Reviews

REVIEW: Arkells – Disco Loadout Volume 1 (2024)

ARKELLS – Disco Loadout Volume 1 (2024 Universal)

Five albums in five years.  Album #10!  First covers album.  The Arkells show no signs of slowing down!

Hamilton Ontario’s Arkells are the kind of band that clearly love music.  You get this feeling from certain bands, such as Foo Fighters, or Weezer:   that the members just love playing music, and sometimes want to bust out a favourite song for fun.  Many of the songs here are tracks that the band have played live.  Disco Loadout exudes fun from every groove (or 1’s and 0’s if you listen digitally), and yes, it does include some disco (Abba)!  11 tracks: the perfect length.  Genres range from modern pop (Robyn, Harry Styles) to classic rock (Bruce Springsteen, Hall & Oates, Huey Lewis & the News) and pop (Whitney Houston, The Jackson 5).

Robyn’s “Dancing On My Own” has a chugging “Eye of the Tiger” kind of riff, paired with a rich horn section.  Drummer Tim Oxford opts for a big beat on this one, with his usual swing.  Singer Max Kerman pours it all in, and delivers big hooks on the chorus.  Check out that bassline by Nick Dika, a thrumming pulse that gets the blood pumping.  “Dancing On My Own” gets the album off to a fast paced start, upbeat and celebratory.

Keyboardist Anthony Carone takes the Jackson 5’s “I Want You Back” to the right place from the start, but it’s those big thick horns that really nail the authenticity factor.  This is not a song for the meek to cover.  The Arkells have had a soulful side that really came to the fore starting with Morning Report.  This track allows them to really let it out.  Without a bump, Hall & Oates’ “You Make My Dreams Come True” continue the blue-eyed soul vibe.  A favourite song of any Toronto Maples Leafs fan, this song is sure to be a popular one in Canada.  The Arkells do a wonderful version, and though it’s hard to top Darryl Hall’s vocals, Max does an admirable job.

Harry Styles’ “As It Was” has a keyboard line similar to “Take On Me” by A-Ha.  It has a nice retro vibe and a taut bassline by Nick Dika.  I like when they change the lyric “Harry, you’re no good alone,” to “Maxie, you’re no good alone.”  It has a beat and you can dance to it, but it’s not as classic as the other tracks on this album.

Guitarist Mike DeAngelis gets to sing co-lead vocals on Peter Gabriel’s “Sledgehammer”, and it’s a delight.  His voice is more similar to Peter’s, so when his lines kick in, it really adds to the authenticity (there’s that word again).  Speaking of authenticity, “Sledgehammer” lays on the horn section heavy once again.  This is a really fun cover.  Anthony Carone has the right 80s keyboard tons, and Oxford plays it for the beat, but not without throwing in some cool rhythmic tricks.  The saxophones are nice and thick, and you could swear it was 1986 all over again.

The first of two ABBA covers is a re-recording of “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)”.  An earlier version was on 2022’s Apple Music Home Session.  In both versions, Nick Dika shows an expert level knack for danceable but powerful bass.  Meanwhile, Tim Oxford is absolutely killing it on the drums, nailing both the groove and a hard-hitting power.  This song is a showcase for the upper echelon rhythm section of the Arkells.  There’s even a bass solo.

Speaking of bass, it’s prominent on Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5”.  Dolly is having a moment again, so the timing is right to cover a Parton hit.  It’s just pure fun, and not too serious.  The horns are back to thicken things up with sass and melody.  Lyrically, the song actually fits in well with some of the Arkells’ earlier hits like “Oh, The Boss Is Coming!” as a protest over the big guys in the expensive suits.  Stay tuned for a great sax solo, followed by a rowdy trumpet solo, and completed by a trombone showcase!  As if that wasn’t enough, Tim Oxford gets a drum solo, before Max orders that they go “New Orleans”!  What a trip!

“I Wanna Dance With Somebody” by Whitney Houston might be the most unlikely song on this album, but of course no pressure.  The Arkells have it covered.  Once again the bass is up front in the mix, really allowing the groove to come through.

Album highlight:  “Dancing In The Dark” by Bruce Springsteen.  The Arkells have gone with a Springsteen sound before (“Nowhere to Go” featuring Jake Clemons) so they clearly know what they’re doing.  This song drives harder than Bruce’s version, while retaining all the hooks.  Some may think Max Kerman is ill-suited to sing a song by a guy with a raspy voice like Bruce Springsteen, but no issue.  Awesome track, and hopefully a future live staple.

Huey Lewis’ “The Power of Love” is a definitive 80s anthem.  Of course, the Arkells are all over it.  Anthony Carone’s keyboards are particularly noticeable, while the rest of the guys just sit back and let it groove.  Mike DeAngelis has a fun guitar solo, and the reliable horns deliver those familiar hooks that you remember so well.  Every base is covered.  A perfect version.

The album closes, as it should, on the last ABBA cover, “Dancing Queen”!  What can one say about “Dancing Queen”?  It is one of the world’s most perfect songs, but also, be wary:  to cover a song this familiar and this classic is to frolic on thin ice.  Yet the Arkells, with the combination of ace rhythm section, the essential keyboards, and horns, manage to pull it off.  Max Kerman’s delivery is pure love and enjoyment of singing a classic song.

Engineered by Harem Scarem’s Harry Hess, this album sounds absolutely fantastic, with highs and lows coming through loud and clear.  Hopes are high that a Volume Two will eventually follow!

