Muzik Reviews

Foghat - Last Train Home (Ltd. Edition 2 LP Blue Vinyl)

Foghat decided to release their latest release Last Train Home (2010)in a double blue vinyl LP set. Original members Roger Earl (drums) and Lonesome Dave Peverett (lead vocals, guitar) had a dream to one day record an album of all blues standards. That reached its fruition but in Dave’s absence. The February 7, 2012 release date marks the 12^th anniversary of his passing. In tribute to their leader the band felt it was proper to give Lonesome Dave the nod once more. Roger Earl is the only original member now and he keeps those blues rock fires burning on this release and at all of their live shows, which I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying last April.

The lineup for the session was: Roger Earl (drums, background vocals), Charlie Huhn (lead vocals, lead guitar), Bryan Bassett (lead & slide guitar, background vocals), Jeff Howell (bass, background vocals), Colin Earl (keyboards), Lefty Lefkowitz (harmonica) and special guest Eddie ‘Bluesman’ Kirkland (vocals on “Good Day” & “In My Dreams”), who was lost in car accident in February 2011.

This edition of Last Train Home has a limited run of 1000, all painstakingly numbered by hand. Many years ago I heard that if you had colored or picture vinyl it would compromise the true sound of the recording. Well after listening to these smokin’ hot white boy blues I beg to differ. This current lineup has their chops down and the interpretations of legendary blues standards are exceptional. So now instead of one shiny diminutive disc or a digital download, you get 4 sides of superb blue vinyl to bring the house down. Speaking of rockin’ the house, Foghat do that from start to finish on this recording. I must make a special mention of Byran Bassett’s slide playing, it is literally on fire and he is fun to watch live. The slide is an essential element to bringing many of these classics to life.

Some tracks that really stand out are “Needle & Spoon,” “Last Train Home” and “495 Boogie.” “495 Boogie” is a perfect showcase of the aforementioned talents of this band. No words are needed as the boys make their way through this instrumental gem. It’s a good thing it was placed towards the end of the album because there is not anything after it that tops it. The only complaint I actually have is with “Feel So Bad,” nothing compares to, or ever will, to the original on the Rock and Roll album (the one with the self-explanatory picture of a rock and roll side by side). They way that album opens with “Ride, Ride, Ride” followed by that blues burner with Lonesome Dave belting out the words, well I always loved that album and that track. I guess its more of a personal feeling rather than a critical point of view. The music is very good, as it is throughout, it’s just those vocals of Lonesome Dave, with no pun intended - makes the track sound ‘Lonesome’.

The last two tracks are pretty special, with Eddie Kirkland adding his masterful touch. The stinging guitar playing reminded me of B.B. King. ‘In My Dreams” and “Good Good Day” end the album with mixed emotions knowing yet another blues brother recorded some of his last tracks. Although sad I think they gave the man his due.

I could go on forever about Foghat and this album but why give it all away? Pick this up before they disappear and while you can get it at an affordable price, $19.99. Who knows, a few years from now you could see it on EBay for $100 or more?

Key Tracks: Needle & Spoon, 495 Boogie, Last Train Home

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

February 17, 2012

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Motorhead - The World Is Ours Vol. I-Everything Further Than Everyplace

How many bands have existed for 35 years? Obviously The Who and The Rolling Stones come to mind, but their classic rock sound lends their music more accessibility. Motorhead’s music is much more brash, in–your–face, and therefore less palatable to many listeners. They typically aren’t mentioned at first when talking about band longevity. Yet since 1975 they have never stopped making music and putting countless miles of touring under their belts.

Lemmy Kilmister (Vocals, Bass), Phil Campbell (guitars), and Mickey Dee (drums) are a special group of heavy metallers. Their brand of rock n’ roll cranked to eleven isn’t quite like anything else that exists. It’s a sound that one either loves or hates, Lemmy’s voice being the kicker. But it’s also a very recognizable sound; when a Motörhead song comes on the radio, it’s not difficult to recognize it’s one of theirs. That is, until Lemmy’s voice comes in. Then it’s obvious.

They’re one of few bands that have crafted such a timeless sound that fans wouldn’t have it if it changed in any way. Take a look at this album’s title for a minute: The World Is Ours. This is a title that can only be used by a band that has cemented its place in rock history, as Motörhead has. This live concert recording shows well that they can still rock just as hard as anyone half their age, and that their songs still have the same power today as when they were first released.

The opener “Iron Fist” kicks the concert off at a hundred miles per hour, and the band doesn’t slow down. Even their most recent material, “Get Back In Line” for example, feels right at home amongst their classic hits like “Killed By Death,” “Ace Of Spades,” and the encore “Overkill” which closes the album in tremendous fashion. Mickey Dee’s drum solo in “In The Name Of Tragedy” is a fantastic highlight. Lemmy’s vocals sound dang good considering his age and the rock star lifestyle he’s had. Phil Cambell’s guitar playing has never been lackluster, and here it’s as good as it’s ever been.

This live album was recorded at a concert in Santiago, Chile to a packed soccer stadium audience, and one can sense the energy that was in the air. The production of this recording is fantastic; by nature it isn’t as good as anything from a studio, but as far as live albums go this is pretty great. There are also some live tracks from concerts in other cities, such as New York City and Manchester, England. As if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a live DVD recording of the Santiago concert, and if you’re willing to shell out a few more bucks, a few gift packs with lots of other goodies are available.

This might be an unfair review since I’m a huge Motörhead fan. But for a band to be playing as long as they have, to make music that impacted the world the way theirs did and stand the test of time, and to still crank out an awesome show despite getting older is something special. Longtime Motörhead fans might not find anything new here, but it’s still worth checking out. I like this album.

Key Tracks: In The Name Of Tragedy, Going To Brazil, Overkill

Daniel Erickson - Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 15, 2010

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Editors Note: The DVD is the highlight of this set if you enjoy Motorhead fan. It's in stunning black and white in a setting that is appropriate for heavy metal, South America! The fans there are full of energy and it is apparent everyone in attendance is a devoted Motorhead fan. Here is the track listing...

Track Listing DVD :

Santiago, Chile

01. Iron Fist

02. Stay Clean

03. Get Back In Line

04. Metropolis

05. Over the Top

06. One Night Stand

07. Rock Out

08. The Thousand Names of God

09. I Got Mine

10. I Know How to Die

11. The Chase Is Better Than the Catch

12. In the Name of Tragedy

13. Just ‚Cos You Got the Power

14. Going to Brazil

15. Killed by Death

16. Ace of Spades

17. Overkill

New York

01. Rock Out

02. The Thousand Names of God

03. Killed By Death (feat. Doro & Todd Youth)

Manchester

01. We Are Motörhead

02. Stay Clean

03. Be My Baby

04. Get Back In Line

05. I Know How to Die

06. Born to Raise Hell (feat. Michael Monroe)

Bonus Features:

Interview Santiago: 9 Minutes

Interview Manchester: 23 Minutes

Interview Atlantic City: 23 Minutes

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Girlschool - Hit and Run- Revisited

Girlschool is a timeless band that has been a cult classic since the 1980’s. Their members include Kim McAuliffe (Vocals/Guitar), Enid Williams (Vocals/Bass/), Jackie Chambers (Lead Guitar) and Denise Dufort (Drums). The band was originally formed as The Painted Ladies in 1975 and has had many evolutions and band member changes since. After over 30 years of playing with greats like Motorhead, Deep Purple, Iron Maiden, The Scorpions and Blue Oyster Cult, these ladies know how to rock it out and are still going strong. Hit and Run - Revisited is a look at their second album with two bonus tracks. “Demolition Boys” and a special “Hit and Run” redo with Doro from Warlock.

“Following The Crowd” is a thought provoking song about following trends and not having an original thought in your head. It mocks the status quo most people follow like mindless sheep. The guitar riffs in this song are classic and dare you to think for yourself and decide what music you like, despite what popular trends dictate. The lyrics are smoother than most on the album and cascade around you like acid rain.

“Hit and Run” is a gritty guitar working with growling lyrics that run fingers down your chest, trying to find a way to claw into your heart. The guitar riffs spit and howl their magic and the drums spiral you up into a frenzy of feeling. This piece is truly worthy of a title track. McAuliffe’s vocals are all teeth but as she leads you into the song, you don’t mind when she takes a chunk out of you. The new version with Doro (Warlock) has a slightly different feel, but one worth exploring. Her voice is more deliberate and a bit deeper than McAuliffe’s. The essential feeling of the song is the same; fierce guitar work and riffs, but the vocals feel a little slower. The addition of this track as a revisited piece was worth adding to the album.

“Demolition Boys” is the other bonus track. Breaking the silence with sirens and an explosion of drums and mad guitar playing, this song is an inferno of sound. McAuliffe’s growling vocals take you through scenes of destruction and guitar riffs that will raise the hair on the back of your neck. The drums create a cacophony of sound that marries well with the theme of the song. This piece was well worth the add.

Girlschool is one of the longest running all girl bands and there is a reason for it. These ladies have a holding power that seems to stand the test of time. Hit and Run: Revisited is a testament to how adaptable this band really is. With several band member changes and names over the years, they are still going strong. With the addition of the two bonus tracks, this 1981 classic album has some surprises in store. “Demolition Boys” is as fierce as it gets. The addition of Doro from Warlock and her vocals for “Hit and Run” was also a good addition to the album. It gives a different vocal flavor from the original, but very worth the listen. From the contemplative “Following the Crowd” to the epic “Hit and Run” you will love every second of this album. If you enjoy Joan Jett or The Runaways you will love Girlschool.

Key Tracks- Hit and Run, Following The Crowd, Demolition Boys

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 15, 2012

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F. E. D. - Awakening

F.E.D. is the intensely talented composer and pianist that hails from Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Awakening is his much anticipated debut album. Contributing artists include James Racine (violinist), Maureen Manoly (violinist), and singer Annelise Collette.

F.E.D. or Frantz Eddy Daniel Jr. has played with the Mini Orchestra, Little Chamber Orchestra and Holy Trinity Philharmonic Orchestra in Haiti. In 1997 he formed the New Age Trio but went solo in 2000 with a debut performance and a soundtrack for the Haitian play The Legend of Quisqueya. Since then, F.E.D. moved to New York where he pursued his degree in architecture from the City College of New York School of Architecture.

“Awakening” is the title track to this album and it is very much an awakening of the senses. Beginning with an electronica style, it quickly blends with a piano movement that spirals into the main body of the track. There is a multi-instrumentation here that is so perfectly arranged; it brought tears to my eyes. Listening to this piece is a window to this artist’s soul. Fiercely paced and swirling with colors and evocative emotions, this track is full of beauty, texture and sensation. It was a pleasant surprise and hooked me in to listen to the rest of the album repeatedly.

“Pays Lointain” is elaborate in the piano work and how the song is woven together. The harmonies here are water tight and flow soundly right to the last note. Piano, violin and a light ambient touch give this piece a texture that is unique and takes your mind on an inner journey that is rich with color and emotion. If music were a canvas, this piece would be a painting rife with color and all the drama of the human psyche.

“Moments In Time” is tentative at the onset. Delicate in the strokes of the piano keys and ambient sound, it tickles across your memories and brings to bear the frontlines of your fondest memories and thoughts held dear. This track is haunting in its way with ethereal ambient sound and piano coasting across the top like an elegant dust storm.

Awakening is a voyage of the senses. It is discovery of the human condition that is inspired by human evolution, civilizations and exploration. A blend of classical, New Age, world, electronic and contemporary music, this album is very much worth your time if you enjoy instrumental music. F.E.D. has done a stellar job of composing, arranging and producing this album. His work with humanitarian causes in Haiti and around the world exemplifies his devotion to his native soil and humanity as a whole. I will be watching for more from this artist. This album was a joy to listen to and behold.

Key Tracks- Awakening, Pays Lointain, Moments In Time

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 15, 2012

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Morgan Agren, Henry Kaiser, Trey Gunn - Invisible Rays

Swedish drummer Morgan Ågren has been performing publicly since he was 7 years old. His band Zappesteetoot, a Frank Zappa tribute band, was noticed by The Man Himself and Ågren was invited to join Zappa on a few projects in the states, accompanied by such notable names as Steve Vai. This was in the late eighties, and at that time I can conceive of no higher honor in music than being hand selected by the patron saint of absurdity to join His band.

American guitarist Henry Kaiser is counted among the first generation of “free improvisers,” which basically means he has no regard for the rules and conventions of sound, and is perfectly capable of making it up as he goes along. Proficient in many styles of music from jazz to rock to world to folk to “other”, he has quite an interesting and diverse resume. Kaiser spent two weeks in Madagascar recording traditional, regional music with local musicians, as well as several months in Antarctica working as a research diver and underwater cameraman. (His work in the Antarctic was incorporated into two of Warner Herzog’s films [The Wild Blue Yonder and Encounters at the End of the World], of which Kaiser was co-producer/score composer. His camerawork is featured in the video below.) Kaiser was also music producer for the Herzog film Grizzly Man, a film I enjoyed immensely because [SPOILER ALERT:] the protagonist gets exactly what’s coming to him.

American bassist Trey Gunn is a busy man. A member of King Crimson for nearly a decade, he has also performed and recorded alongside the likes of John Paul Jones, Eric Johnson, Pat Mastelotto and the gods of modern prog: Tool. His sound is easily characterized by his use of such unique instruments as the Chapman Stick and Warr guitar. Like Kaiser and Ågren, Gunn too founded his own record label.

Now that you know a little bit about each member (if you didn’t already), let’s discuss the music they have made together. Invisible Rays is exactly the sum of its parts. All three musicians are exceedingly proficient, professionally proficient, in what most might consider ‘weird music.’ Considering the collaborators background, the best comparison I can muster is a cross between King Crimson and Frank Zappa (Frank Crimson? King Zappa?), but that’s less for sound and more for style. If you like either of those two acts, you’ll like this, but probably just a bit less. The squeals of the Warr guitar are reminiscent of the trademark Fripptronic sound particularly on “The Last Guru,” and Kaiser’s noodle-y solos are Zappa-esque. The percussion I would describe as precision chaos. At times herky-jerky, at other times hypnotic; Ågren’s beats will lull you into a trance then snap you right out of it again.

What I like most about Invisible Rays is how often the guitars sound like anything but guitars. Their use of processing and effects is superb, particularly on “Ghost Red Wires.” I don’t know if they saved the best stuff last on purpose, or that by the B side of the album I’ve just become more dialed in to their frequency to appreciate it more. (OR I’ve become so numb to the absurdity that it seems more “normal” to me by this point. Either way, it gets more enjoyable, and definitely easier to listen to the further in you go.)

“Invisibility Clause” is the shining star on this record. Invisible Rays is an interesting, complex composition, but a lot of it you have to think hard about to comprehend (take the last half of “Secret Handshake With Danger,” for example, where things start to get weird around the minute and a half mark). “Invisibility Clause” is one you can lose your mind in; free yourself of counting and configuring and other tiring mental math processes trying in vain to chart the song and just go with the flow.

There are fewer fans more ardent and critical than those rooted firmly in the Zappa or/and Crimson cantonment, and having been a member of both, I can say that this release (and these musicians, whose dues have thrice been paid, at least) certainly makes the grade. Invisible Rays may not be for the meek. It scoffs at conventional contemporary musical archetypes. Listening to the whole record in one sitting is a test of endurance. For best results, immerse yourself in this album in an environment with limited distractions.

Key Tracks: Invisibility Clause, Ghost Red Wires, The Magic Ring of Invisibility

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 15, 2012

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Montresor - Daybreak

Melbourne, Australia is where Montresor calls home. This four piece band consisting of Cameron Piko and Anthony Bergantino (guitars), Dan Nathanson (bass) and Nick Tarajanovski (drums), released their self–funded debut album, Daybreak in December of 2011.

Montresor say their influences include Alcest, King Crimson, and Rush. Once you start listening to it, it becomes very easy to hear those influences. There’s plenty of spacey guitar work inspired by Alcest, complex time signatures and long jam sessions reminiscent of Prog greats Rush and King Crimson. It’s a very interesting combination that sounds, on paper, difficult to take in, but I think it works.

“Daybreak,” the opener and title track, is a short little intro that musically evokes its name. It’s a beautiful soundscape of a track. Between this track and the beginning of “Helios/Flight To the Moon,” it’s very easy to hear all their influences being used at the same time. “Medusa” is very progressive, but doesn’t speed up. The guitars’ distortion makes things a bit tougher, but not by much–that is, until about four and a half minutes in, when the groove and tempo are kicked up a notch and get to one step below progressive metal. “Longing” sounds like Daybreak Part 2, and thus is very pretty. “…To The Cosmos” kicks off at a fast rock tempo but retains the echo and delay from the guitars; it’s almost like two halves of the band’s brain are speaking at once.

When the band gets heavy, one can clearly feel the King Crimson presence. When the groove gets weird, Rush is what comes to mind. And Alcest clearly brings the delay and echo to the music. This sounds like what would happen if all three bands got together and wrote a collaborative album, all members’ songwriting inputs equal.

Daybreak is a musical liberation for Montresor. Music like this doesn’t get tons of fans the way pop rock does. And this also is an instrumental album, which doesn’t lend the band any favors. But that’s not the point–this is an album the band wrote for themselves, something that was gratifying. I like albums like this very much, and to me this one’s a keeper. Is it the greatest thing I’ve ever heard? Far from it. But has it done its job of getting me interested in this band enough to want more music from them? Absolutely.

Key Tracks: Daybreak, Helios/Flight To The Moon, Medusa

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 14, 2012

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Van Halen - A Different Kind of Truth

It seems like there are two types of Van Halen fans out there, the fans that prefer David Lee Roth as the front man and those that prefer Sammy Hagar. There might even be a couple that like the Gary Cherone Van Halen.

I was one of those in the David Lee Roth camp. The album 1984 brought heavy metal into the mainstream. Even my parents knew the song “Jump” (It’s still the catchiest, most upbeat song I have ever heard about suicide).

Last year I heard the band was working on a new album with David Lee Roth (vocals), Eddie Van Halen (guitar), Alex Van Halen (drums) and Wolfgang Van Halen (bass). The wait was reminiscent of my childhood days waiting for Christmas.

