Music From The Motion Picture Detroit Rock City

So, I was sitting around picking out the next batch of CDs to review, when Andria (The Editor) pops up with "You haven't done any sountracks in a while. You should do a couple of those." The next album that crossed my hands, that fell into that catagory, was Music From The Motion Picture Detroit Rock City.

Detroit Rock City was a movie about a Kiss cover band (Mystery) in 1978, that is trying to get to a Kiss concert in Detroit Rock City. A very simple concept for a comedy filled with great music. Music that really helps drive the movie, and in some cases the jokes.

There are two really good parts about this soundtrack. The first is that there are only four Kiss songs on it, instead of an entire soundtrack. The other is that some of the songs have been covered by modern bands instead of being the original version. However, keep that in mind when I later go on a long winded diatribe about Marilyn Manson butchering an AC/DC classic.

The album opens with a cover of Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back In Town. This version is performed by Everclear. These guys were pretty much "One Hit Wonders" even though they found success through a few different songs, none of which I can remember. This song is pretty much a note for note cover. It sounds like a really good cover band that got to record a classic rock song.

Kiss' Shout It Out Loud follows that up. I don't know how many times I'll end up talking about this song in the future. There must be a at least two actual Kiss albums I own that have this song on it. That being said, it's not one of the Kiss songs I care for. It's one of those well written Pop songs they do a decent job of pretending is Hard Rock.

Then it's on to Van Halen's Runnin' With The Devil. My favourite Van Halen song, and the only reason I don't write off David Lee Roth as a complete twit. This is a great song to have on any soundtrack, and even better on this collection.

It's time for another cover again. This time it's one of the best covers I have ever heard. I know the original artist disagrees, but Ted Nugent is a pompous, arrogant, ass that needs to, and I quote Frank Zappa, "Shut up! And play your guitar".

Pantera's version of Cat Scratch Fever is the perfect example of a band taking someone else's song, playing it faithfully, and still making it sound like their own. It's not a perfect note for note cover. It's a perfect covering of a song, while playing your own version of the notes. This song is totally and undeniably Pantera's Cat Scratch Fever. Dimebag knew how to play his Nuge, and he plays it so well. And as a kid raised on Ted Nugent, I will stand right up to Uncle Ted's face (As long as there is nothing around he can shoot me with) and say that I like this version better.

I know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. You know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. We all know Black Sabbath's Iron Man. If you don't, I'd like you to explain to me how. I would have liked a cover instead of the original in this case for sure.

Okay, remember at the start of this when I mentioned Manson butchering AC/DC. We are at that point now.

Marilyn Manson performs AC/DC's Highway To Hell. I know part of you is cringing already. let me start by saying that I don't think anyone in the band has the foggiest clue of how to play the original song. The verses only sound like the verse in the sense that Manson sings them the same. The chorus kind of sounds like the chorus, and I won't bitch about that too much. That's the only part of the song worth anythng. The rest of the song is a complete disgrace and abomination to anything and everything Classic Rock and AC/DC. I would punch Marilyn Manson in the face for this song, if it wasn't for the fact that he has at least one other full album he deserves it for instead. This cover is a big steaming load of shit. However, I do like it as video game driving music.

A cover of 20th Century Boy is performed by Drain sth. This sounds more like what I would have Manson do to the previous song. This all female Metal group slows down this classic into something that sounds more like a funeral dirge. In retrospect I would say that they went all Type O Negative on the song. I don't mind it, but fans of the original may not be so kind.

One thing I did notice about this album, and also applauded, was how many bands that are made up of only women were on here. Drain sth was the first group and two more are still to come. I only mention this because these bands are actually really good bands, that can more than keep up with the guys that make up all the other bands on this album. The only "Girl Band" not represented, that clearly should be, is Heart. The soundtrack's title track is the eighth song on the album. It's Detroit Rock City and you should just know it. If you don't, go youtube it, and educate yourself you ignorant bafoon.

I like that there are two Thin Lizzy songs on this album. I'm even happier that the overplayed one was the one that got covered, and Jailbreak was the original. Jailbreak is a fantastic song, from a group that's pretty much considered a "One Hit Wonder". I've got a fantastic best of collection that says differently. This song is so bad ass, and full of that bravado that only comes from growing up in bad place, like Ireland.

After that, it's Cheap Trick's Surrender (Live). I'm not a fan of this song. It's a good Pop song, and I see the appeal, but it's not for me. Also, eventhough I know this song was recorded live, it sounds studio engineered live.

There's this completely odd cut between that song and David Bowie's Rebel Rebel. It sounds like the type of cut you might find on a mix tape recorded off the radio. But, on to the Bowie classic.

This is one of Bowie's songs that I normally don't care about. It's a little too Disco for me, but in a British way. A lot of the Glam bands had a great ability to mix Disco rhythms into Rock songs, and come out with these really neat Pop songs. Most of the time I want nothing to do with it, and this is one of those times.

At the start I said that I like that there were only four Kiss songs on the album. One of those four is performed by The Donnas. Strutter is done in the same great style and fashion as the original Kiss classic. I enjoy listening to a chick sing it more than a guy, and I think it sounds better in this cover than it does when Kiss performs it. These girls are a flat out Rock Band, and I would normally feel bad for referring to any of them as a chick, but they are bad ass chicks.

The original bad girls of Rock N' Roll were the Runaways, and I am so glad that it's School Days that's on here instead of Cherry Bomb. Don't get me wrong, I love Cherry Bomb, but it's nice to hear other songs from them. Also, holy shit can they play. The bass in this song is just awesome, and the vocalist sounds so bad ass. I really think these girls could kick the shit out of any Rock's biggest bad boys. Lemmy will back me up on that too.

