Retro Reviews - January 2024!

Alright, now that the Top 5 of 2023 is behind me, I can focus on looking ahead, which means more classic rock and metal?  Like I said before, I'm going to be splitting my reviews between classic and new albums, and this will be first of the former.  Of course, I have more Anniversary Articles ahead of me, the first being for 1974, so I've got a handful from that year as well.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

Trouble - The Skull

Trouble is often considered one of the pioneers of the doom metal subgenre.  When I heard their first album, it felt like a standard small label traditional metal release.  However, the doom really comes out on The Skull.  Many of these songs were being worked for quite a while before they recorded them here, but they come together quite well to make a solid, if clunky, album.

The production is actually pretty clean, not really having the thickness often associated with doom, so it feels a bit stripped down.  But the riffs are certainly there, and Eric Wagner's haunted singing helps to bring the atmosphere along with the slower tempos.  However, I don't know if this really made me think of the likes of Candlemass so much as it did early Savatage, but that might be because Wagner's voice has a charismatic grit that feels similar to Jon Oliva.  As for the songs, they shake things up quite a bit around their chunky sound.  While they bring out some great, slow riffs and melodies, they are often broken up with some mixed-meter riffing and tempo changes.  Some of it works, but at times, it does feel like they just decided to throw in the odd section for its own sake.

Still, I enjoyed listening to it, as it does create it's own vibe quite well, and the solos are diverse, going back and forth between melodic and shreddy.  While it may be a bit long, "The Wish" was certainly interesting, especially when the chorus finally comes, it makes me think of Metal Church's first album.  "Wickedness of Man" has some interesting change-ups in their formula, and "Gideon" is weirdly uplifting, which isn't typical for doom.  Some of the biblical themes might be off-putting (though I wasn't bothered), but they mostly fit their sound and don't come across as preachy so much as yearning to make sense of life.  In any case, it's certainly a doom metal classic, and while I think later bands would make improvements to the style, this was definitely a significant step forward in helping to define the genre.

Boston - Third Stage

Boston is one of those bands that feels like they blew up and then just fell off the face of the earth (though there are good reasons for that).  Their first album is a classic rock masterpiece and their second was a decent follow up (though maybe a little lackluster), but then they got embroiled in legal drama and other setbacks, pushing their third album to 1986.  While I had heard "Amanda" on the radio before, I figured I should finally check out the rest of the album, only to discover that they've really drifted into AOR, with a lot of power ballads.

That's not to say this is a bad album.  There are plenty of solid moments, featuring their iconic vocal harmonies and dual guitar melodies.  However, I can tell that they've lost a step.  I know that the lineup changed, with only singer Delp and guitarist/writer Scholz the main ones still around, but it seems the bright, energetic spirit of the first album is a distant memory in favor for stadium filling soft rock anthems.  I know it's the 80s, but I think I would have liked to hear the band get back to their proggy, 70s flourishes that made them such a big deal when they debuted.  Sure, they do some instrumental sections with transitions, and the album does flow well, but it's hard not to feel like this is "diet Boston."

Uriah Heep - Wonderworld

Can you believe I'm already on their seventh album?  (You can check out the Uriah Heep tag to see my reviews of the other sixth.)  Anyways, they really are just doing more of the same, though I suppose there is less of a fantastical feel to what they're doing.  Still, they maintain their Vanilla Fudge/Deep Purple inspired sound for another set of songs, though I admit these albums are starting to blend together a little.

Still, there are a few stand out moments.  "Something or Nothing" feels like a callback to "Easy Livin'," and "Dreams" even references "Sweet Freedom" from the last album.  However, what caught my attention the most was "Suicidal Man," with its aggressive, proto-metal riffing!  I'm not sure what the band was going through to write that one, but it's definitely one of the darkest songs I've heard them do so far.  Otherwise, the rest of the album is some solid rocking, though I did think "The Easy Road" was kinda cheesy, and the bluesy stop of "I Won't Mind" got repetitive.  I know this band is one of the unsung heroes of the 70s, but it's hard not to feel like most of this album is more of the same.

Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties

Once again, I'm giving the Cult another shot by checking out their third album.  Interestingly, the lyrics were all written by guests, but they're just as weird as anything else they've done.  I don't know if I would have noticed if I hadn't looked it up.  Musically, compared to their first two, this one definitely sticks to a stronger blues-rock core, without as much deviation.

