Cream-Disraeli Gears-Review

      The second album by British super-group Cream is an absolute monster. An early example of "proto-metal". It's hard to imagine modern music without the influence of Cream. Let's go back to 1967 and see what makes this album so very groovy.

    First is classic rock radio staple "Strange Brew". Even after thousands of listens, I still find myself entranced by this song. The hypnotic bass grove keeps you locked in the song.  Bluesy, but psychedelic as well, it would be the perfect song to sum up what Cream were: heavy psychedelic blues. Clapton shows that he may not be God, but the guitars on this track certainly bring you closer to heaven, at least metaphorically. Scorching guitars. Ginger Baker's drumming is of course top notch, and you would be hard-pressed to find better rock drumming. Fantastic. One of the first songs that I learned on guitar comes next, "Sunshine Of Your Love". The first real metal riff, it set the blueprint for Black Sabbath, Blue Cheer, and any other band considered to be Godfathers of metal. I've heard the song a tad too many times, but it is still great. The unconventional jazz drumming is what I listen to the most nowadays, odd, but it somehow works in the song. Baker could always take a very complex beat and apply it to a rock song, that is his genius.

   Next is "World of Pain". Much less bluesy than many of the songs on the album, it was actually written by "Felix Pappalardi" of the band Mountain. Very psychedelic, you almost get a contact high listening to the song. Bruce and Clapton trade vocals, and the chorus harmonies are hauntingly beautiful. Amazing song. A psychedelic class. The slightly jazzy "Dance the Night Away" is another very psychedelic tune. Like the band's "White Room", it is truly an epic song. Clapton's leads literally reach the sky, soaked in reverb, they are truly ethereal. One of the best bass lines in rock, Jack Bruce really shows on this song why his playing is the stuff of legend. He dances along the song, literally floating over guitars and drums. It's hard to believe that a sound so big was made by only three people. Next up is not one of my favorites. "Blue Condition" was written and sung by Ginger Baker. Kind of a drummer "joke song", the over-exaggerated English accent starts to grate. I usually turn the album over (yes, vinyl) at this point.

    Side 2 opens with a bang. "Tales of Brave Ulysses", based on the poem by Homer, is another psychedelic blues number. Very similar musically to White Room by the band, I felt a little underwhelmed due to its very short length. Bruce's vocals are amazing, very powerful. Good song. Next is "SWALBR". A psychedelic retelling of the "evil woman" blues legend, Bruce's vocals again prove that he was the true lead singer of Cream. I particularly like the rapid chord changes, very intense, but again a little short and the lyrics are a tad cryptic and silly (bearded rainbows?). "We're Going Wrong" is another Jack Bruce sung and written composition. Side 2 is a bit too dominated by Bruce. While I like his songs and vocals, they can sometimes sound very similar when put together. Also, Clapton's vocals and harmonies start to be missed at this point. You are almost begging for him to "come back". A very influential song on Led Zeppelin, its a bit too sparse and slow for me. It feels like a musical sketch, rather than a full song. Not a classic in my opinion.

  "Outside Woman Blues" brings Clapton back into the picture. A cover of the Arthur Reynold's blues standard, it shows where Clapton's heart really lied. I like the psychedelic take on the song, but the two worlds clash a bit here. Bruce is driving the song into the 1960s musically, and Clapton has one foot planted in the past. A very odd clash. Not bad, but somewhat unnecessary on such a stellar album.  "Take It Back" is Jack Bruce's attempt at blues. In my opinion, Bruce was always more well-suited to psychedelic sounding song rather than bluesy numbers. I feel that Clapton should have sung the song, his gritty and bluesy vocals are more well-suited to this style of song. Doesn't work for me. Last up is joke song "Mother's Lament". A nursery rhyme/barbershop style song, it lightens up the album, but really is just a simple joke song.

    "Disraeli Gears" is a masterpiece. Despite some filler on Side 2, most of the song on the album are absolute classics and leaps and bounds above most other 1960s band. Without this monumental album, its hard to imagine I would even be writing this blog about heavy music, Heavenly.

Rating-10/10

Britny Fox-Boys In Heat

   No other genre of music (well...maybe country) is as loved and hated as hair metal. Either you "get it" or you don't. By 1989, years of hair metal decadence had permeated the musical landscape of the globe, and the end was near. Philadelphia's  Britny Fox is one of the reasons that explains that decline. A band with minimal talents at best, this album is another nail in the proverbial coffin of hair metal. Let's see why this album sucks so hard...

    Sounding like a second rate "Cinderella". "Britny Fox" offered absolutely nothing new, and you would be hard pressed to hear the difference between them and similar contemporaries. First up is "In Motion".  Basically a rehash of any song by Cinderella, all the cliches are present in this song. Grunting, quasi-blues Aerosmith riffing, and terrible over-heavy drums. Snooze. Next is "Standing In the Shadows". Vocalist "Dizzy" Davidson sounds just like Tom Keifer from Cinderella, but lacks any real lyrically depth or charisma. The song is certainly not awful, just totally average and falls into the archetype of heavy metal in 1989. But, one of the stronger songs on the album. Next is the totally unnecessary cover of Nazareth's "Hair Of The Dog". Guns and Roses did a much better version. I don't know why anyone would add a cover song to their second album, I guess that Britny was slightly starved for album length. Boring. "Livin On A Dream" is the band's attempt to match the stadium heights of Bon Jovi.Honestly, it is a terrible song. The riff is painfully basic, and the production is horrendous. The song sounds terrible, guitars are too loud and sound deflated and hollow, drums are out of time, and the solo makes you long for Poison it is so basic and short. Never mind the laughable lyrics. Ugh..make it over.

    "She's So Lonely" is up next. The riff is honestly not bad, and would fit a Cinderella song quite well. My problem at this point lies with drummer "Johnny Dee". He has trouble staying in the groove, and I believe that he is one of the main reasons for everything sounding so off. He's either behind or ahead, the drums are not right. Other than that, the song is not that bad, despite terribly repetitive lyrics. "Dream On" is the standard acoustic-ish song that was featured on every hair metal album of the era. Basically Bon Jovi lite, the song is a poor imitation at best. Stick with New Jersey's second finest sons, rather than these also-rans. Lame and unoriginal, but somewhat listenable if you like Bon Jovi's "cowboy metal" phase. "Long Way from Home" closes side 1 (yes, I actually own the vinyl). Another Jovi copy, the road pinning song reflects of the difficulties of life and love on the road. Not terrible, despite sounding very much like something off 1988's "New Jersey" by Bon Jovi. Solos are just a sparse as Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora's, and really don't add much to the song. I like the non-grunting vocals, they show that one of the main problems is Dizzy's constant screeching and grunting, like Cinderella, it quickly overstays its welcome.

