ACCEPT – Blood of the Nations (2010 Nuclear Blast)
I had a few Accept albums at home: Metal Heart, Balls To The Wall and Eat The Heat. I’d never bought an Accept album when it was a “new release” before, and I’d never bought anything post-reunion. I suppose I was interested in the music I was familiar with and nothing beyond that. When I heard they were reuniting with a new singer I was instantly skeptical. I was ready to bring the hate!
Some glowing reviews on the Eddie Trunk show opened my ears, and when Eddie started playing new tracks like “Beat The Bastards” and “Teutonic Terror”, I was hooked! New singer Mark Tornillo (who I’d never heard before, but have found out was critically acclaimed as the singer of TT Quick) had filled Udo’s teeny tiny little shoes and somehow made them fit, plus added his own style. Tornillo is not a screamer like Udo, but he can scream when necessary, and damn…it sounds awesome when he does!
New singer or not, the difference between a real fresh start (like Accept) and a mere tribute band with a new singer (like Quiet Riot) is new material. If the new material sucks, then there is no point. If it stands up, then the band is vindicated. I was glad to report that Accept’s new material was awesome. I don’t like to throw that word around lightly, because too many people overuse to pump up their favourite bands. Well, a) Accept has never been a favourite of mine, and b) this album really is awesome. Every song has life. The riffs courtesy of Wolf Hoffman are alive, powerful and catchy. Vocal melodies are traditional metal. Everything about this album is traditionally metal except the loud n’ proud, raw modern production by Andy Sneap. In short the album sounds great.
There’s also some solid groove on this album. Take “Pandemic” for example. It reminds me of the old Testament classic, “Electric Crown” in terms of groove and tempo. As far as I’m concerned, Accept absolutely nail it on Blood of the Nations, from the rock solid rhythm section to the screaming leads.
I’m really glad I got this album, and this edition. The bonus track “Time Machine” is one of the stronger songs. Yet every song is equally strong, there are no weak links in this chain. It’s just a great album from start to finish and I hope everyone enjoys it as much as I do.
This album is rejuvenation. You have to hear it to believe. That they followed it with the equally strong Stalingrad is almost as astonishing.
I’ll admit that this is the only Jam that I own; about 10 years ago I decided that I loved this compilation enough to buy the Direction Reaction Creation box set. That box contained the entirety of their studio recordings. Maybe it was too much Jam at once, or maybe their albums were just not as good as their singles. Whatever; I found that this Greatest Hits was enough Jam for me. Yet I love all 19 songs. You’d think I’d be into their albums, if I already liked 19/19 Jam songs on this CD
There’s a great variety of tunes on Greatest Hits: everything’s here from the punk rock snarl of the opener “In The City” to the mournful “That’s Entertainment” to the upbeat fun of “Beat Surrender”. In between you will find some of the catchiest bass lines ever recorded, topped by the undeniable lyrics of Paul Weller. To write this many truly great singles…well you just don’t see it that often.
The Jam rocked, The Jam were cool, from punk rock to Motown soul and funk, these guys did it all and did it well. You would be well advised to pick this up. It’s cheap now, too. Less than $5, used.
Songs I really, really like that you may already know:
“Down at the Tube Station at Midnight”
“The Eton Rifles”
“Town Called Malice”
“David Watts”
“The Bitterst Pill (I Ever Had To Swallow)”
I later bought a second Jam compilation album called Collection. It concentrated on album tracks and deep cuts and I didn’t like it. Normally I would advise readers to pick up original studio albums rather than compilations. This time I feel the opposite way. I have to rate Greatest Hits:
Bonfire is less of an AC/DC box set, but more of a tribute to Bon Scott. LeBrain readers know that Bon was the late great second AC/DC lead singer. (They did one single, “Can I Get Close to You” / “Rocking in the Parlor” with original singer Dave Evans.) In every other meaningful way, Bon Scott is the first and best lead singer. That’s not a slight against Brian Johnson because he’s proven himself and then some. I don’t always listen to AC/DC, but when I do, I prefer Bon Scott.
Featuring four special albums spread over five CDs, Bonfire is largely live. Early versions of this box, which I am lucky enough to own, were loaded to the gills with extras. More on that later, but I highly recommend the original box set rather than the reissue that comes in a digipack book. Still, the music is what most people will buy this for, and most of it is previously unreleased.