4.5/5 stars

ARKELLS

  1. Jackson Square (2008)
  2. Michigan Left (2011)
  3. High Noon (2014)
  4. Morning Report (2017)
  5. Rally Cry (2018)
  6. Campfire Chords (2020)
  7. Blink Once (2021)
  8. Blink Twice (2022)
  9. Laundry Pile (2023)
  10. Disco Loadout Volume One (2024)

…and more to come

REVIEW: Pretty Maids – Red, Hot and Heavy (1984)

Thank you to Thor Blackmore for this CD!

PRETTY MAIDS – Red, Hot and Heavy (1984 Sony)

I ignored Pretty Maids when I first heard of the band.  “Pretty Maids?  What kind of name is that?”  Shallow kid stuff, but impactful, because now in 2024 this is my first real listen to Pretty Maids with intent.  Red, Hot and Heavy was the debut album for the Danish hard rock band, after a self-titled EP in ’83.  The six-piece band had some moderate success with the album, so let’s have a listen.

Opener “Fortuna Imperatrix Mundi” is actually an excerpt from Carl Orf’s “Carmina Burana”, and is credited as such on the back.  It’s just a few seconds.  The real opener is “Back to Black”, a scorching metal number with tempo and riffs sharpened and at the ready.  The raspy vocals of Ronnie Atkins differentiate the song from the works of other metal groups such as Iron Maiden and Judas Priest.  The keyboards give a highbrow neo-classical vibe.  It’s heavier and fuller than Dio, but with all the drama and guitar solo shenanigans.

The title track is slower and nastier.  A rallying cry for metal heads, “Red, Hot and Heavy” doesn’t pretend at being anything more than it is.  A slow metal banger, perfect for fist-pounding and shouting along with at the concert hall.  The shout chorus is custom made for the stage.  The duel guitar solo is pretty cool.  A stock metal chugger, but there is a need for a drum-bashing, stompy riff-rocking concoction such as this.

The highbrow keyboards return on “Waitin’ for the Time”, a very European sounding song which builds from a ballady opening to an upbeat pounder.  Sounds a bit like the Swedish band Europe during their Wings of Tomorrow era, with a hint of Def Leppard in the riff.  It’s an excellent song with light and shade, and a complete musical journey without exceeding five minutes.

“Cold Killer” begins with news broadcast dialogue, and then goes in a fast and ominous music unlike the other songs.  The rather clunky lyrics are about the weaponization of space, a hot topic in 1984 with Reagan’s “Star Wars” program in the nightly news.  But…clunky.  “There should have been a paradise, instead there’s a killer out in space.”  We’ll give them credit for trying at least, which is more than could be said for many bands of the 80s.  Musically it’s a terrifically fun ride through sweet guitar riff and solo action.  The keyboards add a progressive vibe, though some might say pretentious.

The anti-war theme flips over onto side two, with “Battle of Pride”.  Again, it’s not poetry, but the lyrical theme was very popular in metal at the time.  Musically it’s a fast Dio-like rocker with the keyboard accents giving it a different flavour.  Ronnie Atkins’ rasp continues to separate Pretty Maids from other bands, but by the time we hit side two, the ear is craving more variety in the voice.

“Night Danger” is a pure blitzkrieg, now more in the wheelhouse of a band like Accept.  These guys are not slouches when it comes to riffs over 80 mph in speed.  The irony is that, even at that speed, the song doesn’t really go anywhere.  It’s speed for its own sake, and that’s actually fine, because it’s plenty fun and doesn’t need to be anything else.

Acoustics join the electric guitars on “A Place in the Night”, one of the most impressive songs on the album.  Mid-tempo melodic rock, and dialing down on the vocal growls, is exactly what the album needed at this point.  The chorus explodes with passion and power at the right moment.  The keyboards add to the mixture by thickening up the melodic accents.  Brilliant deep cut late in the album.

“Queen of Dreams” has an Yngwie vibe again, though Malmsteen wouldn’t put as much emphasis on the other instruments.  The keyboards add a regal synth-trumpet sound over the guitars, but when the drums kick in, there’s no nonsense.  It’s that kind of metal that is obviously influenced by Deep Purple and Blackmore’s Rainbow, but amped up for the 80s.

The surprise is the closer:  a cover of Thin Lizzy’s single “Little Darling”.  Formerly a horn-laden rock classic, Pretty Maids heavy it up a bit and increase the tempo.  Though “Little Darling” will always be a personal favourite, I don’t think Pretty Maids did it any favours.  Their backing vocals are too shrill for the chorus, and without the horns, it loses that something special.  A swing and a miss for Pretty Maids, which is terribly unfortunate.

Red, Hot and Heavy is a strong debut.  Obviously the band grew and expanded their sound, and still continue today.  This is the foundation.

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: Y&T – Ultimate Collection (2001)

Y&T – Ultimate Collection (Universal)

When Tim Durling, author of Down For the Count: The Y&T Album Review, found out I didn’t own any Y&T, he sought to rectify the situation.  As a passionate and knowledgeable fan, he knew that I wanted to start with a good compilation that covered all the songs I liked, and as many albums as possible.  The Ultimate Collection was the CD he vouched for, and he did not steer me wrong.  This is an amazing compilation.

The disc opens with four songs from Earthshaker, their first album as Y&T after two records as Yesterday & Today.  “Dirty Girl” is an unusual if brilliant opener.  It’s both slow and heavy, with a couple genius guitar solos, one different from the other, and each telling a story.  This track plods in the best possible way, with a cool signature riff and a stomping beat.  The chunky “Hurricane” and an epic “Rescue Me” follow, but “I Believe In You” is a real standout from Earthshaker.  This is a powerful metal ballad, like something the Scopions used to score hits with.  Dave Meniketti has expert control of his voice, with a vibrato to die for.

