Billy Talent - III

Billy Talent is the best group to come out of Canada since Rush. At least after listening to their third album I bleieve that. I enjoyed the first two albums, but this is the album where the band really starts to shine. Gone are the days of screaming Punk/Metal angriness. Now comes the cool, collected, well thought out mastery of a band that has been studying and learning. Ian D'Sa (guitar and vocals), Jon Gallant (bass and vocals), Ben Kowalewicz (voice) and Aaron Solowonium (drums) have crafted a collection of eleven songs that are almost all brilliant.

Devil On My Shoulder opens up the album. This has a great riff, and an even better sound. I love how thick and heavy the mix is on this song. This is the rock I love, thick, raw, heavy, and fist pumping. I mean this song angries up the blood a little, but think about what the title is, and then go from there. Also the the solo is perfect. It's not some blistering showboat solo, it flows right with the song, and then there's the bass break down, and the thundering return of the instruments.

By the time Rusted From The Rain reaches the one minute marker I'm banging my head with slow weight. This song gives me hope for the future. Not only is it musically beautiful, but it's lyrically well done. "I stumble through the wreckage, rusted from the rain / There's nothing left to salvage, no one left to blame / Among the broken mirrors, I don't look the same / I'm rusted from the rain, I'm rusted from the rain / Dissect me until my blood runs down into the drain / My bitter heart is pumping oil into my veins / I'm nothing but a tin man, don't feel any pain / I don't feel any pain, I don't feel any pain" I just find myself cranking this song louder and louder everytime I hear it, and howling to the moon that "I'm rusted from the rain".

When it comes to lyrics Billy Talent really delivers. They write stories, poetry, and real thoughts. It's not some cheap Pop crap, that's all "Hey Baby." Instead it's "No one ever thought that she was capable / And the damage done is irreversible / Now she clings to life inside a hospital / Like she's trapped inside a frozen waterfall / Always said her life was never meant to be / Stuck here living someone else's dream / Well beyond your window there is so much more / Even every prison has an open door / Veronica, Saint Veronica / You can't leave this world behind / So be strong enough, to hold on to us / It's just not your time to die". That's not including the music, which in the case of Saint Veronika is a bit basic for this band, but still heavy as fuck.

The best way I can think of to describe Billy Talent III is Danzig meets Metallica, meets The Sex Pistols, meets Canadian musical genius.

Tears Into Wine is the first song on this album that falters in any way, and that just because it sounds like it may have been a left over from the previous album, in musical style. It sounds a bit stock for them, but the lead guitar work is really cool, and I love the tones they opted to use for it.

White Sparrows is a bit laid back and mellow. This track is a little Emo for my liking, but it has a great pick up into the chorus. It's the best part of the songs, when you hit the mid section. Pretty much around the 2 minute marker this song just let's it all out in a rage fitting of Darth Vader learning Padame died.

Sometimes the easiest songs are always the best ones. Pocketful Of Dream, is a very simple song, but I love it. The arrangements are a bit complex, but what's being played is very basic, but great Rock N' Roll basic. It's all about rocking out on this song.

One of my favourite things about Billy Talent III is that it's really a diverse album. Each song clearly sounds like Billy Talent, but they keep changing it up for every song. For example The Dead Can't Testify has major heavy bottom end pumping through, and the lyrical content is scary as shit "So they marched me down to the center of town, / With their pitchforks high in the air. / I was chained and bound with a blindfold around / So the judge wouldn't catch my stare. / And they hung my soul from the gallows pole / But the witch they never found. / So to those who don't fit society's mold, / Learn to swim or you will drown.". However, this song is just musically astounding. There is such an intense beauty to the guitar work that I can't help but love this song.

Okay, so every album has to have that one song that you don't know what to make of it, and on this one it's Diamond On A Landmine. It's a really good song, but I have no clue how to accurately depict this one. It's probably the most Popish song on the album, and has a weird upbeat sound to it considering what the lyrics are."Forever, forever / I'll walk a thousand miles / Just to tell her, to tell her / Our love is still alive / And I'll never, I'll never / I'll never let it die / Well you'd better watch your step / She's a diamond on a landmine".

The bassist in this group knows how to play rhythm, and the producer Brendan O'Brien understands how to use it. The groove on Turn You Back is so damn thick, that it's a big, fat, chubby hard-on for the bassist in me. This song is like Billy Talent's Dirty Deeds, if that song had mostly bass playing the whole way through.

It's easier to list which songs don't get me off, than it is to list the ones that do. Sudden Moments is the second of two. It's an okay song, but it's stock for Billy Talent. It's a filler, before the last track on the album. However, it's still a decent tune.

The album ends with Definition Of Destiny. "So get off my road, no, I won’t be told / Cause I got my own / Definition of destiny / Yeah, take back control and don’t let it go / The future’s unknown / Definition of destiny / Definition of destiny". Simple, yet when mixed with the music, this song becomes a beast. This is how an album is supposed to finish. It's not just some cheap little track. It's a full blown exercise in musical prowess. These guys are whipping it out and beating everything with the instrumental erections.

This is honestly the first CD I have bought that came out in the last decade, by a group that came out in the new millenium, that is hands down amazing. If it weren't for the two kind of weak songs on this album it would be a perfect ten to me. It's everything that great music is supposed to be.

9/10 - content

10/10 - production

10/10 - personal bias

Nirvana - Nevermind

Of all the Grunge bands that enjoyed major success I think Nirvana may be the one I care for the least. Well, I may dislike Soundgarden more, but the jury's still out on that one. I also think Nevermind is the most over rated of all Nirvana albums. For the sake of argument, when it comes to my preferences for Nirvana it goes; In Utero, Nevermind, Bleach (To be fair I haven't listened to this album in over a decade). I own two of those three as well as Unplugged, which was a gift I asked for because it was cool at the time, but now I think it's complete shit.

I remember when Nirvana's Nevermind erupted into the full blown monster that it has become. I remember liking it, but thinking it was over rated, and couldn't understand why they were as big as they were. To this day, I still have this problem. I view Nirvana as the 1990's answer to the Sex Pistols, except I think I like the Pistols more. They never tried to pretend to be serious musicians. Certain members of Nirvana will tell you that the album was meant to be childishly simple, but I think the issue was that children (young musicians) were making the album.

