Reviews

REVIEW: Grace Scheele – landings (2023 cassette, plus bonus tracks on Side B)

GRACE SCHEELE – landings (2023 EP – cassette side two – bonus tracks)

Last year we reviewed Grace Scheele’s concept tape about the moon landing called, bizarrely enough, landings!  Today we listen to the three bonus tracks that make up side two of the tape.  For your convenience, the original cassette review is included below.

Grace loves the cassette format and understands the desire to own physical music.  Therefore, she was wise to include bonus music on side two.  If you want to hear this, you have to be one of the folks who own a cassette, of which I have two.  There are three bonus tracks on the B-side.  Check out these titles:

1.  “- – – – – – – – – -”  (10:16)

2.  “pu-sil-lan-i-mous” (7:46)

3.  “cachinnate”  (3:48)

The first bonus track (I’m gonna call it “lotsa dashes”) features flute-like keys to open it.  This relaxing piece is enjoyed best with eyes closed.  The time actually flies despite its length.  This is vastly different from the music on the A-side which largely featured soundscapes and space sounds.  This is just notes: pure music, and it sounds largely improvised.  It’s like a lovely backdrop to a quiet night, drifting along to a book of your choice.  (Something science-y would be good.)

Bonus track #2 “pu-sil-lan-i-mous” is in a completely different direction from the first.  This time, the harp takes its time entering the scene over some gentle keys.  But that harp ain’t gentle at all!  With an abrasive scream, the calm is violently pierced by an instrument you do not associate with violence.  It continues to tickle the ear in unexpected ways.  A bassline underlines the music while Grace makes her harp speak, and even sound like feedback.

Percussive sounds introduce the third track “cachinnate”, and strings pluck away satisfyingly while loops ebb and flow.  This is the most “traditional” sounding harp piece on the tape, but electronics take it to another unexpected level.

This music is for those who want to be challenged every once in a while.  This is for the curious, who want to hear the lengths to which you can take a musical instrument without breaking it.  Grace Scheele’s landings is a remarkable release, perfect for open ears or ears that wish to be opened!

The original review for Side A is below.

From Grace’s bandcamp page:

“landings” centres on the real and imagined experience of the Apollo 11 mission to the moon; wielding bowed harp, electronic fx, and sampling from speeches, newsreels, mission audio, and NASA’s own interviews with those present at the historic newscast.  Ranging from the ethereally ambient to grinding, jarring industrial noise, the seven tracks across this debut EP represents an imagined journey into the darkness of space.

I’d call it a concept EP, based on that alone.  It’s a real listening experience, with elements that remind me of Pink Floyd, Star Trek, and War of the Worlds.  Some of the speeches and dialogue will be familiar, others will be novel.  There are sounds that, in my limited experience, I didn’t know you could make with a harp.  At 22 minutes,  is easy to digest in a single sitting, and the download comes with a “gapless version” that enables just that.  The layers of harp, samples, and electronic sound build, painting a sonic picture.  You can feel the tension of the launch!  I bet this sounds great with headphones.

The track “pomposity” has been getting some exposure, so if you only check out one track, try “pomposity” for a taste of what this is like.

Each tape comes in chromed silver with white printing — absolutely stunning!  They also come hand-wrapped in aluminium foil, and packed with personalized goodies.  Mine came with stickers, hand-drawn art, and even a package of Pop Rocks candy.

 

4.5/5 stars

 

Tune in this Friday on Grab A Stack of Rock for a special cassette episode with one of Grace’s teachers, Dr. Kathryn Ladano!

VIDEO: The Kiss Trivia Kollection – KISS – For The Konsummate Kiss Konnoisseur – The Might and Magic of Kiss

NOTE:  Thanks to viewer LEN LABELLE, we now know this insert came in a magazine called The Might and Magic of KISS!

Here’s a late Christmas gift that got lost under a couch!  What is it?  I dunno, but it’s called The Kiss Trivia Kollection – KISS – For The Konsummate Kiss Konnoisseur and it dates back to the Crazy Nights era of Kiss.

This trivia book has black and white photos by Mark Weiss, from several eras of Kiss. There are Q&As with all four members, memorable quotes, key dates in Kisstory, and of course, trivia. There isn’t much information about where this book originated, but we take a quick look at it in the video below.

THREE-VIEW: Eric Carr – Rockology (2000/2023 RSD reissue)

ERIC CARR – Rockology (2000 EMI/2023 Culture Factory RSD CD release)

This release provoked a bit of controversy early in 2023.  Vinyl fans and collectors were pleased that Eric Carr’s collection of unfinished tracks, Rockology, was being reissued on LP.  They were doubly elated by the retro-1970s cover art that fit in with the original 1978 Kiss solo albums.  It even came with a poster to match the original four solo albums, and the CD was printed on a disc replicating a vinyl look.  The packaging, with obi-strip and brilliant black and orange coloration, looks sharp.  They even threw on five extra bonus tracks that weren’t on the 2000 release or 2011’s Unfinished Business.