Most of this definitely feels like leftover 60s psychedelia with some 70s rock techniques and noodles.  I admit most of the album didn't really click.  Most of the middle tracks felt like weirdness for its own sake, which is not always easy for to get into.  I will say that "Career of Evil" was kinda fun, like if a Bond villain was in a musical.  However, at the end of the album, things really picked up.  "Harvest of Eyes" had an interesting 6/8 blues groove, "Flaming Telepaths" had a decent chorus and some good synth work, and "Astronomy" was a solid closer, starting off moody then building and dropping a few times before getting to the big ending.  (Of course, I was familiar with the last song due to Metallica's cover, but I can definitely see why they covered it, as it matches their sense of moodiness.)  So, after some middling rock songs, the album ends pretty well!  I don't know if I've quite gotten on board with this band, yet, but some of the potential they showed earlier is starting to show up.

Scorpions - Fly to the Rainbow

As I mentioned in my review of their first album, the Scorpions broke up only to reform around Uli Jon Roth's Dawn Road.  With only Klaus Meine and Rudolf Schenker carrying over, this album definitely has a different sound, one that is much more stripped down to some pretty straight-ahead 70s rock.  While Roth's guitar work is pretty incredible, both getting in some shredding as well as some melodic solos, the album really just plods along, keeping things relatively basic.

There is still a bit of a hippie flair to things, especially with the hammond organs in the background, but the psychedelic spacey elements are replaced with a lot of guitar solos, which are good, but does make the songs stand out less.  Part of the problem is that they tend to be kinda repetitive, repeating a lot of ideas.  I did pick up on a bit of a prog rock influence, as a few sections made me think of early Yes or classic Pink Floyd.  The nine-minute closer "Fly to the Rainbow" has a lot of these elements pulled together into one song, and is probably the best song on the album.  If there is one thing that's consistent with the first album, it's Klaus Meine's vocals, as he sounds great here again (though he curiously shares lead vocals with the guitarists on some of the songs).  While it's a step closer to the sound they would be best known for, I do think this one is pretty drab compared to the debut album as I felt Lonesome Crow had a lot more going on with its songwriting.

Anniversary Series - 1978!

It's time for another article to celebrate an iconic year in rock history.  1978 is definitely a dynamic year.  While competing with the explosion of disco (which I actually don't mind, honestly), bands found all kinds of new ways to rock.  Between the growing arena rock scene, the fading prog rock scene, and metal at a pivotal turning point, the year provides all kinds of exciting music!

The year started off with Journey introducing the world to the voice of Steve Perry with Infinity.  Bolstered by the big hits "Lights" and "Wheel in the Sky," the band evolved from their jazz-fusion roots into the rock radio scene with confidence.  Hard rock would continue to dominate the first part of the year, with AC/DC putting out Powerage, Joe Walsh's eclectic "Life's Been Good," and Van Halen's debut "erupting" on the scene, providing the hits "Ain't Talking  'Bout Love" and their cover of "You Really Got Me," and essentially rewriting the electric guitar playbook for at least 10 years.

Moving into the spring, the rock parade continues with The Cars iconic debut album, Dire Straits releasing "Sultans of Swing," and Rainbow proclaiming Long Live Rock 'n' Roll, with "Kill the King" and "Gates of Babylon" continuing to show the strengths of the Dio and Blackmore combination.  However, the biggest album was Foreigner's Double Vision, which had three massive hits in "Hot Blooded," "Blue Morning, Blue Day," and "Double Vision," all of which are classic rock station staples to this day.

Progressive rock would go through quite the transition this year.  Genesis would morph their streamlined sound into something more poppy and accessible, finding success with "Follow You Follow Me."  Yes would also release a stripped down effort with Tormato, strange album art and all.  However, concept albums were not lacking.  The Alan Parsons Project would look to Egypt for ideas with their concept album Pyramid, and Jeff Wayne would unleash his version of The War of the Worlds.  In the midst of all this, Rush put out Hemispheres, being one of the few bands at the time willing to push deeper into their sound.

Heavy metal was also going through changes.  Despite the confident title, Black Sabbath's Never Say Die! sounded like a last, desperate gasp for the genre.  However, Judas Priest carried on unperturbed, as they released two albums within the calendar year.  Stained Glass provided the "Exciter," while Killing Machine inspired metalheads the world over to be "Hell Bent for Leather."  The power of these releases would help to inspire the rebirth that is the New Wave of British Heavy Metal to suddenly pick up in the subsequent years.

Wrapping things up, the rest of the year featured some great, anthemic rockers.  The Who showed their veteran strength by demanding "Who Are You," Toto debuted their self-titled album and asked us to "Hold the Line," Boston followed up their incredible first album with Don't Look Back, and Styx released Pieces of Eight, a solid follow-up to The Grand Illusion.  Featuring big hits like "Blue Collar Man," "Queen of Spades," and the iconic "Renegade," they rocked stadiums and jukeboxes across the country, and continue to do so on classic rock stations around the world along with Foreigner.

With a year of plenty great rock and metal to listen to, this ends up being one of the strongest years I've had to write about.  As always, check out the playlist below for more, and let me know if I've missed anything you think should be mentioned!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1986!

