“Oh-oh-oh!” sings Max Kerman in his most anthemic of choruses. “When your head gets dizzy and you can’t get right. Oh-oh-oh! But you push on through, don’t be denied.” This single from Rally Cry is an obvious highlight.
Kerman has always stood up for the little guy, in the face of banks and landlords. “First of the month gets you stressed out, and moving trucks bring you right back.” That’s what “Hand Me Downs” is. You get the impression that these characters in these songs are amalgams of people that Max knew. Most importantly, even more than the lyrics, is the power of the music. “Hand Me Downs” is one of the Arkells most immediate, most catchy, most powerful songs to date. And that’s saying a lot. If there was a quintessential “trademark” Arkells song, “Hand Me Downs” would be among them.
This 2019 digital single came with three versions. The album version, a live version, and a duet with English punk-folk rocker Frank Turner. The Turner version is an entirely new recording, not just a remix. A little more acoustic, a little less ornate, a little more live. Very much up Frank’s alley. It’s a little jarring to hear his accent on an Arkells song, but it’s a quick adjustment. Turner grabs the verses by the balls and makes them his. He mixes well with Max on the chorus. A brilliant version, and perhaps should have been released as a single in its own right.
The third and final version is an acoustic take from Clubhouse Austin (you can see a photo of Max on their website), and it’s perfectly recorded. Very little noise, very clean. Small rooms often make for the best live recordings. Their vocals are absolutely perfect. Arkells have proven time and again how talented they are in the studio, but it is live that counts the most. “Hand Me Downs” live is flawless, yet not: those vocal quirks that only come from a live performance, and only serve to sweeten the song, are everpresent.
“Hand Me Downs” makes for a brilliant three-song single. It is still available for purchase.
THE DARKNESS – Permission To Land… Again (2023 Box Set)
Once (and perhaps still) considered one of the biggest jokes in rock*, The Darkness have proven ’em wrong, for it was 20 years ago they dropped this bomb on the world called Permission to Land. Regardless of the ups and downs, the band continues on today with a documentary film in the works. Of course, the obligatory box set was also necessary. Permission to Land… Again collects nearly everything from the era and packs it up for you in a 5 disc set perfect for home consumption. And it’s affordable, too.
CD 1 commences with the original 2003 album, a monolith of Queen and AC/DC’s bastard children, brought to life in spandex and bandanas. The album itself spawned four singles:
“Get Your Hands Off My Woman”, the expletive-laden favourite that still delights today as a fast head banger.
“Growing On Me”, perfectly in the pocket, a melodic hard right classic with just enough bite.
“I Believe In A Thing Called Love”, iridescent and unforgettable as ever, a classic in every sense.
“Love In Only A Feeling”, bombastic and beautiful guitar chords crashing on this prototype for the trademark Darkness ballad. Steve Tyler wishes he could write ’em like this today.
That leaves six killer album tracks, none of which are filler. Opener “Black Shuck” is a monster (literally), rocking heavy and beating the doors down despite your best efforts. “Givin’ Up” should have been a single, but the language, tisk tisk! Foreshadowing Justin Hawkin’s drug issues, this song is literally about “stickin’ that fuckin’ shit” up his nose. Yes it’s surprisingly delightful, and perhaps the most immediately catchy one on the album. “Stuck In A Rut” is different, blasting fast and loud, with Justin singing at max voice. Back to lighter, catchy territory, “Friday Night” is a certain fan-favourite. It easily could have been another single, as Justin literally reads off his weekly schedule. “Monday, cycling, Tuesday, gymnastics, dancing on a Friday night.” Bopping piano accents will keep feet moving. Moving on to “Love On the Rocks With No Ice” (great title), the slow heavy grind smacks you in the head and reminds you this is a rock and roll band. Despite that, the album closes on a lovely ballad “Holding My Own” which also really could have been a single.
CD 1 is beefed out with six extra songs, all demos, of tracks that didn’t make the album and tracks that did. Speaking of which, they are rough but so similar to the final versions. Some have bits that were later trimmed out or de-emphasized, like keyboard overdubs and intros. “Black Shuck”, though without the hard-hitting production, might be better in some ways than the album version, with more twists and vocals. There is also a demo of “Out of My Hands”, a fine album B-side.
The best inclusions on this disc, however, are the surprises: demos that didn’t make Permission to Land! “Live ‘Til I Die” went unreleased until 2019’s Easter Is Cancelled, but this version has Eddie Graham on drums. This version is very, very different. Much more AC/DC and dare I say, much catchier and better. There’a also an early demo of “Nothing’s Gonna Stop Us”, which was finally released on 2012’s reunion album Hot Cakes. This one is much more similar to the glossier final product.
