Theatre of Pain Review

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Theatre of Pain ReviewThe popular myth is that Theatre Of Pain is Motley's weakest album - as opined by no less than the band itself! I offer this review by way of an alternative viewpoint.
I was 16 when this album came out. At the time I was (and still am) a huge Iron Maiden fanatic. Having dabbled in the fun-but-hardly-life-changing Quiet Riot and Def Leppard (plus ol' Purple and Sabbath which just seemed so...70s) I was totally floored by Motley's Shout At The Devil in every way - the look, the attitude, the riffs etc etc and they shared my top spot along with trusty old Maiden through the 80s.
The great thing about Theatre was that it was such a dramatic left turn from Shout. The image was all Nikki's commedia dell'arte concept with the flowing trenchcoats and the `comedy/tragedy' design. Glam? I didn't even know what glam was at that age and to the best of my knowledge David Bowie was the dude who sang `Let's Dance' right? No, this was just the Crue being bizarre! There's no way this could be compared to Marc Bolin or The Sweet in their indian feathers.
Musically the Crue had opened it up - ditching the straight-ahead crunch of Shout and moving into bluesy grooves, big melodies, and lush production. Mick had opened (or reopened) his guitar palette with slide and acoustics. Nikki was playing 8-string basses and synths, and Tommy had famously added piano to his arsenal. This was probably the first album where I really noticed the production, the use of keyboards and dynamics plus the ginormous drum sound! The songs covered a wide stylistic spectrum from the full-on rock of Fight For Your Rights and the bluesy City Boy Blues to the 70s acoustic RYHTR and the lush Home Sweet Home.
When people write this album off as an 80s party record they're not paying attention. The only `party' tune is Smokin' In The Boys Room - and that's a cover! With the exception of We Need A Lover (which is a disturbing ode to gang sex) the lyrics explored mortality (Use It Or Lose It), civil rights (Fight For Your Rights), loneliness and dissatisfaction (City Boy Blues, Home Sweet Home), grim street realities (Save Our Souls) and the wonderful ode to cash Keep Your Eye On The Money. I don't recall Poison ever writing `Martin Luther heard the truth, the colour of our blood's the same' or `Don't look to Jesus to change the seasons, it's the American dream'.
Theatre Of Pain polarised the so-called metal community. For many `metalheads' the keyboards and trenchcoats were too much and they fled to the waiting arms of Metallica and Slayer. But for guys like me this was the best time to be a rock n roller. Albums like Theatre opened the doors to other ways of looking at music beyond the clichés that heavy metal loves to bestow upon itself. Obviously I have a romantic bias but this was a great time - my time.
I have to say I'm also a little cynical about the surrounding mythology of `Theatre' - the claims of drugs and general non-participation of the band and their consequent distancing of themselves from the album. I read everything I could get my hands on at the time and I seem to recall Tommy Lee in particular being very excited about the broad musical journey the band had embarked on. Similarly Circus magazine visited the band in the studio at the time of recording and were surprised to find the Crue very much in control, on top of their game, and the very antithesis of their public image. Obviously I wasn't there and can't say for sure but, well, just something to think about!
Ross Halfin says in a VH1 doco that the Crue's fanbase was (and is) the `American moron'. This seems such a shame to me, true or otherwise, because I think Motley Crue made interesting music and explored equally interesting ideas. Theatre Of Pain exemplified this period where rock/metal became much more than just amps and beer and tits. Time has obviously diluted the effect but in their day albums like this (or Blackie Lawless production opus `The Last Command' or even Ratt's first album) were really out there and different. Or maybe I'm kidding myself, but if I am that's why I love Theatre Of Pain!Theatre of Pain Overview

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Big Generator Review

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Big Generator ReviewBig Generator might be the most underrated album in the Yes catalogue. It's by far their best album featuring Trevor Rabin. Tensions in the band were running high while recording this, and it shows through in the album's disparate musical styles. I will concede that it seems somewhat overproduced at first, but the end result is so great that it's not really an issue.
"Rhythm of Love," one of the better Yes pop songs, kicks things off. It's kind of like a marriage of Eddie Van Halen's guitar and The Beach Boys' harmonies, which seems odd, but it works very well. "Love Will Find a Way" is one of the most notorious Yes songs for its line, "I eat at Chez Nous," and yeah, that does kind of tarnish the song. But it's inoffensive. The title track recalls "Owner of a Lonely Heart" a bit too much, but I still like it. "Final Eyes" is an emotional power ballad featuring some of Jon Anderson's best vocals ever. The rocker "Almost Like Love" and the gentle "Holy Lamb" are enjoyable, but neither are really noteworthy.
The album's best song, and one of the best songs Yes have ever done, is "I'm Running." It's some of the most exciting seven-and-a-half minutes ever in rock music. The song moves through many moods, from light Latin to dark and heavy, and then in the climax, both. And the vocals. "I'm Running" has the greatest vocals of any Yes song, bar none. The harmonies in its last minute are awe-inspiring; I've never heard anything like it. The airy, dreamlike "Shoot High Aim Low" is Big Generator's second highlight. It's slower and simpler than "I'm Running" but still packs a punch. The interwoven and seemingly unrelated vocals of Trevor Rabin and Jon Anderson are great, as are Rabin's guitar solos (one acoustic, one electric).
Big Generator is a great combination of some sleek pop tunes and a couple of weighty, intelligent masterpieces. No rock fan should be without it. Now, if only Rhino Records would take the initiative and give this a much-needed remaster...Big Generator Overview

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Foreigner Review

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Foreigner ReviewThis is the classic Foreigner release that so many of us 30-somethings remember. If you are planning to buy this DVD Audio disk, then chances are good that you listened to the original vinyl release when you were younger. Well, you're in for a treat.
This release reveals vocal and instrumental details that you've never heard. Lou Gramm has an excellent voice...I never knew this before listening to the 96-24 version. If you were a fan of the original album, then buy this (After upgrading your system to fully appreciate the DVD Audio experience).
This disk has an abundance of extras:
You can listen to the disk as Mick Jones and Lou Gramm talk along. They convey their experiences with each song as it plays on your stereo.
The best bonus, however, is the four demo versions included:
"Feels Like The First Time," "Woman oh Woman," At War With The World," and "Take Me To Your Leader," are included here.
If you buy this DVD-A disk (and you should), do yourself a favor...listen to the demo version of "Feels Like The First Time" before you listen to the regular version of the song.
The demo is absolutely horrible! It's fun and interesting to compare the two. My hat is off to Foreigner and the producers for having the guts to release their demos. Many bands will not do this.
I did not give this release 5 stars because I reserve such a rating for sensational, life-altering products. This is a very good addition to any DVD-A collection. Highly recommended.Foreigner OverviewThese rockers weren't foreign to anyone after their 1977 debut album, a quadruple-platinum rock classic reissued here with four bonus tracks! Their hits Feels Like the First Time; Cold As Ice , and Long, Long Way from Home join the rest of the original LP!