Now where I was happy that they put a different Runaways song on besides the normal hit, I was upset that they put this lame Sweet track on. I so would have rather had Ballroom Blitz instead of Little Willy. It's a funny and cute double entendre, but that's where my liking the song ends. After that it's all head shaking.

The album ends with the last Kiss song. I know what you are thinking, if you've never seen this album, "It must be Rock And Roll All Night." That is thankfully wrong. What a shitty cliche that would have been. Instead the album ends with Kiss performing Nothing Can Keep Me From You. This song is credited as being written by D. Warren, which on a quick search I can't figure out exactly which D. Warren it is. The song itself is boring and should have been left unrecorded.

All in all this isn't a bad collection of songs. Sadly most of the songs are pretty standard, and it's really only some of the covers that make this album really worth it. Although I do enjoy throwing this disc in my CD player from time to time, because of the mix of songs.

8/10 - content

7/10 - production

6/10 - personal bias

Pink Floyd - Dark Side Of The Moon

Arguing that Dark Side Of The Moon is Pink Floyd's best album is like arguing that The Wall is. Both are wrong, the best album is Wish You Were Here. That's just my opinion though. I will say, that until I heard Wish You Were Here, I thought Dark Side was their best.

Why would I think this album is better than anything else Pink Floyd has released (except for Wish)? It's a real simple answer. Musically it's brilliantly astounding. I have always believed music should take you somewhere and make you feel something. It's like sex for the brain on top of your shoulders, and this album is a slow intense session of tantric Karma Sutra practice.

The album opens with the instrumental Speak To Me, which effortlessly flows into Breath, and from there into On The Run.

Speak To Me is pretty much an overture to set the mood for the album, and you don't even notice that it's a different song from Breathe, except for it having it's own track listing. As for the latter of the two it's a nice, sweet, pretty, and a little zazzy.

That quickly turns into a fast paced chase, becoming On The Run. This instrumental song is actually heavy on the samples and keyboards. Also the fact that this song helps surround Breathe in instrumentals only helps strengthen the Progressive nature that band is famous for on this album.

From there the second most popular track on the album kicks off. Time wasn't a song I cared for much, when I was younger. Then when I hit my twenties I developed a new kinship to the song. I still could do without the extended clock opening, but other than that this song really gets me going. I especially dig the last minute before it slips into the Breathe (reprise). The reprise itself even adds to the over all feel of Time.

Great Gig In The Sky finished off the first side of the vinyl. This should be listed as an instrumental because the vocals provided aren't singing. Clare Torry uses her voice as an instrument on this song. She "sings" the most amazing hardcore angelic orgasm.

Side two of Dark Side Of The Moon opens with Pink Floyd's second most popular song, Money. The only song I can think of that the general public knows better than this song is Another Brick In The Wall (Part II), or maybe Wish You Were Here. This Jazzy, 7/8 timing, swirling tale of desired monetary excess, is a bit of a school boy's pipe dream, but what a lovely dream. A joke also made in the motion picture for The Wall.

Us And Them would be the ballad of the album. The Saxaphone in the song is like a nice piece of sexy neglige enticing the listener to sit down and enjoy the show that this full bodied song is about to put on.

That flows into another instrumental, Any Colour You Like. Which is a classic Floyd exploratory Jam. It keeps the flow of the album going very smoothly. The song itself is a little spacey, a little funky, and ride on a unique pulse.

Brain Damage has alway been a favourite of mine on this album. The song starts off nice and slow and nutty. From there it just builds up more and more into a grande finale, even though it isn't.

Eclipse finishes off the album with a seemless continuation from Brain Damage. This is like the big wrap up after the grand finale. Bringing a climatic ending to an album that was just so magically produced and put together.

10/10 - content

10/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias

Heart - Greatest Hits

In the grand scheme of music there are very few bands my born again mother and I agree on, or enjoy, Alice Cooper, David Bowie, Elton John, Chris De Burgh, and Billy Joel. Heart is another, but we have two different points of view. My mom's Heart, is the Heart that goes with four out of the five bands listed before. My Heart goes more with Alice, but that even seems wrong. My Heart is the band that sounds like they told Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith to check their balls at the door, because Ann Wilson just blew Robert Plant and Steven Tyler off the stage. Let me be very clear, Heart is not a chick band for mom's. Heart is a Rock band that will kick your ass and have you begging for more.

Heart Greatest Hits was released in 1998 and reflects the years of 1976-1983. These are clearly the best years of Heart if you are a purist, and who am I to argue. I wish there would have been one or two of the later songs, but those were released on a follow up companion album I don't recall ever coming across.

If you are like I was when I first bought this album (never owned any Heart) this is a great starter spot. It's a strong collection, that gets you hooked on great North American Pacific Coast music, before Grunge went and gave it all a bad name.

The album opens with Strong, Strong Wind, and this is a really crappy way to open an album. I suggest you skip it. However, in a mix it's not as bad. I still don't care for it. It's the Heart that my mom likes.

Magic Man is awesome.

Have you ever picked up Guitar Hero II, then you know how wicked Crazy On You is musically.

I like Dreamboat Annie, it's a very pretty song, and the string arrangements are fantastic. However, this is not the Heart I enjoy listening to cranked up and firing out of my speakers. This is more of a sitting in a meadow and chilling on a nice picnic music. Mix it in with a little Yellow Brick Road Elton John, and Ziggy Stardust Bowie.

The very first song I ever heard from Heart that I can clearly remember as being Heart was Barracuda. I did not know that there was another Heart song I had already fallen in love when I heard this one. Ann Wilson's voice gives me mental orgasms everytime I here this song. That's before I get to the music, which has Steve Harris of Iron Maiden's trademark high speed gallop, years before Steve was abusing the hell out of it.

