Hard Rock – Page 8 – Zachary Mule

SWEET: LEVEL HEADED TOUR REHEARSALS 1977

(ANGEL AIR RECORDS; 2014)

A couple of albums after my all-time favorite Sweet record (GIVE US A WINK), the band was digging in with a new record label in the UK (they went from RCA to Polydor; they maintained their long-term relationship with Capitol in the States). The band’s sound had already started to shift to a more middle-of-the-road (MOR), more “mature” approach on the previous release, OFF THE RECORD, but LEVEL HEADED would be the album that gave them their first hit single of this new era, “Love Is Like Oxygen.” Before the LEVEL HEADED record had even been released, the band started making plans for their first tour in over a year; they retooled the stage show, jettisoning all of their better known pre-1973 tunes in favor of more music from the OFF THE RECORD and LEVEL HEADED albums (performing all of the songs from the latter… a very bold move back then); they worked up new arrangements for many of the more familiar tunes for a more cohesive live experience (for the first time, the band would be working with sidemen to bring the newer, more keyboard heavy cuts to life on stage: Gary Moberly on keyboards and Nico Ramsden as second guitarist). Under normal circumstances, after more than a year away from the stage, a group needs a certain amount of rehearsal time to get up to speed; working on the total overhaul they envisioned for the LEVEL HEADED tour, the band convened at Shepperton Studios somewhere near the end of September, 1977 to prepare for the tour, which kicked off in February, 1978, a couple of weeks after the album’s release. The release of LEVEL HEADED TOUR REHEARSALS 1977 – which has made rounds on the bootleg circuit for many years – offers a glimpse of the new sound and, warts and all, the progression from bold idea to masterful fruition.

Sweet (Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Mick Tucker, Andy Scott) (uncredited photo)

This set begins with a pair of GIVE US A WINK tunes. First up is theirfinal great, balls-to-the-wall single, “Action.” In this new arrangement, the keyboards take an even more prominent role than they had on the studio version and the second guitarist adds his own spin, quite apart from what Andy Scott’s signature sound offered; this new take isn’t really all that bad, just different. Of course, the vocals seem a bit thin in comparison to the multi-layered studio sound, which is to be expected with only the four unadorned voices of the band on display in a live setting. “Yesterday’s Rain” is one of my absolute favorite tracks from …WINK. Brian Connolly’s voice sounds particularly ragged here, but still strong. Scott’s fierce soloing and the harmony work he does with Ramsden are, indeed, awesome to behold (in a totally aural fashion). I would have loved to have seen the boys perform this one live! “California Nights” is a softer, more melodic tune from LEVEL HEADED, with a nice Steve Priest lead vocal. It’s a definite sign of things to come as the band moved in a more mature, hard rock vein. A cool, single-only track from the LEVEL HEADED period, “Stairway To the Stars,” rocks a little harder and features those high, piercing backing vocals for which the group is so well known. “Dream On,” an understated keyboard ballad, works as a nice interlude or transitional piece. Andy Scott’s voice highlights another ballad, “Lady Starlight,” a signal that the guys are definitely looking to soften their image on the new tour.

Sweet onstage, 1978 (Andy Scott, Nico Ramsden, Steve Priest, Brian Connolly, Mick Tucker) (uncredited photo)

“Lady of the Lake” is as unlike the Sweet‘s brash style as possible, a gentle renaissance-like piece. Listening to “Fountain,” a mid-tempo rocker that may best represent the group’s output at this time, puts me in mind of the 1973 Wishbone Ash classic, WISHBONE FOUR. The song features classic Ash-style harmony guitars and is highlighted by a cool slide solo and a memorable bass line from Steve Priest. “You’re Not Wrong For Loving Me,” a rare B-side from 1971, sounds ragged and not in synch at all; the guitars and voices seem to be doing different tunes. But, then, working out those types of kinks is what rehearsals are for, right? “Fox On the Run” gets an upgrade (not the original arrangement was bad) with a more keyboard heavy, radically different version of the stomping rocker. Oftentimes, a new arrangement can revive a tired classic or reinvigorate a band; you get both here. “Air On ‘A’ Tape Loop” is one of those wonky synthesizer/keyboard kinda experimental number that’s intended to show a group’s growth as musicians. Uh… okay.

Sweet, 1978 (Brian Connolly, Steve Priest, Andy Scott, Mick Tucker) (uncredited photo)

Another early B-side, “Done Me Wrong Alright,” once more recalls the more melodic sounds of Wishbone Ash. Connolly belts the tune out like the Brian of old but, the overall feel on this number points to the four core members of the group reaching a bit too far to make a point and in trying to make full use of their new hired guns. That’s borne out by an extended organ solo. The solo isn’t bad, but with Andy Scott shreddingon guitar before and after, I would have preferred a shorter solo from Andy or maybe another harmony piece with Ramsden, keeping the organ as a rhythm instrument. A kind of stripped down version of the then-current hit single, “Love Is Like Oxygen,” works far better than the distinct disco groove of the studio version. Brian’s voice sounds more natural on this type of tune at this point in his career, which may have been a considering factor in the Sweet exploring this subtler sound. “Set Me Free” is a true Sweet raver. The band was playing loose and easy and having fun; you can actually hear the guys laughing at one point, when Brian goes flat. As much as the group wanted to switch gears musically, eight years into their career, this style is their comfort zone and it shows throughout this song. “Sweet FA” is another mid-career barn-burner; the chorale part with the piano works really well and the organ pushes the sound closer to the hard rock land occupied by Uriah Heep and Deep Purple, which ain’t a bad thing. “Windy City” is the one where everybody lets rip. Connolly’s voice sounds like his throat has ripped open and Mick Tucker, Priest and Scott (as well as sidemen Ramsden and Moberly) attack the tune as if it’s their last gasp chance to rock.

Sweet (Brian Connolly) (uncredited photo)

LEVEL HEADED was the final album to feature Brian Connolly and the ensuing tour was the last time that this version – the most popular version – of the Sweet performed together. There are clues that the move to a more middle-of-the-road sound may have been precipitated by Connolly’s health problems. If that’s the case, it is a testament to the other three band members that they took the high road (so to speak) by taking the collective foot off the gas to accommodate their friend’s needs. This rehearsal session indicates that all four men were working overtime to make the new tunes work and, whatever the reasons behind the change in style, it is well worth the price of admission for fans of the Sweet, regardless of which era they favored.

ALICE COOPER: RAISE THE DEAD – LIVE FROM WACKEN

(DVD, BLU-RAY, CD; UDR MUSIC;2014)

Most everybody who knows me and everybody that’s read my stuff for the past 20 years knows that I am a huge Alice Cooper fan – the band, solo stuff, Billion Dollar Babies… chances are good that if Alice, Dennis, Michael or Neal are involved, I have it. Even through the rough times (as far as I’m concerned, those rough times are called LACE AND WHISKEY, ZIPPER CATCHES SKIN and TRASH… though they are not without their own redeeming qualities). For the last fifteen years or so, Alice the man has mounted a substantial comeback, cranking out some fine albums and touring continually with a show that changes and evolves almost on a nightly basis. Alice always manages to surround himself with musicians of the finest kind and, the band he had playing behind him on August 3, 2013 before a mass of humanity at the Wacken Open Air Festival in Germany was no exception. Now, with RAISE THE DEAD… , we can experience the sights and sounds that have thrilled and shocked audiences for more than 45 years; both the Blu-Ray and DVD releases come packaged with a two CD set which, between video and audio, manages to capture Alice’s entire Wacken show.

