Dan Fogelberg ~ Greatest Hits (hits comp) (album review) ... Far from the same old lang syne!

Style: soft rock, pop rock, classic rock, jazz rock
Label: Epic
Year: 1982

Members: Dan Fogelberg ~ vocals/keyboards/guitar/bass/mandolin/percussion/vibraphone
Tim Weisberg ~ flute/oboe/piccolo/percussion
John Leslie Hug ~ guitar/harp
Willie Weeks, Brian Garafalo, Norbert Putnam ~ bass
Kenny Passarelli ~ bass/sousaphone
Paul Harris, Neil Larson, Mike Utley, Mike Finnigan ~ keyboards
Jim Keltner, Kenneth A. Buttrey ~ drums
Andy Newmark ~ drums/keyboards
Russ Kunkel ~ drums/conga
Jody Boyer, Heart Of Darkness, Marie Ouhrabka, Florence Warner ~ b. vocals

Additional: Jimmie Haskell ~ accordion
Al Perkins ~ pedal steel guitar
David Breinenthal ~ bassoon
John Ellis ~ organ/oboe
David Duke, Vincent DeRosa, Jerry Hey, Earl Dumler ~ horns
Tom Scott ~ saxophone/lyricon
Marty Lewis, Bobbye Hall, Gary Coleman ~ percussion
Jody Linscott ~ conga
Joe Lala ~ conga/timbales
Jesse Erlich ~ cello
Ann Mason Stockton, Gayle Levant ~ harp

Guests: Glenn Frey, Emmylou Harris, Chris Hillman, Joni Mitchell, Michael Brewer, Graham Nash, Richie Fray, Randy Meisner ~ b. vocals
Don Henley ~ drums/b. vocals
Joe Walsh ~ guitar/bass/b. vocals
Gerry Beckley ~ guitars
Michael Brecker ~ saxophone
Jimmie Fadden ~ harmonica
Don Alias ~ percussion


I found this album tucked away in a box after a decade. A musician friend is a big fan of DF, greatly inspired by him & even got in touch bearing gifts with his widow, so I thought it was time to pull out the old cassette & take a listen & recall what the bragging was about. DF belongs to a world long gone, or at least to my ears long gone. The age of thickly textured soft rock made for a drive in the car, ballads that aren't pretentious shallow guitar rock or under the banner of power ballad, love songs without obligatory guitar solos, a bit of country, a bit of folk, a bit of pop, a bit of jazz & no attempt to throw around the fusion label but just create memorable music. It's the era when the airwaves were ruled by Warren Zevon, Jackson Browne, Cat Stevens, CSN&Y, Steve Miller & the Eagles, or at least such names brought respect not confusion. The era when music appealed to the masses. Some might even say the era when art & finely honed skills were still a part of music, but I can pull up some exceptions to that. DF's career was at its peak in the 1970's, but six of the ten tracks on this little collection are from the 80's, making it eligible for this blog. That might seem like a heavy weight on what is but two albums, but 1981's The Innocent Age was a breakthrough moment for DF commercially, critically & creatively & didn't change his trademark sound very much. It would also mark the end of his peak. Those who loved his 70's soft rock sound & carefully constructed lyrics wouldn't stop listening but the radio DJ's weren't spinning anymore as the musical landscape was changing & there was no room for this type of music. Music now had to be in your face, noisy or with a dance beat. It's easy to forget that for a few years the folk scene was in hibernation & acoustic guitars were frowned upon expect for the obligatory power ballad on every album. DF was a tragedy of the music business for no fault of his own, like hundreds of others from the biggest names to the smallest. Though, he never really got his comeback so many other bands have enjoyed & I don't even know if someone under 30 even knows his name or would like the heavily textured pop of shimmering landscapes. This little album a great starting point for that comeback. He might be gone, but its not too late. There's more compilations of his music than number of studio albums he put out, but no big chart hits would appear after 1982 so this compilation is not just his first hits compilation to be released but also sets the template for all that would follow. His 2001 Very Best duplicates all but one song even. It's a safe collection, providing the basics, nothing more, good for the casual or curious listener. The only problem is its brevity that later collections quickly make up for. Further, this is not a career overview by far, as it draws on only four albums spread across two decades, truly just focusing on the greatest hits. It includes: "Part Of The Plan" from his second album Souvenirs from 1974, "Power Of Gold" from 1978's Twin Sons Of Different Mothers, "Longer" & "Heart Hotels" from 1980's Phoenix, while from 1981's The Innocent Age is "Leader Of The Band", "Run For The Roses", "Same Old Lang Syne" & "Hard To Say." There's a lot of time there in the 70's not accounted for here. It includes two unreleased tracks, "Make Love Stay" & "Missing You", that might break the rule of being greatest hits, but were both released as singles at the time & charted in the Billboard Top 30. So, if you want to hear the best of DF & not worry about much else this is a good compilation, though I'd also recommend his studio album The Innocent Age which includes my favorite song "Leader Of The Band". While mention his name to anyone over 40 & I think you'll get a fast & unexpected reaction of praise.

