Present 2012

Posted by audioblaster | 03:03 - 0 reacties

(27) Skunk Anansie - Black Traffic (2012)

After an eight-year hiatus, '90s Brit-rock veterans Skunk Anansie have wasted little time in regrouping for the second album since reconvening back in 2009. Like its predecessor, Wonderlustre, their fifth studio album, Black Traffic, proves that not all reunions need to end in legacy-destroying disaster. Produced by Chris Sheldon (Foo Fighters, Biffy Clyro), there's little amongst its 11 tracks that would have sounded out of place during their chart-bothering heyday, but then their thrilling blend of dub-metal, feminist rock, and orchestral tearjerkers always sounded ahead of the curve anyway. Their more riotous moments are still as striking as Skin's shaven-headed appearance. "I Will Break You" bursts out of the block with its blistering riffs, throbbing percussion, and tortured yelps. The frenetic glam-tinged "Sad Sad Sad" and the venomous "Spit You Out," a collaboration with French audio-visual collective Shaka Ponk, are both exhilarating ventures into dance-rock, while "Sticky Fingers in Your Honey" and "Satisfied?" see them at their moshpit-inducing finest. But few bands manage to switch from raw aggression to pure vulnerability as effortlessly as the Anansie. "Hedonism," "Brazen (Weep)," and "Secretly" remain their finest hours, but there are a couple of challengers here for their heartbreaking ballad crown, the gorgeous string-soaked "I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero" and the melancholic R&B-tinged closer "Diving Down," both of which confirm Skin's status as one of the most beautifully emotive rock vocalists the U.K. has ever produced. It doesn't quite hit the consistent heights of Stoosh or Post Orgasmic Chill, but Black Traffic more than justifies Skunk Anansie's re-existence.

Tracklist

01. "I Will Break You" - 3:11

02. "Sad Sad Sad" - 2:56

03. "Spit You Out" (feat. Shaka Ponk) - 3:29

04. "I Hope You Get to Meet Your Hero" - 3:43

05. "I Believed in You" - 3:12

06. "Satisfied?" - 3:21

07. "Our Summer Kills the Sun" - 4:13

08. "Drowning" - 4:11

09. "This Is Not a Game" - 3:21

10. "Sticky Fingers in Your Honey" - 2:34

11. "Diving Down" - 3:49

Label: 100% Records

Genre: Electronic, Indie Rock

Lenght: 38:02

Posted by audioblaster | 13:26 - 0 reacties

(26) Chris Robinson Brotherhood - The Magic Door (2012)

"The Magic Door" is the second studio album by American blues rock band Chris Robinson Brotherhood.

A companion piece to June's "Big Moon Ritual", "September's Magic Door" finds the Chris Robinson Brotherhood in perhaps a rowdier mood than a few months prior, rocking harder from the get-go with a nicely shambolic reading of Hank Ballard's "Let's Go Let's Go Let's Go," and following it up with an earthy blues shuffle "Someday Past the Sunset." Soon afterward, the CRB slides into purple paisley territory, reviving the Black Crowes' trippy western ballad "Appaloosa" and stretching out for a long 14 minutes on "Vibration & Light Suite," signs that Robinson's second band are cheerfully unwashed hippies, happy to follow the groove wherever it may lead them. Generally, Magic Door runs a little shorter than Big Moon Ritual, and it does have a bit more of a rollicking blues vibe -- "Little Lizzie Mae" picks up on the thread left from "Someday Past the Sunset" and "Wheel Don't Roll" has a nicely boozy gait -- but this ain't rock & roll, this is cosmic American music, a trippy celebration of everything the Dead meant. If you're ready to get on the bus, Magic Door will surely take you further.

Tracklist

1. "Let's Go, Let's Go, Let's Go" (Hank Ballard) - 4:55

2. "Someday Past the Sunset" (Chris Robinson) - 6:20

3. "Appaloosa" (Chris Robinson) - 5:17

4. "Vibration & Light Suite" (Chris Robinson) - 13:56

5. "Little Lizzie Mae" (Chris Robinson) - 6:19

6. "Sorrows of a Blue Eyed Liar" (Robinson, Neal Casal, Adam MacDougall) - 8:38

7. "Wheel Don't Roll" (Robinson, Casal) - 5:30

Genre: Blues rock

Length: 50:55

Label: Silver Arrow Records

Producer: Thom Monahan

Personnel

Chris Robinson - lead vocals, guitar

Neal Casal - guitar, vocals

Adam MacDougall - keyboards, vocals

Mark Dutton - bass, vocals

George Sluppick - drums

Amy Finkle - featured artist

Posted by audioblaster | 00:02 - 0 reacties

(25) Kid Rock - Rebel Soul (2012)

"Rebel Soul" is Kid Rock's ninth studio album and sixth studio album with Atlantic Records. Kid Rock is the producer on the album and Twisted Brown Trucker returns after Rick Rubin placed in an all-star band for2010's Born Free. "Redneck Paradise" was written by The Young Brothers in 2007; they sent it to Kid Rock's representatives hoping he'd use the song.

