Tag Archives: Kix

Hot in the What? or: Yeah…

17 Wednesday Oct 2018

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Salutations™!!

In recent posts about KISS albums, you will have noticed that I always talk smack about one album in particular. And, today happens to be that album’s 29th anniversary.

Of course, I’m talking about Hot in the Shade (HITS).

Hot_in_the_shade_cover

©Mercury

Until Sonic Boom came along, this was my least favorite KISS album. I have two immediate (and probably several subsequent) reasons for this. One, the song “Boomerang,” and two, the lyrics to “Cadillac Dreams.”

I remember buying this album. In the days before the internet’s popularity, you had to read the music rags to know when things were coming out. I hadn’t read one in a while and didn’t know when the album was coming out. I was a freshman in college and hated every minute of it. I had the morning off, which I believe was a Tuesday. I went by Peaches Records and Tapes on Peters Creek and looked at the new release section and saw the cover to this album on cassette. Other than the “postmark” there was no indication that it was a KISS album. My eyes grew wide when I saw it was KISS. Heck yeah!

I bought it, ran straight to my car and put it in the cassette player. Hey… what’s Cinderella’s “Bad Seamstress Blues” doing on this tape? Are they covering it? No. It was a ripoff, though, I still think. The rest of the song (“Rise to It”) isn’t bad, but I get tired of “cheerleading” songs.

Fast forward a few songs and you hear Paul attempt to rap. “Read My Body” is one of the most ridiculous songs I think I’ve ever heard him do. Now, that being said, I don’t really mind it, I just understand it’s not at all good.

Let’s talk “Cadillac Dreams” a second. I hadn’t heard the song yet (it’s the first song on the second side of the cassette), but I took the cassette cover into class with me and I remember sitting in the communications building at WSSU waiting for class and reading the lyrics. What in the wide world of sports is this!? “When I was seventeen, found out just what it means. If you can get it free, it just ain’t worth a damn. When I heard the preacher say, don’t throw your life away. I got that message, and I wrote it on the wall.” I think I was just worn out on that same song mentality over and over. I had lived it since I was seven. Perhaps I was maturing? Perhaps I just needed something new? I don’t know. Then I heard it and it was not better than I had imagined it to be.

I know Paul had stated in an interview about the album (I did read that) that “there won’t be any hammer-ons on this album.” I know they were trying to get back to basics-ish and scale things back. But, most of the songs seem uninspired to me. They lack any real feeling and depth. Yes, I know I’m talking about KISS here but, to me, they were innovative (if but to and from themselves) and always put out things that I liked. As I have stated, this is the first time I was able to see through my KISS “fog” and see that they weren’t infallible. With the exception of a few tunes, I really did not and still do not like this album.

It does seem that Gene was present for this album. The production credits are given to him and Paul. They did use outside writers for most of this album. Both “Rise to It” and “Read My Body” were co-written by Bob Halligan, Jr., who is probably best known for his writing with Judas Priest and Kix (he co-wrote “Don’t Close Your Eyes). Five of the tunes were co-written by former KISS producer/songwriter Vini Poncia including “Love’s a Slap in the Face,”  “Cadillac Dreams,”  “Somewhere Between Heaven and Hell” (with Gene), “Silver Spoon” and  “King of Hearts” (both with Paul). Some of those are good some are bad.

Bruce Kulick co-wrote a few songs on the album including “Prisoner of Love” and “Boomerang.” Let’s talk the latter, now. This song makes no sense to me. Not, lyrically, but musically. It seems disjointed and sounds like it’s about to go off the rail. It’s KISS’ attempt at speed metal. It’s a good showcase for what Eric could do, but the rest of it just seems like a blur of noise. And, Paul’s assessment about pull-offs and hammer-ons is total BS on this song. I really, really, really dislike this song.

Future Spaceman Tommy Thayer co-wrote two songs with Gene, “Betrayed” and  “The Street Giveth and the Street Taketh Away.” Eric finally gets to sing lead on an original tune, that he co-wrote with Gene and long-time KISS collaborator, Adam Mitchell. The song was called “Ain’t That Peculiar” but they reworked it to become “Little Caesar” which was what Gene playfully called Eric when he was being a badarse. It’s okay, not great, but at least he got to do something that wasn’t (and doing a better job of) covering  Peter’s vox on “Beth.”

