MOVIE REVIEW: Clerks III (2022)

CLERKS III (2002 Lionsgate)

Directed by Kevin Smith

There was once a time when I would have bought anything with Kevin Smith’s name on it.  Clerks resonated.  Clerks II was side-splitting.  We waited for the next chapter in Dante and Randall’s lives, now owners of the Quick Stop and in control of their own destinies.  And we waited, and we waited, and that film never came.

Then Kevin Smith had a near-fatal heart attack.

Clerks III was scrapped and a new version written.  It is this version that I watched the other night.

I may be the wrong person to review this film.  Take everything you read here with several large grains of salt.

I was not prepared for a movie this dark.  I knew that plot involved Randall having a heart attack and deciding to make a film of his life story.  I did not know how much other tragedies were to come for other characters.  I was triggered a bit by some hospital scenes and didn’t enjoy these bits at all.

I felt that Clerks III was two things:

  • Kevin telling a dark story that reflects where he was at that point in his life.
  • Kevin re-making Clerks.

The movie alternates between these two tones.  I respect the right of a filmmaker to to express themselves in any way they desire, but Clerks III was not the instalment for me.

There was one meta-humour moment with Amy Sedaris having a conversions with Randall involving The Mandalorian, which is funny since Amy Sedaris on that show.  So there are those things still happening, and of course all the self-references back to past movies in the View Askewniverse.  I guess that’s more the movie I wanted, rather than [SPOILER] …all this death.

2/5 stars

 

REVIEW: Savatage – Poets and Madman (2022 glow in the dark vinyl reissue/bonus track)

SAVATAGE – Poets and Madman (2001, 2022 glow in the dark vinyl reissue)

Let us start with this vinyl reissue, before we look at the album proper.  Savatage have done a lovely job of reissuing their catalogue on vinyl, with colours galore, epic packaging, and occasional bonus tracks.  This reissue includes one such track on a bonus 7″ record.  Awesome.

The album comes packaged in a beefy gatefold sleeve, loaded with pictures and graphics.  It’s a double album, plus the bonus single.  It also includes a massive booklet with loads of text, an interview, photos and lyrics.  This reissue was done right.  It is always a pleasure when you have something to read along to while you listen.  The two 12″ records glow in the dark, a fun effect when you feel like turning your lights off and listening in pitch black (which will probably be never).  Unfortunately the records have high surface noise.  The bonus 7″ is a clear tie-dyed or splatter design, and sounds excellent.

The bonus track on the single is an extended version of one of the better album cuts, “Awaken”.  It is almost a full minute longer, with the extra meat at the end of the track.  Almost a full minute of extra guitar gymnastics for you to sink your teeth into.  There is music on only one side of the 7″, with the other side blank.

A totally worthwhile vinyl reissue, while we wait for the arrival of new Savatage in 2024.

 

(The rest of this review was previously published in 2014)

Since the death of Criss Oliva, Savatage had become a much more operatic beast, culminating in the formation of Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Here, there are many changes afoot. Guitarist Al Pitrelli departed for Megadeth, although some of his work is herein. Co-lead vocalist Zach Stevens is also gone, having formed the excellent Circle II Circle. This leaves The Mountain King himself, Jon Oliva, to handle all lead vocals for the first time since 1991’s Streets: A Rock Opera. (A new co-lead vocalist named Damond Jineva was hired for the tour.)

This is another dramatic rock opera, and as soon as the needle hits wax, you hear Oliva’s piano flourishes dominate the opening song, “Stay With Me Awhile”. Much like “Streets”, this song is simply an intro to the story which is about to unfold. This time, Oliva and producer Paul O’Neill weave a tale about an abandoned insane asylum and the ghosts within its walls. On a whole it is a much less satisfying concept than some previous Sava-operas, but it backs up the music just fine. And to be honest, that’s why we’re here — the music.