"Detroit, Michigan" was a cover from Ronnie Love (some of the lyrics were re-worked), "Happy New Year" from John Eddie and "Cucci Galore - Ultra-V" (originally titled Playboy Mansion, some of the lyrics were re-worked)

Tracklist

01. Chickens in the Pen (4:49)

02. Let's Ride (4:51)

03. 3 CATT Boogie (4:24)

04. Detroit, Michigan (3:56)

05. Rebel Soul (4:02)

06. God Save Rock n Roll (5:21)

07. Happy New Year (3:34)

08. Celebrate (4:01)

09. The Mirror (4:46)

10. Mr. Rock n Roll (6:37)

11. Cucci Galore (4:25)

12. Redneck Paradise (5:12)

13. Cocaine and Gin (4:15)

14. Midnight Ferry (5:18)

Label: Atlantic Records

Genre: Hard Rock

Length: 65:30

Producer: Kid Rock

Posted by audioblaster | 01:58 - 0 reacties

(24) Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Frankie Said (2012)

Frankie Goes to Hollywood (FGTH) were a British dance-pop band popular in the mid-1980s. Two albums (Welcome To The Pleasuredome" 1984, "Liverpool" 1986) and seven singles might not seem like enough to base a whole compilation from unless, of course, you’re Frankie Goes to Hollywood. The barrier-breaking Liverpudlian quartet haven’t been active in their original form for some 25 years, but their legacy on ZTT Records has been kept alive through various compilations, remixes and reissues the most recent of which is "Frankie Said". "Frankie Said" is the first Frankie Goes To Hollywood compilation released under ZTT’s distribution deal with Union Square Music/Salvo Records. "Frankie Said" includes just about everything you’d expect on such a compilat- ion, including the Top 5 hits "Relax", "Two Tribes", "The Power of Love", "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" and "Rage Hard", as well as key cuts like "War", "Ferry Cross the Mersey" and "Warriors of the Wasteland". There are also a few tracks fans might not have enjoyed from other releases, including the original 12″ mixes of "Relax" and "Two Tribes", as well as a live version of "Born to Run" taken from a performance on The Tube and released on the "Welcome to the Pleasuredome" single in 1985.

Track listing

01. "Two Tribes [Introduced Via The Piano Of Anne Dudley]" - 0:32

02. "The Power Of Love" - 5:29

03. "Relax (The Last Seven Inches)" - 3:32

04. "Two Tribes (We Don’t Want To Die)" - 4:12

05. "War!" - 4:14

06. "Welcome To The Pleasuredome (A Remade World)" - 5:08

07. "Ferry Cross The Mersey (And Here I’ll Stay)" - 4:07

08. "Rage Hard" - 4:49

09. "Watching The Wildlife" - 3:52

10. "Born To Run (Live On The Tube)" - 4:54

11. "Warriors Of The Wasteland (Attack)" (Seven Inch) - 3:21

12. "Kill The Pain" - 6:50

13. "Maximum Joy" - 5:20

14. "Two Tribes (Annihilation)" (Twelve Inch) - 9:09

15. "Relax (New York)" (Twelve Inch) - 7:26

16. "The Power Of Love (…Best Listened To By Lovers)" - 4:30

Release date: November 5, 2012

Label: Salvo

Genre: Synthpop

Length: 77:31

Producer: Trevor Horn, Stephen Lipson

Personnel

Holly Johnson - lead vocals

Brian Nash - guitar

Peter Gill - drums

Mark O'Toole - bass

Paul Rutherford - vocals

J.J.Jeczalik - keyboards

Andrew Richards - keyboards

Louis Jardim - percussion

Anne Dudley - keyboards, string arrangement

Steven Lipson - guitar, keyboards

Steve Howe - guitar

Trevor Rabin - guitar

Trevor Horn - backing vocals, bass

Betsy Cook - background vocals

Peter-John Vettese - keyboards

Posted by audioblaster | 09:59 - 0 reacties

(23) Aerosmith - Music From Another Dimension! (2012)

