Author: mikeladano

Metal, hard rock, rock and roll! Record Store Tales & Reviews! Grab A Stack of Rock and more. Poking the bear since 2010.

More Classic Iron Sheik Tweets

Here are a dozen more tweets from the Iron Sheik’s Twitter account.Β  Rumour has it that his account is handled by a couple Canadian guys.Β  What do you think based on the Can-Con in some of the tweets below?Β  Canadian Beer Day and Carly Rae Jepson?Β  There’s definitely something Canadian going on with his Twitter.

Love you Sheiky Baby!


RE-REVIEW: Def Leppard – Slang (2014 Deluxe edition bonus tracks)

Part Forty-Five of the Def Leppard Review Series

Original review:Β  Slang 2014 Deluxe Edition

DEF LEPPARD -DEF LEPPARD – Slang bonus tracks (Deluxe Edition, 2014 Bludgeon Riffola)

‘Twas a surprise when 1996’s Slang received the deluxe edition treatment in 2014.Β  The Viva! Hysteria celebrations were a success, and now another album was getting a little bit of attention, although the word “deluxe” really pushed it.Β  As the Heavy Metal Overlord once stated:

When it turned up I wis pure gutted. I thought the booklet had better be snazzy but it wisnae either. Just a wee hing where Joe tried tae mind stuff fae back in the day. Nae liner notes. Nae lyrics. Nuhin. Just some shite photies. My old copy had two discs, a slimmer case and lyrics. And some photies an aw! Gid wans. One of them oan a bus like they were aw goin doon the toon or somethin. How wis that no deluxe but this is deluxe? If they’d called it a β€œ2CD Edition” that wid huv been awrite but they didnae. This is β€œdeluxe”… cept it isnae. I don’t have a Scooby whit they’re playin at. Eejits.

Exactly.

Deluxe or not, the expanded edition of Slang gave new focus to the cult-status album.Β  Radically different versions of album tracks, unreleased songs, and works in progress offer a look at an album that really has never received its due credit for what it was.

The Slang deluxe featured a number of bonus tracks, and some iTunes exclusive bonus tracks as well.Β  Thankfully, the Def Leppard CD Collections box sets include some of these bonus tracks. Today we’ll mostly focus on the ones not included in previous reviews, from the Slang deluxe.

Here is a list of the iTunes bonus tracks, later included on one of the CD Collection box sets.Β  We’ve discussed these before in more detail.

1. β€œTruth?” (Demo Version) – Previously on β€œWork It Out” CD single.

2. β€œWork It Out” (Demo Version) – B-Side from β€œWork It Out” with Viv singing and completely different from the other versions on the Deluxe. Viv referred to it as his β€œCrowded House” version.

3. β€œWhen Saturday Comes” From the filmΒ When Saturday ComesΒ and β€œAll I Want Is Everything” single.

4. β€œJimmy’s Theme” From the filmΒ When Saturday ComesΒ and β€œAll I Want Is Everything” single.

5. β€œCause We Ended as Lovers” (Solo track by Phil) Β From the Jeff Beck tribute albumΒ Jeffology: A Guitar ChronicleΒ and β€œAll I Want Is Everything” single.

6. β€œLed Boots” (Solo track by Viv) Β From the Jeff Beck tribute albumΒ Jeffology: A Guitar ChronicleΒ and β€œAll I Want Is Everything” single.

There are also two iTunes exclusive bonus tracks that remain exclusive to iTunes.Β  We’ll get to those.