Pop music songwriting superstars Desmond Child and Holly Knight collaborated with Paul on “Hide Your Heart” which was on not only this album, not only two different albums but FIVE different albums in 1989. My fave is the KISS version but it was also covered, and probably most successfully, by Bonnie Tyler on her album of the same name, Robin Beck on her album Trouble or Nothin’, Molly Hatchet on Lightning Strikes Twice and oddly enough, Ace on his Trouble Walkin’ album. Ace’s wasn’t bad. Bonnie Tyler’s sounded like “Total Eclipse of Hiding Your Heart” and Robin Beck’s version is Bonnie Tyler Lite. I don’t like anything Molly Hatchet does and this is no exception.

But, the most eyebrow-raising collaboration has to be the album’s biggest hit and the band’s second-highest charting single ever, “Forever” which was co-written by Michael Bolton. Yes, that Michael Bolton and NO, not Michael Bolton from Office Space. “Forever” was a ballad and it was a very well-written song. It reached #8 on the Billboard Top 100 chart (only “Beth” did better on the charts). The video was great. Simplistic. To the point. Bruce’s solo was magnificently done.

The tour that followed this album was my first concert ever. I finally got to see them live. I finally got to see anything live. I had to put my foot down to my mother who wouldn’t let me go to concerts. So, on July 27, 1990, I saw Danger Danger (who I loved), Slaughter (who I liked a lot) and KISS. It was the only time I would see Eric Carr play as he passed away just two years later. But, the band came out of “LEON” the Sphinx’s (get it?) mouth followed by lasers and smoke. Eric’s drum solo with the Simmons pads was great to watch, too. I was in awe!

But, back to the album. This was their longest and longest-running studio album. It was barely shy of an hour and it had 15 songs. I think they could have left off “Boomerang,” “Cadillac Dreams,” “Read My Body,” “Prisoner of Love” and “Silver Spoon” and made it a reasonably-tracked ten-song album and it would have been better for me. I felt they just tried too much filler. I know that the minimalist approach of the album and worrying about budget had them overdubbing on demos instead of rerecording them. That could be part of my problem with the album, too. Not enough production, cutting corners, fluffing the album with filler crap. All that just made for a bad experience overall, even with some shining moments. For me that is. It sat at the bottom of the barrel (15 to that point) until the clunkers Sonic Boom and Monster came out. One day I’ll do a countdown of my own of KISS studio albums. A few people have asked about that.

This was the last KISS album I bought on cassette, as I got my first CD player in December 1989.

Happy anniversary HITS, meh…

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Would you want to know what I’m thinking about? Do you wonder do I wanna make you scream and shout – shout it out. Would you like to see what’s in my brain? Does your curiosity make you insane – insane? Baby, you’re just wastin’ precious time, if you want to know what’s on my mind. Read my body, are the letters big enough? Read my body, do you like the book of my love? Read my body, turn the page, get to the good stuff, read my body.” – “Read My Body” (Stanley/Halligan)

Dis Go Dat Way or: Another Mother Further (Eugeology Entry 31)

10 Thursday Aug 2017

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Salutations™!!

The last time I liked two in a row from Eugene, the streak was broken. I did like the last two, one surprised me. The other I didn’t know what to expect. Eug and Jon are both still behind but I’m trudging along. Here’s this week’s entry:

Mother's_Finest-Another_Mother_Further

©Epic Records

 

#31 – Another Mother Further by Mother’s Finest.

I had heard of this band and do have one of their albums on vinyl, but not this one. I wish I did have it, though. The first thing I hear when this starts up is “Custard Pie” “Mickey’s Monkey,” a song that first appeared 14 years prior to this version from Smokey Robinson and the Miracles and sounds very different, as well. So, there’s the question. Who was copying who? I know Led Zeppelin gets a lot of flack for “stealing” songs but in their defense, “Custard Pie” doesn’t really sound like Smokey’s version of “Mickey’s Monkey.” But, MF’s version of “Mickey” does have the same bones as the original but sounds a lot like the Zep tune in tone and form. The Zep tune came out two years prior. I have listened to both back to back and there’s certainly some copying going on. But, I like both so who cares, right?

