2012 Muirsical Reviews (Summaries)
The section dedicated to some of the releases that pass through FabricationsHQ and deserving of an honourable – and sometimes dishonourable – mention.
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The section dedicated to some of the releases that pass through FabricationsHQ and deserving of an honourable – and sometimes dishonourable – mention.
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Gwyn Ashton - Radiogram
The opening audio clunk and crackle simulates the heavy swing-arm of an old radiogram dropping its needle on to an old vinyl record.
The acoustic blues intro then leads into Gwyn Ashton’s radiogram speaker vocal declaring "you got me all excited and my head's all in a whirl...”
As a harmonica wails, Ashton’s electric blues groove and Kev Hickman’s drums kick in – and kick-start the raw and rockin’ blues of ‘Little Girl.’
The title of Gwyn Ashton’s sixth album might lead you to believe this is yet another retro-rock related album (a popular ploy in this re-imagined rock day and age), taking its lead from a throwback era.
But the reality is Radiogram is only a throwback in so far as it takes its cue from the energy and crackle of classic, vinyl recordings.
Sonically, it has a modern but very clean and sparse sound, courtesy of Ashton’s own production and Justin Hopfer’s mix.
And that’s a perfect combination for Gwyn Ashton’s outstanding energy-driven six-string work and his straight-forward blues style.
Radiogram is also a classic case of less is more.
Ten modern blues songs with the Gwyn Ashton stamp, free from all-too-common overblown production values, within a fifty-minute high energy package.
The rockier side of Ashton’s blues-based material takes centre stage on Radiogram, with highlights including the gritty shuffle of ‘Let Me In,’ the rock and roll rhythm ‘n’ blues of ‘Comin’ Home’ and the heavy melodic blues of ‘Don’t Wanna Fall.’
The latter features organ from Mark Stanway (one of three appearances from the Magnum keyboard player) and a number of other guest musicians including Robbie Blunt (guitar), Kim Wilson (harmonica) and Don Airey (organ) contribute to the album.
But it’s not all heavy, edgy blues.
The pace of Radiogram is slowed by 'Fortunate Kind' and the soft blues ballad 'Angel,' while the instrumental 'Bluz for Roy' closes out the album and provides plenty of space for Ashton to showcase his blues picks and licks.
All the songs on Radiogram were written by Gwyn Ashton with one notable exception, the Willie Dixon classic 'I Just Want to Make Love to You.'
The Muddy Waters version of the blues standard is perhaps the best known but it’s a great fit here, delivered as a pumping, on-the-edge-of-distortion power trio piece from Ashton (who also plays bass on the album) and Kev Hickman.
Gwyn Ashton has already delivered some great modern blues albums.
Solid examples are the acoustic-based Beg, Borrow and Steel and Fang It! which features the late Rory Gallagher’s renowned rhythm section Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neill.
But the Welsh-born Australian guitarist has just produced and delivered his strongest work to date.
The acoustic blues intro then leads into Gwyn Ashton’s radiogram speaker vocal declaring "you got me all excited and my head's all in a whirl...”
As a harmonica wails, Ashton’s electric blues groove and Kev Hickman’s drums kick in – and kick-start the raw and rockin’ blues of ‘Little Girl.’
The title of Gwyn Ashton’s sixth album might lead you to believe this is yet another retro-rock related album (a popular ploy in this re-imagined rock day and age), taking its lead from a throwback era.
But the reality is Radiogram is only a throwback in so far as it takes its cue from the energy and crackle of classic, vinyl recordings.
Sonically, it has a modern but very clean and sparse sound, courtesy of Ashton’s own production and Justin Hopfer’s mix.
And that’s a perfect combination for Gwyn Ashton’s outstanding energy-driven six-string work and his straight-forward blues style.
Radiogram is also a classic case of less is more.
Ten modern blues songs with the Gwyn Ashton stamp, free from all-too-common overblown production values, within a fifty-minute high energy package.
The rockier side of Ashton’s blues-based material takes centre stage on Radiogram, with highlights including the gritty shuffle of ‘Let Me In,’ the rock and roll rhythm ‘n’ blues of ‘Comin’ Home’ and the heavy melodic blues of ‘Don’t Wanna Fall.’
The latter features organ from Mark Stanway (one of three appearances from the Magnum keyboard player) and a number of other guest musicians including Robbie Blunt (guitar), Kim Wilson (harmonica) and Don Airey (organ) contribute to the album.
But it’s not all heavy, edgy blues.
The pace of Radiogram is slowed by 'Fortunate Kind' and the soft blues ballad 'Angel,' while the instrumental 'Bluz for Roy' closes out the album and provides plenty of space for Ashton to showcase his blues picks and licks.
All the songs on Radiogram were written by Gwyn Ashton with one notable exception, the Willie Dixon classic 'I Just Want to Make Love to You.'
The Muddy Waters version of the blues standard is perhaps the best known but it’s a great fit here, delivered as a pumping, on-the-edge-of-distortion power trio piece from Ashton (who also plays bass on the album) and Kev Hickman.
Gwyn Ashton has already delivered some great modern blues albums.
Solid examples are the acoustic-based Beg, Borrow and Steel and Fang It! which features the late Rory Gallagher’s renowned rhythm section Gerry McAvoy and Brendan O’Neill.
But the Welsh-born Australian guitarist has just produced and delivered his strongest work to date.
The Beach Boys - That's Why God Made the Radio
There are very few pop or rock bands out there who can legitimately celebrate a 50th Anniversary.
The Rolling Stones can and did in 2012, but although they formed in 1962 their debut album wasn't recorded until 1964.
And then there’s The Beach Boys, who have just released their twenty-ninth studio album to celebrate fifty years of recording and performing.
That’s Why God Made the Radio is the band’s first album of all-new material since 1992’s Summer in Paradise, which was a critical and commercial flop.
But this is a remarkably good album, made all the more remarkable by Brian Wilson’s active participation (Wilson had minimal to close-to-zero input on the band’s previous two studio albums).
After recovering from mental health issues Brian Wilson has musically re-established himself in the last decade, primarily from solo work and tours.
But in December 2011 it was confirmed Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks would reunite for a 50th Anniversary album and tour.
Wilson, Love and Jardine are founding members and David Marks joined The Beach Boys in 1962, at the age of 13. Marks played on the first four albums.
Bruce Johnston joined in 1965.
All of which makes this line-up as close to the quintessential or original-era Beach Boys as is possible (original members and Brian Wilson’s brothers Denis and Carl Wilson died in 1983 and 1998, respectively)
Brian Wilson’s sonic finger-prints are all over the new album, as are his voice and song writing. Wilson produced and co-wrote every song on the album (other than Mike Love’s already recorded number – see later) and sang lead on five of the twelve songs.
Opening with the introductory short 'Think About the Days' featuring vocal harmonies over a lone piano, the listener immediately recalls the great Beach Boys vocal arrangements of the 60's – and is then musically transported to that era with the title track...
'That’s Why God Made the Radio' is definitive, slow-tempo sun and surf harmonizing of classic Beach Boys, complete with a very 60’s/ Beach Boys lyric.
But, five decades on from the emergence of The Beach Boys sound it still works, primarily because a great song is a great song. And timeless.
The title track also sets the musical mood of the album, which carries trademark Beach Boys melodies, lush harmonies and laid-back, mid-tempo tones throughout most of its thirty-nine minutes.
Even the song titles tell you what to expect before you have heard so much as a second of them – 'Daybreak Over the Ocean' (a Mike Love song with additional BB vocals), 'Beaches in Mind' and 'Pacific Coast Highway' (a short but sweet Brian Wilson ballad) are three prime examples.
Then there’s 'The Private Life of Bill and Sue,' bringing a little Caribbean rhythm to the Californian sounds, while 'Spring Vacation' summarises the album in one line:
“Spring vacation, good vibration, summer weather, we’re back together.”
A great Beach Boys lyric – and great Beach Boys album, if ever I heard one.
Happy Anniversary, boys.
The Rolling Stones can and did in 2012, but although they formed in 1962 their debut album wasn't recorded until 1964.
And then there’s The Beach Boys, who have just released their twenty-ninth studio album to celebrate fifty years of recording and performing.
That’s Why God Made the Radio is the band’s first album of all-new material since 1992’s Summer in Paradise, which was a critical and commercial flop.
But this is a remarkably good album, made all the more remarkable by Brian Wilson’s active participation (Wilson had minimal to close-to-zero input on the band’s previous two studio albums).
After recovering from mental health issues Brian Wilson has musically re-established himself in the last decade, primarily from solo work and tours.
But in December 2011 it was confirmed Wilson, Mike Love, Al Jardine, Bruce Johnston and David Marks would reunite for a 50th Anniversary album and tour.
Wilson, Love and Jardine are founding members and David Marks joined The Beach Boys in 1962, at the age of 13. Marks played on the first four albums.
Bruce Johnston joined in 1965.
All of which makes this line-up as close to the quintessential or original-era Beach Boys as is possible (original members and Brian Wilson’s brothers Denis and Carl Wilson died in 1983 and 1998, respectively)
Brian Wilson’s sonic finger-prints are all over the new album, as are his voice and song writing. Wilson produced and co-wrote every song on the album (other than Mike Love’s already recorded number – see later) and sang lead on five of the twelve songs.
Opening with the introductory short 'Think About the Days' featuring vocal harmonies over a lone piano, the listener immediately recalls the great Beach Boys vocal arrangements of the 60's – and is then musically transported to that era with the title track...
'That’s Why God Made the Radio' is definitive, slow-tempo sun and surf harmonizing of classic Beach Boys, complete with a very 60’s/ Beach Boys lyric.
But, five decades on from the emergence of The Beach Boys sound it still works, primarily because a great song is a great song. And timeless.
The title track also sets the musical mood of the album, which carries trademark Beach Boys melodies, lush harmonies and laid-back, mid-tempo tones throughout most of its thirty-nine minutes.
Even the song titles tell you what to expect before you have heard so much as a second of them – 'Daybreak Over the Ocean' (a Mike Love song with additional BB vocals), 'Beaches in Mind' and 'Pacific Coast Highway' (a short but sweet Brian Wilson ballad) are three prime examples.
Then there’s 'The Private Life of Bill and Sue,' bringing a little Caribbean rhythm to the Californian sounds, while 'Spring Vacation' summarises the album in one line:
“Spring vacation, good vibration, summer weather, we’re back together.”
A great Beach Boys lyric – and great Beach Boys album, if ever I heard one.
Happy Anniversary, boys.
Black Country Communion - Afterglow
“Afterglow” is the light that remains in the sky for a short time after sunset.
But it can also refer to a light emitted after the removal of a particular source of energy, or used to describe a lingering resonance of past glories.
And those latter definitions are Afterglow, the album, in a rock and roll nut shell.
It couldn’t have been a better named release.
Black Country Communion, the supergroup who are a genuinely super group, first performed as a quartet in 2010 and have since recorded and toured successfully.
And to deserved critical acclaim.
The band’s first two albums were excellent releases that unashamedly took their lead from classic (primarily British) 70's heavy rock, but this time around Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian have failed to recapture the sonic strut and consistency of song quality that Black Country Communion and 2 delivered.
But there are a number of good reasons for that.
Recording albums in quick succession (three in as many years) can sometimes be a creative problem, but there is also the well documented tension between Hughes and Bonamassa.
The issue is primarily down to the guitarist’s own hectic recording and touring calendar – Joe Bonamassa can’t commit to the BCC schedules Glenn Hughes would like the band to work to, leading to the frustration of not being able to tour the album and uncertainty of the band’s future.
However it’s a testament to the musicianship of the quartet that they still managed to produce some great material.
The blues rock shuffle and Hughes Bonamassa one-two punch of ‘Cry Freedom,’ the light and dark of ‘The Circle’ and the Zeppelin-esque title track are three solid examples.
But at its core Afterglow is a straight-ahead heavy rock album with darker tones, primarily driven by Glenn Hughes’ lyrics and song concepts (Hughes is solely responsible for five of the eleven songs and his name is absent from only two of the tracks’ music writing credits).
That certainly gives the album a direction, but it’s also its failing – too many songs are one-dimensional heavy rock workouts (‘Crawl’ is the worst offender).
While that presents Jason Bonham with the opportunity to lay down his beefy beats, the heavy rock-by-numbers songs hamstring Derek Sherinian and Joe Bonamassa.
To such a degree that it could be any guitarist on a number of the tracks, not one of the best blues-rock six-stringers in the business.
And so the voice of Glenn Hughes becomes the featured instrument, delivering melodic, dark or screamer-note vocals (which were more restrained on the first two albums) as befits the pace or shape of the song.
Afterglow is therefore more of a heavy rock influenced solo album by Glenn Hughes than it is a BCC album.
The track sequencing does the album no favours.
The stop-start ‘Big Train’ is not a strong opener; a better choice would have been ‘Midnight Sun’ (a great mix of The Who at their heaviest and BCC at their best).
And why ‘Afterglow’ isn’t the closing track – its title and lyrical theme means it couldn’t really go anywhere else – is anyone’s guess.
The third time can often be the charm, as the saying goes. This time it’s the curse. And the Afterglow.
But it can also refer to a light emitted after the removal of a particular source of energy, or used to describe a lingering resonance of past glories.
And those latter definitions are Afterglow, the album, in a rock and roll nut shell.
It couldn’t have been a better named release.
Black Country Communion, the supergroup who are a genuinely super group, first performed as a quartet in 2010 and have since recorded and toured successfully.
And to deserved critical acclaim.
The band’s first two albums were excellent releases that unashamedly took their lead from classic (primarily British) 70's heavy rock, but this time around Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian have failed to recapture the sonic strut and consistency of song quality that Black Country Communion and 2 delivered.
But there are a number of good reasons for that.
Recording albums in quick succession (three in as many years) can sometimes be a creative problem, but there is also the well documented tension between Hughes and Bonamassa.
The issue is primarily down to the guitarist’s own hectic recording and touring calendar – Joe Bonamassa can’t commit to the BCC schedules Glenn Hughes would like the band to work to, leading to the frustration of not being able to tour the album and uncertainty of the band’s future.
However it’s a testament to the musicianship of the quartet that they still managed to produce some great material.
The blues rock shuffle and Hughes Bonamassa one-two punch of ‘Cry Freedom,’ the light and dark of ‘The Circle’ and the Zeppelin-esque title track are three solid examples.
But at its core Afterglow is a straight-ahead heavy rock album with darker tones, primarily driven by Glenn Hughes’ lyrics and song concepts (Hughes is solely responsible for five of the eleven songs and his name is absent from only two of the tracks’ music writing credits).
That certainly gives the album a direction, but it’s also its failing – too many songs are one-dimensional heavy rock workouts (‘Crawl’ is the worst offender).
While that presents Jason Bonham with the opportunity to lay down his beefy beats, the heavy rock-by-numbers songs hamstring Derek Sherinian and Joe Bonamassa.
To such a degree that it could be any guitarist on a number of the tracks, not one of the best blues-rock six-stringers in the business.
And so the voice of Glenn Hughes becomes the featured instrument, delivering melodic, dark or screamer-note vocals (which were more restrained on the first two albums) as befits the pace or shape of the song.
Afterglow is therefore more of a heavy rock influenced solo album by Glenn Hughes than it is a BCC album.
The track sequencing does the album no favours.
The stop-start ‘Big Train’ is not a strong opener; a better choice would have been ‘Midnight Sun’ (a great mix of The Who at their heaviest and BCC at their best).
And why ‘Afterglow’ isn’t the closing track – its title and lyrical theme means it couldn’t really go anywhere else – is anyone’s guess.
The third time can often be the charm, as the saying goes. This time it’s the curse. And the Afterglow.
Joe Bonamassa - Driving Towards the Daylight
Since bringing his brand of modern blues to the Millennium Joe Bonamassa has featured on thirteen albums in thirteen years.
And that’s not including live releases.
Driving Towards the Daylight, the renowned guitarist's tenth solo album, contains only three original numbers amongst its eleven tracks but every Bonamassa studio album tends to be peppered with blues standards or lesser known songs by non-blues artists.
The album opens in fine Bonamassa fashion with ‘Dislocated Boy,’ a mid-tempo modern swampy-blues number and one of the three originals on the album.
The other new numbers are the melodic rhythm and rock of 'Heavenly Soul' and the excellent title track, a classic Bonamassa slow-blues power ballad.
But the covers are equally as notable and perhaps the more interesting – primarily because of the choice of material or the arrangements they have been given.
There’s the gritty riff and shuffle version of ‘Stones in My Passway’ by Robert Johnson; the late night piano blues of Tom Waits ‘New Coat of Paint’ gets a new coat of Hammond organ and big guitar notes; The funky blues of ‘Lonely Town Lonely Street,’ written and recorded by Bill Withers, carries a far beefier, guitar-driven arrangement .
There’s also a heavier but faithful-to-the-original rendition of one of the great, hidden gems of modern blues, Bernie Marsden’s ‘A Place in My Heart.’
But the album's highlight may well be its most unlikely choice...
‘Too Much Ain’t Enough Love’ was a huge success for gravel-voiced Australian vocalist Jimmy Barnes in 1987 and the melodic power ballad came complete with a Journey sonic seal of approval (the song was co-written by and featured Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain).
Barnes revisits his own song twenty-five years later by singing lead on Bonamassa's melodic blues interpretation and proves the old adage a great song is a great song, no matter the era or the arrangement.
Joe Bonamassa’s stock has soared in recent years and featuring in Black Country Communion means he now has a following of classic, heavy rock fans – many of whom would not have been overly familiar with his earlier solo material.
All of which guarantees Driving Towards the Daylight will be his highest-charting album to date, his most successful solo release and hailed by many as his best work.
It's certainly one of his best albums but then Mr Bonamassa doesn’t tend to do bad ones.
If you’re a fan of Joe Bonamassa, appreciate outstanding blues rock guitar or enjoy an interesting and well performed set of covers, start Driving Towards the nearest music retail outlet.
And that’s not including live releases.
Driving Towards the Daylight, the renowned guitarist's tenth solo album, contains only three original numbers amongst its eleven tracks but every Bonamassa studio album tends to be peppered with blues standards or lesser known songs by non-blues artists.
The album opens in fine Bonamassa fashion with ‘Dislocated Boy,’ a mid-tempo modern swampy-blues number and one of the three originals on the album.
The other new numbers are the melodic rhythm and rock of 'Heavenly Soul' and the excellent title track, a classic Bonamassa slow-blues power ballad.
But the covers are equally as notable and perhaps the more interesting – primarily because of the choice of material or the arrangements they have been given.
There’s the gritty riff and shuffle version of ‘Stones in My Passway’ by Robert Johnson; the late night piano blues of Tom Waits ‘New Coat of Paint’ gets a new coat of Hammond organ and big guitar notes; The funky blues of ‘Lonely Town Lonely Street,’ written and recorded by Bill Withers, carries a far beefier, guitar-driven arrangement .
There’s also a heavier but faithful-to-the-original rendition of one of the great, hidden gems of modern blues, Bernie Marsden’s ‘A Place in My Heart.’
But the album's highlight may well be its most unlikely choice...
‘Too Much Ain’t Enough Love’ was a huge success for gravel-voiced Australian vocalist Jimmy Barnes in 1987 and the melodic power ballad came complete with a Journey sonic seal of approval (the song was co-written by and featured Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain).
Barnes revisits his own song twenty-five years later by singing lead on Bonamassa's melodic blues interpretation and proves the old adage a great song is a great song, no matter the era or the arrangement.
Joe Bonamassa’s stock has soared in recent years and featuring in Black Country Communion means he now has a following of classic, heavy rock fans – many of whom would not have been overly familiar with his earlier solo material.
All of which guarantees Driving Towards the Daylight will be his highest-charting album to date, his most successful solo release and hailed by many as his best work.
It's certainly one of his best albums but then Mr Bonamassa doesn’t tend to do bad ones.
If you’re a fan of Joe Bonamassa, appreciate outstanding blues rock guitar or enjoy an interesting and well performed set of covers, start Driving Towards the nearest music retail outlet.
Duncan Chisholm - Affric
Duncan Chisholm is one of Scotland’s finest traditional musicians, but his musical strengths and sensibilities carry beyond those roots.
The renowned fiddle player has the ability to cross musical boundaries and is as comfortable performing modern folk ‘n’ roll with Wolfstone as he is delivering a poignant air or speedy set of reels.
