Thursday, August 31, 2017

Former Dio Guitarist Doug Aldrich Has Unheard Dio Track

Photo courtesy of The Inquisitr


When the god of metal, Ronnie James Dio passed away in 2010 due to stomach cancer the world of heavy metal was struck hard because it was believed that we would never hear any new music from him ever again. However, it seems that this isn't entirely true, as former guitarist for Dio's solo band Doug Aldrich has in his possession a recording of a rather trippy tune they worked on together that has yet to see a release.

In an interview with Roppongi Rocks (via Blabbermouth) Aldrich discusses the song and his part in the recording of it, saying:

“It was during the time he wrote Electra. We were kind of bouncing around some of his ideas and working on some of them.

Before we did Electra he had this other one that he said, ‘Can you put a solo on this?’ and he gave me the track. I had put a solo on it, and then when I brought it to his house, he goes, ‘No, no, no – I’ve got this new idea called Electra.’ We didn’t even listen to it.

This one track is haunting. He doubled his voice – it’s just really trippy. At some point it will have to come out. I offered it to Wendy and I don’t know. Maybe she forgot about it. I actually have the recording session which has got Ronnie playing bass, rhythm guitar and vocals, and then a drum machine.”

I really do hope that this song some day gets a proper release. It sounds interesting and creative, which makes me happy because even up to his death Dio was always doing something innovative and new. Plus, I would really like to hear Dio playing guitar and bass on a track because I'd love to hear what his chops sounded like. Hopefully Wendy takes Doug up on the offer soon.

Monday, August 28, 2017

Brian Johnson Returns to the Stage at Reading Festival



It's been about a year and a half since former AC/DC singer Brian Johnson was forced to retire from his iconic band due to problems with hearing loss. However, the capped screaming beast made his return to the big stage this past weekend to perform the AC/DC classic Back in Black with the modern alternative band Muse (which can be watched in the video above).

The crowd went insane with joy to see Johnson back where he belongs, or at least close to. Every last fan in that audience was singing along to every last lyric of the song and you can tell that there was an immense amount of positive energy just rippling through the venue. Johnson himself seemed to be completely thrilled. You could see it in his walk, his singing, and his overall attitude. He must have REALLY missed this.

I only hope that if some form of AC/DC is going to continue on into the future they can at least get Johnson back as lead vocalist of the band. I have LOVED Axl Rose fronting the band, but I think AC/DC needs Brian Johnson on the mic if they're going to have any real chance of keeping people coming out to the shows and buying anything new that they put out.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #131

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Big Jack, by AC/DC

I always felt that ever since Black Ice came out in 2008 this particular track wasn't played or talked about enough. It's definitely one of the stronger ones on the album and could and should have gotten more attention than it did. Regardless, it's never too late to give high voltage rock n' roll goodness like this another look and keep it blaring through your speakers for years to come. You'll definitely wonder why you didn't know about this sooner.



2. Polar Trench, by Buckethead

This tune has a nice blend of funky, hard rock, and a bit of modern edge. Buckethead no matter what he does is one hell of a creative human being, even if it's a song meant for just getting your funky rocks off to. He always knows just the right moment to kick a groove, go hogwild on a guitar solo, and then slide back into the groove. If I were to try to describe it further, I'd say this is a blend of Hendrix, Slash, Trower, and any number of modern alt rock/metal bands.



3. Rocket Queen, by Guns N' Roses

If that last track got you in the mood for some Slash, don't fret. I've got you covered with a tune that features some of his best guitar work. I've always loved the sexy, hypnotic, slithery hip movements of this song (not counting the sex sounds in the interlude). It's one of my favorites to this day to crank through a stereo and I definitely feel it was one hell of a way for GN'R to give their first album a strong ending that makes things go out with a bang.



4. Big Bad Moon, by Joe Satriani

While Satch has always been known for his more exploratory style of playing, I've always loved it when he goes blues based hard rock. The riff in this song is just so big, beefy, and powerful. The fact that Satch sings in this tune (and about lycanthropy no less) makes it even more interesting to listen to. One of the most under rated tunes from the Flying in a Blue Dream album for sure (among countless others). It really makes you want to howl at the moon.



5. Am I Evil, by Diamond Head

The New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement in the late 70's/early 80's put out a hell of a lot of good bands and music that sadly don't get much attention any more due to them getting glazed over by the more commercially friendly bands. Diamond Head is definitely among the cream of the crop and this song will immediately tell you why. It starts off big, slow, and doom-like and then kicks things up into high gear; not leaving you much time to breathe. It seduces you slowly, then grabs you by the balls and takes you for the ride of your life.


