Ray Wilson & Stiltskin "Unfulfillment"

Does the name ring a bell with you, too?  It did with me but why?  I wasn't sure, but I gave it a sample listen and it rocked enough for the purchase.  As the first spin progressed, I kept scratching my head in search of the clapper that was hitting that damn bell in there, but to no avail.  I gave up and went to the computer, and yes, there it was.  Wilson was the poor schlub who was picked to replace Phil Collins' voice in Genesis in the mid-nineties.  Some of you may remember "Calling All Stations", but I doubt any would say it was an impressive release.  Maybe Mike Rutherford and Tony Banks thought he sounded like Peter Gabriel, but I didn't get it.  What it did for me, however, was make me go back to Wilson's band Stiltskin's first album, which we had some success selling in our Music 4 Less location.  There was an ad campaign in Britain that featured a track which became a hit, so when the UK tourists on holiday in Orlando kept asking, I kept ordering.  The record wasn't bad, either, though it sounded too much like Smashing Pimpkins (intentional...never liked them) for me.  Best thing about it was Wilson's voice, a gravelly, husky, brooding style. 

Wilson kept pluggin' along after the Genesis debacle (that's harsh...it actually sold fairly well), mostly as a solo act before reforming Stiltskin a few years ago.  This current album, too, is only available here as an import, but it's pretty darn good.  Here is the first video...

This is mainstream, power-pop, arena rock a la

Bon Jovi/Goo Goo Dolls/Nickleback/Train/Daughtry/Collective Soul/ 3 Doors Down/et al.

Somewhere in the second half of the album, I heard him sound like Iva Davies and latter-day Icehouse recordings.  The video below is an unofficial production of what is one of the best songs on the record, the last track, actually...

That should give you an idea of the strength of "Unfulfillment."  The hooks get under your skin (hey, a pun) quickly, and you'll find yourself singing along with the choruses.  My only suggestion is to listen to just half of it at a sitting.  A full sixty-minute session breeds a sameness that doesn't deserve to detract from this fine recording.

Bombay Bicycle Club "A Different Kind Of Fix"

This is the third of the trilogy of new bands I decided to buy in my effort to locate the "next big thing." The first two, Veronica Falls and The War On Drugs, were satisfying on different levels, but neither were "it."  Bombay Bicycle Club aren't "it" either, but certainly much closer.  To be honest, I chose Veronica Falls and BBC because they received the stamp of approval from fellow WPRK DJ of days-gone-by-that-happened-at-a-previous-time-historically-speaking-of-course, Gene Pembleton, who does "two hours of pure unadulterated UK musique called 'The British Breakfast' on WRIR 97.3FM--Richmond, VA Independent Radio."  For ye like me, a lover of British tunes, there is a podcast schedule available here. 

I was a little confused on my first listen, but it became clearer  on the second.  It's another addition to the many that seem to be based in 80's New Wave.  I kept finding myself elevating the volume on subsequent spins, hoping to capture the one band that was buried in my brain under three decades of music that kept trying to peek out.  My first recommendation would be to fans of The Editors, as BBC has a similar musical structure, but a more danceable, happy tone.  Still couldn't get that Eighties band to surface...is it Spandau Ballet?  Nah, that's not it.  Thompson Twins?  Yeah, that's in there a few spots, but still not the little nagging sound in my cobwebbed mind.  Ooh, one of my favorite tracks held a Hunters & Collectors ring to it, and that's always a good omen for me.  I still, however, couldn't peel back the layers to reveal the mystery band that was haunting me.  Here, try this one and tell me what you hear...



A-ha!  No, that's not the band I was thinking of, it was OMD.  Their pop heyday sound is an underlying influence through much of "...Fix", but it's not overt. 

I've since found out that BBC is a very young group, barely in their 20's, from the London area and "...Fix" is already their third full-length release.  Apparently, the second went Top 10 in the UK and now "...Fix" has eclipsed that chart position and landed on several other European charts as well.  Why the hell haven't I heard of them before?  And there you have the beauty of discovery, even for my age demographic.  For you younger whipper-snappers, I've seen BBC recommended to fans of Vampire Weekend.

