John Hiatt "Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns"

I had a good friend in the early 80's who kept pushing this guy on me, extolling the virtues of the songwriting.  I had seen the LP's come into the WPRK studios in college and dropped a needle on them briefly to provide a category and a short synopsis for the other DJ's.  I believe it was the whiny voice that put me off.  Ten years and a half dozen records go by, and then one day in 1993, in our Music 4 Less promo bag of goodies (Hutch was our favorite CSMS contact :) was this sampler:

Playing this compilation on a regular basis allowed me to GET what my friend years earlier was alluding to.  Culled from what is arguably his finest stretch of recordings (well, I loved "Perfectly Good Guitar", most reviewers didn't feel the same way), I understood the songwriting aspect of it.  But as I go back through my collection of John Hiatt, I realize that it contains mostly songs, not full-lengths.  Of the eight albums since "...Guitar", I have one in its entirety.  I will now add DJ & MH as the third. 

The man has written some great songs made famous by others.  How about "Angel Eyes", "Have A Little Faith In Me" and "Ridin' With The King" for example.  I hear this track as a hit for somebody in Nashville, for certain...

Yes, if I had to stick a category label on this record I'd have to file it in Country, with a cross-file in Rock.  Why?  This is the opening track...



The quality of the recording itself was so impressive that I had to investigate.  Found out it was recorded in Ben Fold's studio in Nashville, which was originally a historic RCA room, and produced by Kevin Shirley, currently one of the most in-demand knob spinners around.  Guess that explains that.  Throw in ten great songs (so there's one semi-turkey) and Hiatt's touring band, which includes one of my favorite, most versatile bassists of all-time, Patrick O'Hearn, and you have a keeper. 

If you like country music, you will love this record.  Just play it at least three times before passing judgement.  I guarantee you'll be singing along...

Wilco "The Whole Love"

I love this band.  Jumped on board in 1999 and own everything since.  Always excited by anything new.  No sampling required.  Plopped the disc into the player and, yep, immediately it's a keeper with track uno.  But then something unusual happens.  The album just sort of lies there, if you know what I mean.  It's still good, it completes the job, but it really doesn't throb your gristle.  So I moved it forward in the rotation for the second spin, certain it would move a little more, moan a little more.  Barely.  So for spin #3, I moved it back in the lineup, thinking absence makes the heart grow fonder, the desire grow hotter.  Well,  it didn't work.  The record's opening and closing tracks are outstanding, the rest are OK.  I can safely say I've never said that about a Wilco record, ever.  But if you are a fan like me and haven't sprung for "The Whole Love" yet, be sure to get the Deluxe version.  All four extra tracks should have been on
the full-length.

A Grammy nomination?  For Rock Album, no less?  Really?  This is obviously a nod based on track record, not merit (who the hell am I kidding, it IS the Grammys).  In no way, shape or form is this a "Rock" record like the other nominees.  Now if they had an entire record of this, they'd have been a shoo-in...



Remember, Wilco was originally an alt-country act, and there is a trace of it here again.  If you're into the same ol' same ol', then there is way too much variety on this record for that mentality.  In fact, the tracking is somewhat disjointed, pun intended.  One of those didn't even help the middle 37 minutes. It received a lot of love from the WPRK DJ's with one of them labeling it "Dad rock."  I almost hit a tree laughing.  But then he said he liked it, so his dad must have been a late-era Beatles fan.

Lots of high praise for this record from many a younger reviewer.  For me, it was an off year for one of America's best bands of the last dozen years.  They usually hit the ball out of the park.  This was a deep fly ball to the warning track.

Beth Hart & Joe Bonamassa "Don't Explain"

I remember Beth Hart's first couple of records in the late 90's but I wasn't too crazy about her voice or her songwriting.  She had been on Star Search and the story was her difficult youth as a talented teen in LA, singing in bars at the age of 16.  Well, she chose to live that party life, threw away academics, and tried to become a star.  Ed McMahon's show gave her national exposure and that got her the deal with Atlantic.  The label pushed her with promos and pricing support, but I just couldn't take that warble in her voice and forbade any in-store play while I was around.  Never thought much about her since.  Only saw her name again recently while researching Dana Fuchs and her latest album.  Saw one comment that read, "If Beth Hart had Dana Fuchs' looks, she'd be a much bigger and better star."  The girl has a lot of loyal fans.  Girl, hell, she's almost 40, and yes, she looks the part of "rode hard, put away wet". 

So imagine my surprise when I hear that the hardest working American in Rock music today, Joe Bonamassa (had to say American because Steven Wilson has the title in Europe), was doing an entire album of obscure blues covers with her in essentially a weekend.  Moderately intrigued by JB's inclusion and graced with a gratis copy, I anxiously stuck it in the jukebox and let it unfold.  And unfold, it did.  Right off the bat, I could sense the guitar work wasn't going to sit behind Hart's voice and keyboards.  It was equal.  Kept thinking I was hearing JB singing in the early tracks, but then I'd realize it was Hart.  Where had this vocal style been?  Had I missed this change in the last dozen years?  This covered material really works for her, as she sings/growls/belts her way through blues, jazz & soul.  It must be the borrowed titles, and I'll bet those were some fun conversations during the selection process.  Chosen were songs written and/or performed by Lowell Fulson, Tom Waits, Bill Withers, Billie Holiday, Etta James, Brook Benton and Aretha Franklin.  But these aren't widely-known songs, so there will be a freshness to them for most of you. 

I honestly didn't expect much from this effort, but I was truly blown away.  Let me just list the names elicited by a few spins, other than previously listed:  Blondie, Deep Purple, Janis Joplin, Alanis Morrissette, Robert Plant, Melissa Etheridge and Roger Chapman (I just heard a collective scream, "WHO?"... you will be expected to answer that question on the test).  Anyone catch that the list contains a few DUDES?  JB doesn't sing here, remember (well, one duet), but can the boy play guitar or WHAT?  About 3:45 into this Bobby "Blue" Bland cover, if you are not moved by this solo,  then..............nevermind..............go away...........

Did I mentioned I was blown away by this album?  Those of you who know me are aware of my disdain for two-minute songs.  There is an exception to that rule on this record.  On several other songs, I would think, "man, this is awesome!" and look down to see the counter in the 2-minute range.  Yeah, "Don't Explain" is solid early and often.  There should be a Grammy nomination mentioned somewhere, and another for JB as Artist of the Year as far as I'm concerned, lest ye not forget BCC2 and Dust Bowl.  I hope he got some...

Have I said anything yet about being blown away by this record?

Chris Rea "Santo Spirito Blues"

I was in on the stretch of arguably Chris Rea's string of best recordings some 20 - 25 years ago.  They were "On The Beach", "Road To Hell", and "Auberge."  Yeah, you remember now, don't you?  That smoky, husky, breathy voice and Dire Straits-like music...my wife loved it.  He lost me on the subsequent release and I haven't really been curious since.  Not that Rea has dropped out of sight, au contraire, he's released more than a dozen solos, compilations, and boxed sets, including an eleven CD set of blues recorded over an eighteen month period after he survived a near-death experience.  So when "Santo Spirito" crossed my new release notices a couple of months ago with the "blues" genre tag, I thought what the heck and purchased it without a sampling.  My mistake...

