Whitesnake – ‘Trouble’ – Album Review (The David Coverdale Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic64 Comments

Before David’s second solo album, ‘Trouble’, came out in March 1978, David had already put together a band and the delivered an E.P. called ‘Snakebite’ just a few months later under the name Whitesnake.  And by September of that same year, they had a full length album ready to go.  The album was produced by Martin Birch and recorded in only 10 days at the Central Recorders Studio in London over those Summer months.

The album was called ‘Trouble’ and was released in September 1978.  The album name came from one of the songs, but it was inspired by the fact that David had a son during this time and that could only mean one thing…TROUBLE!!

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Now the band had a new member by the name of Jon Lord on keyboards.  He replaced former keyboard player Pete Solley. For those that have followed David’s career, Jon Lord is no stranger as he was the keyboard player with David on the Deep Purple Mark III and IV versions of the band.  Jon wasn’t there for the recording of the album, however, they overdubbed his parts in the songs after the fact so he could be on the album as he was now a member and thankfully so in my opinion.

The album I picked up had a nice cut-out in the top right corner, but overall still in great shape.  It still even included the vinyl inner sleeve which consists of the bands lyrics for the songs and writing credits. The really cool thing on the lyrics was at the end of each song, it let you know who did the solo as it was usually a toss-up between Moody and Marsden and occasionally Lord.

 

The band for this album consisted of the following:

  • David Coverdale – Lead Vocals
  • David Dowle – Drums
  • Jon Lord – Keyboards
  • Bernie Marsden – Guitar
  • Micky Moody – Guitar
  • Neil Murray – Bass

Now it is time to talk about the music…

SIDE ONE:

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The album kicks off with a rockin’ riff on “Take Me With You”.  This high energy rocker comes at you at breakneck speed and tempo that it immediately gets you moving.  David sounds fresh and throws in a little moaning at the end.  There is so much going on musically and always something new each time you listen.  The solo on this one is actually a drum solo by Dave “Duck” Dowle, but there are still a lot of guitars including some slide on it so don’t fret.

Next up is “Love to Keep You Warm”.  A little slower than the previous and a little more blues feel to it.  A nice groove by Dave and Neil.  The song is a little poppy at times, but manages to hold on to being a rocker thanks to Bernie Marsden’s guitar solo.

“Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)” is interesting as it is more pop than blues or even rock.  It is a very fast tempo’d love song. The vocals at times have this whole Elton John feel to them and even the vibe of the song with Lord’s piano feels like him as well.  Not that it is a bad thing.

Then we get the horrible cover of the Beatles’ “Day Tripper”.  It is…let’s say…not good.  It is uninspiring and bluh.  The adding in of the Framptonesque Talk Box doesn’t help and I really can’t stand it.  I hope that point is coming across. Skip/Delete whatever you do, just avoid it.

The first side ends with the speedy “Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)”.  Now the song is so fast that it doesn’t feel bluesy at all to me.  It is rocker, for sure, but not blues.  The drumming on this is sensational and the guitar work is fantastic.  David sings a hundred miles an hour and you get exhausted after trying to sing the chorus as fast as David.  I really dig this one and it even has a solo by Jon Lord to help push it over the top even more.

SIDE TWO:

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Side Two opens up with Deep Purple style song “The Time is Right For Love”.  It has a nice blues guitar feel to it and has a great beat and tempo that it get stuck in your head and you sing it even when the song is done.  On this one, the guitar solos are done in harmony between both Moody and Marsden which is the beauty of having two guitarists.  David again performs brilliantly and sounds so good on this one as well.

Next up we get the title track, “Trouble” which is the most blues worthy song of the bunch. David’s lyrics mention a gambler’s son which he uses a lot over the next few decades.  The song feels a little like Purple’s “Mistreated” or at least in the same realm of comparability for style and form.  The solo on this one goes to Marsden and it is fantastic. He lays down some riffs that have great melody and you could sing along with it if you sing your solos…I do every so often.

The coolest song on the album is “Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick” which is a full assault of an instrumental with 3 different solos.  One for Moody, One for Lord and One for Marsden.  I don’t see it as out of place as Purple threw in an instrumental on ‘Burn’ and this one is way better.  I really love when Jon Lord lays it down and he does just that.  The guitar’s have a riff that plays through-out that is the main feel for the song and everything is played beautifully off of that riff.

