#1058: I Love It Loud

RECORD STORE TALES #1058: I Love It Loud

Lately, after Grab A Stack of Rock on Friday nights, my wife and I have enjoyed watching old 80s music videos.  I’m not sure the program she watches – I’m not a TV guy – but they always have a lot of old videos that I remember from childhood, along with a bunch that I don’t.  Conversation ensues for a few solid hours, and it’s often the highlight of my week.

“Tears Are Falling” by Kiss is one video that runs semi-regularly.  I explained to my wife that I was 13 years old when that video came out, just discovering girls, and hot for the one in the Kiss video.  Then on will come an old Scorpions video, or Motley, or Priest, or Ozzy.  I’d laugh at all these images I used to take so seriously, and think were so cool!  But the songs…they still rock!

Skid Row, Whitesnake, Bon Jovi…all these definitive bands for my teen years.

On comes “I Can’t Drive 55” by Sammy Hagar and I’m splitting my sides, laughing in memories.  There is one specific shot.  The courtroom scene.  The judge is stamping “REVOKED” on Sammy’s driver’s license, in a big close up shot.  All you can see is two fingers on the stamp, it’s so close up.  My friend Allen Runstetler thought the two fingers looked like a bum.

“Is he stamping his license with his ass?”

Gotta laugh.  Wouldn’t put it past an 80s music video to do that, but it was just a hand!

They play a lot of Kix videos on Friday nights.  I was never a big Kix fan.  They actually play a lot of bands that I never got into, especially from 1990-91-92.  I was getting tired of hard rock and seeking heavier sounds like Testament.  Danger Danger and the like?  Just couldn’t get into ’em.  I wanted bands with stellar musicianship and less-silly lyrics by then.  A lot of the music I listened to wasn’t exactly respected in musicians’ circles, but could still play circles around the competition.  Winger had Reb Beach and Rod Morgenstein.  Mr. Big had Paul Gilbert and Common Knowledge.  Even Poison joined the upper echelon in 1993 with a stellar album featuring Richie Kotzen on guitar.  I wanted music that at least had a little bit of integrity.  I wasn’t hearing that so much in Danger Danger.

As the music videos come and go, I feel like I’m in highschool again.  Especially when they play “Sleeping My Day Away” by D-A-D!

“Oh my God Jen!  I was sitting in Bob Schipper’s basement when this video played on the Power Hour for the first time!” I marveled.  “Bob was obsessed with the two-string bass that they had!”  And together we’d rock out.  In 1989 with Bob, and in 2023 with Jen.  Fists still pumping.

When Jen and I first met, she didn’t know any of these songs.  She didn’t think she’d even like many of these songs.  Now she knows most of ’em by heart.  I’d like to consider that a job well done.  I’ll talk, and talk, and tell my stories, and for some reason, she loves it!  I’ll take that as a life win.

The Adventures of Tee Bone Man: Status Acoustic – The Really Big Deal (by Harrison Kopp)

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN Chapter 15:  Status Acoustic – The Really Big Deal

An empty hollowness filled Deke’s Palace. Ever since losing his guitar in battle against the Black Night (see Chapter 9 – Ed.), Tee Bone felt like a part of him was missing. And getting a replacement wasn’t as easy as you might think. You couldn’t just buy any old guitar and expect it to stand up to the power of Tee Bone’s playing. No sir, you needed something more robust. You needed to fortify it, or else it would likely crumble to pieces when Tee Bone tried to use it for anything more than a light strum.

Because, you see, when Tee Bone and Deke fell into that vat of radioactive Scotch, the liquid also infused the guitar with the power. But that Scotch was seemingly all gone- evaporated in the fire or soaked into the ground (which would explain the peculiar vegetation around the Palace). Though Tee Bone had a replacement guitar lined up, the search for Scotch was becoming a wild tribble chase.

Tee Bone was starting to get depressed, and had taken to moping around the palace with a bottle of regular scotch in hand. Once or twice he had tried submerging a guitar in the stuff to see if it would work, but that only made him sadder because of all the wasted Scotch.

