I really had this coming. In Part 314 (The Musical Crimes of Mrs. LeBrain) I exposed the somewhat embarrassing contents of Jen’s CD wallet. I knew retribution would come. Enjoy this penultimate episode of Record Store Tales, and its final guest shot, courtesy of Mrs. LeBrain. (Warning: LOTS of pictures!)
By MRS. LeBRAIN
RECORD STORE TALES Part 319: The Musical Crimes of LeBrain
#10 HIM – And Love Said No. That deep dark gothic prince Ville Valo makes lonely girls swoon, but he is also hanging out on LeBrain’s shelf.
#9 Soundtrack – SMALL SOLDIERS. I don’t know how this made it into the LeBrain home. I understand his need for everything Geddy Lee has ever created, but “Mixed by DJ Z-Trip“?? Is that really worth it? (Not to mention that you have to rock out to Bone Thugs-N-Harmony to get there.)
#8 ROD STEWART – “If We Fall In Love Tonight” CD single. Going through my adventure here, I came across this single, designed to get the listener to first base. YOU’RE MARRIED. THAT SHIT DOESN’T NEED TO STAY.
#7 Soundtrack – THE KARATE KID, Part III. “Wax on, wax off.” The case and book for this CD do not meet the demanding criteria that LeBrain enforces on his collection, but neither does the track list. (I don’t know who most of these people are, but I have heard of the Pointer Sisters.)
#6WOODSTOCK 99 – Various. Look at the first six tracks from crap bands, and try not to laugh (a challenging task). The second CD is just as bad.
#5 Soundtrack – SON IN LAW. The Pauly Shore franchise was known for making really bad movies. The soundtracks are not much better and this shouldn’t be taking up valuable shelf space.
#4 ELMOPALOOZA – Various. If LeBrain were a daddy, this CD might make sense (Steven Tyler has a song about trash). But LeBrain is childless, and Tickle-Me-Elmo is pretty pointless here!
#3 ZZ TOP: A Tribute From Friends – Various. Three words:
MIKE OWNS NICKELBACK!
#2 AVRIL LAVIGNE – The Lavigne Collection (see below). In Part 314, LeBrain threw me under the bus for wanting to marry Joey Mac from New Kids on the Block, 25 years ago. Payback time! Just because he wanted to be her “Sk8tr Boi” doesn’t mean he needed to buy her entire repertoire.
And #1! HIT ZONE 4– Various. LeBrain’s messiest musical moments have been in his “Various” section, but this one takes the cake. My husband owns tracks by NSync, the Backstreet Boys and Boyz II Men? And to top it off this boy band festival, here’s Hanson! Regardless, I think the most disturbing thing about this CD is cover. Look at the scratches and scrapes on the case. This tells me the CD has been well enjoyed.
CONCLUSION:
LeBrain, with all the mess on YOUR shelves, you really can’t make fun of me. But no matter what crap you listen to, you’re still mine.
JON BON JOVI – Blaze of Glory: Inspired by the film Young Guns II (1990 Mercury)
Billy the Kid was a fascinating character. Perhaps he was the embodiment of the Old West itself: a charismatic outlaw, who reportedly had a hair trigger temper but also a heart of gold. Unfortunately, the film Young Guns II seems more about a person called Brushy Bill, rather than William H. McCarty, also known as William H. Bonney, but best known as Billy the Kid. Having killed his first man at 18, the Kid earned his nickname with his boyish looks. He looked nothing at all like his screen counterpart Emilio Estevez, but it’s because of Emilio that Jon Bon Jovi recorded the soundtrack to Young Guns II.
A popular theory from the 1990’s was that Billy the Kid was not killed by Sheriff Patrick Frank Garrett in 1881. In 1948, a character called Brushy Bill Roberts emerged claiming to be the Kid, alive and well. There was enough facial resemblance, and also sworn statements from five people who knew the Kid. Roberts never proved that he was actually William McCarty, and today historians have dismissed his claims due to the number of facts that do not match (such as dates of birth). Young Guns II, the film, operated on the popular theory that Billy survived, and that he faked his death with the help of Pat Garrett.
In fact Garrett did shoot the Kid and lived a life of shame afterwards, as the details of the shooting of the popular Kid didn’t paint him in a positive light. Oddly enough, Garrett himself was shot and killed in 1908 by a rancher named Jesse Wayne Brazel, in New Mexico. The interesting coincidence about this is Brazel was uncle to a Mac Brazel, also a rancher in New Mexico, near the town of Roswell. It was on his ranch that something strange (almost certainly an actual UFO) crashed and was covered up. It is an amusing intersection of two of the great folk tales in American history.
