BLACK SABBATH – 13(2013 Universal deluxe, Best Buy, and Spotify editions)
Last year, Uncle Meat gave us his detailed review of Black Sabbath’s 13. (His rating: 3.25/5 stars. Check out his full review for the scoop on the first CD of this metal monolith.) Having had almost a year to live with it myself, I think it’s time I got around to reviewing the songs he didn’t: the bonus tracks!
The deluxe and Best Buy editions have “Methademic,” “Peace of Mind,” and “Pariah.” “Methademic” is cool for being a fast-paced heavy rocker, something I associate more with a Dio kind of sound. It’s a good track, good enough that Sabbath play it live. Geezer’s got a serious groove going on with the bass part, and Brad Wilk is playing with furious drive. You wouldn’t consider this song to be as good as any on the first CD of 13, but it’s a great bonus track.
“Peace of Mind” is of equal quality to “Methademic.” This time Sabbath have gone back to doomy, but Ozzy’s vocal melody takes it to a special place. All it’s missing is that looseness that only Bill Ward could provide. It sounds so authentically Black Sabbath, but if you concentrate on the beat, you can hear that the loose swing of old is not there. Having said that I enjoy “Peace of Mind” very much, especially when it picks up after the 2:15 mark.
My favourite of this trio of songs is “Pariah.” It occupies a mid-paced groove which chugs along nicely. Tony has a couple cool riffs in it, but once again Ozzy’s vocal seals the deal. Tony’s guitar solo is icing on the cake. I love when he has a chance to slow down and play bluesy, as he does here.
Japanese fans, and Best Buy shoppers have their own exclusive bonus track, and it’s the one with the best title: “Naïveté in Black.” You have to love that. This smoker is similar to “Time Machine,” from Dehumanizer. I don’t know why a song this good was left to Best Buy, because it’s better than the other three. It’s definitely unique among the 13 songs for sounding more like Dio-Sabbath than Ozzy-Sabbath; perhaps that’s the primary reason. Count me as a big fan of “Naïveté in Black.”
Finally even Spotify have a bonus track, which is “Dirty Women,” live. This is with Tommy Clueftos on drums, from the same show as the recent Gathered In Their Masses live DVD (but not the CD). I am fortunate enough to have an excellent quality copy of the song burned to a CD, the perfect final bonus track to 13.
But that’s not all folks. With the deluxe box set edition, there’s a DVD as well. There is a brief documentary about the reunion and recording of the new album. There are quite a few humorous moments, but I do not consider this to be much of a bonus. All this stuff is available for free on youtube. I don’t value a physical copy of something like this as much as I value a physical copy of a song.
Best moment:
Fan – “I came all the way from Croatia!”
Ozzy – “Where the fuck is that?”
The deluxe set is large and very nice to look at, but I considered it sparse in terms of worthwhile goodies. There are lots of large glossy photos, but they’re not up to handling repeatedly. There’s a print of the “God Is Dead?” single art, a 2 CD set (minus “Naïveté in Black”), and 13 on double 180 gram vinyl LPs. Everything is lovely and fragile. There’s also far too much room in the box itself for everything, so things move around inside. That’s a bit of a design flaw just to save on some extra cardboard packaging.
The Best Buy set came with a T-shirt, which I have kept in-package. You can find pictures of both versions below.
JOHNNY CASH – American VI: Ain’t No Grave (2010 American Recordings)
Seven years after Johnny Cash passed, Rick Rubin released American VI: Ain’t No Grave. It is billed as the “final Johnny Cash studio album”. Listening to it is simply an awesome experience. It’s one of the finest of Johnny’s American Recordings. I think my favourite is American IV: The Man Comes Around, but American VI is a contender.
Beginning with the dark, powerful “Ain’t No Grave”, Johnny is defiant. He does not fear death. “Ain’t No Grave” has more accompaniment than most of the tracks on this album, which are adorned only by the odd piano keys, steel guitar, or rhythm. Johnny’s voice is weak, yet that baritone is still so defiantly powerful. Even in illness, Johnny refused to stop making music, his aching voice a shadow of what it once was. Yet even that aching voice stirs powerful emotions through the music. Only Johnny could sing these songs the way he did.