Little Queen is just full of all kinds of sexy. This song just swoons, sways, and sashes (sashay?) around the dance floor, without even giving off the sense of dancing. This is a prime example of why Heart is one of the best Rock bands I have ever heard hands down. This song shows exactly why Heart is the underrated and completely overlooked American answer to Led Zeppelin.

To carry on that thought I give you the next song, Kick It Out. This is their Black Dog or Rock And Roll. A fast paced ruckus, and the only song on here under three minutes. It sounds like it came from the hallowed halls of Chuck Berry or Jerry Lee Lewis, then was cranked through a wall of speakers.

It gets very accoustic on Love Alive, but this is not the type of accoustic that has you thinking, "Shit, more girly crap." This is the type of accoustic work that Robert Plant, Ritchie Blackmore, and Sting all started pursuing before the turn of the millenium, and still haven't had half the success with. Nancy Wilson, works an accoustic guitar like very few others. You want to talk about an under rated guitarist. Because this woman is a woman playing accoustic she will never get the admirration she deserves.

Heartless is what a rock song should be. Ann Wilson steps up to the plate and let's it all out. "Heartless-Heartless! Never out of control / Heartless-Heartless! Sin in the name of rock and roll / Heartless-Heartless! He thinks it's so cool to be cold / Never realize the way love dies when you crucify it's soul". I know you're thinking it's about her getting screwed over, but I like to think of it as her doing the screwing over.

It gets funky in a really good way. Straight On, has both a straight on rock approach, but there's this great underlying funk that just blows my mind. This song is also ten kinds of sexy. That was something that musicians in the 70's really understood. The concept of writing and arranging music that was sexy, not just words, which nowadays border more on pornographic. I really miss the erotic tongue in cheek sometimes.

Dog & Butterfly is the only Heart album my mom ever owned. I was never able to bring myself to listen to it, because of the title track. This was one of those songs she really liked and I had little to no use for. This is one of the songs that's a little more female friendly, like a ballad on a Nickelback album.

At this point I also want to mention there are only three songs on this collection that Ann and Nancy Wilson didn't write. The first track, Strong, Strong Wind, and two songs still coming up. Every other song has both of their names on them, and is some cases only their names. In fact three of my favourite songs on this album was writen exclusively by just the two of them; Crazy On You, Heartless, and Magic Man. Barracuda has a couple other writers, and Kick it Out was written exclusively by Ann. Sue Ennis, a Seattle songwriter, is also credited on half of the songs or more.

Even It Up is just one of those songs that I love because of how honest it is. There is nothing wrong with a woman going on about wanting a guy to even it up. "I took you down over the tracks when / you wanted some sin / I brought you satin and herbs from / the places I been / Now something tells me you're / going to use me again / You think you can lay down the how and / the where and the when / Even it up, even it up, even it up / Even it up, even it up, even it up / I don't want to bum it all / But this axe she got to fall / Even it / Even it up". Not to mention it's just a really good rock song.

I'm not sure what was going on when they decided to come up with Bebe Le Strange, but wow did they knock it out of the park. This sounds like one of those sixties French Girl Pop songs played through a stack of Marshalls. Just fantasticly done, and I can't get over it.

Tell It Like It Is is a song written by George Davis and Lee Diamond and originally recorded by Aaron Neville, as a single in 1966. I think Heart should have left it back there. It's like listening to the Guns N' Roses version of Since You've Been Gone.

There's a very heavy doowoop kind of feel to This Man Is Mine. I like it, like I like most songs that have the Golden Oldies Motown kind of feel. This one always makes me think of Cher's Shoop Shoop song. Not the type of stuff I typically care for, but that doesn't mean it's bad either.

How Can I Refuse is clearly an 80's song. I find it interesting that this song was released in 1983. I would say this track was actually a few years ahead of itself. The sound of the production on this song has a very DDD quality to it. If you come from the early days of CDs, you know that means that it was done completely digital, from recording to production. The first time I ever remember hearing that production sound was on Alice Cooper's Raise Your Hands And Yell and that was 1987.

The album finishes with a cover of Led Zeppelin's Rock And Roll (Live). One listen to this song, and you'll totally understand why I keep making references to Heart being the American version of Led Zeppelin. I'm sure there are Zep fans out there that are currently thinking that I have no clue what I'm talking about, but those are the same neandrathalls that still think Heart is a chick band.

By the end of my very first listen of this CD I considered myself a Heart fan. This album is very much a gateway drug, that will lead to the wanting of other more pure versions of Heart songs.

9/10 - content

9/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

Megadeth - Cryptic Writings

The very last album I bought from Megadeth was 1997's Cryptic Writings. It wasn't because the album sucked. Quite the contrary actually. This ended up being the last CD I picked up from Mustain and crew because the next couple sucked, and I haven't really listened to all that much since then. These days I find everything sounds like it's just more stuff from Hangar 18, and I wasn't such a fan of that album.

I would say that this is most likely my second favourite Megadeth album. Peace Sells is my flat out favourite, but I'm not sure if I like this album or Countdown To Extinction better. I would lean a little more toward Crypitc Writings just because it's less commercial and much heavier than normal. Megadeth is a Trash Metal band and normally sounds like it. On this album they sound more like a Classic Metal band. The music isn't about jamming as many shredding riffs into a song as possible. Instead there good solid melodies, rhythms, methodical stylings, and a variety of musical inspiration.

The album opens with Trust. I love the drum opening. It hard, tribal, and driving. It's this beautiful thunder that just rumbles into a great lead off track. Lyrically the title covers it, especially when you factor in a certain type of paranoia Mustain has developed over the years. Fantastic song though.