He is also a sought after session player, touring musician and accomplished solo artist, with a number of critically acclaimed studio albums to his name.
All of which means Duncan Chisholm has had quite the career since forming Wolfstone in 1989 but it’s more recent musical events that have produced some of the most satisfying moments of that career…
Affric, Chisholm’s fifth solo album, is the third and final part of a musical journey that started six years ago with the recording of Farrar (Album of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in 2008) and continued with Canaich in 2010.
Those three albums form the Strathglass trilogy, Duncan Chisholm’s musical homage to the Chisholm lands in Inverness where the musician grew up.
The Chisholm lands are also part of the family's ancestral history.
The tunes on Affric, like its two predecessors, form musical pictures and create mini-soundtracks to some of the most beautiful areas and places in Scotland.
Each piece features Duncan Chisholm’s fiddle as the narrator, with accompaniment or complimentary colour added by way of percussion, guitars and other traditional instrumentation (courtesy of a number of excellent musicians including Phil Cunningham, Tony Byrne and Jarlath Henderson).
Duncan Chisholm is one of the best slow air fiddle players in the business – many believe the best – so it's of no surprise he positively shines on such material, including the emotive and evocative 'An Ribhinn Donn' and ‘Night in That Land.'
But Duncan Chisholm has more than one string to his fiddle bow, as perfectly exemplified by the up-tempo, rhythmic number 'Running the Cross,' a modern take on the traditional sound.
Each album in the Strathglass series has something to offer, but Affric has the feel of presenting shorter stories as opposed to bigger pictures.
It’s as if the credits are rolling on the final instalment of the trilogy while images of ‘The House in Rose Valley’ and ‘The Flooded Meadow’ flash into the listener’s mind.
Affric is a fitting culmination to the six years work that went into creating the Strathglass trilogy.
The renowned fiddle player has the ability to cross musical boundaries and is as comfortable performing modern folk ‘n’ roll with Wolfstone as he is delivering a poignant air or speedy set of reels.
He is also a sought after session player, touring musician and accomplished solo artist, with a number of critically acclaimed studio albums to his name.
All of which means Duncan Chisholm has had quite the career since forming Wolfstone in 1989 but it’s more recent musical events that have produced some of the most satisfying moments of that career…
Affric, Chisholm’s fifth solo album, is the third and final part of a musical journey that started six years ago with the recording of Farrar (Album of the Year at the MG ALBA Scots Trad Music Awards in 2008) and continued with Canaich in 2010.
Those three albums form the Strathglass trilogy, Duncan Chisholm’s musical homage to the Chisholm lands in Inverness where the musician grew up.
The Chisholm lands are also part of the family's ancestral history.
The tunes on Affric, like its two predecessors, form musical pictures and create mini-soundtracks to some of the most beautiful areas and places in Scotland.
Each piece features Duncan Chisholm’s fiddle as the narrator, with accompaniment or complimentary colour added by way of percussion, guitars and other traditional instrumentation (courtesy of a number of excellent musicians including Phil Cunningham, Tony Byrne and Jarlath Henderson).
Duncan Chisholm is one of the best slow air fiddle players in the business – many believe the best – so it's of no surprise he positively shines on such material, including the emotive and evocative 'An Ribhinn Donn' and ‘Night in That Land.'
But Duncan Chisholm has more than one string to his fiddle bow, as perfectly exemplified by the up-tempo, rhythmic number 'Running the Cross,' a modern take on the traditional sound.
Each album in the Strathglass series has something to offer, but Affric has the feel of presenting shorter stories as opposed to bigger pictures.
It’s as if the credits are rolling on the final instalment of the trilogy while images of ‘The House in Rose Valley’ and ‘The Flooded Meadow’ flash into the listener’s mind.
Affric is a fitting culmination to the six years work that went into creating the Strathglass trilogy.
Ivan Drever - Keep On Keeping On
Ivan Drever’s latest release is perfectly titled.
The Orcadian singer songwriter, who spent most of the 90’s as an integral member of the Celtic folk-rock band Wolfstone, has been releasing solo material since 1989.
But it’s his post-Wolfstone career that has produced a consistency of solo product – both in terms of quality and number of releases.
In the last fifteen years Ivan Drever has released a dozen albums (including three collaborative releases with past and present members of Wolfstone) featuring traditional, folk-based tunes infused with the Drever blend of country and light pop.
And now Keep On Keeping On, which delivers twelve songs simple in composition and arrangement but strong in warmth, storytelling and pleasing tones.
The album opens with the uplifting, up-tempo ‘Till You Fall’ but Drever is a traditional Highlands & Islands balladeer at heart, so it’s perhaps no surprise the album is dominated by slower-paced tunes and reflective pieces.
Prime, and fine, examples include ‘Wilderness,’ the piano-led ‘Life is What You Make it’ and the album's title track.
Not that it’s all baritone balladeering.
‘Solitaire,’ with it’s “everything’s gonna be all right” tag line, lifts the acoustic tempo and carries a similar musical resonance to ‘Tall Ships’ from The Half Tail (Wolfstone’s finest 40 minutes).
And ‘Best I Can Get,’ backed by electric chords and a simple riff, would be a great fit for the Ivan Drever Band in full electric folk-rock flow.
‘Flower of Kristiansand,’ the lovely instrumental that originally appeared on The Lewis Blue (the album recorded with Duncan Chisholm in 1998) closes out the album.
It’s an interesting to note the association with Wolfstone founder Duncan Chisholm because the renowned Scottish fiddle player’s own 2012 release, Affric, is the third and final part of Chisholm’s Strathglass trilogy.
In many ways Ivan Drever has emulated what his friend and fellow musician has just done, albeit with an unofficial trilogy that has no direct link…
Notes From an Island started life as a handful of Orkney-based tunes to become a 2010 album of songs about the islands and people Drever grew up with.
Bless the Wind, released in 2011, had its folk-pop tunes but many numbers showcased Drever’s country sensibilities (including a couple of the best songs Jim Reeves and Johnny Cash never did).
And this album, with folk-balladeering at its core.
Taken as a trio of albums, they musically sum up the song-craft and musical sensibilities of Ivan Drever, a singer songwriter who follows tradition.
And just keeps on keeping on.
The Orcadian singer songwriter, who spent most of the 90’s as an integral member of the Celtic folk-rock band Wolfstone, has been releasing solo material since 1989.
But it’s his post-Wolfstone career that has produced a consistency of solo product – both in terms of quality and number of releases.
In the last fifteen years Ivan Drever has released a dozen albums (including three collaborative releases with past and present members of Wolfstone) featuring traditional, folk-based tunes infused with the Drever blend of country and light pop.
And now Keep On Keeping On, which delivers twelve songs simple in composition and arrangement but strong in warmth, storytelling and pleasing tones.
The album opens with the uplifting, up-tempo ‘Till You Fall’ but Drever is a traditional Highlands & Islands balladeer at heart, so it’s perhaps no surprise the album is dominated by slower-paced tunes and reflective pieces.
Prime, and fine, examples include ‘Wilderness,’ the piano-led ‘Life is What You Make it’ and the album's title track.
Not that it’s all baritone balladeering.
‘Solitaire,’ with it’s “everything’s gonna be all right” tag line, lifts the acoustic tempo and carries a similar musical resonance to ‘Tall Ships’ from The Half Tail (Wolfstone’s finest 40 minutes).
And ‘Best I Can Get,’ backed by electric chords and a simple riff, would be a great fit for the Ivan Drever Band in full electric folk-rock flow.
‘Flower of Kristiansand,’ the lovely instrumental that originally appeared on The Lewis Blue (the album recorded with Duncan Chisholm in 1998) closes out the album.
It’s an interesting to note the association with Wolfstone founder Duncan Chisholm because the renowned Scottish fiddle player’s own 2012 release, Affric, is the third and final part of Chisholm’s Strathglass trilogy.
In many ways Ivan Drever has emulated what his friend and fellow musician has just done, albeit with an unofficial trilogy that has no direct link…
Notes From an Island started life as a handful of Orkney-based tunes to become a 2010 album of songs about the islands and people Drever grew up with.
Bless the Wind, released in 2011, had its folk-pop tunes but many numbers showcased Drever’s country sensibilities (including a couple of the best songs Jim Reeves and Johnny Cash never did).
And this album, with folk-balladeering at its core.
Taken as a trio of albums, they musically sum up the song-craft and musical sensibilities of Ivan Drever, a singer songwriter who follows tradition.
And just keeps on keeping on.
Joy Dunlop & Twelfth Day - Fiere
In Scotland, in terms of the country’s traditional or roots-based music, the poems and words of Robert Burns have been used to powerful effect more times than can be counted or recorded.
But in the case of Joy Dunlop and the modern folk duo Twelfth Day it was the poems and words of other Scottish writers that formed the basis of their collaborative project, Fiere.
Joy Dunlop and the fiddle and harp of Twelfth Day (Catriona Price and Esther Swift) first put their creative minds and mutual musical passions together on the Gaelic waulking song ‘Faca sibh Raghnaill na Ailein?’ (‘Have You Seen Ronald or Alan?’).
That musical union led to Fiere (Scots for companion or friend), an eleven track album celebrating traditional music, the Gaelic and Scottish languages (a few of the songs are also sung in Standard English) and the poems of Scottish female writers.
That’s a lot of lyrical girl power and there’s quite the musical talent in the trio:
Joy Dunlop’s acclaimed solo album Dùsgadh (Awakening) won the Roots Recording award at the 2011 Scots New Music Awards.
Catriona Price and Esther Swift don’t just play fiddle and harp respectively; they also add harmony vocals to the music and their own, innovative sound can be heard on their 2010 debut album Northern Quarter.
Collectively the girls have produced an interesting and at times quite delightful vocal and musical soundscape to accompany the poetic lyrics, exemplified in songs such as the light and captivating title track, the poignant yet uplifting ‘Darling’ and the jaunty ‘Fhir lurach ‘s fhir alainn’ (‘O bonnie man, lovely man’).
The latter's words come courtesy of Meg Bateman, one of Scotland’s most esteemed Gaelic poets.
There are instances where the songs may initially sound discordant – the sounds of a harp and fiddle plucking out a rhythm and playing a melody will be unfamiliar or unusual to many – but once the listener’s ears pick up on the cadence or rhythmic language of the music the instruments become the perfect compliment to Joy Dunlop’s voice and the poetic words.
If Burns was around today I’m sure he would approve of Fiere, its traditional musical values and the lyrical, poetic language. He would also notice his influence in a few of the words.
And he would be asking for the phone numbers of Joy, Catriona and Esther.
I don’t know how he found the time to write, quite frankly, but that’s another Scottish story.
Meanwhile, you’ll find eleven great Scottish stories on Fiere, whose traditional values as performed musically by Twelfth Day, presented poetically by the writers and sung so beautifully by Joy Dunlop, should translate and be appreciated far outside the borders of the Auld Country.
But in the case of Joy Dunlop and the modern folk duo Twelfth Day it was the poems and words of other Scottish writers that formed the basis of their collaborative project, Fiere.
Joy Dunlop and the fiddle and harp of Twelfth Day (Catriona Price and Esther Swift) first put their creative minds and mutual musical passions together on the Gaelic waulking song ‘Faca sibh Raghnaill na Ailein?’ (‘Have You Seen Ronald or Alan?’).
That musical union led to Fiere (Scots for companion or friend), an eleven track album celebrating traditional music, the Gaelic and Scottish languages (a few of the songs are also sung in Standard English) and the poems of Scottish female writers.
That’s a lot of lyrical girl power and there’s quite the musical talent in the trio:
Joy Dunlop’s acclaimed solo album Dùsgadh (Awakening) won the Roots Recording award at the 2011 Scots New Music Awards.
Catriona Price and Esther Swift don’t just play fiddle and harp respectively; they also add harmony vocals to the music and their own, innovative sound can be heard on their 2010 debut album Northern Quarter.
Collectively the girls have produced an interesting and at times quite delightful vocal and musical soundscape to accompany the poetic lyrics, exemplified in songs such as the light and captivating title track, the poignant yet uplifting ‘Darling’ and the jaunty ‘Fhir lurach ‘s fhir alainn’ (‘O bonnie man, lovely man’).
The latter's words come courtesy of Meg Bateman, one of Scotland’s most esteemed Gaelic poets.
There are instances where the songs may initially sound discordant – the sounds of a harp and fiddle plucking out a rhythm and playing a melody will be unfamiliar or unusual to many – but once the listener’s ears pick up on the cadence or rhythmic language of the music the instruments become the perfect compliment to Joy Dunlop’s voice and the poetic words.
If Burns was around today I’m sure he would approve of Fiere, its traditional musical values and the lyrical, poetic language. He would also notice his influence in a few of the words.
And he would be asking for the phone numbers of Joy, Catriona and Esther.
I don’t know how he found the time to write, quite frankly, but that’s another Scottish story.
Meanwhile, you’ll find eleven great Scottish stories on Fiere, whose traditional values as performed musically by Twelfth Day, presented poetically by the writers and sung so beautifully by Joy Dunlop, should translate and be appreciated far outside the borders of the Auld Country.
Europe - Bag of Bones
I cannot stand ‘The Final Countdown,’ Europe’s uber-successful signature song.
It defined all that was wrong with the hair and spandex melodic power-rock of the eighties, a gloss and no substance cliché that typified the genre.
I avoided just about everything Europe did in their initial decade run.
But when the band reformed in 2003 after an eleven year hiatus (other than a reunion performance in Stockholm on Millennium eve) it was about to become a very different musical story.
There was the stark, modern sounding Start From the Dark (2004) and then the more melodic but edgy Secret Society (2006), but the bigger impact was made by Last Look at Eden.
The title track of Europe’s 2009 album has its roots in modern progressive metal and is one of their best ever songs, but at the heart of the album is a sound influenced by bluesy, classic rock and acts such as the Mk. III Deep Purple or even the Dan Reed Network at their heaviest.
Last Look at Eden was a strong release but Bag of Bones is its natural and superior successor, taking classic, heavy rock of the seventies as the musical template and creating a fresh, brash and quite vibrant version for the 21st century.
It’s also the best album of their career.
The album kicks off, and kicks out, with ‘Riches to Rags.’
Starting with a funky little riff that permeates throughout, the song grabs your attention and delivers classy, heavy rock with just the slightest touch of funk.
The gritty and swaggering ‘Not Supposed to Sing the Blues’ follows and two tracks in the sound of Black Country Communion comes to mind.
But then BCC are another band taking classic rock and reinventing it for the modern era and Kevin Shirley (producer of the BCC albums) was at the desk for Bag of Bones.
The album is also singer Joey Tempest’s finest hour and the slightly lower registers he now employs fit the material perfectly.
Each track on Bag of Bones is strong and a number of them are excellent.
The title track builds from an acoustic opening to deliver a great slice of melodic heavy rock; ‘Drink and a Smile’ is acoustic fun with a touch of Zeppelin; ‘Doghouse’ is a great slice of punchy, riff-driven rock and roll; ‘Bring it All Home’ is an understated ballad with little embellishment (a classic case of where less is more) and is a fine ending to a very fine album.
The Japanese edition of the album contains the rocker ‘Beautiful Disaster’ as a bonus track to close out the album but no matter what song ends Europe’s latest release there’s a far more important musical point to be made…
You won’t find the skeleton of ‘The Final Countdown’ in this Bag of Bones.
And that's a win-win in my book.
It defined all that was wrong with the hair and spandex melodic power-rock of the eighties, a gloss and no substance cliché that typified the genre.
I avoided just about everything Europe did in their initial decade run.
But when the band reformed in 2003 after an eleven year hiatus (other than a reunion performance in Stockholm on Millennium eve) it was about to become a very different musical story.
There was the stark, modern sounding Start From the Dark (2004) and then the more melodic but edgy Secret Society (2006), but the bigger impact was made by Last Look at Eden.
The title track of Europe’s 2009 album has its roots in modern progressive metal and is one of their best ever songs, but at the heart of the album is a sound influenced by bluesy, classic rock and acts such as the Mk. III Deep Purple or even the Dan Reed Network at their heaviest.
Last Look at Eden was a strong release but Bag of Bones is its natural and superior successor, taking classic, heavy rock of the seventies as the musical template and creating a fresh, brash and quite vibrant version for the 21st century.
It’s also the best album of their career.
The album kicks off, and kicks out, with ‘Riches to Rags.’
Starting with a funky little riff that permeates throughout, the song grabs your attention and delivers classy, heavy rock with just the slightest touch of funk.
The gritty and swaggering ‘Not Supposed to Sing the Blues’ follows and two tracks in the sound of Black Country Communion comes to mind.
But then BCC are another band taking classic rock and reinventing it for the modern era and Kevin Shirley (producer of the BCC albums) was at the desk for Bag of Bones.
The album is also singer Joey Tempest’s finest hour and the slightly lower registers he now employs fit the material perfectly.
Each track on Bag of Bones is strong and a number of them are excellent.
The title track builds from an acoustic opening to deliver a great slice of melodic heavy rock; ‘Drink and a Smile’ is acoustic fun with a touch of Zeppelin; ‘Doghouse’ is a great slice of punchy, riff-driven rock and roll; ‘Bring it All Home’ is an understated ballad with little embellishment (a classic case of where less is more) and is a fine ending to a very fine album.
The Japanese edition of the album contains the rocker ‘Beautiful Disaster’ as a bonus track to close out the album but no matter what song ends Europe’s latest release there’s a far more important musical point to be made…
You won’t find the skeleton of ‘The Final Countdown’ in this Bag of Bones.
And that's a win-win in my book.
Ned Evett - Treehouse
In many ways Treehouse is the album music critics and Ned Evett fans have been patiently waiting for the talented fretless guitarist to deliver.
And Ned Evett himself for that matter, because “the glass guitarist” (a nickname that comes courtesy of his trademark mirrored glass fingerboards) has stated this is his most satisfying release.
And it's not just the arrangement, quality and interesting sequencing of the songs – there’s also the excellent production job by fellow fretless maestro Adrian Belew (King Crimson, The Bears, solo).
Belew has helped bring out the best in Evett’s baritone vocal and his exceptional fretless electric and acoustic skills.
Treehouse, Ned Evett’s sixth solo album, isn’t his only strong studio statement.
For example 2010's Afraid4U, credited to Evett and his band Triple Double, is a solid slice of punchy ‘n’ funky blues rock that sits right on the edge of rock guitar distortion – but in terms of overall discography Ned Evett never quite caught the fretless fire he displays on stage solo or with Triple Double.
Until now.
It’s not just the acoustic light, electric shade and Ned Evett’s brand of Americana that make the album work so well; there’s also the very roots of the Treehouse...
Nashville born Evett came home to record Treehouse and the Nashville music scene, clearly a part of Evett’s musical DNA, contributes to not just the more countrified or acoustic-based numbers but the very vibe of the album.
Opening with the rockabilly and roll of ‘Pure Evil,’ Treehouse goes on to present two sides of Ned Evett.
The first half of the album focuses on up-tempo, electric guitar-led numbers while the middle of the album showcases Evett’s country-rock and folk-based musical sensibilities.
The title track is a simple but highly infectious sing-along as is 'Bend Me,' while the wonderful 'Mars River Delta 2128' is steeped in the folk music traditions of the past but with a futuristic, lyrical twist.
The album finishes with a brace of rockier numbers.
'Dead on a Saturday Night' is the musical half-brother of 'Pure Evil;' the closer 'Don’t Despair' carries a dark edge yet remains an optimistic up-tempo outro.
It’s also one of Evett’s best songs to date.
Many of the compositions are based on personal experience and tell tales of love, loss or economic downfall. Each song has its own character and identity but Treehouse shines as a collective whole.
So for those who were fretting over whether Ned Evett would ever truly deliver in the studio, just listen to Treehouse and do what Ned Evett does – fret no longer.
And Ned Evett himself for that matter, because “the glass guitarist” (a nickname that comes courtesy of his trademark mirrored glass fingerboards) has stated this is his most satisfying release.
And it's not just the arrangement, quality and interesting sequencing of the songs – there’s also the excellent production job by fellow fretless maestro Adrian Belew (King Crimson, The Bears, solo).
Belew has helped bring out the best in Evett’s baritone vocal and his exceptional fretless electric and acoustic skills.
Treehouse, Ned Evett’s sixth solo album, isn’t his only strong studio statement.
