TUFF "What Comes Around Goes Around...Again"

(c) 2012 iTunes

1. Good Guys Wear Black (featuring George Lynch and Jamie St. James)
2. The All New Generation (featuring Steve Brown)
3. I Hate Kissing You Goodbye (featuring Keri Kelli)
4. So Many Seasons (featuring Michael Raphael)
5. What Comes Around Goes Around (featuring Jeff Loomis and Stephen Pearcy)
6. Put Out Or Get Out (featuring Howie Simon and Lizzie DeVine)
7. Round 'Em Up
8. Summertime Goodbye
9. Want Trouble--You Got It
10. Down On Sinner Street
11. Forever Yours
12. Ain't Worth A Dime
13. Move Along
14. So Many Seasons (piano version)

Stevie "$tEVIL" Rachelle--Lead Vocals
Todd CH@SE Chaisson--Bass
Tod "T-DRUMS" Burr--Drums
Staffan "S'OLIN" Osterlind--Guitars

TUFF is one of those bands that just refuses to die...which is a good thing.  Long considered, at least by myself, as one of the most underrated of the 80's hairbands, Stevie Rachelle and his revolving cast of band members (which usually included Todd Chaisson) just continued to release new albums, live albums, best of packages, and the occasional "hit" track, such as the surprise breakout track "American Hairband" from 2001.  Despite all of this, Tuff has never exactly been an upper-tier member of the hair genre; heck, they aren't even second tier in terms of album sales, videos, airplay, or even name recognition.  So why in the world would the band put together and release a re-recording of PART of their best known (and only major label) album, What Comes Around Goes Around?  For me, the why isn't all that important, as I am simply very glad they did it...and did it right.

Now, this isn't a complete re-recording of that 1991 album; less than half of those tracks are included on this new version, but most of the high points are all here.  "What Comes Around...", "Good Guys Wear Black", "I Hate Kissing You Good-Bye", and the anthemic "The All New Generation" are given a second chance at life, along with "So Many Seasons".  The production is decidedly more modern on these new takes, with a grittier sound for the most part.  Rachelle no longer sounds like the blatant Bret Michael's rip-off he was always (wrongly) accused of being, as his voice is also grittier than it has been in the past.  This works especially well on "Good Guys..." and the reworked "The All New Generation", which could be called "The New All New Generation", as an additional line has been added to the song, throwing in more modern band names such as Black Veil Brides alongside Skid Row, Poison, Motley Crue, etc.  It's a nice touch that bridges the old and new schools without coming off like a band pandering to the new fans it hopes to attract because, in all reality, it is old school Tuff fans that are going to be picking up this new album for the most part.  I do wish that a couple more tracks from the original album had been added here, specifically "Ruck-a-pit Bridge" and "Spit Like This".

For me, the real treat on this disc is the re-mastered demos from 1988 and 1989.  These songs have been circulating out there on the demo market for some time, but the quality has ranged from pretty okay to downright awful for the most part.  It was great to get to hear songs like "Round 'Em Up", "Down On Sinner Street", and one of my favorite Tuff tracks ever, "Ain't Worth A Dime", all given the digital touch up.  However, that is all that has been done to these tracks...a cleaning up of the sound.  The original vocals and instrumental tracks are still intact, so you get a definite throwback sound with tracks 7-12.

Now, before I go further, I need to address one question I have.  I "think" there may be an error in the chronological listing here, as I have the original Atlantic Records version of What Comes Around Goes Around, and there is NOT a song called "Put Out Or Get Out", yet it is listed as a re-recording.  Additionally, "Ain't Worth A Dime" IS on the Atlantic Records album, yet it is listed as a 1989 demo version.  Granted, there could have been demo version previously, but I have to think that something is amiss with the track listing or chronological information.  It is a small point, but it did confuse me a bit...

Moving on, the last two songs, "Move Along" and "So Many Seasons (Piano Version)" I could honestly do without.  Neither is terrible, but "Seasons" sounds tired in this format and doesn't fit the fun and energy of the rest of this disc.   Honestly, I skip "Seasons" and don't pay much attention to "Move Along", although I may be doing that song a disservice.  It is just that being placed after the old school sounds of the 80's demo re-masters, "Move Along" kind of sticks out a bit.  Perhaps it will grow on me.

Granted, special guests riddle the re-recorded tracks, with such big names as Stephen Pearcey (Ratt), George Lynch (Dokken, Lynch Mob), Keri Kelli(Ratt, LA Guns, and a dozen other bands), Jamie St. James (Black N Blue, Warrant, St. James), and Steven Brown (Trixter), among others, taking their turns behind the mic or on the guitar, but this is like sprinkles on top of an already well baked and frosted cake.  These songs are strong enough, and the performances by the actual members of Tuff are solid, so the re-recorded songs don't need a lot of additional flash and flair, although I'm not going to complain about the chance to hear another George Lynch solo.  Surprisingly, Jeff Loomis of Nevermore, pulls off one of the coolest solos on the disc despite the fact that Tuff's music is definitely not the style Loomis is mostly associated with.

Is What Comes Around Goes Around...Again worth picking up?  Absolutely, especially if you want to hear a nice mix of where the band is now (re-recordings) and where they came from (re-mastered demos).  The classics from that underrated 1991 effort are given new life an dfans are given a chance to hear songs many may not have realized existed.  Obviously, Tuff isn't breaking any new ground here, but perhaps WCAGA...A can be a launching pad for someall new Tuff recordings in the near future.

Rating:  Crank this to a fun 7.5, with only a couple of missing favorites and a weak piano ballad keeping this disc from scoring higher for me.

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JETBOY "Now And Then"

(c)2010 Demon Doll Records

1. Dogs Gotta Roam
2. Goin' Down (Above The Clods)
3. Perfectly Wring
4. Stomp It (Down To The Bricks)
5. Heavy Chevy
6. Evil
7. Bullfrog Pond
8. Feel The Shake
9. Make Some Noise
10. Snakebite
11. One Night Stand
12. I Wanna Be a Millionaire
13. No Limit
14. Dying Inside

Mickey Finn--Vocals, Harmonica
Fernie Dog--Lead & Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Billy Rowe--Rhyth, & Slide Guitar, Vocals
Jesse Mendez--Drums
Jes Reckless--Bass, Vocals

Additional Musicians
Ron Totenson---Drums (Tracks 4-13)
Sam Yaffa--Bass (Tracks 4-10)
Michael Butler--Bass (Tracks 1-3, 14)
Doug Hovan--Drums (Tracks 1-3)
Tim Huthert--Drums (Track 14)

Jetboy is one of those bands that seemed to always be on the cusp of breaking out.  These guys had a HUGE following in their native San Francisco as well as a strong support base on the Sunset Strip back in the mid-80's, managed to get several songs on movie releases (five different tracks from the Feel The Shake album were spread out between Tom Hanks' movie The Burbs, and the lesser-known Tony Danza flick, She's Out Of Control), and scored a couple of decent video hits on MTV's Headbanger's Ball.  But between the death of original bass player Todd Crew (found dead in Slash's hotel room...), and the grunge phenomenon of the early-to-mid-90's, Jetboy never managed to get the traction that was necessary for them to fully hit the big time.  Too bad, as Jetboy was one of the more original sounding bands of the era, not coming off like a cookie-cutter clone of the Poisons, Warrants, or Wingers of the time.

Probably as well known for Mickey Finn's sky-high mohawk as they were for most of their musical catalog, Jetboy combined the glammy edge of bands like Hanoi Rocks and the New York Dolls with the punk and sleaze look of a lot of the underground Hollywood bands.  As such, their sound was a hybrid that always came off as fresh and original to these ears, even when I didn't like every song the band put on tape.  On this collection, Demon Doll manages to capture the best of the band, for the most part, with seven tracks coming from the band's two major label releases, 1988's Feel The Shake and 1990's Damned Nation.  "Feel The Shake", "Heavy Chevy", and "Evil" are the band's bigger songs, at least as far as airplay goes, and "Stomp It (Down To The Bricks)" and "Make Some Noise" are a couple of the band's more popular songs with their fans.  Personally, I was really happy to see "Snakebite" included here, as I think it's one of the best songs in the band's catalog.  "Bullfrog Pond" was an interesting inclusion as well.  What really makes the album, at least for me, is the inclusion of the hard-to-find EP Off Your Rocker studio tracks and the previously unreleased "Dying Inside".  All four of these songs are very much in the vein of the harder-edged material that made Jetboy popular with their fans...and maybe kept them off of radio...with Finn's gritty vocals and the guitar tandem of Rowe and Rod still ripping things up.  With no ballads to bog this collection down, Now And Then is a full-tilt rock collection that I think casual fans will find a lot to like about and one that will give new listeners a solid cross-section of material to choose from. 

