Made this purchase based on the excellent "Snakes & Arrows" album from '07. That record caught me completely off guard, and I am an original fan, but not one of the rabid ones we all know about. First Rush tune I ever heard was "Working Man" while in high school in 1974. Owned everything released through the Mad Rocker days at Rollins and into the beginnings of my music retail career in the early 80's. Saw them live a couple of times, too. After "Signals" in '82, they lost me. The catalog through that decade were all Top 10 (or so) sellers, but I could not justify keeping a free promo copy of any. Their music in the 90's was perfectly forgettable yet they sold better than ever. Go figure. That's why "S&A" was such a shock, happening some 25 years after the band's last respectable release.
So I should have known better based on the history. Other hints were there, such as four live releases since "S&A." My initial notation on "Clockwork Angels" was"this just isn't good." Sure, there are some fine segments and each member still plays with precision, but all the positives never quite jelled on the same tracks. I love concept albums but this one was lost on me.
I understand how the clock on the cover at 9:12 could indicate 21:12 in military time, but they will never get back to those days again. Be happy with the influence you've had on prog-rock as a whole, but leave it to some of the younger guys now. If just half of the people who made this record a #2 release would listen to Steven Wilson's "Grace For Drowning," they would forget about "Clockwork Angels."
I first heard of the band Indigenous in the summer of 2000 when the promo CD arrived in the shop with Doyle Bramhall credited as producer/arranger. That was enough to immediately pop it in the store's sound system. "By gosh, that's pretty good," I thought, enjoying the bluesy rock guitar, the extra percussional element, and the husky vocals. Took a look at the inner sleeve and the band was thanking BB King, Double Trouble, Chris Duarte, Jackson Browne and the Indigo Girls, among others. Well, now, that was some heavy company. I had no idea I was holding their second studio album and that they had been a supporting act on tour with these fine musicians. So I made the effort to catch their stop at HOB shortly thereafter. A brief disclaimer: I was fortunate enough due to my line of work to see literally hundreds of shows, public and private, in the last thirty-some-odd years, and I've probably forgotten more of them than some of you have ever seen, but I'll never forget this performance. There was this young family (yep, siblings and a cousin, I think) of Native Americans on stage, the sister on drums, and big brother Mato out front singing and wailing on guitar. From his style and mannerisms, it was easy to see that he was a Stevie Ray Vaughan disciple. The band was also known to cover several Jimi Hendrix songs, just like SRV. I've read others connecting his style to Carlos Santana, but that eludes my ear. Allow me to present some evidence...
The family aspect of the band lasted a few more years before it basically became Mato's solo vehicle. He then committed the biggest musical mistake of his career by adding his new wife to the process. 2008's "Broken Lands" was an absolute turd of a record. Wifey co-wrote the material and there wasn't a circus elephant's poop bag big enough to catch the dung. And it had to be her idea to do an acoustic album of early Indigenous songs, including four of the rancid steamers she helped write. Son, let her sing a few bgv's, you can always bury those in the mix, but keep the pen out of her hand, please!
Which brings us to the current release. If you can ignore the lyrics, which any 5th-grader could have written, this is a pretty good album. Here is an official sampler from the label...
He's been winning new fans while out on the Experience Hendrix Tribute Tour, including Jonny Lang, whom you heard on the first piece of the video. One of the aspects I always liked about the family band was the added percussion and he's kept it here on this album. The drums get a nice prominent place in the mix, as well.
A breakthrough record this isn't, but it damn sure is an improvement over the last two.
It's been noted by many that Scissor Sisters isn't exactly the type of music the old Mad Rockeris usually associated. True for the most part, yet I've always had a place for "music you can dance to." That's not necessarily dance music, mind you. Back in the 80's, I made a series of tapes called "Assorted Maddance" which contains thousands of minutes of remixes, extended versions, etc. that I could put on at any DJ'ing gig to take a break, knowing the dance floor would not empty. For example, this is the track listing for MADDANCE (Vol XVII), circa 1986-87...
Damn, had to put it on...yes, with the hundreds of cassettes I have one MUST own a functioning player. But I digress...