But today things were about to change. A notification popped up on Deke’s computer: a message from The Brainiac.

“Hey Tee, I think we’ve got a lead on some radioactive Scotch. The Brainiac says he knows the one guy in the world who might still have a bottle of the stuff.”

Tee Bone instantly perked up.

“You know, I just remembered I needed to pick something up in Toronto too,” he grinned.

“I bet you did,” Deke replied with a smile. “I’ll let The Brainiac know we’re coming.”

A few days later, Deke and Tee Bone were in this strange land where albums released earlier than everywhere else. Or so that’s what they had been led to believe. Following The Brainiac’s directions they reached a small, weathered building. In peeling paint was the name Trillion Dollar Treats.

“This is the place”, Deke said, putting his phone back in his pocket.

They walked inside and were instantly confronted by shelf upon shelf of all manner of strange items, most of which they had never seen before in their lives. Some things were easy to identify, such as a jar of whiskey and a vintage Les Paul guitar, but others were completely undecipherable.

“What’s a belljar?”, Deke asked.

“Not what we’re after”, Tee Bone said, hurrying him along.

Emerging from the aisle, they sighted The Brainiac by the counter.

“Tee! Deke! Glad you could make it. It’s great to see you,” he called out.

“Totally. It’s been too long.” Tee Bone said, “You wouldn’t believe what we’ve got up to since that night in Thunder Bay.”

“I’m sure it’ll be a hell of a story,” the Brainiac smiled.

“You bet. We even got all the way out to Australia,” Deke chimed in.

“Oh it would be like hell there,” the Brainiac replied thinking of summer.

“Actually, hell’s a bit different. You see…”

But before Tee Bone could continue the front door swung open and a long haired man with a leather jacket and pants visibly scuffed from all the rock star slides strode in.

“This would be the man,” the Brainiac said. “Gentlemen, meet Max the Axe.”

Max greeted the trio.

“Hey guys, always happy to see some more potential customers. I take it these are the guys you told me about Mike?”

“Yep,” the Brainiac replied. “This is Deke and Tee Bone.”

Max shook our heroes’ hands and then put his arms around their shoulders.

“Say, you guys wouldn’t be interested in some authentic space marine blasters would ya?”

“Max,” the Brainiac chided before Tee Bone could ask him exactly where he got such items from. “You know why they’re here.”

“Right, right”, he said, walking to behind the counter and dumping a bag of assorted items out. “But first, you wouldn’t be able to tell what any of this is would you?”

The Braniac studied the items.

“Well that was a THX-1138 targeting computer, but the screen’s broken so it’s not much use.”

“Can you fix it?” Max asked.

“I can replace the screen but not with anything military grade enough to justify the price you’d ask.”

Max glumly tossed the piece of machinery to the Brainiac.

“All yours then.”

Deke was in heaven.

“Your collection is very impressive. I know a guy who’d like to get his hands on a lot of this stuff,” he said, with a wink to Tee Bone.

“Oh you mean Satan?” Max replied. “Yeah, he and I have had some altercations in the past. Needless to say he doesn’t come around here no more.”

“Really?” Tee Bone said, quite impressed and genuinely interested. “How did you manage to come to that arrangement?”

Max pulled a heavy guitar out from behind the counter and laid it down with a thud. It had a large blade on each end of the body.

“Ah,” Tee Bone said, noticing the parademon heads mounted on the wall above them.

“Now Mike tells me you were after a bottle of radioactive Scotch. Hypothetically, if I happened to have one, what would you use it for?”

Tee Bone and Deke looked at one another.

“We need to get Tee Bone his super-powered guitar back,” Deke said after a pause.

“Just checking it’s you,” Max said, unlocking a mystical safe behind the counter.

Soon Max had the bottle in his hand and was carefully handing it to Tee Bone.

“How did you come by this?” Tee Bone whispered, his eyes wide.

“I bought it at one of William W. Roderick Stewart III’s garage sales. This stuff’s like liquid gold, you know?”

