Universal

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 – High Noon (2014 + iTunes bonus tracks)

ARKELLS – High Noon (2014 Universal/iTunes)

My 2016 album review of High Noon did not do it justice.  I hadn’t had the time yet to fall in love.  Now I have, and it’s time to look at the CD and iTunes versions of High Noon, and give it the praise it truly deserves.  A few months ago, I wrote up a “Just Listening To” post, but that too failed to really capture this special album.

Arkells, from Hamilton Ontario, are a special band.  In my original review, I touched one special aspect.  “A band can make or break based on the lead singer.  I really like the expressive and sincere singing style of Max Kerman.  He stands out from first listen.  It’s hard to say exactly what makes him stand out, but he certainly does.”

While I was right about Kerman (and I was right to use the word “expressive”) I hadn’t accounted for the rest of the band.  All brilliant in their own right.

On guitar:  Mike DeAngelis, who also provides a lot of vocals.  The guy knows how to write a catchy lick, and he has many on High Noon.

On bass:  Nick Dika, the guy who is always pushing them to do whatever other bands are not.  He also happens to write great basslines, and provides some serious bottom end on songs like “Come to Light”.

On drums:  Tim Oxford, who always plays for the song, but never plays it straight.  There’s always something interesting going on with the percussion parts.  I’ve heard him called Canada’s greatest drummer.

On keyboards:  The new kid, Anthony “Tony” Carone.  I can only speculate as to his impact on this album.  Original member Dan Griffin left the band to finish school and become a successful entertainment lawyer.  Pre-Carone Arkells are less pop, and have fewer keyboard hooks.  Is that Carone’s influence?  Whatever the case, he’s been a crucial member ever since, providing far more than just keys.

My history of the band is brief.  I loved their 2012 single “Whistleblower”, and 2014’s “Leather Jacket” even more.  But what really made the band stick out in my mind was watching the NHL Awards one night with Jen, when Max Kerman shook hands with #99 Wayne Gretzky himself.  Seeing a gleeful Max lose his shit in front of Gretzky just made me fall in love with this band.

Kerman managing to keep his shit together on national TV with The Great One

In spring 2023, I had a craving:  a craving for something upbeat, positive, deep, and Canadian.  I put on High Noon one day in May and I have not looked back since.

Up first is “Fake Money”.  In 2014, Kerman was clearly pissed off about the banking crisis.  “Oh you’re just a boy, a little banker boy, everything’s a game and everyone’s your toy…”  It’s a pretty scathing attack, but within the confines of an upbeat, powerful song akin to old-school U2.  There’s a chunky bass hook that sounds like “Where The Streets Have No Name”.  But this song is its own beast, a ferocious indictment set to an anthemic singalong.  “You’re playing a board game, up in a board room…”  Max studied poli-sci in school, and it definitely comes out in his words.

Just as I think of U2 on “Fake Money”, I think of 80s Bowie on “Come to Light”.  “Modern Love” kinda Bowie.  There’s some 80’s Elton John in the piano too.  This was the first of four singles.  The of mix of Kerman and DeAngelis’ vocals on the chorus is so satisfying.  Then the band comes in with those “ooh, la la’s” that are so tasty.  And Oxford?  Brilliant on this.  The single cymbal crash when Kerman sings “The words hit me hard, like a one-two punch” is just so perfect.

Another brilliant song called “Cynical Bastards” is surprisingly upbeat considering the title!  The piano and keys deliver the main hooks here, full of the glow of summer.  Max references “Jackson Square dropouts avoiding police” in the opening lyrics.  Oxford keeps the snare pumping, with Dika thumping the bass by his side, and Max sings the indelible chorus:  “If you want me to boil it down, all you cynical bastards move right out of town now!”  What I like most are the references to living in the golden horseshoe of southern Ontario.  “Oakville moms, they stick up their nose, and those Burlington dads keep their daughters at home.”  I wouldn’t know about that, but I worked in both towns.

Have you ever heard about that superstition that you’re supposed to make a wish when the clock shows 11:11?  Arkells wrote a song about it.  “You made a wish at 11:11, I held your hips at 12:34,” goes the fabulous chorus.  One gets the impression that Kerman has danced with a lot of girls over the years.  This song is a bit slower and more contemplative, but not without those awesome Mike/Max harmonies, and massive choruses.  More “woah, ohs” and I’m fine with all that.

Dika’s bass is a major component of the ballad “Never Thought That This Would Happen”.  I really like what I said about this song in my “Just Listening To” post, so I’ll go ahead and quote myself:   “‘Never Thought That This Would Happen’ is one of most poetic yet colloquial songs about a one-nighter that I’ve ever heard.”  It’s also the only song on the album that exceeds four minutes.  There’s a great string arrangement by Carone, and a really impassioned lead vocal from Max.

We go back to the 80s on “Dirty Blonde”, which is just a catchy pop rock tune.  Nothing wrong with that at all.   It’s fast, and you can dance to it.  (Personally I prefer playing air bass.)  This is as close as we get to a throwaway on the album, yet it’s awesome.

