Bon Jovi – ‘What About Now’ (2013) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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We are now to the band’s twelfth studio album and the last one to feature original guitarists, Richie Sambora. The album came out on March 8, 2013 in Australia and March 12, 2013 in the U.S. where it was the third straight Bon Jovi album to go #1, fifth overall. The album has gone on to sell over 200,000 copies in the U.S., but their biggest success is still overseas where the album has sold over 1.5 million copies. Crazy numbers to me for a band that was well past their prime…at least that is my opinion…I guess a lot of people might disagree with those numbers.

The band at this point is unchanged with Jon Bon Jovi, Tico Torres, David Bryan and Richie Sambora, but don’t forget Hugh McDonald on bass who hasn’t yet been promoted to full fledged member which I find strange. But that changes eventually. And sadly, at the helm is still John Shanks who has turned the band in to a predictable, paint-by-numbers band that has lost all creativity and imagination. There is no painting outside the lines on this album. You’ve heard it all before. They have turned into a band that tries to be positive and encouraging in their lyrics in a world that is much darker. It feels forced and is presented in a way that might seem bright and fun, but it is boring and a wonderful cure for insomnia. Am I being too harsh? We will see…

“Because We Can” opens with some gang vocals spouting positive affirmations that is bouncy, bright and full of sunshine. And about as exciting as a root canal. And sadly, it is one of the better songs on the album. It is fun, catchy and has a great hook…but holy crap how many times do we need the same song that has been on every album of this millennium but with different titles…hello, “It’s My Life”, “Have a Nice Day”, “Undivided”…should I go on…I think not. This was the first single and it made it to the Adult Top 40 and not the Billboard Hot 100 Top 40, so you know the band is now full on AOR. That speaks volumes.

The next track, “I’m With You”, does contain a killer guitar solo, but that is about it. There is a weird effect on Jon’s vocals that I don’t particularly care for. The song isn’t a ballad and yet not heavy enough to be a rocker, despite that solo. It drones on and on and doesn’t do much for me at all. I want to like it, but can’t.

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My Sunday Song – “We Are The Young” by Paul Laine

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We are to the final My Sunday Song of the 10 Song set on Paul Laine. We are also to the Final My Sunday Song as I am putting it on hold for a little while. I’ve done 420 of these on Sundays in a row, that is quite a lot. Time to do reviews that are backing up because of the Bon Jovi and Def Leppard Series taking up so much time.

For My Sunday Song #420, we get to the final Paul Laine song and we go back to his 1990 debut album ‘Stick It In Your Ear’. The song to end his series is “We Are the Young” which was not a single here in the U.S, but I think it was in Canada where it broke the Top 40 briefly. Why it wasn’t in the States, I have not idea, but it was one of many on this album that could’ve been a single here. The song was written by Paul Laine and produced by the late, great Bruce Fairbairn…that should be enough right there to make you pay attention.

The song is about being young where everything is new and fresh and the world is at your fingertips. You can be whatever you want to be if you go out and grab it as you are wild, young and free. Don’t let anyone hold you back and fight for whatever you want to be. In the story, someone is holding him back and feeling him with lies, but he sees the truth and is ready to break free. So, don’t let anyone hold you back, go out there and take the world on with both hands and make your life you own.

The song opens with dual guitars, one with a cool crunchy guitar riff and the other a little melody, both speed a long at 100 mph. It is a brilliant rock anthem and I could see this blasted at concerts with full audience participation. The guitar break on this is extensive and the solo is just an onslaught of frenzied fingers flying on the frets. The song has some progressive rock undertones as the style changes up a little, but the essence of the song is contained. And that scream Paul does in the middle of that break…holy crap! It is awesome. It is guitar heavy, rock perfection and Paul gives it his all and sounds like the rock god he dreamed to be on that outro a la Robert Plant. This is what it sounds like when you are young and hungry to succeed.

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Friday New Releases – July 5, 2024

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I hope everyone in the States had a wonderful July 4th celebrating our great country. I know I did. But there is a problem with July 4th!! Because that Holiday fell the day before New Release Friday, a lot of artists shied away from releasing albums this week. I mean everyone is probably on Holiday for the whole weekend so it makes a lot of sense. Still though, we have a handful for you so I hope you can find something. You should be happy if you like metal as there is a lot of it. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!!