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Johnny Winter:The Woodstock Experience (2CD) Review

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Johnny Winter:The Woodstock Experience (2CD) ReviewTwo discs 34 and 68 minutes each approximately. The sound is very good,especially a live recording from so long ago. The studio set has been remastered in the recent past,and is fine also.
This package contains Winter's first album for Columbia Records. It's the original album,without the "bonus" tracks which are on the latest reissue.
By now most Winter fans will already own the original record,so not much has to be said. It was a good first album,though lacking some of the fire found on his Sonobeat/Liberty Records album,"The Progressive Blues Experiment".
The live set is Winter's complete set at Woodstock. At the time he was a relative unknown-his appearance at this festival made him a star. Winter is accompanied by Tommy Shannon on bass,and "Uncle" John Turner on drums. Edgar Winter is also here,playing and singing on a number of tracks. Winter's guitar was on fire during his entire set. No matter what the tempo,his guitar playing was always scorching and his technique left quite an impression on people,especially his slide playing,which was razor-sharp yet had that "dirty " tone that was so popular. For those listeners who like blues/rock guitar,backed with some gritty vocals-this is it. Winter fans will find much to like here. His playing is close to the Sonobeat/Liberty album mentioned above. There are seven unreleased tracks-all worthwhile,the only track that's been released is "Mean Town Blues". Why these tracks were never released is a mystery. Its nice to finally have the entire set in one nice package.
The packaging is nice. Both discs are housed in a cardboard slip-case. Inside,each disc is in another cardboard sleeve,and inside that is a paper sleeve that houses the disc. The graphics are nice on all the sleeves. The original album is housed in a facsimile of the original album cover. The live disc is in a sleeve with photographs of Winter playing live. The inside paper sleeve has information on the tracks and a short essay on Woodstock. The poster is nice but not essential-especially since it's folded over several times to fit in the slip-case.
This is,possibly,one of the better sets in Sony's new Woodstock releases. Don't wait-this is worth it.Johnny Winter:The Woodstock Experience (2CD) Overview

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On an Island Review

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On an Island ReviewDavid Gilmour really deserves credit for his "On An Island" album, released today. The man clearly doesn't give a damn about following any trends, and I say more power to him. The album does indeed sound very Floyd-ish, which Gilmour himself admits, but it's not merely some toothless rehash of past glories, and the production values here are really excellent (the album was produced by Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, and Chris Thomas). And Gilmour's in excellent voice too, sounding as though he's barely aged a day in the past 20 years. You needn't have any worries about this being a "modernized", high-tech disaster--the album sounds more like something that was recorded in 1980 than in the 2000s, and I really mean that as a compliment.
I think it's off the mark and misleading to bluntly say that Gilmour has "gone adult contemporary" with this album--that might get certain people thinking he's chosen a bland synthesizer-heavy approach. Quite the contrary, synthesizer is only used for a light sprinkling of effects on the title track, and synths are nowhere to be heard on songs such as "The Blue" and "Where We Start"--instead, David favors real piano, real electric piano, and especially real Hammond organ (which all three of these have), and that plays a huge role in them sounding so wonderfully organic.
Yes, this is a VERY low volume album, but for the most part, it's very appealing, not just thanks to the production, but also because the songwriting is generally at a really high level. Frankly, I think you could throw the same kind of praise at much of the Floyd's work--"Wish You Were Here", great album as it is, never rocks very hard at all.
Most of the lyrics here were written by Gilmour's wife Polly Samson, and although they occasionally lean towards the sickly-sweet end of things, as on "Smile", they're hardly as embarassing as some of the reviewers make them out to be. And ultimately, Gilmour makes up for it with the music. The title track is sumptuous--it sounds kind of like an acoustic modification of Floyd's "Breathe", featuring superb guitar work, live orchestration, and vocal harmonies from Crosby & Nash that really take the song to the next level (Richard Wright plays the Hammond on this track as well). The super-mellow "The Blue" has a wonderfully serene, blissful feel to it, with gentle harmonica and a remarkably effective back-and-forth piano line, and Gilmour's extended soloing, even if he overdoes those swooping sounds a bit, is still really really nice, with extremely impressive tone. The relatively short instrumental "Red Sky At Night" is an intriguing change of pace, with Gilmour switching over to saxophone, and to excellent effect--he brings the same kind of unique feeling to his sax soloing as he does to his emotional guitar leads. "A Pocketful Of Stones" is also a really fine ballad, with Gilmour's vocal making the most of the wonderful lilting melodicism on the verses. "This Heaven" adds a welcome diversity to the proceedings, shuffling along nicely and containing a nice bluesy acoustic riff. "Smile", like I said, is kind of on the sugary side, but the acoustic slide guitar work, Gilmour's somewhat jazz-tinged lead vocal, and the sheer tunefulness give it much appeal.
Gilmour's previous solo album, 1984's "About Face", ends with the song "Near The End", and he ends "On An Island" with "Where We Start" which seems like a sequel to the former song. "Where We Start" is the one non-instrumental track on the album that Gilmour wrote entirely himself. Yes, the lyrics leave a little to be desired, but the song has an undeniably soothing and reflective feel, somewhat melancholy and yet with hope for what's still to come, a trademark Gilmour touch. It makes for a highly fitting finale to the album.
As for the few remaining tracks... "Castellorizon", the obligatory album-opening instrumental, starts off as a sound collage before Gilmour starts wailing away backed by a full orchestra--it's certainly more enjoyable than the somewhat similar "Let's Get Metaphysical" from his "About Face" album, but it's still pretty forgettable. Likewise, the instrumental "Then I Close My Eyes" is okayish, but pretty dull. The one track that particularly sticks out like a sore thumb and that you're better off skipping happens to be the album's hardest-rocking song--"Take A Breath" has annoying, repetitive spoken chanting, plus it's sorely lacking in terms of melody and catchiness; it considerably hurts the overall flow of the album, and it suggests that Gilmour isn't sure how to rock out effectively anymore, making it easy to see why the album is so ballad-heavy.
All in all, I can't see anyone who loves '72-'75-era Floyd or Gilmour's previous solo work not taking a strong liking to "On An Island". I'm well aware that this album is taking quite a beating from a lot of so-called professional critics, and I can't help but suspect it's partly because of the album's mellow tone and a lack of patience on their part to really *listen*. Maybe some folks were hoping Gilmour would push the envelope more, and I'll admit I do understand the feeling that if an artist just cranks out an album that sounds like a copy of earlier work, there's no point to it. That said, this is an album for diehard David Gilmour/ mid-'70s Floyd fans who have listened to those records religiously and want something familiar, yet new, and for an artist of Gilmour's age and stature, it's understandable that he'd put out a record to fit that bill, and the fact that the result sounds this fresh and effective, it not only justifies the exercise, it actually provides an additional demonstration of just how deep Gilmour's talent is. It also underlines that this is clearly the album he wanted to make, and I give him a lot of credit for following his instincts.
(P.S. My copy of "On An Island" includes a bonus disc featuring the laidback bluesy instrumental "Island Jam"--it's a nice little bonus. On the downside, the book-style packaging of the album is marred by the vulnerable foam rubber piece that's meant to hold the CD--you may very well end up needing a separate case to hold the disc itself.)On an Island OverviewJapanese Digipak pressing. On An Island is the third David Gilmour solo album and his first studio recording since Pink Floyd's 1994 multi-platinum 'The Division Bell'. From the first moments of the sound collage that begins 'On An Island', you know it's a special experience that not only bears comparison with the best of Pink Floyd, but also confirms their lead guitarist and singer as an outstanding solo artist. Here he reveals a personal vision and a breadth of styles - folk, jazz, orchestral and rock - brought together as a unified piece by his lyrical guitar playing and instantly recognisable voice. On An Island is a collection of songs and instrumentals that had its genus in the critically acclaimed 2002 London Festival Hall concerts. Gilmour has stepped out of his super-group to discover he's still at his peak - and he's rightly pleased. 'It's my best and most personal work,' he says. 'Making it with my musician friends has been a positive experience on so many levels.' EMI. 2006.--This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