“What Are You Holding On To?” opens the second side on the vinyl version.  Jen likes the Dirty Dancing reference, “You put Baby in a corner, we’ll be Dirty Dancing all night…”  Once again we’re stuck in the 80s, and we’re definitely at a party.  If you still wanted to dance, but needed something that isn’t as fast as “Dirty Blonde”, then here’s your ticket.  Horn section arranged by Carone.  Horns have become more and more integral to the Arkells sound over the years since.

Piano takes the fore on “Hey Kids!” which sounds like a band jamming in a bar.  It has that vibe, but much cleaner and tighter.  The “Ooh, ooh ooh’s” return, and Max even sings my name in one of the lyrics.  The strings return to augment the sound, and you can’t ignore the backing vocals of the band, always there in all the right places.

The “big single” was the infallible “Leather Jacket”.  This is the one that people remember for the line about the pay phone:  “You call me up from a pay phone, and I said, ‘Who the fuck uses a pay phone?'”  An instant favourite, impossible to forget, and really indicative of everything that makes the Arkells great.  The 80s influence in there is the guitar hook.  The lyrics are relatable.  The chorus is fused into your neurons after one listen.  Oxford’s drum part is integral to the song, as is Dika’s bassline.  If there was just one song I’d play to get someone into the Arkells, it would be “Leather Jacket”.

There are a lot of fast tunes on High Noon, but “Crawling Through the Window” is one of the coolest slow songs I’ve ever heard.  There’s a digital pulse, and nice chunky guitar chords, employed sparingly in the back.  Oxford’s snare drum is nice and loud, like he’s leading the procession.  Max’s lyrics are once again relatable.  “We bunkered down in this shitty apartment, utilities included, all that we wanted.”

The dance rock of “Systematic” ends the album on a surprising note.  It’s unlike any of the previous songs, demonstrating that the Arkells are willing to sample the flavours of every section in the record store.  This is something they have embraced further and further down in their discography.  “Systematic” has a dark vibe, but the Arkells tend to go for unusual closers.  It’s no less catchy, and the strings return for a cool disco effect.  Now that I think of it, this really sounds like the Arkells version of Dynasty-era Kiss!

Why does this album sound so good?  Mastering engineer – Harry Hess!  The album was produced and mixed by Tony Hoffer.

There are two added bonus tracks on iTunes, both acoustic versions of the album tracks.  “11:11” is stripped down, and shows that the song still has all its strength even without all the bells and whistles.  It really allows the vocals to come out more, both lead and backing.  “What Are You Holding On To?” is the second acoustic bonus track.  It has a lot more bop here, as it’s basically just piano and vocals in this arrangement.

When I reviewed this album the first time, I rated it 4.5/5 stars.  Not bad.  But wrong.

5/5 stars

 

REVIEW: Arkells – Laundry Pile (2023)

ARKELLS – Laundry Pile (2023 Universal)

Arkells didn’t set out to make a record.  They’d been pretty prolific, with Campfire Chords, Blink Once, and Blink Twice coming out in rapid succession during the pandemic.  As they sat down to rehearse some acoustic arrangements of the Blink material, they found themselves jamming on new ideas.  Singer Max Kerman had already been writing demos, which the band jumped on.  The result is a softer, more contemplative album without the Arkells usual bombastic rally cries.  10 songs, 36 minutes.

Max compared this album to a journal that “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.” With that in mind, let’s have a listen.

A simple acoustic number, “Life Is” is a beautiful, quiet and contemplative number.  The sweet and subtle backing vocals recall the greatest folk albums of Canadian tradition.  “Life is short sometimes,” sings Kerman.  “You make mistakes along the way, and I love you ’til my dying day.”  A classic to be, “Life Is” might be one of the prettiest songs I’ve ever heard.

The single “Skin” is a fuller arrangement, with piano, bass and drums.  While it starts fairly ordinarily, the chorus really kicks.  “I thought I knew, I thought I knew what I wanted when I started,” sings Max, while pianist Anthony Carone punctuates his words magnificently.  A soft synth kicks in with the bass and drums, and the song becomes softly electric.  Mike DeAngelis lays down one of his best, most emotive guitar solos while drummer Tim Oxford plays with expert subtlety.  This is the brightest, most upbeat song on the album, and the only one of its kind.

The title track “Laundry Pile” relies of a soft piano backing, as Max muses on spending time with his true love.  “It’s OK if you’re not always at your best.”  Most poignantly, “I already love the parts that you don’t like in yourself.”  It reads like a personal letter.  The minimal accompaniment is perfect.  “Wash Away” also has minimal accompaniment, with percussion and light drums.  “I’m still in love with you,” proclaims Max.  “I’m not ready to let go.”

“Your Name” features organ, and dreamy keyboards.  “My whole world is inside your name,” declares Kerman.  Light strumming guitars and laid-back drums make for the perfect arrangement.  At the end of the song you can hear someone say “I’ll be back in an hour,” right before you’d flip the LP side.

