Sorry folks I haven't been around to post much here. I've been doing double duty over at my regular site and basically took a year off between posts it seems.
This month's view takes a peak at some of the bands who recorded for Atlantic in the 1990s. Atlantic which used to be the best rhythm and blues label of the 50 and 60s became a known label for the rock and roll of Led Zeppelin, Yes, J.Geils Band, Crosby Stills & Nash and ATCO home of Cream, Bee Gees, Iron Butterfly, and Buffalo Springfield in the 60's and 70s but by the 1990s they were signing bands left and right and not really giving them the promtional push of the earlier bands that did make it big. But even back then Atlantic pick and choose who got more promo. For every Zep, there was Mott The Hoople who toiled for 4 albums. For every Ratt, there was Big Mouth and so on. For every Rush, there was Blue Rodeo. Sometimes fame happens for a select few and for the Atlantic/Atco artists of the 1990s it wasn't the glory days. For most most were one and done with the exception of a handful that recorded two.
The Gufs:
Made Two albums, the first album got some airplay here in the midwest as their type of emo shoegazer rock came from Milwaukee I think. Originally called Collide, it was renamed simply The Gufs and they had a minor hit with Crash Into Me and Let Her Go. Sold enough for Atlantic to commission another album, Holiday From You but The Gufs momentum was stopped by a certain band called Matchbox 20, whose debut surprised everybody and the PR department went with them and left The Gufs hanging. And the album bombed.
The Gufs 1993 B+
Holiday From You 1995 C+
The Uninvited 1998
A band from California that made one album which sounded a lot like The Rainmakers taking on Weezer. In fact their song Talked To God has been playing in my head for 10 straight hours, potent earworm if you have heard the song but if you haven't you don't know what I'm talking about. In some ways a power pop album that was too jokey for the masses to get but it remains one of the more listenable albums that nobody ever heard of. Not to be confused with another band called The Uninvited that made a CD called Our Two Cents Worth.
The Melvins
Atlantic's grunge signing and I'm sure they didn't know what the hell they got when they signed these legendary grunge rockers from Washington State. Combined between 2 minute punk metal rockers and slow 6 minute sludgefests Houdini is silly fun, with some of the more dubious numbers produced by Kurt Cobain although the 10 minute album closer puts everybody to sleep just about. Shirley Temple Black's daughter played bass on Houdini but she was kicked out on the next album Stoner Witch which continues the mayhem although Joe Barresi's adds more balance to the so called songs. Not as fun as Houdini. Stag, the 3rd album shows Atlantic moving The Melvins over to Mammoth for those dudes to deal with The Melvins, not much to recommend off that album. The Melvins would return back to their own label and continue to play it their way.
Houdini 1992 B+
Stoner Witch 1993 B-
Stag 1996 C+
Mighty Joe Plum-The Happiest Dogs 1997
I guess you can call them alternative although they had more in common with The Spin Doctors or Sister Hazel. Lead singer sounded a bit like John Popper and they did get a hit with Live Through This (15 Stories). Follow up singles failed and they were never heard from again.
Blameless-The Signs Are All There 1995
Atlantic signed a lotta band via satellite labels and this band came from via China Records, home of Dogs A'mour and Art Of Noise. Not much is known about Blameless although they did get a minor hit with Town Clowns which sounds like metal Outfield, another song has them sounding a bit like Pearl Jam and others sounding like Sting or the Beach Boys but Blameless although could adapt to any type of sound that they wanted they never forged a identity of themselves of a band. In the end, a good imitation of other bands but lacking their own originality.
Smile-Maquee 1995
This band came from Headhunter Records and their sound was desert metal pop. They owed a sound to Fu Manchu or Kyuss but never as heavy as either one. Best title of the 90s, Rock Anthem for the Retarded Teenage Hipster Population which should have been a hit. Rest of album sounds like Mudhoney meeting The Foo Fighters head on at a mudfest. Never heard their album Girl Crushes Boy.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Lost Hits Of The Rock n Roll Era-Soul Brothers Six
Atlantic Records had plenty of soul acts that made big impacts on the charts back in the 60s. Notables such as Wilson Pickett, Clarence Carter, Solomon Burke, Otis Redding. But in my time a lot of less known would put out DJ copies of forgotten songs that only I remember. Don Hollinger's Cruel World (ATCO 6592), White soulster Billy Vera recorded a version of I've Been Loving You Too Long. And Patty LaBelle & The Bluebell gave us I Don't Want To Go On Without You.
One of the lesser knowns of the soul Atlantic era is The Soul Brothers Six, who released five good to great to classic singles. I don't believe they made an album for Atlantic which is a shame. Wikipedia calls their singles unimpressive which tends one to believe that whoever wrote that, never did listen or could get access to the singles.
Best known for Some Kind Of Wonderful (Atlantic 2406) (which Grand Funk Railroad took up to the charts in 1975), that song was their only chart appearance in their career. The next song You Better Check Yourself (Atlantic 2456) may be the best Motown song not done by Motown, the bass introduction reminds one of James Jamerson. It didn't get much airplay but in fact I didn't come across it till I found a decent copy of it at the old Marion Goodwill next to the old Mays Drugstore. The group was led by John Ellison who sounded a cross between Little Richard and Wilson Pickett. The call and response from the other guys makes this a lost classic and why it didn't break big remains a mystery.