CD 2 is a treasure trove of goodies! Every studio B-side from the album, some non-album singles, some “clean” versions that we wouldn’t purposely seek out to buy; they are all here. (The live B-sides are included with their respective shows, but we’ll get to those.) This is comprehensive as heck.
The three tracks from the very rare 2002 EP I Believe In A Thing Called Love are included: the title track, “Love on the Rocks With No Ice” and “Love Is Only A Feeling”. The recordings themselves are the same as the final album versions, but the mixes are not. These earlier mixes have slight, but audible differences and can be characterised as a bit less finished. The bass may be more pronounced on some places, and backing vocals in another.
Like some British bands before them, such as Oasis, The Darkness seemed to put just as much effort into their B-sides, often making them album (or single) worthy on their own. The complete studio B-sides here are:
“The Best Of Me”, a crankin’ rocker with a southern vibe.
The aforementioned “Out of My Hands”, a lighter song with a Def Leppard vibe on the guitars. Could have been a hit in its own right. Brilliant chorus.
Concert favourite “Makin’ Out”, which has more of that AC/DC vibe that the Darkness really mined in their early days. A fan favourite for a reason.
“Physical Sex”, another riffy number with an outrageously high chorus.
The ballad “How Dare You Call This Love?” which also could have been on the album, had it been longer. The actual album had two already. A fun song though, with some lovely Lizzy-ish guitar harmonies.
“The best instrumental that AC/DC never recorded”, according to Tim Durling, is “Bareback”, one of the Darkness’ best B-sides ever…if not their best. Thankfully, this song was not just relegated to the dusky corners of the “Growing On Me” single, but received some live workouts too. More on that later.
A song about building a house, “Planning Permission”, is a bit goofy lyrically (mixing cement!), but it gets goofier still as you’ll see. Fortunately it’s a catchy, upbeat Darkness number that has all their trademark guitar and vocal accoutrements.
“Curse of the Tolland Man” is the goofiest of them all, a ghost story, and a song that gets trashed in the liner notes as awful muck, but is defended by Justin and Dan Hawkins as a favourite. The jury remains out, but they are all correct about it.
“I Love You 5 Times” is another ballad, but by this time we’re technically heading outside album territory. Forgettable, but for the strings and Justin’s silly “m-m-m-meees” stuttery vocals. It was actually the B-side to a standalone Christmas single, “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)”, an excellent song in its own right.
This box set is so comprehensive that it even includes the two singles that were not from it.
“Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)“…don’t Google what “bell end” means in British slang. Let’s just say Justin had his tongue in cheek! Great rocker, very Lizzy, and an absolutely Darkness classic. Produced by Bob Ezrin! This track was included on some European editions of the album as a bonus.
Then we have the rarest of them all, and finally available physically for us to buy: 2004’s “Get Your Hands Off My Woman…Again“. Though it does have Frankie Poullain on bass, this song is more a part of the story for the second album, One Way Ticket. The band were experimenting with producer Roy Thomas Baker and this remake was sold digitally. It is here in both “clean” and “explicit” versions. A cleaner, sharper incarnation of the song, for better or worse! The liner notes finally explain the mystery of the added piano part: It was inspired by Ben Folds’ cover of the song, which they thought was an improvement!
CDs 3 and 4 contain three live gigs, and the balance of the B-sides from this era. “Gimme a D! Gimme an Arkness!”
The 2003 set at Knebworth is brilliant. Opening with “Growing On Me”, the band has a bizarre and comedic stage presence, but the song kicks! They are a tight band, and a beat is not missed. They play two B-sides, a manic “The Best of Me” (for dancing, says Justin) and the classic “Makin’ Out”. “I Believe In A Thing Called Love” from the Knebworth concert was previously issued on a German version of the Christmas single. I like when Justin asks the audience which version of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” they’d like to hear, clean or dirty?
On the same disc is a set from the Astoria in 2003. Opening with a raging “Bareback”, this set is even better than the Knebworth one. What a start! Instrumentals can make a pretty killer opener! From there it’s “Black Shuck”, and a live version of “Get Your Hands Off My Woman” that was previously issued as a B-side to a rare DVD single for “Love Is Only A Feeling”. It’s notable for the strange “me-me-me” singalong thing Justin does at the end. Another thing they do in this set is something called “Buffet”, a pretty cool riff, from a part in the show that is explained in the booklet.