In January the band released the single “Tattoo” and I found myself feeling disappointed. The lyrics were a bit quirky and it just seemed a little cheesy to me. I have been listening to the new album A Different Kind of Truth all week long and realized something that has totally changed my feelings about this album. This is the same stuff that I used to love about the original Van Halen. The message hasn’t changed. The world we live in has. We are just getting out of a war and the economy seems to finally be gaining some ground. The world has been on a trip to Hell and back and a lot of people are ready for some healing.

It’s about time we find our sense of humor again. A Different Kind of Truth is a refreshing journey back to those carefree party days when life was less serious and no one had ever heard of political correctness.

The first thing I noticed about this album was the lack of keyboards. When 1984 came out people’s biggest worry was that there was too much keyboard on it. If you were one of them then this one’s for you.

The second thing I noticed was the bass playing was a lot busier than the typical Van Halen album. The song “China Town” starts with a duel attack of guitar and bass playing synchronized two hand tapping licks. It may be that Wolfgang is a better bass player than Michael Anthony or it could be that Eddie is more willing to share the limelight with his son. Either way it works on this album.

Eddie and Alex have some new tricks up their sleeves. They continue to reach new levels as musicians and David Lee Roth delivers all the tongue in cheek lyrics and catchy melodies you would expect from one of the most entertaining showmen to ever front a rock and roll band.

There are some great songs on A Different Kind of Truth. There is the song “Stay Frosty” which sounds like a tribute to “Ice Cream Man” with an updated energy to it. The song “Honeybabysweetiedoll” is unique with an East Indian kind of feel to it. The guitar solos on this one take me to my “Happy Place,” but when I say, “Tap it in” I am thinking about Eddie’s two hand tapping.

The album ends strong with what I consider the heaviest song on the album, “Beats Workin,’” a song that treats us to a funky bass solo in the middle with liberty and cow bell for all.

A Different Kind of Truth is just the kind of truth I have been searching for. The only thing I find myself wanting that isn’t here is Michael Anthony’s backup vocals, but there are a lot of hidden gems on this album that more than make up for it. When was the last time a heavy rock album made you smile? For me it’s every time I play this album.

Key Tracks: Honeybabysweetiedoll, Stay Frosty, Beats Workin’

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 14, 2012

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Sade - Diamond Life (180gm Vinyl LP)

The Nigerian-born, British writer-singer Sade (born Helen Folasade Abu) had a big hit in 1984 with Diamond Life. I remember it very well and in fact it encouraged my love for jazz and all the sub genres in a very positive way.

Sade was smooth and silky and the music created had that same atmosphere with a pop flair that was very distinguishing. She was tasteful and the music and lyrics were as well. I liked Sade enough to see her perform live in San Francisco a year later after the album was released. Their sophomore release, Promise, was making waves when I saw her. Having two albums to take materials from made for good concert. I recall Sade being just as smooth as in the studio and the band was very tight.

With the recent news of losing two of our most famous divas, Etta James and Whitney Huston, it helps you to appreciate the artists that are still with us today making great music.

This version of Diamond Life released by Audio Fidelity is a 180gm Vinyl LP. The album is housed in a glossy gatefold sleeve with pictures of the band and lyrics included. The lyrics are quite small, which is usually the case because of limited space, but readable. If you insist on singing along then by all means do so however I would recommend letting the music sweep you away and allow Sade to make you feel like you are part of the story. After all these years I found it easy to kick back and become totally absorbed in the music. Even though Sade sings mostly about the guys that break her heart you can turn that around to fit your own experiences easily enough.

The one factor that comes back to me strongly is how talented the band was behind the singer. They served up a very stylish combination of R & B, Pop, and Jazz (one of the best examples being “Why Can’t We Live Together”). Andrew Hale (keyboards), Stuart Matthewman (sax, guitars) and Paul S. Denman (bass) were well polished musicians before they walked into the studio to cut their first album with Sade. There were also some guests that provided music, playing the trumpet and percussion, which added some more taste to the album’s overall sound.

“Smooth Operator” was a great song and still stands up very well today along with “Your Love Is King” and “Cherry Pie.” To be truthful the entire LP is outstanding, a timeless classic that sounds as fresh and inviting as it did the first time I heard it. This is the first time I have heard this album all the way through since the 80s.

This LP version of Diamond Life from Audio Fidelity is a superb rendering of sound, color and dynamics. I know technologies have come a long way with many improvements in sound however there is a lot to be said for the staying power of vinyl and how to this day it is as valid as it ever was. One listen to an album like this and you will have no doubt about that conviction.

Key Tracks: Smooth Operator, Your Love Is King, Cherry Pie

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

February 12, 2012

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Scorpions - Comeback

The world of rock n’ roll was in shock the day rock Scorpions announced their final trek, accompanied by their “final” studio effort Sting In The Tail and massive supporting world tour. Apparently, the rock veterans weren’t satisfied with that as their final release, and catered to hungry fans with Comeblack, a collection of re-recorded hits and brand new cover songs. Some critics are bound to cry foul that this is just a clever façade to get more money, but most Scorpions fans will be pleased to hear the reworked versions of classics, as well as some of the covers.

Although I use the word “reworked” to describe their songs, there are only a few subtle differences between the classics and the new versions in the way of musicality. Half the fun of the album is comparing new and old – especially the change in Klaus Meine’s incredibly unique voice. It doesn’t sound as if he has aged much, but his tone has significantly altered.And for all of you with a musical ear, the instruments have been dropped at least a half step for some songs (giving the songs a heavier sound).

As expected, present technology has improved the sound quality of the tracks. Adding modern production values to the classics has made these versions worth hearing, and gives them an edge over their counterparts. It gives Scorpions another chance to present their songs as intended, and they sound bigger and badder than ever before. The mixing is reminiscent of Whitesnake’s most recent efforts, Good to be Bad and Forevermore. Everything is crystal clear – the bass and drums are absolutely pounding, the guitars are crunchy and distinct, and the vocals are flawless. A common complaint about modern production is the fact that the raw energy of the band is sucked dry. However, this isn’t a problem for Comeblack. It isn’t overproduced, it just sounds good.

However, there are some downsides to this compilation. If you’re buying it for the sake of hearing the new covers, you might want to pick and choose the highlights on iTunes. Of the 6 covers, I only found 2 worth listening to. “Tainted Love” and “Children of the Revolution” raise the bar quite high, but the rest of the covers ultimately fall short. There is nothing too memorable about them, and most fans are likely to stick to the first half of the album. It is cool to experience new recordings of old songs, but that is about all the album has to offer. For some it will be a worthy addition to their collection, but for others it will be a waste of $10.

Key Tracks: No One Like You, Wind Of Change, Tainted Love

Austin Hannaleck- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 12, 2012

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Axel Rudi Pell - Circle Of The Oath

Axel Rudi Pell's Circle Of The Oath has it all for the metal fan. First off, the singer (still Johnny Gioeli as far as I can tell from the band website) while having his own sound, does share some qualities with other great vocalists of the genre. Think of the soaring range of Klaus Meine of the Scorpians or Bruce Dickinson of Iron Maiden, who are just the first singers to come to mind. Of course, Pell's guitar work really contributes a lot as well due to his highly versatile playing. It's common in metal to have great shredders, and Pell can shred... but there's more.

“Ghost In The Black” shows off the 'extras'. On the solo you get not just shredding, but also bending, shrieking passages and harmonics (and even a unique tone on one brief section that is almost like bag-pipes) that elevate his writing and playing well above the average.

Just an interesting note... There is a section of orchestral-style overlay in “Circle Of The Oath” that bears an eerie resemblance to “No Leaf Clover” from Metallica's S&M. Considering the strong songwriting on this album, I don't believe there is any intentional imitation involved. It's just a weird synchronicity I suppose. “Lived Our Lives Before” takes the 'Best Power Ballad' title for the record. The vocals are very strong, and the guitar work is melodic and powerful without being cliché. The final track, “World of Confusion,” begins with the same synth choir that begins the album (“The Guillotine Suite”), putting nice book ends on this CD as a whole.

From beginning to end Axel Rudi Pell's Circle Of The Oath is a great album, with no weak elements to speak of. If you consider yourself a modern metal fan, you need to give this album a listen.

Key Tracks- Ghost In The Black, Circle Of The Oath, Lived Our Lives Before

Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 11, 2012

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Michael Thompson Band - Future Past

With an album cover like this, you better hear some rockin’ guitar once you press play. You’ve got your axe center stage on the cover complete with your giant rockin’ logo. There’s no denying it, it’s time for Michael Thompson to rock! Well maybe not exactly like that… at least not from the start anyway. This is really more melodic rock, and there is plenty of awesome guitar work from Thompson.

Future Past is the bands second album under the Michael Thompson Band name, and it is reminiscent of the Michael Thompson Band’s 1989 release, How Long. Outside of MTB, Thompson is known first and foremost for his excellent session work which includes working with Cher, Michael Jackson, and Madonna amongst many, many others. Needless to say, he’s pretty good at playing the guitar. Thompson is joined by Larry King (from Soleil Moon) on vocals, Khari Parker on drums, and Alan Berliant on bass for this incarnation of MTB.

On Future Past you got 11 tracks with a run time of just under 51 minutes. One thing that is nice is that there aren’t a bunch of these long epic guitar jams. I can usually take a couple of these, but only a few of the songs break five minutes, which they barely even do.

As mentioned, this sounds similar to Michael Thompson Band’s album from 1989, and this is both good and bad. Fans of that album should be pretty happy to hear that, but it also sounds rather dated too. It reminds me of bands like Foreigner, Toto, and Journey. It also makes me think of the Rocky IV soundtrack that I loved back then, which was dominated by Survivor. The addition of a new version of “Can’t Miss” from MTB’s How Long album doesn’t really help modernize things either.

In the context of what this album is, it is quite good. Had it come out around the same time as How Long it’d probably be perceived similarly. Future Past could rock out a bit more though. When I hear Thompson’s solos I am often left wanting more. His playing is still the star of this release, as it should be, and I’d actually like a couple longer tracks full of solos or a couple of instrumentals to hear more of him. Other than that, I think Future Past is an apt follow-up to How Long from industry veterans, albeit 13 years later.

Key Tracks: High Times, Future Past, Here I Am, Can’t Miss

Kevin Kozel - Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 10, 2012

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Scale the Summit - The Collective

Scale The Summit’s latest release, The Collective, is eleven tracks of instrumental rock which pretty much dares you to try and fit it to a genre you’ve heard of. For the most part, each track delivers its own compact blend of metal and math rock, seasoned with a post-rock aesthetic. The songs are always changing, shifting between ideas and themes, tempos and time signatures. One element contributing to their unique sound is the quartet’s incorporation of seven and eight string guitars into the instrumentation. It may be hard to identify at first, but it may explain why some of the chord voicing sounds fuller.

Each track is tight and interesting in its own way, but there’s a lot to take in on this album and by the halfway point I feel kind of burned out on their sound. It doesn’t feel like there’s much rhyme or reason behind the order of songs on the album; there doesn’t seem to be a wave they’re riding or a mood they’re trying to create. The Collective has been described by others as “symphonic,” but I’d say that descriptor applies more to individual tracks than to the album as a whole. In multiple sittings, it’s quite enjoyable, but if you try to take it all at once, it’s a pretty tough pill to swallow.

The guitar tones are bright, and despite the lack of lyrics, I’m tempted to describe a lot of these songs as ballads, for how melodic they can be. Most of the time, their sound could be vaguely characterized as sounding like a cross between Joe Satriani and Minus the Bear. But while there are tons of riffs, it lacks groove. Eight-tenths of The Collective is a guitar stroke-fest, but the bass refuses to let itself be left out. It’s just as much a part of the arrangement as the leads, at times taking on that role as well.

One of the most interesting things is how it begins so slow and ends so abruptly. “Colossal,” the first track, is a slow rocker, starting off low and distant and building to a sound which is exactly what its name describes: colossal. It begins by creating a thick, heavy atmosphere. Halfway through, the clouds part (so to speak), and we are introduced to some of the bright guitar tones which we will become more familiar with as the album progresses. In contrast, “Drifting Figures,” the album closer, rocks right up until the last second letting a sustained chord voicing be its soft kiss goodbye.

Most of the tracks stand up fine on their own, but a few of the tracks feel like they’re there to support something else, something unseen, like the soundtrack to a film that isn’t playing. “Whales” is like this. It’s interesting and dynamic, but it sounds as if the song is being driven by some external force. Some of the guitar work on “Whales” is a little too much, too over the top, mostly into the fourth minute. When there are too many notes, I tend to stop listening. To me this feels like a throw away track, like a bunch of leftover ideas got condensed into one long(er) jam and it doesn’t quite come off right. This is immediately followed by “Emersion,” which is as tight as they come. A strong lead riff and percussion which is alternately aggressive and restrained make this short track (“Emersion”) even sweeter.

“The Levitated” gets the gold star for this album. The sound they achieve by utilizing hammer-ons, pull-offs, sliding into notes and fret tapping is one that I enjoy very much. This one’s the pick of the litter. Similar compliments could be given to “Gallows.” Also “Drifting Figures.”

The Collective is a fun listen, and there are certainly gems worth returning to (specifically, “The Levitated”), but after a few listens, say maybe three or four, you may feel yourself getting bored with soaring guitar lick after soaring guitar lick. But it’s not good to take too much of anything in one sitting. It just means that “The Collective” is a stronger, more concentrated tonic. Give it a rest, shelve it for a while, come back to it in a month, or a year, and I predict it’ll still hold up.

Key Tracks: The Levitated, Gallows, Origin of Species

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 12, 2012

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Kito Peters - Capital Dreams

Kito Peters began his musical career writing songs in college and then took a break from music to become a therapist and teacher. His music was awakened again in 1998 and Peters felt the songwriting bug bite him hard.

Peters’ music is a blend of rock, jazz, blues, folk, country, world and pop. His lyrics are thought provoking and his political views are very much against the current trends happening in the country. His core audience base are listeners that appreciate deep and heartfelt songs about relationships, politics and the world. Capital Dreams isPeters’ most recent release.

“Cain” is a song about forgiveness and love of a brother. With elements of steady percussion, horns and guitar, this song has a jazzy folk quality to it. Peters’ vocals are smooth and blend well with the harmonies of the piece.

“Breeze of Light” has an upbeat flavor as Peters sings about finding “God in a tin can.” Discovering God in the strangest places, light pervades the darkness. Horns, guitar and a lively sax make this piece particularly appealing. It has great texture and personality. The lyrics are playful and invoke the image of God having an active relationship with humanity without the syrupy content that can sometimes be found in themes like this.

“Ghosts” begins with an eerie ambient sound. Fog entraps you and Peter’s voice shines through like a lighthouse in the gloom. This piece is more deliberate than some of the others on this album and is very contemplative. Calling to mind memories and loves from another time, the ambient sounds and stark contrast of Peters’ voice is very effective.

Kito Peters is all about using many types of music to bring his message across. Reaching for a roots sound, he often sings about current trends in our society. Using poetry, he writes about growing older and that has a certain appeal for those who are remembering simpler times and longing for an escape from a world increasingly out of control. Peters’ captures this feeling with his harmonies, rhythm and lyrics. His use of horn gives many of his songs a jazz quality as in “Breeze of Light” but just when you think you’ve figured out his style, up comes “Ghost” and you are marveling at Peters’ grasp of different genres. The vocals are steady and this album captures elements of hopeful remembrance of times gone by and hopes for the future.

Key Tracks: Cain, Breeze of Light, Ghosts

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 10, 2012

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MoeTar - From These Small Seeds

MoeTar is the best band that you have never heard of until now. Consisting of Moorea Dickason (vocals), Tarik Ragab (bass), Matthew Charlea Heulitt (guitar), Matt Lebofsky (keyboards), and Dave Flores (drums), the awkward and cacophonic band name will help to serve as a reminder. Thankfully for the world, From These Small Seeds is the band’s debut release, so there is no extensive discography to catch-up on. This is a good time to stumble upon MoeTar because you will want to and need to spend some time with this album.

Right away it is easy to understand that this band is something else. The opening track “Dichotomy” is like being greeted to the sound of the joy of flying through the clouds during a bright day. Do not let the attractiveness the music and of her voice fool you, because the lyrics are far from sweetness and light, hence the title. I can already tell that this whole album is going to be a trip into a mad and brilliant world with the vocal narration to keep me going. “Infinitesimal Sky” continues the journey and we keep on climbing and soaring deeper into this wondrous land. These songs are definitely going to need more than one listen to appreciate fully with all that this band has to offer. There is so much going on and “Infinitesimal Sky” is no exception, yet it all comes together so well.

A quick glance at the title suggests a political theme, but “Butchers of Baghdad” is so much more clever and insightful than your typical political song by taking a two-handed strike at conformity and consumerism. The lyrics are full of questions to think about. If the bite of this song could be calculated, it would be a saber tooth tiger. You would have more success looking for the Holy Grail than finding a better political song than this one. The hypnotic sound of “Random Tandem” is matched equally by the vocals, which are just incredible. Every song is a new sound and does not fall into the pit of becoming bland.

“Ist or an Ism” has a very funky beginning with vocals that hit like a thunderstorm. Keeping the opening sound in mind, it is no telling of how the song sounds at its end. Lyrically, this is one of my favorite songs. Following this up is another musical surprise, “Morning Person.” “New World Chaos” is one of those song names that makes you think “I wish I thought of that.” I love the title, but I love the song even more. The clashing images complement the theme of the song well.

The ominous piano opening and rumbling drums in the opening are preparation for the cutting lyrics of “Screed.” So led by noble fools whose books and man-made phony rules attract the sheep to shepherd schools is the first line and things are just getting warmed up. I would say this one is my favorites, but they are all so fantastic making it hard to choose a definite one. “Never Home” has a jazzy feel to it. It is also the most low-key song on the album with a toned down pace not neared by any of the others. The title track “From These Small Seeds” is brilliant song to match this brilliant album. The phrase “who cares” has never sounded so soothing until now. ‘Friction” ends the album incredibly. You may now pick your jaw up from the floor.

