Thanks to Greg Fraser, Patrick Gagliardi, and surprise guest Brian Hamilton of Storm Force for joining me on a Friday night!Β It was a free-form chat tackling subjects such as:
The album Age of Fear
Memorable impact gigs
Canadian Rock
New music
Secrets to singing
Thunder Bay
Touring and touring and touring
Brighton Rock and Gerry McGhee
And much much more!
In addition I did a CD reveal for this week’s mail.Β New music from Amazon!Β Check it out if you want to know what I’ll be spinning this weekend.
For the CD reveals, start at 0:04:15 of the stream.
For Storm Force, skip to 0:16:50of the stream.
Thanks again to Greg, Pat, and Brian for setting this chat up.Β It was the first but won’t be the last.
Strange Animal was only Lawrence Gowan’s second solo album, and one of his best sellers.Β It’s also one of his most dated sounding, with programming and production honed in on the 1980s.Β Regardless, you can’t knock the musicians:Β Tony Levin (bass/Chapman Stick), Jerry Marotta (drums), and Chris Jarrett & David Rhodes (guitars).Β Gowan basically lifted his studio band from Peter Gabriel.
Opener “Cosmetics” was a single, though just shy of cracking the Top 40.Β It’s terribly dated sounding, with that wretched brittle synthetic sound that even Queen resorted to at one point.Β So you might love it!Β The piano is delectable and Gowan is as smooth as pie.Β Β “Desperate” is darker, but I sure do hate synth hand-claps!Β Fortunately this is a great song, akin to 80s Phil Collins.Β Another really smooth one is “City of the Angels”, like a waltz at midnight.Β Progressive rock invades “Walking on Air”, which lightly tip-toes from gentle rock to more aggressive guitars.
A delicate but powerful “Burning Torches of Hope” sits right at the middle of the album, and it is so very 80s.Β Levin makes some animalist noise on “Keep the Tension On”, which sounds much like its title.Β Taut, powerful, and even heavy in a certain way.Β It’s melds right into a march on “Guerilla Soldier”, a killer song with terrific verse hooks.Β Massive song!Β It feels like this album builds to a close.Β Especially when you consider the last two songs.
Finally, at the end of the album comes the familiar hits.Β First:Β a huge Chapman Stick groove, on the poppy upbeat title track.Β “Strange Animal” is an awesome song: strictly fun, and incredibly so!Β The melody stays in your head for days, and you’re hooked.Β Ominous spiritus, ahh!Β And then it’s his most famous song, “A Criminal Mind”, otherwise known as “the one that Styx play live”.Β Solo, in the studio, “A Criminal Mind” is just as haunting, just as powerful, and just as unforgettable.Β It also had one of the most disturbing music videos we had seen as young kids, and our reaction was revulsion.Β On album, it is a capstone of a pretty terrific record.Β It really feels like it should have opened.
Though ultimately it is up to the listener, unless you grew up with Strange Animal in the Walkman nestled in your back pocket, the programming and 80s-isms are a bit distracting.Β It’s also strange how Gowan left all the big firepower stacked at the end of the album.Β In the CD age, it just makes the whole thing more rewarding at the end!
Sven Gali have not had an easy ride.Β Their debut Sven Gali was just a year too late to make them into the rock heroes they seemed destined to be.Β Had it come out in 1991, they would have had a massive hit on their hands.Β The second album Inwire (1995) was a reaction to the 90s alterna-metal scene.Β The band reunited in 2007, but tragedy struck when cancer killed founding guitarist Dee Cernile in 2012.
Against the odds, Sven Gali persevered and in 2018 added some heavy firepower to the lineup:Β Dan Fila and Sean Williamson of Varga.Β One by one, they began releasing new tracks.Β Now in 2020 we have the first new Sven Gali release in 25 years:Β an EP called 3.
Somewhat surprisingly, Sven Gali did not revert back to the hard rock anthemic sound that was the cornerstone of their debut album.Β Instead they picked up where they left off on Inwire, with four new songs produced by David Bendeth who also produced their debut.Β Incredibly it sounds like they haven’t missed a step.Β Even more incredibly, it’s some of their best stuff!Β Singer Dave Wanless has lost nothing.Β The band is still rounded out by original members:Β guitarist Andy Frank and bassist Shawn Minden.