Alice Cooper, flanked by Ryan Roxie and Orianthi (publicity photo)

As it was the music that always drew me in, let’s start by an examination of the CDs first. One of the cool things about an Alice Cooper show is the set list; with 26 studio albums worth of material (seven with the band and 19 solo), the Coop always manages to throw in a surprise or two. Even though he took time to open for Motley Crue’s farewell tour, among others, he’s spent a couple of years on the RAISE THE DEAD tour and, even though the set has remained fairly constant during that time, he’s only recently (in Alice time) brought back “Hello Hooray” as the opening number. The tune hasn’t sounded this good since the original band did it back in 1973, even though Alice’s vocals do get lost in the guitar mayhem a couple of times. “House of Fire” is pop star Alice from the TRASH album. It is one of the stronger tracks from that record, so I can live with it. Without stopping to catch their breath, the band (long-time guitarists Ryan Roxie and Tommy Henriksen, long-standing bassist Chuck Garric, drummer Glen Sobel and hot-shot guitarist Orianthi) rip into “No More Mister Nice Guy.” There’s a little bit of playful risk-taking with that familiar guitar riff that adds a new dimension to the song. One of the original band’s snottiest songs, “Under My Wheels,” sounds even more garagey with the three prong guitar attack. Unfortunately, Sobel is no Neal Smith… but, then, who is? His playing is fine but, he just misses some of those subtle nuances that Neal added. Speaking of Mister Smith, his co-writing credit from Alice’s latest, WELCOME 2 MY NIGHTMARE, is up next. “I’ll Bite Your Face Off” was one of three songs on the record to feature the four surviving Alice Cooper members (with former solo mainstay, guitarist Steve Hunter, ably substituting for Glen Buxton); there’s not as much venom in this live version, but it’s still very much in the classic Cooper vein. “Billion Dollar Babies” is the song that finally has all players hitting on all cylinders at the same time, with Glen Sobel being particularly on-point with the complicated drum patterns.

“Caffeine” is an odd little ditty that somehow works better than it should. The vocals are a bit muddy (must be all that coffee!), but it sure sounds like everyone is having fun. “Department of Youth” is one of – if not THE – favorite song from an album of great songs (WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE). This version is really good, though I did miss any mention of Donny Osmond or Justin Beiber or One Direction or whatever flavor of the month was hot in August 2013 when, at the end of the tune, Alice asks, “Who’s got the power?” and, then, “And who gave it to you?” A minor complaint, I know, but it’s the simple things in life that get me through. Alice kind of reasserted himself after TRASH with the more rocking sound of HEY STOOPID. The title track, an anti-drug message wrapped up in a snide Cooper lyric, is sorta in the same sarcastic vein as “Caffeine.” This live version sounds even better than the original studio version, which featured both Slash and Joe Satriani on guitar. “Dirty Diamonds” is the latest in a long line of spy and crime oriented songs (“Halo of Flies,” “Crazy Little Child” and “Man With the Golden Gun” immediately spring to mind) from Alice. It’s a solid rocker but, still, it just can’t compare to those earlier tracks. It features a duet with Garric and Sobel showing off their rhythm section muscles to great effect; near the end of the duet, Orianthi, joins in for a nifty little solo over the top. There’s a subtle shift in sound on the track that launched Alice’s solo career, “Welcome To My Nightmare.” Touring without a keyboard player and eschewing a backing track for the majority of the show gives much of the solo material a slightly different, beefier sound. I like it! The song rolls right into “Go To Hell” from Alice’s second solo outing. This version is relatively close to the original, with a killer guitar sound.

Alice Cooper begins his transformation into the Cooperstein creature (photo credit: OLAF MALZAHN)

The second disc kicks off with the rarely performed “He’s Back (The Man Behind the Mask),” a track from Alice’s MCA days, which barely gets any love from the Coop (a situation that I really don’t understand, as there were some good tunes on both CONSTRICTOR and RAISE YOUR FIST AND YELL… especially side two of the latter). Anyway, gone are the cheesy ’80s synthesizer dance grooves, replaced by a heavier guitar sound, making it even creepier than the original version. Orianthi drops in a nice extended solo toward the end. “Feed My Frankenstein” may not be my favorite HEY STOOPID track, but it’s good theater. For a few tours, Alice would build a hulking monster out of body parts onstage. That worked really well but, now, he undergoes a “transformation,” turning himself into a Cooperstein; I like the idea… I’m just not too sure about that lumbering twelve foot tall Alice thing… looks kinda goofy to me. But, then, maybe that’s the whole point. The ultimate Alice Cooper song, “Ballad of Dwight Fry,” follows, as Doctor Alice is sent away for his crimes against nature. The traditional piano intro (a playback from the original recording) gives way to a haunting, reverb-drenched guitar from Roxie. Alice sounds even more schizophrenic and demented than usual, as “Nurse Sheryl” (named after Alice’s wife, who held the role until daughter Calico took over) torments the straightjacketed patient until he breaks free and chokes her. Now, that action is gonna get you punished, Alice… looks like you losing your head is gonna cause you to lose your head. The band plays the final, execution section of “Killer” (which doesn’t make it to the audio version of the show) as the guillotine does its thing, bisecting the villain at the neck. While Alice is dead, the band offers a truncated version of “I Love the Dead,” no verses just the chorus and the middle bridge section. It’s always been my favorite Alice tune and, after doing it this way for quite a few years, I’m kinda used to it.

Alice Cooper (Calico Cooper as Nurse Sheryl) (photo credit: PEP BONET)

As Nurse Sheryl inspects the body, a voice from beyond calls: “Alice Cooper. Alice, you’ve cheated death once again. How fitting that you should end up in the graveyard of the Hollywood Vampires… here with all of your dead, drunk friends.” Cue Alice’s return from the dead and the unmistakeable riff of the Doors’ classic “Break On Through.” Alice has often recounted the legendary binges that he and his drinking buddy, Jim Morrison, would go on; Morrison was a Hollywood Vampire before the club existed and exited before the first “meeting.” There’s some really nice guitar and drum work on the heavier, funkier version that Alice and his band offer up. John Lennon was a member of the debauched drinking club (and the only one who didn’t die of some sort of substance abuse) and Alice’s rendition of “Revolution” is spot on, particularly the backing vocals. Even though Jimi Hendrix wasn’t a Vampire, I’m sure that he and Alice ran into each other quite often in LA, probably at the Whisky on Sunset Strip. Since we’re talking about Hendrix here, this may not make too much sense but, consider the original before reading on. The beauty of “Foxy Lady” lies in its simplicity. Three guitarists, all trying to be Jimi, is just too much; everything else, including the vocals kinda get lost in the six-string melee. The next song brings things back to earth. The Who’s Keith Moon was a Vampire; Alice salutes him with a great, punky take of “My Generation,” a tune that he’s been doing off-and-on for the past fifteen years or so. Of all the covers, it sounds like Alice had the most fun with this one. As the song ends, he surveys the headstones of his friends, these four legends, proclaiming, “My dead, drunk friends.” It’s a great lead-in to…

“I’m Eighteen,” the band’s first hit single and the one that will always remind us why Alice, Glen, Dennis, Neal and Michael are considered one of the greatest rock anthem bands of all time. The next tune came very close to breaking my camel’s back as far as Alice Cooper is concerned. Oh, how I hate this song! It’s worse than “I Never Wrote Those Songs” and “(No More) Love At Your Convenience.” Combined. And, the most confounding thing about “Poison” is, he was dead sober when he wrote the thing; at least, when he did LACE AND WHISKEY, he had the excuse of living his life in a drunken stupor. For what it’s worth, the band sounded okay and the Wacken crowd (and everybody but me, apparently) really seem to dig this atrocity. As mentioned in a couple of other spots, the three guitar approach didn’t always mesh too well. “School’s Out” is an exception to that statement; the various styles of Orianthi, Ryan and Tommy (in order of their spotlight solos) work really well within the free-for-all confines of the traditional show closer. As he’s done for quite a few tours (probably as long as he’s done “My Generation”), Alice weaves Pink Floyd’s “Another Brick In the Wall” into the fabric of “School’s Out,” offering a unique, utterly enjoyable mash-up of the two. It’s become somewhat expected of “Classic Rock” acts like Alice Cooper to release a live document of their shows, seemingly one or two a year. These affairs can, unfortunately, be hit or miss. I’ve never been disappointed with live Alice (“Poison” aside). RAISE THE DEAD… is no exception.