The next two singles, Ellison went for a more soul ballad style and neither sold either, copies of the songs becoming part of those 10 for a dollar 45 box sets that K Mart used to sell. Arif Mardin Co Produced and arranged Charles Armstrong's I Can't Live Without You (Atlantic 2535) and the followup Thank You Baby For Loving Me (Atlantic 2592). Their final Atlantic offering, What You Got (Sure Is Good For Me) (Atlantic 2645) was written by Charles Armstrong and showing more of a harding rocking edge than previous efforts. The record didn't sell and the Soul Brothers Six got dropped and basically broke up. But John Ellison would recruit new faces and they moved over to Philadelphia: LA Of Soul Records for three more singles that were regional hits at best and actually more of a funk feel than the Motown R & B feel of the Atlantic singles.
However The Soul Brothers Six, lack of sales would benefits others. Duke And The Drivers had a bigger hit with What You Got in 1975 and also covered Check Yourself. And even though there has yet to be a official release of an actual SB6 retrospective (Some Kind Of Wonderful can be found on Sire's Sweet Soul Music 1992 and Check Yourself is on The Beat Goes On-Best Of Atlantic Dance Music on Kent/Ace UK). Most of their singles can be heard via You Tube.
PS There's a early version of Oh I Need You Yes I Do (Lyndell 747 circa 1965?) that gives one a feeling of Wilson Pickett leading the Miracles.
One of the lesser knowns of the soul Atlantic era is The Soul Brothers Six, who released five good to great to classic singles. I don't believe they made an album for Atlantic which is a shame. Wikipedia calls their singles unimpressive which tends one to believe that whoever wrote that, never did listen or could get access to the singles.
Best known for Some Kind Of Wonderful (Atlantic 2406) (which Grand Funk Railroad took up to the charts in 1975), that song was their only chart appearance in their career. The next song You Better Check Yourself (Atlantic 2456) may be the best Motown song not done by Motown, the bass introduction reminds one of James Jamerson. It didn't get much airplay but in fact I didn't come across it till I found a decent copy of it at the old Marion Goodwill next to the old Mays Drugstore. The group was led by John Ellison who sounded a cross between Little Richard and Wilson Pickett. The call and response from the other guys makes this a lost classic and why it didn't break big remains a mystery.
The next two singles, Ellison went for a more soul ballad style and neither sold either, copies of the songs becoming part of those 10 for a dollar 45 box sets that K Mart used to sell. Arif Mardin Co Produced and arranged Charles Armstrong's I Can't Live Without You (Atlantic 2535) and the followup Thank You Baby For Loving Me (Atlantic 2592). Their final Atlantic offering, What You Got (Sure Is Good For Me) (Atlantic 2645) was written by Charles Armstrong and showing more of a harding rocking edge than previous efforts. The record didn't sell and the Soul Brothers Six got dropped and basically broke up. But John Ellison would recruit new faces and they moved over to Philadelphia: LA Of Soul Records for three more singles that were regional hits at best and actually more of a funk feel than the Motown R & B feel of the Atlantic singles.
However The Soul Brothers Six, lack of sales would benefits others. Duke And The Drivers had a bigger hit with What You Got in 1975 and also covered Check Yourself. And even though there has yet to be a official release of an actual SB6 retrospective (Some Kind Of Wonderful can be found on Sire's Sweet Soul Music 1992 and Check Yourself is on The Beat Goes On-Best Of Atlantic Dance Music on Kent/Ace UK). Most of their singles can be heard via You Tube.
PS There's a early version of Oh I Need You Yes I Do (Lyndell 747 circa 1965?) that gives one a feeling of Wilson Pickett leading the Miracles.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Music Reviews of the Great 50th Birthday Bash.