“Beginner’s Mind” has a sad melody, with dark piano accompaniment.  When a strange keyboard sound kicks in, Marillion comes to mind.  The progressive rock band from Aylesbury often do songs like this, and the keyboards do add a progressive edge to this dusky pop song.  It has a vibe like a cold rainy day, especially when the full band comes in.  Wait for the trumpets!  Though this song is not inviting at first, by second or third listen it starts to hook you in.

The music picks up on “Shot In the Dark” (not the Ozzy song!), which is just a nice summery rock song for the countryside.  Electric guitars, punchy drums, thumping bass by Nick Dika…but it’s not a loud song.  It sounds like you’re in the back of someone’s pickup truck, driving up a long dirt road on a bright, blue summer morning.  This is followed by the twangy “Time”, and that’s probably not a coincidence.  There’s also some serious soul/blues roots on “Time”.  What is wild is that sometimes, Anthony Carone’s keyboards sound like they’re ripped from some old 1940s record.

“Tango Waltz” features strings to create a haunting atmosphere.  You’re fooled into thinking it’s an instrumental, but after more than half the song expires, finally Max comes in.  The words are somewhat rapid-fire, and this song comes across as more of an atmospheric interlude before the closer “Quiet Love”.  Tim Oxford ticks away in the back, while Max and the band create a delicate acoustic tapestry of music to wrap the words in.  “Is it too late?  Can you look at me like you used to?”  There’s a certain epic quality to this album closer, though not in a traditional sense.  It’s certainly one of the best tracks of the ten.

At the start of this review, Max was quoted as saying that this album “documents some of the messy parts that end up teaching you a lot: love, regret, desire, shame, and the longing to get it right.”  You can certainly hear that, and see it in the words.  There are no anthems here about politics, class, societal ills, or finance.  There are no soundtracks to going out to the club and meeting a girl.  Laundry Pile is a very different album for the Arkells.  Yet it somehow sounds like them and only them, and fits right in with everything else in their catalogue.  The shout-along anthems will return one day, but this album is unique.  It deserves intense listening over this coming winter.

4.5/5 stars

Just Listening to…Arkells – High Noon (2014)

When I reviewed this album six years ago, I rated it 4.5/5 stars.  For whatever reason, I’ve been playing this a lot over the last two weeks.  Like a lot lot.  Today I’d give it a solid 5/5.  High Noon by the Arkells has reached that upper echelon of albums that somehow, someway, have become so important to me that losing this album would be like losing an arm.  It’s in my soul now.  It’s part of me.  That’s not easy to do, especially for newer music.

I love the spirit.  The defiance.  The anger!  “Oh you’re just a boy, a little banker boy, everything’s a game and everyone’s your toy…”  A pretty scathing indictment of the wealthy who prey on the vulnerable, a practice which singer Max Kerman refers to as “Fake Money”.  It’s so upbeat that you don’t pick up on the anger until you actually listen to the words.  But when you do?  Hooboy!  Though the song sounds like a celebration, the lyrics cut like razors.

Then there’s the very-80’s “Come To Light”, a brilliant rock song with a Bowie beat.  There’s a tension built from synth and drums.  Then the piano delivers those hooks!  Kerman’s vocals are as impassioned as ever (“Impassioned” being his middle name, according to some reports).   Virtually every song could be a single, and this one was the first of four.  Another simply superior upbeat celebration follows, called “Cynical Bastards”.  You have to love that title!  Once again the keys are the dominant hook-deliverer, though the chorus itself is pretty damn awesome.  Even the lyrics are catchy!  “If the 80s were tough, the 90s were mean!”

Another serious favourite is track #4:  “11:11”.  You ever heard about that superstition that you’re supposed to make a wish when the clock shows 11:11?  A slower, more contemplative song, this beauty is all about meeting a sweetie at a bar.  “You made a wish at 11:11, I held your hips at 12:34,” goes the fabulous chorus.  “There was a kiss just waiting to happen, a cab was waiting just outside the door.”  A slower but still bright number called “Never Thought That This Would Happen” is one of most poetic yet colloquial songs about a one-nighter that I’ve ever heard.  “And I never thought that this would happen, and you got all weird after the weekend.  Sometimes you make out with an old friend, and I’m rounding first and I’m sliding into second…”  It’s also the only song on the album that exceeds four minutes.

Sometimes I wonder if these girls that Kerman is singing about know the songs are about them.

“Dirty Blonde” is another very 80s upbeat rocker, very much like 80s Elton John, but harder.  Just as many hooks though!  “What Are You Holding On To?” has a completely different vibe, happy and danceable.  This is followed by the uber-catchy “Hey Kids!” and the single “Leather Jacket”.  “Leather Jacket” is one that strikes home lyrically in many ways.  “You call me up from a pay phone, I say hang tight I can drive you home.”  Been there done that!  But my favourite line?  “You call me up from a pay phone, and I said, ‘Who the fuck uses a pay phone?'”  Regardless, “Leather Jacket” is instantaneous, flawless and passionate.

