The good news is that Chickenfoot III is leaps and bounds ahead of their first self titled release. The bad news is some of the same problems remain.
Unless you've been living under a rock for the past few years you know that Chickenfoot is a band featuring the line up of Sammy Hagar, Joe Satriani, Michael Anthony and Chad Smith. And the reason they called their second record III is because a band's second record is traditionally not very good, so they just skipped it and went straight to number three. Funny. Oh, and the package is in 3D which is, granted, a gimmick to get some extra sales, but a fun one.
Okay, so here's the good stuff. The band sounds awesome, they've grown into a cohesive unit. Everybody sounds fantastic. Chad Smith is one hell of a rock drummer, I've always liked him in his day job with the Chili Peppers, but this is a different sound, just a powerhouse. Joe Satriani is a bona-fide guitar hero, but he pulls back a little here and plays like you should in a band. This will annoy some of his fans but he also spreads out and plays some acoustic stuff (loves me some dobro!) which is a nice change. Michael Anthony even gets a few good licks in on bass as well, though as usual you have to turn up your bass response to hear him, but certainly a good idea to do so. As for Sammy, he sounds about 20 years younger than his 63 years and can still scream with the best of 'em.
Song-wise this record is much fuller than the first as well. The music is slightly more varied. There's the acoustic and catchy "Different Devil" which would have made a killer Van Hagar single, the blues based hard rock of album opener "Last Temptation" and Zeppelin-ish "Dubai Blues", the all out non stop groove on "Up Next" and "Three And A Half Letters" and more.
This is a step forward lyrically too. Hagar's lyrics have always been a bit of a mixed bag, many being just half-assed sex/party songs. Yet he does occasionally get a little deeper and observational. The guy has something to say, but most people fail to look past the way he presents himself to see what's actually going on. Well, I'm happy to report that there are some of the good ones here. "Three And A Half Letters" is by far the best, it's about letters Sammy received from homeless people asking him for help. Tears, man. Also on the good list is "Up Next", Sammy's vision of the pearly gates. Not exactly biblical but a good song. Bonus track "No Change" is a nice generic protest song, and "Different Devil", as mentioned earlier is a nice sing along (with a one line exception). There are some more but these stand out.
And now for the problem areas. The first Chickenfoot CD was criticized for having too many songs that never really went anywhere and fell flat. They were also a touch too long for the pop rock songs they were. While there have been improvements in this area, a few songs like "Alright Alright", "Lighten Up" and the unwisely picked first single "Big Foot" still suffer from this problem (even if the video is kinda funny). They also suffer lyrically. I'm sure they're meant to be fun, but just come off a little lazy via comparison to what Sammy can do when he really tries. Also, "Dubai Blues" is a poor title and bad pun.
So bottom line is that Chickenfoot III is far from perfect, but has enough going for it to make it worthwhile. I really like seven of the eleven songs, and I must admit that even some of the sillier songs are growing on me with each listen. This is the kind of good time, big ass rock record that people just don't make anymore and that alone makes it a winner in my book.
4 out of 5 Daves
P.S.-I know, I know, no video. There's only one official, and it's a song I slammed so I don't think that's a fair representation of the CD or my review. Search for Chickenfoot III on YouTube, lots of stuff will come up.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Monday, October 3, 2011
Recent Release Roundup
Anthrax-Worship Music
This, finally, is the CD Anthrax fans have been waiting for. Not just because Joey Belladonna is back on vocals (though he's never sounded better), but because it's the strongest record they've done in years. It's a little bit darker than most Anthrax records and the goofy humor is missed. However, the music more than makes up for it. There are all out thrash numbers, which somehow feel fresh not dated, some heavy groove stuff (a la John Bush era) one or two tracks that are just this side of rock radio songs, and even a Soundgarden style number. An unexpectedly varied set from these guys.
As mentioned, this record is a little on the dark side, which is my only complaint. It just seems as though the band felt they had something to prove and they're trying too hard to prove to us how "metal" they are. The pentagram with the A for Anthrax in it was cute the first time, but come on guys we get it. You're metal. We've known it all along. The music speaks volumes, no need to push the point.
Anyway, a solid set. A few misfires here, but a winner nonetheless.
Key tracks: "Fight 'Em Til You Can't", "Crawl" "The Devil You Know", "Revolution Screams"
4 out of 5 Daves
P.S.-The sixteen year old me is amazingly happy with this set, and that counts for a lot.
Bottle Rockets-Not So Loud
After nineteen years as a band, the Bottle Rockets are releasing their first live acoustic album. The alt-country band has been criminally overlooked by most, coming out in the days of Uncle Tupelo, and being from the same town, these guys haven't ever really been given their fair due. This is a pity, because they have been putting out consistently quality material the whole time. The Bottle Rockets live shows are known for being loud, raucous good times, which makes this set all the more special and appreciated.
Captured live at the now defunct Lucas Schoolhouse in St. Louis, the recordings come from two nights in a very intimate setting, and are all the better for it. The casual environment created a chance for Brian Henneman to tell some entertaining stories, but more importantly it enables the focus to be placed squarely on the music. Coming across somewhere between Woody Guthrie and Neil Young, this is a delight of a set, and one that is recommended for anyone who has ever been curious about the band or considered themselves a fan of alt-country music.
Key Tracks: "Lucky Break", "Perfect Far Away", "1000 Dollar Car", "Rural Route" "Kerosene"
41/2 out of 5 Daves
Dream Theater-A Dramatic Turn Of Events
For the first time since the beginning of the decade I've been excited about a new DT record. After the departure of drummer and key writer Mike Portnoy I was quite intrigued. I have long thought that Portnoy had been given too much power within the band and wasn't the right guy to steer the ship. So I was looking forward to where the band would go on this first record without him.
