as no drummer is credited on the album. Obviously very keyboard oriented, the track gives the impression almost of seventies disco but at a slower pace, or perhaps the softer side of motown. It's polished, classy and very listenable. Despite the negative-sounding title, it's actually a very optimistic song: It's been too long now/ We been living under a raincloud.” From the very start it's hard to believe this is just two guys: the feel is of a full band, so I can only assume Paul Tucker is a real keyboard wizard. “Once in a blue moon” is pretty much in the same vein as the opener, and you have to give this album double-thumbs-up for the production, which is clean, crisp and spot-on. There are lovely string sections in this song, which again I must imagine come from the magic keyboard of Tucker. “Question of faith” puts me in mind of the Isley Brothers, with some nice synth-flutes and whistles helping to give the track also a kind of latin/caribbean slant, while “Let it all change” is funk noir with bright piano and baritone sax, and a funky bass line. The over-arching theme that comes through from this album is one of bright optimism. Some of the songs do touch on the problems with the world, but each of them is concerned with making them right, and knowing this can be done, if only by little people like you and me. It's a refreshing slant on songwriting, and listening to the album does kind of give you a lift. Got too much doom metal in your musical diet? Tired of hearing emo bands crying about how unfair the world is, or punk outfits telling us how we're all gonna burn? Stick this on your ipod and learn to smile again, and see the world through perhaps rose-tinted glasses, but whose wearers have a clear purpose and a determination to change things. The highlight of the album (though it's all very good) comes in a clutch of three songs, two of which were hit singles, so you may know them already. The one that wasn't, is next, and it's called “Sun in the night”, a lovely slow ballad with flute opening and a lovely little keyboard intro joined by some truly exceptional piano. It's really hard not to relax while listening to this album, it's so laid-back. I mean, this is a ballad, but there's nothing really on the album that could be even classed as fast, or rocky. “Raincloud” is about as fast as they get, and it's not that fast. It's all kept at a really sedate, though never boring, pace, and it works really well. It helps that Tunde has that sort of voice that you just want to croon you a lullaby. If he has kids, they're lucky. Second of the trio is “High”, which if you were around at the time you will have heard, as it was never off the radio. It's another feelgood song, a little faster than “Sun in the night” (though not much), with nice handclaps (yeah, I know I said elsewhere that I hate them, but here they're appropriate, and they work) carrying the drumbeat, happy backing vocals and silky keyboard as Tunde sings ”We are gonna be/ Forever you and me/ Always keepin' flying high/ In the sky of love.” Simple idea, something we all want. Cool melody, great vocals equal hit song. And deservedly so. The last of these three is another top ten single, the totally gorgeous “Lost in space”. This came out around the same time as the film, so initially I thought maybe it was from the movie. It's not, just pure coincidence. An excellent song, although to be fair I'm kind of running out of superlatives to describe this album. I must admit, when I got it originally I didn't realise it was only a two-man effort, so now I'm doubly impressed. Anyway, the song starts off on lovely acoustic guitar, then the keys slide in and the vocals get going, and you can't help but get misty-eyed. There's something totally sincere and real about the way Tunde sings, and you feel there's a great honesty about the man. As the two composed all the tracks on the album, it's quite possible that they're drawing on their own experiences here to craft these songs, which only underscores my belief that artistes should write their own material: makes it so much more personal, and that can only be good. The lyric says it all: ”I will never lose my faith in you/ How will I ever get to Heaven if I do?” The synth-string section works its magic, weaving a sumptuous tapestry against which Tunde's vocals thread their way like the finest golden thread. Beautiful, with a capital B. My only small gripe with the track is the ending. On the single, it fades out instrumentally, but on the album it goes into a sort of repeat vocal, which I feel takes from the song slightly. If they had even included the single version on the album as well, I would have been happier. However, it's a small and inconsequential complaint on an album with which I can otherwise find no fault. It even continues really well to the end, with the nursery-rhyme vocal melody in “When I was younger” complemented by lovely piano and synth, and the title track is an excellent closer, maintaining the overall extremely high quality seen, and heard, throughout this special release. You'll get no mad guitar solos here, no jarring drum sections or brass horns, but it's definitely in my top ten albums to relax to. It's also one of the best albums to put on if you want to cheer up. After being immersed in “Postcards from Heaven” you just won't be able to stay sad, annoyed or depressed. The guys are hoping to come back this year or next with a new album, and I certainly hope that happens, because the world needs more bands like this. Makes the world seem a less cold and unfriendly place, if only for forty-seven minutes plus. TRACKLISTING 1. Raincloud 2. Once in a blue moon 3. Question of faith 4. Let it all change 5. Sun in the night 6. High 7. Lost in space 8. When I was younger 9. Restless 10. Postcards from Heaven |
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Due to the huge response … okay, the moderate response … well, okay, one or two people commented... Fine, fine! NO-ONE commented. Not one person! Ingrates! So, due to the complete lack of response to my recent “Tunnel of Love” segment, I choose to take your silence as approval, and am therefore doing it again. So there. :) Another ten ballads, slow tracks, whatever you want to call them, introduced in the style of a late-night radio programme I used to host when I was younger and had a lot more hair. And money. And time. So, welcome back to Trollheart's “Tunnel of Love”. And what have we for you this time around? Well, starting off our selection of music to play when the lights are down is Kiki Dee, known to most of us for her association with Elton John on the duet “Don't go breaking my heart”. This, however, is a tune I used to play a lot, probably totally uknown to most of you, originally a French song but rendered into English and covered by Kiki, it's a gentle love song called “Amoreuse”. It's seldom, if ever, I hear of a song which is written not only in the hope of being a classic (many are of course), but with that hope clearly expressed in the lyric, and finally also titled “Classic”. But that's what Adrian Gurvitz managed in 1982. And let's be honest, it is a classic. Mission accomplished then. Meat Loaf, through the writing talents of Jim Steinman, can always be counted on for a good ballad, and usually a long one. This one fulfils both criteria, being almost nine minutes long. It's taken from “Bat out of Hell”, and it's the classic “For crying out loud.” And speaking of classics, how about this one from Ultravox? Remember the cool video? This is of course “Vienna”. From an album featured on my journal not so long ago, a name most people seem to hate because of one song, and it's sad, as he's one hell of a songwriter. This is from his “Back to Bedlam” album, and it's James Blunt, with a lovely song called “Tears and rain”. Hazel O'Connor is more well-known for her punk anthems like “Eighth day”, but this is her in more mellow mood, with a gorgeous sax solo at the end, this is “Will you”. And keeping with people you don't necessarily associate with ballads, you might be surprised to find that Tom Waits has many. This is one from his “Heartattack and Vine” album, a lovely gentle little song called “Ruby's arms”. From the masters of AOR, and their very successful album “IV” this is Toto, with “I won't hold you back”. Coming to the end of the show now, just time for two more tracks before I leave you. First up it's a nice relaxing little number from China Crisis, this is “Christian”. And closing the show for another edition of “Trollheart's Tunnel of Love” is a true classic. Love songs are often best when in duet, and these two stars couldn't be bigger. It's Diana Ross and Lionel Ritchie, with the timeless “Endless love”. That's all we have for this time. Don't forget to comment if you liked (or disliked) this segment, and if you want anything featured let me know. If you don't tell me to stop I'll just keep doing it, you know! ;) Anyway, hope you enjoyed it and will tune in again next time. Till then, take care. This is Trollheart, signing off on another edition of “The Tunnel of Love”. |
Random Track of the Day
Tuesday, August 9 2011 Another good track today, I'm glad to say, from one of my favourite bands, the Electric Light Orchestra, also known as ELO. This is from their album “Time”, one of the last they recorded before effectively splitting up two albums later. Though there was a divergence of band members, then a sort of reformation, the true ELO lineup is now gone, particularly after Jeff Lynne's failed 2001 effort, “Zoom”, which was essentially just him. This is from the tail-end of their heyday. Albums like “Discovery”, “A new world record” and “Out of the blue” had made their name in the music world, and ELO were a recognised brand and a hot property from the late seventies on into the late eighties, but after this album (and even before it) their huge popularity was on the wane. This was their last properly successful album, going to number one and yielding a hit single for the last time in ELO's history. The lights go down --- ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) --- from “Time” on Jet http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lbum_cover.jpg Although not one of my favourite tracks on the album, “The lights go down” is a pleasant little track, mid-paced with a sort of quasi-reggae beat. Jeff Lynne is on form as usual, as is all the band, but in a way it's sad that you can trace the beginning of the end of ELO to this album, and in that respect, the title is extremely appropriate. |