Almost Honest is a really cool follow up. Instrumentally it's a bit lighter than normal, a lot of accoustic guitar work. But it's very effective with the upbeat flavour of the song. Once again the lyrics pretty much cover what the song is about. It's nice to know what you are getting before you get it sometimes.

There's a little clip at the beginning of Use The Man of a completely different song. As I go through the liner notes I can't find the name of it. However, it does set a really neat mood before a nice and heavy song about drug abuse kicks in.

Lyrically speaking Mastermind is a bit of a mental mind fuck. "Anonymous existence, rendered useless to mankind / Destroy the logic volume in the confines of the mind / Enmassed and purposeless, marching in a perfect line / Neo-neuro torture, mental meltdown, a heinous crime / Mastermind, I tell you what to think / I tell you what you need / I tell you what to feel / Invade the core of souls to wipe the lives away / Design vacant beings, welcome the inhuman race / Encrypted horror codes, directive psyche overwrite / Processing brains to pabulum, delete and format living drives / I tell you what's real / Hail to the power age, lest the viral hour comes / Raise the flag of voltage, bow to circuitry unknown / Kneel before the processor, lords of static laugh / Electrons in submission, you must know who I am / I tell you what to think / I didn't care what you thought / I tell you waht to get / I don't care what you got". The production on this song is fantastic as well. It really brings Dave's insanity out in a way that's different from the normal high pitched snarl. However, I don't know if your typical Megadeth fan would really care for this one, it's a bit left field.

The Disintergrators is pretty much a Power Metal type of track. A little fantasy/sci-fi set to a really fast tempo and just a lot of stuff going on, kinda sorta. I don't mind it when it's playing, but not a song I go out of my way to listen to.

I like when Dave keeps it mellow, in that dark and brooding kind of way. I'll Get Even is very much like that. This is another really solid song. It's easy to guess what the song's about, but I like the fact that the lyrics are sung decently, or spoken clamly. There's a bit of a Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap feel to this one, but with the slow creep of Night Prowler. It's a great dramatic effect.

I should mention that the production is what makes this album. Dann Huff did a great job of making Megadeth sound like something more than just a pissed off Metal band. He refined them into a solid band, with well thought out riffs and rhythms. The shredding is left for the solos and the fills. The album is very Black Sabbath that way.

Sin is a bit different. The word sin only appears twice in the song and I always think it's called Under Pressure or Set Me Free. The thing is this song has no real chorus, and that is awesome. "He had an unfamiliar face / Complete life in disarray / A simple man, power drunk / No worries of living, no more anything / Deep inside I've seen it rise / Actions progress to no end / Mirror, mirror please look inside / Do you see that reasons that we sin". The last word in that last time is the first time it appears, the next time isn't until the end of the song. The music is cool, but nothing special.

I'm not sure where I stand with A Secret Place. I like the sitar sounding guitar, and the way this song is arranged, as well as the instrumentation, but I don't buy Dave's take on the lyrics. "There's a secret place I like to go / Everyone is there but their face don't show / If you get inside you can't get out / There's no coming back, I hear them shout / Welcome to my hide away, my secret place / How I arrived I can't explain / You're welcome to, if you want to stay / But everyone just runs away / Let me in, get me out / Can't do more then twist and shout / Lost my soul without a trace / Found it again in my secret place / In discrace / I hide from those that try to find me / Scary things that's right behind me /I lost myself, I must confess / I can't explain how I got this mess". It just doesn't seem right to me for reasons I can't properly explain.

Have Cool, Will Travel is as close to a Blues song as I think Megadeth has ever gotten, or will ever get. There's even a little harmonica in there. Let's say this song is Blues Metal, and it's good. Once again, I like it playing on the CD player, but don't see a need to put it on my Mp3 player.

The two biggest filler tracks to me are in the standard filler positions. She-Wolf is another Power Metal style song. It's not bad, but nothing special either. Sorry to anyone that's currently cursing me out, because for some odd reason this is your favourite song from this album. I think you only like it for the Iron Maiden sounding guitar parts in the middle to end of the song.

The other one is Vortex. It's a decent enough song, but at this point in the album it sounds pretty stock. I don't feel a need to go out of my was to skip it, but if I have the remote handy, or am walking by the CD player I will hit the button.

However, it can also be used as time for a bathroom break.

FFF is an abbrieviation essentially for "Fight for freedom, fight authority / Fight for anything, my country tis' of me", which is the chorus of the song. This song is pretty much Motorbreath (see the humour in that one?), just a little shorter and with lyrics about fighting for freedom. It's a good song to end the album on.

Like I said it's the production that makes this album for me. It's nothing over the top crazy, but when you look at a list of artists he's produced for, this album starts looking like the piece of art that it's supposed to be. Some names include; Carrie Underwood, Amy Grant, Keith Urban, Faith Hill, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, Suzy Bogguss, Hunter Hayes, Kathy Mattea, Lonestar, Jewel Kilcher, Rascal Flatts and Martina McBride.

You might think this would sound like a country album, but you'd be wrong. So very, very wrong. It's totally a Classic Metal album, although maybe not an actual classic.

7/10 - content

9/10 - production

8/10 - personal bias

Deep Purple - The Very Best of Deep Purple

I own two Deep Purple CDs. The first one I ever owned was Come Hell Or High Water, a live disc I wasn't a fan of. The other is The Very Best Of Deep Purple released in 2000 by Rhino Entertainment Company, a subsidary of Warner Bros. Records inc.