Unfortunately, much like 2011’s Unfinished Business, the bonus tracks are hardly-listenable throwaways and castoffs that were never meant for public consumption.  What’s more, like all RSD releases, the LP and CD copies were so poorly distributed that fans were soon paying ridiculous amounts of cash on the second-hand market.  Music should be accessible and affordable to everyone, but this reissue was hardly worth it for what amounts to fancy packaging and five ragged unreleased tracks.

We’ll start this review by discussing the five bonus tracks.

Part One – the five bonus tracks

First up is a “long demo” of “Tiara”, a ballad from the original Rockology.  The original track was 4:28 and this “long” version is 23 seconds longer, but it is a completely different demo version.  It is much rougher and laden with occasional noise.  The lyrics are incomplete, as Eric improvises “do-do-do” vocals over  the instrumental opening.  Bruce Kulick provides overdubbed lead guitars, but sadly it sounds like a poor quality cassette.  This is the kind of thing we got too much of on the Unfinished Business CD.

Another “alternate demo” is next, of “Can You Feel It”, a song that Eric hoped Bryan Adams would cover.  Like “Tiara”, this demo is earlier and much rougher.  Similarly incomplete lyrics over a drum machine.  The liner notes claim it’s Eric Carr playing drums, but it’s obviously a drum machine.  Shoddy liner notes.

An “accapella” version of “Eyes of Love” is just a rough multitrack vocal take with no backing music.  It’s not the exact same vocal take used on the other demo version.  It is of limited enjoyment.  It doesn’t sound like there’s a pop guard on the microphone, therefore, lots of noise.

Finally, something we’ve really never heard before:  A 1967 version of the Beatles’ “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da”.  This is a very rough sounding tape with lots of noise, but due to its age, we’ll allow.  It’s a fairly faithful take of the Beatles classic, with Eric on lead vocals and drums.  It features his band The Cellarmen and is the earliest Eric Carr recording yet to be released.  A difficult listen, but at least something of value.  You’d think they could have used AI noise reduction to get rid of that crackling sound.

The last of the five bonus tracks is a 1974 original called “Stranger” by his band Creation.  Eric is on drums alone this time, with bandmates John Henderson and Sarita Squires (also the songwriters) singing lead.  It is a decent soul-rock song and one of the better sounding recordings.  Though the drums are not the main feature of the song, and buried back in the mix, you can hear Eric’s personality shine through his fills.

Part Two – the original album (review posted 2018/06/19)

The late Kiss drummer Eric Carr was frustrated towards the end.  He was writing good material, but it was always being rejected by Paul and Gene.  In the press, Eric would tow the company line and explain that everybody else had such good songs, that there was no room for his.  In his heart, he was hurt and felt shunned.

Eric Carr wasn’t just a drummer.  He could sing lead, and he could write.  Kiss’ single “All Hell’s Breaking Loose” was an Eric idea.  He co-wrote “Don’t Leave Me Lonely” with Bryan Adams.  Although his writing credits on Kiss albums were sparse, he had plenty of material in the can.  2000’s Rockology is a series of those demos, some in a near-finished state and some left incomplete.  Much of this material was intended for a cartoon Eric was working on called The Rockheads.  10 years later, Bruce Kulick finished recording some guitar parts and mixed it for release.  He also wrote liner notes explaining the origins and Eric’s intentions for each track.

Eric didn’t have a particularly commercial voice, falling somewhere south of a Gene Simmons growl.  There’s no reason why Gene couldn’t have sung “Eyes of Love” from 1989, which has more balls than a lot of Hot in the Shade.  This demo has Eric on drums and bass, and Bruce Kulick on guitar with a solo overdubbed in 1999.  It doesn’t sound like a finished Kiss song, but it could have been tightened up to become one.  Same with the ballad “Everybody’s Waiting”.  It sounds custom written for Paul Stanley.  But it was 1989, and nothing was going to displace “Forever” from the album, nor should it have.

Many of the demos have no words.  “Heavy Metal Baby” features Eric scatting out a loose melody.  This heavy and chunky riff would have been perfect for the later Revenge album, had Eric lived.  In a strange twist, several of the best songs are instrumentals.  The hidden gem on this CD is the unfinished “Just Can’t Wait”.  It could have given Journey and Bon Jovi a run for their money.   Eric, Bruce and Adam Mitchell wrote it for Crazy Nights, and you can almost hear a killer chorus just waiting to leap out at you.  This potential hit could have been the best song on Crazy Nights, had it been finished.

“Mad Dog” has nothing to do with the Anvil song of the same name.  The chorus is there but the verses are a work in progress.  This hard rocker from 1987 was probably too heavy for what Kiss were doing, though it would have added some much needed groove.  “You Make Me Crazy” is in a similar state of completion and boasts a tap-tastic solo by Bruce.  Apparently this demo was originally called “Van Halen” and you can hear why.  Two versions of a song called “Nightmare” exist, including a really rough one without drums.  This incomplete song could have really been something special.  It has a dramatic feel and different moods, and was probably too sophisticated for Kiss, though any number of 80s rock bands would have been lucky to have such good material.