Can't call it "indie" in my book since they are on a major label, but "alternative" will suffice.  "...Fix" is worth the $8, and I will keep an ear out for BBC in the future.

Blitzen Trapper "American Goldwing"

Investigated this band a couple of years ago when I kept seeing their name pop up on several "2008 Best Of" lists for their album "Furr."  I liked the playful, alt-country vibe and chalked it up as a nice find worthy of future consideration.  When 2010's "Destroyer Of The Void" dropped, I immediately acquired it and was blown away by the opening track, a journey into prog-rock that was nowhere to be found on "Furr."  "Destroyer..." was more complex and rockin', with only a few hints of the Americana sound from earlier.  I loved it, but alas, the band's fan base was less than enamored with the stylistic shift, and it showed when the band came to Orlando in support.  Sales reflected it as well, as the record never cracked the Top 200. 

Saw this album on the huge September release list but didn't acquire it until late November.  I don't know how or why this post ended up being the last of the lot, but it has.  What the delay gave me was time to read up on it before listening.  Probably one of the main reasons I pushed this aside for a while was "southern rock" was a common descriptor through many of the reviews.  It was difficult for me, a Tennessee boy who grew up with Barefoot Jerry and the CDB in the 70's, to fathom a "southern rock" record in 2011 from a band from Portland, OR!  And once I started spin #1, I knew I was right.  Figured most of the reviewers were from the Northwest and weren't even born in the 70's!  No way "American Goldwing" is a southern rock album, not even close.  Just because there is more countrified instrumentation coupled with lyrics similar to "drinkin' whisky through his teeth"?   That does not make it "southern."  What it does do is bring the album's sound back to what their fans demanded, albeit a hair more country (not southern), and they have responded by making it their biggest seller yet.  

I like it...it's a keeper...but I'm not as thrilled with it as the previous two...

The War On Drugs "Slave Ambient"

Deliberately set out to find three new-to-me indie artists, and this was number two, the first being Veronica Falls.  The War On Drugs was the only domestic choice as they are based in Philly.  "Slave Ambient" is their third full-length offering.  I read of some Bob Dylan influence, and though that comparison hasn't ever moved me ('cept maybe to the toilet), I went ahead with the samples and found the new-wavish atmospherics intriguing enough for the purchase.  As the spins began, I didn't hear the Dylan as much as I heard Tom Petty, and hell, one of the tracks could have been Bryan Adams singing!  One of the other names to pop into my head due to the vocals was T-Bone Burnett (no kidding, he has a number of solo albums, most of which are deserving of your attention).  For a group dynamic, oddly enough, the two bands from the past I heard in this recording were also domestic, with one being derided for having a vocalist with a "whine-y, Dylan-esque voice."  That band was called The Nobodys, a one-album, no-hit wonder who deserved much, much better.  They even got the prestigious, final-song placement in a Miami Vice episode, usually an immediate sales booster for that era, but not in their case.  Here is a link to one of the two videos made in support of their album.  Do yourself a favor and play all four on this channel, including my favorite, "The Gang On Fortune Hill."  The other band was Suburbs, and I have to give you this link, too, as a historian (sorry, Newt).   Oh, yeah, there was another, more recognizable group that I heard on this selection, which is by far the best song on "Slave Ambient"...

Anybody else hear early-80's U2 besides me?  You've even got the "whoot-wooo" chant in it. 

The album has been out almost six months with just a hint of notice here and in the UK.  It has caught a second wave of sales this month, so I take that as a good sign for them.  For me?  I'll go back to the listed 80's bands of my mid-20's.  Heck, I have two Suburbs recordings in the Top 500 CDs racks in my office!  But now I really want to hear the Nobodys album, which means I have to buy a turntable or go on a treasure hunt in my cassette storage...

Jane's Addiction "The Great Escape Artist"

I had written them off after the lousy comeback album in 2003.  Then I saw a concert video from their reunion tour of a couple of years ago and was mighty impressed.  What, you say, a new record?  Well, let's crack the door and sneak a peek...