Part 1 – Live at Atlantic Studios. This was an old live set once released as a promotional LP to radio stations. As much as possible was remastered from the original tapes, which were partially erased. The rest of the music was taken from an actual LP and spliced. Sounds as great as can be expected, and I love the sound of AC/DC playing away in a small venue. This disc is more proof that AC/DC could gel like no other. This is really an outstanding disc.
Part 2 – Let There Be Rock: The Movie. Spread out over 2 CDs, this is the complete concert. It is heavy, it is fast, and it is awesome. To hear the old band jam away on a 10 minute + version of “Rocker” is simply amazing. It’s this kind of thing we’ll never hear again. It’s a good thing they recorded it, and the audio on these discs is perfect. The concert was recorded in France mere months before Bon’s death. I would consider this set to be the definitive live AC/DC album.
Part 3 – Volts. This was the disc I was most interested in, and it’s a little strange. It’s partly rare and demo material, with a couple album hits (“Ride On” and “It’s A Long Way”) sprinkled in. Obviously AC/DC cleared out their vaults of rare stuff with the Backtracks box last year, but this is a fun taster. I’m not sure how they arrived at this track listing, considering how much material they had to pick from, and the disc’s running time is fairly short. The end of the disc has hidden stuff, interviews with Bon himself.
As for the rarities, five are early AC/DC demos, some with alternate titles and lyrics. Two are more tracks are live rarities. Among the demos, there are some songs here that I like better than the released versions — “Back Seat Confidential” is superior to “Beating Around ths Bush” to my ears.
Part 4 – Back In Black. Including this disc on Bonfire, I have bought Back In Black on CD five times. (Original CD issue, first remaster, Bonfire, second remaster, dual disc.) I’m sure if you’re reading this, you own Back In Black too. I believe this to be the same music tracks as the first Back In Black CD remaster. It comes in a little digipack, which is unique to this set, although similar to later releases. I’m not going to review Back In Black here. It’s a great album, albeit I’m bored to death with hearing most of these songs over and over today. I don’t think it’s as good as the early Bon stuff, but it was a remarkable comeback. It was included here as a tribute to Bon, as a final coda for this box set. I guess. But seriously, what AC/DC fan was buying Bonfire that didn’t already have Back in Black? This is completely redundant. I think the set would have been better off if they didn’t include it. Cheaper at least.
And, the box. The first release of Bonfire was loaded with great fun extras. There’s a long and informative book full of photos. There’s a poster. A bottle opener/keychain thingy. On used copies, this is almost always missing. Most people kept the good stuff, and sold the box set assuming the kid at the CD store wouldn’t notice. There was also a sticker, a rub-on tattoo, and a guitar pick. Be careful when buying this used and make sure all this stuff is present, particularly the ever-popular pick. If it’s not, ask the clerk for a discount.
I remember sitting at home watching MuchMusic in July of ’87. The Power Hour was on and they played “Here I Go Again”. It was my first time hearing Whitesnake and I hit “record” on the VCR.
This was and still is a great album, although it was a lot heavier than I expected back then. Also, if you’re from the 80’s you’ll remember this, the cassette was so tight that it always played slow in my tape deck. So it always sounded frickin’ awful for me and it wasn’t until I picked it up on CD sometime in the 90’s that I really gave this album a chance.
It’s overproduced all to hell, even excessive by the standards of the time. But my God it does some crunch to it. John Sykes on guitar saw to that. Neil Murray remains on bass, but buried inaudibly beneath a very dense mix. Aynsley Dunbar subbed in on drums, a very busy drummer, but it actually works. There are a few moments, particularly during “Crying In The Rain”, where he overdoes it, but in general he was exactly the kind of drummer needed to elevate the album to this caliber.
If you’re looking for the radio hits, they are pretty much all on this album, so just click “buy” on whatever site you choose. Or visit your local brick-and-mortar and see if they carry it. In any case this album goes beyond just the four hit singles. The aforementioned “Crying In The Rain” (a re-recording from Saints An’ Sinners, same as “Here I Go Again”) is a crucially important album track, as is “Don’t Turn Away”, a rocker/ballad closer that has some of Coverdale’s best singing. But wait, there’s more. The album has included the addition of the two songs that are usually only available on the UK version: “You’re Gonna Break My Heart Again” (awesome fast rocker, totally album worthy) and “Looking For Love” (ballad). I like what they did here — they maintained the track order of the US version (my preferred version) and put in the two UK tracks within the tracklist (tracks 7 & 9). It just works better in my opinion to have “Don’t Turn Away” at the end of the album.
