Young Ears, Fresh Perspective

Friday, December 22, 2017

Top 10 Albums of 2017 Part 5 (Final Part)

Happy holidays/Merry Christmas/Happy Chaunukah/Happy Yule/Happy Kwanzaa/Happy New Year/etc.! By now I imagine you guys know the drill with this. I'm taking the last week that I will be posting this year to list what I feel were the 10 best albums to come out this year. 2017 had some pretty good stuff released, so I'm looking forward to posting two of them a day till the end of the week after which I will be taking the rest of the year off to enjoy the holidays. These albums will not be listed in any particular order because as I've said in the past, it's a pain trying to place all of them. All that aside, let's wrap this up!

9. Carry Fire, by Robert Plant

Although people for years have been begging for a full on Led Zeppelin reunion, singer Robert Plant has just given them the finger and kept on doing his own thing by once again putting out another solo album, titled Carry Fire. While this in some ways is disappointing, I respect him for having the artistic integrity to keep pushing forward and growing as an artist even in old age instead of just being a jukebox singing his old songs that he doesn't connect to any more.

Carry Fire has a lot of that peculiar experimental world music sound as the main premise of the album's overall theme, but there are moments where a bit of old style rock n' roll is brought back into the mix in some small subtle ways. I guess even though he has grown past his old way of doing things he will abandon rock n' roll altogether. It's definitely worth listening to at least once.

10. We're All Alright!, by Cheap Trick

I LOVE that Cheap Trick after so long is still at it and making rock n' roll with as much drive, energy, and fun as they did back in their 70's heyday. This year they put out a new album titled We're All Alright!, named after the outro lyric to their hit Surrender. Kind of a nice way to give a nod to where they've been while still keeping on moving forward.

We're All Alright! doesn't tread into any new musical territory, but honestly that's not necessarily the kind of thing we look for from Cheap Trick. I put them on when I want to let my problems go and have a speaker pounding good time for a little while. If you're a fan of their classic material, then this is definitely the album for you. You won't be disappointed in the slightest.

Writer's Moment:

Hard to believe yet another year has come and gone, right? It's been a lot of fun, though. A lot of stuff happened this year in the world of rock n' roll and it's been my honor and privilege to report it to you all. At this point I'm not entirely certain what the future of Young Ears, Fresh Perspective holds. I have no plans to end it any time in the foreseeable future, but things very well could change at a moment's notice. However, I assure you that if anything is going to change I will give you as much notice as possible.

That said, I want to thank each and every last one of you who have been keeping up with this blog over the years as well as the newer readers. I never thought that I'd still be doing it by this point in time. It means a lot to me that as many of you as there are keep coming back daily to read what I have to say. I appreciate it more than any of you will ever begin to be able to fathom.

For now though, I am going to be taking the rest of the year off to enjoy the holidays with all of my loved ones. Business as usual will resume on January 3rd, 2018. From there I'll be hitting the ground running and giving you the best articles possible. I look forward to finding out what the new year will hold for rock n' roll. Until then though, merry Christmas, happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanzaa, blessed Yule, happy new year, and whatever else any of you might celebrate! Enjoy this magical season with those you hold most dear and crank some high voltage rock n' roll while you do it!

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Top 10 Albums of 2017 Part 4

7. Buckingham-McVie, by Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie

When keyboardist/singer Christine McVie came back into the fold of Fleetwood Mac a few years back it was a warmly welcomed return from not just the fans, but from the band itself. Over time McVie and guitarist/singer Lindsey Buckingham realized that they still have an incredible amount of musical chemistry with one another and decided to do a record together, which they simply titled Buckingham-McVie.

They got Fleetwood Mac bassist John McVie and drummer Mick Fleetwood to be their rhythm section on this record, essentially turning it into a Fleetwood Mac sans Stevie Nicks album. Quite frankly, I think that was an improvement. There are some familiar Fleetwood Mac musical nuances in some of the songs, but for the most part it's a whole different beast. It's got a lot of fun, catchy pop rock songs that fit in plenty well with what gets released today but in a much better way.

8. Paranormal, by Alice Cooper

The founder and king of shock rock put out his 27th studio album, Paranormal this year. Cooper collaborated not only with his long time producer and friend Bob Ezrin on this album, but with his original band on two of the tracks on it as well as two more that are bonus tracks on the deluxe edition of the album. It's always nice when the Coops brings back his old band into the fold because it's like they never stopped playing together.

Most of the album is Cooper's more recent heavy metal oriented sound that he has focused on since the mid-late 80's, but when the original band is playing you feel like it's 1972 all over again. It has that same energy, rush, and groove. Personally I was hoping for a full album of material with the old band, but this is still cool.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Top 10 Albums of 2017 Part 3

5. BCCIV, by Black Country Communion

In September Black Country Communion released their first album in five years. The band had broken up back in late 2012 due to problems singer/bassist Glenn Hughes and guitarist/singer Joe Bonamassa were having with one another personally. However, last year they were able to kiss and make up and then get the band back together. The band rose from the ashes like the phoenix on the cover and released the album BCCIV.