   "Side 2" kicks in with "Plenty of Love". The song turns up the sleaze and brings back very heavy guitars. One of the best songs on the album, it shows that Britny could rock when they wanted. The drums are mostly in time, and Dizzy's vocals are much stronger and gritter here. Good tune, but still fairly standard sounding. Ballads are an essential part of the hair metal experience, and "Stevie" tries to check the "ballad box" that every record company exec in the 1980s needed to fill. Not really a ballad at all, it shows that one of the reasons explaining Britny's relative lack of success was their inability to write a sweet and sensitive song. One would think the song is about a girl next door type, but it is actually a very dark song about a "loose" woman going around on the town, and the terrible things that she's done. Not a big fan of this song, a nice attempt at a modern rehash of the "evil woman" blues ballad, but a very basic riff and repetitive choruses make me loose interest quickly. "Shine On" is the band's Van Halen tribute. Very much like "Runnin with the Devil" by said band, it lacks all of the virtuosity and originality that made Van Halen great. Like a trip to the dentist, you want it to be over the minute the song starts.

   "Angel In My Heart" is Aerosmith-esque. The dual vocals work nice together, and the song is the closest attempt at a ballad on the album. Drums still suck, but finally the bass gets a chance to shine, and bassist "Billy Childs" actually shows that he is fairly good. Probably the best song on the album, I like this song, but not enough to save this album. "Left Me Stray" (nice grammar!) is so boring I have nothing to say. I can honestly find nothing to say about this song. Average in every sense of the word, it is at this point I beg for this album to be over. Not particularly offensive, but so trite I want to smash the record. Finally we are left with a ballad, "Longroad" (what's with the grammar?) is another Bon Jovi facsimile. Three basic chords dominate the song, and shows that these boys were never very good musicians, very basic at best. I was sleeping by this point. Boring. A better title would have been "Longalbum". So bad.

     "Boys In Heat" is awful. There is no reason to own this album, unless you like torturing yourself. Poison, Cinderella, Motley Crue, and even Warrant are much better examples of good hair metal. Skip this one, terrible.

Rating-3.5/10

  

  

Cheap Trick-In Color-Review

    Released in 1977, "In Color" is Cheap Trick's second album. Easily one of their biggest selling albums, I am a huge fan of this album and hold it as one of the best pop rock albums of all time. Let's take a look at what makes "In Color" so special.

     The album begins with the very punk-influenced "Hello There". Vocalist Robin Zander proves that he could always quit his day job and become a punk singer. A great, driving song, but somewhat too short. Next is one of the band's most well-known tracks, "Big Eyes". Very lean and muscular sounding, "Big Eyes" is Cheap Trick firing on all engines. I prefer the live version off the "Cheap Trick at Budokan" album, but the studio track is almost as good. "Downed" is very late 1970s sounding. A layer of studio effects cover the vocals and guitars in the verse, but don't ruin the song. "Downed" is a great song as it shows that Cheap Trick can wrap a very poppy song in heavy "clothing". Guitars certainly are distorted, but sound very clear, very much like the band's major influence, The Beatles before them.Great track.

   Next is the band's biggest hit, "I Want You to Want Me". One of my favorite all-time songs, it is pop perfection. People that don't like this song seriously need to have their heads examined. Catchy, sweet, sparse but effective, an absolute classic. "You're All Talk" shows the rising influence of Disco within rock music. Emulating a Clavinet, Rick Nielsen creates a hypnotic guitar riff that is very danceable.  I find the song somewhat repetitive, but what I most enjoy is the bass work of Tom Petersson. "Oh Caroline" is another fairly punk-like song, at least structural speaking. The song is not bad, but I find it missing a big chorus that most Cheap Trick songs have. The song doesn't seem to really go anywhere, not crazy about this one.

    Classic rocker "Clock Strikes Ten" takes the band into Aerosmith territory. Very bluesy and ballsy, I really adore this track. Taking the classic sound of 50s rock and turning it up to full blast was always something that Cheap Trick have been great at. Zander is not Steven Tyler, but has a very diverse range of vocal styles, and is well suited to Tyler-esque bluesy wailing. "Southern Girls" is a definite fan favorite, and a personal favorite of mine. With hand-claps and tinkling pianos, the song is certainly poppy, but crunchy guitars complement the lighter elements of the song, creating the perfect pop-rock mix. Near flawless.

   "Come On, Come On" is another enduring song from the album. Again, I prefer the "Cheap Trick at Budokan" version, as I feel it has more kick and low-end. Very Beatles-esque, Zander almost sounds like McCartney here. Hand-claps and "ya-ya!" backing vocals dominate the song, and add an infectious element to the song, you can't get it out of your head. The album closes with "So Good to See You".  Somewhat reminiscent of a meeting between the Beatles and Bad Company, the song really shows that Cheap Trick could produce a song that appealed to everyone. Pop fans enjoy the big choruses, rockers enjoy the rollicking verse riffs, progressive rock fans and guitarists enjoy Nielsen and Petersson's often unconventional playing, a very flexible and multifaceted band.

   "In Color" is easily one of the best rock albums of the 1970s and a true classic. My favorite album by the band (yes, even more than "At Budokan"). If you haven't heard it yet, 1 million Japanese fans can't be wrong.

Rating-10/10

Bon Jovi-7800 Degrees Farenheit

  Bon Jovi's second album, "7800 Degrees Fahrenheit" was released in 1985. By far one of their least well-known albums, I believe that it is actually their best. Before they smothered your airwaves in syrupy pop-metal, they actual kind of rocked. Let me tell you why I like this album so much and feel that is shamefully underrated.

   First up is one of the few surviving hits from the album, "In and Out of Love". I have never been a huge fan of this track, I find it fairly repetitive, as the chorus repeats over and over and over. A fairly standard sounding hair/pop metal tune. "The Price of Love" is a pretty catchy, and it really shows the early blueprint of Bon Jovi's brand of heavy rock that this highly hummable. Embattled guitarist Richie Sambora delivers a fairly short and simplistic solo, but most of his solos fall into this category, so nothing out of character. A good song. Next is one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs. "Only Lonely" is a masterful rock ballad. Bon Jovi's use of keyboards has always been as a supporting element in their music, but I always enjoy the sprinkling of keyboards that does appear. The synths sound great on this track, and add a great amount of nostalgia and richness. Jovi's vocals are top-notch, and anyone who doubted Bon Jovi as a stadium/arena band needs only to listen to this song confirm their very "big" sound. "King of the Mountain" shows "Jovi" still in a metal mood. Sounding very much like Def Leppard, the song is filled with classic hair metal groups "uggh" and "ohh" group vocals. Never a big a fan of the riffing/grunting combo, Bon Jovi were wise to abandon this style of song.

     "Silent Night" was a minor hit for the band. Also not a big fan of this one, the lame string keyboards dominate the song and regulate the guitar to the back burner. Not as cheesy as many other hair metal ballads, the song still sounds like "prom" classic, I can imagine the 80s shoulder pads just listening to it. Skip it. Next is one of my favorite Bon Jovi songs. "Tokyo Road" does not get enough recognition, and is really only played live when the band visits Japan. The cool "Sakura" intro is just awesome (just listen). The chorus is very infectious, the riffs and guitars are heavy, yet danceable, and Jovi's vocal confidence here is really starting to develop. A true Jovi classic. "The Hardest Part Is the Night" is very reminiscent of Journey from the same era. Another tale of urban loneliness, the song is fairly cliche lyrically and musically, but it works. I dare you not to hum the chorus in the shower, I double dare you. Very infectious. "Always Run to You" is another big crowd-pleaser. Heavy on the guitars and keyboards, the song is a bit too musically busy for my tastes, but fairly catchy. Not much to say, fairly average song.