A clutch of songs from Black Tiger (produced by Max Norman) follows.  The title track from that album fades in from ominous jungle sounds (because tigers usually live in the jungle).  “Cat eyes!  She draws you in!”  Dave is singing about a different kind of jungle here.  The black tiger he’s singing about is of the feminine variety, and Dave wants you to heed his warning.  “She’s playing for keeps, so you better get away!”  Just a smoking metal track with stinging guitars.  “Open Fire” is just as heavy, if a bit faster.  These two songs boast hooks, both on guitar and vocals.  Y&T are experts at this high-velocity rock, but “Forever” could fool you into thinking it’s another ballad…until it storms off, bordering on thrash metal.  “Forever” definitely competes with the kind of heavy rock bands that were starting to make a name for themselves in the early 80s.  Leonard Haze pushes it over the top with his adrenalized drumming.

Chris Tsangarides took over production duties on Mean Streak.  We only get two heavy hitters, including the title track “Mean Streach”.  (That’s a joke – listen to the chorus.)  “Midnight In Tokyo” is the other, and by contrast, this song isn’t as simple or straight ahead.  Complex, jazzy verses collide with melodically heavy choruses.  Phil Kennemore must be credited for some really incredible, gallopy and melodic bass playing.

In Rock We Trust was produced by Tom Allom of Judas Priest fame.  We only get one track from this record, the big hit “Don’t Stop Runnin'”.   This one is especially notable for the backing vocals.  The band probably don’t get enough credit for that, and the thick and sweet chorus is all band.   Though I did see this music video on Toronto Rocks and the Pepsi Power Hour once or twice, it should have been a lot bigger.  This band had a number of circumstances against then, as discussed in Tim Durling’s book, available on Amazon.

The next couple studio albums were produced by Kevin Beamish.  Some may love, and some may hate, the direction this band evolved on Down for the Count and Contagious.  If the songs chosen here are any indication, the band were going for a more radio-oriented mid-80s mainstream sound.  They still managed to pack punch into the songs, but “Summertime Girls” and “Contagious” are notable more streamlined and polished.  The melodies and backing vocals take more prominent positions, and keyboards enter the fray.  I think these tracks are great.  They are among my childhood favourites.  I love the backwards-recorded drum parts on “Summertime Girls”.

A live track from Open Fire provides some much-needed music from the first Yesterday & Today album, which was on London Records and unavailable for this compilation.  Wicked riff from Joey Alves on “25 Hours A Day”!  Note the backing vocals once again.  Whether they were polished in the studio, it doesn’t matter.  The band can sing.  This fun rock groove has a little more power than the studio version.  Nice bass solo from Phil!

The end, temporarily, was 1990’s album Ten produced by Mike Stone.  The ballad “Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” turned me off back in the day.  It was too soft for the direction I was headed.  Judas Priest was dropping “Painkiller” while Y&T released a ballad.  It just wasn’t what I wanted.  I should have given Ten a chance.  I love this song now.  Though the lineup had changed, and Journey’s Steve Smith was playing drums in the studio, it still sounds like Y&T.  Those melodies and backing vocals!  That “touch by touch, little by little!” hook just knocks me out, not to mention Meniketti’s voice and delivery.

Y&T came back in 1995, retaining Stef Burns and Jimmy DeGrasso from the last incarnation.  Musically Incorrect was the name of the album, and “I’m Lost” is an absolute smoker!  You’d think it came from one of the earlier albums…because it does.  It was originally on Struck Down and re-recorded here.  It’s one of the fastest songs on the compilation, and the raw 9o’s production gives it a vintage sound.  It’s challenging stuff.  DeGrasso absolutely smokes on the drums.  No wonder he ended up in Megadeth a bit later on.  The same lineup remained on Endangered Species in 1997.  A heavy ballad called “God Only Knows” represents that album.  It’s passionate metal, with the kind of wrought-iron arrangement you expect from a power ballad.  Absolutely killer lead solo work.

The final track takes us back to the beginning.  A live version of “Beautiful Dreamer” from 1991 is originally from the debut Yesterday & Today.  Again, it’s a little more complex, but still boasting the kind of melodies, riffs and singing that we expect from Y&T.  That is, high quality heavy rock.

This is easily the best first-purchase Y&T you can make.  It’s a great sampling of as much music as you can reasonably expect.  Solid listen front to back, and then back to front.  Liner notes are by the late Gerri Miller of Metal Edge magazine.

5/5 stars

 

 

 

REVIEW: Mötley Crüe – “Beauty” (1997 promo single with “Audio Bio”)

MÖTLEY CRÜE – “Beauty” (1997 Elektra promo single)

Generation Swine was a weird album, and “Beauty” was a weird single. Just the facts.

Swine was a “reunion” album with Vince Neil, yet there are several songs with other members singing lead. Not the usual thing to do for a reunion album with your original lead singer!  “Beauty” was one of the songs with multiple singers:  Tommy Lee is credited for “Beauty and Head vocals”.  Not only that, but Vince doesn’t sound like Vince, singing the verses in a low register.  It was definitely an odd choice as the second single, when fans were expecting a return to the 80s.  Not happening here!  Produced by Scott Humphrey, Generation Swine dipped its toes into techno, with “Beauty” being one track that sounds nothing like Motley Crue.

