Is it getting hot out there or is that just me??? LOL!! I’m kidding. What is hot are the new releases this week. There are a couple I want to hear such as the new Crowded House and the new Jon Foreman. If you are a Guns N Roses fan, Duff has a new live album and Stranger Thing fans have a new album from Maya Hawke to check out. A lot of new releases. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a great and wonderful weekend.
Crowded House – Gravity Stars – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Jon Foreman – In Bloom – (Jon Foreman)
Duff McKagan – Tenderness: Live in Los Angeles – (Blood Meridian)
Tonight at 7pm, I will be on Grant’s Rock Warehous ranking the albums from Atlanta’s own The Producers. Join me, Grant Arthur and Steve Schnee and turn your boring TV evening into a fun, exciting time.
We are now in the mid 90’s and the rock bands from the 80’s were basically gone. Ok, they were still around, but they were not cool. Those bands were try going darker, heavier and try to match the grunge scene and the style of rock that was going on at the time. Def Leppard were no different as far as not being cool anymore (except I still thought they were). Thankfully though, they did not follow the other bands and go heavier and grungier. No, instead they went in a direction no one saw coming. They experimented with new sounds, new instruments and delivered an album that was like nothing you’ve ever heard from them. They tried something entirely new.
The result of the new sound was ‘Slang’. It was a darker album for sure, but not grunge dark. Lyrically dark. The band members were not having the best of times around then. Joe Elliott and Rick Allen had both been arrested for spousal abuse (not to each other, they weren’t married to each other). Rick Savage was suffering from Bells Palsey and the death of his dad. And Phil Collen was going through a divorce. All of that impacted the writing of this album.
Another thing that impacted the album was that there was no more Mutt Lange. He wasn’t involved at all. However, we did get the impact of Vivian Campbell as this was his first studio album he had made with the band since he joined. I think that helped change things up as well. The band ended up producing the album themselves with Pete Woodroffe. They also recorded the album completely different. No more Lange style of one instrument, one note at a time. This time around, they recorded it together. A novel concept.
It was released on May 14, 1996 and it did not do well at all. Well, it did go Gold, but it didn’t go Platinum. It only went to #14 on the Billboard albums chart. They did release 4 singles but no Top 40 tracks anymore. Nope. Times had changed. However, it doesn’t mean that this album was not good…not in the slightest.
The opening track, “Truth?”, was blatantly obvious that this was not the same band. A darker, more foreboding sound. Very experimental as the band show no signs of their old self and that is why this song is a stellar choice to open the album. It says, hold on to your hat…this is going to be different. It’s heavy drumbeats and very progressive guitar work are exceptional an unlike anything else they’ve done. When I first heard this back in 1996 my initial reaction was…WHAT???? But it quickly turned in to “HELL YES!!”.
The next track, “Turn to Dust”, was an even bigger departure. With the band’s use of a sarangi in the opening of the song, you get a South Asian folk flair. There is a Beatles tone to it and even a Bowie shout-out so the boys haven’t completely abandoned their roots. The chorus is a little heavy and totally killer. It isn’t anthemic, but it is catchy and even better then the opening track.
The first single and title track, “Slang” is one of two songs that might be considered more of their older sound, but still nothing like anything else they’ve done up to this point. You could possibly dance to this one too. Heck, even Joe raps a little on this one. WTF??? Yeah, that was my first impression as well. But, I love it. They are keeping us on our toes with this one. A song about phone sex too…huh!!!
“All I Want is Everything” is up next and it slows things down. A ballad that is nothing like the well-polished ballads of the past. It is dark, foreboding and the guitar tone is gritty and morose. The chorus has a great melody and is quite brilliant. It took me awhile to get in to this song, but I think I’m finally there. I had always wondered why so many people liked this one as at first I didn’t. I put the headphones on and really listened to it and started to hear things I’d never noticed before, certain notes and textures, and eventually I found the song to be one of the finer moments on the album.
One of the more fun songs on the album is the rocker “Work It Out”. Vivian Campbell’s first major contribution to the band and it is a homerun. It has a more industrial sound, it is heavier and that bass at time from Sav is so freaking funky. And some of the best bass work, bar none, on the album. I gravitated to this one immediately and might be one of my favorite tracks on the album…if not THE favorite track.
