TRIUMPH – “Spellbound” (1984 MCA 12″ radio promo disc)
1984’s Thunder Seven was a big one in Canada, with “Spellbound” and “Follow Your Heart” both hitting the top 100 singles chart. Triumph singles rarely offered up much in the way of non-album material, but the odd curiosity could be found. This Triumph single for “Spellbound” was acquired by a friend, from Jerry’s Records in Pittsburgh back in 2013.
On the A-side, the standard 5:12 single version of “Spellbound” without edits. You can really hear why this was a hit in 1984. Triumph had learned to marry keyboard and guitar riffs for a bigger radio-ready sound. With Gil Moore on lead vocals, “Spellbound” had huge chorus. The track was also made into a cool video.
The B-side was specially designed for radio airplay. Each track on Thunder Seven is given a brief special intro by the three band members. You could look at this as an interview disc. It’s nine minutes in length and not without value. By listening we learn that “Spellbound”, for example, changed much from conception to release. It was once titled “White Lies” before it was rewritten. “Time Canon” was made up of 18 parts over 66 tracks. Amazing stuff. Their Canadian accents are adorable.
An excellent purchase for Triumph fans who have it all and need a little more.
JIM CREAN – The Book of Cryptids Volume II (2020 Dark Night Records)
Jim Crean, hard rock singer extraordinaire from Buffalo, New York, has issued another covers album called The Book of Cryptids Volume II. Many will shy away at the thought of a covers album, but Crean always picks interesting covers off the beaten track. The Book of Cryptids Volume II works because A) these are not songs you typically hear covered, and B) Jim kicks ass on them all.
It’s a varied album. “Medusa” by Anthrax opens heavily and melodically. You might wonder how a hard rock singer like Crean tackles Anthrax. Without difficulty! Jim has a bit more rasp, but where Joey Belladonna gets aggressive, Jim pays more attention to the notes. It’s a fine trade-off. Second in line is the seldom-covered Aerosmith classic “Kings and Queens”, which is right up Jim’s alley. Sounds like a banjo is thrown in for texture during the verses. For an even deeper cut, check out the flawless version of Def Leppard’s “Mirror Mirror”. It ticks all the boxes from dual guitars to throbbing bass. Old raspy Def Leppard is well suited to Jim, who wrenches some panache from the chorus. An ace performance.
Gowan’s “A Criminal Mind” is definitely an unexpected cover. The only band known for covering it is Styx — featuring Lawrence Gowan. Jim Crean could be the only other singer to dare tackle it? This song might be a bit of a sacred cow in some quarters, but Jim does an admirable job of it. Not vastly different, but with its own unique vocal colours.
Keeping with a synthy 80s plot twist, “Silent Running (On Dangerous Ground)” is the old Mike + the Mechanics hit. Cool guitar solo on this track that stays pretty true to the original. Then “Cry For Freedom”, the White Lion slow burner from 1989, is another surprise. Crean has covered White Lion before, but “Cry For Freedom” is a special song. Not a ballad yet not a rocker, it leans heavily on the beat and the vocal. Then it has a guitar burn-up near the end, and this one sounds exactly like Vito Bratta.
A keyboardy piano ballad called “Love Is” (Vanessa Williams) …well, let’s just say it takes balls of steel to put it on the same album as an Anthrax song. Fortunately Jim makes it cool, but not as cool as the earlier “Criminal Mind”. But then it’s a whole different ball park: Mother Love Bone, and “Star Dog Champion”. Again, a song that might be considered sacred in some quarters. Jim’s voice is well suited to it, and this “Champion” is fully enjoyable.
We begin to draw to a close on the Scorpions early dark ballad, “When the Smoke is Going Down”. It’s another song that Crean is capable of bending to his will. Brilliant vocal on this one, especially considering that Klaus Meine has to be a top-five metal singer. Coming down from that climax, the final denoument is surprisingly authentic to the original: the Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”. This is one of those mountainous peaks that only fools dare to climb. Yet Crean’s winning streak continues unabated. The sonics are so close to the Stones, and everything sounds completely natural. How the hell do you replicate Charlie Watts’ drums on “Gimme Shelter”? Dunno, but it sounds really good!
All this said, you’re still skeptical, right? Covering “A Criminal Mind” and “Gimme Shelter”? A healthy dose of skepticism is warranted when reading a glowing review of a covers album. To me, covers are worth listening to when you enjoy the spin that another artist puts on the song. In this case it’s Jim’s voice, a classic hard rock voice that I like a lot. So I’m cool with hearing “A Criminal Mind”, because I like the way Jim sings.
