Though they had Bob Rock in the producer’s seat, Tonic really stopped rocking on their third album.
TONIC – Head On Straight(2002 Universal)
This album really should have been their best to date, with talent like Bob Rock at the console. Instead, it sounds as if Rock was bored or distracted, and there was nobody in quality control for songwriting. The band sound desperate, chasing hits, and not doing what they used to – rock in their own style with twang and stomp. The bland cover art belies the faceless music within.
The misleading opener “Roses” is a typical de-tuned early 2000s rock song. The riff and chorus fail to lift off. It slams hard, but there’s nothing at all to hook you in. It’s as if the band have forgotten how to write songs. You can hear that Jeff Russo is doing some cool stuff on guitar, but you can’t actually hear it! It’s buried under the uninteresting riff. It’s like they forgot all that southern charm that made their debut and follow-up both attention-getters.
Second track “Take Me As I Am” is the first ballad, and it’s fine, if a bit cookie-cutter. It has hooks. Three more ballads follow, and none are as memorable as anything on the first two albums. Even the title track, “Head On Straight”, is a ballad. I was expecting a rocker. These ballads just don’t have the weight or impact of past albums. They’re well produced and hefty enough, but they lack that je ne sais quoi they used to have.
“Liar” is the first rocker in a dog’s age, and it’s crap. Low on melody and high on cliche, it ain’t good. Then, more ballads! Songs like “On Your Feet Again” might work a lot better if there were only two. As it is, the brain just can’t differentiate from song to song.
Fortunately, “Come Rest Your Head” isn’t a ballad, but it also doesn’t really rock. It has one riff that rocks, but it meanders into the murky swamp of “meh”. Bet you’ll never guess that “Ring Around Her Finger” is a ballad though, and it’s the sappiest yet. Singer Emerson Hart affects an annoying falsetto. This song just stinks. It’s followed by “Believe Me”, which I guess for lack of better words, we will also call a ballad. It’s not a rocker, so what is it? Mid-tempo schlock with xylophone, on an album that needed adrenaline in any form. It’s atrocious, is what it is.
“Irish” is also embarrassing. Would you call this a sea shanty? A rock sea shanty? I have no friggin’ idea. Normally I like this kind of thing – rock music with a celtic bent – but maybe I’m just sick of this album and feeling salty.
The album ends on…a ballad. “Let Me Go”. It’s so cliche, it could have been music from a Family Guy montage. Fortunately the song picks up at the end, but until that point, it is the most cliche song on the entire album. “Let me change my direction, I won’t take their rejection!” But Emerson…you did change your direction. You use to have some serious emotion; now you’re punching a clock. It’s no wonder this was Tonic’s last album before a break up.
The shame of it is, I like these guys. I adore the first twoalbums, and I followed Jeff Russo through to his career in TV soundtracks. The last minute guitar burning on “Let Me Go” is far too little, too late to save this album.
RECORD STORE TALES #1119: The Olde Toys R Us Store Sure Has Changed…
Where Toys R Us stands today in Kitchener Ontario, there once was a drive-in movie theater. That was torn down in the early 1980s, and the mighty Toys R Us was raised. There it has loomed heavy over Fairview Mall across the street, for four decades, beckoning children with aisles and aisles of Star Wars toys, then replaced by GI Joe figures and Transformers. It was impossible to enter Toys R Us without finding something you wanted. It has ebbed and waned since then, now stuffed with unwanted and overpriced 6″ figures and Super 7 cards.
“At least we still have a Toys R Us,” we say. “Mastermind Toys is closing, and Walmart sucks. Now let’s go check out the vinyl at the Toys R Us store.”
Full stop. What? Vinyl at Toys R Us?
In another attempt to stay relevant as Hasbro drives their prices up and quality down, creating shelfwarming superheroes and Sith lords, Toys R Us is now stocking vinyl at their Kitchener location.
Last time I visited there, about a month ago, they were in the process of re-organizing. Where the Lego and Hasbro products were, was becoming a book section. Interesting! Book stores haven’t done well in the area, with the short-lived Booksmarts closing a decade ago, across Wilson Ave from TRU. Still, we must applaud any attempts to get kids reading books. I didn’t have a look at the book section myself; nothing caught my eye. What did catch my view was the familiar shape of white bins containing shrink-wrapped packages, 12″ by 12″. Each one was different, boasting vibrant artwork.
They were not calendars. They were records. Vinyl had come to Toys R Us.