Mortality is a common theme. Other highlights for this listener included:
“Redemption Day”, a track written by Sheryl Crow and an upbeat number.
Kris Kristofferson’s “For the Good Times”, lush with acoustic guitars.
“I Corinthians 15:55”, Johnny’s sole writing credit, taken from the Bible. Truly an inspiration. Johnny’s faith kept him going in those last days.
“Last Night I Had the Strangest Dream”, a song about a dream of world peace. Maybe Johnny was also imagining the place he thought he’d be after death took him.
“Aloha Oe”, an upbeat Hawiian melody, ending the album with the haunting words, “Someday, we’ll meet again”.
I know Rick Rubin lovingly produced these final six Johnny Cash albums, befriending the man and earning his trust. Knowing that, I trust that Rubin finished these songs the way that Johnny would have wanted them to sound. Mike Campbell and Benmont Tench from the Heartbreakers are among the musicians involved.
I do love what Rubin did with the packaging. A picture of Johnny as a boy on the front, a ghostly Johnny gazing through a window on the back, no song list on the cover. Inside is a booklet with a copy of Johnny’s handwritten lyrics to “I Corinthians 15:55”, a really cool touch. No liner notes. Rubin lets the music speak for itself.
All of the American recordings (which also included the fine box set Cash Unearthed, and 1998’s live VH1 Storytellers with Willie Nelson) will go down in history as some of the most important country recordings of our lifetimes. Personally I cannot think of another artist in any genre who was so prolific in his or her last days. The fact that these final recordings are so diverse, so strong, and so powerful are a testament to the Man in Black.
RECORD STORE TALES Part 224: Rockin’ Is Ma Business
In 1995, this guy I knew named Freddy was looking for more new tunes. He’d been playing all the Gary Moore and Stevie Ray Vaughn that I could get him, but he wanted some rock as well. Something a little heavier.
“Have you heard of the Four Horsemen?” I asked.
“Nope,” he answered. “Who’re the Four Horsemen?”
The Four Horsemen were a great band. They had a solid AC/DC vibe mixed in with assloads of southern rock. They were an odd mixture of personnel, with members from Wales, America and Canada. They featured ex-members of DOA and The Cult (Haggis), along with a charismatic unknown singer from Long Island who went by the name of Frank C. Starr. They were a volatile band and the original lineup imploded, but there were also rumours of a reunion and second album. (Sadly, drummer Ken “Dimwit” Montgomery passed away, and after recording the second album, Frank Starr would be close behind.) They did manage to crank out a solid debut, helmed by Rick Rubin, called Nobody Said It Was Easy.*
Freddy was sold without hearing a single song, after I described how strong the debut was. We had it stocked new for the low, low price of $14.99. Freddy made his purchase and headed out.I was confident he would be satisfied.
A week later, Freddy returned. He had a bone to pick with me about Nobody Said It Was Easy.
“It was good music,” he said, “But not what I was looking for. You said it was more like AC/DC. This doesn’t sound anything like AC/DC. It’s more country. I don’t know why you said it sounded like AC/DC.”
I was really confused. How could you miss those AC/DC-isms? The rock solid beats, smoking guitars, and screamin’ lead vocalist? What Freddy was saying didn’t make much sense.
We talked for a while trying to make sense of each others’ side of the story, getting nowhere, so I asked him to bring the CD back in. He did, and I put it in the player. Sure enough, Freddy was right — but on a CD clearly labelled The Four Horsemen was music by Dwight Yoakam! The voice was unmistakable.
How could this happen? It was rare, but not impossible, for a CD to be manufactured but then labelled and packaged as the wrong album. Dwight Yoakam was on Reprise, and the Horsemen on Def American. Both labels were subsidiaries of Warner Brothers. Obviously the CDs were also manufactured in a Warner plant, for this mix-up to happen.
I insisted that Freddy return the CD so we could make it right, but he didn’t want to! He liked the Dwight Yoakam album and wanted to keep it! I ordered him a replacement copy of Nobody Said It Was Easy, and he liked that one too.
