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Various Artists Blackmore's Castle |
Lion Music LMC079 |
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Another tribute album from the home of Lion Music and their artists. Featured on this 13 track tribute are Mister Kite, Lars Eric Mattsson, Reign Of Terror, Eric Zimmerman, Condition Red, Iron Mask, Winterlong and Arabesque amongst others. This is a showcase for those artists as much as it is one for fans of Richie Blackmore and his projects. The emphasis is naturally on Deep Purple, plus a few Rainbow cuts. This is not recommended to fans and collectors of Purple and Blackmore. The production is mixed and the performances are ok, but as already stated, this is going to please fans of the individual artists more than it will fans of the great guitarist. |
| Dogpound The Hellbum | Lion Music LMC082 |
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Dogpound are another Swedish hard rock outfit. Their debut album is rather good - much like so many other Swedish bands. This is a blend of classic European hard rock, with a more contemporary production style and song delivery. The band offer up plenty of hooks and vocal melodies, delivered over 11 hard rocking guitar driven tunes. The sound has a slightly dark edge to it, with some crunching guitar tracks (End Of Days and When The World Comes Down for example), flanked by some more melodic numbers such as Bleed and Way Up High. Even better, the vocals are first rate and occasional harmonies help build the choruses. The band have clearly taken their time putting this together, with layers of instrumentation and well structured songs. All delivered with great performances and some very strong lead vocals. Fans of Swedish hard rock and the wider genre of European hard rock - delivered with a contemporary sound - should really check these guys out. It won't be the first time you hear from them. |
| Various Artists MTM Volume 9 | MTM Music 0681-82 |
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This isn't MTM's strongest compilation - out of the 9 volumes so far, there is certainly a lot to compare against. Here though there are still some great highlights. The opening track is the album's best - Afterlife is the preview track from the upcoming Jeff Northrup / Paul Shortino album and if this is anything to go by, the album will be a clear winner. There's also a preview track from Danny Danzi - his long awaited new album will be released early 2004. It's a great song, but has already been featured on his previous label's own sampler. Unreleased tracks from Faro, Zar and Xing are ok. I have no idea who Xing are at this stage. A preview of the new 2004 released Shiva album holds great promise again - another to look forward to. And the Japanese bonus track from the excellent Radioactive album is very enjoyable. The one preview track I'm not sold on is the new one from Seven Wishes. Not a lot of spark there, but I'll reserve judgment as it's only a rough mix. |
| Anand Joy 4 Ever | Lion Music LMC081 |
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Anand is a very talented guitarist - like most of those signed to Lion Music. He was born in South Africa, of Indian background and lives in Holland. Ok then! His debut album is another slice of instrumental shred-guitar, with a twist of progressive rock. The band features drummer Mike Terrana (isn't he on everything?) and a guest spot from Derek Sherinian on one track. All very tasteful stuff for instrumental fans, with a solid production, if not as crisp as it could be.
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| Franky Perez Poor Man's Son | Lava/Atlantic 83552-2 |
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Franky is the son of Cuban emigrants and is a resident of Florida via Las Vegas. His music is best described as ethically influenced acoustic pop/rock. The delivery of the music is all fairly laid back, but there is enough variety to impress. A few tracks pick up the pace and a few others turn in a more modern direction, with some production effects varying things up. Nothing here for traditional melodic rock or AOR fans, but those partial to a bit of storytelling mid-western pop/rock a la John Mellencamp might find something a little different to enjoy here.
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Snake Charmer Backyard Boogaloo |
MTM Classix 0681-83 |
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This is the first release in MTM's new line-up of Classix re-issues. This one is being billed as a lost classic, but from all reports, this one isn't too lost. It's just over 10 years old and can be found on ebay without too much trouble. But, no doubt, this re-release will make it even easier to find as well as cheaper. And this version adds an additional bonus track on top of the 2 Japanese bonus tracks included. So if you will - it's the complete package. The band features vocalist Goran Edman, so there's your first reason to purchase. Ad keyboard sensation Jens Jansson and Benny Jansson on guitars, plus Per Stadin on bass and Anders Johansson on drums and the band is complete. This is very tasty melodic pop/rock. Very smooth (very Swedish) and very good. Someday You're Gonna Love Someone was written by Mark Baker and has been recorded by Mark Free and She Made Me Fall is a Jeff Paris/Bruno Ravel composition, which is basically a prime era-Paris rocker. There's also a Bowie cover (Life On Earth). A good release, no doubt. Whether it was the most obvious choice for a re-issue is unsure, but Goran Edman fans without this will already be lined up to buy it. |
| Crystal Ball Hellvetia | Nuclear Blast |
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Swiss rockers Crystal Ball have always been able to record good albums, and this is no different. This is pretty stock standard European hard rock in the vein of Shakra or classic Gotthard - you are familiar with that straight AC/DC style rhythm. But Hellvetia packs a powerful punch and sounds a million bucks, with a wall of hard edged guitars backed by a solid rhythm section and some very strong lead vocals. And rounding off this good value release is some well written and memorable European hard rock songs.
