Tom Petty – The Live Anthology
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Greetings internet citizens!
I've put my review online at Popdose for The Live Anthology, the fantabulous new box set from Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Click here to read it.
Quick review: Bribe your wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend/family member in any fashion necessary to get this as your holiday gift. It's a must have!
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CD Review: Bon Jovi – The Circle
Written by: Chris Akin
Wait a minute! I was under the impression that The Circle was to be Bon Jovi’s return to form album. Sadly though, “returning to form” leaves a lot to the interpretation as to what “form” is. For those of us that discovered Bon Jovi early on and helped to raise them to superstardom, “form” means the hard rock sound that bordered on metal and, well, kicked ass with its memorable hooks, heavy guitars and fun songs. Apparently for Bon Jovi, “returning to form” for them seems to mean jumping back away from country music and weird re-interpretations of their hits and returning to the generic, drab, “we’re not as good as Springsteen but we’re 10 times more accessible” drivel of albums like Bounce and Have A Nice Day.
There’s nothing at all that makes you take notice of The Circle as a real rocker. There’s nothing edgy. There’s nothing challenging. For Bon Jovi, returning to form simply means returning to a generic AOR sound that will woo middle aged housewives and convince programmers at the NFL broadcasters that they are the band that will “really rock” the pregame show. To sum it up in a single word – “sad” comes to mind.
View CommentsOld 97s frontman Rhett Miller releases new solo CD via Shout! Factory
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Rhett Miller is a busy guy. Just looking at the promotional blitz for his brand new self-titled solo album (out today via Shout! Factory) would make you tired. But then you add in Miller's main duties as frontman for alt-country rockers The Old 97s, and you've got a good ol' fashioned recipe for exhaustion for most, but for Miller, it's just another day in the life of a busy musician doing what he loves.
A high profile guest appearance during the season finale of the NBC comedy 30 Rock certainly did a great job setting the stage for Miller's new album (in addition to making us REALLY jealous here at ATV.) With the release of Rhett Miller, Miller is set to spend the summer on the road with his main band, touring under the banner of An Evening With The Old 97s. Miller will open each evening with a solo set showcasing material from the new record, followed by a solo set by bassist Murry Hammond, prior to the evening's main event, a headlining set from The Old 97s. That's truth in advertising right there folks, because you will indeed get "an evening with The Old 97s," and then some!
I'll have to admit that I've never been a huge Old 97s fan, but I've always had a keen interest in what Miller is up to, whether it's with the band, or solo. Perhaps my ears have been waiting for that right set of songs, and after hearing Rhett Miller (his fourth solo release overall,) I had to ask myself "Self, what took you so long?" An average friend of mine would look at the song titles on this new album and see titles like "Happy Birthday Don't Die" and automatically would assume that this album is likely already on my top 10 list for the year. And truth be told, that's probably exactly where this one will wind up.
As one that loves "love gone wrong" songs to pieces, there is plenty of that to love on this one, particularly with lyrics like the ones on "Like Love," where Miller sings about the girl that "wanted things I couldn't afford, like a house filled with laughter every night." Ouch. And Miller manages to hit the emotional core over and over throughout the album with sublime lyrics that encase songs that are musically lush with accompaniment, including some well placed assistance here and there from Jon Brion.
If you try to play "guess the Brion tracks" on this one, you'll be surprised - here, Brion is really just another member of the band contributing his talents to the good songs that Miller had already laid out on the table. Miller carries the bulk of the songwriting credits on this one with only one - "If It's Not Love" - featuring additional songwriting from Vertical Horizon lead singer Matt Scannell, and it's another lyrical winner:
Now the whole situation went to hell an hour late
are you on the side of reason
or is your heart made out of hate?
Ah kids, these are the albums that live for decades in my music collection. Nah, I'm not a hater of the female population - far from it (these days anyway) - but I do love a lyrical wordsmith like Miller that can throw down quality lyrics laced with pain and make it look so easy while they're doing it! I love the retro feeling that runs through this album - it's a vibe that puts you in a place that you can imagine walking into a bar to find Miller singing these songs, and while he'd be right at home in that setting, it would feel musically like you'd taken a step back in time to the 70's, and maybe a bit further back to the flower child moments of the 60's. But if you remember this album after you listen to it, did it really happen? I say yes.
Miller drags out the rock shoes to full effect on the previously mentioned "Happy Birthday Don't Die," thrashing his way through the song until it reaches what appears to be the conclusion at the three minute mark. Oh no, kids - we're not done. Miller and the band kick back in and jam for another minute and a half, and nail down my vote for the definitive rock jam of the album. I found myself staring at Itunes wondering if the new Cracker disc had somehow swapped its way into my CD player - Miller and the boys can throw down, that's for sure.
