hard rock

#465: LeBrain Week (Getting More Retro!)

GETTING MORE TALE (Retro) #465: LeBrain Week

Ah, the 4-O’clock 4-Play, we hardly knew ye!

My favourite half-hour of every day used to be 4 PM, on 107.5 Dave Rocks. The Craig Fee Show. Craig’s still slinging the rock, but the contest came to an end on April 27, 2012. It was a fun challenge and since I dominated the contest so much, I earned the nickname “LeBrain”. Craig would play four songs with a common thread. The thread could be absolutely anything. I won more times and more quickly than anyone else, including two first-song-guesses. I also contributed dozens of 4-Plays of my own construction.

Back then, when nobody was reading, I posted a week’s worth of 4-play quizzes “live”, so to speak. Craig featured a week of my own custom made quizzes, (following LeBrainuary and a few prior LeBrain weeks) just before they put the contest on ice. From April 16-19 2012, I updated the site with the quiz and that day’s results. Since my only readers back then were stalkers from the old Record Store, I thought it would be fun to re-post these!

Here are my daily update posts from that week — a week’s worth of 4-Play quizzes written by yours truly. Could you have been a winner?

April 16, 2012
Woah Nelly!

Tune in ALL WEEK to the Craig Fee Show on 107.5 Dave FM, at 4 pm!!
IT’S LeBRAIN WEEK! The 4 O’clock 4-Play! And it was off to a KICKING start this week!

Song #1: Skid Row – 18 & Life
Song #2: Twisted Sister – The Price
Song #3: U2 – Bullet The Blue Sky
Song #4: Kiss – I Was Made For Loving You

Answer (highlight to view): All artists have done MUSICALS (Jeckyl & Hyde, Rock of Ages, Spiderman, Phantom!)

CAN YOU OUT-BRAIN LeBRAIN?

April 17, 2012
Tune in ALL WEEK to the Craig Fee Show on 107.5 Dave FM, at 4 pm!! It’s LeBRAIN WEEK all week!

Today’s 4-play:

Song #1: Deep Purple – Smoke on the Water
Song #2: Rainbow – Stone Cold
Song #3: Bon Jovi – Livin’ on a Prayer
Song #4: Journey – Separate Ways

Answer (highlight to view): All five piece bands (on these recordings, anyway) of the v/g/b/d/k configuration!

Incidentally, two of those bands spent some time as four pieces.

Bon Jovi has been a four piece since 1994 when original bassist Alec John Such left. He was unofficially replaced by Hugh McDonald, but McDonald remains a side musician even after 18 years with the band! Journey was a four piece for a short while, on the second and third albums.

CAN YOU OUT-BRAIN LeBRAIN?

April 18, 2012
Tune in ALL WEEK to the Craig Fee Show on 107.5 Dave FM, at 4 pm!! It’s LeBRAIN WEEK all week!

Today’s 4-play:

Song #1: Bon Jovi – Runaway
Song #2: The Rolling Stones – Emotional Rescue
Song #3: Kiss – Magic Touch
Song #4: The Darkness – I Believe In A Thing Called Love

Answer (highlight to view): All songs featuring falsetto vocals!

Note: I have never heard Magic Touch on the radio before today!

April 19, 2012
Tune in ALL WEEK to the Craig Fee Show on 107.5 Dave FM, at 4 pm!! It’s LeBRAIN WEEK all week!

Today’s 4-play:

Song #1: The Beatles – A Day in the Life
Song #2: Pink Floyd – Comfortably Numb
Song #3: Kiss – Shout It Out Loud
Song #4: Kiss – Black Diamond

Answer (highlight to view): Each song features performances by two lead vocalists singing different parts!

Lennon sings the start, and Paul sings the finish on A Day in the Life.
Roger sings the verses, with David on the choruses.
Gene and Paul trade off some lines.
Paul sings the intro, Peter sings the body of Black Diamond.

Incidentally, Black Diamond is one I have never heard on the radio before.

April 20, 2012
I want to say a big THANK YOU to Craig at 107.5 Dave FM, for yet another fantastic LeBrain week. I think this is the third LeBrain week, and of course all of February was LeBrainuary!

To cap it off for me, Craig picked my favourite 4-play. Would you have solved it?

Today’s 4-play:

Song #1: Guns N’ Roses – You Could Be Mine
Song #2: Ozzy Osbourne – Mama I’m Coming Home
Song #3: Motley Crue – Girls, Girls, Girls
Song #4: Hanoi Rocks – Boulevard of Broken Dreams

ANSWER (highlight to view): Vince Neil is a Douche!

1. Guns N’ Roses – You Could Be Mine (Vince and Izzy got into a backstage scuffle with led to a longstanding rivalry with Axl Rose.)
2. Ozzy Osbourne – Mama I’m Coming Home (Vince started a feud with the “Mama” of this song – Sharon Osbourne which basically makes it a feud with Ozzy too. He trashed her in his book. And you know Sharon doesn’t back down.)
3. Motley Crue – Girls Girls Girls (What Vince, where? FIRED that’s where! And let’s not forget the MTV interview with the Crue where they mocked Vince Neil for hitting a coral reef while surfing.)
4. Hanoi Rocks – Boulevard of Broken Dreams (Vince killed their friggin’ drummer!)

That last one is still one of my all-time favourites! I hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane and some killer tunes.

REVIEW: Triumph – Edge of Excess (1992)

Bought in Taranna at Kops for $2.50!

