|
We've listed albums in order of star rating. Best first.
Reviews by Pete
Feenstra, Pete Whalley, Joe Geesin, Nikk Gunns, Jason Ritchie
BLACK WATER RISING
Black Water Rising
New York based four-piece Black Water Rising originally released their
self-titled debut album last year, and a solid effort it is too. The band’s
sound is guitar driven yet radio friendly - think the heavier end of recent
Winger crossed with Black Stone Cherry, and maybe a bit of Black Label Society
in places - there is a heavy southern groove going on with some great heavy
riffs in there.
The songwriting on 'Black Water Rising' is consistently good and there is not a
weak track on the album, in fact I would suggest that the band’s days on
independent labels may be almost behind them as this is one of the strongest
releases from a new band that I have heard for a long time.
It is hard to single out individual tracks as better than others here but 'The
Mirror', 'Hate Machine' - complete with a Scott Weiland style vocal from Rob
Traynor, 'Blessed' ,'No Halos', 'Living Proof' and the Queens of The Stone Age
style 'Sale On Your Soul' are all highlights amongst the albums 11 tracks.
Black Water Rising are a great new band and one that I have no doubt we will be
hearing from again. *****
Review by Nikk Gunns
SCRATCHED MATINEE Notes From The Incurable (2010)
www.chrisfrancis.net
The name may not be
familiar but the man behind it is former Ten guitarist Chris Francis. He plays
and produces everything on this album with vocals from a US session vocalist
Phil Philsworth.
There is a bit of his Ten/melodic rock past to be heard, most notably on the
'woo oh' backing vocals on 'Those Long Winter Evenings', but overall the music
is more in keeping with Queen (few Brian May approved licks here and there),
Lillian Axe (the way the music can be uplifting yet the lyrics are very bleak)
and Radiohead, for the use of distorted guitars rather than vocals.
'Summer Days' is perhaps the most instant song on here and it reminded me of
Lillian Axe in the 90's mode - a drak lyric wrapped up in a very melodic song.
'New Moon Monday' brings in a piano backing backed by a few choice riffs.
Another song to feature tasty harmony vocals.
Full marks to Chris Francis as he resists the urge to flood each song with
endless guitar solos, prefering to scatter them throughout the album as well as
providing some big riffs.
Don't go expecting a Ten spin-off but if your bag is Queen, Lillian Axe and
modern rock then look no further. ****
Review by Jason Ritchie
SMILEK Stranded (AMG
Music)
Smilek’s new album 'Stranded' contains 9 tracks of honest American hard rock -
maybe a little bit on the safe side at times, but good throughout nevertheless.
Featuring elements of Poison, Def Leppard, Poison, Firehouse and Bon Jovi - you
pretty much know what you are going to get here - big sing along choruses, hooks
a plenty and lots of loud guitars.
The album may only be 9 tracks long but all 9 are good. There are two ballads in
'Promise To Remember' and the Leppard-like 'Put A Little Love On The Line'.
'Touch of Pain' and 'American Dream' give a passing nod to Bon Jovi whilst
'Fields of Fire' features one of the best guitar solos on the album. Other
highlights on the album include 'I Ain’t No Good' and title track 'Stranded'.
'Stranded' is a good album and in places like The US, where music like this
still gets played on the radio, it should do well for the band. ****
Review by Nikk Gunns
STRATOVARIUS Darkest
Hours (Edel / Ear Music)
Five track mini album that acts as both appetiser to their forthcoming new full
length album 'Elysium' in January, also coinciding with a couple of UK dates in
December.
The opening title track is
typical Stratovarius, symphonic power metal with both gothic and progressive
edges (there’s a hint of Rush to the vocals).
The second new track
'Infernal Maze' opens more melodically and builds well, the keyboards and guitar
intricately weaving into a fantastic metal song. Stratovarius are clearly at the
top of their game here. A high speed neoclassical guitar solo seals the deal.