And the answer is: nowhere new. I hear nothing but retreads of older material. Maybe my tastes have just moved too far away, but after four listens I remain largely disappointed. Now having said that, all the elements are there. The musicianship is still first rate. New drummer Mike Mangini fits like a glove, guitarist John Petrucci still plays lightning fast while conveying emotion, and James LaBrie is singing better than he has in years. So what happened?
Some of the blame can be put on the horrible job done in the mixing/mastering of the disc. It sounds quiet, flat and lifeless, even when turned up to twice the necessary volume. But the big problem is in the songs themselves. In the rush to put out an album and make a statement, the craft of songwriting has been lost. There are no memorable choruses here, something which Dream Theater has always been capable of in the
past. Sparse lyrics that fail to capture the imagination abound, and is it just me or have we heard some of these solos before? The heavier songs are not heavy enough and the quiet parts are too quiet. All in all it's an unmemorable collection of material.
Which is all too bad, because the frustrating thing is that there's a good record here somewhere. There are flashes of greatness in each song, it's just that the good stuff gets swallowed up in a bunch of muck. I believe that if the band would have taken a little more time here they could have really had something. I can't actually say it's bad, but I remain underwhelmed. However, prog-metal fans and die hard DT fans will no doubt be pleased.
Key Tracks: "On The Backs Of Angels", "Lost Not Forgotten" "This Is The Life"
2 1/2 out of 5 Daves (though my brother will surely disagree...)
Got a few more new CDs to write up. Look for more stuff this week.
This, finally, is the CD Anthrax fans have been waiting for. Not just because Joey Belladonna is back on vocals (though he's never sounded better), but because it's the strongest record they've done in years. It's a little bit darker than most Anthrax records and the goofy humor is missed. However, the music more than makes up for it. There are all out thrash numbers, which somehow feel fresh not dated, some heavy groove stuff (a la John Bush era) one or two tracks that are just this side of rock radio songs, and even a Soundgarden style number. An unexpectedly varied set from these guys.
As mentioned, this record is a little on the dark side, which is my only complaint. It just seems as though the band felt they had something to prove and they're trying too hard to prove to us how "metal" they are. The pentagram with the A for Anthrax in it was cute the first time, but come on guys we get it. You're metal. We've known it all along. The music speaks volumes, no need to push the point.
Anyway, a solid set. A few misfires here, but a winner nonetheless.
Key tracks: "Fight 'Em Til You Can't", "Crawl" "The Devil You Know", "Revolution Screams"
4 out of 5 Daves
P.S.-The sixteen year old me is amazingly happy with this set, and that counts for a lot.
Bottle Rockets-Not So Loud
After nineteen years as a band, the Bottle Rockets are releasing their first live acoustic album. The alt-country band has been criminally overlooked by most, coming out in the days of Uncle Tupelo, and being from the same town, these guys haven't ever really been given their fair due. This is a pity, because they have been putting out consistently quality material the whole time. The Bottle Rockets live shows are known for being loud, raucous good times, which makes this set all the more special and appreciated.
Captured live at the now defunct Lucas Schoolhouse in St. Louis, the recordings come from two nights in a very intimate setting, and are all the better for it. The casual environment created a chance for Brian Henneman to tell some entertaining stories, but more importantly it enables the focus to be placed squarely on the music. Coming across somewhere between Woody Guthrie and Neil Young, this is a delight of a set, and one that is recommended for anyone who has ever been curious about the band or considered themselves a fan of alt-country music.
Key Tracks: "Lucky Break", "Perfect Far Away", "1000 Dollar Car", "Rural Route" "Kerosene"
41/2 out of 5 Daves
Dream Theater-A Dramatic Turn Of Events
For the first time since the beginning of the decade I've been excited about a new DT record. After the departure of drummer and key writer Mike Portnoy I was quite intrigued. I have long thought that Portnoy had been given too much power within the band and wasn't the right guy to steer the ship. So I was looking forward to where the band would go on this first record without him.
And the answer is: nowhere new. I hear nothing but retreads of older material. Maybe my tastes have just moved too far away, but after four listens I remain largely disappointed. Now having said that, all the elements are there. The musicianship is still first rate. New drummer Mike Mangini fits like a glove, guitarist John Petrucci still plays lightning fast while conveying emotion, and James LaBrie is singing better than he has in years. So what happened?
Some of the blame can be put on the horrible job done in the mixing/mastering of the disc. It sounds quiet, flat and lifeless, even when turned up to twice the necessary volume. But the big problem is in the songs themselves. In the rush to put out an album and make a statement, the craft of songwriting has been lost. There are no memorable choruses here, something which Dream Theater has always been capable of in the
past. Sparse lyrics that fail to capture the imagination abound, and is it just me or have we heard some of these solos before? The heavier songs are not heavy enough and the quiet parts are too quiet. All in all it's an unmemorable collection of material.
Which is all too bad, because the frustrating thing is that there's a good record here somewhere. There are flashes of greatness in each song, it's just that the good stuff gets swallowed up in a bunch of muck. I believe that if the band would have taken a little more time here they could have really had something. I can't actually say it's bad, but I remain underwhelmed. However, prog-metal fans and die hard DT fans will no doubt be pleased.
Key Tracks: "On The Backs Of Angels", "Lost Not Forgotten" "This Is The Life"
2 1/2 out of 5 Daves (though my brother will surely disagree...)
Got a few more new CDs to write up. Look for more stuff this week.
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