BCCIV shows that not only is Black Country Communion back, but they're back with a vengeance. This release sounds a lot more harmonious and cohesive because instead of each of the members writing songs on their own, they did it all together. You can tell that there is all kinds of fire being stoked and that they really wanted to make the best music possible after being apart for so long. It's wonderful when friendships can be repaired to such a degree.

6. inFinite, by Deep Purple

This year Deep Purple released its 20th studio album, inFinite. Kind of amazing to see that after nearly five decades they are still at it when so many other bands from their generation (if they are still around in any form) are just touring and making money off their old albums. I respect the kind of artistic integrity they have managed to maintain after all these years.

Like every other album they have done before, they wanted to do something different from the previous albums they have done in order to keep moving forward. While their are still many familiar themes and elements that are signature to Deep Purple in the songs they are used in such a way where they are there to breed a sense of familiarity and providing a comforting hand to hold while treading into unfamiliar territory. If you're a fan you most likely won't be disappointed.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Top 10 Albums of 2017 Part 2

3. Chuck, by Chuck Berry

The legendary rock n' roll pioneer Chuck Berry sadly passed away back in March. He was on the precipice of releasing his first new album in several decades. Fortunately the album which was titled Chuck was finished before Berry's death. Whether or not he was able to hear the finished product before his passing is uncertain to me, but personally I really hope he did.

Chuck was recorded over the period of two and a half decades, so it wasn't entirely brand new stuff. That said, none of it was anything we had ever heard up to this point. While I wouldn't call it a groundbreaking album by any stretch of the imagination it is everything you want in a Chuck Berry record and actually a little more. There were moments where it got really bluesy and jammy. Heck, he even uses one of the songs to talk and tell a story. It's pretty cool and worth checking out.

4. Concrete & Gold, by The Foo Fighters

Back in September The Foo Fighters put out yet another album, but this time they did things a little differently. Instead of just recording and doing everything else in front man Dave Grohl's garage studio they went to an actual studio and worked with a producer. The result was Concrete & Gold, one of the most unique, cool, and I'd even venture to say best albums they have done in a long time.

Concrete & Gold is as Grohl said in an interview: an album that is what it would sound like if someone like Motorhead recorded The Beatles' Sergeant Pepper album. It's got the heavy, loud, in your face punk rock stuff but it also features more laid back and melodic stuff as well. There is quite the balance and somehow it all manages to flow seamlessly. This is an album I would definitely refer to as an experience.

Monday, December 18, 2017

Top 10 Albums of 2017 Part 1

1. Wembley or Bust, by ELO

On June 24th, 2017 ELO showed just how age hasn't slowed them down and how amazing they still are after multiple decades by doing a tremendous performance at Wembley Stadium in England. In order to commemorate this grand show they recorded everything and released it all on a double album as well as a video home release titled Wembley or Bust back in November.

Wembley or Bust features a slew of the band's most beloved songs from the past 40+ years. You wouldn't think that Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy would still be able to play and sing the way they did back in their heyday any more, but amazingly enough they can. They sound just as fantastic as ever and they are backed by a bunch of talented musicians who are able to bring all of the songs to life the way they're meant to be.

2. Waiting on a Song, by Dan Auerbach

The Black Keys have been on a break for quite a while now, but that hasn't stopped front man Dan Auerbach from working on new songs. Back in June he decided to release his second studio solo album titled Waiting on a Song. The album features his songs with him backed by a bunch of local Nashville talent that are legends in the area. This album is the best material of about 200 songs that they wrote and recorded together over a period of several months.

Waiting on a Song sounds virtually nothing like The Black Keys, though it does retain some of the familiar key elements of Auerbach's style. Honestly, I think that's a great thing. There is no point in doing a solo album if it's just going to sound like your band's material. The sound ranges from 60's pop rock to country to funk to so many odd combinations of things in between. It is definitely a unique treat to the ears.

Saturday, December 16, 2017

5 More Essential Guitar Albums

A while back I did a post on what I felt were five essential guitar oriented albums. I listed some great and important ones, but I think it's time I went back and talked about a few more. There are so many great ones out there that it would be a crime not to give them their proper moment in the spotlight that they so clearly deserve. That said, here are 5 more essential guitar albums.

The Blizzard of Ozz, by Ozzy Osbourne

When Ozzy got kicked out of Black Sabbath, his life was in shambles. He had nothing really going for him and had all kinds of drug and alcohol problems to boot. When his manager and now wife Sharon Osbourne gave him a foot up the ass to get his own band going, he found a young guitarist by the name of Randy Rhoads. Rhoads was unlike anything anyone had ever heard before. The man could do neo-classical riffing and shredding like nobody's business in a way that still very much fit in with heavy metal but at the same time took things to new heights. Their first album together The Blizzard of Ozz showed the world just what you could do on an electric guitar if you stepped outside of the pentatonic box.

Appetite for Destruction, by Guns N' Roses

This album is a MUST for any guitarist looking to play hard rock with blues focus. I know for me this is the album that made me realize that rock n' roll was what I wanted to do with my life. Izzy Stradlin and Slash were the ultimate guitar duo in their day. With Izzy's iconic riffs and Slash's finger blistering yet melodic solos it was almost impossible for their debut album Appetite for Destruction to not be a smash hit.They took what was great about classic rock, blues, and punk and turned it into something, sleazy, yet grand.

Passion and Warfare, by Steve Vai

In the last essential guitar albums post I made I talked about Joe Satriani, who just so happened to be Steve Vai's guitar teacher. Vai took his knowledge of the axe and went into different territory. His big breakthrough solo album Passion and Warfare showed that you could have all the flash of 80's shred while at the same time doing something technically proficient and challenging with it. It is layers upon layers of fascinating guitar work that in a way takes you on a journey.

Ritchie Blackmore's Rainbow, by Rainbow

Ritchie Blackmore is pretty much the original when it comes to mixing elements of classical, medieval folk, blues, and rock n' roll together. It has so many tasty medieval riffs and solos that were like songs in themselves. This was another album that in the mid-70's showed that more could be done with rock n' roll than just playing the blues at a faster tempo and heavier sound. It ranges from hard stomping rockers to sweet, melodic ballads. There is a lot to learn from here.

Back in Black, by AC/DC

This is another important album to have if you're looking to play hard rock with a blues bent. There are so many big iconic riffs that any beginning guitarist should learn in order to either jam just for fun or to play in their first band. Plus, the solos are a great thing to learn as well because they take a lot of the bare basics of rock soloing and just put them in a bit of a flashier light. They aren't that difficult when you get down to it. That said, despite the simplicity Back in Black became a hell of a lot more than the sum of its parts.

Friday, December 15, 2017

Throwback Thursday: "The Razor's Edge", by AC/DC

In the early 80's AC/DC enjoyed an explosion of popularity when they brought in singer Brian Johnson to replace the late Bon Scott. The first two albums they did with Johnson, Back in Black and For Those About to Rock were tremendous hits and to this day are still considered classics. After those two albums however the majority of the 80's were kind of a dry spell for the band. Their popularity waned and not many people cared for the music they were putting out. By the end of the decade AC/DC knew they had to do something before they faded away altogether. They answered the call with their 1990 hit release The Razor's Edge.

The Razor's Edge is sort of a return to form of sorts because the production on it is a LOT more crisp, defined, and filled with the right kind of punch in the way that albums like Back in Black and For Those About to Rock were. It's that big, ballsy AC/DC sound that everyone knows and loves. The record features hits like Thunderstruck and Moneytalks, both of which have been kept in AC/DC's live repertoire and are still considered essential material all these years later.

The idea of AC/DC doing a Christmas song always seemed kind of ridiculous to me because I never associated the warm, wholesome, fuzzy feeling of the holidays with the big, sleazy, rocking nature of their music. However, with Mistress for Christmas they managed to not only pull it off, but pull it off well. With the right set of lyrics and some sleigh bells in the background they made a song that in my opinion no Christmas season is complete without.

What can I say that hasn't already been said about Thunderstruck? This is one of AC/DC's most iconic songs of all time. It's an essential part of any live set of theirs and has often been used in sports arenas for games of all kinds all over the world. That quick lick lead guitar with the roaring fist pumping backing chorus of "THUN-DER!" is enough to get any crowd excited and on their feet. With this song AC/DC essentially invented the concept of the arena rocker.

The Razor's Edge as a whole still isn't AC/DC's best album by any stretch of the imagination, but I can appreciate what it did for the band. With a few great songs it managed to bring the band back from the brink of being forgotten and catapulted them back into the mainstream spotlight. I can't say that I'm a big fan of much of what they did up until 2008's Black Ice, but at least now they were solidified enough as one of the big main rock acts to keep them around for years to come because of The Razor's Edge.

The Razor's Edge, by AC/DC receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Track List:

1. Thunderstruck
2. Fire Your Guns
3. Moneytalks
4. The Razor's Edge
5. Mistress for Christmas
6. Rock Your Heart Out
7. Are You Ready
8. Got You By the Balls
9. Shot of Love
10. Let's Make It
11. Goodbye & Good Riddance to Bad Luck
12. If You Dare

Buy the album on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/Razors-Edge-AC-DC/dp/B00O75RO26/ref=ice_ac_b_dpb?ie=UTF8&qid=1513326847&sr=8-1&keywords=ac%2Fdc+the+razors+edge