Seven records deep into the Old 97s catalog, what is it that leads Rhett Miller down the solo path anyway? Turns out, it's the same thing that leads many a band member outside of their normal comfort zone - "The reason I have to make solo records is because the nature of the band; when I bring ideas, they get voted down frequently," Miller says. "That's always been the case. The band is a democracy. But I have always told the guys that I want to make solo records."
"You can tell what the band doesn't like by listening to my solo records," Miller says. "Generally the consensus is that the band likes things that swing, things with a train beat that are rootsy and Texan. The things they don't get as much collectively are the songs that are poppier, as well as the stuff that's quiet and personal."
Rhett Miller was produced by producer Salim Nourallah, who also handled the same duties for the most recent Old 97s album Blame It On Gravity. Originally planned as an acoustic set, the list of contributors grew to include not only Brion, but also The Apples In Stereo drummer Jon Dufilho and guitarist Billy Harvey.
Check out a free download of "I Need To Know Where I Stand," the first single from Rhett Miller, and go catch a tour date when Miller and The Old 97s come to your city this summer. Here is a list of upcoming tour dates to help you plan your summer accordingly!
P.S. - Rhett Miller did an extensive series about the new album, and you can watch that series of interviews right here.
June 10 – Los Angeles, CA – “The Drop” at The GRAMMY Museum (Rhett Miller Solo)
June 18 - Rochester, NY - The Old 97s Party in the Park
June 19 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s
June 20 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s
June 21 – Philadelphia, PA - Theatre of Living Arts
June 23 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s
June 24 - Hoboken, NJ - Maxwell’s
June 25 - Beach, DE - Bottle & Cork
June 26 - Tarrytown, NY - Tarrytown Music Hall
June 27 - Towson, MD - Recher Theater
June 28 - Hampton Township, PA – Hartwood Acres
July 8 - Los Angeles, CA – The Music Box at the Fonda
July 9 - San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore
July 11- Snowbird, UT - Snowbird Festival
July 12 – Aspen, CO - Belly Up Tavern
July 14- Colorado Springs, CO Armstrong Hall
July 15- Telluride, CO Mountain Village
July 16 – Boulder, CO Boulder Theater
July 18 – St. Louis, MO – The Pageant
July 19 – Minneapolis, MN First Avenue
July 21 – Madison, WI Barrymore Theatre
July 22 - Grand Rapids MI Intersection
July 23 – Indianapolis, IN Vogue
July 24 – Louisville, KY Headliners
July 25 - Asheville, NC Bele Chere (free outdoor festival)
July 26 – Atlanta, GA Variety
Aug 1 – Amagansett, NY – The Stephen Talkhouse (Rhett Miller Only)
View CommentsOpening A Cabinet of Curiosities with Jane’s Addiction
Written by: Brian McConville
Editor's note: We're going to turn things over to my tattoo covered brother from another mother, Brian from Broken Headphones for today's post. In the following installment, Brian takes a look at the new Jane's Addiction box set A Cabinet Full of Curiosities.
Before I even start this review I have one thing to say to the members of Jane’s Addiction about this A Cabinet Of Curiosities box set that stands before me… What the hell took you guys so long??? With that said it’s time to talk about one of the more exciting box set releases I have seen this year thanks to Jane’s Addiction as well as Rhino Records and Warner Brothers Records.
I could be brazen by saying that nothing’s shocking about the boys of Jane’s Addiction releasing a box set of worthy unreleased demos, rarities, and live footage. The truth is though as a life long fan, I have been waiting for this for years and I knew it would have to happen eventually. Featuring the original line up with Perry Farrell (vocals), Dave Navarro (guitar), Eric Avery (bass instrument), and Stephen Perkins (drums) this box set surely makes up for that terrible Strays release. With two versions of the release out there for purchase, including a deluxe edition version with a wood box modeled after a curiosity cabinet, there is plenty of music here to be heard with three CDs and one DVD.
Back in the day when I was just a young naive kid trying to find my place there was this band that seemed to change the way I would look at music forever. They were different in the sense that they did not care about what the others thought. I really felt I identified with them in that aspect, plus their music was beyond amazing. They were the start of the alternative nation, a staple to the MTV generation before it became a fake plastic cable network. They were my idols for years to come.
Seeing this box set in my hands reminds me of almost 20 years ago when I tried to be like them, memorized all their songs, and started becoming the music fan that I am. I really was excited to see that this box set was coming out as it was almost a reminder of the careless times of my life. Full of songs I adored as well as music videos to bring back countless memories of the band, this was one of those box sets I needed to listen to in its entirety.
The first disc included a selection of tracks from the band’s earliest recordings from a 1986 Radio Tokyo Demo that basically was the start of their success. True fans will appreciate hearing the original young Jane’s Addiction, I know I did. Granted some of the songs appeared on (I believe) Kettle Whistle, but not all of them.
