Any time there is an official Deep Purple archival release coming out, diehards have to pay attention. The current library of vintage live CDs is the Official Deep Purple (Overseas) Live Series. A mouthful. Live in Paris was the first in the series, followed by Copenhagen 1972 (which I missed but have to catch up on). Graz 1975 is the third, and it has a long history of incomplete releases going all the way back to 1976! Some songs were used on the single LP Made in Europe in that year. In 1996, five songs were remixed and included on Mk III: The Final Concerts. Now the entire April 3 show in Graz, Austria has been remixed again and released in its completion.
As a guy who owns virtually every single official Deep Purple release and catching up on the rest, I’m amazed at how crisp and fucking essential this new mix of “Burn” is. The liner notes call it “surely the best version of this song, ever.” Paice and Blackmore both play with an excitement and energy that is even above their standards. Lord too, but my God are Ian and Ritchie fueled up, laying down fill after fill that were of that moment. Ritchie was on the verge of leaving — he was gone after only two more shows. Even if you’ve heard this exact same recording of “Burn” from Mk III: The Final Concerts before, you haven’t heard it like this. This new mix kills the prior ones, rendering them almost obsolete. Ditto with “Stormbringer”, which captures all the energy that that was missing from Made in Europe.
I’m always pleased to hear “The Gypsy” from Stormbringer, an underrated track from an underrated album. Glenn Hughes’ young pipes are achingly powerful, drowning out David Coverdale. An unreleased “Lady Double Dealer” is the last short song before the show progresses on to long 10 minute or more jams. Ritchie’s manic pick scrapes are deliciously perfect. This usually isn’t one of my go-to Deep Purple songs, but this absolutely smokes any version I’ve heard before.
The first long bomber is Ritchie’s blues centerpiece, “Mistreated”. I confess I usually snooze through this one. This version will be familiar as one of the “bonus tracks” on Mk III: The Final Concerts. Ritchie is the main focus of “Mistreated”, and he stretches out far and wide, using bits from “Lazy”, “Sail Away” and classical melodies. Coverdale is much stronger vocally than he tends to be on this song. A ramshackle “Smoke on the Water” is also dull by comparison with the first part of the set. Its highlight is a long, building and breaking Jon Lord organ solo, which leads into “With a Little Help from my Friends”. “You Fool No One” is over 10 minutes, and it gives Ian Paice a chance to strut his stuff. Paice is one of those drummers that it pays off to focus on and really listen to, because he is always doing something interesting. All of this is outshined by a 20 minute “Space Truckin'”. Richard Strauss’ “Thus Spake Zarathustra” is a suitably bombastic segue, for a band of Deep Purple’s stature. They also detour into “Child in Time”. If you’re not wiped out by now, you will be by the end.
Gotta say that those responsible do a great job with these Deep Purple products. Absolutely no qualms about this release at all. Not essential to anyone but fans of Deep Purple Mk III.
MOTLEY CRUE – Saints of Los Angeles (2008 Motley Records, Japan)
Man, if there was one band due for a comeback, it was the Crue. I mean, seriously! They went from the top of their game in 1991, coming off of Feelgood and Decade, only to have their lead singer abruptly leave. Then of course the awesome new album with the new singer flopped, because he wasn’t the old singer. Vince came back, Tommy left, and the band released the mediocre New Tattoo. After a hiatus, Tommy Lee returned again for a big successful reunion tour, and the Crue finally managed to put out an album. Saints of Los Angeles was better than expected, and did hearken back to the good old days.
You hear that a lot; “hearkens back to the old days”. Aside from the overly glossy production, this album sounds like the natural followup to Dr. Feelgood and “Primal Scream”. Of course, it was contrived that way. Nikki talks about this being a concept album following the the storyline of their book The Dirt, but really that is just an excuse to revisit the old (successful) Motley sound. Sure, why not? I’ll buy that.
Despite all odds, this album does succeed. From the opener “LA.M.F.” (which is an obvious homage to “In The Beginning” from the Shout album and “T.N.T.” from Feelgood) to the final track “Going Out Swinging”, there’s hardly any filler here. Just about every song kicks. No ballads, unless you want to count “The Animal In Me” (which I don’t). Hey, and think of it: Sharp fans will recall that Feelgood itself was originally conceived as a concept album with no ballads. Interesting.*
Guitar riffs are kicking, Vince is singing as good as you could hope, and all the songs shine. There’s even the odd female backing vocal, recalling the Nasty Habits. Only the production drags this down to a lower level, I simply find it too processed and glossy. Bob Rock would have added more thud, but that’s just my opinion. Song wise, winners include the title track and first single. Other highlights are the glam “Down At The Whiskey”, “Face Down In The Dirt” (see, The Dirt is in the title!), the swaggering “What’s It Gonna Take”, and the chugging “Just Another Psycho”. Those would be my favourites on an album of consistent song quality. All but “Welcome To The Machine”, which sounds like a transparent ripoff of Ace Frehley’s “Shot Full Of Rock”. I can’t believe I seem to be the only one pointing this out.