The project is not perfect, however, as there was still room left on the disc to include a couple more tracks, which I think would have been smart.  "Bloodstone", from the Feel The Shake album, would be a logical inclusion, since it was included on a movie soundtrack and is one of the more well-known Jetboy songs.  I also think a couple of other tracks from the band's Lost And Found collection would have been nice, especially since so many of those songs are not available anywhere else and are now out of print ("Little Teaser", "Cuts Me Down", and "In The Alley" are some of my faves from that effort).  Still, this is a pretty good sampling of what Jetboy had to offer, and I don't have a lot of problems with the musical choices.

While I normally am not a fan of Demon Doll Records' projects, this is one that I think the label generally got right, at least on the musical side.  The production is crisp with no volume level problems between tracks of varying ages (in some cases, 20 years has passed between recordings).  I also think the song selection was pretty much spot on, as the "hits" (if you can call them that) are here, and the inclusion of the 2010 Off Your Rocker EP made the collection that much more solid, as did the unreleased track.  However, as far as packaging goes, I was expecting a lot more as far as photos, band history, and lyrics, NONE of which is included.  This is a MAJOR problem I have with pretty much every release I have ever gotten from Demon Doll...and these are official releases, not promos.  Considering the label charges full price ($11.99-14.99 for most releases), you would think they would put some more effort into the packaging, especially on re-issues and compilations like this one, to make them more desireable to those people who already have the original albums.  To be honest, if I was a digital person and not a CD person, there is really no reason to buy the CD rather than just download the music.

Rating:  Since the music is what really matters to most people, I will still crank this to 8 based on the new song, the strong selection, and the inclusion of the EP.  As far as Demon Doll Records' efforts in the packaging department...I wouldn't rate them more than a 5 or so...

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CINDERELLA "Night Songs"

(c) 1986 Mercury Records

1. Night Songs
2. Shake Me
3. Nobody's Fool
4. Nothin' For Nothin'
5. Once Around The Ride
6. Hell On Wheels
7. Somebody Save Me
8. In From The Outside
9. Push Push
10. Back Home Again

Tom Keifer--Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar, Piano
Jeff LaBar--Lead Guitar
Eric Brittingham--Bass
Fred Coury--Drums (credited, touring)
Jim Drnec--Drums (recorded)

Additional Musicians:
Tony Mills--Backing Vocals
Jon Bon Jovi--Backing Vocals on "Nothin' For Nothin'" and "In From The Outside"
Jeff Paris--Keyboards

Ah, Night Songs.  This CD is one of the cornerstone memories of my 1980's youth!  In fact, this is the very first album I can remember actually anxiously waiting for its arrival.  I remember seeing a promo poster for this album hanging up in my favorite mom & pop record shop (remember those?!) and thinking how cool these guys looked, all decked out in leather, spandex, and sky-high hair!  If these guys sounded even half as cool as they looked, Night Songs was gonna ROCK!  I was not disappointed then...and I still get a flashback grin every time I spin this record.  From the haunting wind and chugging guitar intro of the title track to the scorching closing riffs of the massively underrated "Back Home Again", Night Songs became the measuring stick by which I would judge all other "hair metal" albums of the time period.

One of the things I find hard to believe about this album is only three songs were released as singles, ("Somebody Save Me", "Nobody's Fool", and "Shake Me"), and only "Nobody's Fool" made any significant mark on the charts (reaching #13 on Billboard's Hot 100).  Perhaps it is a testament to the power of marketing, word of mouth, intense touring, and yes, MTV, as despite this lack of radio success, the album sold over 3 million copies in America alone and managed to hit #3 on the album sales charts.  Considering it is such a rarity for bands to even go gold now (500,000 album sales), hitting triple platinum on a debut effort is quite an accomplishment, especially with the limited assitance of radio at the time.

As to the music itself, Cinderella, at least on this disc, did not have the bluesy style that they would later be noted for.  Instead, the guys stick to the hair metal sound that was really starting to come into full bloom by 1986, although there is no denying that they had a bit of a sleazy edge to their sound, especially with the plodding, somewhat sludgy sound of the guitars on the title track, for example.  Keifer's vocals, which he always kept in the raspy, snarled style here (as opposed to more of an actual singing approach he would take later when vocal problems began to appear), also set Cinderella apart from many of their peers.  I know of several people who claim that Keifer's vocals actually turned them OFF of the band during the Night Songs era, but for me, this was Tom at his finest vocally, although I certainly love the style he adopted later as well.

Despite the passage of 25 years, this is one album of this genre that I think still sounds as great as it did back in the day.  Granted, modern production techniques could definitely clean up some minor issues on a couple of tracks, but to me, that 80's production is part of the charm of the era's sound.  I am surprised, however, that there was not an anniversary edition of this classic released, at least that I am aware of, although the band/label legal issues that have been ongoing for years (and which have prevented Cinderella from releasing a new album) may be part of the reason for us not seeing a repackaging of Night Songs. 

As to the songs themselves, there are only a couple of tracks that I would consider filler material, and even these are not skippers for me.  I have never been a particular fan of "Once Around The Ride" or "Nothin' For Nothin'", as I just don't find either one of them particularly catchy, especially when played alongside hook-laden tracks like "Somebody Save Me" or "Shake Me".  "Nobody's Fool" is a definite lighter-in-the-air ballad for these guys (who had several more on subsequent albums), and, as I alluded to earlier, I think "Night Songs" and "Back Home Again" are just monstrous bookends to this great album, with "Back Home Again" being one of the most underrated tracks in this band's catalog.

If fans of the New Wave of European Glam and Sleaze are looking for classic material from some of the best the scene had to offer back in the day, Cinderella's Night Songs is a disc that MUST be near the top of the search list.  Still readily available and generally very easy to find for under $10 on eBay or elsewhere, there is no reason not to have this gem in your collection...or in your stereo!

Rating:  Just about perfect for me, even with a couple of less-than-classic tracks.  Crank this sucker...repeatedly...to 8.5!

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ROYAL BLISS "Waiting Out The Storm"

(c) 2012 Air Castle Records

1. I Got This
2. Monster
3. Bleed My Soul
4. Wake Up
5. Singing For Our Lives
6. Crazy
7. With A Smile
8. I Will Catch You
9. Sunburn
10. For No One
11. High On Fire
12. Crazy (Rock Remix)

Neal Middleton--Vocals
Taylor Richards--Acoustic & Electric Guitars
Jake Smith--Drums & Percussion
Dwayne Crawford--Bass on "I Got This"
Tommy Mortensen--All other Bass Guitars
Chris Harding--Rhythm Guitar on all songs except "Sunburn"

Waiting Out The Storm is the latest album from Salt Lake City's Royal Bliss.  Royal Bliss is another one of those modern hard rock bands that seems to trip something within me and actually get me to sit up and pay attention, much like Hinder, Shinedown, Underride, and a small handful of others.  I'm not saying they sound anything like those bands, because they really don't; in fact if I was to compare Royal Bliss to anyone it would be my favorite modern rock band of all time, Fuel.  Much like Fuel, Royal Bliss has that special combination of powerful vocals, big guitars, strong, catchy hooks, and generally excellent songwriting, which creates the perfect mix for me and keeps me interested throughout the majority of the disc.  While not everything is a 100% hit here, there is nothing that is unlistenable or that makes me want to turn the disc off.

 Royal Bliss faced a bit of a challenge with this effort as former bass player Tommy Mortensen and guitar player Chris Harding are no longer with the group, although both appear on the majority of the new album.  I have no special insights, but perhaps these departures are part of the "storm" that the band was waiting out in the two years since their last album.  If so, then perhaps this album is that much better because of the adversity the band had to endure and overcome, as I think Waiting Out The Storm is a more concentrated, more cohesive sounding effort than Life In Between, which I thought was a generally solid album.  Additionally, I think the band has found a heavier edge to their sound on this disc, as is especially evident on tracks like album opener "I Got This" which features one of the best guitar solos on the disc as well as some tasty bass work from new member, Crawford.  "Monster" is another crunching moment on this new disc, and "Wake Up" is another great fist-pounding moment.  In the end, I think the attitude-laden tracks "With A Smile" and "For No One" may be the best of the rockers here and are two of the tracks I find myself coming back to repeatedly.