Saturday, August 26, 2017

Vicky Cornell, Wife of Late Chris Cornell Asks Fans for Tributes for Chris's Website

Photo courtesy of heavy.com


Ever since Soundgarden front man Chris Cornell was found dead at the age of 52 in a hotel room in Detroit back in May, the entire world of rock n' roll has been shaken considerably; especially Cornell's family. Cornell's wife Vicky Cornell has now as a way to help everyone deal with the pain has asked the fans to send tributes and messages to Chris to her so she can put them up on Chris's website.

Vicky made a tweet on August 23rd saying:

"Since my husband’s tragic passing, fans from all over the world have come together to share their feeling about what Chris and music meant to them, leaving thousands of messages of love while visiting him at Hollywood Forever and online.

You have opened your hearts to me and our children, and we are grateful for your sympathy, love and support in bringing us solace and helping us heal. You have given us the hope and strength to endure the pain of these very dark days. I want to thank all of you and hope you will leave your tributes, personal stories, and messages for our family, to be shared on Chris's site for everyone to read.

Loud love,

VC"

Included in the tweet was a link to the submission form, which can be found here.

I definitely like this idea. It really shows how much his wife loves and cares for him even from beyond the grave. It's a nice way for the fans as well to be able to express their honest, raw, heartfelt feelings about Chris for the whole world to be able to see for all time. Not everyone gets a memorial like this, so I'm glad Chris is one of the lucky few.

Friday, August 25, 2017

Throwback Thursday: "Black Ice", by AC/DC



In 2008 hard rock legends AC/DC put out what many (including myself) consider to be their last true album: Black Ice, as it was the last one with the iconic five members. While the band's popularity had waned just a bit over the years, this album chocked full of brand new eargasmic high voltage rock n' roll catapulted them back into the spotlight instantaneously. Track after track after track of this album was highly praised and thus they went on a big world tour that lasted quite a while to support it.

Black Ice sticks to the famous AC/DC style, but it wasn't afraid to explore a little bit outside of the boundaries in order to give some of the songs a little more flavor. I think that is what made the album as special as it is. They don't stick to the generic formula entirely and thus were able to create the best album they had in a REALLY long time. The songs are still bluesy and rocking, but there are some songs where they do a bit more finger picking, slide guitar, playing around with arrangements, and even make things a bit more melodic in certain places.

Rock n' Roll Train was an excellent choice as a first single from Black Ice. It screams classic AC/DC all over it without sounding like any of their other songs. The guitar tone especially makes it sound like it could have been on Back in Black. I like how creative the riff is, though. It's not just a set of basic block chords or arpeggios. This is them getting a little more complex while still rocking it up the way they do. Angus Young of course has his moment in the spotlight with his classic iconic bluesy soloing and it's brilliant as ever. It's blood boiling, heart pounding, high voltage rock n' roll in its finest form.

Skies on Fire is an under rated track from Black Ice, if you ask me. It combines some of that classic early 80's AC/DC sound with a bit more modern dirty gritty punch in a rather seamless way. I especially love the backing vocals. Malcolm Young in addition to being a great rhythm guitarist and song writer is also great at doing the kind of evil dirty backing vocals that no one could ever seem to emulate. The song also showcases the fact that vocalist Brian Johnson can do more than just scream bloody murder at the top of his lungs. He actually has a REALLY nice rumbly gritty lower range that makes for an interesting bluesy cocktail.

Black Ice in my opinion is the culmination of the iconic AC/DC line-up's creativity and passion. In my opinion it was one hell of a way for that line-up to say goodbye even if they didn't realize that was what was happening at the time. Even all these years later I still jam this album from time to time as loud as I possibly can and it puts that same smile back on my face. It will always be one of the fondest memories of my teenage years, that's for sure. That said, I can't recommend it anywhere close to enough.

Black Ice, by AC/DC receives 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Rock n' Roll Train
2. Skies on Fire
3. Big Jack
4. Anything Goes
5. War Machine
6. Smash n' Grab
7. Spoilin' for a Fight
8. Wheels
9. Decibel
10. Stormy May Day
11. She Likes Rock n' Roll
12. Wheels
13. Rock n' Roll Dream
14. Rockin' All the Way
15. Black Ice

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Ice-AC-DC/dp/B00O75QDIC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503648965&sr=8-1&keywords=AC%2FDC+Black+Ice

Thursday, August 24, 2017

Foo Fighters Premiere New Song and Video: "The Sky is a Neighborhood"



The Foo Fighters have been pretty busy prepping for the release of their upcoming album Concrete and Gold, due out next month on the 15th. They have put out song after song after song, including one with a video now titled The Sky is a Neighborhood (which can be viewed above).