The Slang deluxe’s first bonus was track 12 on disc one, the buttery “Move With Me Slowly”, the original Japanese bonus track for Slang.Β  This is a beautifully recorded, raw, smooth, and sexy Def Leppard song.Β  An incredible song, as we have discussed on the CD Collection Vol. 2.Β  We’ll say it again:Β  should have been on the album.Β  We’ll add:Β  those guitar solos are so incredible.Β  Full of feel, organic sounding tone.Β  Some of the best guitar playing on a Def Leppard song.Β  Another good one is track 16, the acoustic “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame”, a B-side and Japanese bonus track to the Vault CD.Β  Another song that deserved a proper place on an album.Β  “Worlds Collide” is also on this set, a really heavy metal track, originally released on the B-side to “Goodbye” during the Euphoria era.Β  Heavy, but definitely B-side material.Β  We also have “Burn Out”.Β  Great little rocking groover, more like old Def Leppard than the final Slang album.Β  No loops, no electronic instrumentation, so acoustics.Β  Just chug, chug, chug and rock and roll.Β  Joe’s vocal is full of attitude.

Let’s go through all the remaining Slang bonus tracks and have a listen to a largely misunderstood album, as it might have been.

1. β€œAll I Want Is Everything” (Demo) – iTunes only.Β  A unique version of the song, with the some of the lyrics intact and everything radically different.Β  The chorus has the final melody, but delivered as a more traditional rock shout.Β  The melancholy mood of the final version is taking shape, but there is no question that “All I Want Is Everything” was better in its final version.

2. β€œTurn to Dust” (Phil verse vocal version)Β  (Track 1, disc two.)Β  This version of the second Slang album track is similar to the final, though with Phil Collen singing the verses, with Joe on the chorus.Β  Phil’s raspier voice adds a different, laid back direction.Β  The backing track is not the final mix though the sitar and some of the effects are in place.Β  Collen fans will love it.

3. β€œRaise Your Love” (version of β€œSlang”)Β  (Track 2, disc two.)Β  Choppy rock guitars are the main feature here!Β  Joe’s opening rap is intact, but the song deviates from there.Β  The chorus is a very different refrain of Phil singing, “Baby raise your love!”Β  Cool track for sure, but the final song became something far more unique as we’ve seen.Β  If you wished “Slang” was a more rocking tune, then you better check out “Raise Your Love”.

4. β€œAll I Want Is Everything” (1st draft) (Track 3, disc two.)Β  Somehow, the “1st draft” is more complete and closer to the album version than the “demo”.Β  Were the two versions mislabelled?Β  This sounds more like a demo, with the other being the first draft.Β  In fact this is so close to the final album mix, that you might be able to fool your friends.Β  The guitar solo is missing, as are the big vocal hooks that follow, which is the biggest clue.

5. β€œWork It Out” (1st draft) (Track 4, disc two.)Β  Like the above, this is very close to the final album version.Β  Very different from Vivian Campbell’s demo, one of the aforementioned iTunes bonus tracks.Β  Joe’s vocal is not the final take, but the backing track sounds almost ready.Β  The stuttering guitars and droning strings are all there.Β  You can hear, in the layers of guitar, the skeleton of Viv’s original idea.

6. β€œBreathe a Sigh” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 5, disc two.)Β  All the pieces are in the place but the atmosphere isn’t captured yet.Β  The final mix would nail that R&B crossed with Def Leppard vibe.

7. β€œDeliver Me” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 6, disc two.)Β  Again, very close to the final mark.Β  Just an earlier, less elaborate version of the final album mix.

8. β€œBlack Train” (version of β€œGift of Flesh”) (Track 7, disc two.)Β  The main riff is there.Β  The verse melodies are there.Β  The chorus is the major difference, with this one being a shouty affair.

9. β€œBlood Runs Cold” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 8, disc two.)Β  Of all the rough mixes, “Blood Runs Cold” is the most indistinguishable from the final track.Β  The chorus is the most different, with Phil prominently assisting Joe.

10. β€œWhere Does Love Go When It Dies” (1st draft) (Track 9, disc two.)Β  Has an almost Marillion-like sheen to the opening guitar textures.Β  These fade and the mix goes purely acoustic.Β  This excellent song was already in fantastic shape at this stage.Β  Could have been on the album as-is.

11. β€œPearl of Euphoria” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 10, disc two.)Β  The epic album closer from Slang, in an early mix.Β  Similar, but the final version sounds busier, which enhances it.Β  They made some different choices in the middle section of this mix, but the in-your-face guitar is quite delectable.