Yup, time for another anniversary article.  1986 is definitely a peculiar year, as rock and metal were evolving in a lot of directions by now.  Still, plenty of great songs and albums came out, so let's take a look.

Starting off, we have Ozzy himself, carrying on his solo career with The Ultimate Sin.  Featuring the big hit "Shot in the Dark" (not to be confused with the Great White album of the same name that also came out this year), it would also be the last Ozzy album to feature the fretwork of Jake E. Lee.  Another big name featuring some lineup changes was Van Halen, giving us 5150 and new singer Sammy Hagar, dividing the fans for many years to come.

However, the big metal shift came with the advent of thrash metal.  After kicking around for a few years, bands starting coming out with monster records that would expand the fanbase as well as metal's diversity of sound.  While I generally don't cover a lot of thrash on this blog, I can't deny the melodic chops of Metallica's Master of Puppets and Megedeth's Peace Sells...But Who's Buying.  These two albums would become thrash classics for the genre, and it's easy to see why.  Proggy elements mixed with fierce riffing and shredding, and some iconic vocal hooks, ensured that these bands meant business.

Of course, pop metal was only getting bigger.  Europe would finally crack the US with their third album The Final Countdown, Poison's debut Look What the Cat Dragged In also did well with the singles "I Want Action" and "Talk Dirty to Me," Ratt followed up their second album Dancing Undercover, Cinderella gave us Night Songs, and Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet would go to #1 thanks to their three massive singles.  Even Judas Priest started to glam it up with Turbo, putting a little color in their classic black leather look.

Metal certainly dominated things by this point of the 80s, but rock was still going strong, in it's own way.  AC/DC found success with the single "Who Made Who," Journey was able to work with Steve Perry's health to release Raised on Radio, Genesis continued their pop success with Invisible Touch, and Queen mixed up their sound even more with A Kind of Magic.  Even Boston was finally able to work out their legal troubles and released Third Stage, featuring the big track "Amanda."

Rock was certainly in a lot of different places by 1986, leading to greater diversification later on, and you can find more of that in the playlist I've provided below.  As always, let me know if I've missed something.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

Anniversary Series - 1976!

You'd think it would be hard to top 1971, but honestly 1976 is almost just as good.  Lots of great albums came out this year, even if not all of them were massive radio hits.  There's a lot to cover for this one, so I'd better get started!

The year starts with the massive Frampton Comes Alive!, featuring extensive use of the talkbox.  Live versions of "Show Me the Way," "Babe, I Love Your Way," and "Do You Feel the Way We Do" would find their way to rock stations around the world.  Kiss, who also found success with a massive live album last year, would release two albums this year: Destroyer and Rock and Roll Over, the former of which had big hits with "Detroit Rock City" and the ballad "Beth."  Led Zeppelin, while perhaps struggling with drugs and personal tragedies, still proved they still had it with Presence, featuring the epic "Achilles Last Stand."

Progressive rock was on its way out of public favor at this time, but there were still some solid albums this year.  Genesis released Trick of the Tail, which I reviewed late last year.  Rush also came to fruition with 2112, featuring the epic side-long title track that would propel them to the forefront of prog rock and hard rock fans across the world.  The Alan Parsons Project would begin this year as year, with Tales of Mystery and Imagination providing musical adaptations of the works of Edgar Allan Poe.  I also want to mention Starcastle's debut album.  Perhaps a little derivative of Yes, but I think it's a solid album, especially the opening track "Lady of the Lake."

Meanwhile, metal was starting to move toward its iconic sound, with help from Judas Priest's Sad Wings of Destiny, featuring classic tracks like "Victim of Changes" and "The Ripper," and Rainbow's Rising, which saw Ronnie James Dio really go all out on "Stargazer."  Black Sabbath would also release an album this year, but frankly Technical Ecstasy is not the band at their best, as they tried for a more commercial sound as the members were falling apart.

As the year went on, Blue Öyster Cult would tell us to "Don't Fear the Reaper," Steve Miller Band would help us "Fly Like an Eagle," and the Electric Light Orchestra would ask "Do Ya."  AC/DC would continue to perfect their sound with Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap, which I reviewed two years ago.  Boston released their incredible debut album, probably one of the best ever!  With songs like "More Than a Feeling," "Peace of Mind," and "Long Time," Boston would be a staple for classic rock stations in the decades to follow.

At the end of the year, we have two more great albums.  Styx released Crystal Ball, which not only has a great title track, but also "Put Me On," a fun song about listening to rock records that balance the band's classic styles together.  And finally, The Eagles put out Hotel California, which features another great title track, as well as the massive hit "Life in the Fast Lane."

I told you this was a great year!  Honestly, there were others that I left off this article, but I made sure to throw them into the playlist below.  As always, if I've missed some, just let me know!  Until then, rock on!  \m/