Friday New Releases – July 26th

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July is almost over, but it isn’t going out before giving us one more week of new releases and there a quite a few, but only a few that I am really eager to hear and those that I will listen to when I have time.  My choices will be marked in Blue.  Tell me what you are looking forward to hearing or what I might have missed as it is known to happen.  I hope there is something for your listening pleasure.  Thanks and have a great weekend!

  • 91kzgnSQ-NL._SS500_  Matt Nathanson – Postcards (from Chicago) E.P. – (Acrobat Records):  Well if you follow this site, then you know this is a no-brainer for me.  I have already ordered the 10″ Orange vinyl and not sure when I will get it, but the digital download was ready for me first thing this morning.  Matt, and at times friends, are doing a 6 song E.P. of cover songs and the list is quite diverse from Chance the Rapper to Richard Marx to Cheap Trick.  Last year or so he did another that was a complete Def Leppard covers E.P. which was Fan’freaking’tastic.  So high hopes for this one.

  • 91GAIR97laL._AC_UL115_.jpg  Soundgarden – Live at the Artists Den – (UMe):  Soundgarden is releasing a live show from their 2013 Tour and it will be a full 29 song set and will remind us how great Chris Cornell was as a singer and a frontman.  It will be available on Blue Ray, CD, LP and digital.  Get the deluxe set to have it all.

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Kiss – North Hampton, PA March 19 1975 (Bootleg Series) – Album Review

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The next in the Kiss Bootleg Series is a show from March 19th in 1975 on the Dressed to Kill Tour.  The show was at the Roxy Theatre in Northampton, Pennsylvania and is actually opening night of the Tour.

As usual, we will start with the packaging and what this bootleg has to offer.  First, it is a double LP, however, they skimped and there is no Gatefold to be had.  It is actually a pretty flimsy album jacket and I don’t think it will hold up over time.  The back cover is another live shot of the band but you can’t see anyone’s face.  Not the best choice for a picture.

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The album came with a couple surprises. The first being a collection of Kiss photographs from an L.A. photoshoot at the Playboy Club Rooftop on January 16th, 1974.  The photos came in a nice little mailer as seen below…

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Scott Stapp – ‘The Space Between the Shadows’ – Album Review

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Scott Stapp, the man everyone seems to love to hate.  From Creed to his solo work, he gets no respect which is an utter shame as I think people miss the beauty in his songs and his voice.  The man has been at the top of the world when Creed was at its heights and he has been at rock bottom with his public battles with bi-polar disorder and addiction.  This album is reminder of what he has been through and badge of how far he has come.

His 2013 album, ‘Proof of Life’, is one of my favorite albums and my favorite of his so when I heard about his third solo album, I was really excited.  And did the album live up to expectations, well, lets check it out and see.

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The vinyl is a single LP which has all the 12 songs you can get in Apple Music or iTunes.  The last 2 being listed as bonus tracks.  Being that many songs on one piece of vinyl, the sound is still fantastic, crisp and clear.

The album jacket is a gatefold and inside the gatefold you get all the lyrics to each song, his thank you list and all the credits on the album.  It is nice to be actually able to read the lyrics because sometimes they get jammed on one side of the album sleeve and they are too hard to read.

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Caleb Johnson & the Ramblin’ Saints – ‘Born From Southern Ground’ – Album Review

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Caleb Johnson came to us via American Idol, but don’t let they fool you into dismissing him because that would be a huge mistake on your part.  Caleb’s debut album came out in 2014 very quickly after winning said singing competition and the album did pretty well, but the record company didn’t know what to do with him and Caleb was rather unhappy with them and with the album as he was forced to do songs he didn’t necessarily like.  After a long battle and finally breaking free from that contract, Caleb is back 5 years later with the album he wanted to make as his first album.  This is the real Caleb Johnson.

Caleb Johnson now has a band called ‘The Ramblin’ Saints’ and what a backing band they are. The album shows every influence that has impacted his life from classic rock, southern rock, soul and even a little funk all with one of the most powerful voices in rock today on full display.  If you really had to classify this album, it is straight-up, pure rock & roll.

The album opens with “Hanging On” with a nice Hammond Organ and then a build up until it rocks out which is pure classic rock in style and mixed with some lovely ladies that do the backing vocals on this (and other songs) that also adds a little soulful touch to the song.

The next song, “Solid Gold”, has a Rival Sons vibe probably because it was co-written with Jay Buchanan of the band along with Blair Daily.  It is bluesy piece and that guitar sounds a lot like the new Rival Sons album which is a very good thing.

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My Sunday Song – “Paper Sun” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #153, we are exploring the great song “Paper Sun” from the band’s 1999 album ‘Euphoria’.  The song was released as a single in the U.S., but to little fanfare despite it being one of the best songs on the album.

The song is about the Omagh terrorist bombing on August 15, 1998 in Northern Ireland.  Here is what wikipedia says about the bombing…

It was carried out by a group calling themselves the Real Irish Republican Army, a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) splinter group who opposed the IRA’s ceasefire and the Good Friday Agreement. The bombing killed 29 people (including a woman pregnant with twins) and injured some 220 others, making it the deadliest single incident of the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Lyrically and musically, the song is very dark and sad.  At over 5:26 minutes, the song takes you on a journey through the emotions of that sad day.  It feels like they are losing hope in humanity and in life.  The world is so fragile as if made of paper that could burn up in an instant.  Lyrics, like “Do you still hear ’em screamin'” is full of the pain that one would feel if they were at the bombing and could hear the cries for help and the cries of sorrow for those lost.

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Friday New Releases – July 19th

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Things might finally start heating up.  No, not the weather it has been pretty damn hot for awhile. I am talking about new releases.  What has felt as a pretty lackluster year so far in new releases, maybe it is time for some good ones to start coming out.  I have 2 this week, one of which is on pre-order and the vinyl should be there when I get home.  My choices this week are marked in Blue. Let me know what you want to hear or if I missed anything.  Have a great weekend!!!

  • 915+NFr-JoL._SS500_  Scott Stapp – The Space Between the Shadows – (Napalm Records):  The former lead singer of Creed and the very short stint with Art of Anarchy, Scott comes back with his third solo album.  It has been 6 years since the sensational ‘Proof of Life’, so high expectations for me as that is a favorite.  I have the vinyl on order and can’t wait to drop the needle.  The opening single, “Purpose of Pain” is great so this should be another homerun.

  • 912ZvH1ZnPL._SS500_  Through Fire – All Animal – (Sumerian Records):  Justin  McCain, lead singer of Emphatic, is on his second band and second album with Through Fire’s new album ‘All Animal’.  The first was a heavy dose of rock that is right up my alley.  Looking for more of the same and will be cranking this one up pretty damn loud!!

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Billy Idol – The Albums Ranked Worst to First (The Billy Idol Series)

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For the past 8 to 9 months, I have been reviewing the entire Billy Idol catalog from Generation X back in 1978 through his solo years and even a Generation X single released in 2019 on Record Store Day.  It has been such a fun journey and I hate it has come to an end.  To wrap it up, we are going to rank all the studio albums from his very worst (and it is bad) to his very best (which is sensational).

 

THE WORST – HAPPY HOLIDAYS (2006):

 

 

I am not sure what Billy was thinking, but this should have never been released and probably never recorded.  Hell, it is so bad that even Steve Stevens wasn’t involved with recording it.  That should tell you something right there!!  It is a rehash of classic Christmas songs that we are better off listening to the originals as these do not spark any Christmas cheer.

The original songs Billy wrote throw every cliche in the book out as lyrics and they are sappy, crappy songs.  The best thing about “Happy Holidays” is that it is only 2 minutes.  The only good thing about “Christmas Love” is that it does eventually end. My Christmas gift to you is to avoid this at any cost.

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Generation X – “Your Generation” 7″ Record Store Day Release – Single Review (The Billy Idol Series)

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This is the last in the Billy Idol Series.  I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have in writing it.  There could be one more in the series if I get the Generation X Deluxe Set that was just released, but I have not grabbed a hold of yet.  When I get it, I will do a review of it, but for now, we will end the series with this beauty right here.  I started with a Generation X release and I will end with one as well.

For Record Store Day 2019, Generation X released a special 7″ Single of the band’s debut song “Your Generation”.  The song is not the original version, but the Winstanley Mix which is done in conjunction with the release of a Deluxe Edition of the band’s debut album.  This remix is not on the box set, but in addition to and a must grab for Generation X fans.

The original song was released as a single in 1977, however, it did not show up on the debut album.  It wasn’t until the 2002 re-issue of the debut that this song saw new light.  The B-Side of this single  is “Trying for Kicks” which was also on the 2002 re-issue and not used for the original album.

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The 7″ Single release was on red vinyl and is absolutely beautiful and a nice add to the collection.

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Ed Sheeran – “Blow” (with Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars) – Single Review

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I know what you are thinking, Why am I writing about an Ed Sheeran song?  Well, I will tell you, I am not real sure.  His new album is nothing but collaborations with mostly hip hop and pop artist and honestly, it isn’t that great.  It is pretty stale for me.  I would rather hear just Ed as to me that is where he shines.  Now, I am an old fart and don’t get today’s music, all that crap, but I do know a good song when I hear it.

Oh yeah, now I remember.  There is one song on the album, the very last song, that totally kicks ass.  It is his collaboration with Chris Stapleton and Bruno Mars.  The song is called “Blow” and is the heaviest and most rocking song Ed Sheeran has ever done…at least from what I have heard of his work.

The song starts off with a gritty, distorted guitar riff and a scream all reminiscent of Greta Van Fleet and lyrically it is all about sex.  With a heavy drum beat and a great rhythm section that funks it up a little, the song blazes through all the hooks and melodies that make a great little rock song. Oh yeah and there is a guitar solo…What!!!!…yep, they threw everything in and then some.

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My Sunday Song – “Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” by Def Leppard

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For My Sunday Song #152, we are discussing the song “Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes)” by Def Leppard off their 1981 album ‘High N Dry’.  The song was written by the late Steve Clark and Joe Elliott.  It is one of those deep cuts that sticks with you and at times you feel is even better than anything else on the album (at times, not all the time).

The song is up for interpretation.  It could be about two different, but similar things.  The one I like to go with is that the “Mirror” is that mirror on the table with lines of Coke on it.  As he is sniffing up the coke and the lines disappear, the mirror is suddenly staring at him and he has to face his demons.  It is a rather dark viewpoint, but the one I feel is quite plausible.  The lyrics in this verse is what leads me to that conclusion…

Mirror mirror 
Hangin’ there with that crack in your eye 
You make me stumble, make me blind 
Time after time and line by line 

The “line by line” part fits in to the theory nicely.  But the “hangin'” part leads me to the other theory.

The other theory is that he is just standing there looking in the mirror and it is forcing him to take a deeper look into what he has become.  He doesn’t like what he sees, but he feels so lost.  The anger builds up and he smashes the mirror into little pieces.  Those pieces are his life.

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