According to his WordPress page, Derek Kortepeter is a composer, multi-instrumentalist, and alumnus of the School of Ethnomusicology at UCLA. Already, I’n in way over my head. I already find it hard to talk about instrumental music, but I am not a composer, nor a multi-instrumentalist, and definitely not an alumnus of the School of Ethnomusic-anything. So as a knuckledragger off the street who really only has laymen’s terms at his disposal, here are my thoughts on Derek’s Compilation Vol. 1 EP.
So here we go! “Light Within” is the first song, a track written entirely by Derek featuring a whole lot of unfamiliar instruments. (oud, Chinese gongs, Tibetan bells, Tibetan singing bowls, kora, Andean panpipes, oh my!) Derek plays chunky guitar chords over this, which lends it a vibe similar to the guitar instrumentalists that I like. A Vai-ish guitar melody meanders through. There’s a lot going on here, particularly in terms of unexpected notes. Before the 2 minute mark there’s a blast of shredding, and you know that I do like shredding. There’s plenty of that on this track. So far so good.
“It Begins” consists of some traditional rock instrumentation: guitars, bass, drums, organ. There’s a slow groove, and some really nice bluesy guitars. But the guitars dart in and out of different styles, maintaining the feel. This is a 7 minute long bomber, but it maintains its appeal due to the always-interesting guitar. The third track is called “Omega” is an ambient guitar piece, backed with string-like keyboards. I’m immediately reminded of things like Joe Satriani’s first self-titled EP in terms of sound. Although this track is primarily atmosphere I like it a lot.
The final song is a “bonus track” called “Waves”, also an ambient piece. This one has a little bit more in terms of instrumentation, but the focus is still mainly on the spare guitar chords. About halfway through, there are a series of gongs and cymbals, before the echoey guitar is left alone.
So, in summation: I like this EP. Is it something I fully understand? Probably not. Is it catchy and memorable? Memorable yes, catchy no — you have to listen. Sometimes the guitar melody feels at odds with the backing music. Will I play it in the car? No, it’s not that kind of music for me. But I will play it this fall while going for those morning walks when things are quiet. That’s what this music feels like to me.
When we last checked in on this old Canadian indi band, it was on the 1994 EP So This is Limbo, which I rated a 2.75/5. I haven’t played Tangible Vibe, the full length followup, in quite a few years. I remember liking it back in 1996, when hard rock was all but dead and we were forced to seek out other kinds of rock music. Will I still like it now?
“Another Low” is a pretty simple pop punk track, not the kind of thing I usually listen to. It’s fast with heavy guitars and poppy vocals. What stands in for a guitar solo is a simple melody. It’s more annoying than likable. “Frustrated” is more entertaining, taking the tempo back to a radio-ready pace. Seems that I still like this one! You’d be forgiven for thinking it’s a new single by Sum 41. Hopefully you’ll forgive me for liking it. Back then we didn’t call this stuff “pop-punk”, we called it “alt-rock”.
I recall liking “Living Proof” which sounds very much like Green Day. It’s still a catchy little tune, that just it needs identity. There’s certainly no reason it couldn’t have been a hit. On the other hand, I remember not caring too much for “Headtrip”. Its seemingly pro-drug message didn’t appeal to me and I didn’t think the song had much individuality going for it. My feelings haven’t changed too much although I do appreciate the great vocal performance and guitars, but it could have been half as long.
Then and now, I love the title track “Tangible Vibe”. Almost Monkees-like, it’s a soft rocker with a heavier chorus. I really like the recurring guitar melody. Maybe I shouldn’t say Monkees-like, when I have heard Weezer do songs similar to this. It’s a standout and now that I have re-discovered it, I plan on playing it a lot more. Equally good is “Kill Me Slowly” which again is firmly in pop-punk territory, with vocal harmonies.
As back in 1996, “Mary” bores me. It feels like it’s a repeat of ideas from previous songs. Such is the problem with these simple melodies. Sure they’re catchy, but you run the risk of ideas that sound too similar. There’s nothing wrong with it, but we’ve heard it before. “Amore di Gatto” (“Love Cat”?) is a beautiful classical guitar intro to the dark song “Circus”. This song has more in common with Deadline’s early hard rock roots than modern pop rock. It’s mournful with with the strong melodies still intact, and a tricky guitar solo to boot. It has the most emotion on on the album, and remains its best song.