Best of all: The action-packed Astoria and Knebworth shows are both included on DVD inside. Watch Dan play all the guitars so Justin can do the splits! The DVD also includes all the music videos, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage from their music videos. There’s a cute bit in the EPK (electronic press kit) explaining why Justin always asked the audience to see their thumbs. The editing on the Astoria show is absurdly fast!
CD 4 is a full-length show from 2004 at Wembley recorded on Dan’s birthday, and the last show on the tour. It’s especially cool, because the band were already road-testing new songs from One Way Ticket. Opener “Grief Hammer” was a new song that would become a B-side in 2005. It has a stuttery riff with elements of that AC/DC vibe, but the band were clearly moving beyond that pigeonhole. It takes balls to open a set at Wembley with a new song that nobody had heard before. From there they visit more familiar territory with the favourite “Givin’ Up”. A manic “Stuck In A Rut” blasts out immediately afterwards.
Other B-sides played at Wembley include the fan favourite “Makin’ Out”, “Physical Set” and that “Buffet” again! Future classics “Dinner Lady Arms” and “Seemed Like A Good Idea at the Time” are rolled out alongside the hits. “Dinner Lady Arms” is a tad harder than the soft-Leppard style of the later version, though the chorus still soars into the stratosphere. “Seemed Like Such A Good Idea at the Time” is presented without introduction, and Justin on piano with a more spare arrangement than the elaborate album version to come. This is more power ballad, and less experiment in extravagance.
As the 17 song set rolls through classics and hits, it’s clear this disc could be a standalone live album if the band choose to release it as such. Great banter, and the band were obviously having a blast on stage. At the end, there are two more surprises. One is an abbreviated cover of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” by Band Aid, performed solo by Justin on piano. Finally, they close the show with a bombastic “Christmas Time (Don’t Let the Bells End)”, which works brilliantly in the end slot. There is no feigning joy and surprise here. All the delight is pure and genuine.
The final ingredient you need in a box set such as this is a kickass booklet with loads of reading. Look no further, as Dan and Justin exhaustively tell the story from session to session and song to song. The stories will keep you in stitches as the band shed light on things you never knew before. Eddie Graham was the most “normal” one of the bunch, but they have survived it all, and the Darkness keep going!
We live in the age of box sets. The Darkness have risen to the occasion with, dare I say it, the perfect version of Permission To Land. Will they pull this trick again in the future with One Way Ticket? They should, because they have demonstrated an understanding of what makes a great box set. In short:
Complete collection of B-sides, even from formats as obscure as DVD single.
The rare demos and EP versions we’ve been wanting.
Non-album singles.
Even those clean versions that we normally wouldn’t try too hard to collect.
Live concerts.
Extensive liner notes.
DVD with added value and live shows.
Reasonable pricing and packaging.
5/5 stars
* One evening in 2003, I was listening to the Darkness with my girlfriend in my living room, late at night, heavily intoxicated. I suddenly jumped and said “I get it! These guys are not a joke at all! They are dead serious about what they are doing! Listen! Just listen!” It was an epiphany and I was right.
BONUS! Check out Tim and I discussing this box set and more!
In a sense, Rally Cry is the last Arkells album that was made conventionally. Campfire Chords, Blink Once, and Blink Twice were all recorded during the pandemic. Laundry Pile was unplanned. Rally Cry is the last one recorded during quote-unquote “normal times”. It is 10 songs, 36 minutes, and clearly focused on pop rock with a soul/R&B influence.
This album is loaded with Arkells-style anthems, and leads off with one: “Hand Me Downs”. Their working-class social consciousness creeps into the lyrics, but most people won’t be paying attention when the chorus hits: “Woah-oh-oh!” shouts singer Max Kerman in a fashion he almost could have patented. “Ain’t no shame in some hand-me-downs!” Yet the words are some that any can relate to. “First of the month gets you stressed out, and moving trucks bring you right back.” Musically, this is not that different from the prior album Morning Report, though perhaps more direct.
“American Screams” juxtaposes irresistible dance music with a shot at organized religion. “You got your good book all wrong. You wanna do God’s work, it’s gonna be hard work.” The big thick dance beat though! The thing about Arkells music is that the it is so strong, the lyrics can be ignored if you so choose. It’s way more rewarding to look into what they’re saying. Unfortunately, this single is just three minutes long!
“Relentless” hearkens back to the bands’ youths. Ambitiously, it contains a sample “Sixolele Babe” by South African artist Chicco. The sample is not obvious at all, and somehow fits right in with this pop rock anthem. How do they find these records? Musically illiterate, the Arkells are not.
