In the continuing saga of all the pets in the greater LeBrain clan, you may recall that Lil’ Shit was the most recent addition to the family. Bass clarinetist extraordinaire Kathryn Ladano recently acquired Daisi aka Lil’ Shit, below. I finally got to meet Daisi this past Canada Day weekend!
It was a great weekend full of bonfires and awesome Canadian scenery too.
Stompin’ Tom Connors – “It’s Canada Day, Up Canada Way”
Part 1 of a 2-part series on this album. Part 2 will come when I acquire the version with the bonus live disc!
AC/DC – Stiff Upper Lip (2000 Warner)
One doesn’t so much review an AC/DC album as just tell the listener what the songs are called. Stiff Upper Lip is a bit of an exception to that rule for me, as it seemed to be a really solid return to an early-1970’s form. Just listen to the irresistible “Hold Me Back”. Can’t you imagine Bon singing this one?
My first AC/DC album was Dirty Deeds Done Dirty Cheap. I grew up listening to Bon, and Stiff Upper Lip is the most rock n’ roll sounding AC/DC album since his death. It seems they dropped some (but certainly not all) of the heavy riffing, leaving room for Malcolm and Angus to weave together some tasty guitar lines into song. Phil Rudd’s simple metronomic rhythms are perfectly suited to this approach.
When they do get their riff on, it’s on tracks like the relentless “Safe in New York City”. Yet I keep coming back to the laid back picking style of tunes like “Can’t Stand Still”. It doesn’t get much simpler nor satisfying.
The album was produced by Harry Vanda and George Young, much like the classic of old. They captured great performances, clear and uncluttered. Not every song here is a winner, most Johnson-era albums have filler. Stiff Upper Lip‘s filler ratio is remarkably low.
A European/Australian exclusive “tour edition” contained a bonus CD with an unreleased track (“Cyberspace”) and five live tracks. Most of this material is also available on the massive Backtracks box set. But we’ll talk about that bonus disc another time…
4/5 stars
When I need to hear some more recent AC/DC, 9 times out of 10, I reach for Stiff Upper Lip.
My Twisted reviews: “We’re Not Gonna Take It” single, Under the Blade, Live at the Marquee
TWISTED SISTER – Stay Hungry (25th Anniversary Edition, Atlantic, 2009 originally 1984)
Fact: When I was a kid, I used to think that Jay Jay French might in fact be blind; I never saw him without his dark shades!
25 years of Stay Hungry? Actually 29 years at press time! I don’t want to believe it. Anyway, this reissue was a pretty big deal because Stay Hungry was out of print on CD. For whatever reason (legal, contractual?) when Twisted issued their series of remasters with bonus tracks back in 1997, Stay Hungry was not one of them. Then in 2004, the reunited band recorded an album called Still Hungry, which was all of Stay Hungry re-recorded “the way they originally wanted it to sound” (cough). As a fan, I only enjoyed it for the new and unreleased bonus tracks. I was underwhelmed by the re-recording. It’s impossible to duplicate a specific recording, especially when the singer can no longer hit the high notes in “The Price”. And it just didn’t sound good.
That was then, this is now, and Stay Hungry has finally been remastered and beefed up with a bonus disc of unreleased material and one brand new song! (None of these unreleased songs were even heard on Still Hungry, but a couple were remade by Dee on a solo album.) The album itself remains one of Sister’s best, although my preference is to You Can’t Stop Rock N’ Roll. The bonus disc sheds light on what else the band was writing at the time.
The remastering and liner notes are excellent. The album sounds like it should, the way a pristine vinyl copy would sound back then. Still Hungry was mastered way too loud; this is much better. The liner notes reveal friction between the band and producer Tom Werman. Werman rejected a lot of what the band had written, which makes up disc two. However, he was also a big supporter of their heavier songs such as “Burn In Hell” and “Horror-Teria: The Beginning”, while disliking “We’re Not Gonna Take It”. Dee Snider, in fact, wanted to save “Horror-Teria” for a rock opera he was composing, but Tom Werman wisely insisted it go on this album.
The special thing about the original Stay Hungry album was that there was not one bad song on it. From all three smash hit singles (“I Wanna Rock” and “The Price”), to album cuts like “Don’t Let Me Down” and “S.M.F.”, every song here is a classic. And only one ballad!