Then I hate what they did next. Instead of giving you era B-sides or live songs, they stick on four live versions by a later version of Whitesnake, readily available on a common live album. (Live versions of the four big singles.) What could have been included instead: the “single version” of “Here I Go Again” which is a completely different mix! The single version of “Give Me All Your Love”, the only recording to feature guitar playing from Vivian Campbell (the solo)! Or hell, even live recordings from the era? Anything but these live duplicates from a much later time.
There is a bonus DVD included. The four music videos and then, again…the same four damn live songs! Also by a later Whitesnake, from a common live DVD. Jesus Murphy! Booklet and liner notes are decent at least, but not enough to justify me owning this any longer. My recommended edition:Here I Go Again: The Whitesnake Collection (2CD). This contains the US versions of all three Geffen-era Whitesnake albums, all the pertinent B-sides except one*, the two UK bonus tracks from this album, and the aforementioned single mixes.
4/5 stars. Great album, but this reiusse could have been so much better.
CD track list DVD video list
1. Still of the Night 1. Still of the Night
2. Give Me All Your Love 2. Here I Go Again 87
3. Bad Boys 3. Is This Love
4. Is This Love 4. Give Me All Your Love
5. Here I Go Again 87 5. Give Me All Your Love (live)
6. Straight for the Heart 6. Is This Love (live)
7. Looking for Love 7. Here I Go Again (live)
8. Children of the Night 8. Still of the Night (live)
9. You're Gonna Break My Heart Again
10. Crying in the Rain
11. Don't Turn Away
12. Give Me All Your Love (live)
13. Is This Love (live)
14. Here I Go Again (live)
15. Still of the Night (live)
* Still missing on any CD is the 1987 remix of “Standing in the Shadow” from the “Is This Love” single.
CLASSIC ALBUMS: Paranoid – BLACK SABBATH (2010 Eagle Vision Blu-ray)
Those familiar with Black Sabbath know that Tony and Geezer don’t necessarily make the best interviewees. Their answers are often monotone, bland, and only vaguely remembered. Maybe somebody gave them some coffee before this video. Geezer in particular seems more animated, but they both appear actually alive! Bill Ward is Bill Ward, of course. Ozzy can barely get his voice above a croaking whisper. None of that matters though, because this Blu-ray disc is not about the present, it’s about the distant past, 40+ years distant in fact: the landmark metal album of metal albums, Paranoid.
Everybody reading this knows Paranoid from front to back (I hope so, anyway) and has probably bought it more than once. If you don’t know Paranoid, get the album! Go! Listen to it, come back, and finish reading this review later.
Like all Classic Albums discs, this deconstructs classic tunes to the individual layers. You are invited to hear the basic tracks for songs such as “Iron Man”, “Fairies Wear Boots”, “Planet Caravan”, “Black Sabbath”, and more. Engineer Tom Allom (perhaps best known for his production work with Judas Priest) is your tour guide. Stripped of vocals and guitar, you can hear the rhythm section clearly. Hearing Bill and Geezer playing together without adornment is a revelation. If anyone comes out looking very underrated in the Sabbath saga, it is Bill Ward and Geezer Butler, who are psychically locked-in and loose.
Meanwhile, in new footage from the here and now, Iommi demonstrates some of the most famous riffs and solos in Sabbath history. Meanwhile Ozzy explains how he wrote melodies. This story is unfolded within the context of the late 60’s and early 70’s, and what Sabbath stood for in those tumultuous times.
Bonus features are generous, like all Classic Albums discs. About 45 minutes of additional footage is available, discussing songs and topics that didn’t make the cut of the main Blu-ray feature itself. None of it is filler, all of it is worth watching and probably would have made a completely un-boring extended feature anyway, had it been left in.
My only complaint is the resolution of this disc is only 1080i. Minor complaint at that.
