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Anthrax – I’m the Man |
| November 13th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1987
Tracks: I’m the Man (Censored Radio Version); I’m the Man (Def Uncensored Version); Sabbath Bloody Sabbath; I’m the Man – Live (Extremely Def Ill Uncensored Version); Caught in a Mosh – Live; I am the Law – Live
Best track: Sabbath Bloody Sabbath
Track to skip: I’m the Man radio version is pretty useless
Interesting little EP. I guess that Anthrax released the I’m the Man single sometime in early ’87 and they put the rest of these songs out to fill an EP. So, it’s been 15 years sine this early ‘rap-rock’ attempt, and yes, the humor has gotten a bit stale. Truthfully it’s not as funny as it was back in the day. It’s too bad there’s only 3 live tracks on here, they might have done better to do a whole live album. These live tracks sound great and prove how great a live band Anthrax is (and was).
With the uncensored version of ITM, the censored radio version is really useless. It’s not as compelling of a song as it used to be. I mean, it’s not a serious song by any means, it’s goofy as hell, but it hasn’t aged very well. Who cares though? We don’t listen to Anthrax for timeless songwriting. I still laugh at bits from the live version (live stuff recorded here in Dallas on 7-11-87), but the live highlights are absolutely the live versions of Caught in a Mosh and I am the Law. As for the best part of the whole thing, the version of Black Sabbath’s Sabbath Bloody Sabbath is absolutely KILLER. Excellent, excellent stuff. Truthfully, this is just a ‘thank you’ for the fans and a breather until the next studio album came out in ’88. If you’re an old school Anthrax fan no doubt you’ll dig this. You probably already have it anyway. It’s a fun little thing, but I rarely pull it out anymore.
Rating: 83
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Rush – 2112 |
| November 12th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1976
Tracks: 2112 (Overture, The Temples of Syrinx, Discovery, Presentation, Oracle: The Dream, Soliloquy, Grand Finale); A Passage to Bangkok; The Twilight Zone; Lessons; Tears; Something for Nothing
Best track: Overture
Tracks to skip: Twilight Zone, Something for Nothing, Lessons, Tears
This is such an OVERRATED album. Yes, not ‘excellent’ or ‘cool’ or ‘kick-ass’, but Overrated. It’s the most overrated Rush album and probably the most overrated prog rock album as well. It absolutely pains me that so many people like this. It bites! Why is it so overrated? Well, the entire hype of this thing is solely based on the first two ‘songs’: the first two parts of 2112, Overture and Temples of Syrinx. How many people really care about the whole of 2112 the song? It’s pretty pointless really. The story is stupid and the different parts flow very poorly between themselves. There really isn’t any flow throughout the song. And the lyrics are stupid. The ending is REALLY stupid. As different sections they’re decent, but it’s not some amazing composition. I think it’s so funny how there’s a part of a song (Discovery) that’s just Alex Lifeson tuning the guitar! Now, when they played 2112 live, it rocked and Discovery was the coolest part (Alex took an improvised solo). As a story and composition 2112 doesn’t hold together well and the story is lacking, but it’s OK.
Now for the rest of the album. Ugh. OK, Passage to Bangkok is a cool song, but this original version is only decent. After that, the band clearly ran out of ideas and filled the rest of the album out with crap. The last 4 songs, most of side 2 of the original album, are so, SO horrible. Just absolute horrible compositions. These things make the stuff of Vapor Trails look like genius. When I first bought this I couldn’t believe that any group would have this much filler on an album, especially a group as cool as Rush. Twilight Zone is a very bad song. Lessons is a very bad song. Tears is so damn cheesy and just drippy with the Mellotron. Something for Nothing is brainless. I tell ya, it’s torture listening to this whole thing.
So yeah, parts of 2112 the song are cool, and Bangkok is pretty good, but otherwise this album sucks. Don’t buy it, don’t believe the hype. ***Even if you’re a Rush fan don’t get this!***
Rating: 68
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Frank Zappa – Over-nite Sensation |
| November 12th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1973
Tracks: Camarillo Brillo, I’m the Slime; Dirty Love; Fifty-Fifty; Zomby Woof; Dinah-Moe Humm; Montana
Best track: Montana
Track to skip: none
Absolute and total change from the last album. Hell, that’s Zappa for ya! You can listen to two albums from within a year of each other and they have no resemblance what so ever. Well, besides being Zappa that is. It’s commonly believed that this was Zappa’s ‘sell out’ album after the previous two jazz albums. Those weren’t very popular, and this was. Most audiences couldn’t understand those, but they could certainly understand this one. This isn’t simplistic by any means, it’s just not big band jazz. This is a commercial album, probably as commercial of one as Zappa ever made. I don’t think he deliberately tried to ‘sell out’, I think he just wanted to switch directions again, like he does every two or three albums.
This thing is so damn good though. All of these songs are good (yeah dammit, I *like* Dinah-Moe Humm!) and the playing is excellent. This band was the first formation of a truly great band: Ruth Underwood on percussion, George Duke on keys and Tom Fowler on bass were the cornerstones of the great mid-70’s FZ group, with mainstays Sal Marquez on trumpet and Ian Underwood on woodwinds, and newbies Ralph Humphrey on drums, often-employed Bruce Fowler on trombone and jazz fusion violinist Jean-Luc Ponty finishing out the group. And of course we can’t forget the incredible contributions of Tina Turner and the Ike-ettes who do backing vocals on a lot of these songs (uncredited, because Ike refused to let them be. Jerk)
The playing on here is fantastic. I just got through the super workout of the middle section of 50-50. WOW! Ponty does a great solo and then Frank comes in with one of his own. Zomby Woof is still one of my fave FZ compositions, as is I’m the Slime. So much good stuff on here! I do think it’s very annoying that many people in the 70’s latched on to Dinah-Moe Humm like they did, but it’s still an amusing song. Its existence is entirely justified by the Ike-ettes singing. Speaking of them, how about Montana? Jeez, that middle section is THE middle section of all time. I absolutely love Montana. It’s totally a highlight of Zappa’s composing. The middle section is so damn ridiculous sounding! My mind gets fried every time I listen to it. And then they just go back into the song like nothing happened! You have to hear it to know what I’m talking about. This is a damn great album and one that I listen to a ton. A great first-Zappa purchase.
Rating: 94
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Dave Matthews Band – Under the Table and Dreaming |
| November 11th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1994
Tracks: The Best of What’s Around; What Would You Say; Satellite; Rhyme & Reason; Typical Situation; Dancing Nancies; Ants Marching; Lover Lay Down; Jimi Thing; Warehouse; Pay For What You Get; #34
Best track: Ants Marching
Tracks to skip: Dancing Nancies, Lover Lay Down, Warehouse, Pay For What You Get, #34
I still think it’s pretty cool that a ‘rock’ band has the instrumentation of bass-guitar-drums-sax-violin. Thanks to DMB it’s more of a common thing now, but it still increases the possibilities that can happen. Even still listening to this album the same thing comes out: DMB are not consistent in my ears. When they’re good, they are DAMN good, but when they’re just filling out an album…wow it gets boring. I guess it’s just my prejudice of wanting a band to be excellent nearly all the time (like King Crimson, Phish or Mike Keneally). I want to say how great DMB are, shout it from the hills, but they’re only halfway great.
The great stuff: the first 3 tracks + Ants Marching are so damn good. In all areas, they are exceptional pieces of music. And mostly the album is good, but after Jimi Thing it just drops into some sort of boring ass muck. I know I’m being a bit hard, and they are talented musicians, but the last 4 songs honestly bore me…and I HATE it when music bores me. What makes it worse is when it’s on the same album as something like Satellite or Best of What’s Around. 2 ends of the spectrum. And Dancing Nancies is past boring; it’s just a bad song.
I guess it boils down to this, DMB has some excellent material and very good musicianship, but the songwriting is effective only half the time. I think if DMB just made EP’s they’d probably be one of the best bands out there. Otherwise, well, they’re just OK. And I hate saying a group is ‘OK’ when they make something as excellent as Ants Marching. That’s a great, great song. I just wish they could all be that good.
Rating: 84
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Queen – Greatest Hits |
| November 11th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1992
Tracks: We Will Rock You; We Are the Champions; Another One Bites the Dust; Killer Queen; Somebody to Love; Fat Bottomed Girls; Bicycle Race; You’re My Best Friend; Crazy Little Thing Called Love; Now I’m Here; Play the Game; Seven Seas of Rhye; Body Language; Save Me; Don’t Stop Me Now; Good Old Fashioned Lover Boy; I Want to Break Free
Best track: too many! I’ll pick Crazy Little Thing
Track to skip: Body Language
It’s kinda hard to review this album. I mean, it’s all just too damn good! It’s like: great song, great song, great song, another great song, great song, etc. etc. etc. OK, truthfully, the last few aren’t as hot as the earlier ones, but being that it’s part 1 of 2 best of CDs for Queen, it’s going to pretty much be all high quality stuff. I love the attitude of this music! They just have this vibe and presence about them. The four of them are good musicians, and are serious musicians, but the music so fun. Even in the serious songs, they’re still having fun.
Brian May has some seriously thick guitar tone. The combination of May’s guitar and Freddie Mercury’s voice should be more than enough to make everyone a fan of this group. And yes, Roger Taylor and John Deacon are good as well. All 4 write songs and it’s interesting to hear the various styles of each one. These are some seriously good songs. Both this and Classic Queen are CDs that are really needed by everyone. It’s SO GOOD. I love this CD, it’s fantastic.
Rating: 95
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Journey – Departure |
| November 11th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1980
Tracks: Any Way You Want It; Walks Like a Lady; Someday Soon; People and Places; Precious Time; Where Were You; I’m Cryin’; Line of Fire; Departure; Good Morning Girl; Stay Awhile; Homemade Love
Best track: it’s hard to pick a standout track on here…possibly Where Were You or Someday Soon
Track to skip: there are a couple of weaker songs, but nothing really too bad
It’s strange for me as a Journey fan to go back and actively listen to these albums. Like I said in some other Journey or Steve Perry review, all of Journey’s albums are so part of my blood. I’ve been listening to Journey since I was 10 and in nearly all that time I’ve never really questioned the ‘classic’ Journey stuff. After going through the trio of Infinity, Evolution and now Departure, the thing that keeps sticking out to me is that these 3 are not cohesive albums. They are absolutely collections of songs. Mostly good, but it’s all kinda directionless as a whole.
I’m not sure if I like this one better than Evolution or not. On Departure I like how the band throws some different stuff into the mix. These ‘experiments’ are stuck in the middle of each side and these four songs broaden out the spectrum of what the Steve Perry-led Journey did. Someday Soon sounds a whole lot like the music from the first 3 albums, while also combining the poppiness of Steve Perry with it. Same goes for People and Places which has Neal Schon doing a large part of the vocals. It’s got some pretty trippy parts and it’s a cool song. The ‘experimental’ songs on side 2 are Departure and Good Morning Girl. Both of these songs barely total 2 minutes, but they are very good. Departure the song points to what Journey would do with their next album: film soundtracks.
So, what do I say as for the overall goodness of this album? Well, last week I tried to review this and didn’t even get half way through before shutting it off from Boredom. It’s not that it sucks, it’s just that for me I think I’ve outgrown these albums a bit. I do still like most of these songs though. Ironically, the song that annoyed me the most was Any Way You Want It, the most popular track on here and a track I used to love. I think I’m just sick to death of Journey’s greatest hits and I’m almost wanting to rebel against them. Like they’re some sort of authority or something. I guess in a strange musical sense, Journey kind of are like my ‘parents’. This was the first music I really ever latched on to and it helped me out a lot in my earlier life. I’m just not feeling all of it anymore. The rating for this has been going back and forth throughout typing this up, but I think I’ve finally decided. Yeah, it’s not wholly as good as Evolution, it’s just a smidge under. As always, if you’re a Journey fan it’s recommended.
Rating: 82
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Four Tops – Essential Collection |
| November 7th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 2000
Tracks: Baby I Need Your Loving; Ask the Lonely; I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch); It’s the Same Old Song; Reach Out I’ll Be There; Standing in the Shadows of Love; Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over); Bernadette; Walk Away Renee; You Keep Running Away; If I Were a Carpenter; Still Water (Love); It’s All in the Game; (It’s the Way) Nature Planned It; Ain’t No Woman (Like the One I’ve Got); Keeper of the Castle; Are You Man Enough; Sweet Understanding Love; One Chain Don’t Make No Prison; Midnight Flower; Catfish; When She Was My Girl; I Just Can’t Walk Away; I Believe in You and Me
Best track: Reach Out I’ll Be There
Tracks to skip: If I Were a Carpenter, Still Water, It’s All in the Game, It’s the Way Nature Planned It
I think it goes like this: either you like old Motown stuff or you don’t. So, am I an oddity that I like some of it, but not all? I’m not a fan of the over-produced Phil Spector type stuff; I have more appreciation for the stuff like the Four Tops. Now, of course most people will know a significant number of these songs, esp. the early ones. I’d say all the stuff up through You Keep Running Away is all excellent. It’s interesting how what I consider the ‘skippable’ tracks (from the late 60’s) are also the ones that did the least on the Billboard pop charts. I’m on to something here. And of course, the best track on here, Reach Out, was a #1 on both the pop and R&B charts. The last few Motown singles (the 4 above) aren’t too great at all, but then with the new and improved 70’s stuff (Ain’t No Woman, etc.) they get better again. I mean, the 70’s and 80’s stuff doesn’t come close to the mid 60’s tracks, but they’re still good. There are a lot of Four Tops compilations out there and this one gets all the essential tracks in one place.
Rating: 85
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Bruce Dickinson – Tears of the Dragon single |
| November 6th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1994
Tracks: Tears of the Dragon; The Breeding House; No Way Out…To Be Continued
Best track: Tears of the Dragon
Track to skip: Breeding House is kinda boring
This was the 1st single from Bruce’s 2nd album, Balls to Picasso. Part 1 of 2 actually. I never bothered getting part 2. I used to think Breeding House was a cool song, but it’s boring my pants off right now as I type. Eh, it’s almost over. I think this was a good single at the time as it presented Tears of the Dragon, Bruce’s first post-Maiden release. For a long time I had a hard time listening to Tears because it’s pretty negative towards Maiden, but now coming out the other side and hearing Bruce’s post-Maiden solo material (versus Maiden’s output during the same time) I think he was right in his commentary. No doubt, it’s a good song and it pleased me to hear it get so much airplay here in Dallas. Honestly, you’d only be interested in this single if you’re already a huge Bruce fan. So for you 8 people, yeah, it’s worth it. Breeding House is forgettable, but No Way Out is a cool song. It’s deservedly a B-side, but still pretty cool. Since getting this actual single is quite difficult these days, your best bet in obtaining these tracks is to get the reissue of Balls to Picasso that has the album’s B-sides as a bonus disc. It’s certainly worth it.
Rating: 82
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Adrian Belew – Mr. Music Head |
| November 6th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1989
Tracks: Oh Daddy; House of Cards; One of Those Days; Coconuts; Bad Days; Peaceable Kingdom; Hot Zoo; Motor Bungalow; Bumpity Bump; Bird in a Box; 1967; Cruelty to Animals
Best track: probably 1967, but Bad Days and Hot Zoo are also excellent
Tracks to skip: Cruelty to Animals, Bumpity Bump, Bird in a Box
Actually, Cruelty to Animals really isn’t ‘skipable’, but since I usually end up stopping the CD after 1967, it falls into that category. Cruelty wasn’t on the original issue of the album, so it’s a bonus track for us CD buyers. It’s not that bad of a track, it’s just that it doesn’t do or say much. But it’s not supposed to, since it’s a collage of all the sound effects used on the album. It’s a mix between Zappa’s grout and The Beatles’ Revolution 9 and while it’s nowhere near Adrian’s best composition, it’s a good attempt at weirdness. I’m not too fond of Bumpity Bump and Bird in a Box; they’re just pretty poor compositions.
The rest of the album? Very, very nice stuff. I think this was Adrian’s 4th solo album, and the one that really got him some attention from radio and MTV. Oh Daddy was a semi hit, although I don’t remember it at all from back then. Maybe it’s because I was listening to Iron Maiden 24/7 and couldn’t be bothered with watching MTV or listening to non-metal radio. Regardless, it was and it helped get Adrian a bigger audience outside of the Crimson and Zappa fans who were already there. Adrian plays a lot of piano on this album (he plays every other damn instrument too!), but the cool guitar stuff is still here. I think that’ll always be present on his albums. The guitars are for coloration, and the piano is for the foundation of the songs. Nearly all of these songs are really good with 3 superb standouts. 1967 (most Belew fans fave AB song) goes through about 10 different stylistic changes and it still manages to hold your interest. It’s a great piece of songwriting.
Really, that’s what Adrian Belew is about: songwriting. Yeah, he’s an amazingly creative and original guitar player and it impresses me how he can just record whole albums by himself (he plays the drums too, ya know), but (and I’ll say it for the record here) Adrian Belew is a great songwriter. Unfortunately most people don’t have a clue who he is, even though they probably own a few albums with him on there. This album is a perfect example of his creative and original pop compositions. Yeah yeah, he’s not ashamed to show off how much he loves The Beatles, but that’s a good thing. He puts his Beatles influence to great use and puts out a very good album. A great place to start or an essential purchase if you’re already a fan.
Rating: 87
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Victor – Victor |
| November 5th, 2002 under Album Reviews. [ Comments: none ]
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Released: 1996
Tracks: Don’t Care; Promise; Start Today; Mr. X; At the End; Sending Out a Warning; Shut Up Shuttin’ Up; Strip and Go Naked; The Big Dance; Victor; I Am the Spirit
Best track: either Promise, Start Today or I Am the Spirit (Mr. X is cool too)
Tracks to skip: Don’t Care, Shut Up Shuttin’ Up, The Big Dance, Victor
After all the times I’ve listened to this I still think Don’t Care sucks ass. OK, I dig all the odd time signatures in it, but lyrically it is horrible. A very strange track to open the album. Victor was the ‘solo album’ from Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson. Lifeson wrote all the words to this (except for the title track, a poem by W. H. Auden) and while they’re not mind blowing, overall it’s nice to see him write a full album’s worth of lyrics, esp. since the last time he had a lyric credit in Rush was on 1982’s Signals. The core of the band is Lifeson doing guitar and bass (take that Geddy!), Blake Manning on drums and Edwin (singer for I Mother Earth) on vocals. A few different personnel changes here and there (Alex’s son Adrian and wife Charlene), but mostly the core band stays intact along with guitarist Bill Bell complimenting Lifeson.
I wasn’t very impressed with Geddy Lee’s solo album (My Favorite Headache), but most of this one is pretty good. I mean, some of these sound like Rush rejects, but they’re not really that bad. Hell, songwriting wise, these songs blow nearly all of Vapor Trails out of the water. The songs I really dig are Promise and Start Today. The bridge/chorus of Start Today is damn cool and Alex plays a nice guitar solo. I like how a lot of these songs show a different side of Alex Lifeson than we never really saw before. There’s some admittedly different stuff on here, but it adds to the whole.
Besides Don’t Care, Shut Up Shuttin’ Up is a dumb song. I know it’s supposed to be humorous, but it’s really unnecessary. Les Claypool’s talent is pretty much wasted in The Big Dance. Not only is it a stupid song, the music is really boring and the lyrics are almost as bad as the ones on Don’t Care. And yeah, all the different stuff does add to the mix, but the title track is cheesy and kinda useless. I don’t like it very much. Except for those 4 instances, which do bring the album down, most of this album is pretty good. It’s not as good as Rush’s Presto or Moving Pictures or anything, but mostly it’s pretty good. I don’t think many people really gave this much of a chance (Bryan) and I think it could have turned into a nice little live group. I really wish they woulda toured.
Rating: 79
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