Then we get a change of pace with Bernie Marsden on vocals instead of Coverdale.  The song is called “Free Flight” and is interesting to say the least.  Not necessarily in a good way interesting.  It does have some great drumming and music, but vocally, ehh!  There is a reason David is the lead singer.  I think Bernie sounds good on the verses, it is just a horrible chorus. Oh yeah, and Bernie gets the solo so this one is the Bernie Marsden show.

The final song is “Don’t Mess With Me” and David is back with all his glory as we have missed him for the last two songs.  This one is a pure rocker, with a great rhythm and groove and filled with two totally brilliant guitar solos for both Moody and Marsden.  What a way to end the album.  They give you everything you would want and end the album on an utter high note.

Track Listing:

  1. Take Me With You – Keeper
  2. Love to Keep You Warm – Keeper
  3. Lie Down (A Modern Love Song) – Keeper
  4. Day Tripper – Delete
  5. Nighthawk (Vampire Blues) – Keeper
  6. The Time is Right for Love – Keeper
  7. Trouble – Keeper
  8. Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick – Keeper
  9. Free Flight – Delete
  10. Don’t Mess With Me – Keeper

For a track score, you get 8 out of 10 songs or 80% which is pretty solid.  However, there a couple things to note.  The guitar playing is sensational on this album, but the guitar sound was lacking a little punch in sonics.  Also, there are no real stand out tracks that I would consider Whitesnake classics, although, there are some contenders.  For those couple reasons, I am giving it a 3.5 out of 5.0 Stars.  This an awesome first step for the band and a sign of great things to come, but I really liked the ‘Snakebite’ EP a lot better as it was more blues tinged then this album was.  Still this is a solid release and a must have in the collection, I just think they do much better in the coming years.

Up next…Whitesnake – ‘Lovehunter’.

The David Coverdale Series:

  1. Deep Purple – Burn
  2. Deep Purple – Stormbringer
  3. Deep Purple – Come Taste the Band
  4. Deep Purple – Made in Europe
  5. David Coverdale – Whitesnake
  6. Deep Purple – Last Concert in Japan
  7. David Coverdale – Northwinds
  8. David Coverdale’s Whitesnake – Snakebite
  9. Whitesnake – Trouble
  10. Whitesnake – Lovehunter
  11. Whitesnake – Ready an’ Willing
  12. Whitesnake – Live…in the Heart of the City
  13. Whitesnake – Come An’ Get it
  14. Deep Purple – Live in London
  15. Whitesnake – Saints & Sinners
  16. Whitesnake – Slide It In
  17. Whitesnake – “Give Me More Time” 12″ Single (Bonus Review)
  18. Whitesnake – ‘The Best of Whitesnake (Bonus Review – 1982 release)
  19. Whitesnake – Whitesnake (1987)
  20. Whitesnake – “Is This Love” 12″ Promo (Bonus Review)
  21. Whitesnake – Slip of the Tongue
  22. David Coverdale – “The Last Note of Freedom” – Single Review
  23. Coverdale/Page – Coverdale/Page
  24. Coverdale/Page – “Take Me For A Little While 12” Single (Bonus Review)
  25. David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Restless Heart
  26. Whitesnake – Starkers in Tokyo
  27. David Coverdale – Into the Night
  28. Whitesnake – Live…In the Still of the Night (DVD)
  29. Whitesnake – Live…In the Shadow of the Blues
  30. Whitesnake – Good To Be Bad
  31. Whitesnake – Forevermore
  32. Whitesnake – Live at Donington 1990: Monsters of Rock
  33. Whitesnake – The Purple Album
  34. Whitesnake – The Purple Tour (Live)
  35. Whitesnake – Flesh & Blood
  36. Whitesnake – The Rock Album
  37. Whitesnake – The Albums Ranked Worst to First
  38. David Coverdale – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

Other David Coverdale Albums reviewed – (Box Sets and Bootlegs):