MoeTar’s From These Small Seeds is the type of record that should be experienced at least once. This is easily going to be a top album of the year for me and the top of the past few years or so. I will die probably with this being on of my favorite albums list because it is that ridiculously fantastic.

Key Tracks: ALL

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 8, 2012

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A Liquid Landscape - Nightingale Express

A Liquid Landscape’s debut album, Nightingale Express, is a concept album. It’s about a journey, both outwards and inwards, and the ideas of finding oneself, a place to belong, and self-deception.

The band describes their sound as follows: “washed up, tired and staggering across a beach in the early hours of the morning. Somewhere in the twilight between desperation and surrender, there is a glimmer of hope. That everything will be alright no matter what the odds are”.

I’d say that description is accurate.

Nightingale Express is a very ambient record above all else. The band can pull out some harsher sounds when they want to, but by and large the music is restrained. There’s lots of delay, reverb, and echo on the guitars, but I guess there has to be if you want an “ambient” sound to your music. If I could liken them to any other band today, I’d say they’re in between Coldplay and Thrice. A Liquid Landscape has the musical color Coldplay fans have come to love, but also have some of the power Thrice can put forth. In fact, the band hired filmmaker Lex Vesseur to create a short film using the music as inspiration, and include it in the film.

The opening track “Nightingale Express” is almost thirteen minutes long, and is the most complete summarization of the band’s sound. If you don’t like what you hear in the title track, you won’t like this band. “Phases” reminds me of the emo bands I used to make fun of, but fortunately this band doesn’t fit into that category enough to be labeled as one. However, there’s enough sadness and emotion to draw comparisons, which is almost as bad. The instrumental “Wanderer’s Log–Storm” is the best of both worlds, combining controlled angst with sublime color. That and the title track are what this band is all about.

Most of the songs aren’t too different from each other, so if you’re listening to the album from start to finish without checking which song you’re on, it’s going to feel like one continuous song. That is, until “Out Of Line” starts. It has a synth programmed in at the beginning, and that separates it from the other songs; it sounds completely different. It’s also my favorite track on the record.

I’m generally not a fan of this kind of music, but even I admit this album is a pretty good listen. Because of its nature it doesn’t have anything that jumps out as particularly incredible or interesting, but it’s still not bad. I’d say it’s worth a try.

Key Tracks: Nightingale Express, Out Of Line, Wanderer’s Log–Storm

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 8, 2012

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Buxton - Nothing Here Seems Strange

Buxton is the five piece La Porte based band that has been rocking Houston, Texas and the surrounding environs since their inception in 2004. The band consists of Sergio Trevino (vocals/guitar), Jason Willis ( lead guitar/mandolin), Chris Wise (bass guitar), Justin Terrell (drums) and Austin Sepulvado ( guitar/vocals). Haley Barnes is a contributing artist on keyboard and harmony vocals. Nothing Here Seems Strange is the band’s debut recording with New West Records. This is the band’s third album to date.

“Wolves and Owls” is the first track on the album, and it leads in right away with some wicked banjo riffs and haunting lyrics. These twenty somethings have taken a classic roots sound and added a rock element that blends grit, melancholy themes and lush harmonies to make a sound that is unique and mesmerizing. Trevino’s vocals have an isolated quality that combined with the textured elements on this album, defies classification into one genre.

“Fingertips” is a more pensive song, heavy on the piano and full of regrets and broken relationships. The smooth blend of Sepulvado’s background vocals marries well with Trevino’s more edgy vocal style and you have an indie song worthy of paying attention to. The multi-instrumentation is stronger on this piece and has more of a rock aspect and less banjo work.

“Boy of Nine” has to be the epic song on this album, chock full of rock, folk and bluegrass elements spiraling together to show the best Buxton has to offer. The riffs are layered with percussion and an upbeat tenacity that grabs you from the first note. I could not stop playing this song. Relationships, childhood crushes and shattered dreams hit to the core of all of us, remembering those days as a kid, passing a note and hoping against hope that the boy/girl you were crushing on liked you back.

Nothing Here Seems Strange is indeed a journey of evolution for this band. This album flows well with its almost Appalachian flavor combined with indie rock spikes and attitude. The themes are haunting as with “Wolves and Owls” and “Body Count” but also get upbeat with “Boy of Nine.” Throughout the album, there is a feeling of continuity and whether you are a fan of banjo playing, you must give this album a shot. Quoted by Paste and Esquire as a band to watch for in 2012, Buxton has been touring heavily on the east and west coasts and is about to head on tour again in February and March of 2012. The sheer original combination of rock, pop and bluegrass make this album a keeper and one that will be in my collection for a long time to come.

Key Tracks- Boy of Nine, Wolves and Owls, Fingertips

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 8, 2012

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Hummingbird Of Death/Titanarum - Hummingbird Of Death/Titanarum

The Split album release is one clever form of marketing. Bands get to release some of their new material, and if they work together with the right band, new fans will latch onto you. It’s a brilliant idea.

Hummingbird of Death is from Boise, Idaho. The project began in 2004 and has grown bigger ever since. Their counterpart on this album, Titanarum, has been around since 2007, but they had been playing since the 1980’s together under multiple band monikers and lineups. Fortunately, both bands have enough similarities between them to make this collaboration work quite well, but they also are different enough for the listener to know when they’re listening to the other band.

Hummingbird of Death describe themselves as a fastcore band, and I must admit I’d not heard the term fastcore until I researched them, but that’s a pretty fitting description to their sound. At times they can be brutally quick and others slow and painfully heavy. They only have two songs on this split, but both are quite good. “You’re In My Universe Now” opens at a medium tempo but quickly jumps to hyperdrive, and throughout its six and a half minute runtime the intensity is never lost. Their other song “The World Needs This” is thrash right from the start, but the groove changes almost midway to keep things interesting. By the time their two songs are done, I was wishing there were more.

Titanarum’s material sounds like a trip through time; it would be very easy to label them Thrash Metal and leave it at that, but their punk influence differentiates them from the thrash bands they grew up with. What you’re left with is a somewhat universal sound that should appeal to both metalheads and punks. None of their eight songs on this record clock in at over two minutes, but there’s enough aggression in each of them that longer runtimes would be overkill. Punk fans will be pleased. Metalheads should be too; if you think metal should be about long songs, I have three words for you: Reign in Blood.

Hummingbird of Death Meets Titanarum does exactly what it’s supposed to, and that is show listeners a band (or two, in my case) they haven’t heard that they might like. It also excels at one area where many split albums don’t: having two bands that are similar yet different enough to make listening to the record worthwhile. This split is worthwhile.

Key Tracks: The World Needs This, Everything Is Nothing, Mentally Ill In Prison

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 7, 2012

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Opera Diabolicus - +1614

On a desolate northern night in December after viewing a stage play of the acclaimed novel The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco, Opera Diabolicus was conceived. The chance meeting of David Grimoire and Adrian de Crow is the stuff that spawns legends. Both were interested in the story and the dark elements, so they decided to collaborate on a new sinister endeavor. Opera Diabolicus is about “combining the dark elements of music and theatre in alliance with musical excellency.” That is quite a goal, but it is one that is accomplished on +1614.

The mood is cast in “Overture,” as it would fit perfectly in a horror movie, and does not let up. There is an atmosphere of suspicion and dread where one is not quite sure what is going to spring up next. It is like walking down a long open hallway at night as the candles blow out one by one. This opening transitions into “The Gates.” The music in “The Gates” has an overbearing presence, which is a good thing, but at times overtakes the vocals. The overall sound has a chilling gothic horror feel to it and the lyrics add to this presence in the song. The unclean vocals sound very distraught and disembodied, which makes a nice contrast with the clean vocals.

“Blood Countess Bathory” is a grand song about everyone’s favorite royal serial killer. In keeping with the band name that invokes thoughts of the theatre, I can actually imagine this being performed out on a stage as I listen. “The 13^th Guest” continues this fantastically twisted journey into darkness. Unlike the rest of the songs so far, “In Memoriam” gets off to a slow start, which creates a brooding atmosphere with a sense of despair and loss. The maniacal laughter followed by some weird breathing makes for some disturbing listening. “Mythos Lamia” is fittingly named and who does not love songs named after demons that devour children? It most certainly fits with the story of the Blood Countess and cheers for the connection. “Stone by Stone” brings the album to and end in true style.

Opera Diabolicus’s +1614 is an artistic achievement and it is such an entertaining ride following the story of the Blood Countess. This album is one for the imaginative, concept album lovers, and all the horror enthusiasts out there. I could see this being turned into a full-length film. It is that good and has that kind of potential. Opera Diabolicus is a band to watch.

Key Tracks: The Gates, Blood Countess Bathory, Mythos Lamia

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 6, 2012

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Bryan Adams - Waking Up The Neighbours (2 180gm Vinyl LPs)

Bryan Adams did it all on Waking Up The Neighbours (1991). He served as the composer, guitar player, producer and vocalist. Audio Fidelity decided to remind us how talented Mr. Adams was. Even though he owned the 80s the next decade started off with a bang for the Canadian rocker turned superstar. Adams appealed to both sexes, his chiseled good looks struck a chord with the ladies and his average Joe look with plaid shirts and jeans made the guys feel like he was one of them. With that kind of universal acceptance and memorable rockin’ tunes it was hard to forget Byran Adams. He also had a very distinct vocal style with just enough gruffness to push over the rockers and the ability to tone it down and be smoother on the ballads, giving his listeners the best of both worlds.

Waking Up The Neighbours may have not been as big as Reckless and Cuts Like A Knife from a commercial standpoint but it had plenty of power packed rockers and sing along ballads to make it a worthwhile addition to your collection. This limited numbered 20^th anniversary reissue is an attractive 180 gram 2 LP (gatefold sleeves) set presented by Audio Fidelity and it offers many things to listeners and collectors alike.

After this release the 90s were pretty much forgettable for Adams but this 15 song recording made a dent in the minds of music fans everywhere and it still can make an impression to this day. It stands as one of his strongest releases and with one listen that fact is totally validated.

The wide appeal of such an artist offers elements of pop and rock that make a majority of their tracks radio friendly and G rated so any age can listen. Adams fit that description well however it is duly noted that the man could rock and play the six-string with the best of them in his genre during the height of his popularity. The rocker “Can't Stop This Thing We Started” and the rock-pop ballad “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” were big hits for Adams and are excellent representations of his ability to switch between a rocker and a ballad.

You know when you have not heard something in many years and you still know the words that the songs made an impression on you at some point in your life. Listening to this music on vinyl was pure rock ecstasy and many times during songs I felt waves of emotion coming over me. Songs like this bring back good memories for anyone that was able to relate to the stories about relationships, and some of the angst felt and in turn the need to channel all of that emotion and energy. All of which Adams conveyed very well in his music.

Audio Fidelity does a beautiful job with the remastering of this music for vinyl and reproducing the original album artwork, complete with all the lyrics and photos of Adams and his band. This is one of the very best packages I have seen come through the label and the sound is immaculate and pristine, just as it should be on a vinyl LP. Not only is this good music, it will make you smile to hold this virgin vinyl in your hands and to admire the glossy gatefold sleeves. The magic of LPs becomes more important with each passing year and thanks to labels like Audio Fidelity they are keeping that fire burning with pride and distinction and this release is one of many examples.

Key Tracks: Can't Stop This Thing We Started, (Everything I Do) I Do It For You

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

February 7, 2012

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Hulon-PICK OF THE WEEK - After Hours

After Hours is an interesting mix of contemporary R&B with smooth jazz. The two vocal tracks are very much in the adult contemporary R&B genre, while the rest of the album straddles the two. Overall the music tends to be a little funkier than your average smooth jazz, and let me go ahead and say right up front that for a medical doctor frontman Hulon sure does play sax well.

The musical reserve that's a primary characteristic of smooth jazz is in evidence on every track. On “Second Opinion,” however, the players do let their chops show a little. The interplay of the pseudo-flamenco style guitar with Hulon's sax work makes for good danceable music. In addition to being a nice up tempo selection, “Second Opinion” is also a good example of a trend in jazz that I've often chuckled over. How many times have you seen the title of a song, listened to the music, and then thought “How in the world did they come up with that name?” (Does the Joe Henderson tune really sound like an “Isotope” to you?) “Speak Easy” by contrast instantly conjures images of fedora hats, trench coats and smoke rising through the light of a street lamp. If the Pink Panther were to drop in for a quick drink, no one would question the authenticity of this music wafting into the bar from a back room.

The atmospheric “You're Beautiful” is an excellent ballad. Its simple beauty makes it my favorite track on the album. The bass meanders in sultry fashion, while the synth sprinkles high, light tones like drops of rain. Sandwiched between these extremes, the mellow melodies of Hulon's sax sing. There are many things that make After Hours a really good album. The music is well written, and more interesting than is usual with smooth jazz. The musicianship is strong on all sides (including the singers), with 'Mr Smooth' himself leading the way on sax. Sophomore albums are supposed to be downers, according to wide spread music biz thinking. Well, I think it's safe to say Hulon has bucked that trend this time around.

Key Tracks- Second Option, Speak Easy, You're Beautiful

Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 7, 2012

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KLogR - Till You Decay

When I first read the name of this band my arteries started to harden in anticipation. They were relieved when I found that the band name wasn’t pronounced (clogger), but (kay-log-are).

It’s based on the law of Weber-Fechner: S = K log R (the amount of stimulus that each of the senses needs to actually be triggered on a cognitive level).

This project is led by Gabriele “Rusty” Rustichelli (Vocals & Guitars) with Nicola Briganti (Guitars), Todd Allen (Bass), and Filippo De Pietri (Drums).

Their new album Till You Decay is a concept album about how society controls and judges us conditions us and suffocates us. Society uses fear and anxieties to destabilize a person into something more fragile, more controllable and more subservient... till you decay.

The KlogR sound is a cross between alternative rock and alternative metal. It has its heavy moments and its melodic moments. The first song “Live Dying” starts with clean guitars and a lot of cymbals. Then the song kicks into overdrive with crunchy, thick rhythm guitars, driving bass and drums. “Live Dying” cycles through heavy choruses and soft parts with ghostly, airy vocals. The bridge adds more variance and then goes into a cool guitar interlude with some cool wah-wah guitar effects.

“Bleeding,” the first single off of Till You Decay, starts at ludicrous speed with some frantic solo guitar. A machine gun like drum roll brings it home setting the mood for Rusty’s commodious vocals to take over. The bass and drums really open this song up during the choruses and then bring back the intensity for the verses.

“Young Graves” takes a little detour from the rest of the album. It’s a bit slower and often has a really soulful feel. The bass really shines in this one. I think “Young Graves” really showcases the versatility of the band.

Till You Decay is a gratifying album. The 11 songs on this album show a wide range of vocal ability and musical styles. I like the multiplicity KlogR has to move between heavy and melodic styles within the same song. I find musical journeys in between the vocals a great way to keep the listener engaged.

Listen to Till You Decay your arteries with thank you.

Key Tracks: Live Dying, Bleeding, Young Graves

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 6, 2012

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Oresund Space Collective - Sleeping With The Sunworm

Sleeping With The Sunworm is the latest release from the sultans of space-rock, the Øresund Space Collective, and much like a worm is one organism, segmented, so too can this album be seen as one cohesive unit, broken into three nearly equal parts. It was recorded over the same two day session(s) that produced the Dead Man In Space record, and is the most guitar-centric ØSC album I’ve heard yet, which is interesting considering there are fewer guitarists credited on Sunworm than on Dead Man.

Like most OSC records, it’s slow to start, but once it gets off the ground it doesn’t settle down until its reached low orbit. The first movement, “Sleeping With The Sunworm, Part 1,” centers around a full body bass groove supported by sparse percussion. Right around the ten minute mark is when the groove kicks in so, as with every OSC record, patience pays off. The riffs are cyclical, and the patterns they describe seem to perpetuate themselves, but in contrast to the hypnotic, almost trance-like groove is a generous amount of guitar noodling.

Even though their sound is very psychedelic, and improvisation is a primary element to OSC’s sound, I’ve never thought of them as ‘Jam Band.’ I was forced to reconsider this opinion as “Part 1” bled into “Part 2” in what is possibly the most noticeable (of the two) track breaks on the album. “Part 2” begets “Part 3” almost seamlessly, but there is a marked shift in tempo and texture from the first to the second movement. This is where the “Jam” begins. The second movement sounds like a deep cut from the band moe. The energy continues into the third movement, picking up halfway through “Part 2” with an up-beat, proto-punk drum pattern.

The best part about listening to ØSC is that you hear something new every time, as your mind peels back layers with each successive listen. That, or you just happen to fade in and out of paying attention at different points, catching snippets here and there that you hadn’t heard before because you had been distracted at a different moment.

Key Tracks: Sleeping With The Sunworm, Part 2

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 6, 2012

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Dark Forest - Dawn Of Infinity

When it comes to heavy metal, few countries have been as influential as the United Kingdom. Many would argue that metal started there, with Black Sabbath. In the debate of the five most pivotal, influential metal bands of all time, one would have to include Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, and Iron Maiden. The other two may be up for discussion, but those three are unquestionable.

Emulating one of those bands is a rather tall order, one that is very easy to get wrong. I’m not sure if Dark Forest deliberately does it, but as I listened to this album I couldn’t help but constantly feel that each moment could easily have come from a watered down Iron Maiden album.

Let’s look at the similarities. Both bands are from the United Kingdom. Both have operatic vocalists. Both bands’ twin guitar attacks remind me of the British precision started by Judas Priest. And both have songs that feel like they gallop along, much like a horse. There’s quite a lot of evidence that Dark Forest is simply ripping off one of metal’s all–time greats, and doing nothing else.

But for some reason it doesn’t completely feel that way. Will Lowry–Scott’s vocals are very good, but not as impressive as Bruce Dickinson’s. Don’t hold that against him though, Dickinson is an entirely different league, and Lowry–Scott is more than capable of delivering a great performance, which he does. Christian Horton and Jim Lees’ guitar playing is more than satisfactory, but neither does it jump at you the way Iron Maiden’s does. But that’s because of time, something they can’t help; Iron Maiden was revolutionary back then. I think if these two were playing this way back when Maiden were starting out, these two would be right there with them in terms of recognition and influence. Paul Thompson’s bass playing and Adam Sidaway’s drumming do what those two aspects should-be there, but not distract. That’s not to say that their playing is underwhelming, it’s appropriate.

