The follow up to the well received debut album continues on in much the same vein. If anything, this gets a bit heavier and a bit faster (I shy from using the term ‘rockier’).
Probably for the first time, Danzig cross into a territory where they can be listened to by a number fans from different genres. The fact that they do this without compromising their own style is a victory for their music.
For me, the album starts off fantastically with “Long Way Back From Hell” into “Snakes of Christ” and then “Killer Wolf”. All three songs blend together excellently, and kick the album off well.
Probably my main gripe with the album is that for me it just slows down at the end too much, when it could continue on an upward spiral (that given that it does actually click back into gear for the final 60 seconds of “Pain in the World”).
This was another step up for Danzig, who proved here you can appeal to the masses without tinkering too much with the furniture.
Rating: Moody musical madness. 3.5/5
Saturday, July 19, 2008
529. The Offspring / Ignition. 1992. 2/5
When I saw this in the local record store I got very excited and bought it immediately. It wasn’t until I was perusing the cover when I got home that I realised that it wasn’t the new album from The Offspring, it was in fact an earlier album that I wasn’t aware even existed. This was back in 1995, after I had devoured Smash to its limit, and was looking from more from the band.
OK, I thought, let’s give it a whirl. I put it on, played it a few times, and lost interest in it. To me, it wasn’t what I had come to love from the band, and I wasn’t taking to it. It went back into the CD cupboard, and fell into a dark recess.
Fast forward to 2008, and it makes its reappearance for this long winded review process. Ignoring the thoughts of thirteen years ago, I put it on with an open mind and an interest in the outcome.
Now there is no doubt who the band is. It is very much the musical and vocal style of The Offspring. However, even after half a dozen listens to the album, it still isn’t grabbing me. I can’t even really pin point what it is that doesn’t do it for me. Is it that there just isn’t enough ‘oomph’ in the songs, or is it just that because I came into the band (like so many others) on Smash that I can’t quite make the transition back to the earlier material? Really, I’m not sure. The one thing I do know is that I find this to be only average, and not the above-average stuff they did for the next three or four albums.
Rating: Still unable to like it much after all these years. 2/5.
OK, I thought, let’s give it a whirl. I put it on, played it a few times, and lost interest in it. To me, it wasn’t what I had come to love from the band, and I wasn’t taking to it. It went back into the CD cupboard, and fell into a dark recess.
Fast forward to 2008, and it makes its reappearance for this long winded review process. Ignoring the thoughts of thirteen years ago, I put it on with an open mind and an interest in the outcome.
Now there is no doubt who the band is. It is very much the musical and vocal style of The Offspring. However, even after half a dozen listens to the album, it still isn’t grabbing me. I can’t even really pin point what it is that doesn’t do it for me. Is it that there just isn’t enough ‘oomph’ in the songs, or is it just that because I came into the band (like so many others) on Smash that I can’t quite make the transition back to the earlier material? Really, I’m not sure. The one thing I do know is that I find this to be only average, and not the above-average stuff they did for the next three or four albums.
Rating: Still unable to like it much after all these years. 2/5.
528. AC/DC / If You Want Blood, You've Got It. 1978. 4/5
This was a long way before my time of being able to attend concerts, and as such it is terrific to hear just how good the band was in those days in a live setting. It comes as no surprise, because they had cut their teeth on live performances long before they made their way onto studio recordings, but the legendary AC/DC rhythm section proves here that it has always been this good. Live albums from the 1970's often included long winded freeform guitar or drum or keyboard solos, which to be honest can be extremely boring on these kind of albums. Nothing like that here from AC/DC, who deliver exactly what you want and the way you want it. The one extravagance is Angus playing up to the crowd during "Bad Boy Boogie".
Hearing all of these songs live just proves the greatness of this band. The rhythm section of the band is so tight that it sounds as though it could have been taken straight off the studio versions of each song. Add in the crispness of Angus Young’s lead guitar work and the dominance of Bon Scott’s vocals, and you have an extremely impressive live album.
Could I have come up with a better set list? Quite possibly, but you can't knock what you find here. Bon is terrific on the opening squadron of "Riff Raff" and "Hell Ain't a Bad Place to Be". The great songs of the era can be found here too, such as "The Jack", "Whole Lotta Rosie", "High Voltage" and "Let There Be Rock".
It is great to have a solid live album with Bon Scott on vocals. While I prefer the later release of Live From the Atlantic Studios this is still a great album.
Rating: Let there be sound, and there was sound. 4/5.
527. Billy Idol / Idol Songs: 11 of the Best. 1988. 3/5
Thus the reason I own this CD. Because in the long run, there was only two songs of Billy Idol that I HAD to have in my collection. One is “White Wedding”. The other is “Rebel Yell”. Sure, they now appear more as 80’s cliches and the kind of radio fare that could be found in the day. But to a middle-aged 1980's teenager they are both still great songs, no matter what you think of the rest of his career. They still bring out the fist whenever they come on the radio, or someone's stereo, or more disturbingly at club karaoke.
As to the remainder of the album, all of his ‘hits’ are here, and the majority of it is still quite listenable. Songs such as “Flesh For Fantasy” and “Hot in the City” and “To Be A Lover” are still catchy enough that I can find myself singing along to them, and not always when I am alcohol-induced. For me however, he was always hard pressed to beat the success of the first two tracks I mentioned, and in many ways that has always coloured my perception of his later work. In the long run, the average rating of a greatest hits album can only reflect somewhat poorly on the majority of available material.
526. Judas Priest / Idaho Bootleg [Bootleg]. 2004. 4/5
After an absence of more than a decade, Rob Halford reunited with Judas Priest in the new century, and to celebrate the band went out and played a semi-world tour. This bootleg comes from that tour.
Containing a setlist comprising as many great Priest tunes as you can fit into a couple of hours, this was the reintroduction of Judas Priest reformed. Now, as good as this setlist is, it really is disappointing that everything in-between – i.e. the two albums the band recorded with Ripper Owens – looks as though it will now be confined to the “never to be played again” file. And that is a shame. I mean, wouldn’t you like to hear Halford singing some of Ripper’s songs?
Anyway – there is nothing out of the ordinary here, apart from the fact Rob doesn’t try to hit all those notes that he did twenty years ago. He is content to modify his vocals to almost-human levels.
Rating: An A grade bootleg recording of a band looking to reclaim the past. 4/5.
Containing a setlist comprising as many great Priest tunes as you can fit into a couple of hours, this was the reintroduction of Judas Priest reformed. Now, as good as this setlist is, it really is disappointing that everything in-between – i.e. the two albums the band recorded with Ripper Owens – looks as though it will now be confined to the “never to be played again” file. And that is a shame. I mean, wouldn’t you like to hear Halford singing some of Ripper’s songs?
Anyway – there is nothing out of the ordinary here, apart from the fact Rob doesn’t try to hit all those notes that he did twenty years ago. He is content to modify his vocals to almost-human levels.
Rating: An A grade bootleg recording of a band looking to reclaim the past. 4/5.
525. Doug Anthony All Stars / Icon. 1990. 4/5
Back in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, the ABC (Australia) TV show “The Big Gig” brought to prominence a number of comedy teams and individuals. One of those was the Doug Anthony All Stars, a trio whose comedy songs were a hit. The biggest plus was that they could all sing, and they complemented each other perfectly.
From this came this album, Icon, which is a brilliant mixture of acidic commentary, flashy comedy and general pisstaking on anyone and anything. There is an obvious highlighting on religion with songs such as “Commies for Christ”, “Krshna”, “Little Gospel Song” and “Go To Church”, but their range doesn’t just stop there.
While the music is perfect for each song, it is the lyrics which are the star of the show, and must be taken in to get the most out of this album.
My own favourites include “Dead Elvis”, “I Want to Spill The Blood of A Hippy” and “Broad Lic Nic”
If you can still find a copy of this floating around in the universe (my guess is that it would have to be pretty rare) I heartily recommend grabbing it. This was the boys at their very best.
Rating: Still as funny today as it was on its release. 4/5.
From this came this album, Icon, which is a brilliant mixture of acidic commentary, flashy comedy and general pisstaking on anyone and anything. There is an obvious highlighting on religion with songs such as “Commies for Christ”, “Krshna”, “Little Gospel Song” and “Go To Church”, but their range doesn’t just stop there.