As a companion piece, I highly recommend getting Paranoid in its 3 disc expanded edition. The reason being is, on this Blu-ray you will hear demo versions of songs with alternate lyrics. If you want all of these demos complete and uncut, you have to get the 3 disc version of Paranoid which includes them all (as well as the album’s original Quad mix).
From Edmonton, Alberta, Canada came White Wolf. The land that spawned the massive West Edmonton Mall also produced a hard rock band that combined old fashioned Canadian workmanship with prototypical 80’s rock and heavy metal. Sharing common ground with bands like Scorpions, Dokken, and even Van Halen and Rainbow, White Wolf weren’t half bad. The singer Don Wolf (Wilk) has enough power in his voice to raise the roof just enough to be an opening band in an arena. They’re not quite headline quality, but I bet they were damn good openers.
Their debut album Standing Alone is best known for the single/video “Shadows in the Night”, still my favourite song from the band. In fact I think it’s quite excellent. The chugging riff, the excellent vocals and chorus, it has everything! It even had a suitably cheesy and sexist music video, portraying the band as some sort of wilderness totem hero/villains. Don’t worry, maybe it’s all a dream, or just a hell of a bush party/concert? Hell, I don’t know.
I friggin’ love fur hats! So warm!
Thankfully the album is more than just one song. The track “Standing Alone” is a mid-tempo but ominous opener, a mournful song about (guess what) standing alone! (Like a wolf? Layers!) “Headlines” is uptempo, verging on Priest territory. Both have plenty of guitar work to go around. They are followed by “Shadows in the Night” and the seven minute plus “What the War Will Bring”. This a pretty respectable shot at doing an epic. Utilizing multiple vocalists and backing keyboards, it’s a tour-de-force suitable for closing side one of the album.
“Night Rider” begins with bad King-Kobra-esque vocal harmonies, but quickly gets into a dual guitar melody before it takes off. This would be one of the weakest songs with one of those awful, cliche titles. “Homeward Bound” is a fun song utilizing two lead vocalists, but that riff sure does sound familiar. Although the guitar rips off “God of Thunder” by Kiss a little bit, this is one of the better songs. I love the dual vocalist concept, and it’s a fun sleazy romp like 80’s Kiss. “Metal Thunder” is a pretty poor song title, but a decent stomp through territory previously explored by the likes of Judas Priest. “Trust Me” is the final song, clearly inspired by Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow. All it needs is Ronnie James Dio shouting, “Danger! Danger!” and suddenly it’s “Kill the King”.
There’s a certain kind of Canadian mediocrity that exudes from bands like White Wolf and label-mates Thor. This even extended to bands like Triumph and Helix, at various parts of their careers. I don’t know what it is, but so many Canadian bands of this sub-genre just failed to explode into fully-fledged world-classic song writing and recording. Maybe it’s touring in a little van during harsh Canadian winters, but I think I’ve made a valid observation.
All that being said, for the $7.00 I paid for this record, I have no regrets. Standing Alone doesn’t overstay its welcome, nor does it fail to raise a smile any time I’ve played it. I’m glad to finally have “Shadows in the Night”, and I’m pleased to induct songs like “Homeward Bound” into my collection for the first time.
THE BLACK CROWES – Freak ‘n’ Roll…Into the Fog: All Join Hands, The Fillmore, San Francisco (2006 Eagle Records)
I somehow missed this when it first came out! This double live album (acquired at Sonic Boom Music for the awesome price of $7.99), recorded in 2005, reunited the Robinson brothers with members from the classic era. Returning are Marc Ford (guitar), Ed Hawrysch (keyboards, from Toronto Ontario), Sven Pipien (bass) and original drummer Steve Gorham. I believe the original bassist, Johnny Colt, was busy with Rock Star Supernova at the time…
Anyway, with a set concentrated on classic Crowes tunes from the earlier albums with a few other gems, this is an awesome collection. There are a few later songs, such as a mind-blowing psychedelic version of “Soul Singing” (Lions). Many of the songs, “Soul Singing” included, turn into long extended jams. I wouldn’t call them meandering jams; they are spellbinding and with purpose at every moment.
