Category: Pop Music

1995 – The Greatest Year in Music?

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If you are new to the site, I started this series with the year 1987 and then noticed that 1991 and 1983 were also a couple of the greatest years in music.  I got to thinking, was there a pattern that every 4 years we have another great year in music.  Well, I am not sure the theory held up for me with 1979, but now I am exploring the year 1995. If you want to explore the other years, click on the link below…

1979 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1983 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1987 – The Greatest Year in Music?

1991 – The Greatest Year in Music?

Will 1995 be another great year or is my theory fully debunked with this year.  Let us explore and see and then decide a the end.  But first we have to ask What were the top albums of the year?, What were the debut albums from some of the great rock bands? and What was going on in the world of music that year?

NEWS:

1995 didn’t have any major news story that changed music like 1979 with the Sony Walkman and 1983 with the release of the CD, but a couple big stories did happen.

KISS_UnpluggedOn August 9th, a major even happened in the history of Kiss.  Kiss performed on MTV’s Unplugged series.  That in and of itself was nothing special, but some special guests were invited up on the stage and out walked Ace & Peter.  It was the first time in 16 years the original members of Kiss (Gene, Paul, Peter & Ace) had played together.  It was so well received that the following year, Kiss put their make-up back on and the first reunion tour was kicked off and the Kiss Unplugged album was finally released.  This event started it off.

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Maroon 5 – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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With Maroon 5 heading out for their next big tour this Summer, I thought I might go through and rank their albums from Worst to First.  With a span of 6 albums over 16 years, they have put out some great albums and a couple not so great ones.  I am going to keep this strictly to Maroon 5’s studio albums and not include any from them when they were known as Kara’s Flowers or any live or re-mix albums.  This will keep it simpler and keep me sane from digging into everything else that is out there.

Now, take a seat and lean back and read on and find out how I rank the Maroon 5 albums from Worst to First.  And of course, we will start with the Worst…

7 – THE WORST – ‘Jordi’ (2021):

I didn’t think they could keep going backwards, but they have done just that.  ‘Jordi’ is another example of a band that feels they have to have a “Featured” artists to get played on the radio.  They have Megan Thee Stallion, H.E.R., blackbear, Nipsey Hussle to name only a few.  Out of the 14 songs on the Deluxe Edition, 9 have a guest artist featured on the song.  NINE!!!  That is INSANE!! Continue reading “Maroon 5 – The Albums Ranked Worst to First” →

Friday New Releases – June 1st

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Welcome to the First Friday of June and better yet, the first day of June.  We are now getting into the Summer months and it is going to be Hot with new releases and temperatures.  There only a couple I am interested in the one will require a lot of dough.  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  What interests you?  Leave me a comment.

  • 614aKIFCXNL._AC_US436_QL65_.jpg  Def Leppard – The Collection: Volume One – (Mercury):  Okay, Def Leppard is re-releasing Four Collections of all their albums plus some bonus material.  I will just quote from Amazon exactly…

This initial volume of the band’s complete recorded output comes in a limited-edition 180-gram heavyweight vinyl box set, featuring Def Leppard’s first four studio albums — along with some choice bonus live and studio material — all spread across 8LPs. The Volume One collection contains all of Def Leppard’s iconic 1980s recordings – On Through The Night, High ‘N’ Dry, Pyromania and Hysteria – with reproductions of the original packaging. Furthermore, this collection includes a replica 7-inch single of the band’s original independent EP, the self-titled The Def Leppard E.P. The Volume One collection also houses bonus material including Live At The LA Forum 1983, originally released as a bonus disc in the deluxe CD version of Pyromania, making this the first-ever vinyl offering of the complete show. This 2LP version comes with a new sleeve and inner bags. The box set also includes Rarities Volume 1 which has been specially compiled by Joe Elliott, containing rare B-sides and recordings from Def Leppard’s early years, all in a newly commissioned sleeve. Each album in the Volume One box set was mastered by longtime band producer/soundmaster Ronan McHugh and frontman/vocalist Joe Elliott at Joe’s Garage in Dublin, Ireland, and cut by Greg Moore. Housed in rigid boxes, the Volume One collection also contains a hardback book with rare photos by longstanding band confidant Ross Halfin and liner notes by Classic Rock’s Paul Elliott. Def Leppard bandmembers Joe Elliott, bassist Rick Savage, drummer Rick Allen, and guitarist Phil Collen have all also contributed their personal introductions to the collection.