“L.A. Melody” was an impressive live track on the second disc showcasing Jane’s Addiction covering the Doors’ “L.A. Woman”, X’s “Nausea” and the Germs’ “Lexicon Devil” live in just less than four minutes. The song may not be a unreleased track as it previously appeared on the 1991 Live & Rare release, but it is certainly a gem I had long since forgotten about.
Hearing a dated Jane’s take on The Stooge’s “1970” was enjoyable as was the interesting “Bobhaus”, a random track featuring the lyrics of Bob Dylan’s “Like A Rolling Stone” sung over the music of Bauhaus’ “Burning From The Inside”. Trust me; you’ll need to hear this song for yourself.
The third disc was the best disc in my opinion thanks to a well recorded live Jane’s Addiction performance that was originally created in 1990 for MTV Italy (back when MTV was actually considered cool). Having never actually seen the original Jane’s Addiction line-up live, this CD was more evidence to me how insane this band was in their glory days and sounded top notch.
I found myself laughing when midway through the third disc when Farrell declared “That’s the first time I hit my own self in the balls” right before breaking into “Been Caught Stealing.” Maybe it was the illegal substances he ingested or just a pure accident, either way it was something to laugh at. I listened to this disc start to finish and loved the entire set list including “Three Days”, Whores”, and Mountain Song”. If you are questioning whether or not you should buy this box set, disc three is the answer on why you should.
One of the biggest disappointments of this box set is the lack of Perry Farrell’s delirious heroin driven cult smash flick Gift, which is nowhere to be found on the DVD. Previous to the release I had heard hints that the movie would be a part of the DVD making the release even more thrilling for me. Sadly it was omitted but I hope one day to see it pop up on DVD. I still kick myself for selling the VHS version I once had.
Still, the DVD itself had its entertaining moments with the home video-like Soul Kiss making its first appearance on DVD. Filmed in 1988, the footage shows the band flooded with illegal substances getting into mischief from moments like Perry Farrell and then-girlfriend Nicole firing bottle rockets in the bedroom with their pet rooster to Dave Navarro’s illusory smacking of an eel repeatedly on a counter. It was strange to see the original line-up so young again but it also brought back so many memories from the first time my young eyes saw it on VHS.
The music videos that finally made it to DVD were great to see again too. Even if MTV overplayed the hell out of “Been Caught Stealing” to the point I would shut the TV off as a youth I still watched it again this time around. Unedited and in their glory, fans can reminisce their youth by watching “Classic Girl”, “Stop!”, an well as “Ain’t No Right” and newcomers can see why this band was such an important act of the early Nineties.
Three live videos also appear from the 1990 MTV Italy performance, previously heard on disc 3, giving me even a better sense of how awesome that show must have been. I wish they would have just included the entire performance though; it just would have made more sense.
This release is more for the old school Jane’s Addiction fans who fed upon Nothing’s Shocking and Ritual de lo Habitual in the 90’s. Newer fans I think will enjoy it but it would be a wiser choice for them to just pick up the band's earlier studio releases before venturing into the unreleased demo realm. The remixed and remastered box set carries pristine audio quality throughout making the contents even that more meaningful to any Gen-X Jane’s Addiction loving fan.
I really hope that Cabinet Of Curiosities is just a release by the original members of Jane’s Addiction to tide fans over until they release new material. I recently read a rumor that NIN’s Trent Reznor might be working with them on a new album; after all he did invite them to play with him on the NIN/JA tour this year. With the NIN/JA tour looking quite successful so far I hope that Jane’s takes a hint and busts out some new material with hopes that it will be as striking as their older material is to me.
Jane's Addiction: A Cabinet of Curiosities (order via Amazon)
Track listing CD/DVD:
Disc 1
"Jane Says (Radio Tokyo Demo)" *
"Pigs in Zen (Radio Tokyo Demo)"
"Mountain Song (Radio Tokyo Demo)"
"Had a Dad (Radio Tokyo Demo)"
"I Would for You (Radio Tokyo Demo)"
"Idiots Rule (Demo)" *
"Classic Girl (Demo)" *
"Up the Beach (Demo)" *
"Suffer Some (Demo)" *
"Thank You Boys (Demo)" *
"Summertime Rolls (Demo)" *
"City (Demo)" *
"Ocean Size (Demo)" *
"Stop! (Demo)" *
"Standing in the Shower...Thinking (Demo)" *
"Ain't No Right (Demo)" *
"Three Days (Demo)" *
Disc 2
"Ted, Just Admit It... (Demo)" *
"Maceo (Demo)" *
"No One's Leaving (Demo)" *
"My Time (Rehearsal)" *
"Been Caught Stealing (12" Remix Version)"
"Ripple"
"Don't Call Me Nigger, Whitey" (feat. Ice-T & Ernie-C)
"L.A. Medley: L.A. Woman/Nausea/Lexicon Devil (Live 1989)"
"Kettle Whistle (Live 1987)" *
"Whole Lotta Love (Live 1987)" *
"1970 (Live 1987)" *
"Bobhaus (Live 1989)" *
Disc 3
Live at the Palladium 12/19/90
"Drum Intro (Live)" *
"Up the Beach (Live)"
"Whores (Live)" *
"1% (Live)" *
"No One's Leaving (Live)"
"Ain't No Right (Live)"
"Then She Did... (Live)" *
"Had a Dad (Live)" *
"Been Caught Stealing (Live)" *
"Three Days (Live)"
"Mountain Song (Live)" *
"Stop! (Live)"
"Summertime Rolls (Live)" *
"Ocean Size (Live)" *
DVD
Soul Kiss
"Mountain Song" (Unedited Version)
"City"
Music videos
"Had a Dad"
"Ocean Size"
"Stop!"