  • Kissin’ Dynamite – Back with a Bang – (Napalm Records)
  • REO Speedwagon – Live at Rockpalast 1979 – (Made in Germany Music)
  • Billy Currington – #1’s: Volume 1 – (UMG Nashville)
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Def leppard – ‘Rarities 2’ (2019) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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On June 21, 2019, Def Leppard released the second set in their four volume The Collection box set. There is a CD and a vinyl version of the set and my set is the vinyl version. It is 10 LPs and contains the albums, ‘Adrenalize’, ‘Retro Active’, ‘Slang’ and ‘Euphoria’. It also contains 2 Rarities collections called Volume 2 and Volume 3. Since we have already discussed the albums in this set, it is time to start with the rare tracks now and first up is ‘Rarities Two’ of the set. It is a 2 LP release and contains some rare tracks and rare live performances as well. All the songs are from the years surrounding these four albums.

LP 1:

It kicks off with a demo of the song “Tonight” from the ‘Adrenalize’ album. The song sounds like the final version with minor exceptions. Musically, it isn’t fully flushed out, the “oohs-aahs” aren’t full gang style yet and pretty simple sounding. Still a lot to get it to the final stages, but cool to hear an early version of the song.

Next, we get a demo of “When Love & Hate Collide” from the greatest hits album “Vault”. Is another stripped down version of the final song. I don’t like the guitar tone on this one as there is this little high pitched riff throughout that annoys the crap out of me. They definitely improve on that for the final version. Joe’s vocals are not high in the mix and have a weird echo, but the essence of the song is there.

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The Collection: Ep. 20 – Wrap Up June 2024

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As we end another month, it is time to go back and see what 2 Loud 2 Old Music added to the collection. This is June 2024 and we have vinyl, CDs, Cassettes, Singles, DVDs and even a book. So much to go through including not one…not two…but three Noble Record Exclusives. And to top that off we have some Kiss CDs & Cassettes and even a Billy Idol Floppy Disk…you read that right. So much to show for this month so I hope you enjoy the show!!

So go check it out as it will be live tonight right now, July 1, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.

And for those that like to see all the stuff in one shot…here you go…

Richie Sambora – ‘Aftermath of the Lowdown’ (2012) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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In 2012, Richie was still in Bon Jovi. His departure was not too far in the future as he becomes unhappy with the direction of the band. His solo albums are his chance to do something he wants to do and I will say that this is better than anything Bon Jovi was doing at the time. Richie went deep in to his problems and laid them out bare for all of us to see. A very personal album, but based on what happens later, not sure it was a healing album for him. He was still fighting demons even after this release.

The album, ‘Aftermath of the Lowdown’, was released on September 12, 2012. Okay, that was the release date in Japan, the UK saw September 17th and North America saw the 18th (well, digital release, physical was even a week later on the 25th). Yeah, I hate these staggered release dates. Just do it all at once or none at all. The album only went to #149 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, but did go to #10 on the Hard Rock Album Charts, so it had moderate success. But the real success is in the music. A Richie Sambora solo album is always welcome especially when a Bon Jovi album was not in my world. Bon Jovi had lost the plot, but Richie found his way with this one.

The album opens with “Burn the Candle Down” and it is a wall of sound with an explosive opening, a killer riff and some distorted vocals by Richie. The guitar sounds like a siren warning of the onslaught of rock we were going to get. A heavy rocker, with drum beats that will break your balls. The solo shreds harder then anything BJ was doing at the time; heck, there are even two solos in this song. Damn it is killer. The song really gets the blood flowing and kicks off the album in style.

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My Sunday Song – “Fallin’ For You” by The Defiants

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For My Sunday Song #419, we have another song from The Defiant’s. This time around it is “Fallin’ For You” from the bands second album, ‘Zokusho’. It was written by Paul Laine and his buddy Bruno Ravel. If you thought the first album was good, then this one will not disappoint. A band that is celebrating that 80’s rock sound and this particular song is all that and more. This one was a single and even had a video. You gotta love that.

Lyrically, the song is about a woman that comes in to his life when he wasn’t looking for love. Heck, she wasn’t either as she just got out of a relationship. They were both wrong place, wrong time, but the heart wants what the heart wants. He has fallin’ for her hard and wants to know what to do. How can they make it work despite everything saying it can’t. A classic love story that has been in every Rom-Com out there.

With a little keyboard opening and then a gritty guitar riff, we get a classic Danger Danger style rocking love song. You get swept up in those big choruses, catchy hooks and that Paul Laine vocal. He was made for these type of songs. The guitar solo is huge, crazy riffs, fast flying fingers. It all screams 80’s and I scream along with it…Hell Yeah!!! A fun song that will get stuck in your head for days.

Give the song a listen and tell me that music doesn’t take you back to the 80’s. 80’s music was the best as it was the most fun and I am thrilled The Defiants are celebrating that sound. It makes you feel so good. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoyed this week’s song. Have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“Fallin’ For You”

I wasn’t looking for somebody to love me
I wasn’t waiting for a second chance
You know I’ve never really been that lucky
I’d given up trying to understand
You were getting over some old heartbreak
You never counted on me walking through your door, yeah

I didn’t know I was waiting for you
It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That my heart’s got nothing to hide
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
What’s a boy to do? (Fallin’ for you)
You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you, oh

I was runnin’ in the wrong direction
I was headed down a dead end road
In the mirror was my own reflection
Telling me you’re better off alone
All I knew is there was someone for me
Someone out there with a heart that beat like mine, oh

You were the one I was dreaming about
I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That my heart’s got nothing to hide
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
And there ain’t no use (fallin’ for you)
You got me fallin’, fallin’ for you

‘Cause that’s the thing about love when you find it
Try to hold on and never let go
It’s the chance that you take
Between love and fate
And only your heart will know

I didn’t know I was waiting for you
It’s out of my hands and there’s nothing I can do
You were the one I was dreaming about
I’m head over heels and there ain’t no doubt

Girl, I can’t help it (I can’t help it)
There’s something in the air tonight
I just wanna tell you (wanna tell you)
That I’m ready to give you this heart of mine
I can’t hold back even if I tried
Tell me what I gotta do
‘Cause girl, you got me
Fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you)
Girl, I’m stuck on you (fallin’ for you)
(Fallin’ for you) and there ain’t no use

what’s a boy to do?
(Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) oh girl, you got me fallin’
(Fallin’ for you) hey (fallin’ for you) oh, oh, I’m fallin’
(Fallin’ for you, fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you
(Fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you (fallin’ for you) fallin’ for you
(Fallin’ for you) yeah, you know I can’t help it (fallin’ for you)
Oh, I wanna tell you (fallin’ for you)
There’s something in the air tonight (fallin’ for you) hoo

Songwriters: Paul Laine / Bruno Ravel Dicecco

Friday New Releases – June 28, 2024

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Welcome back to Friday New Releases. We are already to the final week of June and although Summer is heating up, for me, the releases this week aren’t that hot. Nothing I have to have and actually, the Stryper ‘To Hell With the Amp’ is a reissue of what they released earlier this year exclusively on their site and it sold it fast (yes, I have a copy). And speaking of Michael Sweet, he also has Sunbomb which I’m not thrilled with, but will get eventually as I do with Michael’s stuff. A lot people might be in to Imagine Dragons and Camila Cabello as they have a new ones, not for me though. I might give The Fabulous Thunderbirds a listen as I didn’t realize they were still together. Let me know what you want to hear this week or what we may have missed. Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend.

  • Imagine Dragons – Loom – (KidInACorner./ Interscope Records)
  • Sunbomb – Light Up The Sky – (Frontiers Records)
  • Stryper – To Hell With The Amp – (Stryper Recording) – Reissue of exclusive website only CD
  • Megan Thee Stallion – Megan – (Hot Girl Productions)
  • The Fabulous Thunderbirds – Struck Down – (RHM-Linus / Stony Plain Records)
  • Johnny Cash – Songwriter – (Mercury Nashville / UMe)
  • Can – Live in Aston 1977 – (Mute Music)
  • Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats – South of Here – (Stax Records / Concord)
  • Camila Cabello – C,XOXO – (Geffen / Interscope Records)
  • Jxdn – When the Music Stops – (DTA Records / Elektra Records)
  • The Warning – Keep Me Fed – (Republic Records / UMG / Lava Music)
  • Lupe Fiasco – Samurai – (1st And 15th Too / Thirty Tigers)
  • Neil Young with Crazy Horse – Early Daze – (Reprise Records)
  • Yes – Fragile (Super Deluxe Edition) – (Rhino Entertainment / Warner Music Group)
  • Guided By Voices – Strut of Kings – (GBV Inc.)
  • Robert Jon & The Wreck – Red Moon Rising – (Journeyman Records)
  • Anvil – One and Only – (AFM Records / Soulfood Music Distribution)
  • Nothing More – Carnal – (Better Noise Music)
  • Neaera – All Is Dust – (Metal Blade Records)
  • The Eternal – Skinwalker – (Reigning Phoenix Music)
  • 200 Stab Wounds – Manual Manic Procedures – (Metal Blade Records)
  • Wraith – Fueled by Fear – (Prosthetic Records)
  • Islander – Grammy Nominated – (Islander / Blood Blast Distribution)
  • Gerry Beckley – Gerry Beckley – (Blue Elan)
  • White Stones – Memoria Viva – (Reigning Phoenix Music)
  • Hiatus Kaiyote – Love Heart Cheat Code – (Brainfeeder)
  • Still Woozy – Love Seat – (Insterscope Records)
  • Aaron Frazer – Into the Blue – (Dead Oceans)
  • Scene Queen – Hot Singles In Your Area – (Hopeless Records)
  • Omar Apollo – God Said No – (Warner Records)
  • Silverada – Silverada – (Prairie Rose Records)
  • Washed Out – Notes from a Quiet Life – (Sub Pop Records)
  • Yellow House – Psalms of Yellow House – (Foreign Family Collective)
  • Lucky Daye – Algorithm – (Keep Cool / RCA Records)
  • Keke Wyatt – Certified – (Shanachie Ent. Group)
  • Marsha Ambrosius – Casablanco – (Aftermath Records / Interscope Records)
  • Sour Widows – Revival of Friends – (Exploding in Sound Records)
  • Lorrie Morgan – Dead Girl Walking – (Cleopatra Records)
  • Austin Snell – Still Bleeding – (River House Artists / Warners Music Nashville)
  • Adam Doleac – About: Time – (Mom & Daddy’s Money)
  • Kaitlin Butts – Roadrunner! – (Soundly Music)
  • Redd Kross – Redd Kross – (In the Red)

Def Leppard – ‘Euphoria’ (1999) – Album Review (The Def Leppard Collection Series)

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In 1998, Def Leppard went back in the studio to record their seventh studio album, ‘Euphoria’. The band’s plan for the album was pretty much, don’t abandon the original Leppard sound. Go back and record an album that sounded like the albums that made the band famous. And the album turned out exactly like that. After creating an album like ‘Slang’, that was a brand new sound for the band and wasn’t that successful. This was probably a smart idea. It was produced by Pete Woodruffe and Def Leppard at Joe’s Garage Studio’s 1 & 2 in Dublin, Ireland and would be released on June 8, 1999. The album would actually be moderately successful, hitting #11 on the Billboard charts and it would go Gold in the States.

Longtime friend and producer, Robert John “Mutt” Lange, came and helped out with the album, but only spent four days in the studio giving them advice rather than sitting at the boards working. Heck, he even helped write a few songs and sang backing vocals on a track. I’m sure his direction in those short four days helped the direction of the album. Speaking of direction, the band’s look went in a different direction too. The hair was cut short, the clothes were nicer and they looked like a more modern rock band going in to the year 2000. But musically, it was back to their heyday of the 80’s and early 90’s. And not a moment too soon.

The band was still Joe Elliott, Rick Savage, Rick Allen, Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell and is still that band today as I write this in 2024. What I like about this album is that Vivian keeps getting more involved and has a lot more writing credits on this one. His influence on the band is evident. The band have aged well, matured and delivered us a solid Leppard album.

Coming out of the cage with a roar is the opening track “Demolition Man”. A high energy, fist pounding rocker. The song sees the typical gang type vocals on the chorus, the fast, frenzied guitars and Joe spitting out lyrics at breakneck speed. A banger of an opener that let it be clear, Leppard was back with what you want to hear, yet sounding both old school and modern at the same time. A nice mixture of the two.

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The Collection: Ep. 19 – Generation X

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A few weeks back, we went through my Billy Idol Vinyl. I promised we would come back and do a walk through Billy’s first big band, Generation X. Here we are ready to tackle the Generation X collection. We go through all the vinyl I have and even throw in a few CDs and a cassette. If you like some Punk, then you’ll love Generation X. We start with a young lad name William Broad that turns in to the great Billy Idol and how he developed in to the superstar he would later become. I hope you enjoy!!

So go check it out as it is live now on June 24, 2024 at 8pm. Thanks for stopping by and please click “Like” and hit “Subscribe” as it helps out the site when you do.