Promo singles are usually not worth buying.  They are strictly for collectors now who have to have everything.  This one, however, might be of wider interest.

Track 1 is just the album version of “Beauty”.  Vince sings the verses in that low voice, but the samples and drum loops are more disorienting.  They were going for a more urban groove here, with mixed results.  The lyrics, referencing prostitution, are apparently about Hugh Grant.  “She got me thrown in jail, my black beauty, she’s still up for sale.”  Motley Crue had the balls to put Hugh Grant’s mugshot on the CD, which makes it immediately interesting enough to be collectible.

Track 2 is perhaps more interesting.  This “Audio Bio” features some pretty crazy quotes.  From Rolling Stone:  “The perfect union of ZZ Top celebration, and Nine Inch Nails self-immolation!”  From Billboard:  “There’s no denying the chemistry between Vince Neil and bandmates Tommy Lee, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars.”  What??  What chemistry?  Did you even listen to the album?  MTV calls the album impressive, and Guitar World simply said “fuck yeah!”  It’s really hilarious with hindsight.  It also exposes these magazines for the hacks they often are.  Not really listening, just writing what they’re told.

Give it a listen for yourself.

No point rating a promo out of five.  Score one in the wild if you can, for the Hugh Grant mugshot and the unintentionally hilarious bio.

 

REVIEW: Tuff – What Comes Around Goes Around (1991)

TUFF – What Comes Around Goes Around (1991 Atlantic)

This is going to be a little different for my style of review.  I’m not going in deep, researching the players, the singles, the writers and the releases.  This time I’m just listening to the songs and spitting out my words.  You’ll see why.

I do like that Tuff has one member who looks like a Ramone (or Nikki Sixx), one guy who looks like he’s in Britny Fox, and a miniature Bret Michaels in the band.

Will someone please tell us what a “Ruck A Pit Bridge”?  The song is pretty good.  It’s generic and could be Warrant, but they wrote a decent song with decent playing here.  The singer lacks any kind of identity.  You could plug any singer into this…until the funk section, which horribly dates the song to 1991.  Literally every band was trying this rap/rock/funk hybrid.

I groaned at the title “The All New Generation”.  Really?  And cowbell too.  It’s their version of “Rocket” by Def Leppard lyrically, name-dropping names and even little bits of songs (“Girls Girls Girls”).  They even quote the “Oh my God!” line from Van Halen’s “Hot For Teacher”.  This is really bad.  Musically it’s fine, but the shout-rock chorus is probably overdone.  Best thing about this band seems to be the guitar player.  I guess someone needed a song about 80s hair metal bands, Van Halen and Aerosmith, but I didn’t.  It didn’t help the rock situation at the time, just made it sound more like a joke, especially since they’re also toasting Bon Jovi, Skid Row and GN’R in an era when  they were not yet legends.

Time for a ballad!  Break out the acoustic guitars!  “I Hate Kissing You Good-Bye” is the Mr. Skid Big Extreme ballad of the album.  If you combined those bands, put them in a blender, you’d get “Kissing You Good-Bye”.  It actually sounds a little bit like Sven Gali from the Great White North, but with more maple syrup on top.  The singer has a decent rasp but that’s about all he has going for him.  And when he name-drops “American Pie”, I barfed a little.

“Lonely Lucy” has one of those riffs we’ve heard a million times.  It sounds like cookie-cutter music.  Nothing here of any quality.  Echoey, vacuous cock-twirling.

Side one closer “Ain’t Worth A Dime” reminds me that this album is way overpriced online.  Seriously though, I enjoyed the drums.  The drum part is cool.  The song itself is no good and a big part of that is that the singer is so bland.  At least the guitarist shreds.

On side two, we finally get a good song!  “So Many Seasons” is similar to “Edge of Broken Heart” by Bon Jovi, a mid-tempo rock ballad.  It loses what makes it special as soon as the singer opens his mouth, but at least Tuff wrote a good song here.  It’s a little too similar to Bon Jovi, but we’ll let it slide because hey, we should be a little kind here.  Good song.  Good choruses.  A keeper!  Would love to hear another band cover it!

“Forever Yours” had a good riff to it.  Sounds a bit Skid Row, a little familiar, but then the kiddie-chorus comes in, and it’s so corny.  Tuff fans will accuse me of listening with my Rush T-shirt, but there’s something just too sickly sweet about this chorus, especially the overdubbed keys and backing vocals.

Time for another acoustic ballad, and “Wake Me Up” sounds like faux-country, with contrived piano overdubs for extra that panache.  They mentioned Aerosmith earlier.  Well, this is their attempt to write an Aero-ballad, but without the skillz of Tyler, Perry, or their assorted song doctors.  There’s also hints of Skid Row, Ozzy, and others who hit the charts with ballads.  OK song, but absolutely nothing unique or special about it.  Sweet sweet love, loneliness, promises, and being unable to change yesterday.  Heard it all before.

“Spit Like This” is OK.  Lots of guitar pyrotechnics, but not enough song.  It tries to incorporate light/hard dynamics, but it’s uncompelling.

“Good Guys Wear Black” is an ample closer, with the singer acting all tough.  A few years later, Bon Jovi would write a song called “Good Guys Don’t Always Wear White”, but it would be a stretch to say Jon ripped off Tuff.  This is a completely different song.  Very Skid Row, with Motley Crue “shout” vocals.

OK album.  Just OK.  Too many “HUAH’s!” in the vocals.