With this man's credibility, especially in Europe, why the hell would you use a drum machine/programming?!  It's like listening to the one-man performance from the pool deck or on the patio at Bahama Breeze.  Just shoot me...  Not all of the tracks employ it, but the fact that even one does is beyond me.  The record isn't bad, just disappointing.  Try this track from the album.  It's got a jazzy intro and switches to blues a couple of minutes in.  If you are intrigued, and some of you may be, many of the record's songs are on that same channel so dial another up, but come back here and tell me you don't hear the sameness of the fret work and song structures. 

Still, it's not a compete waste of money.  I'm keeping a couple of tracks, but I guarantee they won't contain the drum machine and won't be played back to back.

Blue October "Any Man In America"

I've been a fan of this band since their major label debut in 2000.  I put it on sale in our prime listening station, and when that didn't produce results, played it daily in-store for everyone to hear.  I couldn't get anyone to believe that Blue October would eventually become a successful domestic band.  Six years later, "Hate Me" resonated with the masses, making Blue October a platinum seller in North America.  Naturally, the followup album charted higher, leading to bigger tours and venues.  And now "Any Man..." is a Top 10 record, and it is well deserved. 

I've truly appreciated the growth and development of this band over the decade, and I'm so happy that others get it besides me.  Yeah, so it took most of you longer, but that's OK, you're on the proverbial bandwagon now.  Better strap in for the ride though, because I'm thinking frontman Justin Furstenfeld's head may explode any day now. 

Blue October hasn't ever been a pop band with lalala/sing-along songs, but there were hooks, albeit with some sharp barbs for lyrics.  I mean, really, "Hate Me?"  I know you sang along and many of you related, but it was the final song from '09's "Approaching Normal" that went WAAAYYY beyond "normal."  As "The End" concluded, I had to pick my chin off the floor and apply a band-aid to stop the bleeding.  Then I immediately played it again in order to make sure I heard what I thought I heard.  Go ahead and find it on your Internet cloud of choice if you haven't experienced it and come on back after your through....

That has to be one of the most vivid, violent songs I've ever heard, but it was only one song.  "Any Man..." is a complete album of piss and vinegar, one of the angriest records imaginable, and it could possibly appeal to Any Man In America. 

Subject:  Divorce.  Guys always seem to get the shaft and have to suck it up and crawl away.  Not Furstenfeld.  He has a forum to vent his frustrations, and whew, I wouldn't want to be his ex.  I'm going to link one of the tracks here that displays the lyrics, but this is one of the mild ones with some true, heartfelt emotion.  You'll see it's not a simple song.  I found one reviewer who said he didn't hear any hooks anymore.  That's probably from some young journalist wannabe who played the record once so he could hit his deadline.  As I've said, the hooks are there but with unconventional messages.  And they come in a wide range of musical jackets.  Along with the rock there's some angry boy white rap, a track that could feature Phil Collins vocalizing, and another that's a dead ringer for a Rob Thomas/Matchbox 20 tune.  Here is an acoustic version of "The Chills" as an example of how diversified they can be.  The studio version of this is an arena-filling, power rocker...

This is not a kid-friendly record as it's loaded with a minefield of four-letter words.  Hey, the guy is pissed off!  But I'd be willing to bet that any of you male readers of this post who've been through a messy break-up of any kind will connect to part, if not all, of "Any Man In America"

The Waterboys "An Appointment With Mr. Yeats"

Ladies and gentlemen, I present another candidate for Album of the Year, 2012 for North America, 2011 for Europe and the few other reviewers in the States who couldn't wait for the domestic release.  "Appointment..." is a trip back to the Big Music of the Waterboys' 80's heyday.  If you own and love a copy of "Fisherman's Blues", "A Pagan Place" or "This Is The Sea", allow me to insist that you seek out and purchase however possible.

 

Mr. Yeats is W. B. Yeats, one of Ireland's greatest poets/writers.  I've seen him referred as the Irish Shakespeare.  The book and movie title "No Country For Old Men" is from a famous Yeats poem, so whether or not you're consciously aware of him, you have been exposed to his work.  Mike Scott adapted a Yeats poem for "Fisherman's Blues" and again on "Dream Harder", so this isn't unprecedented.  To do an entire record is a bit whacky, but to perform it live one year earlier than the release date is a sign of sheer passion or plain crazy.  But that's what they did, played twenty new songs to audiences in 2010 and released the record just a couple of months ago.  


Scott was raised in a literary household and was exposed to Yeats works by age 11.  The name was spoken in reverent tones around his house and he has said he hears music when he reads the works.  Obviously, it transferred to his own writing style, full of visions and images.  So this record is not a reach or an effort, it's a labour of love.  Since the lyrics are pieced together, they unfold slowly within the Irish undertones of the music, and I do mean undertones.  In no way, shape or form is this your stereotypical Irish music.  Oh no, my friends, this is a big ol' rockin' Irish record full of fiery fiddle, bangin' piano and drums.  The young girl on vocals was a discovery Scott made barhopping in Dublin one night, happening upon her performance with her band in a small pub.  She's a perfect fit for this album and a star of the future in her own right.  

The above tune should be the single, if there ever is one.  There's the bluesy bent of the first video above, the album's second track made Cat "Yusef" Stevens smile, and if I played the closing track for you without any hints, I'd venture many of you would guess mid-70's Pink Floyd.  That would suggest that Scott sounds like Roger Waters at times, which he does, and damn if he doesn't look like the other guy I wrote down as a RIYL, Bob Geldof.  

  

If you're a lit major or an English teacher, you owe yourself a treat.  That goes for the rest of you, too, if you want to hear something miles above the mindless crap that's on the radio.  

Don Airey "All Out"

 

His may not be a name many of you recognize, but if you reside in the over-forty demographic, I'm willing to bet that the Mad Rockers among you have sent a paycheck his way once or twice.  I own approximately 25 recordings on which Mr. Airey played the keys, for example.  My first introduction to him was right around the time that the header picture for this blog was taken, and chances are I was sitting in that same chair when I first read his name.  It was either the "War Dance" album (really, an album) by Colosseum II or the "Andrew Lloyd Webber:  Variations" record in 1977.  A short list of major names he played with thereafter includes Gary Moore, Rainbow, Ozzy & Whitesnake.  Go ahead, take a look at the credits from some of those 80's recordings,

I'll wait......................................  See?  I told you you've paid for some trinkets around his abode.  But in his 40-year career as a professional musician, "All Out" is only his third solo release, and this one only came about due to the extended break for his current employer, Deep Purple.  