The four songs all share melodic vocal hooks, heavy guitars and aggressive grooves.Β With the addition of Fila and Williamson, the band have rebuilt themselves into a beast heavier than before.Β Picking a favourite isn’t possible because this EP is not immediate.Β Like many favourites that stand the test of time, 3 will take some listens to fully absorb and love.Β Fortunately we have a whole summer ahead of us to do that.Β The EP has the depth and potential to become a bit of a classic.Β Even if Inwire wasn’t your thing, this EP is better.Β The songs are more focused, heavier, with more hooks.Β The vocal melodies sometimes veer into an old anthemic metal style, like on “Hurt”.Β By taking their time, Sven Gali were able to make sure they had four excellent tracks for this release.
Good on Sven Gali for sticking it out, and not resting on their laurels.Β Any band can get replacement members and reunite.Β Fewer still put out new music, much less on a physical media.Β Sven Gali have put together a slammin’ new lineup and a triumphant EP.Β You just can’t write this band off.
TRIUMPH – Never Surrender (1983 RCA, 2004 Universal remaster)
Triumph, the other Canadian power trio, scored multiple hits with their sixth album Never Surrender.Β “When the Lights Go Down” was a popular music video.Β “A World of Fantasy” was a concert staple.Β The title track is an absolute (pardon the pun) Triumph of epic songwriting and performance.Β It’s easy to hear why Never Surrender is so beloved.
Drummer Gil Moore opens the album with “Too Much Thinking”; steamhammer drums pumping hard.Β Rik Emmett comes in with a slaying riff while bassist Mike Levine, the glue, rolls out some determined bass grooves.Β Emmett’s talkbox solo is well constructed and extra cool.Β This riff rocker has the silhouette of topicality, with Reagan samples and lyrics like “Prophets of doom fearful of the violence, preaching to no one at all.”
Triumph ballads were often too brilliant for their own good.Β Not really “ballads” but more like melody-based compositions.Β “A World of Fantasy” is one such song, a real accomplishment and unmistakably Triumph.Β Triumph always had panache and they backed it with Rik’s strength as a guitar player.Β Rik’s voice, sometimes compared to Geddy Lee’s, was well suited to heartfelt rock like this.
Rik Emmett also takes the lead vocal on a battle cry called “All the Way”, preceded by a classical piece entitled “A Minor Prelude”.Β Get it?Β The guy is a tremendous and monstrously intelligent guitar player.Β Rik could have shredded circles with all the other lead guitarists, but that was not his focus.Β He realized that you can play really fast as much as you want, but less is actually more.
“All the Way”, which sounded like a battle cry, is actually followed by “Battle Cry”, vocalised by Gil Moore.Β It’s a slower, more determined metal track; the heavier side of Triumph.Β Rik’s crystal clear chords keep it from being too generic.
Back when albums had sides, the second half opened with “Overture (Procession)”, a short guitar intro backed by Levine’s synth.Β It sets the scene for the album centerpiece, “Never Surrender”, which itself is nearly seven minutes of pure undiluted awesome sauce.Β Constructed with distinctly different sections, “Never Surrender” was just a tad progressive and more than enough song for the average mortal.
Out in the streets inspiration comes hard, The joker in the deck keeps handin’ me his card. Smilin’ friendly he takes me in, Then breaks my back in a game I can’t win. Jivin’, hustiln’, what’s it all about? Everybody always wants the easy way out. Thirty golden pieces for the Judas kiss, What’s a nice boy doin’ in a place like this?
Gil Moore’s drums are sometimes considered simple, or basic.Β That may be the case, but are they not the perfect backbone on “Never Surrender”?Β Who can resist when Gil throws down a big, long drum roll from high to low?Β Hey, he might not be Neil Peart, but he works those songs!Β His fills here are just as essential as Peart’s in “Tom Sawyer”.Β Meanwhile, Rik’s guitar chords can only be described as shiny.Β One of the classiest players in rock can really do no wrong here, as he goes from funky chunky strumming to full shred, all within the confines of some damn catchy riffs.
As if that wasn’t enough, Triumph goes for round two on “When the Lights Go Down”.Β This time, the acoustic intro is swampy, but soon that riff will hit you square in the face.Β Gil Moore’s back on the microphone, so let’s not forgetΒ how hard it is to sing and play drums at the same time.Β They had to play this stuff live, and they did!Β This is just pure rock, four on the floor.Β “Let the party roll!” sings Moore in this paean to the concert stage.