“Breathe a Sigh” gives us another ballad and this one is another departure for the band. There are some R&B moments with those verses both musically and even how Joe delivers those lyrics. It is soft, subtle and tantalizing. The chorus is old-school Lep with those lush vocal harmonies that would make the boy bands jealous. It really shines amongst the darker material on the album.
Then we get the first misstep for me with “Deliver Me”. I do not like Joe’s singing on it at all. The song is a rocker though so it has that going for it. Joe’s vocals are deeper, grittier and maybe it is too far the other way from Lep, but it does nothing for me. The chorus does pick up and make things better, but the slow, droning verses kill it for me.
The band goes all heavy metal on us with “Gift of Flesh”. The heaviest song the band has done in years and definitely the heaviest on this album. It feels almost apocalyptic, there is an urgency to it and there is something we haven’t talked about at all on this album…a guitar solo. The best one on the album (or at least the most memorable one at least). This song is slamming from start to finish and can I get a Hell Yeah!!!…I can’t hear you!!!
Then the album ends with not 1, not 2, but 3 ballads in a row. Wow! Talk about changing things up. But don’t expect to be bored, not by any stretch of the imagination. It kicks off with “Blood Runs Cold” which could possibly be on of the most haunting songs the band has ever done. Musically, it is ethereal, so much so that it could break if you touched it. Joe delivers the lyrics so emotionally and you can feel the sadness, the pain and the heartache. My favorite ballad on the album.
“Where Does Love Go When It Dies” sees the band get all philosophical with this acoustic beauty. It is about as old-school as they get, but yet it still feels different and more sophisticated. Joe does it again lyrically and vocally and gives us another brilliant track and this one will make you stop and think. You can’t say that too many times with their songs.
Then we get the final song and most epic on the album, “Pearl of Euphoria”. It opens with a killer bass line (Sav does it again). Elliott’s vocals are deliberate, darker and deeper in tone. It has a similar modern tone like “Truth?” and yet there is a 70’s tone a la Zeppelin. It has that otherworldly lyrical content you expect from Zeppelin. The guitar playing is exquisite and some of the finest on the album. There are so many great things about this one I don’t know where to begin. What a way to go out.
Track Listing:
Truth? – Keeper
Turn to Dust – Keeper
Slang – Keeper
All I Want Is Everything – Keeper
Work It Out – Keeper
Breathe a Sigh – Keeper
Deliver Me – Delete
Gift of Flesh – Keeper
Blood Runs Cold – Keeper
Where Does Love Go When It Dies – Keeper
Pearl of Euphoria – Keeper
Track Score is 10 out of 11 Tracks or 91%. This is one of the most surprising albums the band has ever put out. It took me a couple listens to get it back in the day, but when I did, I was all in. A very dark album versus everything else in the catalog and fit with the darkness of the 90’s music that was out, but it was nothing like the 90’s music at the time. It was its own animal or beast. Def Leppard stretched their legs with this one. They experimented, tried new things and some people might not get it, but those of us that do are given a masterpiece. Now, it isn’t as good as their earlier albums, but it might be one of the best they’ve done since ‘Hysteria’, even to this day. My Overall Score is a 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars. I pull this out more than any other album except the first four. I can’t recommend this one enough.
NEXT UP: DEF LEPPARD – ‘MONTREAL: THE CLASSIC 1996 BROADCAST – (BOOTLEG CD)
Welcome back to The Collection. This week we are going to walk through William Broad’s vinyl catalog. Who is William Broad? Well, he is none other than Billy Idol. We will start with the 1981 E.P. ‘Don’t Stop’ and go all the way through to ‘The Cage’ E.P. from 2022 and touch everything vinyl in between. So, if you are fan of Idol or even Steve Stevens, come check this out!!
So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, May 27, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
And if you are interested, you can check out all the Billy Idol reviews I have done on the site. Heck, take the day off and spend it with Billy!!
Bon Jovi’s 11th Studio album is ‘The Circle’ and came out on November 10, 2009. My version of the album has a bonus DVD entitled ‘When We Were Beautiful’. The video is documentary movie that was recorded during the 2007 Tour for the band’s ‘The Lost Highway’ Tour. The film premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and was directed by Phil Griffin. This isn’t your typical behind the scenes video, there is more depth and expertise to it and a purpose behind it. A story that was meant to be told.
