Been a while. Here we go.
Stuff I really liked (since the last post):
Iggy And The Stooges: Ready To Die
This is the Stooges album I have been waiting for. Mixes Raw Power and the first Stooges album together stylistically for one of the most fun records I have heard all year. Okay, there are a few quieter ones that don't quite work but the rest is strong enough to cover for it. And as for Iggy, well, he's still Iggy. His lyrics are defiant and juvenile in some places ("DDs" being the worst offender, which is a pity as the groove is awesome), and street wise veteran poet in others. So no real change, but who really wants one?
4 out of 5 Daves.
Jason Isbell: Southeastern
The ex-Drive By Trucker has come out with a very strong, very personal record. The arrangements are sparse, mostly, which can be a touch risky but here it highlights the quality of the song writing and lets the lyrics really come forward. "Traveling Alone", "Different Days" and "Songs She Sang In The Shower" are all fine examples, while the late album rave-up "Super 8" proves Isbell hasn't lost his rock edge entirely. There are a few near misses here but overall a very rewarding record.
41/2 out of 5 Daves
Queens Of The stone Age: ...Like Clockwork
Not the masterpiece some are claiming it to be, but a worthy addition to the band's catalogue. Much has been made of the guest stars on this record, but guest stars on QOTSA discs are hardly anything new. Look, if you like the band you will like this as well, my advice though is to either play it on loop for a few days until it soaks in, or start at track five so the more challenging material comes later. As with all their records it requires patience and commitment, and while the payoff isn't as great as with their first three records this is certainly the best CD the band has put out in a long time.
4 out of 5 Daves
VOLBEAT: Outlaw Gentlemen and Shady Ladies
Metal music with an early Metallica flair? Check. Wild West motif, including acoustic/slide guitar intros? Check. King Diamond? Check. Sing along choruses about dark stuff? Check. What's not to like?
4 out of 5 Daves.
Stuff I Kinda Liked:
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Spectar At The Feast
Here's the deal: I never really like a BRMC record until I have owned it for at least a year. Then I pretty much love them. This CD seems to be following the same path. At this point it seems like there are too many spaced out long songs on this record, or maybe too many in a row, and none of them has really grabbed me yet. But I do like quite a few tracks, like "Hate The Taste", "Teenage Disease", and "Sell It" for bring quintessential BRMC rockers. and their cover of The Call's "Let The Day Begin" is an excellent tribute to Michael Been from his son Robert. The elder Been was in that band and was touring as an engineer with BRMC when he died. Considering the weight that was on the band's collective shoulders this record could have been a disaster, but it is strong and varied and worthy of respect for that alone.
31/2 out of 5 Daves
Black Star Riders: All Hell Breaks Loose
So basically it's the last touring version of Thin Lizzy making new music under a new name with a few new players. Given that background, this disc is better than it should be but not as good as it could have been. There is a bit of variety here, which is nice, and a few really cool songs, "Bound For Glory". "Kingdom Of The Lost", "Hey Judas", "Bloodshot" and "Someday Salvation" all stick out. But the rest just don't quite cut it, second rate riff rock with the frustrating potential to be much more. Not bad necessarily, but not great either.
3 out of 5 Daves
Newsted: Heavy Metal Music
Here's another highly anticipated record that comes so close but just misses the mark. I like Jason Newsted and want him to succeed but this is a little sludgy and slow for my tastes. There are some shining moments though. "Soldierhead" is one of my favorite metal songs in a long time. "As The Crow Flies", "Long Time Dead" King Of The Underdogs" and "Twisted Tail Of The Comet" I also enjoy. But the rest are just kind of there. Too much recycled riffing and not enough change in tempo or feel song to song. But again, most of the material is pretty good, and certainly better than a lot of what passes for metal today. this is an old school metal record, flawed to be sure, but it may be pointing the way to some great stuff in the future.
3 out of 5 Daves
Queensry..er..Geoff Tate's Queensryche-ish thing: Frequency Unknown
My curiosity got the best of me. I broke down and got it on sale as I just had to hear how bad it was. Well, much to my own chagrin, I kinda like it. Heavier and angrier than expected,but considering the circumstances you can't blame the guy. While it doesn't have the atmosphere and dynamics of a QR record, it is surprisingly focused for a project worked on by so many people in such a short amount of time. Sure, these songs could have been expanded a little for length and mood, and the lyrics are uncharacteristically simple and to the point but I sort of found that refreshing. Look, I haven't really followed QR for at least 12 years now, and from everything I read Geoff Tate is pretty much a douche bag, but that has little to do with the music. And I enjoyed it. "Cold", "Dare", "Slave", "In The Hands Of God", "Life Without You"and "Everything" are cool songs. But I;m going to pretend those re-recorded QR classics at the end of the disc just don't exist. And as for his former band's disc? Next time.
3 out of 5 Daves
Meh:
Deep Purple: Now What?!
Not a bad album by any means, but not a Deep Purple album either. Lots of long, jazzy, soft prog pieces and not enough out and out rock. Great musicianship, but the songs don't quite have enough of that classic Purple flare. Actually, I think that's it, theses songs will probably be great live but on the disc there's no real fire. DP can't make a record without some gems though. "Hell To Pay", "Vincent Price", and "Uncommon Man" belong in any Purple fan's play list. The rest...well...
A BIT OF NEWS:
I will be focusing more on this blog in the future. I believe I may discuss some of my favorite records here as well as new stuff. Also I am probably going to start up a vinyl only discussion. Probably going to be a new blog, but maybe just a page here. I will decide soon and let you know. Excited!