So now you have a point of reference according to several of the reviews I read whilst investigating this release.  I wasn't familiar with any of the assembled band members, but I'm certainly not as informed on the European rock music scene as my previous decades.  I saw plenty of Ian Gillan comparisons for the vocalist, but methinks that's false advertising or the simplistic ramblings of youthful reviewers, because there can only be one of the great Mr. Gillan.  I'm going to run with the stylings of Rainbow singers Joe Lynn Turner or Graham Bonnet, or for the opening track, the gone-too-soon David Byron of Uriah Heep.  Here's a link for you to judge for yourself.  There were other comparisons to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and when track #2 played, it wasn't just eerily similar, it was copyright infringement worthy, straight off Brain Salad Surgery.  Turns out that the piece was written by the same Argentinian composer of "Toccata" from ELP's BSS.  There's another track from "All Out" that features the ELP vibe, but another listen or two found it leaning more toward Triumvirat than ELP.  There are Purple-ish tracks, of course, with one featuring the hardest working man in show business, Joe Bonamassa, but honestly, I had to cheat to find out which one.  Nothing noteworthy, for sure.  Same goes for the two Bernie Marsden (Coverdale's Whitesnake) six-string contributions.  On the last spin, I thought I might have heard an old Styx instrumental playing on a boom-box in the backyard. 

You've read where I said a record had a "60's influence" or a "70's feel", "All Out" sounds as if it was actually recorded in the 70's.  Depending upon your taste, that could be a good thing or an awful thing.

Johnny Winter "Roots"

Oh, man, did listening to this record make me sad.  Not disappointed, like this year's Gregg Allman release, just sad.  I saw Mr. Winter in concert a couple of times in the late-70's/early 80's, and the man was a 120-mph, guitar-burning dynamo.  Now, he's just a burned-out shell of what he used to be.

I'm happy he's made a paycheck with "Roots", and that's what it is, an album full of blues roots classics that everyone will know, complete with big-name guest appearances.  If that's what it takes to sell a few records, so be it.  I've seen a handful of rave reviews, but my guess is those reviewers are much younger than JW's forty-year career and don't have a clue of what he once was.

I kept one track.  Sad, so sad...

Tedeschi Trucks Band "Revelator"

Ladies and gentlemen, now that's a band. Count 'em...eleven members! And only two or three who are holdovers from Derek's previous ensemble. Husband Trucks and semi-cougar wife Susan Tedeschi (she nine years his senior and started dating him before he reached legal drinking age) have hit on a winning combination that didn't exist for me with their respective solo careers. In the Music 4 Less days, I gave their promos away to staffers, never keeping an entire record from either. Sure, there were a couple of keeper tracks, but the albums as a whole were too uneven for me. But that has all changed with "Revelator." 

I'll be honest...first spin found the "uneven" aspect still in play, with the record seemingly front and back heavy with a soft middle.  Great start with the opener coming out with a Little Feat vibe.  And then track #3 has to be the smoothest, sexiest tune in recent memory, suitable for airplay while doing your spouse, boy/girlfriend, right/left hand, whatever.  See if you agree...

(Well, you can't as the video has been deleted. Sorry. 1/9/14)

 Man, I can't stop that song...I get chills every time it plays.  Susan in all her Tina Fey-like hotness, that funky bass line, and of course, Derek's uncanny, emotional slide guitar.  Be sure to read some of the comments if you decide to watch on YouTube.  This could be a world-wide smash! The next three tracks were the soft middle I referred to, but after the third spin, they melted into the fabric of this album, seamlessly fitting in on spins 4 & 5 (yep, couldn't pull it from rotation...could've written this post weeks ago).  I had to sneak a peek at the author for track #7 because I would have sworn it was written by Warren Haynes of Gov't Mule.  Nope.  For the remainder of the record I jotted down 70's-era AWB and War as additional references.  There are a couple of segments which are most likely just snippets of studio jams, along the lines of what Frank Zappa would do on his albums, and these come off as fusion jazz, Billy Cobham-like pieces.  Amazing...

My buddy, Bob K., said it best; "This is the best Bonnie Raitt album in years, and she isn't on it."  I had this CD on low volume in a full automobile headed for the Frampton Comes Alive 35th Anniversary concert, when the girl in the back stops in mid-sentence and asks, "Is this Bonnie Raitt?"  This coming from a HUGE Raitt fan... 

Well, I can't admit to being a big follower of Bonnie's, but I have enjoyed the Brothers Allman and their expanded family tree for decades, and that's where this lovely piece of musical fruit falls for me.

Chickenfoot III

Don't bother looking for the second album.  There wasn't one.  Just all part of the Chickenfoot fun.  As a matter of conjecture, this record wasn't supposed to happen, either.  But damn, why not follow up a Top 5 album?  Here's the little blurb I did on the debut way back at the start of this blog: 

"Best Van Halen release this decade, hell, since OU812 in 1988. What, you say, there hasn't been a Van Halen album this century? Well, there is now, it just doesn't have the VH brothers on it."

And I still say this is Sammy's idea of Van Hagar II, especially giving Michael Anthony's inclusion with those signature yelping background vocals.  The Brothers VH have been ably replaced by Chad Smith (RHCP) on drums and Joe Satriani on guitar.  Since the Peppers have a new album, there won't be much in the way of touring support for "III", but here they are from last week on Jimmy Kimmel's show...



Sammy sounds great for a 64 year-old, doesn't he?  I've been a fan since that fateful day in the fall of '73 in the high school parking lot when Don Thompson summoned me over to his Jeep and dropped Montrose "Rock Candy" on me straight from the new 8-track.  Some say it's hard to take Hagar seriously, but why would you?  He's been living the proverbial rock and roll dream, having fun.  "Does anybody remember laughter?"  As for Satriani, some say he's dumbing down his talent for this band, but I don't believe it for a single minute.  I'll guarantee he's made the fattest paychecks in his life and had more fun doing it.  He can always go back to his core fans (the number of which will probably be greater thanks to CF) and fire up the frets as the frontman.

So let me check my notes for "III"... says here "not as earth-shattering as the debut and it's unbridled energy and enthusiasm".  Yep, I'm still going with that.  The first half of this record sounds contrived, planned, but it's still serviceable old school rock and roll.  Side Two is a fine extension of the debut and the barely "hidden" final track is so good that I truly hope there's gonna be a "V".

Ana Popovic "Unconditional"

Heard this girl for the first time on the Juke Joints record earlier this year.  Blues artists and aficionados in the States picked up on her a couple of years ago and that has transferred into some impressive sales on that niche chart for this release and the previous one as well.  I've seen her called a "triple threat" for her playing, singing, and writing.  I'll admit that she's a pretty good guitarist, better with a slide, though a few notes here and there on "Unconditional" sound off ever so slightly.  As a singer she's OK, better live than studio, but another post very soon will include what I consider to be a real singer.  For the writing, she contributed eight of the songs here and I will keep two, so not so much.  Here is the title track for you to judge for yourself...