The video shows them on stage and off and some very intimate moments. This isn’t some wild, crazy party video, but an opportunity for the guys to be shown as people and far more than just Bon Jovi. Don’t get me wrong, there are some fun moments. For instance, it was hilarious, and a little bit scary, when a woman jumped on stage in Dublin just to kiss Jon. That girl was bound and determined to do it and she succeeded.
But the interviews here with the band members are the most enjoyable part. You get to see a very serious side of Jon Bon Jovi, the smoker, the businessman, the CEO of a major brand over the last 25 years. A man who struggles more with touring, the stress, the loneliness. There is an artistic side to the film as well. I love when they show Jon singing “Hallelujah” and intersperse an interview with him as the song is playing. Jon talks about his insecurities about performing and how he hates the lull in the show and always wants to have it going up, up and up. It is moments like this that keep this film interesting and a step above most documentaries you have seen.
Tico Torres, the man who doesn’t look to the past, and lives in the moment and loves to spend his down time playing golf, but family is his most important thing. Tico had a serious drinking problem and had so many issues with his dad leaving him at a young age. He has dealt with those demons and today might be the most together person of the whole band. He has found salvation in his art.
For My Sunday Song #414, we are going to go a little country with Paul Laine’s band called DarkHorse. The song is called “Goodbye” and is off the album called “Let It Ride” which was released in 2014, almost 25 years after his rock debut album. This is Paul’s first dive in to the Country genre and saw him head to down to Nashville and work with Steve Ohe. I don’t think the song was a single and the album didn’t do much in the charts here in the States, but it was a country album that country fans missed out on for sure.
The song is a love letter to the woman who left him for another man. He’s heartbroken and looking for closure but doesn’t know how to get that closure as she is gone and he hasn’t been album to properly say goodbye. He loved her so much that the fact she left has scarred him deeply. He wants to see her one more time even if it is just to say goodbye, but he can’t do that if he doesn’t know how why she left and if it isn’t truly over.
The song is a ballad and yes there is a country twang to it, but at its heart, the song is still a melodic rock love song. It has that 80’s rock, ballad sound with a few country guitars such as a slide and steel guitar. Paul’s vocals are so tender and heartbreakingly sad that the emotion from those lyrics oozes out. You can feel the pain he is feeling. His vocals never age and he can still hit these high notes that most artist would kill for. As far as ballads go, they don’t get much better than this. You will see it leans less country and more rock if you listen to the heart of the song.
Happy Friday! Well, somewhat. Happy because it is Friday, but not so happy as there aren’t a ton of releases this week and honestly, nothing I’m interested in hearing. So a week off for me. Do you seen anything? Let me know what you want to hear or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.
On December 5, 1995, Def Leppard released yet another video compilation and I believe this is their 4th to date. This one is called ‘Video Archive’ and highlights some live performances as well as some promo videos from ‘Retro Active’ and the greatest hits compilation ‘Vault’. The video was originally released on VHS, Laserdisc and VCD. In 2001, they released it on DVD along with the video compilation called Visualize which is the copy I actually own.
The first part of the DVD we have actually talked about before only a few weeks back. If you remember the bootleg DVD I have called ‘Live Sheffield 1992‘, you will remember that the DVD is actually from June 6, 1993 not 1992 and it is in fact, the show that is on this video as well. Okay, this video is only a piece of that show which is a only a piece of the full set list. And you will remember that I loved that bootleg DVD as the picture and sound were outstanding. This proves that it was as they took that and added 8 of those tracks here and it looks and sounds as good. Maybe it looks a tad bit better.
The show kicks off with a that same old question….”Do You Want to Get Rocked?” as they kick in to “Let’s Get Rocked” off the ‘Adrenalize’ album. A cheesy but fun song live. Then they go back to the ‘Pyromania’ era and pull out “Foolin’” which is one of their best songs, period. Nothing real flashy, but done to perfection. They move up an album and bring us “Rocket” (not “Rock It”). This one has a cool solo part with Vivian and Phil goofing off a little, but making it interesting with what sounds they pull out of their guitars. A hard song to make sound like the records so why try. A great solo between the two. Towards the end the go all Zeppelin with “A Whole Lot of Love” before back to “Rocket”.