TRIUMPH – Edge of Excess (1992 Virgin)

When Triumph split in ’87, Rik Emmett went off in a pop direction leaving his two bandmates with no singer/guitar player, and without their most recognizable member. As bassist Mike Levine said in M.E.A.T Magazine, “We couldn’t just be Duo-umph”. Since Triumph always had two lead singers in Rik Emmett and drummer Gil Moore, this time Gil simply stepped up and sang everything. Then they needed a guitar player. Gil and Mike Levine wrote and recorded most of Edge of Excess with Mladen Zarron in Toronto, before hiring ex-Frozen Ghost (current Bon Jovi) shredder Phil X. Five years after the split, the new Triumph emerged with a heavier and darker album, Edge of Excess.

Triumph boldly opened the album with a whole minute of nothing but bluesy guitar noise. If there was a stronger way to say “We don’t need Rik,” I don’t know what that would be. This guitar noise serves as an intro to the first Triumph song without Emmett, “Child of the City”, a harder edged Triumph song with the same kind of hooks. It’s hard to determine who is playing lead guitar, Mladen or Phil X, but rest assured that whoever it is has laid waste to the land. Rik Emmett wasn’t just a shredder, but a talented player who composed his solos with class and ability. Mladen and Phil have done the same, but without emulating Rik. (Phil’s going to have his work cut out for him in Bon Jovi, though.)

The rip-roaring “Troublemaker”, easily the fastest and heaviest Triumph track to date, was featured on the soundtrack to Hellraiser III, and it’s easy to see why. It’s as close to speed metal as Triumph have been, and I shouldn’t need to tell you that again the solos shred. Who’s playing? Fucked if I know, there are three guys credited on the song. The song is actually very close to high-octane Whitesnake and it would be easy to imagine Coverdale’s crew doing it.

Lest you think that ballads were a thing of Triumph’s past, “It’s Over” has a country & western feel. Unfortunately of the two singers, Moore had the less commercial voice. This is where Gil’s voice reveals its limitations. On backing vocals, some big names are on hand such as Fred Coury of Cinderella and Steve DeMarchi of Sheriff, to help beef up the big chorus. It’s not enough to make a memorable song. They cook up some groove on the title track, tapping the vein of Van Hagar. But without Rik Emmett, Triumph lost part of what made their unique sound. On Edge of Excess it’s too easy to compare them to contemporaries. “Turn My Back on Love” is better, occupying a dirty mid-tempo groove, and with Phil X handling all the guitars himself. The big chorus is the closest thing to old Triumph on the album.

That’s the side; the second one opens with “Ridin’ High Again”, a sleezy rocker that sounds like Don Dokken emigrating to Canada. Phil X really can shred though, and anyone who’s curious what he can do should check it out. I don’t think Phil will be able to play to his strengths in his new band, so give this a listen and hear the guy blaze like Vai meets Van Halen. “Black Sheep” starts as a total surprise; a blues right in the middle of the album. No drums, just claps. Sadly instead of sticking with this, it transforms into a stock hard rocker. “Boy’s Nite Out” has a grammatically incorrect title: The lyrics are clear that it is not a boy’s night out, but “the boys”, plural. It should therefore be called “Boys’ Nite Out”. Here I am bitching about the grammar and not the word “Nite”…anyway, back to the song. Standard rocker. Plenty of great shreds, but this album is far too burdened by generic rockers. Rik Emmett used to bring a variety of influences to the table, and their albums with him may have had their weaknesses, but they were more diverse than Edge of Excess. Without enough identity, Triumph forged a batch of largely forgettable bluesy hard rock songs. Lots of crunch, not enough stick-to-your-brain hooks.

Fortunately the classy power ballad “Somewhere Tonight” helps wind things up properly. Identity is still a problem, but at least this is a break in the rut the album had been in. Right back into the rut for “Love in a Minute”, the last in a batch of heavily generic rock songs that sound like about a dozen bands…none of them Triumph.

Like any fan, I was pleased that Triumph kept going despite such a huge setback as losing your main guy. Unfortunately the album they produced in ’92 was not up to par, and I guess that’s why it took me 23 years to finally buy it! A couple good songs early in the album, but not much more.

2.5/5 stars

Blu-ray REVIEW: Ted 2 (2015)

TED 2 (2015 Universal)

Directed by Seth McFarlane

What happens when you let a bunch of now-grown Star Trek nerds from the 80’s make a movie? Apparently, they make Ted. If you let ’em do it twice, you get Ted 2.

I really don’t know how this works, but Ted 2 provides ample proof of its own Trek-nerdiness. Forget the fact that the climax takes place at New York Comic-Con. Do you realize how many Trek actors appear in Ted 2?

Patrick Stewart (Jean-Luc Picard), as he was in the first Ted, is the narrator. (Don’t forget he is also currently CIA Deputy Director Bulloch on Seth McFarlane’s American Dad! )
Nana Visitor, better known as Major Kira Nerys on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, is an underrated performer with a good role here. She still looks amazing.
LeVar Burton (Geordie LaForge) appears in a brief clip from Roots as Kunta Kinte, but I’m still counting it.
Pushing it here, but Ron Canada (from Canada!), who plays the judge in Ted 2, did guest shots on three different Star Trek series.
Best of all is Michael Dorn (Lt. Worf) as Rick; gay lover to Patrick Warburton’s Guy. Took me a while to pick up on the fact that it was Michael Dorn. Only when he showed up in uniform at Comic-Con did it sink in!

Dorn and Warburton as…well, you know who.

So: McFarlane likes Star Trek. That’s obvious. He likes a lot of stuff, and Ted 2 is less a story than a running series of references to other movies. From Jurassic Park to the cheesy ending to Contact, these characters walk and talk quoting movies all the friggin’ time. It’s all they do! One thing you will see and hear less of going forward: Star Wars in any McFarlane production. According to the audio commentary, the friendly relationship that Seth used to have with Lucasfilm has vanished since they were sold, and Disney have made it pretty clear that further collaborations will not be happening. So you can kiss the idea of a Family Guy: The Force Awakens goodbye.