The last batch of tracks show off the Rockheads material.  Whether Eric’s cartoon idea ever would have happened or not, the advent of bobble-heads and Pops would have made marketing easy.   The songs are virtually complete though the drums are programmed.  “Too Cool For School” is a little cartoony, which is the point, right?  For keyboard ballads, “Tiara” showed promise.  It’s not the equal of “Reason to Live” but it demonstrates a side to Eric unheard before.  Next, Bruce says that they always wanted Bryan Adams to cover “Can You Feel It”.  It would have fit Adams like a nice jean jacket.  Not that Adams really needed the help, it would have been awesome on Waking Up the Neighbors.  The set closes with “Nasty Boys”, nothing exceptional.  It sounds like a song called “Nasty Boys” would sound…or anything by 80s Kiss really.

Part Three – the packaging and remastering

The selling point for the majority of fans for this reissue was the packaging.  The original cover featured Eric in 1989 or 1990, obviously without makeup.  The new version is designed to look like an Eraldo Caragati portrait matching the first four Kiss solo albums.  It does, after a fashion.  It doesn’t have the depth or realism of a Caragati, but it matches.  The aura colour is orange.  Inside, there is a poster that similar recalls the original four from 1978.

The liner notes from the original CD release are missing.  This is unfortunate.  As such you don’t get the stories or context or knowledge from Bruce Kulick about the background of these songs.  Instead you get a CD that looks like a record.  This is pressed in black plastic, and has actual ridges on the face side that look like record grooves.  The play of the CD is inhibited in no way by this.

The remastering is much louder.  It does sound like somebody messed with the tapes.  “Eyes of Love” sounds like it has more echo on the drums compared to the original.  Is this due to more echo being applied, or more being audible due to the raised volume?  Possibly just a listener-induced effect, but it does sound different.

If you want but don’t have Rockology yet, seek out the reissue.  If you’re dying to make a display of the five lookalike solo albums, get the reissue.  If you don’t feel like listening to rough demos with tape crackle bonus tracks, run away like a fox.

 

Original score: 3/5 stars

Reissue value:  1/5 stars

Original mikeladano.com review:  2014/04/24

MOVIE REVIEW: Mystique – Standing On the Firing Line (2022)

Note:  This review is of the new 96 minute cut of Mystique – Standing On the Firing Line. 

A collaboration with Jex!  For Jex Russell’s review, click here!

MYSTIQUE: STANDING ON THE FIRING LINE (2022, 2023 edition)

Directed by Marco D’Auria

“EPIC METAL” – Martin Popoff

They had the raw talent to make it.  They just needed a break.  They didn’t get it, but what they achieved instead was a legendary status with a handful of priceless releases left behind.  They were Mystique, a progressive heavy metal band from Hamilton Ontario.

Standing On the Firing Line is a 2022 documentary film by Marco D’Auria, finally shedding light on the history and music of this lesser-known band.  They always deserved more attention, and hopefully the film brings them that.  From the first shots of the band, the music of “No Return” assaults the senses with chopping riffs and unholy screams.  Why didn’t they make it?

The main driving force of Mystique from their beginnings to their demise were opera-trained singer Ray D’Auria (originally from Naples Italy), and perfectionist drummer John Davies, who had spent time in a few hard rock bands before Mystique.  Many other talented members joined and enhanced them along the way, but it was Ray and John who were there ’til the end.  The two met up when John auditioned for Ray’s band, Orion.  A friendship was formed, but the band wasn’t paying them the money they were owed.  They split as a pair and didn’t waste time starting their own thing.  15 year old Dave Dragos was a shredder – rated 2nd best in Canada at the time – and was first on board.  He introduced them to bassist Mark Arbour (a mixture of Geddy Lee and Chris Squire), and a solid band was formed.  A 1984 basement tape of “Black Rider” shows the nameless band had the goods.  It was Ray who blurted out “Mystique”, which felt right.

They found a rehearsal space, and added keyboardist Victor Barreiro.  The band practiced hard, and pushed each other to improve as musicians.  Davies tended to handle the business side, but they were attracting attention to themselves.  They found a manager (Ted Smirnios), money was borrowed, and songs were improved upon, until they were finally in shape to record.  Primitive but technically inventive tracks were recorded on 1/2″ tape, on a 16-track desk.  Not the best for sound quality, but good enough to get the songs down.  They went as far as to butcher a classic Leslie speaker to get a driving keyboard sound.