Black tiger --- Y&T --- 1982 (A&M)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...blacktiger.JPG Originally known as Yesterday & Today, but shortening their name in 1981 to release their third album, “Earthshaker”, their first on A&M. This is where I first heard of them, when the track “Hurricane” from that album was doing the rounds of the local discos/rock venues, and my brother (yeah, the same one mentioned in the “Wild Cat” entry, the Tygers fan) bought that album and thereafter became a big Y&T man. I, of course, borrowed his albums and listened to them. I was most impressed with this album, “Black tiger”, their fourth overall, second for A&M, and the one which started off the brief series of mechanical figures which would be featured on the next two albums, but which would then resurface on the cover of last year's “Facemelter”. On this the animal is, not surprisngly, a tiger, made up of what appear to be metal, electrical cables and so forth. This also stands as the best Y&T album I ever heard, though in fairness after the follow-up, “Mean streak”, my brother got married and moved out, so I experienced none of the Y&T catalogue after that. Hey, I was hardly going to buy them myself, now was I? ;) It kicks off with “To the moon”, a short guitar intro to the first track, “Open fire”, a rollicking rollercoaster of a rocker (sorry!), the guitars of Dave Meniketti and Joey Alves leading the attack, while the former belts out the vocal, sounding like Coverdale on speed. As an aside, the intro is also used later on as the opening to the best track on the album, but more of that later. This four-piece sure know how to rock, with the rhythm section of Phil Kennemore on bass and Leonard Haze on drums keeping everything nice and tight. Great guitar solos show that in their day Y&T were one of the premier metal bands, and though they're still recording, they don't seem to have captured the general attention these days in the same way that they did in the early eighties. Ah, my favourite decade! “Don't wanna lose” keeps up the pressure, another hard rocker, a little slower than the track that precedes it, with a nice hook and almost AOR type chorus, putting me in mind sometimes of REO. The twin guitar attack belies any other comparisons with “soft-rock” bands though, and there's not a keyboard or synth to be seen, or heard. This is rock, down and dirty. Metal, mean and mighty. And some other things with alliteration that I can't think of at the moment. “Hell or high water” is a brash, powerful, shouting anthem that no doubt had many a clenched, leather-and-metal studded fist in the air whenever these guys played live, with a great acapella ending, seguing directly into the standout track, “Forever”, which as mentioned starts off with a reprise of “To the moon”, then gets going with chugging guitar, pounding drums and Meniketti at his roaring best in what can be most accurately be described as a power-metal-ballad. It's a love song, as Dave sings ”I surrender all my love/ And you make my desire run/ Hot as the desert sands/ Your eyes have the power to warm me/ Like no other's can.” There's also great timing on this track, and of course a great guitar solo from Joey Alves, really lifting the song right up into the stratosphere. The song goes out as it came in, on that “To the moon” theme, wrapping up a perfect track. Next up is the title track, and it's a killer, with jungle noises and chugga-chugga-chugga guitar sounding like a tiger sneaking up on its prey. Then suddenly he strikes, and the track takes off, riding on growling guitar and thumping drums, heartbeat getting faster as the song progresses. In essence, songwriting-wise, it's “Maneater”, but Hall and Oates never sounded like this! “Bar-room boogie” is a pure ZZ, honky-tonk without the piano, and there's an arrogance and swagger about “My way or the highway” (definitely NOT a PC song!), but the closer is worth waiting for. “Winds of change” (not the old Scorpions song) is a great ballad, with an opening straight out of the Jimmy Page playbook, and great guitar indeed throughout, although the song is more a showpiece for Menkietti's powerful singing voice. It's quite impressive that they managed to craft a song like this without any piano or keyboard, as it really sounds like it demands such, but Alves and Menkietti are so versatile in their playing that they can make the guitar take the place of a piano. It's really something to hear. All in all, a really great album that throws the spotlight on one of perhaps the forgotten metal acts of the eighties. Y&T were big in their time, but seem to have fallen a little out of favour with today's music fans, which is a pity. I really must acquire the rest of their catalogue and see if that loss of interest is merited, or if they're just as brash, bold and loud as ever. I suspect the latter. TRACKLISTING 1. To the moon 2. Open fire 3. Don't wanna lose 4. Hell or high water 5. Forever 6. Black tiger 7. Bar-room boogie 8. My way or the highway 9. Winds of change Suggested further listening: “Earthshaker”, “Mean streak” |
Fallen --- Evanescence --- 2003 (Wind-up)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...lencover01.jpg Hard to know where to “pigeon-hole” Evanescence. They have progressive rock/metal influences, definite goth rock leanings, as well as a harder sort of emo vibe. “Fallen” was their debut, released in 2003, and took the album charts by storm, but since then they have only released one other studio album, and one part of the songwriting partnership and founder members has left the band. That leaves us with singer Amy Lee who, with guitarist Ben Moody, formed Evanescence (who must surely go down as the band most misspelled on paper!) and found huge success with this, their first album, selling over seventeen million copies worldwide. The sleeve of the album features a pale girl (presumably Amy herself) looking out at us like some sort of vampire or dead thing, with a half-frown, half-grin on her face. Quite spooky, and more than a little unsettling. Their music definitely has a hard edge, mostly delivered on this album by Moody's fierce guitar, as in the opener, “Going under”, while “Bring me to life”, one of their most famous and successful singles, opens on gentle keyboard and piano, then the guitar kicks the track into life, with almost rap-style shout/singing by Moody. The song was used in the soundtrack to the film “Daredevil” (the only good thing about that movie, so I'm told!) and is a powerful slice of prog/goth metal, with passionate and desperate vocals from Amy, the melody dragging the song along by the scruff of its neck. “Everybody's fool” continues in more or less the same vein, but halfway through it goes quite and a choir adds its voice to the song, which concerns the hero-worship youngsters attach to the latest opo sensations, dressing like them, talking like them, trying to be them. Quite an angry song, but the follower, “My immortal”, is a beautiful piano ballad, with Amy in much more relaxed form, her voice still strong and powerful but without the anger of the previous tracks. Shades of Edenbridge or Within Temptation about this one. Lovely string arrangement really makes the track; you can feel the pain in Amy's voice as she sings, and through it all is threaded the lonely, plaintive sound of her gentle piano. “Haunted” is a scary-sounding song, with weird sounds and sort of skewed instrumentation giving the impression of being lost in a haunted house. Moody's heavy guitar returns, having been absent for the previous ballad, and goes to work with a will. “Tourniquet”, another heavy track, is concerned with the idea of suicide, and why it's still seen as a mortal sin to take your own life. Actually, not so long ago, it was a crime. How do you punish that? He killed himself: lock him in jail! Ridiculous! Anyway, the guitar growls away and keyboards keep the track bubbling nicely against Amy's distressed voice. Lovely, emotive synth ending. “Taking over me” is something similar to “Bring me to life”, with gentle piano and snarling guitar, but things slow right down later for “Hello”, a simple piano ballad where again Amy's restrained vocal works just as well as, perhaps even better than the powerful siren of the faster tracks. Some truly expressive and emotional violin adds to this track, as if anything were needed, but it gives the song an extra dimension when it comes in. I have to admit, from there it all starts to sound a little the same to me. The problem is that the fast tracks --- which very much outnumber the slower ones, as is in fairness usually the case --- with a few exceptions are hard to really sort one from the other. Kind of makes the album seem a little over-generic in places. It's a good album, but seventeen million copies? Don't really see it. I guess Evanscence must have been popular at one time though. Sort file under “occasionally” for my tastes. TRACKLISTING 1. Going under 2. Bring me to life 3. Everybody's fool 4. My immortal 5. Haunted 6. Tourniquet 7. Imaginary 8. Taking over me 9. Hello 10. My last breath 11. Whisper |
Random Track of the Day
Wednesday, August 10 2011 I want to hear no complaints! No groans, no shakes of the head and definitely no titters of laugher --- hey! I'm looking at YOU, yes, you right there! Stop it! The very nature of “Random Track of the Day” is that it's, well, let me see, how can I put this? It's, well, you know, it's --- ah yes! It's random! So far from you never knowing what I'm going to post from day to day, I have no idea what's going to come up until I start running my media player. We've had odder tracks, so just settle down, all right? This is what came up, and this is what I'm posting. Just live with it. You probably have a sneaking admiration for Baz anyway, like most of us. Go on, admit it... If I should love again --- Barry Manilow --- from “Greatest Hits: the Platinum Collection” on Arista http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...atinumcoll.jpg I've heard a lot of Manilow's work, and though I would not count myself as a fan (though I did go to see him once, with me ma, that was a long time ago, and for her benefit. Really. I just went along to keep her company. I did. Honest!) I of course know all his hits, and like a lot of them. I would put “Weekend in New England” as my favourite. This one I don't know, but hey, what's to know? It's a Barry Manilow ballad, and in essence, one is very much the same as another. This is from one of his many collections (this happens to be from the “Platinum Collection”), and it's a typical piano ballad with his undoubted talent for writing a weepy song, and great orchestration as ever. Guy's got to be doing something right --- he's richer than God's richer neighbour! In fairness it's not a bad song, and after all, no-one's forcing you to click that YouTube link --- CLICK IT! --- but you never know, it may speak to the softer side of you. Or you may hate it. Or your girlfriend may like it. Choice is yours. I would promise something heavier tomorrow, if I could, but I have no control over what the media pixies select. Could be Al Jolson! Nah, I don't have any of his stuff in my collection. Do I? Surely not.... heh heh. See ya tomorrow! :cool: |
Random Track of the Day