Unfortunately, characters that quote stuff is as deep as it gets. Mark Wahlberg’s Johnny has divorced Mila Kunis, because she was trying to change him too much. Well, yeah…that was the whole plot of Ted 1. Wahlberg wanted to grow up and marry Mila. Now he decides that’s actually not what he wanted, after fighting for it so hard in the first movie. In Ted 2, we see Marky Mark hanging around with Ted a lot, and we see him getting into plenty of hijacks, but Mark Wahlberg is little more than a non-character sidekick in this one. Ted is Ted; a foul-mouthed Peter Griffin who gets away with it by being a teddy bear. Newcomer Amanda Seyfried steals the movie with her likeable lawyer character, Sam L. Jackson. And yes, she has not heard of the actor Samuel L. Jackson, nor does she pick up on any of Ted and Johnny’s movie quotes, and that’s the driving force of the trio’s interactions. Seyfried is a wonderfully talented actress with a very expressive face, and she easily outclasses everyone she’s in a scene with (except obviously Morgan Freeman). To her credit she’s a good sport about her famous large blue eyes. They are the butt of a few jokes in the movie — the best ones actually. Seyfried is obviously a good shit and I bet she’s fun to have a beer with. She also gets to sing, and that award-winning voice performs the original theme song “Mean Ol’ Moon”.

The plot, such as it is, was inspired by the Star Trek: The Next Generation episode “The Measure of a Man”; I shit you not. This is even acknowledged by McFarlane in the commentary. Ted and Tami-Lynn (Jessica Barth) have been married a while but it’s not working out. So, they do what every struggling couple in America does to heal their relationship: have a kid. At first, you think the movie will be about Ted and Marky Mark getting into hijinks and capers, trying to steal donor sperm from demigods like Tom Brady. Then it awkwardly shifts to a legal slant, with Ted having to prove he is a person and not property in a court, just like Lt. Data did in Star Trek. Data had Captain Picard to defend him, and McFarlane says that Amanda Seyfriend’s opening comments in the courtroom scene were inspired by Picard’s.

In Star Trek, if Data were declared to be property, then Starfleet could have cut him open to mass produce intelligent androids to serve as a working class. In Ted 2, Giovanni Ribisi’s evil Donny wants to do something similar. He convinces Hasbro that they can take Ted, and cut him open to see what makes him tick, and repeat the magic. Billions of dollars would be made. All this hinges on him being declared property in court. There would be few repercussions for Hasbro to steal a teddy bear, compared to a person, to dissect it!

You have to give McFarlane credit for a great Mel Brooks-inspired opening musical number, and a brawl finale. You have to admire Amanda Seyfried’s abilities, and Pantene Pro V-perfect hair. Otherwise Ted 2 is a lazy retread. I don’t mean “lazy” in the sense that it wasn’t hard work. It clearly was hard work making this movie, doing the perfect CG bear and motion capture. The reason we don’t talk about the bear much is that he seems perfectly real at all times. No, I mean “lazy” in the writing. There are plenty of funny jokes, situations, and lines. There are no characters we care or even know much about. How did Seyfried’s Sam, age 26, become a lawyer who can play guitar and sing better than 95% of the ladies currently in the top 40, all while suffering debilitating migraines that require her to constantly smoke marijuana? How??? It’s hard to get involved in the characters when they’re so obviously not human, and I’m not referring to Ted! How does Marky Mark support himself? Does he still have a job? We never see him at work.

Best gag: A Liam Neeson cameo. Stay tuned for the post credit scene.

Special features: Unrated version of the movie, audio commentary, gag real, deleted scenes (mostly alternate lines from scenes in the movie), and plenty of making-of featurettes. The “Creating Comic-Con” feature was interesting, from a Trek nerd point of view. Check out how they made that giant starship Enterprise that hangs from the ceiling. It’s just based on a model that McFarlane had on his desk!

Blu-ray annoyance: These text info-boxes advertising other movies pop up on every menu, unless you specifically look for the setting that turns them off. That’s…mildly vexatious.

Stupid infobox.

Joke tagline: Ted 2 – more of the same, but now with Seyfried! Whose last name I can now pronounce correctly, thanks to the commentary.

3/5 stars

REVIEW: The Darkness – Last of Our Kind (Christmas deluxe edition)

NEW RELEASE

Last review before Christmas!

THE DARKNESS – Last of Our Kind (2015 Canary Dwarf deluxe holiday edition)

If there is one thing we collectors hate, it’s buying a rare collectible version of an album, only to see it reissued later with more tracks! I waited ages to get the Japanese printing of the brand-new Darkness album Last of Our Kind, featuring two bonus tracks. Now, just in time for Christmas, the Darkness have released a seasonal deluxe edition, with four bonus tracks this time, and special packaging that looks like Darkness wrapping paper being torn open to reveal the CD inside. Even so, I had to order this CD in from Europe.

This counts as your annual seasonal content here at mikeladano.com, and it’s my only seasonal content this year! Humbug. Unusually for a seasonal post, this one is 100% rock!

Buying the album twice hurt a little bit less because it’s really, really good. The Darkness have quality standards, and they have not dropped between albums. They also had a new member, the talented drummer Emily Dolan Davies, who sadly couldn’t stick around and has since been replaced by Rufus Tiger Taylor, son of Queen sticksman Roger Taylor. Emily plays on all tracks herein, and she does so seamlessly. On first spin it would be hard to tell that original drummer Eddie Graham wasn’t around anymore.