While the music is perfect for each song, it is the lyrics which are the star of the show, and must be taken in to get the most out of this album.
My own favourites include “Dead Elvis”, “I Want to Spill The Blood of A Hippy” and “Broad Lic Nic”
If you can still find a copy of this floating around in the universe (my guess is that it would have to be pretty rare) I heartily recommend grabbing it. This was the boys at their very best.
Rating: Still as funny today as it was on its release. 4/5.
524. Iced Earth / Iced Earth. 1990. 3.5/5
This is the initial foray into the world of Iced Earth, and for a debut it is a pretty fair effort. Improvements were to be made, but the basics are all here from which the building blocks could make their foundation.
I guess it is a common discussion point amongst fans of Iced Earth, but here we go again. While the music itself is terrific, with some great riffs and excellent drum and bass lines, the vocals let it down a little. That’s not to load vocalist Gene Adam with any blame for some shortcomings, but there is little doubt that future vocalists (and I guess here you immediately think of Matt Barlow) were betted suited to the material. This argument becomes almost gospel when you consider that many of these songs were later performed by Matt Barlow on other Iced Earth releases, and there is no argument that he performed them better.
Concentrating on this release however, the vocals are adequate and the music is great. “Iced Earth” and “Colors” rank as my favourite songs on the album, and though it probably does tail off toward the end, it is still a good listen, and worth it if only to see how they started out.
Rating: A better than average debut. 3.5/5
I guess it is a common discussion point amongst fans of Iced Earth, but here we go again. While the music itself is terrific, with some great riffs and excellent drum and bass lines, the vocals let it down a little. That’s not to load vocalist Gene Adam with any blame for some shortcomings, but there is little doubt that future vocalists (and I guess here you immediately think of Matt Barlow) were betted suited to the material. This argument becomes almost gospel when you consider that many of these songs were later performed by Matt Barlow on other Iced Earth releases, and there is no argument that he performed them better.
Concentrating on this release however, the vocals are adequate and the music is great. “Iced Earth” and “Colors” rank as my favourite songs on the album, and though it probably does tail off toward the end, it is still a good listen, and worth it if only to see how they started out.
Rating: A better than average debut. 3.5/5
523. Iced Earth / I Walk Among You [Single]. 2008. 3.5/5
First taste of Iced Earth reunited with Matt Barlow as lead vocalist from the forthcoming album The Crucible of Man (Something Wicked Part 2).
The new song sounds good. Barlow’s vocals suit it nicely, and there is some power to the song. If this is an indication of the new album then bring it on.
Also here are two songs from Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) which have been redone with Barlow singing instead of Ripper Owens. Probably not the songs I would have chosen, if they were trying to prove anything. I still think Ripper’s versions sound better.
Rating: Is there better to come? 3.5/5
The new song sounds good. Barlow’s vocals suit it nicely, and there is some power to the song. If this is an indication of the new album then bring it on.
Also here are two songs from Framing Armageddon (Something Wicked Part 1) which have been redone with Barlow singing instead of Ripper Owens. Probably not the songs I would have chosen, if they were trying to prove anything. I still think Ripper’s versions sound better.
Rating: Is there better to come? 3.5/5
522. The Offspring / I Choose [Single]. 1997. 3.5/5
This was the final single from the Ixnay on the Hombre album.
Containing the title song, it also mixes another song from the album, “Mota”, along with a live version of “All I Want”.
Rating: Average enough for the time. 3.5/5
Containing the title song, it also mixes another song from the album, “Mota”, along with a live version of “All I Want”.
Rating: Average enough for the time. 3.5/5
521. Yngwie Malmsteen / I Can't Wait [EP]. 1994. 3/5
I Can’t Wait indeed. At a time when Yngwie continued his push for commercial success, this EP found its way into the record stores.
In almost all respects, this is the same old average stuff that Yngwie produced during the 1990’s – harmless fluff with the odd blistering solo thrown in to remind everyone that he can play guitar a bit.
It is the two live tracks which show up the difference. “Rising Force” sounds fine, but the vocals prove just how important it is to Yngwie’s work that, if he must have a singer on his tracks, he needs to be a good one. Vescara is shown up here – badly. On the other hand, the live version of “Far Beyond The Sun” is just brilliant, and a full reminder of the magnificent material he did release in the 1980’s. If only he had realised that there was no reason to change and chase commercial glory.
Rating: Nothing overly special to be found here. 3/5.
In almost all respects, this is the same old average stuff that Yngwie produced during the 1990’s – harmless fluff with the odd blistering solo thrown in to remind everyone that he can play guitar a bit.
It is the two live tracks which show up the difference. “Rising Force” sounds fine, but the vocals prove just how important it is to Yngwie’s work that, if he must have a singer on his tracks, he needs to be a good one. Vescara is shown up here – badly. On the other hand, the live version of “Far Beyond The Sun” is just brilliant, and a full reminder of the magnificent material he did release in the 1980’s. If only he had realised that there was no reason to change and chase commercial glory.
Rating: Nothing overly special to be found here. 3/5.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
520. Iron Savior / I've Been To Hell [Single]. 2000. 4/5
This single comes from the Dark Assault album, and apart from the excellent single itself, it also has another track from the album, “Never Say Die”.
As also found here is a great cover of Judas Priest’s “The Hellion” and “Electric Eye” and Krokus' “Headhunter”.
Rating: Excellent single package. 4/5.
As also found here is a great cover of Judas Priest’s “The Hellion” and “Electric Eye” and Krokus' “Headhunter”.
Rating: Excellent single package. 4/5.
519. Anthrax / I'm The Man [EP]. 1987. 4/5
Here’s another album that certain friends of mine got tremendously excited with when we first came across it not too long after its release. I never really understood why they got so worked up over it, because although the title track – a humorous heavy metal rap performed by the band – is funny enough, its novelty value wears off fairly quickly.
Anyway, here we have three versions of “I’m The Man” – a censored version, and uncensored version, and a live very uncensored version. Believe me, after you listen to this three or four times over, you are quite happy not to have to hear it again for awhile…
The bonus material here is the clincher though. A great cover of Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, and live version’s of “Caught in a Mosh” and “I Am The Law” are superb, and well worth the price of the EP alone.
Rating: A little overkill on the single, but otherwise great. 4/5.
Anyway, here we have three versions of “I’m The Man” – a censored version, and uncensored version, and a live very uncensored version. Believe me, after you listen to this three or four times over, you are quite happy not to have to hear it again for awhile…
The bonus material here is the clincher though. A great cover of Black Sabbath’s “Sabbath Bloody Sabbath”, and live version’s of “Caught in a Mosh” and “I Am The Law” are superb, and well worth the price of the EP alone.
Rating: A little overkill on the single, but otherwise great. 4/5.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
518. Def Leppard / Hysteria. 1987. 4/5
I guess in some ways I’ve been fortunate in that I was involved in the great Def Leppard love-fest that occurred with the release of this album back in 1987, and was one of the people that pushed my non-metal friends into enjoying it too – and I am also the older, more cynical listener of the album today, having experienced what has followed this album in the past twenty years. Time and insight can certainly provide different perspectives.
From the perspective of the 17/18 year old back when this was released, I thought it was just brilliant. It wasn’t as heavy as the other bands I was infatuated with at the time, and it was certainly different from their earlier releases, but hey, they’d had a few dramas in recording the album, and their drummer had lost an arm, so give ‘em a break! Still, even then it was the heav(ier) tracks that grabbed my attention, and the softer ones I tolerated because I loved the album so much.
That is the retrospective.
Swing back to the present, and I have given the album a dozen playbacks over the past few days, and there are a few things that stand out for me now, 21 years later. There is no denying that the album is still catchy, and that a few of the songs still hold their own after all these years. “Rocket”, “Animal”, “Gods of War”, “Run Riot” and “Don’t Shoot Shotgun” are still my favourite songs from the album, which was the case back in the day as well, and given they are what could be loosely termed the ‘harder’ songs on the album I guess that is no surprise.
If one was to try and pinpoint when the slide for this band began, perhaps it was the super success they had with the slower and sugary songs that came from this album – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Love Bites”, “Hysteria” and “Love and Affection”. Sure, they are fine in their place, but they certainly don’t rate in the higher bracket on this album. But their success must surely have directed the band down the path that their music has taken in the past two decades, and that is a real shame.