Scissor Sisters first three albums are highly intelligent recordings full of "music you can dance to." It's dance music, for sure, but it was always more for me. Not "Magic Hour" though. This is strictly a dance album, not the one-beat-for-57-minutes kind, but it's lost the intellect which made SS the shepherd. Now they've become the flock, one of many instead of one of few. The previous album's post mentions the possibility of front man Jake Shears' eventual burn-out. Maybe it's begun. This was the first single...
Could have passed for Robbie Williams... Also noted a very Prince & Revolution sound at times (how appropriate, the Prince selection from the mix tape just started!), enough so that my sister picked up on it during an anonymous spin. I let her keep the CD.
I looked through a few reviews of this record and found mostly positives and the occasional one which didn't get it, like me. My take from "Magic Hour?" One single bonus remix. Uh oh...
Began the return trip home with a two-hour set from 2003 by The Hoochie Coochie Men featuring Jon Lord. I was well aware of this album and the one released a few years later, but I could never seem to locate a copy of either (until Bobbed Kilts Concerts came through). The Hoochie Coochie Men are an Australian blues ensemble that features Bob Daisley on bass. Yep, you know his name. I discovered him in 1976 with the band Widowmaker and then he joined Rainbow for a couple of years. Most of the world knows him from his association with Ozzy Osbourne and his string of hit albums through the 80's. During the off time from Ozzy, Daisley joined Uriah Heep for two albums, one being "Abominog," a truly underrated heavy metal record. He also found time to work with Gary Moore on seven albums and a couple of tours during a ten-year span, including the "Still Got The Blues" hit record in 1990. The HC Men formed at the turn of the century, releasing one studio album before teaming up with Jon Lord on an improvised tour of Australia. Legendary Cold Chisel vocalist, Jimmy Barnes, shows up on a couple of songs, one being the signature Willie Dixon tune...
I honestly believe that is the best version I've ever heard of this classic. The clip cuts off before Lord says, "We used to do that song in the first band I was ever in but our singer couldn't do it like that. I've got goosebumps on me goosebumps..." Me, too. Barnes appearance wasn't without cause as he and Daisley were working in a band called Living Loud, which included Steve Morse, Lee Kerslake of Uriah Heep and journeyman keyboardist Don Airey. Kerslake was also in Ozzy's band and he and Daisley co-wrote several of the classics you know today, like this one...
Damn, now I've got to look for this DVD...
Speaking of DVD's, the next two-plus hours was culled from Joe Bonamassa's concert at the Beacon Theater in New York last November. I see now where the CD version is scheduled to be released soon. Even with all the live stuff I have from JB, this is a keeper. He has Beth Hart come out for two songs from their collaborative album, John Hiatt for two more, and this rock legend for a pair...
If you haven't seen Mr. Bonamassa in concert, in person, he's always touring in some form or fashion. Playing a bigger venue here in a few months. May have to go again...
Headlining AutoRoo this year was Warren Haynes Band "Live At The Moody Theater," based solely on it's length (156 minutes). Top Bill plays the longest. This version of the WHB only has one album to its credit and it's certainly not two-and-a-half hours long! But by God, they put damn near every single track from that 66-minute record on here and then let people solo on top of that! Yeah, but that stills leaves space for a few of his earlier compositions and one Gov't Mule song, extended, of course. There is a Sam Cooke cover, another from Jimi Hendrix, and this one caught me by surprise...
Highlights of this concert, outside of Mr. Haynes' incredible talents, are the young lady on bgv and the man who can make a sax squeal.
If I had it all to do over again, I'd have finished with JB. The special guests would have much to do with it. Warren's set settled into a sameness more deserving of a set fifty minutes shorter.
Made another road trip last week back to Tennessee, albeit two months late for Bonnaroo, so I filled the cabin with my own personal festival for the ride. Live acts were provided by Bobbed Kilts Concerts and I scheduled the order of programming. For the northbound portion of the drive, the show opened with Chickenfoot.
Remember the days of general admission shows for major artists, you know, the ones with ten thousand ticket holders, not a couple of hundred? That's what this day reminded me of, the multiple act shows at the Lakeland Civic Center, circa 1978 or so. I haven't seen Chickenfoot as an ensemble, but I have seen each individual member in a live setting before. Therefore, let's hang back and enjoy from afar, allowing the party to rock happily in front of us with Sammy and the boys...