For example 2010's Afraid4U, credited to Evett and his band Triple Double, is a solid slice of punchy ‘n’ funky blues rock that sits right on the edge of rock guitar distortion – but in terms of overall discography Ned Evett never quite caught the fretless fire he displays on stage solo or with Triple Double.
Until now.
It’s not just the acoustic light, electric shade and Ned Evett’s brand of Americana that make the album work so well; there’s also the very roots of the Treehouse...
Nashville born Evett came home to record Treehouse and the Nashville music scene, clearly a part of Evett’s musical DNA, contributes to not just the more countrified or acoustic-based numbers but the very vibe of the album.
Opening with the rockabilly and roll of ‘Pure Evil,’ Treehouse goes on to present two sides of Ned Evett.
The first half of the album focuses on up-tempo, electric guitar-led numbers while the middle of the album showcases Evett’s country-rock and folk-based musical sensibilities.
The title track is a simple but highly infectious sing-along as is 'Bend Me,' while the wonderful 'Mars River Delta 2128' is steeped in the folk music traditions of the past but with a futuristic, lyrical twist.
The album finishes with a brace of rockier numbers.
'Dead on a Saturday Night' is the musical half-brother of 'Pure Evil;' the closer 'Don’t Despair' carries a dark edge yet remains an optimistic up-tempo outro.
It’s also one of Evett’s best songs to date.
Many of the compositions are based on personal experience and tell tales of love, loss or economic downfall. Each song has its own character and identity but Treehouse shines as a collective whole.
So for those who were fretting over whether Ned Evett would ever truly deliver in the studio, just listen to Treehouse and do what Ned Evett does – fret no longer.
Jes Falcon - Fake Bluff
Every so often I’m reminded just how important the Internet has become as regards music and its promotion, because without it I certainly wouldn’t have heard Jes Falcon’s work.
Or heard of Jes Falcon for that matter.
Late last year Jes Falcon contacted me to ask if I would be interested in hearing his debut album, Purest Falcon, or a few tracks from what has since become album number two, Fake Bluff.
Fake Bluff is a mix of new material and re-recordings of tracks that first appeared on Purest Falcon, but featuring far stronger production values (Purest Falcon is described by the artist himself as a “big demo”).
Originally from Spain but living in Amsterdam, Jes Falcon has a very distinct vocal sound, both in accent and vocality, and delivers songs best described as alternative rock.
I would go further – if the Punk movement had got tired of their own brand of music one day and decided to invent their own form of slightly off-centre guitar-riff rock they may well have created songs like ‘Nights Are Not the Same Without You’ and ‘No Cover.’
Which means that musically Jes Falcon is not for everyone – Boston based Skope magazine were very favourable to what the singer songwriter has produced but previous reviews and comments have varied from “creative genius” to “horrid.”
That’s quite a critical swing, but both are wide of the musical mark.
Falcon's voice and to some degree the style of songs are very much an acquired taste, but there is a discordant warmth and charm to both.
Prime examples are the quirky ‘San Francisco Square’ (but then I was probably always going to like it on title alone) and the lighter ‘She Came with the Rain.’
This is one of those albums and one of those artists where you can only really be sure what you think after playing Fake Bluff a number of times.
But this is also one of those albums and one of those artists that’s a little bit different from the standard rock norm.
And for that reason alone they deserve to be given a listen and receive a fair hearing from the Skope’s and FabricationsHQ’s of the world.
Or heard of Jes Falcon for that matter.
Late last year Jes Falcon contacted me to ask if I would be interested in hearing his debut album, Purest Falcon, or a few tracks from what has since become album number two, Fake Bluff.
Fake Bluff is a mix of new material and re-recordings of tracks that first appeared on Purest Falcon, but featuring far stronger production values (Purest Falcon is described by the artist himself as a “big demo”).
Originally from Spain but living in Amsterdam, Jes Falcon has a very distinct vocal sound, both in accent and vocality, and delivers songs best described as alternative rock.
I would go further – if the Punk movement had got tired of their own brand of music one day and decided to invent their own form of slightly off-centre guitar-riff rock they may well have created songs like ‘Nights Are Not the Same Without You’ and ‘No Cover.’
Which means that musically Jes Falcon is not for everyone – Boston based Skope magazine were very favourable to what the singer songwriter has produced but previous reviews and comments have varied from “creative genius” to “horrid.”
That’s quite a critical swing, but both are wide of the musical mark.
Falcon's voice and to some degree the style of songs are very much an acquired taste, but there is a discordant warmth and charm to both.
Prime examples are the quirky ‘San Francisco Square’ (but then I was probably always going to like it on title alone) and the lighter ‘She Came with the Rain.’
This is one of those albums and one of those artists where you can only really be sure what you think after playing Fake Bluff a number of times.
But this is also one of those albums and one of those artists that’s a little bit different from the standard rock norm.
And for that reason alone they deserve to be given a listen and receive a fair hearing from the Skope’s and FabricationsHQ’s of the world.
Heart - Fanatic
It’s been a good couple of years or so for Ann and Nancy Wilson & Heart, capped off by the 2012 announcement that Heart would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
After a mid 90’s to early Millennium hiatus, low key Wilson shows and sitting well under the musical radar with 2004’s Jupiters Darling, Heart re-emerged in 2010 with Red Velvet Car.
Red Velvet Car was a wonderful throwback album that recalled the band's formative and melodic folk-rock years – and days of Dogs, Butterflies and Dreamboat Annies.
A successful co-headlining tour with Def Leppard followed in 2011 before the Heart story was told in 2012 via the music on the retrospective box-set Strange Euphoria and the words of Ann and Nancy Wilson in Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul and Rock and Roll (written with music biographer Charles R. Cross).
Around the same time the book was being published, Heart released their fourteenth studio album, Fanatic.
It’s another solid release and the perfect compliment to its predecessor.
Not because it sounds like Red Velvet Car but because it doesn’t – Fanatic showcases the opposite end of the band’s musical spectrum.
While Red Velvet Car was, for the most part, the softer side of Heart, Fanatic takes its lead (guitars) from their angular and edgy early 80’s rock period.
If the resonating guitar chords and funky, grunge-lite rhythm of the title track hint at a musical ride in a vehicle far removed from a red velvet car, the fuzzed guitar and Zeppelin-esque rock vibe of ‘Dear Old America’ (including sections with more than a passing nod to ‘When the Levee Breaks’) confirm it.
The slow rocker ‘Mashallah’ features Ann Wilson (who remains the best female vocalist in rock) hitting those trademark vocal highs on the chorus, but it’s the punchy, chord-driven guitar work of Nancy Wilson and Ben Mink that drives the song.
‘Million Miles’ merges a dance-beat ZZ Top pulse with heavy Heart rock while ’59 Crunch’ carries the classic ‘Barracuda’ bite.
But it’s not all Zeppelin nods and brash rock chords.
‘Walkin’ Good’ (featuring Sarah McLachlan) is a nice change of country-folk Heart pace; ‘Pennsylvania’ features little more than stark guitar lines and vocals but works all the better for its sparse arrangement; ‘Rock Deep (Vancouver)’ is classic, acoustic-led Heart.
The latter half of the 80’s saw the band’s biggest successes but the formulated and over-produced elements on albums from that era meant it was, ironically, also their most musically uncreative period.
Twenty-five years later that's certainly not the case – this is a revitalised Heart, beating with a musical life that’s far from ready to be unplugged.
After a mid 90’s to early Millennium hiatus, low key Wilson shows and sitting well under the musical radar with 2004’s Jupiters Darling, Heart re-emerged in 2010 with Red Velvet Car.
Red Velvet Car was a wonderful throwback album that recalled the band's formative and melodic folk-rock years – and days of Dogs, Butterflies and Dreamboat Annies.
A successful co-headlining tour with Def Leppard followed in 2011 before the Heart story was told in 2012 via the music on the retrospective box-set Strange Euphoria and the words of Ann and Nancy Wilson in Kicking and Dreaming: A Story of Heart, Soul and Rock and Roll (written with music biographer Charles R. Cross).
Around the same time the book was being published, Heart released their fourteenth studio album, Fanatic.
It’s another solid release and the perfect compliment to its predecessor.
Not because it sounds like Red Velvet Car but because it doesn’t – Fanatic showcases the opposite end of the band’s musical spectrum.
While Red Velvet Car was, for the most part, the softer side of Heart, Fanatic takes its lead (guitars) from their angular and edgy early 80’s rock period.
If the resonating guitar chords and funky, grunge-lite rhythm of the title track hint at a musical ride in a vehicle far removed from a red velvet car, the fuzzed guitar and Zeppelin-esque rock vibe of ‘Dear Old America’ (including sections with more than a passing nod to ‘When the Levee Breaks’) confirm it.
The slow rocker ‘Mashallah’ features Ann Wilson (who remains the best female vocalist in rock) hitting those trademark vocal highs on the chorus, but it’s the punchy, chord-driven guitar work of Nancy Wilson and Ben Mink that drives the song.
‘Million Miles’ merges a dance-beat ZZ Top pulse with heavy Heart rock while ’59 Crunch’ carries the classic ‘Barracuda’ bite.
But it’s not all Zeppelin nods and brash rock chords.
‘Walkin’ Good’ (featuring Sarah McLachlan) is a nice change of country-folk Heart pace; ‘Pennsylvania’ features little more than stark guitar lines and vocals but works all the better for its sparse arrangement; ‘Rock Deep (Vancouver)’ is classic, acoustic-led Heart.
The latter half of the 80’s saw the band’s biggest successes but the formulated and over-produced elements on albums from that era meant it was, ironically, also their most musically uncreative period.
Twenty-five years later that's certainly not the case – this is a revitalised Heart, beating with a musical life that’s far from ready to be unplugged.
Ian Hunter & The Rant Band - When I'm President
Ian Hunter needs to check his birth certificate.
Because When I’m President loudly and clearly belies the age of an artist from the pantheon of British rock music.
Hunter is not the only elder statesman of rock and roll – fellow septuagenarians Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard continue to perform and haven't exactly made insignificant impacts (450 million album and singles sales between them).
But while those Knights of the realm have recently recorded material of soul-pop (Sir Cliff) or covered the pop standards of yesteryear (Macca) the seventy-three years young Hunter has just released a fun, feisty and pretty damn fine rock and roll record.
It’s also one of his best-ever albums – from back in the Mott the Hoople days to right through the singer’s lengthy solo career.
When I’m President carries a vibrant, throw-back feel from the get-go with the old-time rock ‘n’ roll opener ‘Comfortable’ (and any song subtitled Flyin’ Scotsman is always going to get a tick the Muirsical box).
Similarly the brash and musically mouthy ‘What For,’ the electro-acoustic pop ‘n’ roll of ‘Saint’ and the Springsteen-esque ‘Just The Way You Look Tonight’ are up-tempo, feel good numbers that allow the listener to shed off the problems of real life for a while.
Not that real world issues are missing from the album. Nor would it be an Ian Hunter record if there wasn’t a social or political comment somewhere in the mix.
The title track, an infectious slice of mid-tempo melodic rock, has the singer confirming he’ll “lean on the one percent” when he’s President.
And should Hunter ever decide to run for governmental power the line “still moaning ‘bout your bonus… man-up, you’re ridiculous” is an absolute vote winner.
For all the rock ‘n’ roll vibe of the album it’s the musical changes of pace that provide some the best, or most interesting, moments.
The lighter ‘Fatally Flawed’ packs a punch on the choruses while the slow and bluesy ‘Black Tears’ might just be the best song on When I’m President.
And then there’s ‘Ta Shunka Witco,’ carrying a musical mood and cadence like no other song on the album.
But, as a sonic backdrop to a song about Crazy Horse, famous Native American leader of the Oglala Lakota, it works extremely well and adds a different musical flavour to the album.
The ballad ‘Life’ closes out what is not just a great little rock album by Ian Hunter but a great little rock album, full stop.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Golden Age of Rock n Roll is alive and well in the 21st century courtesy of Ian Hunter, with All the Young Dudes a third of his age hopefully watching, listening and taking musical note.
Because When I’m President loudly and clearly belies the age of an artist from the pantheon of British rock music.
Hunter is not the only elder statesman of rock and roll – fellow septuagenarians Paul McCartney and Cliff Richard continue to perform and haven't exactly made insignificant impacts (450 million album and singles sales between them).
But while those Knights of the realm have recently recorded material of soul-pop (Sir Cliff) or covered the pop standards of yesteryear (Macca) the seventy-three years young Hunter has just released a fun, feisty and pretty damn fine rock and roll record.
It’s also one of his best-ever albums – from back in the Mott the Hoople days to right through the singer’s lengthy solo career.
When I’m President carries a vibrant, throw-back feel from the get-go with the old-time rock ‘n’ roll opener ‘Comfortable’ (and any song subtitled Flyin’ Scotsman is always going to get a tick the Muirsical box).
Similarly the brash and musically mouthy ‘What For,’ the electro-acoustic pop ‘n’ roll of ‘Saint’ and the Springsteen-esque ‘Just The Way You Look Tonight’ are up-tempo, feel good numbers that allow the listener to shed off the problems of real life for a while.
Not that real world issues are missing from the album. Nor would it be an Ian Hunter record if there wasn’t a social or political comment somewhere in the mix.
The title track, an infectious slice of mid-tempo melodic rock, has the singer confirming he’ll “lean on the one percent” when he’s President.
And should Hunter ever decide to run for governmental power the line “still moaning ‘bout your bonus… man-up, you’re ridiculous” is an absolute vote winner.
For all the rock ‘n’ roll vibe of the album it’s the musical changes of pace that provide some the best, or most interesting, moments.
The lighter ‘Fatally Flawed’ packs a punch on the choruses while the slow and bluesy ‘Black Tears’ might just be the best song on When I’m President.
And then there’s ‘Ta Shunka Witco,’ carrying a musical mood and cadence like no other song on the album.
But, as a sonic backdrop to a song about Crazy Horse, famous Native American leader of the Oglala Lakota, it works extremely well and adds a different musical flavour to the album.
The ballad ‘Life’ closes out what is not just a great little rock album by Ian Hunter but a great little rock album, full stop.
Ladies and Gentlemen, The Golden Age of Rock n Roll is alive and well in the 21st century courtesy of Ian Hunter, with All the Young Dudes a third of his age hopefully watching, listening and taking musical note.
Tracie Hunter - Vasilisa
In 2005 a number of rock music critics tipped The Tracie Hunter Band and their debut album, Race, as the next big things.
They weren’t, but the fact they didn’t make their musical mark in any significant terms says more about what sells and gets noticed in the Naughties than it does about the quality of the band or the album.
Race was a collection of punchy, edgy rock songs with a very modern sound that also included some nice changes of pace.
But therein lay the problem – if it’s not X-Factored, Pop-Idol'd or an established rock brand performing the greatest hits (or writing, recording and performing in the style of their greatest hits), the musical majority don’t seem to be interested.
I sincerely hope Vasilisa, the new album from Tracie Hunter, doesn’t suffer the same limited-recognition fate because, like Race, this is a fresh-sounding release and another that shows off Hunter’s clean and clear vocal talents.
But, song-wise, it couldn’t be more different.
Vasilisa is a collection of 10 acoustically arranged songs or ballads that showcase the softer side of Tracie Hunter and the album has a totally different tone and texture from Race.
The understated ‘Colour Me’ opens the album beautifully before the first of four covers makes an appearance.
‘Junkman,’ a duet with Joe Elliott and featuring lead guitar from Elliott’s Def Leppard band-mate Phil Collen, will already be familiar to a lot of rock fans.
The song, written by Joe Droukas, was released in 2011 as the lead-off single (it had originally been intended to release Vasilisa towards the end of that year) and gained some attention and airplay.
Those of us old enough will also recall the original duet.
In 1979 the song appeared on an album by singer Genya Ravan and also featured the very distinctive voice of Ian Hunter – father of Tracie Hunter.
That’s quite the rock connection, but to her credit Tracie Hunter has never used the fact iconic front man and rock legend Ian Hunter is her dad as any sort of leverage. “Daughter of Ian Hunter” has never been splashed across any Tracie Hunter product. She stands on her own vocal and artistic merits.
Joe Elliott was a perfect choice for ‘Junkman.’ Elliott is a huge Ian Hunter/ Mott the Hoople fan and his huskier tones compliment Hunter’s purer notes perfectly.
But it’s not every vocal duet that works so well...
'King of Tides’ features Spike (Jonathan Gray), the gravel-voiced front man of British raucous and roll band The Quireboys.
But lovely song that ‘King of Tides’ is, Spike’s drier deliveries are more grate than great and almost lost behind Hunter’s stronger vocal.
But other than voicing concern about ‘King of Tides,’ there is nothing else on Vasilisa to be concerned about.
There’s originals such as the lovely ‘Perfume and Cigarettes’ and ‘Marylebone,’ featuring Tracie Hunter Band guitarist Nik Underwood (who appears on nine of the ten tracks) and a reflective ballad interpretation of the Buzzcock’s punky power-pop hit ‘Ever Fallen in Love.’
And closing out Vasilisa is a wonderful, stripped-back cover of Hazel O’Connor’s ‘Will You’ before the album ends with Ian Hunter’s ‘3000 Miles.’
Vasilisa is a warm, welcoming and relaxed album of great songs and lovely, sometimes poignant vocals from Tracie Hunter.
Let’s just hope this time her voice is heard above the (in) crowd.
They weren’t, but the fact they didn’t make their musical mark in any significant terms says more about what sells and gets noticed in the Naughties than it does about the quality of the band or the album.
Race was a collection of punchy, edgy rock songs with a very modern sound that also included some nice changes of pace.
But therein lay the problem – if it’s not X-Factored, Pop-Idol'd or an established rock brand performing the greatest hits (or writing, recording and performing in the style of their greatest hits), the musical majority don’t seem to be interested.
I sincerely hope Vasilisa, the new album from Tracie Hunter, doesn’t suffer the same limited-recognition fate because, like Race, this is a fresh-sounding release and another that shows off Hunter’s clean and clear vocal talents.
But, song-wise, it couldn’t be more different.
Vasilisa is a collection of 10 acoustically arranged songs or ballads that showcase the softer side of Tracie Hunter and the album has a totally different tone and texture from Race.
The understated ‘Colour Me’ opens the album beautifully before the first of four covers makes an appearance.
‘Junkman,’ a duet with Joe Elliott and featuring lead guitar from Elliott’s Def Leppard band-mate Phil Collen, will already be familiar to a lot of rock fans.
The song, written by Joe Droukas, was released in 2011 as the lead-off single (it had originally been intended to release Vasilisa towards the end of that year) and gained some attention and airplay.
Those of us old enough will also recall the original duet.
In 1979 the song appeared on an album by singer Genya Ravan and also featured the very distinctive voice of Ian Hunter – father of Tracie Hunter.
That’s quite the rock connection, but to her credit Tracie Hunter has never used the fact iconic front man and rock legend Ian Hunter is her dad as any sort of leverage. “Daughter of Ian Hunter” has never been splashed across any Tracie Hunter product. She stands on her own vocal and artistic merits.
Joe Elliott was a perfect choice for ‘Junkman.’ Elliott is a huge Ian Hunter/ Mott the Hoople fan and his huskier tones compliment Hunter’s purer notes perfectly.
But it’s not every vocal duet that works so well...
'King of Tides’ features Spike (Jonathan Gray), the gravel-voiced front man of British raucous and roll band The Quireboys.
But lovely song that ‘King of Tides’ is, Spike’s drier deliveries are more grate than great and almost lost behind Hunter’s stronger vocal.
But other than voicing concern about ‘King of Tides,’ there is nothing else on Vasilisa to be concerned about.
There’s originals such as the lovely ‘Perfume and Cigarettes’ and ‘Marylebone,’ featuring Tracie Hunter Band guitarist Nik Underwood (who appears on nine of the ten tracks) and a reflective ballad interpretation of the Buzzcock’s punky power-pop hit ‘Ever Fallen in Love.’
And closing out Vasilisa is a wonderful, stripped-back cover of Hazel O’Connor’s ‘Will You’ before the album ends with Ian Hunter’s ‘3000 Miles.’
Vasilisa is a warm, welcoming and relaxed album of great songs and lovely, sometimes poignant vocals from Tracie Hunter.
Let’s just hope this time her voice is heard above the (in) crowd.
Jiezuberband - Sound of the Sun
“You Can’t Judge a Book by the Cover” is a well-known saying and, at some time or another, many of us have done just that.
I certainly did with Sound of the Sun, the debut album from Scottish band Jiezuberband.
The Ayrshire-based six-piece had already released a number of EP’s but, for the most part, the tracks didn’t quite make the grade.
But they did grab your attention, courtesy of the band’s mix of high-energy and the various musical styles incorporated on the longer, progressive numbers (including fusion, psychedelic, Celtic and classic rock).
But that was also part of the problem. Too many influences and lack of identity.
So based on the band’s previous, a cover that took its anguished face lead from the prog-tastic In the Court of the Crimson King and an album title tailor-made for Pink Floyd I was sure I knew what to expect – which seemed to be borne out by the first track.
’Monolith,’ one of the band’s heavier numbers, carries an initial riffing punch that makes for a great start but the song develops into Hawkwind meets tribal rock and becomes overly melodramatic.
But You Can’t Judge a (musical) Book by the (album) Cover. Or the first track.
Because with only a couple of exceptions Sound of the Sun proves Jiezuberband are starting to form their own very interesting and very listenable musical identity.
’Arbeit Macht Frei,’ showcasing the voice of Clair Gibson, builds from a quiet start into a relatively short but very strong piece with a sound reminiscent of early UK progressives Renaissance.
’Fields of Love,’ with its mellotron sounding introduction and lead vocal from John Strachan (the band’s featured vocalist), presents itself as a light-rock waltz before heading into a rock-section with some nice six-string shapes from Scott Coulter.
’Supernova’ is a simple, but highly effective feel-good number with jazz-esque piano runs courtesy of Mikey Grant.
The prog-blues of ’Through the Wires’ adds further musical colour to the album.
Incorporating just a hint of reggae it also features some nice soloing from Coulter on the outro.
The second half of the album revisits the band’s progressively influenced past but the semi-anthemic ‘The Phoenix Will Rise Again’ and the musically atmospheric ‘Set the Course for the Black Hole’ are stronger than their other prog excursions.
Both carry good balance between song structure and length (seven-and-a-half minutes and five-and-a-half minutes respectively).
Unfortunately where ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Black Hole’ succeed, ‘Exoskeleton’ fails.
The song has been a feature of the band’s set at many gigs but at eleven minutes long it sounds unwieldy on the album and falls back into the trap of trying to incorporate too many styles.
Not so much musically dramatic as musically disparate.
But the fact remains that while Sound of the Sun is not the finished article and lacks overall cohesion, it shows plenty of potential.
I certainly did with Sound of the Sun, the debut album from Scottish band Jiezuberband.
The Ayrshire-based six-piece had already released a number of EP’s but, for the most part, the tracks didn’t quite make the grade.
But they did grab your attention, courtesy of the band’s mix of high-energy and the various musical styles incorporated on the longer, progressive numbers (including fusion, psychedelic, Celtic and classic rock).
But that was also part of the problem. Too many influences and lack of identity.
So based on the band’s previous, a cover that took its anguished face lead from the prog-tastic In the Court of the Crimson King and an album title tailor-made for Pink Floyd I was sure I knew what to expect – which seemed to be borne out by the first track.
’Monolith,’ one of the band’s heavier numbers, carries an initial riffing punch that makes for a great start but the song develops into Hawkwind meets tribal rock and becomes overly melodramatic.
But You Can’t Judge a (musical) Book by the (album) Cover. Or the first track.
Because with only a couple of exceptions Sound of the Sun proves Jiezuberband are starting to form their own very interesting and very listenable musical identity.
’Arbeit Macht Frei,’ showcasing the voice of Clair Gibson, builds from a quiet start into a relatively short but very strong piece with a sound reminiscent of early UK progressives Renaissance.
’Fields of Love,’ with its mellotron sounding introduction and lead vocal from John Strachan (the band’s featured vocalist), presents itself as a light-rock waltz before heading into a rock-section with some nice six-string shapes from Scott Coulter.
’Supernova’ is a simple, but highly effective feel-good number with jazz-esque piano runs courtesy of Mikey Grant.
The prog-blues of ’Through the Wires’ adds further musical colour to the album.
Incorporating just a hint of reggae it also features some nice soloing from Coulter on the outro.
The second half of the album revisits the band’s progressively influenced past but the semi-anthemic ‘The Phoenix Will Rise Again’ and the musically atmospheric ‘Set the Course for the Black Hole’ are stronger than their other prog excursions.
Both carry good balance between song structure and length (seven-and-a-half minutes and five-and-a-half minutes respectively).
Unfortunately where ‘Phoenix’ and ‘Black Hole’ succeed, ‘Exoskeleton’ fails.
The song has been a feature of the band’s set at many gigs but at eleven minutes long it sounds unwieldy on the album and falls back into the trap of trying to incorporate too many styles.
Not so much musically dramatic as musically disparate.
But the fact remains that while Sound of the Sun is not the finished article and lacks overall cohesion, it shows plenty of potential.
Sean C. Kennedy - Love Don't Live Here EP
There's clearly something in the Ayrshire water, going by the number of genuinely talented acts and young, singer songwriters that are emerging from the historic Scottish county.
The latest talent to record and showcase quality product is Sean Kennedy.
Kennedy's 5 track EP, Love Don't Live Here, doesn’t just give a strong indicator of what to expect when a debut album arrives, it also presents the two sides of the singer songwriter’s musical CV – the solo acoustic performer and the voice of Sean Kennedy as part of a full band.
The lead-off title track has been a highlight of Kennedy’s solo shows for some time, and even in its acoustic form is a vibrant, resonant number.
But on the EP, with full band and full production, it becomes so infectious it should carry a medical warning.
It’s as fine a slice of up-tempo melodic pop as you’ll hear – and be consciously or sub-consciously singing along to.
The more relaxed, mid-tempo groove of ‘Come Closer’ is the perfect foil to ‘Love Don’t Live Here’ while ‘Drifting,’ another song that has been in Kennedy’s acoustic catalogue for a few years, slows the pace with a lovely ebb and flow accentuated by the arrangement and production.
The acoustic side of Sean Kennedy is presented by way of solo performances of ‘Crystallise’ and ‘Somewhere Yesterday,’ both of which help make a case for describing Kennedy as a natural singer songwriter.
And that’s all the more remarkable when you consider music wasn’t his original outlet for playing in front of a crowd…
Sean Kennedy was on the books of Hibernian and trialled with Celtic before a career ending injury at the age of 20 put paid to any aspirations of a professional career in football.
But, thankfully, when he stopped kicking a football he started picking at a guitar.
Sean Kennedy is a musical talent, but don’t take FabricationsHQ’s word for it…
Producer and guitarist Andy Taylor, ex of Duran Duran, was an early fan and recent recording sessions were in the company of producer/ engineer Greg Brimson (Eminem, Levellers) and Grammy winning mix engineer Simon Gogerly (U2, Texas).
Kennedy has also been writing with keyboard player, producer and arranger Peter-John Vettese, who’s multitude of musical projects include performing, producing or writing with dozens of name artists including Jethro Tull, Heather Small and Annie Lennox.
The name Sean C. Kennedy (to give him his full recording artist name) could have ended up on a Premiership football team sheet, but fate has decreed that it appears on music pages and gig posters.
And football’s loss is music’s gain.
The latest talent to record and showcase quality product is Sean Kennedy.
Kennedy's 5 track EP, Love Don't Live Here, doesn’t just give a strong indicator of what to expect when a debut album arrives, it also presents the two sides of the singer songwriter’s musical CV – the solo acoustic performer and the voice of Sean Kennedy as part of a full band.
The lead-off title track has been a highlight of Kennedy’s solo shows for some time, and even in its acoustic form is a vibrant, resonant number.
But on the EP, with full band and full production, it becomes so infectious it should carry a medical warning.
It’s as fine a slice of up-tempo melodic pop as you’ll hear – and be consciously or sub-consciously singing along to.
The more relaxed, mid-tempo groove of ‘Come Closer’ is the perfect foil to ‘Love Don’t Live Here’ while ‘Drifting,’ another song that has been in Kennedy’s acoustic catalogue for a few years, slows the pace with a lovely ebb and flow accentuated by the arrangement and production.
The acoustic side of Sean Kennedy is presented by way of solo performances of ‘Crystallise’ and ‘Somewhere Yesterday,’ both of which help make a case for describing Kennedy as a natural singer songwriter.
And that’s all the more remarkable when you consider music wasn’t his original outlet for playing in front of a crowd…
Sean Kennedy was on the books of Hibernian and trialled with Celtic before a career ending injury at the age of 20 put paid to any aspirations of a professional career in football.
But, thankfully, when he stopped kicking a football he started picking at a guitar.
Sean Kennedy is a musical talent, but don’t take FabricationsHQ’s word for it…
Producer and guitarist Andy Taylor, ex of Duran Duran, was an early fan and recent recording sessions were in the company of producer/ engineer Greg Brimson (Eminem, Levellers) and Grammy winning mix engineer Simon Gogerly (U2, Texas).
Kennedy has also been writing with keyboard player, producer and arranger Peter-John Vettese, who’s multitude of musical projects include performing, producing or writing with dozens of name artists including Jethro Tull, Heather Small and Annie Lennox.
The name Sean C. Kennedy (to give him his full recording artist name) could have ended up on a Premiership football team sheet, but fate has decreed that it appears on music pages and gig posters.
And football’s loss is music’s gain.
Little Fire - The Little Fire EP
Little Fire (the performance name of Scottish singer songwriter Jamie McGeechan) is not a household name, but on the basis of this release and his ever-growing reputation in his hometown of Ayr, Ayrshire and other areas including Glasgow, he may very well become one.
Since winning the 2010 Burns an’ a’ That! Ayrplay Battle of the Bands event Little Fire and his acoustic guitar have gone from musical strength to strength.
He opened the grand finale night of the 2011 Burns an’ a’ That! festival, has performed live on national television, received national radio airplay, supported The Secret Sisters, Damien Rice and King Creosote amongst others and supported Joan Armatrading on a date of her 2012 UK tour.
The Little Fire EP comprises just four tracks (one song is featured twice) and totals just over 14 minutes.
It’s short, but it’s sweet and the perfect taster for what is hoped to be a debut album in the not too distant future.
And having a song feature twice highlights one of Little Fire’s strongest skills...
Jamie McGeechan’s ear for melody and ability to write a tune that can be rearranged for a chosen mood or tempo sets him apart from the myriad of one-dimensional singer songwriter guitarists that exist.
Many songs can be rearranged of course, but producing variations where each has melodic value and its own musical resonance… that’s a talent.
‘All I Need in Life,’ a performance favourite, is the two-for-one song featured.
The lead-off track is the more commonly performed up-tempo version while the alternative rendition is a slow-tempo acoustic ballad. The former is bright, breezy and uplifting while the latter is more introspective, reflecting on just what is important in life. Both carry an equal amount of musical warmth and weight.
‘You Mean Something to Me’ is another staple of Little Fire’s live sets and the EP version has a working demo charm about it, complete with drum accompaniment to help drive the mid-paced number. This is one of those songs that having heard it once you will be humming or singing the chorus/ title line for the rest of the day.
’Fire Me Up Now,’ with just a hint of alternative acoustic Americana, is the punchiest number on display, both musically and vocally.
If someone like Jackson Browne had turned up with it, it wouldn’t be off the Bob Harris radio show.
Ayrshire is currently producing a remarkable number of young, talented bands or solo performers and Jamie McGeechan is one of the individuals leading the charge.
There may only be a Little Fire right now but Jamie McGeechan may be burning bright in the not too distant future.
Since winning the 2010 Burns an’ a’ That! Ayrplay Battle of the Bands event Little Fire and his acoustic guitar have gone from musical strength to strength.
He opened the grand finale night of the 2011 Burns an’ a’ That! festival, has performed live on national television, received national radio airplay, supported The Secret Sisters, Damien Rice and King Creosote amongst others and supported Joan Armatrading on a date of her 2012 UK tour.
The Little Fire EP comprises just four tracks (one song is featured twice) and totals just over 14 minutes.
It’s short, but it’s sweet and the perfect taster for what is hoped to be a debut album in the not too distant future.
And having a song feature twice highlights one of Little Fire’s strongest skills...
Jamie McGeechan’s ear for melody and ability to write a tune that can be rearranged for a chosen mood or tempo sets him apart from the myriad of one-dimensional singer songwriter guitarists that exist.
Many songs can be rearranged of course, but producing variations where each has melodic value and its own musical resonance… that’s a talent.
‘All I Need in Life,’ a performance favourite, is the two-for-one song featured.
The lead-off track is the more commonly performed up-tempo version while the alternative rendition is a slow-tempo acoustic ballad. The former is bright, breezy and uplifting while the latter is more introspective, reflecting on just what is important in life. Both carry an equal amount of musical warmth and weight.
‘You Mean Something to Me’ is another staple of Little Fire’s live sets and the EP version has a working demo charm about it, complete with drum accompaniment to help drive the mid-paced number. This is one of those songs that having heard it once you will be humming or singing the chorus/ title line for the rest of the day.
’Fire Me Up Now,’ with just a hint of alternative acoustic Americana, is the punchiest number on display, both musically and vocally.
If someone like Jackson Browne had turned up with it, it wouldn’t be off the Bob Harris radio show.
Ayrshire is currently producing a remarkable number of young, talented bands or solo performers and Jamie McGeechan is one of the individuals leading the charge.
There may only be a Little Fire right now but Jamie McGeechan may be burning bright in the not too distant future.
Lynyrd Skynyrd - Last of a Dyin' Breed
While La Futura by ZZ Top got the comeback/ serious return to form nod here at FabricationsHQ, many critics and fans were giving similar award comments to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Last of a Dyin’ Breed.
Skynyrd’s twelfth studio album of all new original material is a strong album, but so was 2009’s God & Guns, their first Billboard Top 20 album in more than 30 years.
But where Gods & Guns was heavy southern country mixed with southern melodic rock, Last of a Dyin’ Breed is heavy, southern rock encased in a classic rock shell.
Hence the positive review and another guaranteed Top 20 album.
Since their 1987 reunion the musical heart and soul of Lynyrd Skynyrd have been vocalist and front man Johnny Van Zant and guitarist, founder member and ever-present Gary Rossington.
But lead and slide guitarist Ricky Medlocke, who had a brief stint with Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1970 as a drummer, has been an integral part of the band since 1996 and drummer Michael Cartellone has been with Skynyrd since 1999.
The current line-up is completed by guitarist Mark Matjeka (joined 2006), keyboard player Peter Keys (joined 2009) and the latest member of the Skynyrd family, bass player Johnny Colt (joined 2012).
The title track opens the album and rattles along with a rock and roll snarl before the mid-tempo ‘One Day at a Time’ slows the southern rock pace.
That opening brace set the musical tone because Last of a Dyin' Breed is dominated by slow ‘n’ bluesy or raunch 'n' roll tracks, as exemplified by 'Honey Hole’ and ‘Good Teacher’ respectively.
Gritty punch is supplied by tracks such as ‘Homegrown’ and ‘Life’s Twisted.’
But it’s not all southern fried rock and roll – southern power ballads ‘Ready to Fly’ and ‘Something to Live For’ are stand-out tracks while ‘Mississippi Blood’ is a fun, swampy shuffle.
The slow-blues guitars ballad ‘Start Livin’ Life Again’ is the perfect closer and perfect optimistic counter to the name of the album, because the title Last of a Dyin’ Breed carries no small amount of black humour…
This is a band that has suffered more than their fair share of tragedy.
The death of original lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie Gaines and three others in the tragic 1977 plane crash is well documented, but more recently there have been the deaths of original bass player Leon Wilkinson (2001) and keyboard player Billy Powell (2009).
Hughie Thomasson, founder member of The Outlaws and kynyrd guitarist from 1996 to 2005, died in 2007.
Ean Evans, who replaced Wilkinson in 2001, died from cancer in 2009.
All of which leads to the fact Lynyrd Skynyrd are more southern brand than southern band, albeit through tragedy and not choice.
But while a Van Zant is at the microphone and Gary Rossington and his six-string are part of the family, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern-rock flag still flies high – and proud.
Skynyrd’s twelfth studio album of all new original material is a strong album, but so was 2009’s God & Guns, their first Billboard Top 20 album in more than 30 years.
But where Gods & Guns was heavy southern country mixed with southern melodic rock, Last of a Dyin’ Breed is heavy, southern rock encased in a classic rock shell.
Hence the positive review and another guaranteed Top 20 album.
Since their 1987 reunion the musical heart and soul of Lynyrd Skynyrd have been vocalist and front man Johnny Van Zant and guitarist, founder member and ever-present Gary Rossington.
But lead and slide guitarist Ricky Medlocke, who had a brief stint with Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1970 as a drummer, has been an integral part of the band since 1996 and drummer Michael Cartellone has been with Skynyrd since 1999.
The current line-up is completed by guitarist Mark Matjeka (joined 2006), keyboard player Peter Keys (joined 2009) and the latest member of the Skynyrd family, bass player Johnny Colt (joined 2012).
The title track opens the album and rattles along with a rock and roll snarl before the mid-tempo ‘One Day at a Time’ slows the southern rock pace.
That opening brace set the musical tone because Last of a Dyin' Breed is dominated by slow ‘n’ bluesy or raunch 'n' roll tracks, as exemplified by 'Honey Hole’ and ‘Good Teacher’ respectively.
Gritty punch is supplied by tracks such as ‘Homegrown’ and ‘Life’s Twisted.’
But it’s not all southern fried rock and roll – southern power ballads ‘Ready to Fly’ and ‘Something to Live For’ are stand-out tracks while ‘Mississippi Blood’ is a fun, swampy shuffle.
The slow-blues guitars ballad ‘Start Livin’ Life Again’ is the perfect closer and perfect optimistic counter to the name of the album, because the title Last of a Dyin’ Breed carries no small amount of black humour…
This is a band that has suffered more than their fair share of tragedy.
The death of original lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, guitarist Steve Gaines, his sister Cassie Gaines and three others in the tragic 1977 plane crash is well documented, but more recently there have been the deaths of original bass player Leon Wilkinson (2001) and keyboard player Billy Powell (2009).
Hughie Thomasson, founder member of The Outlaws and kynyrd guitarist from 1996 to 2005, died in 2007.
Ean Evans, who replaced Wilkinson in 2001, died from cancer in 2009.
All of which leads to the fact Lynyrd Skynyrd are more southern brand than southern band, albeit through tragedy and not choice.
But while a Van Zant is at the microphone and Gary Rossington and his six-string are part of the family, Lynyrd Skynyrd’s southern-rock flag still flies high – and proud.
Paul McCartney - Kisses on the Bottom
In 2012 Paul McCartney returned to his childhood to revisit some of his favourite musical friends that were both influences and an inspiration to the boy who would become one of the most successful songwriters and famous recording artists of the 20th century.
Kisses on the Bottom is primarily a collection of standards from the American popular music era of the late ‘20s to the early ‘50s, with two new McCartney numbers thrown into the mix for good measure.
Classics such as ‘The Glory of Love’ (recorded by Benny Goodman amongst many others) and Irving Berlin’s ‘Always’ sit alongside less well-known numbers like ‘More I Cannot Wish You,’ written by Frank Loesser.
A better known Loesser tune, ‘The Inch Worm’ (the popular children’s song made famous by Danny Kaye in the movie Hans Christian Andersen), also makes an appearance and is one of the highlights of an album best described as Easy Listening.
The two new numbers, ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts,’ feature guest appearances from Eric Clapton (acoustic guitar) and Stevie Wonder (harmonica) respectively and have been written and arranged in such a way as to sit perfectly alongside the standards.
The arrangements on the album aren’t big band or fully orchestrated.
These are low-key, piano or guitar with double bass smoky jazz-bar renditions, with McCartney’s vocals backed by Diana Krall and her band.
Light, orchestrated scores appear, but very sparingly.
In fact Kisses has more in common with Barry Manilow’s 2:00 AM Paradise Café album of 1984 than it does the more recent American Songbook releases by Rod Stewart.
Many of the songs on Kisses on the Bottom are timeless, but this is not a Paul McCartney release I'll be going back to time and again.
It does have a soft-brush across the snare drum charm about it, however, but that’s not the only reasons it merits a review…
The major advantage to downloadable audio is its instant availability.
The major disadvantage is the overall sound quality which, dependant on the format of the audio and playback options, can range from pretty listenable to bloody awful.
