Top 5 of 1990!!

I admit I'm kind of in catch-up mode, at this point, as I do want to make sure these Top 5 articles stay within their intended year, so I admit I didn't listen to everything I could have for 1990.  And I'm afraid this may be the case for the next few, but we'll have to see.  In any case, 1990 is a curious year, as it was one where rock and metal were in transition, like I mentioned in my Anniversary Article.  A few honorable mentions include that Blue Tears album I just reviewed, and Megadeth's Rust in Peace.  However, with my tastes, there really aren't many surprises here.  Here's my Top 5 of 1990!

5. Blind Guardian - Tales from the Twilight World

While their first two albums are some curious speed metal, this album is the one where they start to forge their iconic power metal sound.  Great tracks like "Welcome to Dying" and "The Last Candle" help this album be a landmark in the genre's history before it would explode later in the decade.

4. Gamma Ray - Heading For Tomorrow

Upon relistening to this one, I'm discovering that I'm fond of it more than I expected.  While this may have been Kai Hansen's first album away from Helloween, his iconic riffing and song-writing is all over it, and with Ralf Scheepers on board, it makes for a delightful collection of melodic metal.

3. Dio - Lock Up the Wolves

Looking back at my recent review, you'd think I was relatively unimpressed with it, but upon considering it for this list, I can't deny Dio's consistency.  It may not have any major hits, but I'll take a solid album of B's over one with a few A's and too many D's.  

2. AC/DC - The Razors Edge

The comeback album for these Australian titans of hard rock.  It's not flashy, or particularly fresh, but the production finally captures them at their best, playing iconic, anthemic, fist-pumping tracks.  It's not perfect, but the highlights, like the unforgettable "Thunderstruck," help raise this album to #2.

1. Judas Priest - Painkiller

However, the #1 album was not hard to pick.  It's Judas Priest doing what they do best: rocking faces off and rolling over listeners with powerful, catchy, excellently-played heavy metal.  After a few lackluster releases in the late 80s, the band came back roaring with their new drummer Scott Travis!  While this era wouldn't last very long, it definitely made an impression to anyone that listened to it, ensuring that classic metal can be as timeless as anything else.

Top 5 of 1980!!

I'm certainly having a busy spring, putting out all these articles.  There's just so many different bands and albums I want to get to, partially because of all these Top 5 pieces, and I'm enjoying the ride.  However, let's stay on track with this one, which was not easy to decide, let me tell you.  Even for my Anniversary Article, I talked about how good this year was, and in reviewing this year, that feeling has only gotten stronger!

The first, second, and third came together pretty quickly for me, but for fourth and fifth, it was a struggle.  With Rush, Journey, Ozzy, and Saxon all in the mix, providing solid albums, I had to do a lot of relistening to decide who would make it and who wouldn't!  However, the biggest heartache has to go to Def Leppard's debut album.  So many good, clever songs with catchy leads and choruses, but unfortunately, it wasn't enough to squeeze into a very packed Top 5.  So what made it?  Keep reading!

5. Black Sabbath - Heaven and Hell

I remember when I first reviewed this album, I was impressed.  Dio's time with Black Sabbath was pretty unique, blending the iconic singer's flair for the dramatic with Tony Iommi's massive riffing, making for a very memorable album.  Listening to it again, there were all these little moments that really elevate this album beyond the ones that didn't make the cut.  It's just those last few songs that keep it from getting even higher.

4. Judas Priest - British Steel

When I first listened to this album, I was actually not that impressed.  Sure, the two big singles were great, but I felt that the rest of the album was just okay.  Going back to it now for this article, I have no idea what I was thinking.  This is front-to-back solid, classic Priest to a T, with plenty of great, catchy songs and riffs.  

3. AC/DC - Back in Black

Of course this album is up here.  You know it's great, so I won't bother with the details.  As tragic as the passing of Bon Scott was, you can't deny that the band bounced back well.  We all still hear most (if not all) of these songs on the radio, and for good reason.  Catchy, memorable, hard-hitting, no-frills rock and roll by musicians who have mastered their craft.