Consider this. We’re 10 months into a worldwide pandemic and gigs have dried up. Some artists, like Jim Crean, are recording and releasing music, and we should be supporting that. He gives you good value for the money. This copy came signed, with a custom Jim Crean guitar pick and signed photo. Not to mention some quality covers of great songs off the beaten track. The Book of Cryptids Volume II comes with cool artwork of various cryptozoological specimens including a kraken, Bigfoot, some sirens and an alien. You can buy this package direct from the artist, so you know the money goes to the right people. Check it out — guaranteed a few of these tracks will put a smile on your face.
– Best of Solo Albums (Originally 1979, 2020 Universal Japan CD)
Third review for this Kiss compilation here, but why? A couple reasons. For one, it’s the first-ever official CD release of this album! It took 41 years for them to finally put out a CD, and yet only in Japan. More remarkably, there is one track here that I’ve never heard before in this particular version.
That song is the incredible Paul Stanley epic “Take Me Away (Together As One)”. On Paul’s solo disc, it fades away at the end of side one at 5:35 in length. Here, it goes to 5:48, no fade, right to the end of the track. It’s an ending I’ve never heard before. This song isn’t even on the more common European version of Best of Solo Albums, just the Japanese. And apparently the CD has an unreleased version without the fade.
“Oh boy!” you exclaim. “I have to buy this import just to get 13 seconds of music I never heard before?”
No. You don’t have to buy it. I did, because I wanted a copy of this album on CD. When I discovered the longer version of the track, I was ecstatic to unexpectedly get something extra for my money.
There’s no need to review this album track by track again. I’ve done ittwice, and I’ve also reviewed all four solos albums twice each. There’s really no need to run through all the songs again, although this tracklist is quite different. Unlike the European version, these songs are not arranged in three-track blocks for each member. Additionally, seven of the European tracks were substituted with others. That’s more than half the album!
Gene Simmons: Instead of “Mr. Make Believe” and “See You In Your Dreams”, Japan used “See You Tonite” and “Living In Sin”
Paul Stanley: “Move On” was replaced by the unreleased version of “Take Me Away (Together As One)”.
Ace Frehley: “Speedin’ Back to my Baby” was removed in favour of the instrumental “Fractured Mirror”
Peter Criss: All three of the Cat’s songs – “You Matter To Me”, “Tossin’ and Turnin’”, and “Hooked on Rock and Roll” were replaced! I guess Japan didn’t care for those as much as they did “Don’t You Let Me Down”, “Rock Me Baby” and “I Can’t Stop the Rain”.
For me, I prefer the running order that Europe used, with each member of the band getting three songs in a chunk. However, there are plenty of songs that I prefer on the Japanese version, such as “See You Tonite”, “Take Me Away (Together As One), “I Can’t Stop the Rain” and “Don’t You Let Me Down”.
It’s interesting that the solo albums are by and large panned by the masses, but nobody can agree on the “Best Of“. Maybe those albums weren’t so bad after all, at least when you distil them down to the essential tracks. The Japanese CD will become my preferred listening experience for two main reasons: it sounds better than the vinyl, and I like more of the songs. It would sound even better if I had an MQA decoder, a new-ish hi-resolution CD format from Japan, which will unlock an even better sounding version of the album, if you have a few grand to spend on upgrading your system. If not, enjoy the disc and stellar packaging, with not one but two different covers to display.
Iron Tom returns with his 2020 list of awesome, a little bit of commentary, and plenty of Youtube videos for you to check out!
ElderOmens
King Buffalo Dead Star
Drive-By TruckersThe New OK
The Atomic BitchwaxScorpio
King Gorm King Gorm
Five Alarm Funk Big Smoke
Let the ‘Wheels on the Bus’ take you on a tight funky ride…
Jerry JosephThe Beautiful Madness
Drive-By TruckersThe Unraveling
Great album for the shit-storm that was the last four years. However, I’m not sure I’ll be partying to some of it four years from now….
Brant Bjork Brant Bjork
The coolest dude on the planet being a one-cool-man-band….
Steve Earle Ghosts of West Virginia
Emphasizing the humanity over politics plays well….
Deep Purple Whoosh!
After the quality of the last few albums, I don’t know why I was surprised by how much I liked this one… Keep going boys….
Testament Titans of Creation
This band has been pretty consistent over the decade and have produced another great thrash album that is as catchy as it is heavy….
Neil Young Homegrown
1974-recorded and 2020-released and enjoyed…I read that Young thinks that the album is ‘the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time’ and he’s right….