The album opens with Smells Like Teen Spirit. We all know the song, and we all know the the anarchy clad cheerleaders from the video. Not because they were hot (they weren't), but because they were so fucking boring to watch. Seriously, go watch the video, it's really fucking boring. It's more boring than this song is. If it wasn't for the chorus, this song would put you to sleep without even trying. It's Lullaby Punk. Also I've heard the solo in this song given way to much credit because of how much it mimics the vocal line. That's all cool, until you realize how lazy and unimaginative it actually is.

In Bloom is where this album actually starts for me. It has a great hook in the rhythm section for the entire song, even with the changes, and I even like the lyrical content. For example the second verse, "We can have some more / Nature is a whore / Bruises on the fruit / Tender age in bloom". However, for a guy that said he didn't want to be commercial, he did a fantastic job or writing repetitive choruses that we're totally commercial sounding. "He’s the one / Who likes all our pretty songs / And he likes to sing along / And he likes to shoot his gun / But he knows not what it means / Knows not what it means / when I say / He’s the one / Who likes all our pretty songs / And he likes to sing along / And he likes to shoot his gun / But he knows not what it means / Knows not what it means / when I say yeeeaaahhh". That lazy lyrical writing made up eighty percent of the song.

I still enjoy Come As You Are to this day. It the only one of the four singles I don't want to instictively turn off when it comes on. Also this one is fun to sing along with. "Come as you are, / as you were, / as I want you to be. / As a friend, / as a friend, / as an old enemy. / Take your time, / hurry up, / choice is yours don't be late. / Take a rest, / as a friend, / as an old memoria, / memoria, memoria, memoria. / Come dowsed in mud, / soaked in bleach, / as I want you to be. / As a trend, / As a friend, / As an old memoria / Memoria, memoria, memoria / And I swear / that I don't have a gun. / No I don't have a gun. / No I don't have a gun." Breed is the first song on the album that makes me actually wanna get up and Rock. It's the first real sign of a pulse. Krist Novoselic (credited as Chris Novoselic) is laying down a simple bass line, but it sounds wicked cool on this track especially with that fuzz on it.

Lithium is the only song on this album I dislike as much as Smells Like Teen Spirit, but in this song's case it is purely from overplay. This song has a great counter dynamic within itself. The mellow downtroddenness of the verses, mixed with the raw angst ridden anger of the chorus is fantastic. If someone asked me to pick one song that described what Grunge was all about I would point them to Lithium.

Of all the songs on Nevermind Polly might be the one that is the most confusing. The song is the only pure accoustic guitar number on the entire album. The lyrical content can be taken many different ways, and I'm sure it has been explained in just as many. Either way it's a very enjoyable tune, if not a little cryptic.

Territorial Pissings is the song we all get to thank for Screamo. This is the first Screamo song I can think of, and now that I hear it again for the first time in five years, I would feel the need to shoot Cobain if he hadn't already done so himself. I'm sorry to anyone that finds that in bad taste, but I really can't stand Screamo. The first song on this album to show any real musicianship is Drain You, and it's more just due to it having a structure with various dynamics to it. It's just as simple as the rest for the most part, though.

Lounge Act is a decent song, but at this point in the record it's all starting to sound very simular to the previous eight songs, and this has the singing coming across as more of a filler at this point.

The better songs on this album are the ones where Krist Novoselic and David Grohl (drummer), are totally locked into a solid rhythm pattern. For example Stay Away has something going on with the guitar, but it's pretty much background noise, and the vocals work more as an effective instrument, mixed with the rhythm, than the guitar does. I also love the Surfer Rock feel to this one, which is only wrecked by Kurt's screaming.

On A Plain would be a cool song if it was done by a different band, on a different album. Lyrically I think it's pretty cool, it's the one song I find totally poetic. "I'll start this off without any words / I got so high I scratched 'till I bled / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / The finest day that I've ever had / Was when I learned to cry on commmand / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / I'm on a plain, mmmm / I can't complain, mmmm / I'm on a plain, mmmm / My mother died every night / It's safe to say, quote me on that / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / The black sheep got blackmailed again / Forgot to put on the zip code / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / I'm on a plain, mmmm / I can't complain, mmmm / I'm on a plain, mmmm / Somewhere I have heard this before / In a dream my memory has stored / As a defence I'm neutered and spayed / What the hell am I trying to say? / It is now time to make it unclear / To write off lines that don't make sense / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / And one more special message to go / And then I'm done, and I can go home / I love myself better than you / I know it's wrong so what should I do? / I'm on a plain / I can't complain". The last two lines repeat until the end of the song.

The album officially ends with Something In The Way. This is a very heavy, thick and ominus song. If it weren't for the annoying Grunge drone, I might enjoy it even more. However, the song doesn't simply just end there. Oh no, I have one of the copies with the hidden track, Endless, Nameless.

Basically, once you get passed the almost four minute long dronefest, you get nine minutes of dead air until Endless, Nameless starts. If it were not for the screaming and lack of real lyrics, this could have been a decent song, or even be taken as a really awesome abstract instrumental piece. Instead it comes across as Cobain being too fucking stoned to work on the song properly.

I know it seems by this review I really don't care for this album, and that is very true. In the grand spectrum of music, specifically anything Rock related, this album is only worth anything because it was the first major mainstream Grunge album. As the test of time keeps pushing on I find that this album actually means less and less. In fact I will throw on a Foo Fighters album before this one any day of the week. However, that doesn't mean that this isn't a god album. Okay, "good" may be over stretching it. It's a decent album, that reflects a confusing time in music.

7/10 - content

6/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias

Def Leppard - Vault

When it comes to Def Leppard I will say I'm a "best of" fan, but not a "greatest hits" fan. I've wrote these words before, along with almost every other word in this review. The Vault greatest hits album is just like the first disc of the Rock Of Ages album, but with a couple omissions and a few alterations.

Sadly, this disc is a greatest hits, which means I'm not going to be very happy in my writing of this one. And just to once again explain the difference, "Best of" doesn't mean the singles or commercial stuff, but "greatest hits does". Most of Def Leppard's hits come from sissy ballads that they resorted to releasing in order to try and keep up with the changing music scene. However, this album contains only the greatest hits.