Next on the bill is another supergroup, Black Country Communion. By now I have elbowed my way down front for the experience. For any of you who are under the age of 35 and call yourself a fan of classic rock music, you need to love this band, you need to know who they are, because they are your generation's Led Zeppelin. There's a living legend on bass and lead vocals (sounding incredible for a sixty-year-old), a future legend on guitar, and the son of a legend on drums. Keyboardist is no slouch but he's no legend, though. Check out that bass in the clip. It looks 60, too. The Zeppelin references are obvious...
This was a 100-minute set of fine rock 'n roll...
Since you're already down front by the stage, you stick around for Gary Moore. Listening to this album was bittersweet, knowing he passed away seven months to the day after this performance.
He was returning to his heavy rock days of the late 70's/early 80's, introducing three new tracks of that ilk from an unfinished recording as well as playing about an hour's worth of gems from his metal glory days. You will see in the video that Moore had become a little thick (I don't recall ever seeing him that big) and at times during the show he struggled with his vocals on the older rock songs. Back in the old gen ad days, that's when I would have left the floor for a beer and/or buzz, then edge my way back down front for the final third of the set with the blues tunes he's famous for, "Still Got The Blues" and the show's finale...
Seeing the faces of some of the young people in attendance...it made me want to cry. It's as if they knew he wasn't going to be around much longer. Fifty-eight, overweight, most likely a much younger girlfriend, and a blood alcohol level of .40 will cause that massive heart attack. Guess he truly was just like his old buddy, Mr. Lynott.
OK, enough of the downer, it's time for tonight's headliner, Grammy Award-winning Tedeschi Trucks Band. This 106-minute set offers up a substantial portion of their "Revelator" album, but don't expect a note-for-note re-creation, no sir. Extended versions, for sure, but the band toys with the pacing and arrangements, and if you're on stage, you are going to get a feature solo, no matter the instrument. Even the well-chosen covers get a TTB makeover. It was a couple of minutes into the title track before I realized it was the song Harry Nilsson made famous! Trucks' guitar work makes every Southern rock fan stand up and cheer, but don't discount the Missus' fret work just because she's one of the best female vocalists in blues/rock today. There is some inspired lick swappin' happening throughout the show. This video doesn't prove that statement, but I have always loved this John Sebastian tune...
Did you see her face as she watched the slide solo late in the song? Best view in the house...
As darkness fell around me, this was a perfect closing set for Day 1 of AutoRoo.
Saw this on the charts and bought it immediately since it was an EP. Hall-of-Famers and all. First track of the four contained was pretty good...
Don't know what the hell they are singing about but who cares any more anyway. Remaining three tracks were just resting on their accolades. Doesn't bode well for the forthcoming full-length.
Yeah, I had to verify that this wasn't a compilation when I saw the title on the "new release" section of my favorite site. One must consider that a possibility for a band that formed before the Rolling Stones. As a matter of fact, Golden Earring has had the same lineup since 1970, no changes, no hiatus. "TNA" is studio album #25 and there are around ten more live and hits releases. I hopped on the "Radar Love" bandwagon with most of America when I was a sophomore in high school. Every time I hear that song I remember riding the old "yellow dog" school buses while on the baseball team. We'd play "Radar Love" just so David Davis would stand up wherever he was and launch into his incredible lip-synced version. I can still see it in my mind...
Golden Earring was a new band to us but "Moontan" was their ninth release! I stayed on the bandwagon for ten years, acquiring every album they put out during that span while America bought only the following three LP's before the thrill was gone. My favorite was "Mad Love (Contraband)"...Mad Love is comin', all over your walls..." The band hit the charts again with "Twilight Zone" from the "Cut" record in 1982. The song filled the dance floor in every bar/club I deejayed in. Still a classic rock radio staple today. The next album was my last one. I listened to the three that followed but didn't keep any of them. They lost me with the acoustic live albums. They were a ROCK band...no "unplugged" setting seemed to work.
I sampled "TNA" and was amazed how the band still sounded the same after all these years. After all three spins, I've decided to keep it. There isn't a "Radar Zone" on it but it's still got eight or more worthy songs, especially in the later half. One track hits a T-Rex lick, another sounds like Alice Cooper, and one more finds vocalist Barry Hay sounding like Gord Downie. Since it's not available in the States, I've been hard-pressed to find any quality videos to link. If you want to hear a couple, search for the album on YouTube. The only visuals will be the album cover, but play one or two. Click "Wanted By Women" and tell me how appropriate it is from the aging rock star's view.
