They say if you do anything, it has to be on camera these days. In this case, I agree. In this video you will see:
I still can’t find the words so “thank you” will have to do for now.
A collaboration with Jex Russell – check out his review of the vinyl by clicking here.
DUDES – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987 MCA)
Every collector is different. My time is a valuable commodity, so when I buy movie soundtracks made up of mixed songs, I generally only play the songs by the bands I like, and I may never hear the rest of of the album. So it came to be, I have never played the Dudes soundtrack, despite owning it almost 30 years. I don’t know the premise of the movie either. All I know is the old Keel music video for “Rock ‘N’ Roll Outlaw” featured some of the movie footage, starring Jon Cryer, Flea, and Mary Catherine Stewart. It was clearly a comedy. Back then, they didn’t tell you what movie or album a video was from, so I never knew the movie was called Dudes until I saw the CD physically.
I bought this disc at the Record Store in 1997 mostly for Keel, W.A.S.P. and Steve Vai. One look at the cover and I said “This is that movie with the Keel song! I recognize those two guys!” And so it was.
The Keel video commences with a stern warning from a police officer: “You know, maybe this wouldn’t have happened if you looked like normal folks.” He scolds a hilariously punky-looking Jon Cryer. We know what kind of movie this is without seeing it. (Lee Ving of Fear is also in the film.)
“Rock ‘N’ Roll Outlaw”, produced by Kevin Beamish, is the opening track. It’s loaded with attitude and a cool riff, backed by electric slide guitar. “All I need is a rock and roll band, and somewhere new to play!” howls Ron Keel, a distinct singer that never achieved the level of success he was due. There’s a dual solo, with Marc Ferrari comedically using a pistol as a slide in the music video. “Rock ‘N’ Roll Outlaw” is one of Keel’s top tunes, and it wasn’t on their album. The drums are recorded a little clanky, but otherwise this tune is top-notch road rock.
I have never listened to the Vandals, as far as I know, in my life until this moment. “Urban Struggle” begins with a mock Indian war beat, and a mutation of The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly theme. It’s a joke song with cowboy-themed lyrics in a mock accent, and then going into a punk western style, and words about mechanical bulls. Not a song I’ll be coming back to.
“Show No Mercy” by W.A.S.P. (produced by Mike Varney) is more my speed. A non-album track, it hearkens back to early W.A.S.P. The lineup pictured inside was the current W.A.S.P., including Johnny Rod and Steve Riley. The actual track is from an earlier lineup with Tony Richards and Randy Piper. As such, it sounds exactly like the first album, and having more tunes with that sound is never a bad thing. It is a smoker, and Chris Holmes’ familiar guitar sound is welcome in my ears. This song easily could have been on the album, if not used as a single.
Simon Steele & The Claw don’t seem to have released much music over the years. Shame. “Vengeance Is Mine” is a traditional metal gallop. The vocals are decent, usually occupying a low John Bush-like growl, but occasionally releasing into a scream. There’s an awkward key change midway through, but the pace remains relentless throughout.
Megadeth’s jokey cover of “These Boots Are Made For Walkin'” was on their first album as “These Boots”, but this version is slightly longer. Produced by Paul Lani, it is a different recording from the album version by Dave Mustaine and Karat Faye. It remains as entertaining as ever. It may as well be an original if not for the lyrics. You’d never think it was “These Boots” if it was purely instrumental.
A complete change of pace is the pop rocker “Time Forgot You” by Legal Weapon. Apparently they were primarily a punk band, but this is a really cool mainstream 80s rock track that could have been a big hit on radio if circumstances allowed. Singer Kat Arthurs is a breath of fresh air after the grit of Mustaine! This is the hidden gem of the album, with a strong bassline and catchy, well-recorded stabs of shimmering rhythm guitar.
“Jesus Came Driving Along” by Swedish band The Leather Nun is like a gothic punk rock hybrid. The vocals are recorded low in the mix and odd sounds are rampant, but it’s pretty cool. It has a beat you can drive to, which might be the intent.
I was never a big Jane’s Addiction fan, but “Mountain Song” is a brilliant piece of swirly-whirly rock brilliance. A big Jane’s fan told me at the time that he never heard this particular version of “Mountain Song” before, produced by the band themselves. He considered it a rarity. The riff to “Mountain Song” seems like it has been ripped off so many times over the years since. There’s a Zeppelin-esque massiveness to it, but with a tribal beat, an 80s haze, and a howling Perry Farrell. Utter musical magnificence.
Punk band The Little Kings have a very cool song here called “The Lost Highway”. The exaggerated warbling mannerisms of the singer recall Elvis a bit, as the band chop out a greasy rockabilly sound behind him. It’s hard hitting and unique. It goes breakneck for a moment, and then back into a rockabilly groove.
A short instrumental from the movie score, “Dudes Showdown” has twangy guitar, and tense synth backing. It certainly sets a scene. It sounds like a setup for a climax.
The final song is almost a coda. It’s Steve Vai’s rare rendition of “Amazing Grace”, which he has since released as part of his Secret Jewel Box collection. At the time however, it was one of those scattered one-off rarities. Vai goes surprisingly delicate here, with heavy, dreamy guitar effects and a very experimental arrangement of the traditional music. Steve used to say, “Sorry, I can’t help myself!” and here’s an example. He couldn’t help doing something completely different.
And that’s the album! Not bad actually, with only the Vandals track being the one I’d skip today.
4/5 stars
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!
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.
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
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
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!
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!
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
…and more to come
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!
…and more to come
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