2/5 stars

Fun fact:  Bassist Todd Chase is the brother of Badlands’ Greg Chaisson.  He left after this debut.

 

 

 

A1 Ruck A Pit Bridge 3:44
A2 The All New Generation 3:38
A3 I Hate Kissing You Good-Bye 4:19
A4 Lonely Lucy 3:04
A5 Ain’t Worth A Dime 3:07
B1 So Many Seasons 4:12
B2 Forever Yours 3:04
B3 Wake Me Up 4:17
B4 Spit Like This 3:37
B5 Good Guys Wear Black 4:17

REVIEW: Kick Axe – “Piece of the Rock” / 2005 remaster of Rock the World (1986)

Part Six-point-five of a series on KICK AXE!
Thank you to JEX RUSSELL for donating this to the collection.

KICK AXE – “Piece of the Rock” (from Rock the World – 2005 remaster) (2005 Amber Interactive)

The Kick Axe discography, though small, is difficult to complete!  There are the first two albums released on Pasha in the US, and the third album on Roadrunner in the US.  Rock Candy reissued the first two albums with bonus tracks, and the third without, so they’re fairly easy to get.  Then we also have a fourth independent album, an early independent single, a live track released by Playboy, and two songs on the original 1986 Transformers soundtrack (under a different name).  That’s about it, right?

Nope!

One important song almost slipped through the cracks.  When Kick Axe were working on Vices with Spencer Proffer, the producer was considering using the band to help write the next Black Sabbath album.  Additionally, Ian Gillan was out of the band, and they needed a singer.  Kick Axe’s George Criston was one of the singers considered, though Kick Axe didn’t want to lose their main man.  “Piece of the Rock” was one of the songs written for the Sabbath project.  Though Sabbath didn’t use it, like “Hunger”, it was recorded and released by King Kobra on their debut Ready to Strike.  As a result, the Kick Axe version went unheard for almost two decades.

That version, harder than King Kobra’s, is actually available on an obscure Kick Axe remaster that pre-dates the Rock Candy versions.  Strangely enough, it ended up on a reissue of Rock the World, an album it had nothing to do with.

The plot thickens.  Rock the World was remastered by Kick Axe’s Ray Harvey…who was not in the band when it was recorded, and is not on the album aside from the bonus track!

Kick Axe Career Retrospective

Things get crazier still – and this is something that isn’t documented anywhere, even on Discogs.  Upon listening, some songs are actually longer!  “Rock the World”, for example, opens with two seconds of pick-handling that is not on the original album.  The Fleetwood Mac cover “The Chain” has a much longer intro (almost double its original length), with a short section restored.    “Red Line” is also significantly longer.  Considering the Rock Candy release has no bonus tracks, this version might reign superior.  Ray Harvey clearly decided to re-edit some of these tunes as well as remaster.  There does not seem to be a remix.  The remastering isn’t as loud as the Rock Candy version, though it still sounds fabulous.

Where Rock Candy exceeds is in liner notes and packaging.  The Amber Interactive version doesn’t have the original artwork, and actually looks really cringe!  The back cover is a computer generated sword handle with a metal “X”.  Need I remind you, an axe is not a sword!  The front cover artwork is atrocious, even compared to the low budget looking original.  It does have the lyrics to “We Still Remember”, which is interesting in itself.  See how many references to other bands you can find.  “In the days of the haze, the colour was deep purple.”  “We ride the killing machine.”  “And the wind it cries Mary.”  “We won’t get fooled by helter skelter.”  References within references.

“Piece of the Rock” should have been released by Kick Axe back in the day, but here it stands on an album!  It sounds completely finished for release, with the lush backing vocals fully overdubbed and ready for radio.  The other nice thing is that it gives you an old school Kick Axe song on an album that was largely more complex and less instantly accessible.  That’s not to say that Rock the World is weak album.  Our review will attest to that (links at bottom).

This version of Rock the World deserves an extra half-point for the bonus track and lengthier versions of existing songs.  Extra unadvertised value is always good.  Shame they couldn’t use the original art (licensing issues), but small gripe.

4.5/5

Part One:  “Reality is the Nightmare”
Part Two:  “Weekend Ride”
Record Store Tales #773:  Rock Candy + Internet = Kick Axe!
Part Three:  Vices
Part Four:  The Transformers soundtrack (as Spectre General)
Part Five:  Welcome to the Club
Part Six:  Rock the World
Part Six-point-five:  “Piece of the Rock”
Part Seven:  IV
Part Eight: Career Retrospective on Grant’s Rock Warehaus
Part Nine: new album!

 

REVIEW: Deep Purple – “Portable Door” (2024 single from new album =1)

DEEP PURPLE – “Portable Door” (2024 EARmusic)

Deep Purple’s first new album with Simon McBride on guitar will be out July 19.  Called =1 (“equals one”), it is largely a mystery what the album will sound like.  Many predicted a return to “hard rock” after the last three more progressive albums.  The first single “Portable Door” is not all that different from the Steve Morse era.  Don Airey’s organ really dominates the solo section, as it should be.  Simon’s guitar work is sublime but not showcased as some had hoped.  He has this one cool lick in the riff that is really electrifying, but we want more Simon!

Ian Gillan? Reliable as ever, his voice has worn in like suede. He can still sing the hooks.  Haters call him “over and done” – fans don’t care. Ian Paice is the backbone, always smooth, always identifiable, infallible. With Ian Paice on drums, Deep Purple will always sound like Deep Purple. His work here is busier than the we’ve become used to…which is just fine!