LOBO-A Cowboy Afraid Of Horses (Big Tree 1975) In terms of singer songwriters Kent LaVoie should be up there with James Taylor or Dan Fogleberg but you don't hear him that much. This was his final album for Big Tree, which really doesn't sound much different than the previous. Rocks a little here, tries for the big folk statement on The War To End All Wars and falls flat on his face. Had a minor hit with Don't Tell Me Goodnight. B
Aldo Nova-(Portrait 1981) Mullet rock before Bon Jovi did it better, Nova was a pretty good guitar player and had a big hit with Fantasy but the rest of the album falls somewhere that Loverboy was doing at the time. The ballads foretell the coming of Richard Marx. Maybe Aldo was ahead of his time. B-
Dave Brubeck-The Last Set At Newport (Atlantic 1972) Sounds more like a jam session than jazz and his rhythm section of Jack Six and Alan Dawson might be even better than the better known Joe Morello and Eugene Wright, judging from what I have heard from the Atlantic sides. Another good version of Take Five and Gerry Mulligan does a wonderful job. But we all know Paul Desmond was the secret weapon and he's missing. The side long Blues At Newport and Open The Gates prove that Brubeck sense of time and melody remain second to none. A-
Let's Active-Every Dog Has Its Day (IRS 1988) Needing a bit more muscle, Mitch Easter turns to John Leckie (XTC, Be Bop Deluxe) for a better sound and gets it. Musically, it's pretty good and the title track turned out to be a minor hit. But Easter's vocals still remain a tuneless acquired taste. Sometimes I can over look that. B
Neil Young-Prairie Wind (Reprise 2005) I think this was the followup to Harvest than Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon was more likable and when Prairie Wind came out I call it perhaps his less interesting album in years. A 2nd listen a few years later proved that time has made this a bit more listenable and The Painter & Falling Off The Face Of The Earth remain the highlights. I guess I can forgive him for the goofy I Knew The King eh? Original Grade C+ Upgraded to B+
Ian Hunter-Live In London (Great American Music Co. 2009) Taken from a 2004 concert that has Mick Ralphs joining in on guitar it showcases sometimes sloppy and at times Hunter tosses off lyrics as an afterthought. He doesn't even attempt the high notes of Standing In My Light. Brian May and Joe Eliott pop in on the sloppy All The Way From Memphis. Two versions of All The Young Dudes, the best one is the acoustic. Overall: you had to be there. B-
David Bowie (Rebound 1997) The early years when he was on Deram/London and comes as a cross between Anthony Newley and Syd Barrett and not in a good way. Love You Till Tuesday flopped as an single. C
Willie Nelson-Who Will Buy My Memories The IRS Tapes (CMG 1992) Just Willie and his guitar, singing some of his old better known originals. Too bad Sony Music didn't reissue this as the Original Naked Willie a couple years ago. Not exactly I would play every day but it's a curio that best to hear a couple times. I think I perfer his version It's Not Supposed To Be This Way on this than the others. B+
The Judybats-Native Son (Sire/WB 1991) Spotty debut. Their best song was a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators She Lives In A Time Of Her Own to which their record label forced upon them to record for a Roky Erickson tribute album. They never did topped that. C+
Aldo Nova-(Portrait 1981) Mullet rock before Bon Jovi did it better, Nova was a pretty good guitar player and had a big hit with Fantasy but the rest of the album falls somewhere that Loverboy was doing at the time. The ballads foretell the coming of Richard Marx. Maybe Aldo was ahead of his time. B-
Dave Brubeck-The Last Set At Newport (Atlantic 1972) Sounds more like a jam session than jazz and his rhythm section of Jack Six and Alan Dawson might be even better than the better known Joe Morello and Eugene Wright, judging from what I have heard from the Atlantic sides. Another good version of Take Five and Gerry Mulligan does a wonderful job. But we all know Paul Desmond was the secret weapon and he's missing. The side long Blues At Newport and Open The Gates prove that Brubeck sense of time and melody remain second to none. A-
Let's Active-Every Dog Has Its Day (IRS 1988) Needing a bit more muscle, Mitch Easter turns to John Leckie (XTC, Be Bop Deluxe) for a better sound and gets it. Musically, it's pretty good and the title track turned out to be a minor hit. But Easter's vocals still remain a tuneless acquired taste. Sometimes I can over look that. B
Neil Young-Prairie Wind (Reprise 2005) I think this was the followup to Harvest than Harvest Moon. Harvest Moon was more likable and when Prairie Wind came out I call it perhaps his less interesting album in years. A 2nd listen a few years later proved that time has made this a bit more listenable and The Painter & Falling Off The Face Of The Earth remain the highlights. I guess I can forgive him for the goofy I Knew The King eh? Original Grade C+ Upgraded to B+
Ian Hunter-Live In London (Great American Music Co. 2009) Taken from a 2004 concert that has Mick Ralphs joining in on guitar it showcases sometimes sloppy and at times Hunter tosses off lyrics as an afterthought. He doesn't even attempt the high notes of Standing In My Light. Brian May and Joe Eliott pop in on the sloppy All The Way From Memphis. Two versions of All The Young Dudes, the best one is the acoustic. Overall: you had to be there. B-
David Bowie (Rebound 1997) The early years when he was on Deram/London and comes as a cross between Anthony Newley and Syd Barrett and not in a good way. Love You Till Tuesday flopped as an single. C
Willie Nelson-Who Will Buy My Memories The IRS Tapes (CMG 1992) Just Willie and his guitar, singing some of his old better known originals. Too bad Sony Music didn't reissue this as the Original Naked Willie a couple years ago. Not exactly I would play every day but it's a curio that best to hear a couple times. I think I perfer his version It's Not Supposed To Be This Way on this than the others. B+
The Judybats-Native Son (Sire/WB 1991) Spotty debut. Their best song was a cover of the 13th Floor Elevators She Lives In A Time Of Her Own to which their record label forced upon them to record for a Roky Erickson tribute album. They never did topped that. C+
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
The Ocean Blue
Band from Hershey Pennsylvania that for a short time was the darlings of the 120 minutes fame of MTV and alternative radio, back when alternative radio was that and not the watered down modern rock it is today. They sounded more of a cross of Echo & The Bunnymen (but only more melodic), The Smiths (without the Morrissey whine to go with Johnny Marr's cheese) and Psychedelic Furs around Talk Talk Talk. And a bit of Roxy Music Manifesto too.