Until I bought this CD I spent years searching for the perfect Deep Purple album to buy, but most of them were either regular albums, that I only knew one or two songs from, or compilations of vinyl length. In other words maybe ten songs at most, and only 45 minutes worth of material. This disc however has 15 tracks and they span an impressive assortment of styles, musicians, and years.

The album opens with Hush, which has been a favourite of mine since I first heard the opening "Nah, nah-nah-nah, nah-nah-nah, nah-nah-nah". This I only learned later was a cover, and I can't remember who did the original off the top of my head. It doesn't matter though because this song is just fantastic, although as I've gotten older I don't have the same love for it I use to have. Once upon a time it was my favourite Deep Purple song, now it's just a top ten.

They included the single version of Kentucky Woman on here. I'm guessing it's slightly shorter and that's okay, because I normally just skip this one anyway. I'm sure some people absolutely love it, but I never really cared for it.

Black Night falls into the same category as Kentucky Woman, but the riff in this one is way cool. All the best chorded riffs in Hard Rock and Heavy Metal were written by either Deep Purple's Richie Blackmore, Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi or Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page. I say this because Black Night shows how much one of Ritchie's guitar riffs matter. They take an otherwise skippabley boring song and turn it into pure genius.

Speed King and Highway Star are pretty much the same song, in a kind of sorta way. Both are good, thanks to the kicking music, but both are overplayed and I could live without ever hearing again. I'm also jumping the gun putting Highway Star here instead of in it's position at track nine. Both are muscle car kind of songs, and for that reason they kick ass.

I should state that every song that I rip on, rag on, make fun of, or say is skippable, are fantastic when thrown into a mix. I love cranking every single one on the stereo, I just don't bother with them for individual song listening.

Track five on the album is Child In Time. This song is too long and complex for standard radio, so you don't get to hear it too often. Not even on Detroit Rock Radio, which is really a bit of a joke these days. This is one of those songs that the music is written and performed in a way that's very operatic. This song truly represents the hell of war. You can picture the gun fire, and explosions, and panic, and death. This is one of those songs that allow the band to be considered Prog.

After the great epic comes Strange Kind Of Woman. "There once was a woman / A strange kind of woman / The kind that gets written down in history / Her name was nancy / Her face was nothing fancy / She left a trail of happiness and misery / I loved her / Everybody loved her / She loved everyone and gave them good return / I tried to take her / I even tried to break her / She said, I ain't for takin' won't you ever learn / I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you / I spent my money as I took my turn / I want you, I need you, I gotta be near you / Ooh, I got a strange kind of woman, yes I have". There are two things to point out about the lyrics here. The first is that Deep Purple like the Nancy/fancy rhyme, since I've heard/seen it multiple times on this album. The second is they really know how to writet music to match content. This song is as bouncy as Nancy's bed.

Fireball is an awesome fast paced song. It just cruises along at breakneck speed and doesn't stop. I like this one when it comes up on my Mp3 player during those moments when I need, or want, that big bust of energy.

Demon's Eye I'm sure is a favoutire of some Deep Purple fans out there. I personally think it could have been left off here. Although I like the instrumental work in the middle, it's a pretty stock song.

I really don't like Highway Star. It's just so over played at this point. I find it's more over played than Smoke On The Water, which I also enjoy better. There is something about last minute songs, inspired by tragic events that just make amazing history.

I remember that once upon a time, the first song anyone that wanted to be able to call themselves a guitarist would have to learn would be Smoke On The Water. This might just be the greatest rock riff known to man. I'm sure Tibbetan Monks even throat chant this one. I'm also aware that that last sentence has about three things wrong with it, and the idea of the monks performing this song is not one of them.

I have no idea why. I can't give a good explanation. I personally have no idea how I came about the love affair I have with Space Truckin', but I'm sure it has something to do with my dad and those stupid brown boats/cars we once had.

We owned two different brown cars in my musically formative years. One looked like a light brown turd, and the other looked like a chocolate brown turd. It was in these two cars I discovered Old School Classic rock, which really wasn't as of the early to mid 80's.

However, I know that my insane love for Space Truckin', along with Jethro Tull's Aqualung, Black Sabbath's Iron Man, Rainbow's Man On The Silver Mountain, and Rush's Fly By Night all came from those two cars. My daddy brainwashed me with good music very early on. Thanks!

Space Truckin' is my second favourite Deep Purple song though, and I won't apologize for it. That opening bass riff is just awesome. I mean they really drive cosmic gear shifting into over drive and thunder that baby home.

Woman From Tokyo is a great song, but I personally don't really care for it. I can't give a decent reason why, except that it doesn't have the normal gusto one would come to expect from Deep Purple. I don't want to say it sounds stock, but at the same time I will say that it doesn't sound like the band was trying very hard to come up with anything original. It could be they were trying too hard even.

Burn and Stormbringer go together with Demon's Eye. They are good songs, but a little on the stock side. Burn is much better than Stormbringer as far as I'm concerned, but both of them are a little too typically Deep Purple. However, they are fantastic driving music.

Though, one can not simply drive the speed limit while listening to Deep Purple. One must floor it and see the hyperdrive cause the stars to streak. These two songs can easily help you do the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs.

The album finshes with my absolute favourite Deep Purple song, Knocking At Your Back Door. There are three things I learned about this song in just the last year. The first is that this song is in fact about trying to slip it into a girl's bum. Yes, I figured this since I was a young teen, but I learned from watching live footage on youtube, and direct from the horses mouth that my thoughts were right. I do like to have confirmation on things, though.

The second is that this song is actually relatively new by my standards. By that I mean it came out in my life time. I had no clue this was on the Perfect Strangers album, which was released in 1984. Which also brings me to the fact that this song was done by Deep Purple Mark II, which had broken up over a decade before hand.