This song definitely has a lot of that Sergeant Pepper vibe that front man Dave Grohl was mentioning when it came to the overall sound of the upcoming album. I hear Beatles influence plastered all over it, but with a lot more balls and edge to it than the Fab Four would have used back in the day. It has that laid back kind of melodic groove that you would have heard out of the later era Beatles for sure.

The video definitely has some psychedelic 90's feel to it, but in such a way where it doesn't feel like the band is stuck in the past. You can tell some thought was put into it, especially in the ways it correlates to the message of the song. It mesmerizes you and sucks you in, taking you on an interesting ride to say the least.

Monday, August 21, 2017

Man Plays 50 AC/DC Riffs in a Row



While the internet can be a silly place full of stupid things and people, some times you come across something that actually gives you a bit of hope for cyberspace and the universe as a whole. Today I came across such a thing when I discovered this video of a man by the name of Andrea Boccarusso playing 50 AC/DC riffs in a row without pausing at all in between (which can be viewed in the video above).

What makes this video even more cool is that not only does Boccarusso play Malcolm Young's rhythm guitar parts, but Angus Young's as well. I know a lot of people often comment on the way many AC/DC songs sound similar, but I still find it amazing how Boccarusso manages to get one AC/DC song into another so seamlessly. That takes some real talent and a good ear for transitions.

This isn't the first time Boccarusso has done such a video, however. If you're interested in more of his wizardry, he has also done videos of 50 Iron Maiden riffs, 50 Metallica riffs, and 100 metal riffs as well. This dude definitely has some respectable skills to say the least.

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #130

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Relentless, by Pentagram

This is one of those songs where the intro fooled me into thinking it was going to be a slower, more groove oriented song but then quickly does a 180 by turning it into a blood boiling, pulse pounding, pedal to the metal fast paced kind of tune. I'm not complaining though because it still kicks a lot of ass. I've had a lot of fun just cranking this tune up to 11 while rocketing down the highway at night on the way home from seeing my chick.



2. Voodoo, by Black Sabbath

If you want heavy metal that does happen to be more groove oriented, this is definitely the song for you. It's got this riff that hooks its way into your mind relentlessly quick and it will not let go no matter how hard you beg and try. Dio's powerful melodic vocals make it that much more entrancing of a song as well. Black Sabbath and Dio really were a match made in Heaven and Hell no matter what anyone says.



3. Problems, by The Sex Pistols

In a time where we are all feeling uncertain it's good to have a way to vent your frustrations about your problems, especially if that method is through punk rock. This in my opinion is a highly under rated Sex Pistols tune that I didn't even know about until I discovered the Megadeth cover a few
years back and decided to go back and check out the original to see how it measured up. Needless to say, I was more than satisfied.



4. Cold Gin, by Kiss

I can say with 100% certainty that this is my absolute all time favorite Kiss song. It's got everything a good rock n' roll song needs: a killer main riff, a thundering rhythm, fun lyrics, and rough n' tumble singing. Despite the fact that Kiss is all about the frills, this tune in particular is all about throwing them off and being a real city gutter rat of the lowest variety. Somehow though, they manage to glorify such a lifestyle. I guess good music can accomplish anything.



5. Love Communion, by Glenn Hughes

This is one hell of a funky jam. It's got groove, soul, and some extraordinary singing that ranges from high and powerful to soft and smooth. Glenn Hughes despite his advancing age doesn't seem to have lost a single bit of his vocal talent with age, and thank God. He is one of the few living vocal legends from the 70's left who doesn't sound like complete garbage now. I saw him a year ago in Chicago and he blew my mind. Not many people even in my own age range can do what he does.


Friday, August 18, 2017

Gene Simmons Doesn't Regret Attempting Metal Horns Trademark

Photo courtesy of TeamRock.com


Although Kiss co-founder Gene Simmons failed in his recent attempt to trademark the metal horns hand gesture, which has been something shared among rock and metal fans alike across the globe for decades he apparently does not regret trying at all.

In a recent interview with Windsor Star, Simmons discusses his feelings on the matter saying:

“I regret nothing. Let your conscience be your guide.

Did you know I own the money bag logo? The dollar sign with the bag of money. I own all kinds of things. I own ‘motion pictures’ as a trademark. Anyone who thinks that’s silly — the silliest thing I’ve ever done is wear more makeup and higher heels than your mommy. People said, ‘You can’t do that.’ Actually, bitch — I can. I can do anything I want.”