All their albums, you may not remember unless you hear the songs, but when you do hear the songs you will find that they do sound pretty good twenty years beyond the fact. While some perfer the debut and Cerulean which is their Smith's tribute, I like the 1993 Beneath The Rhythm & Sound which gave them Crash, which aired a few times on MTV 120 Minutes before MTV decided to go reality TV and gave up on music.
Steve Lau left and the last two recordings showed more of a rock and less polished sound. The Ocean Blue moved from Sire/Reprise to Mercury for See The Ocean Blue, but before anything good happened Polygram got swallowed up by Universal and the band was set free again. Davy Jones Locker was reissued in 2001 on a independent label and it was more stripped down but it was a better listen.
Since then, there has been an EP to which I yet to hear and their website continues to say that the guys are working on their next album. Nevertheless, you can find their albums in the budget or clearance bins at thrift stores. They did work their influences quite well and all of their albums are worthwhile. I've heard they were excellent playing live.
Albums
The Ocean Blue 1990 B+
Cerulean 1991 B+
Beneath The Rhythm & Sound 1993 B+
See The Ocean Blue 1996 B+
Davy Jones Locker 2001 A-
All their albums, you may not remember unless you hear the songs, but when you do hear the songs you will find that they do sound pretty good twenty years beyond the fact. While some perfer the debut and Cerulean which is their Smith's tribute, I like the 1993 Beneath The Rhythm & Sound which gave them Crash, which aired a few times on MTV 120 Minutes before MTV decided to go reality TV and gave up on music.
Steve Lau left and the last two recordings showed more of a rock and less polished sound. The Ocean Blue moved from Sire/Reprise to Mercury for See The Ocean Blue, but before anything good happened Polygram got swallowed up by Universal and the band was set free again. Davy Jones Locker was reissued in 2001 on a independent label and it was more stripped down but it was a better listen.
Since then, there has been an EP to which I yet to hear and their website continues to say that the guys are working on their next album. Nevertheless, you can find their albums in the budget or clearance bins at thrift stores. They did work their influences quite well and all of their albums are worthwhile. I've heard they were excellent playing live.
Albums
The Ocean Blue 1990 B+
Cerulean 1991 B+
Beneath The Rhythm & Sound 1993 B+
See The Ocean Blue 1996 B+
Davy Jones Locker 2001 A-
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
The Outfield
For all intent purposes, The Outfield was your basic three chord band that sang about love, failed love and missing love and winning it all love. From their Say It Isn't So, which reminded me of good Utopia to the Yes 90125 inspired Voices Of Babylon The Outfield was one of the brighter spots of the MTV led 80's generation but of course best known for Your Love which was a top 5 single in 1985. In some ways they were the UK counterpart to The Hooters, to which both bands made three albums and then moved over to MCA for a couple more.
For those who want one album, I suggest Big Innings which combines most of their Columbia singles with some choice MCA tracks from Diamond Days and the less satisfying Rockeye although Closer To Me did scrape the top 40 in 1992. Play Deep tends to sound too samey even with the hits and Bangin does rock a bit harder but their best studio album was the David Kahne produced Voices Of Babylon, a surprise failure of a album saleswise but overall, they did manage to alter the sound a bit more. They lost drummer Alan Jackman soon after and Simon Dawson came on board for the pretty good Diamond Days.
After Rockeye, MCA dropped The Outfield but they have continued to record, releasing Extra Innings, a batch of recordings for a sixth album but never happened for the defunct Platinum label and a very good Any Time Now in 2007 for Sidewinder Music. Extra Innings contains They Can't Knock You Down Again, which is the most heavy metal they ever sounded.
In 2009, Alan Jackman rejoined the band as drummer once again and The Outfield are working on a new album which has yet to be released.
The albums
Play Deep Columbia 1985 B
Bangin Columbia 1987 B-
Voices Of Babylon Columbia 1989 A-
Diamond Days MCA 1990 B+
Rockeye MCA 1992 B-
Big Innings Legacy 1996 B+
Extra Innings (unreleased) Platinum 1999 B
Any Time Now Sidewinder Music 2007 B+
For those who want one album, I suggest Big Innings which combines most of their Columbia singles with some choice MCA tracks from Diamond Days and the less satisfying Rockeye although Closer To Me did scrape the top 40 in 1992. Play Deep tends to sound too samey even with the hits and Bangin does rock a bit harder but their best studio album was the David Kahne produced Voices Of Babylon, a surprise failure of a album saleswise but overall, they did manage to alter the sound a bit more. They lost drummer Alan Jackman soon after and Simon Dawson came on board for the pretty good Diamond Days.
After Rockeye, MCA dropped The Outfield but they have continued to record, releasing Extra Innings, a batch of recordings for a sixth album but never happened for the defunct Platinum label and a very good Any Time Now in 2007 for Sidewinder Music. Extra Innings contains They Can't Knock You Down Again, which is the most heavy metal they ever sounded.
In 2009, Alan Jackman rejoined the band as drummer once again and The Outfield are working on a new album which has yet to be released.
The albums
Play Deep Columbia 1985 B
Bangin Columbia 1987 B-
Voices Of Babylon Columbia 1989 A-
Diamond Days MCA 1990 B+
Rockeye MCA 1992 B-
Big Innings Legacy 1996 B+
Extra Innings (unreleased) Platinum 1999 B
Any Time Now Sidewinder Music 2007 B+
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Van Halen
As a senior in high school, my first encounter with Van Halen was on a 8 Track that I bought at the local K Mart. At that time they had a 45 version of You Really Got Me and although it didn't chart very high, it was one of many great songs off their first album. You know you're in for a rude awakening on the backwards guitar intro to Running With The Devil and then Eddie showing off his classical chops on Eruption. In the punk and disco era, Van Halen was a different sound although Ted Templeman recorded it just like he did with the first Montrose album; guitar on one side, the bass in the other and drums down the middle. Of course it all ties in with the crazy singing of one David Lee Roth, the record is so perfect but now classic and modern rock plays Van Halen to death. But back in the days of the eight track, this was our version of modern rock re imagined.
What separates the David Lee Roth years and Sammy Hager is that the DLR albums averaged around 35 minutes, the Hager albums around 54. DLR had 8 to 10 songs, the Sammy years 12 to 15 thereabouts. And even though the Sammy Hager albums weren't all that bad, they had a tendency for the music charts and perhaps spoiled by the keyboard led Jump, Eddie would attempt to be a keyboard player as well as guitarist. I do have a soft spot for 1986's 5150 with Best Of Both Worlds and Get Up but didn't care for Love Walks In. OU812 was even more spottier and less interesting, didn't like it much then, don't care for it now. With For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge that turned out to be the hardest rocking of the Sammy years, Roundaround, Right Now and Top Of The World the best of the bunch, but on a second listen twenty years down the road F.U.C.K. had way too much filler. Balance lacked substance and the less said about Van Halen 3, the better. By then Hagar was bounced, Gary Cherone came onboard and reviews were bad all around. With good reason; Cherone over sings, and Eddie sounds bored throughout the whole 65 and a half minute affair. When listening to this I really wished that Gary, who really was pretty good in Extreme would just shut up. Only decent moments were Ballot Or The Bullet and although critics hated the final How Many Say I, I actually found it a blessed relief from wanking and screaming of Cherone. With that Warner Brothers dropped them.
Which leads us back to the original lineup. VH2 (1979) was more of the same but with a eye on the charts with top ten Dance The Night Away and the lesser charting Beautiful Girls, but there's no weak tracks on this album either. DOA, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, Out Of Love Again, even the cover of You're No Good was downright rocking. Women & Children First remains my favorite, leading off with And The Cradle Will Rock leading into the voodoo sounding Everybody Wants Some and then the Sabbath like of Fools, ending with the speed metal Romeo Delight. Again no weak cuts on this baby either, side two leading off with the bizarre Tora Tora and Loss Of Control to Take Your Whiskey Home, the goofy Could This Be Magic and concluding with the underrated In A Simple Rhyme which might be a ballad in some ways or a pop song, however I do dig the final 10 seconds of this song to which Eddie and Alex lead off with either a start of a new song or just goofing around.
The dark Fair Warning (1981) more darker and DLR throws a F bomb on Sinners Swing, Eddie throws us a evil opener Mean Street and side B lead off Unchained. Diver Down (1982) got a big hit with cover Oh Pretty Woman but to me that was the least of the DLR albums. It was too jokey and depended too much on covers although I think I liked Where Have All The Good Times Gone better than Pretty Woman. And then MTV broke them big on 1984 with the number 1 Jump. But on that album Eddie Van Halen discovered the keyboards and Alex electric drums. Certainly got top ten hits from I'll Wait and Panama but the lesser known such as House of Pain, Hot For Teacher and the prog rock sounding Drop Dead Legs, Van Halen was moving more away from the guitar drive of the first five records. But it also foretold that Roth didn't like that direction and things came to a head and Roth left for a spotty solo career which had some good moments (Eat Them And Smile) and some forgettable (Your Filthy Dirty Mouth) . Hagar replaced Roth and Van Halen managed to get bigger. Not necessarily better though.
As for their best of collections Best Of Van Halen Volume 1 showcase the battle of Roth vs Hagar and it's mostly the hits warts and all and the two new tracks recorded with David Lee Roth but they're really nothing special. And The Best Of Both Worlds is hardly useful I think. Buyer beware. Certainly Eddie has nothing to prove anymore and any new release wouldn't be a shadow of the glory years. But once upon a time when we were all young, Van Halen was the premier guitar band.
They really were and they still can do it. In 2012, the first album with David Lee Roth since 1984 came out and A Different Kind Of Truth shows that Eddie still be the best damn guitar player Tracks like Big River, She's The Woman, Chinatown and You And Your Blues as just as classic as the early stuff. The recording is a bit muddy and more rawer and could have used the Ted Templeman/Donn Landee touch but musicwise this is their best since Women And Children First. And that's saying something. And a surprise since Eddie swore he'd never work with DLR ever again. But somehow DLR always gets Eddie to play hard too. And that's a blessing.