McCartney took that issue on board with this release and the album, with jazz producer Tommy LiPuma at the controls, has been mastered specifically for iTunes to optimize sound quality when downloaded.
Paul McCartney is one of the first name players to cater directly for the ever-growing download audience and for that alone I applaud him.
But I certainly won’t be giving him Kisses on the Bottom.
Kisses on the Bottom is primarily a collection of standards from the American popular music era of the late ‘20s to the early ‘50s, with two new McCartney numbers thrown into the mix for good measure.
Classics such as ‘The Glory of Love’ (recorded by Benny Goodman amongst many others) and Irving Berlin’s ‘Always’ sit alongside less well-known numbers like ‘More I Cannot Wish You,’ written by Frank Loesser.
A better known Loesser tune, ‘The Inch Worm’ (the popular children’s song made famous by Danny Kaye in the movie Hans Christian Andersen), also makes an appearance and is one of the highlights of an album best described as Easy Listening.
The two new numbers, ‘My Valentine’ and ‘Only Our Hearts,’ feature guest appearances from Eric Clapton (acoustic guitar) and Stevie Wonder (harmonica) respectively and have been written and arranged in such a way as to sit perfectly alongside the standards.
The arrangements on the album aren’t big band or fully orchestrated.
These are low-key, piano or guitar with double bass smoky jazz-bar renditions, with McCartney’s vocals backed by Diana Krall and her band.
Light, orchestrated scores appear, but very sparingly.
In fact Kisses has more in common with Barry Manilow’s 2:00 AM Paradise Café album of 1984 than it does the more recent American Songbook releases by Rod Stewart.
Many of the songs on Kisses on the Bottom are timeless, but this is not a Paul McCartney release I'll be going back to time and again.
It does have a soft-brush across the snare drum charm about it, however, but that’s not the only reasons it merits a review…
The major advantage to downloadable audio is its instant availability.
The major disadvantage is the overall sound quality which, dependant on the format of the audio and playback options, can range from pretty listenable to bloody awful.
McCartney took that issue on board with this release and the album, with jazz producer Tommy LiPuma at the controls, has been mastered specifically for iTunes to optimize sound quality when downloaded.
Paul McCartney is one of the first name players to cater directly for the ever-growing download audience and for that alone I applaud him.
But I certainly won’t be giving him Kisses on the Bottom.
Mad Hatter - Mad Hatter EP
Nine minutes does not an EP make.
But, in the case of Mad Hatter, four songs at under two-and-a-half minutes each works perfectly as a musical teaser-trailer for a World Music and Celtic fusion soundtrack.
The artist responsible for Mad Hatter is the rock guitarist Martins, who composed and produced the four track EP.
The tracks on Mad Hatter are inspired by Mother Nature and the instrumental fusion of featured rock guitar over Celtic themes and World Music forms (including Indo-European rhythms and melodic cadences) works extremely well.
The tracks are vibrant and intriguing little sound-bites that make the hint of a full album all the more interesting and tantalising.
Martins, previously a member of the Portuguese progressive rock group IRIS and the World music/ folk band Marenostrum, has already had more than a little success with one of the tracks that features on Mad Hatter…
'Eagle Fly,' written in 2008, is the Eagle’s Flight anthem of Portuguese club Benfica, one of the biggest football teams in Europe.
Mad Hatter was nominated in three categories for the MRU Awards of the international, Dublin based music magazine Music Review Unsigned, winning in the Best Composer (Soundtrack) category.
And the famous Irish city is also where Martins is currently based, performing on and composing for the theatrical production Holia, directed by Catherine Hudson.
Martins’ fusion of sounds and guitar playing is comparable to very few acts – only IOEarth (a band that have redefined progressive rock and pushed that genre’s musical boundaries via their first two critically acclaimed albums) come to mind.
If this four track sampler is indeed the forerunner to a full album of musical fusion in the style of the EP, Martins may find himself with similar award winning and noteworthy accolades.
But, in the case of Mad Hatter, four songs at under two-and-a-half minutes each works perfectly as a musical teaser-trailer for a World Music and Celtic fusion soundtrack.
The artist responsible for Mad Hatter is the rock guitarist Martins, who composed and produced the four track EP.
The tracks on Mad Hatter are inspired by Mother Nature and the instrumental fusion of featured rock guitar over Celtic themes and World Music forms (including Indo-European rhythms and melodic cadences) works extremely well.
The tracks are vibrant and intriguing little sound-bites that make the hint of a full album all the more interesting and tantalising.
Martins, previously a member of the Portuguese progressive rock group IRIS and the World music/ folk band Marenostrum, has already had more than a little success with one of the tracks that features on Mad Hatter…
'Eagle Fly,' written in 2008, is the Eagle’s Flight anthem of Portuguese club Benfica, one of the biggest football teams in Europe.
Mad Hatter was nominated in three categories for the MRU Awards of the international, Dublin based music magazine Music Review Unsigned, winning in the Best Composer (Soundtrack) category.
And the famous Irish city is also where Martins is currently based, performing on and composing for the theatrical production Holia, directed by Catherine Hudson.
Martins’ fusion of sounds and guitar playing is comparable to very few acts – only IOEarth (a band that have redefined progressive rock and pushed that genre’s musical boundaries via their first two critically acclaimed albums) come to mind.
If this four track sampler is indeed the forerunner to a full album of musical fusion in the style of the EP, Martins may find himself with similar award winning and noteworthy accolades.
Model Jet Pilot - Welcome to the Future
The first few synthesized seconds from the opening of Model Jet Pilot’s debut album may lead you to believe that, rather than being welcomed to the future, you are being transported to the past and the electro-pop realms of Ultravox and A-Ha.
But as soon as Ross Hamilton’s angular guitar riff cuts across the beat and his treated vocal and lyric invites you to “buckle up your moon boots, button up your one-piece silver suit” you realise new wave pop has just taken one giant leap for music kind.
’Welcome to the Future’ sets the high-energy tone of the album, its part-manic part-eerie sci-fi pop perfectly tempered by the punchy dance-beat songs ‘Do You Want to Kill Me?’ and ‘Ghosts in My Head.’
And the polished pop of ‘Boy in the Bubble’ is just screaming for mainstream radio airplay.
But Model Jet Pilot doesn’t just transport you across the pop skies at top speed.
’Dorian Gray’ and the lovely ‘Man on the Wire’ slow things down, complimented by piano lines and string accompaniments (arranged and played by Fiona Johnson).
The mid-tempo ‘Mr Spaceman’ is another that, in an ideal (as opposed to musically manufactured) pop world, wouldn't be off the radio.
Model Jet Pilot is the band vehicle for Ross Hamilton’s catchy collection of pop orientated songs, voice, guitar, bass and some keyboards.
But it’s certainly not a solo flight.
Co-Pilot Michael Bannister provides keyboards and programming while noted session drummer Ross McFarlane is also featured (Alyn Cosker and Stuart Spence make percussive contributions to a track each).
And while Ross Hamilton clearly has a gift for hook-laden, new wave rock and pop, he is by no means a One Trick Pilot.
Hamilton spent a few years with Celtic folk and rollers Wolfstone (he was the featured vocalist and a core creative component of their 2007 album Terra Firma), plays bass in Alyn Cosker’s jazz trio and has recently been working and performing with Duncan Chisholm, one of Scotland’s finest fiddle players.
Welcome to the Future was produced by Ross Hamilton and Michael Bannister, but overall song and sonic quality are only two of three Model Jet positives…
The inner gate-fold sleeve of the CD and Limited Edition vinyl features Jet-pilots over cityscape artwork by George Miller.
It’s a nice retro piece with a hint of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis about it and more than a passing nod to early 20th century science-future imagery and 50’s sci-fi comic books.
The image welcomes a future that never happened; the audio welcomes a future for new wave power-pop, from the cockpit of Model Jet Pilot.
Enjoy the flight.
But as soon as Ross Hamilton’s angular guitar riff cuts across the beat and his treated vocal and lyric invites you to “buckle up your moon boots, button up your one-piece silver suit” you realise new wave pop has just taken one giant leap for music kind.
’Welcome to the Future’ sets the high-energy tone of the album, its part-manic part-eerie sci-fi pop perfectly tempered by the punchy dance-beat songs ‘Do You Want to Kill Me?’ and ‘Ghosts in My Head.’
And the polished pop of ‘Boy in the Bubble’ is just screaming for mainstream radio airplay.
But Model Jet Pilot doesn’t just transport you across the pop skies at top speed.
’Dorian Gray’ and the lovely ‘Man on the Wire’ slow things down, complimented by piano lines and string accompaniments (arranged and played by Fiona Johnson).
The mid-tempo ‘Mr Spaceman’ is another that, in an ideal (as opposed to musically manufactured) pop world, wouldn't be off the radio.
Model Jet Pilot is the band vehicle for Ross Hamilton’s catchy collection of pop orientated songs, voice, guitar, bass and some keyboards.
But it’s certainly not a solo flight.
Co-Pilot Michael Bannister provides keyboards and programming while noted session drummer Ross McFarlane is also featured (Alyn Cosker and Stuart Spence make percussive contributions to a track each).
And while Ross Hamilton clearly has a gift for hook-laden, new wave rock and pop, he is by no means a One Trick Pilot.
Hamilton spent a few years with Celtic folk and rollers Wolfstone (he was the featured vocalist and a core creative component of their 2007 album Terra Firma), plays bass in Alyn Cosker’s jazz trio and has recently been working and performing with Duncan Chisholm, one of Scotland’s finest fiddle players.
Welcome to the Future was produced by Ross Hamilton and Michael Bannister, but overall song and sonic quality are only two of three Model Jet positives…
The inner gate-fold sleeve of the CD and Limited Edition vinyl features Jet-pilots over cityscape artwork by George Miller.
It’s a nice retro piece with a hint of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis about it and more than a passing nod to early 20th century science-future imagery and 50’s sci-fi comic books.
The image welcomes a future that never happened; the audio welcomes a future for new wave power-pop, from the cockpit of Model Jet Pilot.
Enjoy the flight.
Bill Nelson - Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists (and other 2012 releases)
Songs of the Blossom Tree Optimists was the first 2012 album reviewed and played at FabricationsHQ.
But that was always a distinct possibility.
Because Bill Nelson is an incredibly prolific and productive artist and SotBTO followed hard on the heels of a spate of releases from the English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist…
In 2011 Bill Nelson celebrated 40 years as a recording and performing artist by releasing a comprehensive 8CD anthology and three solo albums; 2010 saw the release of four solo albums.
And so to 2012 and SotBTO which, in a musically themed way, is a companion piece to 2011's Model Village, Nelson's instrumental album based around the concept of sleepy, rural English life.
This time however the audio scenes created depict Spring and Summer evenings, with vocals/ lyrics over keyboard created orchestral sounds and percussion.
The song titles are so descriptive that other than the brief outline just given I have no need to provide any further information – ‘Rambling Through the Meadows,’ ‘One Summer Night’ and Gathered in at Gloaming’ tell it better than I could.
But it’s not just wonderful song titles.
Bill Nelson also has the wonderful habit of producing some of the most imaginative and non-conforming material, which is the main reason he will never threaten the charts (and hasn’t done since the rock guitar days of Be Bop Deluxe, his later Red Noise project and the occasional early-80's forays into radio-friendly land).
But SotBTO is musically warm, charming and a welcome addition to any Bill Nelson collection.
It’s also a very accessible little album, as opposed to some of the other releases from Nelson that are best described as disposable after a play or two.
Bill Nelson has made that same sort of comment about his own work in the past but then this is an artist who crafts albums in quick succession, sometimes recording a number of radically different pieces in the same session (which are then separated for use on various albums).
But there is more musical creativity in a single Bill Nelson album than there is in the entire career of a typical MTV era artist or fit-the-fashion act.
As it turned out, 2012 was yet another prolific and creative year for the Yorkshire musician and composer.
Nelson released six albums including a double CD set, a rarities collection and a collaborative release where the music acted as the soundtrack to the (included on the CD) PDF Graphic Novel The Last of the Neon Cynics by Matt Howarth.
There was even a live album (a rare occurrence) – the CD/DVD of the 2011 London performance at Metropolis Studios by Bill Nelson and the Gentlemen Rocketeers.
Nice one, Bill. I tip my hat to your yearly output, your entire back catalogue and the Lifetime Achievement Award for services to rock, pop, new wave, ambient and art-rock composition that's never coming to you.
While the latest X-Factored creation is rolled out at the end of the year, complete with media hype and a "Winner's Single" guaranteed to hit #1.
But that was always a distinct possibility.
Because Bill Nelson is an incredibly prolific and productive artist and SotBTO followed hard on the heels of a spate of releases from the English singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist…
In 2011 Bill Nelson celebrated 40 years as a recording and performing artist by releasing a comprehensive 8CD anthology and three solo albums; 2010 saw the release of four solo albums.
And so to 2012 and SotBTO which, in a musically themed way, is a companion piece to 2011's Model Village, Nelson's instrumental album based around the concept of sleepy, rural English life.
This time however the audio scenes created depict Spring and Summer evenings, with vocals/ lyrics over keyboard created orchestral sounds and percussion.
The song titles are so descriptive that other than the brief outline just given I have no need to provide any further information – ‘Rambling Through the Meadows,’ ‘One Summer Night’ and Gathered in at Gloaming’ tell it better than I could.
But it’s not just wonderful song titles.
Bill Nelson also has the wonderful habit of producing some of the most imaginative and non-conforming material, which is the main reason he will never threaten the charts (and hasn’t done since the rock guitar days of Be Bop Deluxe, his later Red Noise project and the occasional early-80's forays into radio-friendly land).
But SotBTO is musically warm, charming and a welcome addition to any Bill Nelson collection.
It’s also a very accessible little album, as opposed to some of the other releases from Nelson that are best described as disposable after a play or two.
Bill Nelson has made that same sort of comment about his own work in the past but then this is an artist who crafts albums in quick succession, sometimes recording a number of radically different pieces in the same session (which are then separated for use on various albums).
But there is more musical creativity in a single Bill Nelson album than there is in the entire career of a typical MTV era artist or fit-the-fashion act.
As it turned out, 2012 was yet another prolific and creative year for the Yorkshire musician and composer.
Nelson released six albums including a double CD set, a rarities collection and a collaborative release where the music acted as the soundtrack to the (included on the CD) PDF Graphic Novel The Last of the Neon Cynics by Matt Howarth.
There was even a live album (a rare occurrence) – the CD/DVD of the 2011 London performance at Metropolis Studios by Bill Nelson and the Gentlemen Rocketeers.
Nice one, Bill. I tip my hat to your yearly output, your entire back catalogue and the Lifetime Achievement Award for services to rock, pop, new wave, ambient and art-rock composition that's never coming to you.
While the latest X-Factored creation is rolled out at the end of the year, complete with media hype and a "Winner's Single" guaranteed to hit #1.
The Nimmo Brothers - Brother to Brother
At the heart of The Nimmo Brothers are the guitars and vocals of Alan and Stevie Nimmo, musical siblings from Glasgow who first came to the attention of the modern blues world with The Blackwater Blues Band and the album Breaking Out the Blues.
And since the critically acclaimed Nimmo Brothers debut – 1998’s Moving On – these particular blues brothers have produced quality product, including album number two Coming Your Way and the acoustic album New Moon Over Memphis.
But Brother to Brother, their fifth release and sixth overall, is their best slice of gritty modern blues rock to date.
The only problem is while they are deservedly acknowledged as a premier act on the blues/ blues rock circuit (and are not exactly unknowns at blues festivals in Europe and the US), they have never made a major impact on the mainstream rock charts or radio stations.
Certainly not in a way their music so loudly and clearly deserves.
‘Still Here Strumming’ is almost a blues rock comment on that very situation, while also acting as an antidote for current-climate woes and musical face-fitting fashions.
It’s a feisty opening number, setting the tone for a guitar-led energy that reverberates throughout the album and embedded in numbers such as the hard rock-edged ‘Lady Luck’ and the gritty, heavy blues rock of 'Coming Around Again.’
The slow rocking blues of ‘Never Gonna Walk On Me’ hearkens back to the sound of Paul Kossoff and Free and that classic band are formally acknowledged by way of a punchy cover of ‘Wishing Well.’
There are also nice changes of musical pace and weight on display.
The melodic blues-rock of ‘For You’ carries some nice Hammond organ backing from Michael Ramos, as do the blues ballads ‘Waiting for My Heart to Fall’ and ‘King and Country.’
The latter wouldn’t be out of place closing out an Eric Clapton album, but on Brother to Brother a more up-tempo ending is provided courtesy of the good-time, rhythm and rocking blues of The Shape I’m In.’
Brother to Brother was recorded in Austin, Texas and includes the talents of the aforementioned Michael Ramos, Jamie Oldaker (drums) and Bill Whitbeck and Jimmy Pettit (bass guitars).
These are good musical times for Stevie and Alan Nimmo...
Alan Nimmo is also part of King King, a band project that released their debut album Take My Hand in 2011.
King King has featured on the BBC Radio 2 Rhythm & Blues Show hosted by Paul Jones and won both 'Best Band' and 'Best Album' at the British Blues Awards.
Collectively, the brothers have now produced one of the best guitar-driven, modern blues rock records you’ll hear.
But why they are not even bigger than they are, or acknowledged and mentioned more consistently in mainstream rock circles?
Oh Brother, that’s the question.
And since the critically acclaimed Nimmo Brothers debut – 1998’s Moving On – these particular blues brothers have produced quality product, including album number two Coming Your Way and the acoustic album New Moon Over Memphis.
But Brother to Brother, their fifth release and sixth overall, is their best slice of gritty modern blues rock to date.
The only problem is while they are deservedly acknowledged as a premier act on the blues/ blues rock circuit (and are not exactly unknowns at blues festivals in Europe and the US), they have never made a major impact on the mainstream rock charts or radio stations.
Certainly not in a way their music so loudly and clearly deserves.
‘Still Here Strumming’ is almost a blues rock comment on that very situation, while also acting as an antidote for current-climate woes and musical face-fitting fashions.
It’s a feisty opening number, setting the tone for a guitar-led energy that reverberates throughout the album and embedded in numbers such as the hard rock-edged ‘Lady Luck’ and the gritty, heavy blues rock of 'Coming Around Again.’
The slow rocking blues of ‘Never Gonna Walk On Me’ hearkens back to the sound of Paul Kossoff and Free and that classic band are formally acknowledged by way of a punchy cover of ‘Wishing Well.’
There are also nice changes of musical pace and weight on display.
The melodic blues-rock of ‘For You’ carries some nice Hammond organ backing from Michael Ramos, as do the blues ballads ‘Waiting for My Heart to Fall’ and ‘King and Country.’
The latter wouldn’t be out of place closing out an Eric Clapton album, but on Brother to Brother a more up-tempo ending is provided courtesy of the good-time, rhythm and rocking blues of The Shape I’m In.’
Brother to Brother was recorded in Austin, Texas and includes the talents of the aforementioned Michael Ramos, Jamie Oldaker (drums) and Bill Whitbeck and Jimmy Pettit (bass guitars).
These are good musical times for Stevie and Alan Nimmo...
Alan Nimmo is also part of King King, a band project that released their debut album Take My Hand in 2011.
King King has featured on the BBC Radio 2 Rhythm & Blues Show hosted by Paul Jones and won both 'Best Band' and 'Best Album' at the British Blues Awards.
Collectively, the brothers have now produced one of the best guitar-driven, modern blues rock records you’ll hear.
But why they are not even bigger than they are, or acknowledged and mentioned more consistently in mainstream rock circles?
Oh Brother, that’s the question.
Trevor Rabin - Jacaranda
It’s been a long time since there was any solo studio material from Trevor Rabin.
In rock music terms the South African born singer, guitarist and songwriter is best known for his time with YES, but since leaving the group in the mid-90’s Rabin has become a noted and much sought after soundtrack composer.
You have to go back to 1989 for Rabin’s last solo album of all-new material (the rather excellent Can’t Look Away) and for this release, some twenty-three years and more than three dozen soundtracks later, Rabin has gone back to his homeland for inspiration.
Many of the song titles are places or locations from Rabin’s formative, teenage and early-twenties years in Johannesburg, while the album’s title is the name of a flowering plant native to many of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world including parts of Africa.
But what makes the album even more interesting is the fact it’s not another hard melodic rock release. Jacaranda is primarily instrumental and is unashamedly a jazz and jazz-rock fusion album.
From the opening flurry of notes on the short ‘Spider Boogie’ and on to the quirky and punchy ‘Market Street’ the listener is aware that this is a far cry from Rabin’s earlier solo albums or his work with YES.
With the exception of the drums that feature on seven of the twelve tracks Rabin plays all of the instruments. And he plays them rather well.
The beats are provided by long-time Trevor Rabin stickman Lou Molino III, noted jazz rock drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (who appears on ‘Market Street’ and the fusion-tastic ‘Through the Tunnel’) and Ryan Rabin (Trevor Rabin’s son).
Rabin Junior features on ‘The Branch Office,’ which develops into what is best described as progressive bluegrass, while the perfectly titled ‘Me and My Boy’ highlights the Rabin’s on a fusion piece with a hard rock base.
Female bass guitarist Tal Wilkenfield guests on ‘Anerley Road,’ with the song featuring some great interplay from the talented young Australian four-stringer and Rabin.
Liz Constintine puts some lovely wordless vocal shapes over ‘Rescue,’ a song inspired by the film The Guardian (which Rabin scored the theme/s for).
’Rescue’ and the piano piece ‘Killarney 1&2’ that follows it are perhaps the most interesting songs on Jacaranda.
’Rescue’ is primarily synth washes behind Constintine’s voice, with the song bracketed by resonating guitar chords, while ‘Killarney’ is a mini-movement in two parts for piano (Rabin was playing piano at a very young age and his early influences ranged from Tchaikovsky to Jimi Hendrix).
’Ganazia’ close out the album with Rabin accompanying himself on guitars and piano – a one-man light-jazz trio.
Jacaranda is an extremely competent and confident jazz-rock fusion album featuring excellent musicianship.
It’s also proof, if proof were needed, that Rabin’s jazz, fusion and classical sensibilities are as strong and competent as his compositional talents and rock guitar skills.
In rock music terms the South African born singer, guitarist and songwriter is best known for his time with YES, but since leaving the group in the mid-90’s Rabin has become a noted and much sought after soundtrack composer.
You have to go back to 1989 for Rabin’s last solo album of all-new material (the rather excellent Can’t Look Away) and for this release, some twenty-three years and more than three dozen soundtracks later, Rabin has gone back to his homeland for inspiration.
Many of the song titles are places or locations from Rabin’s formative, teenage and early-twenties years in Johannesburg, while the album’s title is the name of a flowering plant native to many of the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world including parts of Africa.
But what makes the album even more interesting is the fact it’s not another hard melodic rock release. Jacaranda is primarily instrumental and is unashamedly a jazz and jazz-rock fusion album.
From the opening flurry of notes on the short ‘Spider Boogie’ and on to the quirky and punchy ‘Market Street’ the listener is aware that this is a far cry from Rabin’s earlier solo albums or his work with YES.
With the exception of the drums that feature on seven of the twelve tracks Rabin plays all of the instruments. And he plays them rather well.
The beats are provided by long-time Trevor Rabin stickman Lou Molino III, noted jazz rock drummer Vinnie Colaiuta (who appears on ‘Market Street’ and the fusion-tastic ‘Through the Tunnel’) and Ryan Rabin (Trevor Rabin’s son).
Rabin Junior features on ‘The Branch Office,’ which develops into what is best described as progressive bluegrass, while the perfectly titled ‘Me and My Boy’ highlights the Rabin’s on a fusion piece with a hard rock base.
Female bass guitarist Tal Wilkenfield guests on ‘Anerley Road,’ with the song featuring some great interplay from the talented young Australian four-stringer and Rabin.
Liz Constintine puts some lovely wordless vocal shapes over ‘Rescue,’ a song inspired by the film The Guardian (which Rabin scored the theme/s for).
’Rescue’ and the piano piece ‘Killarney 1&2’ that follows it are perhaps the most interesting songs on Jacaranda.
’Rescue’ is primarily synth washes behind Constintine’s voice, with the song bracketed by resonating guitar chords, while ‘Killarney’ is a mini-movement in two parts for piano (Rabin was playing piano at a very young age and his early influences ranged from Tchaikovsky to Jimi Hendrix).
’Ganazia’ close out the album with Rabin accompanying himself on guitars and piano – a one-man light-jazz trio.
Jacaranda is an extremely competent and confident jazz-rock fusion album featuring excellent musicianship.
It’s also proof, if proof were needed, that Rabin’s jazz, fusion and classical sensibilities are as strong and competent as his compositional talents and rock guitar skills.
Alan Reed - First in a Field of One
In many ways singer Alan Reed’s debut solo album has been a long time coming.
But that’s more due to anticipation and the singer’s own desire to shake off his didn't-see-it-coming, 2010 musical divorce from Pallas, the Scottish progressive rock band he fronted for twenty-five years.
The anticipation was heightened by the interesting and rather good 2011 EP Dancing with Ghosts.
That five-track EP helped Alan Reed exorcise his Pallas past as well as providing hints to his musical future: two tracks were re-arranged Pallas numbers while two others were acoustically based versions of songs that have found their full voice within the eight tracks that make up First in a Field of One.
‘Begin Again,’ rather fittingly, opens proceedings but is not as auto-biographical as the title would suggest.
The song is for ”a nation that’s lost in self-pity” and seemingly obsessed with the past, yet tempered by the Scottish singer’s admission that “I've a spirit inside, taking pride claiming me as its own.”
As a fellow Scot I don’t just get the lyrical sentiment, I agree with it, and musically the song is a strong opening statement.
It’s vibrant, passionate and carries an up-tempo Celtic feel throughout.
’Kingdom of the Blind’ and ‘Never Too Late’ are perhaps better indicators of the album’s tone and musical structure. Both are well crafted, multi-layered soft-prog works with the former featuring some tasty lead guitar from Jeff Green and additional/ backing vocals from Magenta’s Christina Booth.
‘Never Too Late’ is graced by some emotive six-string lead work from RPWL’s Kalle Wallner and, while each of the three guest contributors make their musical mark, special mention must be made of the album’s featured musicians:
Pendragon’s Scott Higham is behind the kit and Mike Stobbie (an original, early member of Pallas) is the featured keyboard player.
Reed plays all other instruments including bass, percussion, guitars and synths.
‘The Bottom of the Bottle,’ one of the shorter songs on the album, provides a change of musical mood and pace with a simple but effective arrangement.
The longest track on the album, ‘Darkness has Spoken,’ starts in under-stated acoustic fashion before shifting in and out of different, darker musical colours.
'Darkness...' wouldn't have been out of place on a Pallas album and a number of melodic themes, arrangements and musical sequences on First in a Field of One clearly indicate Alan Reed brought more than just a distinct voice to the Pallas sound.
The surprise of the album is the closing number ‘The Usual Suspects.’
In much the same way as no-one was expecting The Spanish Inquisition (one for the Python fans) not many listeners could have expected such a quirky jazz, blues-tinted finale, complete with finger-snaps and Hammond sounds.
Groovin’ and cool finish (man), to what should be a warmly received album.
Because for those that feel First in a Field of One has been a long time coming, it’s been well worth the wait.
But that’s more due to anticipation and the singer’s own desire to shake off his didn't-see-it-coming, 2010 musical divorce from Pallas, the Scottish progressive rock band he fronted for twenty-five years.
The anticipation was heightened by the interesting and rather good 2011 EP Dancing with Ghosts.
That five-track EP helped Alan Reed exorcise his Pallas past as well as providing hints to his musical future: two tracks were re-arranged Pallas numbers while two others were acoustically based versions of songs that have found their full voice within the eight tracks that make up First in a Field of One.
‘Begin Again,’ rather fittingly, opens proceedings but is not as auto-biographical as the title would suggest.
The song is for ”a nation that’s lost in self-pity” and seemingly obsessed with the past, yet tempered by the Scottish singer’s admission that “I've a spirit inside, taking pride claiming me as its own.”
As a fellow Scot I don’t just get the lyrical sentiment, I agree with it, and musically the song is a strong opening statement.
It’s vibrant, passionate and carries an up-tempo Celtic feel throughout.
’Kingdom of the Blind’ and ‘Never Too Late’ are perhaps better indicators of the album’s tone and musical structure. Both are well crafted, multi-layered soft-prog works with the former featuring some tasty lead guitar from Jeff Green and additional/ backing vocals from Magenta’s Christina Booth.
‘Never Too Late’ is graced by some emotive six-string lead work from RPWL’s Kalle Wallner and, while each of the three guest contributors make their musical mark, special mention must be made of the album’s featured musicians:
Pendragon’s Scott Higham is behind the kit and Mike Stobbie (an original, early member of Pallas) is the featured keyboard player.
Reed plays all other instruments including bass, percussion, guitars and synths.
‘The Bottom of the Bottle,’ one of the shorter songs on the album, provides a change of musical mood and pace with a simple but effective arrangement.
The longest track on the album, ‘Darkness has Spoken,’ starts in under-stated acoustic fashion before shifting in and out of different, darker musical colours.
'Darkness...' wouldn't have been out of place on a Pallas album and a number of melodic themes, arrangements and musical sequences on First in a Field of One clearly indicate Alan Reed brought more than just a distinct voice to the Pallas sound.
The surprise of the album is the closing number ‘The Usual Suspects.’
In much the same way as no-one was expecting The Spanish Inquisition (one for the Python fans) not many listeners could have expected such a quirky jazz, blues-tinted finale, complete with finger-snaps and Hammond sounds.
Groovin’ and cool finish (man), to what should be a warmly received album.
Because for those that feel First in a Field of One has been a long time coming, it’s been well worth the wait.
RPWL - Beyond Man and Time
RPWL have come a long way from the Pink Floyd covers band they started life as some fifteen years ago.
And with Beyond Man and Time the German progressive rock band have stretched further than before with their first truly conceptual release.
But the neat trick is they have retained that distinct RPWL sound and musical accessibility that allows the rock fan who may not be immersed in, or even particularly like, the world of modern or neo-prog to appreciate and truly enjoy what RPWL produce.
Because even at their proggiest (FabricationsHQ technical term), or on their longest compositions, RPWL can produce melody, hooks and a punchy riff or a haunting ambience that will appeal to a wider audience than the neo-prog norm.
RPWL have also come a long way since their 2000 debut album, God Has Failed.
Originally named after the surnames of the four original founding members, only the W and L remain – Kalle Wallner (guitars) and Yogi Lang (lead vocals, keyboards).
But then Wallner and Lang are integral parts of the RPWL sound.
Wallner’s drifting, soaring lead work and Lang’s distinct, accent-stressed vocal (and a style where mellow is more) are the key ingredients in any RPWL release, ably accompanied by Markus Jehle on piano and keyboards who adds layers and textures to the sound with a cinematic grandiose, solo or subtle touch as required.
Like Jehle, drummer Marc Turiaux has been with the band a few years now but the latest recruit is Austrian bass player Werner Taus, who replaced original member Chris Postl when he left towards the end of 2010.
Beyond Man and Time is taken from the opening line of Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra and the German philosopher’s novel is the background for or inspiration behind the album’s concept (but not a direct correlation).
Most of the songs feature a metaphorical character and although the overall concept is a little abstract, musically it all hangs together extremely well.
In fact if you ignore the concept or metaphors you are still left with 70+ minutes of great music – although the story could probably be presented more concisely in an hour.
But there is no doubt however that the listener will get a lot more out of Beyond Man and Time on repeat listens – both musically and conceptually – than from only one hearing. And it’s pretty strong on first listen.
The instrumental ‘Transformed’ serves as an introduction to the album which begins its conceptual journey with ‘We Are What We Are (the Keeper),’ a rhythmic yet very melodic piece (especially on the chorus) that describes the musical accessibility of this band perfectly.
The title track has a lush warm quality to it (with some nice harmony lead lines from Wallner), while ‘Unchain the Earth (The Scientist)’ is chock full of atmosphere and melody.
And so the album continues, with each song having a clear, individual identity and story but linked not just by concept but by the musical atmosphere RPWL have created throughout.
Other notable tracks include ‘Unchain the Earth (the Scientist)’ with its mix of sharp, angular chords (recalling Rush in their mid-80’s period) and melancholic, acoustic passages and the 16 minute opus ‘The Fisherman.’
The latter features Indian and near-eastern musical influences before heading into more traditional rock and prog rock territory (including some great solo remarks from Jehle and Wallner) before returning to its opening statement.
It might well be RPWL’s best song to date.
There are certainly comparisons to be made to bands such as Porcupine Tree and there are most definitely classic prog nods to the Pink Floyd sound (unsurprising, considering the band’s origins).
But, as proved by the excellent studio brace of World Through My Eyes (2005) and The RPWL Experience (2008) and reinforced by Beyond Man and Time, nobody quite sounds like RPWL.
And with Beyond Man and Time the German progressive rock band have stretched further than before with their first truly conceptual release.
But the neat trick is they have retained that distinct RPWL sound and musical accessibility that allows the rock fan who may not be immersed in, or even particularly like, the world of modern or neo-prog to appreciate and truly enjoy what RPWL produce.
Because even at their proggiest (FabricationsHQ technical term), or on their longest compositions, RPWL can produce melody, hooks and a punchy riff or a haunting ambience that will appeal to a wider audience than the neo-prog norm.
RPWL have also come a long way since their 2000 debut album, God Has Failed.
Originally named after the surnames of the four original founding members, only the W and L remain – Kalle Wallner (guitars) and Yogi Lang (lead vocals, keyboards).
But then Wallner and Lang are integral parts of the RPWL sound.
Wallner’s drifting, soaring lead work and Lang’s distinct, accent-stressed vocal (and a style where mellow is more) are the key ingredients in any RPWL release, ably accompanied by Markus Jehle on piano and keyboards who adds layers and textures to the sound with a cinematic grandiose, solo or subtle touch as required.
Like Jehle, drummer Marc Turiaux has been with the band a few years now but the latest recruit is Austrian bass player Werner Taus, who replaced original member Chris Postl when he left towards the end of 2010.
Beyond Man and Time is taken from the opening line of Friedrich Nietzsche's Thus Spoke Zarathustra and the German philosopher’s novel is the background for or inspiration behind the album’s concept (but not a direct correlation).
Most of the songs feature a metaphorical character and although the overall concept is a little abstract, musically it all hangs together extremely well.
In fact if you ignore the concept or metaphors you are still left with 70+ minutes of great music – although the story could probably be presented more concisely in an hour.
But there is no doubt however that the listener will get a lot more out of Beyond Man and Time on repeat listens – both musically and conceptually – than from only one hearing. And it’s pretty strong on first listen.
The instrumental ‘Transformed’ serves as an introduction to the album which begins its conceptual journey with ‘We Are What We Are (the Keeper),’ a rhythmic yet very melodic piece (especially on the chorus) that describes the musical accessibility of this band perfectly.
The title track has a lush warm quality to it (with some nice harmony lead lines from Wallner), while ‘Unchain the Earth (The Scientist)’ is chock full of atmosphere and melody.
And so the album continues, with each song having a clear, individual identity and story but linked not just by concept but by the musical atmosphere RPWL have created throughout.
Other notable tracks include ‘Unchain the Earth (the Scientist)’ with its mix of sharp, angular chords (recalling Rush in their mid-80’s period) and melancholic, acoustic passages and the 16 minute opus ‘The Fisherman.’
The latter features Indian and near-eastern musical influences before heading into more traditional rock and prog rock territory (including some great solo remarks from Jehle and Wallner) before returning to its opening statement.
It might well be RPWL’s best song to date.
There are certainly comparisons to be made to bands such as Porcupine Tree and there are most definitely classic prog nods to the Pink Floyd sound (unsurprising, considering the band’s origins).
But, as proved by the excellent studio brace of World Through My Eyes (2005) and The RPWL Experience (2008) and reinforced by Beyond Man and Time, nobody quite sounds like RPWL.
Saga - 20/20
In January 2011 singer Michael Sadler returned to Saga, three and a half years after stepping away from the band that had been his musical home for three decades.
The Canadian melodic prog-rockers had replaced Sadler with vocalist Rob Moratti and, although they toured with Moratti and released The Human Condition in 2009, reaction was mixed.
But with good reason...
Michael Sadler has one of the most distinct voices in rock, a vocal style both dramatic and melodic and is very much part of the SAGA sound.
Sadler is also an original founding member of the band, a principle songwriter within the group and had been the voice of the band from their 1978 self-titled debut to 10,000 Days later, in 2007.
Truth be told, it simply wasn't SAGA without him.
Sadler’s return to the fold also marks the reunion of the classic Saga quartet – Jim Crichton (bass, keyboards) Ian Crichton (guitars), Jim Gilmour (keyboards, vocals) and Sadler.
In the percussive department drummer Mike Thorne now sits behind the kit, having replaced Brian Doerner whose six year tour of Saga duty ended last November.
The best Saga albums have always opened with strong musical statements of intent and ‘Six Feet Under’ certainly fits the sonic bill, declaring loudly and clearly that Saga, and the Saga signature sound, are back.
From a pulsing synth beat and atmospheric background keys the song kicks in to high melodic gear. It’s an archetypal, vibrant up-tempo Saga number with trademark Ian Crichton guitar riffs and lead runs over the keyboard layers of Jim Gilmour.
’Anywhere You Wanna Go’ and ‘Spin it Again’ are punchy slices of keyboard and guitar driven rock that deserve airplay on every rock radio station while ‘Ellery’ and ‘Lost For Words’ present the softer side of the Saga sound.
Both are simple enough numbers on the surface but Sadler’s vocals give the songs an added dimension and harmonically demonstrate what the band have been missing these last four years.
The album closes as strongly as it opened.
‘Till the Well Runs Dry’ slowly builds to become a six and a half minute Saga classic and is not dissimilar in musical tone and weight to the powerful and emotional ‘(Goodbye) Once Upon a Time’ from Behaviour.
As songs go, that’s not a bad one to be compared with.
20/20 isn’t Saga’s best-ever album but it’s certainly their best since the criminally under-heard and under-rated Network some four albums and eight years ago.
And 20/20 has some outstanding songs, but there are occasions where they slip dangerously close to Saga-by-numbers, such as on the tracks ‘One of These Days’ and ‘Show and Tell.’
They are solid enough tunes however and when you consider the pressure to deliver and come back strong after The Human Condition, it’s understandable.
This is a return to form for Saga, but it’s a pity this release wasn’t the follow up to 10,000 Days and The Human Condition considered a self-titled “members of Saga” off-shoot project.
But that’s easy to say when hindsight is... 20/20.
The Canadian melodic prog-rockers had replaced Sadler with vocalist Rob Moratti and, although they toured with Moratti and released The Human Condition in 2009, reaction was mixed.
But with good reason...
Michael Sadler has one of the most distinct voices in rock, a vocal style both dramatic and melodic and is very much part of the SAGA sound.
Sadler is also an original founding member of the band, a principle songwriter within the group and had been the voice of the band from their 1978 self-titled debut to 10,000 Days later, in 2007.
Truth be told, it simply wasn't SAGA without him.
Sadler’s return to the fold also marks the reunion of the classic Saga quartet – Jim Crichton (bass, keyboards) Ian Crichton (guitars), Jim Gilmour (keyboards, vocals) and Sadler.
In the percussive department drummer Mike Thorne now sits behind the kit, having replaced Brian Doerner whose six year tour of Saga duty ended last November.
The best Saga albums have always opened with strong musical statements of intent and ‘Six Feet Under’ certainly fits the sonic bill, declaring loudly and clearly that Saga, and the Saga signature sound, are back.
From a pulsing synth beat and atmospheric background keys the song kicks in to high melodic gear. It’s an archetypal, vibrant up-tempo Saga number with trademark Ian Crichton guitar riffs and lead runs over the keyboard layers of Jim Gilmour.
’Anywhere You Wanna Go’ and ‘Spin it Again’ are punchy slices of keyboard and guitar driven rock that deserve airplay on every rock radio station while ‘Ellery’ and ‘Lost For Words’ present the softer side of the Saga sound.
Both are simple enough numbers on the surface but Sadler’s vocals give the songs an added dimension and harmonically demonstrate what the band have been missing these last four years.
The album closes as strongly as it opened.
‘Till the Well Runs Dry’ slowly builds to become a six and a half minute Saga classic and is not dissimilar in musical tone and weight to the powerful and emotional ‘(Goodbye) Once Upon a Time’ from Behaviour.
As songs go, that’s not a bad one to be compared with.
20/20 isn’t Saga’s best-ever album but it’s certainly their best since the criminally under-heard and under-rated Network some four albums and eight years ago.
And 20/20 has some outstanding songs, but there are occasions where they slip dangerously close to Saga-by-numbers, such as on the tracks ‘One of These Days’ and ‘Show and Tell.’
They are solid enough tunes however and when you consider the pressure to deliver and come back strong after The Human Condition, it’s understandable.
This is a return to form for Saga, but it’s a pity this release wasn’t the follow up to 10,000 Days and The Human Condition considered a self-titled “members of Saga” off-shoot project.
But that’s easy to say when hindsight is... 20/20.
Santana - Shape Shifter
Well, not before time.
Carlos Santana, good to his word of earlier this year, has released all new, original and non-collaborative Santana music in 2012.
And, having given the primarily instrumental Shape Shifter a spin or threeI can also say:
Well, that’s more like it.
After two lame but understandable Supernatural collaborative clones (what with Supernatural selling about eleventy-squillion units worldwide), a host of compilations, best-of releases and the more recent curio but instantly dismissible Guitar Heaven covers album, it’s great to hear a return to the traditional but timeless Santana sound.
It’s also great to hear long-time Santana band-mate Chester Thompson playing such a prominent role, his keyboards accompanying some excellent guitar work and taking lead roles on a number of the tunes.
‘Nomad,’ for example, has a musical vibe that recalls the original Santana Blues Band (that featured such luminaries as keyboard player and vocalist Gregg Rolie), complete with some swirling Hammond-sounds courtesy of Thompson.
But Chester Thompson is not the only keyboard player to be featured.
Santana’s son Salvador appears on two of the thirteen numbers, including the closer ‘Ah, Sweet Dancer’ where he provides some lovely piano interludes to accompany his father’s guitar leads.
Like ‘Nomad’ there are other nods to the classic Santana band sound.
‘Mr. Szabo’ is a tribute to Gábor Szabó (the Hungarian jazz guitarist who was an early influence on Carlos Santana) and the song has its rhythmic roots in ‘Gypsy Queen,’ a Szabó tune from 1966.
That song was made famous by the Santana band in 1970 when it was incorporated as the second part of a medley that featured their classic cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Black Magic Woman.’
Carlos Santana still throws a fast flurry of notes across the fret board as and when required, but Shape Shifter also carries a number of slow-tempo tunes and guitar ballads such as ‘Angelica Faith.’ And the one vocal song on the album, ‘Eres La Luz,’ is Latin dance-beat rock in the classic Santana style.
‘Shape Shifter’ is perhaps the most interesting of the thirteen songs.
Initially creating a Native American feel with vocal chants and invoking musical pictures of the original American’s, the song then moves into more familiar Santana territory with guitar and keyboards taking turns to spar over a rock beat.
The song’s pictorial equivalent forms the album cover and 'Shape Shifter' is the title track and lead-off number for good reason…
The back cover of the album includes commentary from Carlos Santana on the apologies tendered in recent years by the Australian and United States governments to their respective indigenous populations for past wrongs or ill-conceived policies. Santana then encourages other countries to similarly acknowledge “the first people of their land.”
While I applaud the sentiment there is more than a touch of naivety to the statement and it’s ironic that the album’s strength is in the quality of its instrumentals while the words on the back of the cover – and the governmental words they refer to – are pretty hollow.
Because I’m not sure an apology quite cuts it, Carlos.
Political/ historical comment aside and from a solely musical point of view, this is the first Santana album I’ve looked forward to in over a decade.
And while it’s neither revolutionary nor an album that places itself in the all-time Top 5 Santana studio albums, Shape Shifter has been well worth the wait.
Carlos Santana, good to his word of earlier this year, has released all new, original and non-collaborative Santana music in 2012.
And, having given the primarily instrumental Shape Shifter a spin or threeI can also say:
Well, that’s more like it.
After two lame but understandable Supernatural collaborative clones (what with Supernatural selling about eleventy-squillion units worldwide), a host of compilations, best-of releases and the more recent curio but instantly dismissible Guitar Heaven covers album, it’s great to hear a return to the traditional but timeless Santana sound.
It’s also great to hear long-time Santana band-mate Chester Thompson playing such a prominent role, his keyboards accompanying some excellent guitar work and taking lead roles on a number of the tunes.
‘Nomad,’ for example, has a musical vibe that recalls the original Santana Blues Band (that featured such luminaries as keyboard player and vocalist Gregg Rolie), complete with some swirling Hammond-sounds courtesy of Thompson.
But Chester Thompson is not the only keyboard player to be featured.
Santana’s son Salvador appears on two of the thirteen numbers, including the closer ‘Ah, Sweet Dancer’ where he provides some lovely piano interludes to accompany his father’s guitar leads.
Like ‘Nomad’ there are other nods to the classic Santana band sound.
‘Mr. Szabo’ is a tribute to Gábor Szabó (the Hungarian jazz guitarist who was an early influence on Carlos Santana) and the song has its rhythmic roots in ‘Gypsy Queen,’ a Szabó tune from 1966.
That song was made famous by the Santana band in 1970 when it was incorporated as the second part of a medley that featured their classic cover of Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Black Magic Woman.’
Carlos Santana still throws a fast flurry of notes across the fret board as and when required, but Shape Shifter also carries a number of slow-tempo tunes and guitar ballads such as ‘Angelica Faith.’ And the one vocal song on the album, ‘Eres La Luz,’ is Latin dance-beat rock in the classic Santana style.
‘Shape Shifter’ is perhaps the most interesting of the thirteen songs.
Initially creating a Native American feel with vocal chants and invoking musical pictures of the original American’s, the song then moves into more familiar Santana territory with guitar and keyboards taking turns to spar over a rock beat.
The song’s pictorial equivalent forms the album cover and 'Shape Shifter' is the title track and lead-off number for good reason…
The back cover of the album includes commentary from Carlos Santana on the apologies tendered in recent years by the Australian and United States governments to their respective indigenous populations for past wrongs or ill-conceived policies. Santana then encourages other countries to similarly acknowledge “the first people of their land.”
While I applaud the sentiment there is more than a touch of naivety to the statement and it’s ironic that the album’s strength is in the quality of its instrumentals while the words on the back of the cover – and the governmental words they refer to – are pretty hollow.
Because I’m not sure an apology quite cuts it, Carlos.
Political/ historical comment aside and from a solely musical point of view, this is the first Santana album I’ve looked forward to in over a decade.
And while it’s neither revolutionary nor an album that places itself in the all-time Top 5 Santana studio albums, Shape Shifter has been well worth the wait.
Alexander Schädler - Temporaris
According to Monty Python, “nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition.”
And, based on the standard “instrumental fusion for rock guitar” template, nobody would expect the diversity of styles and influences showcased so solidly on Temporaris, the debut solo album from German guitarist Alexander Schädler.
Schädler, who previously played with the Shifty Sheriffs and German gothic rock band Love Like Blood, studied at the Stuttgart University of Music and the Performing Arts.
While Alexander Schädler's musical weapon of choice is guitar, the talented musician is a multi-instrumentalist, playing and programming all instruments on Temporaris (Schädler also produced the album).
‘Summerside’ kicks things off with a fusionally funky groove but carries the element of surprise courtesy of a little banjo riffing mid song.
Schädler concludes the number by throwing a further flurry of six-string notes across the fretboard. And in some fine style.
The banjo picking also works as teaser of what’s to come a little later – ‘Creepy Cheese’ is a country-fusion hoedown, complete with a fast, foot tappin’ spray of countrified guitar notes and bluegrass violin.
‘Freakk Phunk’ and ‘The Machinist’ are perhaps closest to what is deemed to be traditional or classic rock guitar fusion.
The former carries a frantic vibe (with melodic passages and just enough eeriness to keep it interesting) while the latter has an intensity and quirky little time-changes that aren’t a million musical notes away from something John Petrucci and Dream Theater would be delighted to come up with.
There are three covers – or more accurately interpretations – on Temporaris.
‘Aus Böhmen Kommt Die’ (a Bohemian folk song originally sung by the late Austrian entertainer Peter Alexander) is given the fast-paced rock polka treatment, matching the high-energy but totally different musical form of the traditionally arranged ‘Irish Tune.’
‘Potpourixx’ is a rock-guitar-plays-the-classical-favourites workout, as melodies from ten popular classics (can you name them all?) are given the Schädler six-string sonic treatment.
‘Perturbado’ is a homage to the Al Di Meola - Paco de Lucia - John McLaughlin guitar trio and is yet another colour from Alexander Schädler’s musical palette.
The vibrant instrumental features some wonderful acoustic and Spanish guitar.
And nobody expects the Spanish Guitar.
The title track is the tenth and last song on the album and while the predictability of its progressive metal riffing weighs down the first half of the number the light, shade and tempo changes of its final minutes are the perfect closing statement.
There are parts of Temporaris where the listener will hear echoes of Joe Satriani, a touch of Steve Morse and even a little Steve Vai, but as comparisons go they aren’t exactly bad ones.
However make no mistake – what you are hearing is all Alexander Schädler, a fine guitarist in his own right, bringing a fresh perspective to and breathing new life into a musical genre that can all too easily become a fusionistic fest of one-dimensional self-indulgent guitar-wankery.
Temporaris. Don’t expect the Spanish Inquisition. Just expect the unexpected.
And, based on the standard “instrumental fusion for rock guitar” template, nobody would expect the diversity of styles and influences showcased so solidly on Temporaris, the debut solo album from German guitarist Alexander Schädler.
Schädler, who previously played with the Shifty Sheriffs and German gothic rock band Love Like Blood, studied at the Stuttgart University of Music and the Performing Arts.
While Alexander Schädler's musical weapon of choice is guitar, the talented musician is a multi-instrumentalist, playing and programming all instruments on Temporaris (Schädler also produced the album).
‘Summerside’ kicks things off with a fusionally funky groove but carries the element of surprise courtesy of a little banjo riffing mid song.
Schädler concludes the number by throwing a further flurry of six-string notes across the fretboard. And in some fine style.
The banjo picking also works as teaser of what’s to come a little later – ‘Creepy Cheese’ is a country-fusion hoedown, complete with a fast, foot tappin’ spray of countrified guitar notes and bluegrass violin.
‘Freakk Phunk’ and ‘The Machinist’ are perhaps closest to what is deemed to be traditional or classic rock guitar fusion.
The former carries a frantic vibe (with melodic passages and just enough eeriness to keep it interesting) while the latter has an intensity and quirky little time-changes that aren’t a million musical notes away from something John Petrucci and Dream Theater would be delighted to come up with.
There are three covers – or more accurately interpretations – on Temporaris.
‘Aus Böhmen Kommt Die’ (a Bohemian folk song originally sung by the late Austrian entertainer Peter Alexander) is given the fast-paced rock polka treatment, matching the high-energy but totally different musical form of the traditionally arranged ‘Irish Tune.’
‘Potpourixx’ is a rock-guitar-plays-the-classical-favourites workout, as melodies from ten popular classics (can you name them all?) are given the Schädler six-string sonic treatment.
‘Perturbado’ is a homage to the Al Di Meola - Paco de Lucia - John McLaughlin guitar trio and is yet another colour from Alexander Schädler’s musical palette.
The vibrant instrumental features some wonderful acoustic and Spanish guitar.
And nobody expects the Spanish Guitar.
The title track is the tenth and last song on the album and while the predictability of its progressive metal riffing weighs down the first half of the number the light, shade and tempo changes of its final minutes are the perfect closing statement.
There are parts of Temporaris where the listener will hear echoes of Joe Satriani, a touch of Steve Morse and even a little Steve Vai, but as comparisons go they aren’t exactly bad ones.
However make no mistake – what you are hearing is all Alexander Schädler, a fine guitarist in his own right, bringing a fresh perspective to and breathing new life into a musical genre that can all too easily become a fusionistic fest of one-dimensional self-indulgent guitar-wankery.
Temporaris. Don’t expect the Spanish Inquisition. Just expect the unexpected.
Jeff Scott Soto - Damage Control
Singer Jeff Scott
Soto doesn’t have a host of platinum sales to his name but he has the respect
of his peers for being not just one of the most consistent rock vocalists in
the business but also one of the most versatile and sought after.
Career highlights include a clutch of solid solo albums, fronting the Swedish-based heavy rock band Talisman for seventeen years and seven albums and, more lately, adding some operatic touches to his rock vocals for the touring work undertaken with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Soto is best described as a rock tenor but he is deceptively rangy – this is a singer who used to trade his vocals licks against the fast and furious fretboard runs of Yngwie Malmsteen and would later put his own vocal stamp on the Journey greatest hits catalogue when he fronted the band for a year between 2006 and 2007.
And Damage Control is best described as an album that heavily, melodically, loudly and clearly proclaims this is a singer at his vocal and musical peak.
Damage Control takes its lead from Jeff Scott Soto’s last two, very different studio outings, Beautiful Mess and W.E.T.
The former, Soto’s 2008 solo album, had a lighter vibe and showcased the singer’s soul and funk influences.
W.E.T. on the other hand was a 2009 collaborative project with guitarist Robert Säll and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson. They turned up the amps and delivered big vocals, big riffs and a big sound.
Damage Control isn’t reinventing any wheel but then it doesn’t have to.
While it doesn't follow the funkified vibe of Beautiful Mess it has plenty of hooks and melodies like that album and incorporates the energy, power and punch of W.E.T.
‘Give a Little More’ makes you sit up and pay attention immediately with its punchy, heavy riff-driven arrangement but it also carries plenty of melody.
The title track continues in the same vein as the big-riffed opener, as do songs like ‘Look Inside Your Heart,’ but tunes such as ‘Die a Little’ and ‘How to Love Again’ still shine in amongst the heavier numbers with their hook-laden choruses.
And that's because Jeff Scott Soto has an inherent sense of what makes for vibrant and very listenable melodic rock and heavy pop.
The almost obligatory-for-the-genre power ballads on Damage Control are 'Bonafide’ and the closer ‘Never Ending War,’ with the latter one of the best songs on the album.
There is also a Deluxe Edition of the album featuring three bonus tracks, the most interesting of which is ‘Afraid to Die,’ daring to dip its toes in the waters of progressive metal. And it splashes about rather purposefully and confidently.
Since being dropped rather unceremoniously by Journey (who decided to return to something more akin to their classic sound and vocality) Jeff Scott Soto – with Beautiful Mess, W.E.T, Damage Control and the recent announcement that he is to be part of the touring Queen Extravaganza show – has gone from strength to strength.
And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving rock tenor.
Career highlights include a clutch of solid solo albums, fronting the Swedish-based heavy rock band Talisman for seventeen years and seven albums and, more lately, adding some operatic touches to his rock vocals for the touring work undertaken with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Soto is best described as a rock tenor but he is deceptively rangy – this is a singer who used to trade his vocals licks against the fast and furious fretboard runs of Yngwie Malmsteen and would later put his own vocal stamp on the Journey greatest hits catalogue when he fronted the band for a year between 2006 and 2007.
And Damage Control is best described as an album that heavily, melodically, loudly and clearly proclaims this is a singer at his vocal and musical peak.
Damage Control takes its lead from Jeff Scott Soto’s last two, very different studio outings, Beautiful Mess and W.E.T.
The former, Soto’s 2008 solo album, had a lighter vibe and showcased the singer’s soul and funk influences.
W.E.T. on the other hand was a 2009 collaborative project with guitarist Robert Säll and multi-instrumentalist Erik Martensson. They turned up the amps and delivered big vocals, big riffs and a big sound.
Damage Control isn’t reinventing any wheel but then it doesn’t have to.
While it doesn't follow the funkified vibe of Beautiful Mess it has plenty of hooks and melodies like that album and incorporates the energy, power and punch of W.E.T.
‘Give a Little More’ makes you sit up and pay attention immediately with its punchy, heavy riff-driven arrangement but it also carries plenty of melody.
The title track continues in the same vein as the big-riffed opener, as do songs like ‘Look Inside Your Heart,’ but tunes such as ‘Die a Little’ and ‘How to Love Again’ still shine in amongst the heavier numbers with their hook-laden choruses.
And that's because Jeff Scott Soto has an inherent sense of what makes for vibrant and very listenable melodic rock and heavy pop.
The almost obligatory-for-the-genre power ballads on Damage Control are 'Bonafide’ and the closer ‘Never Ending War,’ with the latter one of the best songs on the album.
There is also a Deluxe Edition of the album featuring three bonus tracks, the most interesting of which is ‘Afraid to Die,’ daring to dip its toes in the waters of progressive metal. And it splashes about rather purposefully and confidently.
Since being dropped rather unceremoniously by Journey (who decided to return to something more akin to their classic sound and vocality) Jeff Scott Soto – with Beautiful Mess, W.E.T, Damage Control and the recent announcement that he is to be part of the touring Queen Extravaganza show – has gone from strength to strength.
And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving rock tenor.
Bruce Springsteen - Wrecking Ball
Before Wrecking Ball was even released it seemed everyone and their Aunty who was a fan of The Boss knew what to expect.
But with good reason.
First of all this is Bruce Springsteen, so no matter how good, bad or indifferent any album carrying his name turns out to be it’s going to be one of the most talked about releases of the given year.
Secondly, a number of the songs were given on-line pre-release airings and three have been performed live during earlier tours (‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ for example was first heard back in 1999).
And, as it’s an election year in the US, Mr Springsteen was almost inevitably going to have a voice on the subject whether during interviews or woven into his lyrics that speak of social and economic justices (or injustices).
Musically, the album has both a melodic rock and roll and heavy folk feel about it and those two styles are perfectly described by the opening brace of numbers.
The opener and first single ‘We Take Care of Our Own’ comes complete with big Springsteen sound and hooky chorus, while the second track, ‘Easy Money,’ has a pleasant, folksy-stomp to it.
Springsteen has stated the album has a lot in common with his 1982 solo album Nebraska and its sparse soundscapes, but the difference here is the songs are layered in a bigger production courtesy of Rob Aniello.
The producer also incorporated various instrumentation and sounds, including drum loops and mariachi horns (the latter on the acoustic campfire stomp of ‘We Are Alive’).
But various instrumentation and sounds apart, the problem with Wrecking Ball is some of the songs are just too similar and the folksy-based roots of many of the songs recall the 2006 Seeger Sessions (‘American Land’ was written during those very sessions).
Springsteen can turn his hand, vocal and lyric to a well delivered melancholic ballad but on an album like Wrecking Ball, with its social commentary lyrics, there is the danger of taking that a step or three too far.
‘Jack of All Trades’ is a slow-waltz for the unemployed but the perfectly titled ‘This Depression’ and ‘Rocky Ground’ move beyond melancholic and into morose.
Not that it’s all slow-tempo tales. 'Wrecking Ball' (written in 2009 for the closing and subsequent demolition of Giants Stadium in New Jersey) is a poignant and vibrant tune complete with that big Springsteen sound, while 'Land of Hope and Dreams' features a saxophone solo from the late, great Clarence Clemons.
The Big Man also appears on the title track.
While the legion of Springsteen fans will claim this to be another classic as it wings its way to the upper echelons of album charts across the world, Wrecking Ball is not The Boss' top banana.
And although weak in spots it has some genuinely powerful moments.
But with good reason.
First of all this is Bruce Springsteen, so no matter how good, bad or indifferent any album carrying his name turns out to be it’s going to be one of the most talked about releases of the given year.
Secondly, a number of the songs were given on-line pre-release airings and three have been performed live during earlier tours (‘Land of Hope and Dreams’ for example was first heard back in 1999).
And, as it’s an election year in the US, Mr Springsteen was almost inevitably going to have a voice on the subject whether during interviews or woven into his lyrics that speak of social and economic justices (or injustices).
Musically, the album has both a melodic rock and roll and heavy folk feel about it and those two styles are perfectly described by the opening brace of numbers.
The opener and first single ‘We Take Care of Our Own’ comes complete with big Springsteen sound and hooky chorus, while the second track, ‘Easy Money,’ has a pleasant, folksy-stomp to it.
Springsteen has stated the album has a lot in common with his 1982 solo album Nebraska and its sparse soundscapes, but the difference here is the songs are layered in a bigger production courtesy of Rob Aniello.
The producer also incorporated various instrumentation and sounds, including drum loops and mariachi horns (the latter on the acoustic campfire stomp of ‘We Are Alive’).