Not many guitarists wear short dresses and high heels this well, huh?  But this is a strong example of the wrapping overshadowing the contents.  What surprised me about this "blues" record was the inclusion of classic soul, jazz, and rock (which is the style of one of the keeper tracks).  She's been known to cover dearly departed slingers like Hendrix and Vaughan, but really isn't worthy of doing so if you ask me.  And next album, have the engineer back off the some of that high-end range, would ya?  A couple of tracks had so much sssssssssstttttttt on them that I thought my tinnitus was acting up.  Downright obnoxious.  Can only imagine how annoying they were to someone with clear hearing. 

Regardless of all my bitch & moans, it's really not all that bad............................................for a girl.

Hard-Fi "Killer Sounds"

I thought these guys had given up because it had been four years since their last record.  I eagerly snapped it up and popped it in the player.  Hmmmm, "I wonder what's happened to them during this lengthy hiatus...", I thought to myself, "...'cause it doesn't sound quite the same."  As it turns out, nothing.  Same members, just older.  OK, let me give it three spins before dropping a full-fledged opinion... 

And here it is...it's a Styx title; "Too Much Time On My Hands."  I suppose when your first two records go to #1 in England and sell a couple mil worldwide, you can afford to take a break.  In this case, however, I think they've wasted the momentum.  The early albums were loose and fun, a real Clash-y, dance-y, Specials sort of mix.  "Killer Sounds" is too calculated, consolidated and commercial.  Why try to be radio-friendly when you've already captured your fan base?  That being said, if you haven't been exposed to Hard-Fi before, then this new release is aimed at you. 

This is a prime example of what the record sounds like, but to me, this just sort of lays there, if you know what I mean.  They did have the good sense to pick this track as the second single, one of only two I'm retaining for the library...



So that about says it all.  If you like these two tunes, then you'll enjoy "Killer Sounds."  If your musical palate is a bit more adventurous, then please investigate either of the other two LP's. 

The Vines "Future Primitive"

Always liked this band.  When everyone was jumping on the Strokes bandwagon, I was touting this Aussie export.  They had their fair share of domestic success, essentially riding the garage-rock-revival wave that the Strokes initiated.  The Strokes, however, have built upon their foundation while the Vines have undermined theirs.  The Vines leader basically imploded their momentum by yelling and screaming at fans, press, other bandmates, you name 'em.  He was eventually diagnosed with Asperger's, but the damage had been done. I, on the other hand, still enjoyed their records and was happy to see them featured prominently on the iPod commercial which helped introduce the new player, when was that...2005?  I always liked the melodies mixed with a psychedelic hand, allowing the songs to stand out from other similar sounding bands.  Though the songs were shorter in length than my usual comfort zone, there was always a lot going on within.  On "Future Primitive", the tracks are just short...

I gave this album the three requisite spins, and the hooks never set.  I was bummed.  There is a different vibe here, a very 60's/Beatles Red-era/Sam the Sham & The Pharaohs kinda thing, which is great if you love two-minute crunchy pop songs, i.e....

Tell me he doesn't sound like Scott Weiland.  What does that remind me of?  Anyway, I understand they are touring in support of the album, which is good since it didn't initially sell very well Down Under and at all here.  I believe there is an audience for it, but I've abandoned ship.  As much as I hate to say it, I'm keeping nothing, nada, not a single slice.  If the rumored subsequent album surfaces, I won't spring for it like I did this one.

Sam Roberts Band "Collider"

Thanks, Eddie, for bringing this guy to my attention.  That's what it takes, dear readers, to find good tunes in these dark days of popular music (literally 2 out of 3 hits on today's charts are GARBAGE!).  We have to help one another muddle through the aural crap that dominates the airwaves, especially those of you in the older demographics with moi. 

I wondered why I had missed Sam Roberts, especially when Eddie said he was a multiple Juno Award winner (Canadian Grammy), so I investigated the timeline of his history.  Being in music retail in the tourist corridor of Orlando, I had to be patently aware of what was selling worldwide, and maybe, just maybe, I read Sam Roberts name in my Canadian research.  However, his independently released music never made it that far south.  I'm guessing Doxey knew him in Niagara.  Anyway, by the time he hit on a major label I was out of the business.  I believe I would have noticed him winning Album, Artist, and Rock Album of the Year awards in 2004 for that debut LP.  I was in and out of radio again before the next album, which went gold and Top 5 north of the border.  The next album arrived a year before I started this blog, so I missed it as well.  From what I gather, these recordings were much more rock oriented, making the comparisons I read to the Tragically Hip more appropriate.  I certainly heard nothing in the way of the Hip on "Collider."  Now if Blue Rodeo would make an all-pop album, it would certainly be along this style.  In no particular order, here are the other artists this reminded me of; Tom Petty, the Beatles, the Eagles, Huey Lewis & the News, Cracker, maybe a smidgen of Creedence, and one track would make believers out of Dave Matthews fans.  The following is the opening track...

That's the first song I ever heard by this guy and it hooked me!  I must admit that my curiosity about the earlier rock sound my get the best of me, and it's rare that I go backwards in an artist's catalog from my point of entry.  We will see...

Portugal The Man "In The Mountain In The Cloud"

Discovered this band a few years ago through a 2008 year-end "Best Of..." list.  Tried it and liked it enough to add it as one of my Mad Rocker's best discoveries of the year (that's the very first post for the blog...no link, just go look if you're really that interested).  PTM is a prolific bunch, releasing an album a year in their history.  Somehow I completely missed the '09 model, and 2010's "American Ghetto" was a similar, yet different piece, and now "Mountain, Cloud" takes another step in the advancement of their sound.  First of all, they are finally on a major, having earned their way through the DIY method.  What I don't understand is how a major would allow one of their recordings sound as if it was done inside a Progresso soup can.  I'm guessing they let the band have free reign and it's intentional, but I found it quite distracting initially.  They sound much better in the radio station studio setting in the following clip...

Man, that song is infectious.  I haven't been able to get it out of my head since first hearing it.  I still like my "glam-less Scissor Sisters" comparison from the earlier PTM post, and this time I've added Supertramp to the "sounds like" list, primarily due to the vocals.  I also wrote down 10cc this time, which is the next step in the progression of PTM's sound.  Over the course of their six-year existence, they have morphed into something slightly different each time...and me likey.  They get the "neo-psychedelic" label from most publications, and I suppose that's appropriate.  In one track they drop these lines; "We're seven miles high", "All the kids are rubber souls", and "All of the things that have come to pass."  Those are certainly more my generation (hey, that's funny) than the band's.

Maybe if I invested a listen after selected party favours I'd better understand the "psychedelic."

Los Lonely Boys "Rockpango"

Thought I'd give this a try based on the hype and the great cover (seriously, is that not outstanding?).  I own one song by them and it's not Grammy winning "Heaven."  That track launched LLB to a couple of Top 10 Albums, another in the Top 30, and a respectable selling live album.  Guitarist Garza slings a fairly mean axe, and I was really hoping to hear something inspirational in that respect.  What I got was basically what I had expected, Same Ol' Shitola.  