Billy the Kid. Source: Wikipedia
Pat Garrett. Source: Wikipedia
So along came this movie. Emilio Estevez asked Jon Bon Jovi if they could use “Wanted: Dead or Alive” in the film. Jon declined and said, “The lyrics don’t make sense. That song is about touring, let me write you something more appropriate to the old west and Billy the Kid.” This turned into an entire album. Essentially Blaze of Glory is not a soundtrack album (since none of Jon’s songs are in the movie until the end credits) but a concept album based on the film.
The album begins with a snippet of dialogue: “Yoo-hoo!” says Emilio/Billy. “I’ll make ya famous.” A gunshot and the song “Billy Get Your Guns” begins. That’s Kenny Aranoff on drums in case you were wondering. “Billy Get Your Guns” isn’t a hard rock song like Bon Jovi was doing at the time. But it’s still rock and roll, featuring some great slide guitar riffing by Waddy Wachtel. Jon’s voice is young, strong and loud. It’s a sound I miss. I think it’s impossible to dislike the excellent “Billy Get Your Guns”, especially when topped by a Jeff Beck guitar solo, who plays on pretty much the whole album. (The album also features two Journey bassists: Randy Jackson and Bob Glaub.)
Jeff even appeared in the music video for “Miracle”, the hit ballad from the album. The lovely accordion and spare arrangement gives it quite a different feel from old Bon Jovi ballads. Once again I am reminded that Jon once possessed quite a powerful voice. It’s also worth noting that Jon wrote every song himself.
“William H. Bonney, you are not a god.” – Keifer Sutherland as Doc Scurlock
“Why don’t you pull the trigger and find out.” – Emilio Estevez as Billy the Kid
I still love “Blaze of Glory”. It’s timeless, more so than a lot of Bon Jovi’s hits from the time — “Bad Medicine” and so forth. I remember seeing Aldo Nova on TV playing the riff on an acoustic guitar, and it is perfect in its classic simplicity. Aldo is one of Jon’s oldest friends and he plays on the whole album as well. This dynamite hit song has become so loved that Bon Jovi play it live and included it on their greatest hits compilations, even though only Jon was part of it. Jeff Beck’s smoking solo is as much part of the song as Jon is. I cannot understate how great this song is. From quiet acoustic strumming to bombastic aplomb, the song is a great achievement.
“Blood Money” is a short ballad, with spare acoustics, tambourine and accordion. Jon sings as Billy the Kid, directly to Pat Garrett. Historically we don’t know if Garrett and McCarty were friends as they are portrayed in the film, but likely they were not. Regardless, even though the lyrics are implausible historically, it is still a powerful little song.
This leads into “Santa Fe”, which is from the perspective of Doc Scurlock. You want epic? Look no further. An album highlight, “Santa Fe” boasts strings, powerful Aranoff beats, and Jon’s most vivid lead vocal. If it had been on a Bon Jovi album, I think it would be regarded as highly as a song like “Dry County” which it resembles slightly.
Side two opened with Lou Diamond Phillips (Chavez y Chavez in the film) singing a native chant. The song “Justice in the Barrel” refers of course to the barrel of a gun, and Jeff Beck’s playing in the opening reminds us why he is one of rock’s most legendary gunslingers. The song however is more laid back, a slow rock groove. “Never Say Die” is the most straightforward rocker on the album, and it features Robbin Crosby of Ratt on electric guitar. This song most closely resembles Bon Jovi, the band, even lyrically. It is followed by a song that sounds nothing at all like them, and also my favourite: “You Really Got Me Now”. From first listen, way back in 1990, to today, this is a song that always puts a smile on my face. Imagine Jon Bon and Little Richard building a time machine, travelling back to 1881, and jamming in a saloon. That’s “You Really Got Me Now”. Richard plays piano and sings the second verse, and I love it. It’s a shame this little tune is only 2 1/2 minutes long, but I guess it was a bit of a novelty.
“Bang a Drum” is a pleasant soft soul rock anthem, but the Hammond organ and Jeff Beck help maintain its integrity. The soul comes from the backing vocals of Julia and Maxine Waters. This is the climax; the denoument is “Dyin’ Ain’t Much of a Livin'”. The delicate piano is provided by one Elton John (before he would become Sir). Elton also joins Jon on backing vocals. “All this fame don’t bring ya freedom,” sings Jon, a line that may apply to a rock star life as well as an outlaw. The powerful song is a natural ending to a story such as this.