A lot of people were surprised that a CD could end up with the wrong music or artwork (however you want to look at it) printed on it. It was rare, but it could happen and did. Fortunately Freddy was happy with both records!
*The Four Horsemen finally reached a wider audience in 2012, in the movie GI Joe: Retaliation. From their second album, “Back In Business” is featured completely out of context during a frantic action sequence. The lyrics of the song are clearly about getting screwed over by record labels and passing trends in music.
Uncle Meat is back to tell us about the new Sabbath — the standard 8 track retail version. When I get the deluxe and Best Buy editions, I’ll do my own. Until then, please welcome Uncle Meat for his insightful take on one of the most anticipated albums of the last 33 years.
BLACK SABBATH – 13 (2013 Universal)
What is your favorite Black Sabbath album? How many times do you think that question has been asked over the last 30 years or so? Before today, I would have said my personal favorite would be a tie between Volume 4 and Heaven and Hell(cop-out answer I know). Expectedly, that has not changed after listening to the long-anticipated “reunion” album simply titled 13. There is a case to be made that this is one of the most anticipated albums of all time. So does this album live up to that hype?
The true answer to that question lies within you as the listener of course. Personally, I always find that something truly great will build momentum with every listen. With that in mind, my first listen to 13 was one of pleasant surprise. It has been a long time since Black Sabbath (or Heaven & Hell for that matter) has released something that I have connected with. Even Dehumanizer, which I believe to be the last relevant Sabbath album, went in a direction that was not really what I wanted to hear from Black Sabbath. My theory is that with Dehumanizer, they were trying to “reclaim the throne” so to speak. Being overly heavy just for the sake of being heavy, and losing the diversity and groove that made them true rock royalty. It appears Rick Rubin has brought back at least some of that old Black Sabbath magic.
Rick Rubin’s legacy is almost as iconic as Black Sabbath themselves. He has been responsible for the re-birth of several artists such as Slayer, Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Johnny Cash et al. The first thing that struck me about 13 was the bass sound. Geezer has never sounded better and is hot in the mix, complimenting and adding to every track. I also really like Tony Iommi’s guitar sound on this album. More than a few times I found myself reminded of that classic Iommi riff sound. Brad Wilk’s drums are great, and this could be nit-picking, but there is no doubt that Ward’s drum style is missed here on a few tracks. Even Ozzy gets a passing grade here but I suspect that has a lot more to do with Rubin rather than a resurgence of Ozzy’s voice. I was pleasantly surprised as well by the vocal melody lines on the album as a whole.
TRACK 1 – “END OF THE BEGINNING”
The guitar parts in the verses paint an almost too-reminiscent picture of Black Sabbath‘s “Black Sabbath”. But overall this track is strong throughout its 8:07 running time. Definitely a great start to the album. Ozzy hits some notes at the end of this song that I find hard to believe even came out of the man. Steroids?
TRACK 2 – “GOD IS DEAD?”
I was not thrilled about this song when it was released prior. Not that I dislike this song, just nothing special here to me. Next.
TRACK 3 – “LONER”
Good track. They are somewhat ripping themselves off here to be honest, and that’s OK ’cause every band with longevity does it to an extent. Main riff is VERY reminiscent of “N.I.B.”, and also Ozzy’s “Alright now” and “Come on, Yeah!” made me genuinely smile. Anyone remember Barry Horowitz? Patting himself on the back?
TRACK 4 – “ZEITGEIST”
More self-pilfering, this is the the “Planet Caravan” of the album. Don’t particularly like that song to begin with. There are more strong vocals from The Madman here though. But, still glad it’s the shortest song on the album (4:37).
TRACK 5 –”AGE OF REASON”
This track is in a tie right now with upcoming Track 7 (oh the drama!) as my favorite tune on the album. Not only are the best riffs of the album on this song, I found myself loving the progressions here. They remind me of the diverse song-writing on Sabotage, for example. “Age of Reason” also contains a CLASSIC Tony Iommi solo. This cannot be under-stated. One kick-ass monster Tony Iommi solo!
TRACK 6 – “LIVE FOREVER”
The second shortest track on the album at 4:49, this is a good little song; and a great main riff on this track. Very reminiscent of one of my favorite Sabbath songs, “Cornucopia” and even Brad Wilk seems to channel some Bill Ward in the open crash cymbal playing on this song.