“I Don’t Even Like You” is fast and fun; the drums are played with brushes and the guitars are acoustic. It’s one of the shortest songs, which good because novelty songs are best kept short. “Friend In Me” was the “hit”, and it’s the exact same version as on the So This is Limbo EP, which is great. Closer “Go With the Flow” is another Green Day copycat, unfortunately. It’s the early, heavier side of Green Day, but still the comparisons are unavoidable.
Shame. A really great EP could have been made from the best songs on this album.
THE SHEEPDOGS – Learn and Burn (2011 Warner reissue, originally 2010)
Like many of you, I first heard The Sheepdogs via the excellent single “I Don’t Know”, a rollicking journey through territory pioneered by The Guess Who and Neil Young. And what a cool Canadian success story, what with that Rolling Stone cover and all.
A few months after falling in love with “I Don’t Know”, I was invited to a private acoustic session with the Sheepdogs. There were about 40 people in the room tops, including myself and my co-worker Bart who was my “+ 1”. I remember them playing “How Late, How Long” and an older tune. They were great, friendly and gracious. They did a short meet & greet after the show, and I appreciated it when Ewen said to me, “I really like your Beatles shirt. That’s my favourite period of John Lennon.” I told him I specifically picked that shirt because I hoped they’d dig it! The beards, you know?
I’m going to coin a new genre here: “Beard Rock”.
Before seeing the band, I bought the album based on “I Don’t Know”. That was sometime in fall of 2010; I remember listening to it on a cold, cold night at the cottage. My impressions? It’s a really cool mellow rock album. It sounds as if it came right out of 1969. It sounds very authentic to the period, even sonically. Very different from their current work with Patrick Carney of the Black Keys. I am impressed. I really like it. Admittedly though, it’s a bit too derivative.
Highlights for me included:
“Please Don’t Lead Me On”, which was very Beatles-y. It’s jaunty, I like it.
“I Don’t Get By” which has a very country (or even Led Zep III) vibe.
“Right On” and its fat saxophone solo.
“Southern Dreaming” which reminds me of the Allmans, CCR and The Band
“Soldier Boy”, probably the most rocking song on the album.
“Catfish 2 Boogaloo” kind of reminds me of a laid back version of Cream.
And, the whole Medley. These four mini-songs all meld together seamlessly, but are distinct sections. It’s a gimmick similar to Abbey Road side two, but in miniature form.
The only song that does nothing for me is the title track “Learn and Burn”. Not into the vocal hook at all. Sorry. I also didn’t dig the lyric referencing “Facebook invitations”, it just doesn’t vibe with the vintage 1971 sound of the song.
The two bonus tracks on the remastered edition are “Birthday” and “Slim Pickens”. Yes, I re-bought the album to get two more songs. You knew I would. “Birthday” is worth it, a lovely 60’s sounding pop rock tune, with twang and banjo. I wasn’t expecting “Slim Pickens” to rock as hard as it does, but it does! This is a smokin’ little electric guitar bluegrass boogie instrumental.
Good album though, and a band to watch. Their work with Patrick Carney on their 2012 self-titled record expanded on their sound. I expect them to continue to grow.
DEADLINE – So This is Limbo (1994 Deadline Productions)
Ahh, the 90’s, how I do not miss thee. When I think of the 90’s, I remember how bands I liked simplified things to fit in better with the new alt-rock hordes. Guys like Deadline initially showed a lot of promise. They combined diverse elements and showed potential for future growth. Then they cut down the guitar solos and streamlined everything to its melodic basics.
I like So This is Limbo, (a five song EP) but it is safe to say that I do not like it as much as their self-titled debut. Its five songs all fit into a soundalike form. The first two (“Friend in Me” and “Going With a Smile”) are so similar that they both feature harmonica parts as one of the hooks, bouncy basslines, and a simple guitar melody where a solo would go. That’s not to say they’re bad songs. They’re good for what they are: happy-go-lucky 90’s pop rock. “Friend in Me” got a bit of airplay at the time, and it’s the best song here. The second best is “Going With a Smile”.
MuchWest interview with Deadline by TDM and “Galactic premier” of video
“Laundry Day” is a little darker, but “You know it’s laundry day again,” isn’t the kind of chorus that really gets my angst out. This one has a guitar solo too, and it’s a gooder. Too bad that the song isn’t as good as the solo. The pop-punk of “Darkest Hour” is better. Why did singers always use distortion on their voices in the early 90’s? It’s too bad. “Darkest Hour” isn’t bad at all. The last song is the dreary “Better Things to Do”, which kind of leaves the EP on a downer note.