This release is then bolstered by a demo version of 'Darkest Hours' and two live
tracks, 'Against The Wind' and 'Black Diamond'.
A fine taster, the new album should make for essential listening. ****
Review by Joe Geesin
TAHITI 80 The Past, The
Present & The Possible Human Sounds (2011)
Tahiti 80 are certainly a band who like to give their listeners some variety. At
their heart lies a keen ear for a pop melody and on top of this they build a
wall of keyboards, sampling effects and synths that Tangerine Dream would be
proud of!
Sometimes this can become
overbearing as can be heard on 'Rain Steam & Speed' which veers to much into
dance for my own liking but would doubtless go down a storm on the dancefloor.
'4am' on the otehr hand is a perfect pop meets trance number, something that say
Pure Reason Revolution would do albeit with added guitar crunch.
Tahiti 70 are definately worth a listen and there is much to marvel at musically
on here. The vocals are nicely understated as well giving a very pleasant vive
throughout the whole album. ***½
Review by Jason Ritchie
DAVID ‘Rock’ FEINSTEIN
Bitten By The Beast
(Niji Entertainment)
Feinstein will always be remembered by working alongside Ronnie James Dio in The
Prophets, The Electric Elves and Elf as well as for fronting The Rods (with whom
he tours next year).
The album kicks off with 'Smoke On The Horizon', a hard and fast yet melodic
metal track that adds a punk like energy to the metal of the likes of Dio and a
non boogie Krokus.
Chunky riffs, a fine
guitar solo and nicely rough vocals. The opening to 'Evil In Me' nods to Sabbath
and, like 'Break Down The Walls' with its Judas Priest influence, is fine trad
metal with loud rough (if a touch strained) vocals.
What most metal fans will look for here is the track 'Metal Will Never Die',
which features Feinstein’s cousin Ronnie Dio, one of his last recorded
performances. It is a fine performance too, true testament to Dio indeed.
'Kill The Demon' continues in similar fashion, and is one of the most Dio-esque
tracks. Heavy too. 'Rocks Boogie' both rocks and boogies, and 'Run For Your
Life' is a stand out rocker.
Feinstein’s name and music will forever be in Dio’s shadow, but that’s no mean
shadow to be in. ***½
Review by Joe Geesin
MISTHERIA Dragon Fire
(Lion Music)
Virtuoso pianist Mistheria has produced another completely overblown
neoclassical album full of more metal pomposity than imaginable. Aided by
bassist Alberto Rigoni and drummer John Macaluso, the album is full of guest
guitarists and vocalists.
This project was probably
fun to make, as it’s so completely overblown and self indulgent. There are
plenty of fun moments too, from full on classical metal to melodic rock to the
ultra twiddly noodles of Malmsteen / Imperlitteri, it’s extreme in three
directions.
In each case the guitarist
and vocalist has been chosen to fit the song, but most of the songs are well
connected and extreme in more than one sense.
The intro to 'Lies And
Deception' is electric, the main song (after the guitar widdles) is chunky and
melodic, a solid and rough edge to the guitar that is augmented by a good
keyboard sound that could be slightly higher in the mix.
The intro to 'Killing The Pain' features some fusion piano before some searing
guitar come in.
Symphonic metal meets shred. If it’s not totally your bag, it can be tough going
at times, while at others still pretty enjoyable. ***½
Review by Joe Geesin
THOMAS ASHBY Bedroom
Bedlam
The music industry is
bursting at the seams with talent that is going completely unnoticed and Bedroom
Bedlam by Thomas Ashby is an evident example of this. At just sixteen years old
most kids are sitting around wasting away on Facebook but it's a different story
for Tom who spends his time writing imaginative alternative rock music and
trying to get his prominent potential noticed.
You wouldn't expect much from an album recorded entirely on an old iBook but as
soon as 'Elusive' kicks in, you are proved entirely wrong by the haunting,
echoed vocals reminiscent of Kyle Falconer from the band of Scottish alt rock
gods, The View.