Tee Bone took a step back in awe. Deke rubbed his temples in frustration. Of course Stewart would just sell the most valuable liquid in the world at a garage sale.

“How much for it” Tee Bone asked, his voice hollow.

Max smiled.

“Any friend of the Brainiac is a friend of me. I know who you guys are. You can have it free of charge on one condition- I’m going on an expedition to South America next month to recover some ancient artefacts, so I’ll need you guys to keep an eye on the shop during your patrols.”

“Done. Thank you,” Tee Bone replied instantly.

“The Brainiac will be running the store while I’m gone,” Max continued “so if you need to get a message to me about anything, just let him know and he’ll pass it on.”

“Will do,” Deke nodded.

“And feel free to drop in anytime,” the Brainiac added.

“You can count on it,” Tee Bone replied as the heroes exited the building.

“Hey, you guys wouldn’t be interested in a tape deck as well, would you?” Max yelled after them.

Back in the palace, Tee Bone had just finished soaking the guitar in the radioactive Scotch. Tenderly picking it up, he weighed it in his hands.

“How is it?” Deke asked.

Tee Bone struck a power chord that surged through the room. Every little piece of dust around was picked up and neatly guided itself into the trash can at the end of the room.

“It’s perfect!” he said.

 

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE ONE – THE ________ SAGA

Chapter Zero:  Tee Bone Man – Origins (by LeBrain)

Chapter One: A Friend in Need (by LeBrain)

Chapter Two: Hell Freezes Over (by Harrison Kopp)

Chapter Three: Hell Ain’t A Bad Place to Be (by LeBrain)

Chapter Four: Tee Bone Man and the Rink of…Doom? (by Aaron KMA)

Chapter Five: The Super Duper Vault (by John T. Snow)

Chapter Six: Tee Bone Man Goes to Camp (by LeBrain)

Chapter Seven:  The Revenge of Common Knowledge (by LeBrain)

Chapter Eight:  Tee Bone & Deke’s Time Travelling Adventure (by 80sMetalMan)

Chapter Nine:  Castle Communications (by Harrison Kopp)

Chapter Ten:  The Case of the Lost Iron Maiden Socks (by LeBrain)

Chapter Eleven:  A Tee Bone Man Christmas (by all five of us)

Chapter Twelve:  Lost In Space (by John T. Snow)

Chapter Thirteen:  Clip Show (by LeBrain)

Chapter Fourteen:  Tee Bone Man and Superdekes Discover the Tao (An Intermission) (By Aaron KMA)

Chapter Fifteen: Status Acoustic – The Really Big Deal (by Harrison Kopp)

Chapter Sixteen:  A Crazy Crazy Night (parts 1, 2 and 3) (by Harrison Kopp) Coming this spring

Chapter Seventeen:  Tee Bone Man vs. Edie Van Heelin’ (by LeBrain & California Girl) Coming this summer – conclusion to Phase One

THE ADVENTURES OF TEE BONE MAN:  PHASE TWO – THE MULTIVERSE SAGA

Chapter Eighteen:  Shinzon – Origins (By LeBrain)

 

THE WRITER’S ROOM

The Writer’s Room: Chapter One

The Writer’s Room:  It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like a Tee Bone Man Christmas

The Writer’s Room:  Welcome to the Writer’s Room!

 

 

THE ADVENTURES OF EDIE VAN HEELIN’

The Adventures of Edie Van Heelin’:  Edie vs. Tommy Lee in the Bouncy Castle of Doom! (By LeBrain)

The Adventures of Edie Van Heelin’:  Edie and the Quest for the Lost Lego (By LeBrain with Harrison Kopp)

The Adventures of Edie Van Heelin’:  Edie Van Heelin’s Canadian Vacation (By LeBrain)

The Adventures of Edie Van Heelin’:  Edie Van Heelin’s Canadian Vacation Part 2 (By LeBrain & California Girl)

The Adventures of Edie Van Heelin’:  Edie Meets the Wolf (by LeBrain)

 

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