Moving on momentarily to a more straightforward Arkells sound, “Only For A Moment” is softer, and driven by beats and piano. A good time party tune, but with interesting things going on rhythmically. The lyrics are not too heavy, though the theme is letting your stresses and anxieties go, if only for a moment. Then a U2-like guitar lick chimes forth, while Max sings a melody that Bono could have written (but didn’t). It’s hard not to compare to the Irish quartet; even certain inflections in the voice.
Flip the side of the record, and you are back in the disco with the big single “People’s Champ”. It’s political, but not specifically so. It’s just about a candidate who’s no good: “You’ve got no vision for the long run, you’ve got no sense of history.” And then the chorus, “I’m looking for the people’s champ, and it ain’t you!” And then in the same song: “All my girls say woah-oh! All my dudes go, woah-oh!” So, it’s a rally cry, but it’s also a hell of a good time. And why not? Do you have to be dead serious musically when your lyrics are cutting slices out of the elite? Why not let that bass drum hit! Why not let that bass thump! Tim Oxford and Nick Dika oblige on both counts, while a horn section blasts in your ears.
“Eyes on the Prize” could have been a single too. This is more R&B than rock and roll, with loads of soulful backing vocals. This one sounds autobiographical. “I was repeating conversations with a chip on my shoulder, replaying the scene over and over.” But there’s those upbeat horns and lush backing vocals! Halfway through the song, Max takes us to church. Just like a preacher, he goes off on his tangent. “And the man behind the counter turned up the radio, one of those old AM/FM boomboxes, the kind with the cassettes.” Yes, he really sings that, with the soul backing vocals making it seem like the most important scene you’ve ever heard. Though at its heart, “Eyes on the Prize” is a hit-worth Arkells anthem, it’s chock full of diverse musical ideas, expertly executed. Genius songwriting and performance.
If you’re looking for a perfect summer soundtrack, check out the bass-driven “Saturday Night”. Again, Max’s lyrics are interesting and fun. “You and me talking about conspiracy theories, you said ‘I don’t give a fuck about a man on the moon.'” Again the punchy horns deliver the 80s, like a song right out of the summer of ’85. It sure feels the way I remember. The party comes to a stop on the darker “Company Man”, as the messages return to the forefront. Yet the music goes full 1970s, with rolling drums, bangin’ piano and horns blasting.
Album closer “Don’t Be A Stranger” is catchy, with a big drum beat like an old Beatles song. It ends the album on something of a somber note, but also a hopeful one. There’s a quaint keyboard part that gives it that throwback vibe.
Rally Cry, though musically and lyrically ambitious, does lack the emotional impact of Morning Report and some of the other preceding albums. It is a trade-off. The Arkells are somehow both streamlined, and expanded. The melodic construction of the songs are more emphasized than ever before, but beneath that lie layers of musical experimentation, mostly in the direction of Motown. As such, we don’t get heart-rending slow-burners like “Passenger Seat” from the prior album. The guitar riffs aren’t on the forefront. A good album it is, though perhaps by being so accessible, it loses that challenge that sometimes keeps an album in your deck for decades.
I get chills listening to this song. Knowing now the story, about how John’s voice on this old tape was just too buried behind piano to work with, and how technology made it usable again…it is incredible. John Lennon sounds fresh, front and center, as if the vocals were recorded yesterday, even though they were taped in 1977.
It’s also incredible that Yoko Ono handed these tapes off to the surviving Beatles for them to finish. She didn’t have to do that. She could have kept them, and put them out as unfinished solo songs.
George’s slide guitar parts were written in 1995 when the Beatles last tried to tackle this song. Paul and Ringo finished it with drums, bass, acoustic guitars, and strings. Paul felt the strings were very “Beatles”.
The string players had no idea what they were working on. Secrecy was a priority. They were just told they were playing on something for Paul McCartney, but not the Beatles. Can you imagine how the players would have reacted to that?
To me, this sounds like an old Beatles song from the Abbey Road or Let It Be era, that I had somehow forgotten about. It sounds somber – sad, and mournful. It also reminds us of “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love” from the Anthology albums, which underwent similar reworking all those years ago. It is the last Beatles song, and so it should be.
To me it is just incredible that we have one more Beatles song to enjoy.
“Now and Then” will be out on an expanded edition of the Blue album. A necessary purchase for fans who want to relive the days when we was fab. I just wish the artwork for the single wasn’t so drab!