  Nearing the end of the album, "(I Don't Wanna Fall) To the Fire" sounds very dated. Using electronic drums, it sounds more like a Nintendo game than a metal song. The ancient electronics add a Prince-like nostalgia, but not a good fit for Jovi.  Guitars barely register in this song, and are noticeable processed, not Jovi's finest moment. Last up is "Secret Dreams", sounding very much like a sequel "Runaway" from their first album, the song is driven along by dancing synths a la Runaway and Jump by Van Halen. Not as good as Runaway, a fairly slow and somewhat boring song that is far too long for its own good.

   :"7800" is a pretty good album, much better than reviews generally state. Despite a few lame ballads, "Tokyo Road" and "Only Lonely" are enough to warrant a listen. Bon Jovi would become increasing poppy over the years, but in 1985, they blended pop and rock in near-perfect mix. Good stuff.

Rating-8/10

Stryper-To Hell With The Devil-Review

    Stryper are probably more known by most people nowadays for Ellen Page wearing a vintage Stryper shirt in the 2009 movie "Whip It". But Stryper have more to them that being a t-shirt in a movie. Are they any good? Are they a just a joke? Let's find out...

  As the first Christian metal band, Stryper got a lot of flack from the metal community. With all of the dark and evil lyrics that are present in metal, most metal fans could not get past the whole Christian thing, and dismissed Stryper before even listening to the music.Unfortunate.

   The album begins with " Abyss (To Hell with the Devil)". A short instrumental prelude, it serves to set the atmosphere of the album by creating the sounds of well...hell. Fairly short and simple. Next up is the title track and one of the band's most enduring songs. "To Hell with the Devil" is easily my favorite song by the band, and really shows off the vox of singer Michael Sweet. A very good song, and the lead guitars literally slay Satan and his minions with six-string fervor. "Calling On You" is much sappier. Stryper certainly released a lot of ballads in their day, and this one is another fairly cheesy sounding 80s guitar ballad. Not a bad song, but fairly cheesy. "Free" is a song about choosing what you want to do with your life. The lyrics are pretty cliche, but the vocals are quite nice as always with Stryper. Guitarist "Oz Fox" delivers a more than adequate solo, and proves that he is a very capable player and certainly one of the best Christian guitarists around. I like the song, slightly corny, but enjoyable.

    "Honestly" is a fairly well-known prom song of the 1980s. Honestly, I can't like this song. The falsetto vocals drive me nuts, and the keyboards sound like a Casio toy keyboard, terrible sounding even by 1980s standards. Skip this turd. "The Way" kicks back into full shred. A very heavy tune, the song sings the praises of  finding the Lord atop screeching guitars. I can just imagine Christian teens in the 1980s playing this song to their parents to prove that the band were for real. The solo is very good, and overall I would say it's a very strong song."Sing-Along Song" comes next. Very slow and plodding, the song is quite muddy in terms of sound. Not a big fan of the production on this album, and this song is by far the worst sounding. The song doesn't really go anywhere, and is not a favorite of mine. "Holding On" is another cheesy 1980s power ballad. Not a bad song and kind of nostalgic, but if you don't like ballads, stay far away. Certainly worse songs were released, but better ones as well. I particularly enjoyed the drums on this track, and it really shows that drummer Robert Sweet is a very capable drummer.

    "Rockin' The World" kicks in with pretty heavy guitars, but fairly cliche lyrics even for the 1980s. The song acts as the band's mission statement, rocking the world for Jesus. For those who think of Christian music as mellow and lacking in that heavy factor, just listen to this song. For those who prefer the dark side of metal, probably not for you. "All of Me" is another lame piano ballad, the song is really bad. Terrible keyboards, annoying falsetto vocals, and a lack of any guitar, it's like a bad 1980s wedding vhs tape, you just want to forget that it existed. "More Than a Man" redeems the albums, and brings back the rock. The drums are a little too loud, but guitars are very crunchy and heavy and Michael Sweet sounds better than even. A great song.

    "To Hell With the Devil" would be my pick for best Christian metal album of all time. But being such a limited genre, competition is fairly limited. Not a classic, but the heavy songs make up for a few very lame and dated ballads. I like the band, and this is their best album.

Rating-6.5/10

Accept-Restless and Wild-Review

     Restless and Wild is Accept's fourth album. Released in 1982, the album was overshadowed by its successor, 1983's "Balls to the Wall". But I feel that Restless and Wild is a much better album, and their best album to date.Let's see why...

   Opening track "Fast As A Shark" takes Judas Priest's proto-speed metal and amps up the tempo. One of the fastest metal songs released by 1982, the song acts as a precursor to the thrash metal soon to come in the following year via Slayer and Metallica. Very fast, and very heavy. A great song. Next is the title track, "Restless and Wild". Easily the best song on the album, the song is my personal favorite by the band. Singer Udo Dirkschneider's vocals are top-notch on the song, and the guitars take the Teutonic heaviness of the Scorpions and Michael Schenker and turn it to 11.  A true classic.

    "Ahead Of The Pack"obviously reminds me of Judas Priest. The comparison is clear, but the song is rawer and faster than most songs released by Priest at that point. Showing obvious influence from punk, this song shows why Accept have been described as "Speed Metal". Next is "Shake Your Heads", a classic headbanger anthem. A celebration of the said ritual, the song is very fun, albeit lyrically sparse. Like "Metal Health" by Quiet Riot, those looking for introspective lyrics should look elsewhere.  But, who cares, this is heavy metal. A great song.

   "Neon Nights" bears no relation to the song by Black Sabbath. A cool bass guitar intro comes in first, heavy on effects.  The song is much slower than most songs on the album, and thumps along at at mid-tempo. A fairly catch chorus seals the deal in terms of greatness, but my one caveat is that the song is a tad too long. "Get Ready" is very 70s. Instantly reminding me of UFO, it is more similar to the band's pre-1980s songs. A good song, but slightly boring and kind of a step backwards for the band. Creepy "Demon's Night" is fairly standard. Slightly out of character with its occult lyrics, the song is a fairly standard-sounding 80s rocker. Nothing special, let's move on. "Flash Rockin' Man" is my pic for the second-best song on the album. Again bearing the influence of Michael Schenker and Judas Priest, the two influences forge together in a Germanic cauldron of hot metal. Udo is certainly not Halford or Phil Mogg in terms of vocal range, but his singing is more guttural. Great song."Don't Go Stealing My Soul Away" is the most Scorpions-sounding song on the album. Kind of poppy in comparison to most other songs, I find the lyrics somewhat repetitive,but it is certainly not a bad song.Last up is "Princess Of The Dawn". The fantasy-based lyrics are kind of corny and lame, and the song is far too long and quickly lives out its welcome. I'm not a fan of the cheap sounding classic guitars and spoken word voice overs. Not for me.

    "Restless and Wild" is a good album. Despite some obvious filler, the album has some killer classics and is an early example of the speed metal genre (but only some songs). If you like German metal, Restless and Wild should not be missed.

Rating-8/10
  

W.A.S.P.-Still Not Black Enough Review

     Still Not Black Enough is W.A.S.P.'s sixth studio album. Easily the bleakest album by the band, it is very dark and very introspective. Totally overlooked by even the most hardcore metal fans, let's take a look at what I believe to be a lost classic.