We are now up to Bon Jovi’s 11th studio album called ‘The Circle’. The band has been on a massive schedule of album, tour, album, tour for years now and honestly the quality is starting to show. Producer John Shanks is back and a lot of people believe that is the problem, but for me it is more than that. It is the fact the fact they are still chasing that hit and everything has become formulaic and tired. More on that later.
For now, let’s discuss the album itself. The title, ‘The Circle’, has many meanings one possible is that they have come full circle back to the rock & roll sound of before after dabbling in to that country genre for a second…a very long second. Or it could be that the band is a circle of guys and that circle is hard to get in to (and hard to get out unless your Richie and you stop showing up – but that hasn’t happened yet and I’m getting ahead of myself). That circle still consists of Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and David Bryan. Poor Hugh McDonald still hasn’t been made an official member yet, but that will change eventually.
The album was released on November 10, 2009 and sold over 163,000 records in its first week alone. The album would reach #1 on the Billboard Charts and numerous countries around the world. It stayed at #1 for all of one week, but hey, it is a #1 album. It would also go on to Gold Status in the States and 5 other countries as well as Platinum in Canada. The band was still having success, but for me that loyalty had faded and faded fast. It was years after this album was released before I ever bought it and the only reason I pulled it out today, is so I could do a review. And after a couple more listens, my thoughts haven’t changed. Are you ready for it?
The opening track is the song “We Weren’t Born to Follow” and is very typical of every album since 2000. An uplifting song that talks about the tough times people were facing in the current economic environment. It was a charge to arms to stand up for you believe. But like every opening track on the past batch of albums, it feels like a been there and done that kind of song. Yeah, it ain’t bad, but it ain’t anything new either.
This week, I am going to go through the vinyl in my collection on one of my favorite bands to come out of the 90’s. And that band is Stone Temple Pilots. With Scott Weiland, Dean DeLeo, Robert DeLeo and Eric Kretz, you have one of the best rock bands that helped me make through the 90’s when music was what it was when I was growing up. Scott was one of the greatest frontmen to ever perform and the band has so many great songs and albums. Even today, with Jeff Gutt on vocals, the band is still releasing music and still kicking ass.
Join me as I walk through the vinyl of STP that I have in my collection. I am only missing an E.P. and the MTV live show, but otherwise, I think I have it all that has been released on vinyl. From Core to Perdida, walk with me through their amazing career of music.
So go check it out as it will be live tonight, May 20, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.
Crowded House – Gravity Stars – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Jon Foreman – In Bloom – (Jon Foreman)
Duff McKagan – Tenderness: Live in Los Angeles – (Blood Meridian)
Twenty One Pilots – Clancy – (Fueled by Ramen)
Paul Weller – 66 – (Solid Bond Productions / Universal Music)
Wallows – Model – (Atlantic Recordings Corp)
Capstan – The Mosaic – (Fearless Records / Concord)
Defects – Modern Error – (Mascot Label Group)
Rotting Christ – Pro Xristou – (Season of Mist)
Evildead – Toxic Grace – (Steamhammer)
Vale of Pnath – Between the Worlds of Life And Death – (Willowtip)
Bloodorn – Let the Fury Rise – (Reaper Entertainment)
DIIV – Frog in Boiling Water – (Fantasy Records / Concord)
Finom – Not God – (Joyful Noise Recordings)
Nathaniel Russell – Songs Of – (Pyschic Hotline)
Tom Ball – Curtain Call – (Westway Music)
Mui Zyu – Nothing or Something to Die For – (Father/Daughter Records)
Low Hum – Terra Incognita – (Last Gang Records / MNRK Records)
Travis Denning – Roads That Go Nowhere – (Mercury Nashville / UMG Recordings)
Andrew Bird – Sunday Morning Put-On – (Wegawam Music / Loma Vista Records)
Shenseea – Never Gets Late Here – (Rich Immigrants / Interscope Records)
Wyatt C. Louis – Chandler – (Royal Mountain Records)
2 Loud 2 Old Music 