Thursday, August 11 2011 Well, I promised something heavier today --- well, okay I didn't, but I hoped for that --- and here it is. Not exactly Metallica or Venom, true, but a decent rock song from a great album. I've covered Bon Jovi in depth some time ago when I reviewed three of their albums, but this wasn't one of them. This is of course from their first major commercial breakthrough, “Slippery when wet”, which brought them to the fore with hit singles like “Livin' on a prayer”, “You give love a bad name” and of course “Wanted dead or alive”. This is another of those singles, one of the ballads on the album, and it's “Never say goodbye”. Never say goodbye --- Bon Jovi --- from “Slippery when wet” on Vertigo http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...albumcover.png There's not much I need to say, is there? Classic rock ballad, kicking off with heavy drums and guitar, and an anthemic singalong chorus, the song looking back to the days of our youth when there was nothing but love, sex and rock and roll. Ah, to be young again! And also fabulously rich and the idol of millions.... |
Bella donna --- Stevie Nicks --- 1981 (Atlantic)
http://www.retro-cafe.com/80s/music/...evie-bella.jpg Although she has had six solo albums since this, her debut, I personally view this as Stevie Nicks' best album. There's not a bad track on it, and it yielded four singles, three of which were big hits. Add to that the presence of both Tom Petty and Don Henley on the recording, and how can you go wrong? Of course, there's no doubt this wasn't a normal debut album: this wasn't the first we heard of Stevie, as she had been plying her trade with Fleetwood Mac for years, and still is to this day. So she was already well-known on the rock scene, making it obviously easier for her to get a label to give her a chance as a solo artist. Again, it's only my own personal opinion, but I've always believed Stevie to be the most talented in Fleetwood Mac. She sings, writes, plays piano and dances. Sure, others in the band do similar, but I always felt she brought a very tender, innocent, ethereal quality to the band that Christine McVie couldn't, not for me anyway. Just look at her on the back cover of “Rumours” --- yeah, albums have back covers too, you know! --- she's just this young, gorgeous, wide-eyed innocent looking back at you, and she seems like some sort of princess in a fairy tale. Chrstine, on the other hand, looks more hardened, tougher, more knowledgable in the ways of the world. By then Christine, five years Stevie's senior, had already released one solo album (“The legendary Christine Perfect album”), which was largely unsuccessful, before even joining Fleetwood Mac. She was more a veteran of the music scene than was her “sister”, and it showed. In any case, to the album: “Bella donna”, which can have two meanings: Italian for beautiful woman, or indeed the flower --- which I believe you can see in the foreground on the album cover --- starts off with the title track, and it opens with country-style piano, pedal steel guitar and then Stevie's vocal, starting off slow but then picking up a little speed as the electric guitars chime in. The song is very country-tinged, with excellent backing vocals from two ladies who would go on to back her on every album she released from then on, Lori Perry and Sharon Celani. There's also a good deal of folk-rock inherent in the track, and it's a really nice opener. “Kind of woman” is almost a waltz, with a gentle acoustic guitar and piano opening, then we're into the biggest hit single on the album, and the only song not written by Stevie, the Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers-penned “Stop draggin' my heart around.” You probably know it: it reached number 3 and is still played and mentioned whenever Stevie's music is discussed. A sleazy blues rocker, it's Tom Petty himself who duets with her on it, and as duets go it's up there with the best of them. The guitar gets heavy and then slackens off again, keeping the rhythm of the song. Great organ really complements this classic song. Being already well-known in the music biz, Stevie had a lot of musician friends to call on for help in making this album, and apart from the already mentioned Tom Petty and Don Henley, she enlists the aid of Roy Bittan from the E Street Band, Don Felder from the Eagles, Russ Kunkel and the infamous Donald “Duck” Dunn. It's Bittan that co-writes the next track, “Think about it”, a mid-paced rocker with some great piano, as you might expect from “Professor” Roy Bittan. “After the glitter fades” is pure country, and then “Edge of seventeen” will strike a familiar chord with all you young 'uns, with its chugging guitar intro and theme which was sampled for Destiny's Child's “Bootlicious”, to my everlasting chagrin. It's a monster of a track, and was in fact a single, though it's quite long, so they must have cut it down quite a bit for the radio. I swear, the first one who starts singing “I don't think you're ready for this jelly” gets a slap! :D The most pure rock track on the album, it's a great example of how Stevie could pen, and play, a great hit single and stay true to her rock roots. “Leather and lace” is another duet, this time with Don Henley, and again a hit single. It's a gentle love song that trips along at a nice sedate pace, and then we're into my favourite on the album, the excellent “Outside the rain”. I don't know what it is about the song I like so much: the melody is great, the rhythm suits it perfectly and there's just something really together about the track that speaks to me. I've YouTubed it here for you guys to see if you think the same. The closer is almost as good, the almost acapella ballad “The Highwayman”, reflecting Stevie's interest in the romantic age and lore and legend, mixed with ghosts and magic. And magic indeed it is, the tale of a woman who forever pursues an enigmatic highwayman whom she can never catch. Great picked electric guitar really lends this final track a laid-back, yet sad air, a feeling of yearning and unattainable goals. I liked her next three albums, but really feel Stevie got it perfect the first time out, then unfortuantely slipped a little. I haven't heard anything since “Trouble in Shangri-La”, and that only sporadically, but unless her current album, “In your dreams” is a real belter, she's still got a long way to go to beat her debut. Which is odd, as artistes usually progress past their first album and get better. Not that Stevie didn't get better, I just feel that on the subsequent albums there was more filler as each new one was released, and to my mind, the amount of filler on this is zero. Like Billy Joel said, “Get it right first time, that's the main thing.” And she sure did. TRACKLISTING 1. Bella donna 2. Kind of woman 3. Stop draggin' my heart around 4. Think it over 5. After the glitter fades 6. Edge of seventeen 7. How still my love 8. Leather and lace 9. Outside the rain 10. The Highwayman Suggested further listening: “The wild heart”, “Rock a little”, “The other side of the mirror” |
... And the milestones just keep coming...
It only seems like two months ago I was writing my little note of thanks for you guys getting me to 1000 views --- wait a minute! It WAS! How time flies...
Now, in amazement I watch the viewcount jump every day, and within forty-five short days we've just passed three thousand! I'm flabberghasted, really I am, but again just want to say thanks. To all who read, hopefully enjoy and perhaps (dare I even think?) look forward to my journal, and especially to the (admittedly few) ones who comment to let me know if I'm doing a good or bad job, a real big thank you from me. It's great to know that people are continuing to read my wandering thoughts committed here to the forum, and it's fun to keep thinking up new items to include. I have a few in mind, never fear, more on that soon. For now, once again thank you. I know I've only been (back) here a few months, but you've all made me feel very welcome, and even the silent majority, who are content to read and never comment, validate all the hard work that goes into this journal --- what? You think I just pull this stuff out of my aaaannnyway, thanks again and what more can I say but keep reading. I hope you keep enjoying the journal and stay onboard, as the ride is only just beginning! Oh, and by all means, if the mood takes you, feel free to comment. Just click that little REPLY box. Go on, you know you want to. Don't make me send in the Hypno-Toad.... ;):thumb: |
Man of colours --- Icehouse --- 1987 (Chrysalis)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...an_Colours.jpg Their most successful album by far, “Man of colours” netted Australian band Icehouse no less than five hit singles, and it's again one of those albums you can play all the way through without having to skip over any tracks. Its success made Icehouse something of a hot property in the late eighties, but sadly as often happens, they had their day and then faded away. Their last proper release was in 1995, and since then it's just been a few greatest hits compilations. But this was the zenith of their catalogue, and it's chock-full of hits and great tracks. “Crazy”, the opener, is also the first time I heard of them when it hit the charts. It's a great pop song, starting off with Robert Kretschmer's iconic guitar riff, then driven on keyboards and guitar, with the gravelly voice of Iva Davies carrying the whole thing. The follow-up, “Electric blue”, in contrast starts off with keyboard arpeggios, courtesy of Simon Lloyd, which accompany the song through its run. It sounds a little close to Eric Carmen's “Hungry eyes” for these ears though, especially the run up to the chrous. A little lightweight after the power of “Crazy”, but then “Nothing too serious” ups the ante, with a fast rocker, plenty of guitar with brass getting in on the act too, a real toe-tapper, before the title track brings everything back about four gears, an atmospheric, eerie, ambient track which really demonstrates the versatilily of this band. Davies' vocal is low and subdued, introspective and haunted as well as haunting. There's a lot of programmed keyboard on this track, used very well as the band build the backdrop to the song. “Heartbreak kid” takes us to the Old West, for a tale about love and jealousy, revenge and murder, keyboards again playing a central role, and great lyric with a warning: ”Only takes a single bullet/ To bring the fastest trigger down/ Only takes a pretty woman/ To put a good man in the ground.” Great guitar solo at the end, then we're into “Kingdom”, a great little pop song that moves along at a decent pace, and “My obsession”, another single, ticks the same boxes, with poppy keyboard and piano and Davies on top form. It's in some ways a slower version of “Crazy”, but different enough to stand as a separate song in its own right. A great drum solo opens “Anybody's war”, driven along on sharp guitar and at a faster pace than about any other track on the album to date, keys adding great backup, while the album finishes on the superlative “Sunrise”, a powerful indictment of the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings, with ominous piano and screeching guitar. ”You'll never see the faces of the fishermen/ But you may see their shadows/ Burned against the wall/ And in the temple grounds/ New bamboo grows again/ As if the heat of the flame /Had left no trace at all” Davies really lets himself go on the vocal on this one, giving vent to the horrors and pain of a nation as he cries ”And there's a light in the eastern sky ... sunrise/ And there's no place a man can hide, the sunrise/ Well, it buries the night, a brave new sunrise/ With a sweep of the sword, a blood red sunrise.” Serious, emotional, thought-provoking stuff, and a great way to end the album. I've not heard any of Icehouse's prior work, or indeed anything post this, but I can definitely recommend this as an album you'll listen to, again and again. They may not have been Australia's biggest or most successful export, but for a short time there, at the tail-end of the eighties, you weren't cool unless you had this album in your collection. It's time to be cool again. TRACKLISTING 1. Crazy 2. Electric blue 3. Nothing too serious 4. Man of colours 5. Heartbreak Kid 6. Kingdom 7. My obsession 8. Girl in the moon 9. Anybody's war 10. Sunrise |