  1. Whitesnake – 1987 (30th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  2. Whitesnake – Slide It In (35th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  3. Whitesnake – Unzipped – Box Set
  4. Whitesnake – Slip of the Tongue (30th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  5. Whitesnake (Snake) – Still of the Night Live in Battle Creek, Mich. July 26, 1987 (Bootleg)

Stone Temple Pilots – ‘Purple” (25th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition) – Album Review

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic28 Comments

I didn’t jump on board with the first album although it started me leaning in their direction.  It was ‘Purple’ that was “My First Time” experience with Stone Temple Pilots.  When I heard the song “Vasoline”, I was hooked and there was no looking back.  The late, great Scott Weiland was one of the greatest frontmen in Rock and the swagger and charisma he brought to the stage is unmatched by most singers.

The band might have been considered, Grunge, but to me it was more like the rock & roll I grew up loving.  Yes, they had the Grunge elements, but the way these guys played just screamed Rock and that is probably why I connected with them more than the others.  The band consisted of the following members:

  • Scott Weiland – lead vocals
  • Dean DeLeo – guitar
  • Robert DeLeo – bass, backing vocals
  • Eric Kretz – drums

The partnership between the band was simple.  The DeLeo brothers wrote the music and Scott wrote the lyrics.  Musically, the music was heads & shoulders above anything else out there.  Lyrically, the songs were some of the most bizarre yet most fascinating from any bands around this time.  The combination of the two was pure magic.

The original album came out on June 7, 1994,  The 25th Anniversary Edition came out last Friday, October 18th.  Funny enough, it is the exact day that two years earlier I posted my review of the 25th Anniversary Edition of their debut album ‘Core’. Go check out that review when you are done.

What do you get with this Super Deluxe Edition.  It is similar to the ‘Core’ release, but honestly, not quite as much extra to offer.  You get a lot, but the Core set was 4 CDs, Vinyl and a DVD along with a booklet and lithograph.  For ‘Purple’, you get the following:

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You still get a lot.  But before we get to the music, let’s talk a little about the album.  The album itself debuted at #1 thanks to the build up from their first album ‘Core’.  It remained #1 for six weeks and went on to sell over 6 million copies.  The band had become a force to be reckoned with.  The album’s producer was the great Brendan O’Brien who was the driving force for a lot of albums in the 90’s.

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The artwork is quite strange and consists of a very Chinese theme which I am not sure what that has to do with anything in this album.  The cover is a child riding what is called a Qilin which is a mythological creature that is thought to be a good omen of some kind.  Accompanying the child are several fairies.  The album title, ‘Purple’, is depicted by the Chinese characters for the word.  The cover for this set is like a hardback book and is fantastic.  It is embossed which makes it so shiny and pretty.  The back cover is the same as the original with the cake and words saying 12 Gracious Melodies.

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The cover is a gatefold with a picture of the band on one side and the CD’s on the other.  The band picture is actually a record sleeve and holds the LP and the booklet.

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Okay, time for the music.

CD One & Vinyl:

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The first CD and the LP are both the same.  They are the original album remastered in 2019 to bring you a crisp and clear sound that sounds even better than back in the day.  I am not going to go song by song because I have done that already a few years back and you can read that hear at “My First Time” with STP’s ‘Purple’.  If some of what I say above looks familiar when you read it, I borrowed a little from that post.  Why re-create the wheel.

The CD and album both still include the hidden track “My Second Album”.  It is quite funny to listen to and did bring a smile to my face.  The song is done in the manner of a lounge song and is performed by Richard Peterson.  It definitely is a corny little song.

CD Two (Early Versions, Demos & Acoustic):

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The 2nd CD is full of 12 tracks, 11 of which have never been issued before.  The one track that was issued prior is “Dancing Days” which is a Led Zeppelin cover from a tribute album for the band.  I have to admit the collection is a little disappointing as there isn’t as much meat as there was on ‘Core’.  Aside from “Dancing Days”, the only cool addition is the demo of the song “She Knows Me Too Well” which is a Beach Boys cover.  The other nice to have songs are the acoustic recordings from the KROG Acoustic Christmas show in 1994.  You get a wonderful Christmas song called “Christmastime is Here”.

CD Three (Live at New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum, New Haven, CT, August 23, 1994):

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The biggest treat on the release is the live show from 1994.  It is 17 solid tracks 10 of which from the new album.  The recording sounds stunning.  Musically, the band is on point and sounds tight.  I especially love the guitar sound as Dean is freaking killing it.  Scott’s vocals are a little rough at times, but really that is what makes this recording special.  He sounds untouched.

A couple cool covers are in the set.  The first is “Gypsy Davy” by Scott’s Dad’s favorite artist, Woody Guthrie.  The second is from one of Scott’s idols, David Bowie.  He covers “Andy Warhol” and makes it his own, special song.  And of course, who doesn’t love hearing the songs from the first album.  Such songs as “Crackerman”, “Creep”, “Plush”, “Dead & Bloated” and ending it all with “Sex Type Thing”.

Do you want to see all the tracks?  Ok, then zoom in on this cardboard insert that was actually on the back of the set until I ripped off the plastic wrap.

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And there you have it.  It isn’t as great as the 25th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of ‘Core’ as I think they didn’t have as much to offer.  Not enough cool unreleased tracks, but the live show is the real gem here.  That will get a ton of listen along with the original album.  Don’t get wrong, this is worth having and any fan who loves this album needs this set.  Sell the old copy you have and put the money towards this and then add a ton of other money as it ain’t cheap. I am listening to the vinyl now and as it the album is ending, I am now at the end of the post.  Perfect timing.  Thanks for stopping by!!

My Sunday Song – “Stones Under Rushing Water” by Needtobreathe

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For My Sunday Song #166, we are discussing “Stones Under Rushing Water” by Needtobreathe.  The song is off their 2009 album “The Outsiders” and it shows the softer side of the band. The album was really the bands big break and ended up getting them noticed by Taylor Swift and the band opened for her on tour for a large number of shows.  I had found the band from the beginning so there growing success was no surprise to me.

The song is a really simple song lyrically.  It talks about how fast life passes us by and it will be gone before you know it.  He is telling you to slow things down, take it all in and cherish every moment.  It also seems to be about a relationship that has drifted apart and the spark has left them.  They need to stop long enough to remember what they had and find that spark again.  Either interpretation is right as you can make up your own mind on what it means to you.

Musically, the song is an acoustic track and one of the first duets the band has done.  Sara Watkins from the band Nickel Creek accompanies Bear Rinehart on vocals.  Her voice is so delicate and beautiful and compliments his vocals quite nicely.  She brings that extra layer of sadness and heartbreak to the song.  There is no guitar solo, but Bear does a harmonica solo that adds a whole new layer of melancholy to the song.  All in all, it is quite a beautifully sad song.

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Continue reading “My Sunday Song – “Stones Under Rushing Water” by Needtobreathe” →

Friday New Releases – October 18th

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Another great Friday of releases is upon us.  There aren’t a ton this week, but there are some I am eager to get ahold of.  Those choices will be highlighted in Blue.  This list is mostly rock and metal, but there is one country album and a pop/alternative release as well.  Hopefully you will find something you like.  I know I have.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

  • 810OcozS5IL._SX522_.jpg  Stone Temple Pilots – Purple (25th Anniversary) – (Rhino Entertainment):  I can’t believe it has been 25 years since ‘Purple’ has been released.  That is crazy!!  This was the album that got me in to STP as I hadn’t jumped on the whole 90’s music bandwagon by the time their debut album came out.  I was still strongly entrenched in the 80’s music.  But this one had so much guitar and the swagger of Scott Weiland won me over.  I can’t wait to get this set with all the bonus material…plus it is on CD and Vinyl!!

  • 81ZMllDLXwL._SX522_  Alter Bridge – Walk the Sky – (Napalm Records):  When Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy get together, you know it is going to rock and be amazing and I expect nothing less from this, their 6th album.    This is basically Creed with Myles Kennedy on vocals as the rest of the band, Brian Marshall and Scott Phillips as well as Mark are all from Creed.  What is still cool is that after 15 years, it is still the same 4 guys.  Ok, they are not really Creed I was generalizing, but they are still awesome.