"Music From Another Dimension!" is the upcoming 15th studio album by American rock band Aerosmith, to be released on November 6, 2012 by Columbia Records. This will be their first studio album since 2004's "Honkin' on Bobo" and the first to feature all-new material since 2001's "Just Push Play". It is the last album in Aerosmith's current recording contract with Sony/Columbia Records and was produced by Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry and Marti Frederiksen. The album includes the singles "Legendary Child", "Lover Alot" and "What Could Have Been Love". It succeeds in pulling all of the band's wide and varied influences into a single package one that rocks hard, turns up the blues-meets-Beatles vibe, and still delivers on the big power ballads. The album's opening pair of singles only hints at the album's depth. The rock-oriented "Lover a Lot" features Joe Perry and Brad Whitford, both wailing on their guitars over a swift rhythm track from bassist Tom Hamilton and drummer Joey Kramer that bands half their age (um, one-third their age?) couldn't match. At the other end of the spectrum, the aching but catchy ballad "What Could Have Been Love" travels the same adult-contemporary territory that Aerosmith claimed with "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing," although the contemplative "We All Fall Down" may do it even more effectively. Aerosmith still surprises, too collaborating with Johnny Depp on "Freedom Fighter" and teaming with Carrie Underwood on "Can't Stop Loving You." The biggest surprise, though, is how fresh the band, which celebrates its 40th anniversary next year, still sounds with its trademark blues-rock on "Out Go the Lights."

Track listing

01. "LUV XXX" (Steven Tyler, Joe Perry) - 5:16

02. "Oh Yeah" (Perry) - 3:40

03. "Beautiful" (Tyler, Marti Frederiksen, Brad Whitford, Joey Kramer, Tom Hamilton) - 3:04

04. "Tell Me" (Hamilton) - 3:45

05. "Out Go the Lights" (Tyler, Perry) - 6:55

06. "Legendary Child" (Tyler, Perry, Jim Vallance) - 4:15

07. "What Could Have Been Love" (Russ Irwin, Tyler, Frederiksen) - 3:44

08. " Street Jesus" (Whitford, Tyler) - 6:34

09. "Can't Stop Loving You" (feat. Carrie Underwood) (Whitford, Frederiksen, Tyler, Hamilton, Kramer) - 4:04

10. "Lover Alot" (Tyler, Whitford, Hamilton, Kramer, Jesse Sky Kramer, Frederiksen, Marco Moir) - 3:36

11. "We All Fall Down" (Diane Warren) - 5:14

12. "Freedom Fighter" (Perry) - 3:19

13. "Closer" (Tyler, Frederiksen, Kramer) - 4:04

14. "Something" (Perry) - 4:37

15. "Another Last Goodbye" (Tyler, Perry, Desmond Child) - 5:46

Released: November 6, 2012

Recorded at: Pandora's Box and The Boneyard

Genre: Hard Rock

Label: Columbia

Producer: Jack Douglas, Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Marti Frederiksen

Pesonnel

Steven Tyler - lead vocals, harmonica, piano, drums, mandolin

Tom Hamilton - bass guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals

Joey Kramer - drums, backing vocals

Joe Perry - lead guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals, six-string bass baritone

Brad Whitford - rhythm guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals

Russ Irwin - keyboards, backing vocals

Julian Lennon - background vocals

Lauren Alaina - background vocals

Mia Tyler - backing vocals

Carrie Underwood - vocals

Johnny Depp - background vocals

Rick Dufay - rhythm guitar

Posted by audioblaster | 00:05 - 0 reacties

(22) Larry Graham & Graham Central Station - Raise Up (2012)