Back to Hysteria however. I know I now rate this album slightly lower than I did all those years ago – partly through a change in the style of metal I prefer, and partly through my disappointment in the direction the band has taken since. Would Steve Clark’s head be spinning? I don’t know. It still brings back great memories of the band and the time for me, but it has certainly dated as well, and that is another telling factor. The ‘skip’ button even gets used on it these days for certain songs. I would never have imagined that twenty years ago.
Rating: The end of what had been a promising build up. 4/5.
From the perspective of the 17/18 year old back when this was released, I thought it was just brilliant. It wasn’t as heavy as the other bands I was infatuated with at the time, and it was certainly different from their earlier releases, but hey, they’d had a few dramas in recording the album, and their drummer had lost an arm, so give ‘em a break! Still, even then it was the heav(ier) tracks that grabbed my attention, and the softer ones I tolerated because I loved the album so much.
That is the retrospective.
Swing back to the present, and I have given the album a dozen playbacks over the past few days, and there are a few things that stand out for me now, 21 years later. There is no denying that the album is still catchy, and that a few of the songs still hold their own after all these years. “Rocket”, “Animal”, “Gods of War”, “Run Riot” and “Don’t Shoot Shotgun” are still my favourite songs from the album, which was the case back in the day as well, and given they are what could be loosely termed the ‘harder’ songs on the album I guess that is no surprise.
If one was to try and pinpoint when the slide for this band began, perhaps it was the super success they had with the slower and sugary songs that came from this album – “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, “Love Bites”, “Hysteria” and “Love and Affection”. Sure, they are fine in their place, but they certainly don’t rate in the higher bracket on this album. But their success must surely have directed the band down the path that their music has taken in the past two decades, and that is a real shame.
Back to Hysteria however. I know I now rate this album slightly lower than I did all those years ago – partly through a change in the style of metal I prefer, and partly through my disappointment in the direction the band has taken since. Would Steve Clark’s head be spinning? I don’t know. It still brings back great memories of the band and the time for me, but it has certainly dated as well, and that is another telling factor. The ‘skip’ button even gets used on it these days for certain songs. I would never have imagined that twenty years ago.
Rating: The end of what had been a promising build up. 4/5.
517. System of a Down / Hypnotize. 2005. 2/5
Whatever these guys are on, I think I need to either avoid at all costs, or get me some at all costs…
I can alternately (no pun intended) enjoy or hate this. It really does depend on what mood I’m in. Actually, it probably depends on how much alcohol I’ve had, because I seem to enjoy it more after half a dozen beers. It really isn’t an album I can enjoy sober, or while driving in the car, or while at my desk at work, or while sitting back on the lounge at home listening on the stereo. So, seeing as most of my time is spent in one of these positions, it is difficult to give it a positive rating.
There is no doubting the uniqueness of the music and the band. The similarity in some songs to the Dead Kennedys (or, in particular, the vocals of Jello Biafra) is startling, and does throw you off.
Then again, take a song like “Holy Mountains”, which is probably my favourite on the album. It is unique in its own way, and as close to an SoAD epic as they are likely to compose, which is immediately followed by the completely off-beat “Vicinity of Obscenity”, which is just complete madness. How on earth can you write songs like this?!
In the long run, it is just a little bit too far out there for me to absolutely be able to take to heart.
Rating: Send in the crazed, hepped-up loonys. 2/5.
I can alternately (no pun intended) enjoy or hate this. It really does depend on what mood I’m in. Actually, it probably depends on how much alcohol I’ve had, because I seem to enjoy it more after half a dozen beers. It really isn’t an album I can enjoy sober, or while driving in the car, or while at my desk at work, or while sitting back on the lounge at home listening on the stereo. So, seeing as most of my time is spent in one of these positions, it is difficult to give it a positive rating.
There is no doubting the uniqueness of the music and the band. The similarity in some songs to the Dead Kennedys (or, in particular, the vocals of Jello Biafra) is startling, and does throw you off.
Then again, take a song like “Holy Mountains”, which is probably my favourite on the album. It is unique in its own way, and as close to an SoAD epic as they are likely to compose, which is immediately followed by the completely off-beat “Vicinity of Obscenity”, which is just complete madness. How on earth can you write songs like this?!
In the long run, it is just a little bit too far out there for me to absolutely be able to take to heart.
Rating: Send in the crazed, hepped-up loonys. 2/5.
516. Scorpions / Hurricane Rock. 1990. 5/5
Another of the 40 000 greatest hits packages that seem to have been released of the Scorpions material, but at least this one is a pretty good one.
Covering most of the hits the band had between the start of their career and the mid-1980’s, this has everything that any fan could want to hear. As an album to put on at a party night to hear the best hits this band can offer, or as a starting point for someone who wants to experience one of the best bands out there, this wins on all counts.
Rating: Close to outstanding as a greatest hits package. 5/5.
Covering most of the hits the band had between the start of their career and the mid-1980’s, this has everything that any fan could want to hear. As an album to put on at a party night to hear the best hits this band can offer, or as a starting point for someone who wants to experience one of the best bands out there, this wins on all counts.
Rating: Close to outstanding as a greatest hits package. 5/5.
515. Scorpions / Humanity: Hour 1. 2007. 5/5
It's a Saturday afternoon. I'm at home at the computer, and it's time to put on a new album. I take the disc, put it on and press play. What comes out in the first 30 seconds blows me away. Have I made a mistake? Is this really the new Scorpions album? OK, there's Klaus Meine's vocals - it must be Scorpions!
But what the hell?!? So here's the deal - I expected much the same that the band has released in recent years, okay stuff without being exceptional. Well bugger me, instead they've come out and rocked the house down!
This is what I wrote when I first heard this album when it was released last year, and to be quite honest my opinion has only strengthened in the time that has passed since. The arrival of this album, and the astonishing return to form of this band is quite magnificent. Following a number of disappointing efforts where there were obvious attempts to change their musical formula, Humanity: Hour 1 effectively returns the band to their solid roots of melodic heavy metal, and the result is stunning.
There is a definite heavier feel to the songs than has been present for some time, as is shown during “Hour 1” and “The Game of Life”, “You’re Lovin’ Me To Death” and the excellent “321”. Each show the best of the faster side of Scorpions.
Backing these up are the amazing Scorpions ballads, as only they can do, “The Future Never Dies” and “Your Last Song”. Just terrific examples of how to do a power ballad with power, and not weakness. Then to finish it all off are the brilliant “The Cross” which features Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins, and “Humanity” which tops the album off on a great note.
Concept albums are tricky things to get right. Not only does the story have to be relevant, and the songs able to recreate the mood of the piece, they need to retain their individuality as well. No qualms here about all that, this is superbly done. The guitaring of Rudolph Schenker and the brilliant Matthias Jabs is magnificent, as is the drumming of James Kottak. Magnificent stuff.
What impresses me most about this album is that I feel more strongly about it now than I did in the first months after its release. To me, that indicates its strengths and appeal. At the time I rated it very highly, about 4 or 4.5. I truly believe it now belongs in the top echelon of Scorpions albums.
Rating: One of the best albums of this decade. 5/5.
But what the hell?!? So here's the deal - I expected much the same that the band has released in recent years, okay stuff without being exceptional. Well bugger me, instead they've come out and rocked the house down!
This is what I wrote when I first heard this album when it was released last year, and to be quite honest my opinion has only strengthened in the time that has passed since. The arrival of this album, and the astonishing return to form of this band is quite magnificent. Following a number of disappointing efforts where there were obvious attempts to change their musical formula, Humanity: Hour 1 effectively returns the band to their solid roots of melodic heavy metal, and the result is stunning.
There is a definite heavier feel to the songs than has been present for some time, as is shown during “Hour 1” and “The Game of Life”, “You’re Lovin’ Me To Death” and the excellent “321”. Each show the best of the faster side of Scorpions.
Backing these up are the amazing Scorpions ballads, as only they can do, “The Future Never Dies” and “Your Last Song”. Just terrific examples of how to do a power ballad with power, and not weakness. Then to finish it all off are the brilliant “The Cross” which features Billy Corgan from the Smashing Pumpkins, and “Humanity” which tops the album off on a great note.
Concept albums are tricky things to get right. Not only does the story have to be relevant, and the songs able to recreate the mood of the piece, they need to retain their individuality as well. No qualms here about all that, this is superbly done. The guitaring of Rudolph Schenker and the brilliant Matthias Jabs is magnificent, as is the drumming of James Kottak. Magnificent stuff.