The album opens with Pour Some Sugar on Me (Historia Video Edit). Off the top of my head I don't know what the difference in this edit is. Upon further investigation I come to learn that this version is longer, by about half a minute. I really need to go listen to the original album version again and check out what else is different. Aside from that, this is a good solid song, that was meant for rocking the arenas. I mean this may actually be the best example of 80's Arena Rock that has ever existed. I believe it was Mutt Lange's production that made this song what it was.

I'm not a fan of Photograph. This was probably the song that truly ended their association with NWOBHM (New Wave Of British heavy Metal). At this point they were clearly a Rock band, but that's okay. They never really belonged with that other crowd, and were better off being removed from that title. It allowed them to sell more albums, which normally doesn't mean much to me, but a multi platinum album speaks volumes.

Love Bites is the first time I will not complain about a Def Leppard sissy ballad. "When you make love, do you look in the mirror? / Who do you think of? / Does he look like me? / Do you tell lies? / And say that it's forever? / Do you think twice, or just touch and see? / Ooh babe / Oh yeah / When you're alone, do you let go? / Are you wild and willin', or is it just for show? / Ooh C'mon / I don't wanna touch you too much baby / 'Cos making love to you might drive me crazy / I know you think that love is the way you make it / So I don't wanna be there when you decide to break it / No!". I love how it's pretty much him calling her out, but still admitting the hold she has on him. My only complaint is that this is what we use to call an "Oooo, baby song".

I have a love/hate relationship with Let's Get Rocked. I love the song and hate having to listen to people bash it. This song defined everything I was about when it dropped in 1992. It was a song about a guy that just wants to get rocked one way or the other, or both at the same time if he can. That's what being a teenage boy is all about. However, hearing comments like "What a waste, to put a solo like that in this piece of shit" was a pretty normal statement from my friend Matt.

Two Steps Behind (Acoustic Version) is meant to be skipped. This song has sucked since day one, and did more to kill my respect for Def Leppard than any other song they have ever released. It's just complete commercial shit meant strictly for women, and nothing more. If you like this song, you either have a vagina, or wish to be one. I have to struggle to sit through this song every time I hear it and can't hit a skip button.

Animal is a lot like Photograph to me, however the chorus on this song is a major saving grace. I absolutely love the way the pre chorus and chorus sound, as well as the slightly cheesy lyrics, especially at the end of the song, during that big climax. "I gotta feel it in my blood / Whoa-oh / I need your touch don't need your love / Whoa-oh / And I want, and I need, and I lust / Animal / And I want, and I need, and I lust / Animal / And I want (And I want) / And I need (And I need) / And I lust (And I lust) / Animal (Animal) / And I want (Take me) / And I need (Tame me) / And I lust (Make me) / Animal (Your Animal) / And I want (Show me) / And I need (Stroke me) / And I lust (Let me be your...) / Animal (Animal) / And I want (I want) / And I need (Ooh-ooh-ooh) / And I lust (Yeah Animal)". I just love the arena rock sound on it.

Every song to this point appears in the exact same order as it does on Rock Of Ages. Although, the other CD has an extra song here, which I thought was for skipping anyway. Then the exact same order continues, until further notice.

Take everything I said about Animal, which is basically the verses are blah, but the pre chorus and choruses of Foolin' are sweet. It's not as good as Animal, and that's because of the production which makes the sound kind of hollow. Imagine a bubble. Now picture the music as being that bubble with the outside being all cool and pretty, but you know there is nothing in the middle but air. That's how how I think of the audio on this one.

Rocket (Visualize Video Edit) is the version that comes from the music video. This is the version that we all know, because it's the one that was on the radio, and the music video. What anyone that has never owned the Hysteria album may not know that this is actually a much shorter version of this song. The original is over two and half minutes longer. It's been so long since I've heard that version that I couldn't tell you how much of a difference it makes. However, since this song is so cool I can only imagine that it was two and half minutes of excellence. It really sucks how the radio really got stupid about song length, or the fact that so many people lack the patience to listen to a song for that long. It forces good songs like this to get dumbed down.

I'm not going to complain or bitch about When Love & Hate Collide. It got me many slow dances, with many teenage breasts pushed up tightly against my chest. It was worth suffering through, and still better than other really shitty ballads on this double album set.

Armageddon It is okay, if you are into this kind of typical Def Leppard song. I find it a bit boring, but because it's so typical of them.

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad is one fo those ballads I really want to go on a tirade about. I want to go on about how all the members of the band decided to get sex changes, and become a cliche girl band. However, instead I'm going to say that it was after this song that they went that route instead. This was from the album before the record Two Steps Behind came from. At that point, they had clearly given up being men, because now that I think of it Retro Active was the only other album I had access to besides Hysteria. My step mom owned a copy, and I remember borrowing it, and then never listening to it again. I really hate these silly power ballads of their's.

I don't know if I really like Rock of Ages. I find it boring, and a bit stale. However, I find it ironic that the first line in after the count in is "It's better to burn out, than fade away." I have been saying for years that they need to stop touring. Joe Elliot can't sing the songs like he use to, and I don't like the way they've had to alter them to suit.

To be honest, by the time I hit Hysteria on this disc I'm pretty burned out on these songs that are Slow Rock. It's great if you are trying to get in a girls pants, especially with this song, but I really want to hear something with more of a pulse. Don't get me wrong it's a good song, but it's just so damn slow. If the tempo had gone up from 107 to a more lively 130, and had a bit more back bone it would be better.

Miss You in a Heartbeat is one of the ballads that I'm a little okay with, but after all the other slower songs I'm not overly happy to be listening to it. I normally don't listen to this one on my own either.

Okay so you would think that after all the bitching and complaining I've done about slow songs and ballads I'd be ready to shoot myself by the time Bringin' on the Heartbreak starts. However, you would be wrong. This is one of my favourite , if not my favourite, Def leppard songs. Why do you ask? What makes this song so special and different? It's because I will crank the fuck out of this song to hear Joe Elliots multi layered vocals in the chorus any day of the week. Also this song is heavy as fuck. I know it sounds like I just smokeds a huge bowl of crack, but I'm serious. The production is a bit hallow, but for a song that came out in 1981 it was Led Zeppelin-esque with how heavy it sounds on the outside of that bubble. I mean this song is heavier than Diamond Head's Sweet And Innocent or Iron Maiden's Remember Tomorrow, and that says something. (Which is not, that I'm on crack.)

