Friday New Releases – February 23rd

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Welcome to the last Friday of February for new releases.  There isn’t a whole lot of new ones that are peaking my interest.  There are a few I will listen to and as usual, they are highlighted in Blue.  Let me know if there is something that tickles your fancy or if there was anything that I don’t have on my list.  Thanks and have a great weekend.

  • 510qrK6DCuL._AC_US436_QL65_  Alice Cooper – The Sound of A E.P. – (Edel Germany):  Alice Cooper’s latest album ‘Paranormal’ is absolutely stellar.  This is really just a single release of “The Sound of A” from that album, but what makes it special is the 4 B-Sides you get as well including Live versions of “The Black Widow”, “Public Animal #9”, “Is It My Body” and “Cold Ethyl”.  That makes it worth it!!

  • 715ygsnBa6L._SX522_.jpg  CoreLeoni – The Greatest Hits Part 1 – (Frontiers Records):  Leo Leoni, guitarist from the band Gotthard, releases this on the 25th Anniversary of Gotthard to celebrate rock and bring back some songs that Gotthard has left behind.  With singer Ronnie Romero taking on the vocals this could be a very interesting project.  Worth at least a listen.

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RSO (Richie Sambora & Orianthi) – “I Got You Babe” / “Forever All the Way” – Single Review

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Richie Sambora & Orianthi (or RSO for short) have put out two E.P.’s and now give us two new singles just in time for Valentine’s Day (now this is a little past Valentine’s Day, but that was when I first heard it).  They give is the incredible Sonny & Cher cover of “I Got You Babe” and a new single called “Forever All The Way”.

First off, we will focus on “I Got You Babe”.  Now, I have to admit, I have been waiting for a great cover of the Sonny & Cher classic song.  Sadly, this isn’t it.  In fact, no one is waiting for a cover of “I Got You Babe”.  I am sorry to admit this is dreadful.  Is that harsh?  I am sorry, but it is.  I give them credit for trying a few things different with it.  They definitely bring into the modern era for sound and they try to rock it out.  It doesn’t work.  It was a cheesy song before and it is still a cheesy song now.

I know they are happy together and it is supposed to be a fun song, but there is nothing redeeming about it that will make me ever want to listen to this drivel ever again. I liked their last E.P., “Making History”. This goes in completely the wrong direction from what they accomplished with that one.

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The Cover vs. The Cover – “Whiskey in the Jar”

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Alright, we are going to shake things up this time on The Original Vs. The Cover.  We are going to actually look at two Cover versions of the same song and let them battle it out.  The song is “Whiskey in the Jar” and the bands are Thin Lizzy and Metallica.

Yes, the Thin Lizzy version was a cover and not an original.  “Whisky in a Jar” is actually on old Irish traditional song that was called “The Highwayman and The Captain”.  The lyrics were altered and the name changed to “Whiskey in the Jar” by the Beasley Brothers some time in 1967.  The song was later made famous by the Irish band the Dubliners in 1968.

The story behind the song is that this traveller (or highwayman) stole money from Captain Farrell.  He took it to his woman who betrays him (however, it doesn’t say what the betrayal is).  He later sees Captain Farrell again and ends up killing and winding up in prison.  It is such a happy song!!

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Billy Idol – “Dancing With Myself” – Book Review

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I have been a fan of Billy Idol since the day I heard (and saw) “White Wedding” on MTV back in the very early years of the station.  The music and his image with that Elvis curling of his lip had me from day one.  So, when Amazon had the book for the Kindle for $2.99 I had to get it and finally sat down and read it.  The book came out in October 2014 by Simon & Schuster and obviously tells the story of his life.  It is an autobiography which is why I wanted to really read it. It is straight from the man himself not someone taking stories from various sources who might have even been there.

The book covers his life from a child when they moved to the U.S. and then back to the U.K. all the way up to his last album (and my favorite Billy Idol album) released in 2014, ‘Kings & Queens of the Underground’.  I am actually playing it as I am writing and I will do a review of that one someday.  The book covers all the bands, the sex, the drugs, the albums, the sex, the drugs, the ups & downs, the sex, the drugs and so much more.  Did  I mention it covers the sex and the drugs?