Alice Cooper's final bow (Glen Sobel, Ryan Roxie, Chuck Garric, Alice, Orianthi, Tommy Henriksen) (photo credit: PEP BONET) — Alice Cooper’s final bow (Glen Sobel, Ryan Roxie, Chuck Garric, Alice, Orianthi, Tommy Henriksen) (photo credit: PEP BONET)

The accompanying video (available in DVD or Blu-Ray versions) sounds and looks great, though it is not without its problems. While we do have the entire “Killer” snippet leading up to the execution, both the Beatles and Hendrix numbers are cut. From “Break On Through,” the video jumps right to “My Generation.” Calico’s performance as Nurse Sheryl is magnificently over-the-top and the executioner’s post-beheading antics get a grin out of Chuck Garric. As Chuck exhorts the crowd to sing louder, the executioner holds the microphone up to the lips of the decapitated head, shrugs his shoulders and smirks, as if to say, “You ain’t got nothin’ to say now, do ya?” A great moment of sick humor. So, anyway, I mentioned problems. They are all directorial or editorial things that should not have happened since this was obviously a multi-camera shoot… meaning that they were all decisions made in post-production. It seems that the director had a very difficult time in finding, focusing on and following the solo or meaningful musical moment or cool theatrical moment. Examples include, but are definitely not limited to: A shot of Orianthi (granted, she is very photogenic), from behind, no less, when Ryan Roxie is playing a nice solo; a close-up of Garric behind his mic, before the chorus comes around and it’s his turn to actually sing… by the time he opens his mouth, the camera’s already off to the next incongruous shot; when we should have extended shots of Chuck, during his duet with Sobel, we see Glen and we see the crowd and we see long shots of the stage; during the climax of “Go To Hell,” Alice menaces Roxie and Tommy Henriksen with a whip… all we see is Alice flailing the weapon from one side of the stage to the other, either in close-up or from over Glen Sobel’s shoulder. Speaking of which, there are far too many such shots (over Sobel’s shoulder, I mean) and too many crowd reaction shots at integral points in the show (solos and such). These may seem like trifles to some but, to those of us who like to know what’s going on and who is playing which guitar part and what Nurse Sheryl is doing behind Alice, that’s what we wanna see, not a sea of indistinguishable faces in the dark. Having said that, problems aside, RAISE THE DEAD – LIVE AT WACKEN is a nice addition to your Alice Cooper collection.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI DVD/Blu-Ray HEY, MA! WATCH THIS Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | November 3, 2014 | Alice Cooper Calico Cooper Chuck Garric Classic Rock DVD/Blu-Ray Glen Sobel Hard Rock Heavy Metal Hollywood Vampires Horror Rock Jim Morrison Jimi Hendrix John Lennon Keith Moon Live Recording Music Orianthi Pink Floyd RAISE THE DEAD TOUR Rock and Roll Ryan Roxie Shock Rock The Beatles The Doors The Jimi Hendrix Experience The Who Theatrical Rock Tommy Henriksen Wacken Germany Wacken Open Air Festival 2013

PHILM: FIRE FROM THE EVENING SUN

(UDR MUSIC; 2014)

Slayer fans, rejoice. The band’s former master of all things percussive, Dave Lomabardo, is back with his trio, Philm, and their second full-length, FIRE FROM THE EVENING SUN. The album features touches of that old Slayer venom and the speed of their early thrashing metal and, of course, the thunderous sound of Dave’s muscular, yet tasty drumming. The album is, while not a complete departure, certainly diverse enough to satisfy both Slayer and non-Slayer fans alike.

Philm (Dave Lombardo, Gerry Nestlet, Poncho Tomaselli) (uncredited photo)

The album starts with “Train,” a chugging, pounding blues number with a memorable riff and suitably dark, menacing vocals. The song has a classic, threatening rock groove and, what else would you expect from Dave Lombardo? The thunderous “Fire From the Evening Sun” is next, with a swinging, near nursery rhyme sing-song vocal from guitarist Gerry Nestler, who also offers a super-fast solo, augmented by Poncho Tomaselli’s swooping bass line and a near-martial drum beat. There’s also a great hardcore breakdown toward the end of the tune. “Lady of the Lake” is an ARABIAN NIGHTS horror dream with awesome descending bass and guitar parts. Nestler offers another exemplary, stinging solo; Lomabardo’s drumming is a bit more subdued than his usual stormtrooper attack. A doom-laden “Lion’s Pit” is a Sabbathy bone crusher with vocals that somehow reminds me of “This Jesus Must Die” from JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR. It’s creepy and heavy and altogether cool.

“Silver Queen” is a heavy blues, evoking Leslie West’s Mountain. It features an unforgettable, thudding riff and a cool, sloppy Nestler solo. The next track, “We Sail At Dawn,” has a kinda restrained groove with a creepy, snaky guitar riff and an equally creepy vocal. “Omnisience” is sort of a heavier version of very early Killing Joke… at least until the fleet-fingered fretting that comes in at the end of the song. At less then two minutes, “Fanboy” is over almost before it gets started. The track is a twangy surf kinda thing that turns into a lightning fast thrash kinda thing. Woulda been cool if it lasted a bit longer and came back around to the beginning.

Philm's Dave Lombardo at work (uncredited photo) — Philm’s Dave Lombardo at work (uncredited photo)

“Luxhaven” has an odd Devo meets Dead Kennedys syncopation going on. With a spongy bass sound from Tomaselli and Nestler’s sore throat inducing vocals, the tune is very weird and very listenable. Up next, “Blue Dragon” is another – by now, patented – quirky stab at heavy. Again, the vocals are just a bit unsettling. I like that! “Turn In the Sky” sounds almost orchestral, with minimalist guitar washes and dexterous bass playing. The track features some of the album’s most powerful drumming from Lombardo. The final cut, “Corner Girl,” is a strange Hawaiian-cum-Vaudvillian thing featuring a slightly out-of-tune piano part and a nice nylon string acoustic bass figure. The song eventually turns into an even stranger calypso number, complete with a trumpet solo (by guest Sal Cracchiolo) before returning to its original languid feel. As mentioned above, FIRE FROM THE EVENING STAR has enough of the heavy, thrash stuff to keep the Slayer fans happy and enough quirkiness to intrigue everybody else.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | October 19, 2014 | Blues Rock Classic Rock Dave Lombardo Gerry Nestler Hard Rock Heavy Metal Music Philm Poncho Tomaselli Progressive Metal Rock and Roll Sal Cracchiolo Slayer Streaming Video Thrash Metal

BERNIE TORME: FLOWERS AND DIRT

(RETROWREK RECORDS; English import, 2014)

To most here in the States, the name Bernie Torme probably means very little. First of all, he is not the son of “Velvet Fog,” Mel, but, if you are one of the legions of followers of one John “Ozzy” Osbourne’s particularly lucrative solo career, you will remember Bernie as the hot-shot gun-for-hire brought in to continue the DIARY OF A MADMAN tour after original (and much lauded) guitarist Randy Rhoads found himself on the receiving end of a gravedigger’s hole-filling shovel in early 1982. Before saving Osbourne’s bacon, Torme had made a name for himself with Gillan, the band led by former and future Deep Purple frontman, Ian, appearing on three albums between 1979 and 1981 (including the UK chart-topper FUTURE SHOCK) and subsequent tours for each.