About halfway through spin #1 I have to shut it off because I was confused.  A day or two later the second half seems to clear up a bit, so I slide it forward in the rotation for a quicker return.  Spin #2 produces more recognition of their direction and spin #3 solidifies its purpose.  This isn't JA of old, this is an older JA, more radio-friendly as a whole, sort of pop-ish and maybe even a tad danceable?!  Did I really just say that?  I truly like this new model JA...



Perry Ferrell has never been accused of being a great singer, but he is truly a unique vocalist, utilizing enough treatments and effects to process his voice into an instrument.  Actually, at times throughout the album, he was hardly recognizable.  Had I not known it was JA, I would have never been able to guess.  Other CA bands since JA's original demise in '91 crept into my psyche while listening to this album.  I noted STP and Velvet Revolver as well as one of my favorites, Dredg.  Some connections are real; ie. Duff McKagen was a fill-in for a while and has a couple of co-writing credits; the Dredg connection......I just wonder what the order is.  Probably the main influence for this record's adjustment was the contribution of TV On The Radio member, David Andrew Sitek.  He gets the rest of the co-writing credits and had to have major input across the board.  TVOTR is so eclectic...I believe his inclusion was a decision wisely made. 

The album has been out a little over three months with two featured tracks, the video above and the record's opener.  Mark my words, the hit is "Curiousity Kills", so guys, put this out next.  I've got to tell you, these compact little rock tunes have a lot of meat on the bone, so to speak, so get your brain floss out 'cause you'll need it to get the hooks out of your head...

John Wetton "Raised In Captivity"

If his moniker doesn't ring a bell then some of these should; Family, King Crimson, UK, Uriah Heep, Roxy Music, and.........oh, yeah, Asia.  Wetton has been around a long time and will continue this year on a limited tour with UK, the short-lived supergroup of my late 70's 'PRK Mad Rocker days.  The players who joined him for "...Captivity" mostly hail from those listed associations; Mick Box, Geoff Downes, Eddie Jobson, Tony Kaye, Sreve Hackett and Steve Morse.  Now that the namedropping is complete, I must say that, unfortunately, the record sounds like it's done by a group of sixty-somethings who've never quite lost the past.  If that's your bag, you will enjoy the album as a whole, but I doubt it will appeal to a younger demo.  I cast around the Internet looking for a video to play, but all I could find was the album cover and title track until searching for the final song of the record, "Mighty Rivers," one of the three keepers.  Up pops this video where the song is tied to the movie "Melancholia," a Czech Republic sci-fi drama that many movie critics listed as one of 2011's best films.  I can't confirm if the song is in the movie, but this is well-done and woefully under viewed...


With Kirsten Dunst in the movie, I don't care how depressing it may be.  She is amazing.  It also stars Kiefer Sutherland and a name that Americans should become familiar with soon enough, Charlotte Gainsbourg.  Besides numerous film credits, she also boasts a couple of solo albums, including a full-length collaboration with Beck almost two years ago to the day.  Beck was a fan of Charlotte's father, Serge.  Wow, if you don't know who that is, please look it up.  Also learned the female voice featured on "Mighty Rivers" is Anneke Van Giersbergen, former lead vocalist for Dutch metal group The Gathering.  Her new solo album came out today, so be on the lookout for a post on it here in a few weeks (yes, weeks, as I have three more posts ready to be written and three new records in rotation already!). 

Oh, well, so I got a bit off-track, didn't I?  Still music related though...

Steven Wilson "Grace For Drowning" (18-track Deluxe Version)

This must be European-only because all I can find domestically is a 14-track deluxe edition.  I've done it again, haven't I?  No matter, buy whatever version you can my friends because this is THE NEW STANDARD FOR PROGRESSIVE ROCK!  I could tell that my normal listening environment (automobile) wasn't doing this justice, knowing this is nominated for a Grammy in the Surround Sound category (you laugh, KG, but you'll understand if you follow my advice).  This meant that I had to get Mrs. Rocker out of the house for more than two hours.  She had an overnight visit with friends scheduled and I anxiously awaited the day.  That evening, I properly prepared my ears with a mood enhancer and a rather large glass of TN whiskey, closed the windows and blinds so not to disturb the neighbors, planted myself in the middle of my system, elevated the volume knob and hit "play."  Since I wasn't driving and listening, I hand-wrote notes instead of dictating them.  The following is a verbatim copy of said notations:

track 1)  2 minutes of Beach Boys?

track 2)  Pink Floyd--King Crimson--this is Metal/Jazz/Grunge!--now it's Classical--wow, you really are "in" this record--there are enough vocal hooks to hold you thru the extended musical passages--party favours and LOUD!