    Released after an extended break following the "Crimson Idol" tour."Still Not Black Enough" explores some very heavy themes, and is like the musical equivalent of "primal scream therapy". First on the dock is the title track. "Still Not Black Enough" is easily one of my favorite Wasp tracks, sounding somewhere between "B.A.D." and "Love Machine", two earlier tracks by the band. Great choruses, amazing vocals, and pounding double bass drums round out a lost Wasp classic. Next is a cover of Jefferson Airplane's "Somebody to Love". Not as bad as it seems, I enjoyed the cover almost as much as the original. Not essential. Third up is "Black Forever". Basically a continuation of the title track, Singer/One-man-band "Blackie Lawless" screams of turning everything black, reflecting the very dark nature of this album. But despite the depressing lyrics, the song kicks with cool organ sounds, insanely heavy drums, and some nice guitar work. The drum fills are a bit too busy for me, but suit the manic and psychotic nature of the track. Great song.

    "Scared to Death" is another song that sounds like it has come out of a therapy session. Blackie explores his inner demons and fears, very dark. The female backing vocals don't really do anything for me, but don't ruin the song. Pretty visceral, but not a classic. "Goodbye America" heads into Megadeth territory lyrically. Telling of the failure and lies of the American Dream, Blackie takes a political turn on this track, and it works. I really enjoy the song, and it drives with ferocity and wild anger. "Keep Holding On" is different from anything else released by Wasp. A very dark and depressing ode to a lost lover. The cheap 1990s synth strings sound very dated, but the song is nice and slightly Roy Orbison sounding. Very different, and very mellow. Not great, but not bad.

   "Rock and Roll to Death" is a Chuck Berry retro rocker. It's nice to see Blackie try something new, but his voice is too aggressive and raw for this style of music.  Great guitar work, but I usually skip this one. Another sappy ballad comes next, "Breathe" just doesn't do anything for me. Sounding very dated by 1995, the song is somewhat sweet but sounds like a bad Bon Jovi reject. Not a good fit for Wasp. The country-tinged "I Can't" reveals Blackie wrestling with the pain he was going through at this point of his life. He screams in agony for what feels like an eternity, very disturbing to hear on record. I like the balance between acoustics and heavy electrics in the chorus, and I think it is a true classic of later Wasp. "No Way Out of Here" closes the album, and sounds similar to the title track. The song is good, but cheesy keyboards take over the vocals and the mix suffers, also the drums sound mechanical and cheap. Not the best song by Wasp, not even close.

   "Still Not Black Enough" is not a party album. It is a dark statement of an artist tormented by pain and mental suffering. As art, it succeeds and plainly the most visceral album I have ever heard. I thing that Still Not Black Enough is a very important album for anyone that likes heavy and introspective music, and is a near-classic, especially considering the era in which it was released, a time when Wasp was the furthest music from most people's minds.

    Rating-8.5/10
  

Black Sabbath-Master of Reality

   
     Black Sabbath released "Master of Reality" in 1971. A absolute masterpiece, and my personal pic for the best metal album metal album of all time.Let me explain what makes this album so special and a true classic.

  The album opens with stoner-anthem "Sweet Leaf". An ode to marijuana usage, the song is obvious very sludgy and  plodding. A great song, even if you don't partake in smoking the "stickiest of ickies." Next is the very controversial song "After Forever". Reflecting Geezer's own faith, it is basically one of the first Christian rock songs. Although Sabbath are more known for their dark and supposedly satanic lyrics, this song sings the praises of Christianity. Read the lyrics and you'll get it. The bass playing is phenomenal, and is one of Geezer's best performances on record. Great song, and very heavy. "Orchid" is a very short instrumental with a renaissance flair. Basically a classical guitar song played on electric, it is the first of many similar instrumentals by Tony. On to the real meat of the album.

   "Children Of The Grave" is in my opinion, the true beginning of heavy metal. Razor-sharp guitars, thundering drums, and rubbery bass, combined with Ozzy's apocalyptic vocals come together is a furious mix of frustration, apprehension, and nihilism. Completely different from anything in existence in the early 1970s, "Children" set the tone for countless metal acts to come, but has never been duplicated. The medieval sounding instrumental "Orchid" comes next. Gentle and pastoral guitars are accompanied by lonely cellos, a nice break from the heaviness the album unleashes. "Lord Of This World" shakes and rattles like no tomorrow. My favorite bass-line of all time, I absolutely love this song and it ranks among two others as my favorite Sabbath song. Metal heaven!

    Another personal favorite comes next. The spiritual successor to "Planet Caravan", "Solitude" is very mellow musically and lyrically. A lament to lost love, the song shows why Sabbath original were classified as a "downer rock" band. Very dreary and depressing, the song chills the bones. The vocals are the strangest part of the song, and many have said that the lyrics don't sound like Ozzy. Great song. The album closes with "Into The Void", another sludgy song, it was one of the first Sabbath song downtuned to C#, very deep and bassy. A true Sabbath classic, and many people's favorite Sabbath song.

   Master Of Reality is my favorite metal album, and a true masterpiece. Anyone who hasn't heard it, has missed a significant and integral work of rock music, and music in general. Perfection! Master indeed!

Rating-10/10

   

Metallica-Master of Puppets Review

  
   What is there to say about this album that has not already been said? Metallica's highly-praised third album is often considered to be the greatest album ever released. Do I agree? Let's take a look...

    Released in 1986, "Master of Puppets" was released during the golden age of metal. Stepping away from the satanic and demonic lyrics of most metal bands of the day, on Master of Puppets, Metallica showed that metal had something much bigger to say. Basically a sort-of concept album, "Master" concerns the military-industrial complex that churns out soldiers only to see them thrown away like trash after wars are over, if they survive at all. Countless imitators would follow (Megadeth?), and this album basically set the scene for thrash metal for the next 20+ years.
 
    The album begins with "Battery". Anyone doubting the drum-pounding skills of Lars "Napster" Ulrich, needs only to listen to this song. An absolutely manic song, it was with Battery that thrash metal perfectly blended speed and melody. Classic song. Next is the titular "Master Of Puppets". What can I say about this monster. The most epic metal song of all time, "Master" is a great majority of Metallic fans favorite song. I have nothing other to say than if you have not heard this song, listen NOW!. "The Thing That Should Not Be" comes next. Never one of my favorite songs, the riff is ultra-heavy and the drums kill, but it lacks the epic progressiveness and time changes of most of the other songs on the album. Next is "Welcome Home (Sanitarium)". One of the best "Tallica" songs ever, it is similar in structure and lyrically content to the more famous "One" from "And Justice For All". I love the solos on this song, and Kirk Hammet lays down easily his best guitar work in my opinion. Bonafide classic.
  
     "Disposable Heroes" continues the theme of the album. About soldiers heading into the slaughter, the song is brutal and raw.  Much more straightforward musically than other songs on the album, it lacks some of the progressive complexity that most of Master has. Certainly not a bad song, but not a standout track for me. "Leper Messiah" is a hardcore fan favorite. I find the verse somewhat repetitive and hard to distinguish musically from any other Metallic song. But, the instrumental break-down of the song is what keeps me coming back. Lars is a beast on this song, and I love his "double-bass" drum work at the end of the song. Very good, but not a classic in my opinion.