12. β€œAll on Your Touch” (2012 revisit) (Track 11, disc two.)Β  A Slang-era track never properly finished until 2012.Β  Laid back, dark ballad.Β  Understated, with shades of “Love Bites” in the guitars, but with an explosive hard-edged chorus.Β  Awesome solo work on this song.

13. β€œAnger” (β€œDeliver Me” 1st draft) (Track 12, disc two.)Β  Β Different from the above “final mix” which was very close to the album.Β  This “first draft” has a different chorus:Β  “Anger, I’m feeling so much anger!”Β  It fails to deliver the intended punch, and so it is good they revised it and kept working on it.Β  They obviously knew the chorus was not the needed hook.

14. β€œMove On Up” (Vivian demo) (Track 13, disc two.)Β  Completely unreleased song, a Campbell demo.Β  Neat punchy riff, with a hint of Jimmy Page.Β  Vivian sings, and his vocal melody is melodic, different and enjoyable.Β  It’s too bad the guys didn’t take this song further.

15. β€œGift of Flesh” (Phil vocal) (Track 14, disc two.)Β  Another treat for those who love the raspy voice of Phil Collen on lead vocals.Β  The backing track is not all the way there yet, but Phil’s vocal track provided the blueprint for the final album version.

16. β€œMove with Me Slowly” (1st draft) – iTunes only.Β  The buttery smooth “Move With Me Slowly” appears again, this time in a “first draft” version exclusive to iTunes.Β  Rougher, slightly rawer mix.Β  The outro goes out longer, lingering like flavours on your tune.

While it was nice to see Slang get a reissue with a wealth a bonus material, it was a shame the packaging didn’t quite rise to the occasion.Β  With two tracks remaining unreleased in physical form, and not all the material from the era available in a single place, it’s not too late to do a super deluxe.

4/5 stars

Previous:Β Β 

  1. The Early YearsΒ Disc One – On Through the NightΒ 
  2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
  3. The Early YearsΒ Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
  4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
  5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC RecordingsΒ 
  6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
  7. Pyromania
  8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
  9. Hysteria
  10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
  11. In The Round In Your FaceΒ DVD
  12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
  13. Adrenalize
  14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  15. Retro-Active
  16. Visualize
  17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
  18. Video Archive
  19. “Slang” CD single
  20. Slang
  21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
  22. Euphoria
  23. Rarities 2
  24. Rarities 3
  25. Rarities 4
  26. Cybernauts – Live
  27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
  28. X
  29. Best Of (UK)
  30. Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection
  31. Yeah!
  32. Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews
  33. Yeah…Nah!Β  (Record Store Tales)
  34. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
  35. “C’Mon C’Mon” (picture disc)
  36. Taylor Swift & Def Leppard – CMT Crossroads (DVD)
  37. B.Sides
  38. Yeah! II
  39. Yeah! Live
  40. Mirror Ball: Live & More (Japan bonus track)
  41. iTunes Re-recordings
  42. Viva! Hysteria (CD 1 & DVD)
  43. Viva! Hysteria (CD 2 & bonus features)
  44. Viva! Hysteria (Japanese bonus track)

Next:

46. “Helen Wheels” (from The Art of McCartney)
47. Def Leppard (Deluxe and Japanese versions)

#1019: Lil’ Buddy

RECORD STORE TALES #1019: Lil’ Buddy

Early 2006. Jen and I had been dating a few months, and I was placed at a brand new job at United Rentals in Cambridge.Β  Things were looking up!Β  I escaped the hell hole that was the Record Store, the office Bully had lost all her power over me, and I had met the girl that I knew I was going to stick with.Β  Life was coming together!Β  It was during this glowing golden time that I briefly met and fell in love with Lil’ Buddy.