Clearly you can't do whatever you want, Mr. Simmons. Just because you have money, it doesn't mean you can get away with every last petty ridiculous thing you want. I'm glad that everyone including Wendy Dio (wife of the late Ronnie James Dio who made the gesture famous) stood up and said something about it before it was too late. The gesture really does belong to everyone who feels the spirit of rock n' roll in their hearts. You can't just buy that.

Thursday, August 17, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Pentagram (Relentless), by Pentagram



In 1985 after a decade and a half of line-up changes and all kinds of drug fueled antics (mostly from singer and only consistent member Bobby Liebling) Virginia doom metal band Pentagram finally put out their debut album Pentagram (though in 1993 it was rereleased as Relentless on Peaceville Records) on their own with no record label to back them. While this made things difficult for them, they still slowly managed to push their way forward and leave a lasting legacy among the heavy metal community.

You can definitely hear the Black Sabbath influence in the tracks on this album, but by this point Pentagram was a lot less of the Sabbath clone that they had started off being in the early-mid 70's. The tone on the guitar had more of outer space meets Satan kind of vibe and the rhythm section was a lot more booming and rumbling. That said, the lyrics are still NOT pro-Satan if you are worried but take the time to actually listen.

Sign of the Wolf is one of the more pushing, fast pace tunes on Pentagram. You can tell that this is where the band was really coming into their own in terms of sound and not necessarily trying to copy off their influences. It definitely sounds a lot more evil than most of what was being put out at that time. I definitely dig the vocal melody on the chorus. Something about it sticks in my head even more than the guitar riff. It's definitely a headbanger and I'd dare say a tune to crank while speeding down the highway with the wind blowing through your hair at night.

Relentless is another good one to crank at 11, though then again the whole album is made up of tracks like that. That riff will get stuck in your head the moment it comes on, even more so than Sign of the Wolf. This is a song where you definitely hear the Black Sabbath influence, but it's like they blasted it into the stratosphere. It's faster, bolder, and more daring in some respects. Liebling's voice is incredibly bewitching and you'll be unable to think of much of anything else aside from the riff for a while after listening to this tune.

Pentagram (Relentless) is definitely an under rated classic as far as I'm concerned. It's a shame that only just now when Liebling is getting up there in years is the band getting a bit of the fame, fortune, and opportunities that they truly deserve. It does help though that Liebling cleaned up his act and did a complete 180, though. That said, you should definitely check this out if you're looking for some metal that hasn't been played to death either on the radio or at festivals.

Pentagram (Relentless), by Pentagram receives 3.75 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Death Row
2. All Your Sins
3. Sign of the Wolf (Pentagram)
4. The Ghoul
5. Relentless
6. Run My Course
7. Sinister
8. The Deist
9. You're Lost I'm Free
10. Dying World
11. 20 Buck Spin

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Relentless-Pentagram/dp/B0015ME08U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1503024754&sr=8-1&keywords=Pentagram+Relentless

First Queen Shows Terrifying for Adam Lambert

Photo courtesy of Billboard.com


Freddie Mercury is one of the single greatest and best known icons in the history of not only rock n' roll, but popular music overall. The man left a gigantic legacy behind with his unmatched operatic singing, his lyrics, music, and the character he created for himself. For anyone to even think of stepping into his shoes in Queen would be a frightening notion for anyone, but Adam Lambert did it. Recently however, Lambert has opened up on just how terrifying the first few shows he did with Queen were for him.

In an interview with ET Canada, Lambert talks about how he felt during those shows, but at the same time how he felt so supported by the band and the fans, saying:

“I thought, ‘There’s no way I should be doing this,'. I had the confidence of the band and they were really lovely about it. They were like, ‘No, no, no, you’re great. We love it. Do what you want.’ But in my head I kept going, ‘No, I don’t know.’

The first audience we had was very supportive, and each audience afterwards was supportive. So, slowly, little by little, I was like, ‘Okay, all right, I can do this – kind of.’ But there’s no comparing to Freddie.

The intention of the lyrics, the mood of the song – if I kept those thing in the forefront of my mind, as opposed to, ‘How did Freddie do it?’ I usually would find my way there. Working with the band has taught me a lot. I’ve learned a lot about songcraft, and about how a song can connect with a mass crowd. Brian and Roger are wealths of information and experience and artistry. It’s a family now. It’s great.”

I myself saw Lambert perform with Queen back in 2013 at the United Center in Chicago. It was definitely one hell of a show. It felt genuine down to the last note, but at the same time Lambert in no way tried to emulate Freddie. No one ever could and he realized that. Instead he did all of the songs his own way and everyone (myself included) loved it. It really is a match made in Heaven. There is no replacing Freddie Mercury, but if anyone had to fill his shoes I'm glad it was Lambert.