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| Metal Shop Hole Patrol | Indie |
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This is a bit of fun...Metal Shop are in fact Danger Kitty - or used to be. The LA based band travel around putting on tribute shows to the best metal there ever was and have now put together a CD of originals. But I should clarify, this is more an EP. The total running time is just over 20 minutes and if you take out the spoken word segways, there are only 5 tracks on here. And sadly, it's retailing at near full price. So be aware of the running time. The music itself is fabulous. Dirty lyrics, piss taking stories and gross out sexual descriptions are all the order of the day, delivered in a high-quality 80's rock fest that pays tribute to bands of the day like Poison, Def Leppard and Motley Crue. But - 20 minutes running time? Not good enough. It would be interesting to see what they could come up with if they took themselves seriously. |
| Naked Heart Further Proof | Marlin Records MR20032 |
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Naked Heart area new Aussie metal outfit that play a mix of nu-metal and straight ahead modern rock. It's well enough produced and has a chance at reaching a fan base - no doubt. But that fan base won't include me or general fans of melodic rock and most artists featured here. Biggest draw card on the album is a cool version of Kylie Minogue's pop hit Confide In Me, modernized and metalized.
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Fatal Attraction Simplicity Rules |
Adrenaline Records ADR0022 |
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This is an unusual little release. This is very pleasant light weight AOR/Westcoast with a good sense of melody and plenty of catchy songs that feature some tasty lead guitar breaks and some good harmonies. In places it sounds very reminiscent of Joseph Williams era Toto (Fahrenheit), except a European version. You could also compare to some of Tommy Denander's projects like Sayit, Prisoner and Talk Of The Town. Good solid melodic rock that will appeal to fans of the European version of the style. |
| Peter Frampton Now | Sony |
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This is Peter's first studio album in 9 years - can you believe that?! What is represents is a man who has mellowed a little, but who is also ware of his heritage and his classic sound. This mixes both and should please all fans of the guitarist/singer/songwriter. There's some straight ahead rock, some bluesier moments and some fine mature acoustic driven pop also. That voice is unmistakable and the quality of the songs is as strong as any album since his heyday. |
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Rich Davenport Laugh Out Loud |
TTS Records TTS001 |
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Interesting album this. It's 7 tracks of stand up comedy and 2 musical tracks which pay homage to Rich's love of hard rock music. So it's a comedy release with a musical bonus. The comedy routine is (as is all comedy) an acquired taste and will best suit UK residents, who will have some clue as to who all these characters are. The musical tracks are solid and enjoyable enough, but not a reason on their own to purchase the album. Check Rich's site out for more details and samples. |
| Jamie Meyer It's All About Me |
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Jamie Meyer is another portrayer of smooth high quality modern pop/rock that seems to be in abundance recently - with the likes of Martin Stenmark, BB Mak, Miles Above, Clay Aiken and Mikael Erlandsson. Jamie is Swedish (where good music is seemingly everywhere) and has recorded a very solid album of enjoyable pop rock songs. It's not a long album, but it is quality. Musically this mirrors the vibe of Stenmark and Miles Above and comes highly recommended for those that love this brand of melodic modern pop/rock. It's guitar driven, but has a pop heart and the sweet vocals and catchy choruses help keep the feeling light and breezy. |
| Honestly Have A Nice Life | Indie |
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Honestly are a rather good USA nu-breed/modern rock outfit that to date are still independent. I have no doubt that once labels get to hear this, a deal will be offered. As far as good melodic nu-breed goes, Honestly are one of the better bands I have heard this year and I rank them up there with Waltham and Cauterize as best new-comers in the genre for 2003. The bands sound is easily comparable with Goo Goo Dolls and more importantly, the John Rzeznik lead GGD. They have a good ear for melodies and sharp choruses (a softer Cauterize come to mind) and will impress those that take a listen. The songs themselves compare to the more melodic mid-tempo style of the GGD's and utilize layers of acoustic and electric guitars. Lots of lush melodies, harmonies and feel good songs make this a well worthy recommendation - especially for modern music fans. |
| Rikki Rocket Glitter For Your Soul | Indie |
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This is actually rather good. In fact, it's better produced than the last Poison album. No doubt Rikki pocketed some of the recording budget for Hollyweird and went home and recorded this - a covers album that pays tribute the glam and 70's rock genre. We've got The Sweet, Bowie, T-Rex, Starz and more covered here - all within the true spirit of the originals. Featured on the CD are Bret Michaels, C.C. DeVille, Blues Saraceno, Jizzy Pearl, Gina Shock, & Chuck Garric. It's all good fun and comes recommended to fans of Poison and the glam genre. I wasn't expecting much, but was pleasantly surprised. It rocks rather nicely indeed.