Continue reading “Friday New Releases – October 18th” →

David Coverdale’s Whitesnake – ‘Snakebite’ – Album Review (The David Coverdale Series)

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After David Coverdale finished recording his last solo album, ‘Northwinds’, he found that his touring band was already trying out new songs and ‘Northwinds’ hadn’t even come out yet.  The album finally came out in March of 1978, but by this time, David had already figured that his current touring line-up was already a band and needed to record its own album, which it did in March and April of 1978.  By June 1978, the band released a four song E.P. titled ‘Snakebite’. It was listed as David Coverdale’s Whitesnake and it was the start of something amazing.

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By September 1978, the album was released as an 8 song double E.P..  That is the copy I have and I will be reviewing.  If I ever find an original ‘Snakebite’, you can bet your ass I will be grabbing it.

The 8 song double E.P. has the 4 original songs plus it steals 4 tracks from David’s last solo album ‘Northwinds’.  It took the 4 best and now we have a pretty smokin’ album.

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Since this was now a band, let’s see who was in it at this time.

  • David Coverdale – vocals
  • Micky Moody – guitar
  • Bernie Marsden – guitar
  • Neil Murray – bass guitar
  • Dave Dowle – drums
  • Pete Solley – keyboards

Yes, it is a quite a lethal combo on guitars with Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden.  That double guitar work is what makes Whitesnake so incredible.  This line-up changes again for the next album, but by only one person and that person makes a huge difference.  That is a little teaser on what is to come with the next review.

The insert I have for the vinyl sleeve is still in tact and has the lyrics to all the songs and writing credits.  And I think my album might have been a promo or on a cut-out sell as the bottom right corner has a nice slice out of it.

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Okay, enough chit chat, let’s get to the heart of the matter…the music.

SIDE ONE:

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The first song is “Come On” written by David Coverdale and Bernie Marsden and right away you can hear how big the guitar sound is.  The song is a pure rock song with a great groove and a blistering solo.  A great opener and I love the fact that David has two Deep Purple references in the song…“Soldier of Fortune” and “Gypsy”.

Then we get into the Coverdale penned “Bloody Mary” which opens with a piano and Pete slamming the keys.  Jump up and dance and feel the music. It is pure joy and magic and two songs in and I am already loving every minute of it.

David goes back to his blues roots as he covers Bobby Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” written by Michael Price and Dan Wise.  This love song is down and dirty, a blues rock song slowed down into a beautiful ballad.  Oh, and the solo…wow!  It fit the song so well and pulled out even more emotion.  Not even an original, this song is a signature Whitesnake classic as they are still known to pull this one out and play it live.

The last song from the original E.P. is “Steal Away”.  The writing credits on this one are for everyone in the band which is nice to see.  The opening riff on the  slide guitar is nothing short of spectacular.  The song is gritty and a dirty and I love the blues rock feel.  David’s vocals are spot on and for me this is my highlight on the whole album.

SIDE TWO:

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Side two has 4 songs from ‘Northwinds’ as I mentioned earlier.  The first one up is “Keep on Giving Me Love”.  It has a funkalicious guitar riff by Moody that could have come from Glenn Hughes playbook.  “Keep on Giving Me Love” has a great groove and is a rocking opening track and excites me as what is to come.  Coverdale’s vocals have an edginess to it and Moody rips through a nice solo.

“Queen of Hearts” is full of pianos and there is a nice bass thump before the song slams into gear and really gets going.  A groovy and bluesy song that becomes a banging good time.

“Only My Soul” is a fantastic rock ballad with a great soulful feel to it in the guitars playing.  This has Whitesnake all over it.  Alan Spenner, on bass, lays down a nice groove with the keyboards playing along with it during the musical interlude before David comes back and brings it home.

The final track is the most rocking song, “Breakdown”.  It is pure Whitesnake.  Moody & Coverdale hit it out of the park with this one and they rock it out like nothing else. The song is about the downfall of Deep Purple. The 4 songs pulled off ‘Northwinds’ were the most rocking tracks and 3 of the 4 were written by Moody and Coverdale.  When he writes with the guitarists, we tend to get the most kick ass tracks.