Dawn Of Infinity as an album title even sounds like Maiden could have cooked that up. And like Maiden, songs tend to be longer, or at least feel longer. Maiden gets away with it because each moment somehow has something special about it. “Hourglass” opens the album and each subsequent song sounds similar. “The Tor” clocks in at almost eight minutes. “Black Delta” epitomizes the galloping feeling several Maiden songs have, that Dark Forest has copied.

I still am not sure why I like this album so much. Normally, I would say it’s uncreative to do what they’re doing, that I’d rather go listen to Maiden than a band that rips them off (which I still would), and that I wouldn’t want to listen to this band again. But what Dark Forest do they do so well. Playing music that belongs in the New Wave of British Heavy Metal is risky, but if the music is good, it works. Dawn Of Infinity may be a less awesome Iron Maiden album, but it works nonetheless.

Key Tracks: Hourglass, The Tor, Black Delta

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 4, 2012

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Vengeance - Crystal Eye

I don’t think many of you will be all that surprised with what you will hear on this one based on a look at the album cover and the track list for Vengeance’s twelfth album, Crystal Eye. I will say I probably expected it to be more of an aggressive sounding metal, maybe more inline with a Pantera style. This is not the case though. Vengeance has been doing it for 30 years now, and their sound is still reminiscent of the era in which they began.

On Crystal Eye you get more of that Judas Priest, Iron Maiden style, or the Darkness for a more recent band. Lyrically the songs tend to be more party rock like a Poison, or other hair metal acts. So it’s interestng that while sonically Vengeance sounds more like the darker early metal acts, they sing more about the partying the generally followed the peak of their style.

If 80s metal isn’t something your into, then chances are this release isn’t up your alley. Vengeance founder and front man Leon Goewie has a classic voice for this style. Hell, based on his tenure he helped make it classic. Instrumentally the album is driven by the wailing guitar work of Keri Kelli (ex-Alice Cooper), as well as guest musicians Michael Voss and Timo Somers. Timo Somers is also the son of late Vengeance axe-man Jan Somers, whose last recorded solo’s can be heard on the album closer “Jan’s End Piece.”

Together with an all-star cast of friends, Crystal Eye is a rocking good time for Goewie and Vengeance. Lyrically it gets rather silly at times as one can expect from songs like “Barbeque” and “Five Knuckle Shuffle,” but Geowie even insists that positive feeling and a sense of humor are his intent. How could it not be? It’s hard to be so serious when you’re rockin’ out and having fun. Still, there are some ballads I could do without, and at times Crystal Ball can get a bit cliché (the title track for example). Of course variety is necessary to any release, but the party rockers are where it’s at here.

Key Tracks: Barbeque, Whole Lotta Metal, Jan’s End Piece

Kevin Kozel - Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 3, 2012

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Vinyl Floor - Peninsula

Vinyl Floor's Peninsula is a very interesting alternative progressive rock mix. T he intro (“Frames And Orchids”) begins in a style similar to the Cure's “Plain Song,” but then morphs into something crunchier. “Ghost of England” is a little reminiscent of something from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, but also with a heavier twist. Other tunes, by comparison, are highly original and don't sound much like anyone else in particular.

“What Lies Ahead” is very much in the modern rock tradition, with driving rhythm guitar and a quiet bridge that builds into a climactic guitar solo/chorus finale. “Written In The Cards” is vocally beautiful, with delicate harmonies that lie over the acoustic guitar and other instruments like a blanket of snow on a frozen lake. When you get beyond the individual songs, there is even more to digest. Track 1-“Frames And Orchids” and track 7-"Diverging Paths,“ for just one instance, share some thematic material that serves to draw the album together as a complete artistic work rather than a collection singles.

As I so often do, I have to harp on the singer a little. For the most part he does a fine job (as mentioned above “Written In The Cards” is especially nice), but there are other moments when it would have been better to retain another vocalist or to adjust the vocal melody (such as on the high note on “Ghost of England” and the low note on “Force You Through”). No less a musical genius than Frank Zappa believed in bringing in another singer sometimes, and I think it would benefit Vinyl Floor to look into it.

Please don't let that one critique stop you from getting this album! If you're sick of the boring stuff that many of the big record companies are producing then you owe it to yourself to check this CD out. Peninsula could almost be called an “English Revival” album, with its numerous influences ranging from the Beatles to the Cure to Cold Play (listen to the piano intro on “Ghost of England”) apparent throughout. At the same time, there are universal aspects to the music that might draw in listeners who are fans of just about any style. I'll close with a final English reference that I feel is quite appropriate: “and now, for something completely different...”

Key Tracks- Frames And Orchids, What Lies Ahead, Written In The Cards

Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff

February 2, 2012

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Dan Blanchard - Awakening

Dan Blanchard has been studying Indian music since 2003. He is a yoga teacher and yoga therapist focusing on healing and transformation through Indian classical music with New Age influences. Contributing artists to Awakening include Sheela Bringi, Sangeet Mishra, Gabe Marihugh and Nisha Narsaj.

The album was designed as an early morning raga to begin the day in contemplation and meditation. Through introspection and working through this album with or without yoga, the goal is to center yourself and provide positive and transformative energy. The word Bhairav is the wrathful aspect of Lord Shiva and the breaking through of negative thoughts to acquire peace and tranquility.

Awakening is very subtle in its movements. Using ambient music, melodic trance and the patterns of sound that reflect a raga, Blanchard has created a meditative journey that invokes inner peace. “Invocation” is the first track on the album, and the shortest piece at only 6:34 minutes. The strings and ambient music create a lilting sensation. The Indian flavor of the music takes over and is blended with delicate female chanting.

“Centering” is the second piece on the album and the longest at 13:30 minutes. The pace here is peaceful with ambient sounds and strings casting a tranquil vibe over the track.

“Integration” is the last track on the album. Wind instruments take up the onset of the piece with an ambient hum in the background. Female vocals sigh and chant, bringing the listener in with each evocative sigh. The melodic trance of the buzzing brings to mind lotus flowers floating on a pool of still water and your mind emptying of all thoughts.

Awakening is a journey through Indian classical music focusing on contemplation, healing and inner tranquility. Using vibrations, tonal patterns that effect consciousness and ambient sound, Blanchard takes us back to the time of the Vedic rishis (ancient seers) and gives us the opportunity to begin our day with a moment of raga, “that which colors or leaves an impression.” Using the specific tones, emphasized notes and phrasing to create the raga, we are transported into a place of inner peace. This album is ideal if you practice yoga or enjoy world music.

Key Tracks- Invocation, Centering, Integration

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

February 2, 2012

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Blue Moon Harem - Finland

There are two different kinds of bands in the world: those who play for the love of music, and those who play to make money. There are two problems with this: 1. The latter bands tend to believe they’re the former even though they’re not, but musical output is a pretty big indicator of who you are. 2. The latter bands are actually outnumbered, but they get more recognition because their product sells better.

Blue Moon Harem appears to be the latter, at first glance. That statement, of course, is pure speculation, but I couldn’t find anything in the music to sway me otherwise.

Finland isn’t that much different from any other alternative album out there. Then again, alternative music typically doesn’t have differentiating artists from each other on its agenda either. All the songs are easy listening and are extremely approachable. They’re all catchy and easy to sing along with. The overall production of the album is excellent. And aside from the production, those are things I don’t particularly like about it. “The Dotted Line” is a quintessential song on this record, it’s as alternative as it gets. Actually, all the songs are like that–none are all that different from each other, except for “Wild Winds,” a short interlude with just synths. Nor are these songs as good as what other comparable bands/songwriters might come up with. Johnathan Bix, Demitri Joannou, Stephen Hart and Pepe Hernandez are all competent musicians, but they haven’t created something that jumps out and instantly grabs your attention. Personally, I don’t like his music at all, but I’d take Dave Matthews over this band any day.

Albums like this feel like older, inexpensive American cars; they’re built out of cheap materials from the ground up so they can cut costs and sell tons of units. This album is the same way; the music feels like it was written to make money, even if it means making music that is completely underwhelming and bred within the walls of an office or recording studio. Unfortunately, for both music and cars, this approach works. But I prefer the expensive exotics; yes, they cost an arm and a leg, but they’re so much more elegant, beautiful, and gratifying in every way that it’s worth it. They’re born on the road and in the hearts of those who love them enough to buy them. Music is the same way, because if you want the exotic (in musicspeak, challenging, groundbreaking, genuine, having artistic merit), more work is needed to create it. And it’s worth it. But then you have to accept that fewer people will latch onto it, much like how fewer people will be able to buy that Ferrari.

However, I do have one very good thing to say about this record. I very much like that they incorporate guitar solos. Ever since Nirvana and grunge took over in the 1990’s, the guitar solo has been more or less phased out of modern, popular music and pushed into a corner, where only metalheads and musical snobs appreciate them anymore. Demitri Joannou’s solos aren’t showstopping by any means, but they sound appropriate for the band’s sound, and at least they’re there. I approve of the effort.

Despite the positive point I found with this album, I honestly didn’t enjoy listening to it. But this album isn’t my style, so I can’t simply write it off as being innately terrible. Other people will definitely enjoy this music, but not me. So, to recap; it sounds like everything you’ve ever heard, it’s all very easy and cliché radio–friendly pop rock, and if you like something to that effect you’ll likely find lots to like about it. But for me, all those points are negatives. If they’re positives for

you, then more power to you I guess.

Key Tracks: The Dotted Line, Finland, I See Red

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

February 1, 2012

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Atkins/May Project - Serpents Kiss

Serpents Kiss is the first product of the Atkins / May Project, which is made-up of Al Atkins, former Judas Priest front man and founder, and guitarist Paul May. The combination of these two talents, as one might expect, makes for some astounding metal music. For the opening rifts and to the final beating of the drums, Serpents Kiss is a thrilling ride of metallic goodness.

“The Shallowing” is an absolutely blistering opening song. The slow and seductive drumming is a mood setter. This slow beginning quickly morphs into an explosion of metal power. The song comes full around with the slowing brooding drumming leading the song out. It is a good omen for the rest of this project. Unlike the previous song, “Traitors Hands” wastes no time unleashing the sweets sounds of metal. “Can You Hear Me?” has one of the more dynamic sounds of the album. I am really into the guitar on this one.

“Signz” has cool menacing quality to the music, like a dark force creeping up on the horizon. “Fight” marks a solid first half of the album so far. This song is an example of the sweet guitar solos and the overall stellar guitar work featured on the album. The unique sound of “Judge” stands out to the ears, which makes it all the more memorable. “Theater of Fools” starts off with a great build-up. Then, Atkins and May absolutely kill it for the entirety of this ambitious song. It is an eight and half minute masterpiece.

The Atkins/May Project is definitely a successful collaboration with this rocking release. Serpents Kiss is a constant assault on your ears, but it is so good that you will not want to press charges when the attack’s over. This is the type of album to be enjoyed over and over again. With a bit of luck this will not be the last time we hear from the Atkins/May Project.

Key Tracks: The Shallowing, Traitors Hands, Theater of Fools

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 30, 2012

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Orange Goblin - A Lullaby For The Damned

Orange Goblin, the band said to be one of the best metal bands in Britain. has released yet another full length album. This four piece band has been around for 16 years, and from what I read is one of the best bands to party to. In more than one review these guys were said to have awesome performances and a unique stage presence, and every show has been predicted to be an awesome party.

I am assuming that this is what got the band all the hype because I felt the music was actually lacking in structure and vocally. Their latest full length album A Eulogy For the Damned left much to be desired coming from the song writing point of view. On the other hand metal is metal and I can see how their fans as well as metal fans all over could enjoy them.

The ten song album is mostly heavy metal that occasionally dips into a lighter rock and has some very blues feeling scales at times. The first song that caught my attention on this album was the song “Acid Trial.” I very much enjoyed the instruments on this track in its entirety. The beginging starts with metal sounding arpageos, then all the rest of the instruments come in and it is nothing short of bad ass. The bass walks up and down as the drums go along with the guitars strumming patern. The guitars then continue to build on each other harmonizing eloquently until the release of the verse. Benjamin Ward comes in with his vocals, and although he has a good voice for metal I found his vocals on this song as well as the most of the album to be repetitive. This song focuses more on the instrumental side of the band and really just sounds like fun.

The next song that caught my attention was “Save Me From Myself,” the reason being that there are extremely different vocals in this song than the rest of the album. The singing in the bridge portion of this song actualy steps away from that typical raspyness into something clean and clear, actually reminding me very much of Alice In Chains. This was the first hint of another feeling in their music aside from metal. Most of the other songs on this album sound like each other, they have simple writing and the hooks are not very strong.

This non heavy metal feeling comes back with the last song and title track “A Euglogy For The Damned.” “Eulogy for the Damned” reminds me a lot of Alice in Chains as well, from the guitar chords to the singing in the verses. It is almost as if metal meets grundge; picture a guy with a ceptum peircing that puts on a plaid shirt then begins to write the song. Again the chorus is that typical metal feel throughout the song which again is not bad, just not enthralling.

I like the direction that this band ALMOST goes and I think that they should elaborate on that more. Not that they should abbandon the metal and go into the rock category but maybe just mix up the vocals more. Perhaps they should add some back up instrumentation and try a different texture then the raspiness and actually sing to the songs and create melodies. On top of that they should consider straying away from those same metal progressions that have been used time and time again. This band obviously knows how to handle thier insturments so they should consider skiping down the path less taken and try out something new.

Key Tracks: Acid Trial, Save Me From Myself, Eulogy For The Damned

Rhiana Lewis -MuzikReviews.com -Contributor

January 26, 2012

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Chickenfoot - III

With the release of the new Van Halen CD right around the corner, I thought I would check out the new Chickenfoot III. I must admit I was disappointed at the first Chickenfoot attempt, so it’s taken me this long to give it a listen.

In case you don’t already know, Chickenfoot is: Sammy Hagar (Lead and Background Vocals), Joe Satriani (Guitars, Six String Banjo), Michael Anthony (Bass and Background Vocals) and Chad Smith (Drums and Percussion).

I am always a little disappointed that Joe Satriani behaves himself so much in this band. But I know he is doing it because he wants to let Chickenfoot be a band and not just a bunch of super stars putting out an album. That leaves room for some of the most interesting bass lines I have ever heard from Michael Anthony. Check the intro on “Dubai Blues” to see what I mean.

“Up Next” is like a modern version of “Purple Haze,” I love the guitar and bass playing lines that double each other. It happens a lot on the album. The drums are just as funky as you would expect from Chad Smith. Together the rhythm section locks into a fluidic groove and the result is nothing less than musical alchemy.

Sammy’s lyrics are intelligent, his vocals rugged and determined, and with Michael Anthony singing backup vocals, Chickenfoot III sounds like it could be a Van Halen album. Maybe more than Van Halen’s new album will.

My favorite track on Chickenfoot III is “Something Going Wrong.” It’s a nice acoustic bit with, surprise… a banjo part. There is also a very heartfelt song “Three and a Half Letters,” in which Sammy recites some letters from people who have had a hard time making it in this slow economy. I do believe Chickenfoot may have their fingers more on the pulse of this nation than our politicians do.

The band has said they named this album Chickenfoot III to avoid the dreaded second album that many bands put out. What they don’t realize is that Chickenfoot I was that album. Chickenfoot III delivers the kind of album I was waiting for the first time around.

Key Tracks: Something Going Wrong, Three and a Half Letters, Alright, Alright

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 30, 2012

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Nightwish - Imaginaerum

If you are looking for a fresh sounding experience in symphonic rock, look no further than Nightwish. The band members include Annette Olzon (vocals), Tuomas Holopainen (keyboards), Marco Hietala (bass, vocals), Jukka Nevalainen (drums) and Emppu Vuorinen (guitars). This Finnish/Swedish band has just released their seventh and most intriguing album yet with Imaginaerum. Created to be a concept album, this music brings to mind an ornate circus of the damned with strains of Burton, Gorey and Gaimen. If darkness delights, then please take a moment to peruse these wonders. Thirteen songs are on the main album, but the deluxe edition unleashes instrumental versions of all of the tracks and it is worth every note.

Two of the tracks, “Arabesque” and “Imaginaerum” are instrumental at the get go, but don’t think that means they are tame, run of the mill guitar thrashing metal pieces. Not on your life.” Arabesque” has a pulse pounding percussion and multi-instrumental experience that has Middle Eastern influences while “Imaginaerum” takes all of the pieces of this album and brings them together in an epic concert of theatrical imagery so incredible that it induced my finger to get a cramp just by hitting the replay button.

“Storytime” is a song that gets into your blood and stays in your head. That is a sign that this is an album worth having in your collection. Creepy keyboard music and percussion seduces you into a circus tent of demented clowns and fairytale figures only dreamt in the darkest of tales. Guitars shred and swirl around Olzon’s amazing female vocals as they catch you in her spider’s web and gleefully carry you off under the big top and into the night world of musical fantasy and imagination.

“I Want My Tears Back” shreds its way into being with gritty male vocals and bagpipes blazing. A steady beat rocks you out while the Celtic feel of this piece glides into Olzon’s more delicate female vocals. Guitars and bagpipes whirl and the sheer energy of this piece is infectious.

Nightwish has outdone themselves with Imaginaerum. This album has all of the layered aspects of metal and symphonic rock, but also has a concept driving it that creates a tapestry of dark musical fantasy. Created to be partnered with a thirteen music video DVD that will be available in the spring of 2012, this album truly is epic. Every song is thoroughly orchestrated and each element, including the choral arrangements is placed exactly in the right spot. The deluxe version is a must if you want to experience the full vision of what this band has to offer, both in the rock opera setting and the instrumental artistry that is the backdrop for it all. If you are a fan of Evanescence, Katatonia, Trillium or Quimera you must try this album.

Key Tracks- Storytime, I Want My Tears Back, Imaginaerum

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 29, 2012

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Shillaly Brothers - Shillaly Brothers

As one might imagine, Shillaly Brothers are a Celtic folk band. They aren’t from Boston, but rather Los Angeles, though I am sure plenty individuals with Boston roots attend their shows. Like many of their pub performing counterparts, Shillaly Brothers perform traditional Irish classics to sing along with, but they also have some originals on this self-titled release as well.