Legendary bassist Larry Graham is back with, Raise Up, his first album since 1998’s "GCS" 2000. That album was produced by Prince, an artist with whom Graham has shared a longstanding personal and professional relationship. In fact, five of Raise Up’s 13 tracks were recorded at Prince’s Paisley Park Studios. Of those five, three feature guest appearances by the artist. Larry Graham was, the deep-voiced bassist for the pioneering funksters Sly and the Family Stone in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. After that he formed Graham Central Station, releasing a string of successful albums throughout the remainder of the ‘70s. With "Raise Up", Graham is back to bringing the funk in a major way. After the brief, purely percussive prelude, “GCS Drumline,” Graham Central Station makes their mission clear with the horn-driven “Throw-N-Down the Funk.” The tune features ample slap bass from Graham while introducing the various members of this incarnation of GCS, including vocalist Ashling Cole, guitarist Wilton Rabb, and keyboardist David Council. A few tracks are “new masters” of older GCS songs, including a fairly faithful take on “It’s Alright,” originally on Ain’t No ‘Bout-a-Doubt It. “Now Do U Wanta Dance” was the title track of the 1977 GCS album. The new version dials back the disco of the original and thickens the funk, with Graham recreating his robotic-sounding bass talk box vocal. Graham also revisits his 1974 Al Green cover, “It Ain’t No Fun to Me,” offering up a very similarly take. The topical title song finds Graham and his bass backed only by Prince, who handles guitar, keyboards, and drums. It’s a pretty tight groove, but the lyrics leave something to be desired. His catch-all call to action is “Raise up your head/We’re living in ‘Code Red!’ Leaving shallow social commentary aside is a good thing, as “Shoulda Coulda Woulda” pairs Graham and Prince to much better effect. This ballad sounds suspiciously like a Prince track from start to finish, with some great Santana-esque guitar playing. Prince’s prominent backing vocals are a very nice touch. “Movin’” features Prince on guitar only, with the vocals tossed around between Graham and the rest of the band. Among the vocalists are former Prince protégé Tamar Davis as well as former member of the touring version of Morris Day’s The Time, Chance Howard. It’s basically a jam, with lyrics about bringing danceable funk to people everywhere. Elsewhere on the album, Raphael Saadiq cameos on the mawkish “One Day.” This naïve utopian vision is cut from the same cloth as “Imagine” or “We Are the World.” The difference is that this one is, I think, about the afterlife, rather than all the earthly troubles described in “Raise Up.” Much better to stick with the slammin’ cover of Stevie Wonder’s “Higher Ground,” featuring a great Ashling Cole vocal that glides over Brian Braziel’s thundering drums. Also stellar is the elegant, heartfelt ballad “Hold You Close,” with a supple lead vocal by Graham.

Try to stomach the cringe-inducing lyrics that accompany a couple of tune, because "Raise Up" is an otherwise solid party album.

Track listing

01. GCS Drumline (Larry Graham) - 1:24

02. Throw’n Down the Funk (Larry Graham) - 6:45

03. It's Alright (Larry Graham) - 3:34

04. Raise Up (feat. Prince) (Larry Graham) - 5:35

05. Shoulda Coulda Woulda (feat. Prince) (Larry Graham) - 4:47

06. Welcome 2 Our World (Larry Graham) - 1:01

07. It Ain't No Fun to Me (Al Green) - 6:09

08. Higher Ground (Stevie Wonder) - 4:55

09. No Way (Larry Graham) - 7:05

10. Hold You Close (Larry Graham) - 5:07

11. Movin' (feat. Prince) (Larry Graham) - 4:57

12. Now Do U Wanta Dance (Larry Graham) - 5:35

13. One Day feat. Raphael Saadiq - 6:44

Release date: September 25, 2012

Recorded at: Black Box Studios, Utrecht, The Netherlands; Blakeslee Studio, North Hollywood, CA; It's A Secret, Minneapolis, MN; Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassenm MN; Studio De l'Hacienda, Tarare, France; The G-Station, Chanhassen, MN.

Label: Razor & Tie

Genre: Funk, Soul

Length: 63:37

Producer:

Personnel

Larry Graham - Bass

Ashling Cole - Vocals

Wilton Rabb - Guitar

David Council - Keyboards

Prince - Vocals

Posted by audioblaster | 10:32 - 0 reacties

(21) Rick Springfield - Songs For The End Of The World (2012)

"Songs For The End Of The World" is the brand new studio album by one of music's most enduring legends, Rick Springfield. Rick Springfield has somehow found this little niche between modern rock, current pop and 80's MTV-era big chorus arena rock. The songs are infectious, the lyrics are intelligent and the production is top notch. This album never sounds like it's stuck in the 80s... but it's still accessible to any old Springfield fans that may not have heard anything that he's done in the past 20 years. And that's important. Rick is a damn good (and very underrated) songwriter, and his talent is what separates him from many of the other faces that once ruled MTV. Highlights on the new album include the vintage three-chord rock of "I Hate Myself," the anthemic "Our Ship's Sinking," the mid tempo ballad "You & Me," and the album opening rocker "Wide Awake." He´s purging himself of negativity, admitting "Love Screws Me Up," concerned that "Our Ship's Sinking," and pondering "My Last Heartbeat," scoring all this angst to thundering rhythms and heavy guitars. "Songs For The End Of The World songs", Sometimes all this aggression is released on rockers with sinewy power pop riffs or arena rockers but those are the exceptions to the rule because here, as it has been on every album he's made since roughly 1982, Springfield isn't about having fun. He is wrestling with big ideas and this time he's scored his mental bout with guitars so bombastic they feel throttling even when only a few acoustics are being strummed. Such sonic overkill fits the oversized emotions of Springfield's songs and even if the overall effect can be a little draining, song by song this is one of Springfield's strongest latter-day records, as the production matches the mood and the melodies are as muscular as the album's sound.

Track listing

01. Wide Awake (Bissonette, Springfield) - 3:02

02. Our Ship's Sinking (Bissonnette, Springfield) - 3:23

03. I Hate Myself (Bissonnette, Springfield) - 2:40

04. You & Me (Bissonette, Cohen, Springfield) - 3:52

05. Gabriel (Bernhardt, Bissonette, Carter, Springfield) - 3:57

06. A Sign of Life (Bissonette, Springfield - 3:13

07. My Last Heartbeat (Bissonette, Springfield - 3:30

08. Joshua (Bissonette, Springfield - 2:59

09. Love Screws Me Up (Bissonette, Springfield - 2:53

10. I Found You (Bissonette, Hartry, Springfield - 3:16

11. Depravity (Bissonette, Springfield) - 3:34

12. One Way Street (Bissonette, Springfield) - 3:53

Release date: October 9, 2012

Recorded at: Henson Studios, Los Angeles, CA; The Black Lagoon, Malibu, CA.

Label: UMe

Genre: Pop, Rock

Length: 40:12

Producer:

Personnel

Rick Springfield - vocals, guitar

George Bernhardt - guitar

Matt Bissonette - keyboards, background vocals

Rodger Carter - drums

Ronnie Grinel - percussion

Posted by audioblaster | 23:59 - 0 reacties

(20) Donald Fagen - Sunken Condos (2012)

"Sunken Condos" is Donald Fagen fourth solo album for Warner Reprise, "Sunken Condos", will be released on October 16. His first three solo albums, "The Nightfly", "Kamakiriad" and "Morph the Cat" comprised the project known as "The Nightfly Trilogy." "Sunken Condos" begins a chapter in the creative evolution of this innovative artist, whose career is still going strong after forty years.

The nine tracks on Sunken Condos were co-produced by Michael Leonhart and Donald. All but one track, an Ashkenazi recasting of Isaac Hayes' "Out of the Ghetto," are Fagen originals. Some familiar names from the Steely Dan family of players are on hand (Jon Herington, the Steely Dan horns, Freddie Washington) plus some new faces. The word is that, from now on, everything Donald does has got to be funky. Brilliantly written and arranged songs with an incredible accessibility and so brilliant that you played there is simply silent. The delicious groove, call it slow funk, mixed with jazz, classical and pop gets back a delicious own Fagen sound. Also incredible how little the voice of Fagen through time is affected. Yet again, he sings in his 64 on "Sunken Condos" as best years, perhaps even better. But it is mainly the brilliant songs, and the brilliant way in which they are played, which this album so valuable. Album opener Slinky Thing and then great I'm Not The Same Without You and you hear a Fagen who sounds like Steely Dan in the best years. What an incredibly handsome compositions and what sound they with the excellent playing musicians (all to the hard live Steely Dan band belonging) beautifully loose and swinging. Memorabilia and downright great Weather In My Head sound just as brilliant. The songs that are timeless in super tasteful arrangements, and great guitar work of Jon Herington, grow into beautiful additions to the rich body of work that has built up over the decades Fagen. But also the funky The New Breed, the delicious driving Out Of The Ghetto (' I Took You Out Of The Ghetto But I Could Not Get That Ghetto Out Of You ') and Miss Marlene convince plenty. With the iron strong Good Stuff and the perfect album valve eventually we come at the end of Planet D'Rhonda a matchless musical trip. The genial musicality of Donald Fagen find on "Sunken Condos" new heights. With perhaps the best he has ever played with musicians where he a new masterpiece to his rich oeuvre added.

Track listing

01. Slinky Thing (Donald Fagen) - 5:12

02. I'm Not the Same Without You (Donald Fagen) - 4:31

03. Memorabilia (Donald Fagen) - 4:14

04. Weather in My Head (Donald Fagen) - 5:29

05. The New Breed (Donald Fagen) - 4:35

06. Out of the Ghetto (Isaac Hayes) - 4:54

07. Miss Marlene (Donald Fagen) - 4:43

08. Good Stuff (Donald Fagen) - 4:54

09. Planet d'Rhonda (Donald Fagen) - 5:35

Released: October 16, 2012

Genre: Jazz-Rock

Label: Reprise

Length: 44:07

Producer: Donald Fagen, Michael Leonhart

Posted by audioblaster | 03:15 - 0 reacties

(19) Don Felder - Road To Forever (2012)