Just two more songs remain in this journey.  “Crawling Through the Window” slows things down to a strong digital pulse, with dark chords backing it.  Brilliant lyrics here describing a shitty old apartment.  “There were carpets in the bathroom, man, what the fuck’s a vacuum?”  Again it sounds like there’s a real story here.  Finally the dance rock of “Systematic” ends the album on a surprising, but no less catchy note.

Mastering engineer – Harry Hess!  By all means, get this album.  Get it.  Play it.  Play it again.  Fall in love.  I did.

 

REVIEW: KISS – Off The Soundboard – Poughkeepsie NY 11.26.1984

 – Off the Soundboard – Poughkeepsie NY 11.26.1984 (2023 Universal)

Are you getting sick of reading all the same complaints about the new Kiss Off the Soundboard CD from Poughkeepsie NY 1984, the fifth in this series?

Me too!

If you can’t appreciate the historical value of a Mark St. John show with Kiss, then I can’t help you.

If you didn’t know Kiss played these songs at lightspeed in the 1980s, then you never saw Animalize Live Uncensored.

And if you don’t know what an official bootleg is, then this CD is not for you anyway.

Actually, the only thing I’m really sick of is typing “Poughkeepsie”!

There are Kiss bootlegs with Mark floating around out there.  I can’t vouch for the audio quality on those.  This, I can tell you, is soundboard quality, which in my opinion is the best way to hear a live album.  Unpolished, the way it was that night on the board.  I love hearing the band make mistakes.  I have no problem with the fact you can barely hear the bass on some tracks, and too much on others.  The vocals are clear and each member is distinct in their singing.  Whether you think Paul is too “erratic” or not, that’s personal taste.

The setlist is similar to Animalize Live.  You won’t hear any Animalize deep cuts that were not on that video.  Two songs are incomplete (“Young and Wasted” and “Rock and Roll all Nite”) due to tape issues but are included for their historical significance.  No issues here.  In fact, “Rock and Roll all Nite” might be better this way…it often drags on too long at the end of a show!

The jazz-influenced Mark definitely added his own style and twists to the solos, even simple ones like “Detroit Rock City”.  There, he inserted an extra note or two to make it his.  Mark was a shredder, and that was the direction Kiss wanted to go in at that time.  It was the 80s.  Bands had to have shredders if they wanted the kids to take them seriously.  Mark wasn’t even Kiss’ first shredder, but he was certainly unique.  There’s a lot of whammy bar, and some pretty wicked licks on songs like “Fits Like a Glove”.  Now, before you get too excited, the “Guitar Solo” listed on the back cover is Paul Stanley’s familiar solo that he was playing during that era.

Mark aside, Eric Carr is a star on this album.  He was a busier drummer than Peter Criss and he goes to town on songs like “Cold Gin” and “Under the Gun”.  Fox fans will not want to miss this CD in their collection.  Peak Eric.  His drum solo will be familiar, yet will also most likely sound better than any version you currently own.  Unfortunately he stops singing on part of “Young and Wasted”, which is one of the partial songs anyway, so no big deal.  We have him singing that on Animalize Live.

Paul Stanley’s performance is pure rock and roll, and especially expressive on “I Still Love You”, but many have complained about the F-bombs dropped during his intro to “Love Gun”.  Hey…check out the Animalize Live version for something naughtier than an F-bomb!

If you’re Kiss collector, this is ending up in your library regardless.  Choose your format and go wild like the animals.

3.5/5 stars for the quality

3.5/5 stars as a “Kiss show”

5/5 stars for historical value and significance to the Kiss army

REVIEW: KISS – Off the Soundboard – Des Moines 11.29.1977 (2022)

– Off the Soundboard – Des Moines November 29 1977 (2022 Universal)

We are now at the fourth Off the Soundboard series release from Kiss, and this is the most hyped yet.  It’s the second original lineup release in the series, but the first from the classic era.  This time we travel back with Ace, Peter, Gene and Paul to the Alive II tour.  Arguably the pinnacle before things began to slowly crumble, this Alive II show is unsurprisingly loaded with Kiss firepower.  However, with only one CD, it’s the shortest in the series so far.  It does appear to include everything they played that night.

Opening with the brand new “I Stole Your Love”, Kiss truly were on fire.  Playing fast, tight and enthused, this is the Kiss of legend, the Kiss we have heard stories of!  Unaltered Kiss live in their prime!  The sound is, as expected, bootleggy, but pretty solid considering it’s 45 years old.  Paul’s vocals are so good they can bring a tear to your eye, remembering the Starchild when he was bulletproof.

“King of the Night Time World”, still second in the set, benefits from Peter Criss’ trademark pitter-patter.  Ace is a bit shrill at the beginning, but it’s 1977 technology.  Star Wars was brand new and the Space Ace was in his element.  He always harmonized well with Paul, which he does on “King”.  Paul then invites the girls to meet ’em in the “Ladies Room”, which means it’s Gene’s turn to sing.  Gene messed up some lyrics:  “You say you like to play, well, yes you play with me anyway.”  Or something like that.  Sounds like his bassline is also off.  Doesn’t matter, in fact that makes it even more cool.  A snapshot of a moment in time.  It’s all more of less buried in the glorious noise they call live rock and roll.  The crowd certainly didn’t care.