Laden with the screams of flighting Vikings, “Barbarian” opens the album heavier than expected. “Barbarian” storms the gates, leaving trails of blood behind it, but fear not! “Open Fire” is fast n’ catchy hard rock n’ roll, the way the Darkness has always done it. The high vocals are toned down, with Justin Hawkins singing in his normal voice for most of it. His throat has acquired a little bit of grit to it (light sandpaper only) which he uses effectively on “Open Fire”, which would have been a hit had it come out 10 years ago.

The very best track on the album is #3, the title track, boasting one of those Darkness choruses that has become their trademark and strength. “Last of Our Kind” rings down as the highlight album and indeed one of the best songs to come out in 2015. Just like he did in the days of yore, Justin lets his voice rip, while laying down Lizzy-like guitar harmonies with his brother Dan. If singles were a still a thing, this would be the one. You’ll notice how Davies accents the song on drums the way Ed Graham used to. She doesn’t overplay, but she punctuates it where it has to be.

Rather than having used up all their ammunition on these first three great tracks, The Darkness have plenty more shells in the belt. “Roaring Waters” is a mid-tempo groove, and almost lacklustre except for that slippery Hawkins riff. Then you need a ballad, so you get a ballad: “Wheels of the Machine”. It’s not as pompous as “Love is Only a Feeling”, but still has the golden Justin voice that makes their ballads either unique or unpalatable, depending on your tastes. I say, turn it up. You’ll especially want it loud on “Mighty Wings”, which has a neat spacey 80’s sci-fi keyboard intro. Don’t be mistaken, for “Mighty Wings” rocks with a groove so chunky that neck strain is a real danger.

“This ain’t no double entendre. This ain’t no euphemism. This is real life.” Well hey, a mudslide is a weird subject for a song, but that’s what “Mudslide” appears to be about! “It’s a fuckin’ mudslide!” says Justin, to reiterate his point, after lamenting the loss of his “dear beloved gazebo” in the natural disaster. Fortunately, this song kicks lots and lots of ass. I wonder how many song lyrics reference a gazebo? “Sarah O’Sarah” has a vaguely celtic feel due to the mandolin. It’s an album highlight, sounding much like the Darkness’ second LP, One Way Ticket. Davies proves her mettle on the chorus section, a gallop of percussion that frankly Eddie Graham didn’t seem to have the chops to do. “Hammer & Tongs” shares its pop-chorus bent, but has some juicy slide guitar backing it up. There is even a slight Stones vibe in the gee-tars. The proper album ends on “Conquerors”, a ballad that serves as the dramatic pompous outro, featuring Dan Hawkins taking the lead vocals.

This deluxe CD continues on, with four bonus tracks, the first two of which are also on the pricier Japanese import version. “Messenger” and “Always Had the Blues” are fine as bonus tracks, with “Messenger” being album quality (and then some). Lush vocals from the back create swirls of melody that stick in your ear like gum in your hair! The real gem among the bonus tracks is the newbie “Million Dollar Strong”, which has a sweet 80’s riff (think Dokken) and a horn section for added oomph! The fourth track is their second Christmas single, “I Am Santa”. With an obvious “Do They Know It’s Christmas” bassline and beat, plenty of folks will find a nostalgic glow on this one. I especially like the line referencing “Ferrero Rocher”, a candy I always look forward to every Christmas. Like the chocolates, “I Am Santa” is sweet and delightful.

My only disappointment: 2013’s non-album single “The Horn” was not included as a bonus track. That leaves it frustratingly unreleased on a physical format.

4.5/5 stars

Japanese version:

Merry Christmas, and stay safe!

REVIEW: Poison – Look What the Cat Dragged In (remaster)

POISON – Look What the Cat Dragged In (1986, 2006 Capitol remaster)

I remember seeing this album in the racks of our local Zellers store. I didn’t know the band. I thought CC Deville was pretty cute.

Taking the gender-bending makeup of the mid-80’s to its logical end point, Poison stormed out of Hollywood and onto the charts. They did this with a handful of great singles, including “Talk Dirty to Me”, “Cry Tough”, and “I Won’t Forget You”. Also huge, but barely tolerable as a song, was the singalong “I Want Action”.

Bass “rapin’?” Good god!

Armed with just $23,000, Poison recorded Look What the Cat Dragged In with producer Ric Browde (Ted Nugent, W.A.S.P.) in less than two weeks. What they emerged with was a fun, raunchy and terrible sounding album with some big hits and plenty of filler.

“Cry Tough” was a tight little opener, a hot and bright rocker about going out and givin’ er. “You gotta cry tough, out on the streets, to make your dreams happen!” sings Bret Michaels in full-on cheerleader mode. Unfortunately the sonics of the album leave much to be desired. The guitar, drum and vocal sounds are demo quality at best, but that’s what you get for $23,000 and Ric Browde.

The other singles were all huge. “Talk Dirty to Me” is now minor staple, and “I Want Action” (annoying as it is) is another. The ballad “I Won’t Forget You” is an album highlight, well before Bret & co. had mastered the art of writing hit ballads. Low key, basic and electric, “I Won’t Forget You” is very different from “Every Rose” and some of the later broken-hearted Poison love songs. Paul Stanley has a cameo in the road-ready music video, which didn’t hurt.

That leaves a hell of a lot of room for filler, and Look What the Cat Dragged In has plenty. Of the album tracks, the decent ones include the saucy glam-slam rawking title track, and another song called “Want Some, Need Some”. Both tunes could have used some last-minute tightening up, but neither are as bad as the dreck on the tail end of the album: “#1 Bad Boy”, “Blame it on You” and the horrid “Mama Let Me Go to the Show” all suck absolutely. “Play Dirty” on side one is also pretty awful.