Tuesday, August 15, 2017

DJ Blends Metallica With Earth, Wind, and Fire



Over the years on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective we've discovered some pretty absurd things together, but I think this most recent thing really takes the cake. A YouTuber by the name of DJ Cummerbund has taken two artists who could not be any more different: Metallica and Earth, Wind, and Fire and made their music work together in a song which you have to hear to believe (which can be listened to in the video above).

The songs used in this unusual mash-up are the vocals and guitar solo of Metallica's Enter Sandman (with a bit of Master of Puppets) and the instrumentation of Earth, Wind, and Fire's Let's Groove Tonight. Cummerbund calls it Earth, Sand, and Fire.

This isn't the first mad scientist creation of this nature Cummerbund has fused together. He has also put Ozzy Osbourne with Earth, Wind, and Fire as well as Rush with Kelis, Foo Fighters with Rick James, Twisted Sister and Blind Melon, Disturbed and Smash Mouth, and more. He apparently also has something with Dio and Ricky Martin on the way too according to the comments section of the above video. I'm scared and excited to find out what that will be like.

Monday, August 14, 2017

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #129

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Holy Thunderforce, by Rhapsody of Fire

One of the things I've always liked best about power metal is that it's basically classical music on steroids, especially in the case of Rhapsody of Fire. They manage to take neo-classical music and launch it into the stratosphere. Plus, the fact that all of their songs are about swords, wizards, dragons, kings, etc. makes them even more cool. You're not about to hear anything like that in a top 40 pop or rap song now are you?




2. Hallowed Be Thy Name, by Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden are the blue print for modern power metal. With their dual guitar harmonies, extended song structures, and classical influenced play style it's pretty easy to see how so many bands of the past 30+ years have gained a great deal of influence from them. Plus, many of Iron Maiden's tunes are based in the realm of fantasy, mythical, and biblical themes so that is yet another blatant characteristic that many bands have taken from.




3. Sixteenth Century Greensleeves, by Rainbow

But where would bands like Iron Maiden be if it weren't for the likes of Ronnie James Dio and Ritchie Blackmore? Rainbow seamlessly blended medieval music with the likes of hard hitting rock n' roll already in the mid-70's. Not a whole lot of other bands were doing what they were doing back then, and even if they were certainly not the amazing way they were doing it. In my opinion Rainbow is the father of the power metal genre.




4. Mirror Mirror, by Blind Guardian

Other bands have gone on to carry the power metal torch, however. One of my absolute favorites is Blind Guardian. They have been around since 1987, but they are just as relevant and heavy as any power metal band today. They definitely lean a lot on the fantasy themes in terms of their lyrical content and include a great deal of symphonic and classical elements to the musical side of things. They have evolved a lot over the years, but you can tell a Blind Guardian song when you hear one.




5. Plagues of Babylon, by Iced Earth

Iced Earth is one of the most famous power metal bands in existence. They have also been around since the mid-80's, and like Blind Guardian are still just as relevant and heavy. If anything, they have gotten progressively heavier over the years. The only consistent member is founding rhythm guitarist Jon Schaffer who constantly has members coming in and out in order to keep things fresh (I would assume, or hope). They have a symphonic edge to their sound as well, but some times it's just straight up balls to the wall angry guitar sound with melodic edge.



Saturday, August 12, 2017

Deep Purple Guitarist Steve Morse Open to One-Off Ritchie Blackmore Return

Photo courtesy of Vintage Guitar Magazine


Deep Purple has probably gone through more line-up changes than any other famous rock n' roll band in history. Members of the band are often coming and going, including founding guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Since his final split with the band in 1993 however, a lot of tension between him and the band has fluctuated. However, current guitarist Steve Morse who has been with the band for over 20 years at this point feels that a one-off reunion would be a good idea.

In a recent interview with Billboard, Morse talks about how he feels it would be a great way for fans and the band itself to get closure, if only psychological barriers could be broken through. Morse says:

“Well, he's one of the founding members. Fans would love it. It would be nice, I think, to see closure with everybody involved and the bad feelings put aside. I think they'd all get a kick out of it if they could get past the psychological barriers. I am a fan of music, I'm a musician. I am not a politician.

Now, a lot of people would feel intimidated, to have somebody come who's likely to play over them, standing in front of them and stealing the spotlight or whatever. But I thought, ‘A lot of people would love to see this.’

And at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction, I thought Ritchie Blackmore was going to show up. He could've played three songs, but I ended up doing them because he didn't. That was up in the air.

The ice has to be broken, but I think that once that's done, they'd all have a great time. But I don't know how to go about doing that. Anyway, as far as I am concerned, all members, past and present and future of Deep Purple, are welcome.”