Paul tells them that Kiss had a good feelin’ about comin’ back to Iowa.  Temperature’s rising, so they gotta call out the “Firehouse”!  A lot faster than album and more like Kiss Alive!, this version of “Firehouse” is incendiary for all its energy and flaws.  The only misfire is Paul’s intro to “Love Gun” itself.  He’s certainly done better.  “When it comes to shootin’, we ain’t gonna miss!”  You just did, Paul!  Fortunately the song is just as kicking as ever, with Paul absolutely roaring.  This is the Kiss I remember growing up with.  Unstoppable energy.  The power remains high on “Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll”.  In a quaint blast from the past, Paul wants to see some lights in the crowd, some matches!  This is a song that always sounds best with Ace Frehley on lead guitar, and those who love the Spaceman will appreciate his fearless fretwork and signature technique all over it.

A chunky “Makin’ Love” is a set highlight, all riff and bass with Paul audibly jumping around haphazardly.  Peter is awesome on this.  “Christine Sixteen” is a bit clunky and awkward, as is Paul’s intro.  The less said the better.  “Christine Sixteen” falls into place on the chorus.  Their vocals here are an excellent example of Kiss’ ability to actually sing.  Then the moment you have been waiting for:  Paul says they got a surprise, and Ace Frehley’s gonna do “Shock Me”.  This version of “Shock Me” is up there with the better ones and of course Ace gets his big solo at the end.  It’s not just the Alive II solo, it’s a different beast and by the middle, Ace gets his Les Paul roaring.

The gentle intro of “I Want You” is just a feint, we all know that the song absolutely slams.  Ace’s guitar stings on the verses, and he gets to take an extra solo at the end just before Paul goes into his “I waaaa-aaa-aaaant!” tease with the crowd.  Then he queries whether everybody’s ready to take their medicine?  It’s time to call out “Dr. Love” and Gene is loving it.  “Shout It Out Loud” follows, at a fast tempo similar to its Alive II rendition.  The vocals are better though; you can really hear Peter Criss in the back.  His drumwork is manic too.  Great rendition of “Shout It Out Loud” and one of the best on CD.

Gene’s bass solo precedes “God of Thunder”.  It’s noise; just bass through a digital processor. Skippable noise.  “God of Thunder” itself is much better, containing a Gene/Peter groove that doesn’t always fall right into the pocket like this one does.  Then the Catman gets his drum solo, which is better and longer than the Alive II rendition.  (Gene’s vocals are also better, way more aggressive.)

“Rock and Roll all Nite” is the last song of the main set, the rock and roll national anthem according to Paul.  Like many of the songs, it’s faster too.  Very cool to hear both Ace and Peter on backing vocals quite clearly.  The Spaceman’s solo is sloppy stuttery greatness, and it’s hard not to enjoy this song that we already have live in dozens of incarnations.

Onto the encores:  “Detroit”, of course “Beth”, and the finale “Black Diamond”.  “Detroit” opens with a mistake and Kiss quickly recover, driving the thing into oncoming traffic with a reckless devil-may-care attitude.  By this point in the show, Kiss are playing on adrenaline and missing some of the parts.  Which is half the thrill.  As for “Beth”:  it’s “Beth”.  No more no less, though there is a lot of tape noise.  Peter’s vocals are so-so.  He struggles when he has to be tender, but he blasts on “Black Diamond”, which oddly opens with full band introductions which you rarely hear at a Kiss concert.  Paul gets a spotlight moment to play around with the “Black Diamond” intro on guitar before he starts singing.  Pound for pound, this is one of the best versions of “Black Diamond” by the original lineup out there.  From the vocals to the Ace soloing, to the explosive outro, this is one of the best renditions hands down.

Now that the vaults have been opened and we’re getting classic shows from the original lineup, the sky’s the limit what could come next.  This is the best one so far.  Let’s hope for an Eric Carr show soon.

4.5/5 stars

 

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: KISS – Off the Soundboard – Live at Donington August 17, 1996 (2022)

 – Off the Soundboard – Live at Donington (Monsters of Rock) (August 17, 1996 – 2022 Universal)

Third in the Off the Soundboard series, and we are gifted an original lineup show.  Reunion era, we add with a caveat, but an original lineup gig nonetheless.  This was a big one:  Monsters of Rock in 1996.  This gig is only 11 days after the Toronto show at which I saw Kiss, and the setlist is simply a shortened version of what we saw earlier.

Opening with “Deuce”, the reunited Kiss don’t sound vintage, but they do sound professional and hot.  The immediately noticeable flaw in the mix is an overly prominent bass.  Demon fans might love it!  Frehley’s guitar brings that almost-out-of-control quality that we miss today.