Even with the quality issues in sound and songwriting, Look What the Cat Dragged In sold over 3,000,000 copies. 20 years later, it was given a fresh remastering and three bonus tracks. The remastering could not fix the audio issues, but the bonus tracks are pretty good. Single remixes of “I Want Action” and “I Won’t Forget You” are marginally better than the original album tracks. Somebody realized that they were sonically deficient, and the remixes help a teeny tiny bit. Then Jim Croce’s “You Don’t Mess Around With Jim” is added to the end, a song that got more exposure on the covers album Poison’d! The bonus tracks go a long way towards making the album a little more listenable from start to end.

2/5 stars

REVIEW: KISS – Greatest Live Hits (2015)

NEW RELEASE

KISS – Greatest Live Hits (2015 Concert Live limited edition)

“What’s this?”, you ask with scorn. “Just another Kiss hits/live thing, is it?”

Yes and no.

Concert Live is a great company that records and releases “instant live” albums from major artists like Kiss and Alice Cooper among many. You can buy them immediately after the concert, or online as I have. Kiss have a lot of Concert Live releases. I have three, all from the Sonic Boom tour: Montreal, Saskatoon, and Atlanta. They are live, not overdubbed, raw and real. And expensive! So when Concert Live announced they were releasing a Greatest Live Hits CD from these concerts, I clicked the “add to cart” button immediately. The original order claimed there were only 200 copies available, but you can now get it from Concert Live as a part of a multi-album box set.

This 2 disc collection has all the classic hits (nothing more recent than ’83) from a variety shows from different nations. There are three tracks of Kiss from the Download Festival, in 2008. Paul’s voice is surprisingly strong, and the reason why is because they are from seven years ago. There is no booklet with details, so only the location of the recordings is obvious from the packaging. It is true that Eric Singer covers for Paul when his voice cracks or he cannot hit the note anymore. Concert Live seemed to focus on the best versions they could find of these particular tracks, so you get a high ratio of good-to-bad Paul performances.

Below are the recording details, courtesy of rock journalist Mitch Lafon. He suggests re-ordering the tunes to create an actual Kiss setlist.

At this stage, with so many Kiss live packages on the market, there’s no point in discussing specifics. The recordings sound as you have come to expect from Concert Live. Warts and all, but with sonic care and clarity, these are true live albums. When Gene has to suddenly sing in a lower key in “Rock and Roll all Night”, that’s in there. This is the kind of thing that drives casual music fans up the wall. I actually know people who can’t stand live music because of such realities. I find it hard to understand because that is a real moment captured in time, and it’s just a moment. The song does not derail and Gene soon returns to the original key.

Random observations:

1. When “Strutter” begins, the first second sounds uncannily like “Hide Your Heart” and it always takes me by surprise!

2. It’s nice to get “Rock and Roll all Night” out of the way early, but “I Love It Loud” as a closer? That’s a weird way to end an album: on a sluggish, way overplayed note!

3. On “Let Me Go Rock and Roll”, Eric Singer tries to do his version of Peter Criss’s shtick, talking to the crowd in the cool-cat voice. Unfortunately I find this to sound contrived and awkward for the new Cat Man, Eric.

4. Tommy Thayer haters can suck it. He’s playing the style Paul and Gene want him to play, and he does his job perfectly. This is the Kiss sound they have gone for, a classic Frehley guitar sound, and Tommy Thayer’s the man for that job so long as the Ace Man isn’t.

I was pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of this disc. A few more concert details would have been nice, and some of the edits between tracks aren’t so great, but this is a worthwhile buy for any fan of the present day Kiss!

3.5/5 stars

REVIEW: King’s X – XV (2008)

Complete studio albums (and more!), part 17 – the Final Chapter!

KING’X – XV (2008 InsideOut)

King’s X faced many setbacks over their long 30+ year career. Their last obstacle has been the hardest and most serious of all, and because of that, 2008’s XV album remains their most recent. That’s a tough pill to swallow, because for many fans XV was largely considered a return to form.

“Pray” immediately starts things right: face-crushing bass, a groove you can’t get out of, and a funky melody. You are transported back in time to the late 80’s and early 90’s, but with modern slants and production…and funk! The song boasts a soulful, powerful chorus just like the classics King’s X built their foundation on. What a satisfying opener. Peel yourself off the floor though, because it’s over before you know it and the next song “Blue” has launched. King’s X have always been successful at balancing their sound with soft songs, while maintaining their integrity. It’s a great track sonically, though missing a killer chorus. XV strikes me as the best produced King’s X album since the mighty Dogman.

Better than “Blue” is the gentle “Repeating Myself”, Ty Tabor’s first vocal outing on XV. Everything is in its right place: Ty’s delicate picking, the patented King’s X harmonies, and just a touch of Beatles-y psychedelia. “Repeating Myself” is possibly the most perfect song King’s X had done in many years. It melds perfectly right into “Rocket Ship”, a mid-tempo heavy rocker with “single” written all over it. The 60’s psychedelia remains, but wrapped up in a heavy stomping riff. “Society-sanctioned brain-washing tries to wrap its arms around me,” sings Dug Pinnick, still unafraid to tackle issues in his words. Jerry Gaskill takes his first XV lead vocal on the lovely “Julia”. Another perfect song. It’s a ballad that reminds me of everybody from the Beatles to Shaw-Blades and Motley Crue, of all people. Then it’s foot to the gas on the irresistible “Alright”. This is a classic King’s X rocker, but this time with gang vocals on the chorus. It’s gangbusters. One of the catchiest King’s X songs yet.