How does “Portable Door” stack up against recent Purple singles?  It doesn’t have that instant “wham!” of “Vincent Price”, and it doesn’t have the hooks of “Johnny’s Band”.  It’s a strong, workmanlike latter day Deep Purple single that will grow with increasing listens.

Let’s just hope for more Simon next time.

4/5 stars

VIDEO: Work in Progress demo: Audi RS Q e-tron Lego Technic 42160

Back into Lego for a little over a year now, I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to do something with gears, the more complex the better. Ideally I wanted something motorized. The Lego Audi was an affordable option.

Powered by three motors and six AA batteries, the motorized parts these days are quite different from my time.  I recall having a giant Lego brick that you could turn into a tank, which was handy since that’s how it was shaped.

Building a set like this is a process of discovery.  You’re not sure what exactly you’re doing at first, until things comes together.  The front end, with two motors, came first.  One motor is dedicated to the rack and pinion steering.  There are a pair of nice heavy shocks for the front suspension.  The rear end has another pair of shocks, and a bluetooth power box that syncs up to a phone app.

The controls are simple and even have brakes.  These might come in handy if racing indoors!

Just wish the car was a little faster.

5/5 stars

 

REVIEW: Gene Simmons – The Vault (2018) Final Score, Best Tracks, Worst Tracks & Summary

Previous Reading: 

Record Store Tales #600:  The Vault
Disk 1 Review
Disk 2 Review
Disk 3 Review
Disk 4 Review
Disk 5 Review
Disk 6 Review
Disk 7 Review
Disk 8 Review
Disk 9 Review
Disk 10 Review
Bonus Disk Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

What are the best tracks of the 165 included?  What about the “action figure” and coin?  What’s the final score?

GENE SIMMONS – The Vault (2018) Final Score

Part One:  The Best Songs

Every song that was scored 4/5 or higher is listed below, in disc order.

Disk 1

    • “Are You Ready”   5/5
    • “I Confess”  4/5
    • “Legends Never Die”  4/5
    • “In My Head”  4/5
    • “I Wait” 4/5

Disk 2

    • “Hate”  4/5
    • “Within”   4/5
    • “In Your Face with Ace”   5/5
    • “I Wanna Live”  4/5
    • “If It’s Too Hot, You’re Too Cold”  4/5
    • “Rain Keeps Fallin’”   4/5
    • “Bells of Freedom”   4/5

Disk 3

    • “Christine Sixteen”  5/5
    • “Tunnel of Love”   5/5
    • “Got Love For Sale”  4.5/5
    • “Hell Or High Water”  4/5
    • “Domino”  4/5
    • “Only You”  5/5
    • “True Confessions #2”  4/5

Disk 4

    • “Plaster Caster”  4/5
    • “X-Ray Eyes”  4/5
    • “Charisma”  5/5
    • “Radioactive”  4.5/5
    • “Calling Dr. Love”   4/5
    • “It’s My Life”  5/5

Disk 5

    • “See You Tonite”   4/5
    •  “Once More Chance”   4/5

Disk 6

    • “Whatever Turns You On”  4/5
    • “Hold On”   4/5

Disk 7

    • “Suspicious”  4/5
    • “Everybody Wants”  4/5
    • “Promise The Moon”   5/5
    • “Pride”  5/5
    • “Mirage”  4/5

Disk 8

    • “We Rocked It All Night”  4/5
    • “She’s Rotten to the Core”  4/5
    • “S&M Love”  4/5
    • “Bad Bad Lovin’”   4.5/5
    • “Chrome Heart”  4/5

Disk 9

    • “It’s Gonna Be Alright #2”  4/5
    • “Everybody Knows #1”  4/5
    • “You’re All That I Want”   4/5
    • “Damn, I’m Good”   4.5/5

Disk 10

(none)

Disk 11

    • “Obnoxious”  4/5
    • “Just Begun to Fight”  4.5/5
    • “Dorothy Lamour”  4/5
    • “My Uncle Is A Raft”  4/5

Part Two:  The Worst Songs

Because there are so many songs in the two star range, every song score under 2/5 is list here in track order.

Disk 1

    • “Something Wicked This Way Comes”  1/5

Disk 2

(none)

Disk 3

(none)

Disk 4

(none)

Disk 5

    • “Dreamer”   1/5

Disk 6

    • “Beautiful”   1/5
    •  “I Dream 1000 Dreams”  1/5
    • “First Love”   1/5

Disk 7

    • “Dog”  1.5/5
    • “Never Gonna Leave You #1”  1/5
    • “I Ain’t Comin’ Back”   1.5/5

Disk 8

(none)

Disk 9

(none)

Disk 10

    • “Granny Takes A Trip”  1/5

Bonus Disk

    • “Feel Like Heaven   1.5/5
    • “It’s Funny, But It Ain’t No Joke”   1/5
    • “Love By Invitation”    1.5/5
    • “Queen of Hearts”   0.5/5
    • “Leeta”   1.5/5
    • “Put on Your Slippers”  1.5/5
    • “Nancy”   1/5

Part Three:  Action Figure, Coin, and Book

The much-ballyhooed Gene Simmons “action figure” is…a statue.  It’s a very nice statue, but there are no moving parts.  You can’t pose Gene with your other Kiss action figures.  Even the MacFarlanes were slightly poseable.  It’s quite large and heavy.  Very solid.  Though mine is sealed and hard to examine up close, You can see the sculpt is excellent.  It’s a very high-end likeness.  The paint details on the face appear to be quite nice, and you can even see a silver zipper going up Gene’s black leather jacket.