   Next is my favorite Metallica song. "Orion" is a gem, and showcases not only the band's talent, but the talent of the late "four-string mother-fuc***", Cliff Burton. Instrumental, I believe the lack of lyrics only adds to the greatness of the song. Ominous, brutal, skull-crushing, are just a few of the words I would use to describe this song. Anyone who plays rock bass has surely taken something from this song, even just one note. Amazing. Last up is "Damage, Inc". I have always loved the keyboard sounding intro, very different sounding. After chilling you out, Metallica takes a proverbial baton to your head with a super-tight riff that echoes military marching bands turned up to 11. Insanely fast, manic, and drilling, the song is a perfect closer to Master. Great song.

    "Master of Puppets" is a great album. There is no doubting its genius and impact. But, is it the greatest metal album of all time, I don't think so. A close contender, but I can think of a list of several of albums that exceed this overrated album. Great, but not the greatest album with the word "Master" in its title.

Rating-9/10
    

Quiet Riot III-Review

       Released in 1986, "III" is not the third album by Quiet Riot despite the title. It is actually the fifth proper album (but "I" and "II" were only released in Japan and are now ultra-rare collector's items). Does this album live up to the much more famous "Metal Health"? Let's find out shall we!

    First up is "Main Attraction". Somewhere between Van Halen and Twisted Sister(all of their songs?), the song oozes with cheesy 80s synths. Basically, the song concerns the band's mission to "rock". Not a bad song, but lyrics are about as deep as a puddle and the instrumentation is incredibly dated. Yawn. Next up is my favorite Quiet Riot song of all time. "The Wild and the Young" was a fairly successful single (check the awesome video on youtube!). Another hair metal song of teenage rebellion and lament, it was up hearing this song that my opinion of the band changed from curiosity to genuine interest. A classic anthem. Another stone cold classic is up next, "Twilight Hotel" basically tells sordid tales of forbidden lusting and lost sexual morality. Obviously about infidelity, the song shows that the band could tackle "serious" topics when they wanted. Great song, and great guitar work by Carlos Cavazo. "Down and Dirty" is next. The song replaces lead guitars during verses with synthesizers. The terrible sounding keyboards ruin the verses, and I can't even listen to the song. Awful.

     "Rise or Fall" instantly reminds on of Judas Priest. The main verse riff is nice and driving, but keyboards again drown out the other instruments on the track. Not bad, but the cheap samples and keys kill any chance the song had of rocking. Mediocre. Next is "Put Up Or Shut Up". 80s metal by numbers, the song is so full of cliches I don't know where to begin. A fairly generic song, it fails to make any impressions. "Still Of The Night" bears no relation to the Whitesnake hit. Another song filled with keyboards, at this point I start to realize why the album failed to make a commercial impact. Never a ballads band, too many of them bog down the album. "Still Of The Night" is positively sleep inducing. "Bass Case" is a short bass solo that shows off the chops of bassist Chuck Wright. Fun while it lasts, but certainly not "Anesthesia" by Metallica. "The Pump" is next. A fairly dunderheaded  lament about banging, the song fails to do anything different from any other hair metal band of the day. Keyboards are limited mostly to Tom Sawyer-like swaths, not really up front. Not bad, but nothing special. Next is another ballad, the obligatory ballad with an acoustic intro, that was present what seemed to be all hair metal albums post 1983. I actual find the song's choruses quite catchy, and it is easily one of the strongest songs on the album. The album ends with the socially conscious "Helping Hands". In the wake of Live Aid in 1985, most rock bands began to take a more active role in promoting welfare. However, I find the song extremely dull and trite. ZzZz.

   "III" represents the start of a long and steady decline for the band. Not a terrible album, but very average in most respects. Skip the album, and get the greatest hits or "Metal Health" instead.

Rating-5/10
   
   
    

Motley Crue-Generation Swine Review

      Motley Crue is by no means a great band. But, they had more than enough enjoyable albums during the 1980s that they continue to endure and live to play various festivals and casinos on a near-constant basis. Crue's seventh album "Generation Swine", is not one of those "enjoyable albums" that I have just mentioned. Let's take a look.

    Released on the heels of a much publicized and failed reunion, relations in the band were at an all time low during the recording of this album. And the music reflects that. Opener "Find Myself" reveals the band's new musical direction. Something akin to "Ministry" run through a garbage disposal, the band heads into the 1990s in all the wrong ways. Extremely distorted, the vocals lie buried beneath a thick, metallic wall of clashing guitars. Terrible sounding. Single "Afraid" is slightly better, very reminiscent of former guitarist/vocalist "John Corabi's solo material, the mix again sucks, but the song is quite catchy and raw. Not a bad song. "Flush" is next, totally out of style for Vince Neil's vocals and shows that he clearly was not very involved in the writing of the album. Corabi clearly wrote most of this album, and this song shows that to be true, sounding like something off of 1994's self-titled album. Vocals again are totally buried beneath a sea of digital effects, but the song is not a total write-off. "Confessions" comes next. An absolutely terrible song, I have never heard a worse mix on any song to date. Vocals are very unintelligible, and muttered. Mick Mar's guitars are clunky and lack oomph, they just lie there doing nothing (like Vince Neil at the time).  Even Tommy Lee's drums sound weird and digital, a nice attempt at a grittier sound, but it just sounds dated and cheap.
   
    Single "Beauty" comes next. Sounding like a strange electronic version of "ZZ Top", the song is a true curiosity the in Crue canon. Definitely unique sounding, I could do without the keyboards, but not a bad song. Probably the best on the album. "Glitter" is another step in the electronic music direction. Co-written Bryan Adams, the song is really a failed experiment. The electronics are totally out of style for the band, despite the song writing being somewhat strong. In its current form, I cannot take the song seriously. Next, "Anybody Out There" is a very short, punky song. Much better sounding and lacking the electronics that permeate the album. But I have never been a fan of Crue punk songs, and I have always felt that Mick Mars is much better suited to riffing than power chord crunching. "Let Us Prey" it total Corabi, and very Soundgarden-like. Actually a decent song, the riff crushes but sounds out of character with the aging Crue. Sixx's bass tone is quite nice on this song, and Neil screeches like a maniac. "Rocketship" is interesting as it features Nikki Sixx on lead vocals. Obviously not a strong vocalist, it is nonetheless a fairly sweet song Sixx wrote to his new beau Donna D'Errico. Very chill, almost Smashing Pumpkins-esque, I still like this song. "A Rat Like Me" features heavy backing vocals from Tommy Lee.  Lee makes Sixx's vocals sound awesome, and they almost ruin the song. Basically a confession of the deplorable nature of the band's personalities, I feel pretty scummy just listening to this song. Not bad and step in the right direction, strange digital effects on the solo again sound awkward.

    "Shout at the Devil 97" is a totally useless remake of the classic 1983 song. Skip. The album closes with "Brandon". Showing that Tommy is truly a romantic, the song is incredibly cheesy and lame, but is very sweet. A bad song, but very touching when considering he wrote it the night of his first son's birth.

    "Generation Swine" is bad. But, it is worth a listen if you like Motley Crue. For casual fans, stick to the classics.