We were out walking one cold Sunday in the neighbourhood when a little stray puppy with no tags strolled up to us wagging his little tail.Β  We greeted him and looked around for his human.Β  There was no-one around.Β  The little guy kept following us.Β  We didn’t know what else to do.Β  We brought him home and gave him some water and warmth.Β  I just fell for the little guy immediately.Β  He was so friendly, affectionate and quiet.Β  I named him Lil’ Buddy.Β  We spent a few hours with him before doing what had to be done.

It was the hardest thing to do, but the only right thing to do.Β  We bundled him up into the car and took him to the humane society.Β  It was very emotional for me, and I asked them, please please call me if he is not claimed.Β  He would have a loving home with us.Β  I didn’t know how I was going to handle a dog in my little apartment but I didn’t care.Β  I’d figure it out.Β  The little guy had won my heart.

I waited a couple days, and then called the humane society on my lunch break.Β  It was bittersweet to find out that Lil’ Buddy had been claimed.Β  I was glad that he found his human, but I was really hoping he could have stayed.Β  Apparently Lil’ Buddy belonged to an elderly woman, so she certainly needed his company more than I did.Β  I’m sure she loved him very much.Β  How could she not?

We only spent a few hours with him, but I’ll never forget Lil’ Buddy.Β  We had a very special Sunday afternoon together.Β  We could have been friends.Β  He was very special.

#1018: Surfing the October Colours (Cottage Video)

RECORD STORE TALES #1018:
Surfing the October Colours (Cottage Video)

 

The last cottage weekend before closing was totally maxed out!Β  And I don’t mean Max the Axe!

Life is too short.Β  It must be lived to the fullest.Β  When you and I first met here at mikeladano.com, I was 10 years younger.Β  Spending four hours on a Saturday pounding words into a keyboard was nothing back then.Β  Today I’d rather be experiencing life.Β  So that’s what we did.Β  From music to food to photography, we enjoyed our last weekend at the cottage before closing, to the max!

The music for the road was top notch.Β  Ghost’s new album Impera received another spin.Β  It’s as good as the day it was released.Β  Then while hanging out in the “G” folder, we rocked out George Lynch’s debut solo album, Sacred Grooves.Β  Better than any of the Lynch Mob albums.Β  It also enabled me to teach Jen a little bit about the mighty Glenn Hughes.Β  His struggles and triumphs.Β Β On the road home, we rocked David Lee Roth’s Eat ‘Em and Smile and Your Filthy Little Mouth.Β  A pretty solid selection of guitar rock.

The fall colours were spectacular.Β  Orange, yellow, deep maroon.Β  As you are all well aware, I am not usually a “fall guy”.Β  This year has been a little different.Β  I have a friend in California who finds all this Canadian weather beautiful and fascinating.Β  For her, I enjoyed documenting the weekend with video tours and personal messages.Β  It totally made this fall weekend a different experience for me.Β  It was like seeing the place through new eyes.Β  And this is now going to be part of my wellness plan for winter.Β  She wants me to continue sending her fun videos and pictures of the Canadian landscape during the snowy months.Β  I checked my phone — do you know how many pictures of snow I had from past winters?Β  Two.Β  TWO.Β  I have photos on my phone going back to 2014, and I only have two with snow in them.Β  With her enthusiasm and encouragement, I’m going to have fun documenting the winter of 2022-2023!Β  I’ve never had this before — a friend in a sunny climate who has requested Canadian snow videos!Β  On the condition that I stay safe and don’t crash my car or break my neck!Β  This gives me a whole new project to do this winter, that I never had before.Β  I feel very positive about going into the cold, dark winter months.

I’m recovering well from my dental surgery and ate two steaks this weekend!Β  They were awesome!Β  As were all the fish and mushrooms I cooked up.Β  No A5 wagyu in stock at the butcher’s shop though.Β  That will have to wait until next year, I suppose.

We did something else different that we haven’t done in recent years.Β  We went into town!Β  I took some video of the big waves, a daring surfer, and some quaint streets.Β  Something new for this video.