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| Kenny Loggins It's About Time | Sony Music |
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Oh, WTF? This is just awful. Dire… Kenny was once a bit of a legend, supplying a few wonderful soundtrack anthems and some equally great commercial melodic rock during the 80's. He has one of those fabulous raspy rock voices that is just made for pumping soft rock anthems. But in recent years he's grown (very) old and has been doing adult contemporary and kids' stories. This all new studio album came with some hype, but is just crap. This is sugary, bland, featureless, adult contemporary pop that would be better served helping you get to sleep. Heaven Help The Man, he isn't Footloose anymore.... |
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Various Artists Where Blues Meets Rock |
Mascot Records PRD 71382 |
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This is a nice blues rock compilation featuring the likes of Paul Gilbert/Jimi Kadd, Michael Lee Firkins, Rob Lamothe/Craig Erickson, Dave Hole, Steve Fister and more. Good solid stuff for lovers of blues guitar/vocal with a little kick. There's not really much more I can say, apart from making you aware of the album! There's 14 tracks and lots of blues! Not much of a review folks, but if you own Gary Moore's Still Got The Blues - check this out. |
| Rik Emmett Good Faith | RikEmmett.com |
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Rik, Rik, Rik, Rik Rik......seriously now! It's time to rock again - please! I'm a huge Rik Emmett fan - the man is a monster talent. Wonderful singer, great songwriter and a master musician that can play/write and adapt to any style. He is also very happy writing at his own pace, releasing his own records online and independently and has recorded several in the last few years alone. Which means we have all this by now....we have the instrumental, we have the jazz, we have the blues, we have the Cajun....what we don't have is the ROCK! I'm a long time Triumph fan and a devotee of Rik's first two solo albums. I also have most of the indie releases. Good stuff. But enough's enough - time to put on the electric guitar again and turn the amp on. Rock my friend - it's what you do best and where you built your fanbase from. This album is largely jazzy pop. The opening track Unconditional Love is very catchy - in a Cajun blues kinda way - but the rest of the album is very laid back soft ballads / jazzy pop. Quality yes, but it's time for a change.... |
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Paul Gilbert Paul The Young Dude |
Universal japan |
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Paul's a bit of a legend really. The talented guitarist/songwriter/singer/multi-instrumentalist has released a string of solo albums now - not to mention bonus tracks and live recordings. This Best Of sums up the studio tracks with a well rounded 17 songs, plus that very cool obligatory bonus live CD for the Japanese pressing. If you liked a few Gilbert songs or haven't invested in his releases yet, start with this best of - as it's full of catchy guitar driven melodic rock/pop. Although Paul's voice isn't the best in the business, his guitar playing is and the vocals have a warmth necessary to make the songs work. I still love, amongst many others, Girls Who Can Read Your Mind, which brings me to mention what a fabulous lyricist Paul is. Really cleaver songs from a very talented guy. New track I'm Not Afraid Of The Police is also a highlight, with some great hooklines. Recommended for old and new fans. |
| Conspiracy The Unknown | Inside Out |
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Conspiracy is actually the second album to feature the Yes duo of Chris Squire and Billy Sherwood together. This is prime-time progressive high-tech pomp/rock with plenty of Yes influences mixed in with high-tech pop and the more straight ahead rock of World Trade, which was Billy's other claim to fame. I'm sure most fans of progressive pomp/pop already have this, but if you haven't been made aware of it, or forgot about it - it's never too late to grab it. Lots of melodic hooks are intertwined in the songs, which are for the most part fairly straight ahead. Only 1 song passes 10 minutes and one other 7 minutes. Good stuff for fans of the guys and the genre. |
| Snake Eye Wild Senses | Brennus Music BR8106 |
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Snake Eye plays a brand of European hard rock that is wholly guitar driven, but not overly heavy. Just your classic Bonfire level of heaviness. Musically the guys are pretty tight, with a solid sound thanks to the mix. There are also some good guitar riffs and a few memorable choruses, which is always good to see. Sadly, there is a complaint and for me it's the vocalist. If I can't appreciate the singer, I have a hard time getting into the rest and I don't like the tone of these vocals. They are pretty rough, although come chorus harmony time, are far better. Combine the songs and the singer and the result = average European hard rock. |
| Nazca Nazca | Brennus BR8106 |
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Nazca are off to a good start by employing Dennis Ward to mix and master this album. And the good news continues. Thanks to that tight mix, the sound is impressive and the songs offer a bit of variety. It's 100% European hard rock, but there are short progressive passages, some melodic choruses and not every song runs full speed. I'm also quite partial to the vocalist, who sounds like Richard Marx goes metal, mixed with some Jeff Scott Soto. Certainly above average as far as the genre goes and one of the better albums of it's type reviewed here. |
| Thursday War All The Time |
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Thursday are yet another American modern rock outfit that are vying for your hard earned cash. Must admit that I like a fair range of modern rock these days, but it doesn't extend as far as these guys. Horrible songs, barely any melody and certainly nothing in the way of catchy choruses or memorable hooks. Far too modern for these delicate ears and therefore I would suggest most readers of the site also steer clear.