Mick Mars is finally out with his first solo track since 1994’s “Bittersuite” and it’s a banger.
Too much of a banger?
In this reviewer’s opinion, the song is recorded for more modern tastes. Chunky, downtuned guitars and distorted, unremarkable lead vocals (by Jacob Bunton) characterize this fast, heavy smoker. Everything sounds very processed in a modern way, for punch and impact. Someone more in tune with this sound would rate it higher.
The best part of the song is, expectedly, the guitar solo, but it’s way too short.
Another reviewer may think differently, but “Loyal to the Lie” lacks a few key ingredients: a distinctive singer, and memorable hooks.
Mick shouldn’t have to repeat his past with his former band, but a memorable song would have been nice. Yes, it’s heavy. But heavy only goes so far.
My 2016 album review of High Noon did not do it justice. I hadn’t had the time yet to fall in love. Now I have, and it’s time to look at the CD and iTunes versions of High Noon, and give it the praise it truly deserves. A few months ago, I wrote up a “Just Listening To” post, but that too failed to really capture this special album.
Arkells, from Hamilton Ontario, are a special band. In my original review, I touched one special aspect. “A band can make or break based on the lead singer. I really like the expressive and sincere singing style of Max Kerman. He stands out from first listen. It’s hard to say exactly what makes him stand out, but he certainly does.”
While I was right about Kerman (and I was right to use the word “expressive”) I hadn’t accounted for the rest of the band. All brilliant in their own right.
On guitar: Mike DeAngelis, who also provides a lot of vocals. The guy knows how to write a catchy lick, and he has many on High Noon.
On bass: Nick Dika, the guy who is always pushing them to do whatever other bands are not. He also happens to write great basslines, and provides some serious bottom end on songs like “Come to Light”.
On drums: Tim Oxford, who always plays for the song, but never plays it straight. There’s always something interesting going on with the percussion parts. I’ve heard him called Canada’s greatest drummer.
On keyboards: The new kid, Anthony “Tony” Carone. I can only speculate as to his impact on this album. Original member Dan Griffin left the band to finish school and become a successful entertainment lawyer. Pre-Carone Arkells are less pop, and have fewer keyboard hooks. Is that Carone’s influence? Whatever the case, he’s been a crucial member ever since, providing far more than just keys.
My history of the band is brief. I loved their 2012 single “Whistleblower”, and 2014’s “Leather Jacket” even more. But what really made the band stick out in my mind was watching the NHL Awards one night with Jen, when Max Kerman shook hands with #99 Wayne Gretzky himself. Seeing a gleeful Max lose his shit in front of Gretzky just made me fall in love with this band.
Kerman managing to keep his shit together on national TV with The Great One
In spring 2023, I had a craving: a craving for something upbeat, positive, deep, and Canadian. I put on High Noon one day in May and I have not looked back since.
Up first is “Fake Money”. In 2014, Kerman was clearly pissed off about the banking crisis. “Oh you’re just a boy, a little banker boy, everything’s a game and everyone’s your toy…” It’s a pretty scathing attack, but within the confines of an upbeat, powerful song akin to old-school U2. There’s a chunky bass hook that sounds like “Where The Streets Have No Name”. But this song is its own beast, a ferocious indictment set to an anthemic singalong. “You’re playing a board game, up in a board room…” Max studied poli-sci in school, and it definitely comes out in his words.
Just as I think of U2 on “Fake Money”, I think of 80s Bowie on “Come to Light”. “Modern Love” kinda Bowie. There’s some 80’s Elton John in the piano too. This was the first of four singles. The of mix of Kerman and DeAngelis’ vocals on the chorus is so satisfying. Then the band comes in with those “ooh, la la’s” that are so tasty. And Oxford? Brilliant on this. The single cymbal crash when Kerman sings “The words hit me hard, like a one-two punch” is just so perfect.
Another brilliant song called “Cynical Bastards” is surprisingly upbeat considering the title! The piano and keys deliver the main hooks here, full of the glow of summer. Max references “Jackson Square dropouts avoiding police” in the opening lyrics. Oxford keeps the snare pumping, with Dika thumping the bass by his side, and Max sings the indelible chorus: “If you want me to boil it down, all you cynical bastards move right out of town now!” What I like most are the references to living in the golden horseshoe of southern Ontario. “Oakville moms, they stick up their nose, and those Burlington dads keep their daughters at home.” I wouldn’t know about that, but I worked in both towns.