There’s a brief coda, an orchestral piece from the movie by composer Alan Silvestri called “Guano City”. I always wondered why this piece (as good as it is, sounding like some of John Williams’ more exciting segments) was on the album. Nevertheless, there it is, and the album is done.
Jon was very emphatic in stating that Blaze of Glory was not his true solo album. It was 10 songs written specifically for a movie, to fit that movie. His solo album would come seven years later with Destination Anywhere, but first it was time to get Bon Jovi, the band, back on track. This began with a 1991 live performance of “Blaze of Glory” at the Academy Awards, by the full Bon Jovi band, augmented by additional guitarists Waddy Wachtel and Danny Kortchmar.
If you consider solo albums and soundtracks as part of the overall catalog, Blaze of Glory still clocks in as one of my absolute favourites.
Thank Santa’s tits! It was with tremendous joy that I watched the long-awaited Season 8 from the Trailer Park Boys this past weekend. I watched five episodes on Saturday night, and five more Sunday morning. Then on Monday, I re-watched my favourite episode, “Orangie’s Pretty Fuckin’ Tough”. As a long time fan, to say that I am pleased is an understatement. I am thrilled. Knowing in advance that a couple characters weren’t coming back (Ray and Trevor are no longer on the show), everything I wanted out of the show was there. There are even a couple new characters, who look like they may be important in the already finished Season 9.
As if there was no pause at all, Season 8 feels like classic Trailer Park Boys, immediately. Some new characters are introduced, such as Don, who joins Randy as the new Assistant Supervisor. “Officer Highcock”, another new face, is no George Green. He’s smart. But fear not, George Green is back too, although Lahey is approaching retirement.
Trinity is tending bar at Julian’s new in-park club/gym, “The Dirty Dancer”. Bubbles is building his “Shed & Breakfast” for humans and cats. Julian and Ricky have numerous schemes on the go. Ricky’s growing dope at a mad rate, and refining it into honey oil, by special order of Sebastian Bach. He’s also realized that he can use hash as currency almost anywhere: on the bus, at the hardware store, or the dentist’s office. Seems just about everybody accepts Ricky’s $2 hash coins!
There’s also plenty of shady horsecockery. Cyrus and Sam Losco are working together again, and they want to buy the park and bulldoze it to the ground. The only solution is for Julian and Barb Lahey to work together to keep it. Needing capital, Julian sets into motion businesses and schemes galore. Steve Rogers returns for a hell of a bachelor party at Julian’s bar, attracting the attention of the cops.
Ricky’s life is complicated by some unexpected news. The only thing holding him together is Orangie. My buddy Chris and I agree on this: the best element of Season 8 has to be Ricky’s goldfish, Orangie. Ricky loves to party with him, and takes him everywhere in a bowl with ORANGIE scrawled on it in magic marker. Ricky’s car now has a sun roof (of sorts), which functions as Orangie’s swimming pool after it rains. Ricky wakes one morning to find Orangie unresponsive: “Orangie, you finally passed out in the pool, did you buddy?” When Bubbles asks what happened, Ricky explains: “We got fucked up on hash tokes and shooters. Orangie’s pretty fucking tough. Woke up this morning with my fucking pants down and my hands on my cock, thanks to Orangie.” Now it’s up to Bubbles to replace Orangie before Ricky realizes the fish is dead. As if minding a goldfish isn’t enough, Ricky also decides to turn his trailer into a hockey rink.
Bubbles’ doesn’t have it easy either. Due to a complex series of events regarding Steve Rogers, hookers, crabs, and Bubbles’ shed(s), he goes nucking futs at a drug store and is sentenced to community service. Where Ricky has Orangie for support, Bubbles turns to his new puppets…Bobby Turkelino, and little Ricky! And you know what happens when you mix Bubbles and puppets.
The story arc in this season was hilarious, with only one dud in the bunch (I’ll let you figure out which). Some story points hint at what may be coming in Season 9, and that has me anticipating more hilarity. Hopefully, Orangie will make an appearance in Season 9. With a few more trips to the pet store, Bubbles should be able to make that happen. Trailer Park Boys is off to a hell of a new start, and with the progress made in Season 8, I see no need to stop.
4.5/5 stars
Review by LeBrain with contributions from Chris Thuss.