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Thunderbolt Demons And Diamonds |
Massacre Records |
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More power metal from Europe. This time it's in the form of Thunderbolt. This is another one where I am having problems with the vocalist. I just don't like his tone and the slight accent in the delivery of the songs. Nothing wrong as such, just a personal dislike for the style. Musically it's not as tight as some other power metal releases featured here in this round of reviews. Certainly better stuff out there than this, without there being anything wrong with this. There's a lot of competition out there for your dollar and I think it could be better spent. |
| Rage Sound Chaser | SPV |
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I'm not totally sold on the singer, his tone is darker and gruffer than you might expect from your "average" metal singer. But sound wise there are no complaints here. Soundchaser is a 53 minute, double kick drum fuelled sonic bombardment of your ear drums, with the pace barely slipping under frantic. The band have a stack of album's under their belt and this is yet another project for power house drummer Mike Terrana. Fans of power metal will already be familiar with the band - those that like it really heavy, but still rhythmic and (a little) melodic, should check Rage out. |
| Vanilla Fudge The Return | WorldSound PPR77625-2 |
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The Fudge are back....yes, Carmine Appice, Tim Bogert, Vince Martell and Bill Pascali have recorded this album of cover songs from yesterday and today, all in the true spirit of the band's original organ drenched blues rock sound. What's most amusing is some of the choices included - in amongst a couple of originals and some great old classic rockers are covers of the Backstreet Boys. But seriously reworked into 70's blues classics. Tragic or funny stuff - depending on your outlook. Regardless though - it's enjoyable and very much classic Fudge on offer. |
| Derek Sherinian Black Uptopia | Inside Out |
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To put it simply, Derek's new solo album (which has been out sometime now) is a fabulous feast of over the top instrumental noodling, doodling and rocking. It's a brilliantly varied set of songs, ranging from the epic movie theme style, to the flat out hard rock, to the move intricate technical side, which borders on progressive. I'm not a big fan of instrumentals, but Sherinian knows how to structure songs to keep the listener entertained. The songs stand up on their own, but an added bonus is the star studded line-up, which includes Steve Lukather, Yngwie Malmsteen, Simon Philips, Zakk Wylde, Tony Franklin, Billy Sheehan and Brian Tichy. Lukather is the main player on the album, so it's as much a showcase of his talents as it is Sherinian's keyboard brilliance. |
| Yellowcard Ocean Avenue | Capitol Records CDP 72435 39844 |
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Yellowcard are a Florida based outfit that specialize in high-energy modern rock/aggressive nu-breed with an in your face guitar sound in the same vein as Blink 182 and the more punkish nu-breed style bands. One could compare them to Cauterize, but they are less melodic, more modern and a little punkier than those guys. It's a well produced, good time set of songs, which will appeal to the modern rock fans out there. But I don't rare them as highly as other bands that have been mentioned on this site and they don't quite slot into this scope as easily as bands like Cauterize or Marvellous 3. |
| Colin Hay Man At Work | Compass Records 743652 |
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Colin Hay and his band Men At Work were one of the first bands I ever really got into in a serious way, back at the start of the 80's. Their songs never took the predictable route - there was always a twist in the tale and for that reason remain fresh to listen to today. Much the same goes for Colin's solo work, which these days is largely acoustic based. Not quite as catchy as Men At Work, they are nevertheless of great quality - in a folky pop kind of way. This album features re-workings of some early hits and lesser known solo numbers. Once again, it's largely acoustic based and stripped back, but the quality of the songs and Colin's rich earthy voice make it an essential purchase for those that may have forgotten about the band and Colin's songs, or those that missed a few along the way. |
| Wild West Second To None | Brennus |
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Wild West are a French melodic hard rock outfit that play a brand of European hard rock with slight leanings towards a bluesier/southern rock kinda feel. At the very least, most of the songs have a kind of swagger to them. It's a good solid album that is well produced and features 11 songs - none of which sound like they shouldn't be there. The delivery by the band is also impressive and will appeal to fans of some of the bands coming out of the USA in the early 90's with that big bluesy hard rock edge. My only thought on how to make it even better would be some bigger choruses. |