"Been Caught Stealing"
"Classic Girl"
"Ain't No Right"
Live at the City Square in Milan (for MTV Italy, October 1990)
"Whores" *
"Then She Did..." *
"Three Days" *
(* indicates previously unreleased tracks)
View CommentsIan Gillan – One Eye to Morocco
Written by: Kevin Brennan
Ian Gillan has released a new solo album and it's pretty good.
Gillan is one of the most distinctive singers of the past 40 years, spawning a graveyard full of imitators and wanna-bes, most of whom never came close to matching his energy and power as frontman for Deep Purple. Before you start with the "they're such dinosaurs" remarks, take another listen to Machine Head, one of the greatest hard rock records of all time. Those songs are filled with his lyrics and his vocals are a perfect fit for the music. A true moment in time, or a "Child in Time" for those in the know.
There are about 37 years in between that album and his most recent, One Eye to Morocco. While he's not the screamer he used to be, Gillan still brings a recognizable vocal presence that recalls the old days while showing his tamer side.
First off, the title song is a rock and roll trip to the Middle East, complete with a dreamy groove and a mystical feel that is ultra-cool in its restraint. If there still were such a thing, it would be the first single and a bit of a groundbreaker in its departure from his typical sound.
Next up is "No Lotion For That," a rocker which harkens back to the Purple sound of the 80s. Not too imaginative, not too fresh, but when a song rocks like this, it doesn't have to be. I could have done with a bit heavier sound and left the horn section behind but what the hell. A veteran bringing the goods and keeping it around three minutes.
Song three is "Don't Stop" which features a mellower guitar sound, more horns and a clippity-clop beat that would have made it to MTV if they still played music and if a guy who's old enough to be a grandfather could get his tunes played.
"Change My Ways" is heavier in the vein of "No Lotion" and features a little Santana-like breakdown of bongos and organ mid-song that is tailor-made for a load of solos live in concert. Pretty good stuff.
It sounds as if Gillan took his band to the beach for a day in the sun and they came back with "Girl Goes to Show." Reggae-influenced, slinky slide guitar and spending time with a girl. Not a stretch for most, but a departure for Gillan that works.
"Better Days" continues the slower pace with a heavy dose of the blues filtered through some slick production. Not bad, not great and not out of place here either.
"Deal With It" is a treat more for the production than the song. Cranked up, the instruments are very clear with a crisp acoustic guitar and dose of percussion that add the right color without overpowering the electric elements.
"Ultimate Groove" doesn't deliver on its name but is a mid-tempo blues rocker that features a pleasing mix of keyboards, bongos and guitar that works.
"The Sky is Falling Down" keeps it all moving at a comfortable pace and shows guitarist Michael Lee Jackson stepping out and handling it well while not going too far. Nice wah-wah Mike. Really.
Bassist Rodney Appleby brings a lot of bottom to "Texas State of Mind," which, with more guitar, less piano, no horns and a bit more speed, could have found its way on to Perfect Strangers, Purple's excellent comeback album of the 80s which reunited the classic early 70s lineup. But since it didn't turn out that way, it didn't do much for me.
"It Would Be Nice" plays the mellow verse/stomping chorus card and it sounds like everyone is trying too hard to make a mediocre tune into a good song. This is the dreaded filler cut.
"Always the Traveller" closes the album in a mellow way and brings out the sax, the organ and the sentimental part of Gillan's personality. "Always the traveller, I drift in the wind. There's something about you that's drawing me in."
That line sums up my feeling about this album. I have drifted far away from Gillan at times, not being terribly interested in his solo works following his initial departure from Deep Purple and then being sucked in again in the 80s only to fall off when Blackmore got bored and cashed it in for good. Now I am back again and I have found Gillan to be an artist who has more depth than I had presumed, who realizes that less is often more and that a singer needs to know his limits.
Hats off to producer Nick Blagona for often creating true aural beauty and showing a willingness to stay back and let the song do its thing. The band is also top-notch without being over the top.
Overall, One Eye to Morocco is a work of restraint that works pretty well.
Relevant Links:
Purchase One Eye to Morocco from Amazon - CD or MP3
Visit Ian Gillan's official website
View CommentsBilly Sheehan – Holy Cow!
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Some of the most talented musicians on the planet seem to get lost sometimes in the liner notes, next to the more recognizable "star" power. Billy Sheehan has luckily gotten more notice than some of his peers, and maybe a little bit of that has something to do with the fact that he's so frikkin' tall, but it's likely that it has even more to do with his legendary skills on four strings. Chances are, you know Sheehan's name from the celebrated Eat 'Em and Smile lineup of David Lee Roth's solo career, as a member of Mr. Big, Talas, his work with Steve Vai, and the list goes on and on.
As a musical nerd who really digs the cats like drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, bassist Stu Hamm, and guitarist Steve Lukather, Sheehan was of course one of the early names that wound up on my list of players that were just a ton of fun to watch, visually. My "nerd-out" record of 2008 was Lukather's Ever Changing Times, and like a rock to the head, along comes Holy Cow!, the new solo entry from Sheehan making sure that I won't find my "nerd-out" musical category lacking in 2009.
It's a bass player's record, which means that unlike OU812 and Justice, you can actually HEAR the bass on this one. And let's face it, some of these solo excursions can get pretty damn artistic, which is thankfully avoided by Holy Cow!. In fact, this album is a must for fans of King's X, Eric Gales Band, and yes, Mr. Big. While it isn't a King's X record, or even a solo record from a King's X member (although it does feature a guest vocal on a track from King's X vocalist Dug Pinnick,) I think that King's X fans in particular will enjoy Holy Cow!. The sound of Holy Cow! flies comfortably in the zone of what many fans (myself included) have come to love about King's X - AND it contains the SONGS that in my opinion have been missing from some of the more recent King's X efforts.
But this is a Billy Sheehan album, not a King's X album, and what you'll quickly learn from listening to it is that Sheehan is just as comfortable playing guitar as he is playing the bass. Sheehan plays the bulk of the instrumentation on the album himself (14 tracks total, including 3 bonus tracks for the U.S. release,) handling all vocals, bass, guitars, and even some harmonica. Drummer Ray Luzier (DLR Band, Army of Anyone, Korn) lays down the thud on Holy Cow! and the whole thing is wrapped together with an in your face mix that really shreds. In addition to Luzier and Pinnick, Sheehan managed to dial a few more digits in his cell phone for guest appearances, including, um, Billy Gibbons, who drops some sleazy Texas riffing on "A Lit'l Bit'l Do It To Ya Ev'ry Time."
The fretwork blisters to a fever pitch on "Dynamic Exhilarator" revealing the arrival of fellow Mr. Big bandmate Paul Gilbert on lead guitar, which might inspire some to remove their Holy Cow! artwork and rename it Holy F*ck! For ye who are in search of some instrumental wank, "Dynamic Exhilarator" will do ya right.
Holy Cow! is one of the most unexpectedly enjoyable albums that I've received this year, and really, I don't know why I was so surprised that it is so good. It's Billy Sheehan, folks!
Here's a coupla sample tracks to feed your ears and after you hear these, you'll be heading out to get your own Holy Cow!
Billy Sheehan - In A Week Or Two (I'll Give It Back To You)
Billy Sheehan - A Lit'l Bit'l Do It To Ya Ev'ry Time (with Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top)
Purchase Holy Cow! from Amazon - CD or MP3
View CommentsExpanded reissue of Warren Zevon’s major label debut in stores today
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Warren Zevon's classic 1976 self-titled major label debut gets an upgrade with a deluxe edition that hits stores and digital download today. The brand new two CD version of Warren Zevon, Zevon's classic Asylum Records debut produced by friend Jackson Browne, is fattened up with a second disc that is loaded to the brim with alternate versions, solo piano demos, and even a live track from a radio session recorded for Cleveland's WMMS.
The solo piano demos are a highlight, particularly the version of "The French Inhaler" that will make your heart ache when you hear it. An alternate stripped down take on "Carmelita" finds Zevon alone at the piano with a vocal that is gloriously unprocessed, and accompanied by a softly strummed guitar.
Goosebumps.
This version would have been an easy fit on the actual album. For other tracks like "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," the evolution is obvious, hearing the version found here on the second disc, and then hearing the familiar album version where they NAIL it.
And how about that album? Jackson Browne assembled one hell of a guest list for the Warren Zevon album, including Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks, on loan from Fleetwood Mac. Buckingham plays guitar on "Backs Turned Down The Path," adds harmony vocals to "Poor Poor Pitiful Me," and is joined by Nicks for harmonies on "Mohammed's Radio.
The rest of the guest list wasn't too shabby either, with Zevon getting help from JD Souther, onetime employer Phil Everly, Glenn Frey and Don Henley from The Eagles, Carl Wilson from The Beach Boys, and Bonnie Raitt. Phew! It's an enviable cast of characters to have as members of your all-star backing band when you're trying to make the album that you hope will establish you as an artist.
Zevon's disturbingly morbid sense of humor set him apart as a one of a kind artist with a voice and lyrics that were unmistakably identifiable in song as Warren Zevon, when you heard it on the radio.
More than 30 years later, Warren Zevon still stands on it's own - born of a promise made good by friend Jackson Browne to get Zevon, who had fallen on hard times professionally and artistically, a recording contract. Browne took it one step further and helped Zevon make an album that was an important first step towards eventual success. Upon release, the album sold poorly but got great reviews from Time, Newsweek, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times, to name a few, that helped lay the groundwork for future recording. And as we know, good things were indeed ahead for Zevon, including that "Werewolves of London" song.
The new liner notes offer valuable insight into the individual songs on Warren Zevon and include reflections and anecdotes from many of the folks that worked on the album, with the following quote from his son Jordan Zevon, which I thought was really cool.
"I have such affection for that record, because it does have so much of Dad in it," says Jordan Zevon. "If none of his other records had done anything or if it was the only record he made and he pulled a Nick Drake and kicked off early, I think it would be hailed as genius. But he had the success of 'Werewolves of London' hanging over his head with his next album, and I think that overshadowed how great this record really was."
This new Rhino expanded edition of Warren Zevon does a lot to remind us how great of an album it really was, and it's impressive to note that although many of Zevon's signature songs are present on the Warren Zevon album, he was just getting started. Zevon's unfortunate early exit from the planet leaves behind an important body of work that will hopefully be enjoyed by many generations for years to come.
Full track listing and bio for Warren Zevon.
Purchase Warren Zevon from Amazon - CD
Grab a listen to several of the tracks from Warren Zevon via Rhino's listening party.
Track listing for listening party:
1) Poor Poor Pitiful Me
2) The French Inhaler
3) Desperados Under The Eaves
4) Frank & Jesse James (Solo Piano Demo)
5) Carmelita (1974 demo)
6) I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead (Alternate version)
The deluxe edition of Warren Zevon is a good introduction for the Zevon curious and diehards alike. For further listening, might I suggest the one CD Genius compilation for a casual career overview, or the two CD I'll Sleep When I'm Dead anthology for those that are looking for a more in-depth Zevon career summary.
Live music fans will dig Stand In The Fire, the classic Zevon live album issued last year for the first time on CD, with bonus tracks.
And Crystal Zevon's book about Warren is essential reading for music fans, and will help to further illustrate the origins of the material found on Warren Zevon.
Links for all of these items, can be found below in the links section at the end of this post.
And dig this, a classic live 1976 Holland radio session featuring Warren Zevon and Jackson Browne. If you haven't heard this one, you need to!
Warren Zevon with Jackson Browne
1976-12-08
VPRO Studio
Hilversum, Holland
"The Offender Meets The Pretender"
Download lossless files from the Live Music Archive
01. Intro
02. These Days
03. Cocaine Blues
04. Linda Paloma
05. Mohammed's Radio
06. Frank and Jesse James
07. Hasten Down the Wind
08. Desperados Under the Eaves
09. Excitable Boy
10. For a Dancer
11. Something Fine
12. Carmelita
13. Werewolves of London
14. Back Turned Looking Down the Path
15. Carmelita
16. Mohammed's Radio
17. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Tracks 14-17 are filler recorded on the following day with David Lindley
Total 69:18.56
Relevant Links:
Warren Zevon official website
Warren Zevon on the Live Music Archive
Purchase I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon by Crystal Zevon
Purchase Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon
Purchase Stand In The Fire (1st time on CD with bonus tracks)
Purchase Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs of Warren Zevon
Purchase I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: A Warren Zevon Anthology
View CommentsMetallica + Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins = pretty Fookin’ good stuff!
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Metallica's Death Magnetic is now officially in stores, and seems to be getting high marks from fans and critics alike across the board.
Here are some reviews from blog friends o' mine including Rob @ 1888 Media, TJ @ Viva La Mainstream, and Chris Akin @ Pitriff.com shares no less than 4 reviews, including his own here. The Blabbermouth review is online with a rating of "8" and an overall user rating index of "8.1."
I'd say people are digging what Metallica has served up with Death Magnetic. For an album that I was completely not excited about, they've certainly delivered an unexpected winner of an album that sounds like the old Metallica I knew and loved so much.
The band played a record release show in Berlin last night that as promised, was heavy on new material from Death Magnetic. Historically with last night's show, the band became the first band ever to play at Berlin's brand new 02 World Berlin arena.
Here is the complete setlist from Blabbermouth.net:
01. That Was Just Your Life
02. End Of The Line
03. The Thing That Should Not Be
04. Of Wolf Of Man
05. One
06. Broken, Beat, and Scarred
07. Cyanide
08. Frantic
09. Until It Sleeps
10. Wherever I May Roam
11. For Whom The Bells Tolls
12. The Day That Never Comes
13. Master Of Puppets
14. Blackened
- - - - - - - -
15. Blitzkrieg
16. Jump In The Fire
17. Seek and Destroy
Check out video footage from the show, and also interviews with the band via this link.