Gary Numan ~ I, Assassin (album review) ... Taking a car ride with Gary!

Style: synth pop, jazz-rock, experimental
Label: Blanco Y Negro Records
Year: 1982
Home: England

Members: Gary Numan ~ vocals/synthesizers/guitar
Roger Mason ~ synthesizers
Pino Palladino ~ bass/guitar
Chris Slade ~ drums/percussion

Additional: Thereza Bazar - b. vocals
John Webb ~ percussion
Mike ~ saxophone/harmonica

There's a point in GN's career where he vanishes from a lot of people's radars & becomes that one hit synthesizer wonder. Though, really he never stopped making music, he just stopped having hits & appealing to the same quasi-mainstream audience. His music also moved from the cold synthesizer heavy pre-industrial "Cars" into a strange new wave-ish fusion territory before reappearing in its old form due to the advocation of student Trent Reznor whose Nine Inch Nails GN has confessed was the music he wanted to do & was trying to do but was facing the wrong way creatively. His 80's is a strange place with highs & lows. Those expecting "Cars" will probably be disappointed on some level. What makes his 80's output both bad & good is GN never stopped experimenting & exploring. The problem was that those who were imitating him were going in a different & more successful direction, while he seemed to be moving farther from "Cars" into more pop, jazz & funk directions ... or, to put it another way, his students were continuing what he started, while he was going farther away from what he started trying to move closer to more known musical elements. Funky rhythms & lots of jazz became the modus operandi of GN in the 80's, which is warm & interesting, but also over-indulgent with weak songs that meander horribly & find a strange home between experiment & pop song. It's all the material that is the opposite of "Cars" & his group Tubeway Army & the reason most folks enjoy GN. His rock outings at the same time also try to hard just with different instrumentation. For a taste of the 80's one place to go that won't disappoint is I, Assassin, his third album of the 80's, which is one of his stronger forays into bringing together synth-funk basslines & some good songs. He was always avant-garde, now he's avant-garde in a new way, more akin to 70's funk fusion then Kraftwerk. Before I go into some of the highlights of the album I should say that if I'm sounding critical, yes, maybe I'm overly critical here I'll confess. But, know that I like GN, give him a lot of respect, but while some albums have interesting musical notions they are not something I want to listen to, outside a few tracks, repeatedly. This is the problem I have with GN's 80's output. It lacks focus & doesn't get my focus. I also like my GN cold & industrial. I expect some disagreement, though some critics have called I, Assassin the end of the line for some years before things get too unhinged for their own good. Though, really, few will disagree GN was at his best in the 70's. The key to I, Assassin & the reason I recommend it is, like other critics, I feel this has the best of everything without veering off too far in any direction, while keeping focused. It's a bit of a bridge or transition album in that sense. From now on GN would flirt would different styles never staying place that creates mixed results. Whether this is due to the pressures of the business or his own creative urges I don't know. "War Songs" has the electro-synth background more familiar to some ears, though feels too short like GN wants to not dwell on the past, & "The House Is Cold" goes back in time to earlier GN days. "We Take The Mystery To Bed" also goes right to the old sound but with a funky bass that is a nice mix of the two styles of new & old. Funk & heavy percussion attack "White Boys & Heroes" & "This Is My House", with fretless jazz bass sliding through "A Dream Of Siam" & the instrumental "Glitter & Ash" as a lead instrument. This jazz bass is really the dominant feature of the album & would come to play an important part in GN's 80's output & where things go off for many fans. So, while I might enjoy this album others might. It's strange that way. But, then, "Cars" was just as polarizing. Perhaps if GN was doing this today it would be better received, but the fusion he was aiming for was a minority musical position of such folks as bassists Randy Coven, Billy Sheehan & T.M. Stevens, but with almost too much free-flowing jazz for GN's own good. The low point is the wandering piece "A Dream Of Siam" that paints a strange Asian picture or the dreamy "Music For Chameleons". It's too much, too wandering, too unfocused trying to do the free flowing jazz thing when we know GN for calculated cold music. In the end, I think this era of GN's career is important in his history, if not the most enjoyable musically. He didn't vanish away but was a very active musician, even though many might forget that, & its a fact that needs to be recalled to give him justice. He might be a one hit wonder but he didn't drop off the musical earth. He actually always made music for a minority, so the 80's didn't see anything different happen ... its just potentially a different minority. I was shocked when I first started to get into GN beyond Tubeway Army & his few hit records into this more fusion arena. Even if I don't listen again it expanded my view of his musical world. It also disappointed me, but I'll let you decided which tilts the balance too far in what direction.