Rik goes for the brightest of melodies on “Writing’s On the Wall”, a really “triumphant” sound, and great way to draw the album to a close.Β All that’s left is a soft guitar outro called “Epilogue (Resolution)”.Β This beautiful piece illustrates where Rik would go in his future solo career, decades down the road.Β Hints of jazz and classical pointed the way.
There are several songs that you don’t want to leave out of your life.Β Own Never Surrender.
Now I’ll be honest about something here.Β As a snobbish rock fan in the 1980s, I hated “Bye bye mon cowboy”.Β It was on MuchMusic all the time and I grew weary of Mitsou.Β But I like Trapper’s version!Β I am pretty sure Mitsou didn’t have this much guitar.Β Transformed into a rock song, “Bye bye mon cowboy” works!Β The groove is perfect and Emm’s delivery is just right.Β Big rock hooks, while still retaining everything important about the original.
As for that guitar crunch?Β Sean Kelly says “Can’t beat a Les Paul and a Marshall!Β (Actually the Headrush Plexi amp simulator.)”Β There you have it, players!
I like to think of this Gowan album (a gift from Aaron at the KMA) as “the one with Alex Lifeson”.Β Gowan has worked with some incredible musicians besides Styx, including Tony Levin (several times, including this album), Robert Fripp and Jon Anderson.Β Gowan’s fourth album Lost Brotherhood has a distinct Rush tone on several tracks and so it easily became a favourite.Β It’s important to note though that it’s not just Lifeson on this disc, but also Ken Greer from Red Rider providing the guitars.Β Though Lawrence Gowan is primarily a keyboardist, this might be his most guitar-heavy album.Β (Of note, future Triumph contributor Mladen Zarron also plays additional guitar on this album.)
“All the Lovers in the World” was the single, a hit as I recall, and still excellent today.Β You can’t forget that chorus.Β It sounds so very 1990, like Presto-era Rush, especially when Alex rips one of those patented Lifeson solos that’s more about the guitar tone than banging out a million notes.Β In the back, you got Tony Levin dancing gleefully all over the neck of his bass.Β One word:Β breathtaking.
A Levin groove commences a nocturnal “Lost Brotherhood”, a serious prowler that you could easily mistake for latter-day Styx.Β Lawrence has a way with writing piano hooks and “Lost Brotherhood” boasts a tasty one.Β “Call It A Mission” could be Rush for all you could tell, if not for Gowan’s huskier voice.Β The pulse of this song is like a “superconductor”, if you catch my drift, and the solo is slick and different.Β Then it’s “The Dragon”, dramatic and weighty.Β Levin is hitting some deep notes which just makes “Dragon” rumble like the titular beast.
Gowan goes for acoustic ballad territory on “Love Makes You Believe”, another big chorus.Β Ken Greer accents the song with very slight touches and Tony adds so much texture.Β They really crank it on “Fire It Up”, a rocker that would have led off side two of the original vinyl.Β This boogie just stomps!
“Out of a Deeper Hunger” is another ballad, at least until a nice crunchy guitar kicks in on the excellent chorus.Β Rock territory is reclaimed on “Tender Young Hero”, another Rush-like monolith with memorable chorus.Β Gowan’s got a knack for a chorus, and the snare sound on drummer Jerry Marotta is a dead ringer for Peart.
Tinkling keys are the main feature on the delicate “Message From Heaven”.Β Light, but still heavy.Β Dramatic as hell.Β But closer “Holding This Rage” is a masterwork, combining the piano and drama in a way that just reaches out and grabs you by your humanity.Β Sounds like Marillion.
“Holding this rage isn’t your answer boy, Holding this rage won’t lead you on. Holding this rage will tear you to pieces boy, Look what it’s done.”
By the fade out you’re…one again…breathless.
Though my Canadian bias is showing, it is a good thing that today, million of people get to hear Gowan’s special talents with Styx.Β Though with Styx, Lawrence is part of a band led by Shaw/Young, as a solo artist he is the captain and always had the goods all along.Β Lost Brotherhood is an excellent “first Gowan” album to check out due to the emphasis on guitar and of course the presence of one Alex Ε½ivojinoviΔ.