Track Listing:

  1. Come On – Keeper
  2. Bloody Mary – Keeper
  3. Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City – Keeper
  4. Steal Away – Keeper
  5. Keep On Giving Me Love – Keeper
  6. Queen of Hearts – Keeper
  7. Only My Soul – Keeper
  8. Breakdown – Keeper

Track score is easily a 100% with 8 out of 8 tracks being keepers.  As far as the albums overall score, I will break it down in to two scores.  As a 4 song E.P., this is easily a 5 out of 5 Stars as those 4 songs on Side One are spectacular.  What a slamming introduction to the band.  Now, as an 8 song double E.P., I will ding it a little as I think only two of the extra 4 songs are Whitesnake contenders and the other two are just good songs, but not necessarily Whitesnake material.  For that, I give the version I have a 4.5 out of 5.0 Stars which is still pretty freaking great!!  This is a an absolute must have for any Whitesnake fan.

Up next…Whitesnake – ‘Trouble’.

The David Coverdale Series:

  1. Deep Purple – Burn
  2. Deep Purple – Stormbringer
  3. Deep Purple – Come Taste the Band
  4. Deep Purple – Made in Europe
  5. David Coverdale – Whitesnake
  6. Deep Purple – Last Concert in Japan
  7. David Coverdale – Northwinds
  8. David Coverdale’s Whitesnake – Snakebite
  9. Whitesnake – Trouble
  10. Whitesnake – Lovehunter
  11. Whitesnake – Ready an’ Willing
  12. Whitesnake – Live…in the Heart of the City
  13. Whitesnake – Come An’ Get it
  14. Deep Purple – Live in London
  15. Whitesnake – Saints & Sinners
  16. Whitesnake – Slide It In
  17. Whitesnake – “Give Me More Time” 12″ Single (Bonus Review)
  18. Whitesnake – ‘The Best of Whitesnake (Bonus Review – 1982 release)
  19. Whitesnake – Whitesnake (1987)
  20. Whitesnake – “Is This Love” 12″ Promo (Bonus Review)
  21. Whitesnake – Slip of the Tongue
  22. David Coverdale – “The Last Note of Freedom” – Single Review
  23. Coverdale/Page – Coverdale/Page
  24. Coverdale/Page – “Take Me For A Little While 12” Single (Bonus Review)
  25. David Coverdale & Whitesnake – Restless Heart
  26. Whitesnake – Starkers in Tokyo
  27. David Coverdale – Into the Night
  28. Whitesnake – Live…In the Still of the Night (DVD)
  29. Whitesnake – Live…In the Shadow of the Blues
  30. Whitesnake – Good To Be Bad
  31. Whitesnake – Forevermore
  32. Whitesnake – Live at Donington 1990: Monsters of Rock
  33. Whitesnake – The Purple Album
  34. Whitesnake – The Purple Tour (Live)
  35. Whitesnake – Flesh & Blood
  36. Whitesnake – The Rock Album
  37. Whitesnake – The Albums Ranked Worst to First
  38. David Coverdale – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

Other David Coverdale Albums reviewed – (Box Sets and Bootlegs):

  1. Whitesnake – 1987 (30th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  2. Whitesnake – Slide It In (35th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  3. Whitesnake – Unzipped – Box Set
  4. Whitesnake – Slip of the Tongue (30th Anniversary Edition) – Box Set
  5. Whitesnake (Snake) – Still of the Night Live in Battle Creek, Mich. July 26, 1987 (Bootleg)

Shinedown – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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Shinedown was formed in Jacksonville, Florida back in 2001 and it only took two years to get a record deal and release their debut album ‘Leave a Whisper’.  Their post-grunge, hard rock sound garnered them fast attention and they have since become one of the biggest acts in the business.  Their music could be really heavy and it can be soft with a touching ballad, but whichever way you get it, it is going to be melodic and catchy as hell which has brought them great success.

Now, how did I get in to Shinedown.  Believe it or not, it was Chris Daughtry from American Idol.  I was watching the show and Chris came out and did  a fantastic cover of “I Dare You” by Shinedown.  At the time, I was not familiar with the band and as a result of him singing it, I went out and listened to the album and the rest is history.  I have been a fan of Shinedown ever since.

They have 6 studio albums, one live album and numerous E.P.’s.  We are only going to focus on the studio albums to keep it simple. So, why don’t we get started.