TRACK 7 – “DAMAGED SOUL”
This is what we have been waiting for. This is Sabbath being Sabbath better than all the bands that try, intentionally or un-intentionally, to be Sabbath. [Wait until you see tomorrow’s story — LeBrain] This is what I want from my Black Sabbath. Doom meets gloom meets the blues. There is something wonderfully sloppy about the guitar on this song. Like a cross between Iommi and Keith Richards. We even get some Ozzy harmonica in there. Love the bridge in this song and the harmony vocals that come with it. The last third of this song is just lovely. Yes… I said lovely. Check it out. I must take back a proclamation made earlier in this review. This is my favorite track on the album. It’s that simple.
TRACK 8 – “DEAR FATHER”
The last track on the album is solid. Once again there are some great drums on this song. It builds momentum as well, getting more majestic as it goes along. The last track on the album has a very fitting ending. The track ends with the thunder, rain and tolling of the bell that started off their very first album 43 years ago.
The bottom line is this: Black Sabbath have released a very relevant album in 2013. I had my doubts if that was possible, and I am sure the presence of Rick Rubin was a big part of this being a very good if not great album. Even without Bill Ward, there is life and inspiration within 13. I find the ending of this album (hopefully) very fitting. They have made an album which will be rightly recognized as something special, and this should be the end for Black Sabbath. A glorious end indeed.
A solid 3 ¼ / 5 stars
Look for Mike Ladano’s upcoming review of the super duper extra-special royale deluxe version … containing several more tracks … coming soon.
JOHNNY CASH – American IV: The Man Comes Around (2003 American)
I have published over 300 reviews here at mikeladano.com (use the search button on the top right to look up anything you want). Yet, I still hadn’t got around to Johnny Cash! That’s strange, because Johnny Cash is very special to me.
Everybody “says” they love Johnny Cash. Many of them jumped on board when he died and became “cool” again. Take Dandy, for example, a trend chaser who inked Johnny’s face on his arm a few months after he died. But hey, if you’re on board now, that’s cool. There’s plenty of room for everyone.
Johnny Cash was my first concert. In Canada in the early 1980’s, Johnny had an endorsement deal with Canada Trust, where my dad worked. Their brand new ATM machines were called Johnny Cash machines, and my dad even had some promotional Johnny Cash bills, a cool marketing gimmick. He went to see Johnny, his idol, when Johnny came to town. The first night of a two-nighter, my dad met him. On the second night, he brought me along (I didn’t get to meet him). Johnny modified his original concert opening by saying, “I’m Johnny Cash, 24 hour money machine” (in reference to the ATMs). I still remember June kicking off her shoes!
The Man Comes Around is my favourite of the American Recordings, helmed by Rick Rubin. It was also the last one released in Johnny’s lifetime. It is, all at once, extremely powerful, morose, joyful, and catchy. All filtered through Johnny’s unmistakable baritone, worn and weary but no less strong and expressive. Like other American albums, it is a mixture of originals and covers, oldies and more recent fare.
The most well-known song on American IV was “Hurt”, the Nine Inch Nails cover. It is remarkable by being so different, yet true to the spirit of the original. I prefer Johnny’s take on it to Trent’s, truthfully. “Hurt” is only one of many remarkable covers on this album. Johnny and Fiona Apple tend “Bridge Over Troubled Water”, with quiet mellotron in the background.
My favourite song is Sting’s “I Hung My Head”. I couldn’t believe the credits when I read that (having skipped Sting’s Mercury Falling album). I thought for certain this had to be a new Cash original. Lyrically, I was convinced this tragic tale came from the mind of the Man in Black, but I was wrong. It’s a spellbinding song, painting a clear picture, and Johnny’s delivery is perfect.
“In My Life” is the favourite of Mrs. LeBrain. She’s a huge Beatles fan. We selected this song for the signing of the register at our wedding. I received kudos on the musical selection from Tom Morwood and Jen’s Uncle Rick, who loved the Johnny. While very different from the Beatles version, I think I can safely say I like both equally.