From heavy rockers like “There In The Silence” (backed by a fat synth riff) to slow dramatic ballads like “Back To A Reason”, this is a well-rounded Sava-disc. It is comparable to previous in quality and direction to rock operas such as The Wake of Magellan or Dead Winter Dead, just without Zach.

As with the aforementioned rock operas, there is always a centerpiece on the album. There had to be a counterpoint-vocal-laden masterwork to make your jaw drop in awe and hit that “reverse” button to hear it all again. This time it is a 10 minute epic called “Morphine Child”. With Zach gone, Oliva sings with multiple backing vocalists but the song is no weaker for it.  I’ll confess that even though I usually listen to albums from front to back, I usually play “Morphine Child” three times in a row.  It’s that incredible.

Other standouts include the single “Commissar” which is loaded with guitar flash, keyboards and riffage.  It also features Trans-Siberian-style backing vocals.  “I Seek Power” sounds like classic Savatage circa Gutter Ballet.  “Awaken” is another number that brings to mind that mid-period Savatage sound.  If some fans thought they had strayed way too far into rock opera, then songs like “Awaken” will appeal to their tastes.  I still like hearing Jon screaming a chorus.

I was underwhelmed a bit by the acoustic “Rumor”, but the song does take off fully electric after a few minutes.   Then there’s “Surrender” which feels like an outtake from Streets, but I didn’t find it as memorable.  So there are a couple duds, who cares?

Poets and Madmen is an excellent album, and it fares well against the other rock operas that Savatage has done. Streets will always be the pinnacle, but Poets and Madmen can hold its own against The Wake of Magellan, and it easily out-does Dead Winter Dead.

4.5/5 stars

#1057: “To Each Their Own!” – The P*ss Blanket Story

RECORD STORE TALES #1057: “To Each Their Own!” – The Piss Blanket Story

Guilty as charged.  I was filming a dumpster diver.

I was leaving for work Friday morning when I saw this guy picking through the bottles in recycling, as they often do.  He was soon joined by a second guy, and they tore through the recycling looking for anything of value.  When the second guy jumped into the dumpster, I couldn’t resist.  The bad part of me wanted a video, so I shot a little bit of video and then pocketed my phone again.

I watched as the guy found a box with a deep fryer in it, but then my jaw dropped as I saw him liberate a large, white blanket….

[continued in video]

As I drove off, I saw the two guys riding the bikes, with the one fellow clutching the piss blanket holding his precious deep fryer.

Weird Friday.

VHS Archives #137: Extreme on MuchMusic – September 1990 – Much Spotlight

Extreme were about to get really big for a little while with Extreme II: Pornograffiti.  Guitar wunderkind Nuno Bettencourt, singer Gary Cherone, bassist Pat Badger, and drummer Paul Geary sat down with MuchMusic in 1990 to discuss their name (only a jokey answer here), influences, and music videos vs the live show. Very prophetic and timely here….

Youtubin’: Nate Navarro’s Sub Octave Bass

Now that you’re all down from your 420 high, it’s time to take it down low!

Nate Navarro’s new bass has an extra-long string length, enabling him to go lower than ever.  Check it out!  This is a 42″ scale Sub Octave Bass Guitar from Lignum!

REVIEW: Extreme – Waiting for the Punchline (1995 Japanese/bonus track)

EXTREME – Waiting for the Punchline (1995 Polydor Japan)

Let’s start with the bonus track!  “Fair-Weather Faith” is only available here, on the Japanese pressing of Extreme’s fourth album.  And it is…well, it’s probably not controversial to say it’s the weakest of the 13 (12 plus one unlisted) tracks.  That’s why it’s a bonus track.  Is there anything wrong with it?  Hell no!  But do you absolutely need it in your life?  No.  You can live without it.  Be warned though that Gary sings his ass off, while Nuno plays it funky.  It sounds as if this is one of the tracks with Paul Geary on drums.  (Mike Mangini joined the band mid-album.)  Like many Extreme songs, religion is the topic.  Gary is critical of these who put on the act of believing for the benefit of those around them.  Decent bonus track, but not especially mind-blowing.