Blackmore himself has stated that he would be open to doing such a reunion, but the band's management would never have it. I know I've mentioned this before, but I'm not sure how I would feel about Blackmore reuniting with Deep Purple in any capacity. Deep Purple songs in order to perform and not just play them require a certain level of fire and passion in your heart and hands. Blackmore seems to lack that these days, most likely due to age and being bored with the music. I honestly feel that Morse brings back that kick in the pants that Deep Purple needs and plays those songs better than Blackmore would these days, even if their playing styles are distinctly different.

Friday, August 11, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Consolers of the Lonely, by The Raconteurs

Album cover of Consolers of the Lonely, by The Raconteurs. Property of The Raconteurs.


In 2008, Jack White and his side project The Raconteurs decided to drop a big surprise on their fans. Their 2006 debut Broken Boy Soldiers had gone over well and plenty of people loved what they were doing, so when they dropped Consolers of the Lonely with only a week's notice before the release date people went nuts. The fans were incredibly pleasantly surprised by this blindside release. The only downside however was that it was the band's last release before they went on a hiatus that is currently still going on.

Consolers of the Lonely seems to go in a more bluesy and ballsy direction than Broken Boy Soldiers. It sounds a bit more like The White Stripes in some regards (which is no surprise considering Jack had just gotten done touring for the ginormous Icky Thump album), but at the same time it goes in its own direction. One or two songs even sound like something Paul McCartney would have written during the days of The Beatles. It's eclectic in some regards, but the song writing is a great deal more satisfying.

Consoler of the Lonely is one hell of a solid rock n' roll track. It takes all the best elements of twangy old blues rock and throwing in some more punchy modern alternative into the mix. The way it switches gears back and forth so quickly while remaining one cohesive song is truly remarkable. That is some trademark Jack White song writing right there. This is definitely a tune you will want to crank through your stereo at top volume so you can rock out and drive the neighbors nuts.

Many Shades of Black is one of the few songs that has made my jaw drop and say "WOW." in recent times. If you didn't know any better, you would have swore that it was a leftover from The Beatles' Abbey Road album. It has that Oh Darling kind of vibe to it, but at the same time it does its own thing. The horn section definitely makes the chorus boom a bit more while also adding a bit of shine that only brass can. You will be swaying and singing along to it in no time at all.

Consolers of the Lonely has one great song after the next. If you're looking for some fantastic alternative rock that doesn't get much in the way of any radio airplay then you'll want to pick this album up asap. As I mentioned earlier, it's pretty eclectic so you're bound to find something in there that suits your fancy. It can go from rock, to ballad, to something else entirely all within the space of a track or two. You definitely won't be disappointed with it.

Consolers of the Lonely, by The Raconteurs receives 4 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Consoler of the Lonely
2. Salute Your Solution
3. You Don't Understand Me
4. Old Enough
5. The Switch and the Spur
6. Hold Up
7. Top Yourself
8. Many Shades of Black
9. Five on the Five
10. Attention
11. Pull This Blanket Off
12. Rich Kid Blues
13. These Stones Will Shout
14. Carolina Drama

Buy the album on Amazon

https://www.amazon.com/Consolers-Lonely-Raconteurs/dp/B0016CQCMQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502438909&sr=8-1&keywords=Consolers+of+the+Lonely

Thursday, August 10, 2017

Metallica's "Master of Puppets" Reissue to Be Out Later This Year



Having just released their first studio album in nine years earlier this year (Hardwired...to Self-Destruct) Metallica seem to be a pretty busy band as of late. Some of that business includes working on a reissue to their 1986 major label debut Master of Puppets.

Master of Puppets is the album that truly brought Metallica into the public eye and made them a staple of the 80's thrash metal movement. It is considered by many to be their best album to date and the album that defines not only the band, but the genre itself.

In a recent interview with Voir, drummer Lars Ulrich talks about the reissue of their iconic masterwork, saying:

“We’ll try to see if we can get it out at the end of this year. It’s coming soon. We’re working on it. There’s a lot of stuff associated with Master of Puppets – it’s an immense project. We’ve spent to much time looking forward, with Hardwired … to Self Destruct. But Master of Puppets is obviously next. Hopefully, late this year. If not, soon thereafter.”

I would definitely be interested to see what all would be included in the reissue in terms of bonus tracks as well as any extra literature, photographs, and other fun bonuses. Master of Puppets was the first Metallica album I ever bought as a kid and was what got me into thrash metal. While I don't think it's their best album, I do agree it is one to be recognized and celebrated.

