Reviews

REVIEW: Faster Pussycat – Faster Pussycat (1987)

FASTER PUSSYCAT – Faster Pussycat (1987 Warner)

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.

3.75/5 stars


REVIEW: Judas Priest – Invincible Shield (2024 Deluxe with bonus tracks)

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…

Album of the year.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Brighton Rock – “Can’t Wait For the Night” (Remix) (1986 single)

BRIGHTON ROCK – “Can’t Wait for the Night” (Remix) / “We Came To Rock” (1986 WEA single)

Niagara Falls’ Brighton Rock had a knack for rockers and ballads in equal measure.  Though “ballad” was often whispered as if it were a dirty word, Brighton Rock released a couple as singles over their career.  “Can’t Wait For the Night” was the first.  With a soft keyboard backing, the guitar melody by Greg Fraser sketches out the hook of the song.  Gerry McGhee shows a tender side to his voice, while unleashing the scream on the chorus.  His voice takes on a third texture as the chorus goes out, a grittier version.

On the 7″ vinyl format, the song was given a remix and an edit.  It was taken down from 4:25 to 3:56, and labelled as the “single mix with guitar solo”.  Presumably all that means is that the guitar solo wasn’t chopped for the edit, since the album version seems to have the same solo.  The edited music is mostly outro, and it’s hard to discern exactly what the remix adds.  Keyboards and guitars seem to be the same.  Vocal is the same.  But here it is; the “single remix with guitar solo”!

On the B-side is the rocker “We Came to Rock”, which to me was always the “first single” because of the great music video they used to play on Much.  This dramatic little number mesmerized us as kid.  It began soft and ballady, with keyboards and the sound of violins seemingly being plucked on the verses.  Then, Gerry McGhee released the beast that was his scream on the captivating chorus.  McGhee’s voice had tremendous diversity within single songs, and this is a prime example.  Finally you get to Greg Fraser’s solo, which as always was a composition unto itself.  This is the standard album version.  Simply awesome as-is!  It is one of those rare songs that is a treat to play on repeat.

This awesome little picture sleeve single isn’t hard to find nor expensive to buy.  Highly recommended.

4.5/5 stars

Tomorrow on a Grab A Stack Special Edition, new co-host Len Labelle and I go through our entire Brighton Rock collections. Don’t miss this!

REVIEW: Journey – Departure (1980, Remastered CD & 8-track) – Happy birthday Neal Schon!

JOURNEY – Departure (1980 CBS 8-track, Remastered 2010 Sony CD)
CD from the set 3 Original Album Classics

Changes were afoot in Journey, and alluded to on Departure.  Aside from the Japan-only soundtrack Dream, After Dream, this was the last stand for Gregg Rolie.  While he would also appear one more time on the Captured live album, he was not there for the new studio track included.  For all intents and purposes, Departure is his “last album”, to use an inaccurate but easy term.  For the man who once was Journey’s only lead singer, Departure only has one of Rolie’s lead vocals, and only two co-writes.  (In the discography, Departure directly followed 1979’s compilation of early material, In the Beginning, featuring early material and a large number of Rolie vocals.)

With Steve Perry leading the charge, Departure commences with the party anthem “Any Way You Want It”.  Those who don’t know it, know it.  It has been featured in the Simpsons, twice!  A rare honour, and mega-exposure, for good reason.  Perry’s impeccably arranged chorus is irresistible.  Rolie’s organ is the perfect accompaniment to keep in the realm of classic rock and roll.  Of course Schon’s solo is also tasty as heck, but this song is know for its party-hardy chorus.  For those who like to dig deeper, Ross Valory’s pulsing bassline goes underappreciated today, and Steve Smith’s smooth cymbal work is often taken for granted.

A surprising twist is taken on track two, the laid back blues pulse of “Walk Like A Lady”.  Sounds like Smith is playing with brushes, and Neal really plays it classy.  Then, a jab of organ and the players are off to indulge themselves.  “Oooh yeah!” shouts Perry, as if enjoying the jamming himself.  Soulful harmony vocals by the band really take this out on an authentic note.