Armored Saint Punch the Sky
A pleasant surprise…no gimmicks just solid consistent heavy metal.
Blue Öyster Cult The Symbol Remains
A little uneven but the highs more than outweigh the lows… The videos may be unintentionally hilarious but the rock fire remains….
Wishbone Ash Coat of Arms
Fans of well crafted rock with tasty twin guitar will enjoy….
AnnihilatorBallistic, Sadistic
A heavy riffy old-school thrashfest that does not let up….
Jason Isbell, Reunions
It doesn’t quite match the strength of his last two, but that’s only because Isbell has set the bar so damn high for himself… This is an excellent album in its own right….
Mr. BungleThe Raging Wrath of the Easter Bunny Demo
Ian’s and Lombardo’s presence help Mr. Bungle deliver little on the experimentation, but some great straight-up thrash….
Brimstone Coven The Woes Of A Mortal Earth
Riffy modern occult rock with excellent vocal harmonies….
Lowrider Refractions
Who knew there were deserts in Sweden? These Kyuss-wannabies make a good case that there are….
Wytch Hazel III: Pentecost
Wishbone Ash fans will have lots here to enjoy….
King Weed – Riffs Of The Dead
King Weed The Seven Sins Of Doomsday
Instrumental Stoner from France… Groovy cool shit… And there are two more 2020 releases I haven’t checked out yet….
Diamond Head Lightning to the Nations 2020
A fresh coat of paint on some metal masterpieces and some pretty cool covers….
WobblerDwellers of the Deep
Yes, Crimson and Gentle Giant fans will find much to like here….
Freeways True Bearings
Vintage 70’s guitar rock for 2020 and they are from Brampton….
IRON MAIDEN – Nights of the Dead – Legacy of the Beast – Live in Mexico City (2020 Parlophone)
I feel a bit like a jackass reviewing this, because so many people I know caught this tour, or at least one of the recent tours, and I’ve never seen Maiden live. I only have these live albums to go by. But what I like about Iron Maiden is that they take the time to document almost every single tour since the Bruce reunion era began. (Only three tours did not receive a live album.) The Legacy of the Beast tour was in support of a video game, and featured a sort of “legacy” setlist, heavy on the old classics with a small smattering of more recent material. This prevents too much crossover with the prior live album, The Book of Souls – Live Chapter.
Without going track by track, I can tell you that Nights of the Dead was pieced together from three shows in Mexico City, much like Live After Death in Long Beach and Hammersmith. Even so, Bruce’s voice only tends to get stronger as they go further down the setlist. By “Hallowed” and “Run to the Hills”, it sounds like the man is just warming up!
The setlist is a delightful mix of hits, deeper cuts and the odd recent classic. “Where Eagles Dare” from Piece of Mind whips the throng into immediate hysteria. “Revelations” from the same LP has a certain contemplative gravity that it brings to any live album, and hearing it here is sheer nostalgic delight. Two Blaze-era songs return to the set in “Sign of the Cross” and “Clansman”, both lengthy epics. Enhanced by the three-guitar lineup and the Air Raid Siren, can we say these versions challenge the originals for supremacy? Though it wasn’t written for Bruce, “Sign of the Cross” has more dynamics with him at the microphone — he adds a few high notes for embellishment. Not to mention the depth that the third guitar adds to a song that was always a bit thin sounding.
Reunion era Maiden is cut back, leaving only “Wicker Man” and the always welcome “For the Greater Good of God”. Both deserving songs. Stuff like “Wicker Man” (and the earlier “Flight of Icarus”) really pump up the adrenaline levels by keeping it short, sharp and unshackled.
Then you have the stuff that you have to call “the hits”: songs like “Aces High”, “2 Minutes to Midnight”, “Trooper”, “Beast”, “The Evil that Men Do”, “Iron Maiden”, “Fear of the Dark” and “Run to the Hills”. These are the Maiden standards; a serving of essentials that everybody has connected with at some point in their life. Some of them float in and out of setlists, and some always remain.
A word should always be said about the packaging and artwork of any Iron Maiden album. The Mexican-themed Eddie can be found in a couple pieces of art inside and out. Manager Rod Smallwood wrote the included liner notes, explaining that the live album came to be when the world came to a halt due to Covid-19. Yay Covid? Joking aside, Smallwood’s notes are always informative to read while rocking along to the CD. There is even a mini 2021 tour poster (let’s hope!) included, with the Trooper version of Eddie surrounded by iconic imagery from prior Maiden artwork. Icarus, the mushroom cloud from “2 Minutes to Midnight”, a crashed Spitfire…have a look. Finally, a sticker sheet is an added bonus though most of us will be keeping the stickers intact, I reckon.