From the opening of moments of “Pop,” it doesn’t take long to compare John Duffy’s vocals with those of The Pogues front man Shane MacGowan. Whether intentional or not, many Irish folks would be pretty happy to emulate one of the best (if not THE best) in their genre. This can of course be a double-edged sword for a band like Shillaly Brothers though. Sure it’s great to be easily compared to The Pogues, but it makes it harder to be treated as an original artist. Covering The Pogues “Old Main Drag” on your album doesn’t make this comparison any less obvious either.

Of course these comparisons mean very little for many of us. What matters most is how good are the tunes no matter who they sound like or who wrote them. On the original “Orders,” Rex Bailey provides vocals instead of Duffy and it shows that the band can go in different directions when they desire. Still, be them covers, originals, or different vocalists, I found the songs to be performed quite well. There were a couple of tunes that I didn’t care for, but the sing along good times that this genre is known for remain. Some of you rather listen to an album from The Pogues instead, but for those of you that want to lift a few pints and sing along for a half hour, Shillaly Brothers will do you just fine.

Key Tracks: Pop, Old Main Drag, Orders

Kevin Kozel - Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 27, 2012

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Savoy Brown - Voodoo Moon

Very seldom does an art form stuck in a corner survive very long. The nature of art is to keep moving forward, keep changing, to not remain the same forever. Blues music seems to be the exception; so many blues bands like Savoy Brown keep putting out new records and keep the music frozen in time. And it works beautifully.

Savoy Brown is one of the United Kingdom’s first Blues bands, helping rejuvenate the blues movement in the United States by playing it overseas. Unfortunately within a few years of their inception British Blues was on the way out. Thanks to a large following in America they soldiered on, despite countless lineup changes.

Voodoo Moon is their latest album to be released. Kim Simmonds, lead guitar and songwriter, said the songs on this album are some of his best since the 1970’s. Congratulations Mr. Simmonds, you’re absolutely right. It’s British Blues as good as it can get.

“Shockwaves” has a fantastic guitar sound as it opens. Throughout the entire album the instrument sounds are spot–on, but the opening is the best example. “She’s Got The Heat” would be a close second though; the opening guitar riff sounds quintessentially blues. I love it. “24/7” is an instrumental chock full of soulful blues guitar playing. “Look At The Sun” includes a saxophone, one of the best blues instruments in my opinion (but I’m biased; I play the sax).

As I said earlier, you shouldn’t expect to hear something extremely innovative on a blues album like this. And indeed, there isn’t anything I haven’t heard before here, but that’s not the point. A lot of blues music may sound interchangeable from one band to another these days, and this one more or less is the same, but Savoy Brown have somehow still managed to write a blues album that sounds so great it gives a tired genre new life.

Key Tracks: Shockwaves, She’s Got The Heat, Voodoo Moon

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 27, 2012

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Billy Cox - Old School Blue Blues

Billy Cox, bassist and friend to Jimi Hendrix, is the only surviving member of both Band of Gypsys and The Jimi Hendrix Experience. In between his commitments with the Experience Hendrix tour where Cox continues to honor his friend and former band mate by keeping his legacy alive, he finds the time to write and record a tune or two of his own. His latest, Old School Blue Blues, is his third solo release of the last forty years. Now I can’t say with any certainty exactly what Cox has been doing for the last four decades but I can speculate as to what he hasn’t been doing: coming up with new and inventive ways to play the blues.

“Rockin’ and Rollin’ On” starts the album off with a lick that sounds like it was torn off the back of a Hendrix B-side. Many tracks evoke the trademark Hendrix style in fact, but after I gave up trying to figure out if they actually were Hendrix riffs repackaged, I decided that Cox has just as much a claim to the sound as anyone, maybe more than anyone because he’s the only one left who can take credit for bringing it into being.

On “Woke Up With That” the lyrics are less than inspired, expressing platitudes which I thought had been exhausted decades ago. And it’s not just that the sentiment’s well worn, there are so many gripes about the modern age that they become muddled together into one big meaningless complaint. And it’s not even personal like lost love or no job or wrong train or mean boss, the things you’d expect a bluesman to be singing about. Instead he’s just bitching about gas prices being too high and the climate being shitty and how everything’s on computers nowadays. I don’t want to hear the enumeration of what’s wrong with the world set to music; I want to hear what makes this man’s misery unique. That’s what the blues is about. It’s about relieving your own sorrows by taking on those of another for the time being, not someone describing your own anguish. He hits a little closer to the mark with “A Day Late and a Dollar Short,” delivering something with more of a personal touch. The subject, the guy that can’t catch a break, is a blues standard, but it’s packaged a little more creatively and it sticks to one idea (more or less): the man keeps coming up short. He does, the man himself. So we can either choose to relate to this man or not. It’s not a laundry list of complaints that could have come from any one of us.

“The Last Gypsy Standing” (which as I mentioned is Cox himself) is funky foray into the days of groove gone by. Probably the tastiest riff since the album began, and again it harkens back to Hendrix. It seems like the best parts of this album are when he’s conjuring the spirit of the late master Jimi. It’s probably the bluest number on the album too, considering he’s singing about watching all his friends and companions die. Big thumbs up for this one.

Cox is a fine blues singer, but it never feels like he gives the tunes enough room to breathe around his crowded lyrics. Rarely does he let the groove out from under all those words he’s singing. Case in point: “Train Stops Here.” First of all, I love blues songs about trains, but I’d love this song about trains a whole lot more if at any point I were allowed more than ten seconds to soak in the sweet chorus effects on the rhythm guitar and the twangy lead that plays overtop. (OK, I’ll concede the outro, which is a good forty-plus seconds of smooth instrumental, but the best part of a song should be when it’s about to end!) There are some sweet harmonics which you may notice in the break between the first and second verse. They’re there the whole song, but most of the time they fail to shine as bright under everything else that’s going on.

“But the man’s seventy years old and he played bass with Hendrix! C’mon man, cut him some slack!” Ok, I hear that. And whoever said it would be right (I did. I said that.), and if you’re chomping at the bit to get your hands on this release to revel in some nostalgia, then more power to you. If you love classic rock-based-blues, then Old School will keep your toes tapping at the very least.

Key Tracks:

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 28, 2012

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Earth - Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II

With an ever-changing lineup and erratic schedule of releases, Earth is a hard band to keep locked in your sights. Their latest release, Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light II, continues to explore the sound established on its predecessor (AoD,DoL I). If you heard last year’s release and enjoyed it, then this one’s a no-brainer: stop reading and start listening.

Those who haven’t heard Earth since the pre-hiatus days of the early-mid ‘90’s may do well to prepare themselves for a perspective shift when encountering the ‘New’ Earth. Though still slow and heavy, and remaining true to the drone/doom aesthetic, a psychedelic sound becomes more and more apparent with each subsequent Earth release. With a fuller line-up, the instrumentation conveys an understated elegance that their music was previously lacking. Early Earth is about as subtle as a brick to the back of the head, but Earth now sounds more sophisticated in their execution of sludge.

Lori Goldston (whose cello adds the most character to the sound of both albums) has joined the roster for both the Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light releases, along with bassist Karl Blau. While front man/guitarist Dylan Carlson remains the only consistent member of Earth since its inception 23 years ago, Adrienne Davies (drums/percussion) wins runner up for having played on every album since 2005’s Hex. The cast for AoD,DoL II is exactly that of AoD,DoL I, which marks the first time (I think) that the same musicians have appeared on two consecutive Earth records, but since Angels of Darkness, Demons of Light is really a two part set, it makes sense that the members are the same for both. You wouldn’t re-cast roles in a film halfway through shooting. Since there hasn’t been any mention of continuing with a third installment, I wouldn’t be surprised if the next album brought yet another incarnation of Earth.

The riffs aren’t as intricate as they were on say, The Bees Made Honey in the Lions Skull, but the sound is just as huge. It’s not as thick though, in fact it sounds almost hollow, with lots of room for the sound to bounce off itself. The addition of the cello darkens the tone and deepens the texture. II differs from I in that it creates a bigger atmosphere. There is less progression; the tracks are a little less engaging, less grabby. The swells created by the interplay of strings on “The Corascene Dog” for instance create a shimmering ebb and flow, like moonlight reflecting off the receding tide.

“Waltz (A Multiplicity of Doors)” sounds like the type of slow doom-jazz I associate with Bohren & der Club of Gore, again with cello in place of the equally mournful saxophone. This is the song they play for the last slow dance at the senior prom in hell, right before everyone drinks the punch and dies, only to awake the next day and relive the nightmare all over again. “The Rakehell” meanwhile, sounds like The Black Keys on the worst day of a heroin bender. (I mean all of this in a good way.)

Earth may not be for everyone; their type of sound kind of forces you to change the way you listen to music (at least this kind of music), and that’s not always easy to do. But if you can tune your ears to the right frequency, the rewards are great.

Key Tracks: The Corascene Dog, The Rakehell

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 28, 2012

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Anderson/Wakeman - The Living Tree In Concert Part One

Jon Anderson and Rick Wakeman have been very busy since they teamed up to release Jon’s solo albums The Living Tree (2010) and Survival & Other Stories (2011).

Anderson has made an amazing comeback from a debilitating health issue that took away his angelic vocals. Since fighting his way back and then watching his former band mates in Yes go on without him, well let’s just say there have been plenty of motivational tools to keep those creative fires burning in his belly. Rick Wakeman has proved to be a true friend of Jon’s and has not only made fine contributions to his recent solo efforts in the studio but now with live recordings such as the recently released The Living Tree In Concert Part One.

Fans of Jon’s music are assured of a second installment of live recordings as indicated by the title of this new release. This is a good thing if you enjoy Jon’s music in a live setting. Although the vocalist may have lost some of his mojo over the years because of age and so many years of performing, where he may lack ever so slightly now is overcome with heart, soul, and a real spirituality and belief in himself and his fellow man. All of that comes through in a big way when you hear this duo perform. Wakeman’s keyboards are the perfect complement to Jon’s dreamy vocal style. Rick is arguably the best keyboard player in the history of rock music and his special touch and talents sound so elegant and well placed on stage with Jon.

The cover art of this release says a lot about the music and the creators. The luminescent “Living Tree” is comparable to the trees that were the essence of life in the movie Avatar. If you look closely at what is coming off the tree you will see birds and musical notes. With progressive artists like Anderson there is always more to it than meets the eye and it comes together quite nicely.

What you get on these live tracks is a mixture of Anderson’s solo catalog and a few Yes classics, which hardly covers the immense career this prolific artist has enjoyed but it does you give a solid glimpse of where he was and where he is now. Tracks like “Long Distance Runaround” is a window to the past and “23/24/11” takes you to present day battlefields where are young men and women are dying every day. Amongst all of this harsh reality, Anderson offers hope and the energy of his spirit to give every track a positive spin regardless of the subject.

I admire Jon Anderson the artist but more importantly I am impressed with the person, the individual views and spirituality of the man. Feeling this way made The Living Tree In Concert Part One a special experience.

Key Tracks: 23/24/11, Long Distance Runaround, House of Freedom

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

January 27, 2012

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Leslie West - Unusual Suspects

Rock lives! I'm not talking about new rock, with its incredible angst (and distortion). I'm not talking about early rock either (Chubby Checker or Elvis). I'm talking about the rock that I feel safe calling the ultimate real thing... the bluesy, riff-based stuff from the likes of Clapton and Zeppelin. Leslie West proves with Unusual Suspects that the genre not only lives, but is still vital.

Every track is all about raw guitar playing. In fact, this is kind of a guitar fan's dream, featuring not only the great playing of West but also (in no particular order) Gibbons (ZZ Top), Wylde (Ozzy), Bonamassa, Slash and more. Let's cover some of the best moments (because there really aren't any bad ones). “Nothing's Changed” sets the wild and angular playing of Wylde in competition with West's signature bluesy, bendy guitar sound. The result is a little strange, to be sure. It's strange in the best possible way, though. The two don't exactly mesh together, but rather they scream at each other, just like the in the screaming lyrics; “What am I gonna do about you?”

The slower numbers really grab at your heart. “My Gravity” is literally just the man and his guitar, and it has all the power and soul of a Joe Cocker or Leon Russell performance. “Legend” is another great ballad. In the true spirit of rock and roll West puts aside his past successes as unimportant next to the drive in his heart to just keep singing his songs. Unlike the sentimental junk you hear on the radio all the time, this time I believe every word. He says “Don't call me legend. I just came here to play.” Well, as far as I'm concerned that attitude is exactly what makes a real legend.

Key Tracks- Legend, Nothing's Changed, My Gravity

Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 26, 2012

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Ann Sweeten - In The Wake

Ann Sweeten is a pianist, composer, activist for animal and environmental rights, actress, singer, ballet dancer and she formerly fronted the band Fallout. In the Wake is the ninth album release by Sweeten due out in February of 2012. From the first moment I began to listen to this album, I knew it was going to be one I would enjoy immensely. The attention to detail and composition is flawless and worth keeping for those days when you just need to listen to something beautiful to get you away from the world for a while.

“On Wings Of Light” is a gliding trip through cloud filled skies on wings that never cease to beat. After reading about her work regarding the extinction of the Orange Band Sparrow, in my mind’s eye I see the last little sparrow, injured eye healed and free from pain, gliding through the air, strong again. Brought alive by the power of Sweeten’s passion filled music and soulful playing, he swoops through the sky, extinct no more, but alive in our hearts.

“Love Remembered” is a bittersweet and pensive piece that makes me think of walking beside a lake, thinking of a time gone by. Poignant strains that sound almost like a violin are ghostly in the background, and you can feel the hands of time drift backwards for just a moment as your mind reaches for a hand that you no longer hold. This piece is haunting in its thought provoking presence. The classical piano playing is original and so heartfelt, it takes you deep into the music and you don’t want it to let go.

“Now, And Again” is another walk down a path of memories and introspection. Smooth playing with harmonies and melodies just where they should be, this piece is beauty incarnate. Walking through a rose garden with the one you love, laughing while you tap your loved one’s nose with a spoon filled with ice cream, reading your favorite book…these are things you think about when you listen to this masterpiece. The composition is a blend of classical and innovative feeling that really engages the listener to relax and enjoy every moment of this album.

Ann Sweeten plays the piano like an angel singing. When she lifts finger to keys, she becomes an instrument herself. Her use of classical music and improvisation has created an album that is a joy to hear. A breast cancer survivor, activist for animal rights, she has been involved with the Arts in Healthcare Initiative. She is a multiple award winner and holds the honor of being a Steinway Artist, a highly coveted position.

In the Wake is a work of originality and passion that will make you very glad you took the time to listen.

Key Tracks: On Wings Of Light, Love Remembered, Now, And Again

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 25, 2012

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Eric Sardinas and Big Motor - Sticks and Stones

I first heard of Eric Sardinas in 2006. He appeared on Steve Vai’s Live at the Astoria London DVD. I knew he was a great guitarist, but seeing him playing “The Attitude Song” was my only exposure to him. He was a talented guitarist. I filed him away in my head under ‘slide guitar shredder’ and that was my entire experience with Mr. Sardinas.

I have spent quite a few years thinking that the blues were stagnant and the only new blues act selling albums was John Mayer.

When the Eric Sardinas and Big Motor, Sticks and Stones CD crossed my desk I swear the jewel case was convulsing. I loaded it up to give it a listen and to my surprise, the thing I noticed wasn’t the shredding I expected. What I noticed first was a great rockin’, almost rockabilly song, “Cherry Wine” with a deep and gruff rock ` n’ roll voice. I was instantly curious as to whether Mr. Sardinas was also the singer. Yep, Eric Sardinas (guitar,vocals), Levell Price (bass) and Chris Frazier (drums).

I listened to the whole CD and what I found was a great collection of songs that range anywhere from the Delta blues of “Ratchet Blues” all the way to a frenzied full out assault of “Behind The 8”.

Sticks and Stones is a collection of songs that are fun and clever. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. There is a lot of flashy playing on the album. That’s probably what you would be expecting to get if you bought this CD. To my surprise what you would end up with is an album that is entertaining and still enjoyable even after the flash has worn off.

The lesson I learned is, “Don’t believe everything you see on TV.” There are still exciting things happening in blues. After my re-introduction to Eric Sardinas and Big Motor I recommend Sticks and Stones to anyone who loves blues or rock.

Key Tracks: Ratchet Blues, Behind the 8, Country Line

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 25, 2012

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Sandy Carroll - Just As I Am

Just As I Am is Sandy Carroll’s latest album and her first release with her new label. Produced by her Grammy-winning husband, Jim Gaines, Just As I Am features a range of musical influence with gospel, blues, and rock all making an appearance.

The subject matter is just as varied, featuring songs of thanks, relationships, and love.

Just As I Am has a strong opening with “Blessed Be.” Sounding like an updated rock version of The Sermon on the Mount, this song begins the album on a thankful note. “Heartfixin’ Man” is a catchy song about the ambiguities of love. Following this up is “Waiting For The Storm.” This one is a real winner. It is slower and a more atmospheric song that is full of brooding menace. It is a spot on the album where everything comes together and really shines. It is without a doubt the best song on the album. Coming up next is a song about the quintessential tragic love pair. The subject matter has been overdone over time, but “Romeo and Juliet” does have its charm.

The second part of the album is where the music hits a rough spot. “Runnin’ Out of Grace” and the others that follow do not stand out much. I found these songs to by less lively than the songs on the first half and a bit bland. Though, I do have to say that the guitar solo in “Messin’ With Me” livens up the song and is worth mentioning. The album ends on a strong note with the title track “Just As I Am.”

Sandy Carroll’s Just As I Am is a mixed album of high and low points. She has a great voice that is a pleasure to listen to, the production is well done, and there are some good songs on here. But, at the same time, there are other songs that are weak spots.

Key Tracks: Blessed Be, Waiting For The Storm, Just As I Am

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 24, 2012

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Slivovitz - Bani Ahead

According to Wikipedia, Slivovitz is also known as a type of Plum Brandy, and is also called Rakia in the Balkan regions. With a name like that–after a popular alcoholic beverage–one should expect to hear some very interesting music.