Allan Holdsworth With I.O.U. ~ Metal Fatigue (album review) ... Does Holdsworth invent his own guitar chords?

Style: rock, jazz-rock
Label: Enigma Records
Year: 1985
Home: California

Members: Allen Holdworth ~ guitar
Gary Willis, Jimmy Johnson ~ bass
Paul Korda, Paul Williams ~ vocals
Alan Paqua ~ keyboards
Chad Wackerman, Mac Hive, Gary Husband ~ drums

I'm not a great guitar player by any means ... I can hold down a basic rhythm though ... but I know enough to have an understand of what a guitarist is doing. Which is why I have often enjoyed Steve Howe's playing particularly in Yes. I don't know what he's always doing & it's certainly not predictable. I feel the same with Steve Vai. What is he doing? What's going on here? Where are those notes coming from? Now comes AH. I have no clue here. This guitarist is out there. & it's not like he's a speed freak whose just playing faster than my ears can catch it all, far from it. I remember reading interviews with guitarist Rev. Kriss Hades of Australia's Sadistik Exekution, a true speed freak who is the bridge between Venom & the Norwegian death metal scene, whose always citing AH as an inspiration. I know what some of you reading might be saying: you mean that guy in Bruford? Is that who AH is? If all you know is Bruford, & I'll confess that's what I knew AH through first, then do yourself a favor & pick up Metal Fatigue. You will drop everything once you hit play. Trust me ... I did, actually, I was in the kitchen eating but luckily not cooking. Is this what they call art rock or math metal? No, but AH is a grandfather with his palette of unorthodox & seldom heard scales. Actually, in some ways I'm reminded of Gabriel era Genesis, particularly on the few vocal tracks. Early Genesis also had experimental guitar voicings but this is far more rock than 70's prog. There's also an almost synth sounding bass creating a Dire Staits-esque 80's foundation by AH's plethora of awkward chord voicings. It's got the prog roots but isn't prog. This is like no guitar album you may have heard. Air guitar to this album brings the art of invisible six strings to a new level. I found myself imagining what his hands were looking like as they moved across the fretboard. It's a mere six songs, but the creativity more than makes up for the small number & the songs are on the longer side. At times this sounds more like a soundtrack, other times it's a guitarist's album. For fans of Bill Frisell, Steve Hackett, Jeff Beck & Steve Howe, & others that don't immediately come to mind, as these are very individual players who craft similar genre sounding & note bending albums that don't fall into a neat little commercial rock or a in your face guitar rock mold. But, one thing is clear - it's sad that AH doesn't get more recognition. You really need to check this album out & change this trend. I've not listened to any other solo albums, so I can't speak about them in comparison. But, if this is all I or you ever hear it will be enough. As it is, it's known as a landmark release for AH, so my audio instincts are correct as how great this is. There's only two weak parts that need mentioning. The vocals are fine but not that interesting. They provide texture but one wonders if maybe just an instrumental album would be a better route, considering half the songs already are. While "The Un-Merry-Go-Round" is a overly lengthy ballad of fourteen minutes, in cassette form this is one of two songs on Side B for those in the musical nostalgia group, & is slow & obviously long & not lacking the diversity you might expect from such a long piece ... but every album needs a ballad, at least there's just one of them here. In closing, I have to do something I never do, or with great infrequently, & that is quote wikipedia. It's description of AH playing, if I haven't sold you yet, should seal the deal on what make AH's sound a must hear: "He has a distinctive playing style that involves a strong scalar sense, combining elements of jazz & progressive rock. The harmonic structure of his pieces can be highly abstruse, with frequently shifting tonal centers, & his soloing follows from a self-taught advanced modal framework derived directly from his unusually voiced chords. His phrasing almost always features striking yet subtle transitions between notes that often work contrary to the listener's expectations of consonance & dissonance, with wide & unpredictable intervallic leaps. In his solos he predominantly uses various legato techniques such as slides, hammer-ons & pull-offs (the latter being a personalized method which works more akin to a 'reversed' hammer-on); all of which result in an extremely fluid lead sound."

Attention Deficit ~ The Idiot King (album review) ... Alex Skolnick strikes again from left field!