What impresses me most about this album is that I feel more strongly about it now than I did in the first months after its release. To me, that indicates its strengths and appeal. At the time I rated it very highly, about 4 or 4.5. I truly believe it now belongs in the top echelon of Scorpions albums.
Rating: One of the best albums of this decade. 5/5.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
514. Various Artists / Humanary Stew: A Tribute to Alice Cooper. 1998. 4.5/5
Tribute albums can be done well, and be a fitting tribute to the person or band that is being honoured. This would rank as one of the finest I have heard, mainly for the fact that there are great musicians taking part, and all of them have an obvious affection for the man to whom they are paying tribute to – Alice Cooper.
While it is always good to hear your favourite artists doing cover versions of another of your favourite artists songs, the truth is that most of the time they don’t match up to the original. Here though there is a strong argument for a couple of these versions being the equal, if not better, than the originals! Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith’s version of “Black Widow” is terrific, and Ronnie James Dio just tears apart “Welcome To My Nightmare”. Dave Mustaine sounds like he’s enjoying himself on “School’s Out”, and even Vince Neil on “Cold Ethyl” is worthy of note here.
Sure, they could never replace the originals, but the versions here have an updated feel, and sound great. Glenn Hughes probably takes it a little far in “Only Women Bleed”, but not everyone has the kind of voice that he does!
This is a fitting album to pay homage to one of the innovators and great showmen of music. It’s so much more enjoyable because you can feel the enjoyment the artists involved are having in recording it, and it comes through in the music.
Rating: Worth a listen, whether you know any Alice Cooper material or not. 4.5/5
While it is always good to hear your favourite artists doing cover versions of another of your favourite artists songs, the truth is that most of the time they don’t match up to the original. Here though there is a strong argument for a couple of these versions being the equal, if not better, than the originals! Bruce Dickinson and Adrian Smith’s version of “Black Widow” is terrific, and Ronnie James Dio just tears apart “Welcome To My Nightmare”. Dave Mustaine sounds like he’s enjoying himself on “School’s Out”, and even Vince Neil on “Cold Ethyl” is worthy of note here.
Sure, they could never replace the originals, but the versions here have an updated feel, and sound great. Glenn Hughes probably takes it a little far in “Only Women Bleed”, but not everyone has the kind of voice that he does!
This is a fitting album to pay homage to one of the innovators and great showmen of music. It’s so much more enjoyable because you can feel the enjoyment the artists involved are having in recording it, and it comes through in the music.
Rating: Worth a listen, whether you know any Alice Cooper material or not. 4.5/5
Monday, July 14, 2008
513. Hughes Turner Project / Hughes Turner Project. 2002. 2.5/5
The songs here are caught somewhere between a pure rock ‘n’ roll and what I guess you’d call soft metal. They aren’t the kind of songs that are going to get radio airplay in most countries, and yet they would alienate most heavy metal fans for being just a bit too wussy. And in the long run, that’s how I feel listening to the album. I just wish they’d put some grunt in the instruments and really let fly with some heavier stuff. Instead, they have an album full of almost pop songs that don’t do a lot more than make me cringe.
There are a couple of songs on the album that are OK – and that’s the best I can give them too. Even those you are just waiting for the burst of real energy and grunt to take them to the level that would make them real catchy. I guess for those of us who knew JLT from Rainbow, and how their music softened considerably with his introduction to the band shouldn’t be so surprised. But I was hoping for more. If you are looking for something akin to what Rainbow had become by the end of JLT's reign, then you will probably enjoy this more than I did. In the end my expectations probably got the better of me, which has harmed the way I feel about the album.
Rating: A tad disappointing. 2.5/5.
512. Suicidal Tendencies / How Will I Laugh Tomorrow When I Can't Even Smile Today. 1988. 3.5/5
This was my initial foray into Suicidal Tendencies, through the bullying and bullocking of the guys I was in a band with at the time. Though I was reticent at the time, and have found reasons why since, it is not something I have regretted.
One thing still puzzles me about this album in particular – why is it that the drums, guitars and bass are so furious and so dominating, and yet Mike Muir’s vocals sound, for the most part, so weedy and weak? I mean, these are songs that are supposed to have a bit of aggression about them, or at the very least some passion, and on many of these songs it sounds like he is just going through the motions. Is it just me that thinks this? Quite possibly, but to me the album would have sounded a lot better if he had just used his lungs a bit more.
Having said that, ignore that part and enjoy the best parts of the album. “Trip at the Brain” starts off with a cracking pace and highlights the best that the band has to offer. “Pledge Your Allegiance” and “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow” continue in this direction. The (almost) instrumental “Surf and Slam” is probably my favourite on the album (because there are no vocals? Hmmm… perhaps…).
So, as good as this album does sound, I really believe it could have been a lot better, with a little tweaking. Suicidal Tendencies have never been one of my favourite bands, so my judgement may be a little biased compared to those that hold this band dear to their hearts.
Rating: A decent enough effort. 3.5/5
One thing still puzzles me about this album in particular – why is it that the drums, guitars and bass are so furious and so dominating, and yet Mike Muir’s vocals sound, for the most part, so weedy and weak? I mean, these are songs that are supposed to have a bit of aggression about them, or at the very least some passion, and on many of these songs it sounds like he is just going through the motions. Is it just me that thinks this? Quite possibly, but to me the album would have sounded a lot better if he had just used his lungs a bit more.
Having said that, ignore that part and enjoy the best parts of the album. “Trip at the Brain” starts off with a cracking pace and highlights the best that the band has to offer. “Pledge Your Allegiance” and “How Will I Laugh Tomorrow” continue in this direction. The (almost) instrumental “Surf and Slam” is probably my favourite on the album (because there are no vocals? Hmmm… perhaps…).
So, as good as this album does sound, I really believe it could have been a lot better, with a little tweaking. Suicidal Tendencies have never been one of my favourite bands, so my judgement may be a little biased compared to those that hold this band dear to their hearts.
Rating: A decent enough effort. 3.5/5
Saturday, July 12, 2008
511. Midnight Oil / 20,000 Watt R.S.L. 1997. 4.5/5
In my opinion, that fact does raise its head here, but it is not an overwhelming demand. The song selection here finds the majority of their biggest hits on board, covering the majority of their albums. It would be a harsh critic to suggest that any of the songs here don't deserve their place. Of course, I am a harsh critic, and I don't think songs such as "What Goes On", "White Skin Black Heart" and "Surf's Up Tonight" could possibly be regarded as better songs than "No Time for Games", "Short Memory" and "Read About It".
Despite this, 20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a wonderful collection from the career of a terrific band. For the Johnny-come-lately, this is a pretty good place to start if you want to learn about Midnight Oil. For the fan, it's a great trip down memory lane.
510. Kiss / Hotter Than Hell. 1974. 2/5
The second album for Kiss following their self-titled debut, and while it does have a couple of good moments, overall it is fairly average stuff.
Probably the greatest problem that this album has for me is the plodding pace. It really needed to be revved up at the time it was recorded, at it could probably have been a lot better. For instance, two of the main tracks here, “Parasite” and “Hotter Than Hell”, almost send you to sleep when you listen to them. However, when you hear them played live on future releases, you can realise the full potential of the songs.
Then again, is it just me being picky over the era that it was recorded in? Possibly. But it doesn’t change the fact that it could have been improved by that one tweak. “Let Me Go Rock ‘N’ Roll” is a much more satisfactory pace for a Kiss song, and is the reason it stands out as one of the best here.
For me this album falls short of the potential some of the tracks here have. Given that it was never going to be a classic it is still disappointing.
Rating: Fortunately the best was still to come. 2/5
Probably the greatest problem that this album has for me is the plodding pace. It really needed to be revved up at the time it was recorded, at it could probably have been a lot better. For instance, two of the main tracks here, “Parasite” and “Hotter Than Hell”, almost send you to sleep when you listen to them. However, when you hear them played live on future releases, you can realise the full potential of the songs.
Then again, is it just me being picky over the era that it was recorded in? Possibly. But it doesn’t change the fact that it could have been improved by that one tweak. “Let Me Go Rock ‘N’ Roll” is a much more satisfactory pace for a Kiss song, and is the reason it stands out as one of the best here.
For me this album falls short of the potential some of the tracks here have. Given that it was never going to be a classic it is still disappointing.