Review-4.5/10

Poison-Look What the Cat Dragged In

    Poison's debut was released in 1986 at the height of glam metal, this album (like all albums by Poison)  in generally tossed aside to the dustbin of musical history. Was Poison the harbinger of the destruction of musical taste? Or are they worth reevaluating through the always unclear lenses of nostalgia? Let's find out!

   Opener "Cry Tough" is still a live staple today. Like countless Poison songs, it's about persevering in the face of what life throws at you. Is the song cheesy? Yes! Is it fun? Yes. A great song that shows that pop metal was not all bad at times.  Huge hit "I Want Action" is next. Not a big fan of this song, it reminds me of Kiss' "Rock n Roll All Nite", a very repetitive party pop anthem that lacks any taste. Poison have always been known for their ballads, and "I Won't Forget You" is one of the biggies by the band. Very high-school dance, the song is sweet, nostalgic, but quite trite and musically simple. Guitarist C.C. DeVille has always been criticized for his lack of musical ability, and this song shows why he gets this reputation. "Solos" are very sanitized and simple on this song, basically neutered when compared to even Bon Jovi's Ritchie Sambora. 
    
     "Play Dirty" is the epitome of the glam metal sound in 1986. Metallic and digital sounding guitars with excessive whammy bar action sit atop thin drums and sleazy lyrics about what else? Screwing! But then again, if you listen to Poison, I assume it is not for their lyrical "depth". Not a good song, quite average. The best song on the album comes next, "Look What the Cat Dragged In" is a killer song (yes, I said it!). Despite underwhelming "solos", the song has a lot of swagger, wicked drums from Rikki Rockett (underrated drummer!), and very confessional and autobiographical lyrics about the excesses of a glam metal bands in the 1980s. Another big hit comes in next, "Talk Dirty to Me" is one of Poison's most enduring songs. It endures because of its timelessness, like the Ramones (did I just compare Poison to the Ramones? Yes I did, live with it!), the simple structure, universal lyrics, and everyman musical quality add to its charm. I love this song, and I don't care who knows it!

    "Want Some, Need Some" brings up the rear. Another song about longing and lusting, it is musically very similar to "Cry Tough". Honestly, I don't really listen to this song and find it boring and too similar to the "big" songs on the album. Not terrible, but not a classic. "Blame It on You" is another dud on this album. Despite catching group choruses, gritty guitars, a decent solo, and very clear-sounding drums, the song really feels rushed and lyrics are pretty freakin lame, even for Poison. Skip it. "#1 Bad Boy" has always been one of my fav Poison songs. Basically Poison trying to be "Ratt", the song feels a little forced and out of character for guys who were wearing more eyeliner than Liz Taylor. But the song works, guitars are the some of the heaviest Poison ever recorded, the drums pound, and Brett Michaels proves his worth by delivering one of his best vocals to date. Great song. The album closes with "Let Me Go to the Show", the obligatory anti-parents/authority song on any 1980s metal album. Been there, done that. Yawn.

   "Look What the Cat Dragged In" is my favorite Poison album by far. They sound hungry, lacking a certain degree of musical chops and lyrical depth, but making up for it by pouring their hearts out for all to see on stage. Poison is still a great live band, and I always feel happy to have seen them after I leave the show. While they may not be musical Svengalis, they touch you in the most important place, your heart.

Rating-8/10

     

Black Sabbath-Born Again Review

    1983's Born Again was the first and only Sabbath album released with Ian Gillan as the singer of the Sabs. Dubbed "Deep Sabbath" by many detractors, the album was met with a fair degree of hostility, confusion, and anger in some circles. But the album has been "Born Again" recently by receiving a great deal of  attention as a valuable piece of music. What do I think? Find out below...

               The album begins with a typically silly Ian Gillan lyric about getting boozed up. “Trashed” is about the antics that the band got into while recording the album, a la Smoke on the Water years before. A fairly well-known music video was made for the song, which was equally ridiculous. Not a classic by any means, the song is too goofy and superficial for the name Black Sabbath. Next is “Stonehenge”. The song is now legendary for being the inspiration behind the “Stonehenge” scene in “Spinal Tap”. Musically, the song is really just a short and dated sounding instrumental with some nice atmospherics, but little actual purpose. Check out the longer version on the Deluxe Edition of Born Again, as it is a much more complete musical statement. Moving along, “Disturbing The Priest” is another song churned from the events of the recording sessions for the album. Not as evil as the title sounds(check the true meaning of the song), the song is really just a showcase for Gillan’s screeching vocals, which fit the very dark tone of this song. Good song, but not a classic. “The Dark” is another fairly short instrumental track. Sounding like it belongs on the soundtrack to a cheap 80s horror movie, the song fails to really do anything for me. Just more simple keyboard noodling from Tony and company.

Next up is probably the most famous and beloved song from the album. “Zero The Hero” is a beast of a song. An absolutely disgusting and chunky riff is helped by sinister bass notes and a jack-hammering Bill Ward beat. The song would later be cited as an influence on many modern metal bands, including “Cannibal Corpse”  who would later covered it. Easily the best song on the album, “Zero The Hero” may sound like shit (the whole album does, really), but it was easily the heaviest song on the planet circa 1983 and the terrible mix actually gives the song a unique quality. “Digital Bitch” is claimed by many to be about Sharon Osbourne, with whom the band had a difficult relationship (to say the least). In any case, the song is not bad at all. Despite sounding very much like Trashed musically, a nice fast beat, funny lyrics, and great singing from Ian really add up to an almost-classic retelling of the “evil woman” metal song. The title track is next. “Born Again” has always been a little too bloated and long-winded for my tastes. Very slow and dreary, the introspective lyrics and desolate sounding instrumentation are welcomed, but I lose interest by the five minute mark.Not a great song. Next is "Hot Line", driven by a manic riff, the song is very Deep Purplish, albeit covered in more grit and nastiness. Organs come in for the chorus, but without Jon Lord playing, something is lost in the Gillan/organ combo. The solo is quite nice, but sounds terrible distorted and nasty. The final song is "Keep It Warm", a slightly bluesy song about ........guess what?....sex! The song is honestly totally boring. The riff doesn't match the bluesy lyrics, the drums sound like their are being played from a submarine speaker, and the bass sound is just terribly low in the mix. 

          I love Black Sabbath, and all of their albums. But Born Again is almost a total disaster, despite a few high points. Basically an interesting curiosity, a meeting of two worlds. The album is quite heavy and raw, and vocals are strong. But, terrible production, a defeated Bill Ward, and rushed songs result is one of the less than stellar Sabbath albums in existence. However, it is worth a listen to hear just how strange it is.

Rating-6/10  

Thin Lizzy-Chinatown Review

      Chinatown is Thin Lizzy's tenth album, and easily one of the most ignored and overlooked. Like most later-period Lizzy albums, "Chinatown" is certainly not the band's pinnacle, but it does a more than adequate job at rocking down the house. Let's look at Lizzy's most misunderstood album.