Please enjoy this last cottage video before we close — all to the music of Tee Bone Erickson and Max the Axe!

Full Drive: 1 hour and 45 minutes from Tiverton to Kitchener

I’m not posting this with the expectation that anyone will spend an hour and 45 minutes watching me drive home from the cottage.Β  This is for me.

However, if you want to hear a live bootleg of Max the Axe playing their first gig with the current lineup…it’s here.Β  I actually didn’t intend to use it, but I clicked the wrong music folder and it will take hours to re-save.Β  So here you go!Β  The track list for this video is:

MAX THE AXE

Live on the Farm Aug 4 2017

“The Other Side” (Instrumental)
“I Don’t Advocate Drugs”
“River Grand”
“Next Plane to Vegas”
“Uptite Friday Night”
“Randy”
“Scales of Justice”
“Sick of Living”
“Thirsty and Miserable”
“Gods on the Radio”

Trillion Dollar Threats

“Overload”
“Guns To Iran”
“Daddy Was a Murderin’ Man”
“Labyrinth”
“I Don’t Advocate Drugs”
“Belljar Party”
“Blood Runs Red”
“River Grand”
“Uptite Friday Night”
“Immortal”
“Space Marine”
“Mutant Mind”
“More”
“Letter To Yourself”
“Livin’ the Country”
“Mexican Standoff”

Bonus track

“Scales of Justice” (Remix)

Points of interest:

  • Lots of passing
  • Weird castle at 9:50
  • Weird single-lane bridge at 12:15

REVIEW: Def Leppard – Viva! Hysteria – Live at the Joint, Las Vegas (Part 3 – Japanese bonus track)

Part Forty-Four of the Def Leppard Review Series

DEF LEPPARD – Viva! Hysteria – Live at the Joint, Las Vegas (Part 3 – Japanese bonus track) (2013 Bludgeon Riffola)

Finally we reach the end of this sprawling, generous collection of live Def Leppard.Β  As is often the case, the Japanese market included an exclusive CD bonus track.Β  This bonus track is only available on DVD in North America.Β  While that is enough for some, there are many Def Leppard aficionados out there (hello!) who obsessively collect formats like CD as well.Β  This one’s for you.

Def Leppard’s “Acoustic Medley” was a standalone iTunes single around the time of the Viva! Hysteria shows.Β  It was a surprise that they played it live at an acoustic session for fans, and then released that live version!Β  It’s a casual affair in a small room with audience seated on the floor.Β  Five ballads, all acoustic, and really well put together.Β  Seamless, almost. “Where Does Love Go When It Dies” begins, with a total of four acoustic guitars – Joe and Sav both taking up the six strings.Β  Rick Allen on the shaker!Β  Onto “Now”, β€œWhen Love and Hate Collide”, β€œHave You Ever Needed Someone So Bad”, and β€œTwo Steps Behind” (which the audience scream for).Β  All the best parts of each song, and all of “Two Steps Behind”, make up the medley.

As stated ad nauseum, Viva! Hysteria is an excellent package from top to bottom.Β  Great value for fans both casual and diehard.Β  They put a lot of work into sounding as vintage as possible.Β  Def Leppard pulled it off.Β  If you’re serious about this live set and serious about this band, check out the Japanese import CD.Β  It has completely different packaging and cover artwork, along with that elusive bonus live medley.Β  Now that’s a magical mysteria.