And one does. Napoli, Italy’s Slivovitz creates a sound that is very odd to western ears. But it’s more than just weirdness or shock value; this band’s music is very progressive as well, making it that much more of a challenge to listen to. Personally, I’m fascinated by how they superimpose prog over the textures the instruments emit.

Bani Ahead doesn’t appear to be a mind–blowing session at first, but gradually one will realize how much there is to discover with multiple listens. “Yascello” is a good place to start, since its beginning sounds very progressive. But then it moves into a more ethereal and jazzy passage that sounds very soulful, or perhaps high. “Fat” starts more straightforward, in what resembles 4/4 time before the drums change the groove–or do they? “02–09” begins very softly, with the guitar and violin playing in unison, and the horns sparsely coming in as it picks up the pace ever so slowly, up until the horns and guitar cut loose together on an atonal melody.

One underlying element to the music is that underneath the melody, almost constantly, are the accompanying instruments, holding drone notes arranged into jazz chords. It’s distracting if you concentrate on hearing them, but not if you don’t. As the songs go on, the musicianship only gets more impressive. As I said earlier, this isn’t an exercise in showing off how many notes one can cram into X amount of space, but each solo fills up all the space they need to, with an appropriate amount of flair. It’s a delicate balance they manage very well.

Would I buy this album? Maybe. I’m very glad I got to hear it–I can’t remember the last time I heard music quite like this. If I could liken this album to any preexisting similar one, I would say it’s closer to something by The Mars Volta. But unlike TMV, Slivovitz knows when to stop and contain the chaos. But still, I can’t help but think that I wouldn’t jump to play any of these songs when searching for something to listen to on my iPod. The listening experience is very good, but I don’t think I’d want so much more of it. And I think it’s because of this album’s self control; the limited wildness excludes it from being an album that sticks with you forever. But it should stay with you long enough to remember what it was like, and to remind you that a look back could be fun.

Key Tracks: 02-09, Fat, Bani Ahead

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 23, 2012

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My Shadow and I - Summer Cycle

Brad Podray is a Philadelphia native who began his love affair with music at the young age of eight, when he drove his parent’s crazy demanding piano lessons. Aspiring to become a concert pianist, plans have a way of changing and as a teenager; Podray and his friend Daniel Dolan formed the rock band Kryoteck and released their first album. Podray began working collaboratively with Dolan on two other projects with elements of trip hop and pirate hip hop but ultimately found himself working on New Age instrumentals. Summer Cycle is My Shadow and I’s third album release.

“Taken Higher” is the first track on the album. Languid string and keyboard lulls your senses into the spell Podray is weaving around your world weary soul. The gossamer web reaches up and grabs hold of you as the music spirals up in a rush of color and pulls you under the waves. The multi-instrumental sensations are epic and full of life. Under the cresting waves of this harmony, you are surrounded by peace and the warm summer waters caress your consciousness into submission.

“More Optimism” is pensive. Piano music trips and hops like a babbling brook traversing a meadow just coming into summer’s first blush of light and color. The layered textures created with the piano and percussion adds a world music flavor to this piece. Joy filters sunlight through your clouded mind as the little rays of sunshine flicker up from the brook and into your eyes. The subtle changes in tone and harmony flow and not one note of music is out of place.

“Unwither” has an optimism that moves right through you. If there was any chance of you not being relaxed through the beginning of this album, this should do it. The artistry captured with the striking of fingers on keys is truly magnificent in this piece and it is one of my favorites on this album. It has an even pace and the harmonies flow around each other like two moths around a streetlight. Gently beating their wings in the night, they know something great when they see it, or in this case, hear it.

Brad Podray was drawn to music at a young age and was inspired by friends and family to make his gift shine. His correspondence with New Age composer David Lanz encouraged him to create the My Shadow and I project. Podray’s ultimate goal is to write music for film and television. The serene pieces on this album are an excellent example of the versatility of this artist. His interests range from trip hop to classical and all over the board in between. The world music sound blended with relaxing New Age energy crafted here are worthy of notice and we will probably be hearing his work on television very, very soon.

Key Tracks- Taken Higher, More Optimism, Unwither

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 20, 2012

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Darlene Koldenhoven - Solitary Treasures

Darlene Koldenhoven is the Grammy award winning artist who has been amazing fans of multiple music genres since her church debut at the young age of three. Brought up in a Calvinist household in Chicago, Koldenhoven honed her skills on religious music and began to learn classical piano at age nine. Part of her growth as a musician was to help her sister, who was completely deaf. Using music as a healing tool has become a part of who Darlene Koldenhoven is. Not only is she a multiple award winner for her five octave vocal range, songwriter, composer and keyboardist, she is adept at improvisation in classical and non-classical styles and has used her knowledge to help people develop their skills as musicians. Solitary Treasures is Koldenhoven’s seventh album, and one of three albums released in 2011.

Solitary Treasures is a foray into opera, classical, pop and more. Listening to her for the first time literally brought tears to my eyes. There is a reason her singing has been compared to a voice of angels.

“Nessun Dorma From Turandot” is the first piece on the album. Light ambient sounds waft upward and for a moment you feel like you are drifting on clouds. Koldenhoven’s voice erupts into operatic song and it is beautiful. The range is flawless and the harmonies flow together to create the sensation of being in the finest opera box looking down at an amazing performance.

“Bella’s Lullaby From Twilight” is a foray into ambient music and light operatic tones. Koldenhoven’s voice is a musical instrument, blending in with the ambient sound and piano music to create a melody sweet in its spiraling simplicity and yet intricate with the burgeoning tension that brings to mind the popular story loved by millions of readers and movie goers.

“Remember Me” is a unique piece for this album. It is symphonic rock and dedicated to heroes in all walks of life. Light piano music drifts up and lifts Koldenhoven’s voice in an entirely new way from most of the songs on the album. Pensive and thought provoking, powerful lyrics explode into electric guitar playing that blends with lively keyboard explorations.

Darlene Koldenhoven is an award winning artist who arrived in Los Angeles with not much more than $400, a few sweaters and a dream. Her award winning work is now endorsed by American Idol and Julliard. She has performed with greats like Robin Williams, Pink Floyd, Barbara Streisand, the Royal Philharmonic and many more. You can also find her amazing vocals on video games like Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Baldur’s Gate. One of her best known appearances on television was the tambourine playing nun in Sister Act with Whoopi Goldberg. Koldenhoven has also used her experience to create a voice tutoring program called Tune Your Voice to develop musical knowledge and singing technique. Solitary Treasures, Koldenhoven’s seventh album, is a foray into classical pop at its finest, with elements of world music, symphonic rock, opera and classical. Listening to it was a joy and I really do believe Darlene Koldenhoven may be an angel on earth after all.

Key Tracks: Nessun Dorma From Turandot, Bella’s Lullaby From Twilight, Remember Me

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 23, 2012

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Big Brother And The Holding Company Featuring Janis Joplin - Live At The Carousel Ballroom 1968

Live At The Carousel Ballroom 1968 is a previously unavailable live recording of Janis Joplin and Big Brother and the Holding Company at a venue that was to become Bill Graham’s Fillmore West after a short six month run.

Big Brother and the Holding Company in 1968 were Janis Joplin (vocals), Sam Andrew (guitar, vocals), James Gurley (guitar), Peter Albin (bass) and Dave Getz (drums).

The attraction to this kind of release is the time period in which it was recorded. This is when Haight-Ashbury in San Francisco was becoming legendary for being the center of counter culture, art and music. Bands like The Grateful Dead and The Jefferson Airplane were rapidly building their own communities, which would eventually spread across the US then worldwide. Back then there was no internet and countless websites to promote your music, it was grassroots publicity through playing live every chance you could.

A hint at what was going on then and the type of people that were in attendance at these events is made apparent by the MC announcing after the eighth track “Call On Me,” to all the Hell’s Angels and more specifically to Tramp and Tiny, warning them that the policeman were going to be “on” their bikes shortly so they should move them before they had them towed. Things like this really give you a glimpse into another time and world that seems mild now in comparison to some of the things that have happened over the years at concerts. And of course more importantly the intent of this release which is to give listeners a chance to hear the two nights that this powerful force of music displayed to their fans. Keep in mind this is the non-stereo mix that you will hear, complete with all the imperfections that live concerts could bring in 1968, which notably does not distract from the musicianship and personality of the performances.

Live At The Carousel Ballroom 1968 was recorded by soundman Owsley Stanley AKA “Bear” who died in a fatal car accident March 12, 2011. Bear supervised the remastering of this recording prior to his untimely death.

Joplin is at her fiery best on these tracks and the band is incredibly powerful. Much care was taken to preserve the original integrity of these recordings and there is little overlap between the right and left channels so you are warned that the album will sound a bit strange with your current configuration of your stereo (mine being 5.1 Surround Sound) and the best way to enjoy this sonic experience is to push your left and right front speakers together if you want to hear it like the crowd did the day it was recorded. This is good advice if it applies to your system and can be arranged as such. Even though I could not do that I thought this recording was quite good. Everything that I have discussed so far runs parallel to the music. The history of the artists and people involved with these live performances is what makes it so interesting and captivating. The first listen to a recording such as this is always the most important because if it does not find a way to consume you in some way then there is nothing there to motivate you to play it again. I was blown away by the how they managed to make this performance sound so good, making you feel like you were there that day. I listened several times so it worked for me.

Some of the best tracks on the CD are “Light Is Faster Than Sound,” “Piece Of My Heart” and “Ball & Chain.” “Coo Coo” was a change in direction and sounds as if it could have been on a different album played by someone else, until it really starts moving further into to meat of the track. It starts off with surf like guitar riffs and it is as clean and bright as can be, almost like it was cut in the studio, not live. It definitely is live because you can hear Janis at the beginning before the music starts saying coo, coo, coo.

The 13 tracks on this monumental piece of rock history take up 71 minutes of your time, and time well spent indeed. This type of remaster is a quintessential part of musical history and culture that should be celebrated and recognized for what it really is. Most certainly young and old music fans alike will find some sort of connection inside the music because of the originality and meaning. The cover art captures the time and spirit of the music as well as the singer’s passion and soul. If that is not enough to peak your curiosity well then you just don’t have the music in your heart to go any further. From the cover to the last note played you will always have a reserved seat at the Carousel Ballroom with this fascinating recording.

Key Tracks: Light Is Faster Than Sound, Piece Of My Heart, Ball & Chain

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

January 23, 2012

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Lee-Leet - Leave It Behind

About a month ago we posted Lee-Leet’s video for “Leave It Behind” as our video of the week. Apparently the Polish independent singer/songwriter/composer was happy enough with being the video of the week that she asked us to review her third album, Leave It Behind as well. Her previous releases include State of Emergency and Bare.

Lee-Leet’s band is composed of Andrzej Frolow (keys), Tomasz Glinka (bass), Krysztof Rukat (guitars), and Robert Sopala (drums). Lee-Leet writes all of the music and lyrics and produced the album. She has also self-released all three of her albums.

At times I am reminded of Evanescence/Amy Lee when listening to Leave It Behind. The songs aren’t really as heavy, rocking, or dark as Evanescence, and Lee-Leet doesn’t put the power into her vocals that Lee does, but the songs generally have traditional vocals over a more modern pop/rock sound. Some of the songs are more traditional and have more of a piano foundation to them like Tori Amos tunes. Either way, I didn’t find it all that easy to compare Lee-Leet to something all that familiar. I must point out, that while Lee-Leet is Polish, most of the songs are sung in English (9 of the 11), and she sings very clearly when she does, so there should be no concerns in that regard for anyone that may have any. In fact, I found the Polish songs to be two of the better ones on the album.

Coming in at just under an hour (56 minutes) of music, Leave It Behind, has a nice bit of range to it. Not many of the songs sound the same and you go from harder to softer, piano to guitar driven, etc. Lee-Leet definitely writes a good song and instrumentally the songs are all performed well. I didn’t love every song, some are certainly better than others, and per usual I preferred the more rocking tunes, but the talent is certainly there. I found the production and effects on the songs to vary considerably and they seemed to make or break a few of the songs. Also, the vocals, while they are very good, could benefit from some more inflection to show more passion and emotion. Some little adjustments would go a long way for a few of these songs on this album. Still the talent and songwriting is certainly with Lee-Leet and I think making some minor adjustments can make good songs great.

Key Tracks: Gentle, Leave It Behind, Femme Fatale

Kevin Kozel - Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 20, 2012

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Johnny Got A Lighter - JGAL EP

How does a band make themselves known to the masses these days? Radio airplay? Music videos on MTV? How do you stand apart from everyone else? It seems that MTV exposure doesn’t do quite what it used to for bands, and radio stations are playing pop music more often than not. So that leaves being different and unique to set yourself apart.

But if that’s how to get people to listen to your music, then Johnny Got A Lighter won’t get so much sunshine. They aren’t a bad band, they just don’t appear to be any different than the ten thousand other alternative rock bands out there.

Let me make it clear, none of the songs are that bad, but they aren’t unique.

“Some People” is a fine opening track. As far as production goes it sounds great. It’s got some poppy and catchy hooks, which it needs. But other than the vocal melodies, neither is it that interesting. “All Those Things (You Don’t Want)” sounds no different from the previous track. The guitar plays on the offbeat almost constantly, which it did on “Some People.” Its guitar leads are not as apparent as the opener, nor are they as engaging. “Sleepless In San Fernando” has a jazzy opening riff which continues through the verses, but beyond that there really isn’t much there to write about. Here, some of the guitar leads sound like they didn’t have a lot of thought put into them, as they are there simply to not let a part of the song be just rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. The guitar solo doesn’t have a whole lot to offer either. At first, “Dreams Interrupted” sounds like something different and interesting with the piano. The song gradually builds and continues to be very piano driven and is easily the most listenable and engaging of the tracks. All is not lost!

JGAL EP is a start, and really just that. There’s lots of room for improvement as far as songwriting is concerned, but with the last track on this EP it sounds like they’re already on their way. They’re a young band (this is their first EP after all) and I won’t hold my breath on what their next material will sound like, but hopefully they’ll get it right.

Key Tracks: Dreams Interrupted, Sleepless In San Fernando, Some People

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 18, 2012

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Syven - Aikaintaite

If you’re lucky enough to find any press in English about Syven’s debut album, Aikaintaite, one word you might encounter repeatedly is ‘shamanistic.’ It’s not the most descriptive qualifier, but it’s certainly the most fun to employ…the chanting makes it seem more monastic than shamanistic, but now I might just be splitting hairs. It’s hard for me to review this type of down tempo sludge objectively, because I really like it. Conceptually I like it. I like it just for that fact that it exists.

It’s hard to describe a band like Syven, who defy categorization by seemingly creating their sound from scratch, or channeling it from some other source. They’re ambient, for sure; atmospheric, but that doesn’t say much. You might say there’re aspects of metal present, especially on songs like “Jäljet,” but if you think of most metal being an appropriate soundtrack for a frenzied battle, then this is the type of metal that plays during the solemn march toward said battle. It’s slow and purposeful; it’s heavy, dark and mournful, but lacks that amphetamine-urgency that seems to drive most other metal. Just because it’s heavy and distorted doesn’t make it metal by rote, but in this case if it walks like a duck and sounds like a duck, I’m tempted to say that it at least resembles a similar species of water fowl. You’ve heard of Black Metal? I’m tempted to call this Blue Metal. I don’t know if that’s an accepted term, but if it’s not yet it should be, and maybe eventually it will.

The second track is really where things begin to take off. On “Jäljet,” the instrumentation becomes a little more dynamic with the addition of heavily distorted guitars to thicken things out a bit and a melodic element that supplants the ambient drone of the first track. Layering electric guitar leads over the rhythm provided by the kantele, the traditional Finnish lap harp which is the vocal point of Aikaintaite, offers a nice juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary, ‘folk’ and ‘modern’ instruments. This sound is complimented by low, basso profondo vocal chanting and the pulse of tribal percussion.

Having listened to the album from start to finish (Finnish, get it?), the way I imagine it should be experienced, considered as a whole rather than dissected and examined and consumed piece by piece, I can only conclude that they saved the best for last, “Tuulenvire.” This is the track with the most weight to it, featuring (in my opinion) the most complex arrangement. And, clocking in at a relatively modest pace of twelve minutes and thirteen seconds, it’s one of the more condensed compositions as well. They way to hear this album, I imagine, would be on vinyl. I don’t know whether it was an intentional decision during the mixing/mastering process, or just a trick of my media player, but there seem to be longer pauses in between tracks than I am accustomed to. Silence, however brief, can be a welcome reprieve after eighteen-plus minutes of the same tones pulsing in orbit around your head; a cleansing of the ear-palate prior to the next indulgence.

When it comes to Aikaintaite, patience is a virtue. Listening to this album is like watching plants grow in a time lapse video moving at a speed just slightly greater than that of real time (by which I mean neither to compliment or complain, merely explain). The kantele is certainly a unique instrument, there’s nothing that sounds quite like it (except for the koto, the guzheng, the yatga or maybe the ðan tranh). The mix of traditional and contemporary sounds makes for an interesting soundscape, and listeners with an ear for the eclectic would do well to acquaint themselves with Syven.

Key Tracks: Ne Jotka Selviävät Talvestamme, Tuulenvire

Drew Vreeland - MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 19, 2012

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BlancaWhite - Resurgence of Rock

Resurgance of Rock is the debut album from BlancaWhite. While the title song will make you get ready for the rock revolution, the focus on middle age and middle class issues may have you reaching for the Metamucil.

The band is the brainchild of lawyer turned songwriter Ken Savage, and the album was put together as a vanity project. Most of the songs sound like just that, workmanlike efforts in the vein of 80’s hair metal bands.

Clearly Savage was attempting to re-create an era of head-bangin’, babe-bangin’ and hard livin’. And while the attempt is admirable, some variety in material is needed. After a few songs I found myself wondering about my pension fund, and I don’t have a pension fund.

That said, the musicianship is very good, especially the vocals, provided by several veterans of the music scene. There is tentativeness in the lyrics and a muddiness to the mix which mutes the effect of the songwriting. When I could make out the words, much of it seems shoehorned into a strict rhyming scheme.