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Kiln House Review

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Kiln House ReviewAs a collective group, the original Fleetwood Mac (Peter Green, John McVie, Mick Fleetwood, Jeremy Spencer) had talent to burn. When they added a young kid with roots in Texas blues (Danny Kirwan), it would become an overpowering all-star lineup. Try and find another band with three scorching lead guitar players who were also adept as singers in their own individual right. Regretfully, the price they paid for so much abundance was seen in the reshuffling of their lineup: it seemed like they couldn't stand to be together (on stage or in the studio) for too long. With this literal game of musical chairs, it's amazing that they completed the projects that are their legacy.
When founder Peter Green split for a religious retreat in 1970, Kirwan and the circus showman-like Spencer remained. It was hard to live up to Green's overwhelming authority and expectations (especially as a blues perfectionist), and there is no doubt that the others felt intimidated by him. Freed of the personality challenges, the result was Kiln House, a disc that is a mother lode of riffs, tributes, and all-out joyfulness. Jeremy and Danny really led each other to new displays of vibrato magic and chunky chord displays that made it a 'different' sound. More importantly, the vocals (especially Spencer's eclectic identity changes) make this more approachable, and there is background help from a future player, Christine Perfect (McVie).
Spencer's composing skills were rejuvenated with a variety of styles, including his recognized bottleneck work and piano, and the other band members (McVei and Fleetwood) also received credits. The tunes start off with the Elvis-splashed "This is the Rock," a nifty shuffle that reminds us about the heart of the matter of this thing called rock 'n roll. With an off-beat percussion tumbling away, "Station Man" displays the group's superb voices against challenging squawks of slide and lead, and salsa-thick chords that literally chomp away like a hand saw through wood. This was one of my favorite "mystery" songs that I vowed to identify when I first learned about the magic of FM music.
Jeremy always enjoyed displaying a variety of alter egos on stage, and he keeps the engine stoked with a couple of humorous numbers, including the country-western "Blood on the Floor" and the raucous, sneering "Hi Ho Silver," with writing credits to "Fats" Waller and Ed Kirkeby. (I just saw Paul McCartney do "Silver" at a reunion visit broadcast in the Cavern in Liverpool, and it's a crowd-pleaser.) Going back to rock's early influences, he and Danny buzz on guitar as Buddy Holly and the Crickets get a salute with "One Together," and a song kindly credited to Holly's mother, "Buddy's Song." I'm sure the town of Lubbock, Texas, appreciated the acknowledgement of their late native son.
When Danny Kirwan took the microphone to sing, he could be charming and mild, or tough and aggressive. On "Jewel Eyed Judy," he does both, and the guitars sting and burn with pain from a broken heart. His guitar playing was really something to admire, especially with his wah-wah splashes and laser-beam lead lines that offset Spencer's fire on "Tell Me All the Things You Do. " Both men show delicate touches on "Earl Gray," and throughout this entire set, Mick Fleetwood toned down the drumming in the more muted style that he would use with the future incarnation of the band in the '80's and '90's. With chimes and a romantic chorus behind him, Spencer sails off with a final Holly-like vocal on "Mission Bell," perhaps indicating the blues and bravado of Fleetwood Mac would soon be transitioning to a more mainstream sound. In fact, his departure was soon to follow.
If you liked the Beatles and Abbey Road for its range of ideas and terrific guitar licks (like "Golden Slumbers"), then Kiln House should be its complement. All bands face a transition phase, and these guys made it safely to the other shore with this set. With the turmoil(s) that this band faced, they only could have done this once in their careers; thankfully, it has kept its listening appeal.Kiln House Overview

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Wired Review

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Wired ReviewI own everything Jeff Beck has ever recorded that I can obtain, many bootleg recordings included. This album Wired is still and probably always will be my all-time favorite among them. Many reviewers have mentioned his jaw-dropping technical prowess and passion and commitment he brings to every song, solo and note he plays. But IMO Jeff Beck's most overlooked talent is his lyrical lilt and melodic mastery. He is the modern incarnation of J.S. Bach in his absolute mastery of melody and harmony, less contrapunctally expressed than by the baroque composer, but still conveying a tremendously profound understanding and feel for what note and chord combinations would sound perfect where and when, never a note out of place, and his resolution of multiple developed themes within a piece is always richly satisfying. That is a large part of what makes this album so listenable again and again as the decades roll by.
It is inconceivable that this man can get these sounds to come out of six wires and NO PICK. His speed is unrivaled even by the many neck tappers of the 90s, though some of his most effective playing is when he takes it slow. Nowhere is this more elegantly proven than on Goodbye Porkpie Hat, the classic by Charles Mingus. This track contains a 150-second slice of euphonic heaven that is in my mind one of the best slow guitar solos ever recorded by anyone. It may simply not be possible to play the electric guitar any better than this; time will tell. It eclipses Stevie Ray Vaughn's version of Little Wing; it eclipses Beck's own miraculous playing on Blow By Blow. And his scorching, searing, vicious soloing on Head for Backstage Pass and especially the opener Led Boots stacks its raw power against such titans as Johnny Winter's soloing on Still Alive and Well, Edward Van Halen, Hendrix and Santana. For pure musicianship, technical wizardry and soaring, transcendent melodies, Jeff Beck is the unparalleled genius of our modern age. We are all fortunate to live at the same time as Jeff Beck, to witness his live performances, and to live in the age of electronic recording so that we can reset our minds at the end of a trying day with this fantastic music, again and again.
But this. It never gets old.Wired OverviewGenerally more muscular than its predecessor, the follow-up to Blow by Blow offers some of the best jazz-rock fusion the '70s have to offer! Though Beck contributed no original material to the album (instead relying on the talented lineup of keyboardists Max Middleton and Jan Hammer, drummers Richard Bailey and Narada Michael Walden and bassist Wilbur Bascomb), he's nonetheless in top form on Led Boots; Come Dancing; Head for Backstage Pass; Blue Wind; Sophie; Play With Me; Love Is Green , and a dazzling take on Charles Mingus' Goodbye Pork Pie Hat .

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Fingerprints Review

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Fingerprints ReviewGuitar players that can only do three chords and a few blues licks could not pull off this album. Anyone that could get past the flowing blond hair and marketing to screaming girls back in the seventies, knew that Frampton was not just a minimally talented hype package, but instead was a very talented player that could drive home a power chord one minute and then do a delicate melodic run on an acoustic the next. Now that his hair is gone, the talent can stand on its own. In a world of pretty boys that are done as soon as the pretty wears off, Frampton continues because he was the real deal from the beginning.
This is a very fine album that could make average guitar players (like myself) feel like they don't know as much as they thought they did. It rocks, it is sweet, it is melodic and it flows perfectly from track to track. You don't get a sense of déjà vu in the middle, which says a lot that 14 songs can be distinctly different. While an instrumental, there are two minimal vocals including a Frampton obligatory talk box single line in "Black Hole Sun".
If there is one negative thing, I wish that Frampton followed the lead of others that did duet type albums, such as B.B. King. King made it a point to differentiate the guest guitarist from his own guitar by assigning a specific Speaker. King's solo notes come out of one speaker and Clapton's or Knopfer's (or whoever) come out of the other. I would love to know which lead was Frampton and which was say, Warren Hayes, both playing the same model guitar and with a similar phrasing over a slow blues shuffle. This is just a wish and does not reduce the score for me.
FWIW.... I bought my disc at Best Buy because it came with an exclusive DVD at no extra cost. The DVD is worth every bit the zero price increase. It is two songs right from the CD, with video of sessions from those songs. The playing rarely matches the actual music that is playing, in fact often there are no actual instruments being held. Still, it was nice to watch once or twice, but don't go out of your way to find one if you have the CD only.
Amended on 11 February 2007: This album just won a Grammy for instrumental record.
Fingerprints Overview

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Making Movies Review

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Making Movies ReviewAlthough it produced no hit singles, "Making Movies" is beyond question Dire Straits' masterpiece. Mark Knopfler's ripping guitar forms the backdrop for seven beautiful, haunting, fiercely personal cuts. Every song perfectly captures a deep human emotion, from the bitter heartache of "Romeo And Juliet" to the angry defiance of "Solid Rock" to the steamy lustfulness of "Expresso Love". There are no weak songs, though the bouncy and playful "Les Boys", which ends the album, seems a bit out of place compared to the six deadly earnest songs that precede it.
Yes, the album owes a heavy debt of gratitude to Springsteen, with many cuts building on the Boss's signature guitar/organ/piano framework. But, Knopfler's vocal delivery and deft guitar work, plus the band's sparser and cleaner arrangements, never allow you to forget that you're listening to Dire Straits. Only "Tunnel Of Love", which sounds like a cross between "Thunder Road" and "Sandy" strays a little too far into Bruce's territory but for that the boys can be forgiven.
One tip: this album must be heard in its entirety to be fully appreciated. It will take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotion, something that no greatest hits album can ever duplicate.Making Movies OverviewNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: DIRE STRAITSTitle: MAKING MOVIESStreet Release Date: 09/19/2000

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Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts Review

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Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts ReviewIn late 2007 Jeff Beck played several shows at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London and he awed and enthralled the audiences with his searing, exquisite and ethereal guitar virtuosity. He's a complete master of the fretboard and whammy bar whose guitar can sound angelic and then suddenly thunderous. Many of his most riveting and agressive songs were played including "Becks Bolero," "Big Block," Brush With The Blues" and the intense "Scatterbrain." His eastern influences also resonated on wonderful songs such as "Nadia" and the psychedelic "Blast From The East." Jeff Beck's most tender and complex songs really impressed the audience and UK music critics. Examples are "Angel (Footsteps,)" Cause We've Ended As Lovers" and the inimitable "Were Were You." Beck's majestic rendition of the Beatles' " A Day In The Life" is utterly captivating and it has rightfully won a 2010 Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance. "Led Boats", "Behind The Veil" and "Stratus" are also spellbinding highlights on this flawless all instrumental CD. Jeff Beck can literally coax, caress and strangle a universe of sounds from his guitar without using hardly any effects.
Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Brian May and Tom Scholz have all declared that Jeff Beck is the greatest solo guitarist. This CD verifies their erudite assertions.Performing This Week...Live At Ronnie Scotts Overview

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Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Review

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Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac ReviewIn its famous 'dog and dustbin' sleeve, Fleetwood Mac's first album was released in February 1968 on Blue Horizon Records in the UK in both MONO (7-63200) and STEREO (S 7-63200) and in August 1968 on Epic Records in the USA in both MONO (LN 24402) and STEREO (BN 26402). In the UK it's referred to by it's label title "Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac" - in the USA simply as "Fleetwood Mac" (which is on both cover and label). And although it's now recognized as a masterpiece of British Blues - this particular reissue of that explosive debut is "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967-1969" version - the one taken from the 6CD box set issued in 1999 - and its jumbled around enough to require an explanation.
The original album track list ran as follows (35:55 minutes):
1. My Heart Beat Like A Hammer (Jeremy Spencer song) [2:59 minutes]
2. Merry Go Round (Peter Green song) [4:20 minutes]
3. Long Grey Mare (Peter Green song) [2:15 minutes]
4. Hellhound On My Trail (Robert Johnson cover) [2:06 minutes]
5. Shake Your Moneymaker (Elmore James cover) [2:57 minutes]
6. Looking For Somebody (Peter Green song) [2:52 minutes] (End of Side 1)
7. No Place To Go (Howlin' Wolf cover) [3:21 minutes]
8. My Baby's Good To Me (Jeremy Spencer song) [2:51 minutes]
9. I Loved Another Woman (Peter Green song) [2:57 minutes]
10. Cold Black Night (Jeremy Spencer song) [3:17 minutes]
11. The World Keep On Turning (Peter Green song) [2:29 minutes]
12. Got To Move (Homesick James Williamson cover) [3:21 minutes] (End of Side 2)
But this "Box Set" version runs to almost twice the length of the ordinary CD reissue (63:39 minutes):
1. My Heart Beat Like A Hammer (Take 2 Master Version with Studio Talk) [3:33 minutes]
2. Merry Go Round (Take 2 Master Version with studio Talk) [4:20 minutes]
3. Long Grey Mare (same as 3 above)
4. Hellhound On My Trail (Take 1 Complete Master Version/Remix) [2:06 minutes]
5. Shake Your Moneymaker (Master Version with Studio Talk) [3:14 minutes]
6. Looking For Somebody (same as 6 above)
7. No Place To Go (same as 7 above)
8. My Baby's Good To Me (same as 8 above)
9. I Loved Another Woman (same as 9 above)
10. Cold Black Night (same as 10 above)
11. The World Keep On Turning (same as 11 above)
12. Got To Move (same as 12 above)
BONUSES
13. My Heart Beat Like A Hammer (Take 1 - Previously Unissued) [3:43 minutes]
14. Merry Go Round (Take 1 - Previously Unissued/Incomplete) [0:57 minutes]
15. I Loved Another Woman (Takes 1, 2, 3 and 4 with False Starts - Previously Unissued - Incomplete) [6:09 minutes]
16. I Loved Another Woman (Takes 5 and 6 - Previously Unissued/Incomplete) [5:10 minutes]
17. Cold Black Night (Takes 1 through to 5 with False Starts - Previously Unreleased - and Take 6 which is the master version) [5:30 minutes]
18. You're So Evil (Take 2 - Previously Unreleased Jeremy Spencer Track) [3:07 minutes]
19. I'm Coming Home To Stay (Jeremy Spencer song, Previously Unreleased Track) [2:29 minutes]
Why so different? In 1999, Sony issued the stunning 6-disc box set "The Complete Blue Horizon Sessions 1967-1969" by FLEETWOOD MAC to universal acclaim. Mike Vernon, the label's producer, had taken the unusual decision to re-sequence the track line-ups of ALL 5 UK albums (one was a double) to feature outtakes, studio chatter, false starts and so on. This was of course fine and dandy on a comprehensive box set. But this 2004 singular re-issue mimics that release, when it really should have been reverted to the 12 track original LP run and added the outtakes on as bonuses at the end. It sort of does, of course, but the downside is that when you play "My Heart Beat Like A Hammer" for the first time, the studio chatter and buggering about in the studio is quaint - but when you want to actually hear the track and album proper - it becomes a major pain. You can of course edit it with iTunes to play the 12 tracks as 1st released, but that's more work than should be necessary. On the upside - are the two stunning previously unreleased Jeremy Spencer tracks at the end - "You're So Evil" and especially the raucous Elmore James clone "I'm Coming Home To Stay" - fantastic stuff and genuine bonus tracks. Completeists would have enjoyed this disc having both the MONO and STEREO mix of the album - as initially released - and just the two unreleased on the end - but that's another day's work...
As it stands, their 1968 first album is still one of THE GREAT rocking blues offerings - in any configuration - and only makes you pine for more. I'd say BUY IT anyway and then go for 2 to 5 as well...they're all magicial in their own way.
PS: For those wishing for more, the Blue Horizon label Fleetwood Mac UK albums are:
1. Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac (1968)
(original album, known as "Fleetwood Mac" in the USA)
2. Mr. Wonderful (1968)
(original album)
3. The Pious Bird Of Good Omen (1969)
(compilation of non-album 7" singles, their B-sides, collaborations and other rarities)
4. Blues Jam At Chess (1969)
(original 20-track 2LP set often referred to as a Various Artists compilation.
Its full credit is to: Fleetwood Mac, Otis Spann, Willie Dixon, Shakey Horton, J.T. Brown, Guitar Buddy
(Buddy Guy), Honey Boy Edwards, S.P. Leary. Originally a 2LP set on release, it was broken into 2 volumes
for the "Complete" box set and renamed "Blues Jam In Chicago Volume 1" and "Blues Jam In Chicago
Volume 2". It is ONLY these singular re-sequenced releases that are available today.)
5. The Original Fleetwood Mac (1971)
(although released in '71, this LP has recordings from August 1967 through to October 1968, all of which
were previously unreleased at the time)Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Overview2004 remastered reissue of the classic 1968 debut album features 19 tracks including 7bonus tracks, 'My Heart Beat Like A Hammer' (Take 1), 'Merry Go Round' (Take 1), 'I Love Another Woman' (Take 1, 2, 3, 4), 'I Loved Another Woman' (Take 5, 6), 'Cold Black Night' (Take 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6), 'You're So Evil', & 'I'm Coming To Stay'. Includes expanded booklet with detailed notes & photos. Blue Horizon.

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Dire Straits Review

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Dire Straits ReviewElectric guitar music touches a membrane deep inside me that seems to exist for the purpose of resonating this sound alone (the only thing that touches it even more strongly is if the guitar chords are paired with a truly unusual voice). I'm sure every lover of great guitar music knows what I am talking about. Ever since I discovered that membrane years ago, I have been on the look for that special sound; be it straightforward rock, blues or folk music. However, growing up in a time when the radio airwaves were flooded with either disco or punk, depending on what station you were listening to, it wasn't always easy to find. Then one day I heard "Sultans of Swing," and my membrane resonated - all the more because this was not only a great guitarist playing but also one of the most unique voices I'd heard in a while, and the musical style seemed to defy classification, too ... it was somewhere between rock and blues, but I wasn't sure what exactly to call it.
However you define their sound, though, listening to Dire Straits' self-titled debut album almost 25 years after its publication, it is still amazing how rounded and accomplished their style was even then. The band's composition would change over the course of the years and Mark Knopfler would take them to the heights of the ambitiously-conceived "Love Over Gold" and the bestselling diversity of "Brothers in Arms," but the basic elements of the typical Dire Straits sound, recognizable throughout all those later developments, were there right from the start: Knopfler's rough, dark vocals, his signature style as a guitar player, the unique Fender sound soon associated with his name, and even little details like his tendency to introduce songs by a couple of solo guitar slides - seemingly just tossed out casually but immediately catching the listener's attention, even before the band joins him for the "real" start of the song; a feature present from the very first track on this first album, "Down to the Waterline." Their debut release was Dire Straits' most sparsely-produced record; musically it did not yet involve the more elaborate elements of Knopfler's later compositions, and it was the only release featuring only the band's original four musicians. This, in addition to the album's equally firm anchoring in rock, blues and folk music (with a little bit of country here and there) and the particularly raw tinges of Mark Knopfler's voice gave it a "down to earth" feeling not always present in the band's later recordings. Besides, Knopfler had not yet discovered the limelight of a really large concert arena (the band's name was no coincidence, after all) - he obviously always knew he was good, but many of his early songs almost became different pieces of music over the course of their live performances throughout the years; most notably, "Sultans of Swing:" just listen to the version recorded on the "Alchemy" live album five years later. Perfection? Absolutely and undeniably ... but also incredible showmanship, ignited by the cheers of the audience and by his pure joy in playing.
"Dire Straits" is much more than just a well-done debut album; it is as essential a component of the band's and Mark Knopfler's body of work as any of its successors. I disagree with those who are saying that this is the "real" Dire Straits; to me, this band (and Knopfler in particular) still defies categorization, and every one of their records first and foremost expresses the state of their musical development at the time it was recorded. But regardless where you place this particular album in their catalog, one thing is for sure: It is one of those few timeless and definite classics that will forever have a validity of their own and whose importance, if anything, only grows with the passage of the years.
Also recommended:
Alchemy: Dire Straits Live
On the Night
Night in London
Sailing to Philadelphia (CD & DVD Audio)
Local Hero (1983 Film)Dire Straits OverviewNo Description AvailableNo Track Information AvailableMedia Type: CDArtist: DIRE STRAITSTitle: DIRE STRAITSStreet Release Date: 09/19/2000

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Tattoo You (Reis) Review

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Tattoo You (Reis) ReviewWith the old Virgin 1994 remaster and this new 2009 Polydor version 'both' clocking in at exactly 44:26 minutes, I immediately had my suspicions about this latest rehash masquerading as something new for soppy Stones fans like me and a million others. But this 2009 Polydor CD is a FANTASTIC IMPROVEMENT in sound over its 1994 predecessor - it really is...
If I were to nail down what's different - it would be the BASS and DRUMS. They're suddenly so clear now - and in some cases like "Worried About You" - it's truly startling how good they sound. In fact if feels like every single track has been uplifted out of its former rhythm section muddiness. The clarity and punch is great on everything really. STEPHEN MARCUSSEN and STEWART WHITMORE at Marcussen Mastering in Hollywood, California did the transfers and they're to be praised for their work...
As you've no doubt already read, "Tattoo You" was a ragbag of outtakes from previous albums with a few new tunes thrown in - Rockers on the A with Ballads on the B. Yet it worked - I played it to death on release - loved it - especially the soulful Side 2.
Unfortunately, the new packaging is a bit of a joke. The 'furry boot' inner sleeve that came with the original LP is reproduced in a paltry gatefold inlay, but there's no lyrics (there's a European LP that has a lyric sheet insert - they could have used that). The startling Christian Piper tattooed 'Three Paintings' are reduced to a point where the credits on the green-coloured rear sleeve are barely legible. The inlay beneath the see-through CD tray is blank - wow - push the boat out boys! But much worse - and like so many Stones LPs - guest musicians who contributed incredible work at the time are now not mentioned on reissues at all. So with all that in mind, here's a detailed breakdown to get a better lay of the land...
1. Start Me Up [begun in 1975, returned to in 1978 as a "Some Girls" possible]
2. Hang Fire [another "Some Girls" outtake, features IAN STEWART on Piano]
3. Slave [This is an Extended Version - see PS below]
4. Little T&A [Lead Vocals and Bass by Keith Richards, Ian Stewart on Piano - T&A is street slang for certain parts of a woman's anatomy]
5. Black Limousine [the only track on the album co-credited to RONNIE WOOD, it features Mick Jagger on Lead Vocals and Harmonica with Ian Stewart on Piano - backing track dated as far back as "Exile" in 1972]
6. Neighbours [features' both' the legendary SONNY ROLLINS and BOBBY KEYES on Saxophones]
7. Worried About You [features BILLY PRESTON on Piano, WAYNE PERKINS on Lead Guitar and SOLO and OLLIE BROWN on Percussion]
8. Tops [features MICK TAYLOR on Guitar with NICKY HOPKINS on Piano; a Mick Taylor "Exile" outtake - wasn't given a writers credit - sued and won]
9. Heaven [co-producer CHRIS KIMSEY plays Piano on this]
10. No Use In Crying [features Nicky Hopkins on Piano]
11. Waiting On A Friend [features Mick Taylor on Guitar, Sonny Rollins on Saxophone and JIMMY MILLER of "Sticky" fame on Percussion]
The clarity of the guitar solo on "Slave" is awesome as is the swirling magic of "Heaven", but best of all is the beautiful axework by Wayne Perkins on the Side 2 opener "Worried About You". I think it's the best guitar solo on a Stones album anywhere and its clarity now is fabulous.
To sum up - I know the packaging and presentation leave a lot to be desired, but as I listen to the lovely Piano tinkering of Nicky Hopkins on "No Use In Crying" and the three lads harmonising on Backing Vocals - I don't care - I love it. The sound is wonderful and a major improvement over what went before.
The buggering truth is that once you hear these remasters, you're screwed - you'll have to have them all... Damn!
Despite niggles, it's recommended - big time.
PS: there's an anomaly worth noting...
When "Tattoo You" was originally released on Vinyl and Cassette in August 1981 (Rolling Stones CUNS 39114 in the UK and COC 16052 in the USA), the 3rd track on Side 1 "Slave" clocked in at about 3:20 minutes. So when the first ever CD version of it came out on CBS in 1989 it naturally reflected that timing.
However the May 1994 Virgin remaster put out an anomaly without telling anyone - their CD version was inexplicably extended to 6:31 minutes - that error is repeated here - and very much to the benefit of fans because the "Extended Version" of "Slave" is sensational. With the legendary Sonny Rollins playing on Saxophone and Billy Preston on Keyboards, the lengthy mix now sounds like "Can't You Hear Me Knocking" Part 2 from "Sticky Fingers". A huge chunky guitar riff throughout, great Jagger vocals, Sax wailing - it absolutely rocks (apparently there's a version with Jeff Beck on guitar in the can somewhere too).
What should have happened here of course is that the original LP timing be used on this CD - with both the Jeff Beck mix and the Extended Version put on as bonus tracks at the end, but that's for another day and another reissue...Tattoo You (Reis) Overview

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Closer to Home Review

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Closer to Home ReviewOn this, their third album, Grand Funk Railroad's own unique sound became fully evolved. The band had started with re-written and refined material from their days as another group when they debuted as GFR in 1969 with "On Time." With their second album, "Grand Funk," the band gave birth to a unique entity of music: a hybrid of edgy hard rock, quirky pop, and soulful blues. However, their music, though catchy, was still very infantile. It was clear that the band was still learning to crawl. With "Closer to Home," they officially carved their niche into the musical world with a vengeance. The pulsating rhythms of Mel Schacher's bass, the primal yet deeply spiritual melodies of Mark Farner's guitar, and the much-underrated beat of Don Brewer's drumming came together to paint a picture of how society should be.
The songs, though sometimes mistaken for party fare, are very conceptual. One the A Side, the band examines the world as it was in 1970 (and still is today): a cold place where humanity is in danger of being wiped out by its own desires. On the B Side, Mark Farner's lyrics shift from an observation to a warning: that our best chance for survival as a species depends on adopting an attitude of peace, love, and mutual respect and tolerance for one's neighbors, be they friend or foe. This idea is slowly built upon until it reaches a head with the band's magnum opus: "I'm Your Captain," a ten-minute tour de force of quiet yet explosive rhythms, and some of Farner's best lyrics. The band spends the last half of the song pleading with society to find its way back to the light (accompanied by a flutist and a string section, a first for the group).
What really makes these songs stand out from Farner's earlier efforts is more of a devotion to words with a meaning. In the past, songs that touched upon Farner's personal philosophy were often outnumbered by songs that had more of a pop feeling to them, as far as lyrics were concerned. His abilities as a songwriter matured, so that even on songs like "Aimless Lady," the words and music do a better job of blending into a symmetrical whole. This idea is carried into the next song about a broken releationship: "Mean Mistreater." This song is entirely about rhythm, as Mark Farner takes off his guitar and trades it for an organ. Combined with Schacher's bass and Brewer's fiery percussions, you won't even notice that the guitar is gone. As for the rest of the songs, there is a purity to the band's musicianship that is more refined than it was on earlier albums. Don Brewer manages to keep the beat without hitting the cymbals every five seconds, and both he and Mel Schacher feed Mark Farner a rhythm which Farner uses to sculpt magnificent chords on his guitar: every bit as edgy as the last album, but with just the right amount of pop. And as for Mel Schacher: if his bass doesn't get your feet tapping (especially on "Nothing Is The Same"), you might be legally dead. All in all, the band delivers more than just a message that people must learn to live in harmony. They're saying: "Look out, world. We've learned how to rock, and we're not taking any prisoners."Closer to Home Overview

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Eleven Eleven Review

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Eleven Eleven ReviewIt's 2011, 11 tracks & 11th album for the legendary 'roots' rock pioneer Dave Alvin. This great CD 'Eleven Eleven' was written during his 2010 touring 'down time'. It's a well balanced rock album (mainly bluesy rock tracks, countryish track in "Manzanita" & jazzy in "Two Lucky Bums"). Dave Alvin has services of musicians from the Blasters including his brother Phil Alvin (duet for the first time on record in "What's Up With Your Brother") in this CD. His varied baritone-velvety voice is as enjoyable as ever. Stands-outs/gems/solid tracks include "Black Rose Of Texas" (an incredible slow track with magnificent guitar, melody & his enjoyable baritone voice somewhere between those of Greg Brown & Mark Knopfler), "No Worries Mija" (wonderful slow track, beautiful guitar finger pick-ups, accordion & melody), "Manzanita" (excellent countryish guitar sound, melody & vocals. A wonderful duet featuring Christy McWilson on vocals & piano) & "Two Lucky Bums" (jazzy track with incredible harmonies, melody & accordion. A duet featuring Chris Gaffney on vocals & accordion). Great tracks include "Harlan County Line" (bluesy rock track featured in TV series FX in which Dave Alvin also had a cameo role), "Johnny Ace Is Dead", "Run Conejo Run" (mid-tempo track, 'some rapping' vocals, great guitar solo & melody), "What's Up With Your Brother" (bluesy rock track, great guitar/harmonica & duet with his brother Phil) & "Dirty Nightgown" (a rock track with great vocals & melody). Okay tracks are "Gary, Indiana 1952" & "Murrietta's Head". The purchase of this CD entitles you to Free bonus material not included on the album to download. On overall, Dave Alvin does not disappoint in his 11th CD release 'Eleven Eleven', a highly recommended CD listening.Eleven Eleven Overview

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Hunt Music Review

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Hunt Music ReviewTed Nugent started his World Bowhunting business to help hunters obtain quality bow hunting items. As a side, he pressed up a limited number (less than 1000) of these two track CDs featuring a tribute to "Fred Bear" who Ted says helped him learn about the wild and hunting. The first time I heard this song, I instantly thought it to be a classic Ted Nugent tune. As the years passed, "Fred Bear" began to creep into live Ted sets but this is the rare original set. "Sunrize" is a nice little instrumental. As a Ted collector, I'd make sure I'd get this CD and get it quick.Hunt Music Overview

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The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Review

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The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac ReviewPretty much the only unfortunate side-effect of the massive artistic and commercial success the Lindsey Buckingham/Stevie Nicks era of Fleetwood Mac was the obscuring shadow it cast upon the earlier eras of the band. No one has even attempted to compile the greatest moments from the early Seventies version of the band, and while blues lovers have revived interest in the original Peter Green-led Fleetwood Mac, it has still been impossible for the non-obsessive completist to find a convenient single-disc introduction into this wonderful, formative era of the band. A large part of that was due to label-hopping and rights issues: the Peter Green era spreads over three different record labels, and while the "strictly blues ma'am" Blue Horizon material was the often tossed onto cheapie compilations, the more pivotal Immediate and Reprise cuts remained out in the cold.
Finally - FINALLY - this set rights all those wrongs, and presents the novice with an almost flawless, complete view of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac. EVERY important recording, every important aspect, of the early Fleetwood Mac is included here.
What does that actually mean? Well, this set includes the best cuts from their first self-titled album (giving equal time to both Green and the Elmore James-obsessed Jeremy Spencer with "My Heart Beat Like A Hammer," "Shake Your Moneymaker," and "Looking For Somebody"), as well as highlights from the disappointing follow-up Mr. Wonderful ("Stop Messin' Round," "Rollin' Man"). Almost all of the band's Blue Horizon singles are here: "I Believe My Time Ain't Long" is missing, but "Need Your Love So Bad," "Black Magic Woman," and the #1 UK instrumental hit "Albatross" are all present and accounted for.
However, what makes this collection unique is that finally we have a CD that goes on from that point and collects the groundbreaking post-Blue Horizon work: "Man Of The World," "Oh Well" (both parts), and "The Green Manalishi" are finally put together with the early Green-era blues stuff to give you complete view of what this band was doing in 1969. Even better, the compilers of this album decided to bite the bullet and pay Reprise records for the rights to use "Rattlesnake Shake," the key track off the band's one obligatory Green-era album Then Play On. (My only criticism is that I would have preferred more from Then Play On, e.g. "Show-Biz Blues," "Before The Beginning," or "Underway," but I'm in a forgiving mood.)
Finally, a huge bonus that hardcore fans will appreciate is the inclusion of the obscure 1971 single "Dragonfly." Technically it postdates Green's departure from the band, but he's always had high praise for it and it has heretofore been utterly unavailable on CD. All praise to the compilers for hunting it down and including it.
Anyway, for all the reasons mentioned above, THIS is where you start to learn about early Fleetwood Mac. Some Green-era fans may quibble about the absence of a particular favorite - "Love That Burns" is one that many devotees will miss, and as I said above I would have liked "Show-Biz Blues" to be included - but the all the critical high points are here. After years of frustratingly incomplete "greatest hits," somebody took the time to get it right.The Best of Peter Green's Fleetwood Mac Overview