What a title for your first “greatest hits” compilation, eh?Β Diamonds Diamonds emerged the year after Max Webster broke up, with no songs from the final album Universal Juveniles, the only one without Terry Watkinson.Β Even though these kinds of posthumous records are usually not very good, Diamonds Diamonds is an exception.Β It’s also one of the hardest Max Webster albums to find on CD, but a generous slice of vinyl at 13 tracks and 47 minutes.
“What do I know?” asks Kim Mitchell in the opening line of “Gravity”, the debut number.Β Kim knew quite a bit actually, including how to write catchy music without it being overtly commercial.Β He knew how to challenge listeners while delivering the hooks they craved.Β “Gravity” is one such slice of brilliance.Β Β It’s complex pop.
“High Class in Borrowed Shoes” is a classic rocker from their second album in ’77.Β As much as it kicks, the lyrics and keyboard arrangement are not typical.Β The title track “Diamonds Diamonds” followed “High Class” on the original album and it does again here.Β Like a lullaby, “Diamonds Diamonds” floats on the wings of the backing vocal arrangement.Β Next is “Summer’s Up” from the incredible debut Max platter.Β Jangling guitars and dreamy keyboards make for a summer scene by the pool side, with drinks.Β “Blowing the Blues Away” has a more traditional feel, country and blues and pop rolled into one, with a side order of quirky tones.Β But it’ll make you feel good.Β Continuing the feel-good celebration, it’s “A Million Vacations”, one of the greatest Canadian party songs of all time.Β Kim Mitchell’s guitar work is sublime and baffling at once.
Side A ends with one of Max Webster’s most significant songs, “Let Go the Line” with lead vocals by Terry Watkinson who wrote the song, music and lyrics.Β In Max Webster, lyrics were usually handled by the poet Pye Dubois.Β In fact he wrote all but two of the lyrics on Diamonds Diamonds.Β The two he didn’t (“Blowing the Blues Away” being the other) were written by Watkinson.Β “Let Go the Line” could not be improved upon if you tried.Β Kim’s regal guitar line, Dave Myles bass pulse, and the thrift of Gary McCracken’s drums are all flawlessly and perfectly fit to Terry’s ballad.Β If Max Webster only had one “perfect” song, it’s “Let Go the Line”.
Fearlessly opening side two with furvor, it’s “The Party”!Β It’s the off-kilter musicianship on tracks like this that had fans often comparing Max Webster to Frank Zappa.Β Frank liked to have fun, too.Β Well Max really liked to have fun!Β “We’re all here for a celebration, the madcap scene and the Max Machine!”Β That says it all.
Every decent “greatest hits” album needs unreleased songs.Β Diamonds Diamonds has two decent ones, good songs that might be a bit too mainstream for a Max studio album.Β “Hot Spots” is the first, a rip-roaring boogie of a good time.Β By comparison, Kim could have recorded it on one of his early solo albums if Max didn’t release it on this.Β It is chased by the outstanding “Paradise Skies”, another summery Max hit that keeps Canadian radio stations in business.Β Melody and musicianship — that should be Max’s calling card.Β The second of the new unreleased tunes is “Overnight Sensation”, the most ordinary (or forgettable) of the tracks.Β The bassline really hops, and there’s even some cowbell, but the song isn’t comparable to something like “The Party” or “High Class”.
Although it’s better as an album opener, “Lip Service” (from Mutiny Up My Sleeve) is a bouncer.Β “Socialutions, written down in our teens.Β I mailed them to Kennedy, I typed them for Tito.”Β Brilliance in a pen by Pye Dubois, barely contained by the bopping bass and upbeat keys.Β Then before it’s all over it goes into a brief jazzy jam!Β Finally it’s “Hangover”, also traditionally an opening song.Β It’s the hardest rocker of the bunch, quirky as all hell and actually a good closer too!
Diamonds Diamonds still an important record today because “Overnight Sensation” and the outstanding “Hot Spots” haven’t been reissued on anything else.Β You can’t say that about any of the songs on The Best of Max Webster (1989).Β This is the one to get.Β If you find one on CD, you’ve got yourself a good one.
Like a bolt out of the blue, My Wicked Twin (Brent & Brian Doerner) have a new album out, their fourth, called 3 Engines.Β A tight set with 10 songs in the 3-4 minute range, 3 Engines rocks.Β Let’s have a listen.