I was disappointed by one thing: look at those writing credits. Mick Mars has just one co-write, ditto Tommy Lee. Vince Neil: No writing credits at all. Instead, the album was mostly written by Nikki and his Sixx AM cohorts James Michael and DJ Ashba along with hired songsmith Marti Frederiksen. So, is this a Crue album or another Nikki Sixx solo album featuring Motley Crue? You decide. It sounds like Motley, but c’mon. Both Mick and Tommy were cornerstones of this band’s songwriting. It feels like Nikki just got his buds to write like Mick and Tommy.
There’s one item I’d still like to get, related to this album. I want to track down the CD single for “Saints of Los Angeles”, which lacks the CrueFest nobodies’ “gang vocal”. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t think that a bunch of nobodies from Trapt or Papa Roach need to be on a Crue album. So I’d like to hear that one.
Other than these minor complaints, Saints wins. When you’re listening you’ll forget who wrote the songs, and you’ll just dig the fact that Tommy is back on drums and Mick is playing better than ever. God bless Mick Mars — that man is a rock and roll machine. He is the MVP on Saints of Los Angeles.
OH! And the Japanese bonus tracks, let’s not forget those. The liner notes tell us nothing about where or when they were recorded, but they are obviously more recent. “Kickstart My Heart” is the first, and Vince Neil sings with that annoying habit of singing every other word. He lets the audience take lines when he can’t. “Saints” slams, though.
4/5 stars. Crue fans will love it.
*It’s true. According to a 1989 Hit Parader interview, not only were the band considering a concept album, but Nikki Sixx stated that he wanted Feelgood to be all hard rock, no ballads. The ballads they had collected such as “Rodeo” and the newer “Without You” were to be included on a second new album to be released in 1990 called Motley Crue: The Ballads. Bob Rock reportedly talked them out of the “no ballads” concept. Then the concept was recycled for what would become Motley Crue (1994). Before Vince bailed/was fired, Nikki said there were to be no ballads on the next Crue album.
MICHAEL HUNTER – River (1995 Racket Records, 2013 reissue)
99% of people who stumble upon this review won’t know who Michael Hunter is, and that’s fine. He’s one of Marillion’s crew. He’s Mark Kelly’s keyboard tech, and he’s a producer in the studio as well. This album came to be when Marillion were looking for some ambient music to open their Brave tour. The wanted to set the mood right for that dark concept album, played in its entirety. If you own one of the live albums from that tour, (though not Made Again disc 2), then chances are you’ve heard a little bit of River.
According to the liner notes by Marillion’s Steve Hogarth, the album was composed and performed, not merely programmed! The bits of music used are lifted from Marillion’s Brave, and other records, and re-composed into a 42 minute album. There are no songs, but the music is divided into seven numbered tracks (I – VII). There’s no point discussing them individually. Sometimes you can’t even tell when one section has ended, and another has begun. Sure, there are changes in mood and texture, but River remains a largely monolithic block of music. It’s watery sounding, and very atmospheric.
I had River going when I was playing a computer game (called Lux, which is the same as Risk, but with infinite maps to conquer). River felt appropriate to the video game setting, in fact it reminded me of some of the music in the old Rama video game from the 90’s. Unfortunately the CD is mixed quietly by today’s standards so I had to crank it a bit to get the listening balance right.
Bits and pieces are familiar. If you know Brave, then you have heard some of these keyboard and guitar sounds before. It doesn’t feel like “Brave remixed” any way, however. Somehow Michael Hunter used those sounds to actually compose an original piece of music that stands as its own work.
Fans started requesting that the Brave live intro music be made available on a CD, so Marillion released the Michael Hunter album on their own label Racket Records and made it available to order in 1995. That sold out, and they re-released it as a Front Row Club optional release (FRC-006). That meant that members of Marillion’s Front Row Club subscription service could get the album, but it wouldn’t be sent to them automatically. They had to “opt in” to get it, since it wasn’t a “new release” but a reissue. Some members already had it. I did not, but for whatever reason I didn’t opt in to get it. I considered it outside of the Marillion discography, and in many respects it is. In 2013 it was reissued once more (each time with slightly altered cover art), and I finally decided to snag it as part of my annual Marillion website order.
I’m glad I did. While I wouldn’t listen to this frequently, since I don’t often crave long ambient pieces, it definitely will come in handy.
RIVAL SONS – Great Western Valkyrie (2014 Earache)
From Long Beach, California, here are the Rival Sons! They have come to save hard rock. Gene Simmons is a fan, so let’s check ’em out. Great Western Valkyrie is their fourth album, but until last year I’d never heard of them.
Rival Sons are groove. They are old fashioned. I hear early influences from as far and wide as Sammy Hagar and soul rock. “Electric Man” exemplifies this. If the guitar player were the flashy type, you could mistake this for a new Chickenfoot composition. Radio loves this kind of song right now. It has vibes of the Trews and Royal Blood; the groove of bands like Death From Above 1969 but with a bluesy singing voice. They apply a distortion and reverb to the lead vocal, which does sound cool but strikes me as a bit gimmicky.
I found the second track, “Good Luck” to be a bit dull. Rival Sons seem to have psychedelic rock influences too, which isn’t really my bag, baby. “Secret” features singing Jay Buchanan doing his best Robert Plant blues voice, and it’s another ferociously grooving track. The riff is similar to “High Time” by Leadfoot, and the groove recalls “How Many More Times” from Led Zeppelin I. “Let me tell you a secret, and I know you’re gonna keep it!” screams Buchanan over a killer bass groove. Then “Play the Fool” utilizes a simple, stop-and-start rock riff, and a wicked time change. “Good Things” has a dusky nightclub feel. This is the song on which I’ll step out and take a pee. It’s still playing when I get back, because it’s almost six minutes long.
Track 6 is “When the Levee Breaks”…Err, I mean the single “Open My Eyes”. Sounds suspiciously like Zeppelin there. You may have heard this one on the radio (I have). It’s a great track, but undeniably based entirely upon Led Zeppelin. The echo on the drums is lifted directly from Bonham and there are even acoustic breaks. Back in the 1980’s there was a band called Kingdom Come that got raked over the coals for copping some Zep influences and milking it, but that’s nothing compared to “Open My Eyes”. It’s a Zeppelin rip pure and simple! That’s fine…enough time has passed that nobody cares anymore (plus Zeppelin ripped off everybody else).
“Rich and Poor” slows the pace, bringing us back to the psychedelic 60’s. If the Doors had a different singer, maybe this is how they would sound. I don’t particularly like the Doors, so onto the next one, “Belle Starr”. This song goes from fast to slow sections…just when I thought they were givin’ ‘er again, they slowed it down. I’m just itching for some rock again. Oh, there it goes! This track is almost grungy, especially with that rolling bass underneath recalling Soundgarden. I hear Rush influences too. I’m not 100% sold on “Belle Starr”. Not yet, anyway. Led Zeppelin is all over “Where I’ve Been” too, in an epic quality. Finally “Destination on Course” closes the album on a distinctly bluesy note. Singer Buchanan really blows the doors off, and the angelic backing vocals have me forgetting that “LZ” band for a change. The bluesy guitar solo is icing on the cake — just awesome. On a track like this, Rival Sons establish their own sound.
Great Western Valkyrie is an album I look forward to checking out more in the future. I think it has potential. I know there are bonus tracks on other editions, which I have not investigated. If I end up liking the band enough, I will check them out.
RECORD STORE TAKES MkII: Getting More Tale #351: Three Concerts in One Week
I love digging through old journals. I don’t get out to concerts very often anymore, but these journals bring back memories of an awesome week featuring three different concert experiences. Dig it! Some interesting autobiographical facts:
1) These journals record the date that I met Brent Doerner of Helix, thus beginning a long buddy-ship (December 1 2006).
2) I noticed that there was something in here about the flu shot. I got sick immediately afterwards. I was feeling it during the Jim Cuddy concert and got full-blown flu right after. Never had the flu shot since.
Date: 2006/11/29 06:13
Tonight we have second row seats to see BRENT BUTT! (Corner Gas) I’m sure it will be awesome and I’ll be sure to write about it later.
Then Friday is Helix…
Then Sunday is Jim Cuddy (Blue Rodeo).
Talk about an awesome week.
Date: 2006/11/30 06:55
Brent Butt was awesome, hilarious, 90 minutes of pure Canadian humour. True stuff, like, “In America, there’s no corresponding word for ‘touque’. I could understand it if they had their own word for it. Like, ‘oh, that’s what we call a nurn!’ But no, they say, ‘hey you got one of them wool knit winter cap things!’ If we said that in Canada, our brains would freeze by the time we could get out the door. ‘Honey, could you get my wool knit winter cap thing?’ zoink, you’re frozen.” So true.
There was an opening act by the name of Jamie Hutchison, guy from the Maritimes. Equally hilarious!
Date: 2006/12/01 06:14
Tonight Helix! We’ll be giving them an R around 11 o’clock at Molly Bloom’s. Helix are one of the best shows I’ve seen, and this will be my fourth or fifth time seeing them. Hopefully they’ll play their new single “Fill Your Head With Rock” which is garnering some record company interest….
Flu shot today too. Ugh.
Date: 2006/12/02 00:39
Helix were AWESOME! Right when we walked in the door, there was Brian Vollmer. He saw my vintage-style Helix shirt, walked up and said “hi”. He was so cool. He said, “I just have to go make the rounds and say hi to everybody here, but thanks for coming and have a good time tonight!”
So we wandered around, saw a couple old friends (The Infamous Taylor Brothers) and lo and behold…there was Bruce Arnold (original Helix drummer 1974-76)! A glance around the room revealed the Doerner brothers and Keith Zurbrigg as well! There were five current Helix guys on stage and four ex-Helix in the audience! I introduced myself to Brent and told him how much I liked his new CD.
Track list, to the best of our memories:
No Rest For The Wicked
Get Up
Baby Likes To Ride
Running Wild In The 21st Century
Heavy Metal Love
Boomerang Lover
Dirty Dog
You Keep Me Rocking
Make Me Do Anything You Want
Deep Cuts The Knife
Wild In The Streets
Kids Are All Shakin’
Animal House
I Believe In Rock And Roll
Does A Fool Ever Learn (dedicated to some schmuck at EMI (“Every Mistake Imaginable)
Rock You
I know I’m missing a couple in there, but it was a totally awesome hits night. Right now my ears are ringing and I’m buzzing!
Date: 2006/12/04 06:19
The Cuddy show was awesome, thus ending my three-concert-week. It was a three hour show. The opening band were a part of the whole show as Jim brought various members back out to augment his own songs. He played two songs from his first record, most of the second record, and about six Blue Rodeo songs. He threw in a Neil Young cover, bassist Bazil Donovan sang one of his own, and they also performed one by the opening band!
So terrific show, there were even two Blue Rodeo guys in his backing band. However the real star of his band was violinist Anne Lindsay. She was on fire!
ALICE COOPER – Raise the Dead: Live from Wacken (2CD/1 Blu-ray, 2014 UDR)
This beast of a set was a gift from the ever-faithful Aaron, and I do thank you so much for it. Alice Cooper in 1080i hi-def, 5.1 surround sound. The CD has more songs than the Blu-ray, so I’m going to review both simultaneously, but let you know when it’s a track that’s exclusive to CD. Let’s give’r!
“Hello Hooray”! It’s still daylight in Wacken, when Alice proclaims to “let the show begin, I’ve been ready”. Alice is resplendent in his sharp red and black stripped tux. Australian beauty Orianthi has a drip of blood in the corner her mouth, and smears of it on her guitar and arms. “Hello Hooray” leads directly into a modern version of 1989’s “House of Fire”. With the three guitars live, it has a lot more bite to it, and neat six-string twists. (“House of Fire” briefly segues into the riff from “With a Little Help From My Friends”. Remember that. That’s important.) Not letting up for a second, it’s into “No More Mr. Nice Guy” and then immediately “Under My Wheels”! There’s simply no let up as the crowd starts surfing. Alice’s six piece band are visual and boast three lead soloists.
Newer song “I’ll Bite Your Face Off” is one of only two songs from Welcome 2 My Nightmare. The cool thing is how easily Orianthi digs into the vintage guitar stylings of it. She is an absolute natural. Even though there are four other talented musicians on stage, she commands attention without even trying. Alice chases her around the stage, as she casually throws down classic guitar licks. He has changed into a black leather jacket.
“Billion Dollars Babies” takes the focus temporarily back to the oldies. Alice wields a sword impaled with money, taunting the crowd. The wheels temporarily come off with “Caffeine”. I always welcome newer material, but I’d prefer just about any other song from Welcome 2. Alice has traded the sword for a giant coffee mug that he holds dear like his “precious”. Thankfully Orianthi lays down a blazing solo (actually two) , because otherwise I’d say this is my song on which to pee. But, I wouldn’t want to miss the classic “Department of Youth” from the original Welcome to my Nightmare, one of my top 10 Alice tracks of all time.
I like a rock show with variety, so I’m glad Alice pulled “Hey Stoopid” out of his 1991 hat. In the 5.1 mix, I don’t like the way some of the guitars just kind of drop out in the verses of this arrangement. I’ll have to listen to that again. It didn’t sound right. Otherwise it’s great with plenty of shredding. “Dirty Diamonds” was another surprise. I saw Alice play that one here in Kitchener on the Dirty Diamonds tour. That whole album is excellent, but the title track has a smoking riff. Drummer Glen Sobol gets a moment in the spotlight, accompanied by bassist Chuck Garric. A drum solo in the middle of an Alice Cooper show is not always a good thing, but this is actually a cool, worthwhile solo. There’s some crazy hand-over-hand stuff, tricks with sticks, and interesting cymbal work. Then it’s Orianthi’s turn. She is, without a doubt in my mind, one of the best guitar players out there today. Every note is worth something. The whole band come together at the front line, and the crowd goes nuts! Meanwhile….
As good as the solos are, in the context of the Alice Cooper show, they were merely a distraction. Where did Alice go? The opening strains of “Welcome to My Nightmare” indicate Act II has begun. He has emerged as the Showman. Weilding a dagger in one hand, he leads the charge into 1976’s “Go to Hell”. The two songs serve as a wicked intro to the theatrical part of the show. Alice attacks lead soloist Ryan Roxie with a whip, but it doesn’t phase the guitarist who safely evades him.
Out of Alice’s trick bag comes “He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask)” the legendary campy 80’s theme from Friday the 13th Part III. Stripped of the keyboards and drum machines, it functions as a living, rocking entity. The three guitars enable the band to fill the spaces previously played by synths in the studio. Orianthi’s guitar solo just leaves my jaw on the floor. Keeping with the monster theme is “Feed My Frankenstein” from Hey Stoopid and Wayne’s World. Alice has changed into a blood smeared smock. He is strapped to an evil looking device by “Igor” and electrocuted! Then a monster-sized Franken-Alice appears to finish the song! The real Alice returns in a straight jacket for the still haunting “Dwight Fry”. This most intense Cooper classic is well served by three guitarists, loaning a “Freebird” epic quality to it live. “I’ve gotta get out of here!” screams Alice with the agony he manages to muster for every performance. Breaking free of his bonds, he attacks Nurse Sheryl, only be executed to the tune of the exit music from “Killer”. It’s the guillotine again for Alice Cooper. His head is hoisted into the air by a black-clad executioner to a chorus of “I Love the Dead” (Alice singing off-stage). Act II is over. Act III is beginning.
Though uncredited, the opening music for “DaDa” (from 1983’s DaDa, a cool cameo) plays as Alice is surgically resurrected in the graveyard of the Hollywood Vampires. The Hollywood Vampires were the drinking club down at the Rainbow…the teachers and the students. Lennon and Keith Moon passed down the ways of drinking to the likes of Vincent Furnier and Marc Bolan. A voice booms to Alice, “What are you going to do? Raise the dead?” So that’s what Alice does….
First it’s Morrison. The Doors’ “Break on Through” finally has balls to it! I never liked the Doors. I like Alice doing the Doors, so they can’t be all that bad. What’s interesting is how Alice can morph his voice to suit these covers. He uses a lower, howling early Alice voice to do the Doors. For the next track, “Revolution” (exclusive to CD) he uses his nasal Cooper voice, to cop that Beatles feel. He also does the opening McCartney scream…of course. You have to have that. The band hit the high backing notes perfectly too. The classic riff to “Foxy Lady”(exclusive to CD) indicates that Jimi Hendrix is the next Hollywood Vampire to be honored. Another cool connection is that both Alice and Jimi were important musical icons honored in the movie Wayne’s World. And the song was “Foxy Lady”. Next it’s Keith Moon and “My Generation”. Chuck Garric gets a moment to shine on those glorious Entwistle bass licks. It’s quite a bit more modern and slick than the Who’s, but the backing vocals are remarkably authentic.
Thematically “My Generation” connects to “I’m Eighteen”. Ryan Roxie and Orianthi both play solos on “Eighteen”, and smoke each one. Then, “Poison” is the final song of the set, a slick reminder that Alice Cooper survived the 1970’s only to become more popular than ever in the 80’s, 90’s and present. “Poison” has stood the test of time. It’s not a particularly simple song; just listen to those backing vocals. They have to be right, they can’t be off. Although I hadn’t really thought of “Poison” as a set closer, it does work in that slot and ends the show on a celebratory note.
The encore of “School’s Out” is the real celebration of course; the stage ablaze with lights and Alice clad in gold. It’s a mash-up with “Another Brick in the Wall”, proving again that mash-ups can sometimes produce fascinating results. I love Alice’s stage introductions for the musicians. “In a world where evil has a name, and that name is…Orianthi! And playing the part of Alice Cooper tonight…me!”
But Nurse Sheryl returns to the stage one last time and stabs Alice! I have a feeling our anti-hero will be back to terrorize us again on another tour….
There is only one Blu-ray bonus feature. The pre-Wacken interview with Alice is cool because it’s completely uncut. It’s only 20 minutes, but it’s insightful. Cooper is always a pleasure to listen to. The concept behind Raise the Dead revolves around his old, long gone buddies from the Hollywood Vampire. With this show, Cooper is paying tribute back to those guys, his idols and friends. The show has some history to it, he says. A little bit of a lesson. But the kids already know the songs, says Alice. The tunes like “Foxy Lady” and “Break on Through” are already familiar to them. Every kid seems to own a classic rock T-shirt.
Cooper muses that his live show is probably as close to Broadway as many of his new young fans will ever see. He reminds us that he has his own Broadway influences — “Gutter Cat vs. the Jets” from West Side Story, for example. His own solo band is so tight now that he doesn’t have to worry about the music part. Alice can get on with the show and performance, because the music is in good hands. He has particular praise for the stage presence and chops of Orianthi. As for the show, It’s no longer about shock, says Alice. You can’t shock the audience anymore. Now, it’s about entertainment. Give them something entertaining and of good value.
The hidden theme in the show is that everything is connected. The kids pick up on the connections behind the music. “School’s Out” and “Another Brick in the Wall” are presented as a medley. Who produced both songs? Whose kids are on both songs? Bob Ezrin. Connections!
The Blu-ray also has a substantial booklet included, the kind of thing that people who buy physical product still care about. I’d rather have this than a crappy photo slide show or text on a DVD. My only quibble is that I was underwhelmed by the 5.1 mix. I may have had my setting messed up, and I will have to try again. It was “Hey Stoopid” where this was particularly unpleasant to me. I’ll have to check that and try again. There is absolutely nothing wrong with the CDs, which sound friggin’ great.
Christmas gift review! This one came from my sister and husband Melvin.
JOURNEY – Live in Houston: Escape Tour 1981(2006 Columbia CD/DVD set)
Released in 2006, the Live in Houston CD/DVD set by Journey chronicles the band at their peak. This is a vintage MTV concert finally released for sale. Opening with the brand new title track from the brand new album Escape was a good idea. Its fast paced pyrotechnics fire up the crowd appropriately. Steve Perry is resplendent in his tuxedo jacket, jeans, and animal-print T-shirt. Now this is a fucking concert. If the guy couldn’t sing like the angels, then he couldn’t get away with that shit, but it’s Steve Fucking Perry. At his peak. A great frontman with the classic voice. His vocal acrobatics rival the furious fretwork of his bandmate Neal Schon. Personally, I think Bon Jovi owes a lot to Steve Perry’s schtick.
Not letting up, the opening salvo is concluded with “Line of Fire” before it’s time for the ballads. It’s a great little rock boogie that gives the band a chance to play hard. Perry then informs the band that they are recording a live MTV special (as if you couldn’t tell by Schon’s MTV T-shirt). If that can’t get a crowd screaming for “Lights”, nothing will. This kind of song isn’t my thing really, but it is always a pleasure listening to Steve sing. Live, he’s that much more entrancing. Superhuman, really. “Lights” merges with the ballad “Stay Awhile”, which I think is the better song. Listen to that fucker sing! Then it’s time for a new ballad, “Open Arms”. This is where I step out to pee.
Neal Schon’s favourite new song from Escape was “Mother, Father”, a dramatic heavy ballad. Perry kicks this song in the ass, but it’s the anthemic chorus that you can’t forget. And people — Steve Perry hits every single one of the high notes at the end. Every. Single. One.
New kid Jon Cain takes a moment for a piano solo, while Steve Perry no doubt drinks something cold and soothing! I like that Jon tucked his sleeveless animal print shirt into his jeans. Gotta look presentable, of course. New ballad “Who’s Cryin’ Now” is greeted by high pitched screams, indicating the crowd really know this one. Perry has lost the tux jacket, revealing that he is not a T-shirt tucker. Schon’s solo is epic, in how it builds from one simple melody into something completely different and blazingly fast.
The crowd goes nuts for the rocker “Where Were You”, on which drummer Steve Smith absolutely blows the doors off. I love watching him play with classic grip. He’s the next member to get a solo, and I can’t help but notice he has tucked his T-shirt into his jeans. Interesting. I didn’t expect that from the drummer. The solo is a scorcher, leading directly into the new rocker “Dead Or Alive”. Steve Perry looks a lot more awkward dancing to this one, but his voice leaves no doubt. Nobody else could sing the song the way Perry did. Nobody.
Steve announces from the stage that Escape just went #1 in the US a mere three weeks before. The crowd then goes insane for the opening keys of “Don’t Stop Believin'”. As on the album, I love Steve Smith’s cymbal work; it’s just overpowered by the live sound of the band. You can tell that the sound wasn’t tampered with, as Neal hits a bum note in the solo and it was left in. The lush backing vocals seem to be provided live by Schon, Valory and Cain. Then it’s time for “Stone In Love”, another newbie. This hard rock classic features Jonathan Cain abandoning the keyboards and joining the frontline on guitar. This allows Schon the ability to throw in more solos and licks; meanwhile when piano is needed, Steve Perry jumps behind the keys! Then it’s time for “Keep On Runnin'”, again with Cain up front on guitar. It’s another solid rock song, although a bit of a throw-away compared to the rest of Escape. Schon then gets his chance to solo, as a lead in to “Wheel in the Sky”. It’s a note-perfect live version, and full of energy.
For encores, it’s the annoying “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” and “Anyway You Want It”. The only good thing about “Lovin’, Touchin'” is the guitar solo with some tasty slide for added flavor. “Anyway You Want It” is ragged. It’s a hard song to sing to begin with, but Perry is running around so much that it’s bound to fall apart at times. It’s a magnificent finish.
The CD version has a bonus track: “The Party’s Over (Hopelessly in Love)”. I don’t know why it’s not on the DVD version. I think it’s one of Journey’s best also-rans. Maybe the film had deteriorated too much to use for that one song? Who knows. Anyway (you want it), you can get it on CD.
It’s also worth pointing out that three songs (“Don’t Stop Believin'”, “Open Arms”, and “Who’s Cryin’ Now”) were all re-released on the remastered Escape CD. So if you’re browsing at the store thinking, “Hey, look, it’s Escape with bonus tracks, I need that,”…no you don’t. Just get this. Always better to have the full concert!