On the flip side, Royal Bliss makes sure to tone things down from time to time.  "I Will Catch You" is a very strong track here, but the single "Crazy", which is all over rock radio right now, is a bit of musical magic that shows the band in an even more toned-down, contemplative mood.  Written by Middleton about the hardships he suffers while on the road away from his wife and family, this is definitely one of the moments that I was talking about catching my attention and making me take notice.  It's a rare thing when a ballad is one of the first tracks I notice on a disc, especially one with some seriously rocking moments, but "Crazy" is just one of those special tracks.  That being said, I also really enjoy the rock remix of "Crazy", although no one should expect the song to stray too far from it's original sound.  There is a good deal more bite to the guitars on the rock remix, a bit more punch to the bottom end, but in the end, it's the vocals and lyrics that drive either version of "Crazy", so you can't go wrong with either version. 

Somewhere in the middle is the other song that grabbed me instantly.  The kind of off-the-beaten-path track "Bleed My Soul" is a semi-acoustic,  70's throwback number that has a hook and groove you will swear you have heard before, yet it doesn't scream rip-off like a lot of retro efforts drifting on the airwaves today.  This is a truly great summer-feeling song that I can imagine being played around bonfires on the beach at sundown.  Great stuff.

A couple of tracks don't work quite as well for me, although they are not terrible by any means.  The grungy "Sunburn" leaves me wanting a bit, probably because it doesn't really ever find a groove or hook that I can really grab a hold of.  "High On Fire" is a decent rocker, but it sounds too much to me like everything else on XM/Sirius Octane right now, and doesn't really establish its own musical identity, especially alongside some of the others here.  I don't hit the skip button or anything, but I also don't find this song getting stuck in my head like "Bleed My Soul" or "With A Smile".

For people who loved this band's sound on earlier tracks like ""We Did Nothing Wrong" or "Save Me", there is plenty to love about this newest effort.  For those who were looking for a bit more from an obviously talented band, Waiting Out The Storm will not disappoint you, either.  If you are looking for nothing but glam or sleaze, you are likely not going to be a fan of Royal Bliss, but if you are willing to expand your hard rock vocabulary to include some of the best modern rock available, check these guys out before the vast majority of the bands you hear on the radio today.

Rating:  Crank this to a 9.5 and prepare to be instantly hooked by "Bleed My Soul", "Crazy", and "With A Smile", among others.

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JACK RUSSELL "For You"

(c)2002 Knight Records, Inc.

1. Any Kinda Love
2. Whatever It Takes
3. Always
4. Don't Know Why
5. For You
6. The Best Is Yet To Come
7. Where The Wind Don't Blow
8. Paradise
9. No Time Left
10. If Not For Love
11. My Everything

Jack Russell--Lead & Backing Vocals

Bob Kulick--Guitars

Tony Levin--Bass

Billy Sherwood--Bass (Tracks 4 & 10), Backing Vocals

Vinnie Colaiuta--Drums

Michael Sherwood--Keyboards & String Arrangement

Jack Russell's second solo record away from Great White is a pretty stark departure in style from what fans have come to expect from the powerhouse vocalist.  The music on this disc is considerably more pop-oriented than just about anything Great White has done, and also far more pop-laden that Jack's first solo effort.  The possible exception would be some of the more mellow, smoother stuff on Sail Away or maybe the band's latest effort, Rising, although both of those albums at least retain some of the bluesy grit that became the band's post "Once Bitten, Twice Shy" sound.

If I had to categorize the music on this album, or throw out a name to compare with, I would have to say the recent, poppier Santana style would be close.  The guitars, played on this effort by Bob Kulick, are very smooth and distortion-free.  The solos, while present, are unspectacular and incredibly laid back, so that doesn't really fit the Santana comparison, I guess.

Jack's vocals are still very powerful and smooth, but the songs themselves are generally unspectacular.  "Any Kind Of Love" is a decent up-tempo number, and "The Best Is Yet To Come" holds its own fairly well, also.  The ballads, as might be expected, are pretty good, but again, don't hold the power or appeal of anything Great White has done, although "For You", the only single released from the album, does lend itself to repeated listens.  Other than this handful of songs, however, you get the feeling Jack was trying to be a bit more pop-oriented, maybe even adult-contemporary in places, and leaves most of his rocking side behind.  This is a shame as much of the material comes across as filler fluff as a result.

As with his previous solo effort, For You is long out of print from the tiny Knight Records label and is very hard to come by.  Again, this disc can easily fetch $30-$50, but I can honestly say that the collector in me sought this record out and not the music fan, because this is not what I would normally invest that kind of money in.  In fact, I DIDN'T invest that kind of money in it; I got it in a trade.  If you can find it cheap, go ahead and snag it for it's collector's value and to maybe spin once in a while.  There is also a CD-single out there for the title track for those collectors who, like me, are inclined to pick up such items.  Again, the single is incredibly rare, as I think it was only released as a radio promo item.

I realize there is not a lot said in this review, with less detail than I tend to give sometimes, but in all honesty, there is just not a lot more to say about this effort.  It has the feel of a singer who tried to change his style a bit but didn't really succeed in improving his sound or reflecting the successes he already had.  Not terrible, but not great, either...more bland than anything, really, which is a lot coming from a Great White fan of my caliber.

Rating:  Despite being a huge fan of Jack and Great White, I can't recommend doing anything more than rocking this at 5.5.

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JACK RUSSELL "Shelter Me"

(c)1996 Victor Entertaimnment Japan

1. Shelter Me
2. Take My Pain
3. Leave Me Lonely
4. Long Way To Go
5. Hey Bulldog
6. You'll Lose A Good Thing
7. 24/7
8. The Fault's All Mine
9. Roll With The Tide
10. Faith In You
11. Save Your Love
12. Shine On
13. When I Look Into Your Eyes

Jack Russell--Lead & Backing Vocals
Matthew Johnson--Lead Guitar & Backing Vocals
Michael Lardie--Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion, Harmonica, Banjo
Tim Bogert--Bass
Myron Grombacher--Drums

With the recent drama surrounding Great White, I thought now might be a good time to pull out Jack's solo material for a review in case folks want to hear some different music that at least sounds like Great White.  I'm sorry, but as possibly the biggest Great White fan you will ever meet, I can tell you that, no disrespect to Terry Illous, formerly of XYZ, Great White without Jack Russell is NOT Great White.  It is Jack's voice (and his songwriting) that makes this band for most people.  Granted, Mark Kendall's guitar is a huge part as well, but without Jack, I don't know how much interest I have in seeing Great White.  If I get the chance to see them live with Terry I will check them out and let you know...

Anyway...

Shelter Me is Jack's first solo album from 1996 when it seemed the band was pretty much at an end.  My copy is an import from Japan, which may be the only way to get it, since it is long out of print and rather difficult to find.  However, if you are a fan of Great White, I can honestly say it is well worth the effort to track it down.  This album is chock full of Great White-sounding songs including one remake "Save Your Love", and one that managed to be released as a Japanese bonus track on Can't Get There From Here ("Hey, Bulldog").  Add in Michael Lardie on rhythm guitar and keyboards, and it is actually pretty hard to separate this disc from any of the other solid, yet underappreciated, Great White discs of the 90's.  There really isn't much "hair" to the sound, just good, solid blues-based hard rock,

There are a couple of weaker tracks here, "The Fault's All Mine" comes to mind, but for the majority of the disc you get what you would expect from Jack...smokey ballads and foot-stomping rockers.  Among the best of the uptempo material is the previously mentioned, "Hey, Bulldog", "Shine On", "24/7", and the title track, "Shelter Me".  Of course, it is the blues-soaked ballads that Jack is best known for, and he doesn't disappoint here.  The semi-acoustic remake of "Save Your Love" is a nice surprise, as it is just Jack and a guitar (not even a drum on the track), which showcases Jack's powerful vocals all the more.  "When I Look In Your Eyes" is a bit more of a pop-styled ballad than most, but it is still solid and worth a listen.  "You'll Lose A Good Thing" is another smokey barroom ballad the likes of which Great White fans clamor for, especially at live shows.  In fact, that is one thing about Great White that I can say I have not really witnessed with other bands...the ballads garner as much, or more, attention as the rocking numbers do in concert.     

The packaging is full-fledged here, with complete lyrics included, both in English and Japanese, as is the norm with Japanese imports.  Of course, being the compulsive collector that I am, I had to make sure the Obi strip was included with this disc when I got it.

If you can find this disc, be prepared to pay in the range of $35-$50 most likely, which I know is pretty steep for the average listener.  However, if you are a fan of the band, the singer, or the style, there are not a lot of albums from this time frame that will satisfy your hunger for this type of music.  And if you are like me and just want some more solid Great White-esque material to enjoy, especially since it looks like the two touring versions of the band are not going to be settling their differences anytime soon, you could do a lot worse than finding this import effort.

Rating:  I may be biased, but I still say crank this to 8, especially if you are a fan of Great White discs like Let It Rock or Psycho City.