Have you ever heard about that superstition that you’re supposed to make a wish when the clock shows 11:11? Arkells wrote a song about it. “You made a wish at 11:11, I held your hips at 12:34,” goes the fabulous chorus. One gets the impression that Kerman has danced with a lot of girls over the years. This song is a bit slower and more contemplative, but not without those awesome Mike/Max harmonies, and massive choruses. More “woah, ohs” and I’m fine with all that.
Dika’s bass is a major component of the ballad “Never Thought That This Would Happen”. I really like what I said about this song in my “Just Listening To” post, so I’ll go ahead and quote myself: “‘Never Thought That This Would Happen’ is one of most poetic yet colloquial songs about a one-nighter that I’ve ever heard.” It’s also the only song on the album that exceeds four minutes. There’s a great string arrangement by Carone, and a really impassioned lead vocal from Max.
We go back to the 80s on “Dirty Blonde”, which is just a catchy pop rock tune. Nothing wrong with that at all. It’s fast, and you can dance to it. (Personally I prefer playing air bass.) This is as close as we get to a throwaway on the album, yet it’s awesome.
“What Are You Holding On To?” opens the second side on the vinyl version. Jen likes the Dirty Dancing reference, “You put Baby in a corner, we’ll be Dirty Dancing all night…” Once again we’re stuck in the 80s, and we’re definitely at a party. If you still wanted to dance, but needed something that isn’t as fast as “Dirty Blonde”, then here’s your ticket. Horn section arranged by Carone. Horns have become more and more integral to the Arkells sound over the years since.
Piano takes the fore on “Hey Kids!” which sounds like a band jamming in a bar. It has that vibe, but much cleaner and tighter. The “Ooh, ooh ooh’s” return, and Max even sings my name in one of the lyrics. The strings return to augment the sound, and you can’t ignore the backing vocals of the band, always there in all the right places.
The “big single” was the infallible “Leather Jacket”. This is the one that people remember for the line about the pay phone: “You call me up from a pay phone, and I said, ‘Who the fuck uses a pay phone?'” An instant favourite, impossible to forget, and really indicative of everything that makes the Arkells great. The 80s influence in there is the guitar hook. The lyrics are relatable. The chorus is fused into your neurons after one listen. Oxford’s drum part is integral to the song, as is Dika’s bassline. If there was just one song I’d play to get someone into the Arkells, it would be “Leather Jacket”.
There are a lot of fast tunes on High Noon, but “Crawling Through the Window” is one of the coolest slow songs I’ve ever heard. There’s a digital pulse, and nice chunky guitar chords, employed sparingly in the back. Oxford’s snare drum is nice and loud, like he’s leading the procession. Max’s lyrics are once again relatable. “We bunkered down in this shitty apartment, utilities included, all that we wanted.”
The dance rock of “Systematic” ends the album on a surprising note. It’s unlike any of the previous songs, demonstrating that the Arkells are willing to sample the flavours of every section in the record store. This is something they have embraced further and further down in their discography. “Systematic” has a dark vibe, but the Arkells tend to go for unusual closers. It’s no less catchy, and the strings return for a cool disco effect. Now that I think of it, this really sounds like the Arkells version of Dynasty-era Kiss!
Why does this album sound so good? Mastering engineer – Harry Hess! The album was produced and mixed by Tony Hoffer.
There are two added bonus tracks on iTunes, both acoustic versions of the album tracks. “11:11” is stripped down, and shows that the song still has all its strength even without all the bells and whistles. It really allows the vocals to come out more, both lead and backing. “What Are You Holding On To?” is the second acoustic bonus track. It has a lot more bop here, as it’s basically just piano and vocals in this arrangement.
When I reviewed this album the first time, I rated it 4.5/5 stars. Not bad. But wrong.
Arkells didn’t set out to make a record. They’d been pretty prolific, with Campfire Chords, Blink Once, and Blink Twice coming out in rapid succession during the pandemic. As they sat down to rehearse some acoustic arrangements of the Blink material, they found themselves jamming on new ideas. Singer Max Kerman had already been writing demos, which the band jumped on. The result is a softer, more contemplative album without the Arkells usual bombastic rally cries. 10 songs, 36 minutes.
Max compared this album to a journal that “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.” With that in mind, let’s have a listen.
A simple acoustic number, “Life Is” is a beautiful, quiet and contemplative number. The sweet and subtle backing vocals recall the greatest folk albums of Canadian tradition. “Life is short sometimes,” sings Kerman. “You make mistakes along the way, and I love you ’til my dying day.” A classic to be, “Life Is” might be one of the prettiest songs I’ve ever heard.