Rating: Fortunately the best was still to come. 2/5
509. Queen / Hot Space. 1982. 3/5
From the “Bloody Hell! Where The F#%k Did That Come From?!” file is Queen’s Hot Space, an album that contains one of their best known and most loved tracks, and a whole heap of other stuff that is quite… extraordinary… in its format.
This album is quite simply one of the more bizarre and chameleonic albums I have ever heard. The quite radical change in musical direction that happens on this album is quite confronting, and in some ways difficult to take and accept. Having spent the best part of the previous decade pushing the boundaries, but still retaining the general hard rock element of their music, they have come out here at the time of synths and other such wonderful gadgets, and gone down a completely different path.
Does it work? Well, from me it is a quite emphatic “NO!” However, experimentation is something that most bands eventually come to in order to freshen things up for themselves. The songs themselves aren’t bad, they are just in a completely different style than the world is used to. Using synths for the bass guitar, and a drum machine rather than Roger Taylor, in a couple of the songs is somewhat of a surprise. I’d be interested as to what the band members thought of this whole recording. It is a very early 80’s sound with the various use of synthesizers, and an almost disc-like feel – which seems strange as disco had pretty much concluded by the release of this album.
The most famous song here is of course the Queen and David Bowie duet “Under Pressure” which went to number one around the world. Not surprisingly it is also the most traditional Queen song on the album, along with “Put Out The Fire”.
In the long run, this IS a Queen album, albeit a rather different and experimental one. Whilst the band continued to use the techniques that they concentrated on with this album in future releases, it was very much toned down and refined from what appears here. I guess that is a good thing.
Rating: Even the super fans must have some trouble swallowing this. 3/5.
This album is quite simply one of the more bizarre and chameleonic albums I have ever heard. The quite radical change in musical direction that happens on this album is quite confronting, and in some ways difficult to take and accept. Having spent the best part of the previous decade pushing the boundaries, but still retaining the general hard rock element of their music, they have come out here at the time of synths and other such wonderful gadgets, and gone down a completely different path.
Does it work? Well, from me it is a quite emphatic “NO!” However, experimentation is something that most bands eventually come to in order to freshen things up for themselves. The songs themselves aren’t bad, they are just in a completely different style than the world is used to. Using synths for the bass guitar, and a drum machine rather than Roger Taylor, in a couple of the songs is somewhat of a surprise. I’d be interested as to what the band members thought of this whole recording. It is a very early 80’s sound with the various use of synthesizers, and an almost disc-like feel – which seems strange as disco had pretty much concluded by the release of this album.
The most famous song here is of course the Queen and David Bowie duet “Under Pressure” which went to number one around the world. Not surprisingly it is also the most traditional Queen song on the album, along with “Put Out The Fire”.
In the long run, this IS a Queen album, albeit a rather different and experimental one. Whilst the band continued to use the techniques that they concentrated on with this album in future releases, it was very much toned down and refined from what appears here. I guess that is a good thing.
Rating: Even the super fans must have some trouble swallowing this. 3/5.
508. Kiss / Hot in the Shade. 1989. 3/5
Kiss in the 80’s – they certainly got better as the decade progressed. OK, so they weren’t the ground-breaking band they had been during the mid-to-late 70’s, and some of their stuff had drifted into the average fluff stage. Sometimes you just have to admit the best years have gone, and not judge new material on past performances.
Hot in the Shade is very much in the mold of their previous release, Crazy Nights – these are good party songs, and should be taken that way. Certainly, the songs Paul Stanley sings always seem to have that feel about them anyway. This album isn’t as good as its predecessor, but if you taken it in a similar vein then you will get the most out of it.
Don’t be scared off by songs like “Forever”, just because it is co-written by Michael Bolton (even though that is good grounds to be scared!). Most of the songs here have that soft rock feel to it, and aren’t really in the same category as early Kiss material. Even the country twang at the start of “Rise To It” might be a turn-off, but get into the song and take it for what it is, and you’ll see it ain’t all bad.
In summary – not a classic, but not a bad listen either. Some good tunes here that become habit to sing along to. When I first bought it back when it was released in 1989 I was looking for something it was not, and didn’t give it a chance. In my advancing years – and it may just be in searching for my lost youth – I have come to appreciate it better.
Rating: Don’t write it off without a decent hearing. 3/5.
Hot in the Shade is very much in the mold of their previous release, Crazy Nights – these are good party songs, and should be taken that way. Certainly, the songs Paul Stanley sings always seem to have that feel about them anyway. This album isn’t as good as its predecessor, but if you taken it in a similar vein then you will get the most out of it.
Don’t be scared off by songs like “Forever”, just because it is co-written by Michael Bolton (even though that is good grounds to be scared!). Most of the songs here have that soft rock feel to it, and aren’t really in the same category as early Kiss material. Even the country twang at the start of “Rise To It” might be a turn-off, but get into the song and take it for what it is, and you’ll see it ain’t all bad.
In summary – not a classic, but not a bad listen either. Some good tunes here that become habit to sing along to. When I first bought it back when it was released in 1989 I was looking for something it was not, and didn’t give it a chance. In my advancing years – and it may just be in searching for my lost youth – I have come to appreciate it better.
Rating: Don’t write it off without a decent hearing. 3/5.
507. Primal Fear / Horrorscope [EP]. 2002. 5/5
Released in 2002, this is an excellent five track EP which is worth picking up if you can still find it.
I just love “Under Your Spell, if only for the fact that it is (apparently) the entrance theme music for a German handball, according to their website the Frisch Auf Göppingen. That is magnificent. I’d watch more handball just for that reason.
There is also an unreleased bonus track from the Japanese version of Jaws of Death called (of course) “Horrorscope”.
Mixed with these are three cover songs – Gary Moore and Phil Lynott’s “Out in the Fields”, Accept’s “Breaker” and Rainbow’s “Kill the King”. All are superb renditions of these classic songs.
All in all, for an EP, you can’t do much better.
Rating: A great slice of music. 5/5.
I just love “Under Your Spell, if only for the fact that it is (apparently) the entrance theme music for a German handball, according to their website the Frisch Auf Göppingen. That is magnificent. I’d watch more handball just for that reason.
There is also an unreleased bonus track from the Japanese version of Jaws of Death called (of course) “Horrorscope”.
Mixed with these are three cover songs – Gary Moore and Phil Lynott’s “Out in the Fields”, Accept’s “Breaker” and Rainbow’s “Kill the King”. All are superb renditions of these classic songs.
All in all, for an EP, you can’t do much better.
Rating: A great slice of music. 5/5.
506. Iced Earth / Horror Show. 2001. 3/5
This was the first Iced Earth album I ever bought and listened to, and while there have probably been better albums in their discography, it was a gentle introduction to the band for me.
I enjoy the concept of the album, taking on the monsters of history, both real and fictional, and doing songs on them. In the main, it works quite well.
The album begins strongly, with both “Wolf” and “Damien” showcasing Matt Barlow’s distinctive vocals and the double click drumming of Richard Christy. Like many bands of this generation, their best songs are when the drums are driving the pace, through double-kick and flying on the high-hats. Here the guitars aren’t being forced to go ‘fast’, but the feel is that anyway.
From here on though, the album is a bit mixed, neither one thing nor the other. In the main the songs are fine, but they are not outstanding, and in a funny way they are not memorable, in that they begin to blend into each other and it becomes difficult to differentiate. I can see why trying to set different moods in different songs is necessary to the theme of the album, but I don’t think it works overly well. “Ghost of Freedom” to me just halts the whole momentum of the album, whether you like the song or not.
The cover of Iron Maiden’s “Transylvania” is probably the highlight of the album – a bit of a giveaway really…
Rating: Just rises above average. 3/5.
I enjoy the concept of the album, taking on the monsters of history, both real and fictional, and doing songs on them. In the main, it works quite well.
The album begins strongly, with both “Wolf” and “Damien” showcasing Matt Barlow’s distinctive vocals and the double click drumming of Richard Christy. Like many bands of this generation, their best songs are when the drums are driving the pace, through double-kick and flying on the high-hats. Here the guitars aren’t being forced to go ‘fast’, but the feel is that anyway.