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SANTA CRUZ "Anthem For The Young And Restless"

(c) 2011 Independent Release

1. Over The Limit
2. Let's Get The Party Started
3. Anthems For The Young N The Restless
4. Don't Run Away
5. Hostile Shakedown
6. We're Aiming High

Archie--Vocals, Guitars

Johnny--Lead Guitars, Backing Vocals

Middy--Bass, Backing Vocals

Taz--Drums, Backing Vocals

About two years ago, or so, I received a demo/EP called Another Rush Of Adrenaline from this band from Finland that really piqued my interest.  They had a great look, a really good sound, and a small handful of decent, if not spectacular, songs.  I thought if they could manage to score a label deal somewhere and maybe get a hold of a big name producer they could put out a really solid album.  Well, Santa Cruz has returned with a new EP that kicks the teeth in on their demo...and they still have no record label, no big name producer, and virtually no distribution, which really sucks because this is an album that needs to be heard by fans of the big hair 80's.  This album actually made me rethink my Top 11 of 2011 as it wormed its way onto that list.  This is just a great, great album that is worth seeking out.

Lead vocalist, Archie, is going to remind a lot of people of a younger Sebastian Bach with his vocal approach, as he rips off some killer screams, evidenced on nearly all of the fist pounding, head banging numbers, but is also capable of employing an above average singing voice, as he shows on the more-mid-tempo-than-lighter-in-the-air ballad, "Don't Run Away".  He and Johnny, who started the band together in 2007, are a far above average guitar tandem and rip their way through these tracks with the skill and chops of people twice their age and experience.  As such, it is on the smoking uptempo numbers that Santa Cruz really shines, although even when they choose to slow things down they aren't too shabby, either.

From the very first riff of "Over The Limit", it should be obvious to most listeners that Santa Cruz is the real deal.  This is a band that is steeped in the glam and sleaze of Hollywood tradition from the late 80's, but they also mix in the flash and style of what I call the NWoEGaS (New Wave of European Glam and Sleaze).  I don't care if you are a fan of Faster Pussycat and Babylon AD or Pussy Sisster and Babylon Bombs, you are most likely going to be slamming your head and pounding your fists to "Anthems For The Young And Restless" or "Let's Get The Party Started".  After the slowest track, the previously mentioned "Don't Run Away", this album returns to the high octane stuff, although just a bit slower, though just as heavy and energetic.  The closing tracks are every bit as good as the first three, with "Hostile Shakedown"being a really strong hard rocker, and "We're Aiming High", also a top notch rocker, hopefull being an anthem of sorts for this band that really deserves some kind of label notice for their next effort.  

One piece of advice, however...I don't think this is the greatest CD to listen to while driving because you will soon find your foot clear through the floor doing about 110 m.p.h., as these songs just get you going that well.  Seriously, this is a ferocious little disc chock full of huge solos and monstrous, heavy riffs.  But to top it all of, you can't escape the power of Archie's wailing, screaming vocals that, in addition to the aforementioned Sebastian Bach, also remind me a lot of Kingpin/Shotgun Messiah when Zinny Zan was the vocalist...only with better overall guitar sound.

I have heard there is a 10 song version of this CD out somewhere, but I have never found it and have to wonder if it isn't a bootleg.  While I am not a fan of bootlegs, I can see why someone might try to bootleg this CD, because it is INCREDIBLY hard to find...and it is that dang good!  If I find out if the 10 song version is legit, I will be sure to pass on ordering info.  For now, however, the only place I know of to get this is from a Finnish site you can access here.  I have used this site myself, and have never had any problems, so I wouldn't hesitate to order this little gem.

Rating:  Crank this baby to 9, folks!  Let 'er rip!!!

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JAGUAR BLAZE "Jaguar Blaze"

(c) 2012 Purple Box Records

1. Wild N' Free
2. My Kind Of Woman
3. Losin' Myself (In Your Kiss)
4. Never Says Forever
5. Standin' Next To You
6. Streets On Fire
7. Days Gone By
8. Heartbreak Style
9. Into The Sun
10. Lonely Road

Ian Keith Hafner--EVERYTHING, including songwriting and production

Jaguar Blaze is yet another musical project from Static Fuse/Angry Little Freak main-man Ian Keith Hafner.  This latest effort finds Hafner exploring music in a similar vein as his Static Fuse project, but without the blatant Christian lyrics, although there are still several deeper spiritual moments on this record, just not on every track.  I have heard/read a few people comparing Jaguar Blaze to bands like Def Leppard, Skid Row, KISS, or Ratt, but I don't hear that at all (with one exception).  This music is far more blues-based than those bands with nowhere near the pomp of KISS or the pop of Def Leppard.  If you are into that grittier, mostly mid-tempo hard rock sound of the 1980's (not hair metal, but more guitar-driven hard rock), there is a lot to like about Jaguar Blaze.

This time around, Ian handles everything himself, from vocals to guitars, bass, and drums.  It is a massive undertaking, to be sure, and I think Hafner acquits himself pretty well for the most part.  His guitar skills have never been in question, at least to my ears, and the solo on album opener, "Wild N' Free" is a testament to that.  One of my personal faves from this album, "Streets On Fire", is another great 80's-inspired blues-based hard rocker with some great licks and a nice, catchy hook.  This is the kind of song that bands like Keel, Leatherwolf, Vyper (if you have heard them), and even early Great White were playing a couple decades ago.  The big budget production is obviously not there, which is most notable in the drum sound, but you can definitely hear bands such as those performing "Streets On Fire" or the equally rocking "Into The Sun" back in the day.  "Into The Sun" is another song that has a great guitar solo in it that I would LOVE to hear with a big production budget behind it.  The same can be said of album closer "Lonely Road", which is the one song that I would say does have a Ratt feel to the music, carrying a similar tone and feel to "Back For More" on the main guitar riff.  "Standing Next To You", on the other hand, has a truly classic rock feel that has a more late-70's feel than the rest of the album, at least to these ears. "Heartbreak Style" is another pretty cool mid-tempo rocker with a nice guitar-and-drum breakdown section right before a quick solo that leads right back into the chorus.

Vocally, I have to say that the way Ian uses his voice is eerily similar to Layne Staley of Alice In Chains at times, especially when he is providing his own backing vocals.  This is especially evident on "Into The Sun".  It is not this apparent throughout the entire album, and the music isn't grunge by any means, but I have to say the vocals, especially on the pre-chorus, FREAKED ME OUT!  I get that Ian's voice is not going to be everyone's cup of tea, and that's cool.  However, I do know that he has put a lot of effort into his vocals and there is a clear growth here, especially for people who are familiar with his earlier work.

The real downfall of this record, or any indy project for the most part, is always going to be in the production, as big, pounding drums and a really bright mix can cover up a lot of weakenesses in any band.  Don't believe me?  Remember some of the concerts you went to in your younger days when you asked, "is this the same band?!"  The guitars are a bit low in the mix in spots, and, as I stated before, there is a definite lack of a real drum presence here.  I am not sure if this is a programmed drum or not (I don't think it is), but just a beefed up bass drum would make a world of difference for a lot of listeners.  On the flip side, there is a certain charm in indy projects where it is just the artist, his instruments, and his talent on display without a bunch of wizardry on a mixing board to change the outcome of the product.   

A cool touch here is in the packaging.  The front insert is plastic, not paper, which I thought was pretty cool.  I don't think I have ever seen that before, and if I have, I don't know where.

Overall, Jaguar Blaze is likely to appeal to those who understand indy hard rock is not about overblown arena sounds but more about feel and attitude.  Is this my favorite album to come out so far in 2012?  Nope, but I wasn't expecting it to be, either.  It was exactly what I figured I would get...solid songwriting, above average guitars, much improved vocals, and a gritty, honest performance from a guy who works very hard at his craft.  Again, if you like the style and sound of his main band, Static Fuse, you are likely to find a LOT to like about Jaguar Blaze.

Rating:  Rock this to 6, which is pretty solid for an indy project such as this.

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VAN HALEN "III"

(c)1998 Warner Bros.

1. Neworld
2. Without You
3. One I Want
4. From Afar
5. Dirty Water Dog
6. Once
7. Fire In The Hole
8. Josephina
9. Year To The Day
10. Primary
11. Ballot Or The Bullet
12. How Many Say I

Eddie Van Halen--Guitars, Keyboards,Bass, Lead and Backing Vocals

Gary Cherone--Lead Vocals

Michael Anthony--Bass, Backing Vocals

Alex Van Halen--Drums, Backing Vocals

After getting a chance to live with the new Van Halen album, A Different Kind Of Truth for a while now, I thought I would dig into the band's back catalog a bit and review some of their older material.  Oddly, I chose to start with the band's least popular, most maligned album ever recorded, 3.  I will be the first to admit I disliked this album so much when I got it that I actually shelved it for probably two solid years.  To give myself the chance to write a true and honest review, I pulled it out again recently and gave it several spins and was extremely surprised to find that I don't hate this album nearly as much as I once thought.  I'm not going to say I love it...I don't even know that I would go so far as to say I like it very much...but I certainly don't hate it.