(The rest of this review was previously published in 2017)

Sometimes you just gotta laugh.  Extreme released two of their finest albums after grunge wiped the slate clean.  Extreme were the punchline, but that didn’t stop them from making a smokin’ fourth album.  In 1992 Nuno envisioned the next album as “really funky”, and there is some funk here.  However Waiting for the Punchline was much more straight ahead: stripped down, no orchestras, no rap, just guitar rock through and through.

“There Is No God” sounds like an odd title from a band as Christian as Extreme were, but Gary Cherone has always been a lyrical champion.  It’s not as simple as it appears, but the groove just lays waste.  The next track “Cynical Fuck” turns it up further.  It is pure smoke, and perfect for the decade it was written in.  “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” takes the soft/hard approach with a loud droning Nuno riff.  It’s another brilliant song, and harder than what Extreme were doing before.  Much of Waiting for the Punchline is driven by the bass and drums.  The interesting thing about this is that drummer Paul Geary left during the making of this album, and was replaced by Mike Mangini who is now in Dream Theater.  You hear two very distinct drum styles through the CD.  Geary has a straight ahead approach, while Mangini is capable of just about anything.  His first track is the single “Hip Today” and you can hear how his beats are anything but basic.

“Hip Today” is a good tune and a good indicator of what the album sounds like: Bass, drums, guitar. Listen to how the rhythm guitar drops out when Nuno solos. Just like the first classic Van Halen. The lyrics sound bitter as Gary warns the next generation of bands that their time too will end.  Things slow down a little on “Naked”, before the side-ending instrumental “Midnight Express”.  This is a truly brilliant track, proof that Nuno’s stunning plectrum practice has paid off.   When it comes to acoustic guitar work in rock and roll band, Nuno is among the very best.  “Midnight Express” gives me callouses just thinking about it.

Dark moods commence the second side with “Leave Me Alone”, a sentiment many of us understand.  Don’t worry about me — I’m happy alone sometimes.  Nuno uses volume swells a-la Van Halen’s “Cathedral” to create a nifty riff.  Into “No Respect”, Nuno makes his guitar purr, while the rhythm section throws it into overdrive.  “Evilangelist” tackles the religion questions again, with a funky riff and cool digitized chorus.  The dark and heavy vibes give way to light shortly on “Shadow Boxing” and “Unconditionally”.   Both tracks are brilliant but different.  “Shadow Boxing” might be considered the “Hole Hearted” of this album, while “Unconditionally” leans towards “More Than Words”.  Neither are re-writes, but those are the easiest comparisons.

One final surprise is the unlisted bonus track.  It wasn’t on the cassette version, but you will find the title track “Waiting for the Punchline” after “Unconditionally” (or “Fair-Weather Faith” on the Japanese CD).  There are two cool things about this.  One: it’s an awesome track, much like the angrier stuff on side one.  Two: it closes the album even better than “Unconditionally”.  Great little surprise so don’t hit “stop”!

The thing about Waiting for the Punchline is that it’s a grower.   The first couple listens, I thought “It’s not as good as their old stuff, but what is these days?”  The new stripped down Extreme didn’t seem as interesting as the lavish one from Extreme III or the flashy one from Extreme II.  After a few listens, different textures began to emerge, add their own colours and depth.  Particular with the guitar work, but also the rhythms, there is much delight to be discovered here.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Hollywood Monsters – Thriving On Chaos (2020 Japanese/bonus track)

HOLLYWOOD MONSTERS – Thriving On Chaos (2020 Voice Music, Japanese import)

Supergroup?  Or just a good time?  Singer/guitarist Steph Honde, drummer Vinny Appice, and bassist Ronnie Robson gathered a load of friends and recorded a fun heavy metal album of originals and covers.  There is also a healthy helping of Canadian content (such as Robson in the core trio)!

Opener “A Scream Looking For a Mouth” is a raging heavy metal track along the lines of vintage high-voltage Motorhead.  Hell of an opener.  Add Deep Purple’s Don Airey on guest Hammond organ solo, which just hits the right spot amidst all that raging.  “Speak of the Devil” continues the heavy, though not the speed, thankfully, or you’d be seeing a chiropractor from all the headbangin’.  A catchy chorus and solid riffing make it another instant winner.  Solid metal.  A chunky riff kicks off “Something Wicked”, a really fun uptempo rocker.

Things get slower and darker on the monumental “Running Up Hill”, which is instant hit material.  Ted McKenna on drums.  Instant classic, with a chorus that kills.  Regardless of the daily struggles we face, Honde reminds us, “Never surrender!”  It’s a message of positivity, and the best track on the album.

“Numb” is another good one, grinding out a riff slow an’ easy.  The added keyboards provide texture.  Even better is the beautiful acoustic ballad “In This House”.  Honde has an excellent acoustic album called Empire of Ashes, and this track easily could have fit on it.  Though he’s a rocker, he is exceptional at tender acoustic ballads.

The first cover is “I Don’t Need No Doctor” featuring Jim Crean on backing vocals.  It kicks all the expected asses, and Honde’s guitar soloing is tasty as hell.  Next up:  Canadian content with the Goddo cover “Drop Dead”, featuring Greg Godovitz on co-lead vocals and Tommy Denander on lead guitar.  It smokes, and that lead solo?  Set phasers to stun!

“Thriving On Chaos” is another impressive original.  It has a slow, dramatic riff that is somehow familiar.  Excellent songwriting, and hard to pigeonhole.  It’s followed by a very Maiden-esque song called “Fortune Teller”, which has a vibe very similar to some of the tracks on Fear of the Dark.  Fred Mika plays drums on this tempered-steel monster.

The final cover (and Canadian guest) is the Thin Lizzy cover “Cold Sweat”, as sung by Danko Jones.  Danko is the perfect guy for it!  He nails the Phil vibe, yet with his own snarl.  And the Steph Honde guitar solo?  Call the fire department!  This alchemy of Jones/Honde/Appice/Robson is pure combustion.  You can seldom go wrong with a Thin Lizzy cover, but here everything goes so, so right.

Always a surprise when the Japanese bonus track is one of the highlights.  The heavy, thumping “I Am the Best You Can Get” slays!  “Heavy” is an understatement!  Vocalist Steph Honde goes from scream on the verses, to growl on the chorus.  The droning chorus is the best part!  This one features (Canadian) Glen Drover on lead guitar and Alexis Von Kraven on the relentless drums.  The Japanese CD even comes with a printed interview with Steph Honde – though I cannot read Japanese!

Pick it up – shell out for the Japanese if it’s within your means.

4/5 stars

VIDEO: Opening Weekend at the Cottage – April 15 2023

Jen and I made the trip up to the cottage with my dad on Saturday April 15 – opening weekend.  A full two weeks earlier than 2022.  I finally feel alive again!  I’m back, baby!  I’m back.

Music on the trip up:

Music on the trip back:

There was only one hiccup on the way home.  I almost got a speeding ticket.  The only reason I didn’t was the officer had to respond to an emergency immediately.  Whew.  That was close.

The lake levels are down this year and the water smelled terrible.  We can hope that this changes in the summer, but there are no guarantees.  The water may remain shallow and stinky.  If so, we will have to go elsewhere to swim this summer!

Please enjoy this brief video of nature, beauty, and one weird-ass castle.

 

VHS Archives #136: Killer Dwarfs’ Darrell Dwarf Millar backstage at Operation Rock and Roll (1991)

August 19, 1991.  Judas Priest’s final show with Rob Halford for over a decade.  Michael Williams caught Darrell Dwarf Millar of the Killer Dwarfs checking out Alice Cooper, Priest, Motorhead and more at Operation Rock and Roll!  Darrell discusses working with the very busy Andy Johns for the next Dwarfs record, Method to the Madness, which was set to begin in L.A. in September of that year.