'Melodic Sleep' boasts a mellow and subdued guitar melody but what really brings
this track alive is the lulling softness of the stunning vocals which could draw
the sting out of any situation with their floaty and elegant feel. Another thing
that thoroughly impresses me in this track is Tom's ability to use falsetto
without tearing your ears apart and withdrawing the calmness from the track.
'Exp' is a fifty-two second instrumental piece which immediately raises the mood
and prepares the listener from the incredibly catchy, upbeat guitar riff of
'Bedroom Bedlam'. The vocals in this next song are a little on the shaky side
but where they lack, the elaborate electric guitar penetrates through and he
quickly redeems himself from being on the receiving end of harsh comments.
The gradual outro to title track, 'Bedroom Bedlam', slides effortlessly into the
equally as gentle intro to 'Wait' which maintains its silky smooth tone
throughout and blends into the slightly ambient 'Interlude'.
'Friend In Need' is the acoustic production which follows and fills the seventh
slot on the album effectively with a slightly more pop sound than the rest of
this experimental album.
'Up in the Sea' sees Tom step slightly out of his comfort zone by mixing ambient
rainfall effects with bold, marching vocals and a light-as-air piano melody.
This is definitely a brave advance that contrasts the previous tracks yet he
pulls it off brilliantly and creates what is, in my opinion, the best of the
album so far.
The next track diverts away from stereotypical love songs and diminishes the
connotations that come with them. 'Fallen For You' is a real twist on those
mainstream love songs you see on telly in which some washed out pop star
declares their shallow emotions about some random girl to the world. Tom's
version of an affectionate track has a certain depth to it which you could only
expect from the likes of a more mature artist such as Brandon Flowers.
'The Way We Are' has a positive note to it which demonstrates the basis to a
perfect feel-good track. As the song progresses, more instruments are added to
the blend and counteract the plain feel the track gives out due to how
repetitive it is lyrically.
The next track on the album throws you straight back into the 90's with the use
of a melody similar to the music you would get on something like Pokemon Yellow.
Essentially though, that is not a downside. Everyone loves the joyous sounds of
the good ol' Gameboy! As always, Tom manages to bring a serious side to the
track and this time accomplishes it by adding some substantial lyrics and
impressive vocal work.
The penultimate track on the album is 'Lights On' which would be perfectly
fitting to the scenic parts of a movie. The feather-like piano feels extremely
light and creates a basis to the vocals of the track which are once again rather
repetitive. However, in this track I don't find the repeated lyrics boring in
the slightest as it is somehow extremely relaxing and plunges you into a sense
of inner security.
Album closer, 'Our Own Way', show this kid's amazing ability to structure an
album effectively by closing the record on a gradually softening track which
sums up all of his abilities nicely with a variety of instruments being used.
The album is definitely deserving of much more attention that it has already
received. After all, this kid is only sixteen and although he has room for
improvement, he also has plenty of time ahead of him to carry out those
improvements and become a musical virtuoso. With a little more encouragement and
the confidence to experiment with sounds more he will definitely have a chance
of going far with his music. 'Bedroom Bedlam' is certainly worth checking out.
***½
Review by Abigail Suter
GLYN BAILEY & THE MANY
SPLENDID THINGS The Disturbance (2010)
This is the third album by Glyn Bailey and the first with a full backing band.
It's a strange affair, mixing some 70's classic rock sounds with the more off
the wall moments of Talking Heads.
To be honest this is not
one I can really see myself playing a lot again, although the big opener 'The
Old Illawalla' and 'Fuktup' are worth a listen.
Not bad and if you've enjoyed Glyn Bailey's earlier work doubtless you will like
this one but for the inquisitive listener not much to draw them in. ***
Review by Jason Ritchie
PREACHER STONE Uncle
Buck's Vittles
www.myspace.com/preacherstonerocks
Country rock from America,
that nods into blues and southern territories.