The more I have listened to it, the more it sounds like a natural progression from the Sammy Hagar years of the band.  Perhaps that's the problem I have always had with it; 3 sounds like Van Hagar album with Gary Cherone on vocals...doing his best Sammy Hagar impersonation.  I took me the better part of three years to accept Sammy as the new voice of Van Halen (I still don't care for much of the first three Van Hagar albums), but    by the time For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge and Balance rolled around, I really liked what the band was doing.  But when Sammy was out and it was teased that David Lee Roth would be back, I thought that would be a really great thing, as I love that version of the band.  When that fell apart and Cherone was chosen as the next vocalist, I have to say I was extremely (no pun intended) excited.  I LOVE the work Cherone did with Extreme and I thought he could bring a fresh sound and perhaps writing perspective to the band.  But it's like Gary was never given a chance to succeed.  It is really odd to hear the way Cherone approaches some of these songs because it doesn't even sound like him in several places.  Perhaps if Eddie had allowed Gary to sing like he does with Extreme this would have been a better album overall and would have been treated better by fans of the band.  My guess is yes, but obviously we will never know.

The sound of the album, musically, is not really all that different than the last two Hagar albums (Unlawful and Balance).  The songs alternate between guitar-driven hard rockers and more keyboard-laden ballads.  There are a couple of things that differentiate this album from anything else the band has done, however.  First, these songs have a definite alternative rock vibe to them at times, especially in the production.  The themes tend to be a bit darker, less, for a lack of a better term, hair band anthems about partying and chicks, and the fun sound of the DLR era is definitely gone by now.  Also, some of these songs run considerably longer than a lot of the older VH material, which again goes along with the more alternative vibe and darker themes.  One other thing that really sets this album apart is the fact that Eddie steps up to the mic as the lead singer on one track, which is also the most unusual track on the disc.  Album closer, "How Many Say I", is a piano-based acoustic ballad that is unlike anything Van Halen has tried in any other incarnation.  For my money, it's not a particularly great song and, well, let's just be glad that Eddie recognized his skill as a guitar player and has always had lead singers to handle the front-man spot.  The other big thing, at least for fans of the band, is the fact that Michael Anthony steps away from the group during this album, playing on only three songs, with Eddie handling the rest of the bass.  The bass playing isn't what is noticeable, but Anthony's vocal harmonies are missed, I think.  I'm not sure if it's coincidence or not, but the three songs Anthony plays on are also the three tracks that were released as singles from this album:  "Without You", "Fire In The Hole", and "One I Want".

Even after giving it another shot, and being prepared to admit it is not as horrible as I had initally categorized it as, the plain and simple fact is that 3 really isn't that memorable.  There are no classic hooks, no scorching solos, and no real  arena anthems like the band had been noted for throughout its history.  Maybe this was intentional; I don't know.  The three singles did chart fairly well, with all three going Top 30 on the rock charts, and "Without You" actually topped the rock charts for a few weeks in 1998.  Even with this success though, Van Halen chose to completely ignore this album when they released their career retrospective collection Best Of Both Worlds (maybe it's because they didn't have a song called "Best Of All Three Worlds"...).

The thing is, with the reunited Roth era lineup (minus Anthony, who continues to play with Sammy Hagar's band), and the excellent return disc A Different Kind of Truth, this album is going to slip farther and farther from people's mind, and maybe that's a reasonable thing to have happen.  As a co-worker friend of mine told me when we were talking about this album the other day, there is just nothing that connects people to this album.  The debate will likely rage for as long as people listen to hard rock over whether the Roth-era or the Hagar-era was the best span of time for one of the greatest hard rock bands in music history (we all know Roth is the answer, by the way).  But I highly doubt that Cherone's effort will ever even be mentioned in the debate.  Incidentally, there has been a rumor for many years now that Van Halen actually recorded a second album with Cherone but the horrible reviews and poor sales of 3 caused the band to shelve it.  Personally, I would hope that at some time that album might see the light of day, just to see if the band overcame the depths that most people think 3 took them down to.

Bottom line...3 isn't terrible, it just isn't memorable and Eddie sounds tired and like he is no longer having fun. I can say it won't be two or three years before I pull this out again, but I'm not going to be spinning it on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis, either.

Rating:  Turn this down to a 4.5, but consider pulling a couple of tracks off of it to put on your iPod or mp3 player to mix in with the other, classic material...and the new album, of course.

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VAN HALEN "A Different Kind Of Truth"

(c)2012 Interscope Records

1. Tattoo
2. She's The Woman
3. You And Your Blues
4. China Town
5. Blood And Fire
6. Bullethead
7. As Is
8. Honeybabysweetiedoll
9. The Trouble With Never
10. Outta Space
11. Stay Frosty
12. Big River
13. Beats Workin'

David Lee Roth--Lead Vocals

Eddie Van Halen--Lead Guitars, Keyboard, Backing Vocals

Alex Van Halen--Drums

Wolfgang Van Halen--Bass, Backing Vocals

Well, well, well...some things never cease to amaze me.  Let me start by saying this to all those who doubted...Van Halen is 100% back, folks, and considerably heavier than people probably suspected.  Anyone looking for one of the keyboard-driven ballads that became the standard fare for Van Halen in the Sammy Hagar-era will be sorely dissapointed as there is not even a single ballad on this entire guitar-smoking album.  For anyone who though David Lee Roth was washed up...think again.  For anyone who thought Eddie would never again be able to channel the guitar god that he was (rightfully) built up to be...you are proven wrong.  For anyone who doubted that Wolfgang would be able to live up to Michael Anthony's bass rumblings...you might find yourself surprised.  And for anyone who bought into Sammy's musings that the new VH album was unimpressive...well, I suggest you get it yourself and give it a spin because I am not entirely sure what the Red Rocker was listening to.  This is one smoking return to form for the once mighty Van Halen rock machine!

On this new offering, you get a real mix and match of things.  New album on new label with a new member.  Old songs (several were actually written more than 30 years ago), old (original) lead singer, and the old (classic) Van Halen sound.  A couple of things are missing, also.  Keyboards are a relegated to a supporting role again.  The big arena sound that Van Hagar (sorry, it had to be said) brought to the table has been stripped away and the classic, power-rock of the DLR pre-1984 era albums is back (come on, admit it...songs like "Jump", in particular, were heading in the direction of the Hagar stuff).

If you have been hesitant to give the album a chance after listening to the lead single, "Tattoo", I can kind of understand.  That track is NOT representative of the album as a whole, however.  In fact, "Tattoo" is actually one of the last songs I would have chosen as a single, although it is probably the closest to a Top 40 possibility.  This and "Honeybabysweetiedoll" are the two tracks that I would probably consider to be throwaways on this record, and neither is terrible.  In fact, I would probably encourage album buyers to put in the CD and IMMEDIATELY hit skip to track two and proceed from there and they will then be treated to some of the sonic magic that made Van Halen such a force in the late 1970's and early 80's.  Starting with "She's The Woman" and working throughout the rest of the first half of the album...and two-thirds of the second half...A Different Kind Of Truth reminds people of why this band was so great.  For me, it reminds me of the difference between a hard-rocker's view of the band (the Roth era) and the Top 40, mainstream view of the band (the Hagar era)...and, I guess, the disastrous near-end of the band (the Cherone experiment).  This is what Van Halen was supposed to sound like.  Eddie just tears up the fretboard throughout this album, resurrecting his signature sound and adding just a hint of modernness, mostly on the production end of things.   

As great as it is to hear Eddie shredding again, I have to say the biggest, most pleasant surprise for me was the return of David Lee Roth.  Not his return to the band, necessarily, but his return to being David Lee Roth!  This isn't the same guy that sounded so tired on much of his solo material.  This is the David Lee Roth that hinted at a resurrection with the track "Slam Dunk" on his DLR Band album...only to fall flat for so much of the rest of that disc.  While no one will ever claim that Diamond Dave was the greatest lead singer in the history of hard rock and metal, it is a VERY short list as far as the greatest front men in the history of the genre and many, myself included, put Dave at the top of that list.  This an album filled with songs that are going to slide perfectly into a live show packed with DLR-era hits, and nearly every one of these songs has the potential for Diamond Dave to turn it into a show-stopping spectacle. 

Okay, so now for the million dollar question for a lot of folks...does Wolfgang fill the shoes of Michael Anthony?  Does he belong in more than just his name?  My thoughts?  Definitely.  Wolfie is able to lock into a groove with Uncle Alex throughout the album, more than adequately filling in the backbeat of these tracks, some of which were written years before he was born.  It is obvious he has been versed in the classic Van Halen style and sound, and he more than holds his own.  Is he Michael Anthony?  No, of course not.  But for anyone who was waiting for him to fall flat...keep waiting.

On an album full of great songs, a few definitely stand out.  "Better Than Workin'" is one that instantly pops into my head, especially with it's "I could swear I have heard this hook before" sound, but it is not a rip-off of anything, including old Van Halen material...it just has that feel.  "Bullethead" is a MONSTER of a shredder.  "She's The Woman" and "Big River" are also excellent rockers, "China Town" has an insanely catchy hook, and one of my faves, "As Is" just reeks of the best that Van Halen had to offer back in the day.  Eddie's fretwork on that track, alone, recalls what was so great about those early Van Halen albums.  In fact, as I mentioned, if you abandon "Tattoo", which really isn't terrible, and the almost modern-sounding "Honeybabysweetiedoll", and you can get through "Stay Frosty" (which Van Hagar fans won't likely get, and "Ice Cream Man" fans will likely love), it's hard for me to think that fans of the early years will find anything to dislike. 

Is this the best Van Halen album ever, DLR, Hagar, or Cherone?  No.  It does not top Van Halen I, which I think would be virtually impossible to do.  It doesn't hold the across the board appeal of 1984, either, at least not yet; time may change that as I listen to it more.  I do put it ahead of Diver Down and Women And Children First, WAY ahead of Fair Warning, and probably slightly ahead of II also, largely because I think A Different Kind Of Truth is a more solid album all the way through.  Again, time will tell if any of these new tracks become the next "And The Cradle Will Rock" or "Dance The Night Away" or "Everybody Wants Some", which were key moments from those other early albums.  If this is the end for Van Halen as far as studio albums go, it is going to be a GREAT bookend to a legendary career, and is a far more fitting end than Van Halen III, or even the unfortunate reunion-that-never-reunited following the recording of the new tracks on the greatest hits album.  I truly hope it isn't, but if it is...what a great way to go out.

Rating:  Crank this...and I mean CRANK this...to a blistering 8.5 (a 9 without two very average tracks) and just pray that these rock gods have at least one more album of this quality in them before calling it a day.


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ONE MAN'S TRASH (featuring Jimi Jamison) "HIStory"

(c) 2011 As Is Records

1. Real Thing
2. The Restless Kind
3. Long Time
4. History
5. Meadowland
6. Lose My Mind
7. Through Your Eyes
8. She Shines
9. Out Of Control
10. Tears In My Eyes
11. The Restless Kind (acoustic)
12. History (Hotel-room version)

Jimi Jamison--Lead Vocals
Frank Zahl--Guitars
Beathoven--Keyboards, Backing Vocals
Timo von Kresslein--Bass, Backing Vocals
Heinzangel--Drums, Backing Vocals

Not long after it was reported that Jimi Jamison would be heading back to Survivor (again), I received this little CD by a band called One Man's Trash.  Now, I realize I put "featuring Jimi Jamison" on the title line, and not "featuring Jimi Jamison and Frank Zahl", but come on, be honest...do you have any clue who Frank Zahl is?  I didn't think so.  While Jimi rightfully deserves to be listed as one of the most powerful vocalists of the 1980's (and, in my opinion, in the history of melodic hard rock), nobody outside of Germany likely has any clue who Zahl is.  Well, for fans of solid melodic AOR-styled rock, that will change if people track this CD down.

Zahl, it turns out, is a pretty solid songwritier who also plays guitar on this album.  He is not a fretboards-blazing type of player as much as he is a tasteful, laid-back, smooth melodic player that can rock a nice solo when he wants to, but is content to sit back and let the writing and musicianship of the entire project take center stage.  Granted, it's going to be tough for this project to be viewed as anything more than a vehicle for Jamison's smooth-as-silk delivery, but that's okay.  If it is Jamison that brings people to the party then there are a lot of people who are likely to leave that party fairly happy.  Not ecstatic, but probably smiling a bit and feeling a bit warm inside.

This is not a metal album by any stretch; heck, a lot of people might question if it is even a hard rock album for much of the record.  In fact, never does it even touch the hardest sounds that Survivor released.  There are no "Eye Of The Tiger" or "Burning Heart" moments to be found here.  I would categorize this more in the vein of Survivor's...or Journey's....or Foreigner's....more middle-of-the-road rockers, radio friendly but with just the hint of an edge that will keep the rocker in you happy.  Fan's of Jimi's solo work are definitely going to find a lot to like here, I think, as this is pretty much the style and sound of One Man's Trash...up-tempo melodic rockers that have that classic rock feel, never really reaching the arena rock style of Survivor. 

The album starts off with one of the harder-edged tracks, "Real Thing", which then leads into one of my two favorite tracks, "The Restless Kind", which has the most Survivor-like feel to it with a rocking guitar lick and the keyboards playing a supporting role in the background.   "Lose My Mind" falls into that Survivor-rock camp as well and features a voice-box guitar intro before settling into a solid classic rock rhythm with some understated keys and a nice, melodic guitar solo.  The title track, "History" has a big drum intro, a nice opening guitar lick, an above average, rocking solo at the end of the track, and some huge harmony vocals on the "whoa's" of the chorus that will have arena rockers from the 80's grinning from ear to ear.  It's not a hard rocker on this disc, but I'm betting that in a live setting it bumps up the rock factor just a bit.  "Out Of Control" is my other favorite here and showcases Zahl letting loose on the guitar on this song, which is the truest hard-rocker on the disc.  The main riff is AC/DC-styled three-chord rock, but neither Johnson or Scott can hold a vocal torch to Jamison's stellar pipes.  Zahl has a tasty but TINY solo in this one (come on, Frank...let it rip!!!) that just begs to be extended by even fifteen or twenty seconds.  "Tears In My Eyes" is more of a mid-tempo rocker, despite it's ballad-sounding title, and is another one of the strongest tracks here. 

There are a couple of more down-tempo numbers here, and while they are good musically, I have to say that they are distractions for me.  "Meadowlands", to be truly honest, is actually almost boring during the verses, although the chorus picks things up a bit.  It seems like the band is trying out a sort of 90's-era Bon Jovi sound...you know, when they went all pop-schlock sounding on us like on the weakest moments of Keep The Faith or These Days.  "She Shines" has a roadhouse stomp kind of country sound made popular by the pop-country crossover band Restless Heart, and the big ballad here, "Through Your Eyes" REEKS of that same country act.  Not bad songs, really, but they will turn off the sleaze and hair metal fans of this site, for sure.

The last two tracks on the disc are reworks of previous tracks.  There's really no reason for an acoustic version of "The Restless Kind", as the rock is removed from this track which, when stripped down, becomes nothing more than Jimi and an acoustic guitar.  The "hotel room" version of the title track is, once again, simply an acoustic rendering that does nothing to improve upon the main version of what is really a pretty good rocker.   

Overall, I was nicely surprised by most of the music here, at least as far as the songwriting goes.  I was not surprised by the strength of Jamison's vocals, as he sounds pretty much like he always does, which is a great thing.  I just wish more time was spent in the style of the title track, "Out Of Control" or "The Restless Kind", with a few less mid-tempo or slower tracks.  Would I recommend this album to my friends?  Depends on their preferences musically.  If they are of the glam, sleaze, or hair metal ilk, then no.  If they are more into the arena rock, AOR, melodic hard rock style of the 80's, then by all means.  It is a solid effort by a band that I have a strong suspicion is a one-and-done project, at least with Jamison on vocals.

If you want to hear it before you buy it, I believe most of the album streams on a player on the band's site here.

Rating:  Rock this to a nice 6.5.

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ABSYNTH AURA "Unbreakable"

(c) 2011 logic(il)logic Records

1. Believe Me
2. Desert Flower
3. That's Why You Die
4. Smile
5. Understand My Fight
6. Looking For The One
7. Life
8. Fire In My Eyes
9. Will Is Power
10. Unbreakable
11. Zombie

Claudia "Klod" Saponi--Vocals, Keyboards
Michelle "Dr. Viossy" Vionni--Guitars
Giorgio "JT" Terenziani--Bass
Marco "Mark" Renzi--Drums

Absynth Aura is a female fronted band from Italy that really has more in common with modern hard rock bands like Disturbed than they do the vast majority of bands found on this review site.   Lacuna Coil, who also hails from Italy, by the way, would be another obvious comparison if you want to take the female lead vocals into consideration when drawing a comparison, and I am sure Evanescence is use by many to describe the Absynth Aura sound.  While there are elements of all of these bands in a song or two, Absynth Aura really strikes me as more, due largely to their intricate song structures and much more distinct guitar sound throughout this album.  Dark and moody at times, generally pretty heavy, and also rather complex on several occasions, the music found on Unbreakable is not what a lot of followers of Glitter2Gutter are accustomed to seeking out.  However, the band possesses an undeniable sense of melody that a lot of modern bands are missing, and there is a definite level of musical talent found in this band that is not present in a lot of others.   