Speaking of that, I finally got a chance to listen to the fantastic Death Magnetic radio special hosted by Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters hanging out for 90 minutes of interview time with the band, mixed with material from Death Magnetic.
Musician-to-musician interviews are always cool, as long as the person doing the interview is actually a fan, and Dave Grohl is certainly on record as being a big Metallica fan.
For those of you that missed it, here is the complete interview (ALL MUSIC HAS BEEN REMOVED! Buy Death Magnetic!)
The final segment which aired after the official broadcast ended is especially cool with discussion of various Metallica album covers, and also some talk about some of the guitars in James Hetfield's collection. With no schedule or commercials to worry about in the final segment, the band and Foo guys seemed to relax quite a bit.
Metallica w/ Dave Grohl and Taylor Hawkins from the Foo Fighters
live at Metallica HQ
Thursday, September 4th
segment 1
segment 2
segment 3
segment 4
segment 5
Relevant Links:
Metallica official website
Purchase Death Magnetic from Amazon - CD, 2 LP set, 5 LP set with bonus CD
View CommentsBruce Springsteen digital EP, Tesla live DVD available this week
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
Just a reminder for you all that Magic Tour Highlights, the new digital EP release from Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band, was released on Tuesday.
The release features Danny Federici's final appearance with the band from March of this year, and guest appearances from Roger McGuinn, Alejandro Escovedo (on a duet of Escovedo's "Always a Friend",) and a scorching 8 minute plus rendition of "The Ghost of Tom Joad" featuring Rage Against The Machine's Tom Morello.
Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band (with Danny Federici) - 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (March 2008)
Good music, and it's all for a good cause - all involved with the project, are donating their proceeds to The Danny Federici Melanoma Fund.
The digital release is available in a couple of flavors:
You can get it via Itunes - all four songs, plus a complete video for each track, and digital booklet for $7.99 (Purchase from Itunes)
You can also purchase MP3s only for $2.99 from Amazon (Purchase from Amazon)
We're gonna take everyone here, each and every one of ya and step into the time machine....go back to 1986
For the rockers, Tesla released their first ever proper electric live DVD (FINALLY!) called Comin' Atcha Live! 2008, released on the band's own Tesla Electric Company Recordings label.
The DVD is the first full-length live release featuring (relatively) new guitar player Dave Rude subbing in for former guitar player Tommy Skeoch, who is once again out of Tesla. While Skeoch is missed from a fan perspective, the good news is that on Comin' Atcha Live, Tesla sound every bit as kick ass as you remember.
The band were touring in support of their two volume Real to Reel covers project, but wisely choose a setlist for the DVD that is representative of a typical Tesla gig, with all of the hits, and happily, a lot of material from their most recent studio album Into The Now.
Into The Now is one of my favorite "new" releases from a "classic" band in the past few years, so I was happy to see so much material from the album represented here. In fact, if you saw the band on the Into The Now tour, this DVD is very close to the setlist that they were doing at that time.
All you need to know:
While I am still bummed that the talked-about companion live DVD to Replugged (with Skeoch) never materialized, Comin' Atcha Live is more than a worthy substitute. This DVD release finds Tesla still at the top of their game nearly 25 years after the first time they came together as a band in Sacramento, CA.
Tesla are still one of the best live tickets going, and Comin' Atcha Live captures their great live show brilliantly. There is the occasional bit of interview footage cut in, but for the most part, it's all about the rock and roll.
Shut up and play your guitar, indeed!
I'm thrilled to hear via the Rocklahoma press conference below, that we can look forward to a new Tesla studio album this fall. Make it loud, boys - I know you will!
Tesla Press Conference at Rocklahoma 2008
Tesla - Comin' Atcha Live 2008 DVD Trailer
Relevant Links:
Visit the Tesla official website
Purchase - Time Makin' Changes - The Best of Tesla from Amazon - CD or MP3
Purchase Tesla - Into The Now from Amazon - CD or MP3
Purchase - Tesla - Replugged Live - CD or MP3
Purchase Real to Real - vol 1 and vol 2
Purchase Five Man Acoustical Jam - CD and MP3, or DVD
View CommentsCelebrating 30 years of The Stranger by Billy Joel
Written by: Matt Wardlaw
"All summer, I was just taking in a lot of things - friends who would be splitting up, and others who would be getting together. The reason I called the album The Stranger wasn't just because of the song. Each song on it seemed to have some kind of strangeness, some kind of alienation about it."
Billy Joel - from the liner notes of The Stranger - 30th Anniversary Edition
The Stranger isn't my favorite Billy Joel album - that honor goes these days to Turnstiles (1976) with Songs in the Attic (1981) being a close second. The Stranger is however, the first album that turned my head (and then the doctor told me to cough, weird) and made me a quote/unquote Billy Joel fan.