   By 1980, Thin Lizzy had undergone countless line-up changes. At this point, the guitar spots were filled by the venerable Scott Gorham and the much maligned "Snowy White". Although Snowy was certainly never a great fit for Lizzy, he did a fairly decent job in my humble opinion. First up is "We Will Be Strong", a fairly optimistic about never giving up (something I'm sure Phil Lynott was considering for Lizzy at this point).  Not a Lizzy classic, but the classic twin guitars are in effects and the song really drives along with a fairly fast beat and soaring chorus. The title track is next. "Chinatown" is perhaps the most remembered song from this album. Telling tales of shady back-alleys, criminal activity, and getting into trouble in alleys, the song is a classic Lynott tribute to the outlaw life that shaped much of Lizzy's style and songwriting. The song swaggers along with a chunky verse riff, but stumbles with a pointless and boring chorus. Former lead guitarist "Gary Moore" is sorely missed on this tune. While the twin leads impress and the solos moderately dazzle, Moore and certainly earlier guitarist Brian Robertson always packed in the danger and punch characteristic of Lizzy solos.
 
   "Sweetheart" is next. Turning up the distortion, it shows that Chinatown is a remarkable loud album. Basically a pop song wrapped in metallic leather, the song exemplifies Lynott himself. Hard on the outside, but soft and poetic on the inside. But the contrast is a bit much on this song, and it feels confused and causes too stark a contrast between hard music and soft and sweet lyrics. Lead guitars are quite nice, but overpower Lynott's bass and even vocals at times. Not great. "Sugar Blues" is probably one of my least favorite Lizzy tunes. Sounding rushed and very jammy, the song feels unfinished. For me, without Gary Moore, Lizzy struggled to write blues songs that really hit the mark musically. "Killer on the Loose" was a single from the album. It failed to make an impact, and I can see why. Snowy White seems to be going through the motions on this track, and the guitars fail to impress. Also, after years of hard-living and substance abuse, you can start to hear Lynott's voice showing the signs of the damage he was doing to his body. His voice is hoarse on this track, and lacks the grit and strength of earlier albums.

    "Having a Good Time" was certainly the band philosophy of Thin Lizzy at this time. Basically a celebration of the rock n' roll lifestyle,  it is obviously a fun song and a great party anthem. Slightly sad given the conditions of Lynott's death, but a great party song. My only issue is the solo, Snowy shows his limitations, and shows that pop music was really more his thing. "Genocide" is easily the best song on the album, and a true classic. Telling of the dangers of animal extinction, a hard riff and killer vocals set the tone perfectly. Solos kick the crap out of any other song on the album, and shows a return to form after some pretty boring and laid back songs. Great song. "Didn't I" basically tries to repeat 'Still In Love With You", and is a fairly generic sounding weeper about lost love. The song sounds quite dated with Darren Wharton's cheap-sounding synthesizers backing up a crooning Lynott. Not a fav of mine. The album closes with "Hey You", a fairly decent rocker about isolation and persecution, something that Lynott certainly experienced being one of the small amount Afro-Irish people in his country. Pretty good song, with crunchy guitars and fairly angry lyrics.

    Chinatown is not Thin Lizzy's best album, not even close. But no Thin Lizzy album really blows, and this is no exception. The main issues are the mix (guitars are too high in the mix), the rushed nature of the album, and the addition of less than stellar Snowy White to the line-up. If your looking for a killer Lizzy album, go with "Vagabonds of the Western World" or "Fighting" instead of this also-ran. Not bad, but below par for Ireland's greatest rock band.

Rating-6.5/10
   

Cinderella-Long Cold Winter Review

   One of the truly good "hair bands', Cinderella never really got much respect but sure racked up the sales. The band's second album "Long Cold Winter" is considered by most to be their commercial and critical peak, and I would definitely agree. This is a hair metal classic (is that an oxymoron?), and one of the best hard rock albums of the late 1980s. Let's hope in the Delorean and head back to 1988....

   The album begins with "Bad Seamtress Blues-Fallin Apart at the Seams". Like most of the album and songs by the band, it really kicks up the blues factor. Jeff LaBar kicks in with some devious slide guitar that continues for the early portion of the song. Electrics come in soon, and take the song into the 80s. The cheesy chorus harmonies are standard hair metal, but the song is quite raw when compared to slicker contemporaries like Poison and Winger. Tom Keifer's vocals do sound worse at slower speeds, but don't annoy by this point of the album. Not a bad song. Next is the fairly big hit, "Gypsy Road" is a live staple played by the band at almost every concert they play. Basically "blues by numbers", the song feels like Aerosmith-lite. Not as bad as other Aerosmith copycats such as "Faster Pussycat", but still somewhat lame and plastic compared to the real deal. Next.

   "The Last Mile" is a fairly standard rocker, somewhat reminiscent of Bon Jovi, who of course had discovered the band in the first place. The song moves in the same musical direction that Bon Jovi were heading during the 1980s. The light and fluffy "cowboy hair metal" was quickly becoming standard for bands like Cinderella, Poison, and of course, Bon Jovi themselves. I have never really appreciated this shift to the western motifs, and I don't think it works for Cinderella. Not a big fan of this song. "Second Wind" is a fairly obvious send-up of Aerosmith, with a tad more heaviness in the chorus riff. The guitars feel subdued and icy, I would have liked more "balls" to the sounds, akin to Guns and Roses at the same time. Not a bad song, just not a big fan of the production. The title track comes next, "Long Cold Winter" is a very slow bluesy number about loneliness and regret. As a showcase for Jeff LaBar, the song really kicks. However, the vocals of Keifer grate and annoy at such slow speeds, and I started to realize that why his voice is such an acquired musical taste. Pretty good musically and lyrically, but if you don't like grating vocals, stay far away.

"If You Don't Like It" is pretty standard sounding 80s rock. The standard anti-authority vocals about young rebellion are met with generic Vinnie Vincent-esque "shred-lite" guitars. By 1988, a million song in this musical and lyrical vein had already been written, much better I might add. A boring and generic song, skip it. "Coming Home" is another lonesome, acoustic-country ballad. This rollicking belly-ache of a song makes you stomp your feet, and shows that Cinderella were basically a bar band that made it to the big time. A good song. Next is "Fire and Ice", and it really shows Cinderella at its sleaziest. Very contemporary sounding, the song almost sounds like it was written by "Dokken", very sleazy and very 80s. But, a pretty good song and easily the most head-banging on the album. The album closes with "Take Me Back", a less than memorable song, with fairly generic lyrics and structure. Not one of my favorites, despite very strong guitar from LaBar.

"Long Cold Winter" is easily the best Cinderella album, and a pretty good example of half-decent hair metal. If you are going to pick an album by this fairly seminal band, this is the one to get.

Rating-6.5/10

Scorpions-Blackout Review

  Released in 1982, "Blackout" is the eighth studio-album but the Teutonic headbangers. Often considered the last classic album by the Scorps, Blackout was met with relatively healthy sales and critical acclaim. Let's look at this 80s metal classic and see what makes it memorable.

With Uli Jon Roth long out of the picture, the Scorpions lumbered along into the 1980s. After the relatively successful "Animal Magnetism", the band recorded "Blackout" in France and Germany.
The album begins with the NWOBHM sounding "Blackout". With more than a passing similarity to Maiden, the song appears to be riding the NWOBHM wave of success happening at the time. Nevertheless, The Scorpions surely influenced Maiden themselves and have every right to take influence from the next generation of headbangers. I digress, Blackout is a great fist-pounder and one of the best songs released by the band. Next is "Can't Live Without You". The song shows Scorps heading in a more pop-orientated direction, a sappy and soggy ballad without any real edge or spark. More songs like these would dominate later material released by the band later in the decade. Skip it.