Gillan, circa 1980 (Bernie Torme and Ian Gillan) (uncredited photo)

After leaving the Ozzy Osbourne situation behind (it was never the guitarist’s intent to be a permanent replacement for Rhoads), Bernie formed Electric Gypsies, eventually renaming the group Torme (and bringing ex-Girl singer, Phil Lewis, along for the change). After a total of six albums (including an excellent solo record called TURN OUT THE LIGHTS, just re-released on Bernie’s own Retrowrek label and worth picking up), and experiencing minimal success, Torme hooked up with Dee Snider and Iron Maiden’s original drummer, Clive Burr, in the band Desperado. 1999 saw the release of WHITE TRASH GUITAR, credited to Bernie Torme’s Electric Gypsies, but for all intents and purposes, a solo record; in 2005, Bernie teamed with powerhouse drummer Robin Guy and his old Gillan bandmate, bassist John McCoy to form GMT (Guy, McCoy, Torme). The trio released two great studio albums and one live document in five years. Now, some fifteen years after his last studio album of new solo material, Bernie is back with FLOWERS AND DIRT, a two disc set with 20 totally unique Torme tracks.

The first track, “Crash and Burn,” is a chugging rocker, reminiscent of Bernie’s guitar hero, Rory Gallagher; the lead and solo work, however, are unmistakably Torme. Once a distraction on early releases, Torme offers a solid vocal performance, no doubt refined by his years leading GMT. A muddy sounding bass and a noisy, stick-in-your-skull riff fuels “Partytown,” allowing Bernie to run off some high-register solos. The lyrics, as the song’s title implies, are of the basic, throw-away variety. The vocals, again, are rock solid. “Blood Run Cold” blasts in with a hefty power chord that has you imagining a BILL AND TED’S BOGUS JOURNEY type scenario where some unfortunate (oh… Death, let’s say) standing in front of a massive stack of Marshalls is blown completely off the stage (and, maybe, through the back wall). As usual, the guitars are top-notch, the rhythm section (bassist Chris Heilmann, drummer Simon Jeffrey) is rock hard, the lyrics are a vast improvement over “Partytown” and, somewhere, buried deep in the mix is a bluesy harmonica (could it be Bernie’s old boss, Ian Gillan, making an uncredited guest appearance?)… this song just sounds LOUD! Slamming into your earholes with a Zeppelin-like riff and a John Bonham bottom end, “Your Voodoo” features Torme as a veritable guitar army, with finest-kind slide work and swirling, buzz sawing, psychedelically influenced runs thorughout. “Mister Fixit” has a great, bluesy “Train Kept A-Rollin’” kinda feel, with Phil Spalding offering up a nice, strolling bass line and Bernie delivering some awesome hair band inspired solos. Overall, this is one fantastic song. With Jeffrey playing on the rims and Torme’s funky, grooving guitar, “No Lips (Tsunami Blues)” has a slow-burning ZZ Top thing happening. There’s great interplay between the rhythm guitar, bass and drums and another awesome, slashing solo from Bernie.

“Devil and the Deep Blue” is flat-out Americana – bordering on new country. Even the shredding multi-layered guitars have that certain down-home vibe. The lyrics are a notch above and Torme’s vocals add a suitably menacing touch. Fellow Irishmen Bono and U2 have attempted songs like this, but they just manage to sound condescending (okay… to be fair, Bono ALWAYS sounds condescending); Bernie, Chris and Simon make it work and make it sound right. The guitar on “Lockjaw” has a kind of Chuck Berry-cum-John Sykes dichotomy thing going on. The tune itself is of the “storming-the-beaches,” chugging rocker variety. “Everybody Needs Love” has a distinct “Give Me Your Money Please” (Bachman-Turner Overdrive) vibe, with heavy drums (by Torme’s regular skin-pounder, Ian Harris) and another great guitar melody. The slow, near-balladic “Good Man Down,” while totally Torme, features an uncharacteristically understated guitar that still manages to bite, heartfelt lyrics and one of the most passionate vocals of Bernie’s career. The track leads into “Warpaint,” a swampy, foot-stomping blues number with Torme heating things up on the dobro. The major problem with the song is its length; it’s only two-minutes long and seems to just be hitting its stride before an all-too-soon end.

I think that “Bad Juju” is what they mean by “gut-bucket” rock and roll, with echoey bass and drums, a staccato descending riff from Bernie and a slide guitar lead part. “Mister Bad Luck” is a noirish strolling blues track. Torme’s guitar is about two parts CORRIDOR OF POWER era Gary Moore (another of Bernie’s early influences) and one part Ritchie Blackmore bombast… rather a nice combination. There’s more homage with “Highway Chains,” as Gallagher and Eric Bell (a solid blues player who formed Thin Lizzy and played on their first three albums) are referenced. The highlight of the tune is a fuzzy, over-modulated solo. Bernie’s vocal delivery on “Out in the Cold” has a distinct Bob Dylan feel, as do the symbolic, allusory lyrics: “Wanted you to believe/That you could always leave/Make your move and head on down the road.” Bernie unleashes a wicked, atmospheric minute-long solo over the slow but powerful groove, which reminds me of Epic-era Alice Cooper (maybe “Love’s a Loaded Gun” from HEY STOOPID). “Garden of Earth’s Delight” is a straight-out rocker with lewd, smarmy sounding vocals. Chris Heilmann offers up an intriguing bass sound and Torme does a cool “solo-as-rhythm” kinda thing that works really well within the context of the song.

Bernie Torme (photo credit: TRUDI KNIGHT)

Though Bernie has skirted around the issue a bit throughout the entirety of FLOWERS AND DIRT, it isn’t until “Spirit Road” that he lets his more adventurous side appear. The number has a distinctive mix of African and Asian influences, with Harris introducing djembe and Torme approximating the sound of a sitar on his guitar; a very psychedelic offering. At first blush, I was thinking of English highwaymen but, once all of the instruments were introduced, they became Moroccan robbers. The track is topped off with a beautiful acoustic solo from Bernie. “Turn of the Tide” starts off as a gently swaying folk tune and the vocals keep that folky feel throughout as brutally heavy drums and bass – not to mention some blistering guitar runs – drive the song home. The epic “Stoneship” has a big, heavy Black Sabbath feel with lyrics that are vaguely reminiscent of Sabbath’s SEVENTH STAR record. There’s a weird kind of swing in the doomy, dirge-like tempo that gives a feeling of dread. That feeling is only heightened by a monolithic guitar break. The final track, “Outlaw Blues,” is an honest-to-goodness cowboy song, featuring campfire harmonica, a semi-acoustic guitar and a twangy vocal turn from Bernie. It would seem as though Mister Torme waited for the last fourth of the album to veer away from the bluesy hard rock that he does so well, proving that he is most capable of just about any style. A couple of the more “standard” heavy rockers bog down a bit, but the rest of the record more than makes up for any shortcomings. The twenty tracks here-in have reminded me why I always loved Bernie Torme; it’s music that should be in everybody’s home.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | September 30, 2014 | Acoustic Music Bernie Torme Chris Heilmann Classic Rock Gillan Hard Rock Heavy Metal Ian Gillan Ian Harris Import Music Ozzy Osbourne Phil Spalding Psychedelic Music Randy Rhoads Rock and Roll Simon Jeffrey Streaming Video

HARVEST BELL: WHEEL OF FORETASTE

(BLOOD ROCK RECORDS/BLACK WIDOW RECORDS EP; Finnish/Italian import, 2013)

Harvest Bell is a Finnish metal and hard rock band who deserve to be huge! With moody vocals, atmospheric guitars and keyboard flourishes, a heavy rhythm section and… oh, yeah… great songs! Unfortunately, they only seem interested in releasing those great songs in bite size increments. The group’s latest, WHEEL OF FORETASTE, is a short 16:30 encompassing three tracks.

