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CD
SPINS
by Staff
IAN
ANDERSON
Rupi’s
Dance
(Fuel
2000)
MARTIN
BARRE
Stage Left…
(Fuel
2000)
It is always a bit
strange when Ian Anderson issues a solo record. The guy really is the first and last musical voice to be
heard within Jethro Tull so it is easy to wonder why he would need to go
solo.
Still, there is a
sense of separateness to these discs and Rupi’s
Dance is no exception.
Continuing on with his
deliberate habit of allowing a capsulated moment of consciousness to
incite a song, Anderson gives the listener a brilliant picture of what
visions he has had in a given day.
“A Raft of Penguins,” “A Hand of Thumbs,” “Old Black
Cat” and the majority of the remaining eleven tracks each become an eye
into Anderson’s world with a piano/flute/ percussive soundtrack that
is so easy to get lost in, that it may be risky to attempt any higher
level functioning while listening.
Rupi’s Dance is delivered in the classical Prog-Rock style that Anderson helped
to define in the early Seventies. A
disc full of thoughts and visions not only for Jethro Tull fans but for
anyone who likes a little flute wielding bard with their daily dose of
rock ‘n’ roll.
So as not to end with
an unlucky thirteen tracks the fourteenth and “bonus” track, “Birthday
Card For Christmas,” is taken from The Jethro Tull Christmas
Album, forthcoming this holiday season.
Then there is
longstanding Jethro Tull guitarist Martin Barre who waited a mere
thirty-five years to issue his first solo collection.
I have no idea if all
of these tracks were floating around the man’s head all these years or
if he just set aside some time to write a record. Regardless, the
results speak for themselves.
Stage Left is brilliantly passionate and communicative playing unhampered by
the confines of a classical pop song arrangement.
Barre’s guitar does
all the talking with every other passage a tutorial lecture in playing
with feeling, while the rest are conversations at various degrees of
intensity.
Almost completely
instrumental, (the last track, “Don’t
Say A Word,” has Barre’s vocals), this disc sets a new standard
for those who would combine electric and acoustic guitars without either
ending up subservient to the other.
Pressured to select a
favorite cut, I would
suggest “A French Correction,”
for its continual ability to run up a sonic hill only to slide down
the other side so gleefully.
That would be the
single selection made only when forced, for this album screams to be
listened to as a whole piece.
With all of its
rocking and rolling, fusion of styles and straight out jazz trips, this
can be declared a damned near perfect collection from “the other guy
in Jethro Tull.”
Tull fans will
particularly enjoy “Stage
Fright” which could have been an extra track from the band’s Dot.Com disc.
Many, many years on
and still both Anderson and Barre show that the creative well is a long
way from dry.
– David Lee Wilson
PALO
ALTO
Heroes
And Villians
(American)
“Life’s
dizzy / Far too busy / It never stops / Feeling heavy / Try to steady /
It’s all you’ve got.” These
lyrics close out the fourth track, “Breath
In,” on Palo Alto’s sophomore record, Heroes
And Villains.
Judging by this album,
that’s exactly how this band feels. The 12-track disc covers some
impressive territory lyrically. They can relate to audiences on levels
of experience and introspection, not just the normal heartbreak and
rejection.
Despite the pain and
confusion that so many of the tracks deliver, the CD is a surprisingly
fresh breath of air compared to the cookie-cutter material so prevalent
today.
Caught somewhere between Radiohead and
Silverchair -- but yet at the same time sounding strangely different --
lead singer James Grundler’s haunting yet comfortable voice dances
alongside powerful guitar and string arrangements for a sound that
immediately draws the listener into his world.
It doesn’t matter if Palo Alto is rocking a little harder on
tracks like “Going Going
Gone,” “The World Outside” and “What
You Are” or walking closer to the acoustic line on numbers like “Breath
In” and “Throwing
Stones.” It’s very
obvious that this is a band that is concerned with the musical grace and
composition of each and every song they produce.
Palo Alto has the
talent and the edginess that is needed in today’s music industry, not
only to excite fans, but to inspire other musicians as well. Heroes And Villains definitely is worth a listen – many times
over.
– Rachel Lux
DONNA
SUMMER
Bad
Girls/Deluxe Edition
(Casablanca/Universal)
Though remembered for
her many hits during the disco era, Donna Summer and her collaborators
(the underrated producer Giorgio Moroder and cowriter Pete Bellotte)
recorded what has to be one of the best releases of that era.
I hate to categorize
it as “disco,” as Bad Girls was a stroke of genius which incorporated so many
elements, that it does not do justice to tuck it into a neat, little
category.