The Stranger marked a turning point in Billy Joel's career and finally notched a successful album on Joel's musical resume, which was a good thing. According to Joel, it's likely that he would have been dropped by Columbia if the album had been a failure.
Prior to release, The Stranger was in line to become Joel's fifth album without a major hit. But as we all know, the exact opposite happened, and The Stranger was a massive hit, and even picked up a Grammy Award for "Just The Way You Are."
Sony/Legacy celebrates the 30th anniversary (although the celebration comes a bit late) with a special CD/DVD box set that features the obligatory remastered version of the original album, and a boatload of juicy extras, including a bonus live CD featuring a disc worth of Billy and band recorded live at Carnegie Hall in 1977.
An additional DVD features Billy's famous 1978 appearance on the Old Grey Whistle Test, a longtime favorite in the trading circles, commercially available for the first time. The DVD also includes a couple of promotional videos, and a 30 minute documentary covering the making of the album.
Sure, there are the expected essays and remembrances as well, and that's where this set really shines, is with the expanded material and extras. It's unlikely that anyone will be buying this set to hear a remastered version of an album that they already own - you'll be buying this set for the live stuff - that is the rock and roll carrot that dangles with this set, for sure.
It would have been nice to get the complete Carnegie Hall show, and it's hard to understand why that didn't happen. With Joel opening up the vaults quite a bit in recent years, hopefully we'll get a proper commercial release of a full-length Billy Joel show from "back in the day" sometime soon. There are certainly plenty of great radio broadcasts from over the years as a start, and who knows what other treasures are sitting in the vaults.
All you need to know:
Overall, from a content standpoint, the set pales slightly by comparison to the similar Legacy box set treatment given to Bruce Springsteen's Born To Run, a set that featured a great full-length E. Street Band gig from the time period, AND a 90 minute documentary.
From a packaging standpoint, The Stranger 30th Anniversary Edition is fantastic with reproductions of the Carnegie Hall poster, Joel's lyric notebook featuring the original handwritten lyrics, and of particular note is the great book featuring liner notes by David Fricke from Rolling Stone, and some really cool photos, all printed on glossy pages. The bonus live material sounds (Carnegie Hall) and looks (Old Grey Whistle Test) fantastic. Noted producer Frank Filipetti did a pristine job mixing the Carnegie Hall material, and it sounds great.
There are some exclusives at retail for The Stranger box, and Best Buy is my recommended retailer on this set - purchase the set at Best Buy, and you'll get a bonus 5 track live disc featuring 5 live tracks recorded at Nassau Coliseum on December 11th, 1977. Well known as a famous radio broadcast, the Nassau tracks are heard here for the first time from the original master tapes, and the bonus EP features a great version of "Summer, Highland Falls."
Listen to this....
Speaking of famous radio broadcasts, here is the first Billy Joel "bootleg" that I ever got my hands on, and it's still my favorite. Recorded at the C.W. Post Campus in New York on May 6th, 1977. This show is a magical glimpse into what it was like to attend a Billy Joel concert in 1977. I got goosebumps listening to this show, hearing Joel introduce "a brand new song, a premiere I guess.....I'd like to dedicate this to Christiano's Restaurant, this is called Scenes From An Italian Restaurant. "
Can you even imagine being in the audience for a song premiere like THAT?
While it has been years since Billy Joel's last album of "popular music," Joel continues to play shows and will celebrate the end of an era with a pair of shows at New York's famed Shea Stadium on Wednesday and Friday. The Billy Joel concerts will be the final concert events at Shea prior to the permanent closing of the legendary stadium.
Billy Joel
C.W. Post Campus
Brookville, NY
5/6/77
originally broadcast by WLIR-FM
Disc 1
1. Miami 2017
2. Somewhere Along the Line
3. Summer, Highland Falls
4. Piano Man
5. Scenes From an Italian Restaurant
6. James
7. Angry Young Man
8. NY State of Mind
9. Traveling Prayer
10. Traveling Prayer cont.
11. Just the Way You Are
12. The Entertainer
13. You Are My Home
Disc 2
1. Root Beer Rag
2. She's Got A Way
3. The Ballad Of Billy The Kid
4. I’ve Loved These Days
5. Captain Jack
6. Worse Comes to Worse
7. Ain’t No Crime
8. Say Goodbye to Hollywood
9. Weekend Song
10. Souvenir
Relevant Links:
Billy Joel's official website
A great Billy Joel fan site
Stuff To Buy:
Purchase The Stranger 30th Anniversary box set from Best Buy or Amazon.
Greatest Hits Volume 1 and Volume 2 - purchase from Amazon
Songs in the Attic - purchase from Amazon
Turnstiles - purchase from Amazon
Billy Joel discusses the 30th Anniversary Edition of The Stranger
View Comments
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Addicted to Vinyl
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