5/5 stars

Previous:Β Β 

  1. The Early YearsΒ Disc One – On Through the NightΒ 
  2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
  3. The Early YearsΒ Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
  4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
  5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC RecordingsΒ 
  6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
  7. Pyromania
  8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
  9. Hysteria
  10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
  11. In The Round In Your FaceΒ DVD
  12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
  13. Adrenalize
  14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  15. Retro-Active
  16. Visualize
  17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
  18. Video Archive
  19. “Slang” CD single
  20. Slang
  21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
  22. Euphoria
  23. Rarities 2
  24. Rarities 3
  25. Rarities 4
  26. Cybernauts – Live
  27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
  28. X
  29. Best Of (UK)
  30. Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection
  31. Yeah!
  32. Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews
  33. Yeah…Nah!Β  (Record Store Tales)
  34. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
  35. “C’Mon C’Mon” (picture disc)
  36. Taylor Swift & Def Leppard – CMT Crossroads (DVD)
  37. B.Sides
  38. Yeah! II
  39. Yeah! Live
  40. Mirror Ball: Live & More (Japan bonus track)
  41. iTunes Re-recordings
  42. Viva! Hysteria (CD 1 & DVD)
  43. Viva! Hysteria (CD 2 & bonus features)

Next:

45. Slang (2014 Deluxe bonus tracks)
46. “Helen Wheels” (from The Art of McCartney)
47. Def Leppard (Deluxe and Japanese versions)

WTF Search Terms: YouTube Edition

WTF SEARCH TERMS:Β YouTube Edition

I’ve recently done something I previously said I wouldn’t do, and monetize some videos on my YouTube.Β  I am still figuring all of this out, but one feature allowed me to see the search terms that were apparently used by “my viewers”.Β  How they became “my viewers” with search terms like these, I can’t figure out.Β  Maybe you can!Β  Do you have a monetized YouTube?Β  What does all this mean?Β  What the hell is “mukbang”?

 

 

VIDEO: Unboxing the COSMIC SUPERHEROES “Hell Yes Ma’am Sessions” CD and other swag!

The Cosmic Superheroes are a band out of North Carolina, and I have just received a copy of their new CD, Hell Yes Ma’am Sessions!Β  Bluesy, rootsy rock and roll with boogie!Β  I’m digging their sound.Β  What caught my attention was that they covered “Peace Pipe” by Cry of Love, one of the greatest songs of the 1990s.Β  They were also produced by John Custer, so you know the final result would sound good.Β  And it does!

Check out the unboxing video below, and become familiar with the Cosmic Superheroes!

REVIEW: Ozzy Osbourne – Patient Number 9 (2022)

OZZY OSBOURNE – Patient Number 9 (2022 Epic)

It’s very easy to be cynical about any new Ozzy album since about Down To Earth and onwards.Β  Corporate constructions.Β  Special guest writers and performers. “Here Ozzy, sing these new songs we wrote for you.”Β  Prior to that, it felt like Ozzy had a band, and that band took different directions on each album.Β  Now Ozzy has Andrew Watt and a slate of big-namers.Β  It’s been this way a while.Β  This time the difference is, the process resulted in a pretty decent album.Β  Sure it’s still Watt at the helm, with special guests in big letters on the back cover and front stick.Β  Jeff Beck!Β  Eric Clapton!Β  Tony Iommi!Β  Zakk Wylde!Β  Of course without a real band, you don’t get that cohesive band sound, but what you do get ain’t bad indeed.

Each track (except for “Darkside Blues” which is either a new version or a new mix of the Japanese bonus track from Ordinary Man) has credits by Andrew Watt and professional songsmith Ali Tamposi.Β  She’s more known for Kelly Clarkson, Nickelback, and a slew of Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus hits.Β  She also co-wrote most of Ordinary Man so there’s a formula at work here.Β  Other co-writers include Ryan Tedder, Duff McKagan, Chad Smith, Robert Trujillo, Tony Iommi, Chris Chaney, and the late great Taylor Hawkins.

Ozzy falls into his comic horror persona a bit too much.Β  There was once a time when he was trying to shed that “crazy madman” image but he’s really leaned into it again for the last couple decades.Β  As such the album opens with silly “insane asylum” sound effects that only delay us getting to the good stuff.Β  The opening title track is over seven minutes long with that nonsense attached.Β  It’s also one of the poorer of the new songs, overly formulaic and modern with robotic hooks.Β  Jeff Beck’s unconventional and slippery solo work makes it worth a listen (Watt and Wylde play the rhythm and fills).