The Rock Of Ages CD has one more track at the very end of the first disc. Other than that, the track list is the exact same. However, this one does not use alternate cuts, so it does make the discs a little different. Not enough to need to own both, but I bought this one first, and then the second one came out years later.

9/10 - content

8/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias

Def Leppard - Rock Of Ages

When it comes to Def Leppard I will say I'm a "best of" fan, but not a "greatest hits" fan. "Best of" doesn't mean the singles or commercial stuff, but "greatest hits does". Most of Def Leppard's hits come from sissy ballads that they resorted to releasing in order to try and keep up with the changing music scene. However, this album contains more than just that. It has stuff I had never heard before, and fell in love with.

I may be a bigger fan than just the compilation albums, but I've never been willing to spend the money on any of their studio albums, without listening to them. Then on top of that I've only ever had one friend that owned anything other than Hysteria, and now that I'm doing these reviews Pat lives in another city. So, for now you'll have to just enjoy Rock Of Ages the Definitive Collection. In a later review you'll also get Vault, which is the only other Def Leppard album I own.

The album opens with Pour Some Sugar on Me (Historia Video Edit). Off the top of my head I don't know what the diffence in this edit is. Upon further investigation I come to learn that this version is longer, by about half a minute. I really need to go listen to the original album version again and check out what else is different. Aside from that, this is a good solid song, that was meant for rocking the arenas. I mean this may actually be the best example of 80's Arena Rock that has ever existed. I believe it was Mutt Lange's production that made this song what it was.

I'm not a fan of Photograph. This was probably the song that truly ended their association with NWOBHM (New Wave Of British heavy Metal). At this point they were clearly a Rock band, but that's okay. They never really belonged with that other crowd, and were better off being removed from that title. It allowed them to sell more albums, which normally doesn't mean much to me, but a multi platinum album speaks volumes.

Love Bites is the first time I will not complain about a Def Leppard sissy ballad. "When you make love, do you look in the mirror? / Who do you think of? / Does he look like me? / Do you tell lies? / And say that it's forever? / Do you think twice, or just touch and see? / Ooh babe / Oh yeah / When you're alone, do you let go? / Are you wild and willin', or is it just for show? / Ooh C'mon / I don't wanna touch you too much baby / 'Cos making love to you might drive me crazy / I know you think that love is the way you make it / So I don't wanna be there when you decide to break it / No!". I love how it's pretty much him calling her out, but still admiting the hold she has on him. My only complaint is that this is what we use to call an "Oooo, baby song".

I have a love/hate relationship with Let's Get Rocked. I love the song and hate having to listen to people bash it. This song defined everything I was about when it dropped in 1992. It was a song about a guy that just wants to get rocked one way or the other, or both at the same time if he can. That's what being a teenage boy is all about. However, hearing comments like "What a waste, to put a solo like that in this piece of shit" was a pretty normal statement from my friend Matt.

Two Steps Behind (Acoustic Version) is meant to be skipped. This song has sucked since day one, and did more to kill my respect for Def Leppard than any other song they have ever released. It's just complete commercial shit meant strictly for women, and nothing more. If you like this song, you either have a vagina, or wish to be one. I have to struggle to sit through this song every time I hear it and can't hit a skip button.

Animal is a lot like Photograph to me, however the chorus on this song is a major saving grace. I absolutely love the way the pre chorus and chorus sound, as well as the slightly cheesy lyrics, especially at the end of the song, during that big climax. "I gotta feel it in my blood / Whoa-oh / I need your touch don't need your love / Whoa-oh / And I want, and I need, and I lust / Animal / And I want, and I need, and I lust / Animal / And I want (And I want) / And I need (And I need) / And I lust (And I lust) / Animal (Animal) / And I want (Take me) / And I need (Tame me) / And I lust (Make me) / Animal (Your Animal) / And I want (Show me) / And I need (Stroke me) / And I lust (Let me be your...) / Animal (Animal) / And I want (I want) / And I need (Ooh-ooh-ooh) / And I lust (Yeah Animal)". I just love the arena rock sound on it.

I'm all for skipping Heaven Is. It's pretty stock sounding, and that means that it sounds like every other 80's song. Sadly this song was from the 90's so it was even dated to boot.

Take everything I said about Animal, which is basically the verses are blah, but the pre chorus and choruses of Foolin' are sweet. It's not as good as Animal, and that's because of the production which makes the sound kind of hollow. Imagine a bubble. Now picture the music as being that bubble with the outside being all cool and pretty, but you know there is nothing in the middle but air. That's how I think of the audio on this one.

Rocket (Visualize Video Edit) is the version that comes from the music video. This is the version that we all know, because it's the one that was on the radio, and the music video. What anyone that has never owned the Hysteria album may not know is that this is actually a much shorter version of this song. The original is over two and half minutes longer. It's been so long since I've heard that version that I couldn't tell you how much of a difference it makes. However, since this song is so cool I can only imagine that it was two and half minutes of excellence. It really sucks how the radio really got stupid about song length, or the fact that so many people lack the patience to listen to a song for that long. It forces good songs like this to get dumbed down.

I'm not going to complain or bitch about When Love & Hate Collide. It got me many slow dances, with many teenage breasts pushed up tightly against my chest. It was worth suffering through, and still better than other really shitty ballads on this double album set.

Armageddon It is okay, if you are into this kind of typical Def Leppard song. I find it a bit boring, but because it's so typical of them.

Have You Ever Needed Someone So Bad is one of those ballads I really want to go on a tirade about. I want to go on about how all the members of the band decided to get sex changes, and become a cliche girl band. However, instead I'm going to say that it was after this song that they went that route instead. This was from the album before the record Two Steps Behind came from. At that point, they had clearly given up being men, because now that I think of it Retro Active was the only other album I had access to besides Hysteria. My step mom owned a copy, and I remember borrowing it, and then never listening to it again. I really hate these silly power ballads of their's.