Random Track of the Day
Friday, August 12 2011 Well, Jackhammer will be pleased! One of his favourite bands has come up in the crapshoot I call “Random Track of the Day”: Riverside, whose albums I have but have not yet listened to. So it's an opportunity for me also to get a feel for this Polish prog rock band. A long track indeed, taken from the “Live at Nearfest” bootleg CD, but originally from the album of the same name. Second life syndrome --- Riverside --- originally from “Second life syndrome” on InsideOut http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...s_coverart.jpg It's certainly got all the progrock mores in there: long instrumental passages, key and signature changes, atmospheric and also rocky. Great vocals, excellent keyboards. Like the sound of this. Guitar sounds very early Marillion, like the best Steve Rothery work. I must say, for a sixteen-minute song it went pretty quickly, which is always a good indication of decent music. Must make a note to check these guys out further! |
Voice in the wind --- David Castle --- 1994 (Running Black Sheep)
http://davidcastle.net/images/voice_large.jpg Nobody --- and I mean nobody --- knows who David Castle is. Look for him on Wikipedia and all you get is some Canadian professor. Even the most obscure, Russian download album sites have never heard of him. You can't torrent him, and his first album is officially deleted. And yet, the guy is a genius and deserves to be far better known than he is. He's a multi-instrumentalist, and a passionate songwriter who cares about the planet. This is his third album, and you really should listen to it. It opens with the title track, a beautiful keyboard and piano driven ballad, with some lovely sounds like harp and flute to weave a totally mesmerising song of hope and joy. Okay, so the guy is spiritual, and that comes through in his music, but there's no evidence of God-bothering, as they say, even in the next track, “Angel in your garden”, which is more about the idea of a guardian angel than any sort of organised religion. Again piano-led, with a beautiful opening sequence, it's a simple song in its lyrical theme, but gives the impression of an entire orchestra playing when it's just one guy. Both these songs are long, and probably just as well, as there are only nine tracks on the album, two of which are less than two minutes long (one is just over one minute), but with the exception of the somewhat embarrassingly trite “Peace, love and brotherhood”, there's not a bad one among them. (Not in the least surprised to find there wasn't a single David Castle video on YT, so here are some I made earlier....) “Lay your weapons down” is, on the surface perhaps, naively optimisic. The idea that people are just suddenly going to stop killing each other and live in peace is certainly a dream, but not one that any of us expects to come true in our lifetime, nor that of our children. Or their children. Or theirs. It's a nice little song though, distilling the reasons for war down to their very simplest bones, and making the offer ”You can learn to forgive/ Lay your weapons down/ Learn how to live/ Lay your weapons down.” Ah, if only if were that easy, David! It should be of course, but then that's the real world for you. Nonetheless, David sings with passion and conviction as though he truly believes this to be an achievable goal, and perhaps one day it may be. “Pathway to home” is a lovely little piano solo, which in many ways evokes the earliest work of Billy Joel, then we're into that “Peace, love and Brotherhood” song. To be fair, it's not bad, and it's well composed, but it is a little cringeworthy. It's a blues/gospel hybrid with a really great melody, but it belongs in another era sadly. Things soon improve though for the gentle ballad “Turn around”, perhaps one of Castle's best since his hit (yes, he had a hit single!) “Ten to eight”, back in 1977. It's understated, quiet and reflective in that way Castle has of singing directly to your soul. “Last days” is perhaps the most overtly Christian song, with its lyric concerning the belief that we are approaching the end,of the world and the advice that we should think about changing our ways. It's not bad advice to be honest. The song is a mid-paced ballad, starting off with a string section which would not sound out of place in any religious film or movie about the life of Jesus, then the piano takes over and the drums gently usher the song into life. ”We've seen the earthquakes,” sings David, “We've seen the fires/ We've seen the signs all of our lives/ We've seen the famine and disease/ Mother Nature has us down on our knees.” As songs of the Apocalypse go, it's a rather cheerful and optimistic one, the message being that if this is It, we had better get down on our knees and repent before the world ends in fire. It won't convince me, but hey, it's better than someone screaming at you that you're going to Hell, eh? The two short tracks mentioned at the opening of this review complete the album, the first being a reprise of the title track, called, not surprisingly, “Voice in the wind reprise”. Not totally sure why he did this. It's nothing extra, just the end part of the song again, and gorgeous as that track is, it's long enough and doesn't need any addition. Oh well. The final track is the one I find the most personal, the simple “Thanks”, in which David thanks us for listening to his album against some lovely orchestration. Never had anyone thank me for listening to their work before. I'm touched, really I am. To my knowledge, there's only one place to buy this album, and it's Castle's own website, david castle.net : Official Web Site of the Award-Winning Singer/Songwriter/Composer. Oh wait, no, I'm wrong. Small print on the website informs me it's also available through CD baby. Fair enough. It's only twelve dollars if you mention his website, and to be perfectly frank, it's quite likely the best value for money you'll get. This is an album you want to hear. TRACKLISTING 1. Voice in the wind 2. Angel in your garden 3. Lay your weapons down 4. Pathway to home 5. Peace, love and brotherhood 6. Turn around 7. Last days 8. Voice in the wind (reprise) 9. Thanks |
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SECOND SPIN Yes, it's been a while since I first decided to grab a random number generator and see what album in my collection it turned up, and then review that album, be it good, bad or indifferent. My first shot ended up being one of my not-exactly-favourite-bands, the Moody Blues. This time it's a little different. Songs for polar bears --- Snow Patrol --- 1998 (Jeepster) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...albumcover.jpg The debut album from those guys who made “Chasing cars” a real anthem, or a pain in the whole, whichever way you view it, this did not do well on its initial release though predictably, once they had made a big splash with “Eyes open”, it was re-released and went gold. Now, Snow Patrol are not a band I know anything about, other than my brother once had the opportunity to support them here in Ireland --- fell through, I believe --- and of course, the song mentioned above. So let's have a little listen and see what we got, hey? Opening with “Downhill from here” (not a great sentiment to put on your debut album!), it sounds a little raw to me. Production not too great, drums very brash, guitar a little too much up in the mix, but the vocals of Gary Lightbody (who also plays guitar and keys, whereas the bass player plays just bass and keys...!) is clear and distinctive, sounding somewhat a little at odds to me with the kind of rough-and-ready edge of the music itself. Not a bad opener, but nothing that has me sitting up and taking notice. Yet. “Starfighter pilot” is a bit more like it. Squeaky keyboards, almost-punk guitar and a decent lyric with some okay backing vocals, and you have to give kudos to any band who title a song “Get balsamic vinegar --- quick, you fool!” The song is not bad, mostly driven on kind of feedback guitar, and follow-up “Mahogany” is a nice acoustic ballad, but the general feel of this album to me so far is of a demo tape, and a pretty rough one at that. Maybe I shouldn't be so hard on them --- it is their first album, after all, but come on: I've heard better produced debuts than this! Man, I'm really not feeling it with this album! At least “Make up” has a bit of identity, even if that identity is somewhere between the Buzzcocks and the Clash! --- and “Velocity girl” gives the very first hints of how big they were to become, presaging “Chasing cars”, with some nice jazzy guitar and a laid-back beat, nice melody and understated vocals. There's a nice “hidden track” after the closer, the pretty standard “One hundred things you should have done in bed”, called “Marketplace”, an instrumental and far better than the song in which it's hidden. My main problem, I now see, with this album is that not only does it seem boring, but the band seem bored. For a debut, they just don't seem interested in putting their music across to a new audience. And they have, at this point, no clear sound of their own. Sometimes they're a step away from Punk, sometimes they're emo and sometimes indie rock. They can come across as a hybrid of Coldplay and Travis, without the talent or hooks of either band. A quick look at how many tracks I haven't even commented on will show you my own level of interest in and appreciation of this album. I often leave out one or two, but here it's nearly half the album. It's not surprising at all that this album flopped on its initial release, and I guess it's a good job that they became famous and the album was reissued and sold much better, but on the strength of this I can only think it was bought by people expecting songs of the calibre of “Eyes open”. They would have been sorely disappointed. I guess completist fans would want the album, but much like Kamelot's first two, this bears no resemblance to later releases. Ah, maybe polar bears like it. TRACKLISTING 1. Downhill frome here 2. Starfighter pilot 3. The last shot ringing in my ears 4. Absolute gravity 5. Get balsamic vinegar --- quick, you fool! 6. Mahogany 7. NYC 8. Little hide 9. Make up 10. Velocity girl 11. Days without paracetemol 12. Fifteen minutes old 13. Favourite friend 14. One hundred things you should have done in bed |