The first one I noticed was Prequelle by Ghost. $25. Not bad. I picked it up in my eager hands.
I considered buying Ghost on vinyl at that price. Oh, sure, I already own a CD copy with a lenticular cover and bonus tracks, but…vinyl, right?
I put it back. Ghost are more of a car band for me. I wouldn’t play the vinyl more than twice. Decent price though.
Thinking of the bands aching to be collected on vinyl back at home, I looked for Kiss and Iron Maiden. No Kiss; lots of The Killers though. The albums were loosely organized. Toys R Us doesn’t have a dedicated person for this section to keep things organized, and…ouch!! What’s that? A record was clumsily wedged between two rows, pulling the cover in two directions and creating an ugly crease. I put the records back in rows, but this is why you need a dedicated person when you put a record store inside a toy store.
There were some interesting finds there. Purple Rain on vinyl would be cool to have. I chuckled when I saw a Linkin Park Meteora 2.0 box set. Jen used to love Linkin Park. I bought her the Linkin Park/Jay-Z album for Christmas when we were dating.
Over to Iron Maiden. They had a decent selection – better than a lot of the local chain stores. Several albums I needed on vinyl, and even the three-LP En Vivo set. A-ha! Number of the Beast. I just got ripped off at The Beat Goes On with an overpriced copy a few weeks prior. How does Toys R Us pricing compare?
Cheaper! Four bucks cheaper! Toys R Us had The Number of the Beast four bucks cheaper than the $40 copy I bought at The Beat Goes On across the street. How can Toys R Us be beating The Beat Goes On, a dedicated music store, in prices? According to friend Kevin, the record sections are actually little HMVs. They also have one in St. Catharines.
“They really need to work on their merchandising,” said Chris Preston, who had copious notes on how to improve this situation. “No genres whatsoever,” he added. Chris also felt it was a big miss to not sell turntables or accessories with the records.
There was no signage, and the records were as much in order as you’d find at the local mall stores. There were no letter groups – A, B, C, etc. Many additional records were not displayed at all, and just shoved into a lower shelf. That’s where I found Purple Rain. They did have coloured vinyl and limited editions. It wasn’t a bad little corporate record section, if it was properly cared for.
I questioned the wisdom of placing a record section in a store primarily occupied by running and screaming pairs of hands, right around record shelf height. I dealt with this at a CD store, remember. I think they’re gambling on the nerd factor. Those people who are coming in for the newest Lego releases or collectible figures. They’re hoping those people will also stop and buy a record.
“Nerds like records too now, right?” You can imagine an executive asking that question in a boardroom, somewhere in a downtown metropolis where decisions such as these are made.
Considering three, briefly, I ended up not buying any. I considered but dismissed Prequelle, and also Somewhere In Time and Powerslave by Iron Maiden. The prices were a little high for Maiden albums that I remember being stocked at $10 or less at the downtown Sam the Record Man in 1989. Incidentally, Toys R Us had Powerslave cheaper than Amazon at the exact same time, also by about four bucks.
What does it mean when Toys R Us stores are stocking vinyl in a makeshift music section, but no other formats like CD or cassette?
I think this means we have hit peak vinyl. HMV is dumping their stock in these micro-locations, because they have too much. I’ve seen it before. We did similar things when we had too many CDs in our warehouse. The Boss Man tried moving them in bulk to a micro-location. That was one of many schemes that I remember.
I do look forward to buying at least one record at Toys R Us in the future. I’ll keep the price tag on forever, just to prove it happened.
My overpriced Beast vinyl from The Beat Goes On. I wonder how the old Boss Man feels about another chain inching in on his territory, with cheaper prices?
I recently enjoyed a trip to Burlington Ontario, a place I have not been since the early 2000s working at the Record Store.
Driving down Highway 6, I wondered, is that place with the funky dinosaurs on the front lawn still in business? I remember they had a T-Rex with a missing head. And yes! That business, Flamborough Patio Furniture, is still there and still has the T-Rex. They even fixed the decapitation damage. I was impressed.
A lot of other businesses didn’t make it. There was Grasshopper Imports, a weed accessory shop with a tie-dye pattern on its walls. It almost survived the last 20 years, but is now closed and for sale.
I wonder what else changed since my last trip to Burlington, in the world of the Record Store?
Do they still force their employees to drive down Highway 6 to manage two stores in the winter time, with cars that are barely snow-worthy, like they did to me? I remember asking them, “When you do plan on hiring a full time manager for that store? I’m concerned about the drive in the winter.” Without sympathy, I was told “other people have to do that drive too.” Yeah, maybe, but I had my own store to manage in Kitchener. Driving to Oakville every day at Christmas time wasn’t what I was hired to do.
Do they pay mileage, or make employees wait months, like I did?
Do people still come in daily with hundreds of CDs to sell? Or has vinyl taken over once again?
Do they still have a TV in that Burlington store to show movies? Does that guy who was roommates with Scott Anderson from Finger 11 still work there? I’m guessing no, to both.
I’m just glad the dinosaurs still live. It’s comforting to know that T-Rex has his head back.
JOE SATRIANI – Surfing With the Alien (1987, 1999 Sony remaster, 2017 RSD Epic 2 LP reissue)
On October 15 1987, the face of rock music was shaken when a little instrumental album called Surfing With the Alien started making waves. The record eventually went platinum, and its songs found itself used on radio and TV for decades to come. Why? Possibly because of Joe’s impeccable attention to songwriting. Though his guitar playing put him on the map, it was his knack for writing catchy rock songs that made this album so special. Satriani’s songs are written as if the lead guitar is the lead singer. There are verses and choruses, and attention to structure and melody. That must be why Surfing With the Alien was nominated for two Grammys in 1988.
Opening with the title track, a striking little chugging riff starts the show. But then Joe’s melodic lead guitar kicks in, and you realize it’s exactly like if a singer was leading the show! You can literally sing along to Joe’s guitar and a little wah-wah effect doesn’t hurt. And then the shred begins, and you feel like, “OK, I get it now. This guy is an actual genius.”
Yet it’s all accessible. He may throw in licks as fast as greased lightning, but you can still follow. Your brain still picks out notes and melodies that satisfy those musical needs.
The cool “Ice 9” is a funky groove (Joe on bass) with a slick melody on top. Joe can work with mid-tempo grooves just as well as high-speed blazes. Solos with different sounds and guitar tones add diversity. A fun tune, but the third song “Crushing Day” has more tension and urgency as the tempo is turned up once again. The variety of solos, melodies and riffs in one short song is quite remarkable. Joe’s guitar tone is bright and shimmery, like the Silver Surfer himself.
Incidentally, regarding the striking album cover featuring the titular Marvel character from Silver Surfer #1 (1982), Joe lost the licensing for him at some point in the 2000’s. This is why the 2017 RSD reissue has different artwork, without him. (Look carefully at the new art, and you will see that they replaced the yellow streaks with yellow guitar picks!) Hopefully Joe doesn’t feel too badly about losing the Surfer art. Marvel comics repaid him for the popularisation of the character outside the comic world by naming a planet after him.
The beautiful ballad “Always With Me, Always With You” might be considered the most famous song. It received three Grammy nominations in three separate years (live versions, you see) and was prominently featured in an American Dad episode. It is hard to describe exactly what makes it so special, without you listening for yourself. The guitar is lyrical and memorable, and it worked so much better than it would have with a lead vocal. This is an instrumental ballad, made magical.
“Satch Boogie” is arguably just as popular. Deep Purple played it during the brief period when Joe Satriani was in the band post-Blackmore and pre-Morse. It has been used on TV, radio and video games. It is indeed a boogie! It taps into the Van Halen vibe a-la “Hot For Teacher”, but burns straight through without stopping to talk. Mid-song, there’s a jaw-dropping solo that is pure tapping nirvana.
An ominous and brief interlude (“Hill of the Skull”) paints an apocalyptic picture. The programmed drums don’t detract, as it is all about the tale that the guitar is telling, with layered wails. This serves to set up “Circles”, one of the most interesting tracks. Echo is employed to great effect on this mellow but dark ballad. Without pause, the striking chimes of “Lords of Karma” enter the picture, a pounding guitar rocker with drums by Jeff Campitelli. (Drums on this album are a mix of live and programmed.) Much like “Crushing Day”, “Lords of Karma” is a bit faster and more intense.
A lovely classical sounding interlude called “Midnight” sets up the final track. “Midnight” features techniques that an expert will have to identify, except to say it sounds remarkable and innovative. The spotlight is never really on Joe’s fingers though – just on the notes and sounds he magically produces with them (and an array of effects). Then the thud of bass opens “Echo”, the last song on this important album. It’s unlike the previous ones, with the bass so prominent. The song sounds as if it’s always just bubbling under. Perhaps it would come as a surprise that the final song on this album of guitar showcases is so much about feel and restraint.
That’s one thing about Surfing that does make it special. Like any good album, it is sequenced as a full listen, not as a collection of shreds. Even without the shreds, it’s still not bad.
That’s what the 2017 Record Store Day deluxe vinyl edition is all about. A bonus LP is included, with all the lead guitar stripped off. This allows you, the ambitious home player, to try to solo over the bed tracks. For the rest of us, it just allows us to listen a little bit differently to an album that is very familiar.
The drums seem more prominent on the title track, allowing us to better hear Jeff Campitelli’s fills. Mostly though, you can still bang your head, and maybe sing along to an imaginary vocal melody. “Ice 9” is particularly fun in this guise, sounding a bit like an “80s dance remix” even though it’s not. “Always With Me, Always With You” is still delicate and beautiful. You get the picture. These tracks, though needing the lead guitar to be whole, are perfectly listenable without. Only “Circles” and “Midnight” seem completely barren. You don’t have to be a guitar player to enjoy this bonus record. You just have to be interested in music, and how it is constructed in the mix. You can hear melodies and accents, even on “Always With Me”, that you might have missed on the album version all these years!
There are many ways to acquire copies of this impactful album, that opened the charts to Steve Vai and others a few years later. There is a 1999 Sony remaster with liner notes and nice packaging. There is a deluxe edition with a live DVD from the 1988 Montreux Jazz Festival. The version with the most actual audio tracks, however, is the limited 2017 Record Store Day reissue. You don’t get the lovely Silver Surfer artwork, but you do get the bonus record of stripped tracks, and red & yellow coloured vinyl.
No matter what choice you make, Surfing With the Alien in any form is an essential addition to a serious rock fan’s collection. Some may argue it’s the best rock instrumental guitar album ever made.
I was so pleased to be able to collaborate with YouTuber D’Arcy Briggs. He has a great channel all about physical media and music, and my favourite new feature of his is called “What’s Good”. It’s just him and a guest literally talking about whatever’s fresh and good that they want to share. This is only the second episode of “What’s Good”, following the debut with Jex Russell!
For me, I had three unboxings and a Gene Simmons set to show. The unboxings are brand new and exclusive to this show! This is the first reveal of these treasures to come into my collection.
D’Arcy had some cool stuff included new music by Jack Antonoff, jazz rock fusion, the complete English Beat, some vinyl, and a parcel from Ontario! We took four turns each but you’ll have to watch the show to see what we brought.
One of the items I was proud to show was my autographed copy of Angie Moon’s first book, Crime of the Century. You can find out more and buy your copy by clicking this link. crazyonclassicrock.com/buy-crime-of-the-century
Crime of the Century is an original book idea about the connections between classic rock and roll and true crimes! Some are less known than others. The Band and Jack Ruby? The Kink and John Wayne Gacy? DEVO and John Hinkley Jr.? I didn’t know any of this before. I can’t wait to dig in and talk to Angie on Grab A Stack of Rock. She came from right here in the WordPress community and it’s awesome to see her out with her first book!
Check out the episode below, and subscribe to D’Arcy’s channel if you already haven’t!
Tony MacAlpine seemed to be in every guitar magazine when I was a kid, but I never got to hear his music. He looked cool, and he was highly praised as a shredder, but his music (on Shrapnel records) was impossible to find unless you ordered it from a specialty shop. Like most of Shrapnel’s output, it was produced by Mike Varney.
His 1985 solo album Edge of Insanity features an impressive band: Journey’s Steve Smith on drums, and of course it’s common knowledge that Billy Sheehan played bass. The album is instrumental.
Opener “Wheel of Fortune” has a neoclassical vibe, with the rapid fire bassline enabling MacAlpine to focus on the melody rather than shred his way throughout. There is certainly a commonality in terms of musical direction with Yngwie, but Tony’s approach is more easily digested. Tony’s music has an actual bottom end thanks to Billy, and of course Steve Smith’s technique speaks for itself. He’s more than capable of heavy metal hammering as he does on “Wheel”, but listen carefully and you will hear his signature cymbal work, so unique to me.
“The Stranger” discards some of the neoclassical robes, and rocks a more straight-ahead blitz. Tony has a wicked keyboard solo mid-song, showing the breadth of his abilities. The pulse of the song is all Sheehan, and Smith’s fills sound a lot like a certain band that started with a “J”.
A live solo called “Quarter to Midnight” is unaccompanied. It reminds me of a Randy Rhoads solo. There’s some nice whammy work near the end, which was so popular in the era.
A ballady song called “Angrionia” (mis-printed on the back cover, but correctly in the booklet) follows; quite a nice little tune with the occasional bursts of neoclassical guitar speed. Billy has a couple nice rips as well. MacAlpine multitracks his guitars for effect.
“Empire in the Sky” has a very cool keyboard intro, that leads into a gallopy metal number. This has a mid-tempo vibe like Maiden circa Seventh Son when keyboards were happening. You could imagine this coming from that era, though of course Tony was three years ahead. His doubletracked leads set it apart from that, and there are some chunky riff chords happening beneath, though this is not a riff album. There’s also some outro guitar twangin’ that is absolutely freakin’ rib-shattering.
An Yngwie vibe pervades “The Witch and the Priest”. You hate to make comparisons, and it seems lazy, but when you hear a vibe there might be something to it. Of course, Billy Sheehan and Steve Smith help make it sound less Yngwie. Tony’s tone is warmer than the Swedish shredder’s as well.
“The Taker” is the only song with Tony playing bass and it’s less prominent for that reason. This tune is a full-speed blaze, with Tony deftly weaving melody through all his playing, and then suddenly taking a left turn with harpsichord-like keys and then some organ for good measure! “The Taker” keeps you on your toes.
Tony treats us to actual classical music next: his spin on Chopin. “Prelude 16, Opus 28” is performed on piano, and you’d never guess it wasn’t from a professional classical pianist. This prelude leads into Tony’s “Edge of Insanity”, a deep cut title track and one that allows the chug-chug-chug of the metal to come through. There’s still a soaring melody and flying bassline to absorb. Smith’s drum parts are smashing – literally. A great tune and a little easier to digest than the speedier stuff.
“The Raven” has classical keys opening a speedy metal rollercoaster ride. Once again, Smith is classing up the place several notches with his signature fills. Tony rarely lets up, constantly treating the listener to impressive shred. He switches tones (and probably guitars) at some points, giving the lead work different voices.
The closing track, “No Place in Time” has some slinky Billy bass, and really allows him to have some of the spotlight. His playing here is all about the groove he’s laying down, and how he complements Tony’s lead. MacAlpine uses doubletracked guitars and plays a slow melody. It’s not the most memorable track, and not the most effective closer.
Edge of Insanity is more accessible than a lot of instrumental guitar albums of the era. If some of those other artists seem daunting but you’d still like a taste of neoclassic rock, then go for some Tony MacAlpine.
EUROPE – The Final Countdown (1986, 2019 Rock Candy remaster)
When Europe set in to do The Final Countdown, some changes were necessary. The drum seat went from Tony Reno to Ian Haughland, a guy that Joey Tempest liked partially because his drum kit looked like Alex Van Halen’s. Some new songs, such as “Carrie” and “Ninja” had already been road-tested on the Wings of Tomorrow tour. The record label was gunning hard and hooked them up with Journey producer Kevin Elson for the third album. What Elson brought to the music was not drastic change, but the essentially improvements that made the record what it is today.
Record? In this case, CD. In 2019, Rock Candy reissued The Final Countdown with six bonus tracks: the same three live ones from the 2001 Epic remaster edition, plus three extra. For that reason, let’s take a second deep dive: It has been over 10 years since we last reviewed it.
With the ominous boom of synth, the anthemic title track opens The Final Countdown with regal, grand intentions. The track was cut down from seven minutes to just five, and for that reason it was able to become the hit it was. Today you hear it on TV commercials and shows such as Arrested Development (in hilarious fashion). Back then, it was pushing the envelope about how much keyboard was acceptable in hard rock or heavy metal. Europe really started as a metal band on their first album. Yet here we are, with those big gongs of synth provided by new member Mic Michaeli. When the trumpet-like main keyboard melody enters the fray, it’s all but over. Your mind is now hooked! The wicked John Norum guitar solo remains one of his catchiest and most memorable, with plenty of fret-burning action. The lyrics tell the story of abandoning the Earth for Venus due to catastrophe. Corny, but pretty unusual for its time. “The Final Countdown” remains one of those career-defining songs that live forever.
“Will things ever be the same again?” begs Joey Tempest, before the chorus. For the band, no. Superstardom hit soon thanks to this unforgettable anthem. Though their fortunes would fade and they would never hit these heights again, they wrote themselves into rock history with one song.
Straight-ahead party rocker “Rock the Night” was the infamous video that featured Joey Tempest using a ketchup bottle as a makeshift microphone. Great song though, with that kind of shout-along chorus that Bon Jovi were also becoming experts in. But listen to Ian Haughlaand’s drums! Absolutely pounding. All the elements come together in perfect balance here, with the keyboards taking a back seat to John Norum, who continues to burn on the solo. His tone on this album was unique and very tasty.
“Carrie” was born on tour as a simpler arrangement with just Joey and Mic on stage. When recorded for the album, it was a full band arrangement. A little heavy handed, a little over-dramatic perhaps. It too was a huge hit. It still sounds good today, largely thanks to Joey’s impassioned vocal performance. The man was at the peak of his powers, and it shows here. Very few singers can do what Joey does on “Carrie”.
The rock returns on “Danger on the Track”, a tale of Joey fleeing from the strangers on his back. And he was so right, apparently, but we won’t get into that! This is clearly an album track, not up to the standards of the previous three singles, but still good enough for rock and roll. It’s “Ninja” that surpasses the singles, with a ripping tale of the era of the ninja. It has the rhythmic chug that the other songs don’t, and plenty of John Norum’s addictive, dramatic runs.
The final song written for The Final Countdown was one of its best: the side two opener “Cherokee”. It seems odd for a band from Sweden to sing about a dark period in American history, but the lyrics aren’t too far off the mark. They were based on a book Joey saw while working in America. This is probably the second most anthemic song on the album behind “The Final Countdown”. It has a big keyboard hook too, and a chorus that sticks for days.
“Time Has Come” is only the second ballad, but it has some heavy guitars to keep it from going too soft. Once again, Norum’s solo is a highlight, being a key part of the song’s melodicism. Moving on to “Heart of Stone”, a memorable mid-tempo track, John Norum continues to shine. This cool song boasts a killer chorus to boot. There are cool stabs of organ a-la Deep Purple ’84. You wouldn’t call it a heavy song, but “On the Loose” sure is. This scorcher is among Europe’s best blasts. It’s just a simple song about teenage frustration and energy. This might have been the song that made me a John Norum fanboy in the first place.
Album closer “Love Chaser” is a melancholy mid-tempo romp. It has a bouncy beat and keyboard hooks, and it ends the album just perfectly. It even has a keyboard melody at the start that recalls “The Final Countdown” a bit, providing the album with a nice set of bookends. Sadly this would be John Norum’s last appearance with Europe until a 1999 reunion. He was replaced by Kee Marcello, who appears in all the music videos aside from “The Final Countdown” itself.
The first set of bonus tracks are the three live songs that appeared on the 2001 Epic remaster. These are taken from the Final Countdown World Tour VHS from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1987, and feature Marcello on guitar, though this information is not included in the otherwise excellent booklet. It is audibly him. “The Final Countdown”, “Danger on the Track” and “Carrie” are the three tracks included, though there is a clear opportunity here to do a 40th anniversary edition with the entire show on disc 2. These are solid live versions, and it does sound pretty live especially in the lead vocals. Joey Tempest is one of the most impressive singers in hard rock, and though the press was trying to build a rivalry with Bon Jovi in 1986-87, Joey was clearly the superior singer.
The first of the new bonus tracks is a rare 1986 re-recording of “Seven Doors Hotel” from their debut. There are now drapes of synths over the piano opening, but the song still scorches hot as ever. John’s guitar is doubled effectively for a more Lizzy-like approach. It was clearly too heavy for The Final Countdown album but it could have been an excellent B-side.
Speaking of B-sides, a special B-side remix of “Rock the Night” is another rarity brought back to light. This version could have been better than the original, but falls short of the mark. It does not actually sound like a remix at all, but a completely different recording, at least vocally. If you wanted to hear this song a little heavier, then this version might do it for you, except for the annoying looping of hooks. “Rock now, rock now, rock now, rock the night!” “What do you want? What do you want?” Stop looping the hooks, please! It sounds so artificial. This version is a minute and a half longer than the original. It’s a slog, but it didn’t have to be.
Finally, the excellent B-side “On Broken Wings”, previously available on compilations, has been restored to the album as it always should have been. It’s a hard rocker, a driving song, and could have fit very well on side two. It would have been one of the faster songs, yet with another memorable Europe chorus.
This new Rock Candy remaster sounds sharp and vibrant. An excellent remastering of a stone cold classic. The booklet includes an interview with Joey Tempest on the making of the album. Until they issue an expanded edition for the 40th anniversary (let’s hope), then this is the version to buy, hands down.
CINDERELLA – Live Train to Heartbreak Station (1991 Mercury Japan EP)
Japan sure loves the rock! That’s one reason they get such cool exclusives. (There are other reasons too, involving incentive to purchase domestic product rather than the less expensive US imports.) Live Train To Heartbreak Station, recorded in Little Rock Arkansas, is one such exclusive. A six song EP released in 1991, this was issued to support the Heartbreak Station tour. I was fortunate enough to witness a show on the Canadian leg of that tour, which suffered from poor ticket sales, an early harbinger of the grunge to come….
Having seen it live, this sounds purely authentic. I’m sure there are overdubs, 90% of live albums do have overdubs. However they are hard to definitively detect. Tom Keifer’s patented screech is right there, in your face, still in its glory days. The band is solid, augmented by organ and keys in the background. You can also hear the two female backing vocalists that the band were using at the time.
This EP consists of six tracks, two from each of the band’s three albums in existance at the time. All six songs were singles, although not all were hits. Even though it was not a hit, I think it’s safe to say that “The More Things Change” belongs on an EP like this It’s a great song in the opening slot. They also sequence the two ballads (“Don’t Know What You Got” and “Heartbreak Station”) right in the middle of the EP, side by side. I like that idea, get ’em out of the way. I think that was a smart move, albeit the girly audience screams can get old pretty fast. But man, the harmonies on “Heartbreak Station” are so sweet. I don’t care if the girlies loved it, that’s just a great song. Synth replaces John Paul Jones’ string section; a fair compromise for the live setting.
After the two ballads, the band cranked out their two best known rockers: “Shake Me” and “Gypsy Road”. Man, this takes me right back to that summer of 1988. I can remember a time when I thought “Gypsy Road” was the best thing since sliced bread. And you know what? It still ain’t bad!
This is still one of the best, if not the best, Cinderella live packages on the market due to the vocal problems that Keifer would experience later on. It’s a shame it’s just an EP, but context is important. This was just a taster, a sampler. Don’t forget Slaughter and Ozzy both released live EPs at the same time – it was the thing to do, I guess.
Here is a band that I ignored for decades. When the music video for “Don’t Change That Song” came on ye olde Pepsi Power Hour on MuchMusic, it was just a step beyond how far I wanted to go. I had made allowances and let Poison into my life, but Faster Pussycat seemed less goofy and more sleazy. The gender-bending was there with Taime Downe’s makeup and nail polish, and the truth is I could not tell if Brent Muscat was a man or a woman. I figured if the Bangles had a member named Michael that was a girl, then who’s to say this Brent person couldn’t also be a girl? Greg Steele looked cool with the 5 o’clock shadow and headband wrapped with care, but very early on, I decided that Faster Pussycat were not for me. It was a confusing time to be a young teenager discovering rock music.
Produced by Ric Browde, who also recorded Poison’s debut, Faster Pussycat’s debut is a rock-em sock-em ride through the gutters of California, with smiles all around. It’s as if Aerosmith got a one-way ticket to Hollywood, bought some punk records, and went all-in on the debauchery.
Indeed, Aerosmith are the easiest comparison, especially vocally. Taime Downe sounds like he’s fronting an outtake from Done With Mirrors on “Don’t Change That Song”, nailing every squeal and shriek just as Steven Tyler might. Second track “Bathroom Wall” takes this further. Faster Pussycat lack the manual dexterity of Perry and Whitford, and so we get a punked up version of the ‘Smith without the schooled knowledge of boogie and blues or clever wordplay. This is Aerosmith: The Next Generation, after the punk wave had its impact and imparted a sense of who-gives-a-fuck. And every note is tastier for it, like hard rock candy sharp enough to cut your teeth.
Third track in, and we hit our first serious deep cut: “No Room For Emotion”. It’s a slower groove that drawls seductively across the chords of classic rock and roll. The Stones are the prime influence here, with just a hint of early Bon Scott-era AC/DC.
We all know Taime Downe ran the Cathouse club with Riki Rachtman, and so it seems natural that “Cathouse” is one of the better tracks. High speed piano hammers away behind a breakneck rock and roll riff. Taime takes the Tyler-esque screaming to its natural extremes on this track, which reads like an advertisement for the club.
Perhaps the first misstep is “Babylon”, seemingly a re-write of “You Gotta Fight For Your Right to Party” by the Beastie Boys. It’s definitely in the same pocket. There’s an annoying “pussy-pussycat” sample and an undeniably similarity of vibe. Though it’s a bit of a classic for the band, it sounds a bit like they’re trying too hard.
In a classic case of packing all the hits on side one, side two must stand on the strength of deeper cuts. “Smash Alley” is a tough little number, with cliche lyrics about gutters and back streets. As for deep cuts, “Shooting You Down” might be the biggest one to be found. An indelible chorus is matched with a simple riff and plenty of sneer from Taime Down. It’s a brilliantly catchy deep cut and probably should have been considered for a single.
“City Has No Heart” continues with a series of somewhat soundalike music, though this one has soulful backing vocals atop a punky tune. A good tune with a solid chorus, though at this point the Faster Pussycat sound starts to wear on the ears a bit. You start to crave something a little different on side two, just as side one had “No Room For Emotion”. There is no such change of pace on side two, and so we close out with “Ship Rolls In” and “Bottle In Front of Me” which rock us to the end. “Ship Rolls In” has a Sex Pistols vibe on the chorus. Then they go back to the Aero-vibe on closer “Bottle In Front Of Me”. It leans into the funky sound of Aerosmith, circa Rock In A Hard Place, quite successfully. It’s definitely a memorable closer, going full-on by the guitar solo. Taime Downe shreds every last vocal chord, pushing it to the limit. You’ll either love it or hate it, but if you love that screamin’ Steven Tyler on songs such as “Draw the Line”, then you’ll appreciate the lengths to which Downe pushes it.
The production of the album is of its time. The snare drum sounds plastic and there’s a flat, two-dimensional vibe. You can’t expect too much from an album released in 1987, folks. People were listening to music on different devices and had different preferences back then. Still, there are worse sounding records from this era and Faster Pussycat is worth of repeat listens. Just take an Advil if a headache sets in by the end of side two.
JUDAS PRIEST – Invincible Shield(2024 Epic Deluxe with bonus tracks)
I don’t usually write “first impressions” reviews, because I like the albums to have time to sink in, and to consider my opinions.
I’ll break some rules this time.
Invincible Shield tops Firepower and could be the best Priest album since Defenders. Or maybe even before that…
The highlights are many and the riffs are strong. Rob’s voice has not changed in 20 years and he is still of the same power and range as Angel as Retribution. As one goes deeper in, the songs continue to gain strength. “Invincible Shield” didn’t really jump out at first, but does now with a very Maiden-y outro. “Devil In Disguise” is another early highlight. “Crown of Horns”, “Escape From Reality”, “As God is My Witness” are instantly likeable, with hooks aplenty and the odd adventurous lick or detour. Richie Faulkner has been a godsend to this band, injecting them with new songwriting life, metallic riffs and speedy leads. Meanwhile, you can hear Glenn Tipton too, illness be damned! He trades off with Faulkner just as is Priest’s trademark. The classical guitar solo on “Giants In the Sky” is something completely new for this band and a surprising delight.
Invincible Shield has most of the longer material stacked to the top of the album, with the short songs going on side two. Even with 14 songs, the album is only just over an hour with bonus tracks, not overstaying its welcome, and inviting to repeated listens. There’s no point in getting a version of this album without the bonus tracks. You’d be missing out. You can get them at Target, Sunrise, or Amazon in Canada. They are “Fight Of Your Life”, “Vicious Circle” and “The Lodger”. “Fight Of Your Life” might be the most necessary song of the album, as it really hearkens back to the early 70s albums like Sin After Sin. It could be the deep cut of the record.
Lyrics have always been a shaky point in Priest history, and there are some cringey ones on Invincible Shield, but I doubt they will impede anyone’s enjoyment of this album. It has summer written all over it, as we await the coming of the sun and the highway months.
Production by Andy Sneap sounds great to these ears, with Ian Hill’s bass rich and deep, and Scott Travis’ drums livelier than ever. There are flashes back to the 70s and 80s, and some of Priest’s highest peaks of the past.
Martin Popoff may be right, but I’m not going as far as he did. Still…
TONIC – Head On Straight (2002 Universal)
FASTER PUSSYCAT – Faster Pussycat (1987 Warner)
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