I’m not too keen on the Depeche Mode cover (“Personal Jesus”), but I don’t like Depeche Mode much. I know some who think the cover is brilliant, so we’ll go with that. Johnny and Rubin tranform the song into a dark acoustic stomp.
Other highlights include the classic “Sam Hall”, which Johnny also performed on his 1965 album, Johnny Cash Sings Ballads of the True West. I love Johnny’s energetic delivery on this traditional. We enjoyed this one at the record store, a lot. “Danny Boy” is another from 1965 (Orange Blossom Special) that Johnny takes a second crack at. This time it’s a more intimate affair without the backing vocals. Johnny compensates with his rich storyteller’s voice, each flaw telling a story of its own.
Elsewhere, I love “Desperado”. And that’s interesting because like the Dude, I hate the fuckin’ Eagles.
The album closes with “We’ll Meet Again”, the Vera Lynn classic. I always think of Kubrick (Dr. Strangelove) when I hear this song. So for me, I can hear a sly wink in “We’ll Meet Again”, a hint of humour, as if Johnny knew this would be the last song on the last album released in his lifetime.
But it’s not really the last song. On my wishlist is the vinyl edition, which had two bonus tracks: Marty Robbins’ “Big Iron” (another personal favourite) and an exclusive version of “Wichita Lineman”.
My copy of the album came with a bonus DVD. Nothing to get excited about, it’s just the music video for “Hurt”. Granted that’s a great video, but the DVD is less special in 2013 than it was in 2003. Now, everybody Youtubes.
And make no mistake, Meat wrote every word. No messing around from me. Enjoy!
PET SOUNDS– THE BEACH BOYS (1966)
When The Beatles released Rubber Soul in 1965, Brian Wilson heard something that inspired him to try and make his own masterpiece. The result was Pet Sounds, which saw The Beach Boys discard their typical surf-inspired ditties and create an album that will always be a classic. I remember when I first heard this album I was completely blown away that it was a 1966 album. The overall sound of it is so full and rich, and it’s funny how everyone thinks The Beatles main influence for Sgt. Peppers was drug-related, and I am sure it was, but that classic would never have been without this classic album first. Do yourself a favour and re-discover The Beach Boys by checking this out.
QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE – QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE (1998)
There are a lot of people that think that the QOTSA album Rated R, is the band’s first release. In all reality it is their third release if you count the Kyuss/Queens of the Stone Age EP. However, it is a shame that this album has been somewhat overlooked. I think it is by far their best album. To gauge just how much I got into this album could never be measured. For years, I stated that this album was my favorite album ever with distortion. Now trust me I realize the exaggeration in that statement (I have since relented) but it doesn’t take away how brilliant I believe this album truly is. This is a true collection of groovy rock songs, so much so that QOTSA could have titled this album exactly that. I have not been a fan of the last few QOTSA albums, and frankly I wish they could harness this approach once again. Check out the included track “Avon”. An absolute air-drumming seminar at its finest!!
ROXY & ELSEWHERE – FRANK ZAPPA & THE MOTHERS (1974)
One of the albums previously on this list, Joe Jackson’s Big World, was a live album containing new material. Considering the content of this particular album, that format was never more impressive or more challenging than Zappa’s album Roxy & Elsewhere. From beginning to end, it’s hard to believe the complexity of what was happening onstage during these recordings. From the colourful vocals of Napoleon Murphy Brock, to the guitar-fueled madness of Zappa himself, this is my personal favorite of all of Zappa’s recordings. Songs like “Pygmy Twilite” and “Village of the Sun” are absolute genius. The concert film of these recordings is STILL in limbo for whatever reason. Included is a clip of the song “Montana”, recorded during these sessions but not included on the album itself.
SCENES FROM A MEMORY-METROPOLIS 2 – DREAM THEATER (1999)
I simply couldn’t do a list like this without including Dream Theater. I like heavy music and I like progressive music. This band combines those two qualities perhaps better than any band ever has, and on this album its done to perfection. This is your classic “concept album” and tells an interesting story that needs to be experienced. But the true experience of this album is that it is a piece of song-writing and musical brilliance. If you have seen Rush’s biopic Beyond The Lighted Stage, you might recognize the now-familiar voice of long-time Rush producer Terry Brown (who also produced the vocals on this album). The album sees John Petrucci and Mike Portnoy at their monster best and requires many listens to truly appreciate. I am not a “Rolling Stone” magazine guy myself, but it does say something that in 2012 they named this album as the Number One all-time progressive album, beating out Rush’s 2112and Yes’s Close to The Edge.