Monday, August 7, 2017

All 265 Motorhead Songs Played at Once



Some people do some really weird things on the internet some times. Usually for no other purpose than to make the thing exist and get people's attention for a minute. Today I've found yet another one of those things: all 265 Motorhead songs played simultaneously (which can be found by following the link below).

A Soundcloud user by the name of Motorphonics describes his work of "art" by saying:

"It's peak Motorhead. It's 265 tracks played at the same time. It's every track from the 22 studio albums, plus the On Parole collection, and the Beer Drinkers and St. Valentine's Day Massacre EPs. It's pointless, and kinda hypnotic."

It's six and a half minutes of senseless noise, but it's cool to listen to anyway; especially if you can discern specific songs out of the mix. It goes on for six and a half minutes. I was only able to make it 30 seconds in myself, but maybe you'll have more fortitude? Let me know in the comments if you actually do or at the very least how far you got.

Link to the track:

https://soundcloud.com/user-895849516/everything-much-louder-than-everything-else

Sunday, August 6, 2017

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week #128

5 Songs to Get You Through the Week is a feature I run on Young Ears, Fresh Perspective on Sundays/early hours of Monday morning where I pick out 5 tunes that I think are notable and tell you a bit about them. The point is to give you some rocking music to help you deal with your weekday blues. You can either listen to one each day, listen to them all at once, or any other combination that you feel. As long as you can get through the week without the man getting you down, that's all I care about. Without further ado, here are the 5 tracks I've picked out for this week:

1. Space Oddity, by David Bowie

This is the tune that started it all for British cultural icon David Bowie back in 1969. This song has always made me feel a little sad, but if you listen to the lyrics and the musical emotion behind them it's kind of hard not to feel that way. Regardless, it is most definitely a masterpiece and a staple in the world of pop and rock music. If it weren't for this tune there would be no modern pop icons that many people know and love.



2. Many Shades of Black, by The Raconteurs

I can't get enough of this song the past week. I know I'm late to the party (as per usual), but I still can't help but feel blown away. It definitely has a Beatles meets modern production kind of vibe to it. I could easily see Paul McCartney having written something like this back in 1968. That said, I am glad that modern artists still listening to and being influenced by the Fab Four. You don't see enough of that any more unfortunately.



3. Maybe I'm a Leo, by Deep Purple

I've always thought that this was one of Deep Purple's best songs. It has a catchy riff and has this steady groove to it that makes you just want to sway and move. Personally I feel this song doesn't get enough attention. It could have easily been a main single from the album, but it got passed up and didn't really get played much until Steve Morse joined the band a couple of decades ago. I bet if it were put on the radio people would demand it more.



4. Chinese Democracy, by Guns N' Roses

If you factor out the circumstances behind this song's recording and try not to think about it being called a Guns N' Roses track, this is actually one hell of a killer tune. It is balls to the wall powerful in terms of the dark heavy musical atmosphere it provides as well as the potent political message it relays about the current state of affairs over in China. This song is actually what got them banned from ever playing in China again.



5. Shot in the Dark, by Ozzy Osbourne

While not my favorite Ozzy tune by any stretch of the imagination, this is still a solid fun track. It's always had this big, arena-like feel to it and is probably one of the most melodic tunes I know of from the Jake E. Lee era catalog. It's one of the first Ozzy songs I ever actually remember hearing on the radio when I was a kid and first allowed to listen to music that wasn't just the same bubblegum 50's and 60's oldies stuff I'd been pigeonholed into up until that point.


Saturday, August 5, 2017

Unreleased Motorhead Cover of David Bowie's "Heroes" Debuted



Lemmy Kilmister brain child Motorhead put out quite a few covers in their day, but one that I personally never expected was the one that just came out, and that is their own interpretation on the David Bowie classic Heroes (which can be listened to above).

I was pleasantly surprised by what I heard. Motorhead really made Heroes their own while still staying true to the vibe of the original. Lemmy's voice fits the song surprisingly well, especially with the overall sound of the cover. Most importantly though, you can tell that they were having a good time with this and not trying to outdo Bowie.

The previously unreleased cover is going to be part of an upcoming covers album from Motorhead album Under Cover, the first posthumous release of unreleased material since Kilmister's death on December 28th, 2015. The album will feature Motorhead's interpretations on classics from bands like The Sex Pistols, Ted Nugent, Judas Priest, Metallica, Ozzy Osbourne, and The Rolling Stones. It will be out on September 1st of this year.

Friday, August 4, 2017

Throwback Thursday: Black Country Communion, by Black Country Communion



In 2009 former Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze, etc. bassist and vocalist Glenn Hughes and blues guitar god Joe Bonamassa got together at a festival to jam live for the attendees. After that jam however, they realized there was something there. They roped in drummer Jason Bonham (son of late Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham) and Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian to get a brand new hard rock band by the name of Black Country Communion. The following year they released their debut album Black Country Communion and made a HUGE impact on the world of rock n' roll.