From here on though, the album is a bit mixed, neither one thing nor the other. In the main the songs are fine, but they are not outstanding, and in a funny way they are not memorable, in that they begin to blend into each other and it becomes difficult to differentiate. I can see why trying to set different moods in different songs is necessary to the theme of the album, but I don’t think it works overly well. “Ghost of Freedom” to me just halts the whole momentum of the album, whether you like the song or not.
The cover of Iron Maiden’s “Transylvania” is probably the highlight of the album – a bit of a giveaway really…
Rating: Just rises above average. 3/5.
505. Sevendust / Home. 1999. 2.5/5
Having only gotten the Sevendust albums because two friends, one old and withered like myself, and another young and boyish, told me I had to listen to this band. And so I did for a very small space of time, before the albums lost themselves in the wilds of the back of the CD cupboard. Home was dragged from the depths this week for its review and rating, and I can say that after one listen, I had major reservations about it. By the second listen, I found I had probably misjudged it, and the third convinced me that there was certainly something to this.
While it will never become a favourite – the style of music here is not quite to my appeal – I can appreciate it for what it is, and I did enjoy most parts of the album. Nu-metal doesn’t quite make it for me, and while some of the songs here work really well, there are others that seemed trapped in their own attempted cleverness.
Rating: While not targeting people of my taste, there is unrealised potential here. 2.5/5.
While it will never become a favourite – the style of music here is not quite to my appeal – I can appreciate it for what it is, and I did enjoy most parts of the album. Nu-metal doesn’t quite make it for me, and while some of the songs here work really well, there are others that seemed trapped in their own attempted cleverness.
Rating: While not targeting people of my taste, there is unrealised potential here. 2.5/5.
504. Dio / Holy Diver Live. 2006. 5/5.
The new century has seen an interesting innovation come to light – firstly some bands (Dream Theater) began paying tribute to the albums that influenced their music by playing those entire albums live in concert. Secondly, bands realized this was a popular thing, and began dedicating parts of their own concerts to playing an entire album of their own!
Here then is Holy Diver Live which contains amongst other tunes the entire Holy Diver album.
The DVD of this concert has the gig in its running order. For the double disc version, they have wisely split in into two. The first disc contains Holy Diver in its entirety, including Simon Wright’s drum solo (which surely is becoming increasingly unnecessary in this day and age) and Doug Aldrich's guitar solo (less unnecessary, but still a time-filler). The second disc contains the remainder of the concert, including songs from the range of Dio’s career as a singer.
Anyone expecting Dio to sing this exactly as it was recorded 20+ years previously are expecting too much. Interesting to note is an interview with Doug Aldrich some time after this release, in which he states he was unhappy with his own performance, due to the lack of actual rehearsal leading up to the night. While his guitaring is actually pretty spot on to the original versions put down by Vivian Campbell (one of Aldrich’s finest assets), it does sound like Dio is unsure as to how to approach singing songs he hasn’t performed for two decades, or at all. If I was to be picky, I’d say that he could have done better – but how do you say that to the man with the greatest voice in metal? It is unrealistic to expect ‘studio’ vocals sung live, especially after so many years.
All in all this is a great live album. It is great to hear the entire album done live, with so many wonderful songs. The second disc is also just brilliant, combining such Rainbow classics as “Tarot Woman” and “Gates of Babylon” with “One Night in the City” and “We Rock”.
Originally, Craig Goldy was playing on this tour, but was injured not long before this was to be recorded, and Doug Aldrich came on board to help out. It is one of the redeeming features of this album.
Rating: Chock fun of greatness. 5/5
Here then is Holy Diver Live which contains amongst other tunes the entire Holy Diver album.
The DVD of this concert has the gig in its running order. For the double disc version, they have wisely split in into two. The first disc contains Holy Diver in its entirety, including Simon Wright’s drum solo (which surely is becoming increasingly unnecessary in this day and age) and Doug Aldrich's guitar solo (less unnecessary, but still a time-filler). The second disc contains the remainder of the concert, including songs from the range of Dio’s career as a singer.
Anyone expecting Dio to sing this exactly as it was recorded 20+ years previously are expecting too much. Interesting to note is an interview with Doug Aldrich some time after this release, in which he states he was unhappy with his own performance, due to the lack of actual rehearsal leading up to the night. While his guitaring is actually pretty spot on to the original versions put down by Vivian Campbell (one of Aldrich’s finest assets), it does sound like Dio is unsure as to how to approach singing songs he hasn’t performed for two decades, or at all. If I was to be picky, I’d say that he could have done better – but how do you say that to the man with the greatest voice in metal? It is unrealistic to expect ‘studio’ vocals sung live, especially after so many years.
All in all this is a great live album. It is great to hear the entire album done live, with so many wonderful songs. The second disc is also just brilliant, combining such Rainbow classics as “Tarot Woman” and “Gates of Babylon” with “One Night in the City” and “We Rock”.
Originally, Craig Goldy was playing on this tour, but was injured not long before this was to be recorded, and Doug Aldrich came on board to help out. It is one of the redeeming features of this album.
Rating: Chock fun of greatness. 5/5
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
503. Killswitch Engage / Holy Diver [Single]. 2007. 4/5
Cover of the great Dio song, released as a single and included on the special re-release of As Daylight Dies. This is an excellent version of this song, and the video that is its companion is equally good, and amusing.
Rating: Well worth a listen or four. 4/5.
Rating: Well worth a listen or four. 4/5.
Monday, July 07, 2008
502. Dio / Holy Diver. 1983. 5/5
It’s a pretty tough ask to leave a band that has done so well, and then find your feet again. It is almost unheard of to do it twice. Imagine such a feat then, as has befallen Ronnie James Dio - at the forefront of Rainbow’s rise to prosperity, before leaving, then to land on his feet in the ailing Black Sabbath, and help their rise back to the top, then to leave again, only to put together his own band, and release what I consider to be one of the best ten or fifteen albums ever. Welcome to Holy Diver.
Teaming up with Jimmy Bain from Rainbow, Vinnie Appice from Sabbath and young gun virtuoso Vivian Campbell, Dio set forth and put together an album that is practically bullet proof. With a bag of tricks learned from two great bands with differing styles, this album delivers on every level.
Dio’s vocals soar here, and he is at the peak of his powers. Able to mix the different levels of intensity of each song at will, his ability to exude the emotion of his lyrics and transmit this to the listener is what makes him such a magnificent vocalist. It’s one thing to be able to write great songs, it is another to make someone feel the emotion and energy through your singing. Ronnie James Dio is the king in this respect.
The rhythm section of Appice and Bain work perfectly together, maintaining the tempo of every song with precision, without losing their own signature beat. Their pairing is an inspired choice.
Almost stealing the show, however, is Vivian Campbell. His guitaring is as close to perfect on this album as anyone’s guitaring has been, ever. Great rhythm, brilliant soloing, and wonderful fills and flurries which puts his own stamp on every song. Apart from the obvious greatness of those around him, it is Vivian’s guitar that helps this album to rise to the top of the tree.
Every song here is a classic, but it is probably the lesser thought of songs that really make this album as good as it is. Whereas the often played songs such as “Stand Up and Shout”, “Holy Diver”, “Don’t Talk To Strangers” and “Rainbow in the Dark” are the ones that even people who aren’t fans of the band will recognise, for me it is songs such as “Gypsy” and “Caught In The Middle” and “Invisible” that are the stars of the show. A great album must have songs such as these to make it great – so good that they still stand on their own merit, even though they may not be singles nor even played live very often.
Holy Diver set the band of Dio up to make it on their own, without comparisons to earlier bands that the individuals in the group had been a part of. It is also a milestone in heavy metal music that is as influential today as it was twenty five years ago.
Rating: One of the best of all time. 5/5.
Teaming up with Jimmy Bain from Rainbow, Vinnie Appice from Sabbath and young gun virtuoso Vivian Campbell, Dio set forth and put together an album that is practically bullet proof. With a bag of tricks learned from two great bands with differing styles, this album delivers on every level.
Dio’s vocals soar here, and he is at the peak of his powers. Able to mix the different levels of intensity of each song at will, his ability to exude the emotion of his lyrics and transmit this to the listener is what makes him such a magnificent vocalist. It’s one thing to be able to write great songs, it is another to make someone feel the emotion and energy through your singing. Ronnie James Dio is the king in this respect.
The rhythm section of Appice and Bain work perfectly together, maintaining the tempo of every song with precision, without losing their own signature beat. Their pairing is an inspired choice.