Twisted Sister appeared in the 1985 comedy, Pee Wee’s Big Adventure
Highlights include the opener “Stay Hungry”, which smokes the speakers immediately. “Burn In Hell” (seen performed by Twisted Sister in the 1985 film Pee Wee’s Big Adventure) turns up the scare factor with some unholy Snider vocals. Snider’s epic “Horror Terria” is split into two parts. “Captain Howdy” (later to become Snider’s character the film Strangeland) is a warning to stay away from the title character. It’s ominous, Snider obviously hamming it up as Captain Howdy. As a kid I never fully appreciated exactly what the song is depicting, unfortunately this kind of thing is now in the news on a weekly basis. Part two is “Street Justice”, an angry song that inspired scenes in the film.
The man was caught, and brought before a judge,
who had just returned from a three-drink lunch.
His lawyer screamed, “You must set him free!”
And off he went, on a technicality.
Side two commenced with two of the big singles, “I Wanna Rock” and “The Price”, but equally good was “Don’t Let Me Down”. This would have been another single as far as I’m concerned. “The Beast” is evil and Sabbathy, but the album ends with the TNT blast of “S.M.F.” At this point you are blown back into your seats.
The sound quality on the bonus disc varies from track to track, as is bound to happen with demos this old. Don’t let that spoil your enjoyment. These are some of the heavier songs that Twisted were writing, that Werman simply did not feel were strong enough. Perhaps with some fleshing out and proper studio time, tracks like “Death From Above” or “We’re Coming On” could have stood proud on the album as well. Clearly these demos are unfinished, most are very brief and unadorned. Some are a bit too similar to stronger songs that did make the album. Listening to the whole disc makes you wish that they had been fleshed out and released on B-sides or albums, as some are pretty good.
The highlight of this disc is the brand new Twisted Sister song, “30”. Finally, somebody has written an anthem for older rockers! It’s about time! And it’s a great tune, as well! “30 came and went a long long time ago,” sings Dee, with absolutely no shame, and rightfully so!
If you’re a new fan, or an old fan who has heard Stay Hungry a million times, this is a compulsory purchase. It renders the original release obselete. Still Hungry pales to this reissue. Well done, if only all reissues were put together with this much care and effort.
5/5 stars
RECORD STORE TALES Part 208: Flashback 1995
November/December 1995 was freakin’ busy. We sold a lot of discs that Christmas. What we didn’t do was listen to a lot of discs! No; our boss really, really liked Don Henley and TLC. He played them ad-nauseum. Like on repeat three times in a row. I’m not kidding about that. I distinctly remember the repeat. Here are the Top Three Discs I Had to Listen to Until My Ears Bled, December 1995.
3. Boney M – Christmas Album
2. Don Henley – Actual Miles
1. TLC – CrazySexyCool
Trevor on the other hand was introducing me to Oasis and managed to get a few cool discs into rotation:
3. The Beatles – Anthology Vol. 1 (usually just disc 2)
2. Foo Fighters – Foo Fighters
1. Oasis – (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?
We were also working with this new guy, Donnie, and we let him pick Dance Mix ’95 a few times. Unfortunately, the Big Shiny Tunes series hadn’t begun yet.
I didn’t get to pick as many discs as the others — the boss didn’t like my picks. When I did, I chose the new Def Leppard – Vault (Greatest Hits 1980-1995).
Looking back, there were also a few albums that I found utterly disappointing that season. They included:
3. AC/DC – Ballbreaker
2. Lenny Kravitz – Circus
1. Savatage – Dead Winter Dead
All three were albums that I was solidly looking forward to, but largely disappointed me. I never did buy Circus. I own the other two, but only because I’m a completest (and I got AC/DC for $3).
Finally there were three albums that really got me through that season. I had just been dumped by my first serious girlfriend and I was really angry about it. Away from work (my boss didn’t want these ones played in the store) these three albums totally spoke to me that Christmas:
3. Alice in Chains – Alice in Chains
2. Ozzy Osbourne – Ozzmosis
1. Iron Maiden – The X Factor
Let me tell you something people: I still fuckin’ hate TLC. I’ll never go chasin’ waterfalls, ever again.
Next time on Record Store Tales…
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…
DAVID LEE ROTH – Skyscraper (1988 Warner Bros.)
Changes were afoot in the land of Roth after the success of Eat ‘Em and Smile. Keyboardist Brett Tuggle was hired in as a full-time member. Steve Vai was promoted to the rank of co-producer for the next album. Billy Sheehan was put on a leash, his busy bass stylings reduced to typical pop rock lines on much of the new material. One song even had a programmed bass instead of the real thing.