The simplicity of the drumwork on “King of the Night Time World” reminds us that the Catman Peter Criss is back on drums.  That’s all good.  After hearing Eric Singer on the past two instalments of this series, the Catman’s looser feel is refreshing.

Then an F-bomb from Paul:  “WOOO!  How you doin’ Donington!  You all ready to get a little fuckin’ nuts tonight?  You want a little rock and roll?”  Then it’s “Do You Love Me”, not usually one of those songs you go fuckin’ nuts on, due to its deliberate tempo.  I could usually skip it, but this version is pretty good.  That overloud bass makes it a bit heavier.  The backing vocals are also quite good.  “Dr. Love” has that patented Peter Criss pitter-patter on the drums that we can all admit we miss.

The Starchild seems to have a blast singing the word “Donington” over and over again just before “Cold Gin”.  Gotta admit this is a great album for Paul’s stage raps!  It’s Ace’s turn to shine, in that overdriven, on-the-edge style that nobody can copy.  It’s like chocolate it’s so good.  The Space Ace gets to sing a verse on his own, which is a perfect touch.  An album highlight.  Perhaps the best live version of “Cold Gin” available since the original Alive!

The original Kiss tear into “Let Me Go, Rock ‘N Roll” and Gene’s voice is a bit rough at first…as it should be, 100% live.  There’s nothing like this song with Ace and Peter on drums.  Again, perhaps the best live version since the original Alive!  “Shout It Out Loud” is a bit more polished.  But if you want heavy, look no further than the thunderous “Watchin’ You”.  The vintage Kiss vibe is captured as they thump through this in a completely different way than they did four years earlier on Alive III with Bruce Kulick.  Another contender for best live version available since Alive!  Previously that honour went to the Alive III version.  Simmons is, pun intended, a monster on both tasty bass fills and meaty vocals.

“Firehouse” is simple fun, but once again, the Space Ace adds something that other guitar players do not have, which is nothing against any of them.  It is a matter of style, and the style that suits Kiss best.

Kiss turns the microphone over to Ace Frehley on “Shock Me”, which also doubles as his feature guitar solo.  You can hear every mistake, and even they are perfect in their own, flawed diamond sort of way.  This solo is pure smoke and fire, like a meteorite barrelling through atmosphere.  Perhaps the best stage version of “Shock Me” out there, arguably surpassing Alive II.

Over to disc two, it’s finally time for “Strutter”.  Paul’s stage rap is amusing if only because he says Kiss are having such a great time back together that they don’t know if it’s ever going to end.  Ah, hindsight.  This is a fantastic version only hampered by that overloud bass in the mix.  Vocals are outstanding.

Simmons takes center stage for his “bass solo” and “God of Thunder”.  A Simmons bass solo usually works best as a visual, not musical experience.  (Animalize Live bass solo notwithstanding.)  While you don’t necessarily want this stuff edited out of a live bootleg, it’s basically waiting for the song to start.  Gene is extra-growly on “God of Thunder” and Frehley is hotter than hell.  Stanley’s prominent backing vocals add an extra dimension.  And Peter’s got that beat nailed down like a beast.  He gets his drum solo on this track, a slow and tribal experience similar to, but not as energetic as, his Kiss Alive solo.

When Paul starts talking about size of his pistol, then you know it’s time for “Love Gun”.  Drowning in bass, but fiery hot.  Speaking of bass, “100,000 Years” is top notch too.  Do you feel alriiiiight?  Frehley’s soloing on the track is an essential ingredient.  The closing trio of “Black Diamond”, “Detroit Rock City” and “Rock and Roll all Nite” are somewhat predictable, but it’s bizarre that we had to wait this long to hear Peter Criss sing lead on something.  As for “Detroit”, easily one of the top five live versions on official release.

This set is pure electric vintage Kiss from 1974-1977, and nothing beyond.  No “New York Groove”, no “I Was Made For Lovin’ You”.  No “Beth” either.  If you’re going to cut a track for time for the festival, “Beth” is one to cut.  Though sometimes hampered by the bass heavy mix, it is possible that Live At Donington is the best Kiss live album since Alive II.  The reunited lineup were certainly a lot better than I remember them being back in 1996, when I thought they sounded stiff.  With hindsight, though Peter is steadier than before, Frehley still provides all that danger that is necessary in a live Kiss show.  At Donington, the original Kiss brought it.

4.5/5 stars

 

 

REVIEW: KISS – Off the Soundboard – Virginia Beach 2004 (2022)

 – Off the Soundboard – Live in Virginia Beach (July 25, 2004 – 2022 Universal)

Some might question the logic of releasing a 2004 live release with the Stanley/Singer/Simmons/Thayer lineup in the official Kiss bootleg series.  Necessary?  We already have live material from this lineup, such as Kiss Rocks Vegas.  Fans could be forgiven for skipping this, the second instalment of the Off the Soundboard series of releases.  (It’s a little late now, but it would have been cool if Kiss numbered these releases!)