This album has everything. It has hard rock. It has funk. It has soul. It has disco. It has slow jamming R&B. In some ways, it reminds me of a harder rocking Sly and the Family Stone and I love me some Sly. If you’re not familiar with Mother’s Finest, first, shame on you, and shame on me, because I did know about them, just not that they were this good. Anywhat! They are a rock band (some even call it “metal” although we don’t use that term much on this list) comprised entirely of African American musicians. They were worried they’d not get their hard rock cred because of their ethnicity so they didn’t put pictures on their albums. This was the 1970s and I can see their conundrum. But, I don’t care if you’re burnt umber, polka-dots and plaid, good rock is good rock. This is great rock. And, with the other elements they bring, that makes it even better. Ask The BCPF what happens when some 1970s or 1980s slow jams come on the radio. I get my soul on and I’m not afraid to admit it.

So, “Mickey’s Monkey” isn’t the only cover on this album. They do a kick-arse version of Elvis’ “Burning Love,” too. I like this version better; it rocks just right. And, these aren’t even my favorite songs on the album. My absolute favorite is “Thank You for the Love.” That’s just an awesome tune. But, I also really dig “Baby Love,” “Hard Rock Lover” and I especially dig “Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way.” I love the riffs and disco feel. Groovalicious!

I prefer the vocal stylings of Joyce “Baby Jean” Kennedy over Glenn Murdock but both are fantastic and their harmonies intertwine perfectly. Gary “Moses Mo” Moore’s riffs on the guitar are tasteful, clever and he shows he can hang with his contemporaries. Mike Keck’s keyboards are what fill all the cracks and his clav work is so 1970s but so juicy. I think the clavinet can be annoying when used willy-nilly and Keck uses his powers for good on this album. Drummer Barry “B.B. Queen” Borden has some serious chops. Listen to “Hard Rock Lover” and see what I’m saying. But, he can also pull back and add a simple back beat that completely brings out the soul in the music, rocking or not. The bass stylings of Jerry “Wyzard” Seay are not only perfectly laid down, but that tone is amazing. So lush and rich but still cuts through. My biggest complaint with most recordings is when the producer, as well as the band/performer, allow the bass to become background noise. That is certainly not the case here. I love listening to his playing.

Speaking of producers, Tom Werman had a lot to do with some fantastic albums from the 70s and 80s ranging from Cheap Trick (including In Color, Heaven Tonight and Dream Police my three faves by them) to Molly Hatchet and Blue Öyster Cult to Twisted Sister, Kix, Stryper and Poison and more. He’s got some big guns in there. Crisp, clean and easy to hear all that is going on. That’s exactly the case here, as well. And, coming in just under 35 minutes the album is jam packed yet easy to get through.

So, to answer the unasked question: yes, this time, there were three in a row that I liked from Eugene. Thanks so much for introducing this to me, Eug and I await your review and Jon’s as well. This is going on my “want list” for both Underdog Records and Discogs.

Until tomorrow, happy funky listening…
Scorp out!

—
“You give me good feelings. You give me good feelings. You give me good feelings. Ooh, I want to thank you for the love. Thank you for the heartaches. Thank you for the tears I’ve cried. Thank you for all those lies.” – “Thank You for the Love” (Mother’s Finest)

P-p-p-p-poison or: Kix (Eugeology Entry 22)

08 Thursday Jun 2017

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Salutations™!!

The last album, for me, wasn’t my thing. Just didn’t really care for it. I don’t know, yet, what Eugene thinks of it and Jon is somewhere off in the weeds of obscurity on his list placement, so who knows when he’ll catch up. We’ll move on to something else…

Kix-KixAlbum

©Atlantic Records

 

#22 – Kix by Kix.

This is a band that I knew was going to be on the list. I mean it had to be, Eugene talks about them all the time. I figured it would be Midnight Dynamite but it wasn’t. Instead, we get the debut album from the band. I will admit that I groaned a little bit when I saw it come through. I don’t know why and I didn’t know what I was missing.