Former Eagles member Don Felder will release his first album in 29 years and only the second solo album of his career, "Road to Forever", on October 9 via Rocket Science Ventures. The album was produced by Don Felder and Robin DiMaggio and includes guest appearances from David Crosby, Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Steve Lukathar, David Paich, Steve Porcaro, Tommy Shaw, Randy Jackson and others. Felder conceived the album after his firing from the Eagles, the ensuing lawsuit and the divorce from his wife of 29 years. During the period he wrote his autobiography Heaven and Hell: My Life in the Eagles (1974-2001), and a number of songs. Felder said he was inspired to “write out the stories of my life as songs. After I collected myself, I found I needed to go out and play music again, and that’s how I began recording the album. In the process, I found out who I really am. I had to find out what happened when I almost lost it all.” As you may expect with the musicians involved most of the songs have a West Coast AOR sound but there are some curve balls in the mix. None more so than ‘You Don’t Have Me’ featuring wonderful vocal arrangements and stellar guitar playing. ‘Give My Life’ is a gentle song with a heartfelt lyric. Don Felder shows his guitar prowess on the rocking ‘Girls In Black’, a cheeky number like ZZ Top meets the Eagles! He doesn’t hold his punches at times like on the song ‘Money’, an attack on the financial woes of many in the US right now.

Track listing

01. Fall from the Grace of Love - 3:44

02. Girls in Black - 3:36

03. Wash Away - 4:16

04. I Believe in You - 3:56

05. You Don't Have Me - 3:45

06. Money - 4:09

07. Someday - 4:10

08. Heal Me - 7:21

09. Over You - 4:06

10. Road to Forever - 4:57

11. Life's Lullaby - 4:19

12. Give My Life - 4:04

13. She Runs Free - 4:00

Release date: October 9, 2012

Label: Rocket Science

Genre: Rock

Length: 56:23

Produced by: Don Felder, Robin DiMaggio

Posted by audioblaster | 01:26 - 0 reacties

(18) Jeff Lynne - Long Waves (2012)

22 years after his last solo album, 1990’s "Armchair Theatre", Lynne released his new album "Long Wave". Lynne says over the album: "I call this new album "Long Wave" because all of the songs I sing on it are the ones heard on long wave radio when I was a kid growing up in Birmingham, England. These songs take me back to that feeling of freedom in those days and summon up the feeling of first hearing those powerful waves of music coming in on my old crystal set. My dad also had the radio on all the time, so some of these songs have been stuck in my head for 50 years. You can only imagine how great it felt to finally get them out of my head after all these years." The man described by The Washington Times as “the fourth greatest record producer in history”. Having famously worked with Dylan, Harrison, Orbison and Ringo, the pop polymath now plays everything himself, a one-man band moving across a dewy sound-bed of nostalgia. A subjective labour of love akin to Bowie’s Pin-Ups or Ferry’s These Foolish Things, which also carries elements of stripped-down self-exposure (like Johnny Cash’s American Recordings or Tom Jones’ Spirit in the Room), it’s infused with warm melancholy. If it never crackles with startling candour, you sense that’s because he wants to pay simple homage to the tunes that formed him, rather than whip out his youthful diaries. Many selections are ‘pre-rock’ 1950s standards, with a few fairly well known but not over-familiar 60s nuggets also summoned. Perhaps surprisingly, Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and Love Is a Many Splendored Thing work wonderfully well. Lynne has never been an ostentatious singer but knows how to arrange to perfection, even in this understated mode. The echoing shadows of Richard Hawley’s music come to mind. We could all probably live without another version of Charlie Chaplin’s cheesy Smile, but he does make it chug along effectively. Don’t expect ELO-style baroque-and-rococo flourishes: for the most part "Long Wave" ticks with paced, poignant precision. There’s further subdued romance in the readings of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s If I Loved You and the evergreen "She", once crooned by Charles Aznavour. A louche, atypically throwaway take on Bobby Darin’s "Beyond the Sea" is a damp squib, and a couple of trad blues-rockers only remind the listener of ELO’s Roll Over Beethoven. But Lynne’s elegiac streak emerges again on Etta James’ At Last and The Big O’s Running Scared.Lynne doesn’t try to break any moulds here, but respectfully doffs a cap at those that shaped him.