WARNING: These videos contain 0% Rock. However the water was nice and choppy this past weekend. In addition, I saw a cute family of ducks surfing near their nest!
Old school adherents of the classic Pepsi Power Hour may remember the video for “Donna (Do You Wanna)” by Sarnia Ontario’s Deadline. This self-titled mini-album was not their first release, they did have an indi cassette before this. Their 1992 CD debut was impressive quality for the period. “Friction Addiction” (heard in re-recorded form on Raw M.E.A.T 3) is a cool, innovative hard rock number with a funky lead vocal. The guys were all musically and vocally talented: the Wood brothers Tim and Tom (vocals and drums respectively), Paul Albert (bass), and Shawn Meehan (guitars). “Friction Addition” was exactly the kind of song that could have become a hit in 1992. It was still upbeat, good-time hard rock, but with modern elements that the 1990’s demanded.
“Donna” sounds like an outtake from Extreme’s first album, a bit dated now. It’s a nice shuffle complete with harmonica blasts, and fans of that old time hard rock will still like it. The juvenile lyrics however are way below the quality of the music and playing. “Nothing Left to Lose” is a somber ballad, a cross between Europe’s “Tomorrow” and Dokken’s “Alone Again”. Bassist Paul Albert is credited as the pianist on the track.
“Imagine That” is one of those early 90’s Ugly Kid Funk Metal™ tracks. Paint a visual picture and you’ll probably be pretty close. Regardless of the dated sound, it is still a pretty fun song. Following that is the less-funky “Do You Believe”, a fun hard rocker that even quotes “Bomehian Rhapsody”. How 1992! Once again, Extreme comparisons are apt. Slaughter too, especially vocally. “Set Your Sails” is the “inspirational” track. You always had to have one of those, didn’t you? As such it’s upbeat and plenty good. The tricky guitar solo reminds me of Richie Kotzen in style.
The CD ends with the jokey acoustic jam, “I Hate Workin'”. It has that old Van Halen vibe of the “drunken party” in the background, and the singalong chorus. Their hearts were the right place, but the song is a bit on the corny side. Still, for a first CD? Not bad at all.
After this the band released an EP called So This is Limbo and an album called Tangible Vibe. These releases had a marked change of direction. Guitar solos were chopped and songs shortened; as the 90’s progressed so they did, right into pop punk. Both are pretty good releases, but we’ll have to look at them another time. Deadline, the debut, scores a respectable:
3/5 stars
Incidentally, this CD will not rip on any machine. No computer will play it, only an actual CD player. I have had that problem with a few Canadian made CDs from the early 90’s.
RECORD STORE TALES Part 318: The Last of the Emails
I’ve been sitting on this installment of Record Store Tales for months. I couldn’t post it without heavily editing it. The emails in question are too raw and emotional for me so I had to edit them down for public consumption. But these emails are relevant, as we wind down our story. They highlight exactly how bad it got for me and why leaving was my only option.
The whole ending has been really difficult to finish as it is. I’ve been delaying and delaying, not wanting to look at it. Part of that is the pain associated with the whole period. The other has been that the Record Store Tales have been so fun and I don’t want it to end.
These truly are the last of the emails, the barrel is now all but dry.
9/13/05
Work just called, I FUCKING HATE WHEN WORK CALLS. They lost somebody’s CDs. They were RIGHT THERE yesterday. They ask, “Did you move them?” No, I did not. The only person who could have is you. Now I have THIS to deal with. I’m pissed off that something so simple gets fucked up even though I left everything extremely clear. AND I AM PISSED THAT I WILL CATCH HELL FOR IT! I’m annoyed every day. And I only get one more hour of peace and quiet at home before I have to go in and deal with bullshit for 8 hours. :(
11/25/05
I have to admit that I am depressed today. The idea of dragging my ass to work is killing me. I can’t do another Christmas. I don’t know what to do. I want to quit. Of course I know what a bad idea that is but I’m dying inside. I can’t even eat. I just want to quit, say goodbye, leave, dedicate all my energies to finding a new job. I mean, who am I kidding? Someone calls me for a job, and we play phone tag for days because I’m never home during business hours. And then when do I schedule an interview when I’m always working? It’s impossible. I don’t know what to do.
12/06/05
This has been the worst Christmas season so far, it has been really difficult to put a smile on my face and put any effort into work. I need out so bad.
You can see I was fraying at the ends. It feels like…a different person.
QUEEN + PAUL RODGERS – Live in Ukraine(2009 Hollywood 2 CD/1 DVD set)
The show was dubbed “Life Must Go On”, with funds raised going to AIDS research. Queen had never played in Ukraine before. 350,000 people would be in attendance at the gig, which also functioned as Queen’s tour kick-off. No pressure.
The massive 28 song setlist consisted of Queen classics augmented by Free and Bad Company tunes, and songs from Queen + Paul Rodgers’ studio album The Cosmos Rocks. The stage has two huge screens on the sides, and an even bigger one behind. A taped intro to “One Vision” leads to the band taking over with a rapturous entrance. There is also a center ramp that takes the members right into the crowd. I have always liked Paul’s slant on Freddy’s songs. He’s not the same singer, not in the slightest, so the vocals lines change organically and it works. Unfortunately “One Vision” is shortened so as to lead into “Tie Your Mother Down” which is right up Paul’s alley. Brian and Roger do their share of the backing vocals, and it sounds pretty Queen-like. (The live band is rounded out by longtime sideman Spike Edney (keyboards), Danny Miranda (bass) and Jamie Moses (backing guitar.))
“The Show Must Go On” came early in the set, and Paul really poured everything into it. Even with his “cool biker’ stage look, he had the crowd in the palm of his hands, especially when twirling that mike stand over his head. “Fat Bottom Girls” sounds a little odd without Freddy, but Paul manages. Of course Brian and Roger do their part to help.
I found “Another One Bites the Dust” to stumble awkwardly, as I anxiously awaited the song to end so we can get on with it. “Hammer to Fall” is vastly better, and this flows cleanly into “I Want it All”. Brian smiles away as Paul commands the song in his own way. “I Want to Break Free” works better than you’d think, and Brian’s guitar is sublime.
At this point of the show, Brian introduces Paul to the crowd, who then sings Bad Company’s “Seagull” acoustically. This is a show highlight, as Paul occupies that ramp in the middle of the crowd. Paul then introduces Brian as the “greatest guitar player in the universe” (I won’t argue), who does “Love of My Life” solo acoustically on a 12 string. Brian’s sweet voice is augmented by 350,000 others. Brian then invites Roger and his bass drum up the ramp with him, and they do “’39” together, possibly my favourite Queen song ever. But it’s just a fake-out; Brian invites the backing musicians to join them and “’39” is fully fleshed out. It’s funny seeing all five musicians out on that tiny platform in the middle of the crowd, but what a treat for those down there!
Roger Taylor is left on stage with Danny Miranda, and they proceed to play his electric upright bass with drum sticks. This turns into a medley of famous Queen basslines, all played with sticks. Nonsense aside, Roger is left to solo on his scaled-down portable kit. This jazzy solo is another solo highlight, as Roger demonstrates his underrated skills on the traps. As the solo progresses, his drum tech gradually sets up a full kit around Roger. By the end of it, Roger breaks into “I’m in Love With My Car” with the whole band.
Finally Paul Rodgers returns to the stage for the latter half of “Say it’s Not True”, a stunning ballad for Freddy. Halfway through the set now, and this is the first new song. With Paul back, they decide to do a couple more of his songs: “Shooting Star” and “Bad Company” (Paul on piano for “Bad Company”). Both sound great with Queen; the guys’ backing vocals work perfectly, and the crowd clearly knows them. During “Bad Company”, a slide show of that band runs on the giant screens.
May is front and center for his guitar solo, and the crowd loves every note of it. This solo goes into “Bijou” from Innuendo, featuring the pre-recorded image and voice of Freddy Mercury. This then leads into “Last Horizon” from Brian’s solo album, Back to the Light. Unfortunately this appears to be the part of the show during which one would leave to urinate. “Bijou” and “Last Horizon” are both great, but it’s too much slooow soloing for too long. The bit only starts to come to life when guitarist Jamie Moses joins Brian for a harmony lead.
Paul straps on an acoustic for a laid back version of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” which degenerates into guitar noodling. Finally comes Queen’s “new” single “C-lebrity” which is a song I like a lot. It boasts a solid rock riff and a great performance by Paul Rodgers. Bad Company’s “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and the song everyone had been waiting for, “Bohemian Rhapsody”, follow. Both songs fail to really combine the elements of Queen + Paul Rodgers fully. “Feel Like Makin’ Love” is a little too sweet when performed by Queen, and “Bohemian” is done with the recorded image and voice of Freddy singing the song. The crowd doesn’t seem to mind, but it doesn’t work for me. Paul only shows up for the heavy part at the end.