Greasy blues rock guitar kicks off “Free” with an unusually simple Gaskill beat behind it. This transforms into possibly the most soul-infused King’s X song ever, with it’s inescapable “Na na na na, yeah!” backing vocals. For the first time since Ear Candy in ’96, it seems King’s X just wanted to write and record some catchy songs. Of course this is done with all of their diverse influences and talents, but it does not mean the band stopped progressing in order to write some pop rock. “Free” is catchy indeed, and easily could have been on the radio, but it also has lyrical integrity. “The debt is rising, and you overload, because you’re broke, is this a joke? So go buy something, that you can’t afford, because you’re broke, is this a joke?” Musically, by turning the soul knob right up to 11, King’s X have progressed again.

Ty Tabor takes his turn on a mournful ballad called “I Just Want to Live”. A fine song, “I Just Want to Live” won’t be remembered as well as the previous tracks. Then the aptly titled “Move” has a pulse that you won’t believe. It’s Dug Pinnick’s bass that drives this thing, in a very 80’s kind of sparse arrangement. The awesome chorus seals the deal: it’s killer. Ty once again provides the soft side on “I Don’t Know”, another simply beautiful King’s X ballad, much like his Ear Candy material. His guitar solo here is a work of pure magic, and I swear to you that I did actually feel a chill go up my spine. Honest truth.

Winding it down, Dug makes “Stuck” stick to your brain with some unusual melodies. It’s an unorthodox song and in that way it reminds us of early King’s X, though it sounds little like it. The return of the massive grooves on “Go Tell Somebody” turns this church singalong into a groove metal classic. “If you like what you hear, go tell somebody!” Yeah Dug, you said it! Word of mouth, baby. That’s kept King’s X alive through some difficult decades. They must have known, recording this song, that it was going to be awesome.

I’ve never seen a version of XV without bonus tracks, but my import digipack has ’em too. “Love and Rockets (Hell’s Screaming)” is an interesting song with a good riff. Dug sings the vocal with a calmness, as opposed to the wailing of “Go Tell Somebody”. Then “No Lie” is a jokey blues. “I’ve never sung this song before,” says Dug at the start. This one truly is a bonus track; although it has instrumental integrity, it doesn’t feel like a sincere part of the album. Another version of the album (probably Japanese) has a demo version of “Rocket Ship” as a bonus track. (Add to “Holy Grail” list)

XV is a solidly entertaining album with only a few moments that drag. For all the complaints about albums like Manic Moonlight or Black Like Sunday, XV sounds like redemption.

4.5/5 stars

Jerry Gaskill suffered his first heart attack on February 25 2012. He required surgery but was feeling strong. King’s X had a tour booked to start only one month later, which had to be cancelled. Then in October of that year, his home was destroyed by Hurricane Sandy. Fans rallied and donated money to help the Gaskill family rebuild. As if all of this was not enough to deal with, Gaskill had a second heart attack two years later. This required a double bypass. Once again, King’s X cancelled all gigs. They released special live albums to benefit the drummer, and only now in 2015 have they managed to get back on the road and start work on a new album.

We have waited a long time, but we will continue to wait as long as we need. King’s X will return!

This series is dedicated to Dug, Jerry and Ty. Long may they reign.

Part 1 – Out of the Silent Planet (1988)
Part 2 – Gretchen Goes to Nebraska (1989)
Part 3 – Kings of the Absurd (split bootleg with Faith No More)
Part 4 – Faith Hope Love by King’s X (1990)
Part 5 – “Junior’s Gone Wild” (from 1991’s Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey soundtrack)
Part 6 – King’s X (1992)
Part 7 – Dogman (1994) + bonus “Pillow” promo single review
Part 8 – Ear Candy (1996)
Part 9 – Best of King’s X (1997)
Part 10 – Tape Head (1998)
Part 11 – POUNDHOUND – Massive Grooves from the Church of Psychofunkadelic Grungelism Rock Music (1998 Doug Pinnick/Jerry Gaskill)
Part 12 – Please Come Home…Mr. Bulbous (2000)
Part 13 – PLATYPUS – Ice Cycles (2000 Ty Tabor)
Part 14 – Manic Moonlight (2001)
Part 15 – Black Like Sunday (2003)
Part 16 – Ogre Tones (2005)
Part 17 – XV (2008)

REVIEW: King’s X – Ogre Tones (2005)

Complete studio albums (and more!), part 16

KING’S X – Ogre Tones (2005 Inside Out)

The previous few albums split fandom. Many found it hard to grab onto the loose structures of Mr. Bulbous, and the drum loops of Manic Moonlight. For this review, we are trying an experiment. I have never heard Ogre Tones before (in fact I’ve never heard any of these 14 tracks), so this will be a first-listen review. Does King’s X have the same impact on first listen as they do on 21st? Probably not, but let’s find out. In a sense this is a “live” review, so please join me as I listen!

“Alone” could have alienated fans again, starting as it does with distorted alt-rock screaming. This introduces a short pop-rock duet with Doug Pinnick and Ty Tabor, not a bad little song. Even though it’s only three minutes, it still boasts multiple sections and lush harmonies, as well as the trademark King’s X groove that only they can play. Ty dumbs-down the guitar solo for the 2000’s, as it mostly consists of one note. It’s over quick and then it’s into the even shorter “Stay”, a Doug pop ballad with balls. Some of those balls come from the heavy detuned guitar, some of it is purely in the ragged soul of Doug’s voice.

Pleasant sailing is “Hurricane”, not too challenging. The trademark Beatles-meet-King’s X backing vocals lend it a psychedelic feel. Thankfully, the kind of massive grooves you crave return on “Fly”, the first King’s X Klassic on Ogre Tones. Biting bass licks nicely accent a catchy rock tune, old-school style meets new-school production. “If” is another good song, kind of similar to the pop rock delicacy Ear Candy. Onto the jazz-metal of “Bebop”, Doug throws a very different song into the mix but the album is the better for it. Just before the halfway point of the album, “Bebop” becomes a highlight.

I like Ty’s acoustic numbers, and “Honesty” is a bare, emotion-filled Tabor classic. Sounding a lot like Faith Hope Love-era King’s X, “Honesty” is hit-worthy. You need some heavy riffing after that, and “Open My Eyes” has a big, phat Sabbathy riff behind it. The song is a bit disjointed though, at least on first listen. Just a riff without a song. “Freedom” goes in one ear and out the other (albeit with a great guitar outro). Unfortunately like many albums with so many tracks on them, Ogre Tones starts to sag in the middle. “Get Away” is another one. The lyrics don’t hit the spot anymore: “Hey God, I watched the news tonight, why are your people so fuckin’ mean?”

The only long song on Ogre Tones is “Sooner or Later”, at 7:00. It’s a decent slow dirge that I suspect will require a few more listens to appreciate, and even if it doesn’t, there’s plenty of Ty Tabor noodling to go around. Then there is another decent ballad in the oddly-titled “Mudd”. I was hoping this was a song about the classic Star Trek character, Harcourt Fenton Mudd. Sadly, it is not. The strangest song of all might be a remake of “Goldilox” (from Gretchen Goes to Nebraska). True to the original, but of course not as timeless and perfect, it is nonetheless a welcome inclusion. After all, can you really fault King’s X for putting one of their best songs out for a second time? Considering they tried, and tried, and tried to catch a break, why give up? Of course I don’t need to tell you that “Goldilox (Reprise)” was not a hit in 2005, but maybe they should try again in 2020! The album then closes with “Bam” which is exactly what it sounds like. Bam! A crash of instruments…followed by almost three minutes of feedback, noise, and the bizarre.

There is a video included on the first run of the CD, which you can still buy. “Alone” has girls shaking their hair for no reason. This video is now on Youtube, of course.

Ogre Tones strikes me as a good album, one that should deliver more on further listens. However I wonder if the sluggish middle section will be a difficult obstacle.

3.25/5 stars

REVIEW: King’s X – Black Like Sunday (2003)

Complete studio albums (and more!), part 15

KING’S X – Black Like Sunday (2003 Metal Blade)

After a couple albums that were…well, they were pretty far out, man…King’s X may have needed to get back to basics a little bit. Mr. Bulbous was undoubtedly a very experimental beast, and then Manic Moonlight introduced the drum loops. A number of fans had dropped off the train, this one included. It is only now that I have purchased 2003’s Black Like Sunday.

The concept of the album was pretty simple. Fans had been begging for Jerry Gaskill, Doug Pinnick, and Ty Tabor to re-release their very first indi album when they were still known as Sneak Preview. It is estimated that fewer than 500 copies of this album exist, but the band have never been eager to release it again. Indeed, rumour has it that the band destroyed over half of the original 1000 themselves. What they chose to do instead was re-write and re-record some of the old Sneak Preview songs, and release them as King’s X. There is no explanation of this inside the CD, so unless you were paying attention to the press, you might just think this was an ordinary everyday King’s X album.* Armed with 14 mostly shorter songs, they once again switched gears.

Laying it down right from the start, “Black Like Sunday” kicks rumps and gets ’em shakin’. Without having a clue what these songs might have originally sounded like, “Black Like Sunday” is admirable for its stock solid rock groove. Nobody in rock can groove like King’s X, but this is more straight than they normally play it. Jerry Gaskill is uncharacteristically laying down simple 4/4 drums and Ty has a nice rockin’ riff to hammer out.

“Rock Pile” is…different…takes some getting used to…but once you do? It’s in your head. It’s like two songs jammed together. A weird Van-Halen-esque unmelodic spoken word chunk, welded to a chorus from a corny Beatles song. On first impression, I thought “This is awful”. On third listen, it was, “Oh yes, this song! The heavy one with the catchy chorus…” and I was hooked. “Danger Zone” is also on the weird side, melding an oddly melodic vocal with a hair metal ballady electric chug. Much like “Rock Pile”, initial impressions are not good. Further listenings reveal that these songs stick in the memory, and that Ty’s rich guitar sounds are an absolutely highlight. His solo on “Danger Zone” is right out of the Neil Young book of awesome.

It has nothing to do with Rush, but “Working Man” rocks at mid-pace with many shades of the 80’s. “Dreams” has an odd reggae vibe, but grafted onto a heavy detuned King’s X riff. It’s not the greatest tune and probably the first that really fails to make an impact. Up next is “Finished” which is a pleasant pop rock tune. Nothing special once again, but instrumentally King’s X always have something to offer, and this time it’s Doug’s busy bass runs. Then things do get black like Sunday, on “Screamer”, an exotic vintage-Sabbathy stormer. Deep Iommi string bends meet tribal drumming meets Doug Pinnick. It’s a challenging listen but it has plenty to offer. “Bad Luck” is more down the alley of traditional King’s X, and it kills with its heavy groove.

King’s X have always been capable of tender ballads, so though unremarkable, “Down” will appeal to fans of that side. In contrast, “Won’t Turn Back” is stuttery chunky heavy metal. All of these songs have some strangely melodic vocal parts, and “Won’t Turn Back” is like that. It often feels like a chorus from a pop song has been transplanted onto a heavy metal song on this album. It’s one of the factors that makes Black Like Sunday hard to digest on first listen. At times it’s hard not to ask, “What the hell were they thinking?”