Track listing

01. "She" (Charles Aznavour, Herbert Kretzmer) - 2:41

02. "If I Loved You" (Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein) - 2:21

03. "So Sad (To Watch Good Love Go Bad)" (Don Everly) - 2:33

04. "Mercy Mercy" (Don Covay, Ronald Dean Miller) - 2:53

05. "Running Scared" (Roy Orbison, Joe Melson) - 2:10

06. "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered" (Richard Rodgers, Lorenz Hart) - 2:20

07. "Smile" (Charlie Chaplin, John Turner, Geoffrey Parsons) - 2:32

08. "At Last" (Mack Gordon, Harry Warren) - 2:33

09. "Love is a Many-Splendored Thing" (Sammy Fain, Paul Francis Webster) - 2:30

10. "Let It Rock" (Chuck Berry) - 1:52

11. "Beyond the Sea" (Jack Lawrence/Charles Trénet) - 2:53

12. "Jody" (Del Shannon)

Released: October 9, 2012

Genre: Pop, Rock

Label: Big Trilby Records

Lenght: 27:18

Producer: Jeff Lynne

Posted by audioblaster | 09:33 - 0 reacties

(17) The Outlaws - It’s About Pride (2012)

With the release of their 12th studio album, "It’s About Pride", the band Henry Paul (lead vocals/guitar), Monte Yoho (drums/percussion), Dave Robbins (keyboard/vocals), Billy Crain (lead guitar/vocals), Chris Anderson (guitar/vocals) and Randy Threet (bass/vocals) capture the essence of their sound and style with 12 new tunes that were four years in the making. If there’s one thing the Outlaws know when it comes to their music, it’s exactly what their fans have come to expect. With over 40 years of being one of Southern Rock’s most beloved and respected bands under their belts, the group has defined and refined their sound with great ease. Among the many highlights on "It’s About Pride" is the powerfully driven title track which Paul and Crain wrote. The song serves as both a tribute and a testimony from a band that has lived it all, played it all and has now returned to reclaim it all. Meanwhile, another definite gem on the album is the track ‘Last Ghost Town.’ Paul’s haunting vocals on the track sound better than ever and remind us of why his voice is a one-of-a-kind. The album’s closing track, ‘So Long,’ is a re-recording of Paul’s 1979 fan-favorite, which he first released on the debut Henry Paul Band album. If this one wasn’t considered a classic at that point in time, it definitely can be put down as one now, even after just one listen. Paul shares lead vocals on several of the album’s tracks, including ‘Alex’s Song,’ ‘Trail of Tears’ and ‘Born to be Bad,’ giving a unique flare to the album that keeps the listener entertained throughout the musical journey. The Outlaws go above and beyond in delivering their diverse content. “I want people to hear this album and see our show and realize that the Outlaws are back,” says the band’s Henry Paul. “Our goal is to unite the fans and bring the band back into the light. In a way, this is like a second chance at my first love. It’s about finishing what we started.” The album is dedicated to the late Outlaws Hughie Thomasson, Billy Jones, and Frank O'Keefe. They would no doubt be proud of how this fabulous band is carrying on with the music.

Track listing

01. Tomorrow’s Another Night - 4:18

02. Hidin’ Out in Tennessee - 4:06

03. It’s About Pride - 7:09

04. Born To Be Bad - 5:19

05. Last Ghost Town - 3:33

06. Nothin’ Main About Main Street - 5:35

07. The Flame - 4:28

08. Trail Of Tears - 3:47

09. Right Where I Belong - 4:14

10. Alex’s Song - 3:38

11. Trouble Rides A Fast - 5:22

12. So Long - 5:52

Release date: september 25, 2012

Label: Rocket Science Label

Genre: Southern Rock

Length: 57:26

Producer:

Personnel

Henry Paul - Lead Vocals, Guitar

Monte Yoho - Drums, Percussion

Chris Anderson - Guitar

Billy Crain - Guitar

Randy Threet - Bass

Dave Robbins - Keyboards

Posted by audioblaster | 12:51 - 0 reacties

(16) Heart - Fanatic (Deluxe Edition) (2012)

Heart´s 14th studio album, "Fanatic", ranks as one of the Wilson Sisters most rock & roll albums to date. With Grammy-winning producer Ben Mink at the helm, these performances by sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson are a celebration of their life spirit: Ann and Nancy are fanatics about love, art and truth. Includes the title track "Fanatic," "Dear Old America," and "Million Miles."