A stoned viewing of the animated Lord of the Rings movie captured John Davies, and inspired the song “Black Rider”.  The band had a sort of gothic bent in the mid-80s, but Ray D’Auria’s voice was appropriate for this progressive style of metal.  Journalist Martin Popoff remarks that the keyboards brought them into that progressive world.  Melodic guitar/keyboard solos took time to work out.  They were unafraid to play ballads, which Martin compares to a vintage Judas Priest dirge.  Mystique were a serious band!  The Black Rider EP impressed their peers for the playing if not the sound.  Popoff heard a strong Maiden influence, but compares more to Armored Saint and Odin with elements of power metal.  1000 copies were sold, an impressive amount.  Their manager got it as far away as Greece, and even accidentally set himself on fire as part of their stage show!

The band were doing well but dreams were not exceeded, and eventually members left for greener pastures, leaving Ray and John to rebuild.  Bizarrely, they met a talented French guitarist named Eric Nicolas in Jackson Square, and went to France to record their next demo:  1987’s I Am the King.  They struggled with the language barrier, and were recording digitally for the first time.  Ray blew everyone away with the “God note” that he held in “I Am the King”.  They were offered a record contract with Elektra in France, which didn’t pan out.  They brought the tapes home to Canada for release.

They added a new bassist, Les Wheeler, and evolved from metal to “hair”.  “The explosion in the costume factory look,” as described by Popoff, of their new extreme look that didn’t match their music.  “It looked good, from a distance,” jokes Ray.  Teenage girls loved their posters though!  Unfortunately having a guitar playing living in France was a barrier.  Wheeler broke his wrist in an accident.  A new lineup formed.  They felt forced to go more commercial, which resulted in the 1988 Poison-esque single “Rock and Roll Party Tonight”.  It was vastly different from “Black Rider”, but they went straight from that to recording a proper album, funded by EMI.  They taped 11 to 12 songs…but the album was never released and is partly lost today.  The masters tapes were sold and erased.  There were some good songs on that tape.  Ray, however, looks back at their change of direction as a mistake.  More shuffles in band members caused long breaks in activity, and the writing was on the wall.  Ray no longer identified with the music, and was the one to leave.  By 1989, their music was out of date anyway.

Manager Ted Smirnios is given a tremendous amount of credit for making Mystique happen.  It’s a touching part of the film.  The band members went their separate and sometimes surprising ways, but the story never really ends so long as people keep discovering the music.  Their releases are now valuable collectables today, worth a small fortune on the second-hand market.

Rare live clips and candid photos really bring an intimate look at Mystique.  You feel like you get to know the personalities.  This new edit of the film cut a substantial amount of footage, mostly interview footage with people who were there at the time.  The movie gains better pacing from this, as it just flies by in no time.  A new ending to the film brings us to the present day, and the movie’s theatrical premiere in front of a cheering audience.  The original cut might be considered for more hard-core viewers who want that “feels like being there” experience, but the current 96 minute edit is better for the enjoyment of Mystique.  It’s a much tighter and more direct story.  There is still plenty of unreleased music and vintage images.

Stay tuned for the mid-credit scene!

4.5/5 stars

Thanks Bop! Receiver working again!

A big thanks to Boppin, who got my 7.1 surround sound receiver working again.

“What’s the make and model?” he asked.

I squinted and shone a light with my phone.

“Denon AVR-1910,” I emailed back.

He responded with two possible solutions.  One of which was simple:  a reset back to factory settings.

I asked what good that would do?  I was sure it wasn’t a settings issue.  Bop said that sometimes these things go into a “protected mode” after a power surge.  OK, that’s reasonable.

After returning home, I did a factory reset, and reconnected everything.  (I also replaced the cables in the troubleshooting process.)

Suddenly, everything came back to life!  Audio, video – all working again.

THANK YOU BOP FOR SAVING ME A LOT OF MONEY!

Wimpy’s to the Rescue!

On Friday night, shortly after Grab A Stack of Rock concluded, the city of Kitchener was hit with a power outage and a surge to match!  Jen and I called it an early night and hit the sheets around 9:30.  We hoped the power would be back later in the night, but no such luck.

I woke shortly after 5:00 AM to discover  that the city’s power was restored, but our building had an electrical issue.  I called the appropriate numbers to report it and hoped for the best.

By 7:00 AM I was restless.  It was too dark to read a book, and all my devices were running out of power.  Even my headlight affixed to my toque!  (Which was a life saver by the way, thanks mom and dad.)  I woke Jen up and we went out in the cold icy rain to charge our devices in the car, and make our way down the street to Wimpy’s diner for some hot food.  Neither of us had a proper meal before the lights went out.

I had the omelette with all the fixings.  Jen had three eggs with four sausage links and a pancake.  It hit the spot.

Upon our return, power had just been restored!  My laptop was charging again and my PC was undamaged from the surge.

My 7.1 receiver unfortunately…it may have bit the dust.  It doesn’t seem to be receiving any signals…or maybe it’s not putting out any.  I’m not sure how to diagnose this thing but I think it’s dead.

But we survived the first big storm of 2024 with determination on our faces and food in our bellies.  Thanks Wimpy’s!