Third song, third musical direction:  power balladeering!  Rolie sings a duet with Perry backing him on “Someday Soon”, a melancholy but punchy ballad.  Though it was not a single, perhaps it should have been.  There’s a cool, unique angelic vocal section near the end that nicely complements Steve Smith’s drum fills.

“People and Places” is like an exercise in creative vocal arrangements, if not showing off.  Neal Schon sings lead with Steve Perry on this complex track.  It’s more like the Dream, After Dream material than a lot of Departure.  If only the modern Journey were unafraid to create more unique music like this.  It still has room for a powerful melody and some warming cascades of guitar.  This song moves directly into “Precious Time”, which has a vibe like the still-in-the-future track “Liberty”.  Lyrically it foreshadows the “Line of Fire” on side two, and also has Rolie on harmonica.  It turns into a more typical Journey rocker by the midpoint.  Lots of tasty Schon guitars to be savoured here.

Unusually for an album of 1980, Departure had 12 tracks:  five on the first side, and seven on the second.  This is where we’d flip.

The big concert rocker “Where Were You” kicks off the back end of Departure.  This one pounds the pavement with beats, riffs and boppin’ piano.  It too could have been a single, though it did open their concerts on tour.  Then, a completely different mood drops:  “I’m Cryin'” hits like a cold wave of grief, though not without its musical thrills.  Soon it’s over and the rockin’ “Line Of Fire” brings the party back.  There’s no better way to describe it than a fast, good time rock and roll song.  “So don’t go sayin’ Steve is a liar!” warns Perry to some young lady who done him wrong.  “Bye bye bye Susie, so long girl!”  (He sure got over what was bothering him on “I’m Cryin'” pretty fast.)  Take note of Schon’s technical solo work here.

“Departure” / “Good Morning Girl” is softly progressive, with strings and light guitar, and little else.  This is over quickly, and then it’s the ballad “Stay Awile”, one of the sweetest songs Steve Perry or Journey have ever done.  Once again, listen to the bass and drums for a different perspective.  Perhaps the only thing better than Perry’s lead vocals are when he does it live.

Fortunately, Journey had the wisdom to end the album on a rocker:  “Homemade Love”.  Some of Perry’s worst words accompany some of his most acrobatic singing.  Still, at least it’s a good jam to go out on, with some fretboard burning fingerwork by Neal.

Interesting, the 8-track tape might have what would be called a bonus track here:  a reprise of “Line of Fire”.  It’s here mostly for timing reasons; there are no songs split between tracks anywhere on this album.  So, 8-track buyers got an uninterrupted listen, plus a reprise of “Line of Fire”.  Information is scarce, but it would be fun to hear the tape this way,

On remastered CD, we got some slightly more interesting bonus tracks than 8-track offered.  “Natural Thing” is a bluesy B-side, which was later released as the B-side to “Don’t Stop Believin'”.  Chronologically though, it is from this era and is as strong as any similar material on the album.  Funny how some tracks don’t make the cut when others do.  If you were told this was a standalone single, you wouldn’t have a reason to doubt it.  The CD also includes “Little Girl” from Dream, After Dream which is a difficult album to find and Rolie’s studio farewell.  It is a string-laden power ballad, very progressive, and far darker than anything on Departure.

Departure features an unusually rougher sound than other Journey albums.  The production seems unpolished despite the complexities of some tracks, with the vocals sometimes occupying a strange space that’s not quite in front of the music.  Still, a classic album is a classic album and there are so few flaws with Departure that it’s easy to dismiss them all.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Slaughter – Stick It Live (1991 EP)

SLAUGHTER – Stick It Live (Chrysalis EP, 1991)

Slaughter were hot on the heels of their self-titled debut with a quickie live EP.  They were on the road so long, they still touring while the EP came and went on the front racks of the record stores!  The band were on fire in 1990 and 91, and Stick It Live was necessary to satisfy demand for more Slaughter.  However…

I absolutely hate listening to a live album when you can hear two or three tracks simultaneously of the lead singer.  Here, you can hear several Mark Slaughters singing together at once. Come on, Slaughter. We’re not stupid. And the thing is, from seeing them live opening for Cinderella, I know they don’t need the overdubs. The review that I wrote for my school paper at the time said, “Mark Slaughter has proved that his high-pitched wail is not studio trickery.” Well, you can’t tell that by this live EP!