THE WORST – ‘THREAT TO SURVIVAL’ (2015):

Shinedown doesn’t really have a worst album, but one album has to be my least favorite and this one is it for me.  I felt this one had too much filler and a little too soft overall when compared to the rest.  Yes, you had some heavy songs, I only think they weren’t as strong as other albums.  A little too soft.  The back half of the album was weaker and it started to lose me until you get to the last song “Misfits” which was pretty awesome.

Continue reading “Shinedown – The Albums Ranked Worst to First” →

My Sunday Song – “Maybe They’re on to Us” by Needtobreathe

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For My Sunday Song #165, we are talking about the song “Maybe They’re On To Us” by Needtobreathe.  The song is off their wildly successful album “The Reckoning” which came out in 2011.  The song was not a single, but still a favorite of mine.  The album did really well and went to #6 on the Billboard charts thanks in part to this song and all the great songs on this album.

The song is about paranoia.  For the band, that paranoia is a wondering if the fans know too much about the them and will figure out who they really are and not like them.  Maybe the will stop listening and it will all just go away.  They were starting to get successful and they had a fear of it disappearing in a flash.  That is an honest fear.

I think people feel that way in everyday life as well.  You walk around in life wondering if people will realize you are just faking it trying to get by day-to-day.  Maybe they will discover you really don’t have your stuff together after-all…but honestly who really does?  I don’t think anyone.  We are all faking it a little each and every day.

Musically, I really love Bear’s vocals.  His delivery of the lyrics, his pacing and everything he sings is so purposely and perfectly placed.  There is a smooth, driving groove that takes you through the song.  Then throw in the backing vocals on the bridge/chorus that help give it that church-like/choir feel.

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Friday New Releases – October 8th

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic22 Comments

Another great Friday of new releases this week.  I’m telling you this is shaping up to be a great month.  I have another item this week on order that will hopefully be there when I get home from work.  We have lot of Rock this week which is always good, but so much so that there is no way I will get to it all…ever!  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what I missed and what you might be interested in hearing.  Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful music weekend.  I know I will!!

  • michaelsweettencd  Michael Sweet – Ten – (Frontiers Records):  Lead singer of Stryper is here with his 10th solo release…10 is hard to believe, but it is true. I just did a Michael Sweet album ranking and can’t wait to see where this falls on the list.  I am hoping for some hard and heavy stuff.  Check out the song below and go gran this one.

  • 71yVfmGk8RL._AC_UL115_.jpg  Eclipse – Paradigm – (Frontiers Records):  I love this band.  This Swedish rock band is now on their 8th album and it is pure melodic rock, glam rock, hair metal bliss.  They seem to be getting better with age kind of like a fine wine.  Give them a try.

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Kiss – ‘Hotter Than Hell: Radio Broadcast 1976’ (Bootleg Series) – Album Review

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic135 Comments

We are on the final Bootleg in the series.  Okay, at the least the final for now. This is the last of what I have currently in my Kiss collection.  I will get more and when I do, I will come back and add to the collection so fear not, it isn’t really over…just slowed down immensely.

This release is on CD and is called ‘Hotter Than Hell’ and is labeled as a Radio Broadcast from 1976.  No other information on the insert or anywhere to really give you any more tidbits. So, I had to dig and the internet is a wonderful thing.

The setlist is not from 1976.  The setlist is from the Rock & Roll Over Tour in 1977 and they are in Detroit so this in Cabo Hall as Paul mentions Detroit and it being the last night. Well, in 1977, they played 3 shows at Cabo so this is the January 29, 1977 show and the setlist matches exactly…almost as the 3 encore songs are missing.

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Now that isn’t the only error on the disc.  There is another glaring one.  Take a look at the line-up on the back cover.  The line-up is right, but when did Peter and Ace change instruments.  This has Peter on guitar and Ace on drums…awesome!!!

There are no more pictures of the insert because the back cover and the insert are the same picture so nothing new to show.  For that, it is time to get to the music and the sound.

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The sound of the show is actually pretty great.  It is a radio broadcast, so you know it is going to be decent.  It is the band live and untouched so there are issues but it is how you would have heard it if you were there and for that it is fantastic.