 

REVIEW: Arkells – Apple Music Home Session (2022 EP)

ARKELLS – Apple Music Home Session (2022 iTunes EP)

The Arkells have a number of download-only live EPs on iTunes.  The most recent one is 2022’s Apple Music Home Session which boasts three tunes:  Two from their Blink Twice album, and one exclusive cover.  And damn, you won’t believe what they covered!

The EP opens with a laid back, horn-laden “Reckoning” from Blink Twice.  The horns on this song are the real candy.  Rolling low and punching high, Arkells usage of horns is very effective.  And the chorus kick!  “Blink twice! There’s gonna be a reckoning!” croons Max Kerman on this irresistible hit.  Drummer Tim Oxford thunders out a smooth groove punctuated by his unusual kick drum pattern.  This is how pop rock should be – musically inventive with impressive playing.  This is how the Arkells do it.

Track two is “Past Life” performed just by the Arkells, and not with the Cold War Kids as on the Blink Twice album.  It’s a little tougher in this guise, with a lot more texture, dynamics and unexpected instrumentation.  Mike DeAngelis’ guitar break is tasty as hell and Max Kerman handles all the lead vocals himself.  This could end up being your preferred version of the song.

The big surprise is the cover:  “Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight)” by ABBA!  Max doesn’t swap genders for the lyrics, just as it should be!   The horn section delivers a good chunk of the melodies, but Anthony Carone perfectly duplicates the main keyboard hook.  Meanwhile, bassist Nick Dika lays down the funk in a flawless groove.  Dika gets a cool groovin’ spotlight moment just before the understated sax solo.  That leaves Kerman to deliver the indelible chorus, which he unflinchingly succeeds at.  Let’s face it, ABBA were extraordinary songwriters and “Gimme Gimme Gimme” is one of their all-time best.  The Arkells version is an undisputed triumph.

5/5 stars

  1. Reckoning (4:22)
  2. Past Life (3:55)
  3. Gimme Gimme Gimme (A Man After Midnight) (4:06)
    Arkells, the Beaches & July Talk

ARKELLS

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

…and more to come

REVIEW: Arkells – Blink Twice (2022)

ARKELLS – Blink Twice (2022 Universal)

Blink Once was a surprising pleasure.  Given how far the Arkells have sailed through the seas of rock, pop and blues, they seemed to be content circling ’round various genres of pop now.  Experimenting with hip-hop vibes, soulful backing vocals, dance beats and loops, the Arkells still managed to keep catchy guitar hooks as part of the mix thanks to Mike DeAngelis.  The bass thump of Nick Dika is still there, while Tim Oxford refuses to play anything simple on the drums.  Max Kerman’s lyrics still bite, but Anthony Carone’s keyboards now make up a large share of the hooks.  It’s still rock, but definitely far removed from their first track on their first album.  Blink Twice is largely composed of short songs, none reaching four minutes, and over half featuring guest performers from the world of pop.

Blink Twice opens seamlessly, exactly where Blink Once left off:  “Last Night I Heard ‘Em Sing” closed the former, a brief snippet of the latter’s opener “Reckoning”.

“Blink twice!” announces Max.  “There’s gonna be a reckoning!”

Strings, horns and thick backing vocals adorn this soulful rock song.  An instant classic.  Though far more vague than past political songs, it’s clear that Max is taking shots at the upper crust.  “It’s a drop drop in the bucket for you, becomes a knock knock on your ocean view.”

Though Max warns of a reckoning, track two brings this back home to more personal topics.  “Past Life” is a duet with Nathan Willett of California’s Cold War Kids, a band I’ve never heard of before.  The two work well together with distinctly different voices and styles, singing the same melody.  Mike DeAngelis provides a nice thick guitar hook that the song orbits, but this is upper echelon pop rock. One lyric that sticks out is when Nathan sings “Feel like Bob Dylan’s son, always in the shadows.”  Elsewhere,  Max proclaims “I’m a little Wallflower, singing ‘One Headlight’.”  Jakob Dylan did deserve stardom, but the line “I’ve gotta find my own way to write a song,” seems misplaced.  The Arkells sound like they’ve mastered that already.

“Take Back Everything” has an older-school Arkells sound.  This brings us back to the Morning Report days, perhaps the band’s finest hour.  It’s important to listen to all the instruments and hear what each member of the band brings to the table.  From day one, the bass has provided interesting textures and it’s still doing that here, while Mike DeAngelis explores his fretboard for new melodic compliments.

Hip-hop rears its head a lil’, on “Human Being”, a duet with Canadian electronica star Lights.  Her vocals are sublime, but the chorus of “I’m just a fuckin’ human being,” doesn’t quite hit the spot.  The song has its moments, including a catchy keyboard melody by Anthony Carone.  It’s a shorty, over in just 2:34.  We know the Arkells love Drake and that whole genre, but if I am going to have rap in my musical diet, “Human Being” isn’t so bad.