THE ACTION IS GO – FU MANCHU (1997)
This album starts off with a bang, it also ends with a bang and actually this album is just one big resounding rhythmic bang. After a few good, but not great albums (in my opinion), new drummer Brant Bjork was brought into Fu Manchu. This would result in one of the greatest “Stoner-Rock” albums of all time. This is literally the perfect driving album. Sometimes you find yourself emulating driving just sitting and listening to it. You can hear a huge Sabbath influence on this album, at least in the sound of the instruments and the driving low end. Sometimes the vocals can leave a bit to be desired, but it is not really singing in the first place. Almost sounds like a dude talkin’ to himself, which adds to the coolness of this album. One of my favorite albums of the 1990’s indeed.
WELCOME TO SKY VALLEY – KYUSS (1994)
Somewhere around early 1995, I walked into a Sunrise Records where Tom (Tom has been mentioned many times in Mike’s blogs) was working. At this point Tom and I only really knew each other from local concerts we would run into each other at. The second I walked in he begged me to check out this Kyuss album on the listening station. I remember the look on his face when I didn’t instantly “get it”. Years later I had to bow to him and thank him for trying to open my eyes earlier. No one knows how to set a mood quite like Kyuss. The last album listed was Brant Bjork’s first album with Fu Manchu. This album is the last Kyuss album featuring Brant Bjork on drums. No coincidence here. This man knows how to wash songs with a subtle intensity. Check out the song “Demon Cleaner” sometime, with Josh Homme singing and see how Queens of the Stone Age were born. This album has been listed as a major influence for many of the heavy metal greats of the day.
WHALE MUSIC – THE RHEOSTATICS (1994)
The Rheostatics are definitely one of my favorite bands of all time, and the artist I have seen live the most in my life. Any band that calls their first album Greatest Hits obviously has a good sense of humour. There really is no album that quite captures “Canadiana” quite like Whale Music. Not to be confused with the later-released official soundtrack of the same name, this album ranges from the sweet to the insane. Take the song “Queer” for example. “Well the screen door is still broken, since you kicked your Kodiaks through it” and “I scored a hat trick on the team that called you a fuckin’ queer”, are lyrics that paint a Canadian portrait of everyday life. I love this album and frequently re-visit it only to find it gets better with age. Notable appearances on this album are Neil Peart on a song called “Guns” and The Barenaked Ladies (credited as The Scarborough Naked Youth Choir). Included here is the amazing opening track. Check it out eh ….
WHITE PEPPER – WEEN (2000)
Simply put, this is my favorite “Pop” album of all time. I am not a Ween fan per se. I cannot say I have actually connected strongly with any of their other albums. But when this album was introduced to me, it grabbed a hold of me and it will never let go. First of all, the sound on this album is absolutely wonderful. Second of all, the melodies on this album (with sprinkles of Ween weirdness of course) are something very reminiscent of The Beatles. I have always tagged this album as their “Beatles tribute”, and it was pointed out to me by a friend that “The White Album? Sgt. Peppers? White Pepper?”. Now I have not read that in fact that is what the name truly means, but I think that is a very good guess. I have played this album for a few musician friends of mine and the result is pretty much the same across the board. White Pepper simply “hooks” you in, it is that simple. Check out the Trey Parker and Matt Stone directed video for “Even If You Don’t” included here.