“Gone Nomad”, the heavier than hell opener, is a tricky number that recalls Max Webster, but amped up.Β “I’ve got a gun if we disagree,” sings Brent in an electronically treated voice, appropriate to the tune.Β By the second track, “Light From Within”, we are in more traditional hard rock territory…until the corner bar piano kicks in!Β Clearly nobody was afraid of taking chances.Β The dark guitar hook is terrific on this one, as is the melodic bass.Β Melody is also the focus of “Things I Wanna Do” a quirky modern sounding track with programmed beats and patches of keyboard.Β Dig the engines revving!Β “Give and Take” sounds like a natural followup, and it’s interesting to hear so much focus on the vocal melodies this time out.Β Clearly a lot of effort went into them.
“Escaping California” has a dreamy quality, with spare use of keyboards that set the scene.Β But it’s the following song, “House on the Highway”, that is the most fun.Β Who doesn’t love a little banjo?Β It adds variety and a little down-home quality and there’s nothing wrong with that.Β “House on the Highway” for the win.
For heavy, you want “Digital Veins”.Β The guitars and keys complement each other nicely.Β “Rock and roll is what I am used to,” sings Brent, but he’s also not afraid to stretch out within those confines.Β There’s a cool 80s vibe to “Digital Veins”.Β Then “Half Broken” has an interesting rhythm to accompany the cool keys and guitars.Β Killer solo here.Β “Running Out of Time” has an accelerated pace but also some seriously tasty twang.Β Β The album ends with “Brain Dance”, a cool party tune with a serious thump.Β Wicked guitars, with varied tones and licks.
3 Engines is different, and that’s good.Β The keyboards add an atmospheric tone, and it’s not dissimilar to old Max Webster.Β The electronic treatment on the drums and vocals works, and complement the music.Β My Wicked Twin have taken some leaps and bounds on this album, and ended up with some accomplished tunes.Β Not for headbangin’.Β 3 Engines rocks, but it rocks smart.
4/5 stars
Additional musicians:
Paul Chapman β guitar solo on “Running Out of Time”
Jim Mclean – guitar and co-writer on “Light”
Rob Kemp – guitar on “Light”
Graham Smith β bass on “House” and “Light”
Fun fact:Β every Canadian citizen in good standing is issued a Guess Who album when they turn voting age.Β Instead of that one, I upgraded to the remastered Greatest Hits in 1999.Β The timing for a new compilation was right for the Canadian institution.Β Though they never broke up, they had a big reunion tour in 2000.Β Burton Cummings (Guess Who singer/pianist 1966-1975) and guitaristΒ Randy Bachman (1962-1970) had been out of the band a long time.Β There was a 1983 reunion but even that was far in the past.Β It was the Guess Who’s time in Canada once again, and in talking to Record Store customers, they couldn’t have been more excited if it was the Beatles.
18 tracks of Guess Who hits cover most of the well known bases.Β Opening with the dramatic ballad “These Eyes” (made famous once again by Canadian Michael Cera in the movie Superbad) I’m reminded what a tremendous singer Burton Cummings is.Β From the ballads to rockers like “No Time”, he could do it soulful or raspy.Β Whatever the songs required.
And let’s not forget ex-James Gang six-stringer Domenic Troiano.Β The Italian-Canadian guitar wiz was brought in on in 1974 and quickly aided and abetted the group in songwriting.Β Only one Troiano-penned track is included here (“Dancin’ Fool”) but his slick riff is totally tasty.Β (Unfortunately, Troiano is probably best known as the guy who Gavin Rossdale had to pay off to call his band “Bush” instead of “Bush X”.Β Troiano had a band called Bush in 1970.)
The Guess Who were a remarkable band in their day, with a firm hand on both ballads and slick boogie rockers.Β Yet their best known song, 1969’s “American Woman” is one of their least remarkable.Β Written while tuning up at a curling club (look it up) in Kitchener (says Bachman) or Scarborough (says Cummings), it’s just sledgehammer rock.Β Which is fine — there is nothing wrong with that kind of rock.Β It’s just bizarre that it’s “American Woman” that people remember when The Guess Who had 20 or so better songs.Β Β Check out “Albert Flasher”, a piano boogie that rivals the best of the genre.