The opening strains of “Salutation” lets you know that you’re in for a doomy, gloomy hard rockin’ good time. The tune features some Maiden-esque harmony guitar parts (supplied by Petri Hama and Tuomas Heinonen), suitably subdued vocals from Jussi Helle and a cool swirling, psychedelic vibe. The sound puts one in mind of the very first Black Sabbath album (but with a far better singer), with more than a touch of SAD WINGS OF DESTINY era Priest and a dollop of the Smithereens dropped into the batter for a little alternative sweetening. “Afterglow” is all about the heavy atmosphere and even heavier riffs. The track starts of with some hauntingly simple guitar picking accompanied by a spooky organ (by guest artist, Aki Laaksonen) and a deep-in-the-pocket drum groove (the latter thanks to Juho Alhola). Things grow heavier and a little spookier as the song progresses, particularly Helle’s Dave Vanian-like disaffected vocals and the creepy backing vocals; in fact, the whole song has kind of a Damned feel to it… just one more thing to like about Harvest Bell. The final number, “Too Hard a Habit,” is a solid, heavy blues rocker. It’s highlighted by that Sabbathy crunch, some stun guitar, powerhouse drumming and a nice bass groove from Jarno Makinen.

There isn’t a lot of information about this band anywhere on the internet, but I did read in a review or some such that they have over twenty additional songs in the can. If that’s the case, all I gotta say is: “Please… for the love all that’s holy… release a full-length album soon!” WHEEL OF FORETASTE is available as a three-song CD or a two-track seven inch vinyl single (with “Salutation” and “Afterglow”) from bloodrockrecords.bigcartel.com.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Audio | Darren Tracy | September 27, 2014 | Aki Laaksonen Classic Rock EP Finland Hard Rock Harvest Bell Heavy Metal Import Jarno Makinen Juho Alhola Jussi Helle Music Petri Hama Rock and Roll Streaming Audio Tuomas Heinonen

GREAT LIVE ALBUMS (18)

Live recordings have been a part of the music industry since day one of the crude technology of the earliest devices. In fact, since there were really no studios available for recording purposes, all of those early “records” were “live recordings” in the strictest sense. However, the live album, as we now know it, is a completely different animal. That animal came into its own in the rock era and exploded with the release of ALIVE, a 1975 album by KISS, (a career making release with an overabundance of what has come to be known as “studio sweetening”), and FRAMPTON COMES ALIVE in 1976 (also hurtling “the face” and former Humble Pie guitarist to superstardom). With the unprecedented success of Peter Frampton’s fifth solo release, everybody and their brothers were releasing these documents of their latest tours (sometimes used as stop gaps between studio albums; sometimes used as a means to gain an artist’s release from a record label contract, commonly referred to as the “contractual obligation” record).

A lot of people don’t like live albums. I’m not one of those. Some of my favorite records were recorded on the road. Here’s a list of 20 live albums that I think are the best. These records are all official releases, not bootlegs… that’s a whole other list (and one you may see somewhere down the line, as well). I had a hard time keeping this list to 20 (it started out as a “Top10”) and, I’m sure that your list would look very different from this one. But, that’s what makes these things so much fun, right? So, here’s number 18, the next in a series of reviews presenting 20 live albums that you should check out:

(18) STATUS QUO: LIVE

(CAPITOL RECORDS/EMI RECORDS; 1977)

So, this was a hard one. Among all of the live albums that I love and listen to the most, this spot came down between three great records: LIVE BULLET from Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band, Rory Gallagher’s STAGE STRUCK and this one, my first extended listen to (The) Status Quo (aside from the 1968 psychedelic masterpiece, “Pictures of Matchstick Men”). With PHOTO-FINISH and TOP PRIORITY, the single record STAGE STRUCK album from 1980 comes from my favorite period of Rory Gallagher’s career and, with killer songs like “Shin Kicker,” “Wayward Child” and “Brute Force and Ignorance,” it’s hard to overlook on this list. As far as LIVE BULLET goes, this is truly the one that put Bob Seger over the top nationally and side three of the 1976 double album (“Ramblin’ Gamblin’ Man,” “Heavy Music” and “Katmandu”) may just be the single most perfect live side ever released. But, then, why LIVE, a little heard release from a little heard (take it easy, Europe… I know that these guys are huge there… in America, not so much) boogie band from the UK? Well… it’s a really good, rockin’ set and… this is my list! You don’t agree, make your own list. Besides, where do I draw the line? I mean, what about other great live albums that didn’t make my list? What about UNLEASHED IN THE EAST, IF YOU WANT BLOOD… YOU’VE GOT IT, ROXY AND ELSEWHERE, LIVE RUST or WAITING FOR COLUMBUS? It’s definitely a tough call on my part but, don’t just pass this one over; give it a listen… you just may find yourself as big a fan as I am.

Status Quo (John Coghlan, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster, Francis Rossi) (uncredited photo)

The Status Quo began their career as a psychedelic pop group, garnering a top 10 hit in the UK and a top 20 hit in the States with their first single, “Pictures of Matchstick Men.” Even though they experienced moderate success in England and Europe, by their third album (1970’s MA KELLY’S GREASY SPOON), they had dropped the Paisley sounds (they’d already become merely Status Quo the previous year, dropping “The” from their name), going for a rougher boogie sound; even then, it wasn’t until 1972 and album number five, PILEDRIVER, that they really started to roll, hitting number five on the UK charts. By the time LIVE was recorded, in October 1976 at Glasgow’s Apollo Theatre, the boys had a number two album and three number one’s. LIVE is Status Quo at the top of their game and on fire, ripping off blistering song after blistering song.

The Quo kick off the set with “Junior’s Wailing,” an old Steamhammer tune from 1969 that the boys covered on MA KELLY’S… . It’s a straight on, chuggin’ boogie stroll and a mission statement, declaring to all that this band means business. A coupling of the first two tracks from1974’s QUO album follows, with John Coghlan’s pounding backbeat taking no prisoners, even offering up a cowbell heavy mini-solo coming out of “Backwater” and leading into “Just Take Me.” The guitars (provided by the powerhouse duo of Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi) get a bit funky on “Just Take Me,” particularly the solo. “Is There a Better Way,” the lead track from the then seven month old BLUE FOR YOU album, is probably the best known Status Quo tune here in the US (outside of “Pictures of Matchstick Men”) and it’s as heavy as anything by that other group of boogie merchants, AC/DC… in fact, it could be the best AC/DC song that Bon and the boys never recorded. It’s highlighted by a booming bass from Alan Lancaster and a swirling organ from the newly-minted fifth member of the band, Andy Bown. It is, to these ears, boogie perfection. Side one closes out with a 1970 English single (which was added to a completely deconstructed and rebuilt American version of MA KELLY’S GREASY SPOON), “In My Chair.” It’s another strident stroll, with a cool Link Wray guitar figure and solo. Upon its release as a single in ’70, it just missed the top 20 on the English charts, a rather surprising thing considering that the previous single, “Down the Dustpipe,” reached number 12. Or, maybe not so surprising, as the British record buying public seem to be far more fickle than here in the States but, they like what they like.

Status Quo (The Frantic Four: John Coghlan, Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster) (uncredited photo)

On side two, we’re introduced to 1975’s ON THE LEVEL via “Little Lady” with its Chuck Berry stomp and “Most of the Time,” which starts off with a country boogie sing-along before the band kicks in. There’s another great guitar solo (there always is, isn’t there?) as the bottom end is awash in a sea of Coghlan drum rolls. “Most of the Time” may be as close as the bulldozing Quo came to producing a ballad during this, their boogie heyday. “Forty-Five Hundred Times” comes from the group’s widely overlooked (though chart-topping) 1973 offering, HELLO; I’m not really sure if the intro’s a joke or not, but they say that “here’s something… one of those albums that we get really tired of… ” before heading into a massive (nearly 17 minutes) roiling, solo-filled rendition. The song and the lads seem to pick up steam at about the seven-and-a-half minute mark, leading into an epic guitar duel between Rossi and Parfitt, with a lot of interesting interaction going on underneath from Lancaster and Coghlan. With the several time changes, and as I’m not familiar with HELLO, other than this and the other two tracks from it played here, this could be the band’s way of giving the fans a little bit of every song on the album.