He freely talks about his sexual escapades and what rock & roll biography doesn’t which is why that is really the least interesting thing about the book.  The drugs are typical for a rock & roll biography as well, but for this part, it is important in his life story.  It was interesting to hear how messed up he was during the recording of the albums, the tours and his life in general.  At times, his commentary about being high painted this very vivid image and he takes you on this stranger journey momentarily and you realize just how fucked up he really was.  It is amazing he is still alive.

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My Sunday Song – “Silent Lucidity” by Queensrÿche

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For My Sunday Song #79, “Silent Lucidity” by the progressive metal band Queensrÿche will be the point of discussion.  The song was released on Valentine’s Day in 1991 and was on their triple platinum selling album ‘Empire’.  “Silent Lucidity” was the band’s top selling single ever in the U.S. where it reached #1 on the Album Rock Tracks and all the way to #9 on the Billboard Top 100.  The song was even nominated for a Grammy for Best Rock Song.

“Silent Lucidity” was a ballad, which was not something the band was known for doing.  The song is absolutely beautiful with the whole lullaby feel to the song, the wonderful orchestration added and lastly, Geoff Tates vocals perfectly fit the mood of the song.  It felt like you were in a dream state while listening to the song which was exactly the impact the band was going for with the song.

The song was supposedly inspired by the book ‘Creative Dreaming’ by Patricia Garfield, PhD which explains how to control your dreams…which I don’t think I have ever been able to do that.  The song is about lucid dreaming which is the where you are actually aware that you are dreaming and as the book states, you can actually have control over parts of the dream.  During the song, there is actually a voice that is explaining how to do just that.  They state…”Visualize your dream. Record it in the present tense. Put it into a permanent form. If you persist in your efforts, you can achieve dream control.”

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Friday New Releases – February 16th

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Welcome back to Friday New Releases.  This week is a little better than last week, but not by much.  There are only a few I am interested in this week and they are highlighted in Blue.  I am beginning to think February for music releases is like February for movie releases, there aren’t as many and they aren’t as good.  I am hoping for a couple exceptions to that rule.  Let me know what floats your boat.

  • A1flrKrkxTL._SX522_  Pop Evil – Pop Evil – (Entertainment One):  Pop Evil is one of the few modern rock bands I like.  And based on what has come out so far this year, I need something good and heavy.  They usually don’t disappoint.  I will admit it is a little generic, but it is consistent and you know what you are going to get.

  • 51+Hcq+l4oL._SS500  David Cook – Chromance E.P. – (Analog Heart Music):  Former American Idol winner is finally back, but only with an EP.  I will take what I can get.  David is a little rock, but mostly pop and I don’t know if he has ever fully found where he wants to be with his sound. Hopefully this finds him in a good place.

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Stryper – “Take It To The Cross” – Single Review

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Now, Stryper, and Michael Sweet in particular, have released a lot of music lately.  Let’s look back over the last 5 years…

  • March 2013 – ‘The Second Coming’
  • November 2013 – ‘No More Hell to Pay’
  • January 2014 – Icon (greatest hits)
  • September 2014 – Live at the Whisky
  • October 2015 – Fallen

And Michael Sweet…

  • 2014 – ‘I’m Not Your Suicide’
  • 2015 – ‘Only to Rise’ as Sweet & Lynch
  • 2016 – ‘One Sided War’
  • 2017 – ‘Unified’ as Sweet & Lynch
  • 2017 – Sole: Songs and Stories From a Life in Music live concert video

That is 10 albums in 5 years.  That is quite a busy group.  I will admit that I have grown a little tired of Stryper as it is music overload.  I can’t absorb all that.  Now, it has all been great actually, but I felt like I needed a break.

On April 20th, Stryper brings us another new album called ‘God Damn Evil’ and my first thought was NOOOOO!!!  On the title, I am sure they will catch some grief for using that title (which will be for another discussion if I review the whole album), but it is ballsy and I think it might set the tone for what is to come on this album.

