pop rock

REVIEW: Arkells – “Hand Me Downs” (2019 digital single) ft. Frank Turner

ARKELLS – “Hand Me Downs” (2019 iTunes)

“Oh-oh-oh!” sings Max Kerman in his most anthemic of choruses.  “When your head gets dizzy and you can’t get right.  Oh-oh-oh!  But you push on through, don’t be denied.”  This single from Rally Cry is an obvious highlight.

Kerman has always stood up for the little guy, in the face of banks and landlords.  “First of the month gets you stressed out, and moving trucks bring you right back.”   That’s what “Hand Me Downs” is.  You get the impression that these characters in these songs are amalgams of people that Max knew.  Most importantly, even more than the lyrics, is the power of the music.  “Hand Me Downs” is one of the Arkells most immediate, most catchy, most powerful songs to date.  And that’s saying a lot.  If there was a quintessential “trademark” Arkells song, “Hand Me Downs” would be among them.

This 2019 digital single came with three versions.  The album version, a live version, and a duet with English punk-folk rocker Frank Turner.  The Turner version is an entirely new recording, not just a remix.  A little more acoustic, a little less ornate, a little more live.   Very much up Frank’s alley.  It’s a little jarring to hear his accent on an Arkells song, but it’s a quick adjustment.  Turner grabs the verses by the balls and makes them his. He mixes well with Max on the chorus.  A brilliant version, and perhaps should have been released as a single in its own right.

The third and final version is an acoustic take from Clubhouse Austin (you can see a photo of Max on their website), and it’s perfectly recorded.  Very little noise, very clean.  Small rooms often make for the best live recordings.  Their vocals are absolutely perfect.  Arkells have proven time and again how talented they are in the studio, but it is live that counts the most.  “Hand Me Downs” live is flawless, yet not:  those vocal quirks that only come from a live performance, and only serve to sweeten the song, are everpresent.

“Hand Me Downs” makes for a brilliant three-song single.  It is still available for purchase.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Arkells – Rally Cry (2018)

ARKELLS – Rally Cry (2018 Universal)

In a sense, Rally Cry is the last Arkells album that was made conventionally.  Campfire Chords, Blink Once, and Blink Twice were all recorded during the pandemic.  Laundry Pile was unplanned.  Rally Cry is the last one recorded during quote-unquote “normal times”.  It is 10 songs, 36 minutes, and clearly focused on pop rock with a soul/R&B influence.

This album is loaded with Arkells-style anthems, and leads off with one:  “Hand Me Downs”.  Their working-class social consciousness creeps into the lyrics, but most people won’t be paying attention when the chorus hits:  “Woah-oh-oh!” shouts singer Max Kerman in a fashion he almost could have patented.  “Ain’t no shame in some hand-me-downs!”  Yet the words are some that any can relate to.  “First of the month gets you stressed out, and moving trucks bring you right back.”  Musically, this is not that different from the prior album Morning Report, though perhaps more direct.

“American Screams” juxtaposes irresistible dance music with a shot at organized religion.  “You got your good book all wrong. You wanna do God’s work, it’s gonna be hard work.”  The big thick dance beat though!  The thing about Arkells music is that the it is so strong, the lyrics can be ignored if you so choose.  It’s way more rewarding to look into what they’re saying.  Unfortunately, this single is just three minutes long!

“Relentless” hearkens back to the bands’ youths.  Ambitiously, it contains a sample “Sixolele Babe” by South African artist Chicco.  The sample is not obvious at all, and somehow fits right in with this pop rock anthem.  How do they find these records?  Musically illiterate, the Arkells are not.

Moving on momentarily to a more straightforward Arkells sound, “Only For A Moment” is softer, and driven by beats and piano.  A good time party tune, but with interesting things going on rhythmically.  The lyrics are not too heavy, though the theme is letting your stresses and anxieties go, if only for a moment.  Then a U2-like guitar lick chimes forth, while Max sings a melody that Bono could have written (but didn’t).  It’s hard not to compare to the Irish quartet; even certain inflections in the voice.

Flip the side of the record, and you are back in the disco with the big single “People’s Champ”.  It’s political, but not specifically so.  It’s just about a candidate who’s no good:  “You’ve got no vision for the long run, you’ve got no sense of history.”  And then the chorus, “I’m looking for the people’s champ, and it ain’t you!”  And then in the same song:  “All my girls say woah-oh!  All my dudes go, woah-oh!”  So, it’s a rally cry, but it’s also a hell of a good time.  And why not?  Do you have to be dead serious musically when your lyrics are cutting slices out of the elite?  Why not let that bass drum hit!  Why not let that bass thump!  Tim Oxford and Nick Dika oblige on both counts, while a horn section blasts in your ears.

“Eyes on the Prize” could have been a single too.  This is more R&B than rock and roll, with loads of soulful backing vocals.  This one sounds autobiographical.  “I was repeating conversations with a chip on my shoulder, replaying the scene over and over.”  But there’s those upbeat horns and lush backing vocals!  Halfway through the song, Max takes us to church.  Just like a preacher, he goes off on his tangent.  “And the man behind the counter turned up the radio, one of those old AM/FM boomboxes, the kind with the cassettes.”  Yes, he really sings that, with the soul backing vocals making it seem like the most important scene you’ve ever heard.  Though at its heart, “Eyes on the Prize” is a hit-worth Arkells anthem, it’s chock full of diverse musical ideas, expertly executed.  Genius songwriting and performance.

If you’re looking for a perfect summer soundtrack, check out the bass-driven “Saturday Night”.  Again, Max’s lyrics are interesting and fun.  “You and me talking about conspiracy theories, you said ‘I don’t give a fuck about a man on the moon.'”  Again the punchy horns deliver the 80s, like a song right out of the summer of ’85.  It sure feels the way I remember.  The party comes to a stop on the darker “Company Man”, as the messages return to the forefront.  Yet the music goes full 1970s, with rolling drums, bangin’ piano and horns blasting.

Album closer “Don’t Be A Stranger” is catchy, with a big drum beat like an old Beatles song.  It ends the album on something of a somber note, but also a hopeful one.  There’s a quaint keyboard part that gives it that throwback vibe.

Rally Cry, though musically and lyrically ambitious, does lack the emotional impact of Morning Report and some of the other preceding albums.  It is a trade-off.  The Arkells are somehow both streamlined, and expanded.  The melodic construction of the songs are more emphasized than ever before, but beneath that lie layers of musical experimentation, mostly in the direction of Motown.  As such, we don’t get heart-rending slow-burners like “Passenger Seat” from the prior album.  The guitar riffs aren’t on the forefront.  A good album it is, though perhaps by being so accessible, it loses that challenge that sometimes keeps an album in your deck for decades.