UNCHAINED – JOHNNY CASH (1996)
I was working at the “Record Store Chain” Ladano blogs about when I was first introduced to this album. It was instantly a revelation of what I do actually like about Country Music, and was the reason I became a fan of the older-style albums of the genre. Not enough can be said about the genius of Rick Rubin. The man who changed the careers of Slayer, The Beastie Boys and the Red Hot Chili Peppers got a hold of Johnny Cash and re-introduced him as the icon he always was. Hiring Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers as the backing band for the second American Recordings Johnny Cash release was a stroke of brilliance. The opening track “Rowboat” sees Cash cover a Beck song and make it his own. “Sea of Heartbreak” is a melodic ass-kicker. Everyone by now knows of the genius cover of Soundgarden’s “Rusty Cage”, so good in fact that for a long period of time Chris Cornell refused to play it live stating “It’s not our song anymore. It’s Johnny’s now”. No album of this genre has ever sounded bigger, if not any genre. A must have album.
VS. – PEARL JAM (1993)
This album had to be included on this list. I understand that everyone looks at Pearl Jam’s first album as this massive crowning achievement, but frankly I didn’t get it then and I really still don’t. Their second album I think is the best album of their career and probably my favorite “Grunge” album ever. Every song on this album is a classic to me and it does seem weird to call an album that was a Number One album on Billboard for five weeks straight “underrated”. But I truly do feel this album gets overlooked and that’s a shame. I find Ten to be kind of boring and redundant to be honest. This album is still fresh to me. I hope when it’s all said and done that this album is what truly defines them.
ZZ TOP – La Futura (2012 Best Buy edition, 2 bonus tracks, American Recordings)
Unfortunately I didn’t get this album until January of 2013. As such, it didn’t make my Top Five of 2012 list. If I had got it sooner, would it have made the list? Probably. It did make lots of lists. It made Every Record’s top 10 of 2012.
I love this album. I’ve played it every day since I got it! From mournful ZZ blues (“Over You”) to skunky funky ZZ blues (“I Gotsta Get Paid”) to trademark anthemic ZZ rock (“Flyin’ High”), this album has pretty much everything I love from ZZ Top!
I first heard the single, the aforementioned “I Gotsta Get Paid” (a rewrite of a rap song called “25 Lighters” by somebody named DJ DMD) on the Mandy Grant Show, on 107.5 Dave FM. I fell for it immediately, but I was wary of buying the album at first. After all, most ZZ discs since Eliminator and even Afterburner didn’t do too much for me, even though they all have tunes worth putting on a road tape. Maybe the difference is that, on La Futura, ZZ Top are working with Rick Rubin? Or maybe it’s that they haven’t recorded a studio album in almost a decade? I don’t know, except to say that ZZ Top absolutely nail it on La Futura.
The overall sound is both slick and dirty at once, a balance that they haven’t always hit in the past. Frank Beard’s drums sound absolutely perfect, the way you want a real drum kit to sound, no goofy samples here! Of course, the Reverend Billy F. Gibbons’ guitars are always greasy goodness, and full of dirty soul. What sets this album apart is a rediscovered ability to write memorable, catchy blues rock songs. “I Don’t Wanna Lose, Lose, You” is a perfect example of the kind of rock tune that ZZ Top are known for, groovy and instantly memorable. “Chartreuse” and “Consumption” are the same, just awesomely great Top tunes as memorable as some of their best from the days of yore. “It’s Too Easy Mañana” is a perfectly bluesy mess of guitars, bass and drums, while “Big Shiny Nine” is another trademark upbeat Top rocker.
My favourite song, that I keep coming back to, and can’t get out of my head, is “Flyin’ High”. It’s just an awesome song, melodic as hell, and worthy of single status. That’s my pick for second single right there. What a riff, what a song! Back in ’83, this would have been a smash hit.
I shelled out for the US Best Buy edition, which has two bonus tracks. Shipping and taxes all-in, I paid $35 for “Threshold of a Breakdown” and “Drive By Lover”. Both are great tunes, but it’s especially worth having “Drive By Lover” because it’s the only song on which bassist Dusty Hill takes the lead vocal. I’ve always been a fan of bands that have two lead singers, and I’ve always liked Dusty’s voice.
My only beef is the packaging. What you see is what you get: A simple cardboard case, no booklet. You get liner notes but no lyrics or anything else particularly special for buying a physical edition. Too bad.
4.5/5 stars
Note: The first four tracks were previous released on the iTunes only Texicali EP. But if you prefer physical product, like I do, this is a no-brainer way to go!