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Some Girls Review

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Some Girls ReviewAs a huge Rolling Stones fan I have to say I am disappointed in this remaster. It is one of my favorite Stones albums but this version on UMG is highly compressed with a major loss in any dynamic range it had.
Yes, the guitars are louder and even clearer in some cases and because of this, many of the songs seem to lose their swing. Oh, it rocks, alright, but the swing that was present in the Virgin issue of 'Respectable' is gone. The break in 'Miss You' (OOooohh ooohh, Everybody waits so loooong) loses it's impact as well as the vocals and Charlie's drums in 'Before They Make Me Run.' In the latter song, the drums used to kick and the chorus used to stand out from the rest of the recording, which it no longer does. The break at about 1:35 in 'Shattered' where the bass drum kicks in is a plodding mess and much clearer and listenable on the Virgin '94 issue. The record, as a whole, loses much of it's depth and warmness as a result.
Perhaps the biggest travesty, and I don't recall any other reviews mentioning this, but at the beginning of 'Beast Of Burden', Keith's guitar is in the right channel and in the left you hear an echoing or 'bleeding' effect of the guitar lines. It is plainly obvious on the Virgin issue and all previous issues of the recording. On the UMG this is all but GONE! Even when I isolated the left channel and turned it up it was close to inaudible. I put on the Virgin and it's very audible, even without much volume or isolation of the left channel.
If you want the issue that sounds better and sticks closer to the integrity of the original recording, seek out the '94 Virgin remaster and not this. If these sort of nuances are not an issue for you and just prefer loud guitars at the loss of any dynamic range, then by all means, fire away and pick up this UMG remaster. Those of you not familiar with the original recording will not notice a thing. Those of you who are familiar with it do not feel that an upgrade is necessary.Some Girls Overview

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Aqualung Review

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Aqualung Review. . . or choose your own favorite cliche. Whatever you call it, this album was and is of historical importance, for Tull and for 1970s rock.
In part, that's because it was misdescribed. No sooner was it released than the rock press started hailing it as a "concept album" (prompting Ian Anderson to go to work on the surreal and Pythonesque _Thick as a Brick_ so as to give everybody, tongue firmly in cheek, a _real_ "concept album").
"Concept albums" are frowned on these days (although I like them just fine); nevertheless this isn't one of them. Sure, there's a lot of thematic unity; the first half ("album side") involves homelessness and lechery, and the second Anderson's reflections on the religious upbringing of his adolescence. But a "concept album"? Not really.
But it does reflect a critical stage in the development of Jethro Tull. Bassist Glenn Cornick had just departed and been replaced by Anderson's boyhood friend Jeffrey Hammond; as of the next album (TaaB) Barrie Barlow would replace Clive Bunker on drums and percussion. And crucially, two things were happening on this album that would affect Tull's direction for the remainder of its still-ongoing career: Anderson was developing both his songwriting and his acoustic guitar chops, and Martin Barre was successfully finding his "voice" as a guitarist.
It's something of a cliche among Tull fans that Anderson's songwriting had taken a darker, more cynical turn as of _Benefit_ (the album preceding this one). Well, on _Aqualung_ that bitter fruit is really starting to ripen. There's the title track, of course, for which Anderson credits the lyrics to his first wife Jennie (he lifted many of them from her notes on the back sides of her photographs of homeless people). There's "Cross-Eyed Mary". And there's all the stuff about Anglican-and-perhaps-other Christianity. This sort of thing was to continue through _Minstrel in the Gallery_ (especially "Baker Street Muse"), roughly until Anderson moved to the country.
Anderson was also developing what we now know as "his" acoustic guitar style. There was a bit of it on _Benefit_ but it's really here that we started hearing his acoustic tunes ("Wond'ring Aloud," etc.); we heard some more early acoustic tunes on _Living in the Past_, but that album hadn't been released yet when _Aqualung_ came out.
And Martin Barre had turned himself into the Tull lead guitarist we all know and love. The opening blast of "Aqualung" is quintessential Tull; the guitar solo on that song ranks among rock's greatest; and I don't know about you, but when I listen to "Locomotive Breath," I have to remember to breathe myself.
Now, for all that, this is not my favorite Tull album (or even my favorite _early_ Tull album). But I don't think a month goes by that I don't listen to _something_ from it.
The remastered version is clean and crisp, and to my ear somewhat anechoic. The extra tracks are notable mainly for the inclusion of "Lick Your Fingers Clean" (an earlier version of "Two Fingers," released on _WarChild_ but originally intended for this one). There are also extended excerpts from an interview and remastered versions of "Song for Jeffrey," "Fat Man" and "Bouree", all of which are now available on the remastered _Stand Up_ anyway (where I think the remastering is done better), and a "quad" version of "Wind Up".Aqualung OverviewLimited Edition Japanese "Mini Vinyl" CD, faithfully reproduced using original LP artwork including the inner sleeve. Features most recently mastered audio including bonus tracks where applicable.--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Argus (Exp) Review

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Argus (Exp) ReviewIn the early to mid 70's guitar rock was blues based and if there were two good guitarists in a band chances are that band sounded like The Allman Brothers or some variation.
Wishbone Ash started in blues based songs but had a penchant for English folk and jazz. By this third album they had a loyal following that appreciated their ability to boogie but to be able to play pretty songs. To Wishbone Ash's credit much of this had to do with their stellar playing which was more based in minor key work than traditional blues. Django Reinhart was more of an influence than say Eric Clapton.
On Argus the boys made their progressive album. Several songs were in the six minute plus range and featured multi sectioned arrangements. In particular Time Was, Sometime World, Throw Down The Sword and Warrior brought a mixture of progressive rock and some complex and engaging harmonized guitar work. Besides this guitarists Andy Powell and Ted Turner had unique qualities that made them easy to identify but were capable of working together in a way that made it hard to figure out who was playing what.
That might seem a guitar geek's kind of compliment but really it had more to do with both guitarists desire to keep their work musicial and within the framework of the song which was not always typical of 70's guitar based music. Not to say there aren't some great solos, there are. They were so compelling that as a young guitar player I spent a great deal of time figuring out what they did because it was so unusual.
A lot of other players must have done the same as the harmonies, phrasing and solo styles in many hard rock bands seem to have adopted this sophisticated style of playing.
Beyond the skill of the guitarists bassist Martin Turner played what can be described as lead bass, often letting the guitar duo hold the rhythm together with drummer Steve Upton (who had a flair for understated jazz oriented playing). The singing is excellent with Martin Turner doing most of the lead vocals along with Powell and Ted Turner on harmonies.
To a minor degree there are moments where the songs may seem dated in spots. This is more to the overplay of many of the ideas heard on this record expoited by bands of lesser quality. Critics were often divided about Wishbone Ash probably because they varied styles on each album. From a historical standpoint this band was making music that influenced other bands but never got the kind of reception their followers had.
Worth checking out if you like classic rock, melodic guitar playing or for historical interest. Almost a five star effort, I wish we could give out half stars. This is album is a solid 4.5Argus (Exp) Overview

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