Status Quo (Blue For You: Francis Rossi, Rick Parfitt, Alan Lancaster) (photo credit: BOB YOUNG ARCHIVES)

“Roll Over Lay Down” is the first of those other two HELLO numbers. It opens side three and features a kind of undulating, rolling vocal style (I know that description makes it all as clear as mud but, once you hear it, you’ll understand what I’m talking about). The boys take a fairly standard blues riff and ratchet up the power-chording to great effect. As the song’s feedback ending crashes into the heavier “Big Fat Mama,” the vocals sound like a beautiful meshing of the Tygers of Pan Tang’s Jess Cox and little Johnny Osbourne of Sabbath fame. The charging tempo and hot-rod fueled bass could very easily be a prototype for the forthcoming New Wave of British Metal. It’s a fun song from the PILEDRIVER record and a definite highlight in a live setting. Barely affording the crowd a chance to catch their breath, the band rips into the final HELLO tune, “Caroline,” which is highlighted by great work from the rhythm section – including Parfitt’s rhythm guitar – and one of the strangest drum solos I’ve ever heard before jumping into Quo’s homage-paying tribute to Chuck Berry, via Berry’s own “Bye Bye Johnny,” the album closer from ON THE LEVEL. The track turns into an audience participation affair, as they’re led through the chorus of, “Bye, bye/Bye, bye/Bye, bye, Johnny B Goode.” The only disappointing thing about the tune (and, indeed, most of LIVE) is that you just know that Andy Bown is in there somewhere, adding that Johnnie Johnson boogie-woogie piano to the mix; either he’s simply overpowered by the guitars or he’s been buried in the mix for some insidious reason.

Status Quo (On the Front Line: Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi, Alan Lancaster) (uncredited photo)

“Rain,” only the second song from the new BLUE FOR YOU album, opens side four. This might be my favorite Quo song of all time, featuring one of their best riffs and great sing-along lyrics. A couple of tracks from PILEDRIVER, the first and last songs on the record, brings the final side of LIVE to a rousing close. Fan (and band) favorite “Don’t Waste My Time” chugs along, eventually crashing into a killer 14 minute take of the Doors’ “Roadhouse Blues.” The percolating groove is punctuated by powerful performances by Coghlan and Lancaster, as well as tour manager Bob Young, joining in on harmonica. The chugging middle section is given over to the animated crowd , a traditional Irish jig (I think it’s called “Paddy O’Brien’s.” You know… it’s that leprechaun thing) and a snippet of the Johnny Kidd and the Pirates chestnut, “Shakin’ All Over,” before returning to the Doors tune to finish off the set. If you aren’t familiar with Status Quo or want to relive those glory years of the band, LIVE is the perfect place to start.

Status Quo (Live At the Apollo Theatre in Glasgow, 1976: Rick Parfitt, Francis Rossi, John Coghlan, Alan Lancaster) (uncredited photo)

The original American release of LIVE also featured the group’s then-current single, “Wild Side of Life” backed with “All Through the Night,” as a free insert. The latest version of LIVE that I’ve been able to confirm is from 2005. It features a slightly different running order, keeping it in line with the actual set lists from those three nights in October 1976.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | September 14, 2014 | Alan Lancaster Andy Bown Apollo Theatre Bob Young Classic Rock Francis Rossi Glasgow Scotland Hard Rock John Coghlan List Live Recording Rick Parfitt Rock and Roll Status Quo Streaming Video

IDES OF GEMINI: OLD WORLD NEW WAVE

(NEUROT RECORDINGS; 2014)

Listening to Ides of Gemini’s second full-length is like turning out the lights and watching one of those great Universal Gothic Horror classics like DRACULA or FRANKENSTEIN. You know that nothing’s going to hurt you, but you still find yourself looking over your shoulder or jumping at any little sound. The sound of OLD WORLD NEW WAVE is, at once, like nothing you’ve ever heard before yet reminiscent of everything that you’ve loved about music from… well, forever. “Black Door” is a throwback to the final couple of Plasmatics records with bludgeoning metal riffs and tough, anthemic vocals as Sera Timms seemingly channels the spirit of Wendy O Williams. The dirge-like and Sabbath-heavy rhythm section (Timms on bass; Kelly Johnston-Gibson on drums) of “The Chalice and the Blade” turns into a black-hymn grinder with appropriately atmospheric guitar from Jason Bennett. With a liberal dose of floor tom propelling the tune along, the vocals, lyrics and guitar stop just short of turning “Seer of Circassia” into a mammoth Gothic tune. “White Hart” features mystical, medieval Sherwood Forest lyrics with just enough echo on the vocals for a nice, creepy vibe. The primal beat underscores a classic metal guitar sound which eventually morphs into a fuzzy, feedback-drenched Neil Young-like riff.

Ides of Gemini (Sera Timms, Jason Bennett, Kelly Johnston-Gibson) (photo credit: DAVID LEE DAILEY)

“May 22, 1453” is a pulsing, throbbing slab of Gothic perfection, with evil sounding guitar and a more prominent vocal than the rest of the album. This is by far my favorite song on the record. With more musical references to Plasmatics, “The Adversary” also tosses in a touch of Glenn Danzig for good (evil may be more apt) measure. Bennett’s guitar tone and style moves into a George Lynch/Dokken direction, giving the track a near anthem-like quality. “Fememorde” starts off with a snaky, kinda Alice Cooper groove that turns into a Siouxsie-goes-Goth riff monster. A primeval modality and an almost atonal vocal delivery seems to be direct dichotomies to the title and subject matter of “Valediction.” Those dichotomies add to the eerie charm of the song. The final tune, “Scimitar,” has very much of a rock and roll “sway” and tonality. Timms’ vocals come off as rather droney and disconnected… as they should. You don’t have to be a big fan of doom (or any other form of metal, really) or Goth or any of the artists that were evoked throughout this review to enjoy Ides of Gemini; you just have to like music… really good music! You get that in spades with this release. (OLD WORLD NEW WAVE is also available on vinyl from SIGE RECORDS.)

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | September 6, 2014 | Doom Metal Gothic Metal Hard Rock Heavy Metal Ides of Gemini Jason Bennett Kelly Johnston-Gibson Music Rock and Roll Sera Timms

ANTI-MORTEM: NEW SOUTHERN

(NUCLEAR BLAST RECORDS; 2014)

The members of Anti-Mortem are, on average, 21 years old. That’s really nothing special… rock and roll has always been a young man’s (or woman’s) game, even though some of those youngsters have grown up and continued to excel at their chosen craft. What is special is that, on their debut release, these five Oklahomans have the sound and the chops of a much more experienced band. We can, perhaps, give a nod to veteran producer Bob Marlette for the sound but, the music and lyrics are all Anti-Mortem. And, even though there is a certain cohesiveness to the record, these guys wear their influences like a badge of honor: Classic 1970s hard rock, late 1990s new American metal, Southern Rock and dirty Blues all have played a part in making this band what they are. “Words of Wisdom” kick-starts the album with some nu-metal downtuning and a Classic Rock vibe. Toss in liberal doses of snotty Alice Cooper style vocals and a touch of Molly Hatchet Southern Rock arrogance and that, my friends, is what Anti-Mortem is all about. The title track cements the sound. It has a chugging Rob Zombie-like Southern stomp with a swampy Zakk Wylde kind of guitar thing happening. The chorus, “New Southern, I live this way/Going straight to Hell on a rainy day/New Southern, cuz I live this way,” is the basic theme of the album and credo for the band. “100% Pure American Rage” sounds like it coulda been an outtake from Alice’s BRUTAL PLANET album… about a bunch of kids saying “enough is enough.” There’s a line that goes something like, “This devil’s going to make you pay,” which sounds like a warning shot to those who seek to do us harm, all in the name of their “God.” But, the message is actually a quite different and very simple one, as highlighted in the video for the tune: “Choose your weapon!” The next song, “Hate Automatic” offers a similar sentiment, this time directed at a more homegrown kind of terrorist: The bullys, the kids that bring assault rifles to the playground and the classroom.

Hitting like a more intense Shinedown, “Black Heartbeat” is a vicious break-up song with a definite Southern groove dominated by Levi Dickerson’s solid drumming. “I Get Along With the Devil” is a rampaging, Metallica-on-steroids groover, highlighted by some awesome guitar work throughout, provided by Zain Smith and Nevada Romo. A Black Label Society kind of slow-cooker, “Path To Pain” features another onslaught of grinding, stinging guitars and what may just be Larado Romo’s best vocal performance. “Wake Up” is more of a mid-’70s hard rock thing, filtered through the grunge of Alice In Chains and the swamp boogie of Black Label Society’s early stuff.

Anti-Mortem (Levi Dickerson, Navada Romo, Laredo Romo, Zain Smith, Corey Henderson) (photo credit: CLARK DEAL)

“Ride of Your Life” has a horror feel… musically, it falls somewhere between Rob Zombie and the Michale Graves era Misfits. The tune features one of the more memorable riffs I’ve heard in a while and a really cool breakdown leading into a buzz saw of a guitar solo. I’m not exactly sure how to read “Stagnant Water.” It’s either about a murder or a suicide, revenge or blessed relief. The over-all lyrical message is, “Everybody has demons to face and a breaking point that sends them over the edge.” It definitely has some of the best imagery on the album. A “life on the road,” hookers ‘n’ musicians in heat song, “Truck Stop Special” kinda reminds me of SCREAM DREAM era Uncle Ted. The guitar even has that sweet tone that Ted is known for, especially on the solo. Finally, everything that you love about ’70s Southern Rock and late-’90s alternative and metal music is encompassed in one killer four-minute-and-fifteen-second track called “Jonesboro.” It is the perfect closer to a very strong debut album. (There’s also a bonus cover of Mister Big’s “A Little Too Loose,” which I haven’t heard… I’m not real sure which version it’s on.) I’m expecting great things from this group in the future. I’ve said this many times before and it bears repeating here: “Go ye forth, mine brethren (and sisterns?) and consume!”

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Video | Darren Tracy | June 22, 2014 | Anti-Mortem Bob Marlette Classic Rock Corey Henderson Hard Rock Heavy Metal Laredo Romo Levi Dickerson Music Navada Romo Southern Rock Streaming Video Zain Smith

DESERT WIZARDS: RAVENS

(BLACK WIDOW RECORDS; Italian import; 2013)

I am not enamored with this band’s name. I find it rather odd, kinda like Justin Bieber. Fortunately, unlike the Bieb, the music of Desert Wizards is highly listenable and, ultimately, RAVENS is one of the more enjoyable genre records of the recent past. The Italian quartet (Marco Mambelli, Anna Fabbri, Marco Goti and Silvio Dalla Valle) excel at a style of early 1970s hard rock that is best exemplified by Alice Cooper (when they were a band). Primary singer Mambelli’s vocals are heavily accented, something that may put some off but, may I remind you of a guy named Klaus Meine? For a short period of time in the early ’90s, his band, Scorpions, was one of – if not THE – biggest hard rock bands on the planet. Don’t miss out on some really good music for something that is a minor barrier to overcome.

“Freedom Ride” kicks things off in fine style, with riff-heavy psychedelic guitars and a beefy organ sound. The bridge builds from Mambelli’s bass before Fabbri’s churchy organ and Valle’s charging drums lead into the two wildly careening guitarists (Goti and Mambelli) who are seemingly soloing against each other. As the drums slow to a martial beat, the organ and guitars seem to swirl as Mambelli’s spoken word, Jim Morrison trance-like vocal trails to the end of the nearly eight minute track. The next tune, “Babylonia,” starts with a nice guitar part, with single notes. The pace picks up at about the 2:10 mark before exploding into a great solo a half minute later. The male/female vocals seem to break into dark angel/Holy angel parts. It’s kinda hard to tell for sure, though, as some of the lyrics don’t really translate well to English: “Between rivers, there’s a Holy river/Beyond grey and purple sky/Babylonia is so much dizzy/For your heart and for your mind.” Thankfully, the lyrical oddities don’t really detract from the song. There is what sounds like humming voices throughout “Back To Blue,” which seem to be very much at odds with the music. This creates a jarringly discordant dichotomy that is, no doubt, purposeful, as it is not entirely displeasing. The track is a slow burn until almost three minutes in, when everything comes into synch with a muscular guitar solo. A little over two minutes later, the whole thing tries to fall in upon itself. As for the vocals, they a quite dreamy and buried deep in the mix; in this instance, the tune probably would have worked better as an instrumental. “Blackbird” sounds like a continuation of the previous number, though maybe more fully realized. The piano at the beginning reminds me of Alice Cooper’s “Ballad of Dwight Fry” and this is certainly a better attempt at a ballad than “Back To Blue,” though the lyrics are very dark. In fact, the “Ballad of Dwight Fry” comparison continues in the lyrics: “I hear someone screaming/Confusion in my mind.” Fabbri takes the lead on organ during the instrumental before another cool guitar solo. This is probably the most progressive sounding tune on the album.

Desert Wizards (photo credit: PINO PINTABONA)

“Dick Allen Blues” is the track where everything gels into a perfect miasma of rock ‘n’ roll bliss. The psychedelia-laced hard rock’s heavy organ is very much in the vein of early (Mach I, in fact) Deep Purple. There’s a strong Native American vibe on “Electric Sunshine,” both melodically and lyrically (minimal though they are): “Feed your head/Look at the sunrise/Feed your eyes.” The song also has a hint of Uriah Heep’s Ken Hensley with the slightly hypnotic organ, chord progressions and vocals. “Burn Into the Sky” features more forceful vocals, though they’re still muddied in the mix, which has me wondering if this is a compensation for the accent. The chunky riffing turns into a Sabbath-like bass heavy dirge somewhere around 2:50 – a very cool, atmospheric sound. There are also some very impressive wah-wah drenched solos before the song kicks back in at about 5:10. With a Gothic/Damned feel, “Vampire’s Queen” displays what may be the best lyrics on the record during the chorus: “Oh wake up, Lady Vampira/I need your poison as you need my blood/Take me down to the river of madness/Drag me to Hell, give me your bite.” The break comes along at about the three-and-a-half minute mark and, with a grand touch of menace, is head and shoulders above anything else on the album. Quite possibly the most fully realized song here. The Gothic theme continues with “Bad Dreams.” The piece starts with a fever-dream guitar signature, a lot like Alice’s “Halo of Flies.” A buzzing guitar, soloing throughout, adds to the swirling dementia. A cacophony of noise houses Vincent Price’s recitation of Poe’s “The Raven” before a more pastoral bridge that breaks down into a driving, frenzied terminus.

The CD version of the album features a bonus track, a cover of Pink Floyd’s “Childhood’s End” from the ONE OF MY TURNS tribute record. It’s a fairly faithful version that, while enjoyable, seems rather out of place here. Desert Wizards is a good band that could elevate their game – as Scorpions did – by hiring someone to help with English lyrics. You can pick up the CD version of RAVENS (as well as the band’s self-titled debut) from Amazon or from the Italian record company at www.blackwidow.it, but.. it ain’t gonna be cheap!

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews Streaming Audio | Darren Tracy | April 10, 2014 | Anna Fabbri Desert Wizards Hard Rock Import Italy Marco Goti Marco Mambelli Music Pink Floyd Progressive Rock Rock and Roll Silvio Dalla Valle Streaming Audio

DUST: HARD ATTACK/DUST

(LEGACY/KAMA SUTRA/BUDDAH/SONY; 2013)

Oh, how I loved Dust the first time I heard the awesomely epic (or was it “epicly awesome?”) “From a Dry Camel” on the radio in the early ’70s! Unfortunately, I only had two choices when it came to actual record purchases (I’ve always loved the serenity of a small rural community, but I sometimes had to give up certain things – like a vast sea of vinyl for my music fix): the local Radio Shack (which didn’t do too bad supplying some of the more obtuse music that I craved) and a Woolworth’s in a town 20 miles away (I was occasionally surprised by some of the things found in the bins there). So, it was somewhere around 1978 when I actually found and bought myself a copy of the band’s self-titled debut album and their second offering, HARD ATTACK (for 99 cents each, in a cut-out bin!). Ah, the memories that those pristine slabs of sound brought me! Now, through the graces of the fine folk at Legacy, those memories are rushing back, with the reissue of both albums on one CD.

Oddly, HARD ATTACK features first here, followed by DUST. I guess it makes a certain amount of sense as, in my opinion, the first album was the stronger set. It rocked a little harder, while HARD ATTACK was a more refined collection, with better production values, softer song structures and melodies that bordered on Rundgrenesque pop. Now, don’t misunderstand me here. Both albums are good, but DUST is just a cut above.

HARD ATTACK (original album cover with FRANK FRAZETTA artwork)

The “Pull Away”/”So Many Times” doublet opens HARD ATTACK and the difference between this album and the first is immediately obvious: this is a band who, through becoming more familiar with the studio process and more adept at the art of the song, are stretching limits beyond the sludgy confines of the psychedelically meandering “From a Dry Camel.” Marc Bell (who, if you didn’t know, would grow up to become Marky Ramone a few years later) propels the song(s) forward at near breakneck speed while vocalist/guitarist Richie Wise (who was well on the way to becoming the Richie Wise half of the famed Kenney Kerner/Richie Wise production team who helmed the first two KISS records) found a nice Nazzy pop groove to play over Marc and the thundering bass of Kenny Aaronson (who has played with just about everyone, though the time he spent in the band Derringer may be my favorite), stepping out of that pocket to offer a couple of sonic-speed solos. “Walk In the Soft Rain” is more of the same style of melodic pop played at rocket-like velocity and, actually, is a better tune than the first pair. “Thusly Spoken” is the band’s attempt at a hippie ballad with spiritual imagery that falls well short of the mark. The melody and the playing are fine, but the lyrical content make it rather laughable by today’s standards (well, by any standards actually, though it must have sounded awesome to the drug-addled brains of high school and college aged kids back in 1972).

Dust (Richie Wise, Kenny Aaronson, Marc Bell) (publicity photo)

Things are back on track with the riff-heavy “Learning To Die,” the only song from the sophomore release not to feature a Kenny Kerner/Richie Wise songwriting credit (Kerner shared credits with Kenny Aaronson). This one song probably had as much influence on up-and-coming metal bands of the mid-to-late ’70s (I think of Judas Priest, in particular) as anything by Black Sabbath or Budgie. “All In All” continues the pummeling, though the lyrical content isn’t as dark. “I Been Thinkin’” is the second attempt at a ballad on HARD ATTACK, this time with considerably better success. Aaronson’s pedal steel and dobro work coupled with the laid-back vibe of the (unfortunately) short piece gives it a nice country feel that should feel out of place, but doesn’t. Wise’s everyman vocal delivery adds the cohesive thread that ties the tune to the more aggressive sound that Dust was best known for. Richie has stated that the only reason he ended up singing was because the other guys couldn’t sing at all. Now, nearly 45 years after DUST was released, I can’t imagine another voice on these tunes. The instrumental, “Ivory,” follows and – in a glimpse of things to come – features a very Ramones-like drum intro. The tune allows each musician to shine. Aaronson underpins everything with a solid, heavy bass sound while Wise punctuaties the proceedings with a beefy rhythm track and some wicked soloing; “Ivory,” however, belongs to Bell. If it wasn’t, this should have been the song that the band used to showcase Marc’s abilities in a live setting. I mean, it’s almost a drum solo as it is.

“How Many Horses” mixes early rock ‘n’ roll piano (courtesy of guest Fred Singer), some folky guitar playing and singing and Aaronson’s dobro and slide guitar to create another rather country sounding tune. It’s kinda like the country-tinged stuff that the Stones were doing about the same time (with considerably less polish and sounding all the better for it). The crushing, heavy vibe returns on the next track, “Suicide.” The song is, basically, a rough draft suicide note to a former lover, in which the author lays forth several options for his self-inflicted demise. After hanging and poison are discarded, he tries, “Electrocution I thought would make me a star/I stood in the rain with my electric guitar.” You may be disturbed by the subject matter, but you gotta admit that the lyrics are pretty awesome. Kenny Aaronson offers up a nice little bass solo about half way through. “Suicide,” for me, is the high mark on HARD ATTACK. “Entrance” closes out the second album (and the first half of this collection), a 26 second classical guitar solo that I wouldn’t have minded seeing expanded and further explored as a full-blown Dust tune. Ah, what could have been!

DUST, the band’s 1971 debut, kicks off with “Stone Woman,” a fine, rocking tune to start a career with. Kenny Aaronson immediately makes it known that he is a musical force to be reckoned with, supplying not only bass but slide guitar to the proceedings. “Chasin’ Ladies” is one of the few times on either album that Richie Wise truly shines. I want everyone to understand that while Richie was a fine singer and a more than competent guitar player, he was never a flashy frontman, allowing Aaronson and Marc Bell to take the accolades. So, the chugging guitar leads, crisp solo and multi-tracked vocal performance really highlight the (intentionally) downplayed talents of the reluctant Wise. Richie chose instead to focus on his songwriting abilities and to hone his production skills, both of which would serve him rather nicely in the years following the HARD ATTACK album. “Goin’ Easy” offers a standard blues riff, with more flawless bass, slide and dobro work from Aaronson. The song leads right into the charging “Love Me Hard,” with Marc and Kenny pushing each other into near punk rock speeds, even during the slower, acoustic guitar break. That thrashy melodic middle section leads into a manic instrumental breakdown, with cymbals crashing, drums and bass thundering and a guitar solo that can only be described as “belligerent.”

Marky Ramone (Marc Bell) with the Misfits on the 2001 VAN'S WARPED TOUR (photo credit: DARREN TRACY) — Marky Ramone (Marc Bell) with the Misfits on the 2001 VAN’S WARPED TOUR (photo credit: DARREN TRACY)

A gong signals the start of the classic “From a Dry Camel.” The track is highlighted by the sonorous bass of Kenny Aaronson and the unique guitar tone used by Richie throughout much of the track’s nearly ten minutes. Bell’s drumming is, for the most part, understated and subdued, as befits the near-dirge like tempo of the song. There is no denying his powerhouse approach, however, especially on the long instrumental passages. If you’re looking for a comparison, I’d have to say that the song “Black Sabbath” (do I really need to tell you who performs that one?) was probably a starting point for the sound of “From a Dry Camel.” The subject matter, lyrically, may be worlds apart, but the musical vibe is as close as you can get. “Often Shadows Felt,” with its languorous pedal steel, lilting bass lines and shimmering guitar, is the sole ballad from DUST. It definitely shows a maturity in songwriting from the Kerner/Wise tandem (who wrote all of this first album except the final track), which would become more evident on later projects. The final track is a Kenny Aaronson-penned instrumental called “Loose Goose.” It’s highlighted by an instantly recognizable bass riff and could very well have been the template for “Flying Turkey Trot” from REO Speedwagon. As “Loose Goose” charges to its end, it is evident that DUST remains one of the true masterpieces of American hard rock and, coupled as it is with HARD ATTACK, is well worth adding to any collection.

DO THE ARCHITECTURAL WATUSI Music Reviews | Darren Tracy | November 17, 2013 | Classic Rock Dust Hard Rock Kenny Aaronson Kenny Kerner Marc Bell Marky Ramone Music Ramones Reissue Richie Wise Rock and Roll

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