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Friday New Releases – May 25th

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Welcome to the last Friday of May.  Work is really busy right now and I need something to take my mind off of it.  Thank goodness it is Memorial Day Weekend and we get Monday off.  I need it.  There are several releases I will be checking out this weekend and they are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what you will be getting or whatever might peak your interest.  Have a great weekend!!

  • 81OQuFJNNRL._SX522_  Shawn Mendes – Shawn Mendes – (Island Records):  Shawn Mendes will be played constantly in my house this weekend and for weeks to come as I have two daughters who love him, one daughter a little too much…I swear a restraining order is in her future.  Anyway, I have heard a couple songs and I have to say that “In My Blood” is a rather spectacular song.  If there are any more like this one on the album, it will probably be great.

  • 51vKyvrz9LL._AC_US320_QL65_.jpg  Hoobastank – Push Pull – (Napalm Records):  Here is a name I haven’t heard in years.  Six years to be exact.  It has been that long since their last album and honestly I haven’t followed them in quite a long time.  No better time then the present to revisit the band.  Haven’t heard anything yet so it will be interesting to see what they still have to offer.

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RSO (Richie Sambora & Orianthi) – ‘Radio Free America’ – Album Review

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Back in 2013, Richie Sambora met Orianthi and sparks flew, apparently.  The two are an item and now they are putting out music for the masses and it is about time. I love Richie’s vocals and his bluesy, rock style plus he can play the guitar (have you heard of Bon Jovi?).  Orianthi is also one helluva a guitar player herself and she can sing with the best of them.  She has played for Michael Jackson and for Alice Cooper as well as her own solo work.  The two together, I was expecting a bluesy rock album with some amazing guitar work.  Did I get that…well…we will see.

After releasing two E.P.’s in 2017 and a couple singles including one double single, we finally get a full album called ‘Radio Free America’ from RSO (it’s there initials, get it!).  Now here is the problem with that…the full album is all 13 songs previously released with those E.P.’s and singles and only 2 new songs.  That is right, only 2 and one is a cover.  So, if you bought the E.P.’s, you aren’t getting much more.  And to make it worse, it is an album of 15 songs in length (over an hour and 7 minutes).  That is pretty long for an album and you know there will be filler…and trust me there is filler.  I heard they recorded 25 songs, I would like to know where those other 10 songs are.

I have reviewed all the E.P.’s and 2 of the singles previously, but we will compile them here again and make it a full length review adding in the singles I haven’t discussed prior.  We might as well jump in and away we go…

With the opening and title track “Making History” Richie & Orianthi are doing what we wanted them to do.  They are rocking out.  The guitars on this one are exceptional with an almost Def Leppardesque sound from around the “Euphoria” era at times (maybe).  The guitar solo is freaking sensational and it is all I ask from these two.  Of course I have one minor negative on the song.  The vocals are missing something whether it is the chemistry or the mix.  Bob Rock is the producer and he does great work, but I am not a fan of them singing simultaneously.  I prefer them to trade back and forth.

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Friday New Releases – May 18th

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Happy Friday.  Not a ton of releases that have caught my attention this week.  There are two that I will be diving in to and they are at opposite ends of the spectrum for sure.  There are a couple more I will try out eventually, but the first two will get most of my attention.  All the releases I will be checking out are highlighted in Blue.  Take a look around and see what else you might like and let me know in the comments.  If you want to see all the new releases coming in the universe over the next several weeks (or months), CLICK HERE.

  • 51oKVmEQtPL._AC_US320_QL65_  James Bay – Electric Light – (Republic Records):  Finally, the super talented James Bay is back with his sophomore release.  Is the sophomore jinx in place or not, we will have to hear it first to decide.  I have heard three singles so far and the first was completely different than his last album which can be good and bad as you don’t necessarily want to alienate the fans you built off that sound.  The next two were a little more in the wheelhouse we expect.  He is a great songwriter, singer and guitar player so we will check this out.  In the meantime, have a glass of “Pink Lemonade”

  • 61bJ20whPcL  Five Finger Death Punch – And Justice for None – (Prospect Park):  Now for the other end of the spectrum, there is Five Finger Death Punch.  The music is just that, a death punch to the face.  Every now and again, I like it hard and I like it loud and this is exactly what I need right now.  So prepare your ears to be decimated.