The Crowes are backed by guests: the Left Coast Horns and backup singers. The horns kick ass on the extended “(Only) Halfway to Everywhere”. They transform “Welcome to the Goodtimes” into something a little more sassy, likewise with “Let Me Share the Ride”, and “Seeing Things” from the first LP. They also help stretch “Non Fiction” into 10 minutes of exploratory rock. The backup singers really compliment “My Morning Song” transforming it into an ecstatic moment.
I have always taken a bit of flak from other Crowes fans over my favourite album. Mine is Amorica, and most people I knew favoured Southern Harmony. Regardless, it’s a delight to hear “Wiser Time” from Amorica on this album. Songs like this are really special, and with most of the original players on it, “Wiser Time” shines.
I enjoy that the Crowes threw some rarities, covers and B-sides on Freak ‘n’ Roll. “Sunday Night Buttermilk Waltz” and “Mellow Down Easy” are among the highlights of these tracks, but I was most excited about “The Night they Drove Ol’ Dixie Down”. The original is a favourite of mine so I couldn’t wait to hear the Crowes’ interpretation. And guess what? It’s awesome. It would be ludicrous to compare it to the original by The Band. All that matters is that the Crowes wring more soul out of the song than you’ll hear in modern rock on any given day.
The Walmart version of the CD came with a download code for a bonus track, the Stones’ “Loving Cup”. I obtained it via the seedy underbelly of the internets. On the DVD this was played after “Welcome to the Goodtimes”. I’m glad to have this song because the horns really fatten it up nicely, and it’s also a great tune!
POISON – Open Up and Say…Ahh! (1988. 2006 Captiol remaster)
Man, did I feel old when this 20th Anniversary Edition came out. I remember buying the cassette back in ’89 (the year after it was released). I even conned my dad out of the $10 for it by saying it was for a school project! (It was…sort of.) I purchased this at A&A Records & Tapes on the way home from school.
I’m glad that today, Poison are still around (as a live entity, anyway), and back to the same four guys who rose to fame in the 80’s. Although Flesh & Blood is a good album, and Native Tongue is criminally ignored, Open Up and Say…Ahh! is actually quite strong and best represents the early Poison sound.
Starting off with “Love On The Rocks” (featuring the lyric “swallow this” which was actually the original title of this album), Poison are off to a strong start. The riff is catchy, somewhere between glam rock and old classic rock n’ roll. What C.C. Deville brings to the party is a love of rock n’ roll, and that’s why when he left. The band went more bluesy, too bluesy for his tastes. That and the drug addiction did C.C. in. I don’t evem mind his guitar sound on this, I kind of like it. It’s overdriven and shrill, but it rocks and C.C. manipulates his instrument to pull off some cool sub-Frehley solos.
From there it’s the classic “Nothing But A Good Time”. The riff seems ripped off from “Deuce” by Kiss, but then later re-ripped off by Kiss for their song “Never Enough”! Anyway, you know the hits already, so I won’t spend too much time discussing these songs. Suffice to say that I still hear “Nothin’ But A Good Time” on the radio.
What was actually surprising was that Open Up and Say…Ahh! is more than the sum of its singles. The album tracks are almost entirely as strong. “Back to the Rocking Horse” is another fun, catchy Poison rocker, followed by the harmonica-laden-shoulda-been-a-single “Good Love”. “Tearin’ Down The Walls” ended side one on a fairly strong note, and actually features some interesting changes.
Side two started with “Look But You Can’t Touch”, a juvenile sex song (it sounded juvenile to me even then), which nonetheless has a lot of energy. Then, three singles in a row: “Fallen Angel” (best song on the album), “Every Rose Has Its Thorn” (no comment required), and the Loggins & Messina cover “Your Mama Don’t Dance”. Why was bassist Bobby Dall getting arrested in that video? I still don’t know! The album ended with “Bad To Be Good”, a bit too slow and ploddy, and the weakest song on the record.
This special edition has just a scant two bonus tracks, and one is a useless interview. Most people will stop the CD before the interview. The other is the very raw B-side “Livin’ For The Minute” which, if memory serves, was originally the B-side on the “Every Rose” 7″ single. It’s a fast rocker, demo-quality, and is more akin to the sound of the first Poison album. I don’t know where the interview comes from. In all my years of collecting singles, I’ve never run across it before, so if you care about it, it does seem to be a genuine rarity. “Livin’ For The Minute” has been released multiple times elsewhere. (Missing is the B-side “Gotta Face the Hangman”, available on the Crack A Smile CD.)