Next is my favorite song on the album, " No One Like You" is certainly cheesy and corny. But, like many other ballads from the 1980s, the song is cheesy in the best possible way. A really sweet song about longing and lusting, the Scorpions prove on this track that are one of the best bands at creating ballads that can rock and pile on the cheese at the same time. A great tune and some nice guitar work by lead guitarist Matthias Jabs. "You Give Me All I Need" is another ballad, leaving one to believe at this point if this album was intended to be a concept album. The intro is quite cool, reminding one of the earlier Scorpions acoustic songs off of albums such as "Lonesome Crow" and "Fly to the Rainbow". Not an offensive tune, but the ballads start to tire by this point. Snooze. "Now!" closes out side one.  One of the classics from the album, the song thunders along and Klaus Meine lets loose his classic howl/scream combination from earlier albums. The song is the closest link to early Scorps rockers and is easily the hardest and fastest song on the album. Great song.

Side two amps up the rock kicking off with "Dynamite". Like a brigade of Teutonic metal crusaders, the band fires off salvos of pure metal on this track. Truly one of the last great metal anthems released by Scorpions, the song really shows that the Scorpions of 82 could rock just as hard as the Scorpions of 1976. A true class. Next is "Arizona". About the classic metal story of an "evil woman", the song is about as classic rock as the Scorpions get musically speaking. Fairly generic and slightly bluesy, I prefer the Scorpions when they are throwing salvos of metal brimstone rather than "bluesing it up". Not a band song, but not a Scorps classic. "China White" is obviously a song that concerns drug use and escapism from the world's problems. The song is basically the Scorpions version of "Kashmir", with rising strings and long drawn out passages of solos and orchestration. Not really a big fan of this bloated beast of a song. The albums closes with "When the Smoke Is Going Down", a love-letter to both the fans and fame itself. Klaus is deeply personal, basically telling us what gets him on stage night after night. A sad sounding chiller, but the song is a nice closer.

"Blackout" is not the best Scorpions album (I will review that next week), but is it one of the best and certainly the best of the 1980s. As the Scorpions moved in a very poppy direction, the sales increased but many of the headbangers moved on. But at least in 1982, the Scorpions could rock your f-ing head off. Great album.

Rating-8.5/10

 

Alice Cooper-Pretties for You-Review

 Released in 1969, "Pretties for You" in the first album by the Alice Cooper Band. Released on Frank Zappa's vanity label "Straight Records". Recorded in only two days in L.A., the album was met with everything from mixed reactions to total hostility. The album is a curiosity is Cooper's long discography, and I feel it is a slightly overlooked "near-classic". Let's take a look at "Pretties for You" and what makes it worth spin (if you can find it on vinyl, it's pretty rare).

     The album begins with "Titanic Overture", a short and simple instrumental. The song makes liberal use of what appears to be a Mellotron. The almost baroque-like "tron" soon breaks into a slightly middle-eastern musical tangent, only to finish before anything really happens. Next is "10 Minutes Before the Worm", starting oddly with Zappa-esque tinkering and effect noodling. The song then kicks into a very raw, psychedelic racket. Amid the racket, you can hear slightly poppy musical overtones; however, they sound warped and twisted when compared to the crisp sounds of the Byrds and early Beatles. "10 Minutes" really sets the tone for later songs in the album. Think warped psychedelic-garage-metal-pop...ok?

The psychedelic sounds of Alice Cooper continue with "Swing Low, Sweet Cheerio". Very reminiscent of Brit-Invasion bands such the Yardbirds and Zombies, the song  is fairly standard-sounding when considering the oddball songs on the album. The song breaks into a very jazzy jam at the halfway mark, with a very cool harmonica solo rounding out this lost "nugget". Classic early Alice. "Today Mueller" is probably the most Beatles-influenced song on the album. The song would not sound totally out of place on the White Album. But the song retains Cooper's surrealist trademarks, off-key piano playing, slashing guitar jabs, and creepy harmonies.An interesting experiment, but the song does not really develop, coming in at less than two minutes.

"Living" is one of my favorite songs on the album. This very Who and Beatles influenced track sounds like the closest thing to an "American Beatles" there every could be. Slightly rawer than the Fab Four, the song also bears the influence of the rising Doors. More psychedelic and muscular than the Beatles, the song makes quite a bit of noise. The genius of the late "Glen Buxton" is very apparent in this track, and shows that Alice Cooper was originally a fully-functional band with many stars rather than just Vincent Furnier himself at centre-stage. "Fields of Regret" is one of the heaviest songs on the album. Sounding almost like Steppenwolf and Iron Butterfly, the riff-rocker shows early signs of the heavier direction that Alice would soon take. The songs lingers a bit with bloated guitar solos spoken-word musings from Alice, but is a clear indication of the era of heavy rock from Alice was soon to come.

"No Longer Umpire" is another short, sketch of a song. The influence of Zappa can certainly be heard on this track. Oddly catchy, the song fades away before it can flesh itself out. Another "could have been" song on an album full of musical sketches. "Levity Ball" has never been one of my favorite songs, and nothing will change my mind. The song is catchy at first, but then the real weirdness of early Cooper becomes apparent. Odd descending guitar lines ride along what seems like endless drum crashes and pounding, before slowing down to a crawl.The psychedelic ending redeems the song somewhat, but it lacks a sense of musical direction and drive.

The very Zappa-sounding "B.B. on Mars" is another oddball song. Syncopated bass and guitar nearly drives the listening over the edge, and really shows that this material is even challenging today. Not one of my favorites. The true highlight of the album comes next, "Reflected" is pure garage awesomeness. Later known as "Elected" off of "Billion Dollar Babies", I prefer this original version of the song to the later version. There is something rawer about "Reflected", something innocent that reflects the nativity of the early days of Alice Cooper. Great tune. 

"Apple Bush" reminds me of the more jazzy English bands such as the Zombies and the Animals. The song is quite light compared to the racket on most of the album, and feels light and jazzy. White not a big fan of jazz in general, I did enjoy this song. Playing it for a friend, he could not guess that it was Alice Cooper at all. While most known for hard-rock and metal anthems, Alice could and can still write songs that reflect his diversity of musical influences. "Earwigs To Eternity" is an obvious reference to the early moniker of the band, the "Earwigs". The song is another sketch, barely over a minute long. Another song of ascending and descending scales atop out-of-tune vocals, the song slightly irritates. However, the album closes with a bang. "Changing Arranging" is a fan favorite, and my personal pick for the best song on the album. One can hear heavy metal being forged during this song, very heavy for 1969. Much rawer than even early Sabbath, waves of macabre harmonies, screeching feedback, and jazzy drum improvisation come together is a harmonious blend of proto-metal magic. Fantastic.

"Pretties for You" is an interesting album in Cooper's long discography. Overlooked in favor of his 1970's work, the album is an interesting time capsule of the transition between psych and metal that was happening around 1969-1970. Although not a classic album, there is enough here to grab the ear of even a casual Cooper fan. Pretty indeed.

Review-7/10