Opener 'Can't Keep A Good
Man Down' kicks off with a moody guitar that then crashes in, hints of Bad
Company, Zeppelin, and then goes in a smooth direction with hint of Americana.
'Carved In Stone' is
definitely in Americana territory, abeit beefed up a little, but it's definitely
FM oriented without being totally AOR. Some nice guitar work in 'Come On In',
and a hint of Skynyrd.
'Early Morning Rise' is
heavier with some crunchy blues guitar, and husky smooth vocals - could be a
cross between Chris Rea and Led Zeppelin.
There's a harder edge to
the guitar on 'Nuff Said', the most metal track thus far. The song structure is
akin to a mid 80s glam metal band.
While keeping this dirty yet smooth blues/rock/southern influence, later songs
also dip into folk and further into country. Enjoyable cover of 'Come Together'
to finish with too. ***
Review by Joe Geesin
LYNNE HANSON Once The Sun Goes Down
Lynne Hanson describes her
musical style as ‘porch music with a little Texas red dirt'.
In truth, her third album
Once The Sun Goes Down is the sort of finger picking folk/country/Americana meld
that's likely to feature highly on the playlists of the Bob Harris Country show.
Her band comprises multi
instrumentalist David Baxter, drummer Blake Manning, bassist Brian Kobayakawa
and keyboardist Jason Sniderman supplemented by Justin Rutledge (banjo), Gilles
Leclerc (mandolin) Kevin Fox (cello), Paul Reddick (harmonica) and Roman Tome
(percussion). And that's not to mention an assortment of backing vocalists.
But Once The Sun Goes Down
has an uncluttered sound, the players perfectly complementing Hanson's laid back
story telling style. While never falling short of being an absorbing listen,
it's an album that only after repeated listens begins to burrow under your skin.
It's an approach that has earned her loyal followings in Canada, the States,
Europe and Australia.
If there's a standout
track, it's Mary Mary, a wonderfully cautionary up-tempo country/Americana tale
of the consequences of pushing a woman past breaking point. But elsewhere, Once
The Sun Goes Down perhaps lacks the hooks that would mark it out as a great, as
a opposed to a very good, album. ***
Review by Pete Whalley
30 POUNDS OF BONE
Method Armellodie ARM18CD
Ah ha! Standby for anew release from the Armellodie label, so put the kettle on
and hold all calls.
For the uninitiated, Armellodie is an enterprising Scottish label that champions
interesting and challenging new music from north of the border. Such is the
drive, energy and belief in the label's artists that the accompanying press
release is often as interesting as the music itself.
And in the case of
multi-instrumentalist and one man band Johny Lamb aka Thirty Pounds Of Bone, the
enthusiastic press release is not misplaced, though you do suspect that too
often 'Method' the album struggles for a consistency and originality to match
its passionate advocacy.
'Method' is the kind of album that sits in the twilight zone of the real and the
imagined, over a series of ten songs that offer musical snippets, moods,
atmospheres and raw heartfelt lyrics that suggest young Johnny really digs deep
to uncover his emotions and meanings.
Yet while he inevitably mines a rootsy field on the ironically titled, 'How we
applaud the unhappiness of the songwriter', and steals his melancholy
arrangement for a cover of the traditional 'All for me grogg' from Radiohead and
further adds some Floydian bluster to the delicate guitar work of 'The fishery',
there's not quite enough of his own style to stand out from the crowd.
This after all is the age of the singer song writer like never before, or at the
least not since the 60's. And while Thirty Pounds of Bone effortlessly dips into
plaintive drinking songs like 'Crutches' and belatedly adds an Brian Eno style
cacophonous density to some evocative lyrics on 'Darling' he's mining a series
of styles, production techniques and ultimately songs that have already seen the
light of day via higher profile artists in the same field.