Perhaps it’s just giddy glee that there’s a new Maiden live album to cap off this year, but Nights of the Dead is so good that I wouldn’t change a thing.
LEATHERWOLF – Endangered Species (1984 Tropical Records / 1985 Heavy Metal America)
Leatherwolf carry on today but their origins are found on a humble indi debut from Heavy Metal America records back in 1984. The Florida band’s original lineup boasted lead vocalist/guitarist Michael Olivieri, who was finding his feet here on the first album. His voice was enviable; the fact that he could play guitar led to a gimmick called the “triple axe attack” long before Iron Maiden were able to execute the concept themselves.
Opening track “Spiter” takes influence from the aforementioned Iron Maiden as well as the thrash scene on the west coast. Its blast of metal power serves to open the album with gusto. The title track “Endangered Species” has a cool layered riff that is almost buried beneath the heavy production. This is a busy band, with drummer Dean “Drum Machine” Roberts keeping all limbs in a flurry. A great vintage heavy metal track here, just begging for a recording less flat and brittle. Plenty of hooks and ideas packed into five minutes.
“Tonight’s the Night” isn’t as memorable, though Olivieri sure gives the vocal his all. I can’t but laugh at “The Hook”. “Hey honey, looking for a date?” Songs about the world’s oldest occupation oh so often veer into cringe territory. This is no “Charlotte the Harlot” though that seems to be the intent. “Keep your eye out for the hook!” sings Michael. The quiet section in the middle is pretty cool and there are multiple nifty riffs, but the song is a clanker.
Side two begins with acoustic guitars, a needed change of tone, and soon it’s back to hammering riffs. “Season of the Witch” isn’t half bad. As usual one riff just isn’t enough. An amped-up Beast-era Iron Maiden seems to be the primary influence. “Off the Track” has a shouted chorus that passes for a hook. Not bad, but somehow incomplete like its parts weren’t fully assembled. A slower tempo and sonic effects make “Kill and Kill Again” an effectively heavy change of pace. A lot of Maiden in the faster outro, though. Then accelerate into “Vagrant” which is further into the thrash side, but the production renders the guitars too tinny and without depth. Fortunately the album closes on title track “Leatherwolf”, a mighty strong Priest-like street fight.
Though they still remained a heavy metal band with three lead guitarists, Leatherwolf added considerably more commercial elements such as ballads and keyboards by the time of their major label debut. Michael Olivieri would tone down the screamy side of his style, which is used excessively here. The band had a lot of room to grow, but their youthful exuberance helps make up for it. There are a few worthwhile tracks that may have a place in your collection, and any fan of the heavier side of vintage metal will enjoy a spin.
HAREM SCAREM – Change the World (2020 Frontiers Japanese import)
One of the greatest melodic rock bands in the world is Canadian and 30 years since their inception, they still got what it takes. Pete Lesperance, Harry Hess, Creighton Doane and Darren Smith can be counted on to deliver some great professional singalong tuneage every time. Not every album has been brilliant (some people don’t like the Rubber era, I’m not big on Voice of Reason) but with their latest Change the World, Harem Scarem is back on top.
The upbeat title track opens the celebration with chiming guitar notes wrung from the neck. “You and I are gonna change the world,” sings Harry with an uplifting melody. Pete’s got his back with hooky guitar fills. A track like this could have easily come from peak period HS, like 93’s Mood Swings. “Aftershock” has a little more bite, but the same kind of killer chorus. For those unfamiliar, expect thick, heavily layered choruses with all four guys singing multitracked backing vocals. It’s like Def Leppard with more balls. Yet it’s also their own song because Harry Hess’ voice has not changed one iota. It’s just as powerful as it was on 1985’s Blind Vengeance debut, only better! “Searching For Meaning” hearkens back to the pop sensibilities of Rubber, but richer in tone and with a heavier slam.
Things go darker on “The Death of Me” without losing the edge. It’s not about defeat, it’s about keeping up the fight. “I know you won’t be the death of me!” An apt tune for 2020. “Hit the panic override!” urges Harry. Keep calm and carry on!
The piano comes out for the first ballad “Mother of Invention”. The vocal arrangement here is quite nice though the song isn’t all that memorable. The bass-driven “No Man’s Land” is more unique, and has one of those choruses that is so hard for forget. Then head for space on “In the Unknown”, a softer burner of a track that launches into the stratosphere, fuelled by killer hooks. This is Harem Scarem’s bread and butter.