Random Track of the Day
Saturday, August 13 2011 Looks like the gods of progressive rock are looking down on me and smiling this week! After yesterday's treat from Riverside, today the die has rolled over onto a Genesis track. Now admittedly this has been reviewed before by me, in fact it was my very first review, but hey, that's no reason to leave it out! From the double-live album “Seconds out”, and originally on the 1976 album “A trick of the tail”, this is “Squonk”, with a great little lyric about a mythic creature who is so scared of everything that when cornered he cries and dissolves into tears. Ah, poor thing! The drawing for the Squonk featured as one of the many depictions of the tracks therein on the album “Trick of the tail”, making it one of the coolest Genesis album covers ever, and this song has been covered by among others Spock's Beard, who make an okay go of it, but do shorten it annoyingly. Squonk --- Genesis --- from “Seconds out” on Charisma http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...econds_Out.jpg I couldn't find a video from the actual tour, but this looks to be close, being the same year. For some reason it's totally devoid of any video, but then, it's the music you want to hear, right? This is from Genesis' heyday, when they had just released two albums the same year, and were riding high, even despite the departure of frontman and guiding light Peter Gabriel. Everyone expected them to crumble, but they just came back stronger than ever with Phil Collins taking over on vocals. If you want to hear more from this album, head to the very first entry in my journal. |
Rebel soul --- Bonfire --- 1998 (Saraya)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...Rebel_Soul.JPG Okay, pop quiz, hotshot! Listen to this band before you read any further and tell me what nationality you think they are? Go on, click the YouTube, I'll wait... Back? Okay, so they're American, right? Maybe from Georgia, Tennessee? Somewhere in the deep south anyway. BUZZ! Wrong! They're … wait for it … German! Yeah, I was amazed myself. German, but they've gone to a hell of a lot of trouble to sound like something born out of the swamps of Louisiana, and to be fair they got it right. This is their sixth album, and is full of more hard-hitting rock and power anthems than you can shake a drumstick at. Vocalist Claus Lessman definitely thinks he's Axl Rose, and in addition to singing he co-wrote almost every track here, bar the covers of course. There's a heavy cruncher to start off with; “Wake up” features a catchy chorus and snarling guitars from Hans Ziller and Claus Lausmann (not to be confused with the lead singer), with solid drumwork by Jurgen Wieler. Certainly has a good groove to it. The guitars get going a bit more on “Just to say we did”, some really nice riffing there, then we have “Before we say goodbye”, a southern ballad which surely must close most if not all Bonfire concerts. Great acoustic guitar, a real “thank you” song and no doubt a real crowd pleaser. Excellent guitar solo just to give it a kick up the arse too. “Lay your heart on the line” goes way off field, with funky keyboards and a sort of reggae rhythm introducing the track, though the guitars of Lausmann and Ziller bring it back to a rock base. The reggae beat continues through the song though, and it's a little incongruous. One of the standout tracks is next, “Somebody's waiting” has everything: good hooks, decent beat, great lyric and powerful guitars. And a chorus you can't help but sing. The first ballad on the album is great. A real cowboy-type song in the vein of Poison's “Every rose has its thorn”, Bonfire's “Hearts bleed their own blood” wrings every drop of emotion out of the song, another one for the cigarette-lighter brigade! Claus Lausmann's keyboard work does a lot to raise this song to the level of near-classic, while the plaintive guitar squeals from Hans Ziller add their own power and emotion. Over it all of course is the gravelly, drawling voice of Lessman: you can definitely see him in a stetson and fringed jacket singing this on stage. “Rock me till I die” features some nice wah-wah guitar, with something of a Rolling Stones vibe, while “Desire” is a minor mini-epic, with chugging guitar and synth string section, a boogie waltz, essentially the second ballad on the album. This showcases the softer side of Lessman's voice, and he handles the ballad with ease and panache. They do two covers then, the first being Cat Stevens' standard “First cut is the deepest” (made famous by Rod Stewart, and it's his version that seems to inform Bonfire's take on the song --- with a lot more guitar, of course!), and the closer being the old southern anthem “Dixie”, of which they do two versions, one called “Wild Dixie”, the actual closer, and it's this second version that really gets the heavy metal treatment. Bonfire plainly either want to be American, or have marketed themselves as such, and they've done a very good job. There's not a trace of “krautrock” or even a German inflection in Lessman's voice, and without being told it's not the case, you would definitely think that he at least is from the good ol' USA. The themes in the songs, the way they're played, even the title of the album, all lend themselves to the idea of a band from down south. So have Bonfire been dishonest in portraying themselves this way? I don't think so. Nowhere do they say they're American, or pretend overtly to be. If that's your conclusion after having listened to them, well that's just how it is. But German or American, one thing can't be denied. They are one hell of a band, and “Rebel soul” is a great album. TRACKLISTIING 1. Wake up 2. Just to say we did 3. Before we say goodbye 4. Somebody's waiting 5. Lay your heart on the line 6. Hearts bleed their own blood 7. Rock me till I die 8. Desire 9. Good or bad 10. First cut is the deepest 11. You'll be alright 12. Dixie 13. Wild Dixie |
Random Track of the Day
Sunday, August 14 2011 Seems like we end the week on a pretty regular track: not too many classical symphonies or weird instrumentals this week! My favourite track, as it happens, from the debut solo album by Phil Collins, way back there in 1981, “Face value”. First time I listened to this album I absolutely hated it, and it was a long time before I tried it again. I guess I had naively been expecting a new Genesis album, but then, why bother going solo if all you're going to do is the same music you play in your band? I was too young to realise this at the time though, and growled at the album for having wasted my money on it, and put it away. When I went for a second bite at it, I was amazed at what I had missed. I'm not going to say it's the best debut solo album ever, and it certainly has its flaws, but this is not one of them. If leaving me is easy --- Phil Collins --- from “Face value” on Virgin http://www.trollheart.com/facevalue.jpg The best ballad --- indeed, the best track --- from “Face value”, it's a powerful, keyboard and sax-driven ballad, with Collins at his most acerbic. Great lyric, a thumping echo on the keyboard which scares the bejaysus out of you the first time you hear it, and a wonderful sax solo to take it to fade, courtesy of Don Myrick. Classic love song, something you may see featured on a future “Tunnel of love” slot. So that's it for another week. Hope the weather's okay where you are (raining and high winds here) and if you have to go to work, don't work too hard and remember to bring your music with you. See you all next week for more of the same. Well, not the same. Completely different probably. You know what I mean, to quote the man above.... |
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And yet another new section springs into being! I love to hear a good instrumental. There's nowhere for substandard playing to hide, unlike in a song where the focus is primarily on the singer and the lyrics. But a good instrumental can show just how talented and proficient a band is, and while some of them may be a little overindulgent, I'm going to try to showcase, three at a time, my own favourites in this section. First off and I have to tip my hat to an all-time classic, Fleetwood Mac's unmistakable “Albatross”. Released in 1969 --- over forty years ago now, can you believe it? I was only six! --- it crops up on just about every instrumental compilation album with names like “Relaxation”, “Moods”, “Chill” or any variation of such. It's a lovely, relaxing piece, led by John McVie's almost heartbeat bass, Mick Fleetwood's cymbals that seem to sigh like waves, and Al Green's guitar work, starting mid-range and later going into the higher scales. The perfect piece to kick back to and let it all wash over you. Another one I really like is from one of the Alan Parsons Project's early albums, “I robot”, which is in fact one of the first batch of albums reviewed by me here some months ago. It's a great little piece that also crops up on Vangelis' “The city”, under a different title, but here it's called “Genesis Ch 1 V32”, and gives a great feeling of drama and majesty. And I have to complete this first trio with a piece that took me so by surprise when I first heard it, as I had no idea it was an Eagles number. You'll recognise it probably as the theme music to the old BBC sci-fi TV show “The hitch-hiker's guide to the galaxy”, but it's actually called “Journey of the sorcerer” and is from the Eagles' album “One of these nights”. Great banjo and some truly exceptional keyboard with powerful drums. Great music, but I can only ever seen Arthur Dent in space when I hear it! So that's my first three instrumentals. Different tracks, by vastly different artistes, but all great in their own way. Hope you enjoyed them: now I have to go off and think about what the next selection will be! |