To be fair, it's not all bad.  "Rockpango" fell just a track or two short of keeper status.  This is one of the songs that I thought was fun...

...however, it suffers from familiarity, a trait I found to be prevalent in most Mexican music while working in the retail biz.  Much of LLB's music sounds like everything else in their genre, and others have done it much better than they.  The vocals are simply one-dimensional, for example.  But I don't begrudge their major success on a major label.  It's given them the funding to start their own label and do what they want with zero restrictions, and this is project number one for studio work.  It hasn't sold nearly as well as previous efforts, but that's to be expected without major distribution.  It has garnered very positive reviews over the four months on the market and I suspect we'll hear more from this record soon with the holiday selling season rapidly approaching.

Those of you who know the Mad Rocker are aware of my passion for the import, and the international version of "Rockpango" has an additional track not available domestically, and it's really the reason I kept fifteen minutes or so of the finished CD.  The extra track is twenty+ minutes of studio outtakes from the sessions, and it offers a welcome glimpse into the making of the record.  Imagine sitting in on a jam session where the beers, the bongs and the laughter are plentiful.  You hear the brothers tinkering with several of the tracks in their early stages, even breaking into "Ghostbusters" when one flurry strikes a similar chord.  They ape on Huey Lewis and Van Halen, too.  I couldn't help but grin at the fun being had in the rehearsal.  Had to give them the benefit of the doubt because of it...

Yes "Fly From Here"

Big fan of the first twenty years of this band, including the "Drama" album 30+ years ago, the only other recording Jon Anderson wasn't on before "Fly From Here."  Trevor Horn was the singer on Drama, and he became a massive music presence afterwards as a producer for bands such as ABC, FGTH, Malcolm McLaren, The Art of Noise, etc., and arguably Yes' most popular recording, 90125.  He's still at it today, again as a member of Yes and its producer, and also keyboards and production on the latest Blackfield album.   The 25-minute title track from this new Yes album was actually written for Drama and ultimately rejected, though the band played it live several times on the subsequent tour.  So now that Anderson's health has kept him from the band, the current group is the same one from "Drama," but with another vocalist.  You know the story, the guy was singing in a Yes tribute band...   That's funny, because he doesn't remind me of Anderson much at all.  Anyway, why not take this forgotten track and build a new CD around it?  I get the concept but it really doesn't work.

Which is surprising to me with Horn twisting the knobs and Chris Squire and Steve Howe still in the band.  The record really sounded dated, and why not since half of it's thirty-something years old, but I expected a record that sounded like Yes, not the Alan Parsons Project.  Let's see, 1980 was the year of "The Turn of a Friendly Card" for APP, and "Fly..." sounds more like that than any of the late 70's Yes recordings.  I thought Horn would work some of his magic, but all I hear is a very sterile mix, no fullness, though some of the musicianship is pristine.  There isn't a clear cut radio track available, either, though I like this section of the title track...

"Fly From Here" is like a classical composition reinterpreted by the Bell Telephone Orchestra, or that great Broadway showstopper performed by the fourth touring company for the lovely folks in Butte, Montana, it's an excellent composition that unfortunately suffers in the current production.  Some spots truly shine, but "Fly..." doesn't jell as a whole.

Red Fang "Murder The Mountains"

Liked the first album enough to spring for the second.  If you actually clicked the link to see my brief description, I have very little else to offer from the Motorhead/Black Sabbath/Cheap Trick references of before.  Somehow the Northwest angle crept into my mind knowing these guys are from Oregon, and yes, I know Seattle is in a different state, but I kept thinking to myself that if Dave Grohl had concentrated strictly on metal in his days in Nivana Fighters, he would've sounded like Red Fang... 

Funny video as I smiled the entire six minutes.  PBR fans, too.  I see they are coming to Orlando opening for Mastodon, and that's an inspired booking.  If I can find a way in to see what will surely be a short set without having to ante up for a full-price ticket or have to stay for the whole bill, I promise to raise a PBR or two to them (that's if HOB sells PBR...).

Gomez "Whatever's On Your Mind"

I was a fan of these guys right out of the gate in '98, eventually owning four of the six studio releases prior to this album.  And I've decided to keep that number at four.  I heard the first single, "Options", and thought it sounded like Blur.  Not a bad introduction, just surprising.  But as I rounded into my third spin of "Whatever's On Your Mind", disappointment was on mine.  Gone was the edginess, the adventurousness, the experimental take on things.  Well, maybe not completely gone but certainly diminished.  If you enjoy light, puffy, pop music, then this dud's for you.  I jotted down a note about researching possible strife in the band alignment as my favorite of the three singers, Ben Ottewell, seemed less involved, and it's his voice that distinguishes Gomez for moi.  He's the lead singer on this new video for the title track, one of only two I will keep from this record... 

And I discovered that the members are based multiple time zones apart from each other.  So "let's all do our own songs separately, email them to each other, meet somewhere in the middle and see what sticks."  I know that's a SOP for some bands, and it's worked on many occasions, but not this one. 
One track is a dead-ringer for Barenaked Ladies.  That's not a bad thing, this coming from a BNL fan from Day 1, but I didn't expect it on a Gomez record.  I also heard a smidgen of Blue October (really looking forward to hearing their new record), but again, it's out of place here. 

I hope this doesn't signal the end of the run for Gomez.  I think I will investigate Ottewell's solo album that came out a few months ago.  I had no knowledge of such before now, and I wonder if I'll like it better...

Black Country Communion 2

The previous post says My Morning Jacket may have the best album of the year.  Black Country Communion 2 is unquestionably the best Rock record released in YEARS!  I was pleased with their first album based on the resumes of the members of this "supergroup", but "2" is everything I originally expected and more.  They have heeded all the criticism and brought Derek Sherinian's keyboards out of the bowels of the mix, having them flesh out the sound on an equal basis with the other instrumentation, even allowing for call-and-response leads with Joe Bonamassa's guitar licks.  You know, I just read some guy's music blog post about how "firing the keyboardist" is the first rule for making a quality rock/metal recording.  What an idiot...  Listen to this album and then look me straight in the eye and tell me this sucks.  It cannot be done. 

Let's take the opening track and first single (pssst, that's funny...single) "The Outsider" for example.  This hard rock brain masher peels out of the speakers, forcing your hand to elevate the volume... 

And that's just a snippet.  It gets into a Deep Purple vein complete with a Blackmore riff.  Glenn Hughes is such a legend, a great front man (at 60 years of age, no less), amazing vocalist and bassist.  Most of this album features his lead vocals, a very wise move (not saying JB isn't a good singer) for this heavy a rock record.  The first name that popped into my mind was Marc Storace from Krokus in their heyday.  On another he sounded like Chris Cornell.  On one of the songs that JB sings, I swear I heard Paul Rodgers.  Let me now wander through the rest of the "reminds me of..." list in the order I jotted them down:  Scorpions, Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin (duh! Bonham Jr. on drums...)...