If you think a song with a title like “Riot In My Head” should be faster and more intense, then you got your wish. The riff sounds as if lifted from a classic 80s racing song. Great track, as is the ballad “No Me Without You”, with its slight nods to the Beatles. It’s back to the racetrack with “Fire & Gasoline”, an absolute smoker of a song. There’s a classic Lesperance guitar solo to savour and a bangin’ beat to bash your head to. The standard album then concludes on “Swallowed By the Machine”, another defiant fist pumping rocker. Get psyched with lyrics such as “We all have dreams, we all have doubts, be careful which you feed, and don’t get swallowed by the machine.” A rip-roaring guitar workout a-la Nuno Bettencourt takes it to another level. Talk about ending the album on an up!
Of course, those who go the extra mile and purchase the Japanese CD get the extra track, an acoustic recording of “No Man’s Land”. It’s an interesting alternative though not as impressive as the original. Still a cool little coda, and still ending the album on an up note.
For a humble band from Canada that a lot of people aren’t even aware of, Harem Scarem have a remarkably huge discography. There are more peaks than valleys, but Change the World is definitely evidence that this band has more to give. One of the finer rock records of 2020.
MÖTLEY CRÜE – Too Fast For Love (Originally 1981 Leathür Records, 2003 CD reissues)
I was so lucky to grow up not with the Elektra remix of Too Fast For Love, but the original Leathür Records version. Though I didn’t know anything about it at the time, Motley Crue’s debut existed in two different versions and I had the rarer of the two on an old cassette. The original mix released in 1981 on the band’s own label was a raw beauty. When Elektra signed the band, Roy Thomas Baker remixed the album for worldwide reissue. But in Canada, we received the original mix on cassette first before the remix was even released. This was so Motley had some music to promote on their first Canadian tour. We were very lucky. The Elektra mix came out and eventually replaced the original on shelves.
The differences are significant, including the deletion of an entire song (“Stick To Your Guns”) from the original on the Elektra release. For nostalgia reasons, I always preferred the Leathür mix of this album. “Come On And Dance” for example is a completely different and much longer recording. It must be stated the Roy Thomas Baker mix is technically the better of the two. It’s well balanced and has the required punch. Vocal lines are thickened up. It will undoubtedly sound better on your high end stereo. There is more nuance. The changes are especially audible on songs like “Starry Eyes” and “Live Wire”, but I simply have a preference for the raw, rough version I grew up with. There’s something to be said for independent production values. Additionally, the track listing was jumbled and the original running order flows better, so that’s the order we’ll be discussing the songs in.
Fortunately for you, you don’t have to track down an original vinyl or even an obscure Canadian cassette release to get the original Too Fast For Love. It was officially reissued one time only on CD, in the 2003 Motley Crue box set called Music To Crash Your Car To Volume I. In fact that box set includes both mixes of the album, plus the related CD bonus tracks. (Actually, the box set is only missing one song, which we’ll discuss further on.) For the money, Music To Crash Your Car To Volume I is the best way to get “all” the tracks.
The audio for the original Leathür mix is sourced directly from original vinyl, with the tapes presumably lost. Audiophiles take note as you will hear the telltale sound of old vinyl.
It took a while for young me to get into Too Fast For Love. The album was generally much different from the metal assault of Shout at the Devil. That was the Motley I was familiar with. The basic garage glam metal of Too Fast For Love was alien to me. When I first received the cassette, I gave it a fair shake but didn’t start clicking with it until Easter of 1986. It was a deliberate effort on my part. “I want to hear and appreciate this album like my friends do.” Bob Schipper had the songs he liked: “Live Wire” (there was a music video, but he did not like the part with Mick Mars spitting up blood), “Merry-Go-Round”, and especially “On With the Show”.
No matter which version of the album you own, we begin on “Live Wire”, a blitzkrieg of an opener with punk-like pacing. It’s dirty and messy cocaine-fueled mayhem, and the Leathür version sounds sharper and more chaotic. Vince Neil is so young, less seasoned and a little shrill. But the band is on fire with Mick Mars puking out one of his trademark riffs.