For duets, the high point of this album is the ballad “Teenage Tears” featuring Tegan and Sara.  Not a duo I have heard before, but of course every Canadian knows who Tegan and Sara are.  The twins sing as one here on a delicate ballad that boils tension and exhaustion together into a nourishing audio broth.  Too much metaphor?  Well you describe it, then. All I can tell you is that “Teenage Tears” is a classic; it hits you fast and doesn’t let go. You feel its familiar warmth immediately.  It’s a “greatest hit” if you ever wanna compile one.  The haunting music video is filmed in an empty mall, which certainly reminds of the pandemic days.

“Miracle” marks the midpoint of the album and the last song on side one.  It blends the bluesy bent of their early albums with modern production.  There’s guitar crunch but also the loopy melodic plinky bits that are popular in music today.  Pretty good song, but it ends abruptly, and is surrounded by superior material.

“Nowhere to Go” crashes the party, opening side two with an upbeat pop rocker like the Arkells are prone to do.  Wesley Schultz is the singer from the Lumineers dueting with Max, and their voices just add a little texture and variety to a song that otherwise might have got lost in the shuffle of similar bangers.  However, the sax solo by Jake Clemons is a jumper!  Nephew of Clarence, and member of the E-Street Band today, you know what you are in for.  Just hit the “back” button a little bit and play that sax solo one more time!  It has the exact same energy as classic Springsteen.

The biggest left turn is “Dance With You”, a pure disco song with lots of guests.  American pop duo Aly and AJ provide the backing vocals.  Surprisingly, the song is bilingual:  half in French!  Max sings in both English and French, while Québecois crooner Cœur de Pirate (Béatrice Martin) provides a breathy French counterpart.  Her vocals stand out for being so different.  By all means, give it a listen.  The Arkells have never been afraid of taking a step too far, and for some this may be it, while others may joyfully embrace every beat.   La plus grande surprise s’agit de “Dance With You”, une chanson disco pure avec de nombreux invités. Le duo pop américain Aly et AJ assurent les chœurs. Étonnamment, la chanson est bilingue: la moitié est en français! Max chante en anglais et en français, tandis que la crooner Québecoise Cœur de Pirate (Béatrice Martin) fournit un homologue français époustouflant. Sa voix se distingue par sa différence. Bien sûr, écoutez-le. Les Arkells n’ont jamais eu peur d’aller trop loin, et pour certains c’est peut-être le cas, tandis que d’autres peuvent embrasser avec joie chaque battement.*

There is even a dance remix called “Danser avec toi” available on an iTunes single, with more lyrics in French and more instrumental grooves.

“Running Scared” is another ballad, but completely different from “Teenage Tears”.  Laid back sax and an easy tempo render a song for the night time.  It’s immediately followed by an upbeat pop rocker:  “Something’s Gotta Give” featuring Joel Plasket.  As we race towards the close, this catchy singalong serves as one last blast-off before we face the end.  “Blink once!” announces Joel.  “Then I black out!  Blink twice, ’til we cash out.”  It’s just a party tune.  But something’s gotta give…

“Lost my guitar, lost my keys, lost my favourite pair of jeans…”  The finale “Floating Like” is about all those things that bring us down…but then that upbeat soul chorus hits and it’s like, “who cares!”  There’s a cool “These Eyes” kind of vibe coming from the piano, but the chorus is pure soul.  Sunshine and breezy days in the form of song.  “Now I’m feeling weightless, like I’m gonna make it!” says Max.  This is a song to help get you there.

Blink Twice is another triumph.  Completing the Blink duology with an album full of duets seemed uneven considering the first album only had one.  Instead, both albums do sound cohesive when played together, but the duets on Blink Twice seem to allow the album to build towards something.  Towards a conclusion.  A hopeful conclusion.  After the pandemic weighed so heavily on us all, music was (and still is) a reflection on what we endured.  Blink Once and Twice might be played together as a soundtrack from those days.  While both albums are strong, diverse, pop-centric and experimental, Blink Twice is the climax.

4/5 stars

* Thank you Jex Russell for translation!

 

ARKELLS

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

…and more to come

REVIEW: Arkells – Blink Once (2021)

“Blink Once is about resilience. It’s about grieving with loss and fall outs and finding your way back. The making of the album began before the pandemic, but the material seems to hit harder after everything we’ve been through over the past 18 months. These songs are about finding comfort in your family, community and music.” – Arkells

 

ARKELLS – Blink Once (2021 Universal)

Blink Once is the album on which you can definitively say the Arkells transitioned from a rock band to a pop band.  Historically this is the kind of move that earned my wrath, but I’m a lot more chill about it now.  Opening your ears to new kinds of music can’t hurt you, and you may in fact find that you like what your eardrums are beating into you.  When you already love the singer, the drummer, and the other musicians, it’s a lot easier to make that leap.

And Max Kerman is one hell of a singer.

Rather than review in track order, I thought I’d start with what I think is the best song and the clear highlight of Blink Once.  The single “All Roads” is stunning.  Just have a look at its music video, shot by drone over a local landmark:  the Devil’s Punchbowl in Hamilton Ontario.  The band members all make appearances as the drone flies overhead and then zooms down for their closeups.  It’s a remarkable video fitting a very special song.  (I forgive Max Kerman for being in his shorts-and-gym-socks phase.)