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Time once again to pay homage to some of the best music to come out of my home country. Not everything I feature here will be rock, per se, and this particular album is a good case in point. It's more an Irish traditional/pop album, but don't hold that against it: it's a great album, and well worth listening to. No frontiers --- Mary Black --- 1989 (Dara) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...ofrontiers.jpg One of the most respected and successful Irish artistes, Mary Black assured herself of a place in music history with the release of her fourth album, “No frontiers”, which went directly to the top of the Irish charts and did well elsewhere. It's an eclectic mix of pop, folk, and Irish traditional, with some really nice ballads and well-crafted songs. Joined by such luminaries of the Irish trad music scene as Donal Lunny and Declan Sinnott, this is truly a great little album. It starts off with the title track, a gentle, traditionally-flavoured ballad, sung with consummate grace by Mary, her light Dublin accent adding to the charm of the song. Carried on acoustic guitar and simple percussion, with accordion accompaniment fleshing the track out, it's a lovely little song, and one of her best known, with some inspired lyrical ideas: ”If life is a barroom/ In which we must wait/ For the man with his finger/ On the ivory gate/ Where we sing until dawn/ Of our fears and our faith/ And we stack all the dead men/ In self-addressed crates.” Lovely backing vocals too from Mandy Murphy. Things get a bit faster then with “Past the point of rescue”, a real toe-tapper with again Pat Crowley's squeezebox leading the way, and great sax solo from Carl Geraghty. The truly beautiful “The shadow” is a mournful ballad, carried on piano and keyboard, with some stunning cello work from Caroline Lavelle heightening the melancholy air of the song. Mary's simple and clear vocal floats above it all, neither strained nor lost in the music, but perfectly in control, using just the right amount of her considerable vocal power to relate the tale of, I think, either the infamous Bloody Sunday massacre, or the 1916 Rising, not sure which. Definitely a song about war or conflict of some sort in Ireland. In contrast to this stark ballad, “Carolina Rua” is great fun, a bopper which just skips along, with a very simple lyric concerning a little girl called Carolina Rua (rua being the Irish for red, so she obviously has red hair). “Shuffle of the buckled” is another ballad, led by saxophone, and telling the story of the dispossessed and the poor, gentle guitar and percussion laying down the beat and accompanying the mournful sax. And then we're at the standout track (though there are a few, this is far and away my favourite), the haunting “Columbus”. Piano-driven, with a simple vocal, double bass from Garvan Gallagher lends the song a sombre air, the percussion never more or less than the heartbeat of the piece. The piano is the true lifeblood of the song though, leading us in a gently meandering voyage across the sea and back, its notes echoing in our ears like the cries of far-off gulls, or the spray washing over the bow of the ship. “Another day” lifts the somewhat introspective mood, and allows Noel Bridgeman on drums to have his head, after much restrained percussion in the last tracks, and he certainly sounds like he's enjoying being let loose. Geraghty has great fun on the sax too, his lines forming the centrepiece of the song. Even Mary sounds like she's letting off steam, but things slow down after that for “Fat valley of pain”, a track led by acoustic guitar and with some nice male backing vocals courtesy of Sinnott and Crowley, among others. I could do without the cover of Aretha's “I say a little prayer for you”, even if Mary does an adequate job of it. I just feel she's a good enough songwriter that she need not be filling her albums up with covers. Well, maybe she just liked the song, or maybe it holds some special significance for her. That brings us to the rockiest and most commercial track on the album, another favourite of mine, the uptempo “Vanities”, with great guitar and keyboard, the drums again bopping, and again great vocal harmonies. Mary Black is a real example of someone who doesn't need to shout or scream to make herself heard on her records. Even on the faster, louder tracks she's perfectly audible and understandable, just as she is when crooning on the ballads. Her voice is clear and pure, and has the power there to call on when it's needed. It's not surprising that this album made the crossover from Irish trad to commercial, as it's got some very poppy songs on it, most of them are catchy and there's hardly a bad track on it at all. I would have preferred the album to end there, but there's one more track, the country/folk-tinged “The fog in Monterey”, which, while nice enough, doesn't really add that much to the album. As a result of this, “No frontiers” closes less strongly than it opened, and indeed, up to “Vanities” the high quality is maintained and, the cover aside, Mary and her band don't put a foot wrong. So it's a great pity that it's a weak ending, but it's a small quibble on a basically excellent album. Kind of thing that makes you proud to be Irish! TRACKLISTING 1. No frontiers 2. Past the point of rescue 3. The Shadow 4. Carolina Rua 5. Shuffle of the buckled 6. Columbus 7. Another day 8. Fat valley of pain 9. I say a little prayer 10. Vanities 11. The fog in Monterey |
Raintown --- Deacon Blue --- 1987 (Columbia)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...DBRaintown.jpg Does anything look more depressing than the cover of Deacon Blue's debut album “Raintown”, with its monochrome photograph of Glasgow city on a rainy day? Looking at the cover you could be forgiven for thinking that here is an album which will be full of doomy, poe-faced and depressing songs, but it turns out not to be that way at all. While many of the songs do deal with the feeling of being trapped and going nowhere, “Raintown” is a surprisingly upbeat album, for the most part. It starts out with an acapella intro by lead singer Ricky Ross, soon joined by piano, then some keyboard as “Born in a storm” plays out its one and a half minutes, seguing directly into the first real track, the boppy title one, showcasing further the vocal talents of Ross, who would become the easily identified sound of the band. He's joined on vocals by Lorraine McIntosh, who partners him on most Deacon Blue songs. The keyboards and piano set up a sound which recalls rainfall, fitting the lyric perfectly: ”Raintown, raintown, rain down/ On all these tired eyes and tears and frowns.” The vocal gets angrier as the song comes to a climax and ends abruptly. “Ragman” is played at a similar pace, piano-led but with more guitar, while “He looks like Spencer Tracy now” is more introspective and restrained, with bongo-type drums and bells and keyboards; in effect, the first of three ballads on the album, with a lot of historical references in the lyric. Most of the songs on the album are written by Ricky Ross, and those that aren't are co-written by him, two with keyboard player James Prime and one with Prime and guitarist Graeme Kelling. Things kick back up a gear then for “Loaded”, where Ross notes that ”Things are different from there.” The message in the lyric is that when you have money people treat you differently, and you see things in a different way to those who have less than you. There's also an inference that Ross' determination to hold on to his love is seen as pathetic by the rich person he's singing about: ”I've got love that I cling on to/ And I'll stay there till the end.../I have found an answer/ Don't think you don't care/ Just you laugh cos you're loaded.” The next song, and in fact “Loaded” before it, and the next two, were all released as singles from the album. “When will you (make my telephone ring)” is the second ballad, a very soul track, with close vocal harmonies and a laid-back beat, but yet with a desperate hope in the lyric that the girl will call, thus the title. “Chocolate girl”, another single, is a far more fun song, and poppier, and despite what could be misinterpreted in the title as a mildly racist song, nothing could be further from the truth, as borne out by the lyric: [i]”He calls her the chocolate girl/ Cos he thinks she melts/ When he touches her.” The truth though shows this up, as ”She knows she's the chocolate girl/ Cos she's broken up and swallowed /And wrapped in bits of silver.” It's quite a feminist song, for the time, revealing the shallow nature of the guy in the song, and how off-base he is about his girlfriend. The final single, “Dignity” is the pleasant tale of a man who plans to be more than he is, and dreams of buying a dinghy called “Dignity”, but ends up (whether in reality or in his mind) actually getting a boat. He sings about how he'll ”Sail her up the west coast/ Through villages and towns/ I'll be on my holidays/ They'll be doing the rounds.” It features a great little piano run by Ross, and is a nice uplifting little song, very popular when it was released as a single; even though it only got to the number twenty slot, it's still regarded as one of the most popular Deacon Blue songs. “The very thing” is the last fast song on the album, as it closes on two slower tracks. This however is a boppy song, and starts with an optimistic line: ”One day all of us will work/ We'll stand outside this orchard/ And we'll talk.” Again some great piano work and jangly guitar as the song gets faster towards the end before fading out on the opening line, more sombre this time. One of the standout tracks on the album, “Love's great fears” is the last ballad, and features some really nice backing vocals by Lorraine McIntosh, conjuring up images of happier days slipping away as the real world has to be faced. Useless factoid #34,901: the piano riff in this reminds me almost exactly of the chorus to Nik Kershaw's “Wouldn't it be good?” Just thought I'd mention that. There's also a really great slide guitar solo from, of all people, Chris Rea, at the end. The final track is also slow, but smouldering with anger. “Town to be blamed” starts on keyboard and piano, slowly building up as Ross sings with passion and rage, then the drums kick in and the song gets much heavier, but retaining its slow beat. The guitar of Graeme Kelling comes to the fore here, and then halfway through the music almost fades away, and Ross sings quietly, with the instruments coming in one by one and joining the track, until it again builds up to a crescendo. One of the two songs on which James Prime collaborates with Ross, it's in fact the longest track on the album, and ends on a slow outro with Ross singing ”Work, work, work/ In the rain, rain, rain/ Then go home, home home again.” Although Deacon Blue achieved better chart success with their second album, aptly titled “When the world knows your name”, I prefer this one. It's got a raw, honest edge that the follow-up did not. That album was more polished, commercial and mostly lighter-toned than this, a product for the charts with catchy, easily-sung songs with hooky choruses, and while I do like it, “Raintown” still stands as my favourite Deacon Blue album. TRACKLISTING 1. Born in a storm 2. Raintown 3. Ragman 4. He looks like Spencer Tracy now 5. Loaded 6. When will you (make my telephone ring) 7. Chocolate girl 8. Dignity 9. The very thing 10. Love's great fear 11. Town to be blamed |
Random Track of the Day