The Elektra reissue goes into “Come On and Dance” here, but Leathür puts “Public Enemy # 1” second. It’s perfectly at home in this slot. With the careless glee of youth, the song is one of Motley’s early pop rock deep cuts. There is a lot of pop on Too Far For Love, especially in the vocal melodies. “Public Enemy # 1” must go back to Nikki Sixx’s days in the band London, since it’s a co-write with London’s Lizzie Grey. It then gives way to another blitzkrieg of a riff on “Take Me To the Top”. This turns into a choppy groove, and yet another melodic Vince Neil vocal to keep you hanging on. There’s that pop side again. You could isolate Vince’s vocal and turn it into a pop song. It’s like you have this three-man wall of pounding rock with Tommy Lee, Mick Mars and Nikki Sixx slamming in unison. But on top of that you have Vince Neil singing a candy-sweet melody.
A ballad “Merry-Go-Round” gives your ears a slight rest. Though Nikki wrote it, Mick has a way with these kinds of chords that makes them just sound “Mars”. This song is given an urgency by Vince who, as it turns out, was quite a great singer in his early days. The first side closes on “Piece of Your Action”, a song that has been remixed a number of times over the years. It’s also Vince Neil’s first co-writing credit (lyrics). With a sharp steely riff and aggressive vocals, this song will knock down walls.
The old mix of “Starry Eyes” sounds overblown and slurred compared to the Baker version, yet that’s its charm. “Starry Eyes” has a disco-like groove and another sugar sweet Vince Neil vocal. Nikki Sixx doesn’t get a lot of attention as a bassist, but he’s not content just to hang around banging out a rhythm. He likes to play melodically too, and “Starry Eyes” is a fun song to listen to him play.
Only the Leathür version has “Stick to Your Guns” at this point in the running order. It’s a busy song with different tempos and flavours, from fast verses, to a slow and choppy chorus riff, and a funky instrumental jam out. Perhaps it was left off the Elektra reissue because it’s a little more complex than the rest of the album. It also might have been because the song had been issued a couple times already: “Stick to Your Guns” was also the flipside of Motley Crue’s very first single, “Toast of the Town” (to be discussed further on).
“Come On and Dance” has a heavy riff that flows well out of “Stick to Your Guns”, but it’s the most different between the two versions of the album, so you can choose your preference. The original is longer and the vocal is better.
Regardless of which version you own, “Too Fast For Love” is always the second-last song on the album…but in two very different mixes. 4:16 on Leathür with a unique intro, and 3:21 on Elektra, going straight into the riff. On Leathür the slow, ballady opening acts as a feint. Mick then cranks up an unforgettable riff, and we are off into one of Motley’s true early classics. The primitive gang backing vocals are quaint by modern standards, but again, that’s the charm.
Finally “On With the Show” is the emotional closer. “Frankie died just the other night, some say it was suicide, but we know how the story goes.” In real life nobody died (yet) but “Frankie” is Frank Feranna, the birth name of Nikki Sixx. That name was his past, and Nikki Sixx was his future. The ride was just beginning, and this song has both a sadness and a certain amount of glee. “But you see Frankie was fast, he was too fast to know. He wouldn’t go slow until his lethal dose.” That part turned out to be somewhat prophetic. Regardless, “On With the Show” is the fist-pounding pop metal album closer needed for a record like Too Fast For Love. If you’re headbanging along with it, the you should feel well pooped out by the end!
In 1999, Motley Crue began reissuing all their albums on CD in a series called Crucial Crue on Motley Records, but the end result was disappointing. The bonus tracks varied in quality, but the real problem was that each CD was given an additional bonus track in Japan, and they were pretty good ones too. Fortunately this was rectified in 2003 with yet another series of reissues, adding the Japanese bonus tracks. The box set Music To Crash Your Car To Volume I has all this bonus material as well. For Too Fast For Love, the Japanese bonus track that was restored in 2003 was a live version of “Merry-Go-Round” recorded in San Antonio with an obviously very young Vince Neil on vocals. Though the singing is shaky live, it’s a genuine live recording capturing the band at this early stage of their careers.
“Toast of the Town” was one of those song titles I kept hearing about as a kid, but nobody I knew had ever heard the first ever Motley Crue single. According to the liner notes in the box set, this single was only given away at shows in L.A. for a limited time. Both it and its B-side “Stick to Your Guns” are restored on the CD reissues as bonus track. “Toast of the Town”, like Too Fast For Love itself, is a pop rocker with punch.
An unreleased song called “Tonight” is actually a Raspberries cover (there’s that pop side again). And it’s bloody awesome. They were already halfway there by covering it, but they made it work with their sound, basically just by adding distortion and turning it all up. It sounds like this version was fully recorded and produced for release, so why it wasn’t, we don’t know. Too pop? Perhaps.