The single “Skin” is a fuller arrangement, with piano, bass and drums. While it starts fairly ordinarily, the chorus really kicks. “I thought I knew, I thought I knew what I wanted when I started,” sings Max, while pianist Anthony Carone punctuates his words magnificently. A soft synth kicks in with the bass and drums, and the song becomes softly electric. Mike DeAngelis lays down one of his best, most emotive guitar solos while drummer Tim Oxford plays with expert subtlety. This is the brightest, most upbeat song on the album, and the only one of its kind.
The title track “Laundry Pile” relies of a soft piano backing, as Max muses on spending time with his true love. “It’s OK if you’re not always at your best.” Most poignantly, “I already love the parts that you don’t like in yourself.” It reads like a personal letter. The minimal accompaniment is perfect. “Wash Away” also has minimal accompaniment, with percussion and light drums. “I’m still in love with you,” proclaims Max. “I’m not ready to let go.”
“Your Name” features organ, and dreamy keyboards. “My whole world is inside your name,” declares Kerman. Light strumming guitars and laid-back drums make for the perfect arrangement. At the end of the song you can hear someone say “I’ll be back in an hour,” right before you’d flip the LP side.
“Beginner’s Mind” has a sad melody, with dark piano accompaniment. When a strange keyboard sound kicks in, Marillion comes to mind. The progressive rock band from Aylesbury often do songs like this, and the keyboards do add a progressive edge to this dusky pop song. It has a vibe like a cold rainy day, especially when the full band comes in. Wait for the trumpets! Though this song is not inviting at first, by second or third listen it starts to hook you in.
The music picks up on “Shot In the Dark” (not the Ozzy song!), which is just a nice summery rock song for the countryside. Electric guitars, punchy drums, thumping bass by Nick Dika…but it’s not a loud song. It sounds like you’re in the back of someone’s pickup truck, driving up a long dirt road on a bright, blue summer morning. This is followed by the twangy “Time”, and that’s probably not a coincidence. There’s also some serious soul/blues roots on “Time”. What is wild is that sometimes, Anthony Carone’s keyboards sound like they’re ripped from some old 1940s record.
“Tango Waltz” features strings to create a haunting atmosphere. You’re fooled into thinking it’s an instrumental, but after more than half the song expires, finally Max comes in. The words are somewhat rapid-fire, and this song comes across as more of an atmospheric interlude before the closer “Quiet Love”. Tim Oxford ticks away in the back, while Max and the band create a delicate acoustic tapestry of music to wrap the words in. “Is it too late? Can you look at me like you used to?” There’s a certain epic quality to this album closer, though not in a traditional sense. It’s certainly one of the best tracks of the ten.
At the start of this review, Max was quoted as saying that this album “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.” You can certainly hear that, and see it in the words. There are no anthems here about politics, class, societal ills, or finance. There are no soundtracks to going out to the club and meeting a girl. Laundry Pile is a very different album for the Arkells. Yet it somehow sounds like them and only them, and fits right in with everything else in their catalogue. The shout-along anthems will return one day, but this album is unique. It deserves intense listening over this coming winter.
LOUDNESS – “Slap In the Face” (1991 Warner Japan CD single)
Not long after Loudness released their second and last album with American singer Mike Vescera, a final four-song EP was released in Japan. Featuring a new song (albeit in an edit version) called “Slap in the Face” with three recent live recordings, the EP was good value for the fans. Unfortunately it was not enough to keep Vescera in the band, and he soon wound up doing some pretty good music with Yngwie J. Malmsteen. Loudness continued on with former E-Z-O singer Masaki Yamada, but that is another story. This one is about Mike’s final release with Loudness.
The edit version of “Slap in the Face” is 4:53. Although it says nowhere inside, the full length version is 5:14 and can be found on the 1991 Japanese 2 CD compilation, Loudest. (It was also added as an extra studio track to a later release, 2009’s Live Loudest at the Bodukan. Both edit and full-length versions are included as bonus tracks on the 2021 deluxe box set reissue of On the Prowl.)
This track absolutely stomps! It does not sound like something that came out in 1991. More like 1993. It was ahead of its time in terms of where metal was going. It chunks, it rips, it shreds and it thrashes. The only anomaly is the powerful vocalizin’ of Mike Vescera, who had the kind of high pitched tone that worked well with Malmsteen. Not that it doesn’t kick ass here, just that style of singing was soon to be out of style… But what a song! A Loudness highlight, hands down. Cut-throat and non-stop, “Slap in the Face” should have been called “Kick in the Teeth”!