Style: instrumental, funk-rock, jazz-rock
Label: Magna Carta
Year: 2001
Home: n/a (disbanded)

Members: Alex Skolnick ~ guitars
Michael Manring ~ bass
Tim "Herb" Alexander ~ drums

While the outcomes don't always interest me as sometimes I feel they careen out of focus & are often one-off affairs that need more developing, I do greatly respect former Testament/Savatage guitarist Alex Skolnick who not not just refuses to sit in any box but destroy it completely more times then not ... oh, he's also a nice guy too having met him once. How many thrash guitarists do you know who have checked themselves into jazz guitar college courses? Well, there's been a few, but none have pursued a degree like Skolnick & none have gone on to make as many non-thrash albums albums as thrash ones. Though, like I said, I loved to see him develop a few more facets of his sound out over time versus a bunch of one-off 'here's a funk album, here's a jazz album.' AD is one of his many instrumental projects that brings together jazz funk & rock in a weird quasi-rock mix that might just be the highlight of Skolnick's non-thrash career. It's also one of the few developed ones, the trio having done three albums together, & while it may dip in the focus at times it gels musically in a way that makes up for that far more than Skolnick's other projects. AD includes experimental drummer Tim "Herb" Alexander formerly of Primus & master jazz bassist Michael Manring, on 10 string bass, who studied with Jaco Pastorius & has becomes the top session man for Windham Hill Records. They've done two albums together, this is their more focused second, & Alexander & Skolnick where on Manring's solo album Thonk & Manring & Skolnick where together in the cop-themed funk band Skol-Patrol. The time together shows. The problem I have with some of Skolnick's forays is that its ultimately about a lot of shredding & riffing, but in different styles, here he might lay back more than he ever has for his truest fusion jazz release turning in major quasi-rock riffs alongside light turns of phrase & giving the other boys lots of time. The outcome is a true group effort. Perhaps intentionally or not, it hearkens a bit of a slow moody Primus though this is because of Manring not Alexander. Alexander turns in atmospheric jazz drumming, I think of the late Paul Motion of the Bill Evans Trio, versus straight rock drumming. Alexander rides the wave of the beat instead of forcing it & cluttering it. Manring actually has one of those thick gritty sounds, perhaps Tony Levin might be a comparison for rockers & certainly Jaco's influence comes through, that's everything but what one expects to hear from a bass & you'll be shocked from his first notes. He creates this thick wall of sound that's often as upfront as Skolnick. Both AD albums are masterpieces of experimental jazz-funk-rock. Lots of space between the notes just the way I like them & certainly not anything you've come to expect from Skolnick, so two bonuses, plus AD introduced me to a new bass player so three bonuses. Folks listening will also be amazed by Manring & Alexander to the point where Skolnick is the least of your focus at time, as I said, true group effort. This is the album Skolnick went to school to make without a doubt. Sometimes soft & atmospheric, sometimes fast & furious, sometimes a bit rock, sometimes a bit jazz or funk. Skolnick fans shouldn't miss this for anything. Both albums are great, but I prefer this second one as it feels more group-cohesive & less experimental.

Joey Stuckey ~ The Shadow Sound (hits comp) (album review) ... Presenting the Official Ambassador of Music for Macon Georgia!

Style: jazz, blues, folk-rock, rock
Label: self-released
Year: 2010
Home: Georgia

Members: Joey Stuckey ~ guitars/vocals/bass
Tim Brooks, Jimmy Herring, Ken Wynn ~ guitars
Donnell Poweel, Skip Slaughter ~ bass
Miguel Castro, Basil Dixon, Steven Floyd, Skeebo Knight, Jerome Thomas ~ drums
Dr. Marcus Reddick ~ percussion/vibes
Randy Beddingfield, Mike Eubank, hugh Hession, Tom Rule, Clifton Warren ~ keyboards
Randall Bramblett ~ keyboards/horns
Barbara Altman, David Ragsdale ~ strings
Brian Bogle, Dr. Scott Turpin, Dr. Douglas Hill ~ horns