Grades
Van Halen (WB 1978) A+
Van Halen II (WB 1979) A-
Women & Children First (WB 1980) A+
Fair Warning (WB 1981) A-
Diver Down (WB 1982) B+
1984 (WB 1984) B+
5150 (WB 1986) B+
OU812 (WB 1988) C+
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (WB 1993) B-
Balance (WB 1995) C
Best Of Van Halen Volume 1 (WB 1996) B
Van Halen III (WB 1999) C-
Best Of Both Worlds (WB 2004) C+
A Different Kind Of Truth (Interscope 2012) A-
David Lee Roth albums
Crazy From The Heat EP (WB 1984) C+
Eat Em And Smile (WB 1986) B+
Skyscraper (WB 1988) B-
A Little Ain't Enough (WB 1990) B
Your Filthy Dirty Mouth (Reprise 1994) B
DLR Band (Wawazat 1998) B+
Best (Rhino 1998) B
Diamond Dave (Magna Carta 2003) NR
Sonrisa Salvage (Friday 2007 reissue) B+
Selected Sammy Hagar albums that figured on this
Montrose (WB 1973) A+
Paper Money (WB 1974) B-
Standing Hampton (Geffen 1981) C+
Unboxed (Geffen 1993) B+
Chickenfoot (Redline 2009) A-
Chickenfoot 3 (E1-2011) B+
Certainly Sammy Hagar has a bigger LP discography but I really wasn't that much into his songs. The Capitol albums of the late 70s did spawn some FM classics such as Red or I've Done Everything For You (later covered by Rick Springfield) but I did get Standing Hampton on hit single I'll Fall In Love Again but the B side was a piece of crap called Satisfied, a throwaway if there ever was one. His biggest solo hit was I Can't Drive 55, from the Ted Templeman Produced VOA but never got around buying or reviewing it although I have heard bad reviews of it. And I avoided his MCA albums, didn't care for Mas Tequila. But after being bounced out of Van Halen along with Michael Anthony, they formed the supergroup Chickenfoot and actually made a album that rocked quite hard. I did include include the two Montrose albums simply of the fact that this sound was the basis of Van Halen, and I'm sure Eddie had a copy of that album laying around growing up. Montrose (1973) remains one of the best guitar rock albums ever put out in the 70s with underground classics like Rock The Nation, Make It Last, Space Station Number 5 and my fave Bad Motor Scooter. I do believe if there was no Montrose, there wouldn't be no Van Halen. Just my opinion.
In 2011, Chickenfoot 3 came out and like the first is hard driving rock and roll from Sammy, Joe, Micheal Anthony and Chad, and fun most of the time and still distinctive of having Anthony's backing vocals helping Sammy out. Surprisingly it didn't sell as well as the first album but for those who love guitar driven rock and roll will not be disappointed.
What separates the David Lee Roth years and Sammy Hager is that the DLR albums averaged around 35 minutes, the Hager albums around 54. DLR had 8 to 10 songs, the Sammy years 12 to 15 thereabouts. And even though the Sammy Hager albums weren't all that bad, they had a tendency for the music charts and perhaps spoiled by the keyboard led Jump, Eddie would attempt to be a keyboard player as well as guitarist. I do have a soft spot for 1986's 5150 with Best Of Both Worlds and Get Up but didn't care for Love Walks In. OU812 was even more spottier and less interesting, didn't like it much then, don't care for it now. With For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge that turned out to be the hardest rocking of the Sammy years, Roundaround, Right Now and Top Of The World the best of the bunch, but on a second listen twenty years down the road F.U.C.K. had way too much filler. Balance lacked substance and the less said about Van Halen 3, the better. By then Hagar was bounced, Gary Cherone came onboard and reviews were bad all around. With good reason; Cherone over sings, and Eddie sounds bored throughout the whole 65 and a half minute affair. When listening to this I really wished that Gary, who really was pretty good in Extreme would just shut up. Only decent moments were Ballot Or The Bullet and although critics hated the final How Many Say I, I actually found it a blessed relief from wanking and screaming of Cherone. With that Warner Brothers dropped them.
Which leads us back to the original lineup. VH2 (1979) was more of the same but with a eye on the charts with top ten Dance The Night Away and the lesser charting Beautiful Girls, but there's no weak tracks on this album either. DOA, Somebody Get Me A Doctor, Out Of Love Again, even the cover of You're No Good was downright rocking. Women & Children First remains my favorite, leading off with And The Cradle Will Rock leading into the voodoo sounding Everybody Wants Some and then the Sabbath like of Fools, ending with the speed metal Romeo Delight. Again no weak cuts on this baby either, side two leading off with the bizarre Tora Tora and Loss Of Control to Take Your Whiskey Home, the goofy Could This Be Magic and concluding with the underrated In A Simple Rhyme which might be a ballad in some ways or a pop song, however I do dig the final 10 seconds of this song to which Eddie and Alex lead off with either a start of a new song or just goofing around.