It seemed like a sudden about-face. David Lee Roth had left behind the Van Halen-nouveau trappings of the last album in exchange for a much slicker and more commercial sound. What resulted was Skyscraper, a synth-heavy odd duck that nevertheless spawned a massive hit single still getting radio play today. Revisiting it, this almost (only almost!) sounds more like a Vai album than a Dave album. That’s not a bad thing, depending on how you feel about the 6 (soon to be 7) string master. Certainly, his loopy noodling was reaching an early peak here, but his stylings are not for everyone.
My biggest complaint would be the sidelining of Billy Sheehan. I mean, you’ve got possibly the best bass player in the universe in your band: Exploit that! Don’t keep him playing 1/4 notes. In a 1988 Hit Parader interview, Sheehan said that he had to leave the band in order to express himself. He referred to the “note police” (Roth) who ordered him to play it simpler. After Skyscraper, he was replaced by drummer Gregg Bissonnette’s brother Matt (no slouch).
The opening rocker “Knucklebones” is a great song, but falls a little limp. Skyscraper‘s production is cold, sterile, and digital; like in that 80’s way before the technology had really come along. It does boast complex guitar riffing mixed in with idiosyncratic Dave lyrics. Dave has acknowledged that Vai was in the driver’s seat for this album, and its complexity is a testament to that.
Elsewhere there are some progressive moments (the title track, “Hina”), stage-ready rockers (“Perfect Timing”, “Hot Dog and a Shake”), good time ballads (“Damn Good”) and whatever-the-hell (“Three Fools A Minute”). All of this is surrounded by a fun, party-like atmosphere courtesy of Dave as the band’s hoots n’ hollers along.
I consider this album to be a brave experiment, and Dave’s highest artistic achievement. Not his best album, but his most artistic. While not as instantly likable, rocking, or consistent as Eat ‘Em And Smile, it is endlessly ambitious, layered, and most importantly fun. Dave is the ringmaster of the greatest party in town. Skyscraper is the party where the smart dudes stop in for a beer.
Craig Fee at 107.5 Dave FM, the world’s biggest Van Halen (not Van Hagar!) fan has this to say:
I still have a soft spot for “Just Like Paradise,” “Stand Up” (the more you do it the less you fall down!) and “Hot Dog & A Shake.” With Steve Vai on lead guitar, this album is a killer follow-up to EEAS.
I’m glad I asked Craig for his comment because our song likes and dislikes on this album are almost opposite! My faves? “Skyscraper”, “Hina”, “Just Like Paradise”, “Knucklebones” My filler: “Stand Up”! So there ya go. Maybe this record has something for everyone?
4/5 stars
JOURNEY – Eclipse (2011 Japanese import)
You gotta give ’em credit for trying. Three (!) singers since Steve Perry left, and Journey still refuse to patch it up or pack it in. Arnel Pineda is still the singer, back here for his second Journey album, and now contributing songwriting to the mix.
Otherwise, Eclipse (stylized as ECL1PS3 on the cover art) is heavily dominated by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain, and you can tell that this is Neal’s album. Upon playing Eclipse, you will be inundated by colossal Schon riff after colossal Schon riff. This is backed by some dramatic synth by Cain. It’s a much heavier Journey album than any in recent memory. It’s a good mix, and producer Kevin Shirley captured it. I’ve been skeptical in the past when Journey puts out a new album and says, “This is us being heavier.” Stuff like the Red 5 EP…they were just underwhelming and were missing the soul of Journey.
I would argue that the soul of Journey belongs to Steve Perry, but Arnel Pineda turns in a stunning performance this time. Not that he didn’t last time, but this time it sounds less like he’s trying to be Steve Perry. This time it sounds like he’s more himself, and it’s better that way. Incredible set of pipes on this man by the way.
As long time fans know, Journey did three albums before Steve Perry joined the band. These albums had their roots in more instrumental, progressive rock. One or two of the guitar passages on Eclipse sound a like stuff from those first three albums. It’s fleeting but it’s there.
Fave track: “Edge of the Moment”.
Most Journey-esque song: “City Of Hope”. (It even calls out an older Journey song title called “Message Of Love”.)
Meanwhile, the fine “She’s A Mystery” (co-written by Pineda) is a great little epic acoustic/electric song with some sweet Schon overtones that sound like gulls flying overhead. It captures the vibe of the more atmospheric material from Trial By Fire that I liked so much.
The extra thick case of the Japanese CD, can’t replace it if you break it!