The coin is just a hunk of metal.  Drill a hole in it and hang it around your neck for fun.

The book is loaded with info, but not as much as you’d like.  Gene sometimes repeats stories, especially when it comes to Ace Frehley and Peter Criss misbehavin’.  Though Gene usually tries to highlight who is playing on which songs, it’s not always clear.  In some cases this information is lost, but it would nice to see credit breakdowns in the notes.  It’s loaded with sketches, lyrics, unreleased photos, and other assorted curiosities.

Though heavy, and housing all 11 discs within, the book does feel flimsy along the spine.  It is also a dust magnet.  It is a shame it didn’t come with some kind of slipcase.  Fans are going to have to improvise their own storage methods.  I’ll probably put mine inside a tote bag.  It is also a shame that the CDs themselves slip in and out of cardboard sleeves, but that was expected.

Part Four:  Average Score

This isn’t to say there isn’t a lot of filler on the Vault.  It only looks like there isn’t because I chose to list songs under two stars only.  There are simply too many 2 star songs.  It would get tedious.  However, there is a surprising amount of good stuff on this set too, and otherwise perfectly listenable tracks.  “Mongoloid Man” may be offensive, but it does rock.

One cannot overstate the importance of finally have the three historic Van Halen recordings.  This is something that never seemed particularly likely until the Vault.  Other demos of value include “Only You” and the Bob Dylan sessions.  There is clearly enough good material here to justify buying.  The amount of repeat songs under different titles is irritating, but that’s how Gene writes.  He re-uses ideas until they either make an album, or don’t!  For better or for worse, you’re getting a lot of those unreleased tapes right here.  Most of them involve material for his two solo albums.

Let’s face it:  Kiss die-hards want these collectible demos, for a number of reason.  One is that we’ve been reading about some of these song titles for decades.  Second is that many of them feature Kiss members in addition to Gene, such as Eric Singer, Eric Carr, Tommy Thayer, Bruce Kulick, Ace Frehley and Paul Stanley.  They also include almost-members such as Bob Kulick and Anton Fig.  For all intents and purposes, many of these tracks can be considered Kiss demos, released under the Gene Simmons name.

The disc with the best score was Disk 3 at 3.83/5, with its Van Halen demos elevating it.  The lowest scoring disc was Bonus Disk at 2.16/5.

The average score for all 11 discs:

3.04/5 stars

However, here’s something important to note.  The final score doesn’t matter.  Not at all.  Gene Simmons throws everything at the wall.  He writes, and he re-writes, and he keeps going until he has 165 songs jammed onto a box set.  The value here isn’t simple.  It’s not something you can break down into numbers.  The joy of hearing Eddie Van Halen doing whammy dives on “Tunnel of Love” cannot be quantified.  The value of certain demos like “Only You” overshines mere numbers.  This box set’s value will continue to pay musical dividends as we listen and listen again for years to come.

Thanks for joining us for this journey through the Vault!

 

 

REVIEW: Gene Simmons – The Vault – Bonus Disk (Disk 11) (2018)

Previous Reading: 

Record Store Tales #600:  The Vault
Disk 1 Review
Disk 2 Review
Disk 3 Review
Disk 4 Review
Disk 5 Review
Disk 6 Review
Disk 7 Review
Disk 8 Review
Disk 9 Review
Disk 10 Review

 

 

 

 

 

 

For those keeping score at home, this bonus CD contains tracks 151-165 in the Vault box set, 15 more than originally promised!

GENE SIMMONS – The Vault – Bonus Disk (Disk 11) (2018 Rhino)

As Gene notes in the book, there are many different versions of “Feel Like Heaven”…the most notorious of which is not on this box set.  The “Vulgar Version” as we’ll call it is still just a bootleg.  If you don’t know what it is, don’t ask.  This demo of “Feel Like Heaven” is the most primitive, with Gene singing and playing bass over the sound of a vintage drum machine.  This song is getting a bit repetitive, but this version definitely belongs only on a bonus disc.  1.5/5

“Obnoxious” is a surprise.  It has a punky quality, but it also shares a chorus with “Reputation” which is an unreleased Kiss song from the 70s.  “Obnoxious” is pretty good, daresay I prefer it to “Reputation”.  The low-fi arrangement of bass and harmony vocals, with minimal guitar and no drums is really cool.   Clearly it wasn’t intended to be released as-is, but I wouldn’t really change much.  It sounds like Kiss.  Sometimes things are best left primitive.  Who knows?  4/5

Remember when the Kiss 40 compilations came out?  They featured a brand new Kiss song called “Samurai Son”, featuring a Japanese girl group called Momoiro Clover Z.  Although Kiss praised them at the time of the compilation album, in the liner notes here, Gene called them “basically dancers”.  Ouch!  Gene’s song submitted for the Kiss 40 compilation was “Mina-San, Mina-San”.  Though ultimately, “Samurai Son” works better, “Mina-San, Mina-San” has a vintage Kiss vibe that the other song lacks.  Really, the only thing wrong with this version is that Gene had to do all the vocals himself including the female backing vocals.  So, it’s not perfect, it’s a little cringe when the backing vocals come in.  Again, this is a demo – for demonstration!  The song was not chosen and therefore never properly finished.  3/5

“Just Begun to Fight” is a title long mentioned in collector’s circles.  Unbelievably, it’s really good.  Gene notes it uses the same chords as “Dr. Love”, which is something that comes up frequently in this box set.  The chorus shares commonality with “Burning Up With Fever”.  Strangely, this might be the best use of them!  “Just Begun to Fight” is vintage Kiss.  Slow, powerful groove and a killer upbeat chorus.  You can hear where Ace Frehley would lay down his solo.  Gene recorded this song in 1978 with forgotten studio musicians.  I would have liked to hear this song finished.  Solid!  4.5/5

“It’s Funny, But It Ain’t No Joke” sounds like a low quality early 80s Kiss song.  It’s fast and is fully written with lyrics and backing vocals, but it ain’t no good.  Pun intended.  There’s a pretty dreadful bridge to enjoy, and a caveman guitar solo to burn your ears out.  1/5

The song “Love By Invitation” was entirely written around one jazz chord that Gene liked.  That chord repeats a lot.  Gene doesn’t think this song was ever presented to Kiss.  It doesn’t matter.  Same results.  Sounds like Unmasked era.  Cool sax solo at least.  1.5/5

“Dorothy Lamour” also goes back to the Unmasked era, with Anton Fig on drums and Holly Knight on keyboards.  This has an oldies rock and roll feel, but heavier.  It has that 1950s sound with the bopping piano.  Anton provides a solid backbeat.  You can instantly hear a huge rise in quality over the previous drum parts on this disc.  This doesn’t sound at all like a demo.  This sounds like a finished album track with a great chorus accentuated by backing vocals.  A song like this could have worked with Kiss, had they wanted to go back to that sound.  Reminds me a bit of a toned-down “Bloody Luxury” by Whitesnake.  4/5

“Queen of Hearts” is not the Hot in the Shade song.  This is a keyboard demo written with Pepy Castro around the time of Unmasked.  It is truly dreadful, sounding like a lullaby for your nightmares.  If it were a song by Jan Terri, it would be her best track, but it could be Gene’s worst.  0.5/5

Written in 1966, but recorded in 1980, “My Lorraine” is…something.  Gene strums some pretty chords on acoustic and then breaks into a bad falsetto.  For the second verse, he goes back to his normal voice.  It’s a fine little folky song, but easily and justifiably forgotten.  2/5

“Leeta” is marginally better.  This bad Beatles-y ballad was previously released on the Kiss Box Set.  This old recording by Gene’s band Bullfrog Bheer reveals that Simmons had diverse tastes, but really hadn’t decided what he wanted to do.  He was, and still is, willing to throw anything at the wall and see what sticks.  However, if “Leeta” was a Beatles song, they would have given it to Ringo.  1.5/5

“Put on Your Slippers” originates in 1969, and Gene talks of the “folly of youth” in the liner notes.  He wanted to be like Paul McCartney, and write and play all the instruments himself.  He describes “Put on Your Slippers” as inspired by the Beatles’ “She Came In Through the Bathroom Window”.  See above note about Ringo.  1.5/5

 

Back to 1978, drum machines and keyboards!  “Gypsy Nights” is so corny it’s hilarious!  It sounds like an AM radio song from the era.  It is fine, up until the bridge, which is just from another song altogether.  The smooth guitar solo is nice, but…wow.  Just wow.  2/5

Back in 1987 on the Kiss eXposed video, Paul Stanley teased Gene about writing songs such as “I Love Eskimos”.  Gene responded by saying, “That’s not too far off.”  And here we have “Eskimo Sun”…also known as “Only You!”  The melody is familiar, but the song is otherwise very different, and not very good.  It’s interesting to finally hear the “Eskimo” song that Paul was joking about, and it’s fascinating that it’s actually “Only You”, but wow, this is really not enjoyable listening.  2/5

Mercifully coming closer to the end, “Nancy” is another Bullfrog Bheer song.  You can imagine Gene writing this stuff, taking it so seriously, thinking he is the McCartney of the next generation.  Meanwhile, the song he wrote is utter crap.  1/5

And finally, written for Gene’s late uncle George comes one of the most surprising songs of all.  “My Uncle Is A Raft” goes back to the 10th grade, performed with friends.  It’s a delightful little folky jig that sounds like something from the 1930s.  It’s hard to say it’s a great song, because part of its appeal is its low-fi authenticity which lends of a comedic vintage quality.  It ain’t bad though.  The “yee-haw!” in the middle of the song says it all.  This is an upbeat little number that sounds like it’s from another era entirely.  Fascinating and delightful.  4/5

What a weird disc this was!

Average score by song:   2.16/5 stars, the lowest of the set.

Next time, we will sum up the box set and look at the extras.  The Vault isn’t finished yet.

Bonus Disk 11 Track length and songwriters (from Wikipedia)

1. Feel Like Heaven (3:07) Simmons
2. Obnoxious (2:37) Simmons
3. Mina’San, Mina’San (2:13) Simmons
4. Just Begun to Fight (3:27) Simmons
5. It’s Funny, But It Ain’t No Joke (2:32) Simmons
6. Love by Invitation (3:21) Simmons
7. Dorothy Lamour (2:31) Simmons
8. Queen of Hearts (3:14) Simmons / Castro
9. My Lorraine (1:58) Simmons
10. Leeta (2:25) Simmons
11. Put on Your Slippers (2:24) Simmons
12. Gypsy Nights (2:55) Simmons
13. Eskimo Sun (3:08) Simmons
14. Nancy (1:27) Simmons
15. My Uncle Is a Raft (1:16) Simmons