Opening with a sluggish sounding “Love Gun”, Paul Stanley is in good voice.  The cracks were beginning to show but there is no comparison to the Paul of today.  If you want vintage Paul, this is not the album for you.  If you want Paul before things went to hell, this is just fine.  Gene goes second with “Deuce”, also sounding a big sluggish.  Eric Singer is busy on drums, which will be either to your taste, or not.

It’s Tommy Thayer who fails to thrill in the night.  Something about his solo work here just falls short of lighting the spark.  It’s one of those things that’s not quite right, on the quantum level.  Your brain knows the solos, knows how they usually sound, and that’s with fire and a touch of reckless abandon.  Say what you will about Tommy Thayer, but nobody uses the word “reckless” to describe his playing.  Ace Frehley, on the other hand, had a song called “Reckless”.  You see where we’re going here.  It’s that touch of professionalism that these solos don’t need.  Tommy is welcome on backing vocals, where he helps thicken things up with Eric, such as on “Lick It Up”.

There are a few tracks here that are played live less often, which is one reason to pick up the disc.  “Makin’ Love”, “Tears Are Falling”, “Got to Choose”, “God Gave Rock and Roll to You” and “Unholy” are fun when you get ’em, though “Unholy” always sounds a bit awkward live (Thayer butchers the solo).  One of the best of these tunes is “Got to Choose” which benefits from the backing vocals of the newer Kiss guys.  Creepy as it may be, “Christine Sixteen” is always fun, but Gene doesn’t need to keep augmenting the song with things like “I like it!”  And check out the sly Mott the Hoople melody in “God Gave Rock and Roll to You”!

We could all probably do without “I Love It Loud” at this point.  “War Machine” can be tiring.  As much as we love Eric Singer, he does overplay some songs.  “Shout it Out Loud” has a few fills that just don’t need to be there.  Yet somehow, “Psycho Circus” is refreshing and “King of the Night Time World” is never a bad thing.

There are two lengthy “jammers” on this album that make for good listenin’.  “100,000 Years” and “She” both steam on with the familiar Kiss instrumental bits that you know and love.  “Do you feel alriiiiiight?” screams Paul, and damn, he could still really sing.  Vocally, Kiss were really good at this stage.  Gene was kickin’ ass, Eric and Tommy were the solid backing, and Paul was still 90% there.

This lineup hadn’t been together long, and the members sound more comfortable in their roles today.  You won’t be reaching for Virginia Beach 2004 often when you reach for a live Kiss album.  It’s a good setlist for the most part though, and it’s good to have for that reason.  The sonics are also pretty decent, though obviously short of live album standards.  It’s an official bootleg, not Alive XIII.  You can hear every flaw and mistake, and that’s a good thing.  When you listen understanding that this is indeed 100% live, with Paul Stanley jumping around and his guitar banging erratically, then you realize, shit, Kiss are a pretty damn good live band!  A lot of the set sounds like the billionth time they’ve played the songs…but they don’t sound bored doing it.  There’s not a lot of that looseness, but plenty of excitement.

3.5/5 stars

 

RE-REVIEW: Def Leppard – Songs From the Sparkle Lounge (2008)

Part Thirty-Four of the Def Leppard Review Series

Original Review:  Songs From the Sparkle Lounge (2008)

DEF LEPPARD – Songs From the Sparkle Lounge (CD Collection Volume 3 Disc 3) (Originally 2008, 2021 remaster)

Finally!  Three misfires in a row (Euphoria, X, Yeah!) and Def Leppard finally had a new album that rocked and was worth listening to again.  While imperfect, the badly-titled new album Songs From the Sparkle Lounge really felt like an actual effort this time.  With the exception of one credit on one song, everything here was written by Def Leppard and only Def Leppard.  And — hallelujah! — no ballads.  What a refreshing turn of events.  A lot of the album was written and recorded on tour.  It seemed like Def Leppard were really listening to the fans who said “We’re tired of pop and ballads.  Please, write us a rock record again like you used to.”

We mostly got it.

Of course, in the press Leppard exaggerated as they often did, comparing the album to High ‘N’ Dry, AC/DC, and Led Zeppelin.  And so, the fans knew not to get their hopes up too high.  The album rocked, but not like that.  The standard version of Sparkle Lounge was a tight eleven tracks, just under 40 minutes.  No bloat.  But let’s get to the elephant in the room first.

When discussing this album, dissenters often point to track 2, the first single “Nine Lives” as the main offender.  As a collaboration with Tim McGraw, it reeks of terrible offences committed by Bon Jovi earlier in the decade.  In order to find new success, too many rock bands went to Nashville for fresh names and influences.  Fortunately, Japanese fans were able to buy a version of the album including the song without Tim McGraw, and just Joe Elliott ripping the lead vocals.  That is definitely a preferred experience.  McGraw’s voice makes it sound…not like Def Leppard!  The two worlds simply do not mesh.  Fortunately “Nine Lives” is not a country song, but a hard rocker with a slight twang in the electric guitars.  It’s actually a pretty good song, when you edit Tim out.  So there’s that.