| Anet Talented Girl | TB Records |
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Anet is none other than Anette Ducharme, the same Canadian lady that has helped pen a couple of classics with Tom Cochrane from his Mad Mad World album. This album was co-produced by Red Rider's John Webster. This album is more aggressive in places than you would expect. Some fine modern rock songs are included, with Fake and Talented Girl both radio worthy. There are some Avril Lavigne, Tori Amos, Garbage moments along the way, as well as a dose of that distinctly different "Canadian" factor. A strong album for fans of alternative/modern female fronted rock. I'd like to include more about the album, but the album sleeve is totally unreadable and the lyrics printed one line after another without punctuation. What's the point of that? |
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Gary Moore Live At The Monsters of Rock |
Sanctuary SANCD215 |
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Another Gary Moore live album...great, just what the world needs. I used to be a big Moore fans, through the early 80's to the early 90's. Kind lost interest after that and haven't heard a single album that has really grabbed me since Still Got The Blues. This live album was recorded on the Monsters Of Rock tour in the UK earlier this year. The set list is fairly predictable. Gary has never had the greatest voice and here in particular it sounds pretty awful. But the guitar playing is still faultless. This recording sounds ok, but the performance to me sounds fairly flat. I am not sure why he wanted to make a live album out of this – money no doubt. To sum up it's none too impressive. Even my favourite Out In The Fields sounds well in trouble! For Gary Moore die-hards only. I'm going back to Wild Frontier and Run For Cover for my fix of the great guitarist. |
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Various Light Of Day - A Tribute To Bruce Springsteen |
School House Records SHR0022-2 |
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Another tribute, but a more interesting one here. This is a double CD, 37 track compilation of Springsteen classics. But what's cool (for me at least) is that the majority of the tracks are from Bruce's recent catalogue. The main style over the 37 tracks is acoustic based rock. Lots of stripped back versions and wholly acoustic versions. Good stuff for Bruce fans and fans of softer acoustic pop and easy listening adult contemporary. For melodic rock heads, the inclusion of Tom Cochrane doing a very laid back Secret Garden, or John Cafferty doing E Street Shuffle are the main draw cards. Also included are Nils Lofgren, Matthew Ryan, Willie Nile, Joe Ely and Graham Parker. A little too laid back for most, but some interesting moments. All proceedes got towards Parkinson's Disease charities. Great stuff. |
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Various Stairway To Rock - A Tribute To Led Zeppelin |
Edel 0147732ERE |
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Yet another tribute album.... This project was put together by currently in demand producer Fabrizio V.Zee Grossi. In keeping with Grossi's style, the production is quite modern and layered with various effects. Makes for an interesting listen - although the mostly heavy alternative and rap-rock approach will turn any traditional hard rock fans off instantly. Covering the various Lep tracks are Robbi Robb (w/ Steve Lukather), George Clinton, Joe Leste, Tracci Guns, Gilby Clarke, Jeff Pilson, Greg Bissonette, Mike Inez, Robert Trujillo, Ice T, JM Scattolin and Grossi picking up any parts not filled by the above. Best tracks are Robb's Whole Lotta Love, the rap-metal alternative Immigrant Song and the orchestral All My Love. Elsewhere I'll skip most of the tracks. For die-hards or alternative music fans only. The sub-scores may look a little strange - to explain, these are great songs (the originals) produced immaculately, but the style is not worthy of a higher rating. |
| Aviary Ambition | Aviary Music AV-1000 |
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Aviary's new album is one for the fans - without any question. If you haven't discovered the band, this still might act as a worthwhile listen if you are into 70's pomp/AOR in the vein of early Styx and Kansas. This album is a collection of songs recorded after the debut album in the late 70's. The dust has been blown off, the tracks remastered and it's now available for long suffering fans of the debut, who only ever had that one album to live off. A finer collection of 70's pomp could not be found. And as an added bonus, some liner notes from our very own Stephen B Allen - Mr. Pomp or TAFKAMP (Noticeboard regular) Nice job all round. |
| Chris Emerson Chris Emerson | Monomy Music 80269-39082-2 |
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