I don't know if I really like Rock of Ages. I find it boring, and a bit stale. However, I find it ironic that the first line after the count in is "It's better to burn out, than fade away." I have been saying for years that they need to stop touring. Joe Elliot can't sing the songs like he use to, and I don't like the way they've had to alter them to suit.

To be honest, by the time I hit Hysteria on this disc I'm pretty burned out on these song that are Slow Rock. It's great if you are trying to get in a girls pants, especially with this song, but I really want to hear something with more of a pulse. Don't get me it's a good song, but it's just so damn slow. If the tempo had gone up from 107 to a more lively 130, and had a bit more back bone it would be better. Miss You in a Heartbeat is one of the ballads that I'm a little okay with, but after all the other slower songs I'm not overly happy to be listening to it. I normally don't listen to this one on my own either.

Okay so you would think that after all the bitching and complaining I've done about slow songs and ballads I'd be ready to shoot myself by the time Bringin' on the Heartbreak starts. However you would be wrong. This is one of my favourite Def Leppard, if not my favourite, Def leppard song. Why do you ask? What makes this song so special and different? Because I will crank the fuck out of this song to hear Joe Elliot's multi layered vocals in the chorus any day of the week. Also this song is heavy as fuck. I know it sounds like I just smoked a huge bowl of crack, but I'm serious. The production is a bit hallow, but for a song that came out in 1981 it was Led Zeppelin-esque with how heavy it sounds on the outside of that bubble. I mean this song is heavier that Diamond Head's Sweet And Innocent or Iron Maiden's Remember Tomorrow, and that says something. (Which is not, that I'm on crack.)

Bringin' on The Heartbreak fades in the instrumental Switch 625. This is why I rate Def Leppard as being a really talented and skilled band. This is also why I ask "What the fuck were they thinking by 1992?" I mean this is three minutes of some really fun and awesome playing. Also this is the only time, that the one song runs into the other, except for on the original album.

The second disc in the Rock Of Ages set are songs that were not singles, but were fan favourites or band favourites. I actually find myself listening to this disc more than the other, just for the break from the standards.

Rock! Rock! (Till You Drop) kicks off the disc. This really reminds me of a lot of the 80's bands. It sounds like Ratt, or Accept, or Kiss, or Brian Johnson AC/DC, or a combination of all of them. It's a good solid lead song, but it doesn't do too much for me personally.

The next track, Let It Go, can be described the exact same way as the last song, with the exception that it seems to run on forever.

Which brings me to High 'n' Dry (Saturday Night). I like this one. It has a good riff, a solid rhythm, and sounds a lot like Kiss. But, I mean good Kiss, not that cheap gimmicky Pop shit. My only complaint is the constant cash register noise that keeps going off in the background. I find it annoying.

Too Late for Love, is not quite a Power Ballad, but it's pretty close. It has just enough of a smokey Hard Rock Blues feel to keep me from bitching about the standard 80's lyrics. "Somewhere in the distance I hear the bells ring / Darkness settles on the town as the children start to sing / And the lady across the street, she shuts out the night / A cast of thousands waiting as she turns out the light / But it's too late, too late, too late / Too late for love / Too late, too late, too late". I will say that I do enjoy singing the chorus, it's catchy.

Def Leppards cover of Badfinger's No Matter What, it a really nice break from the last bunch of songs. It's nice, simple, and has a really nice feel good tone to it. You can't help but get into a good mood.

I respect the "Ooo, baby" campiness of Promises for one reason. "I won't make promises that I can't keep / I won't make promises that I don't mean / I'll even mean the things I tell you in my sleep, yeah / I won't make promises babe, that I can't keep". Everyone should live by that. Also I do really dig the music on this one, even if it's happy, bubbley, and full of mush.

By the time I'm getting to Mirror, Mirror (Look Into My Eyes), I'm starting to figure out what it is that I both like and dislike about many of these songs, I've already described as sounding like Ratt, or Accept, or Kiss, or Brian Johnson AC/DC, or a combination of all of them. They all sound very much like everyone else in that time. I would blame it all on Mutt Lange, but the only bands that have anything in common with Mutt and Def Leppard are AC/DC and Foreigner. I mean as far as overall sound. The 80's just got too generic sounding I think is the problem, but that also means that I can throw this disc on and listen to some great sounding music from a time, where you are never sure who you are listening to.

I never knew Women was a single from Hysteria, and I can sort of hear why. Of all the singles this may be the most basic musically and lyrically.

Another Hit and Run has a great vibe and feel to it. Which every other song so far has as well, despite how some of the reviews may read. However, I like the music on this one a little better than most. The music has a little more depth and dimension, than just matching the vocal pattern.

Slang is one of those songs that many people I'm sure wish they could forget. I'm not one of them. I really like this song. At least within the confines of this disc. It's a bit funky, a bit spunky, and there's just a little cocky attitude, that's totally groovy. I won't say that I like the Steven Tyler-esque Rapping, but I will say that this song makes me want to get my groove on, on the dance floor. Just get up, and grind on my Editor just a little bit.

Stand Up (Kick Love Into Motion), is a skipper, unless you like cliche Power Ballads. Although the chorus is catchy I really have no use for this song.

Songs like Rock Brigade are just fucking campy. I love the music, but the lyrics just make me shake my head. Had this been on any album other than the first one, On Through The Night, I would have demanded an apology. However, this is a perfectly acceptable song for a starting band of young pups.

I believe the newest song on this collection is Now. It's from 2002's X. I'm not a fan of the song, but I do have a respect for it.

Paper Sun is balls to the wall awesome. I know people are wondering what the fuck I'm talking about, but the way the production works just get's me so hard. This song is full, heavy, and kickin'. I find it impressive that this is from the 1999 album Euphoria, not because the album sucked, but because it sounds like it should be from Hysteria. I almost want to check out the album that much more, because of this song.

Work It Out is really cool if you like the sound of Tom Cochrane with deep and thick balls. This song makes me think of Life Is A Highway, but much, much better. Because, this song has a great low end. The guitars are minimalized in the mix, but they really work the song all over, and there are some great really heavy hit chords, that are allowed to just ring. But the approach and overall vibe is very much like the other song.

I just really respect the crap out of Die Hard The Hunter. I think the music is great, and the arrangements are top notch. It's one of those songs that made it on here because of the band's love for it, and it's totally understandable. It's a great album cut.

