Harem Scarem – The Ultimate Collection – Album Review

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Formed in Canada around 1987, Harem Scarem has been rocking for well over 30 years now.  With 15 studio albums, 8 live albums and numerous compilation albums, they have been delivering solid rock music for the masses.  The band only has two original members still in it from the beginning and they are the two most crucial in this scenario.  Lead singer, Harry Hess, and Lead Guitarist, Pete Lesperance.  Why would these two be the most crucial, well they are the principal song writers as well as the voice and sound of the band.  I would say that is crucial.

The Ultimate Collection is a box set that contains 12 of their studio albums plus a collection of songs from early in their career as well as a disc of unreleased tracks.  And to top it off, the studio albums include all the bonus tracks from those albums as well.  That is a lot of music and there are 175 tracks in this set. Incredible.

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What does that look like all sprawled out?  Here you go…

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Billy Idol – ‘Vital Idol’ – Album Review (The Billy Idol Series)

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Mid-way through the tour for Whiplash Smile, there was a new head at Chrysalis Records named Mike Bone.  He wanted to immediately make his mark with Billy and suggested putting a compilation together of Remixed songs along with a live version of “Mony Mony”.  Billy was on board and while on tour, they recorded the live version, slapped a bunch of remixes together and bam…you had an album.

All this above was from Billy’s book, ‘Dancing With Myself’, but doesn’t make sense to me.  As the time in the book was around 86/87 and this compilation had already been released in 1985 in the UK.  In September 1987, ‘Vital Idol’ was released in the US.  Plus, my version doesn’t have a “Live” version of “Mony Mony”.  At least it doesn’t sound live.  Not sure Billy’s memory was correct in the order of things as the book doesn’t mention the UK version and the live take of “Mony, Mony” was on the greatest hits collection that came out in 1988 not the 1987 version of Vital Idol.  Sorry, not completely true as a 1988 Japanese version of Vital Idol does have the live version.  Confusing.

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The UK and US version also differed ever so slightly.  The UK version had one less song and the track order was different.  The US version had a remix of a track off Whiplash Smile which the UK version was out before that album was even released so it wouldn’t have it.

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Tesla – ‘Shock’ – Album Review

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Tesla decided to make a new album after saying the last one was…well the last one.  Thankfully, that is not the case.  Tesla’s new album is called ‘Shock’ and there has been a lot said of this new album and about how much it sounds like Def Leppard since it was produced by Phil Collen, lead guitarist of the band.

And let me tell you, they are 100% RIGHT!!  It really does!!  Mostly, it is from the backing vocals.  On a lot of the songs, the backing vocals have been done in the same way Lep does it.  In fact, all the backing singers sound exactly like Phil. Now, I am not saying sounding like Lep is a bad thing.  It is, however, a little distracting and a little detracting. 

From the opening track, “You Won’t Take Me Alive”, “Taste Like”, “I Want Everything” and “Afterlife” it is the classic Lep sound.  They aren’t bad songs at all and they do grow on you with each listen.  It is just strange.  At times I feel like I am listening to a Lep album with a new lead singer.

The album is also very soft at time.  It has several ballads (“We Can Rule The World”, “Love is a Fire” and “Forever Loving You”) and even a breezy little song called “California Love Song”.  At times you could compare this album to Def Leppard’s X (often called the “Love” album for it’s ballad heavy track list).

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My Sunday Song – “She” by Kiss

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For My Sunday Song #138, I am going to dive in to the song “She” by Kiss off their 1975 album ‘Dressed to Kill’.  “She” is one of only a handful of songs that originated with Wicked Lester which was Gene and Paul’s band prior to Kiss.  The song was written by Gene Simmons and Stephen Coronel from Wicked Lester.

The song was originally titled “She Walks By Moonlight” which is the first line of the song.  It was inspired by a line in the film ‘Hondo’ which was a western from 1953.  The song is basically about sex, go figure.  That is one of their favorite subjects.

The original version of the song had a flute, a tambourine and even some congas in it,   It was really cool with a real nice groove and had these earthy vocals to them.  Very Jethro Tull with that flute.  You can hear it on the Kiss Box Set.

Kiss removed all those instrumentations and really beefed up the guitars.  The groove was still there, but the song was much heavier and Ace takes it up a notch with the guitar.  The solo was even taken from The Doors song “Five to One”.  The song for me has this great flow and style and might be one of my favorite tracks from ‘Dressed to Kill’ as it is not a full on rocker in the “anthem” sense, but something really cool and different.

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Friday New Releases – April 5th

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Welcome to April and another Friday of new releases.  This week there are a handful of decent releases but nothing I am freaking out about.  There are a couple I will give a spin and others I will have to see when I can fit it in…if at all.  My choices are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know what interests you or if I missed anything.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!!

  • 71BTfniLtdL._SX522_  Mike Tramp – Stray from the Flock – (Deko Music):  The former White Lion frontman continues his long solo career with another new release.  Since we will never get White Lion again, I will take this as his solo stuff is usually interesting although I don’t like everything, he still gets a listen.  I haven’t heard anything yet and I will wait until I can spin the whole thing all at once.

  • 81PvBHmmkLL._SS500_  Brooks & Dunn – Reboot – (B&D2/Sony):  Okay, I give country music a hard time…well because new country sucks.  But Brooks & Dunn aren’t new country.  They have been away for a long while and I am happy they are back.  However, I am disappointed it isn’t new material. Instead it is re”boots” of old classics with today’s country artists.  I did say today’s country sucks, so this ain’t too promising. The Kacy Musgraves one could be cool though.

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Scott Stapp – “Purpose of Pain” – Single Review

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Scott Stapp is back and he is back with a vengeance.  Scott is set to deliver his first solo album in 6 years since the sensational ‘Proof of Life’ back in 2013 which I think is his best album he has ever done.  So for me, anticipation is high for the new album called ‘The Space Between The Shadows” to be released in July.

As it has been well publicized, he had a meltdown back in 2014 as he suffers from addiction, depression and bi-polar disorder.  Scott is sober now and seems to be ready to take on the world again.  The first single from that album is “Purpose of Pain”.  It is a hard rocking, melodic song that seems to tackle Scott’s struggle with the pain he feels. It has heavy guitars and for me picks up where he left off with the last album.

Scott’s songs really shine when they are personal and this one is no different.  The darker tone and theme are a big draw for me.  You can feel his pain and the emotion in him which adds so much texture to it.  If this any indication of what is to come, I can’t wait!!

Per blabbermouth.com…Scott’s take on the song…

“‘Purpose For Pain’ is about seeking a higher meaning, a spiritual mentality when dealing with our struggles and life’s painful moments,” says Scott. “There are unexplainable, dark times that everyone goes through, and that pain is real. If we can dig deep and hold on to hope during the most difficult situations, believing there is a purpose waiting for us on the others side, we can find meaning and clarity that gives us the strength to keep fighting.”

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Sixx A.M. – The Albums Ranked Worst to First

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What started off as a side project for Nikki Sixx of Motley Crue, became a full fledged band and lasted 5 studio albums.  They started off to only do a soundtrack to Nikki’s autobiography ‘The Heroin Diaries’ and then the rest is history.  Sixx A.M. consists of Nikki Sixx, DJ Ashba and James Michael.

It has been hit or miss with me for this band. I either loved it or it was so-so at best.  Still, always some great songs on every album and all worth having, some just get played more than others.  I have started collecting them on vinyl and there is only one I can’t get and that is ‘This is Gonna Hurt’, so Nikki – get that one out on Vinyl, would you please.

The band is now recording four new songs for a Greatest Hits album.  So, until then, let us re-visit their albums and rank them from the best one to the wort one.  And let’s get started…

WORST – PRAYERS FOR THE BLESSED, VOL 2 (2016)

The second album of a double album along with Prayers for the Damned was the final album (so far) by the band and not the best way to end.  The power and heaviness of Damned was missing from this album.  I guess with the title being Prayers for the Blessed it isn’t as dark as Vol. 1.  If you click on the title you can read my review back when it came out.  I rated it pretty good and it is, but my least favorite of the bunch.

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Bohemian Rhapsody – Movie Review

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I have been a Queen fan since I was a young teen back in the 80’s and when this movie came out, I wanted to go see it.  I was worried about the cheesiness of a biopic and if they could represent Queen and Freddie Mercury respectable enough or would it look like a LIfetime biopic?  Could the actors make it believable enough that I could imagine that this was really the guys from the band I know so well?  Could I get lost in the movie and enjoy it?

All valid questions and let me tell you, the answer is yes to all three questions. The movie was respectable, believable and I enjoyed it.  It opens with the band about to take the stage for their Live Aid show and then cuts to 1970 where it all began and Freddie would meet Brian and Roger while the latter two were playing with their band Smile.  And the rest you can say is history.

The movie takes you through the start of the band, the struggles with the label, the struggles with each other and the struggles of Freddie’s life.  And the movie ends with that Live Aid concert which was quite possibly the greatest 20 minute set of any band in history.  How they recreated the Live Aid scene was magical and the Blu-Ray comes with an exclusive behind-the-scenes look on how they did it. Probably worth the price of admission alone.

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My Sunday Song – “Danger” by Kiss

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For My Sunday Song #137, we are going to ‘Creatures of the Night’ album and the song “Danger” from 1982.  This album didn’t do that well for the band and the tour did even worse.  Kiss was in turmoil at the time and the band seemed doomed to be at their end.  The album eventually did go Gold, but at the time was a failure.  Now, it is actually regarded to some as one of their best albums…and I would be in that group.

“Danger” was written by Paul Stanley and Adam Mitchell as the band had been using outsider writers for some time now.  Paul had lead vocal duties and Eric Carr was on drums.  But those were the only 2 official Kiss members on the song.  It was thought for a long time that Bob Kulick played lead guitar, but it was actually Vinnie Vincent who was not yet a full-fledge member of Kiss.  Ace, technically, still had that role although he didn’t play on the album.  He did get credited with playing and his picture is on the cover.

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And if that wasn’t enough, Gene doesn’t play bass on this one either.  The bass player was Jimmy Haslip from the jazz fusion group The Yellowjackets.  Gene apparently was too distraught over his break-up with Diana Ross to play.

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Friday New Releases – March 29th

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March is over and it will go out with a ton of releases this week.  There is something for everyone with this many releases.  We have metal, rock, alternative, country, R&B, jazz and christian music all to be heard and spun.  Actually, for me, there isn’t much I am interested in and I will highlight those in Blue.  Let me know what you found and if I missed anything.  Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.  If you want to see a bunch of the new releases coming over the next couple months, click New Releases here or at the top of the page.

  • 61e23dfEOBL._SS500_  Billie Eilish – When We All Fall Asleep – (Darkroom/Interscope Records):  Okay, this one is on my list because it is my oldest daughters favorite artist right now and apparently a lot of people are digging her.  She is VERY DARK in her attitude, music and especially the lyrics.  But she has something that is the “IT” factor right now.  A lot of her stuff is a little too weird, but some songs really knock it out of the park.  I will be listening to this one a lot…and not all by choice.

  • 81mrsy-ui6l._ac_ul115_  L.A. Guns – The Devil You Know – (Frontiers Records):  Is this the real L.A. Guns or one of the two touring bands with the same name??  Kidding…a little.  Either way, I will give it a spin and see what this old band still has to offer.

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