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John 5 & the Creatures – ‘It’s Alive’ – Album Review

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John 5 & the Creatures bring us a new album to start the year off and this time we get their first live album.  ‘It’s Alive’ was recorded live off the Season of the Witch Tour in 2017 at the Sellersville Theater in Sellersville, Pennsylvania in April 2017.  The band consists of John 5 on lead guitar, Ian Ross on bass and Logan Miles Nix on drums.  The amount of music that comes out of these there guys for this album is incredible.

In listening to an interview with John 5 on Talking Metal with Emily Strigl, I learned that album was recorded rather spontaneously.  They arrived at the theater the day of the show and someone from the theater asked them if they wanted to record the show as they had a recording booth upstairs.  The band joyfully said yes.  And a little less than a year later, we have a live album released.

John 5 also stated in the interview that there are no overdubs or any re-recordings.  What you hear is what you get.  And what you hear is a live album that is near perfection which is also a little of the drawback.  The album at times doesn’t sound live as the musicianship is absolutely incredible.  There are probably errors, but they are not noticeable (at least to my untrained ears).

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My Sunday Song – “Black Coffee in Bed” by Squeeze

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For My Sunday Song #78, I am going with one of my favorite Squeeze songs “Black Coffee in Bed”.  The song didn’t do that great in the U.S. (#103 on Billboard) and for some reason the band never really broke it big here either,  but I always loved their songs and this one in particular.

“Black Coffee in Bed” was released in 1982 and was from their fifth album .Sweets from a Stranger’.  The song really wasn’t a big hit.  It only reached #52 in the UK and only #23 on the US Mainstream Rock chart.  It never broke the Top 100 on the Billboard Pop chart.  However, there was something about the song that I liked whether it was a little bit of Glenn Tilbrook’s vocals or the lyrics or the slow pacing of the music and the jazzy little feel to the song.  It all worked.

The funny thing is that Glenn really didn’t like the song.  According to Glenn from his interview with songfacts.com:

“It’s far too ponderous. It could never be a fast song, but it certainly had the opportunity to be slightly perkier. My vocal is mannered and not very good at all, and I can’t stand to listen to it now. It was influenced by what Paul Carrack had brought to the table but without Paul’s voice it didn’t sound right. We recorded a great demo with Gus Dudgeon but we really f–ked it up for the record, which was entirely down to me. This is one of the few Squeeze songs I’d happily re-record because I think I could do a better version.”

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Friday New Releases – February 9th

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Happy Friday!!…or is it?  Well of course it is, it’s new release Friday.  There is not a whole lot I am pyched to listen to this week.  Some I might give a spin, but only one will get listened to today for sure and it is highlighted in Blue.  Otherwise, not much else that is exciting me.  Let me know what floats your boat.  Thanks.

  • 41VSwhV-ZFL  Franz Ferdinand – Always Ascending – (Domino Recording Co.);  The Scottish indie rock band is back with their fifth album.  I have been a fan since the beginning which is strange for me as I usually don’t like the whole indie rock vibe, but Franz gave me a nice retro rock feel with a lot of distortion.  I don’t know what this one has to offer yet, but I will give it a listen.

  • 61CbMAk5zzL._AC_US320_QL65_  Toto – Greatest Hits: 40 Trips Around the Sun – (Sony Music)

  • 51O8TIeBEuL._SS500  Sister Hazel – Water – (Croakin’ Poet Records)

  • 51xgRMToKcL._AC_US320_QL65_  Voodoo Circle – Raised on Rock – (AFM Records)

  • 51cKSEatsBL._SS500  Dashboard Confessional – Crooked Shadows – (Fueled by Ramen)

  • 61l+GoCpryL._SS500  MGMT – Little Dark Age – (Columbia Records

  • 5130EnGGISL._SS500  Elevation Collective – Evidence – (Elevation Worship Records)

  • 61By-XPHFoL._SS500  Social Club Misfits – Into the Night – (Capitol CMG Label)