Monday, August 15 2011 Ah, a new week, and seven new tracks whose identity I don't even know at this point to get through! Yes, it's time once again for “Random Track of the Day”, and today has interestingly brought up a band I recently featured in the journal, though it's not from that album. This is the symphonic rock/metal band Fairyland, who come from France. I reviewed their “Of wars in Osyrhia” previously, but this is from the “new” version of Fairyland, formed by founder member Philippe Giordana, after he had disbanded the original group. It's just basically him from the old band, with a lot of session and guest musicians helping him out. The album was released in 2009, and is called “Score to a new beginning”. Master of the waves --- Fairyland --- from “Score to a new beginning" on Napalm http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...w_Begining.jpg There's certainly a feeling of a film score about the opening minute or so of the track: epic, powerful, dramatic with that choir again (well, maybe not the original one: see my review of “Of wars in Osyrhia”), then the song gets going with multi-guitars (seems Giordana mostly booked the services of guitarists for this album) and of course later on we hear Philippe himself bashing out one of those magical keyboard solos. Bombastic, that's the only way to describe it. Having only heard one Fairyland album to date, I must say the sound on this is incredible and I can't wait to hear the whole album. This guy could have a career scoring fantasy movies if Fairyland doesn't work out for him. Epic, sweeping, majestic and stunning. |
Crimson skies --- Cloudscape --- 2006 (Metal Heaven)
http://www.cloudscape.se/images/Clou...mson-Skies.jpg Scandinavia seems to be the place, other than the US and UK, most closely linked with emerging metal acts these days. Maybe it's because it's so cold up there, they have to learn to play guitar and keyboard and drums as fast as they can to keep warm! Seriously though, there have been some premier bands coming out of the “cold countries” in the last five or so years, the likes of In Flames, Evergrey, Amon Amarth and of course Opeth --- perhaps the most successful of them all --- not to mention Children of Bodom, Therion, Tiamat, Katatonia, Hammerfall... the list goes on. Now it seems we can add another to that pantheon, in the shape of the interestingly-named Cloudscape. More melodic than most of the abovementioned, Cloudscape hail from Sweden, and released their debut self-titled album in 2004, to mostly rave reviews. It was pretty clear then that there was a new player emerging from the Land of the Midnight Sun. This is their second album, and it continues in the same powerful and melodic vein that the debut began. It's heavy metal, there's no doubt about that from the opening powerchords of “Shapeshifter”, and the twin guitars of Patrik Svard and Daniel Palson make sure the “heavy” is retained in heavy metal, while singer Mike Andersson roars out the lyrics with a clear, understandable voice, a welcome change from the “death vocals” practiced by so many of the bands listed above, and with which I will have no truck. There is a keyboard player, but information on the album is hard to come by, even at the band's own website --- imagine having no “discography” tab? What [i[are[/i] they thinking of? As a result of this dearth of detail, I can't tell you who is playing the keyboards, but he (presumably it's a guy) is doing a great job. “Shadowlands” is another hard rocker, with a great melody and the barest tinges of AOR just bouncing off its edges. Great guitar solo here, but from which guitarist? I wish they'd be a bit more helpful when there are two guys on the axe: how are you supposed to know who to credit? Either way, whether it's Svard or Palson, it's a great solo. Things slow slightly for “And then the rain”, but it's by no means a ballad, more one of those slow metal songs I like to call “crunchers”, whereas “Take the blame” comes in on spacey swirling synth, but it's not long before the guitars savage everything again and the drums pound like the Apocalypse as the song moves into high gear. “Psychic imbalance” has a kind of Iron Maiden feel about it, particularly their longer songs, like “To tame a land” or “Alexander the Great” --- long, multi-layered, thematic, almost progressive in its approach. One thing this album is full of is power and energy. There's a freshness and an honesty about Cloudscape that is refreshing and quite infectious. Songs like “Hope”, with its atmospheric guitar passage recalling the early days of Steve Rothery with Marillion, or the almost “Phantom of the Opera” keyboard introduction to “Breath in my sanity”, or indeed the pure guitar attack of “1000 souls”, Cloudscape keep you constantly guessing as to what direction they're going to jump. They can be hard guitar rock, semi-mellow keyboard/synth or power melodic as the mood takes them. Though there are no ballads on this album, I'd be willing to bet they can pen a fierce one, and look forward to their first effort. “Someone else” is a great power rocker, with nice keyboard touches and shredding guitar, while the closer, “Will we remain”, gets going on proggy keyboard and gentle percussion before the guitars slam in and the album ends as it began, hard and heavy. My one quibble with this album is that a lot of it sounds the same. I found it a little difficult to distinguish one track from the other. Also, whenever things seem to be going into a slower mode, usually with keyboard or piano intro, it's only a few seconds before the hammering guitars drga everything back up to speed territory. I would have preferred something at least a little slower-paced, if not actually a ballad then a nice piano or synth led song, rather than just a few seconds. That aside, I would certainly recommend this album to any metalheads. Those looking for more thoughtful, progressive or melodic metal, might be advised to look elsewhere. Of course, this is my first listen to “Crimson skies”, so it's very possible that it could grow on me after repeated listens. The question is, do I want to listen to it repeatedly? Or even once more? The jury are having lunch... TRACKLISTING 1. Shapeshifter 2. Shadowland 3. And then the rain 4. Take the blame 5. The last breath 6. Psychic imbalance 7. Hope 8. Breach in my sanity 9. Demon tears 10. 1000 souls 11. Someone else 12. Will we remain |
Random Track of the Day
Tuesday, August 16 2011 Now in fairness this isn't the track my random system came up with, but as that actually happened to be an interview with Porcupine Tree, I didn't feel that fit in with the spirit of RTotD, so I went on to the next track, which turned out to be this. Interesting, as I have just yesterday reviewed my third album in the occasional series “The Very Best of Irish”, that being Mary Black's superlative “No frontiers”. Here we are then with another Irish act, through no intention of my own, but it's worth listening to. It's Aslan, whose album “Feel no shame” kicked off the VBoI series as it happens, though this is from their second album, “Goodbye Charlie Moonhead”, released in 1994, six years after their debut. Sweet time --- Aslan --- from “Goodbye Charlie Moonhead” on BMG http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...yMh5As1MiIYrTS It's a nice mid-paced rocker, not the best track by any means from that album, but a decent song with nice jangly guitar and Christy Dignam in fine voice. If you like this, check the review of “Feel no shame” a bit further back. |
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Ever heard a song and thought I have GOT to get that album, then been really sorry you did, as it turned out the rest of it was terrible? I've bought a few albums in my time which, based on the single or track I heard, sounded like they would be great, but were a huge disappointment. I'm introducing this new section as a way of demonstrating that odd trait bands can have, where they pen an absolutely great song, but fail to live up to the promise of same on their album. It's really odd how a band or artiste can get it so right with one, two or three tracks, and just mess the rest up. I hope also that this section will serve as a warning to anyone thinking of buying the albums featured here, and a cautionary tale that just because one track is great, it doesn't necessarily follow that the rest of the material will be up to scratch. These will not be reviews. These albums in general are so bad that I would not want to review them. What I will be doing is posting the one (or two or three) good track(s), and alongside them showing other tracks off that album, demonstrating the disparity between the material. This is not meant as a slight on anyone, nor a smart comment or a cheap shot. I was genuinely looking forward to the album featured below, and the same will be true of the others covered in this occasional series, and I do find it hard to rationalise how the work can vary so widely on one album. I guess there's a lot to be said for the advice of listening to more than one track before buying the album! My first case study is an album by American AOR outfit Seventh Key, 2004's “The raging fire”. It kicks off with a truly excellent track, a rocking monster with wonderful hooks, great chorus, fine musicianship, the lot. It just sets you up for more of the same. Unfortunately, there is no more of the same, and the rest of the album is really poor. I'm actually shocked to find that Billy Greer of Kansas is involved in this band, and the few reviews I've come across seem universally positive, but I was terribly disappointed, and I stick by my opinion of this album. Here's “Sin city”. I'm not saying it's a bad song, but it's certainly not up to the standard of “The sun will rise”. Nor, indeed, is “Pyramid princess”... or the title track, but I can't find a YT for that, so try “An ocean away” instead. This album really got my hopes up with the first track, and then dashed them to the ground. I think Seventh Key only have this one plus their self-titled debut, apart from two live albums, but on the basis of “The raging fire” I don't see our paths intentionally crossing again. |
Random Track of the Day
Wednesday, August 17 2011 Something very weird is happening. After the original eclectic and downright weird choices thrown up by the Random-o-meter during the first week and part of the second, this week has seen tracks come up by artists whose albums I have already reviewed, some from those actual albums. Spooky! Today is another case of this, with a track from Nick Cave's “No more shall we part”, in fact the title track. And no more shall we part --- Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds --- from “No more shall we part” on Mute http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...part_cover.jpg Okay, it's not actually the title track, but it's as close as dammit. There's just an “and” missing, you pedants! As I said, I reviewed this album not too long ago, so if you like this and haven't read that review haste ye to the writeup afterwards! A nice slow but essentially melancholic song, carried mostly on piano but with some lovely mournful violin coming in and really changing the mood of the song. I couldn't find a YT of the studio version, so we'll have to make do with this live recording. |
NOW That's What I Call Music!