Things really get moving on track two, “Immortal” featuring Mike McCready of Pearl Jam and Duff on bass.Β  Good riffing and grooving going on here, and the first memorable chorus.Β  The Hawkins co-penned “Parasite” is another grooving highlight, featuring the Foo Fighter on drums.Β  The chorus is really solid and just moves like a ‘Vette on the highway.Β  That’s Zakk on lead guitar, but he’s instantly recognizable.Β  Former Ozzy bassist and currently Metallicer Rob Trujillo on bass.

What’s really amazing is that with the help of Tony Iommi, this hodge-podge of creators managed to write a seriously Sabbathy dirge called “No Escape From Now”.Β  You’d swear it’s Geezer Butler on bass, but it’s not.Β  It’s actually Watt.Β  It’s as Sabbathy, if not more so, than most of the 13 album.Β  It feels a bit “token”, like, “Oh hey Sabbath fans, here’s a song with the riffs and time changes that you like.”Β  Yet it’s one of the songs you’ll keep returning to, and probably for those reasons.Β  Of note, this is the only song without Andrew Watt on rhythm guitar.Β  It’s all Tony and only Tony which is the reason it feels heavy as a bloody brick.

In a throwback to Ozzmosis, “One of Those Days” with Eric Clapton really sounds a bit like “I Just Want You”.Β  Clapton really adds a touch of class.Β  One could imagine that the chorus will upset certain people with it’s refrain of “I don’t believe in Jesus”, but it is one hell of a chorus – pun intended.Β  Unfortunately the ballad that follows, “A Thousand Shades”, is a throwaway, aside from the brilliant Jeff Beck guitar solo.Β  One of the Hawkins co-penned tracks called “Mr. Darkness” takes a minute to get going, seemingly a song about fan letters that Ozzy once received.Β  It and the next two songs all feature Zakk Wylde on guitar.Β  Dull verses, but awesome chorus, with an awesome Sabbathy change towards the end.Β  The only dumb part is the silly ending where Ozzy speaks, “You don’t even know my name you asshole.”Β  Just…no.

“Nothing Feels Right” is another ballad, very Ozzmosis-y.Β  Decent song, good chorus, with all the production bells and whistles.Β  It really smokes during the solo section.Β  Another Sabbathy sounding riff emerges on “Evil Shuffle” and it really seems clear that Andrew Watt is trying to channel Geezer Butler’s bass playing on this album.Β  Not that it’s a bad thing.Β  Then it’s the much-hyped “Degradation Rules” with Tony Iommi, a song about masturbation, but not as good as the prior Iommi song.Β  The main hook here is Ozzy’s harmonica playing, a great throwback to “The Wizard”.

“Dead and Gone” is a deep cut highlight, with a latter-day Priest-like groove and lots of Zakk Wylde chunk.Β  An album highlight buried way in the back end.Β  Finally, “God Only Knows” is the last proper song, but unfortunately sort of a last gasp rather than a late highlight.Β  Kind of a ballad, with lush backing vocals, but not a “Road to Nowhere” kind of late album winner.

The outro music, “Darkside Blues”, appears to be a remix of the original version from Ordinary Man‘s Japanese release.Β  You can compare the waveforms below.Β  It’s a swampy track with more of Ozzy’s harmonica, just a coda to the album.

It’s pretty amazing at this stage of the game that Ozzy is still cranking out new music, but of course he has a huge support team behind him.Β  This time, the team produced an album better than the last one by a pretty fair margin.Β  They could have cut two tracks and made it a more engaging and concise listen.Β  It’s always a balancing act between giving the listener added value, or a streamlined experience.Β  A minor quibble at the end of the day.

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: LEGO Optimus Prime 10302 (2022)

LEGO Optimus Prime 10302 (2022)

After undergoing a pretty serious dental surgery, I needed something to keep my mind occupied.Β  I chose Lego’s new 10302 Optimus Prime set, the first fully-transformable Lego figure that you can change without having to add or remove any parts (more on that in a bit).Β  This set is geared to the 18 and up crowed, contains 1508 pieces, and costs $240 Canadian dollars.Β  That’s a price per piece of 16 cents a brick, which is not too bad by today’s standards.Β  Licensing costs money, we have to remember.