The last bonus track to discuss is “Too Fast For Love” with the alternate intro. This is the same intro as on the Leathür version of the album, but it sounds like it was mixed to the higher standards of the Elektra version. Regardless, there are three distinct versions of the song for you to enjoy.
One track is missing from these releases. The one from this same era that they neglected to include is called “Nobody Knows What It’s Like to Be Lonely”. Its only official release to date is as a bonus track on a 20 year old Motley Crue live DVD. At seven minutes long, it plods along with a deliberate and heavy groove. Nikki Sixx has praised the guitar work of Mick Mars, and it has a bizarrely funky drum breakdown at the end. In order to get the complete picture of this era of Motley Crue, track down “Nobody Knows What It’s Like to Be Lonely”. You can understand how a seven minute song didn’t make an album release, though it is certainly well overdue for a re-release on any format other than DVD.
Any way you go, Leathür or Elektra, CD or vinyl, or bloody Canadian cassette tape, Too Fast For Love is a hell of a debut album. Few bands have as many haters as Motley Crue, but this album is an innocent reckless joy. Shout at the Devil sounds contrived by comparison, with Motley Crue adopting a doomier metal sound and dropping the pop-punk pretences. As good as Shout at the Devil undoubtedly is, this one sounds far more natural. It’s the real deal. This is the Crue laying it down hard, fast, getting it done quick and not messing around. Love it or hate it. I know how I feel.
I’ve never particularly cared for Slipknot and I don’t own any Stone Sour. However I’ve been aware of Corey Taylor since 2014’s Dio tribute, and “Rainbow in the Dark”. That side of Taylor landed right in my ballpark. So did his solo single “Black Eyes Blue”.
“Why not spend some dollars and get his album, see what he’s up to?” I said to myself.
“Oh wait,” and a pause. “I need to know if there are any bonus tracks so I can buy the most complete version,” replied my Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Some typing. C-D-J-A-P-A-N into the search engine, a short wait and — confirmed. “Black Eyes Blue”, acoustic bonus track. In stock.
“It’s only money,” said the idiot in the middle of a pandemic.
A few weeks later, a Japanese CD of Corey Taylor’s solo debut CMFT , bejewelled wresting belt on the cover, had hit Canadian shores and was on its way to my post box.
The scene is set when the laser blasts aluminium. A southern rockabilly vibe on “HWY 666” takes us on a heavy car trip in the forbidden zone. This is what Nickelback was wishing they did with “The Devil Went Down to Georgia”.
The big single is in the welcoming second slot. It’s hard to describe “Black Eyes Blue”, except that the beat swings in a danceable way while the chorus delivers big hooks. Just like a classic Bon Jovi rocker, a guitar solo blasts out Sambora-like with a complimentary hook. It’s all over but the crashing chords in just over three minutes. Picture yourself on the highway going on at a good clip with the windows down, but the music blasting louder than the wind. Classic in the making.
Taylor goes for a punky hard rock vibe on the next one, “Samantha’s Gone”, just a blast in a pickup truck on a dusty highway. “We all got nothin’ to lose because the cash is gone,” goes the the thick chorus. Some bright blasts of mean guitar melodicism keeps the hooks-a-flowin’ like booze. It goes full-on punk rock with “Meine Lux”, but still in southern territory. Filler perhaps; fortunately “Halfway Down” has a broader appeal. It’s from the same Sonic Temple that the Cult built in 1989. Straight-ahead hard rock with fat trimmed and bone-in.
Corey opens and lets sentiment out on the sixth number, a dark exploration called “Silverfish”. It’s a big ballad that sounds akin to some of the radio staples of the early 90s, but the surprising next twist is a splash of nice acoustic on “Kansas”. This bright pop rocker recalls the big sounds of the Goo Doo Dolls on some of their biggest albums. Clearly, Corey Taylor is dialled into the pop side of his music collection on this album.
Suddenly, like the car has hit the brakes to save a scared animal’s life, the tone changes and you’ve got whiplash. “Culture Head” gets topical and aggressive. It’s detuned and pissed off. The speed picks up on a tangent with “Everybody Dies on My Birthday” which recalls the drum stylings of Matt Sorum. The metal is strong with this one, as are the “We are!” singalong vocals.
The car you’re driving pulls into a diner on the roadside, and that’s “The Maria Fire”. There’s a local band with a southern twang playing electric guitars. Though the band is hot and the guitarist is smoking the fretboard, this is rough place and the tension feels like a fight could break at any moment. Time to go “Home”.