But various instrumentation and sounds apart, the problem with Wrecking Ball is some of the songs are just too similar and the folksy-based roots of many of the songs recall the 2006 Seeger Sessions (‘American Land’ was written during those very sessions).
Springsteen can turn his hand, vocal and lyric to a well delivered melancholic ballad but on an album like Wrecking Ball, with its social commentary lyrics, there is the danger of taking that a step or three too far.
‘Jack of All Trades’ is a slow-waltz for the unemployed but the perfectly titled ‘This Depression’ and ‘Rocky Ground’ move beyond melancholic and into morose.
Not that it’s all slow-tempo tales. 'Wrecking Ball' (written in 2009 for the closing and subsequent demolition of Giants Stadium in New Jersey) is a poignant and vibrant tune complete with that big Springsteen sound, while 'Land of Hope and Dreams' features a saxophone solo from the late, great Clarence Clemons.
The Big Man also appears on the title track.
While the legion of Springsteen fans will claim this to be another classic as it wings its way to the upper echelons of album charts across the world, Wrecking Ball is not The Boss' top banana.
And although weak in spots it has some genuinely powerful moments.
Rod Stewart - Merry Christmas, Baby
You can’t beat a bit of classic Rod Stewart, whether rocking out with the Faces or on a great album such as Atlantic Crossing.
But lately Stewart’s crooning caricatures have left me cold.
His Great American Songbook albums have sold about eleventy-squillion copies but they are not for me, thanks.
I love many of the songs, but I don’t love Stewart’s one-dimensional interpretations or his now thin and raspy deliveries.
Similarly, other than a fondness and appreciation for a seasonal classic such as Bing Crosby's definitive rendition of 'White Christmas,' I’m not sitting in front of the Yule log fire making a list – and checking it twice – of my favourite winter crooners or Christmas carols.
So a Christmas album from Rod Stewart, following on from his recent run of crooner standards, was always likely to leave me as cold as the winter frost.
The album was produced and arranged by David Foster but rather than breathe life into the chosen songs, Foster has created (for the most part) simple, slow paced and light string arrangements.
There's the occasional swing tempo or flurry of jazz guitar notes, but there is no musical individuality or strong song identity.
All the usual suspects are here including 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,' 'Silent Night' (complete with children's choir) and of course 'White Christmas,' which isn't going to knock Bing’s version off the top of the snow-covered fir tree anytime soon.
And it wouldn’t be a Christmas covers album without the obligatory duets...
'Winter Wonderland' features Michael Bublé whose natural crooning sensibilities put Stewart in the winter shade.
Mary J Blige would turn up to sing at the opening of an envelope and surprise, surprise, up she pops on 'We Three Kings,' another bland, no production value number.
It’s not a completely Blue Christmas – Cee Lo Green helps to bring a little soul swing to 'Merry Christmas Baby' and an across the decades duet with Ella Fitzgerald on 'What Are You Doing on New Year’s Eve?' has nostalgic value.
As regards the latter however I’d much rather hear Miss Fitzgerald’s original 1960 recording from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, an album that carried more verve, pop and life than this Christmas turkey.
Rod Stewart’s singing voice now crackles more than the open fire his chestnuts are roasting over and it’s a far rock and roll cry from 'Maggie May.'
But I chose to listen to Merry Christmas, Baby and, as Peter Sinfield and Gregory Lake will tell you, “The Christmas We Get We Deserve.”
Now that’s a classic Christmas song.
And one that's not covered here, thankfully.
But lately Stewart’s crooning caricatures have left me cold.
His Great American Songbook albums have sold about eleventy-squillion copies but they are not for me, thanks.
I love many of the songs, but I don’t love Stewart’s one-dimensional interpretations or his now thin and raspy deliveries.
Similarly, other than a fondness and appreciation for a seasonal classic such as Bing Crosby's definitive rendition of 'White Christmas,' I’m not sitting in front of the Yule log fire making a list – and checking it twice – of my favourite winter crooners or Christmas carols.
So a Christmas album from Rod Stewart, following on from his recent run of crooner standards, was always likely to leave me as cold as the winter frost.
The album was produced and arranged by David Foster but rather than breathe life into the chosen songs, Foster has created (for the most part) simple, slow paced and light string arrangements.
There's the occasional swing tempo or flurry of jazz guitar notes, but there is no musical individuality or strong song identity.
All the usual suspects are here including 'Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,' 'Silent Night' (complete with children's choir) and of course 'White Christmas,' which isn't going to knock Bing’s version off the top of the snow-covered fir tree anytime soon.
And it wouldn’t be a Christmas covers album without the obligatory duets...
'Winter Wonderland' features Michael Bublé whose natural crooning sensibilities put Stewart in the winter shade.
Mary J Blige would turn up to sing at the opening of an envelope and surprise, surprise, up she pops on 'We Three Kings,' another bland, no production value number.
It’s not a completely Blue Christmas – Cee Lo Green helps to bring a little soul swing to 'Merry Christmas Baby' and an across the decades duet with Ella Fitzgerald on 'What Are You Doing on New Year’s Eve?' has nostalgic value.
As regards the latter however I’d much rather hear Miss Fitzgerald’s original 1960 recording from Ella Wishes You a Swinging Christmas, an album that carried more verve, pop and life than this Christmas turkey.
Rod Stewart’s singing voice now crackles more than the open fire his chestnuts are roasting over and it’s a far rock and roll cry from 'Maggie May.'
But I chose to listen to Merry Christmas, Baby and, as Peter Sinfield and Gregory Lake will tell you, “The Christmas We Get We Deserve.”
Now that’s a classic Christmas song.
And one that's not covered here, thankfully.
Joe Walsh - Analog Man
Analog Man is the first solo album from Joe Walsh since Songs for a Dying Planet in 1992.
But it’s not as if the guitar great with a knack for producing songs both classic and quirky has been idle these last two decades.
Band duties have taken up quite a bit of that time and you might even have heard of the little combo in question.
They’re called the Eagles.
I believe they’ve been quite successful.
Analog Man is partly autobiographical (or audiobiographical) as a number of the songs reflect the last twenty years of Joe Walsh's life and observational times.
Brash guitars introduce the title track before quickly giving way to a simple beat that allows Walsh to tell his tale of the Analog Man in the Digital Age.
“Welcome to cyberspace, I’m lost in the fog” bemoans Walsh, letting us know that “when something goes wrong, I don't have a clue – some 10-year-old smart-ass has to show me what to do.”
Tongue-in-cheek maybe, but there’s many of a certain generation, age or era nodding in sympathy while tapping along to another great hooky and humorous Joe Walsh song.
The album’s length and number of track also reflect the Analog or vinyl era.
With ten songs (twelve on the Deluxe CD edition) and at just under thirty-seven minutes the album is perfectly weighted, with a hard pop production courtesy of Jeff Lynne.
The album also has a Traveling Wilburys feel about it, but that’s perhaps no surprise given Lynne’s presence.
The light rock and roll groove of ‘Wrecking Ball’ certainly wouldn’t have been out of place on a Wilburys album but the strongest songs are the ones where Walsh sings from personal experience or observations on life.
The ballad ‘Family’ is undeniably schmaltzy but is sincere; ’Lucky That Way’ (featuring Ringo Starr on drums) is an acoustic-based commentary on how Life’s (still) Been Good for the musician; The up-tempo ‘One Day at a Time’ is the musical catharsis for Walsh as regards his battle with alcoholism (in recovery/ sober since the mid-90’s and the song has featured in Eagles shows).
The punchy ‘The Band Played On’ is another highlight (complete with sitar introduction from Walsh’s friend and back-in-the-day musical colleague Joe Vitale) and draws an analogy between the state of the world and the sinking of the Titanic.
The penultimate number, ‘Funk #50,’ takes its lead (guitar) from the James Gang’s ‘Funk #48’ and ‘Funk #49,’ before the instrumental ‘India’ closes out the album.
’India’ leads with a riff reminiscent of that heard on ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC but the tune changes-up a couple of times as Walsh runs off riffs and lead-lines not dissimilar to those heard on his James Gang records and subsequent solo albums.
Analog Man may not be the best ever album by Joe Walsh but it has a charm throughout. And I'm pleased to report I didn’t need a ten-year-old smart-ass to digitally download it.
But it’s not as if the guitar great with a knack for producing songs both classic and quirky has been idle these last two decades.
Band duties have taken up quite a bit of that time and you might even have heard of the little combo in question.
They’re called the Eagles.
I believe they’ve been quite successful.
Analog Man is partly autobiographical (or audiobiographical) as a number of the songs reflect the last twenty years of Joe Walsh's life and observational times.
Brash guitars introduce the title track before quickly giving way to a simple beat that allows Walsh to tell his tale of the Analog Man in the Digital Age.
“Welcome to cyberspace, I’m lost in the fog” bemoans Walsh, letting us know that “when something goes wrong, I don't have a clue – some 10-year-old smart-ass has to show me what to do.”
Tongue-in-cheek maybe, but there’s many of a certain generation, age or era nodding in sympathy while tapping along to another great hooky and humorous Joe Walsh song.
The album’s length and number of track also reflect the Analog or vinyl era.
With ten songs (twelve on the Deluxe CD edition) and at just under thirty-seven minutes the album is perfectly weighted, with a hard pop production courtesy of Jeff Lynne.
The album also has a Traveling Wilburys feel about it, but that’s perhaps no surprise given Lynne’s presence.
The light rock and roll groove of ‘Wrecking Ball’ certainly wouldn’t have been out of place on a Wilburys album but the strongest songs are the ones where Walsh sings from personal experience or observations on life.
The ballad ‘Family’ is undeniably schmaltzy but is sincere; ’Lucky That Way’ (featuring Ringo Starr on drums) is an acoustic-based commentary on how Life’s (still) Been Good for the musician; The up-tempo ‘One Day at a Time’ is the musical catharsis for Walsh as regards his battle with alcoholism (in recovery/ sober since the mid-90’s and the song has featured in Eagles shows).
The punchy ‘The Band Played On’ is another highlight (complete with sitar introduction from Walsh’s friend and back-in-the-day musical colleague Joe Vitale) and draws an analogy between the state of the world and the sinking of the Titanic.
The penultimate number, ‘Funk #50,’ takes its lead (guitar) from the James Gang’s ‘Funk #48’ and ‘Funk #49,’ before the instrumental ‘India’ closes out the album.
’India’ leads with a riff reminiscent of that heard on ‘Thunderstruck’ by AC/DC but the tune changes-up a couple of times as Walsh runs off riffs and lead-lines not dissimilar to those heard on his James Gang records and subsequent solo albums.
Analog Man may not be the best ever album by Joe Walsh but it has a charm throughout. And I'm pleased to report I didn’t need a ten-year-old smart-ass to digitally download it.
Matheu Watson - Dunrobin Place
Considering the musical talents of multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Matheu Watson and his reputation within the traditional folk, Celtic and Gaelic music scenes, it may seem strange Dunrobin Place is only his second solo album.
But Watson, still in his twenties, is in such demand as a performer and producer it’s remarkable the musician – a featured soloist on the soundtrack of the animated movie Brave – has found the time to record and release one solo album, let alone two.
Matheu Watson’s eponymous debut garnered critical acclaim but the musician's second album takes the listener places the debut did not.
Dunrobin Place is a collection of musical tales inspired by travels and places visited by Watson over the last couple of years, while touring and performing with other talented artists and musicians.
The sole performer on Dunrobin Place is Matheu Watson, but such are Watson's musical and studio skills that the sound created is more akin to listening to a tight, seasoned band of musicians than one multi-tracked individual.
And while the featured instruments are acoustic (steel string, nylon string and Resonator) guitars and 4 string, 5 string and Octave fiddles, Watson accompanies himself on a variety of other instruments (more than twenty) including banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, lap-steel guitar, whistle, flute, pastor organ and electric guitar.
And for those that know their stringed instruments, or recognise a classic piece of kit when they hear one, a few valuable or rare instruments make an appearance including a vintage Gibson F4 mandolin and a National Tenor guitar.
‘Ceit and Eilidh’s’ opens the album in fine, foot-tapping fashion and features a number of instruments including acoustic guitar, banjo and fiddle. ‘Louis’ then adds some whistle to the tuneful proceedings.
’Miss How’ is a jaunty number in three parts and there’s an Appalachian musical influence to be heard in the light “fiddle music” vibe of the title track.
But Dunrobin Place is not a one-dimensional, multi-instrument up-tempo showcase. The poignant ‘Aonghas’ forms the introduction to ‘Rod Alexander’s’ (a brace of reels) while ‘The Annie Jane’ is a beautiful, melancholic acoustic guitar and fiddle piece.
Celtic or Gaelic inspired music and traditionally rooted folk is not everyone’s rock and roll, but Dunrobin Place is a fine instrumental example of such musical forms.
And it’s a very inviting and accessible album, which means it also doubles as a Beginner’s Guide to those genres.
And that’s down to one man’s musicality and musicianship.
And about twenty well-played instruments.
But Watson, still in his twenties, is in such demand as a performer and producer it’s remarkable the musician – a featured soloist on the soundtrack of the animated movie Brave – has found the time to record and release one solo album, let alone two.
Matheu Watson’s eponymous debut garnered critical acclaim but the musician's second album takes the listener places the debut did not.
Dunrobin Place is a collection of musical tales inspired by travels and places visited by Watson over the last couple of years, while touring and performing with other talented artists and musicians.
The sole performer on Dunrobin Place is Matheu Watson, but such are Watson's musical and studio skills that the sound created is more akin to listening to a tight, seasoned band of musicians than one multi-tracked individual.
And while the featured instruments are acoustic (steel string, nylon string and Resonator) guitars and 4 string, 5 string and Octave fiddles, Watson accompanies himself on a variety of other instruments (more than twenty) including banjo, mandolin, bouzouki, lap-steel guitar, whistle, flute, pastor organ and electric guitar.
And for those that know their stringed instruments, or recognise a classic piece of kit when they hear one, a few valuable or rare instruments make an appearance including a vintage Gibson F4 mandolin and a National Tenor guitar.
‘Ceit and Eilidh’s’ opens the album in fine, foot-tapping fashion and features a number of instruments including acoustic guitar, banjo and fiddle. ‘Louis’ then adds some whistle to the tuneful proceedings.
’Miss How’ is a jaunty number in three parts and there’s an Appalachian musical influence to be heard in the light “fiddle music” vibe of the title track.
But Dunrobin Place is not a one-dimensional, multi-instrument up-tempo showcase. The poignant ‘Aonghas’ forms the introduction to ‘Rod Alexander’s’ (a brace of reels) while ‘The Annie Jane’ is a beautiful, melancholic acoustic guitar and fiddle piece.
Celtic or Gaelic inspired music and traditionally rooted folk is not everyone’s rock and roll, but Dunrobin Place is a fine instrumental example of such musical forms.
And it’s a very inviting and accessible album, which means it also doubles as a Beginner’s Guide to those genres.
And that’s down to one man’s musicality and musicianship.
And about twenty well-played instruments.
ZZ Top - La Futura
The majority of critic and fan votes for comeback album/ band of the year were split between Van Halen’s A Different Kind of Truth and Aerosmith’s Music From Another Dimension!
ZZ Top entered the comeback fray virtually unannounced, certainly in comparison to the pre-release Halen hype and the later Aero awesomeness nonsense.
La Futura is ZZ Top’s first studio album in nine years and the 2012 release that gets the Comeback Album of the Year nod and the Serious Return to Form award here at FabricationsHQ.
And not just because it’s the Texan trio’s first album in nearly a decade – it’s also their best album since Eliminator dominated the airwaves nearly thirty years ago.
Considering the album’s title it’s ironic La Futura takes its lead from the band’s original, early-to-mid 70’s blues-rock sound.
But then it’s quite commonplace in this re-imagined day and reinvented age for veteran rock bands to go back to their classic past to create a viable, musical future for themselves – ZZ Top have simply done it better than most.
The opener sets the album’s (and Billy Gibbons guitar) tone.
’I Gotsta Get Paid’ is a gritty and greasy blues-rock cover of the song ‘25 Lighters’ (by Texan hip-hop dj DMD), re-interpreted to deliver the classic ZZ Top mid-tempo shuffle and guitar groove.
Some bands try to rewrite their classics by dressing them up in some rearranged or restructured form, but ZZ Top unashamedly present ‘Chartreuse’ as the direct musical descendant of ‘Tush,’ complete with similar lyrical sentiment (“Chartreuse, you know I like that big caboose…”)
And the ZZ blues beat goes on…
’I Don’t Wanna Lose, Lose, You’ is best described as an Eliminator song stripped of any synthesized bells and sequenced whistles.
‘Heartache in Blue’ features some great harmonica from James Harman.
‘Over You’ and ‘It’s Too Easy Mañana’ are slow blues numbers perfectly suited to Billy Gibbons’ dry lead vocal, now carrying more dirt than you’ll find in the Rio Grande Mud.
For a musical change-up there's ‘Flyin' High,’ a nice little slice of blues rock and roll that deserves mainstream rock-radio airplay.
La Futura isn’t three sharp dressed men throwing sequenced loops or 120 beats per minute into the mix; this is tres hombres at their blues-rock best.
It’s also an album that’s vinyl-length short, sonically sharp and to the musical point.
A ten track, forty minute album that takes its lead from the trio’s original sound but with just enough sheen (courtesy of a crisp, clean production from Rick Rubin) to give it that modern-day dynamic.
Afterburner and Recycler were highly successful Eliminator sequels (well, if it ain’t broke…) and 1994’s Antenna was a well received million seller, but their last three albums failed to recapture past glories, lacked consistency or simply fell on deaf ears.
That has now been addressed, because for ZZ Top La Futura is as bright as the album cover’s yellow chartreuse (of course) background colour.
ZZ Top entered the comeback fray virtually unannounced, certainly in comparison to the pre-release Halen hype and the later Aero awesomeness nonsense.
La Futura is ZZ Top’s first studio album in nine years and the 2012 release that gets the Comeback Album of the Year nod and the Serious Return to Form award here at FabricationsHQ.
And not just because it’s the Texan trio’s first album in nearly a decade – it’s also their best album since Eliminator dominated the airwaves nearly thirty years ago.
Considering the album’s title it’s ironic La Futura takes its lead from the band’s original, early-to-mid 70’s blues-rock sound.
But then it’s quite commonplace in this re-imagined day and reinvented age for veteran rock bands to go back to their classic past to create a viable, musical future for themselves – ZZ Top have simply done it better than most.
The opener sets the album’s (and Billy Gibbons guitar) tone.
’I Gotsta Get Paid’ is a gritty and greasy blues-rock cover of the song ‘25 Lighters’ (by Texan hip-hop dj DMD), re-interpreted to deliver the classic ZZ Top mid-tempo shuffle and guitar groove.
Some bands try to rewrite their classics by dressing them up in some rearranged or restructured form, but ZZ Top unashamedly present ‘Chartreuse’ as the direct musical descendant of ‘Tush,’ complete with similar lyrical sentiment (“Chartreuse, you know I like that big caboose…”)
And the ZZ blues beat goes on…
’I Don’t Wanna Lose, Lose, You’ is best described as an Eliminator song stripped of any synthesized bells and sequenced whistles.
‘Heartache in Blue’ features some great harmonica from James Harman.
‘Over You’ and ‘It’s Too Easy Mañana’ are slow blues numbers perfectly suited to Billy Gibbons’ dry lead vocal, now carrying more dirt than you’ll find in the Rio Grande Mud.
For a musical change-up there's ‘Flyin' High,’ a nice little slice of blues rock and roll that deserves mainstream rock-radio airplay.
La Futura isn’t three sharp dressed men throwing sequenced loops or 120 beats per minute into the mix; this is tres hombres at their blues-rock best.
It’s also an album that’s vinyl-length short, sonically sharp and to the musical point.
A ten track, forty minute album that takes its lead from the trio’s original sound but with just enough sheen (courtesy of a crisp, clean production from Rick Rubin) to give it that modern-day dynamic.
Afterburner and Recycler were highly successful Eliminator sequels (well, if it ain’t broke…) and 1994’s Antenna was a well received million seller, but their last three albums failed to recapture past glories, lacked consistency or simply fell on deaf ears.
That has now been addressed, because for ZZ Top La Futura is as bright as the album cover’s yellow chartreuse (of course) background colour.