The set is broken up into 11 bags (two are numbered “5”) plus one bag for the tires, and a small sticker sheet.Β  There are only five stickers: his knees/thighs, belt and front fender, and name plate for the display.Β  The belt/fender piece is the only one that the instructions say to swap out for transformation.Β  Most people just keep in the piece they like best.Β  I chose to keep in the fender piece rather than the belt on my final display.Β  The instructions also tell you to put on the knee/thigh stickers upside down.Β  Fortunately it’s just a matter of flipping the piece.Β  Every other detail in the set, such as the autobot logos, head details, and rims are all printed pieces.Β  There are also some cool brick-built details such as a black arrow on the backpack.

The large instruction book takes you through the build bag by bag, with each bag corresponding to certain components such as chest, legs, or arms.Β  Aside from some segments where all the parts are darkly coloured and hard to see, the instructions were easy to follow.

As much as the final toy is fun and hefty to handle, the true joy came in the building process.Β  This was my first Lego build in 15 years, and there are many new parts and therefore new techniques as well.Β  Studs on the sides, top and bottom.Β  Interesting new curves and angles that were impossible before.Β  Small details and technical pieces that didn’t exist before.Β  Even a brand new faceplate, specifically designed for this set and since exported into other Lego lines.

You start simply, by sticking bricks on top of bricks.Β  Before too long, something with the dimensions of Prime’s chest starts to emerge, complete with hinges that will enable the transformation later on.Β  You can see where the arms will go, and you can see where other parts will attach, but it’s not even clear which side is front until you get a little further.Β  There are plenty of smooth flat plates so that parts can move over each other, but also just for aesthetics.Β  The final Prime has very few studs at the end of the build, and is mostly smooth and detailed.

As things come together at angles you thought were impossible, it’s actually quite a surprising and enjoyable process.Β  Your mind is constantly at work, ensuring things are in place.Β  There is very little tedium, as things are only repeated on the legs and arms, and only repeated once.

Prime is fairly solid, once you learn how to handle him and transform him.Β  Fortunately if bits fall off, you can just snap them back on.Β  Optimus is articulated at the head with a socket joint, at the shoulders with a full 360 degree rotation, and outward shoulder joint.Β  You can also butterfly his shoulders backwards, using the transformation joint.Β  His hips are fully articulated in and out, backwards and forwards.Β  His knees will not bend due to the need to keep the figure stable, but they do swivel.Β  His feet are also on a rocker joint so you can pose Prime with legs slightly spread, but feet still flat on the ground.Β  He has hands with a swivelling wrist, plus thumb and mitten movement.Β  You can modify the hands by removing one piece, to get all three fingers moving independently.

Optimus comes with a few accessories, which are built after the main figure.Β  This part is total anti-climax and really should have come at the beginning, or middle, of the process.Β  To come at the end is just not at all satisfying.Β  But you get Prime’s matrix of leadership, which fits in his chest compartment via opening windshield.Β  You get his excellent ion blaster, a really remarkable piece when you look at that stock and how the gray inner detail comes together. This piece attaches to his arm, while his hand appears to be holding the gun’s grip.Β  You get one pink transparent energon cube that you will never use for anything, and a pretty clunky orange energy axe.Β  This axe can be attached by removing either of Prime’s hands, and inserting a black technic bar into a ready-made hole.Β  Finally, Optimus Prime comes with his name plate for display, and that extra belt/fender piece that you can swap out if you so choose.

Minor quibbles aside, Prime was an excellent way to spend two days of recovering from surgery.Β  The final figure is large, heavy, and looks more like a toy.Β  He is easy to transform and works very similarly to the original 1984 toy.Β  His finish with printed details and silver bits looks quite high-end.Β  And it should, for that price.

5/5 stars