Also of note, if you had the censored version of this cover, the original has been restored on this edition. Yes, this cover was censored. Columbia House sold a version with the tongue and everything below blacked out. Packaging-wise, don’t expect much else.
As an album, this is fun and has a great 80’s sound, thanks to the production talents of Tom Werman. Younger kids will dig it for the pop punk-like energy. Older fans will want it for nostalgia purposes. That, and it still rocks really well.
As much as I usually maligned C.C. DeVille (Swallow This Live is almost unlistenable), I really like his work here. He may be no guitar wizard, but at some point you have to recognize the fun guitar playing here. It’s like toffee — sticky, sweet, and good. Too much might make you sick, but in moderation, it hits the spot. And really, he weaves some really fun melodic fills over his riffs, like icing on a cake.
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Grizzly Man has some powerful music so it totally fits LeBrain’s Record Store Tales and Reviews.
GRIZZLY MAN (2005, directed by Werner Herzog)
Wernor Herzog in his inimitable fashion constructed an intriguing portrait of a unusual subject: A man named Timothy Treadwell. Treadwell spent 13 seasons all but alone in Alaska, with the grizzly bears in their habitat. He filmed them (getting unprecented footage), played with them, and “protected” them from their enemies (man). He got really close to the bears, making physical contact. He befriended them as much as you can befriend an animal in the wild. He played with them, got amazing footage, but forgot the boundaries that exist between man and beast. Especially when that beast weighs several times what you weigh, and comes equipped with sharp claws, teeth, and raw strength. A fatal error of profound misjudgment at the end of Treadwell’s 13th season reminds us all that there are immutable boundaries that are never meant to be crossed. To do so is universally pure folly.
Herzog utilizes Treadwell’s own remarkable footage extensively through the film. Nobody had ever gotten so close to these bears in their natural habitat, and observed and learned their behaviors this extensively. Treadwell knew their individual personalities and habits, but he got too comfortable. Watching these videos of his is both profound and tragic. While documenting his own expeditions, Treadwell sometimes lapses into hysterical rants regarding society and authority, and anyone who he sees as an impediment to his way of living. Clearly, a deeply distressed individual lurks beneath the beatnik exterior of the animal lover and protector.
Treadwell’s undeniably unique passion for bears results in some special moments. I bought this DVD from Joe (I paid $5.99). He recommended it to me, saying it was “unintentionally hilarious,” and that I would know what he meant when I saw it.
Maybe an hour into the film, I watched Treadwell admiring a pile of bear poop, and I understood.
“There’s your poop! It just came out of her butt. I can feel it. I can feel the poop. It’s warm. It just came from her butt. This was just inside of her.”
A fascinating glimpse at a singular, one of a kind persona, Grizzly Man is another unique Werner Herzog film that looks at his subject with a focused curiosity. Herzog conveys a childlike sense of wonder, tempered by the practical wisdom of a modern adult. As such, despite its dark subject matter and ominous aura, Grizzly Man is entertaining, educational and re-watchable. Herzog wisely avoided any graphic imagery or sounds. An audio tape of Treadwell’s final moments is only discussed and never heard in the film. Once hearing it himself, Herzog is visibly distressed and gravely advises destroying the tape.
I think Grizzly Man is among the best Herzog documentaries. I watch it a couple times a year.
5/5 stars
Also included on this DVD is a nice feature on the music of Grizzly Man, an important part of its emotional makeup. In particular the use of the excellent Don Edwards song “Coyotes” is unforgettable.
Finally, the end! Part 9 of my 9 part series on Ace Frehley! Via this series, we took a comprehensive look at every significant Frehley solo release that I had access to. Here’s a directory to the whole thing in case you missed a part!
Ace had a pretty good backing band on this, only his fifth solo album! Anton Fig on drums, Anthony Esposito (ex-Lynch Mob) on bass, and a few guests here and there such as Brian Tichy. The overall sound is much heavier than anything Ace has done before. There are lot of chunky guitars, and a ton of riffs.