“Home” is a beautiful piano piece, just Corey and keys. The heartfelt tone and vocals could have been a perfect ending to the album here. It’s one of those moments that maybe should be left as-is, and just walk away. Instead we’re treated to the rap-rock closer “CMFT Must Be Stopped”. Not my kind of thing, but I’m not Corey’s core audience and admittedly it’s fun to bop along to. Listen for some cool percussion stuff in the background. I’m oblivious to his guest rappers Tech N9ne and Kid Bookie; one of them has a very cool speed rap flow. This is the point at which I roll up the windows of the car because I don’t wanna look like Michael Bolton in the movie Office Space. This goes into a hardcore Anthrax-like thrash punk rocker “European Tour Bus Bathroom Song” which ends the album on an unnecessary jokey note.
It turns out that, though financially stupid, my choice of buying the Japanese version of the album was the correct one. They end with the acoustic live version of “Black Eyes Blues”, a sparse version that leaves you feeling refreshed when the album’s over.
You know what lane I’m in musically, and where Corey Taylor comes from. You can divine from this review whether you will like the album or not. I think there’s a good chance that many of you would like most of it, but few would love it all. Certainly not a bad investment since songs like “Black Eyes Blues”, “Samantha’s Gone”, “Everybody Dies on My Birthday” and “Home” have potential to stick around in your head for years.
41 minutes is all it takes to rock the world. We needed AC/DC in 2020, and we got it. This isn’t the first time AC/DC have put guitars on magnetic tape without Malcolm. That era began with 2014’s Rock Or Bust, but this album is better. The riffs are Malcolm’s, and nephew Stevie Young performs them admirably as he always has. As for Brian Johnson, he sounds as if time stopped back in 1995.
“Realize” is catchier than the average AC/DC, with a few guitar overdubs to sweeten it up. “Rejection” is similarly fun, despite its title. Good tunes. Not immortal classics in the making, just good album cuts as AC/DC have done for decades. Even the first single “Shot in the Dark” doesn’t sound like the kind of AC/DC tune that radio will be pounding out in 10 years, even though they sure are playing the crap out of it today. Good songs all, but comparison to the back catalogue is a doomed endeavour.
The one tune that does sound like a future staple is “Through the Mists of Time”, a title that seems more like Zep than Acca Dacca. Focused on melody and spare guitar picking, it’s a bit softer than what most people expect. The “Ahh-ah” backing vocals sell it. This is probably the song you’ll remember years from now.
Moving on down the tracklist, we have a few songs with potential to grow. “Kick You When You’re Down” has some cool pickin’ rhythm. Also cool is “Witch’s Spell”, another title that doesn’t seem like AC/DC at first. It’s among the most memorable tunes thanks to a stuttery guitars and a fun chorus. The mood changes on “Demon Fire”, an excellent song similar in style to “Safe in New York City” from 20 years ago. It’s got that fast 4/4 beat, coupled with a low Brian Johnson growl (at first).
After “Demon Fire”, we’re in for a series of workmanlike AC/DC tracks without a lot of distinction. There’s “Bad Reputation” (mid-tempo), “No Man’s Land” (slow and menacing), “Systems Down” (mid-tempo), “Money Shot” (mid-tempo with bite), and “Code Red” (slinky). Power Up, like any AC/DC album since about Flick of the Switch, gets the job done. The only true classic is “Through the Mists of Time”, but there is plenty of strong material headlined by “Demon Fire”, “Shot in the Dark”, “Realize”, “Witch’s Spell” and “Money Shot”. It’s still early of course, and in three months you might have some clear favourites. This album has room to grow.
Now, the $60 “Light Box” is…disappointing. It’s a box, made of cardboard, with a sound chip that plays exactly 17 seconds of “Shot in the Dark” through a little speaker in the top, while flashing. (I call it a “Seizure Box”!) It stays lit for a few more seconds, and then stops. You can push the button as many times as you like, because it comes with a handy-dandy USB charging cable. (I bet you needed another one of those!) So that’s all it does. Inside is the standard CD digipack wedged between two sturdy foam slats. On the left hand side with the button and charging port, a cardboard strip is attached to prevent the button from being pushed in the stores. Removing this piece, which you need to do to recharge the box, is difficult and I tore mine. I glued it back, but you can still see it. $60 box, ripped just like that. Bummer.
AC/DC sound like AC/DC the most when Phil Rudd is in the band. With Phil, Brian Johnson and Cliff Williams all back for one more round, authenticity is not an issue. This is an album that deserves multiple listens. You’ll have your own favourites too.
TRIUMPH – “Spellbound” (1984 MCA 12″ radio promo disc)
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