Wasted sounds like really early Iron Maiden, which makes total sense since it's from the exact same time period. If I didn't know that this was Def Leppard, I may have mistaken it for Di'Anno era Maiden.

The album ends with Billy's Got a Gun. I don't mind this one, but I don't like it like others do. However, that's not to say that this one shouldn't be cranked, especially during the catchy chorus. Damn Mutt and his amazingly catchy chorus production.

I'm not a fan of listening to both albums back to back. After a while it gets very repetitive and boring, but mixed up with other discs, this album takes on a whole new level of enjoyment. If you are looking to buy your first Def Leppard album, this is a great place to start. If all you are looking for is the commercial stuff, I would suggest the Vault greatest hits package instead.

9/10 - content

8/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

Buckcherry - 15

The review for the 15 album is totally thanks to my editor. Andria bought the album, played it over and over, and totally fell in love with it. Then while she was on vacation I get a text saying I should review this album. I had planned to at one point. It's been sitting in my CD player for a month or two now just waiting for this review.

Let me start by confessing that I didn't know Buckcherry has already released five albums. I remember the 1999 self titled album really well, as well as 15, which was released in 2005. I only have one of those two CDs in my possession, and as I write this I'm a little annoyed with myself.

The album opens with So far, which was a great choice. It's a brash, in your face, and get's your heart pumping. Basically it's one of those "we've been battered, bruised, and abused, but we're back and we're going to kick some ass" songs. It's was the perfect opening song.

After that comes Next 2 You which is a great mix of rock and twang, while having a sexy groove as well. It's lyrically pretty typical, and the title gives away the entire concept of the song. It's the music that really makes this song pop huge.

Out of Line reminds me of the sound on AC/DC's Fly On The Wall, if Angus used a talk box. So, if you are a fan of both of those components, like I am, it's not hard to like this song. However, this is an album cut in the sense that it's musically a little more diverse and experimental, but at the same time kept in the area of Stock sounding.

I like the song Everything. It's romantic, but not a silly ballad. It's not any type of ballad. It's a straight forward Rock song, with a real soul. There's nothing special musically, but the lyrical content are the words of a man that is truly in love, and is hurting because she's hurting. "Buried way beneath the sheets I think she's having a meltdown / Finding it hard to fall asleep she won't let anyone help her / The look on her face a waste of time she won't let go gonna roll the dice / Loosing her grace starts to cry I feel her pain when I look in her eyes / I want ta be I want everything, I want everything / Somewhere she is on the streets trying to make things better / Praying to God and breathing deep gotta break this long obsession".

Carousel, is pretty much the same as Everything, except that it has a bit of a country twang to it, and a lot more lovey dovey. It's okay, and I don't mind when I hear it, but I do not go out of my way to listen to it.

By the time I get to Sorry, I'm just about ready to stop listening to the album. Over the course of three songs we go from real love, to a sad typical ballad. I hate songs like this. They have become so standard now that I just have no respect for them anymore. The good part about this song is that it's buried in the middle of the CD, and it all goes uphill from there.

If you are reading this, you should remember Crazy Bitch. They edited the crap out of it for the radio, but it didn't matter. This song was honest to a fault, and one hell of a rock song. A bit standard, but still totally kickin'. Although lyrically crude it get's the point across. "Take it off, the paper is your game / You jump in bed with fame / Another one night paid in full, uh / You're so fine, it won't be a loss / Cashing in the rocks, just to get you face to face / Hey / You're crazy bitch / But you fuck so good, I'm on top of it / When I dream, I'm doing you all night / Scratches all down my back to keep me right on". Good times.

My favourite part of Onset is the lead line. For the most part I will be honest and say that most of the songs on this album are pretty stock, and Buckcherry clearly mastered their playing listening to great Rock songs. The blue prints are all over this album. It's very Guns N' Roses/Aerosmith sounding. But when it comes to this song it's totally enjoyable, crankable, and fun to listen to.

Take everything I said in the last paragraph, and apply it to Sunshine, except that Sunshine is a heavier tune, and I enjoy it more.

After Crazy Bitch, Brooklyn is my favourite song. This is a great rock song, but the fact that it's all slide and accoustic guitar sounding is just fantastic. You might think that would make the song sound all country, but not at all. " Take a flight to London, sing my song / Bring me back to New York, that's where I get paid / Dance with the ladies all night long / Take a train to Brooklyn tryin' to get laid / I see you're walkin' away / Don't be afraid I won't bite hard / It's better than being alone / Black out in Brooklyn I'm so hard / Naked with lady, crashed my car / Maxed out all of my credit cards / Blacked out in Brooklyn, all night long / Brooklyn! / Heading out to Detroit got the call / The motor city's jumping / Maybe I should stay / Curtain call's coming, we'll have to stall / A red heads running away back stage / I see her coming this way / Don't be afraid I won't bite hard / It's better than being alone". This is just one of those songs about the great unwind after the hard touring.

The album ends with Broken Glass, and this was a great idea. This song is a perfect ending to an album. It's fast, aggressive, full of high octaine, and just explodes. This is everything the last song on an album should be. Like I said, these guys studied the masters, and learned how to make a great album.

I will always happily listen to this album. It's one of the few good albums Andria's bought strictly for herself, because she wanted it. I think that was a great call, but when I think of all the Madonna, Evanescence, and Carpenters I've been forced to listen to, I won't say she should buy for herself too often.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias

Black Sabbath - Paranoid

I hate reviewing albums that are monolithic in stature, because I have to be fair, and a lot of times I find the album isn't as good as the hype. In some cases I find I have become jaded toward certain albums so I feel I'm under valuing them as well. However, I get a break from those worries with this review.

Today I get to write a review about the very first Heavy Metal album, and probably the greatest Heavy Metal album ever written. Black Sabbath's Paranoid is the album that created and defined Heavy Metal. The follow up to the Proto-Gothic Blues Hard Rock self titled album released the year before. (Of course, that's a complicated term that didn't exsist back then.) This album contained every single recipe you needed for what would become the wide world of Metal, and it was given to us in 1970. The album opens with War Pigs. Chances are you know this song, as well as two others on side one of the original vinyl, since they are some of the biggest song names in Rock and Metal.