Almost stealing the show, however, is Vivian Campbell. His guitaring is as close to perfect on this album as anyone’s guitaring has been, ever. Great rhythm, brilliant soloing, and wonderful fills and flurries which puts his own stamp on every song. Apart from the obvious greatness of those around him, it is Vivian’s guitar that helps this album to rise to the top of the tree.
Every song here is a classic, but it is probably the lesser thought of songs that really make this album as good as it is. Whereas the often played songs such as “Stand Up and Shout”, “Holy Diver”, “Don’t Talk To Strangers” and “Rainbow in the Dark” are the ones that even people who aren’t fans of the band will recognise, for me it is songs such as “Gypsy” and “Caught In The Middle” and “Invisible” that are the stars of the show. A great album must have songs such as these to make it great – so good that they still stand on their own merit, even though they may not be singles nor even played live very often.
Holy Diver set the band of Dio up to make it on their own, without comparisons to earlier bands that the individuals in the group had been a part of. It is also a milestone in heavy metal music that is as influential today as it was twenty five years ago.
Rating: One of the best of all time. 5/5.
501. Various Artists / Holy Dio: A Tribute to the Voice of Metal: Ronnie James Dio. 1999. 4.5/5
Well, you would have to say that this is a great idea, in principle. Over his long and illustrious career, Dio has been involved in so many great songs, that a tribute to that is a terrific plan. However, the one major drawback is this – how many people can sing like the great man, and do justice to these songs? As it turns out, most of the versions here are worthy of the name ‘tribute’.
As with many tribute albums, this is a bit uneven, with the very good mixed with the rather ordinary. The version of “Country Girl” by Dan Swanö & Peter Tägtgren is surprisingly well executed and done with a difference that doesn’t detract from the original. On the other hand, the version of “We Rock” by Grave Digger is OK musically, but the vocals are just not what you want on an album like this (refer to my initial comments in this review).
Then there is the unusual – two versions of “Kill The King” by two different bands – a great version by Primal Fear, and a good version by Stratovarius. Also a magnificent version of “Gates of Babylon” by Yngwie Malmsteen with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals – but on the linear notes Yngwie spends his whole spiel talking up Ritchie Blackmore (his hero) and not mentioning Ronnie once.
As a double disc, this album does contain some great tracks, and nowhere near the full complement of great songs from the Dio era. The two things I got from this are as follows:
One, it was great to hear some terrific bands putting out these great versions of great songs.
Two, no one could ever do these songs better than the originals, if only for the fact that the originals have RJD on vocals.
Rating: A better than average effort to celebrate a great man. 4.5/5
As with many tribute albums, this is a bit uneven, with the very good mixed with the rather ordinary. The version of “Country Girl” by Dan Swanö & Peter Tägtgren is surprisingly well executed and done with a difference that doesn’t detract from the original. On the other hand, the version of “We Rock” by Grave Digger is OK musically, but the vocals are just not what you want on an album like this (refer to my initial comments in this review).
Then there is the unusual – two versions of “Kill The King” by two different bands – a great version by Primal Fear, and a good version by Stratovarius. Also a magnificent version of “Gates of Babylon” by Yngwie Malmsteen with Jeff Scott Soto on vocals – but on the linear notes Yngwie spends his whole spiel talking up Ritchie Blackmore (his hero) and not mentioning Ronnie once.
As a double disc, this album does contain some great tracks, and nowhere near the full complement of great songs from the Dio era. The two things I got from this are as follows:
One, it was great to hear some terrific bands putting out these great versions of great songs.
Two, no one could ever do these songs better than the originals, if only for the fact that the originals have RJD on vocals.
Rating: A better than average effort to celebrate a great man. 4.5/5
500. L.A. Guns / Hollywood Vampires. 1991. 3/5
Coming on the heels of their excellent first two albums, the L.A. Guns had the chance to propel themselves to super-stardom with their third LP, Hollywood Vampires. As it turns out, the ingredients are all here, but they don’t seem to have been mixed in the right quantities.
What is it about this album that doesn’t quite allow it to reach its potential? Certainly, following on from their initial successes they should have been ready to conquer the world. However, in general the songs here don’t have the same spark about them, the same buzz that catches your attention and makes you want to listen.
Is it the obvious attempt to recapture the success that came with “The Ballad of Jayne”? Is that where my problem lies? Because I HATE that song, believing it is a blight on their otherwise excellent record to this stage of their career. It does feel that they are looking for that ballad hit again, and it affects the remainder of the album in my view.
Now it’s not all bad, so don’t take it that way. Songs like "Kiss My Love Goodbye", "Some Lie 4 Love" and "My Koo Ka Choo" still carry a punch that reminds you of who you are listening to. But in the end, it just didn’t quite carry over. And that is a real shame.
Rating: Not the step forward I was expecting. 3/5
What is it about this album that doesn’t quite allow it to reach its potential? Certainly, following on from their initial successes they should have been ready to conquer the world. However, in general the songs here don’t have the same spark about them, the same buzz that catches your attention and makes you want to listen.
Is it the obvious attempt to recapture the success that came with “The Ballad of Jayne”? Is that where my problem lies? Because I HATE that song, believing it is a blight on their otherwise excellent record to this stage of their career. It does feel that they are looking for that ballad hit again, and it affects the remainder of the album in my view.
Now it’s not all bad, so don’t take it that way. Songs like "Kiss My Love Goodbye", "Some Lie 4 Love" and "My Koo Ka Choo" still carry a punch that reminds you of who you are listening to. But in the end, it just didn’t quite carry over. And that is a real shame.
Rating: Not the step forward I was expecting. 3/5
Friday, July 04, 2008
499. L.A. Guns / Hollywood Rehearsal. 1998. 2/5
This is a Japanese compilation, comprising tracks which had previously been unreleased. It includes demo's and outtakes, alternate versions, and a number of cover songs ranging from bands such as Led Zeppelin, Sammy Hagar and The Clash.
As with most albums of this type, it holds a certain amount of interest for the first two or three listens. After that, it is something that only hard-core fans will ever take a great interest in. Unless you are a fan of the songs covered (I am not) then it is more likely to collect dust at the back of your CD cabinet. I know my copy was, and will now do so again having done the right thing and reviewed it.
Rating: Not for me, but others may disagree. 2/5
As with most albums of this type, it holds a certain amount of interest for the first two or three listens. After that, it is something that only hard-core fans will ever take a great interest in. Unless you are a fan of the songs covered (I am not) then it is more likely to collect dust at the back of your CD cabinet. I know my copy was, and will now do so again having done the right thing and reviewed it.
Rating: Not for me, but others may disagree. 2/5
498. Gamma Ray / Holland 23-9-1990 [Bootleg]. 1990. 3/5
This is a B quality bootleg from Gamma Ray’s initial tour, following the release of their debut album Heading For Tomorrow. While the recording is not the highest quality, you can certainly feel the vibe of the crowd and the band throughout the performance.
Probably the best part of the gig and the album is hearing so many songs from that first album give a live treatment. “Free Time” and “Money” are both great live, along with the ‘bonus’ track from that album (from the CD version, not the vinyl I’m afraid…) “Look At Yourself”.
While my rating of it does appear low, that is only because of the sound quality alone, not for the songs nor the band’s performance. Bootleg-listening is an art form, and to enjoy this to the maximum you have to be in the right mood, and the right place. Doing invoicing in your work environment is not the best place to experience it…
Rating: Early prehistoric Gamma Ray. 3/5.
Probably the best part of the gig and the album is hearing so many songs from that first album give a live treatment. “Free Time” and “Money” are both great live, along with the ‘bonus’ track from that album (from the CD version, not the vinyl I’m afraid…) “Look At Yourself”.
While my rating of it does appear low, that is only because of the sound quality alone, not for the songs nor the band’s performance. Bootleg-listening is an art form, and to enjoy this to the maximum you have to be in the right mood, and the right place. Doing invoicing in your work environment is not the best place to experience it…
Rating: Early prehistoric Gamma Ray. 3/5.
497. Split Enz / The Best Of: History Never Repeats. 1989. 4/5
Split Enz was a band that was on the cutting edge in the last 70’s and early 80’s, able to mix their quirky style and sense of fun with thoughtful lyrics and wonderful vocal melodies. This is the greatest hits package, and as such contains pretty much their best tracks.