On the opening track of this album, I have to admit that I thought Absynth Aura was pretty much in-line with every other modern hard rock band out there now, trying to go for that downtuned, chugging sound that Disturbed took to the top of the modern rock charts so many times, and that bands such as Shinedown molded with a bit more melody in places.  "Believe Me" is a track that, had Klod's vocals not kicked in, could have easily been mistaken for something off of the last two Disturbed discs as far as the style and sound of the guitars. But by the time that song ends and "Desert Flower" kicks in, it should be obvious to the listener that something is different here, and it isn't just Klod's enormously powerful vocals.  Vioni's guitar skills really come screaming through on this track, as the full scope of Absynth Aura's sound can be appreciated starting here.  In fact, if I had my choice, "Believe Me" would have been buried somewhere down in the tracklisting, as it is not really representative of the overall sound of the band.

Complexity abounds on this album, with tracks like "That's Why You Die" and "Unbreakable" both showing some incredible musicianship and songwriting depth. The same can be said of the aggressive "Understand My Fight", which I think is one of the stand out tracks on this album.  The band can do a lot with a less aggressive, less pounding song as well, however.  "Smile" is a track that stands out because of the pop-styled nature of its arrangement and the power which Klod delivers the vocals with.   There is also a soaring, melodic guitar solo on this extremely radio-friendly track.  "Life" is a nice bottom-heavy, groove-filled mid-tempo number that lets Klod stretch her vocal style just a bit.  Album closer, "Zombie" is, as you may have predicted, a cover of the Cranberries song.  Klod's voice fits this track very well but Absynth Aura brings an overall heaviness to the track that was lacking in the original with some furious guitar work that absolutely buries anything the Cranberries did with the song.  I find myself actually liking this version of the song, which is NOT something I can say about the original.

Not everything works 100% of the time.  For example, "Looking For The One" is a big ballad, filled with piano and powerful vocals, but this song falls flat to me compared to "Smile".  It lacks any kind of heft to its sound and really sticks out.   "Fire In My Eyes" has some great musical moments to it, but it is a bit forgettable as it sounds like a lot of other songs that find their way onto modern hard rock stations or Sirius/XM satelite radio.  These couple of misses aside, this is a great record filled with some very powerful musical moments and I think Absynth Aura is a band that people in the modern hard rock world should plan on hearing a LOT about in the near future.  Unbreakable is an album well worth tracking down, even if you are not part of the Disturbed, Lacuna Coil, Evanescence crowd.

Rating:  Crank this to a surprisingly good 7!

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DR. FREAK & MR. 4 "Rock N Roll Brotherhood"

(c) 2012 logic(il)logic Records

1. Rock N Roll Brotherhood
2. Occasional Lover
3. Love After Death
4. Farewell To My Muse
5. Jumpin' Again
6. I'll Never Forget
7. Destination L.A.
8. Masters Of Aesthetics
9. Your Words, Your Air, Your Day

Dr. Freak--Vocals, Guitars

Mr. 4--Bass, Lead and Backing Vocals

The information in the press release for this album is fairly sketchy about who plays what on this album, but what is known for sure is that Dr. Freak and Mr. 4 are the singer and bass player, repsectively, of the sleaze/horror punk band Superhorrorfuck.  For fans of that band, don't anticipate picking this record up and hearing a SHF album, however, because despite the fact that Dr. Freak's voice is the same as in Superhorrorfuck, low and growling, sounding like he just gargled with shards of glass, there is very little else that will remind of SHF.  This is especially true when Mr. Four steps up to the microphone to offer his own vocal stylings on a handful of songs here; in these moments, there is virtually nothing reminiscent of SHF at all.  

Musically, this project is more in the straight-up hard rock and sleaze vein with less punk added to the overall sound, although there are still moments that the frantic pace of Rock N Roll Brotherhood blurs the lines between the full-time band and this side project.  The press releases states, "Rock N Roll Brotherhood will show a new and intimate side of the two musicians, linked to their former life, experiencing an electro-glam rock trend, with forays into pop...".   Ummm...okay...whatever the heck that is supposed to mean.  Sure, there are a couple of tracks that bear more than a passing resemblence to an SHF song.  The title track, "Rock N Roll Brotherhood" is definitely a punked-up sleaze affair that I think was put at the front of the record to kind of ease listeners into this disc.  "Destination L.A." is another tune that carries enough punkish attitude in its style that no one is going to be shocked to hear it included here, although it is far from my favorite track here.  Beyond those tracks, however, I will say there are several songs on this album that would never find their way onto a Superhorrorfuck record.  Such a moment is the ballad, "Farewell To My Muse".  While, lyrically, it still deals with some rather dark subject matter, musically it is far more radio-friendly than anything these guys have released before, actually showing a sense of melody and style that would have placed it firmly in power ballad territory if this was 1991.  "Love After Death" is pure 80's/90's MTV-era hard rock with a simple chord structure and a hooky chorus.  "Jumping Again" is another very 80's sounding track, at least musically, with big drums, a nice guitar hook, and some slick production; Dr. Freak's vocals set it apart from anything you heard in the 80's however, with the exception of some of the stuff you heard from Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction.  Album closer, "Your Words, Your Air, Your Day", on the other hand, drifts into some electro-pop sounds, especially in the looped drums and keyboard usage, that I have a hard time picturing the members of SHF ever listening to, let alone playing!  Mr. 4 handles lead vocals on this song as well, which gives the track a distinctively different feel than anything recorded by his primary band.  

A couple of tracks really don't go anywhere for me on this effort.  Despite the name, the previously mentioned "Destination L.A." really doesn't have anything in common with the L.A. music scene as far as style and sound goes. "I'll Never Forget", ironically, does nothing to make it memorable, so I am pretty sure I will forget this track the second I take the disc out of my player.  And "Masters Of Aesthetics"....well, I just don't get it.  It seems like a decent enough rocker, but it incorporates these weird keyboard in the background that are just annoying as sin, and the lyrics seem tied to pretty much nothing in particular.  Just an odd, odd song.... 

So what do we really have here?  Well, for me, it was easier to absorb this album on its own merits when I didn't keep refering back to Superhorrorfuck, as there is really very little in common between projects other than a couple of band members.  To be fair, when Rock N Roll Brotherhood is at its peak, I like it a lot more than anything SHF has released as it is not so punked up that it loses its sense of melody.  Unfortunately, this album comes of as being rather disjointed, jumping from style to style so frequently that it sounds more like a compilation album of studio outtakes than a true project album.  That makes it rather distracting and difficult to just sit down and listen to, at least for me, as there is no flow to the record at all.  I guess it says something when my favorite track on the entire album is one that has as much in common with the 80's New Wave sound as it does with glam or sleaze.  To say that I am disappointed would be an understatement, as I was really hoping for the best elements of Superhorrorfuck here, not the most unusual and mismatched.

Rating:  Unless you are a hardcore Superhorrorfuck fan, I'd recommend turning this mish-mash down to a non-intrusive 4.5, pulling out the things you really like and skipping over the rest.

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TWISTED SISTER "A Twisted Christmas"

(c)2006 Razor & Tie

1. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
2. Oh Come All Ye Faithful
3. White Christmas
4. I'll Be Home For Christmas
5. Silver Bells
6. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
7. Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow
8. Deck The Halls
9. The Christmas Song
10. Heavy Metal Christmas
11. Untitled

Dee Snider--Lead Vocals
JJ French--Guitar, Backing Vocals
Eddie Ojeda--Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mark "The Animal" Mendoza--Bass, Backing Vocals
A.J. Pero--Drums, Percussion

As a general rule, I have a hard time with Christmas albums that are recorded by established acts.  They come off as little more than a cash-grab and are usually not very good, not very original, and not worth the time.  When I saw that Twisted Sister, a band which I have always loved, was putting out a Christmas album, I was greatly concerned, to put it lightly.  After fighting back some stomach problems, serious eye-rolling, and at least one anxiety attack, I picked the disc up and took it home.

I have to admit, I'm pretty glad I did.