It’s too bad really because I know they can do better. They did do better, on the Deadline EP. Would they redeem it on the Tangible Vibe album? I remember liking it back then, but I haven’t played it in a long time. That’s the next review. As for So This is Limbo?
JON BON JOVI – Blaze of Glory: Inspired by the film Young Guns II (1990 Mercury)
Billy the Kid was a fascinating character. Perhaps he was the embodiment of the Old West itself: a charismatic outlaw, who reportedly had a hair trigger temper but also a heart of gold. Unfortunately, the film Young Guns II seems more about a person called Brushy Bill, rather than William H. McCarty, also known as William H. Bonney, but best known as Billy the Kid. Having killed his first man at 18, the Kid earned his nickname with his boyish looks. He looked nothing at all like his screen counterpart Emilio Estevez, but it’s because of Emilio that Jon Bon Jovi recorded the soundtrack to Young Guns II.
A popular theory from the 1990’s was that Billy the Kid was not killed by Sheriff Patrick Frank Garrett in 1881. In 1948, a character called Brushy Bill Roberts emerged claiming to be the Kid, alive and well. There was enough facial resemblance, and also sworn statements from five people who knew the Kid. Roberts never proved that he was actually William McCarty, and today historians have dismissed his claims due to the number of facts that do not match (such as dates of birth). Young Guns II, the film, operated on the popular theory that Billy survived, and that he faked his death with the help of Pat Garrett.
In fact Garrett did shoot the Kid and lived a life of shame afterwards, as the details of the shooting of the popular Kid didn’t paint him in a positive light. Oddly enough, Garrett himself was shot and killed in 1908 by a rancher named Jesse Wayne Brazel, in New Mexico. The interesting coincidence about this is Brazel was uncle to a Mac Brazel, also a rancher in New Mexico, near the town of Roswell. It was on his ranch that something strange (almost certainly an actual UFO) crashed and was covered up. It is an amusing intersection of two of the great folk tales in American history.
Billy the Kid. Source: Wikipedia
Pat Garrett. Source: Wikipedia
So along came this movie. Emilio Estevez asked Jon Bon Jovi if they could use “Wanted: Dead or Alive” in the film. Jon declined and said, “The lyrics don’t make sense. That song is about touring, let me write you something more appropriate to the old west and Billy the Kid.” This turned into an entire album. Essentially Blaze of Glory is not a soundtrack album (since none of Jon’s songs are in the movie until the end credits) but a concept album based on the film.
The album begins with a snippet of dialogue: “Yoo-hoo!” says Emilio/Billy. “I’ll make ya famous.” A gunshot and the song “Billy Get Your Guns” begins. That’s Kenny Aranoff on drums in case you were wondering. “Billy Get Your Guns” isn’t a hard rock song like Bon Jovi was doing at the time. But it’s still rock and roll, featuring some great slide guitar riffing by Waddy Wachtel. Jon’s voice is young, strong and loud. It’s a sound I miss. I think it’s impossible to dislike the excellent “Billy Get Your Guns”, especially when topped by a Jeff Beck guitar solo, who plays on pretty much the whole album. (The album also features two Journey bassists: Randy Jackson and Bob Glaub.)
Jeff even appeared in the music video for “Miracle”, the hit ballad from the album. The lovely accordion and spare arrangement gives it quite a different feel from old Bon Jovi ballads. Once again I am reminded that Jon once possessed quite a powerful voice. It’s also worth noting that Jon wrote every song himself.
“William H. Bonney, you are not a god.” – Keifer Sutherland as Doc Scurlock
“Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out.” – Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid
I still love “Blaze of Glory”. It’s timeless, more so than a lot of Bon Jovi’s hits from the time — “Bad Medicine” and so forth. I remember seeing Aldo Nova on TV playing the riff on an acoustic guitar, and it is perfect in its classic simplicity. Aldo is one of Jon’s oldest friends and he plays on the whole album as well. This dynamite hit song has become so loved that Bon Jovi play it live and included it on their greatest hits compilations, even though only Jon was part of it. Jeff Beck’s smoking solo is as much part of the song as Jon is. I cannot understate how great this song is. From quiet acoustic strumming to bombastic aplomb, the song is a great achievement.
“Blood Money” is a short ballad, with spare acoustics, tambourine and accordion. Jon sings as Billy the Kid, directly to Pat Garrett. Historically we don’t know if Garrett and McCarty were friends as they are portrayed in the film, but likely they were not. Regardless, even though the lyrics are implausible historically, it is still a powerful little song.
This leads into “Santa Fe”, which is from the perspective of Doc Scurlock. You want epic? Look no further. An album highlight, “Santa Fe” boasts strings, powerful Aranoff beats, and Jon’s most vivid lead vocal. If it had been on a Bon Jovi album, I think it would be regarded as highly as a song like “Dry County” which it resembles slightly.
Side two opened with Lou Diamond Phillips (Chavez y Chavez in the film) singing a native chant. The song “Justice in the Barrel” refers of course to the barrel of a gun, and Jeff Beck’s playing in the opening reminds us why he is one of rock’s most legendary gunslingers. The song however is more laid back, a slow rock groove. “Never Say Die” is the most straightforward rocker on the album, and it features Robbin Crosby of Ratt on electric guitar. This song most closely resembles Bon Jovi, the band, even lyrically. It is followed by a song that sounds nothing at all like them, and also my favourite: “You Really Got Me Now”. From first listen, way back in 1990, to today, this is a song that always puts a smile on my face. Imagine Jon Bon and Little Richard building a time machine, travelling back to 1881, and jamming in a saloon. That’s “You Really Got Me Now”. Richard plays piano and sings the second verse, and I love it. It’s a shame this little tune is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but I guess it was a bit of a novelty.
“Bang a Drum” is a pleasant soft soul rock anthem, but the Hammond organ and Jeff Beck help maintain its integrity. The soul comes from the backing vocals of Julia and Maxine Waters. This is the climax; the denoument is “Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin'”. The delicate piano is provided by one Elton John (before he would become Sir). Elton also joins Jon on backing vocals. “All this fame don’t bring ya freedom,” sings Jon, a line that may apply to a rock star life as well as an outlaw. The powerful song is a natural ending to a story such as this.
There’s a brief coda, an orchestral piece from the movie by composer Alan Silvestri called “Guano City”. I always wondered why this piece (as good as it is, sounding like some of John Williams’ more exciting segments) was on the album. Nevertheless, there it is, and the album is done.
Jon was very emphatic in stating that Blaze of Glory was not his true solo album. It was 10 songs written specifically for a movie, to fit that movie. His solo album would come seven years later with Destination Anywhere, but first it was time to get Bon Jovi, the band, back on track. This began with a 1991 live performance of “Blaze of Glory” at the Academy Awards, by the full Bon Jovi band, augmented by additional guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Danny Kortchmar.
If you consider solo albums and soundtracks as part of the overall catalog, Blaze of Glory still clocks in as one of my absolute favourites.
Thank Santa’s tits! It was with tremendous joy that I watched the long-awaited Season 8 from the Trailer Park Boys this past weekend. I watched five episodes on Saturday night, and five more Sunday morning. Then on Monday, I re-watched my favourite episode, “Orangie’s Pretty Fuckin’ Tough”. As a long time fan, to say that I am pleased is an understatement. I am thrilled. Knowing in advance that a couple characters weren’t coming back (Ray and Trevor are no longer on the show), everything I wanted out of the show was there. There are even a couple new characters, who look like they may be important in the already finished Season 9.
As if there was no pause at all, Season 8 feels like classic Trailer Park Boys, immediately. Some new characters are introduced, such as Don, who joins Randy as the new Assistant Supervisor. “Officer Highcock”, another new face, is no George Green. He’s smart. But fear not, George Green is back too, although Lahey is approaching retirement.
Trinity is tending bar at Julian’s new in-park club/gym, “The Dirty Dancer”. Bubbles is building his “Shed & Breakfast” for humans and cats. Julian and Ricky have numerous schemes on the go. Ricky’s growing dope at a mad rate, and refining it into honey oil, by special order of Sebastian Bach. He’s also realized that he can use hash as currency almost anywhere: on the bus, at the hardware store, or the dentist’s office. Seems just about everybody accepts Ricky’s $2 hash coins!
There’s also plenty of shady horsecockery. Cyrus and Sam Losco are working together again, and they want to buy the park and bulldoze it to the ground. The only solution is for Julian and Barb Lahey to work together to keep it. Needing capital, Julian sets into motion businesses and schemes galore. Steve Rogers returns for a hell of a bachelor party at Julian’s bar, attracting the attention of the cops.