Steering the ship back on course once again, the song “Two” could have been on Tape Head since it has that bass-heavy stripped back kind of sound. “You’re the Only One” does not sound much like King’s X, but it does sound like quality hard rock. Maybe even pop punk. The Beatles harmonies work well here overtop a song that could have been written by Weezer. I wouldn’t doubt that Rivers wishes he wrote this song!

The only long song on the album is the incendiary, 11-minute-plus “Johnny”. Very Rush-like, “Johnny” is smouldering King’s X goodness with a big fat bow on top, so get ready to get down. Most of the 11 minutes is a long jam, a laid-back one in fact, but just listen to the interplay. Fantastic stuff. After an exhausting listen like that, what you really need next is the pop-punk-country-funk of “Save Us”. Ending the album with a short pop rocker really snaps you back to attention, and then it’s all over.

Assigning a rating to a King’s X album is difficult when you haven’t had years to absorb them and grow into them. Having said that, Black Like Sunday” makes a good impression. The songs are adventurous if a bit awkward, and there are enough gems here to warrant a purchase. Added bonus: the booklet doubles as a 2003 calendar! An amusing touch.

3.5/5 stars

*There’s no such thing as an ordinary everyday King’s X album.

REVIEW: King’s X – Manic Moonlight (2001)

Complete studio albums (and more!), part 14

KING’S X – Manic Moonlight (2001 Metal Blade)

Around this time, I stepped off the King’s X train.

A while after this album came out, a friend of mine from London (Ontario) named Edith-Rose came to help paint the new condo and hang out. As part of the deal I was to take her record shopping in all our decent stores. She bought a shit-ton of CDs. From the HMV up in Waterloo that doesn’t exist anymore, to Encore Records, to our own stores, she spent a lot of money that day. I came home with a few discs as well. Among them was Manic Moonlight by King’s X.

I bought it because it was used and it was the first time I’d seen it used. Truthfully, Mr. Bulbous lost me. Buying their next album didn’t seem a priority. We took the CD back to my place and gave it a spin. Edith-Rose liked it, especially the track “Static”. As for me, “Static” was the only song that stuck out. I have not listened to the CD in well over a decade. All I can really remember is that this is when Jerry Gaskill and the band started experimenting with drum loops. That is not a bad thing, but that is all I can remember about this album. Reviewing it with fresh ears, let’s have a listen, shall we?

The drum loops opening “Believe” are unlike anything on prior King’s X albums. Fortunately, the steam-powered real-life Jerry Gaskill comes in soon enough for this funky slam-dunk. The funk is emphasized by clavinet, and of course Doug Pinnick’s perpetually soulful voice. This slow funkster is bass-heavy and melodic, with just enough of those heavenly King’s X harmonies. There ain’t nothin’ wrong with this song, no! Computer-ish loops open the title track, “Manic Moonlight”, which aside from the modern production isn’t a far stretch from the classic King’s X sound. The psychedelic side of King’s X is out to play; lush 1960’s hippie vocals over a heavy 2001 rhythm.

There seems to be a theme playing out. Songs seems to open with loops, every time, and this is becoming a predictable drag. Fuzzy electronics open “Yeah” which basically a chorus without a song. It’s a great chorus, and if only it had some more meat on that bass heavy skeleton, it could have been a King’s X classic of the ages. It is cool to hear King’s X digging deep into the funk; Doug slappin’ da bass as best he can. The soft sounds of tabla are the loop of choice on the dreamy “False Alarm”. The production of the day seemed to be to distort Doug’s deep voice, which is a shame. Anyway, “False Alarm” is a King’s-Beatles-X strawberry field in the sky with diamonds, and it’s just shy of being great. Very close to the mark but not quite there.

“Static” is just as intense as I remember. You can hear why it jumped out to Edith-Rose and I years ago. For the first time on the album, the loops (tabla again) seem to be an integral part of the song rather than just an intro. Tense and direct, “Static” is bare-bones and absolutely nothing like King’s X of old, and good on them. Music is not about standing still. Music is about emotion, and “Static” is not short of those. Without a doubt, “Static” is the centerpiece of Manic Moonlight, and coincidentally (?) this is at precisely the point where an album would be split between side A and side B….

Down with the funk again on “Skeptical Winds”, plenty of new ground was being broken with this band. Strangely this song has a vibe similar to a 1994 Kim Mitchell rap-rock song called “Acrimony”; coincidental I’m certain but if you know the song then you can imagine “Skeptical Winds”. Doug’s spoken word vocals (distorted again, but that’s OK this time) are reminiscent of Kim’s, but the sparse and uber-funky bassline is 100% Doug. It’s a very different song, but cool. Although it isn’t loaded to the gills with time changes and riffs like King’s X of yore, it is still a long bomber jam session at almost seven minutes.

Having a knack for ballads, “The Other Side” has some beautiful moments built into it. It doesn’t hit the ball out of the park, but it has quality and ambition to spare. “Vegetable” has more cool funk, and importantly a soulful chorus that kills. “Jenna” has one of the heaviest riffs on the album, but doesn’t stand out…which is a shame as it is the last song. The final track, “Water Ceremony” is a joke track, closing the album on a burp! That’s…odd!

Of note: the always lucky Japanese fans got two bonus tracks. These were longer versions of “Believe” and “Vegetable”.

Manic Moonlight was a surpise to revisit, and with only a few sluggish moments (“Jenna” among them), it’s certainly a lot better than I remember.

3.5/5 stars

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