We all know that I prefer slick, polished production over the raw and rough feel, any day. Any day, except, I guess, today. This album is raw with little over-the-top production. The vocals are kind of tinny and paperlike but it works so well. Steve Whiteman (a fellow WVian) barks with reckless abandon, but dang! it works. They sound so young, so hungry. This is raw and it’s beautiful.

The drum sound is thumpy yet still paper-thin, but again, I don’t mind it. It all sounds like it should be that way. Jimmy Chalfant pounds those skins like his life depends on it. Not a lot of flash but in perfect time. The guitar duo of Ronnie Younkins and Brian Forsythe is a tandem of cock-sure grit. They are perfectly subtle and riffy at the same time. Their chops make this sonically appetizing.

This album has something that you don’t find a lot of. That’s a non-lead vocalist bass player that is the primary songwriter. I know Mötley Crüe’s Nikki Sixx was the main songwriter for them and Bruno Ravel (along with drummer Steve West) is the main songwriter for Danger Danger. Outside of that, most bassists who are the songwriters are also a lead vocalist in some capacity. All that being said, Donnie Purnell is a bad arsed, songwriting, thunderstick thumpin’ mofo! Only one song on the album doesn’t have his name on it and that’s “Love at First Sight” (Forsythe/Whiteman). Incidentally, he’s the only one that is on this album that isn’t currently in the band. One thing that strikes me, though, is that while the songs are written by the bass player, there’s not a lot of fancy bass riffs, at least compared to the guitar parts. Hmmm.

My favorites on this album start with the first tune, “Atomic Bombs” and ends with “Yeah, Yeah, Yeah” (the last tune).  But, my absolute top song on this album, hands down, is “Heartache.” There’s something about the vocal melody combined with the music that makes me smile and nod my head. Not as known as their two big records, Midnight Dynamite and Blow My Fuse, the album Kix has solid, fun and rocking songs throughout. This one was a winner, Eug and I thank you for introducing me to it. Can’t wait to read your take. Perhaps Jon will catch up someday.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“She got love she’s making me burn. Like a fool you know I’ll never learn, she had heartbreak. She said, ‘Love you are my biggest mistake.’ She had heartbreak. Oh well, she had a heartbreak.” – “Heartache” (Purnell)

The World’s Greatest Lie or: Ready to Strike (Eugeology Entry 17)

04 Thursday May 2017

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Salutations™!!

Last week’s selection was a bit weird for me. I liked it okay, but didn’t love it. That’s fine, it happens. Of course, Jon and Eugene are behind. They’ll catch up, probably. But, more of the Eugeology train…

KingKobra_ReadyToStrike

©Capitol Records

#17 – Ready to Strike by King Kobra.

All I ever knew of this band was the promo pics of Carmine Appice, in his cheesy tiger-striped spandex bodysuit and fu-manchu mustache, advertising either drums, cymbals or sticks. I thought it looked silly, even though I was into stuff like that. Something about Carmine that always made me not like him. I really don’t know what that is because when he was on That Metal Show he seemed like a genuinely cool guy. Anywhat!

This came up and I wondered why I hadn’t ever thought to listen to it. I guess it just wasn’t something I necessarily wanted to hear. That happens and preconceived notions are, sometimes, very restrictive. So, I kranked this up (see what I did there?) and let it fly. I thought I was listening to some Yngwie Malmsteen or something because of all the chiming synths and Gothic sounds. That, on its own, isn’t like Eugene, but on the whole, I have to think of the Alice Cooper, Kix and Kick Axe that he likes and, well, okay, it makes sense. I have been surprised by some of the poppy-happy albums that he puts on this list, though. Not disappointed in that, but surprised.

Carmine does a good job on the album. The guitar work on this album, that of David Michael-Philips and Mick Sweda, is at times really flashy. However, it’s all classy and not gratuitous. I really like the guitars’ tone on this album. It’s meaty and beefy and fills the whole album with sonic fullness. A then-unknown Johnny Rod (he later got some recognition with W.A.S.P.) does some sweet bass runs and glissando and holds that bottom end, deep. Musically this album is solid. But, as usual in these Eugeology albums, for me, the real highlight lies in the vocals.