The one standout is the title song, “Resurgence of Rock.” This song feels like it had as much work put into it as the rest of the album combined. It is a good fist pumping, sing-along anthem meant to rally rockers back to the sound of heavy metal. It is the gem of the album, but not enough of one to save the rest of the bunch. Buy it separately on iTunes, and play it loud.

Overall, a good attempt for a neophyte to the rock biz. One really good song is more than many debuts contain, so I will give Ken Savage and BlancaWhite an A for effort, but a C for execution.

Key Tracks: Resurgence of Rock, One for the Ages, Livin’ It Up (In a Mexican Bar)

John Starr – Guest Review

January 17, 2012

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Danny John Trio - Mr. Twister

Yesterday I had never even heard of Daniel John and today he is one of my favorite guitarists ever.

Danny grew up in Canberra, Australia. He picked up the guitar at age eight and taught himself to play. After gaining an enthusiastic response in Australia he dropped everything and moved to Hollywood where he attended Musicians Institute of Technology. After three years of studying and playing with the best he felt like he was ready. He moved back to Australia and played with the best musicians Australia has to offer.

His latest venture “The Danny John Trio” is Daniel John (Guitars); James Dennett (Drums) and Marcos Gil (Bass).

Their second album, Mr. Twister is ablaze with flashy, raucous, intense musical masterpieces. From the moment I hit play I was in guitar shredder heaven.

I hate it when guitar virtuosos put out albums with a bunch of singing with little guitar solos in-between. Mr. Twister delivers everything I ever wanted to hear on an instrumental guitar album. The shortest song is over 5 minutes long.

Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t just a bunch of heavy metal shredding for the sake of fitting as many notes into a measure as you can. No, each song on this album is a treasure trove of diverse styles, odd meters and vast dynamics, amazingly clean sweep picking, plus incredible bass and drum solos.

Mr. Twister starts out heavy with “Drift.” A lone distorted rhythm guitar progresses into a full out attack of guitar voodoo. It’s a nine minute song, but it never gets boring. “Would” rivals the group “The Mars Volta” for having the most genres in one song. The title track “Mr. Twister” is a lesson in playing in every meter except 4/4. “Lighthouse” makes a game of changing keys every two beats.

This album was recorded in 17 hours, but you would never guess. It’s a testament to the amazing talent of these artists. If they were painters this would be their Mona Lisa. If you are looking for a perfect Rock/ Jazz Fusion album, this is it. Look no further.

Key Tracks: Drift, Mr. Twister, Lighthouse

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 18, 2012

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Brandon McHose - Late Night EP

Brandon McHose developed his passion for music as a child when his father shared his eclectic music collection and began to teach him on his 74 Les Paul guitar. As McHose grew in his musical talent, he spent a lot of time in the Austin music scene and then landed in Chicago. Late Night EP is McHose’s third album, but his first one featuring an electric guitar.

Although the album only has four tracks, they tell a story of an evolution. The first track, “Late Night” is the story of a musician’s travels on the road. The piece begins with an edgy bit of guitar work that leads the way for McHose’s textured vocals. Beginning with more of a gritty feel, they morph quickly into a smooth, soaring experience. The first piece that you hear with McHose’s electric guitar is full of harmony and many layers that blend well together to create a song worth listening to. Guest musician on this track is popular Austin drummer Wayne Salzman.

“Next 3” is the second track on the album. The electric guitar winds up and has a peppy rhythm that is quite infectious. The highs and lows of a musician’s life are exemplified in the thoughtful lyrics and the energy reflected in each strum of the guitar strings. The emotional outpouring in the vocals and all the possibility that shines when an artist gives himself to his craft are evident in this piece.

“Just Say When” is by far my favorite piece on the album. It combines the acoustic guitar in a ballad and has subtle electric guitar textures. The vocals on this track are smooth and feel like they are caressing the guitar as the music flows up and outward. The blend of acoustic guitar and electric is well done and creates a musical landscape that is a pleasure to listen to.

Brandon McHose has spent much of his musical career focused on acoustic guitar. In Late Night EP McHose has evolved into an artist who is not afraid to combine what he knows with who he is becoming. His early history listening to greats like The Beatles and more recent favorites like The Foo Fighters are evident in his work. The use of acoustic guitar blended with electric guitar in “Just Say When” is an effective tool to show how layered he can be. His ability to shred and capture a more aggressive tone with this album has illustrated what he is trying to accomplish. Because he is able to maintain the attitude that he is a guitar player first even before being a singer and songwriter, attests to the passion he has for his craft. Brandon McHose is going to be an artist to watch.

Key Tracks- Late Night, Next 3, Just Say When

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 17, 2012

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Machine Mass Trio - As Real as Thinking

Blending the sounds of jazz and progressive rock is a feat that is not often attempted, but that did not stop Machine Mass Trio from doing it. Consisting of Tony Bianco (drums, loops, percussion), Michel Delville (guitar, bouzouki, electronics), and Jordi Grognard (tenor sax, bass clarinet, flute, bansuri, electric tempura), Machine Mass Trio’s As Real as Thinking is a testament to their creativity and skill as artists. The attempt is praise worthy by itself, but it is even more noteworthy that they have succeeded in blending two genres of music that one does not often link together.

This remarkable album begins with “Cuckoo.” The sound is straight-up jazz. It lures the listener into familiar territory. There are no surprises, yet. Following this up is the mellow jazz song “Knowledge.” Next up is “Let Go” and this is where the progressive rock sound joins in. The song has a sweet groove to it and makes music that is not quite like anything else that is normally heard. The eastern influenced “Khajurao” carries with it a mediation inducing sound. There is an overall sense of spirituality and mysticism to the song that makes it so haunting. The halfway point is marked by the lengthy jazz-rock fusion of “Hero.”

The spacey sound found in “UFO-RA” is no surprise given the title. The sound of “UFO-RA” leads right into “Falling Up.” This 18-minute odyssey is reminiscent of some of Pink Floyd’s longer songs. Here is another song that can be described as spacey; though, at times, it has the mellow sound an aquatic setting. Do not let the length of the song be a deterrent because there is never a boring moment as the time moves right along. Capping this album off is “Palitana Mood,” an engaging mix of progressive rock and jazz.

Machine Mass Trio’s As Real as Thinking is a masterpiece. The bending of jazz and progressive rock is a treat for the ears. It is something that I have never heard before and worth the listen because this experiment could have produced something like Frankenstein’s monster, but this creation is all beauty.

Key Tracks: Let Go, Khajurao, Falling Up, Palitana Mood

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 15, 2012

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Dan Wolff - Old Fashioned Love

Dan Wolff did not pick up a guitar until he was 18 years old. He then went off to college and immersed himself in music and continued to follow that path successfully.

Old Fashioned Love is his third studio effort and it certainly sounds like a polished veteran of the recording studio is at work on this recent release.

The vocals he provides will immediately remind you of Al Stewart (“Year of the Cat”) and John Mayer, if you happen to be familiar with either artist. That isn’t the only way to connect to Wolff’s music though. What you find with the 12 tracks on this CD is a totally relaxing sound with lyrics you can hear and understand.

Old Fashioned Love is a perfect title for this album. The subject matter is every day old fashioned love songs, just as advertised. Wolff’s smooth and straightforward voice is hard to dislike. And most importantly the critical element to make it all believable is the instrumentation throughout, it is exceptional. This helps to move his vocalizations over the top of the music like a bird gliding in the sky.

Even though you can classify this music as a combination of rock and folk there are other elements that come into play to give this solid release its flavor. Because of the multitude of instruments used, I heard some blues, and bits and pieces of roots and country. For that reason it made the entire listen more interesting and I was able to look further into what the artist was trying to accomplish with his music and how it really made me feel.

On “When She Was Mine” the line “drinking coffee from a bottomless cup, start to worry that I’ve had way too much,” was a brilliant way to put the entire track into proper perspective. It is a bitter sweet love song that makes you reflect upon your own life and the passing of time If you could turn back time what would you change? And on a deeper level the possibilities of how many different people would be in your life if that opportunity was presented.

Some of my favorite tracks are “Old Fashioned Love,” “Hard To Get” and “When She Was Mine.” The entire recording is impressive and a breath of fresh air in the otherwise polluted surroundings we live in. If you want to get away from anything electronic like the TV or PC and are yearning to kick back and take in some music that will soothe your soul, make you tap your feet and look at the reflection of yourself within the music, then Old Fashioned Love is your free pass to get there.

Key Tracks: Old Fashioned Love, Hard To Get, When She Was Mine

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

January 16, 2012

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Case In Theory - Cinematic

Have you ever had a dream, but a lack of funds held you back? Case in Theory, an alternative rock band from California, was in just that predicament. They used their smarts and KickStarter to raise $4,000 through friends, family, and fans to get their album, Cinematic, underway. That’s not to say a whole lot of hard work, perseverance and money from their own pockets wasn’t involved.

The band, formed in 2006 by friends Jonathan Posadas (guitar/vocals), and Tadeo Ramirez (guitar), has come a long way since then, adding two more members, Ben Everett (bass) and Jamin Bracken (drums), working in the studio and doing a six state tour in November 2011. Their style of music is a mix of their personal tastes ranging from rock to hip-hop to electronica.

Cinematic puts these varying tastes on display in a clean-cut and sharp manner. The “Mavericks” songs, which musically play out riding waves on the ocean, were originally slated to be the backdrop to a surfing documentary. Close your eyes and you’re out there playing in the waves, the effect is somehow both calming and exhilarating at the same time.

Mostly, Case In Theory, is your basic alternative rock band, but they do throw in some twists and turns along the way. “The Night,” along with others, has elements reminiscent of Yellowcard’s style in the early 2000’s. “Righteous Path” has subtle yet recognizable funk elements.

“Run Like Hell” is a harder song, but Posadas voice is just gentle enough to keep it well rounded. Unfortunately, sometimes characteristics of his singing style are a downfall. Some tracks’ vocals, especially the title track, “Cinematic,” sound just a little too sluggish and labored.

The goal of Case In Theory is not to become superrich rock stars. They just want to enjoy making music and get it out to their fans. Cinematic is, overall, an enjoyable album, and one that shows with a few tweaks here and there, the band has major potential to be very famous, whether they want to be or not.

Key Tracks: Mavericks (I,III,IV), Righteous Path, Run Like Hell

Christen LaFond – MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 14, 2012

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The Autumn Electric - If You're Home

Michael Trew (guitars, vocals) met Naomi Smith (keys) at a coffee shop in Seattle. After their first tour they picked up drummer Dan Desrosiers off of Craigslist. They played as a three piece for a year and then hooked up guitarist/film maker Barton Macguire.

The band has recently met their fund raising goals at kickstarter.com and will begin recording a new CD Make Me a Tree in February. In the mean time you can listen to their current album If You’re Home.

The songs from this album are born out of the experiences the band had back packing in the UK and their first national tour in 2009.

If You’re Home begins with the ethereal “In the Redwoods.” The distorted guitar, cymbal rolls and vocal harmonies accented by church bells transport you into a dreamy world of electric folk music. I enjoy the imagery Trew paints of Paul Bunyon carving his name into a redwood tree.

The percussion in the middle of “Garage Rock” is a creative mix of rim shots and ratchet sounds that make it sound like you are in a garage. It’s the little things like this that make me think that these guys are probably a lot of fun to see live.

“Alasdair and the Sunwidow” is probably my favorite track off the album. It’s very mellow. This track combines airy acoustic guitars and snare drum and cymbals with brushes to create a soft backdrop for haunting vocals and harmonies.

Trew’s voice is unique and the variety of instruments: melodica (key-flute), mandolin, shakers, brushes, etc… add a lot of texture to these songs. The production is lacking in areas, but that’s to be expected for an indie band that can record and publish a whole CD for less than two grand.

If you want to support a hard working indie folk band give them a listen.

Key Tracks: In the Redwoods, Alasdair and the Sunwindow, Colorado

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 15, 2012

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Skinny Puppy - HanDover

Skinny Puppy is Industrial Rock at its most symbolic. The brainchild of conceptualist and Frontman Ogre and electronics guru Cevin Key, the band has released its 14^th album, HanDover. As with most of their prior work, symbolism and social issues are enacted with a blend of recognizable song formations and still others are abstract pieces of modern art for the ears.

“Cullorblind” comes to life with ambient sound and abstract keyboards tentatively hovering. A strange plastic squeaking sound like a sneaker squelching across a wet floor leads the way into pensive vocals. Reminiscent of Sisters of Mercy, but all its own style, this track captures the best of what Skinny Puppy has to offer. Full of rhythmic groove and edgy grit, the lyrics portray a world that is full of uncertainty and the spending of a future that hasn’t happened yet. Spewing menace and dire predictions of what may be in store for our society; this piece is exhilarating and will make you think.

“Icktums” made me feel like I was on the set of Tron. Blasts of sound pulse like Tesla coils shooting off lightening into the darkness. A rhythm derived from percussion erupts into a lurid tale of man’s rapid descent with striking beats and guitar work. The mechanical sounds of an electrified coffee pot jolt you as the phrase “Worship money, Worship nothing” is repeated. A swirling miasma of electrified turmoil meets your ears and morphs into money sounds. This piece has movement and an energy that is infectious, despite the theme and is one of my favorite songs on the album.

“Village” erupts in a dark storm of lyrics and oppressive, grinding sounds. The percussion lays a background for brooding guitar, bleeping electronica and the continued theme of mankind falling deeper in the trap of financial dependence on an institution that will lead them to ruin. The deadpan vocals combine with a background of “Get out!” and allusions to being an egg in the frying pan of society.

Over the course of their three decades of working together, one thing has kept Skinny Puppy at the forefront of their genre, the ability to carve their own road out of society’s ills. They have never been afraid to express their views with intriguing atmospheric sounds and lyrics that are painfully aware of mankind’s foibles and excesses. HanDover does just that. Using alien bleeps, electronica, dark almost Goth vibes, gripping vocals and unique abstract formations, Skinny Puppy has created an album that will stretch your mind and make you ponder the world through their eyes. It can be a very dark place, but then again, what isn’t if you hold a microscope on it very long?

Key Tracks-Cullorblind, Icktums, Village

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 13, 2012

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Bebe Buell - Hard Love

I’m going to go out on a limb here and make this claim; in the world of rock n’ roll musicians, males outnumber females. This is not to say that women can’t do it too, it just seems that men are more apt to pick up a guitar and start trying. Bebe Buell’s life has revolved around rock n’ roll, from when she lived together with Todd Rundgren, through her brief relationship with Steven Tyler, and now, with the release of Hard Love.

This solo album is Buell’s first return to music since 1993, when she worked with the Gargoyles, though her first true solo effort was an EP released in 1981, produced by Rick Derringer and Rick Ocacek.

While I haven’t heard that EP myself, based on this album I don’t think I’ll give it a spin anytime soon.

Hard Love, I suppose, isn’t one hundred percent terrible. I applaud Buell for her efforts to get back to the life she always wanted, in and around rock n’ roll, by releasing this album. But that’s the only thing I can find to appreciate about Hard Love. It would be unfair to say the producer wrote all of these songs, but they sound like they came out of a factory, following a formula to get radio airplay and sell thousands of records rather than concentrate on making art that reflects her creativity and talent. This album is not one that continues to make music as a relevant art form.

“Mother of Rock & Roll” opens the album and sets the tone for every single song to follow. Buell tries to give an impression that she’s a queen among rock musicians and appear as a woman not to be taken lightly. I guess she can pull off that front, more or less; I would think that to be among rock and roll royalty one would need to create a lot more quality music than Buell has. “Heartbeat” is somewhat of a ballad, but is too fast to truly fit that description. It also suffers from the same malady each of the others do, being completely forgettable. With Buell’s abnormally low female voice, “Sugar” sounds very creepy, like the anthem of cougars worldwide. Imagine Buell saying these lyrics to you and you’ll know what I mean; “Did you feel me beside you/Taste me on your tongue/…deep inside me is the place where all your dreams are wrung…you’re mine tonight/you’re my sugar sugar.” And they only get worse. But the worst offender is “I Love A Man In Uniform,” which is based around two chords and hardly deviates. I think I’ve found the epitome of repetition in rock music. It’s like she played two chords and said to herself, “that’ll do” when she was writing this. That is, if the producer wasn’t writing it instead.

There’s nothing wrong with girl power in music. Look at pop for example, where many of the best selling artists are women. This album tries to be one of those girl power albums, and I suppose it achieves that goal, but other than that there’s really nothing else to it.

This is a what-you-hear-is-what-you-get album, because the music is so simple, similar, and unchallenging that if you hear one of these songs, you’ve just about heard them all. There really isn’t a standout track that offers anything different or more interesting. If you like music by women trying to be one of the boys, you’ll like this. If you like disposable pop rock songs, you’ll also like this. If you think of music as art, run and hide.

Key Tracks: Mother Of Rock & Roll, Sugar, I Love A Man In Uniform

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 12, 2012

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Netherland Dwarf - Moi Moi

Netherland Dwarf's Moi Moi is in many ways a very impressive album. It is, for the most part, a one-man project by a Tokyo DJ and keyboard player (whose name, sadly, is not listed anywhere at the record label's website that I can tell). Considering that it is done by one person, I am in awe of the sheer amount of work that went into this album. Congratulations on your perseverance!

The problem is that half of the music here is classical music remade, and frankly, it does not work for me. From the album information online, it appears that the goal was to create a 70s prog rock sound. Instead it just comes off as corny and canned in the final product. The corniness is amplified by the changes made to the music, such as adding a drum track to “Ruslan and Ludmille,” or putting in sounds similar to electronic hurricane force winds on the “Hallelujah Chorus.” Further, what is truly lacking is the 'live' performance aspect (I understand that studio albums are not 'live' but bear with me). With Emerson, Lake and Palmer, for instance, you have the emotive qualities of their playing coming through loud and clear on their classical covers. On Moi Moi, however, the tracks sound like they are 'played' by a computer, because, well, they mostly are. This mechanistic approach takes nothing from original electronic music, because that is electronica's milieu. For me it just doesn't sell classics. That does lead us into the best stuff on the CD, however.