If you are just a fan of "Twilight Love," then never mind. If you've ever been a fan of some of GE's deep tracks, you will be pleasantly surprised.
I have mentioned my "investigate" list on numerous posts and off-site I've been asked what it is. Well, I keep a running tally of artists with new recordings which haven't earned an immediate purchase. When I get a block of uninterrupted time I will sample as many as time permits. This last occurred a few days ago and I thought I would share what did not get added to the cart, just for you who queried...
Lit, Walk The Moon, Weird Dreams, Citizens!, Sleepy Sun, Lita Ford, Blues Traveler, Bobby Conn, Lola Kite, Passion Pit, Civil Twilight, Rocket Juice & The Moon, Blackmore's Night, Two Wounded Birds, Little Feat Those purchased will show up here eventually...
Allow me to thank Artamus Sumatra for bringing this young lady to my attention. He provided a RIYL for her while commenting on the Asteroids Galaxy Tour post in April. The name rang a bell but I doubt I had heard her music. Pulled up the well-received debut from 2008 and sampled a few tracks. The 80's influence was there in a spacey, open-air synthpop setting, not great but not bad, either. When I spotted the new album's release date in late May, I put it on my "investigate" list for the next available block of free time, which turned out to be weeks later in mid-June. I haven't removed it from the playlist since.
Back when radio stations had turntables, this was the type of record we used to say you could "drop the needle in any groove" and everybody would be happy. There are eleven (counting the hidden track) potential hits just waiting for your attention. To prove the point, the third official single has just been released...
...and two of my favorite WPRK DJ's (that would be you, Whitney and Amanda) have been spinning the album's opening track, which is not among the featured three. My favorite song isn't one of the singles, either...
What I get from that video is the songs translate well to the concert stage. There is more guitar on this album than the debut, resulting in a fuller sound. On early spins, I noted that the 80's influence wasn't as obvious, yet later listens allowed it to seep out. Somewhere in the middle of the third run through it hit me......Bangles! That should be Eighties enough for you.
I understand Artamus' comparison to AGT but "Anxiety" is stronger from start to finish. It's a bit of a stretch, but I think fans of LCD Soundsystem would appreciate this record. It's the album Garbage wishes they had made. I like it more than fellow New Zealander, Kimbra, and her album. It's certainly better than the Gotye release...
A few of my domestic readers will remember "Big Jet Plane" from a couple of years ago. Many more may know of the Stone siblings from a song in last year's Twilight movie, Breaking Bad...no... News...uh, no, Dawn. As much as I hate to admit it, that fact is most likely what is stirring international interest in the kids' solo efforts. Julia's has been out for two months and hasn't received a peep of notice in North America. Damn shame, too, because this is a fine record for a glass or two of wine in a quiet room or that light buzz from your favorite combustible while seated under headphones. Your music software will dub it "folk." I labeled it "Australiana" two years ago. "...Horns" is a subtle record with a few strings and horns included, and features Julia's fragile, breathy voice. One of my first notations suggested that Decemberists fans would appreciate this album. Stevie Nicks fans would understand why I declared this to be a lost Fartwood Mac song...
Ah, hell, look what I found. Can I call it or what?
The best track is a short song that opens with a Floyd-ish "Breathe" riff and morphs into Mr. Young's "Down By The River," inclusive of the wild-ass guitar ramblings at the end.
"By The Horns" gets better with repeated spins, a sign of an educated recording. The only negative is its length (38 minutes) and price. Why is it $3 more than label mate and brother Angus' 61-minute set of brilliance?
More than seven years of professional radio experience and over twenty years in music retailing have provided many opportunities to introduce friends, family, co-workers and customers to great music in four different decades. Out of the biz now for more than five years, I still seek out new music to add to my enormous collection. Most in my age group gave up on finding new music years ago. To quote a line from Crack the Sky, "Why don't they make music for us anymore?" Well, they do, and I share my discoveries in a manner that is intended for those who know me, but can be appreciated by you who do not. I am not a reveiwer paid to have a piece available upon a recording's release, I write only after several listens and sometimes several weeks of spins. Feel free to comment, suggest, and enjoy!