Ricky’s life is complicated by some unexpected news. The only thing holding him together is Orangie. My buddy Chris and I agree on this: the best element of Season 8 has to be Ricky’s goldfish, Orangie. Ricky loves to party with him, and takes him everywhere in a bowl with ORANGIE scrawled on it in magic marker. Ricky’s car now has a sun roof (of sorts), which functions as Orangie’s swimming pool after it rains. Ricky wakes one morning to find Orangie unresponsive: “Orangie, you finally passed out in the pool, did you buddy?” When Bubbles asks what happened, Ricky explains: “We got fucked up on hash tokes and shooters. Orangie’s pretty fucking tough. Woke up this morning with my fucking pants down and my hands on my cock, thanks to Orangie.” Now it’s up to Bubbles to replace Orangie before Ricky realizes the fish is dead. As if minding a goldfish isn’t enough, Ricky also decides to turn his trailer into a hockey rink.
Bubbles’ doesn’t have it easy either. Due to a complex series of events regarding Steve Rogers, hookers, crabs, and Bubbles’ shed(s), he goes nucking futs at a drug store and is sentenced to community service. Where Ricky has Orangie for support, Bubbles turns to his new puppets…Bobby Turkelino, and little Ricky! And you know what happens when you mix Bubbles and puppets.
The story arc in this season was hilarious, with only one dud in the bunch (I’ll let you figure out which). Some story points hint at what may be coming in Season 9, and that has me anticipating more hilarity. Hopefully, Orangie will make an appearance in Season 9. With a few more trips to the pet store, Bubbles should be able to make that happen. Trailer Park Boys is off to a hell of a new start, and with the progress made in Season 8, I see no need to stop.
4.5/5 stars
Review by LeBrain with contributions from Chris Thuss.
Old school adherents of the classic Pepsi Power Hour may remember the video for “Donna (Do You Wanna)” by Sarnia Ontario’s Deadline. This self-titled mini-album was not their first release, they did have an indi cassette before this. Their 1992 CD debut was impressive quality for the period. “Friction Addiction” (heard in re-recorded form on Raw M.E.A.T 3) is a cool, innovative hard rock number with a funky lead vocal. The guys were all musically and vocally talented: the Wood brothers Tim and Tom (vocals and drums respectively), Paul Albert (bass), and Shawn Meehan (guitars). “Friction Addition” was exactly the kind of song that could have become a hit in 1992. It was still upbeat, good-time hard rock, but with modern elements that the 1990’s demanded.
“Donna” sounds like an outtake from Extreme’s first album, a bit dated now. It’s a nice shuffle complete with harmonica blasts, and fans of that old time hard rock will still like it. The juvenile lyrics however are way below the quality of the music and playing. “Nothing Left to Lose” is a somber ballad, a cross between Europe’s “Tomorrow” and Dokken’s “Alone Again”. Bassist Paul Albert is credited as the pianist on the track.
“Imagine That” is one of those early 90’s Ugly Kid Funk Metal™ tracks. Paint a visual picture and you’ll probably be pretty close. Regardless of the dated sound, it is still a pretty fun song. Following that is the less-funky “Do You Believe”, a fun hard rocker that even quotes “Bomehian Rhapsody”. How 1992! Once again, Extreme comparisons are apt. Slaughter too, especially vocally. “Set Your Sails” is the “inspirational” track. You always had to have one of those, didn’t you? As such it’s upbeat and plenty good. The tricky guitar solo reminds me of Richie Kotzen in style.
The CD ends with the jokey acoustic jam, “I Hate Workin'”. It has that old Van Halen vibe of the “drunken party” in the background, and the singalong chorus. Their hearts were the right place, but the song is a bit on the corny side. Still, for a first CD? Not bad at all.
After this the band released an EP called So This is Limbo and an album called Tangible Vibe. These releases had a marked change of direction. Guitar solos were chopped and songs shortened; as the 90’s progressed so they did, right into pop punk. Both are pretty good releases, but we’ll have to look at them another time. Deadline, the debut, scores a respectable:
3/5 stars
Incidentally, this CD will not rip on any machine. No computer will play it, only an actual CD player. I have had that problem with a few Canadian made CDs from the early 90’s.
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS – Live in Ukraine(2009 Hollywood 2 CD/1 DVD set)
The show was dubbed “Life Must Go On”, with funds raised going to AIDS research. Queen had never played in Ukraine before. 350,000 people would be in attendance at the gig, which also functioned as Queen’s tour kick-off. No pressure.
The massive 28 song setlist consisted of Queen classics augmented by Free and Bad Company tunes, and songs from Queen + Paul Rodgers’ studio album The Cosmos Rocks. The stage has two huge screens on the sides, and an even bigger one behind. A taped intro to “One Vision” leads to the band taking over with a rapturous entrance. There is also a center ramp that takes the members right into the crowd. I have always liked Paul’s slant on Freddy’s songs. He’s not the same singer, not in the slightest, so the vocals lines change organically and it works. Unfortunately “One Vision” is shortened so as to lead into “Tie Your Mother Down” which is right up Paul’s alley. Brian and Roger do their share of the backing vocals, and it sounds pretty Queen-like. (The live band is rounded out by longtime sideman Spike Edney (keyboards), Danny Miranda (bass) and Jamie Moses (backing guitar.))
“The Show Must Go On” came early in the set, and Paul really poured everything into it. Even with his “cool biker’ stage look, he had the crowd in the palm of his hands, especially when twirling that mike stand over his head. “Fat Bottom Girls” sounds a little odd without Freddy, but Paul manages. Of course Brian and Roger do their part to help.
I found “Another One Bites the Dust” to stumble awkwardly, as I anxiously awaited the song to end so we can get on with it. “Hammer to Fall” is vastly better, and this flows cleanly into “I Want it All”. Brian smiles away as Paul commands the song in his own way. “I Want to Break Free” works better than you’d think, and Brian’s guitar is sublime.
At this point of the show, Brian introduces Paul to the crowd, who then sings Bad Company’s “Seagull” acoustically. This is a show highlight, as Paul occupies that ramp in the middle of the crowd. Paul then introduces Brian as the “greatest guitar player in the universe” (I won’t argue), who does “Love of My Life” solo acoustically on a 12 string. Brian’s sweet voice is augmented by 350,000 others. Brian then invites Roger and his bass drum up the ramp with him, and they do “’39” together, possibly my favourite Queen song ever. But it’s just a fake-out; Brian invites the backing musicians to join them and “’39” is fully fleshed out. It’s funny seeing all five musicians out on that tiny platform in the middle of the crowd, but what a treat for those down there!
Roger Taylor is left on stage with Danny Miranda, and they proceed to play his electric upright bass with drum sticks. This turns into a medley of famous Queen basslines, all played with sticks. Nonsense aside, Roger is left to solo on his scaled-down portable kit. This jazzy solo is another solo highlight, as Roger demonstrates his underrated skills on the traps. As the solo progresses, his drum tech gradually sets up a full kit around Roger. By the end of it, Roger breaks into “I’m in Love With My Car” with the whole band.
Finally Paul Rodgers returns to the stage for the latter half of “Say it’s Not True”, a stunning ballad for Freddy. Halfway through the set now, and this is the first new song. With Paul back, they decide to do a couple more of his songs: “Shooting Star” and “Bad Company” (Paul on piano for “Bad Company”). Both sound great with Queen; the guys’ backing vocals work perfectly, and the crowd clearly knows them. During “Bad Company”, a slide show of that band runs on the giant screens.
May is front and center for his guitar solo, and the crowd loves every note of it. This solo goes into “Bijou” from Innuendo, featuring the pre-recorded image and voice of Freddy Mercury. This then leads into “Last Horizon” from Brian’s solo album, Back to the Light. Unfortunately this appears to be the part of the show during which one would leave to urinate. “Bijou” and “Last Horizon” are both great, but it’s too much slooow soloing for too long. The bit only starts to come to life when guitarist Jamie Moses joins Brian for a harmony lead.
Paul straps on an acoustic for a laid back version of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” which degenerates into guitar noodling. Finally comes Queen’s “new” single “C-lebrity” which is a song I like a lot. It boasts a solid rock riff and a great performance by Paul Rodgers. Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and the song everyone had been waiting for, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, follow. Both songs fail to really combine the elements of Queen + Paul Rodgers fully. “Feel Like Makin’ Love” is a little too sweet when performed by Queen, and “Bohemian” is done with the recorded image and voice of Freddy singing the song. The crowd doesn’t seem to mind, but it doesn’t work for me. Paul only shows up for the heavy part at the end.
Fortunately one more new song was played: “Cosmos Rockin'”. I wish there were more. Yes there are a lot of songs to be played, but surely a solo could be cut in order to play more new material. It feels as if Queen + Paul Rodgers weren’t even giving the album a chance. It’s not like radio is going to play it, so you have to play it live. The song is well received with the crowd jumping and down. When they sing, “We got the whole house rockin’ to the mighty power of rock n’ roll,” I believe it! They are dancing and going absolutely nuts!
There are only a few “must-plays” left, and undoubtedly “All Right Now” is one of them. Paul Rodgers has certainly lost nothing through the years and that riff sounds great coming from Brian May. And finally, the traditional duo of “We Will Rock You”/”We are the Champions”. I’ve always felt these highschool rally perennials are probably best experienced live. It’s a “had to be there” feeling, since these singalongs are probably more fun to experience than to watch. Although Paul since both songs differently from Freddy, I like his slant on them.
Wikipedia reports (unsourced) that digital download versions of Live in Ukraine contained two bonus tracks: “Radio Gaga” and “A Kind of Magic”. I’ve been searching online for years and I’ve never found them available anywhere, so take that with a grain of salt. Both songs are available live on another Queen + Paul Rodgers album, Return of the Champions. That album has enough different live material from this one, such as “Can’t Get Enough”, “Wishing Well” and “These are the Days of Our Lives”, that both are worth owning.
Helix fans take note, since My Wicked Twin was 3/4 composed of former members of that band. Brent Doerner and his twin brother Brian first joined Helix in 1975-76, and both were members of that band more than once. Brent in particular clocked in a couple decades total in Helix. Brian spent a few years touring and recorded with Saga as well. Joining them on bass is Mike Uzelac aka “Uzi”, who played and wrote on their Capitol Records debut No Rest for the Wicked (1983). None of these guys seemed to have lost anything with the years.
My Wicked Twin evolved from Brent’s first solo outfit, Brent Doerner’s Decibel who released an excellent CD in 2006. From that earlier incarnation comes guitarist/vocalist Shane Schedler, a talented Kitchener-area musician whom I first met back in the 90’s at the old Record Store. Needless to say I’m a little biased when it comes to reviewing these guys. Being objective is the goal, so let’s get on with it!
On first listen it’s clear that Brent has raised the bar. This time there’s more music (12 songs), and it’s noticeably heavier. At the same time it’s also more diverse, and the production is improved.
I need to single out “Maybe Love” as a particularly outstanding track. When I saw them debut it live in ’07 it was obvious what a great song it was going to be. Its evolved into a superior hard rock song with a melodic vocal and a thoughtful lyric. There are top-tier rock bands who don’t put out material as good as “Maybe Love” on their albums. This is a song to be proud of, absolutely. Brent made a pretty cool video for the song too.
Most of the rest of the album is more raw, and more rock. “All The Action”, with its adventurous melodies, is a highlight. “One Big Bad Whoopie” is a lyric in which Brent shows his sly humour, something that comes frequently on this album. “Decibel City Hall” and “Get Your Game On” are fast boogie rockers a-la-Van-Halen-with-Roth. If you’re a hockey fan, you may have heard “Get Your Game On” before the album came out, as the band submitted it to the CBC for their “Write the new Hockey Night In Canada theme song” contest. (I prefer it to the selection they finally picked, but hey, it may be a tad too rock n’ roll for Hockey Night In Canada.)
Other standouts include “The Sting I Need” and “Love is What I Lean On”. “Alone Again, Face to Face” is a nocturnal, sneering rocker. “That Kind of a Love” is a guitar haven within a stunning power ballad. I tend to use the word “epic” a lot, but it does apply here, especially in the middle when it goes all Zeppelin. As one would expect with musicians of this caliber, the playing is more than competent. Brent and Shane weave cool lick after cool lick, while Brian and Mike groove with nuance. While everything is solidly rock n’ roll, the rhythms are not simplistic, and paying attention to the drums will produce many smiles.
Pick up My Wicked Twin’s Decibel Music, if you’re a fan of rock “the way they used to make it”. But give it time to grow on you. Some songs have a lot going on, and not many are instant. Play it a few times. You’ll be glad you found this band. Or, in their words:
“So don’t steal our record, Cause we gotta eat, So buy our record, Satisfies, ’cause we love the taste of meat, We love the taste of meat!”
I’ve seen the juicy ribs Brent eats, so I’m inclined to agree.
mikeladano.com 