The dark Fair Warning (1981) more darker and DLR throws a F bomb on Sinners Swing, Eddie throws us a evil opener Mean Street and side B lead off Unchained. Diver Down (1982) got a big hit with cover Oh Pretty Woman but to me that was the least of the DLR albums. It was too jokey and depended too much on covers although I think I liked Where Have All The Good Times Gone better than Pretty Woman. And then MTV broke them big on 1984 with the number 1 Jump. But on that album Eddie Van Halen discovered the keyboards and Alex electric drums. Certainly got top ten hits from I'll Wait and Panama but the lesser known such as House of Pain, Hot For Teacher and the prog rock sounding Drop Dead Legs, Van Halen was moving more away from the guitar drive of the first five records. But it also foretold that Roth didn't like that direction and things came to a head and Roth left for a spotty solo career which had some good moments (Eat Them And Smile) and some forgettable (Your Filthy Dirty Mouth) . Hagar replaced Roth and Van Halen managed to get bigger. Not necessarily better though.
As for their best of collections Best Of Van Halen Volume 1 showcase the battle of Roth vs Hagar and it's mostly the hits warts and all and the two new tracks recorded with David Lee Roth but they're really nothing special. And The Best Of Both Worlds is hardly useful I think. Buyer beware. Certainly Eddie has nothing to prove anymore and any new release wouldn't be a shadow of the glory years. But once upon a time when we were all young, Van Halen was the premier guitar band.
They really were and they still can do it. In 2012, the first album with David Lee Roth since 1984 came out and A Different Kind Of Truth shows that Eddie still be the best damn guitar player Tracks like Big River, She's The Woman, Chinatown and You And Your Blues as just as classic as the early stuff. The recording is a bit muddy and more rawer and could have used the Ted Templeman/Donn Landee touch but musicwise this is their best since Women And Children First. And that's saying something. And a surprise since Eddie swore he'd never work with DLR ever again. But somehow DLR always gets Eddie to play hard too. And that's a blessing.
Grades
Van Halen (WB 1978) A+
Van Halen II (WB 1979) A-
Women & Children First (WB 1980) A+
Fair Warning (WB 1981) A-
Diver Down (WB 1982) B+
1984 (WB 1984) B+
5150 (WB 1986) B+
OU812 (WB 1988) C+
For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge (WB 1993) B-
Balance (WB 1995) C
Best Of Van Halen Volume 1 (WB 1996) B
Van Halen III (WB 1999) C-
Best Of Both Worlds (WB 2004) C+
A Different Kind Of Truth (Interscope 2012) A-
David Lee Roth albums
Crazy From The Heat EP (WB 1984) C+
Eat Em And Smile (WB 1986) B+
Skyscraper (WB 1988) B-
A Little Ain't Enough (WB 1990) B
Your Filthy Dirty Mouth (Reprise 1994) B
DLR Band (Wawazat 1998) B+
Best (Rhino 1998) B
Diamond Dave (Magna Carta 2003) NR
Sonrisa Salvage (Friday 2007 reissue) B+
Selected Sammy Hagar albums that figured on this
Montrose (WB 1973) A+
Paper Money (WB 1974) B-
Standing Hampton (Geffen 1981) C+
Unboxed (Geffen 1993) B+
Chickenfoot (Redline 2009) A-
Chickenfoot 3 (E1-2011) B+
Certainly Sammy Hagar has a bigger LP discography but I really wasn't that much into his songs. The Capitol albums of the late 70s did spawn some FM classics such as Red or I've Done Everything For You (later covered by Rick Springfield) but I did get Standing Hampton on hit single I'll Fall In Love Again but the B side was a piece of crap called Satisfied, a throwaway if there ever was one. His biggest solo hit was I Can't Drive 55, from the Ted Templeman Produced VOA but never got around buying or reviewing it although I have heard bad reviews of it. And I avoided his MCA albums, didn't care for Mas Tequila. But after being bounced out of Van Halen along with Michael Anthony, they formed the supergroup Chickenfoot and actually made a album that rocked quite hard. I did include include the two Montrose albums simply of the fact that this sound was the basis of Van Halen, and I'm sure Eddie had a copy of that album laying around growing up. Montrose (1973) remains one of the best guitar rock albums ever put out in the 70s with underground classics like Rock The Nation, Make It Last, Space Station Number 5 and my fave Bad Motor Scooter. I do believe if there was no Montrose, there wouldn't be no Van Halen. Just my opinion.
In 2011, Chickenfoot 3 came out and like the first is hard driving rock and roll from Sammy, Joe, Micheal Anthony and Chad, and fun most of the time and still distinctive of having Anthony's backing vocals helping Sammy out. Surprisingly it didn't sell as well as the first album but for those who love guitar driven rock and roll will not be disappointed.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Reviews of Albums.