The bonus interviews are pretty neat. Members discuss how they found their way into Journey via manager Herbie Herbert. Neal Schon is almost hilariously young looking. Perry sports the shadow of a moustache, appearing as if he would have had trouble growing a full one. Bassist Ross Valory speaks of the band’s earlier preference for instrumental music, supplanted by a switch to vocal songs. The interviews are broken up topically and are made up from a variety of sources. In the section about touring, Steve Perry reveals that after being driven around everywhere in a limo, when he gets home from the road he feels like he’s forgotten how to drive! It’s worth it, though: all their best songs were written on the road.
The DVD also includes a photo slide show that nobody will watch. It’s only a minute or two long. Some of these pics, I’ve seen before. Neal Schon does make great “guitar faces”, possibly the best ever. The original TV ad for the Escape album is hilarious in its 80’s cheesiness.
We all know the story, now. Malcolm Young, felled by dementia, and his brother Angus carrying on without him (and possibly without drummer Phil Rudd). AC/DC don’t want to dwell on the negative, and neither do I. Angus assembled 11 new songs from parts that he and Mal had worked on together before he was too sick to continue. Nephew Stevie Young, who filled in for Uncle Mal in 1988, stepped up again to do so, this time in a permanent capacity. But you wouldn’t know any of that by hearing Rock or Bust.
Sharp as ever, “Rock or Bust”, the current single boasts one of those menacing AC/DC riffs paired with that slow groove they do so well. “In rock we trust, it’s rock or bust”. Nothing has changed! There is little difference between Rock or Bust and the AC/DC back catalogue since 1980 in general. New batch of riffs, songs, and melodies. That’s about it! “Play Ball” has that familiar “AC/DC single” vibe. Not too heavy, not too fast, but just right for radio. Brian Johnson’s voice has changed very little since the 1990’s. He doesn’t screech like it’s 1981 (duh), but he gets the job done fine. Johnson reported that he found it hard to continue on without Malcolm but his performance is full of the joi de vivre that you need in an AC/DC song.
“Rock the Blues Away” has future single written all over it. This old-timey AC/DC riff is one of those classic rock and roll licks that they used to do with Bon Scott on albums like Dirty Deeds. True to its title, the song does indeed rock the blues away and I can’t wait to give it a test run in the car. This is a summer time song, not a December song! However I should point out that it’s more or less the same song as “Anything Goes” from Black Ice. A left turn on “Miss Adventure” yields some funky AC/DC grooves not unlike what they were doing in the mid 1980’s. It’s unfortunately the first dud on the album for me. “Dogs of War” redeems it, with a “Razor’s Edge” dark vibe. The only real noticeable difference from past AC/DC albums is a slicker production on the backing vocals.
Do you need some rock & roll thunder? AC/DC got it. “Got Some Rock & Roll Thunder” has one of those jangly AC/DC riffs, backing a catchy chorus. This sounds a bit like material from Stiff Upper Lip, which is a good thing to me. “Hard Times” also sounds similar to that era. They’re good enough songs to serve as AC/DC album tracks. Then there’s “Baptism of Fire”, back to those fast AC/DC beats that you need every once in a while.
A track that I think should be played live is “Rock the House”. This has classic written all over it. Taking on a “Whole Lotta Love” groove, it’s hard to resist the urge to bang your head. Go ahead, try.
“Sweet Candy” is an ode to strippers, of course. What did you expect? Look forward to another singalong slow AC/DC groove. I have a feeling a few strippers are going to add this song to their repertoire next year. Then, ending the album on a funky note is “Emission Control”. There are also nods and winks to the Mutt Lange era of AC/DC with the thick backing vocals. The song throws me for a loop a bit; I’m not sure if I like it or not.
I found Brendan O’Brien’s production to be a bit thuddy and less bright than Black Ice. It still gets the job done, as does Rock or Bust.
KIM MITCHELL – “Alana Loves Me (New 2014 version)” (iTunes-only single)
Kim’s last studio album, 2007’s Ain’t Life Amazing, failed to blow me away. Since then he’s been very busy, changing to a career in radio at Toronto’s Q107. While I miss the days of being able to look forward to new Kim music every other summer, he’s been very popular and successful at Q, so good for him!
A few weeks ago, Kim announced that he’d re-recorded his old hit “Alana Loves Me” from Shakin’ Like A Human Being, a 28 year old song. The original is sounding pretty dated with all those 80’s synths and keyboards, so I approached this with an open mind. Plunking down my hard-earned $1.29, I bought “Alana Loves Me 2014” on iTunes.