So while the aching pathos of the closing 'Where I used to live' works well in
terms of topping and tailing the album, it's a wee bit too slight to take your
breath away.
A singer song writer after all, has to engage you either emotionally or appeal
to the cerebral, and the problem with 'Method' is that while it partially does
both , it does so only fleetingly, making the album as a whole an interesting
rather than essential piece of work. ***
Review by Pete Feenstra
THE BARSTOOL
PHILOSOPHERS Sparrows
www.thebarstoolphilosophers.com
www.myspace.com/thebarstoolphilosophers
Originally released in
2009 this album is a good solid prog metal album.
The album opens with a
complex rhythm and a building swirling keyboard before the guitars come in,
there are touches of Transatlantic and King Crimson.
The slower bursts are fine
modern prog rock with hints of IQ, Pallas and 90s Marillion. The second track
'Silence' rocks pretty well, with some crunchy guitar work and the keyboards
fitting in well.
The lyrics are very
personal, being written around the divorce that vocalist Leon Brouwer recently
went through.
The album fluctuates between virtuoso prog rock/metal and mainstream hard rock,
with crunchy moments.
Well worth a listen. ***
Review by Joe Geesin
ZOE SCOTT Women On Top
www.zoescott.com /
www.myspace.com/zoescott
Although singer/songwriter in nature, the delivery here warrants review. With a
voice comparable to both Sheryl Crow and Shania Twain, the music is power pop
meets rock'n'roll. Basically delivered with the balls of Katy Perry meets Cher
and a touch of Tina Turner.
'Get It Somewhere Else' is
typical of the ‘girl with attitude' delivery, and the album's title track is
just as sassy.
The slower acoustic
singer/songwriter moments I could have done without, though. While the voice
stands up, the music doesn't.
Yes this is pop, but there's enough melody, crunchy riffs and power to give it a
mention. A lot of fun. This is head and shoulders above so many of the
attention-getting female singers who are, in comparison, rubbish. ***
Review by Joe Geesin
PARTY TONIGHT Rock n
Roll For The Masses (Red Pony Records)
Italian band Party Tonight have released 'Rock n Roll For The Masses'- 8 tracks
of sleazy, adrenaline fuelled party rock that takes influence from a host of
‘70's and ‘80's bands, alongside the likes of more recent bands such as Hardcore
Superstar and Crucified Barbara.
The band appear to be almost tongue in cheek at times and unfortunately this
does make them come across like The B52's on crack at points throughout the
album. That said the vocals of singers Chris Dandy and Michelle suit the style
of music well and the band know what they are doing in that respect. They do
sound Scandinavian which may help them in the fact that this CD would go down
well in that part of the world.
Highlights on 'Rock n Roll For The Masses' include 'F**k You, Goodbye', 'Grubby
Mind', the atmospheric 'Take On The Devil', 'Sexy Lady From Underworld' and 'A
Good Tellin' Off'. The band has been promoting the album heavily in their native
Italy and has recently supported both Crashdiet and Crucified Barbara. ***
Review by Nikk Gunns
MOLESKIN Voluntary
Inventory (Of Not A Very Nice Everyday Life)
www.myspace.com/moleskinfrance
This French band were
formed in 2004 and are play pretty straight hard rock. Modern hard rock with
some retro influences.
The opening track opens rather drearily before things pick up, with touches of
Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. The press release adds QOTSA, Soundgarden and Pearl
Jam, which I can kinda see.
'Out Of The Blue' is a one
minute track with a banjo edge to the guitar sound, and '3 Words' adds a slight
celtic edge to the grungy sound.
The pace slows for 'My Resurrection', with strong vocals and a hark back to the
80s. Later on there are strong Zeppelin influences and some good melodic hard
rock. But that said, I somehow found it all rather ungripping.
Good but unmoving.
**½
Review by Joe Geesin
 |
Print this page in printer-friendly format |
 |
Tell a friend about this page |
| 