...Van Hagar, Bon Scott-era AC/DC, David Coverdale's Whitesnake, Gamma, Gary Moore, UFO, Grand Funk Railroad.  DAMMIT man, if you don't like any of those names then kindly exit this blog promptly. 

I should not be surprised that this record hasn't been as well received as it has across the pond.  They still rock in Europe in a large way.  Makes sense that the forthcoming live DVD was recorded over there.  Looking forward to adding that visual piece of history to my stash.  You should, too...

My Morning Jacket "Circuital"

This is the Album Of The Year so far, and though I have numerous new releases to wade through over the next three months, I'll be surprised if anything is better.  I'm unsure when the 2012 Grammy nominations are announced, but if this isn't on the ballot for Album, Record, Rock, Alternative, something, then the process is inadequate.  There is so much here for so many different people that I cannot believe it would be ignored.  How about "psychedelic-pop-piano-orchestral-funky-metal-rock-folk" as a category?  It would be a shoe-in, unless Wilco's new album finally comes out, in which there would be a tie.  That being said, every Wilco fan needs "Circuital".  Beach Boy fans would find something to like, too.  Cheap Trick devotees as well.  For the Pink Floyd fans, I offer this evidence



To be able to create these diverse musical masterpieces is mind-blowing to me.  How does Jim James (Yim Yames, or whatever moniker he assumes) do it?  Which pharmaceutical collaboration is it?  I don't care, dude, just don't kill yourself, please. 

My Morning Jacket is one of America's current great bands (actually, the total could be counted on one hand with a finger or two remaining), and "Circuital" is their most complete release.  I hope I can clear my schedule to be able to see them live when they come to town in December.  I don't get to many shows anymore, and I hate paying for them, but I'll make an exception for this one...

Get More: My Morning Jacket, Storytellers, Free Music Videos, New Artists

Warren Haynes "Man In Motion"

Your first clue should be the record label this is released under, Stax.  Allow me to yield to Mr. Haynes as he offers the background...

You may know the names of the band members he mentions, but if not, let me drop a few of the associations for you instead:  The Meters, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Gil-Scott Heron, Dizzy Gillespie, Little Feat, Small Faces, Bonnie Raitt, Rolling Stones, etc., etc., etc..

So I'm going to call this a neuvo-soul record with some blues and a little funk thrown in.  Love the horns and the Wurlitzer.  Saw one review calling it an updated Blues Brothers.  What a dumb fart.  Far superior singing and axe-slingin' than that.  But I never was a big soul music fan, so for me, "Man In Motion" is a keeper based only on the fact that Haynes has been one of the best things going in the music biz over the past twenty or so years.  I'll reach for a Gov't Mule CD before I'll reach for this...

Journey "Eclipse"

I vividly remember the album "Next" by Journey arriving in the WPRK studios shortly after returning from Christmas break of my freshman year (actually, I think I still have that LP in my collection, complete with the Columbia DJ label on the front and WPRK J-# scrawled on it in magic marker).  I saw Greg Rolie's name as a member (I was a major Santana fan) and it immediately hit the turntable.  Ah, man, great rock/jazz fusion, and awesome guitar work.  What, you say, the guitarist played with Carlos, too, and was tossed because he was too good (well, that was the rumor of the day)?  Eric Clapton had asked this kid to join Derek & the Dominos and he said no?!  Are you kidding me?  I end up playing the entire album and knew I had to get this on tape for the roommate as soon as I could.  I walk back into the album library to file it away and WHAT?  There were two earlier albums by Journey already there!  So in February 1977, I become a Journey ambassador on WPRK, playing at least two tracks a night on my radio shows that freshman year.  The next semester saw the debut of the Mad Rocker nickname, and the music of Journey was a constant on my radio program.  I opened many a show with the instrumental "Kohoutek" from the debut record. 

The new album "Infinity" arrived early 1978, and there was an immediate difference in the music.  New singer added, more pop arrangements, and the new producer was Roy Thomas Baker, mastermind for the Queen records.  Yep, layers.  As fate would have it that year, I was unable to play baseball due to ligament damage in the elbow of the pitching arm, and thus able to actually have a Spring Break.  I went home to Tennessee and my sister (really love her for this one) gave me tickets for my birthday to see Journey in the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville.  Maybe 1500 people at the show.  Opening act was some new band out of California.......hmmmm......who was it.......wait, it's comin' to me......oh, yeah, Van Halen.  I bought their debut record a few weeks earlier immediately after hearing "You Really Got Me" on the radio, so I was ready.  The middle act of the bill was Ronnie Montrose supporting his solo debut "Open Fire."  Can you understand why this ranks as one of my greatest concert experiences of all time?  After Ronnie, the house lights go down and "Kohoutek" blasts from the speakers, the entire track.  As soon as it finishes, curtains open and the original Journey lineup smokes through three early songs.  Greg Rolie then introduces the newest member of the band, and Steve Perry shyly slips onto the stage.  Life as I knew it changed.  Ninety minutes later, after most of Infinity and two encores, the house lights go up and I saunter down to the stage with my guitarist friend, Steve Cunningham (RIP), to check out Schon's gear.  There are about thirty people hanging around the front of the stage when Perry comes back out and asks us if we'd like to hear another song or two.  "Oh, no, Steve, that's OK, the lights are up and you guys don't really have to..."  So we are treated to about ten more minutes of music while the roadies are standing around with this "I-don't-believe-this-shit" look on their faces.  I will never forget that night. 

Oh, yeah, right, the new album.  Initial reviews spoke of a return to the band's early work, that "Eclipse" was guitar dominant.  Intrigued, I made the buy.  I had not purchased anything since the initial breakup in 1987.  None of the reunion/reformation stuff ever passed muster.  2008's  "Revelation" went to #5 on Billboard, but I felt it was more of a gimmick...a marketing success, but a gimmick nonetheless, considering the well-known story of how their new vocalist was enlisted.  But this new album is just that, a brand new album.  Not one that mines old territory for the sake of a tour, like the Blondie record, but an honest effort at creating something new and viable today.  "Eclipse' leaves no doubt as to who this band belongs to.  It's Neil Schon's record and it's 75% rock guitar.  Jonathan Cain has to be a bit disappointed because he's basically just ridin' the bus.  His keyboards are secondary...nope, third on the depth chart behind the guitar and the vocals for this album (just hang on, JC.  The tour should be keeping you in the green). 

Overall, I'll say this album has a couple of filler tunes, a whole bunch of good songs, and two great tracks.  A couple are just plain nasty, down & dirty rock.  "Chain Of Love" could be an Ozzy or Ronnie James Dio track, or maybe a Joe Lynn Turner-fronted Rainbow song.  If "Resonate" isn't the next single, it's only because most people don't know the meaning of the word.  "To Whom It May Concern" could have been a vintage, late-70's Kansas hit. 

I'm here to tell you, Kevin G.,  had "Eclipse" been released thirty years ago, it would have been a multi-platinum album that even you would have loved...