However, opening Songs From the Sparkle Lounge is a song you can only describe as “real” Def Leppard!  Combining the loopy vibe of the Slang era with the riffiness of Pyromania, “Go” is out of the gates on the right note.  It slams.  Heavy, modern, guitar-heavy and hooky without pandering to trends.  It merely combines some of Leppard’s best and heaviest ingredients in a modern way.  The only critique would be the title.  “Go” is a word that Leppard overuse.  “Go”, “Let’s Go”, “Gotta Let It Go”, “Let It Go”…just too much “going” on!

After “Go”, you have to sit through the Tim McGraw song before we’re back to tunes with integrity.  The glam rock “C’Mon C’Mon” was in the vein of that “Pour Some Sugar” sound, ultimately derived from Gary Glitter.   It too was a single (to be discussed next time) and sits comfortably in the Hysteria-style box.  Not exactly like AC/DC and Led Zeppelin as Joe claimed, but not a bad track if a bit too much like a sequel.

“Love” written by Rick Savage was an important tune and surprisingly the longest at 4:17.  It’s the one that they called “not a ballad” and you can get where they were coming from.  Yes there’s a soft acoustic intro but the song is bigger and more dramatic than the average ballad.  A big heavy chunky section rises towards the end.  The acoustic version on the Japanese release could fairly be pigeonholed as a ballad, but the standard album cut it more like Leppard meets Queen.  Freddie and the boys seem to be the biggest influence on “Love”, especially vocally.

Phil Collen wrote “Tomorrow” which is one of the most pop of the tunes, sort of in an Adrenalize mold.  The chorus is solid and there’s a nice guitar part to bite into.  Not a highlight but not a throwaway.  Just a good hard rock tune that sounds great in the car come chorus time.

Vivian Campbell contributed the low groove of “Cruise Control”, whose bassline is the main feature, rolling and churning beneath the song.  Interesting tune with some truly great and adventurous guitar playing from Viv.  Playing for feel and not speed.  But the band reverts to their standard form again on the uptempo rocker “Hallucinate”.  Though the hooks sound like you’ve heard ’em all before, they’re all welcome to return on this great track.

Another solid song, “Only the Good Die Young”, boasts some mellotron that always seems to recall the Beatles.  Not a constituent part of the average Def Leppard rocker, but an enhancement that works well here.  Joe ever references a “diamond in the sky” so it’s probably not coincidence.  A good tune made better by stepping just slightly outside the box without destroying the box.

Joe’s “Bad Actress” is by far the hardest rocker on the album, going full speed ahead to a place that Leppard had not gone in many years.  Pure heavy and reckless rock, pedal to the metal, just givin’ ‘er as much as there is in the gas tank.  This, yes this, is what fans had been begging for!  Something that really drives but still sounds like Def Leppard.  Something that wouldn’t have sounded too out of place in the early years.  Finally, we got “Bad Actress” out of them!

The penultimate track “Come Undone” slows it back down to a deliberate 90s pace.  Decent album track, but might have been considered filler in an earlier age.  Unfortunately, it’s just one of those easy to forget second-last album tracks.

Fortunately, Leppard saved the best track for last:  “Gotta Let It Go”, which rocks so hard on the chorus that it might just rip your head off.  This Vivian contribution opens with deceivingly soft drum programs before absolutely exploding on the epic chorus.  It’s a brilliant slice of songwriting from the Irish rock wizard, and the way the lead and backing vocals overlap on the chorus is just the kind of thing Def Leppard do so exceptionally well.  An absolute triumph that leaves a sweet taste in the mouth when the album is complete.  This kind of closer invites repeat listens.

Sparkle Lounge ends as it began:  rocking.

Fortunately for Def Leppard, a young American fan of both them and Tim McGraw was hitting brand new heights in her fresh solo career.  At just 19 years old, she was born while Def Leppard were still the biggest rock band in the universe.  So, leaning even further into country music, Def Leppard would gain a lot of attention from a new younger crowd thanks to their big fan Taylor Swift.  It seemed a strange move for Leppard to make while they were just starting to rock again, but we’ll discuss the Swift collaboration in a future instalment.

Though Songs From the Sparkle Lounge does contain some fillers and some cuts that fail to stick in the memory, there are no outright “deletes” except arguably the McGraw track.  It doesn’t even fit with the vibe of the album.  The Leppard version should have been in the main album sequence, with the McGraw version as a bonus track and single in special markets.  Guaranteed, this album would be better remembered if that was the case.

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)
  30. Rock Of Ages: The Definitive Collection
  31. Yeah!
  32. Yeah! Bonus CD With Backstage Interviews
  33. Yeah…Nah! – Record Store Tales

Next:

35. “C’Mon C’Mon” (12″ picture disc)
36. CMT Crossroads (DVD with Taylor Swift)
37. B-Sides
38. Yeah! II
39. Yeah! Live
40. Mirror Ball – Live & More (Japanese import)
41. iTunes re-recordings