The Japanese bonus track is a live cut of “Don’t Stop Believin'”, from the DVD Live In Manila. No live album was ever made of that live concert, so this is a CD exclusive. The Japanese CD also comes in an extra wide case, housing a lenticular cover insert. Very similar to the recent “3D” Kiss Monster cover.
The thing about Journey albums of late is memorability. Your brain says “this is a good song, it has a melody I like,” but a day later you can’t remember how the song went. Eclipse is also like that. All the songs are strong, melodic workman-like Journey songs. They just seem to lack whatever it was about the classics that made them stick in the head. Maybe I need to listen to it more, but I rarely have the craving to do so, when I can spend the time with Trial By Fire.
3/5 stars
WTF SEARCH TERMS III: Pol Rodgers Edition
WTF Search Terms is a new feature here at LeBrain’s, where I reveal some amusing words that people typed into search engines, ending up at my site. Today I’ve gathered 10 of the funnier Rock-related search terms! If you missed the last one, click here.
10. “show me all of iron maidens art dra” “Show me”? Pfft. Show me your dra first.
9. “pol rodgers fire and waters” He knew how to spell Rodgers, but not Paul.
8. “band acting like a puppet” My best guess is Supergrass.
7. “jonbonjovi phoyoes never seen” If you’ve never seen it, neither have I.
6. “where was montly crew attacted in saskatchewan” He spelled Saskatchewan right.
5. “deep purple songs about nature appreciation” This thought had not crossed my mind once before now.
4. “when will def leppard be on itunes” Perhaps the answer is, like my old Psych 301 prof used to say, “On the 12th of Never.”
3. “why does burke shelley sound like a woman” Maybe because his last name is Shelley, huh-huh, huh-huh.
2. “paul di anno teh beast” Teh.
1. “does sebastian bach really like model trains” Yes, him and Sheldon Cooper!
RECORD STORE TALES Part 207: Make ‘Em Say UHHH
Working in a used CD store, not only did we get to see lots of cool stuff, but we got to look inside. Anything that appeared remotely interesting, cool, amusing, or weird, you could open up the booklet and have a look. Some of the oddest things that amused us were the ads inside releases from No Limit Records. No Limit is a rap label. They heavily cross-promoted all their artists, and their roster once boasted Snoop Dogg himself for a couple albums. You’d see ads for all their albums (all the art obviously done by the same people), and…sometimes…an ad for the talking Master P doll! “Make ‘Em Say Uhhh!”, as seen below…
Uhhh! Na na, na na. Uhhh! Na na, na na.
Next time on Record Store Tales….
FLASHBACK!
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – …Like Clockwork (2013 Matador)
Yeah, I’m one of those jaded pricks who “only liked Queens when Nick was in the band.” I bought the other albums too, but of those only the live CD really did anything for me. Until now. I really …Like Clockwork! It succeeds completely at taking the Queens down a somewhat quieter and more mature road, while maintaining every ounce of their integrity. They are still sometimes heavy, experimental and haunting. But now they are almost always melodic, too.
Opener “Keep Your Eyes Closed” starts off somewhat slowly, but morphs into a bizarre Queens-meet-Alice in Chains concoction. It’s actually the one song on the album that I didn’t like on first listen. Imagine my delight in finding that I liked the rest of the album much more!
The most immediate song is second: “I Sat by the Ocean”. I put it in a category with songs like “If Only Everything”; it’s memorable on first listen. “The Vampire of Time and Memory” is a space-age blues, but with some Queen-like moments (Queen, not Queens). Josh’s understated vocals are classy and the keyboards create atmosphere rather than distract.
Next, the strangely-titled “If I Had a Tail” could have been released in 1981, or 1983, some time during the New Wave movement. If I heard this on the radio, I’d think it was an 80’s band. Only the occasional blasts of electric guitar remind me that this is 2013. Here’s the cool thing — this track reunites the Songs For the Deaf lineup in a way. Homme is joined by Dave Grohl on drums (who appears on several tracks), as well as Mark Lanegan and Nick Oliveri on backing vocals.
“My God is the Sun” is one of the tunes that sound the most like vintage QOTSA, and it is also one of the songs featuring Dave Grohl on drums. It has some serious heaviness to it, as well as that stuttering, stammering Queens vibe. All topped by the smoove as glass Joshe Homme vocals.
“Kalopsia” is a weird underwater easy jazz slow dance. Trent Reznor duets, and suddenly its an explosive Bowie number. Great tune. “Fairweather Friends” has piano. O, it has piano alright — by Elton freakin’ John! There’s also lots of rich guitar. It even feels Zeppelin-y at times. Maybe JPJ rubbed off on Josh a bit? Then things get funky on “Smooth Sailing”, but it’s a heavy funk with Homme in vocal falsetto. Fucked-up Disco? Sure, why not. The guitar solo is pure noisy heaven, but Grohl’s heavy hitting keeps it in the world of rock.