Here's a list of every person that has ever been an official member of Deep Purple; Ian Paice – drums, percussion (1968–1976, 1984–present), Roger Glover – bass (1969–1973, 1984–present), Ian Gillan – lead vocals, harmonica, congas (1969–1973, 1984–1989, 1992–present), Steve Morse – guitar (1994–present), Don Airey – keyboards, organ (2002–present), Jon Lord – keyboards, organ, backing vocals (1968–1976, 1984–2002; died 2012), Ritchie Blackmore – guitar (1968–1975, 1984–1993), Nick Simper – bass, backing vocals (1968–1969), Rod Evans – lead vocals (1968–1969), Glenn Hughes – bass, vocals (1973–1976), David Coverdale – lead vocals (1973–1976), Tommy Bolin – guitar, backing vocals (1975–1976; died 1976), Joe Lynn Turner – lead vocals (1989–1991), and Joe Satriani – guitar (1993–1994). The most famous version of Deep Purple is Mark II, which is made up of Ritchie Blackmore, Roger Glover, Ian Gillan, Jon Lord, and Ian Paice.

All in all this is the Deep Purple Album you want to buy, if you only want to buy one Deep Purple album. All the songs have been digitally remastered, for those that like that kind of thing, which on CD is needed. It's a fantastic assortment covering every album, except for two, and even the stock songs are stellar tracks that demand the need for speed. All in all just a great collection of well written and performed rock Songs.

10/10 - content

9/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias

Van Halen - Best Of Volume 1

The best album to talk about the whole Van Roth / Van Hagar issue is right here on the Best Of Volume 1. Which is also the album that ended Sammy Hagar's run with Van Halen. I won't get into the whole Gary Cherone discussion, it's pointless. He was never Van Halen's best vocalist. Sorry Gary, that was a bad business move on your behalf.

Now let me be very clear that I personally think Eddie Van Halen is a complete douche bag, control freak, dickhead. I know he has Eruption, but let's be honest, he's nothing without a good front man. I respect the hell out of his gift and he uses it well, which is why I do enjoy Van Halen, but he's more over rated than Jimi Hendrix. Especially when there's people like Steve Vie, Joe Satriani, or Frank Zappa. I put Frank in there, since he was also a better keyboard/piano player. When It comes to the whole Yngwie Malmsteen debate, see the three entries before as well. I won't trash talk Alex Van Halen, we all know he's Eddie's little pet anyway, and he has the name, so whatever.

David Lee Roth and Eddie deserve each other. Everything I said about Eddie, "is a complete douche bag, control freak, dickhead" is spot on with David as well. However, you can also add poser, wannabe, bitch to Roth's list as well. I remember when Sammy and David did a summer concert tour together back in the late 90's. Sammy couldn't get over what a wuss David was. He wouldn't come out to do it up on any songs together (You Really Got Me was one that I heard mentioned that they should do together.), and he was completely stand offish acting like an old worn out primadonna the entire tour.

My loyalty with Van Halen goes to Micheal Anthony and Sammy Hagar. First off, I liked Sammy before Van Halen. I knew Heavy Metal and I Can't Drive 55, plus the Montrose song Bad Motor Scooter, before I knew Van Halen. I didn't official discover Van Halen until the Sammy/David debate errupted.

As for Micheal Anthony, he's just a really solid bassist that deserves my respect for putting up with all that crap over the years. I'm also glad that he is in Chicken Foot with Sammy, and Joe Satriani, because that new Van Halen Tattoo half ass left over from this specific album I will start to review shortly, is nothing compared to what they have been releasing.

With all that said, I will now state that the majority of Van Halen's best guitar work came from the first Van Roth era, and so did some of the best songs. I also blame a lot of that on Eddie wanting to flex his piano chops. Which he's decent at as well, but he should have had Sammy play guitar as well if he didn't want to as much.

The album opens up with Eruption. It was fantastic for it's time. It was different, exciting, and full of the balls that guitarists in 1978 were missing. It's also overated, over played, and over shadows much better pieces from much better artists. The key to this specific solo is that it's not long and boring. Eddie clearly understands his instrument, and how to make it do marvelous things and this solo deserves at least that recognition.

Ain't Talkin' Bout Love follows that up, which I find surprising. It's a really good song, and I think this from the best Roth Era album, but there are other songs I would have rather have seen here. Jamie's Cryin' is one for a really, really good example.

After that comes my favourite Van Halen song, Runnin' With The Devil. This song is why I love Micheal Anthony so much. There's nothing to most of the bass line, but that solid spot on pacing drives this song so hard. Also he could easily replicate most of Eddie's non fill guitar parts as part of the rhythm, but then the song would lose the part that makes it move.

The only offering from Van Halen II is Dance The Night Away, and I would like to thank Alex for that openning cowbell. You always need a little cowbell. As for the song, I don't care about it either way. Somebody Get Me a Doctor, or Beautiful Girls would have meant the same to me, and they are the only other songs from the second album I would have included.

And The Cradle Will Rock was the only choice from Women And Children first. This was a really killer song, and I think one of Van Roth's best performances. Although for the longest time I couldn't undrestand why he kept singing "Rock jaw!!!" Damn shitty mono factory car radios.

I don't really know the Fair Warning album well, Unchained is about the only song I know. It's also one of the first Van Halen songs I ever knew. I specifically mean that I knew was performed by Van Halen. It's a really good rock song, and I love it just for that.

The album 1984 is probably Van Halen's best commercially successful album musically. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge was Van Halen's best commercially successfully album commercially. Which I will get to later.