Black Country Communion brought back that big, booming riff based British rock n' roll sound with a vengeance. At the same time, it added in modern production brought in by producer Kevin Shirley to get even more kick out of the overall sound. You can absolutely tell that these guys were on fire and eager to explore the new territory they had just entered into together as a group. Every last tune will leave your jaw on the floor and you completely breathless.

The Great Divide has to be one of my absolute favorite Black Country Communion songs of all time. It's dark, mysterious, and at the same time melodic in all the right places vocally and guitar-wise. Hughes paints a brilliant word picture while giving one hell of a powerhouse vocal performance while Bonamassa absolutely tears it up with his trademark thick bluesy style of guitar playing. The song has always made me feel like I'm going on some dark, mystical, and awesome adventure and I think it will probably do the same for you.

Medusa is in my opinion the crowning gem of Black Country Communion. It is a cover of Hughes's old band Trapeze's classic epic hard rock track. In this cover Bonamassa even used the late Trapeze guitarist Mel Galley's Les Paul to record the song. This is definitely a loving tribute, but at the same time they REALLY went above and beyond with their own interpretation of it. It's louder, longer, and has noticeable differences in the softer sections. You can tell that all four of them threw their all into this.

Black Country Communion while definitely a throwback to the 70's heyday of British rock n' roll definitely brings some more modern elements to the table as well. You definitely didn't hear that profound level of song writing too often back then aside from a handful of bands and some of the chord progressions definitely sound newer as well. That said, this album is a great way to bridge the gap between newer and older generations of hard rock.

Black Country Communion, by Black Country Communion receives 4.25 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Black Country
2. One Last Soul
3. The Great Divide
4. Down Again
5. Beggarman
6. Song of Yesterday
7. No Time
8. Medusa
9. The Revolution in Me
10. Stand (At the Burning Tree)
11. Sista Jane
12. Too Late for the Sun

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Black-Country-Communion/dp/B00AOY98Z0/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1501828637&sr=8-1&keywords=black+country+communion

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Black Country Communion Puts Out First Reunion Single "Collide"



When Black Country Communion, the super group consisting of Deep Purple vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes, Dream Theater keyboardist Derek Sherinian, Led Zeppelin offspring drummer Jason Bonham, and blues guitar extraordinaire Joe Bonamassa broke up in 2013, it broke the hearts of many classic hard rock fans across the globe. These guys were a tour de force and made it cool to make big ballsy blues tinged rock n' roll once more. Now however, they have regrouped and have put out a new single from their upcoming album BCC IV titled Collide (which can be listened to in the video above).

Collide shows that BCC is back with a vengeance. These guys haven't lost their touch at all. I definitely recommend listening to this track at top volume because it has the band's trademark beastly thick guitar riffs, thundering rhythms, and acrobatic soul charged vocals. The cool thing about this tune is that it knows when to go full force but also when to lay back a bit and layer in some soothing, delicate keyboard works. That said, it just goes to show you that even older guys can still tear the roof off a joint with high voltage rock n' roll.

BCC IV is set to come out next month, though no definite date has been nailed down yet. If this song is a true reflection of the rest of the material on the album I think we are definitely in for on hell of a comeback and treat. I know I for one have missed having this band around because not a whole lot of people are doing what they do any more.

Tuesday, August 1, 2017

Jack White Recording New Solo Album



Third Man Records leader and former White Stripes front man Jack White has been rather quiet for a while, until now. White has confirmed that he is now in the process of recording a brand new solo album, his third one and a follow-up to 2014's Lazaretto. He posted two pictures on Twitter with his band: one in New York on July 27th and one on July 30th in Los Angeles.

This isn't the first that we have heard of White working on new music, though. Back in March, he did an interview with The New Yorker (via Consequence of Sound) where he talked about the process, saying:

"I set up shop in a small Nashville apartment where I recorded on a reel-to-reel tape recorder that I bought when I was fourteen with money I made mowing lawns. My goal was to try to write songs where I can’t be heard by the next-door neighbor. And I want to write like Michael Jackson would write — instead of writing parts on the instruments or humming melodies, you think of them. To do everything in my head and to do it in silence and use only one room.”

Kind of seems like White is REALLY going back to his roots for this new album. Even if it doesn't sound like The White Stripes he still as a young man recorded on that reel to reel with just the simplest of implements and methods. Maybe in some way he is trying to recapture that old spark he had as a younger musician? Regardless, I'm sure whatever White comes up with will be extraordinary as usual.