“Foxy & Free” is fine as an opener, but melodically a little awkward. It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what I don’t like about it, but it’s not one of the better songs. Much better is “Outer Space”, Ace’s re-imagining of a song by a band called Shredmill. While that band originally conceived the song as a Danzig-esque prowl, Ace cranks it up. Pedal to the floor, this is the best song on Anomaly. Too bad it’s a cover because this is the kind of original that Ace needs. Unfortunately “Outer Space” is followed by “Pain in the Neck”, another one I find melodically annoying.
Another cover, “Fox on the Run”, restores the album. Much like “Do Ya”, I think Ace knocked it out of the park with this cover. His modus operandi seems to be taking catchy pop songs and rocking them up. He does it very well. Another thing he does very well is instrumental tracks, and “Genghis Khan” is a fascinating one. You don’t think of Ace as being influenced by Led Zeppelin so much, but this definitely sounds like Zeppelin for the most part! This is thanks in part to Anton Fig’s perfect execution on drums. But it’s not exactly an instrumental, as it does have a chorus! “So, long, Genghis Khan!” But that’s pretty much it in terms of lyrics!
Like a see-saw, the album swings back to melodically questionable territory. “Too Many Faces” is not a stand out. It’s heavy but lacks significant hooks. “Change the World” is a another high. Frehley’s an electric hippy praying for peace. It’s not the first time, but it’s a worthy successor to songs of the past such as “Remember Me”. Unlike many of the weaker songs, “Change the World” is catchy, singalong quality, and fun!
A punishing and cool instrumental called “Space Bear” is actually overshadowed by another version of the song later on, so I’m going to skip it now. “A Little Below the Angels” is a pretty good acoustic ballad. I really dislike the middle section, with Ace talking to the girl…wish that had been excised. It’s back again to heavy territory on “Sister”, one of the few really decent original Frehley heavy rockers on the album. This one features Scot Coogan (Brides of Destruction) on drums, and he really throws caution to the wind and goes for it! His drums are a highlight of a great Frehley rocker.
“It’s a Great Life” is certainly interesting. It’s a funky 80’s sounding rocker, with Ace’s personality. The chorus could have been stronger. Imagine what a producer like Eddie Kramer could have done with the sound of this album! Sonically, Anomaly is disappointing for the most part. If Kramer had produced, I’m sure the closer “Fractured Quantum” would shimmer like the other three “Fractured” songs. Don’t get me wrong, I love “Fractured Quantum”, I just think it lacks a certain sonic shine that the others have. Like the other “Fractured” instrumentals, it consists of layers of acoustic guitars with some electrics here and there. It is melodically simple and it works.
iTunes offered their exclusive bonus track, “Return of Space Bear”. This song is either a) no longer available on iTunes, or b) not available on iTunes in Canada. Needless to say I was forced to acquire it in the shady underbelly of the internets, but find it I did. “Space Bear” is a reference to Ace’s hilarious drunken appearance on the Tomorrow Show with Tom Snyder. On October 30 1979, Kiss appeared on the show, and Ace was pre-lubricated. A visibly upset Gene Simmons attempts to divert attention away from Ace and his “first space bear ever in captivity”, a little teddy bear version of himself! On this iTunes version, Ace’s dialogue is added, and this is the version I like best. Ace re-enacts some of his funniest drunken lines over some cool rocking riffs. To me, the tune sounds like early rocking Aerosmith, circa Rocks.
photo: heavymetal107
I will say that I don’t like the packaging. The cardboard case thing unfolds into a pyramid, but I’ve never tried. As a device to hold a CD, it’s annoying to get the disc in and out, and mine is pretty scratched. I did find a photo of the “pyramid” form at a cool blog called Heavy Metal 107 — click the thumb to see.
And that’s Anomaly, Ace’s first solo album in 20 years. By coincidence, just like last time (Trouble Walkin‘), Ace’s new album came at almost exactly the same time as a new Kiss CD, Sonic Boom. As before, fans compared and argued over who had made the better album. I think these fans miss the point. It doesn’t matter who made the better album, what matters is that both finally got back to making albums!
3.75/5 stars
When Ace returns for his next solo album, you can bet I will be here to tell you all about it. Thanks for reading this series! I hope you enjoyed.
ACCEPT – Blood of the Nations (2010 Nuclear Blast)
mikeladano.com 