This bring me to the question of "Why is there only two songs from 1984 on here, and why did one of them have to be Jump?" I'll be honest, it's the over use of keyboards on this song that annoys me. It's a well constructed song, but not of my taste. Also this song is not a "Best of" it's a "Greatest Hit". There is a difference, and if they understood that they would have put Hot For Teacher on here instead.

I will not question Panama being in this collection. Over the years it's become a trifel over played for my liking, but it is a really good song. The arrangement, instrumentation, and Diamond Dave's vocal performance was fantastic.

This should have marked the end of David's career with Van Halen, but good things can't last forever. But, I'll be honest and say that when Roth returns (sounds like a horror movie title "When Roth Returns") for the last couple songs on the album, I was impressed.

The Sammy selection opens with Why Can't This Be Love and Dreams from 5150, and they aren't bad. Dreams I can understand, it belongs on here, but Best Of Both Worlds should have been here instead of Why Can't This Be Love. Too much synth work on these songs though.

Because of the inclusion of Why Can't this Be Love and Dreams, I don't understand why they felt the need to put Why Can't this Be Love, from OU812, on here as well. They should have used Finish What Ya Started to show more diversity. This is a good song, but it feels like filler on this collection after the last two songs.

Now it's on to the most successful Van Hagar album. For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge produced four singles, only two made it on here, and one of them has been so grossly overplayed that most of my friends shutter when they hear it.

Let me start with Poundcake, the first song to show up. This is a good solid song. It has a clear lack of piano, and a great abundance of a power drill being used on a guitar. I personally would have been just as happy if they had included Runaround or Top Of The World. However, we only got one good choice, and had to take the second choice.

How can you have a collection of Van Halen songs without including the song that made them more money than any other song combined. Thanks to Right Now I almost stopped drinking Pepsi. I understand why people grabbed onto this song right away. I also won't knock Eddie and his Piano playing on this song. It was done really well. However, after the first hundred times I heard it in 1991 I started growing very tired of it. Now I will change the channel or skip away from this song anytime I hear it. Hell writing this paragraph has been an exercise in self control, when it comes to my skipping reflex.

My favourite Hagar era album was Balance. A completely overlooked and under appreciated album. I blame that on Grunge. I'm also pissed that the only song they chose to include here was Can't Stop Lovin' You. There were so many better songs on the album, and the only reason this was ever a single was due to Grunge being huge, and this was a safe accoustic sounding coffee shop type song. That's a bit of an over simplification, but I think it get's the point across.

Human's Being from the Twister Soundtrack. This is my second Favourite Van Halen song, because Sammy point blank tells Eddie to go fuck himself in it. "There is just enough Christ in me / To make me feel almost guilty / Is that why God made us bleed / To make us see we're Humans Being? / You break this, I'll break all that / You break my balls with all your crap / Spread your disease like lemmings breeding / That's what makes us Humans Being / Shine on, shine on / Shine on, shine on / Yeah! Some low life flat head scum infects / The sickness in his eyes reflects / You wonder why your life is screaming / Wonder why we're Humans Being / Shine on, shine on / Shine on, shine on / Humans, Humans Being / We're just Humans (That's what makes us) / Humans Being (That's what makes us) / We're just humans (That's what makes us) / Humans Being (That's what makes us) We're just humans (That's what makes us) / Humans Being (That's what makes us) / Humans Being! / We're just humans (That's what makes us) / Humans Being (That's what makes us) / Humans Being!" I think that's why the vocals had so much flange and phase put on them.

So after Sammy said his big fuck you, because he was not going to be just a puppet for Eddie's ego, they had David come back to record two "new" songs. The first one was Can't Get This Stuff No More. This could have easily been a Sammy Song, but Diamond Dave does deliver the goods. In fact I really like this one, especially the talk box work. Which I later came to find out, Eddie couldn't actually work the talk box himself and had to have someone else do. That was sad.

The album finishes with Me Wise Magic. This too is also a very good song. In fact it's so good that when Van Halen finally decided to release a new album with David Lee Roth this year, the single Tattoo had almost the exact same sound musically as this song and the previous track.

All in all this is a good collection, and if all you want is the more commercial side of Van Halen this album is for you. If you want a little more, this album shouldn't be totally over looked. The last three tracks were the main reasons I bought this album, with all the other stuff being decent bonus tracks.

9/10 - content

8/10 - production

7/10 - personal bias

Rush - Clockwork Angels

Released on April 19, 2012, Rush's Clockwork Angels is still relatively new. I've personally had a copy in my hands for the last month or so, as of my writing this. If you picked up any album fromk Vapor Trails until now, excluding Feedback, you already know how this album sounds.

Rush seems to have found a modern sound that they really like. I don't think they've really changed much as far as prodution goes, it's just the quality has gotten better over the years. I mean how do you really improve on Canadian pefection?

I know I normally don't talk about packaging when it comes to albums, however one of the first things that caught my eye was that the times listed next to every song are listed as 0:00. I think this is really important to the overall feel of the album, because it seems like this album is actually one giant song with multiple parts. Think 2112 (song) or By-Tor And The Snow Dog, but each part listed as a track would actually be a part of the song, not the song itself.

If you open up the book on the inside and read the liner notes, and look at the awesome artwork you'll see that I'm bang on. This is actually a full concept album. Those amazing geniuses snuck another one in under the radar.

There are some key elements behind the scenes on this album I would like to point out as well. Like always all music is composed by Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, with all lyrics written by Neil Peart. All the arrangements were put together by the band and producer, but the string arrangements on five tracks were done by David Campbell and Jason Sniderman plays piano on one track as well.

Now to be fair, after the first couple of listens to this album, I wasn't overly impressed. Not that it was bad, it just sounded too much like the last couple of albums. Then as I started hearing the tracks broken up during random play, between twenty-five other discs, I started noticing how much these songs were getting me off. For the first time in a couple albums I found myself going out of my way to learn the song names.

Once I figured out it was in fact a concept album I started paying more attention to what was actually going on, and now I have to say I'm impressed. That's the thing with Rush, you have to be paying attention. With this album you also have to take the time to look at the packaging. Much like 2112 there is a story that is also being told within the packaging that can't be heard on the songs. I however don't want to give everything away, so I'm just going to cover the songs normally.

The album opens with Caravan, which stands out most to me because of Geddy's bass work. He's channeling some major mojo while ripping into those strings. I would like to know how he keeps getting better and faster over the years, while most people are slowing down. It just blows my mind.

From there it's on to BU2B, and the first thing that went through my mind was, "Oh fuck, the synthisizers are back." That quickly subsided, thankfully. For the most part this song is pretty basic and to the point, which you may not guess from the title. I could see this one doing well on the Radio, if the radio played good new music, instead of the typical mindless drivel.

As you continue to read on, you'll notice that I mention Geddy and Neil more than Alex. I do apologize to Mr. Lifeson. Alex has the hardest job in Rush. He writes half the music, and had to play with the worlds most amazing living drummer and bassist (this is a general belief amongst most people I have ever talked to). That is not easy, by any stretch of the imagination, and the fact that Alex never comes off as a the weakest link, but just as strong and talented as the other two members only serves to cement what I'm saying.

The title track of the album is really intense. This is your typical Rush song in the sense that it's just crazy complicated, while still being soft and sweet. The production on this song is amazingly well done. Nick Raskulinecz along with the band themselves, just really knew what they were doing when they put this song together. Lyrically it has everything you come to expect from Neil Peart. "High above the city square / Globes of light float in mid-air / Higher still, against the night / Clockwork angels bathed in light / You promise every treasure, to the foolish and the wise / Goddesses of mystery, spirits in disguise / Every pleasure, we bow and close our eyes / Clockwork angels, promise every prize / Clockwork angels, spread their arms and sing / Synchronized and graceful, they move like living things / Goddesses of Light, of Sea and Sky and Land / Clockwork angels, the people raise their hands / As if to fly / As if to fly". He's more than just the world's best living and still playing drummer!

After that comes The Anarchist. This is a fast paced, heart pounding drive, set on cruise control. This is the first song to feature David Campbell's string arrangements. They add a great texture to the song. However, this song isn't exactly what you might grab from the title.

The most stand out thing about Carnies is how much the guitar is audiable. Typically Alex is lost in the mix, in a sort of way, but that's because of his playing style, which is very pulled back, in sound. On this song he actually plays some normally loud riffing and can be easily heard.

Halo Effect is a bit softer, but totally enjoyable. David Campbell's string arrangements help it along. On the whole this song doesn't do much for me. It's like Resist (Test For Echo) with it's accoustic approach, and style. It's a lot beefier than that song, but if you know what I'm talking about you get the idea.

Seven Cities Of Gold is awesome. Other than the title track and The Wreckers, this was the track that caught my attention really quick. Musically it's just a great rock song, and the chorus of "Seven Cities of Gold / Stories that fired my imagination / Seven Cities of Gold / A splendid mirage in this desolation / Seven Cities of Gold / Glowing in my dreams, like hallucinations / Glitter in the sun like a revelation / Distant as a comet or a constellation", I find very enjoyable and also very singable.

The Wreckers is a bit suprising. When you see a title like that you expect something big and heavy, expecially after the last song. What you get is some beautifully melodic piece of glory raining down on you from the heavens, especially during the chorus. This is also another song featuring David Campbell's strings. They work so typically well, that you can't help but fall in love with this song even more.

Headlong Flight starts off in the jagged Jazz way that only Geddy and Neil seem to be able to create together, and Alex capitalizes on like no one;s business. Now of all the songs on the album I find this one the weakest, but weak on this album means this one song alone is a 7.5, and it only goes up from there. I will say that this song is a bit depressing if you read too much into it.

BU2B2 is more or less a bit of a filler to help keep the story going. It's not filler in the sense of being a bad track. More filler in the sense that it's not really much of a track. It's short, mainly contains lyrics, and is more ambience and less musicianship.

Wish Them Well is great. This is the most fantastic message I have ever heard in a song, and I wish I had been given it when I was younger. It would have saved me a lot of years of pain. "All that you can do is wish them well / All that you can do is wish them well / Spirits turned bitter by the poison of envy / Always angry and dissatisfied / Even the lost ones, the frightened and mean ones / Even the ones with a devil inside / Thank your stars you're not that way / Turn your back and walk away / Don't even pause and ask them why / Turn around and say goodbye ".

The Garden is a nice way to wrap up the album. It's sweet, soft, has a sense of fulfillment, and it so amazingly constructed. These words have never left my lips before "I love Geddy Lee's voice on this song."The measure of a life is a measure of love and respect, / So hard to earn so easily burned / In the fullness of time, / A garden to nurture and protect / (It's a measure of a life) / The treasure of a life is a measure of love and respect, / The way you live, the gifts that you give / In the fullness of time, / Is the only return that you expect". Then there's Alex's solo, which is so prominately displayed in a full delicate beauty of simplicity. This is also the song that has Jason Sniderman's piano playing.

This album really is a mind blower, after the second or third listen, unless you break into the booklet that comes within the packaging. Then it's clear right away. If you are a Rush fan, that you should already own this album. If you are on the fence about this album, than you should get off that fence and go buy it. Totally worth owning and listening to. Imagine if 2112 and Vapor Trails had a baby, and that gives you a good idea of what to expect from Clockwork Angels.

8/10 - content

10/10 - production

9/10 - personal bias