Lyrically the album is almost a counterpart to their memoir; its songs detail life events, changes, and a lifetime of ups and downs. Things get off to a rumbling start with the title track, a squalling, big production, hard rock number, with Nancy Wilson’s big, meaty riffs, Mink’s enormous drums, and Ann Wilson’s earthshaking voice. The tune’s bluesy, soulful choruses fold well inside Mink’s sonic treatments, giving it a thunderous power. On “Dear Old America,” slide guitars, a crunchy riff, controlled feedback, and ethereal layers of violin and viola (a nice touch by Mink recalling moments on the band’s earliest records) meet hard blues-rock and latter day psychedelia. Other rockers include “A Million Miles” and the Led Zeppelin-esque “Mashallah,” which are also clear standouts. “Skin and Bones marries basic blues-rock to high-tech programming (à la ZZ Top) and works far better than it should. “59 Crunch” is Heart in pure post-psych terrain, where everything is mixed in the red as the sisters trade verses up front. There are a couple of missteps, however. The first is “Walkin’ Good,” with guest Sarah McLachlan in duet with Nancy. The strings are too prominent, the acoustic guitars too muddy, and the banjo simply corny. The other clunker is “Rock Deep (Vancouver),” a balladic, overly sentimental paean to the place that Heart adopted as their first home after Seattle. It’s well-intentioned, but it falls flat. While these tracks do add balance, they don’t match the quality of the rockers. The Led Zeppelin motif returns on the trippy closer “Corduroy Road,” with its use of space, layered echoes, reverbed guitars, cracking snares, and North African modalities, all framed inside Heart’s classic psych-rock sound. In sum, in a career that spans nearly 40 years, on "Fanatic", the Wilsons prove they can not only not re-create a sound they trademarked in the ’70s, but can revision it creatively for the 21st century.

Track listing

01. Fanatic - 3:44

02. Dear Old America - 4:01

03. Walkin' Good (With Sarah McLachlan) - 3:46

04. Skins & Bones - 3:41

05. A Million Miles - 5:04

06. Pennsylvania - 3:10

07. Mashallah - 4:07

08. Rock Deep (Vancouver) - 4:20

09. 59 Crunch - 3:21

10. Corduroy Road - 4:25

11. Beautiful Broken - 2:40

12. Two Silver Rings - 2:57

13. Zingara - 3:56

Release date: october 2, 2012

Label: Legacy Recordings

Genre: Rock

Length: 49:12

Producer: Ben Mink

Personnel

Ann Wilson - vocals, keyboards, percussion

Nancy Wilson - vocals, guitars, mandolin, keyboards, synths

Ben Smith - drums

Craig Bartock - guitars

Debbie Shair - keyboards, synthesizers

Dan Rothchild - bass

Posted by audioblaster | 11:02 - 0 reacties

(15) The Script - #3 (2012)

"#3" is the third studio album, released by Irish rock band The Script. The album was preceded by the release of the lead single, "Hall of Fame", a duet with Danny O'Donoghue´s co-Voice judge will.i.am.

Danny O'Donoghue said the following of the album: "Six Degrees of Separation is a track about my traumatic split from my ex-girlfriend, model Irma Mali. "If You Could See Me Now", is an emotional tribute to my late father, and to Mark’s parents, who died within months of each other when he was just twelve years old. Mark describes it as a kind of musical therapy, but admits that the track in particular chokes him up, and brings tears to his eyes. Mark cannot bring himself to even play the track in public, and has to leave the room whenever it is played over the studio’s speakers." Mark later commented: "I haven’t played it for anybody, and I need a minute with it. I can’t even tell you if it is a good song or not. It’s a page from my diary, I produced and wrote it but I have to walk away from it. It is just a weird one. It is a touchy subject for me I lost both my parents quite young and it was a real dark point in my life. Like Danny said, it is something I have never talked about until now. I don’t know if we will ever find the right moment to play that live at all. I can’t even picture playing it live because it is so personal." Speaking of "Hall of Fame", Mark commented: "We wanted to capture as much emotion in the track’s sound as there is in the lyrics, which are definitely some of the most positive and upbeat we’ve ever written." On working with will.i.am, Danny stated: "We thought it might make a great duet, but we wanted to do it line by line, true duet style."

Track listing

01. "Good Ol' Days" (The Script) - 4:23

02. "Six Degrees of Separation" (The Script) - 3:52

03. "Hall of Fame" (featuring will.i.am) (The Script) - 3:22

04. "If You Could See Me Now" (The Script) - 3:39

05. "Glowing" (The Script) - 4:46

06. "Give the Love Around" (The Script) - 4:24

07. "Broken Arrow" (The Script) - 4:34

08. "Kaleidoscope" (The Script) - 3:41

09. "No Words" (The Script) - 4:05

10. "Millionaires" (The Script) - 3:11

Released: 7 September 2012

Genre: Pop, Rock

Length: 44:41

Label: Phonogenic

Producer: Danny O'Donoghue, Mark Sheehan

Personnel

Danny O'Donoghue - Lead Vocals

Mark Sheehan - Instruments, Vocals

Glen Power - Drums

Will.I.Am - Background Vocals

Present 2012

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