Even though I had not expected too much, I am crushed with disappointment! All the charm of the original has been sucked dry with a boring acoustic arrangement. This snooze-inducing rendition only comes to life towards the end, when it goes into a more interesting laid-back instrumental band arrangement. The piano player (Ray Coburn?) is excellent and has a long solo. Then, finally, Kim himself picks up an electric guitar and does what he does best. He proves he’s still the most underrated guitarist that this country has to offer. His solo is awesome, warm and melodic, but tricky too.
So: first half of the track sucks, and the second instrumental half isn’t bad. How do I rate it?
This is a special birthday review for my sister who turns “30 something” today! Happy birthday kid! By coincidence she got this album for Christmas three days ago…
CROWDED HOUSE – Woodface(1991 Capitol)
Crowded House remain one of the most critically acclaimed bands of the 80’s and 90’s. Formed from the ashes of Split Enz, they did two successful albums before Woodface. Unfortunately the songs Neil Finn wrote for Woodface were rejected by the record company, so he asked his brother Tim (also ex-Split Enz) if he could use some songs they wrote together for a future project. Tim said OK, and joined Crowded House as an official member to boot. That partnership was only to last one album, but what an album it was! It was arguably their most acclaimed record to date.
The packed-to-the-gills 15 track CD commences with “Chocolate Cake”. The production is incredible on this. The snare drum has an excellent snap to it. Neil and Tim harmonize perfectly on this confection of pop perfection. It’s a piano based jam with melodic hooks galore. There’s a smoking harmonica solo and cool lyrics, immediately reeling you in. This tune rocks. “It’s Only Natural” is a little softer, an acoustic track more like what I was used to before from Crowded House. It’s an immediate song, a timeless classic. Neil and Tim’s harmony vocals seal the deal. Too bad isn’t wasn’t a smash hit single around the world, because it could have been, if it didn’t come out right in the middle of the grunge downturn!
“Fall At Your Feet” may well be the best song here. You know this one. If you don’t, all you have to do is play it once and you won’t forget the chorus. Neil wrote this one alone, but it is a major triumph of songwriting perfection. The plaintive chorus is one that many singers wish they had written. It is followed by the upbeat “Tall Trees”, a brief irresistible rocker. Too bad it’s over in only 2:20! It’s pretty guitar heavy for Crowded House. This gives way to the Eastern sitar opening of “Weather With You”, which was the big hit. The Finn brothers surely have a knack for a chorus. “Everywhere you go, you always take the weather with you,” and I can’t get it out of my head. This is a very 90’s sounding hit single. I’m sure Bono was pissed that he didn’t write it. He probably would have ruined it, anyway.
A funky vibe introduces “Whispers and Moans”, which took me by surprise. I like a bit of funky bass every now and again, and then some horns turn it up a notch at the halfway point. I have to admit, the song was starting to lose me until the horns kicked in! It grows on you.
The party stops there for now. The soft brushes on “Four Seasons in One Day” tell us that the next song is a slow one. “Four Seasons” sounds like a great lost John Lennon composition, with its harpsichord and children’s choir singing in the background. I’ll single out drummer Paul Hester as an MVP here for his delicate touch, making his 2005 death that much sadder. The drummer is the foundation, and although “Four Seasons” is an outstanding track in any universe, Hester helps make it that little bit extra special. “Four Season in One Day” is pure composition and performance excellent, absolutely above the bar.
“There Goes God” combines a funky beat with an exotic riff and lots of harmonica. It’s definitely a cool mix. As weird as the song is, it still contains one of those patented Finn/Finn choruses. Then “Fame Is” has a bombastic sound. It’s a brief pop rocker, a fast head-nodder to get you out of your seat. This leads into the gentle strings of “All I Ask”, a smokey slow waltz. One of the strengths of Woodface is its diversity. Each song has an idiosyncratic Crowded House sound, but many veer far and wide in many musical directions. “All I Ask” is unlike any of the previous.
Another great chorus is the centerpiece of “As Sure as I Am”. Accordion in the background loans it a folksy feel, as do the lyrics about the rhinos going extinct. (Sad that 23 years later the rhinos are no better off.) Drummer Paul Hester contributed “Italian Plastic”, an interesting title to say the least. It’s anchored by cool guitar licks, and more great melodies, as strong as those that the Finns write.
The album closer, “How Will You Go”, is one very familiar to me. Marillion covered it on their excellent 2001 live album, A Piss-up in a Brewery. They are acknowledged Finn fans. I can see why they chose “How Will You Go”, as it gave Steve Hogarth a chance to belt out some killer melodies. Fantastic song, not a single but shoulda coulda woulda!
But it’s not really the ending, as a joke song called “I’m Still Here” occupies the coveted “hidden track” slot! Sounds like they’re trying to be The Clash! Why not? (Hester wrote this hidden track, too.)
I’m very impressed with Woodface. It’s easy to listen to, but there’s more there than just pleasant melodies. There’s vocal brilliance. There are instrumental passages that are intricately composed and performed. There are also great lyrics, all topped with perfect production and a cracking drum sound. Some songs are more memorable than others, but give it time. Woodface is a grower.
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