This truly landmark
R&B album, has now been re-released in a newly remastered edition
and it sounds better than ever. The original LP spawned at least three
major hits –– “Hot Stuff,”
“Bad Girls” and “Dim All
The Lights” –– which are all freshly revamped with amazing
sound and superior digital quality.
With this expanded
2-CD deluxe edition, it is disc two where the party really starts.
Running nearly 80 minutes, the 12-inch mixes pulsate, sway and
groove in a way the album cuts cannot.
The “Last Dance”
mix is fabulous, while “Walk
Away” is more fun in its longer incarnation.
“MacArthur Park Suite” is a true dance
classic, racing along at a frenetic 17 minutes and showcasing one of
Donna’s towering vocal victories.
“Bad Girls” could have been left off and not missed,
since it is pretty much the same as the original album version, but “Dim
All The Lights” and “No
More Tears” really rock.
I would not be
surprised to see the new generation of club DJs rediscovering this diva
and thrusting some of this fresh-sounding classic tracks smack dab into
the middle of their dance party mixes.
No doubt they will still pack the floor, because a great song is
a great song and these great songs sound crisp, clean and better than
ever before.
Fans of retro, R&B
and dance music are advised to pick up this great expanded edition.
It’s an even better take on what could very well be the single
greatest dance album in pop history.
– Brian Pearson
BOB
MARGOLIN
Bob
Margolin’s
All-Star Blues Jam
(Telarc
Blues)
Steady Rollin’ Bob
Margolin is perhaps best known as Muddy Waters’ guitarist from 1973 to
1980. Since then, he’s carved out quite a respectable solo blues
career on Alligator and Blind Pig, but his Telarc Blues debut, All-Star
Blues Jam, brings Bob back together with some true Chicago blues
legends.
Fellow Muddy Waters
alumni Pinetop Perkins and Willie “Big Eyes” Smith join Chicago
harpman extraordinaire Cary Bell and long-time blues guitarist Hubert
Sumlin for over an hour of traditional blues.
Bell learned harp in
one of the world’s most exciting blues incubators around, Chicago’s
famous Maxwell Street. Sumlin’s career includes a quarter century as
Howlin’Wolf’s guitarist. Like many of his contemporaries, though,
Hubert also played in Muddy’s band for a short time. Fitting in nicely
with these blues giants are Tom “Mookie” Brill on upright bass and
harmonica and Jimmy D. Lane, son of the late Jimmy Rogers.
My favorites on Bob
Margolin’s All Star Blues Jam include Margolin’s own simmering “Mean
Old Chicago,” Johnny Shines’ “Brutal
Hearted Woman,” and Little Walter’s harp tour de force, “Juke.”
This CD has a raw,
unpolished edge to it because the jams were captured live on a two-track
machine in either in Bob’s home in North Carolina or in the Blue
Heaven studio in Salina, Kansas.
Fans of classic blues,
done acoustic, won’t be disappointed from this outstanding set.
On
November 8th, Bob Margolin and the Muddy Waters Tribute Band,
will play the Prairie Center for the Arts in Schaumburg.
– Eric Steiner
WARREN
ZEVON
The
Wind
(Artemis
Records)
“Werewolves
of London,”“Excitable Boy,” “Lawyers, Guns and Money,”“Poor
Poor Pitiful Me,” “Certain
Girl”.... the list goes on and on.
Warren Zevon will be
missed. When hearing of the
news of inoperable lung cancer and having three months to live, Zevon
raced into the studio to record his last album.
The Wind has become his musical epitaph.
Let me start off by saying that this CD takes on an entirely
different light and meaning when having seen the VH-1 special
documentary “The Making of...
The Wind.” I
suggest if this CD intrigues you, you see the documentary to get the
full benefit.
The Wind will sweep you in, as many of Zevon’s works have in the past.
More of a prolific songwriter with a very high IQ, Zevon’s
approach has always been with humor and irony.
Calling to arms an inventory of fellow musicians (Don Henley,
Timothy B. Schmidt, Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Ry Cooder, Tom
Petty) –– The
Wind is both a funeral and a wake, as it celebrates the man who
was on a time sensitive mission.
“Dirty Life and Times” is a folksy approach
to recalling one’s past transgressions. Regrets, frustration and throwing caution to the wind is all
present here. Like most of the songs on the CD, simple and direct cuts
like a knife. “Disorder in the House” is a metaphoric song likening military
and war images to the havoc that the cancer brought to Zevon’s life. A
rocking R&B tune with a passionate and spirited solo by Springsteen,
it’s sad to hear how tough it was for him to sing here, as he was
having difficulty breathing.
There is an
appropriate version of Dylan’s “Knockin
on Heaven’s Door” that is very hard to listen to. “She’s Too Good For
Me” is a beautiful piece of adoration.
Don Henley and Timothy B. Schmidt add their Eagles-vocal
backdrops to this one for wonderful effect.
The end track is
titled, “Keep Me In Your
Heart”...enough said.
A bittersweet CD, The
Wind embodies the fear, denial, and angst and dark humor that
Zevon went through. I
believe that his passion for this project is what kept him alive almost
a year past the projected three months.
Zevon was unique and
we’ve not heard anyone else quite like him in pop/rock music.
He summed up the insight of his predicament in his interview with
David Letterman when he wryly said...“Enjoy every sandwich.”
Goodbye, Warren.
Thank you!
– Jon
K. Rice
FALLEN
Welcome To Junk
Metal
(Smash
Alley Records)
Local headbangers,
Fallen have released their debut CD –– Welcome
to Junk Metal –– and
cite influences ranging from old schoolers like Metallica and Slayer, to
more modern heavy music gods as Clutch and The Deftones.
This album finds them
combining those elements into a style of their own that they aptly
describe as... “Junk Metal – a
blend of blues, metal and originality.”
The CD opens up strong
with the blistering track “The
Real Rock.” A mixture
of rhythmic sections and razor-edged vocals combine with polyphonic
guitar-work. “Evolution”
delivers more of the same with a great rock riff reminiscent of old
Sabbath or Iron Butterfly.
A tasty wah-wah pedal
solo breaks up the dynamics a bit.
Evil, sinister, foreboding and down right nasty -- “Count Your Victims” -- will get you in the mood for Halloween
for sure. Creepy interludes
adorn this track that add to the violent and disturbing nature of the
piece.
“The CD ends with
the somber acoustic number, “Victim,”
recounting the effects of suicide.
The song reveals well what these songwriter(s) are capable of –
simple structure helps illustrate their message.
Fallen are, if nothing
else, dedicated and passionate to their hybrid style of self-proclaimed
“junk metal.”
Talented musicians and
songwriters, they will go far in their chosen genre.
– Jon
K. Rice
M&R
RUSH
Rock
And Roll Chicago
(Eminar
Music)
Given that they were
local and called it quits nearly two decades ago, it seemed unlikely
that new M&R Rush product would ever come across my desk again.
Though comprised of
their old ‘80s tracks, simply cleaned up and released in a digital
medium, this CD, brings the one time local club kings kicking and
screaming in to the new millennium.
The dozen cuts found
here are culled from the band’s highly collectible 1980 vinyl EP -- Reach
For The Stars -- and their 1982 cassette-only EP, Settin’ The Streets On Fire.
This new “Best
of...” collection is named for the band’s huge 1980 hit single
-- “Rock & Roll Chicago”
-- which feels every bit as good to the ears as it did all those years
ago.
Likewise their other
local hits -- “#1,”
“You’re The Only Woman” and “Reach
For The Stars” -- which were all spun on my old radio alma mater,
Night Rock. I’m thrilled to note “Rock
& Roll Chicago” has been added to the classic rock playlist at
N.W. Indiana’s X-ROCK
103.9
Sure, some songs sound
slightly dated, with a late ‘70s/early ‘80s arena rock feel, but
that’s what make them great.
For those who misspent
our youth bar hopping in “da region” during the late ‘70s,
listening to this CD is like getting a surprise visit from an old
college buddy .
Young folks unfamiliar
with M&R Rush, the band has a sound akin to Styx –– melodic
songs, harmonizing vocals, catch pop hooks, heavy keyboards and twin
guitar.
I plan to grab a few
CDs when M&R Rush play their final reunion concert at Second
Dimensions on October 18, because I’m tossing out a few of these to
special “old school” friends come Christmastime.
– Tom
Lounges
PETE
DROGE
Skywatching
(Puzzle
Tree/United Musicians)
Easy, Breezy and Fun could very well be the title of Peter Drodge’s new release, Skywatching.
Drodge, probably best
known for his 1994 radio hit “If
You Don’t Love Me I’ll Kill Myself,” finds a funky, yet subtle
summer-surfer niche on this album and carries it through all 12 tracks.
At first listen,
it may not seem that there is too much meat and potatoes to the songs.
But in reality, Drodge’s ability to make the tracks seem like
effortless ditties is his musical secret weapon, and the album really
holds a lot of depth.
Incorporating
everything from trumpets to steel guitars, to achieve texture, Drodge
brings a slight ‘70s sound to his tracks, particularly on “Things Will Change and Go My Way” and “Lily Wants a Mountain.”
The opener and also
acoustic closer, “Small Time
Blues,” mixes a bluesy beat with pop hooks.
Both “Train
Love to Stay” and “She Got
the Potion” — songs that show off Drodge’s song-writing
talents — are likely still to be stuck in your head hours after the CD
has stopped spinning.
Even Drodge’s slower
cuts, “Do Be True” and “Above
it All,” remain light-hearted, upbeat and warm.
Skywatching may not be a classic album, and it may not even bring the same
success that Drodge has experienced previously, but it is a good album
that will bring a little bit of summer sunshine to the listener, no
matter what the temperature outside.
– Rachel Lux
BOYD
TINSLEY
True
Reflections
(Bama
Rags/RCA)
If you are
familiar with rock violinists, the name Boyd Tinsley should
automatically come to mind.
An integral part
of the wildly successful Dave Matthews Band, Tinsley has established
himself not only as part of a dynamic band, but as a premier violinist
as well.
Now, with his first
solo album, Tinsley is ready to show the world that his talent goes
beyond his violin work with Dave and Company.
Penning nine of the 11
tracks featured on True
Reflections, Tinsley takes advantage of his creative freedom and
produces serenely mellow bluesy-rock that newcomers and avid Dave fans
alike will appreciate.
Although Tinsley
features his violin on roughly half the tracks, his rich, soothing voice
is the showcased instrument, gently playing over the simple, yet
meaningful lyrics.
He also touches on a
variety of musical genres. “Listen,”
the first single off the album has a gospel feel, while “Cause It’s Time” has a distinct country vibe. The sweetly sad
“Long Time to Wait”
gracefully transitions into “Perfect
World,” a song written with Tinsley’s two children in mind.
Two surprises added
color to the album, the first being an acoustic cover of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon
Girl” and the second being a guest-vocalist appearance by Dave
Matthews on the title track.
Although Tinsley will
ultimately find his largest success as part of a whole, his side project
was not a waste of time.
With this
impressive debut offering, the talented violinist proves to all that he
has the musical chops to create great music on his own.
Though he will be most
likely stay remembered for his efforts in the DMB as opposed to his solo
contributions, this is a worthwhile collection of very ear-friendly
songs.
– Rachel
Lux
DWIGHT
YOAKAM
Population
Me
(Audium
Entertainment)
Dwight Yoakam
has always made country music on his own terms and with his own style,
not blatantly borrowed from other country “flavor
of the month” artists.
Population Me offers up a quite diverse expanse of tunes that make it a true
Yoakam a classic.
“Late
Great Golden State” adds juxtaposition of Hollywood and country
music. Traditional honky
tonk music reinforces the dismal existence of an out-of-date cowboy in
the “lets do lunch” environment of California.
“Fair to Midland”
employs wordplay galore while the somber mood of the music helps to keep
this song out of pretension. The
mandolin on this track is haunting and outstanding.
“Staying Up Late” is a mover of the rockabilly persuasion
with fantastic pedal steel guitar and finger-picking Telecaster solos by
producer Pete Anderson.
Population Me doesn’t break any new ground for Yoakam but rather offers a
well-grounded work of what works well for this artist.
An album highlight is,
“If Teardrops Were Diamonds,”
a great duet with Willie Nelson. The two distinct voices trade
off verses while offering a multifaceted portrayal of heartache and
sorrow.
The best track though
is done a la The King... “I’d
Avoid Me Too” is a self-pity party with enough Presley
influence that you can imagine Yoakam delivered the lines with
his lip in an Elvis sneer. It’s
a honky tonk number done with fun and flair.
Yoakam pays a lot of
attention to detail, all the while making his music seem effortless.
In short,
this is a solid piece from a solid musician.
– Jon K. Rice
LOW
TWELVE
Maggot
Ridden Rotten Movie (DVD)
Unfit For Human Occupancy
(CD)
Bloomington,
Illinois’ Low Twelve is certainly no stranger to the underground Heavy
Metal scene, with two demos, seven compilations and a full length CD,
already under their belts.
The time was finally
right for a documentary and a CD of “bastard songs”, so dubbed by
the band.
The Maggot
Ridden Rotten Movie is a behind-the-scenes look at the band and
their adventures via road trips and gigs during the summer and fall of
2002. Also included is Low
Twelve’s only music video to date, “Lines
Drawn.”
Lots of
silliness ensues: the mandatory T&A shots (plenty of them guys!), a “Poser
Disposer” mock commercial and the tampon target practice at
posers, game.
The serious side is,
watching them on stage and their intense visit to Ground Zero.