Blondie "Panic Of Girls"

So here is a post by Ye Olde MadRocker of a record that hasn't hit the shelves (boy, is that outdated slang) in the United States.  I know, I know, I can hear you purists screaming "Don't be like all the other hacks out there, we like waiting months for your wisdom..."  It comes out here next week, but it was released digitally overseas at the end of May.  I bought it in early June (so technically, you have

been waiting nearly three months, purists).  It was physically released on July 4 in Europe and now we get it.  The record has been in the can since last year, and here is proof from an A&E program nearly a year ago...

Yep, that's sixty-something Debby Harry with Chris Stein and Clem Burke (ie. the old guys) playing live.  Loved one of the comments at the bottom of the video wanting to know who Debby's plastic surgeons were!  Granted, the studio cleans up some of the vocal mis-steps here, but all-in-all, there's no doubt it's Debby Harry singing, though the mix has her slightly treated and buried at times.  "Panic..." is eleven possible singles, most following the tried-and-true formulas of earlier smash hits that defined New Wave some thirty-odd years ago.  I guarantee you will say, "That sounds like 'The Tide Is High'," or "This reminds me of 'Heart Of Glass'," or something of the like on almost every track.  There are the songs sung in French and Spanish, just like the old days, too.  My two favorite tracks occur in the middle of the record.  #6 is "Love Doesn't Frighten Me", and for me, an obvious single, and track 7, "Words In My Mouth" made me think of Missing Persons for some reason and has a great line, "I've got an appetite for seduction."  Still got it, haven't you, DH?

"Panic Of Girls" doesn't break any new ground like the "No Exit" record from the end of the last century, but it certainly preaches to the massive worldwide choir, should any of them listen.  It hasn't burned up the European charts, but with a little support here, it may start the fire.  If you are ready for a good New Wave album in 2011, "Panic..." should be the one for you. 

Nazareth "Big Dogz"

I've got eleven Nazareth albums in the collection, so yeah, me likes.  I found it hard to believe there was a new recording when I saw this.  The drummer had passed away and vocalist Dan McCafferty must be in his mid-60's, and that rasp of his COULD NOT possibly hold up after squalling like that for decades.  Jeez, I saw them live in the late-70's at the Orlando Jai-Alai fronton when McCafferty had to sing from a chair due to falling off the stage at the previous show in Miami.  Didn't stop him from wailing and swiggin' from a bottle of Jack all night. 

So I pulled the trigger on this release the moment I saw it and was encouraged by the brief samples I played.  Unfortunately, after plowing past the first thirty seconds of the songs, the musicianship was so simplistic I thought Dan had his grandchildren playing with him.  You know, those awkward teenage years when you first attempt to play guitar...whew, disappointing to say the least.  He sounded great vocally, though, rivaling and besting Brian Johnson's squeal with ease, but AC/DC has a guitarist who can still play, Naz doesn't. 

The songs themselves are typical Nazareth tunes, albeit from an older-age viewpoint.  The obvious single called "Radio" reminisces about DJ's and old songs being your friends from yesteryear.  Another asks, "Was it really that easy back then?"  Then there's the pissed-off, old fart bitching of "Lifeboat", which dogz Big Government, "Look at those clowns, screwing around."  Hey, Tea Party, I have your theme song for next year...  And then there is this track, "When Jesus Comes To Save The World Again", a dig at the hypocritical religious types who prey on the stupidity of some humans, certainly one of the three selections I will keep from "Big Dogz."  Well, that's two of the keepers so I'll go ahead and add the other one.  When I got to this song for the first listen, it's #10 of 11, I was at home for my dad's funeral, and I sat in the car with tears in my eyes...



It struck me as a truly heartfelt delivery by Dan Mc, and if you go to the YT site, you'll see the comment at the bottom for its origin.  Yeah, I get it...

So to sum it up, I wish this had been a McCafferty solo and not one wrapped in the Naz jacket.  He is the star of this show and deserves the credit.  Heck, sell some of these songs and let another artist/band have a go at them.  Plenty of worthy options.  As the record ended, there is a looped line in the fade that kept repeating, "It's all a joke to you, isn't it?"  I don't believe it was, but it did cast a shadow of doubt...

David Lowery "The Palace Guards"

I have been a fan of Mr. Lowery since 1989 when he was in his Camper Van Beethoven suit.  The "Key Lime Pie" album was brilliant.  Next came the Cracker days, and hits such as "Low", "Get Off This", and "Sweet Thistle Pie".  Even the two Cracker albums from the last five years were fantastic.  Great live band, too. 

So now we come to his first solo record ever, nearly thirty years into his career.  Not much different from a Cracker release, maybe a vein of worldliness added to the wit/humor/satire, and of course, that unmistakable voice.  The following is an apt example:

Put this record on and you will love it... if you're a fan.  Turn it up and play it again.  You will enjoy the unique instrumentation, a la CVB, and for those of you who enjoy a party favor or two, you will dig the studio tricks and effects. 

Is "Palace Guards" outstanding?  Nope.  Should I receive a request for some D. Lowery at the house, I would probably grab a selection from one of the bands, not the solo.  Doesn't mean it isn't any good.  I have a seat squarely in the middle of the choir he's preaching to...

The Civil Wars "Barton Hollow"

Bought this record several months ago and promptly buried it underneath a pile of paperwork.  Started hearing the title track on a regular basis from our U-Verse Adult Alternative channel.  Kept thinking I had it somewhere but could never seem to locate it.  Finally cleared some of the in-basket and "aha"!  There it is...

After several spins, I've decided I'll keep it, but only after seeing several live videos on the Internet.  You savvy YouTubers will notice I search for things with a few thousand views or less, not the ones in the hundreds of thousands.  Case in point, this was the song that brought them to the mainstream, but this version comes from this year's Sundance festivities.  There is an obvious connection between these two disparate musicians, and it's infectious.  Search for some of their Michael Jackson covers, or even the Smashing Pumpkins one, and you'll see what  mean. 

This record is acoustic/folk/Americana, and occasionally a couple of steps closer to Country.  They trade vocals more than share them.  If you find the album to be pretty and alluring, yet you want a bit more of a challenge, then get one of the releases from Angus & Julia Stone.  Far more dramatic and involved.  As a matter of fact, they are the second most searched artist on my blog (any guesses on #1?).  If just half of the people who put "Barton Hollow" into the Top 15 on Billboard's Albums chart would listen to the Stone siblings, I'd guarantee you'd see a domestic breakthrough for the Aussies. 

Blackfield "Welcome To My DNA"

This is one of the side projects of Steven Wilson of Porcupine Tree, one of my favorite discoveries of this century.  Much like Joe Bonamassa, Wilson is always working on something.  Blackfield is his collaboration with Israeli artist Aviv Geffen, a controversial star in his native country.  "...DNA" is their third release, and from my notes I call it "PT-lite" and "Pretty Porcupine".  Well, "pretty" is not a proper descriptive as far as lyrics are concerned.  It's a rather dour record from that aspect.  For example, one track is called "Go To Hell", and that's one of the three repeated lines included.  The other two are "F*#k you all" and "I don't care."  Man, I've missed my calling... 