Now if you have ever listened to War Pigs with anything more than a passing notice, you'll notice a few things. The first is that Tony Iommi understands that you don't have to be playing non stop. You don't have to cram as many riffs, notes, scales and chords into a messure as you can. It's over kill if you always do it. The next thing is that Bill Ward's drum tracks are total psychotic Jazz drumming, he's controlled chaos. Other things you may also notice is that there isn't much low end, but that's because Geezer Butler isn't actually playing in the low end of the bass. I mean it's low, but he plays the bass in a range that allows Tony to go flying into the higher notes without there being a huge gap in the mid range. This is one of those songs that bands just don't understand today. The idea of letting a song breathe, while allowing every member to do what they do exceptionally well.

If you don't know the title track of this album, something has gone drastically wrong in you life, and I am sorry. This song should be considered one of the most over played songs in history. I should be ranting and raving about how tired I am of hearing this song, God knows I've done it with many others, including a track still to come on this album. However, Paranoid may be one of the single greatest songs under three minutes. This is also the song that I say is the complete blueprints for what became Trash Metal.

Planet Caravan is the only song on this album that could not be considered Metal, and yet Pantera did a cover of it. This is a song I use to use for meditation purposes. It would be the equivilant of Metallica's Fade To Black, Megadeth's A Tout Le Monde, or Pantera's Cemetary Gates, in the sense that it's a slow mellow song on a heavy album. This song is different from those though, because it's a hell of a lot cooler. For starters the percussion is being played on hand drums, I believe sticks are being used, but it's not your normal kit. Then there's the lyrics "We sailed through endless skies / Stars shine like eyes / The black night sighs / The moon in silver trees / Falls down in tears / Light of the night / The earth, a purple blaze / Of sapphire haze in orbital ways / While down below the trees / Bathed in cool breeze / Silver starlight breaks dawn from night / And so we pass on by / The crimson eye of great god Mars / As we travel the universe". Not overly complicated, in one sense and totally mystic in another. Then there's the guitar and bass. Both are totally incredible and need to be listened to for themselves.

The last song on the first side of the vinyl is Iron Man. This is the most over played piece of crap... Naw, I'm just messing with you. I don't enjoy the song like I did when I was younger, because it's been played so much, but I do still enjoy it. It's another one of those songs that's just amazingly written, and allowed to breathe.

The greatest thing about Black Sabbath is that Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler know how to write great music, and Bill Ward knows exactly how to punctuate his drumming in all the right spots. You have to take into consideration that this band is based on the foundations of Blues and Jazz, and it is all over every single song on this album. The dark sinister rumbling that comes from this combination of three musicians is what became Metal. Also the fact that the production always managed to capture Sabbath's sound really helps too.

Okay, so now that we're done covering the highly successful commercial side of the album, it's on to tracks that are a million times cooler.

The second side starts of with Electric Funeral. "Reflex in the sky warn you you're gonna die / Storm coming, you'd better hide from the atomic tide / Flashes in the sky turns houses into sties / Turns people into clay, radiation minds decay / Robot minds of robot slaves lead them to atomic rage / plastic flowers, melting sun, fading moon falls upon / dying world of radiation, victims of mad frustration / Burning globe of oxy'n fire, like electric funeral pyre / Buildings crashing down to a cracking ground / Rivers turn to wood, ice melting to flood / Earth lies in death bed, clouds cry water dead / Tearing life away, here's the burning pay / Electric Funeral / Electric Funeral / Electric Funeral / Electric Funeral / And so in the sky shines the electric eye / supernatural king takes earth under his wing / Heaven's golden chorus sings, Hell's angels flap their wings / Evil souls fall to Hell, ever trapped in burning cells!" Musically this song is scarier than the lyrics. Here's the interesting thing about Black Sabbath, did you ever notice how those above lyrics are actually a warning about how we are going to end up in Hell? They aren't being all Satanic and saying worship Satan, it's quite the opposite.

Hand Of Doom continues on the Hell Howling. I mean this is such a vicious song, but it's all anti-war, anti-murder, anti-killing, anti everything that Metal became a giant cliche of. Then you get to about the two minute marker and the song goes from a peaceful protest to a complete assault and battery that's storming the Capitol. This song has chug, gangland mentallity, brutal and savage intentions, but it's all being directed at the right people, not just randomly. This is one song I would love to hear Metallica cover, except for the fact I don't think Lars could handle the drumming, it would take too much skill.

Rat Salad is an instrumental track. If you want to hear what Jazz and Metal sound like when they are truly being played together this is the song you want to listen to. This is one of those songs that will always be overlooked and underated by anyone other than a music connoisseur.

The album ends with my favourite song from it. Well it's actually two songs put together in one, and I mean that literally, Jack The Stripper / Fairies Wear Boots. The instrumental part at the begining is the first part. Just before the lyrics kick in, you are totally into the actual song Fairies Wear Boots. The lyrical content isn't very acceptable in this day and age, considering it's an offensive double entandre for homosexuals. However, if you take the lyrics at face value instead of reading too much into them, it's a perfectly harmless song about a man that saw some weird stuff and no one believes him. Musically this song is just as amazing as every other, but I like the feel, the flow, the fact that you could dance to this song if you wanted to. It's just a really, really good song.

All in all I consider this one of the greatest albums ever recorded and released, and rightfully so. This album has not only stood up to the test of time, but it has beaten it on the head with a black Gibson SG over and over again. This is more than just a classic album. This is a masterpiece.

The only downside is that my CD copy is not a jacked up digitally remastered from the original tapes copy. This was just ripped from the master copy instead, so the sound is a bit cold until you crank it. However, the production and mixing on this album are fantastic especially given the time period in which it was recorded.

10/10 - content

9/10 - production

10/10 - personal bias

Chris De Burgh - Spanish Train And Other Stories

Of all the artists I grew up listening to, Chris De Burgh was the most unique. I have only ever had one other friend that honestly knew who he was. Aside from, "the guy that wrote Lady In red", and most people don't even know that. Then again, how many people even know Lady In Red anymore.

Chris De Burgh is not very big in North America. He's too complex for the American market, and they don't know what to make of him. Jamming him into either Adult Contemporary or Easy Listening. I understand why, but both are wrong.