Fortunately one more new song was played: “Cosmos Rockin'”. I wish there were more. Yes there are a lot of songs to be played, but surely a solo could be cut in order to play more new material. It feels as if Queen + Paul Rodgers weren’t even giving the album a chance. It’s not like radio is going to play it, so you have to play it live. The song is well received with the crowd jumping and down. When they sing, “We got the whole house rockin’ to the mighty power of rock n’ roll,” I believe it! They are dancing and going absolutely nuts!
There are only a few “must-plays” left, and undoubtedly “All Right Now” is one of them. Paul Rodgers has certainly lost nothing through the years and that riff sounds great coming from Brian May. And finally, the traditional duo of “We Will Rock You”/”We are the Champions”. I’ve always felt these highschool rally perennials are probably best experienced live. It’s a “had to be there” feeling, since these singalongs are probably more fun to experience than to watch. Although Paul since both songs differently from Freddy, I like his slant on them.
Wikipedia reports (unsourced) that digital download versions of Live in Ukraine contained two bonus tracks: “Radio Gaga” and “A Kind of Magic”. I’ve been searching online for years and I’ve never found them available anywhere, so take that with a grain of salt. Both songs are available live on another Queen + Paul Rodgers album, Return of the Champions. That album has enough different live material from this one, such as “Can’t Get Enough”, “Wishing Well” and “These are the Days of Our Lives”, that both are worth owning.
Helix fans take note, since My Wicked Twin was 3/4 composed of former members of that band. Brent Doerner and his twin brother Brian first joined Helix in 1975-76, and both were members of that band more than once. Brent in particular clocked in a couple decades total in Helix. Brian spent a few years touring and recorded with Saga as well. Joining them on bass is Mike Uzelac aka “Uzi”, who played and wrote on their Capitol Records debut No Rest for the Wicked (1983). None of these guys seemed to have lost anything with the years.
My Wicked Twin evolved from Brent’s first solo outfit, Brent Doerner’s Decibel who released an excellent CD in 2006. From that earlier incarnation comes guitarist/vocalist Shane Schedler, a talented Kitchener-area musician whom I first met back in the 90’s at the old Record Store. Needless to say I’m a little biased when it comes to reviewing these guys. Being objective is the goal, so let’s get on with it!
On first listen it’s clear that Brent has raised the bar. This time there’s more music (12 songs), and it’s noticeably heavier. At the same time it’s also more diverse, and the production is improved.
I need to single out “Maybe Love” as a particularly outstanding track. When I saw them debut it live in ’07 it was obvious what a great song it was going to be. Its evolved into a superior hard rock song with a melodic vocal and a thoughtful lyric. There are top-tier rock bands who don’t put out material as good as “Maybe Love” on their albums. This is a song to be proud of, absolutely. Brent made a pretty cool video for the song too.
Most of the rest of the album is more raw, and more rock. “All The Action”, with its adventurous melodies, is a highlight. “One Big Bad Whoopie” is a lyric in which Brent shows his sly humour, something that comes frequently on this album. “Decibel City Hall” and “Get Your Game On” are fast boogie rockers a-la-Van-Halen-with-Roth. If you’re a hockey fan, you may have heard “Get Your Game On” before the album came out, as the band submitted it to the CBC for their “Write the new Hockey Night In Canada theme song” contest. (I prefer it to the selection they finally picked, but hey, it may be a tad too rock n’ roll for Hockey Night In Canada.)
Other standouts include “The Sting I Need” and “Love is What I Lean On”. “Alone Again, Face to Face” is a nocturnal, sneering rocker. “That Kind of a Love” is a guitar haven within a stunning power ballad. I tend to use the word “epic” a lot, but it does apply here, especially in the middle when it goes all Zeppelin. As one would expect with musicians of this caliber, the playing is more than competent. Brent and Shane weave cool lick after cool lick, while Brian and Mike groove with nuance. While everything is solidly rock n’ roll, the rhythms are not simplistic, and paying attention to the drums will produce many smiles.
Pick up My Wicked Twin’s Decibel Music, if you’re a fan of rock “the way they used to make it”. But give it time to grow on you. Some songs have a lot going on, and not many are instant. Play it a few times. You’ll be glad you found this band. Or, in their words:
“So don’t steal our record, Cause we gotta eat, So buy our record, Satisfies, ’cause we love the taste of meat, We love the taste of meat!”
I’ve seen the juicy ribs Brent eats, so I’m inclined to agree.
mikeladano.com 