The three live tracks that round out the EP are all from the Budokan show that was released in 2009, and were all originally on the 1991 studio album On the Prowl. “Down ‘N’ Dirty” is very clean and polished. You could mistake it for a studio cut. This mid-tempo rocker has some wicked soloing from lead guitarist Akira Takasaki, but really this is hair metal from a band that usually went heavier.
“Playin’ Games” is way heavier. This is the kind of tempo we’re used to from Loudness. The goofy title doesn’t relay its deadly intent: this song is a killer. Drummer Munetaka Higuchi has a lethal albeit brief drum solo at the end, just enough to crush your head. The guy was a beast on drums! Rest in peace Higuchi.
The last track is “Find A Way”, technically a remake of “To Be Demon” from Loudness’ 1981 debut album The Birthday Eve. This ballady metal track goes from bluesy to progressive to hair metal and back to progressive. It’s mid-tempo brilliance, and perhaps something that a band like the Scorpions could have done in the early 80s. Indeed, Klaus would sound brilliant singing it. There’s nothing simple about “Find A Way”!
Though all these songs can now be found elsewhere as is often the case these days, in 1991 this was great value and a fine send-off to Mike Vescera. The following year, Loudness would come crushing back…but only in Japan.
KYUSS / QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age (1997 split Man’s Ruin EP)
Sometimes, EPs are essential. Even better: an essential split EP, when you actually like both bands.
Kyuss split in 1996, and guitarist Josh Homme was fast out of the gates with a new EP under the name Gammy Ray. Another Gamma Ray from Germany sued, and so Homme changed the name to Queens of the Stone Age (a nickname coined by producer Chris Goss from Masters of Reality, for Kyuss themselves).
The split EP, Kyuss / Queens of the Stone Age (double self-titled!) offered a debut for Homme’s new band, and a posthumous release for Kyuss. Kyuss’ side opens with the previously released single “Into the Void”, the Black Sabbath cover. Far sludgier even than the Sabbath original, this one pukes messy distortion and rolling bass all over the floor. It gets really cool in the middle section, normally fast and heavy, but here jammy and psychedelic complete with congas. There’s an original guitar solo by Homme, but parts of it sound like something Iommi could have written. Other parts are purely Josh. This is a long-bomber eight-minute version ideal, for headbanging…or spacing out.
“Fatso Forgotso” was the original B-side to the “Into the Void” single. Here it is paired with “Fatso Forgotso Phase II”, a B-side to “One Inch Man”. Phase I is the long bomber while Phase II is a faster blast. The first time I ever heard Phase I, I was sleeping on a floor after a hell of a party. The room was empty as the others had gone out to a local bar to finish the night. I awoke to this monster of a riff. It sounded like the ocean, it was so big. I just lay there in my drunken state, letting this song wash over me, drown me, and bring me back to the surface. It is fuzzy aural ectasy for its entire length, which is punctuated by Scott Reeder’s foundation bassline, and Alfredo Hernández’s busy drumming. John Garcia’s lead vocal is way back in the mix, seemingly making the whole thing seem louder. The congas kick in halfway through, and it turns into a desert jam with an incredible bass part. Phase II is a completely different beast. Four on the floor, quick and to the point. Breakneck and thudding! Incidentally, it was reissued on the compilation Muchos Gracias: The Best of Kyuss as “Flip the Phase”.
The Queens of the Stone Age made their debut (without Nick Olivieri, but with Van Connor on bass) on “If Only Everything”, a song that later became “If Only” on their self-titled LP. The simple riff has always been one of Homme’s best. This song, and “Born to Hula” are both from the deleted Gamma Ray EP, making the tracks easier to get. “If Only Everything” could be the best Queens song – your call. Definitely a strong start. This version is rougher than the album cut, with vocals more buried in the mix and prominent snare. “Born to Hula” is more futuristic, droning and hypnotic. It too is monstrous. Massive. Cavernous. Excellent.
“Spiders and Vinergaroons” was the sole unreleased song on this EP. It later found a home on a reissue of the Queens’ self-titled album, along with other early EP rarities. It has an unexpected Queen-like clap/stomp, but over a droning hypnotic lead guitar that meanders tensely through the first half of the instrumental track. The second half is dominated by huge (like, Titanic) drums, and clavinet. It shouldn’t work, but there it is. Sounds like some backwards guitar thrown in for good measure.
This EP is characterised by long, heavy jams by both bands. It’s not an immediate listen, but it is so rewarding.
mikeladano.com 