(by the way, that was all within a seven-plus minute song)

track 3)  this could be a long Yes tune--deserving of the Grammy nom

track 4)  Art Of Noise--Propaganda--Alan Parsons--Frank Zappa--Led Zeppelin--great production

track 5)  HIT!--rock ballad--could be the Beatles or Klaatu--if you really must, Coldplay
if this album had come out in the 70's, it would be considered a classic today, like The Wall or Tales of Topographic Oceans

I would encourage the occasional smoker to DO SO!

track 7)  Phish--improvisational/avant-garde jazz--Zappa--Crimson--Fripp--Belew--Ozric Tentacles

track 8)  Parsons--Genesis?

track 9)  first one to sound like Porcupine Tree--this would f*#k with classic radio like the Sherinian record--Bodie Palmer, this is for you!



track 10)  somehow still sounds "warm"--this goes from The Wall to some classical/metal hybrid all in 4 minutes

Remember those college days when you were so stoned you were paralyzed?  This record would have been a perfect soundtrack...

track 11)  minor key classical--ah, now we go back to previous passages, yet different--Jethro Tull was never this heavy, nor was Steve Winwood/Traffic--Zappa again

Man, if you ever need a reason to catch a buzz, this is it...

Herbie Hancock--Rick Wakeman--Manfred Mann--whew, finally get to sit down for a minute--now it's the Cure--big finish @ 20 minute mark--but NO, there's three more minutes of this "Dazed & Confused" thing to close--oh, my...

track 12)  this could be a P Tree or Phish slow tune--now it's some sort of David Arkenstone New Age sound

track 14)  more Porcupine Tree

track 15) the Surround in this is incredible--is this what they call Math Rock?--I call it production genius...

track 16)  Jazz/Rock fusion--Tommy Bolin--Zappa--King Crimson--this a pure 6-minute workout!

(btw, Wilson recently completed Surround 5.1 remasters of some of KC's legendary records, hence the influence)

track 17)  "Space, the Final Frontier"

track 18)  demo version of  #11 23-minute opus--this one is more evil sounding--The The--Floyd--Yes--spacey Narada New Age--lazier, less urgent--you'd think listening to two versions of the same 20+ minute song would get old...nope

I am serious...this record is an EVENT, a CLASSIC!

Leslie West "Unusual Suspects"

Yep, he's still around and completely viable.  All the way from Mississippi Queen & Mountain with its various reformations, a decade long bout with substance abuse, a few solo recordings and guesting with anybody who would hire him.  Around the turn of the century, Joe Bonamassa comes calling for his services, and all of a sudden West is is demand.  Ted Nugent, former collaborator Jack Bruce, Ian Gillan, Ozzy, and Michael Schenker are among his fans and friends.  He never found much commercial success, but he kept on pluggin'. 

This record came out last September and I saw it on release sheets, but I wasn't motivated to investigate.  Mr. Kilts was kind enough to forward me a copy, and despite my preconceived notions, it's a keeper.  In my opinion, LW wasn't ever a flashy, notable picker.  His voice was more recognizable.  Yet, on this record, I first thought Dusty Hill of ZZ Top was singing since I knew Billy Gibbons was on board.  Other guests include Zakk Wylde, Steve Lukather, Slash & JB.  So the fretwork is obviously well-covered, the vocals are respectable, and the songs run the gamut of blues rock.  A comparison which popped into my brain during the various spins was Rickey Medlocke and his life between Blackfoot and Skynyrd.  I found this interesting video of LW & JB in the studio working on their joint effort for the album...



There is a track on the record where LW sings "Don't Call Me Legend."  I don't believe I will ever call him that, but he literally is a survivor.  I'm happy this record has been well-received in the Blues category with some decent sales to boot.  You owe it a listen...