Twisted Sister does not sacrifice who they are on this Christmas album in any way, shape, or form.  In fact, if you don't recognize the more than passing resemblence of "Oh Come All Ye Faithful" to "We're Not Gonna Take It", you either aren't a Twisted Sister fan or you are so oblivious to music I don't really know why you are reading this review.  There is also a very similar riff in "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" to the Judas Priest classic, "You've Got Another Thing Coming".  Both tracks rock very hard, especially when you remember they are Christmas tunes, and there are not a lot of little old ladies in nursing homes who are gonna slap this disc into their player to warm the hearts of their fellow residents around the holidays!  "Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow" is another furious rocking number the way TS performs it, even with the jingle bells that are tossed in for good measure.  "Deck The Halls" has a big, gang-shouted "fa la la la la" chorus and a ripping guitar solo, and the traditional "Twelve Days of Christmas" is given a Twisted make-over and is turned into the "Heavy Metal Christmas" song with some pretty funny lyrics, although I am sure many purists will not find the humor in them that I do.  I even found myself liking the power ballad-esque "i'll Be Home For Christmas" featuring a duet with Lita Ford.  Musically, this song once again hearkens back to a Twisted classic, feeling very much like "The Price" at times, especially on the intro.  Ford's voice is rather strong here, and is in much better form than she would be later on her God-awful Wicked Wonderland comeback album (more on that in another review...).

Not everything works overly well, which I suppose is to be expected.  Album opener "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" had me VERY worried when I heard it, as it doesn't rock at all and sounds like a bad lounge act performance for the first minute or so.  It does kick in a bit after that, although it would have been better being buried lower on the tracklisting, but that intro had me shivering and shaking and I wasn't out in the cold.    "The Christmas Song" (better known to some as "Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire") is okay, but not great as it is just too slow for the most part. 

The album closes with what sounds to me like a radio drop-in for the holidays with people chanting "we wish you a Twisted Christmas and a Twisted New Year".

As far as pure Christmas albums go, most people are not going to like this a whole lot.  As far as a great hard rock album, most people are not going to be able to do much with it.  As far as a great hard rock Christmas album, I think Twisted Sister has managed to record one of the best out there, although Trans-Siberian Orchestra has NOTHING to worry about!

Rating:  Why rate it?  It's a Christmas album!  Just get it and enjoy it annually!

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ROXX "Diamonds & Rust"

(c) 2002 Perris Records

1. Breakdown
2. Better Off Dead
3. Too Little Too Late
4. Rockin' The City
5. Lickity Split
6. Rock Stead
7. Puss N Boots
8. Hot Sweet
9. A Girl Like You
10. Ruff Stuff
11. Deep In The Night
12. Kidz Rock
13. For You

George "Roxi" Hall--Lead Vocals
Fanky Novello--Guitar, Vocals
Marko Soccoli--Drums, Samples, Vocals
Mark Skovran--Bass, Vocals
Randy Ferri--Guitars, Vocals

Roxx is another one of those "woulda, coulda, shoulda" bands from the 1980's that not a lot of people have hear of unless they were living the scene at the time.  However, despite their looks and sound, the scene for Roxx was New York City rather than Hollywood.  These guys referred to their music as "bump and grind sex rock" and listed Aerosmith and KISS as their major influences, although neither plays prominently in the sound of the band.  (The band did take their name, Roxx, from the Aersomith album Rocks, although obviously with a re-spelling.)  I would say their sound is more akin to early Motley Crue (Too Fast For Love-era) blended with bits and pieces of Faster Pussycat and Ratt, mixing equal parts sleaze and glam to their sound, similar to a band like Kix, whose album Midnight Dynamite record is referred to as "the soundtrack of our lives..". 

This disc is comprised of demos that were recorded between 1985 and 1989, and while the majority of the songs are very good, the sound quality varies with the source it was taken from.  This is too bad, as a couple of tracks REALLY suffer in the quality department.  It would have been great to see Perris really step up and sink some money into properly remastering all of these songs and perhaps working a bit longer to find better source material.  Regardless, this collection has several high points along with a handful of lows as far as the songs themselves go.

Before getting directly into the songs, one thing of note here is the talent of the drummer, Marko Soccoli.  This guy was a machine gun behind the kit, pulling off some blistering fills and smoking double bass kicks that many thrash metal drummers only wish they could manage.  I was seriously awed by his skill from the very first time I put this album in, and right from track one, "Breakdown", his skills are on display.  Speaking of "Breakdown", this is an excellent example of this band's talent, as this is one smoking song, kicking off with a sampled motorcycle engine and ripping immediatley into a ferocious guitar riff.  It is on songs like this that the raw sounds of early Motley Crue really come to mind.  The follow-up, "Better Off Dead" is a bit more melodic, a bit more "hairy" in sound, but it is still a really good song that just reeks of 1986 or 1987, with Roxi sounding to me like a mixture of CJ Snare from Firehouse and Taime Downe from Faster Pussycat.  "Too Little Too Late" slips even further into radio-ready melodic territory, especially on the backing vocals which remind me of Enuff Z'Nuff as much as anyone.  "Rockin' The City" has some odd guitar effects being used on it, but is a more high-energy, sleazier feeling song. which is where the band is at their best.  This, however, is an example of a track that suffers a bit due to the tape source, as it is a bit hollow sounding and the mix is just a bit weak. 

"Lickity Split" is a song that took me a few listens to before I could say I appreciated it at all.  It has a definite boogie-woogie feel to the music and I can see women in poodle skirts dancing with guys in leather jackets, t-shirts and jeans, a la Grease, especially when the horn section and do-wop sounding backing vocals flare up in the chorus.  I still can't say I LOVE the song, and I have a hard time imagining the band pulling this song off live, but I think it would have been a fun filler track on a studio album and it is perfomed pretty well. 

"Rock Steady" gets things back on track and features some nice bass work by Novello.  "Puss N Boots" is another song that obviously comes from a bit weaker source tape, but is another good song with Roxi really sounding like Vince Neil here, especially on his screams.  The way the lyrics are strung together also is very reminiscent of early Crue for me. 

From this point on, the CD loses a bit of interest for me, as I am almost positive that the next four songs are very early material that is nowhere near the songwriting quality as the first half of the disc.  For example, "Hot Sweet", which is another song with serious Vince Neil/Motley Crue sounds to it, has some pretty dumb lyrics and no real hook.  Therehere is also some slight tape warble about 1:20 into the track, which is a bit distracting.  "A Girl Like You" isn't terrible but would never be categorized as anything more than filler.  It comes off like a masterpiece, however, compared to "Ruff Stuff".."Ruff Stuff" is just about unlistenable, to be honest, with a FULL MINUTE LONG spoken intro and a very garage sounding recording with a "chugga-chugga-chugga" rhythm that goes nowhere.  I'm betting this is an early song for the band because it is not at all representative of the best stuff Roxx put out.  Additionally, there is again some tape wear problems on the source tape and you can literally hear the song fade in and out as far as sound quality goes.  Total skip material here.  "Deep In The Night" gets things headed back in the right direction, although again I am guessing this is an earlier effort as it is not as catchy as the first 6 or 7 tracks are.  The band was obviously experimenting with reverb and echo on the vocal tracks which is a tad bit annoying but it doesn't ruin the song. 

"Kidz Rock" is the glammiest sounding track on the disc, but it is a really good effort until about 2:40 in the song when Roxi tries to do some spoke riffing over the looped chorus.  It's not that the spoken part is bad, it's just mixed so out front it is slightly distorted and sounds like it was added as an afterthought.  The track would have benefitted from this part being left off.

"For You" closes things out and is the band's only attempt at a ballad, although I am not sure ballad is the right term.  We have some keyboards of some sort being played and Roxi singing, but nothing else...no drums, no bass, no guitars.  It's a really odd song and I'm glad it's at the end as I skip it every time unless I just have the CD in a mix or on in the background.      

The packaging is made up of two pages of band history written by bass player Franky Novello, and several pictures of flyers, ticket stubs, a band promo picture, and what appears to be a drum endorsement photo for Soccoli (which I could totally believe...the dude is WICKED on the skins!), and is generally well done.  There are individual head shots of the band members on the back and a full band shot under the clear disc tray.  No lyrics are included.  The website, www.roxxnyc.com, that is listed in the notes appears to be a dead link, and very little can be found on-line about this band, it seems.

Overall, this is about a 60/40 mix of really good to great music mixed with not-so-good to downright awful.  That being said, it is a nice collection that really shows a band that held a lot of promise but one that perhaps would have benefitted from not being so  stubborn and maybe trying to hit the Hollywood scene (Novello admits in the liner notes that the band was determined to make it in New York and not California.  Wrong choice perhaps...)

Rating:  Very hit and miss at times, so overall I would rock this at 6.5.  Still worth checking into if you can find it at a good price as the good parts outweigh the bad.

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