Marcie Free (then she was known as Mark) has a phenomenal voice! It’s depth ranges from near-glass-shattering highs to ear-rattling power to heart-breaking emotion. She picks just the right attribute to use in each performance.  The only part I didn’t like from her was this crazy falsetto thing in one of the songs. I have gone back and now I can’t find it, but it’s not that important. She makes this album great. Spencer Proffer (and Carmine) do a nice on the production, too. It’s full and bombastic. What you’d expect from 1985, I’d say.

Some of my favorite songs on Ready to Strike are “Hunger” (written by Kick Axe – no wonder Eug likes this), “Dancing With Desire,” “Second Thoughts.” My absolute fave on the album is “Tough Guys.” It is awesome. There are a couple of songs that I don’t care for and I can’t put my finger on what they are. Those would be “Shake Up” and “Attention.” Well, I know what bothers me about “Shake Up.” Those lyrics are that whole “fist in the air/live for rock and roll” mess. I don’t like that. “Attention,” I guess, sounds like “Walk Like An Egyptian” on speed and then they switch to Tia Carrere’s version of “Ballroom Blitz.” I don’t know why I don’t like those, but I don’t. Two of the songs were co-written by Kick Axe, the aforementioned “Hunger” and “Piece of the Rock.” Spencer Proffer (Pasha Records – think Quiet Riot) is all over the song-writing credits, too. And someone that is named H. Banger, which to me, sounds like a pen name for someone. I’m pretty sure the “H” stands for Head. I find nothing on this person in my searches.

All-in-all, it’s a great album with but a few clunkers. I’d say that’s still a good thing. I want to read E & J’s takes on it. I may hear from them around Father’s Day on this one. I also want to hear from you, Dear Reader. What do you know/think of this album? I look forward to responses. What’s next, Eug?

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Don’t ask why… Cause we all know that tough guys don’t cry. The world’s greatest lie is that all of us tough guys don’t cry” – “Tough Guys” (King Kobra/Banger/Proffer)

Wouldn’t You Like to be a Sucker, Too? or: Love is for Suckers (Eugeology Entry 12)

30 Thursday Mar 2017

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Salutations™!!

So, I know I totally let Eugene down on the entry from last week. Just not my thing, but wasn’t not my thing. I am still confused on that one. Jon is still a few weeks behind. In one that Eugene surely thought I was going to take a leak on (he even preemptively called that I wouldn’t like it on our little private message group), I had already listened to it three times at that point and now have listened to it an additional two times. Well, let’s get to it.

Love_Is_For_Suckers_album_cover

©Atlantic Records

#12 – Love is for Suckers by Twisted Sister.

I talked about the importance of Stay Hungry was to my emergence into hard rock (then known as heavy metal, even if we don’t like the term) that wasn’t KISS. I have to say that Come Out and Play, the follow-up to Stay Hungry, let me down enough I didn’t care enough to listen to much of anything after that. Well, mistake #1.

You know I do love me some poppy rock, especially when it’s of the heavy variety. This is more a heavy pop record than even Stay Hungry. But, what this has in its favor over it’s older brother is that there’s not many songs on this one that I’d skip over. There’s not many on the prior either, but those songs were worn out (especially by me). So this makes this album a breath of fresh air. There are some serious power ballads on here in addition to some serious rockin’.

Dee Snider’s vocals are amazing on this album. I don’t know how he managed to sound even halfway decent after the earlier TS stuff, there’s a lot of screeching (the good kind) going on here and then, too. His melodies are more poppy here and again, that’s not a bad thing, at all. Lyrically, and heck mostly musically, he’s spot on the whole time. He was the sole songwriter for all but two tunes. He brings back some of the “Burn in Hell” style along with his high rock-god power on this album.

It’s typical Twisted Sister and it was much better than I thought it was going to be. I saw it come across as the assignment for the week and, while I didn’t roll my eyes, I did raise an eyebrow. I wasn’t dreading it, just was skeptical of how good it was going to be. I’m glad I was surprised; pleasantly so.

I am skeptical about how much Jay Jay French, Eddie “Fingers” Ojeda and Mark “The Animal” Mendoza actually played on this album. It started out as a solo side project for Snider with Reb Beach and Kip Winger, prior to them forming Winger (which I think was underrated, truth be known) and Kix’s Steve Whiteman doing some vocals with him. Now, I know why Eugene likes it so much. I kid. Anywhat! Atlantic wasn’t having any Dee Snider solo action so he “redid” some of it with actual TS members.

I was surprised that A.J. Pero (RIP) wasn’t on this album. I hadn’t realized that he was long longer with the band at this time. I had moved away from most of the heavy music mags at the time and there was no internet for me to keep up with all that. He had left to play with a band called Cities. I wonder if he had just told Snider “no” and Snider kicked him from the band. Who knows. His replacement Joe Franco may be playing on it. I don’t think that drum machines were that sophisticated at the time and there was reports of Franco programming drum machines. So with that, I also “dunno.”

Songs. The first five songs: “Wake Up (The Sleeping Giant),” “Hot Love,” the title track, “I’m So Hot for You” and “Tonight” are fantastic. The latter, oddly enough, reminds me of Cheap Trick but jacked up. The melodies and harmonies throughout those first five were great, too. “Me and the Boys” I didn’t really care one way or another at first, but upon more listens, I liked it more and more. “One Bad Habit” is all boogie rock and we talked last week about me not liking that. It wasn’t awful here, just not my thing. I did like the use of the horns on that song, though. “You Are All That I Need” is a great power ballad and it was indicative of the times. 1987 was prime for power ballads; there were more than plenty. The final song on the album, “Yeah Right” is a cheerleading song. I’m pretty sure that’s a drum machine and not not real drums. It’s almost Afterburner-like from ZZTop at times. I’d say that’s my least favorite song on the album. That is until you get to the bonus tracks (if we’re counting those)…

But, if I’m picking my favorites it would be the first five songs, especially “Hot Love,” and “You Are All That I Need.” Least favorites, the aforementioned “Yeah Right” as well as “Feel Appeal” and “Statutory Date” from the four bonus tracks. Of those, I did like “If That’s What You Want,” which oddly sounds a little like “Rough Boys” from Pete Townshend. So, I did my extra homework with the bonus tracks, this week.

All I can say about this album is that if you haven’t heard it, you need to. The only real suckers are those who don’t like it. It’s a great album and I’ll say I like it better than Stay Hungry. That is until I hear that album again. Loved it, Eug. Can’t wait to hear your thoughts and if Jon ever catches up, his, too.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Oh know, that girl, she’s lookin’ so fine. I know she knows ,what she’s doin’ to my mind. Ooh, does she know that I’m wanting her so. Well, there’s one thing I know, I can never let her go. Talkin’ ’bout hot love, you’re making me crazy.” – “Hot Love” (Snider)

All the Rules Are Gone or: Vices (Eugeology Entry 4)

02 Thursday Feb 2017

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Salutations™!!

I knew this was coming. Not this album because I knew nothing about the group other

viceskickaxe

©Pasha Records

than they had a cheesy and remarkably cliche 80s hard rock (“heavy metal”) name. But, I knew the band would show up at least once. I am also predicting a Kix album, a Raven album, possibly a Saxon album and a Motörhead album in the next 46 entries in Eugeology: Eugene’s List of Hard Rock Albums and Possible Gems. That’s not a knock or a bad thing, just a prediction. I welcome them all. I do want to hear/read Jon’s take on this. We had a discussion this past week about the list and what we’re either getting out of it or what’s surprising us. He’s a different perspective than Eugene and I but, again, that’s the point. But, here we go:

#4 – Vices by Kick Axe.

(Note – There is a self-rebuttal to this at the end. I listened again, later.)

Well, if nothing else, this gave me a smile, a few chuckles and a lot of shaking of my head. Not that it’s bad. Okay, it is bad, but it has great comedic value. As per Eugene’s request, I listened to the album via headphones. I think that brought out the bass, which Victor Langen does a good job of when he’s not just pedaling; which thankfully isn’t a lot.

What it also brings out, though, is the tinny thinness of George Criston’s vocals. When he’s rough and gritty, there’s power; his screams are blaring if not screeching. Otherwise, I wasn’t impressed. The lyrics are quintessentially 1984. I mean, I can’t really make fun of it because I listened to stuff equally as cheesy (have you heard a lot of the lyrics on Animalize or Crazy Nights from KISS?), but when there are lyrics like “She’s cruel, sly and shameless and she’s always on the prowl. Looking longing, sets her sights and so she growls. Sinkin’ up inside, your hands run through your hair. Know just when to give in when she drags you to her lair,” I can’t take that seriously. In their defense, most of that genre was like that at the time.

The riffs aren’t bad, they have some decent merit here. Larry Gillstrom and Raymond Harvey hold down those duties fairly well. Their rhythms and solo work is above average and tasteful. The other Gillstrom brother, Brian, holds down the beat and is solidly on the beat (which I can’t really say for the backing vocals). None of the band are especially virtuoso-calibur, which I don’t think was their intention, anyway. They’re wanting to have fun and create a fun atmosphere, I believe. They seemed to have fun. I wish I could say I had more fun listening to it.

The overall production is oddly thin, yet partly muddy, which I found disappointed considering Spencer Proffer produced it and I really enjoyed what he did on Quiet Riot’s Metal Health and Condition Critical. Also, while this list, thus far, has reminded me how much I dug and have missed listening to hard rock, it also reminds me of the stuff that I didn’t like and why. This would be that. I mean no offense to Eug or the band, I just didn’t get into listening to it. There are a few good tunes, though: “Just Passin’ Through” is my favorite on the album. It’s really the only one I could name by name that I liked. There were pieces throughout that I dug, even in the songs that I didn’t care for. It didn’t suck, I just didn’t care much for it. I’ve enjoyed everything else we’ve reviewed, even the Skynyrd album (which I hang my head for even admitting to), this wasn’t not enjoyable, just didn’t move me, at all. Sorry, Eug.

I want to hear his take on this and I am very interested in Jon’s. Check them out and thanks for reading all of the entries.

*self-rebuttal*

Okay, upon the second listen, I have to change some of the things I wrote initially. I left the original writing in to show that I can reconsider my thoughts.

Criston’s voice is still annoying but mostly in “Dreamin’ About You.” He’s got more power than I heard the first time. I can’t explain why I was hearing it differently, other than I listened then with headphones in the studio and the second time at home. I do wish, too, that they would have done more with the 12-string motif at the end of “Stay on Top.” That sounded cool, the sonic quality was better and it was rich. I would have liked to have had that extended.

I double down on Victor Langen’s bass playing. He’s pretty good. I noticed a bit more keyboards the second time but there’s not listing for who’s playing it. It’s mostly ambience, though, so no big deal. I still keep hearing “Magneto” instead of “Maneater” in the song of the same name. So, overall, my feelings didn’t change much, but I wanted to give it another shake to be fair and do my due diligence. I liked it a little better the second time around. I did like “On the Road to Rock” and “Cause For Alarm” on the second listen.

I also rescind the “it is bad” part. It’s not. It’s not great, by any means, but it’s not bad. It’s not a bad listen, actually. Don’t know that I’ll listen again, but you never know.

*rebuttal over and out*

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Beyond the words of beauty and desire, a memory of you sets me on fire. Your voice was magic, your eye’s would paralyze. I fell under your spell, I was mesmerized. I wish you would make it real.” – “Dreamin’ About You” (Kick Axe?)

Apple or: Fast Ones always Ride for Free’s (Eugeology – Entry 1)

12 Thursday Jan 2017

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Salutations™!!

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©Stardog/Mercury/Lemon Recordings

So, Eugene B Sims set out to give Beer Dad Jon and I his top 50 underrated hard rock albums to hear and critique. I have to reiterate that these albums are in no particular order, just Eug’s top 50. The numbers correlate with the review, not it’s ranking. And today we have the first entry.

#1 – Apple by Mother Love Bone.

I will say that Andrew Wood had a great hard rock voice. He wasn’t frying his voice to achieve some crazy vocal effect that a lot of singers that were in the spotlight at the time (Sebastian Bach comes to mind) was using to sound even more “mean” than they were. Looking at some promo pictures of the band, I’d think he’d be a pretty good frontman, as well. His piano chops were admirable.

I was expecting more of a grunge album since it does have two future members of Pearl Jam in this lineup. I’d even venture to say that the reason that Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament got their recognition in the hard rock arena was more for this than it was for Pearl Jam. Honestly, though, I really knew very little of this band. All I knew was the Temple of the Dog tribute stuff that Wood’s pal Chris Cornell put together with Ament and Gossard, included Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready and Matt Cameron and was basically Pearl Jam with a better singer, although Eddie Vedder did lend some vox on that album. But, I had never even heard of them before that project came out. I blindly steered clear of anything that wasn’t mainstream “glam metal” or whatever the new chic word for that era is. I’m not proud of that, just the way it was.

I still don’t know that I would go buy this, but there are some really good, dare I say great tunes on it. My clear favorite of the whole album, though, is “Bone China.” I think the dark tone with the bright chimey guitars combined with Wood’s strong convicted vocal performance makes for a perfect storm of melodic waves that the listener ride floating. I don’t know what it is about that song but I really love it. But, that’s not all!

I can see why Eugene likes this album. The guttural growl notwithstanding, Wood reminds me, slightly, of Steve Whiteman, the lead vocalist for the band, Kix. There’s shades of other singers as well. Like, Perry Ferrell of Jane’s Addiction or Mike Tramp, except without the whine. There’s more, but the point is, these vocalists had strong rock voices and Andrew Wood was in league with them, not emulating, necessarily, but standing on his own merits. Drugs are a biotch, though, especially heroin and that’s what killed Andrew Wood.

Not counting the album Ten which actually rocked, knowing the drivel that Pearl Jam was wont to put out, it’s surprising that Gossard and Ament could crank out this kind of rock. Lots of bluesy grooves, this. Like a recent resurgence of Zeppelin or something; it’s riffy. But, it’s more dimensional than that. It’s melodic and subtle at times, it’s hard and heavy at times. There’s some hair aspects, but honestly a lot of those elemental boundaries get blurry as time goes by. But, great guitar tone and solid drumming. I love Ament’s bass tone and his playing is prevalent in songs like “This is Shangra La.” And Ament’s backing vox are pretty good, although they could use a little more fullness in that area.

I like the western aspects of “Stargazer.” It reminds me a little of Cinderella without all the sandpaper vocals like Tom Keifer. Perhaps a little like “Rainbow” from Blonz? The only reason I’m offering so many comparisons is because that’s really all I have to go on. How do I compare otherwise? I don’t think I can. Other faves from this would be “Mr. Danny Boy,” “Man of the Golden Words” (where the name Temple of the Dog came from), “Gentle Groove” and “Crown of Thorns.”

If I have one complaint for this album, I feel the production is a bit tinny and thin in spots. The bass is punchy, which is good, the guitars are bright, but the vocals, as good as they are, seem a bit pushed back, the same with the drums. I little too much depth with the reverb or whatever, but it’s like something is missing, there. Overall, though, I liked it a good bit. I don’t know that I’d spend a lot of time listening to it after this, but I did listen to it twice for reviewing, here. That should say something, right?

Something that I’ve never experienced before with Napster is finding an album completely different than the original track listing. I’ve seen “special editions” and all that, but this wasn’t the case. The order that I listened to it was no where near the same. I talk big about album composition and this wasn’t what was released, so it throws me off a bit.

The album was released very soon after Andrew Wood’s unfortunate demise. My question, though, and this is no disrespect for the band, would it have garnered as much attention had Wood not passed away?  Case in point, it was released the same year as Blonz’ eponymous debut. I think they’re comparable in style and sound. Had Nathan Utz passed away from the same circumstances, would that album have done better than it did? Would it have been in the news? Don’t misconstrue this as me putting this album down, it’s just an observation and a chance to catechize that point. It sounds very much like the times it was, 1990. There was a movement to bridge the glam metal and pre-grunge hard rock. Had this album been released just a year later or had Wood not passed on, my feelings are that it would have fallen between the cracks. That would have been unfortunate, too. This is a good album. It sounds good, it’s well written and I liked it. So, it was just a question. RIP, Andrew.

Until tomorrow, same blog channel…
Scorp out!

—
“Wanna show you something like the joy inside my heart. Seems I’ve been living in the temple of the dog. Where would I live, if I were a man of golden words? Or would I live at all? Words and music, my only tools. Communication.” – “Man Of Golden Words” (Ament, Fairweather, Gilmore, Gossard, Wood)