Take the opening track, “Burning Bridges”. At several points you can hear several Marks singing at once. Why was this done? Did the live recordings suck?  Was it because the record company forced it?  Or because it was the fashion at the time?  I dunno. A live album (or EP) is an historical document, so too many bands feel they have to make them “perfect”. When in reality, perfect should have been as-is.  Documentary style.  My favourite live albums are often bootleg quality.

“Eye To Eye” follows “Burning Bridges”, opening with some stupid Crue-esque spoken word bit about an “ancient book of wisdom” and other unrelated nonsense. It’s a shame because “Eye To Eye” was one of their best songs. Once the song gets going, it’s fine, but you can still hear two or three Marks on the pre-chorus.  From there it’s into rote versions of the two big singles, “Fly to the Angels” and “Up All Night”.  The set ends with a high octane “Loaded Gun”, their album closer as well.  One issue to the overall listening experience is that the songs fade in and out, which may or may not be to your taste.

One fascinating note:  Mark goes out of his way to tell the audience that “Fly to the Angels” was not about suicide because “it sucks”!  Judas Priest were fighting for the musical lives in their infamous “suicide trial”, and Ozzy Osbourne was dealing with similar accusations of promoting suicide to the young and vulnerable.  An interesting artefact of 1990-91.

2/5 stars. A pretty fine live set otherwise spoiled by the dreaded studio trickery.

REVIEW: Pat Metheny – Bright Size Life (1976)

PAT METHENY – Bright Size Life (1976 ECM)

The eight tracks that make up Pat Metheny’s debut album Bright Size Life are exactly what I was looking for.  They hit the spot.

One Saturday afternoon in the summer I was enjoying instrumental jazz on the front porch.  I wanted more, and was recommended Bright Size Life by jazz enthusiast Robert Lawson.  The presence of the legendary Jaco Pastorius on fretless bass made me more intrigued.

From the very start of the title track, we’re treated to smooth, rich guitar tones and melodies.  Drift back, but not too far, because the lyrical basswork of Jaco deserves your full attention.  From harmonics to chord bending, his basswork is thick with technique.  Little waterfalls of notes splashing here and there.  Though sometimes fast and unpredictable, it always settles back into the groove of the song.  Meanwhile, Bob Moses on drums paints a picture with cymbals.

Bright Size Life is warm but sparse, featuring a basic jazz trio with Metheny playing both six and twelve string guitars.  His fingers dance a dance of tone and texture.  The melodies he plucks are challenging with unexpected notes and runs dotting the landscape.  The drums are often light and the cymbals bright.  Jaco’s bass is usually telling its own story.

You can hear the influence on instrumentalists since.  The guitar is the main focus, and it is always delivering interesting melodies to and fro, rarely repeating but always exploring.  It’s a clean, clear sound with richness and natural depth.  On some tracks, Metheny plays it slow and relaxed, on others like “Missouri Uncompromised”, it’s a race with Pastorius and Moses neck-and-neck.  Yes even so, an unexpected melody darts in here and there, keeping you on your toes.  Speed is employed effectively but not exhaustingly.

Top track:  “Midwestern Nights Dream”, a suitably noctunral beauty with smoke and atmosphere.  A Jaco bass melody dominates the second half to delicious effect.

5/5 stars

VIDEO: Unboxing Amazon, and Gift from Slam Glory & Marco D’Auria

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:

  • A generous gift from Marco D’Auria and Slam Glory received with genuine warmth.
  • Some remastered glam/”hair” metal, in preparation of an upcoming episode of Rock Daydream Nation with Peter Kerr.
  • A Japanese import of the Durling pursuasion.
  • Gratitude.

I still can’t find the words so “thank you” will have to do for now.

 

REVIEW: Dudes – The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (1987)

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

 

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.