Known as the "Official Ambassador Of Music For Macon, Georgia", according to his press release, JS has worked with an array of folks, from Carole King, Ike Turner to Charlie Daniels, plus lesser names Huey Thomasson from Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jimmy Herring of the Allman Brothers Band, Danny Seraphin of Chicago, Allen Vizzuiti from Chick Corea & Chuck Mangione, Chris Hillman from the Byrds, Jerry Peake for Steve Morse Band, John Dunn of Earth, Wind & Fire & George McCorkle from the Marshall Tucker Band, amongst others. Quite a resume, right? But, what to expect musically from such a career? Well, throw in some of that Marshall Tucker/Allman Brothers Band bluesy influence (i.e. "Runnin'") & lots of that classic rock. There's also a touch of melancholy Morrissey in the lyrics that is nothing but subtle (i.e. "Funny", "Mr. Mooney", "Not The End Of The World", "Hate You"). There's also a lot of contemporary folk-rock (i.e. "Mr. Mooney", "Bad Dreams", "Truth Is A Misty Mountain"), Stevie Ray Vaughan-esque blues (i.e. "Take A Walk In The Shadows"), a bunch of Bernie Worrell-esque keyboard driven funk (i.e. "The Light That Guides Us"), lots of laidback pop (i.e. "So Blue"), a touch of hard rock (i.e. "Mr. Mooney", "Hold") & an unexpected drop of jazz swing in the instrumental "Holly Tree Hopeful". What makes it more complicated is the fact that all these cited styles are all mixed together in a cornucopia. JS is a guy whose encompassed the sound of so many of those he's played with, lacing it all together with a homespun personal feel. The Shadow Sound is a collection of previously recorded songs, spanning the range of his music & making it difficult to pinpoint the JS sound, which seems to be rooted in a style of music long ago yet actually having never existed. I'm reminded of John Caffery's great soundtrack for the first Eddie & The Cruisers movie. On one hand it sounds like it was lifted from the 1950's/60's, yet if one had to place exactly where on that timeline his imitative music goes it's impossible. It draws in the past, feeling imitative, but yet is completely original & not distinct to any time. JS sounds like something you know quite well, but you can't lay your finger on it. The Morrissey-esque songs are my favorite, & one can hear Morrissey croon "Not The End Of The World". Actually, The Shadow Sound is his second compilation. Though, it duplicates much of the earlier hits compilation So Far, making it a toss-up which of the two discover JS through. It includes songs from his two live albums, plus Ironies, Pain & The Light That Guides, Take A Walk In The Shadows & a newer track found on So Far. There's also two new tracks: "Holly Tree Hopeful", which appears on his newest album Mixture & a live version of "Truth Is A Misty Mountain", not available on any album. Why he would release this album, with So Far not being so far in the past, is a bit of a mystery outside of marketing considerations. Due to a brain tumor as a child JS lost his sight & sense of smell. Also, he's studied with jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan. Many reviewers put his disability right up front. Yes, it's a selling point. But, being blind doesn't make you play music this diverse or timeless.

The Style Council ~ The Style Council Collection (hits comp) (album review) ... Music with style!

Style: pop rock, jazz, experimental
Label: Spectrum Music
Year: 1996
Home: England

Members: Paul Weller ~ vocals/guitar/bass/synthesizer/drum programming
Mick Talbot ~ keyboards/organ

Additional: Steve White, Nick Brown ~ drums
Tracie Young, Dee C. Lee, Lenny Henry ~ b. vocals
Hilary Seabrook, Billy Chapman, Barbara Snow, Stewart Prosser, David Defries, Mike Mower, Chris Lawrence, Patrick Grundy-White, Steve Dawson, Clark Kent ~ horns
Anne Stephenson, Charlie Buchanan, Jocelyn Pook, Audrey Riley ~ strings
Chris Bostock, Camelle Hinds, Kevin Miller ~ bass
Gary Wallis, Little Joo Ruocco ~ percussion
Helen Turner ~ piano