4/5 stars

RE-REVIEW: Arkells – Morning Report (2017 vinyl deluxe edition + 4 bonus tracks)

ARKELLS – Morning Report (2017 Universal vinyl deluxe edition)

Last time I reviewed Morning Report, I mentioned that the first two songs, “Drake’s Dad” and “Private School” were my least favourites.  Ironically Morning Report became my favourite Arkells album despite this.  When I re-bought it on a vinyl reissue, I was surprised but pleased to see that the running order had been altered!  Now, a new single called “Knocking At the Door” was track #2, with “Private School” moving on to #3.  This really changes things and makes the album a much more consistent listen from the start.

Y’see, I’ve discovered that I don’t particularly like when the Arkells get too much into modern mainstream pop.   Despite its powerful soul chorus, “Drake’s Dad” falls into this category for me.  It really does have a great chorus, a powerful soul/gospel chant of “I just wanna hold you, so high!” that raises the roof.  It also has a lush arrangement with strings and samples.

“Knocking At the Door” has modern elements too, but my attention is drawn to the blast of the horn section, and the impressive and aggressive drumming from Tim Oxford.  The track is just a banger.  The chorus is as powerful as the Arkells get.  Never a dull moment in this song.  Listen to the horns and drums, trust me!  Like “Drake’s Dad”, this one also features soul/gospel vocals.

The forgettable drinking anthem “Private School” has a fun hook of “Ah, fuck off, don’t say I’d do the same!”  Silly fun.  It doesn’t overstay its welcome, and soon makes way for the incredible ballad “My Heart’s Always Yours”.  This suave pop rock heart-tugger just hits all the feels.  Max Kerman has a way with words and I’m certain that the ladies love him for it.  Though keyboards are the prominent hook-delivering instrument, the pure passion and panache of this song just elevates it to the clouds.  As you’ll see later on, it doesn’t need the keyboards.  A brilliant song, made indelible in the brain and heart!

Things get even better on “Savannah”, the fast acoustic-based song with killer lyrics.  “She was named after, she was named after her dad’s favourite city.  I was named after, I was named after the fact…”  How does Max come up with this stuff?!  He paints a picture of characters, often female, drifting in and out of his life.  He tells their stories, often depicting musty old apartments, messy beds, and empty refrigerators.  Musically, “Savannah” is even better than lyrically.  It’s powerful and it has a trumpet solo, so what more could you want?  The chorus is probably the most immediate one on the album.

Then…get ready for chills, for it is time for “Passenger Seat”, the most haunting song on the album and easily one of the most chill-inducing I’ve ever heard.   Then the chorus comes, with Max in a high falsetto, accompanied by sparse piano and keyboard effects.  “Driving on the highway home, this time alone, doesn’t mean the same without you.  I turn on the radio, to somethin’ slow, just to let it fuck with my mood…but songs don’t sound the same without you in the passenger seat.”  Who can’t relate to that?  (People without driver’s licenses I suppose.)

Brightness returns on “Making Due”, like the light peaking through the blinds after a long night.  The music is pure uplifting magic, and the lyrics cut clean through.  A sunny guitar hook opens the track, and then Max delivers some of his best melodies and words to date.  That falsetto really nails the hooks home.  Favourite lines:  “I thought we made a deal, you were crossin’ your fingers!”  Or  “Got a pulse, but there’s a few beats missin’.”

Acoustics come to the fore on “Round and Round”, a folksy number (at first) that serves to bridge two very upbeat pop songs.  The band comes in partway and it becomes a little more late Beatles-y in a weird way.  Horns come blastin’ through, then synth, and it grows into something else entirely: something birthed in the early 80s, but also talking about MuchMusic’s Electric Circus TV show circa 1999.  An interesting track that is more than meets the ear.

“Hung Up” is impossible not to dance to.  “The gatekeepers are keepin’ me out, let me in!  Who made you the president, well fucker?”  The horns also return, along with the synth, creating a modern pop rock classic.  And I just love Max Kerman’s trio of “Well fucker?” at the end of the song.  (Also listen carefully for a reference to “Fake Money” from the prior album High Noon.)  No folks, he may be no Axl Rose, but Max Kerman is not afraid of dropping F-bombs right and left.  Fortunately I’m easily entertained and I find his use of the word (usually) effective and not overdone.

A beauty called “Come Back Home” is a quieter, slow ballad, with a thrumming bassline that provides a dreamy foundation, like a pillow.  “All would be forgiven if you’d come back home,” begs Max.  “‘Cause I just wanna be yours again.”  Filled with regret, Max is looking for reconciliation.  Morning Report could in fact be a concept album about shattered relationships and our reactions to them.  “And I thought about all the ways I could hurt you, to even the score of feelin’ deserted.”

The upbeat moods return on “A Little Rain (A Song for Pete)”.  Max has indicated he’s probably an atheist in past lyrics, but here he says “I stumbled in St. Peter’s Cathedral, there I was.  I never tried religion but man, I’ll try anything once.”  I can’t tell if this song is about someone name Pete, or if Max is singing as if he’s having conversations with St. Pete himself.  It means whatever you want it to!  This incredibly catchy tune has a fun, bouncy beat and a suitable synth riff to go with it.  Drummer Tim Oxford is definitely an underrated percussionist who doesn’t play it simple and always has catchy fills.

A slower but powerful song called “And Then Some”  is next to last.  This romantic dreamer is so good!  “And I love every inch of you, and then some and then some.”  Beautiful song and I can’t help but think of Tom Cochrane on the chorus.  Something about Max’s delivery sounds like the Red Rider frontman.

Strangely, after all this power, all these hooks, and thick arrangements, the final song is very different from anything else.  Quiet, understated and short, “Hangs the Moon” is like a coda.  The arrangement is very bare, and Max’s voice is the main feature.  The Arkells occasionally choose interesting, unconventional closing songs, and this is one.  It works, but it’s not among my favourite songs on the album, and besides, it’s only the closer on the original 12 track album.  We still have three more to go, all acoustic versions of previous songs.

“My Heart’s Always Yours” has a completely different feel as a piano and vocal arrangement.  Guitar and percussion come in later.  The vocal melody is identical, but the mood hits differently.  It’s more sombre, though still mesmerising.  For the softer arrangement, Max resorts to falsetto for some of the power-vocal moments.  The wonderful “And Then Some” sounds more like the album version, though stripped back to basics.  It’s still every bit as beautiful as the record, with a few little surprises.  The best of the bonus tracks.  The last bonus track is an unplugged version “Knocking At the Door”.  This version sounds akin to an earlier album like Michigan Left.   Similar vibe.  There’s a cool bit at the end where the band sings together that just demonstrates their talent and soul.  Great tune, cool bonus.  All these bonus tracks serve to enhance an already excellent album.

To go with the new tracks, the gatefold double LP set comes with new cover art.  It’s similar, but has a woman’s face sketched instead of a man’s.  I love when different editions get similar, but different art!  I didn’t even notice at first.

Morning Report is an album that I have listened to intensely for the last couple months, and has made a permanent impression on my soul.  With Max’s lyrics tattooed on my heart, I’m already terribly biased towards love.  The improved track list here corrects any flaws with the earlier version and renders it obsolete.

5/5 stars

 

REVIEW: Arkells – Morning Report (2016 CD)

“Hey, Nurse Kat!” I asked on Twitter one summery afternoon. “I already have and love High Noon and Michigan Left by the Arkells. What album should I buy next?”

“Morning Report,” answered Nurse Kat.

“Morning Report,” answered Nurse Kat’s friend.

“Ordered!” I responded.

In sum:  Nurse Kat and her friend were right.

4.5/5 stars

Wait wait wait…that’s not how we do reviews around here!  OK folks, let’s get ready to dive deep.  Coffee:  heated.  Let’s go.

ARKELLS – Morning Report (2016 Last Gang)

First of all I will preface all of this by saying that this album and this band has recently helped me get through a rough patch, so there is a certain attachment that I have made with Morning Report that colours everything I will say about it.  The fact that it made that connection is the important part.  An album that connects, that’s special.  That’s for life!

Here’s the interesting thing.  For an album I love so much, I don’t particularly care for the first two tracks!  I also find the closer underwhelming, but that leaves nine tracks of pure awesome to gush over.  But first, let’s get the opening pair out of the way.

I don’t particularly like when the Arkells get too much into modern mainstream pop, because I do not care for modern mainstream pop.  The opening pair “Drake’s Dad” and “Private School” would fall in this category for me.  Having said this, both songs have awesome choruses.  “Drake’s Dad” has a powerful soul/gospel chorus of “I just wanna hold you, so high!” that raises the roof.  It also has a lush arrangement with strings and samples.  “Private School” has a fun hook of “Ah, fuck off, don’t say I’d do the same!”  Silly fun.

The serious stuff starts with track #3, “My Heart’s Always Yours”.  This suave pop rock ballad just hits all the feels.  Max Kerman has a way with words and I’m certain that the ladies love him for it.  Though keyboards are the prominent hook-delivering instrument, the pure passion and panache of this song just elevates it to the clouds.  A brilliant song, made indelible in the brain and heart!

Things get even better on “Savannah”, the fast acoustic-based song with killer lyrics.  “She was named after, she was named after her dad’s favourite city.  I was named after, I was named after the fact…”  How does Max come up with this stuff?!  He paints a picture of characters, often female, coming in and our his life.  He tells their stories, often depicting musty old apartments, messy beds, and empty refrigerators.  Musically, “Savannah” is even better.  It’s powerful and it has a trumpet solo, so what more could you want?  The chorus is probably the most immediate one on the album.

Then…get ready for chills, for it is time for “Passenger Seat”, the most haunting song on the album and easily one of the most chill-inducing I’ve ever heard.   But then the chorus comes, with Max in a high falsetto, accompanied by sparse piano and keyboard effects.  “Driving on the highway home, this time alone, doesn’t mean the same without you.  I turn on the radio, to something slow, just to let it fuck with my mood…but songs don’t sound the same without you in the passenger seat.”  Who can’t relate to that?  (People without driver’s licenses I suppose.)

Brightness returns on “Making Due”, the song that really means something to Nurse Kat.  I can see why.  The music is pure uplifting magic, and the lyrics cut clean through.  A sunny guitar hook opens the track, and then Max delivers some of his best melodies and words to date.  That falsetto really nails the hooks home.  Favourite lines:  “I thought we made a deal, you were crossin’ your fingers!”  Or  “Got a pulse, but there’s a few beats missin’.”

Acoustics come to the fore on “Round and Round”, a folksy number (at first) that serves to bridge two very upbeat pop songs.  The band comes in partway and it becomes a little more late Beatles-y in a weird way.  Horns come blastin’ through, then synth, and it becomes something else entirely: something birthed in the early 80s, but talking about MuchMusic’s Electric Circus TV show circa 1999.  An interesting track that is more than meets the ear.

“Hung Up” is impossible not to dance to.  “The gatekeepers are keepin’ me out, let me in!  Who made you the president, well fucker?”  The horns also return, along with the synth, creating a modern pop rock classic.  And I just love Max Kerman’s trio of “Well fucker?” at the end of the song.  (Also listen carefully for a reference to “Fake Money” from the prior album High Noon.)  No folks, he may be no Axl Rose, but Max Kerman is not afraid of dropping F-bombs right and left.  Fortunately I’m easily entertained and I find his use of the word (usually) effective and not overdone.

The beautiful “Come Back Home” is a quieter, slow ballad, with a thrumming bassline that provides a dreamy foundation, like a pillow.  “All would be forgiven if you’d come back home,” begs Max.  “‘Cause I just wanna be yours again.”  Filled with regret, Max is looking for reconciliation.  Morning Report could in fact be a concept album about shattered relationships and our reactions to them.  “And I thought about all the ways I could hurt you, to even the score of feelin’ deserted.”

The upbeat moods return on “A Little Rain (A Song for Pete)”.  Max has indicated he’s probably an atheist in past lyrics, but here he says “I stumbled in St. Peter’s Cathedral, there I was.  I never tried religion but man, I’ll try anything once.”  I can’t tell if this song is about someone name Pete, or if Max is singing as if he’s having conversations with St. Pete himself.  It means whatever you want it to!  This incredibly catchy tune has a fun, bouncy beat and a suitable synth riff to go with it.  Drummer Tim Oxford is definitely an underrated percussionist who doesn’t play it simple and always has catchy fills.

A slower but powerful song called “And Then Some”  is next to last.  The romantic dreamer is so good!  “And I love every inch of you, and then some and then some.”  Beautiful song and I can’t help but think of Tom Cochrane on the chorus.  Something about Max’s delivery sounds like the Red Rider frontman.

Strangely, after all this power, all these hooks, and thick arrangements, the final song is very different from anything else.  Quiet, understated and short, “Hangs the Moon” is like a coda.  The arrangement is very bare, and Max’s voice is the main feature.  The Arkells occasionally choose interesting, unconventional closing songs, and this is one.  It works, but it’s not among my favourite songs on the album.

For me, Morning Report is 9/12 awesome songs, with 3 that are not bad but not my bag.

Morning Report is an album that I have listened to intensely for the last couple months, and has made a permanent impression on my soul.  With Max’s lyrics tattooed on my heart, my score will come as no surprise.

4.5/5 stars

Thanks Nurse Kat and friend for the recommend.

 

CONCERT REVIEW: Glass Tiger – Private Concert: Greystone Racquet Club Waterloo, Ontario July 13, 2023 by Dr. Kathryn Ladano

GLASS TIGER – Private Concert: Greystone Racquet Club Waterloo, Ontario July 13, 2023

Photos and review by Dr. Kathryn Ladano

About a month ago, I saw a social media post on Glass Tiger’s Instagram page that was announcing a very special private, acoustic concert, with only 50 tickets available to the public. I immediately thought, “well that sure is cool, but I’m sure it won’t be happening anywhere near me”. To my surprise, that event was happening in Waterloo, 15 minutes from my home. The ticket price was steep – $199 plus tax for one ticket. However, I knew that this was a once in a lifetime experience to see the band that was my absolute favourite growing up. I hesitated at the price for about 2 minutes and then reserved a ticket to ensure I got one before they sold out. I only bought one because I didn’t think I’d be able to convince anyone to pay that price. So, I opted to go to the show alone. This would be my third time seeing Glass Tiger live. The first time was when they opened for Roxette in 2012 at the Budweiser Stage in Toronto. The second time was five days before this concert – at the Kincardine Scottish Festival (a very large, outdoor event with thousands of people in attendance). I’d like to say that I saw them in their heyday in the 80’s and early 90’s, but I was a child living at home then, and my mom wouldn’t let me go!

I received an email two days before show advising us that for general admission ticket holders (me), the doors would open at 6:30pm, we could enjoy a cash bar and free appetizers, and the show would start at 8:30pm. The email mentioned there were also VIP tickets, and those people got to come earlier, receive several free drinks, and were able to access a private reception after the concert. I honestly have no idea how one could get those tickets. They were not advertised on any posting I saw. Because I was going alone and had no one to talk to, I decided to leave my house around 7:30pm, arriving around 7:45pm. As soon as I got there, I bought a beer (Waterloo Amber) and then claimed my spot at the very front of the stage right in the centre. To my surprise no one had staked out their spots to the concert! Everyone else was socializing and hanging out farther away from the stage. I’m sure I looked like a bit of an idiot, standing in front of the stage all by myself for so long. However, I wanted the best possible experience, and I didn’t want a little bit of social discomfort to ruin that. People could think whatever they wanted!

To my surprise, Glass Tiger emerged and came on stage at 8:15pm (not the 8:30pm that we were told). The entire band had to walk right beside and in front of me to get on stage. I was inches away from all of them! Glass Tiger still has three original members that perform in all of the live shows: singer Alan Frew, keyboardist Sam Reid, and guitarist Al Connelly. Their bassist, Wayne Parker, is still a member of the band but he no longer performs live with them due to his wife contracting Lyme disease several years ago. He’s opted to stay at home and care for her, which he can’t do when he’s on the road with the band. Alan Frew has a really great recurring Insagram live show called “Frew the Looking Glass”, where he talks to fans and often has special guests. I tuned in when Wayne was the special guest two years ago, which is where I learned all about this. Glass Tiger now has a different bassist when they perform live. Last week, at the Kincardine Scottish Festival, Tom Lewis filled that role. Last night though, because it was an acoustic show, they had a second acoustic guitar player and I unfortunately do not remember his name. The band was also joined by back-up singer Carmela Long and long-time drummer Chris McNeill.

Every other time I’ve seen Glass Tiger live I’ve been nowhere near the front – always pretty far away from the stage. This concert was the exact opposite. At various points in the show, I was able to make eye contact with every member of the band and I was always met with a big smile (probably because I had a huge smile on my face the entire night). Right from the start of the show, Alan Frew informed us that he was sick, and I noticed that he was sipping tea (rather than beer) during the show. Despite this, you couldn’t tell by hearing his voice. Where you could tell was in his energy – he was definitely lower energy than the previous week. However, it was clear that he still wanted to put on a great show, and he did. The show began with the relatively new song, “Fire it Up”, which absolutely fired up the audience. They played 13 songs in total for the main set, and then two more songs in their encore. The show lasted about an hour and a half in total. I could see the setlist from where I was watching the show, so I was never surprised about what was coming next. For some reason though, they switched up the last song and the second last song. On the setlist, the final song was supposed to be “Animal Heart”, but they went with “Thin Red Line” instead (which ultimately, I think was a better choice). The setlist (as played in the concert) was as follows:

  1.             “Fire it Up
  2.             “You’re What I Look For”
  3.             “I’m Still Searching”
  4.             “My Town” (Alan Frew told us Rod Stewart was invited to sing, but just hadn’t shown up to the venue yet!)
  5.             “This is Your Life”
  6.             “Healing Hands” (from Alan Frew’s first solo album)
  7.             “Right Here Right Now” (a cover of the Jesus Jones hit)
  8.             “My Song”
  9.             “Someday”
  10.             “Diamond Sun”
  11.             “I Will Be There”
  12.             “Animal Heart”
  13.             “Thin Red Line”

Encore:

  1.             “Heroes” (cover of the David Bowie song)
  2.             “Don’t Forget Me When I’m Gone”

 

The setlist was almost identical to the one I heard in Kincardine. There were only two differences: Instead of “Healing Hands” and “This is Your Life”, they played “Rhythm of Your Love” and “Ecstasy”.

While most of the audience was pretty dressed up, I opted to wear my Glass Tiger t-shirt that my mom got me for Christmas in 1988. For some reason, she got me an XXXL shirt – and I’m still swimming in it. The shirt (pictured) is from the album/song “Diamond Sun” and includes the song lyrics, “Love Gives Live” (which in the song is followed by the words, “and life is love”). When the band started playing Diamond Sun, and those lyrics came up, keyboardist Sam Reid looked at Alan Frew and pointed at my t-shirt. Alan then knowingly nodded his head. At another point in the song, Alan Frew also pointed to my shirt when singing those lyrics. The song has a new memory associated with it for me, and I’ll never forget that! Much to my surprise, I only saw one other person wearing a Glass Tiger shirt that night, and it was a significantly newer one. There were literally people of all ages at the show. The youngest was a child – maybe around 10 years old (I have a very hard time knowing what age children are, so I could be way off on that). There were also several seniors there – and many of them were right out front dancing beside me!

When the concert ended, I stuck around for a while on the off chance that I could get an autograph (I brought my CD copy of the “Thin Red Line” special edition, released in 2012). Because there was a VIP ticket option, the staff were clearly trying to ensure that only the people with those tickets had access to the band. I thought I’d wait anyway, just to see. To my surprise, guitarist Al Connelly came out by himself to grab some of his gear on the stage. A security guard was standing right in front of the stage, so I asked him if it would be okay if I asked Al for an autograph. He said absolutely, as long as I didn’t go onto the stage myself. I got Al’s attention and he said he’d come right back to sign my CD because his hands were full. True to his word, Al grabbed a beer and then came right back to where I was waiting and signed my album. Shortly after that, the security crew were telling us “regular” ticket holders that we had to move out of the space to make room for the VIP reception. I figured I would have no other opportunities to get more signatures, so I left the concert.

All in all, a fantastic show. It was a night I’ll never forget and I’m glad that I went ahead and got a ticket even with the higher price tag. While there were some songs I would have loved to hear live and didn’t (such as “Watching World’s Crumble”, “Far Away From Here”, “After the Dance”, and “Stand or Fall”), I still immensely enjoyed the experience and I would do it again in a heartbeat if such an opportunity ever came up again (and I’d have to figure out how to get a VIP ticket!). It was just announced that Glass Tiger will be inducted into Canada’s Walk of Fame – the crowd gave them a lot of cheers to recognize that accomplishment.

5/5 stars

REVIEW: Def Leppard – “Helen Wheels” from The Art of McCartney (2014)

Part Forty-Six of the Def Leppard Review Series

DEF LEPPARD – “Helen Wheels” and
JOE ELLIOTT – “Hi Hi Hi” from The Art of McCartney (2014 Arctic Poppy)

The Art of McCartney has to be one of the most anticipated yes lesser known tribute albums of the last two decades.  Anticipated because it promised new cover tunes by Kiss, Rick and Robin from Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Sammy Hagar, Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Heart, Willie Nelson Paul Rodgers, and so many more.  For this review series we’ll be looking at two tracks:  one by Def Leppard, and one by Joe Elliott.

Paul McCartney needs no introduction.  If he does, then I ask you to read about a band called “The Beatles” before you read anything else here!

Produced by Ronan McHugh and Def Leppard, “Helen Wheels” is unmistakable Def Leppard.  The opening drum pattern certainly recalls Rick Allen’s work on “Rocket”.  Then it careens into pure pop rock delight!  This Wings single was released in 1974 and later included on some versions of Band on the Run.  Driving, fun, and while different from Def Leppard’s core sound, it’s ideal for them to cover.  The boys in the band aren’t bad singers y’know.

Joe’s solo cover is “Hi Hi Hi”, a standalone Wings single from 1972.  This is far more raw than the Leppard track.  Abe Laboriel Jr. on drums!  Joe’s vocals were recorded at his home studio while the backing tracks were recorded in Los Angeles and London.  Quite a production, but that’s the modern way of doing things.    One thing about Joe’s vocal:  he absolutely goes for it!  It’s like rough and ready Joe from 1980 has returned, but with the skill and experience of an older singer.  This is just a piano-boppin’ rock and roller.

Bravo to Joe and Def Leppard for coming up with some inspired covers.  Certainly more inspired than most of the Yeah! covers album.

4/5 stars

Previous:  

    1. The Early Years Disc One – On Through the Night 
    2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
    3. The Early Years Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
    4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
    5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC Recordings 
    6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
    7. Pyromania
    8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
    9. Hysteria
    10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
    11. In The Round In Your Face DVD
    12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
    13. Adrenalize
    14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
    15. Retro-Active
    16. Visualize
    17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
    18. Video Archive
    19. “Slang” CD single
    20. Slang
    21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
    22. Euphoria
    23. Rarities 2
    24. Rarities 3
    25. Rarities 4
    26. Cybernauts – Live
    27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
    28. X
    29. Best Of (UK)
    30. Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection
    31. Yeah!
    32. Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews
    33. Yeah…Nah!  (Record Store Tales)
    34. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
    35. “C’Mon C’Mon” (picture disc)
    36. Taylor Swift & Def Leppard – CMT Crossroads (DVD)
    37. B.Sides
    38. Yeah! II
    39. Yeah! Live
    40. Mirror Ball: Live & More (Japan bonus track)
    41. iTunes Re-recordings
    42. Viva! Hysteria (CD 1 & DVD)
    43. Viva! Hysteria (CD 2 & bonus features)
    44. Viva! Hysteria (Japanese bonus track)
    45. Slang (2014 deluxe edition bonus tracks)

Next:

47. Def Leppard (Deluxe and Japanese versions)

RE-REVIEW: Def Leppard – Slang (2014 Deluxe edition bonus tracks)

Part Forty-Five of the Def Leppard Review Series

Original review:  Slang 2014 Deluxe Edition

DEF LEPPARD -DEF LEPPARD – Slang bonus tracks (Deluxe Edition, 2014 Bludgeon Riffola)

‘Twas a surprise when 1996’s Slang received the deluxe edition treatment in 2014.  The Viva! Hysteria celebrations were a success, and now another album was getting a little bit of attention, although the word “deluxe” really pushed it.  As the Heavy Metal Overlord once stated:

When it turned up I wis pure gutted. I thought the booklet had better be snazzy but it wisnae either. Just a wee hing where Joe tried tae mind stuff fae back in the day. Nae liner notes. Nae lyrics. Nuhin. Just some shite photies. My old copy had two discs, a slimmer case and lyrics. And some photies an aw! Gid wans. One of them oan a bus like they were aw goin doon the toon or somethin. How wis that no deluxe but this is deluxe? If they’d called it a “2CD Edition” that wid huv been awrite but they didnae. This is “deluxe”… cept it isnae. I don’t have a Scooby whit they’re playin at. Eejits.

Exactly.

Deluxe or not, the expanded edition of Slang gave new focus to the cult-status album.  Radically different versions of album tracks, unreleased songs, and works in progress offer a look at an album that really has never received its due credit for what it was.

The Slang deluxe featured a number of bonus tracks, and some iTunes exclusive bonus tracks as well.  Thankfully, the Def Leppard CD Collections box sets include some of these bonus tracks. Today we’ll mostly focus on the ones not included in previous reviews, from the Slang deluxe.

Here is a list of the iTunes bonus tracks, later included on one of the CD Collection box sets.  We’ve discussed these before in more detail.

1. “Truth?” (Demo Version) – Previously on “Work It Out” CD single.

2. “Work It Out” (Demo Version) – B-Side from “Work It Out” with Viv singing and completely different from the other versions on the Deluxe. Viv referred to it as his “Crowded House” version.

3. “When Saturday Comes” From the film When Saturday Comes and “All I Want Is Everything” single.

4. “Jimmy’s Theme” From the film When Saturday Comes and “All I Want Is Everything” single.

5. “Cause We Ended as Lovers” (Solo track by Phil)  From the Jeff Beck tribute album Jeffology: A Guitar Chronicle and “All I Want Is Everything” single.

6. “Led Boots” (Solo track by Viv)  From the Jeff Beck tribute album Jeffology: A Guitar Chronicle and “All I Want Is Everything” single.

There are also two iTunes exclusive bonus tracks that remain exclusive to iTunes.  We’ll get to those.

The Slang deluxe’s first bonus was track 12 on disc one, the buttery “Move With Me Slowly”, the original Japanese bonus track for Slang.  This is a beautifully recorded, raw, smooth, and sexy Def Leppard song.  An incredible song, as we have discussed on the CD Collection Vol. 2.  We’ll say it again:  should have been on the album.  We’ll add:  those guitar solos are so incredible.  Full of feel, organic sounding tone.  Some of the best guitar playing on a Def Leppard song.  Another good one is track 16, the acoustic “Can’t Keep Away From the Flame”, a B-side and Japanese bonus track to the Vault CD.  Another song that deserved a proper place on an album.  “Worlds Collide” is also on this set, a really heavy metal track, originally released on the B-side to “Goodbye” during the Euphoria era.  Heavy, but definitely B-side material.  We also have “Burn Out”.  Great little rocking groover, more like old Def Leppard than the final Slang album.  No loops, no electronic instrumentation, so acoustics.  Just chug, chug, chug and rock and roll.  Joe’s vocal is full of attitude.

Let’s go through all the remaining Slang bonus tracks and have a listen to a largely misunderstood album, as it might have been.

1. “All I Want Is Everything” (Demo) – iTunes only.  A unique version of the song, with the some of the lyrics intact and everything radically different.  The chorus has the final melody, but delivered as a more traditional rock shout.  The melancholy mood of the final version is taking shape, but there is no question that “All I Want Is Everything” was better in its final version.

2. “Turn to Dust” (Phil verse vocal version)  (Track 1, disc two.)  This version of the second Slang album track is similar to the final, though with Phil Collen singing the verses, with Joe on the chorus.  Phil’s raspier voice adds a different, laid back direction.  The backing track is not the final mix though the sitar and some of the effects are in place.  Collen fans will love it.

3. “Raise Your Love” (version of “Slang”)  (Track 2, disc two.)  Choppy rock guitars are the main feature here!  Joe’s opening rap is intact, but the song deviates from there.  The chorus is a very different refrain of Phil singing, “Baby raise your love!”  Cool track for sure, but the final song became something far more unique as we’ve seen.  If you wished “Slang” was a more rocking tune, then you better check out “Raise Your Love”.

4. “All I Want Is Everything” (1st draft) (Track 3, disc two.)  Somehow, the “1st draft” is more complete and closer to the album version than the “demo”.  Were the two versions mislabelled?  This sounds more like a demo, with the other being the first draft.  In fact this is so close to the final album mix, that you might be able to fool your friends.  The guitar solo is missing, as are the big vocal hooks that follow, which is the biggest clue.

5. “Work It Out” (1st draft) (Track 4, disc two.)  Like the above, this is very close to the final album version.  Very different from Vivian Campbell’s demo, one of the aforementioned iTunes bonus tracks.  Joe’s vocal is not the final take, but the backing track sounds almost ready.  The stuttering guitars and droning strings are all there.  You can hear, in the layers of guitar, the skeleton of Viv’s original idea.

6. “Breathe a Sigh” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 5, disc two.)  All the pieces are in the place but the atmosphere isn’t captured yet.  The final mix would nail that R&B crossed with Def Leppard vibe.

7. “Deliver Me” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 6, disc two.)  Again, very close to the final mark.  Just an earlier, less elaborate version of the final album mix.

8. “Black Train” (version of “Gift of Flesh”) (Track 7, disc two.)  The main riff is there.  The verse melodies are there.  The chorus is the major difference, with this one being a shouty affair.

9. “Blood Runs Cold” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 8, disc two.)  Of all the rough mixes, “Blood Runs Cold” is the most indistinguishable from the final track.  The chorus is the most different, with Phil prominently assisting Joe.

10. “Where Does Love Go When It Dies” (1st draft) (Track 9, disc two.)  Has an almost Marillion-like sheen to the opening guitar textures.  These fade and the mix goes purely acoustic.  This excellent song was already in fantastic shape at this stage.  Could have been on the album as-is.

11. “Pearl of Euphoria” (Feb ’96 rough mix) (Track 10, disc two.)  The epic album closer from Slang, in an early mix.  Similar, but the final version sounds busier, which enhances it.  They made some different choices in the middle section of this mix, but the in-your-face guitar is quite delectable.

12. “All on Your Touch” (2012 revisit) (Track 11, disc two.)  A Slang-era track never properly finished until 2012.  Laid back, dark ballad.  Understated, with shades of “Love Bites” in the guitars, but with an explosive hard-edged chorus.  Awesome solo work on this song.

13. “Anger” (“Deliver Me” 1st draft) (Track 12, disc two.)   Different from the above “final mix” which was very close to the album.  This “first draft” has a different chorus:  “Anger, I’m feeling so much anger!”  It fails to deliver the intended punch, and so it is good they revised it and kept working on it.  They obviously knew the chorus was not the needed hook.

14. “Move On Up” (Vivian demo) (Track 13, disc two.)  Completely unreleased song, a Campbell demo.  Neat punchy riff, with a hint of Jimmy Page.  Vivian sings, and his vocal melody is melodic, different and enjoyable.  It’s too bad the guys didn’t take this song further.

15. “Gift of Flesh” (Phil vocal) (Track 14, disc two.)  Another treat for those who love the raspy voice of Phil Collen on lead vocals.  The backing track is not all the way there yet, but Phil’s vocal track provided the blueprint for the final album version.

16. “Move with Me Slowly” (1st draft) – iTunes only.  The buttery smooth “Move With Me Slowly” appears again, this time in a “first draft” version exclusive to iTunes.  Rougher, slightly rawer mix.  The outro goes out longer, lingering like flavours on your tune.

While it was nice to see Slang get a reissue with a wealth a bonus material, it was a shame the packaging didn’t quite rise to the occasion.  With two tracks remaining unreleased in physical form, and not all the material from the era available in a single place, it’s not too late to do a super deluxe.

4/5 stars

Previous:  

  1. The Early Years Disc One – On Through the Night 
  2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
  3. The Early Years Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
  4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
  5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC Recordings 
  6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
  7. Pyromania
  8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
  9. Hysteria
  10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
  11. In The Round In Your Face DVD
  12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
  13. Adrenalize
  14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  15. Retro-Active
  16. Visualize
  17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
  18. Video Archive
  19. “Slang” CD single
  20. Slang
  21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
  22. Euphoria
  23. Rarities 2
  24. Rarities 3
  25. Rarities 4
  26. Cybernauts – Live
  27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
  28. X
  29. Best Of (UK)
  30. Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection
  31. Yeah!
  32. Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews
  33. Yeah…Nah!  (Record Store Tales)
  34. Songs From the Sparkle Lounge
  35. “C’Mon C’Mon” (picture disc)
  36. Taylor Swift & Def Leppard – CMT Crossroads (DVD)
  37. B.Sides
  38. Yeah! II
  39. Yeah! Live
  40. Mirror Ball: Live & More (Japan bonus track)
  41. iTunes Re-recordings
  42. Viva! Hysteria (CD 1 & DVD)
  43. Viva! Hysteria (CD 2 & bonus features)
  44. Viva! Hysteria (Japanese bonus track)

Next:

46. “Helen Wheels” (from The Art of McCartney)
47. Def Leppard (Deluxe and Japanese versions)

REVIEW: The Beaches – The Professional (2019 EP)

THE BEACHES – The Professional (2019 Universal EP)

Fact:  Toronto’s The Beaches put out consistently good music.  On their 2019 EP The Professional, they teamed up with big namer Jacknife Lee for production.  The band has grown a huge fanbase opening up for artists like Avril Lavigne, but the truth is they are better than most of the bands they open for.  The Beaches have developed a signature sound early on.  It doesn’t hurt that singer/bassist Jordan Miller has a unique, powerful voice.

Opener “Desdemona” boasts some sharp opening chords because the bass and drum groove takes us to the dancefloor.  Jordan Miller goes falsetto for that vintage vibe.  The guitars cut but don’t dominate.  There’s a fun 80s vibe but with the modern clarity and production that fans demand today.  It thumps!

More 80s vibes on “Fascination” which has an fast tempo Blondie direction.  Short, sweet and upbeat.  Synth drums open “Snake Tongue”, an understated angry pop masterpiece.  Check out these lyrics:

I can’t say I lack for much attention,
‘Cause these creeps come in from all directions,
Getting in my face,
Every single day.

And these:

Stop sending me all your dick picks,
They are boring me to pieces.

Although the Beaches certainly don’t need my sympathy, that kind of behaviour pisses me off.  Have some respect, dudes.  Though the music is nothing but pure uptempo fun, the lyrics bleed reality and it’s awesome.  You can hear why the Beaches are really resonating with kids today.

“Want What You Got” continues the 80s dance direction.  The bottom end just booms.  The chorus slays.  Everything about this song rules.  No weak links. There’s even a heavy breakdown midway through.  This is a guilt-free ode to jealousy, and why not.  When the chorus is this killer, who cares about deadly sins.

The final track “Lame” was a radio hit upon release.  A bit of an anthem, with bite! 70s glam rock vibes all over.  Loaded with attitude and soaring high on confidence, this track attacks!

The Beaches are only going to get bigger.  They’ve been releasing music consistently, including the Future Lovers EP and live tracks on Youtube.  Their next album will be huge, just wait.

5/5 stars

 

Catch the Beaches in Toronto TONIGHT!

 

REVIEW: Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection (US 2005)

Part Thirty of the Def Leppard Review Series

DEF LEPPARD – Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection (2005 Universal)

The Def Leppard’s Best Of released in the UK in 2004, North America followed suit in 2005 with Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection.  We’re not going to comment on that “definitive” claim, but this new compilation covered a bit of ground that the UK version did not.  With ten years and three albums since 1995’s Vault, it was a logical time to put out an updated collection.  With the musical Rock of Ages hitting the stage in Los Angeles, everything seemed to be lined up for Leppard.

Disc One is much the same as Best Of and Vault.  Same tracks in the same order with some slight variation.  The big difference here is that Disc One closes on something very special:  The High N’ Dry instrumental scorcher  “Switch 625”.  It was a side closer on High N’ Dry and so fits the role of ending Disc One very well.  It’s the heaviest song on the disc by a mile, and the only one that was not a single somewhere.  A brilliant surprise especially to those who didn’t know Leppard’s heavy side.  This version fades in from “Bringin’ On the Heartbreak” just like it did on album.  Really, it’s a one-two combo.

Disc Two is a larger departure from that on Best Of.  They both begin with “Rock Rock (Till You Drop)” and then diverge.  Here, we carry on with a killer streak of early tracks from High N’ Dry and Pyromania.  “Let It Go”, “High ‘N’ Dry (Saturday Night)”, “Too Late For Love”, all rifftastic tracks of Clarkian proportions.  “Let It Go” isn’t on Best Of.

The key “bait” on these new greatest hits compilations was the inclusion of one new cover song.  On Best Of, it was “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks.  Here it is “No Matter What” by Badfinger, a truly poptastic inclusion that benefits from Leppard’s vocal prowess.  According to Phil in the liner notes, the band started playing it live on the X tour and therefore decided to record it.  With two great covers in the bag and on the shelves, we’d certainly expect the band’s forthcoming covers album to knock the socks off….

More great songs follow the Badfinger cover, beginning with the hit “Promises” from Euphoria which does deserve the spot.  “Mirror Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” (which wasn’t on Best Of) and “Another Hit and Run” sandwich the hit “Women” from Hysteria.  It’s just a constant stream of awesome.  “Slang” follows, which although a great song indeed, sounds out of place next to these riff rockers.

The excellent ballad “Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)” is a disc highlight.  So is the early track “Rock Brigade”, a blazer from On Through the Night.  “Now”, from X, could have been left off.  It is however the only representation of the X album here.  The superior “Long, Long Way to Go” was included on Best Of, but not here.  Instead, we get a great epic track that was not on Best Of called “Paper Sun”.  A universal favourite from Euphoria, it really deserved to be on a compilation of some kind.  Then “Work It Out” from Slang is a modern sounding track that might not be heavy, but sure is worth uncountable listens over the years.

The closing trio of rockers are a delight.  “Die Hard the Hunter”, “Wasted” and “Billy’s Got a Gun” are beloved Leppard non-singles that have been cherished by fandom for a long time.  Particularly “Wasted”, likely the heaviest Leppard track of all time.  It’s all riff!  As for “Billy’s Got a Gun”, it gets the closing position that it should have had on Best Of.  They got the running order right this time.

Similar to the UK Best Of, this compilation has ample photos and liner notes inside.  The band track commentary remains, as does the opening essay.  For overall listening, this is probably the better of the two.

3.5/5 stars

Previous:  

  1. The Early Years Disc One – On Through the Night 
  2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
  3. The Early Years Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
  4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
  5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC Recordings 
  6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
  7. Pyromania
  8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
  9. Hysteria
  10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
  11. In The Round In Your Face DVD
  12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
  13. Adrenalize
  14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  15. Retro-Active
  16. Visualize
  17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
  18. Video Archive
  19. “Slang” CD single
  20. Slang
  21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
  22. Euphoria
  23. Rarities 2
  24. Rarities 3
  25. Rarities 4
  26. Cybernauts – Live
  27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
  28. X
  29. Best Of (UK)

Next:

31. Yeah!

REVIEW: Def Leppard – Best Of (UK 2004)

Part Twenty-Nine of the Def Leppard Review Series

DEF LEPPARD – Best Of (2004 Mercury UK)

Nine years after Vault, why not another “best of” collection?  And why not make it a double?  And a “limited edition” too?

The approach was all but perfect for Def Leppard’s double Best Of.  Except when you look at it in hindsight.  You always need some bait, and this time the bait was an unreleased new track.  Suggested by Phil for a forthcoming covers album, Leppard recorded “Waterloo Sunset” by the Kinks, and quite well in fact.  The problem was it was going to be re-released in two years on 2006’s Yeah!.  So we spent all that money on one new track that we were going to end up re-buying in two years.  Hard to justify.

Fortunately, “Waterloo Sunset” is an excellent version.  It defies expectation in fact.  Phil and Vivian sound absolutely stellar on guitar, with warm tones.  It’s soft, laid back, and Joe Elliott nails the lead vocal in his own style.  It does sound like Def Leppard, but it does not sound like them bastardizing the Kinks in any way.  It sounds just fine, like a Waterloo sunset!

The compilation kind of plays as if disc one was the “greatest hit” and disc two is the “bonus disc”.  The first disc is almost an exact repeat of the UK version of Vault., with only slight differences.  It opens with the “video version” of “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, and then rolls through a what’s-what of Leppard hits.  Every song, in order, from the UK Vault, until you get to track 10.  Originally “Foolin'”, track 10 was swapped for “Action”.  Then for track 11, they inserted the recent ballad “Long, Long Way To Go”, a good selection.  “Make Love Like A Man” is also wedged in here, which let’s face it, most of us can do without.  The Vault tracklisting then resumes, with “Armageddon It” through to the end, but minus “Miss You In A Heartbeat”.  “Foolin'” eventually appears on CD Two, but “Miss You In A Heartbeat” does not.  In the end, CD One is two songs longer, and overall a better listen than the original UK Vault.

CD Two is the one that hardcore fans will enjoy more.  “Rock! Rock!”, what an opening number.  “Promises” is the only inclusion from Euphoria, and justifiably so.  Then you get “Slang” for a double dose of fun, and then the melancholy “Foolin'”.  An unfortunate inclusion is the morose “Now” from the X album, but it’s worth sitting through to get to “Rock Brigade” from the debut.  That’s an odd transition, by the way.  From Lep’s latest with programming and loops and bleeps and bloops, to their early hard riffing stuff.  Very weird.  Sounds like two different bands presented that way.

Every single track after the dull “Now” is a killer.  “Women” wasn’t on Vault.  Strange, right?  Rectified here.  Then onto “Let It Go”, the killer “Too Late For Love”, and “High ‘N’ Dry”.  A trifecta of perfect right there.  The disc takes a turn to the modern side again on “Work It Out”, but at least this track isn’t a waste of space.  It might not fit with the early Lep songs so well, but it has integrity and wickedly choppy guitars.  When it fades, we go into “Billy’s Got A Gun” which ups the Pyromania factor a notch.  “Hit and Run” and the ever-loved “Wasted” bring more of that old-school vibe, but sandwiched between them is the ballad “Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion)”.  A great ballad and highlight of the disc, but in an odd setting to be sure.

Following “Wasted”, the disc closer is “Die Hard the Hunter”, another strange choice.  Would “Billy’s Got A Gun” not made for a better closer?  Or even “Wasted”?  Probably.  Good song, but in the wrong position for sure.  It’s just not the kind that closes an album.  It’s more the kind that closes a side (which it did on Pyromania).

Sonically, the second disc is the most uneven since it combines tracks from both the first album and the most recent.  It’s also a much more fun listen just because it includes a couple deeper cuts and some lesser heard gems.  I mean…”Wasted”, right?  Just wish it was the closer.

On the plus side, Best Of Def Leppard has a nice booklet with track commentary from the band members.  There’s an essay and a few photos.  It also comes in a nice cardboard slipcase with an embossed Def Leppard logo in shiny black.  The cover art, with that slate background, is simple, cool and effective.  There’s even a picture of Steve Clark inside (but no Pete Willis).

So what about that covers album?  In the liner notes, Joe says it’s recorded, but it took them until 2006 to release it.  In the meantime, the US would put out their own 2 CD compilation album, with a slightly different running order, a few different deep cuts, a Badfinger cover instead of the Kinks, and a better closing track.  How does the US compilation stack up against the UK?  Check in next time.

3/5 stars

Previous:  

  1. The Early Years Disc One – On Through the Night 
  2. The Early Years Disc Two – High N’ Dry
  3. The Early Years Disc Three – When The Walls Came Tumbling Down: Live at the New Theater Oxford – 1980
  4. The Early Years Disc Four – Too Many Jitterbugs – EP, singles & unreleased
  5. The Early Years Disc 5 – Raw – Early BBC Recordings 
  6. The Early Years 79-81 (Summary)
  7. Pyromania
  8. Pyromania Live – L.A. Forum, 11 September 1983
  9. Hysteria
  10. Soundtrack From the Video Historia – Record Store Tales
  11. In The Round In Your Face DVD
  12. “Let’s Get Rocked” – The Wait for Adrenalize – Record Store Tales
  13. Adrenalize
  14. Live at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert
  15. Retro-Active
  16. Visualize
  17. Vault: Def Leppard’s Greatest Hits / Limited Edition Live CD
  18. Video Archive
  19. “Slang” CD single
  20. Slang
  21. I Got A Bad Feeling About This: Euphoria – Record Store Tales
  22. Euphoria
  23. Rarities 2
  24. Rarities 3
  25. Rarities 4
  26. Cybernauts – Live
  27. Cybernauts – The Further Adventures of the Cybernauts (bonus disc)
  28. X

Next:

30. Rock of Ages: The Definitive Collection (US)
31. Yeah!