This was the initial single release when the album dropped this past Spring...

A very good song in the PT vein.  One track even hinted at Coldplay.  "...DNA" is much more acoustic than PT, no monster guitar riffs to speak of, more piano and light keys.  In several reviews I saw Pink Floyd mentioned.  Well, hell, that's a major portion of Porcupine Tree anyway.  Wilson has always professed his love for the music of the late 60's and early 70's. 

The best description I found for this record is one I will hang my hat on all day: 
MAJESTIC SIMPLICITY

Hot Tuna "Steady As She Goes"

That's correct, a NEW album.  First one in more than twenty years.  Jorma Kaukonen is seventy years-old and Jack Casady is sixty-seven.  And they're still touring.  Well, at least Jorma is, as Jack has done all he wants to do for now, playing only a few choice dates in the future.  I had my chance to see them here August 4, but I ended up working instead.  When I went to my Facebook page late that night, I found a message from an hour before the show saying I had been added to the guest list.  Well, damn...

I was never a big Jefferson Airplane fan, and only got into Hot Tuna as a freshman in college, on the tail-end of their run in the 1970's.  Picked up Jorma's solo record releases through my college days and maybe one or two during my Sound Shop/Music 4 Less years.  The man has a tremendous guitar technique and a voice unique.  But again, I was never one of the faithful fans.

Which is probably why I enjoyed "Steady...".  For the card-carrying fan-clubbers and their high expectations, this album has been a letdown.  Come on, people, the guys are +/- 70 freaking years old!  Of course it's a laid back release!  Here's Jorma at his famed Fur Peace Ranch doing one of the songs from "Steady..."



No more thunderous bass lines from Casady, but plenty of clean pickin' from Kaukonen, and that distinctive voice.  There's also the obligatory female harmony vocalist, just like the days of yore.  The songs aren't legendary or mind-blowing, but they are good.  My favorite, but the one the devoted following seem to hate the most, is track 11 of the contained 12, "If This Is Love (I Want My Money Back)".  I found myself singing along by the end of my first listen.  It's the best song John Hiatt never wrote.  The closing track is one of those patented instrumentals that livened up many of the earlier recordings, finger-pickin' goodness. 

 I will add this record to my collection, but I doubt it will be one I'll reach for again anytime soon.  If I do, odds are it will be to fool a Hiatt fan. 

Deep Purple "Phoenix Rising"

Everybody has an artist or band which excites them so much that they'll buy their album full of various fart noises, belches, etc. (Me?  I have several that qualify).  Deep Purple is one of mine.  As a 10-year-old, I was a fan of Hush, Help, and Kentucky Woman.  Then Ian Gillan joins on vocals and you get Child in Time, Space Truckin', Highway Star, and Woman From Tokyo.  Oh, yeah, and Smoke On The Water.  Then comes Lineup #3 (MKIII) with an unknown singer in David Coverdale, along with Glenn Hughes of Trapeze.  Maybe because I was a little older (16) and wiser (questionable), the two albums that followed, Burn and Stormbringer, were my favorites.  Then Ritchie Blackmore exits the band and Tommy Bolin steps in to fill what arguably could have been the biggest six-string shoes of the time.  Bolin had established himself with his work on Billy Cobham's "Spectrum" album and by also filling in for two albums with the James Gang after Joe Walsh left the band.  MKIV only produced one album, "Come Taste The Band", and it may be one of my Top 10 albums of ALL TIME!  Bolin was simultaneously working on his first solo release at the same time, pulling double duty in the studio.  Those of you who know me are aware of my passion for the work of TB, all of it.  He played uncredited leads on a couple of tracks by a Canadian band called Moxy.  He played with another jazz drummer, Alphonse Mouzon.  I own box sets, live albums, outtakes, etc..  So imagine the joy that filled my heart when I saw this DVD/CD release featuring live cuts from MKIV.  I already owned the CD of the rehearsals Deep Purple had after Bolin joined, culminating in many of the tracks on "Come Taste...".  So now I would possess a concert recording of one of the greatest, albeit brief, rock lineups ever in "Phoenix Rising." 

The disc opens with "Burn."  The only other live recording I can think of with an opening number of such power and energy was Grand Funk Railroad's "Caught In The Act" from 1975, which opened with "Footstompin' Music."  The next two tracks are from CTTB, one being "Love Child", written by Coverdale and Bolin.



Next is the obligatory "Smoke On The Water", but late in the song the band segues into a version of "Georgia On My Mind", sung by Hughes.  Blackmore would have never allowed that to happen!  Next comes a very good version of "Lazy" from Machine Head.  Then we get a track from Bolin's solo album, which is something that must have been agreed upon when he joined the band, one track a night on stage.  Following that is the closing track from the CTTB record, and the CD ends with a 9+ minute version of Stormbringer. 

For the faithful, like moi, this is a wonderful addition.  However, not all was rosy at the time of these recordings.  Bolin had become quite the heroin user, and it showed here, as his fretwork wasn't up to his capability.  However, this allowed the rest of the band to shine, especially Jon Lord and his keys, as he normally took a back seat to Blackmore's talents in the previous lineups.  Another fault was the attempt at Gillan screams by Coverdale and Hughes.  Ouch... No one could replicate that howl.  The only other downer was the version of "Smoke...Water".  It was downright painful as it was obvious that none of the new guys wanted to play it, but knew they had to. 

You could see and hear the development of Coverdale as a singer and songwriter.  He went on to have a nice career with Whitesnake, but do yourself a favor if you're a blues fan and search out any of the pre-Slide It In recordings (he even covered Bobby "Blue" Bland!).  And who knew that Hughes would survive his own drug demons to be the legend he is today, thirty-six years later (if you haven't heard Black Country Communion 2 yet, you're missing possibly one of the greatest rock/metal albums in years, post to follow soon).  Bolin recorded a second solo after DP broke up, and went out on tour supporting Jeff Beck.  I was a freshman at college, and a friend of mine had tickets to see the show in Tampa on a Sunday night, but I had my radio show on WPRK and opted against going.  We found out late that night that Tommy had died from an overdose the day before, just after the previous stop in Miami.  When I saw my buddy the next morning at breakfast, he had no idea that Bolin had died.  They made an announcement at the concert that he would not be appearing and the Jan Hammer Group played an extended set to cover.  Wow... I will never forget the look on my friend's face when we told him why.  Bolin was 25 years old. 

Deep Purple is now on its eighth edition, touring with a 38-piece orchestra.  Gillan, drummer Ian Paice (the one constant through all the various personnel changes), bassist Roger Glover (gone only during Hughes' three-record tenure), Don Airey on keys replacing the semi-retired Lord (who recently announced he is battling cancer), and Steve Morse on guitar.   Stilll quite the formidable group.  One report hints of a new album, another wonders why bother.  If it happens, I'll own it, even if resembles group flatulence.