It’s easy to think back just one year and remember how we couldn’t wait to see if the new Van Halen would be a triumph or disaster. Now it’s the end of the year once again, and as long as the world doesn’t end on December 21, there are some cool releases lined up for the new year.
What are you most excited for? Is there something in particular that you KNOW you’ll be buying before you hear a single note?
I have five must-buys in 2013. Here’s my list.
5. QUEENSRYCHE
This could end up being a total disaster. Replacing a beloved (albeit knife-weilding) original frontman with a relative unknown is a huge risk. Kudos to the band for trying, I’ll play along. The key will be to walk a fine line between avoiding a retread of the past, and reminding fans how good they used to be. Not an easy task. Will Todd La Torre be up for it? Time will tell.
4. MOTLEY CRUE
Nikki has said the band is writing music to follow the lacklustre single “Sex”. They’ve got tour dates with Kiss lined up in the new year. I’ll admit I’m actually not that excited about a new Motley release, but I have been faithfully following this band through ups and downs through their entire career. I even bought New Tattoo!
3. VOIVOD – Target Earth
This one has a confirmed release date of January 22. Although some may say that the idea of a new Voivod album without the late guitarist Piggy is sacrilege, life goes on. This is the first album in over two decades with Blackie on bass. From what I’ve heard of the first single, “Kluskap O’Kom”, it does sound like Voivod. I’ll be supporting the boys in 2013, count on reading my review in the new year.
2. BLACK SABBATH
Some might say that the idea of an “original” Sabbath album without Bill Ward is sacrilege! Hell, I might be one of them! But I love this band, and I have to have faith that the combined might of Sabbath plus Rick Rubin will produce something worthwhile. Will “Scary Dreams” be on there? I sure hope so. First album with Tommy Clufetos on drums, a much more metronomic drummer, so I wonder if Sabbath can capture that loose vibe of the precious first 8.
1. DEEP PURPLE
Confirmed for an April 26 release. Confirmed that Bob Ezrin is producing. Confirmed song titles: “Out Of Hand,” “Hell To Pay,” “Weirdistan,” “Uncommon Man” and “Above and Beyond.” “Above and Beyond” is a tribute to late organist Jon Lord, who passed away far too soon. “Weirdistan”? I love it. That title can only come from Ian Gillan. Astoundingly this is the fifth album with Steve Morse and third with Don Airey. And some said they’d never last without Blackmore! I will most definitely be pre-ordering whatever cool editions the band has lined up.
What are you psyched about in the new year? I want to hear from you.
Next in line of my reviews from Record Store Excursion 2012! Check out the video below if you missed it. This one bought at Paradise Bound.
MIKE AND AARON GO TO TORONTO
THE CULT – “Lil’ Devil”(1987 double 12″ single, Polygram)
I had to pick this up. Two 12″ discs, one single. Although all the Cult studio B-sides are collected on the excellent Rare Cult box set, none of the live ones are. And I only have one other single from Electric, “Wild Flower”. This is a double 12″ single, 38 minutes long, including a 19 minute interview with Billy and Ian.
What can you say about “Lil’ Devil”? It’s sometimes forgotten on radio, next to “Love Removal Machine” and the aforementioned “Wild Flower”, but it’s certainly as good as either of those two songs. A swaggering rock song, this is a pinnacle of some sort for this type of track. Four guys in the room with amps. Marshalls. AC/DC comparisons were bandied about.
The B-sides include the familiar “Zap City”, a song that has cropped numerous times since, including The Manor Sessions EP and Best of Rare Cult. If you’re not familiar with it, it’s from the abandoned Peace sessions, which they ditched in order to re-record with Rick Rubin. It’s a lightning-like rock song, much like what The Cult would later do on Sonic Temple. It would have fit right in on that album.
Two live tracks, “Wild Thing/Louie Louie” and “Phoenix” are present as well. I love the live cover, it’s plenty fun. “Phoenix” is ragged with plenty of guitar noise and even a drum solo.
Last is in the interview. It’s informative but far too long. The best bits involve recording with Rick Rubin, and the decision to re-record the album that became Electric. I could have done without the extended song snippets (most people buying the single already owned the album!).
mikeladano.com 