Nothing fancy, just a
band with a camcorder, capturing thing real and gritty in their lives.
The camcorder wasn’t powerful enough to handle the brutal
volume, of their live performance though, so listen to the CD, for the
best representation of their music.
Unfit For Human
Occupancy is the follow up to their powerful debut
disc, Flesh
Of The Weak, which had been praised in these pages by Mr. Beat
himself, Tom Lounges.
You get five new
studio songs and two killer live cuts, along with the Twelve Head fan
favorite, “Crawlspace,”
which is about Chicago serial killer, John Wayne Gacy.
If you like your metal
heavy and nasty, step up for the official Low Twelve ball slapping!
Catch this slamming
trio live on Nov. 14 when they make their N.W Indiana debut at the “Hard
‘N’ Heavy: No Turkeys Allowed Thanksgiving Beat Bash” at
McCool’s in South Haven.
Brutal stuff only for
serious metal fans!
– Diane Demeter
KISS
Symphony:
Alive IV
(Sanctuary)
Having had Kiss as a
musical influence since the original Kiss
Alive! was released in 1975, I was quite skeptical of what
seemed to be a rehash of the same old stuff with an orchestra added to
spice it up a bit.
The obligatory ––
“You wanted the best and
you got the best....the hottest band in the world... Kiss!” ––
intro starts off the riot.
What is hilariously
old hat, is that Paul Stanley continues to screech out the same stupid
diatribe of –– “Tell her to call out the Doctor... Doctor Love,” “This
song is for YOU people,” “How you doin' Melbourne!” and “We
created another page in Kiss-tory tonight people!”
Though it is hard to
keep a straight face when these kinds of passages pop on...the music
stands the test of time and works surprisingly well within the
orchestrated setting.
The CD is arranged
into acts (like an opera), starting off electric, then acoustic with a
small orchestra and then full-blown with the entire orchestra and
children’s choir.
After twenty-eight
years of hearing “Duece”
for the first time, I finally got the sexual innuendo –– boy, do I
feel dumb. This song never
sounded better! The energy
and raunchiness is captured well.
“Calling
Dr. Love” puts on a rough and wild flavor when compared to the
studio version. Gene
Simmons seems to be more comfortable with his vocal abilities and there
are improvisations galore.
Original lead
guitarist Ace Frehley is the only member not present. Capably filling his shoes is Tommy Thayer.
Act II starts
off with their crossover AM radio hit and most popular ballad, “Beth.” Peter Criss
adds a slight bluesy rasp to the rather infantile lyrics. The Melbourne Symphony ensemble brings this tune out of the
doldrums.
Then the band
borrows from the success of their MTV-unplugged set.
“Sure Know Something”
sounds awesome with the new arrangement.
Then things really get
rockin’ as Act III starts off with a killer rendition of “Detroit
Rock City,” done with the full Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Simmon’s bass playing cuts through the pomp to make this a
mover. “Great
Expectations” features the Melbourne Children’s Choir to great
effect as it moves the over dramatic piece into the realm of “Camelot.”
The CD ends with their
anthem -- “Rock and Roll All
Nite” -- done in a rather over-blown and pompous fashion that
takes away from the spirited fun of the original.
Though it is more a
trip down memory-lane treat than anything else, Symphony: Alive IV,
generally comes off better than most might think.
– Jon K. Rice
DAMONE
From
The Attic
(RCA)
Just don’t compare
this band’s lead singer to Avril Lavigne.
Although Damone is fronted by 17-year-old
Noelle, who delivers the band’s pop-tart lyrics with the style of a
rebel prom-queen, she at least knows who writes the band’s songs.
Specifically, guitarist Dave Pino, who penned the songs in the
mid-‘90s while coping with a painful break-up.
Although Damone’s
light and fluffy punk/pop sounds are not exactly brand new to the music
scene (think Lavigne, the Donnas, Sum 41, Good Charlotte, etc.), somehow
the listener gets the feeling that they really mean it when they say all
they want to do is “get high and
hang out at the car wash.”
On tracks like “Carwash
Romance” and “At the
Mall,” it’s obvious that there is no pretension to the lyrics.
Teenagers who are dealing with first heartaches and small-town boredom
are going to be able to relate to Damone without feeling like the band
was overproduced.
And the four-piece
band has obvious musical talent as well. It’s impossible to listen to
the album without realizing a hook or two is still stuck in your head
hours later.
Damone may have a
fairly adolescent appeal and a breezy outlook on the music business, but
they’re just doing what they know how to do, and that’s all anyone
can ask of a band today.
– Rachel
Lux
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