However, from what I understand, from Quebec through the Maritimes he is more popular. I can only base this on three things. The Montreal area is where my parents got into him, I've heard a reference to Chris De Burgh on The Trailer Park Boys, of all places, and conversations with my dad.

The first thing to understand is that this artist is a story teller. His lyrics are carefully crafted to tell a very clear story, and the music is written to suit the lyrical content, or the period of the song. I don't even know what the proper description is musically for some of these songs.

Another thing is that you can't be a fan of any specific genre of music, if you are going to like him. You have to like all types of music, because that's what you get. There is no way to nail the Spanish Train album down to any specific type of music. The album open with Spanish Train. This is the story of the battle between God and The Devil for human souls, as played through a game of poker. Musically the song is just very well played. There is no real form or shape to the music. Most of it is used to convey emotion, and help the story along. It takes until the climax of the story until any type of real form shows up in the music, about 3:30 in the song. Even then it's still very free form.

"The cold north wind they call "La Bise" / Is swirling round about my knees, / Trees are crying leaves into the river; / I'm huddled in this french cafe / I never thought I'd see the day, / But winter's here and summer's really over, / Even the birds have packed up and gone, / They're flying south with their song, / And my love, she too has gone, she had to fly, / Take care, it's such a lonely sky, / They'll trap your wings my love and hold your flight, / They'll build a cage and steal your only sky, / Fly away, fly to me, fly when the wind is high, /I'm sailing beside you in your lonely sky". This sounds just like something you'd hear in the mentioned french cafe, around the time of World War I. It's a very pretty song, and so well written and performed. It's not that I'm overly fond of Lonely Sky, but that doesn't mean it's not good.

This Song For You more or less continues where Lonely Sky left off. It sounds like a little extra production was put on to make the music sound like it may have been recorded on a cylinder instead of a record. It's just so well done. If nothing else Chris De Burgh tells a fantastic story with great emotion.

There's a joke in The Full Monty and when one of the working stiffs refer to one of the dancing males as Patricia The Stripper. That song is next on the list, and it is so typically 1930's cabaret that you can't help but love it. I mean this song reeks of sex appeal and that's before the lyrics even kick in. But these were classy lyrics, not just some crap ass "Hey baby, take it off, and show us your tits." There's is nothing of that sort in these lyrics. "You see Patricia, or Delicia, not only is a singer / She also removes all her clothing... / For Patricia is the best stripper in town, / And with a swing of her hips she started to strip, / To tremendous applause she took off her drawers, / And with a lick of her lips she undid all the clips, / Threw it all in the air, and everyone stared, / And as the last piece of clothing fell to the floor, / The police were banging on the door, / On a Saturday night, in nineteen twenty-four... / Take it away boys!"

There are two songs on this album that are very Christianity inspired, but both are done in such amazing context that you'd never know. The first one is A Spaceman Came Travelling. This is the story of a being from another planet coming to Earth and discovering a child with a bright light of silver around his head. This song is the tale of the Angel that came to the shepherds when Jesus was born, but with a slightly different take to it.

I'm Going Home is one of the most typical songs on this album. It sounds like it would have easily fit in on any 1970's Hollywood picture about any type of travel. It's not bad, just not anything special. It's not like the rest of this album. It doesn't have that storytelling free flow, and Jazz-like edge.

I found it really funny when I found out that my dad and the few of his friends didn't like The Painter all that much. Musically I think it's fantastic, it has this great feel in the verses that's light and fluffy. Then you move into the pre-chorus, which has a kickin' pick up. It gets you moving and bouncing. Then the chorus kicks in, and you are just rolling along for the rest of the journey. One of my favourite parts about The Painter is the sax work, and the way that Chris goes nuts with vengeance as the song unfolds.

The next two songs on the album are Old Friend and The Tower. The first one is a pretty little number, that's basically a stroll down memory lane. This song is heavy on the horns, and has that music sound I described on tracks two and three.

The Tower is very slow and mellow. I find it a little too mellow for me, and I normally end up skipping it. However, this is one of those songs that you are meant to sit back and listen to as the story unfolds and brings tears to our eyes. The accoustic work is fantastic and I love the classical picking on top of the strumming. The album finishes with my second favourite Chris De Burgh song. My favourite is not on this album, and is the subject of the joke I mentioned earlier.

Just Another Poor Boy is the story of Christ, Mary Magdaline and his eventual execution. You'd never know this by the lyrics, unless you are using some brain power, or at the minimum are paying attention to the words. "He was but a traveller on the lonely road of life, / She, her name was Mary, a lady of the night, / She found him lying in that road, on a winter's night so cold, / Just another poor boy, treat him right; / She saw that he was hungry and gave him food to eat, / She knew that he was weary and he had no place to sleep, / She took him home to her own bed, she lay down his wounded head, / And washed away the world from his hands and his feet, / He was just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / When he cried out in his sleep she held him tight, / Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And she gave him love and comfort through the night, / Till the morning's light... / At night she sat beside him, by the fire he would talk, / He said all men were brothers and that love could conquer all, / Many gathered round to hear, many for his life did fear, / In troubled times like these men seldom talked. / Oh they came for him one morning at the breaking of the day, / She woke to hear him calling as they carried him away, / Accusing him of spreading lies and hate, / His public meetings were a danger to the state, / Some soldier said "Who was he anyway?"/ Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And the tears were falling from her face like rain, / Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And they hung him on a hillside far away, / And on the ground she lay ... poor boy ... oh my Lord... /". Then right about here the electric guitar with a wah-wah pedal kicks in, and the song just rips it up until the end. but, continuing with "Oh my Lord ... oh my Lord... / Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And the tears were falling from her face like rain, / Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And they hung him on a hillside far away, just another poor boy, / Just another poor boy, just another poor boy, / And she never dreamed she'd see his face again..." My only complaint is that the guitar wasn't cranked up in the mix. There's this really awesome work going on in the background that you can really only hear properly through headphones.

I have taken more teasing, and taunting over my enjoyment of early Chris De Burgh than I have for liking any other band or musician. With the exception of maybe Styx, but that doesn't help my argument in defending the awesomeness of this poet, musician, and all around fantastic story teller.

I also think, based on personal experience, this album is great for camping. Especially around a camp fire, while playing cards.

8/10 - content

8/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias