Halloween is almost upon us and we’ve scared up over 80 releases for you this week. No tricks, only treats!! There are so many bands, so many genres and so many great things to hear there should be something for everyone. I’ve got a few I want to hear with James Blunt, Duran Duran, Dokken and probably Black Pumas as well. Let me know what you want to hear this week and/or what we may have missed as well so everyone knows. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you all have a scary good weekend!!
James Blunt – Who We Used to Be – (Atlantic Records / Warner Music)
Duran Duran – Danse Macabre – (Tape Modern / BMG Rights Mgmt)
Dokken – Heaven Comes Down – (Silver Lining Music)
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (40th Anniversary) – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Mark Tremonti – Mark Tremonti Christmas Classics New & Old – (Mark Tremonti Music)
Black Pumas – Chronicles of a Diamond – (ATO Records)
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord – (KGLW)
It had been 3 years since Jeff’s last solo album, 2009’s ‘Beautiful Mess’. That album was good, but a lot of people didn’t like it’s direction as it wasn’t the hard, melodic rock that fans of Jeff love. And I get it, but let’s be honest, Jeff should be able to make whatever music he wants to make. I wasn’t a massive fan of that album, but it had some great moments for sure. ‘Damage Control’ sees Jeff listening to his fans and giving them what he they want. He is always good about that. And I wonder if the title is in reference to that fan reaction from the prior album. It seems pretty tongue-in-cheek if you ask me.
I want to say the album dropped around January 6th, 2012, but I could be mistaken. But before that release date, Jeff put in a lot of work on this album and he worked with a ton of writers and a ton of musicians (and sometimes both). Some of the writers were old friends such as Jamie Borger (Talisman) and Gary Schutt (solo band) and then there were names we hadn’t heard yet in his career like Joel Hoekstra (Whitesnake/TSO). Jeff has known Joel for awhile and Jeff would return the favor a couple years down the road (which we will review as well.
Jeff had a total of 21 songs ready for the album, but they needed to dwindle it down to 11 which somehow he did. The songs were recorded all over the world on three different continents including Europe as well as North & South America. The album wound up on Frontiers due to the long standing relationship he has had with Serafino Perungino. They agreed to do a Deluxe Edition where Jeff could actually include 14 of the 21 songs as long as there was a DVD with an EPK (Electronic Press Kit) and some music videos and that is the copy I have and will review.
The album kicks off with “Give a Little More” and it is nasty piece of a rock with that gritty guitar riff, the heaviness of the bass the drums. Jeff attacks the vocals with in equal intensity. An almost anthemic, melodic rock song that is proof that Jeff can still deliver the heavy rock like fans complained about. This song is a statement and the guitar solo by Leo Mancini is the exclamation point on that statement.
James Blunt – Who We Used to Be – (Atlantic Records / Warner Music)
Duran Duran – Danse Macabre – (Tape Modern / BMG Rights Mgmt)
Dokken – Heaven Comes Down – (Silver Lining Music)
Motley Crue – Shout at the Devil (40th Anniversary) – (BMG Rights Mgmt)
Mark Tremonti – Mark Tremonti Christmas Classics New & Old – (Mark Tremonti Music)
Black Pumas – Chronicles of a Diamond – (ATO Records)
King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard – The Silver Cord – (KGLW)
2 Loud 2 Old Music 