Richard Thompson-Dream Attic (Shout Factory) The world's best unknown guitarist returns once again but this time out plays new songs in front of an audience that is probably going to the bathroom or getting more beer. The major difference between this and his last album Sweet Warrior is that Dream Attic's songs make great instrumentals. Although there are some good numbers (Money Shuffle, Demons In Her Dancing Shoes, Haul Me Up) the majority of the songs sound unfinished and in the case of Crimescene that song may be the worst thing he's ever penned. Plus the 73 minutes totat time of album gets too much to listen all in one setting. His least interesting since the Mitchell Froom overproduced Mirror Blue. C+
Goo Goo Dolls-Something For The Rest Of Us (Warner Bros) As if Let Love In never happened, the Goos give us a return to Boy Named Goo days with the bouncy and catchy Sweetest Lie and then as if their record label reminded them they need a couple hits to stay onboard return to the days of Let Love In with those sappy ballads. Used to be Robby sang the majority of songs up till Boy Named Goo, now Robby is allowed his two songs and one does rock pretty hard. I like them better when they come up with a Sweetest Lie and though it starts out promising, all the Iris rewrites tend to bog this album down in a big way. The girls that grew up listening to Dizzy Up The Girl and Gutterflower I'm sure are not listening to the Goo Goos anymore, they're now grown up and having families of their own. Unlike John Rzeznik still, living in 1997 and still looking for that epic followup to Iris. Improves over Let Love In but not by much. C+
Bob Wiseman Sing Wrench Tuttle-In Her Dream (Atlantic 1990) In Blue Rodeo, Wiseman was the eccentric secret weapon and shaping their early albums up to a cool degree. On his own it's easy to see why Wiseman was kept in check. Inspired by poems sent to him by the elusive Wrench Tuttle (and helped out by some Blue Rodeo players, namely the bass player and drummer and Ben Mink figures in this too) Wiseman adds interesting arrangements and brings in plenty of help from Mary Margaret O'Hara who channels Yoko Ono on Travel Agent. Another problem is the album goes on for 58 minutes and tends to grate on nerves. There's a reason why Wiseman was allowed a couple songs on Blue Rodeo albums, he doesn't sing very well. That's usually a problem for the eccentric artist who tends to make his original band's music sound classic but left to their own devices tend to really go over the edge. This is a classic case in point. C
Music thoughts
It's good to see From Good Homes reuniting and playing around their area although I don't believe that they will record anything new. It's beyond me why they never broke big, their RCA albums were just as good as anything Dave Matthews put out, maybe even better. For a good starting point, find Open Up The Sky and play that.
So Buffalo Springfield is once again returning to the stage although Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer won't be there since they're both dead. But they'll be a part of Young's Bridge concert series and although I don't hold my breath of anything new it all goes to show that as long as you're still alive there will always be a chance for reunions. Even Young sang about Buffalo Springfield Again. The question remains if Steven Stills can sing it better then he did on the CSNY deja vu live album.
Goo Goo Dolls-Something For The Rest Of Us (Warner Bros) As if Let Love In never happened, the Goos give us a return to Boy Named Goo days with the bouncy and catchy Sweetest Lie and then as if their record label reminded them they need a couple hits to stay onboard return to the days of Let Love In with those sappy ballads. Used to be Robby sang the majority of songs up till Boy Named Goo, now Robby is allowed his two songs and one does rock pretty hard. I like them better when they come up with a Sweetest Lie and though it starts out promising, all the Iris rewrites tend to bog this album down in a big way. The girls that grew up listening to Dizzy Up The Girl and Gutterflower I'm sure are not listening to the Goo Goos anymore, they're now grown up and having families of their own. Unlike John Rzeznik still, living in 1997 and still looking for that epic followup to Iris. Improves over Let Love In but not by much. C+
Bob Wiseman Sing Wrench Tuttle-In Her Dream (Atlantic 1990) In Blue Rodeo, Wiseman was the eccentric secret weapon and shaping their early albums up to a cool degree. On his own it's easy to see why Wiseman was kept in check. Inspired by poems sent to him by the elusive Wrench Tuttle (and helped out by some Blue Rodeo players, namely the bass player and drummer and Ben Mink figures in this too) Wiseman adds interesting arrangements and brings in plenty of help from Mary Margaret O'Hara who channels Yoko Ono on Travel Agent. Another problem is the album goes on for 58 minutes and tends to grate on nerves. There's a reason why Wiseman was allowed a couple songs on Blue Rodeo albums, he doesn't sing very well. That's usually a problem for the eccentric artist who tends to make his original band's music sound classic but left to their own devices tend to really go over the edge. This is a classic case in point. C
Music thoughts
It's good to see From Good Homes reuniting and playing around their area although I don't believe that they will record anything new. It's beyond me why they never broke big, their RCA albums were just as good as anything Dave Matthews put out, maybe even better. For a good starting point, find Open Up The Sky and play that.
So Buffalo Springfield is once again returning to the stage although Dewey Martin and Bruce Palmer won't be there since they're both dead. But they'll be a part of Young's Bridge concert series and although I don't hold my breath of anything new it all goes to show that as long as you're still alive there will always be a chance for reunions. Even Young sang about Buffalo Springfield Again. The question remains if Steven Stills can sing it better then he did on the CSNY deja vu live album.
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