This set is a fine listen from start to finish, and I can only really think of one rocker that’s not present — “Bus Driver”.Β Otherwise it covers all the important stuff from the beginning to Cummings’ departure.*Β It’s not an album for deep cuts or obscurities.Β If you’ve spent extended periods of time listening to Canadian radio, you’ll know 50-80% of these songs.Β If not, you hopefully already know “These Eyes” and “American Woman”.Β Maybe even “Laughing” or “Undun”.Β The Guess Who were always solid with just a little bit of quirk to them.Β Solid bouncy musicianship, clever arrangements and lyrics, and a killer voice.Β That’s Greatest Hits by The Guess Who.
4.5/5 stars
* The Guess Who continues today with a lineup including original drummer Garry Peterson and Quiet Riot’s Rudy Sarzo.
“Later” records by bands are often overlooked in favour of a handful of classics, usually released early in a band’s first decade.Β Here is one that should not be ignored:Β We Are the Same, The Tragically Hip’s mellow 2009 offering.Β Sure, the Hip had plenty of late career highlights.Β But something about We Are the Same just connects.Β It’s like plugging your soul into the great wide Canadian open, autumn-coloured maple leaves tossing in a cold breeze.Β The rustling is accented by a softly wafting smell of coffee.
We Are the Same sounds (for a largely acoustic album anyway) absolutely massive.Β Thank you, Bob Rock.Β Perhaps there’s even a concept to this Gord Downie-driven album: it opens with a song called “Morning Moon” and ends with “Country Day”.Β From the beginning, the chords of the Canadian prairies jangle on acoustic guitars.Β Familiar hints of Neil Young and Gordon Lightfoot fill the room, while Downie sings of a golden Labour Day.
You’ll hear lush string and piano accompaniment all over We Are the Same (piano by Barenaked Ladies‘ Kevin Hearn).Β Take second track “Honey, Please” which is as pop as the Hip were ever likely to get.Β Johnny Fay’s snare drum splashes are the only recall from the old days.Β Then, one of the most luxurious tracks.Β It’s also one of the best: album highlight “The Last Recluse”.Β It delivers strange melodies wrapped in lonely imagery.Β “Who are you? The last Canada goose”.
Geoff over at 1001albumsin10years says “I Β have argued it is the best side 1 in the catalogue.”Β I wouldn’t dare disagree.
“Coffee Girl” with its loop-like drums and trumpet solo is one of the more unusual, but also most successful compositions.Β Downie had a miraculous way with words.
Your favourite mixed tape, You popped it into the deck, Don’t care if it’s out of date, Old Cat Power and classic Beck.
The first big rock chords come crashing down on “Now the Struggle Has a Name”, also adorned with regal strings.Β As great as it is, it’s just preamble to a Hip epic:Β “The Depression Suite”, a multi-parted masterpiece.Β It sparkles and growls, brilliantly and eloquently through a maze of quintessential Gord travelogue lyrics.
Peaking with a track like “The Depression Suite” only means the second half of the album has much to live up to.Β An Aerosmith-like “The Exact Feeling” (can’t you just hear “Jaded”?) is the first song that feels like a drop.Β But then “Queen of the Furrows” is a gentle acoustic song with delightful picking.Β Until an explosive chorus kicks in, drawing your attention again.Β Cool noisy guitar solo to boot!
The final four tracks are consistent, with “Frozen in My Tracks” being the strangest and heaviest, and “Love is a First” the strongest.Β Its’ beat poetry and sharp bassline are the main hooks, but the chorus is a blast.Β Yet it’s still clearly a case of the final few songs living in the shadow of the first.
An album this brilliant needs to be enjoyed over time, but do be sure to add it to your collection.Β [See below for our recommended edition.]
4.5/5 stars
…Since you’re going to need this album one way or another, our recommended version if you can find it, is the “Kollector’s Krate”.Β Kool Krate’s were an inconvenient way to store discs, but here’s one with a Tragically Hip logo on it.Β Stuffed inside: a We Are the Same T-shirt, and a rare live bonus CD.Β Whether Live From the Vault Vol. 4 is worth over $300 or not, that’s between you and Discogs.Β (And that’s just the CD, without the Krate or T-shirt!)
mikeladano.com 