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Journey – “Open Arms” (The 45 Single)

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One of the most recognizable songs in the Journey catalog was “Open Arms”.  It was from the ‘Escape’ album and the single was released in January of 1982.  The song did pretty damn good and went to #2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but for some reason it couldn’t hit that #1 spot.  However, that is still one of the highest chart positions the band ever reached for a single if not the highest.

The song is believed by many to be one of the greatest power ballads ever written and is said to be one of the main catalyst for starting the power ballad movement in the 80’s.  The funny thing is that most members of the band other than Steve & Jonathan did not want the song on the album.  It was too sugary sweet for their tastes.  As tie has shown, those members of the band were wrong.

Or were they.  The band became known for this sound and it changed everything for the band from that point on.  They had to have power ballads on every album as they were now expected from the band.  And they did end up writing many more great ones and went on to superstar status.  It did get them huge successes and paydays, but was it worth it?  Probably so.

The song was brought to the band by Jonathan Cain as he already had the melody written when he tried to use it for his previous band, The Babys.  However, vocalist John Waite, was not real keen on the song and said it was too syrupy.  Wow, both bands originally stated the same thing…both were wrong.

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Friday New Releases – May 11th

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May is kicking in to high gear.  The temperature is heating up and so is the music.  There are only a few I am interested in this week, but there is plenty to get you moving this weekend.  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what tickles your fancy and if I missed anything (which I know I did).  Take a look and have a great weekend!!!

  • 51O5XlQtVaL._AC_US436_QL65_  RSO (Richie Sambora & Orianthi) – Radio Free America – (BMG):  The first full length album from Richie Sambora & Orianthi.  Well, it isn’t really completely new as they have had 2 EPs and a couble singles which are all included. The only new songs are only “Blues Won’t Leave Me Alone” and “Hellbound Train”.  I have mixed feelings on the EPs, but let’s see how they play as a full length album.

  • 51Jg2VeHSHL._SX120_SY120_  Arctic Monkeys – Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino – (Domino Recording):  Arctic Monkeys are back with their first album in five years.  It has been a while, but I am eager to hear if any of the magic is back.  They haven’t disappointed me yet…or at least very little.  Here is a snippet…

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Turntables & Vinyl #15 – More & More Vinyl

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Vinyl, Vinyl, Vinyl…I keep getting more and more and I get more addicted to wanting more and more.  My wife shakes her head and just sighs at this point.  I guess I could be drinking, smoking or doing drugs, but thankfully that is not the case.  If I did those things, I would consume everything and I would just be throwing money away.  With the vinyl purchases, I at least could sell them if I ran out of money, so it is an investment…yeah, let’s go with that!!

There is a friend at work that her husband has 2 big crates of vinyl in their closet and she wants them out of the house.  So before they took them somewhere to sell them, she gave me first crack at going through them and letting me pick out the ones I want first. I gave her a fair price (more than any record store would give her, even more than they would in store credit).

The crates were very heavy and full of vinyl.  My wife said I should take them upstairs in the Loft and sit with the family while I went through them.  I declined as they were too dang heavy and I didn’t want to tackle the stairs with them.  Instead, I stayed downstairs for a couple hours and slowly went through the collection.

The collection consisted of albums from the late 50’s all the way up to the late 80’s.  Each crate was sort of themed.  The one crate was from the 50’s-70’s and it was all her husband’s parents vinyl.  It had stuff I had never heard of and a lot I had.  There was Elvis, Liberace (I passed on those), Oak Ridge Boys, Alabama, the Kingston Trio and I could go on and on.

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The Fratellis – ‘In Your Own Sweet Time’ – Album Review

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The Fratellis released their fifth studio album back in March, titled ‘In Your Own Sweet Time’ and it has been on repeat.  This album shows us a band who is comfortable being who they are and shows a confidence in both the band and the music.

The album is full of infectious pop melodies and a sound that is strictly their own.  The songs are fun and enjoyable enough to play over and over despite the lyrics not always being so happy-go-lucky.  They will make you want to dance or just sit back and enjoy while you are tapping your feet.  It is a total feel good album.

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