There are three things wrong with the disc.  One, the opening track Detroit Rock City does not start at the beginning of the song.  The song is already in full gear when the disc starts as if someone forgot to hit the record button when they were supposed to hit it.  The second thing is that when the track # changes, there is a pause between each track which disrupts the flow of the show.  And the final thing is the album is missing the three encore songs that were played at the show so it is not a full set.  It is missing “Shout It Out Loud”, “Beth” and “Black Diamond”.

What did they get right?  Well, look at that set list.  It is pretty fantastic.  I am digging “Take Me”, “Ladies Room”,  “Makin’ Love”, “I Want You” and “Do You Love Me”.  The rest are normal songs on almost every set list so it is these songs that I enjoy the most.  Another thing is Paul’s vocals and his banter is awesome. He is so much better at this point in the band. He has found his comfort zone and he shows why he is one of the greatest frontman of any band.

What else is great?  Well, the solos.  All of them.  Peter’s is great, Ace’s is even better! Ace’s solo at the end of “Cold Gin” was one of the best I have heard from him.  Back when he could play.  I don’t think there was anything shooting from the guitar.  It was his fingers moving 100mph and it sounded like nothing I had heard on any of the other bootlegs.  He just played his ass off and he was stunning!! (or was it Peter, haha).

Peter’s drum solo comes at the end of “God of Thunder” and Peter drives it home with some tremendous kick drumming and beating the hell out of the Toms, snare and cymbals.  He was on the prowl that night and the Cat Man was feasting on those drums.  It was a great way to go in to “Rock & Roll All Nite” and end the show.  This was Kiss in their prime and it shows.  You can’t go wrong with this one at all!!

Yes, there are some problems with it, but the good outweigh the bad on this one and for that it gets a 4.0 out 5.0 Stars.  Hell, the Ace solo alone is worth it.  This is another one that will get played quite often.  It is a great set list and the sound is pretty great as well.  Definitely worth grabbing if you see this one out.

Check out the rest of the series if you have time!!  Thanks for stopping by!!

  1. Kiss – ‘Accept No Imitations’ (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ASYLUM TOUR)
  2. Kiss – Look Wot You Dun to Me (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (CRAZY NIGHTS TOUR)
  3. Kiss – The Summer of Satan: The Devils Ride Out! (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DESTROYER TOUR)
  4. Kiss – Return to Capital Center (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DYNASTY TOUR)
  5. Kiss – With Fire & Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (HOTTER THAN HELL TOUR)
  6. Kiss – Northhampton PA March 19th, 1975 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (DRESSED TO KILL TOUR)
  7. Kiss – The Hottest Show On Earth (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE HOTTEST SHOW ON EARTH TOUR 2010)
  8. Kiss – All the Way to the Ball Room (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (Australian Tour 1995)
  9. Kiss – Kiss of Thunder (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (The Rising Sun Tour 2006)
  10. Kiss – Agora Ballroom 1974: The Cleveland Broadcast plus Bonus Cuts (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (THE KISS TOUR)
  11. Kiss – Hotter Than Hell: Radio Broadcast 1976 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review (ROCK & ROLL OVER TOUR)

David Coverdale – ‘Northwinds’ – Album Review (The David Coverdale Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic65 Comments

After ‘Whitesnake’, David went in a recorded his follow-up solo release, ‘Northwinds’.  This was around March / April of 1977; however, the album wouldn’t be released until a year later in March of 1978. I am not sure why the long delay in release, but the bad news for the release was by the time it did come out, Coverdale was done as a solo artist.  He had already pieced a band together that would go on to become WHITESNAKE!  I will save that for the next release which came out in June of 1978 just 3 months later.

The album did a little better than the debut and sound wise is more of the same. Okay, maybe the production is a little better and the sound starts to get some of the Whitesnake sounds, but not entirely.  David is still finding himself with this record which doesn’t mean its bad, it is far from that.  It is an interesting look at early David, pre-Whitesnake, and a glimpse into his musical tastes.

I have this on vinyl and it is part of a 2LP set including both David’s early solo albums, ‘Whitesnake’ and ‘Northwinds’.  It is a sweet set released in 1988 at the height of the band Whitesnake and they were trying to capitalize on Coverdale’s popularity.  I like having this set as these two albums really should be played together to get the full impact of his early songs and to see a young Coverdale growing into a fantastic songwriter.

 

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