The original works show a great deal of musical creativity, and even some 'classical' sensibility. “Alone In The Blizzard Dawn” is an intriguing mix of bells, native flute sounds and more traditional synth, accompanied by tasteful drumming. It's as if trance music suddenly realized that it had somewhere to go (rather than just meandering as trance often does), and then marched there to a good beat. The title track sounds like an electronic version of what could almost be a medieval dance. It's truly charming in its simplicity. “Salad Bowl” grabs the listener by throat with its driving intensity, and never lets up from beginning to end. I would love to hear more from Netherland Dwarf, but only his own original stuff. Perhaps it would be best to just leave the classics alone.

Key Tracks- Alone In The Blizzard Dawn, Salad Bowl, Moi Moi

Donny Harvey- MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 12, 2012

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Corrosion of Conformity - Corrosion of Conformity

Raleigh, North Carolina legends, Corrosion of Conformity (or C.O.C. for those in the know) have been rockin’ for nearly 30 years now. It’s crazy to think that their first release, Eye for an Eye, was released back in 1984. They were already veterans when I started listening to them in high school during their major label release (and largest selling album) Deliverance, which had some nice singles in “Albatross” and “Clean My Wounds.” Like too many others, C.O.C. always seemed like one of those bands destined for bigger things, but ended just being really good and influencing many others. Now they’re back with a new full-length recorded by the three members that recorded 1985’s Animosity; vocalist/bassist Mike Dean, guitarist Woody Weatherman, and drummer/vocalist Reed Mullin. A tour is also scheduled for March.

C.O.C.’s sound has changed some over the years, be it punk, metal, or alt/rock, but no matter the time or the lineup, they’ve always shown they can rock. On this new self-titled album, Corrosion of Conformity brings a rather raw punk/metal sound. From the opening track, “Psychic Vampire” this album is full of dirty, heavy rock. While other bands have slowed it down, turned down the volume, and cut their hair, this is certainly not the case for C.O.C. I doubt they will be winning any awards for their lyrical content on this one, but when Dean and Mullin are screaming, it’s easy to forget about some of the things they’re singing about. Weatherman’s guitar chugs and wails throughout the eleven tracks and Dean lays down some big heavy beats. C.O.C. has a big sound for three guys. Needless to say, your head won’t stop banging (or nodding if you’ve been with this band for the long haul).

If you’re looking for something good and heavy, definitely pick up the latest from Corrosion of Conformity. It is reminiscent of Black Sabbath, Pantera, Soundgarden, and most importantly, early C.O.C. Don’t think for a second that Dean, Weatherman, and Mullin are showing signs of aging because they’ve been at it for a while. While some of your other favorite rockers are trying to make the music they once did (ahem, Van Halen), Corrosion of Conformity is still doing it.

Key Tracks: Psychic Vampire, River of Stone, The Moneychangers

Kevin Kozel - Sr. MuzikReviews.com Staff

January 11, 2012

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Christine Salazar - On To Something

Based out of the Puget Sound area in the state of Washington, Christine Salazar has been making her music for a few years now. On To Something is her first release and showcases her voice and songwriting abilities. With its blend of influences ranging from folk to jazz, Christine Salazar is a great new talent.

“No Time For Worrying” is a quiet and soothing opening. It is a good introduction to her mellow sound and smooth vocals. After listening to “Anyway,” I have reached an early conclusion about this album and musician, especially. There is music that can be described as easy listening, and then, there is music that can be described as easy to listen to. Christine Salazar is the latter. “Messed It Up” is a touching song about personal growth.

“Always With You” is a more up-lifting song about enjoying a good day with its beat beaming with sunshine. I can image this song playing during a scene with the characters taking a stroll through a meadow. Despite its low-key beginning, “My Friends” is a song with a more rock sound. It caught me off-guard after all the slower songs. I like the change of sound and edginess that it brings to the overall sound of the album.

The title track “On To Something” begins a very strong few songs and it is definitely a hit. This one has a magic to it that when you listen to it you know that there is something just right about it. Following this is the upbeat “Mirror World.” This pop influenced song is a welcome addition to the album. “Find Me Now” is a love song that is dripping with melancholy. The jazzy “Tangled,” with its tale of vengeance, caps off this record.

On To Something by Christine Salazar is a strong debut that should set her on the track toward much success. Propelled by her lovely voice and her genre mixing sound, On To Something is full of promise for the her music career.

Key Tracks: On To Something, Mirror World, Find Me Now

Brian McKinnon - Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 10, 2012

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Crosby, Stills & Nash (24kt Gold) - Crosby, Stills & Nash

Let’s all give a collective thank you to Mama Cass, who assembled one of the greatest collaborations of all time, CSN. Crosby, Stills & Nash released their self-titled classic in 1969 and music was never the same. For a debut album this was a literal masterpiece beyond compare for the genre of Rock-Pop and arguably folk as well.

CSN never needed to add Neil Young nor did Young need them but it happened, it was good but the best music was made when there were three, I have no doubt and this album is irrefutable proof.

I had the pleasure of reviewing this album in the 180 gram LP format several years ago and recall it being an incredibly good experience and this time around was the same. Everything I believed all along is given further credence with one listen to this implausible work of musical art.

Audio Fidelity selects only the best music for their 24kt gold format. The Crosby, Stills & Nash self-titled debut was indeed a superb selection. Their special remastering process certainly did this recording justice in every instance. The music just sparkles with warm highs and lows and tracks such as “Guinevere,” “Long Time Gone,” and “Wooden Ships” are absolutely stunning. This recording reminded me of the Simon and Garfunkel releases in the same format in early 2010. Rock always sounds great however when you take tasteful music with a rock and pop mixture, the 24kt gold rendering is simply magical. CSN was magic, as pure as fresh fallen snow at the top of the highest mountain. The extra ingredient this time around was Audio Fidelity.

CSN defined a genre and time period with their music and the Audio Fidelity label embraced that and made a classic yet more appealing. As always the is a limited numbered edition that will fly out the door so get your copy while you can or forever be looked upon by the god’s of music as a fool.

Key Tracks: Guinevere, Long Time Gone, Wooden Ships

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

January 11, 2012

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Christina LaRocca - I Stand Tall With My Eyes Open

Christina LaRocca is an award winning singer and songwriter with a unique blend of folk and R&B. Hearing her for the first time, it is easy to see the roots of her music coming from her time listening to greats like Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole. After trying out theater in her teens and discovering musical greats like Alanis Morsette, she began writing her own music. Forming the group Heavy Weather with fellow musicians Carl Gallagher and Dorian Lake, the band has received international attention. After releasing two albums with Heavy Weather, I Stand Tall With My Eyes Wide Open is LaRocca’s first solo album. She is now collaborating with Josh Glazer of J. Glazer Productions. Guest artists on the album include: Matty J of Higher Concept, Wes Swing and Heavy Weather.

“Like A Cigarette (I Love Ya Baby)” has a subtle rhythm that will seduce you from the first listen. The groove created from the light guitar flowing into LaRocca’s voice, horn and delicate percussion is deceptively simple. The depth of LaRocca’s vocals and the passion she puts into her music is contagious and you can’t help but fall under her spell. The textures are smooth and molten, like one of those melted chocolate lava cakes. Taking your first bite, you know you like it, but as you delve deeper, the richer it gets.

“With You” opens with some elaborate guitar picking that flows into LaRocca’s vocals. Her words spiral around you as the lyrics take off and echo into the main vocalization. Lots of layers here with this piece, but together it creates a song worth listening to. There is a heavy soul edge to this track and a rhythm to match it note per note.

“Silver Bullets” is smokin hot. The multi-instrumental feel to this piece is a happy jumble of pulsing motion. A guitar flairs up with a steady percussion traipsing through the background, making this piece full of creative foot stompin fun. Images of movie monsters prevail as LaRocca spins her tale of betrayal. The composition and melodies crafted here are spot on and this is one of my favorite tracks on the album.

Christina LaRocca is an international award winning artist that takes her childhood love of classic soul artists and combines them with stronger than steel lyrics and a can do attitude. Her work with Heavy Weather was a great stepping off point and I Stand Tall With My Eyes Wide Open is an impressive solo album. This is definitely an artist to watch. Her soulful sound is a mix between folk and soul and carries a modern edge that makes her very compelling to listen to.

Key Tracks: Like A Cigarette ( I Love You Baby), With You, Silver Bullets

Dana Wright-Muzikreviews.com Staff

January 10, 2012

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Coeus the Boxing Titan - The Boxing Titan Spawns

Aron “Aro” Patterson of Grand Rapid Minnesota is the creator and sole member of the band Coeus the Boxing Titan. The Boxing Titan Spawns, a full length album that was released in October of 2011, left me feeling a mixture of emotions that were bad and good. The recording offers Industrial/ Prog Rock mixed with all different types of genres ranging from blues to electronic on the 10 tracks. Although I was slightly impressed with his composition abilities, I was thrown off by his vocal styling’s or lack thereof.

After my second time around listening to the music I felt like I had an understanding of what Aro was trying to accomplish with his music, but a lot of it was lost in translation. Songs like “Like Vegas” have a lot of potential but lose strength in the imbalance of all the instruments combined. The composition of the music is great - bass, drums, keyboards, all sound totally solid together but once the vocals start it goes downhill from there. There is a sense of confidence lacking in his vocals which made him experiment less with tones and melodies. Aside from that the timing is just about 1 second off, this I can all chalk up to needing experience and to experiment. Another problem I had was that he “talks” instead of singing melodies in a kind of high pitch nasally tone which sounds almost exactly like old school Marilyn Manson. On top of that the synthesizers are way too loud during the chorus, and drain out the rest of the music. Another song that had has its highs and lows are “The Devolver,” I was simultaneously happy and disappointed with it. The song is a little less industrial a little more melodic with a blues bottom end. The blues bass line mixed with a music box effect on the keyboards and a somewhat hip hop feel on the drums actually sounded pretty decent. This is the first song that I heard on the album that almost has a hook. I could hear SO much potential, but super loud synthesizers shadowed what seemed like a pretty good chorus. I can understand that he was trying to add a sense of fullness and power to the chorus, but at that volume it just starts to sound like noise. Some work on the vocals as well as production would do wonders to this song. Close to the end of the album there was another song that I thought was unique titled “February, This Is For You.” In this instrumental piece Aro is just kind of jamming out while he shows off with his keyboard and guitar solos. I really liked the titles of his songs and this was one of my favorites along with “Tension in Cloudland.”

As a musical composer I am actually impressed, this guy plays all the instruments pretty well. Aro proves that he has a good ear by blending some sounds together well, but he just needs to work on the balance of the music all around. It seems to me this is just the beginning for him and if he could get some good production it would do him a world of good. One important thing to remember when it comes to being in a band is that if the vocals are not good, people will not be drawn to it. The instruments can be epic, and still no one will care. Aro is talented there is NO question of this in my mind. But what I can say is that he lacks experience that comes with years and years of being a musician which he cannot be blamed for. I applaud his efforts and the uniqueness of this music in general. The Boxing Titans Spawns shows that Aro has extreme potential as a composer. After a year or two more of playing, perhaps some vocal lessons or maybe even hiring another vocalist this band will be extremely successful.

Key Tracks: Like Vegas, The Devolver, February, This is for You

January 9, 2012

Rhiana Lewis -MuzikReviews.com Contributor

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UFO - Seven Deadly

UFO has been together for 42 years. In that time they have released 20 studio albums. The lineup has changed a bit over the years, but the band today has three original members Phil Mogg ( vocals), Paul Raymond (keyboards, guitars), Andy Parker (drums) and guitar slinger, Vinnie Moore.

It’s not often that I fall in love with an album on the first listen through. But when I do, I know I am in for a journey. That’s exactly what happened when I first listened to UFO’s new release, Seven Deadly.

FYI, the first track “Fight Night” is best played as loud as you can stand it. My pictures were falling off the walls. The biting rhythm guitar part is so infectious. Can’t help but play your air guitar while it’s playing. You will find yourself humming it later, “Tell my friends in ol’ Calcutta, the cat is staying and I’m living in the gutter.”

“Angel Station” is a beautiful ballad about the loss of a loved one. It has layers of chorused guitars underneath a legion of angelic vocal harmonies. It really makes you feel like your ears are in heaven when you are listening to it.

Seven Deadly ends strong with “Waving Goodbye,” a song with a nice blend of acoustic and electric guitars with a nice side of Hammond B3 organ. It’s the perfect song to end the album because it makes my finger hit the replay button and I start the journey again.

It isn’t hard to pin down what makes Seven Deadly such a great album. The songs are well written, catchy and intelligent, but most of all they have heart. The vocals are simply amazing and that would be enough to make Seven Deadly great, but on top of that are some amazing guitar sounds.

This is a solid rock album. It’s music like this that will keep the Rock genre alive forever.

Key Tracks: Fight Night, Angel Station, Waving Goodbye

Kirk Bullough – Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 10, 2012

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Astral Doors - Jerusalem

Imitation is the greatest form of flattery. That’s something that applies to music very well, and is very apparent. If one musician does something great and/or original, others imitate it. That’s how a musical legacy is made.

Sweden’s Astral Doors isn’t an original band. Their latest record, Jerusalem isn’t a groundbreaking effort. Besides the simply awesome album cover, there isn’t much that jumps out at me as particularly incredible.

Let’s not jump to conclusions that this album is a waste of time, though. Joachim Nordlund’’s guitar playing sounds as tough as power metal should. Couple that with Joakim Roberg’s Organ and keys and you get an orchestral overtone no band of this type should be without. Johan Lindstedt’s drumming and Ulf Lagerstroem’s bass playing fulfill the necessary requirements for a full metal band sound, but the kicker is Nils Patrik Johansson’s vocals.

And the vocals are what I am referring to with imitation and flattery. I’m not the first to say this, but Johansson’s vocals sound very much like another heavy metal singer, and a very notable one at that; the godfather of power metal, Ronnie James Dio.

Look no further than the opening track “Seventh Crusade” to see what I mean. Right from the beginning, the vocal power and vibrato take you back to the 1980’s when Dio’s voice was being heard for the first time. “Pearl Harbor” is another good example of Dio worship, from the soaring vocal melodies to the lyrics “Pearl Harbor/Attack of the Island in the Sun/Pearl Harbor/The battle was lost but the war was won,” sounds like pure power metal. “The Battle of Jacob’s Ford,” from the title alone, sounds like it belongs on a Dio record, but fortunately the groove and tempo prove otherwise.

There’s nothing wrong with paying tribute to a musical figure you admire, as long as you leave it at a tribute. Once you cross over into copycat world, you limit yourself and go into a dangerous line of fire, comparison with the original. Jerusalem is in that danger zone and doesn’t quite measure up. Yes, the songs are epic metal and none are inherently bad, but beyond the vocals neither do any of them have that special something making them stand out. And the vocals become this album’s Achilles heel; if I want to hear Dio’s voice, I’ll go listen to some Dio.

But, as I said earlier, I won’t say this is a bad album, because it isn’t. But neither is it a great album either. It lands in music's problem area, mediocrity. If you like power metal you’re sure to like this one, but if you want something unique to jump out, get your attention and pull you along, look elsewhere.

Key Tracks: Seventh Crusade, Pearl Harbor, The Battle of Jacob’s Ford

Daniel Erickson- Muzikreviews.com Contributor

January 9, 2012

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Gary Wright - The Dream Weaver (24kt Gold)

The last time I heard The Dream Weaver (1975) in its entirety was when I was driving my first car, an AMC Hornet, back in 1976. I had the 8-Track and listened to it frequently. I have difficulty remembering any other songs besides “The Dream Weaver” and the energy filled “Love Is Alive.” I do fondly remember this album but never sought it out again over the years. Now it was time to revisit this unique recording.

Audio Fidelity made a good selection by taking this classic album and running it through their process of remastering for this limited edition gold disc.

Gary Wright was in well know band called Spooky Tooth before he launched his solo career which reached its pinnacle with The Dream Weaver. Wright would eventually befriend George Harrison and play keyboards for him on All Things Must Past and also go on a spiritual quest to India. The lyrics for this album were most likely influenced by Wright’s spiritual path at the time. Three of the tracks are about ‘Love’ so there is every indication of that sort of inspiration in the music. The picture of the artist on the cover certainly indicates that he was in a peaceful state of existence at the time. Lines from tracks like “Love Is Alive” such as “Well I think it’s time to get ready, to relax just what I have found, I have lived only half of what I am, it’s all clear to me now,” put it all into proper perspective.

I believed this album to be unique when it was released because it was focused on keyboards and the vocalist. Actually every sound produced on the album, with the exception of drums and vocals were produced by keyboards. Ronnie Montrose also played guitar on “Power of Love,” but that was the only guitar you would hear on the entire album. Back in 1975 when this was released it was very unusual for an artist to release an album, not to mention a very successful one, with keyboards as the main instrument and entire focus. Today it would be and is common for such a thing to happen with all advanced tools and sounds that you can produce with keyboards. I wonder what Wright could do with the same album today if he re-recorded it?

The Audio Fidelity treatment suits this recording very well. All the energy and brightness of the tracks really pop out at you, especially on the invigorating “Love Is Alive” and “Can’t Find The Judge.” On “Can’t Find The Judge” I could hear some influences from Stevie Wonder. He goes from rock and pop to punching out some bouncy funk on the track. This one track gives the album more spice and variety and makes it more interesting. The title track has those chirping bird sounds from Wright’s keyboards that make it a real journey to another realm, which I believe was his intent.

The 24 karat gold version of The Dream Weaver is a welcome addition to my collection. I was reminded of why I loved this album so much when it first came out. The sound on this disc blows away the 8-Track and inadequate little speakers I had in that junky car so long ago. That is not a good comparison at all just an illustration of the leaps and bounds we have made with sound reproduction. The power of the music and Wright’s message comes through loud and clear now with the warmth and richness of a vinyl LP sound and a spiritual glow, a beautiful combination indeed. Get your ticket and climb aboard the The Dream Weaver train before they sell out!

Key Tracks: Love Is Alive, Dream Weaver, Can't Find The Judge

Keith “MuzikMan” Hannaleck-Founder MuzikReviews.com

January 8, 2012

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