Guests: Ben Watt ~ guitar
Tracey Thorn ~ b. vocals

For those who'd rocked out to the songs of Paul Weller when he was with the Jam the 1983 debut of the SC was probably a surprise, maybe even at times hard to swallow as the band moved farther & farther from the Jam if not itself as it grew from a duo to a community. The fact that the new directions Weller took with keyboardist Mick Talbot largely fell him from his iconic heights before their 1990 break-up, to be rescued by a solo career, & that the Jam continues to be respected while the SC has largely faded into 80's new wave history says a lot about this decade of his career & the SC itself. But, in terms of showing different sides to an artist does the SC, intentionally or not, says a lot. The SC saw Weller move from often experimental 70's punk to commercially polished 80's pop more akin to Crowded House or Simply Red with lots of jazz, soul & R&B elements taking over. Though, these directions really shouldn't have been much of a surprise as the Jam had been introducing similar elements periodically, but they'd always kept a non-commercially friendly sound underneath it. The SC is everything but edgy. Today, the SC sounds dated with its heavy keyboard/synthesizer against drum machines sound, while Weller's soft singing & occasional falsetto cries bring up uncomfortable Erasure comparisons. But, the later use of backing vocals & R&B dynamics right out of the Stax catalog puts the SC ahead of their time. Released today the SC might actually find a whole new audience, let alone be an inspiration for the growing groups of wannabe DJ's who will find delight in the layered rhythms & classic textures that might only be found these days in David Byrne & Sting. But, where the SC becomes experimental they also suffer from over-indulgence, as too many musicians clutter the music & surprisingly take the intimacy & life out of it. The SC's best stuff is their first couple albums that are just a simple keyboard focused duo & not a duo plus lots of friends with lots of instruments & lots of ideas. The Style Council Collection is a good an introduction to the big picture from beginning to end. It includes almost equal bits from all the albums, sans their swan song Modernism: A New Decade which was rejected by the label in 1989 for its then ahead of time deep house sound & not issued until a 1998 box set, plus some obscure/B-side tracks making this not quite a greatest hits collection. The tracks are kept in chronological allowing one to gently hear the moving of the SC into new territories. It even gives the album an organically developed climactic nature as the songs move from simple to complicated. One can almost hear Wellers mind move through different styles & ideas. Also a bonus with turning to this collection versus the individual studio albums is that here the wanderings that drag down the music are gone & what remains is a good chunk of the cream of the crop, plus a little bit of everything to pick & choose from. Here one gets the simple keyboard heavy band of the earlier days alongside the full-blown big band productions of the later days. But, it also means that some will prefer whole chunks of the album over other chunks & for many fans that means the first part of the album. Ironically, the later SC, which is the most commercial sounding, is the more politically minded one lyrically, though today few will tune into the anti-Thatcher political leanings as the context has long come & gone. There are still a few odd wanderings that could be done away with as they upset the flow, such as the lost groove of the live B-side "Big Boss Groove", the overly international "The Paris Match" which features French cabaret with a French verse & particularly "A Stones Throw Away" features Weller singing with only a string quartet. All of these do, though, show how far Weller was interested & willing to experiment ... even if the later does sound like a less poetic take on Elvis Costello's recording with the Brodsky Quartet. Barring these few hurdles The Style Council Collection focuses in on what SC did best, which is soft late night ballads. The best songs are the first few on the album from their debut release (for example "Speak Like A Child", "You're The Best Thing") & in general include the simple arrangements that are often just an acoustic guitar with Weller singing softly over it ("Headstart For Happiness", "It Came To Pieces In My Hand", "Ghosts Of Dachau", "The Whole Point Of No Return" & "Down In The Seine"). These ballads make the SC worth the listen. The SC is music Weller could never make with the Jam, but these acoustic moments are the real contrast for fans & historians to ponder over. The Jam was music for clubs & teenagers. This is music for lovers & late nights.

Codeine Velvet Club ~ Codeine Velvet Club (aka debut) (album review) ... Drugged up & still looking glamorous!

Style: retro rock, alt rock, experimental
Label: Dangerbird Records
Year: 2010
Home: Glasgow, Scotland

Members: Jon Lawler ~ guitar/bass/vocals
Lou Hickey ~ vocals

Additional: Ross McFarlane, Affy Ahmad ~ drums
Helen MacLeod ~ harp
Gospel Truth Choir ~ b. vocals
Lewis Gordon, Ed McFarlane ~ bass
Mick Cooke, Derek Watkins ~ trumpet
Mark Nightingale ~ trombone
Allan Cuthbertson, Will Foster ~ keyboards

For some years, spearheaded by such groups as the loony but well-received Squirrel Nut Zippers & Buster Poindexter, there's been an revival in mixing Big Band jazz, cabaret & dance with a rock flair. Scotland's Codeine Velvet Club took the cabaret/jazz feeling but opted to shy away from the retro campiness & create something somewhat new ... in the same way that fellow boy/girl team the White Stripes make old blues riffs sound new. In their single release, that failed to immediately ignite the charts with long term promotion lost due to the band splitting after three years together to pursue solo careers, pulls together the lyrical spirit of Barry Manilow with a Big Band setting against alt rock arrangements. At times the music sounds like lazy day on a river with a mariachi band in the distance (i.e. "Time"), at other times it intones the same retro as the Squirrel Nut Zippers with more guitars than horns (i.e. "Vanity Kills", "The Black Roses") while at other moments is big ol' Broadway a la Manilow (i.e. "Hollywood"). Codeine Velvet Club is a fusion roller-coaster of styles that recall a spirit of music long gone ... but if Hollywood still made musicals regularly Marlene Dietrich would be happy to sing these tunes. The rotating vocals of Jon Lawler & his muse Lou Hickey add a lot to the variety. They aren't vocal powerhouses, the White Stripes come again to mind along with Icky's Ego, but it adds to keeping the music casual instead of pretentious or comical. It's almost a shock that CVC's mix of guitars & horns didn't catch on with the public more than a few blips, particularly with some great videos & not a bad track on the album. Has the music listening populace gotten so shallow it doesn't recognize great creative music anymore?

Bruce Cockburn ~ Humans (album review) ... Let the humans out of the zoo!

Style: folk rock, world rhythms
Label: Columbia
Year: 1980
Home: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Members: Bruce Cockburn ~ guitar/vocals/dulcimer
Bob Disalle, Benbow ~ drum
Bernie Pitters, Patricia Cullen, Jon Goldsmith ~ keyboards
Dennis Pendrith, Tony Hibbert ~ bass
Pat La Barbera ~ reeds
Brian Leonard ~ percussion
Hugh Marsh ~ violin
Murray McLauchlan, Rachel Paiement, Leroy Sibbles ~ b. vocals

Canadian icon Cockburn started his career as a folksy singer-songwriter with a strong Christian message, which was eventually tucked in the mix to distance himself from the American Christians, only to eventually move in a new direction with world rhythms & a socially conscience/critical lyrical position that found a climax with both fans & critics both then & now with 1980's simply titled Humans. It fully brought together everything he'd been experimenting with from the world beats to the Christianity to the folksy laid back sound along with a heavy criticism of the dysfunctionality of society & its institutions. But, unlike many similar themed albums, such as Paul McCartney's Off The Ground, Humans is so laid back it doesn't come as frightening & bonking- on-the-head condemning as one may expect given Cockburn's reputation. Part of this is due to the use of reggae rhythms that Cockburn discovered with a move to Toronto, considering that few expect reggae to accompany anything but political themes. But, while he's undoubtedly an activist he's also a storyteller no different than Jim Croce or Bob Dylan, calling upon the tradition of observation under the guise of harmless folk music. The difference though, besides having the best voice of the three, is that Cockburn is neither a middle-class working man nor a wanna Kerouac-esque bum/poet. Cockburn is a radio friendly balladeer in a way neither of them ever have been except in bits & pieces. Humans is an album of inner turmoil, as the opening "Grim Travelers" belays just with its title & the lines "Ministers meet/work on the movement of goods/also work on the movement of capital/also work on the movement of human beings/as if we were so many cattle" which deftly & quickly maps out for the listener Cockburn's spiritual & social worldview. We find ourselves falling into his welcoming words that sound more like gentle dreams than criticisms. There's no offers of solutions or comforts, just observations of a world falling down but under God's hand. He's not angry, though "More Not More" gets close with its I-can't-take-it-anymore attitude, & is just observing & at times at confused at what's being seen. He has the eye & wit of Dylan but without falling in into the world-play trap of unclear messages. The successive albums would largely follow Humans' template, though Cockburn would later return to his acoustic folk side in the 90's, but the benchmark was set. Though it was recorded in 1980 it sounds as timeless as the problems it observes, largely due to the mix of musical styles including Bernie Worrell-esque funky organ, violin, reggae, soft Joni Mitchell-esque folk, jazz saxophone & even 80's keyboards. Ironically, given all that & Cockburn's personal instrument, the album is unusually light on guitar solos. If you want an introduction to the wonder of Bruce Cockburn start here, & as another reviewer said you'll end up returning here too. I originally wasn't going to review this album as is a bit softer than my normal review choices but after two consecutive listens I couldn't resist not talking about it. Trust me that you'll not be able to put it down.

Adam Douglass Trio ~ Seersucker (album review) ... Jug dancing on the rock & jazz line!

Style: jazz fusion, funk, jazz-rock
Label: self-released
Year: 2006
Home: Boston, Massachusetts