That of course is open to question, and I guess I thought there would be a few better selections than some of those found on here. Despite that, all their biggest and best-known hits are here – “I See Red”, “I Got You”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, “I Hope I Never”, “Dirty Creature”, “One Step Ahead” and “Message to My Girl” – and they are all still as good today as they were in the day.
Like I said, I would have substituted a couple of different tunes in, but most of the tracks hold their own.
Given the success of Neil Finn (and to some extent Tim Finn) with Crowded House since the demise of Split Enz, it’s always nice to go back and reminisce as to how good this band was in its day.
Rating: A more than adequate greatest hits album. 4/5.
That of course is open to question, and I guess I thought there would be a few better selections than some of those found on here. Despite that, all their biggest and best-known hits are here – “I See Red”, “I Got You”, “Six Months in a Leaky Boat”, “I Hope I Never”, “Dirty Creature”, “One Step Ahead” and “Message to My Girl” – and they are all still as good today as they were in the day.
Like I said, I would have substituted a couple of different tunes in, but most of the tracks hold their own.
Given the success of Neil Finn (and to some extent Tim Finn) with Crowded House since the demise of Split Enz, it’s always nice to go back and reminisce as to how good this band was in its day.
Rating: A more than adequate greatest hits album. 4/5.
496. AC/DC / Highway to Hell. 1979. 4.5/5
Leading off with the great title track, there are once again few weak holes to be found in this package. "Highway to Hell" is a great song, one that still stands the test of time, and is rightly considered one of the band's best. It's funny though that when you listen to it in the context of the album it starts, it feels almost like a plodder when you crash into "Girls Got Rhythm", which takes off at a great pace and Bon's ecstatic vocals. It's an interesting comparison, and "Girls Got Rhythm" has always been a favourite of mine because of the way it jumpstarts the album. Then you dive headlong into "Walk All Over You", which starts off at a mellowing pace before exploding with Bon's blinding vocals and Angus letting rip on lead guitar. Just fantastic stuff. No time to rest, we're straight into "Touch Too Much", a song that rises because of Bon's great vocal performance, pushing up the energy levels of the song, before "Beating Around the Bush" completes the A side of the album.
"Shot Down in Flames" and "Get it Hot" start of the second half of the album, which is then followed by one of my top five AC/DC songs, the awesome "If You Want Blood (You've Got It)". This is a brilliant song to drum to, along with the great riff from Angus and Bon's blood-curdling vocals it makes almost the perfect song. In contrast, "Love Hungry Man" appears quite lacklustre and underwhelming, though it does pick up a bit by the middle of the song. the album closes off with "Night Prowler", which probably received more attention from the serial killer Richard Ramirez, who was nicknamed "Night Stalker" and was supposedly a big fan of the band. Again, this song goes against the grain of the majority of the album, plodding along to its conclusion whereas the high energy of most of the previous songs seems almost lost because of it. To me this has always been a real shame. It's not a bad song, but perhaps just a bad place for it.
As with a lot AC/DC's work, the unheralded star once again is the rhythm section of the band. They do not miss a beat, they provide the bulk of the song, as well as the backing vocals. Phil Rudd on drums is immaculate, while Cliff Williams on bass and Malcolm Young on rhythm guitar lock in on his groove and hold together each and every song. It is their great work that allows the extroverts in vocalist Bon Scott and lead guitar Angus Young to strut their stuff and be so outward in their roles. Bon’s vocals as always are just brilliant, uniquely his, and driving each song. As his epitaph you could ask for little more. The guitaring of Angus here is once more an inspiration to those youngsters growing up in the era.
This is another superb production from a great band. Though turmoil followed them following this release, and they still had great albums to come, this marked the end of the first great era of the band. It was a fine way to mark it.
Rating: Animal, living in a human zoo. 4.5/5.
495. AC/DC / High Voltage [Australian Release]. 1975. 4/5
The band and thus their song writing was still in its infancy with this release. The album leads off with the cover version of "Baby, Please Don't Go", a song whose performance on the show Countdown with Bon dressed up in drag is still a hit today. It was the first real coverage of the band on national TV and it began to lift their profile from that point on. "She's Got Balls" became the first song that showed what kind of material this band could produce. It was a steady rock song, highlighted by Bon Scott's lyrics. This is followed by "Little Lover", a good repose of the previous song, showcasing the versatility that has been a hallmark of AC/DC over the past 40 years. The two songs which end Side A and Side B of the album, "Stick Around" and "Show Business", are average kick-around tracks, neither highlighting nor diminishing those songs around them.
"Soul Stripper" is the best indication as to the path the band was to take in future releases. Its more up-tempo beat combined with traded lead licks from Angus and Malcolm Young and Bon's high energy vocals was the forerunner of their great songs that were to come. "You Ain't Got a Hold on Me" is so unlike what you would class as an AC/DC song, but it works. It has a mellower guitar riff, while Bon's vocals are also much more sedate than normal, and yet because it is not a slow tempo it works just as well. It's a real slow burner, a song that grows on you over time. "Love Song" however doesn't quite hit the same buttons. In many ways it is closer to an Alice Cooper song, while I really think "You Ain't Got a Hold on Me" hits the spot, I'm not as sold on "Love Song". It's not a bad song, but it doesn't fit the style you would expect.
As a debut it is not only a solid showing from a band on the prowl, it is an excellent collection of mid-1970's tracks that may not be remembered when it comes to listing the best (or your favourite) AC/DC tracks of all time, but hold an important place in the history of the band.
Rating: Then she made me play games I didn't want to play 3.5/5.
494. AC/DC / High Voltage. 1976. 5/5
Unlike the original Australian version, High Voltage contains a majority of its songs from the highly successful follow up T.N.T., and the result is that it became a worldwide smash. it is arguably AC/DC's finest hour. It contains a collection of songs, many of which are known by everyone throughout the world regardless of their music taste, complemented by the other solid songs surrounding them.
To be honest there simply isn’t a weak song on this album. Each is followed by another of equal quality. Few albums exist where you could, when trying to compile a greatest hits collection for a band, lift every song from the one album. This is one.
There are just so many anthems here – “It’s A Long Way To The Top (If You Wanna Rock and Roll”, “Rock n Roll Singer”, “The Jack”, “Live Wire”, “High Voltage”, “TNT” – it’s probably a crime not to just list the entire tracklist. And these are real anthems too, not your pretend pop tunes that some people think are fun to sing along to. These are the real thing, where everyone knows what to sing and when. By taking what would probably be considered as the best two songs off of the Australian release of High Voltage, "She's Got Balls" and "Little Lover", and putting that with the majority of the songs off of T.N.T., the record company has produced a monster.
As an Australian, I prefer to refer to the two Australian record releases when it comes to ranking and rating AC/DC's albums. This will always be somewhat of a compilation. If forced to do so, it ranks above T.N.T. because of the extra tracks from the original release. A true rock masterpiece.
Rating: High voltage rock and roll. 5/5.
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
493. Helloween / High Live. 1996. 4/5
The live environment will generally catch out lesser performers, and raise the profiles of those that can cut it. By concentrating on the material written and performed with vocalist Andi Deris, there is some safety here. That’s not a bad thing. When this was released, I was still deciding for myself how much I enjoyed the new Helloween material, and the chance to hear a lot of it live helped with forming a positive opinion on it.
Of the sparse material here that comes from the Hansen/Kiske era, it is difficult not to judge it harshly. Expecting Andi to sing songs like “Eagle Fly Free” and “Future World” like Michael Kiske is unreasonable, but it is nonetheless a regular occurrence. The versions here are fine, but not as spectacular.
As for the rest of this double album, it is good stuff. Some of the songs come up better live than they do in the studio (“The Time of the Oath” is a perfect example), others fall a little flat (“Soul Survivor” for me is in this category). The live versions here of “Perfect Gentleman” and “Steel Tormentor” are excellent, and also fully exhibit the benefits of the excellent backing vocals of everyone in the band, but especially Roland Grapow. The solo version of “In The Middle Of A Heartbeat” by Andi is also well done.
Overall this is a very good live album package. For the time it was released, and for what the band no doubt wanted to achieve – publicising their ‘new’ era and the songs associated with it – it is an excellent advertisement. In doing so, and effectively ignoring everything before the release of Master of the Rings they have left themselves open to some criticism. Despite that, in considering the product as released, you can’t argue that it works.
Rating: Good live album capturing the rebirth of a once great band. 4/5.
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