(Volume I) Just thought I'd try throwing a few selections of videos at yaz, the kind of thing I tend to listen to. Not quite a playlist as such, and no real link or connection, but an example of the music I enjoy. Much of this will be from albums I've already reviewed, or artistes I've already covered at some point, though I will throw in some new stuff. As ever, comment/discussion welcomed. One of my favourite Rory Gallagher tracks, from “Top Priority”, this is “Follow me”. Great guitar intro! A great track from the Alan Parsons Project, “Don't answer me” from “Ammonia Avenue”. Classic Meat Loaf. Say no more. Great song by ELO from the album “El Dorado”, this is “Laredo tornado”. Gotta have some Iron Maiden in there! This is “Hallowed be thy name” from the classic “The number of the Beast” album. Another great metal band, Kamelot, from “The black halo”, one of the best tracks, “Memento mori”. Love this by Scarlett and Black: “You don't know”. A great anti-war song by the sadly broken up Big Country, “Where the rose is sown”. The very first Marillion song I heard, and bought: “Market square heroes.” And to finish, a truly great song by Led Zep, from the “IV” album, “When the levee breaks.” |
Random Track of the Day
Thursday, August 18 2011 Yeah, done it again! The die has rolled on an album I already reviewed, and even more weirdly, it's one of only three by this artist that I have. Millenium (spelled that way) from the album “Hourglass”. This isn't one of the better tracks on the album, but it's not too bad. Little formulaic, I find. But hey, that's how the bones fall... Superstar --- Millenium --- from “Hourglass” on Frontiers http://www.metal-observer.com/covers/cov339.jpg What, I wonder, are the possibilities of the entire week being characterised by albums I have already reviewed? Considering the amount of material I have, and what a small percentage of it has been included in my journal, the odds must be pretty low, and yet here we are again with another track from an album I've done previously. Wonder what Paddy Power would give me on this bet? ;) |
I always check your journal out as it is always written with huge enthusiasm and a love of music no matter what the genre.
I cannot stand Barry Manilow and Lighthouse Family were one of the most insipid, bland and forgettable bands I have ever heard but I hold my hand out to you for writing about the music that you like. If people like what you listen to then that is personal justification but if they don't then its bollocks to us all and you will just keep listening away and quite rightfully so. Keep it going... you do have at least one avid reader! As for Y & T I think that their album Ten from '91 (I think) was a great slice of radio friendly rock. Especially this beauty: |
Ah Jack, I can always rely on you! :)
I don't expect everyone to like everything I write about: in fact, I'd welcome some heated debate on the demerits of some band or album I've praised, or vice versa (kind of anticipating a Seventh Key backlash...!), but as I mentioned in a few posts already, the view count proves that at least my journal is drawing regular attention, good or bad. If more people commented I'd know which, but I have to expect that it's generally positive, otherwise why would people keep coming back to read? So yeah, I'll keep on writing and of course there are bands/artistes people will not like --- Manilow was one of the Random Tracks of the Day, and I literally have no control over what's chosen (though of course if it's not in my collection it by definition can't come up!), but I thought it was quite hilarious to have him alongside the likes of Cloudscape, Bonfire and yeah, Y&T! Just shows that you never know what's going to hit you when you click on "newest post" here! Wait till you see my feature on Big Bands of the Forties! Heh, just kidding! :D Thanks again for the comments: nice to know someone is interested enough to post. :beer: |
Underworld --- Adagio --- 2003 (Nothing To Say)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...28album%29.jpg Ever heard a full concert orchestra stuffed into a heavy metal shell? Listen to this and you will! Adagio pride themselves on not only being heavy and progressive, but on playing intricate, complex orchestral music, the ultimate fusion of classical and metal, which I would like to call Orchestral Metal, except I can't, as that assumes there are no vocals, which is not true. So, what else to call their style? Classical Metal doesn't really cut it either, and Metal Concertos is misleading again. I like Dramatic Metal, but I think we'll probably have to stick with the standard Progressive Metal, though Adagio are far from your standard prog metal band. A French group, Adagio are the brainchild of guitarist Stephan Forte, though its really the work of Kevin Codfert on the piano that characterise the sound of Adagio and gives the band their edge. The album opens with a great keyboard solo followed by a truly wonderful piano solo, introducing “Next Profundis”, and coming as close to a classical concerto as I have so far heard, outside of the world of classical music. The vocals of David Readman are clear and powerful, though I am informed that on their next two albums they dispensed with his services and resorted more to “death vocals”, which is disappointing (though I haven't yet heard their other albums at this point). The piano really drives this track, though the guitars certainly do their part, with a really nifty solo on this track, and the power of the drumming by Dirk Bruinenberg should not be understated either. They obviously enjoy a penchant for using latin names for their songs, but my latin is not up to scratch, so I have no clue what either of the first two tracks mean. I know “profundis” is generally to do with depth, so perhaps the opener is “the next level” or something, but the second track, “Solvet saeclum in favilla” --- not a clue. It's full of choral vocals though, and has a very dramatic and epic feel to it, and indeed at just over eight minutes it is epic enough. The vocals on this are gruffer, more rough and raspy, and you can see the beginnings of the direction Adagio would later go in manifest in the singing on this track. Not as reliant on the piano this time, this track is built more around Forte's guitar work, with some solid keyboard wizardry from Codfert. It's got an overall faster tempo than the opener, and is a little heavier too. Some really nice acoustic and electric guitar as it winds towards its end, then a great keyboard solo. “Chosen” is almost as long, with a church organ intro. Adagio really weave incredible, dramatic soundscapes with their music, and the technical proficiency of this band is something to behold. It really is a pity if they went down the “death vocals” route, as that rules out their releases post this for me. Of course, you may not feel the same way, but I just can't enjoy any music that employs that mode of singing. The title track is a thirteen-minute monster, with a four-minute overture, I guess you'd call it, that sounds like it should be in one of the “Lord of the Rings” movies --- all heavy organ, keyboards and choral voices. The piece is a progressive/classical meisterwerke. full of chugging guitars, rolling drums and keyboard runs, with Readman singing at the top of his game. It ends powerfully too, and then we're into the only ballad on the album. “Promises” shows what a metal band can really do when they put their minds to it. Carried on acoustic guitar and breathy keyboard, it's a powerful vehicle for Readman's vocal talents. A very effective string section is recreated on Cadfert's synthesiser, and it really adds atmosphere to the song. A really nice piano run brings the song to a close, then it's on to the penultimate track, “The mirror stage”. Another powerful rocker that takes the tempo right back up again, with very prog-rock keyboards from Cadfert, and the last performance from Readman, as the closer is an instrumental. An eight-minute instrumental? No problem to these guys! “Niflheim” closes the album in fine style --- at least I know what this means. Niflheim is one of the nine worlds in Norse mythology, the world of mists. The track itself is, as might be expected by now, epic, dramatic and full of swirling keyboards, screeching guitars and pounding drums, with the sort of rhythm that puts you in mind of an army marching to war. The track changes time signature, speeds up and slows down --- and this all in the first two minutes! It's a virtuouso performance to mark the end of a quite remarkable album. I really doubt you'll have heard anything like Adagio before: I certainly haven't. Take a listen to this album and prepare to be amazed. Seriously. TRACKLISTING 1. Next profundis 2. Introitus/Solvet saeclum in favilla 3. Chosen 4. From my sleep to someone else 5. Underworld 6. Promises 7. The mirror stage 8. Niflheim |
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