Members: Adam Douglass ~ guitar
Mark Snyder ~ bass
Dave Fox ~ drums

Additional: Mike Casano, Matt Alger ~ drums

Jazz fusion isn't really under my umbrella for these reviews so when I first had this band passed to me I figured it was a misplaced recommendation, which sometimes happens though well intended, but it was I who was mistaken with a pleasant surprise. I've always had a hit or miss relationship with the jazz-rock genre, usually getting swayed when the rock is emphasized over the jazz, even though I listened to jazz & blues almost exclusively though much of high school 15 years ago. Guitarist Jeff Beck is a good example of someone I like whose bridged the gap successfully. Though, the Mahavishnu Orchestra has rocked harder than many rockers but still has clearly been a jazz band & one I love. I have a lot of respect for musicians who are trying to bridge both worlds, I'll confess. I just don't always find the results pleasing, but that's really no refection of the music. That being said, Adam Douglass & co. also know the difficulties in bridging both worlds & reaching out to people like me yet not alienating my distant jazzier cousins. If they converted to being metalheads we'd welcome them into the community with open arms. But, until that time musicians like Douglass are making some interesting music trying to bring us together without anyone converting faiths. In some ways some of their music reminds me of pre-Experience Hendrix with a funky rhythm & distorted guitar running soulful yet dynamic lines over the bed of music. "Jug Dancer" & "Quesa Dilla" are a perfect examples with an almost atmospheric guitar over a bluesy funk rhythm that could be mislabeled as one of Jeff Beck's more soulful endeavors - a style of playing not enough guitarists are following these days. With a handful of the ten tracks clocking in over 5 minutes the songs don't rush anything, even when given over to blistering rock solos, but neither are they directionless jams. Themes are well developed & yet there's obviously room for the band to let loose in concert, as the jazz style drum solo in "Jug Dancer" so perfectly demonstrates. Adam Douglass stirs up a mix of rock & jazz with a bit of funk to make something that never goes to any extreme. You can dance to it. You can rock out at times. There's no lyrics to distract from the music. Or you can take the intellectual approach & dig into the array of scales the band is employing & appreciate their musical dexterity. Though, the one problem I had with the trio is that they have found a particular sound. There's nothing wrong with it but outside of some guitar solos it often lacks some tonal dynamics, so after a bit some of tracks bleed into each other with similar identities. Though, the hard rocking title track "Seersucker" & also "Peeper", which I'd love to swear I've heard Jeff Beck cover its so hot, are strong exceptions. But, this is a small quibble I have with them, really, particularly given that Seersucker is their debut. &, I'll confess, it might just as much reflect my tastes as jazz bands aren't exactly following the same path of rock musicians that are always trying to expand the tonal palette with every song because otherwise we'd see how boring and repetitive their chord progressions really are.

Randy Coven ~ Funk Me Tender (album review) ... No treble for Malmsteen & Vai bassist!

Style: hard rock, funk, instrumental
Label: Guitar Recordings
Year: 1990
Home: New York

Members: Randy Coven ~ bass
Jim Hickey ~ guitars
Todd Turkisher ~ drums

Guests: Steve Vai, Al Pitrelli ~ guitar
Wayne Shuster ~ sax
Mark Wood ~ violin

Opening with an over the top distorted "Star Spangled Banner" a la Hendrix, Funk Me Tender features an eclectic mix of a dozen instrumentals spanning funk to rock, all strung together with the jazz-rock funky bass of Randy Coven of the bass school of T.M. Stevens, Billy Sheehan, Stanley Clark, Bootsy Collins and Herbie Hancock's Headhunters. As a bassist myself I tend to gravitate more toward the other end of the spectrum such as Bill Wyman, John Paul Jones, Geezer Butler and some of the traditional jazz guys where the bass remains firmly a rhythm instrument, but there's no questioning Coven as a major talent. A highlight of the album is guitarist Jim Hickey whose loud distorted solos really give many of the songs their flavor and form, undoubtedly honed by years of the band playing together in gritty Tri-State clubs as the complicated rhythms and melody lines have a gritty urban sound. I find instrumental albums are also difficult ones to approach, let alone discuss. I find it hard to figure out whether it's good or bad as you can't base your ideas on traditional song structure of verse/chorus/verse/chorus. While, what can seem bad might only be reflective of the mood of the listener. Also, lyrics often dictate a mood of a song but that variable is absent. Though, "Toronto Blues" is a slow blues in both name and feel, but songs like "Manhattan Mama" "Tree" "Poached Antelope" and "Chopped Sewage" don't exactly imply any emotion, unless one is a member of Greenpeace. And, I hate to just look at the album from the point of view of technical prowess as Coven can definitely create some very emotional grooves. I do like the fact that the songs aren't completely centered on the guitar. Coven's bass, named Sammy, often sits right up front creating a duet style, akin to jazz pianist Bill Evans work with Scott LaFaro. The drumming is probably the only thing that is subdued, but it provides the important job of keeping the beat so everyone else can go to town. I will say that the instrumental flavor of the album largely shows it's age when such things were still frequent. Nobody is making albums like this anymore either in style or instrumental approach. Guesting on the album is Coven's collegemate Steve Vai with his recognizable slick sound. On "Uptown", playing an quasi-indistinguishable "second guitar" is Al Pitrelli in one of his earliest recordings, playing rhythm, a solo underneath Jim Hickey's solo and a little outro. He almost gets lost, though provides an interesting way of boosting the sound of the guitar without electronics or overdubs. He'd later play with Alice Cooper, Megadeth, Savatage, on some of their best output, along with their transformation into Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Violinist without compare Mark Wood, whose played with Celine Dion, also plays on two tracks. It's not everyday you get violin on a funky rock album, particularly sounding more like a keyboard than a guitar. For those interested in mid-80's instrumental prowess, or maybe I should say back in the days when such things still seemed to matter, Coven is a guy worth hunting for.