Soft guitars and a whispery Homme introduce a song called “I Appear Missing”. It’s hauntingly powerful, and dramatic. The guitar work here is incredible and intense. It’s also perfect as the penultimate track on a strong album such as this. And when your second last song is as intense as “I Appear Missing”, then it’s often wise to end the album with something quiet. “Like Clockwork” exists as simply piano and Homme for a couple minutes, Josh using his voice is ways I’ve never heard before. Instruments build, and it’s a beautiful sunset-stained closer.
I don’t know what Josh was thinking in terms of the packaging. I know he likes the colour red. I got that part. But all you get is a slipcase, a jewel case and a little card cover inside with minimal credits. It says to go to quotsa.com for “extended credits”. I paid for a physical copy, you’d think they could at least print the credits.
Musically? 5/5 stars. With this and Sabbath already upon us, I have two contenders for album of the year so far.
Purchased in February 2013, at the same store in which Uncle Meat used to work. I paid $9.99, used.
GENE SIMMONS FAMILY JEWELS – The Complete Season One (2004 A&E with bonus CD)
Since my primary interest in adding this to my collection is the music rather than the TV show, I’ll discuss the CD first. The bonus CD is apparently an Amazon.com (not .ca) exclusive, currently selling for about $13 plus shipping. The CD comprises just two songs: ”Rain Keeps Falling” (sounds like a possible Crazy Nights/Hot in the Shade outtake) and “You’re My Reason For Living” (sounds much more recent). These are from the “forthcoming” Gene Simmons box set called Monster. (I’m guessing he won’t be using that title now eh?) Considering that Amazon.com still advertises the Gene Simmons Monster box set as “coming in 2007”, I wonder how much longer it’ll be!
With demos of this nature it’s fairly usual for Gene to play all instruments himself and have a drum machine behind him, and that’s how “Rain Keeps Falling” comes across. The guitar work is basic but it gets the idea across, but I do hate the sound of a drum machine! It’s a pretty decent song. The verses could use some work but I think the choruses are pretty good!
“You’re My Reason For Living” is a ballad, and sounds like it could have been demoed for the Asshole album. It’s too bad it’s not on there, as it would have been the classiest song on the album. It was actually written long ago, pre-Kiss, but it’s obvious that this is a much more recent rendition. This is a very basic soul song, as interpreted by Gene. Although his voice is pretty limited, the intentions behind it sounds sincere. It wouldn’t be a hit unless Gene gave it away to a more appropriate artist, but as a bonus track on a box set it’s a bit of alright!
[Note: In my post-review proof reading and fact verifying, I discovered that “You’re My Reason For Living” was in fact included on Asshole…the Japanese version. Along with another unreleased track called “Everybody Knows”.]
As for the DVDs: when this show first started I was skeptical. Ozzy had made a bit of a clown of himself on The Osbournes, and count on Gene Simmons to see an opportunity to promote himself. So the formula’s basically the same, a rock star family in humourous situations, a funny dad, etc. I preferred season one of Gene Simmons Family Jewels to Ozzy’s show, and although I didn’t keep up with the show regularly afterwards, I still think this set is pretty entertaining.
I like that, compared to The Osbournes, there’s hardly any cussing. Very rarely do you hear the “beeps” (and yes, it’s all beeps, no actual cussing). I also found the family/”characters” to be more likeable. Nick Simmons is a bright, funny young guy, and who doesn’t love Shannon Tweed? (Loved you back in the 80’s version of The Liar’s Club, Shannon!). Third, you can understand what Gene is saying, unlike the Ozzman (although that is certainly part of Ozzy’s charm).
I think my favourite episode was “Fan…tastic”, during which an awkward Gene Simmons spent his day with a mega mega mega FAN. And Shannon loves every second. She invited the mega-fan home to have dinner with Gene and the fam. And isn’t Gene just thrilled. Another episode, the “unaired pilot”, depicts Gene grilling the boy who is about to take young Sophie Simmons out to the dance. Just a priceless moment. I felt very sorry for that poor young man who had to sit across a very large desk from Mr. Simmons, and be grilled about dating his young daughter.
For Kiss fans and probably non-Kiss fans as well, I think this season is:
4/5 stars
mikeladano.com 