You couldn’t name a price,
You couldn’t buy me off,
Don’t need to read my mind,
There’s only one thing that I want,
All roads will lead me to back you.

Don’t let the opening bloops and blips of programmed music fool you.  Once the guitars kick in, the song takes off just like the drone in the video.  Soaring through the clouds on muscular wings of melody, “All Roads” is nothing short of a masterpiece.  “All Roads” sounds like a #1 pop hit from 1988, with the production values of today.  Those “huh!” backing vocals are absolutely from the 80s.  It’s cinematic, as if it came from one of the great romance movies of the decade.   This song is huge and impossible to forget.

Incidentally, I like the production on the lead vocals.  It’s as if you can hear the room that Max is singing in, instead of being uber-bright and clean.

Fortunately, the album is stacked with memorable material.  The opener “Liberation” boasts catchy verses over programmed beats and synths, but then breaks into a chorus that sounds Caribbean in original.  After this, a massive drum beat maintains a tenuous link with rock music.

One of the big singles was “You Can Get It” with American Doc-boot-stompin’ singer and rapper K.Flay (Kristine Flaherty).  She has an interesting breathy style, but this is the song that requires the biggest listener adjustment.  The horn section helps, as does the entertaining “Wheel of Fortune” music video.  Really, it’s all about the horn section.  Live, I’m sure that “I don’t give a fuck, tell me what you want, you can get it!” part is fun to sing along to.  On album, it’s all the horns!

One of my complaints about the prior album Rally Cry was that didn’t have any truly sad tear jerkers, emotional songs that just make you break down.  Blink Once returns to that territory with “Strong”.  This is a song I can relate to — staying strong for members of your family.  “Here’s the rules:  stay strong for me, and I’ll stay strong for you.”  Most poignantly, as I remember the summer of 2018 (that summer that never was):  “Summer is here but it’s sleeping away, why would we want to miss a good day?”  Chills, tears, you name it:  they’re all here.

A short acoustic interlude of “Liberation” called “Little Moments” makes you wish for a full-on acoustic version.  This transitions to a necessary party song called “One Thing I Know”.  A good time piano bopper with samples and loops, like many Arkells songs, the chorus is as big as the sky is wide.  A more beat-driven song called “Truce” follows, with slinky horns again delivering the hooks.  The lyrics are as relatable as always:  “We both say that we fucked up, can we call a truce?”

One of the more interesting songs is “Nobody Gets Me Like You Do”, which seems to relate lyrically to other songs.  The line “I’ll follow you down any road” recalls “All roads will lead be back to you”.  The words “But you’d tell me straight if I fucked up,” bring us back to the previous song.  Most importantly, it’s another melodic summer champion, gliding on mighty wings of pop music.  The saxophone solo is right out of 1985.  You can almost visualise the sunglasses, colourful tee-shirts under white suits, and deck shoes (no socks).  Another album highlight.

“Swing Swing Swing” is one of the only album mis-steps.  It starts with what sounds like studio outtake chatter:  “OK I wanna try to do one of these kinds of songs where people are like, happy and dancing, but everyone’s like really fuckin’ sad when they listen to the lyrics.”  That they accomplished, with the line “a long winter learning how to be alone again” giving you an idea.  Musically it’s another horn-driven R&B style pop song, but not one of their best.  The awkward reference to the Beatles’ “Let It Be” seems forced in an attempt to seem cool.

Fortunately, “No Regrets” puts the album back on track.  A dance beat is accompanied by synth and, yes indeed, more unforgettable Arkells melodies.  The chorus is huge, and just enough to remind you that this album has some great pop songs on it.  Brilliant disco-like strings add to the whole and bring it up to another level.

“Years In the Making” was previously heard on 2020’s Campfire Chords, the acoustic “lockdown” album.  Here is it fully dressed with horns and programming.  The acoustic version might the superior one for purists but there is little wrong with the Blink Once recording.  The choice is yours.

Another brief interlude called “What the Feeling Was Like” talks of hardships, but the closing song “Arm In Arm” is all about overcoming them.  “Not gonna lie I’ve been fucked up.  Not gonna lie it’s been a long year,” sings Max.  And indeed, 2020 was a little fucked up, and it was a numbingly long year.  The music is bright, with those necessary “woah-oh-oh” Arkells backing vocals.  It feels like triumph.

That’s not the actual closer:  An outro sample of a string section from “Reckoning” alludes to the next album, when Max says “Blink Twice…”  Truly, it’s a two-album set, but we’ll get there next time.

If you’re into iTunes, check out a completely different version of “All Roads” called the “Night Drive” version.  They even made a music video for it.  It’s not a remix, but a completely different recording.  A completely different mood.  It doesn’t have the impact of the original, but it is a very cool supplemental.

Blink Once seems split between three directions:  Extremely upbeat happy pop songs, kinda corny and semi-successful R&B forays, and a really sad ballad.  At times it feels like these directions don’t mesh.  It was a weird time.  We needed upbeat music like this at that time.  We were all dealing with a lot of shit.  This is an album to pick you up on a bad day.  Mostly, anyway.

4/5 stars

 

ARKELLS

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

…and more to come

REVIEW: Arkells – Jackson Square (2008)

Welcome to Arkells Week!  We will be completing the Arkells Album Review Series this week, and diving into one of their EPs!  Four days, four reviews, for you!  By all means, not a complete series yet – Arkells have expensive EPs I am still in need of and am hunting for.

ARKELLS – Jackson Square (2008 Dine Alone)

Confirmed:  The Arkells were already brilliant from starter’s gun.  Their remarkable debut album Jackson Square (they had an EP before this under the name Charlemagne, that has since been partly reissued as the Arkells Deadlines EP) displays a formidable band with a strong handle on writing great songs.

Jackson Square (the name of a neighbourhood they used to frequent in Hamilton) opens with the slamming “Deadlines”.  First it’s Nick Dika’s bass rumbling through, then Tim Oxford goes hard-hitting on a drum into.  Singer Max Kerman’s lyrics are his first in a career-long attack on the guys in the suits.  “They’re sitting up in the board room, and you sit like a fly on the wall.  You can hear the man in the suit say we don’t have time to stall.  We got deadlines to meet.”  Musically it’s one of the Arkells heaviest tracks and the bass is just omnipresent.

Immediately things lighten up with “Pullin’ Punches”.  A fast punky beat is crossed with a pleasant guitar melody.  There’s a reference to Kingston, Ontario, home of the Tragically Hip.  Again, drummer Tim Oxford gets singled out for his inventive beat.  Max Kerman even references Elton John’s “Your Song” in lyric and melody, in a clever way.  See if you catch it.

The big single was called “Oh, The Boss Is Coming!”  A heavy blues rocker about getting busy on the job, it was also the Arkells first of many comedic music videos.  For using the office safety video tape to record one of their jams, the band are called into the boss’ office!  They are tasked with creating a new safety in the workplace video by Monday morning!  Mostly, it’s fun to observe just how young they were!  Musically, this track recalls the Zeppelins of yore.  Nick’s bassline certainly recalls some of John Paul Jones’ of the past.

Arguably the Arkells’ best song in these early days was the Beatles-Meets-Arkells bop of “Ballad of Hugo Chavez”.  The piano line by Dan Griffin recalls some late era 60s hits, while the “hey hey hey” refrain is pure Arkells.  Though not mixed prominently enough in the song, there’s also the Arkells first horn section to enjoy.  This laid-back classic is a singalong favourite.

Things get fast again on “Tragic Flaw”, a punchy little number.  A melodic chorus keeps it in Arkells-land, but musically there’s a lot of cool stuff going on here with the bass, drums and keyboards.  Guitarist Mike DeAngelis always holds down the fort with catchy little guitar lines, which he does here on the outro.  “Tragic Flaw” flows straight into “No Champagne Socialist”, a harmonica-inflected slow burner.  Again the bass and drums really dominate the mix, but the harmonica work gives it a bit of a Black Crowes vibe.

A soft ballad called “Abigail” boasts a really strong chorus, while the verses simmer under the soothing throb of bass.  A stunner of a song from the early days that perhaps foreshadowed some of the powerful, dramatic songs the band would later write.   Then it’s time for an anthemic blast called “Heart of the City”.  A prototype for later Arkells powerhouses, the chorus is an absolute banger.  A great song for singing along to, pounding your fists, in the house or in the car.  (Especially the car.)

The ballad “I’m Not the Sun” has a lovely, but sad sound.  It has one of Mike DeAngelis’ biggest and best guitar solos, recalling the tone of Neil Young.  This powerful song is a slow burner, but burn it does.  This suddenly transitions into “The Choir”, which has a completely different feel.  It bubbles under, but has a heft to it.  These early songs all have a lot of weight, even the lighter “John Lennon”.  “I’m John Lennon in ’67,” goes the chorus, and you just can’t help but bop your head along.

A final song, “Blueprint”, turns up the tempo and brings back the horns.  This is a blast of a song, pedal to the floor and off to the races.  Those “hey hey hey” refrains firmly cement it as an Arkells song, but what a way to close an album!

Two observations about this album in general.  A couple songs aside such as “Oh, the Boss is Coming!”, Max doesn’t really belt it the way he later would.  As a singer he was still finding his voice and perhaps didn’t have the confidence he would later display.  Second, the production on this album is very powerful but basic.  Later Arkells albums would have many more layers of vocals, keyboards and effects.  That’s not a strike against Jackson Square; just an observation.  There’s a sonic power to this album that the others don’t have.

4/5 stars

There is a double vinyl reissue of this album with a live EP that is still on my wantlist. The Charlemagne EP is a holy grail item.

 

ARKELLS

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

…and more to come