2. The Alan Parsons Project - The Turn of a Friendly Card

So here's where the nostalgia kicks in.  I've mentioned before that I grew up on this band, so they were going to rank high, no matter what.  Here, we have them focusing on the themes of gambling and its consequences, while still giving a very solid set of catchy songs that have been ingrained into my DNA.  The basslines in particular are strong, and the album never seems to lose its luster after these years, thanks to the brilliant production of Parsons himself.  The only reason it isn't number 1 is because my favorite band also put an album.

1. Yes - Drama

Drama is certainly an odd album, considering the circumstances.  Bringing the Buggles on board certainly changed up their sound, bringing new wave sensibilities to their classic prog style.  The result is a very crisp album with some fresh new synths from Geoff Downes, and a mind-blowing rhythm performance from Alan White and Chris Squire.  The album wasn't a hit at first, but over the years, Yes fans have come to accept this dark horse in the catalog, and frankly, it's one of my favorites.  I promise Yes won't always come out on top with these lists, but when they release albums like this, I can't help myself!

New Releases - April 2024!

Finally, here's the first of the New Release review articles, now that I've split them from the classic ones.  Hopefully, this will help keep things more organized as I move forward.  Starting this off this year was a solid trio of classic heavy metal by bands who have been there since near the beginning.

Saxon - Hell, Fire and Damnation

While part of me wants to debate the need for an Oxford comma in the title, it is very impressive that this is Saxon's 25th studio album, and by the sounds of it, nothing can stop them, because this album just plows ahead without looking back!  These Brits have started the year with some excellent traditional metal.

Despite the religious imagery in the cover art and title, most of this album focuses on a number of historical topics, ranging from the Battle of Hastings, through the travels of Marco Polo, up to pirate radio stations off the coast of England.  With such diverse topics, the music keeps things pretty safe and formulaic, but when the formula is this solid, why mess with what works?  The album is chock full of chunky riffs, anthemic choruses, and pure NWOBHM power.  The title track stands out, setting the tone for the album, as well as "Fire and Steel," "Kubla Khan and the Merchant of Venice," "1066," and "Super Charger," which is a solid closer.  While not all the tracks are great, the album is very consistent across its run time.  Honestly, if you're a fan of classic, old-school metal, and you somehow haven't checked out Saxon, I recommend you fix that immediately!

The Rods - Rattle the Cage

Here's a band that's been around as long as Saxon, though they took a considerable break from the late 80s to 2010.  Despite their long history, this is only their 10th album, not that it matters all that much, as they're clearly keeping things old-school.  While I've featured them before on the blog, this is my first time really sitting down and jamming one of their albums.  

While I was expecting classic metal, I was surprised to hear a good chunk of 70s blues rock as well.  Much of the album takes things at mid-tempo, focusing on solid, simple riffs and straight-forward lyrics.  The album does start a little sluggish, but things pick up with songs like the title track, "Metal Highways," and "Shockwave," with "Cry Out Loud" being a good mid-tempo epic,with an anthemic chorus.  Freddy Villano may be the new guy in the band, but his bass tone is definitely chunky, providing some excellent bottom-end to these songs.  David "Rock" Feinstein's solos turn out to be melodic and typical, but they serve the songs well, and honestly fit right in with what they're doing.

Which ends up being a bit of a double-edged sword.  While these songs are catchy and have some good grooves, they really don't seem to be pushing themselves, instead of settling in for their own brand of cruise control.  Naturally, these guys aren't going for something big and innovative, aiming for a spot between British-Steel-era Priest, Motorhead, and Deep Purple (especially when those organs kick in).  However, part of me of me feels like it's going to get lost by the competition.  Not all the songs hold up, but it's decent, and you'll be headbanging through most of it, like I did.

Judas Priest - Invincible Shield

Let's finish things off with the titans themselves.  I can't believe it's been six years since Firepower, which was a pretty solid album, if maybe a little long.  However, it definitely retained much of the Painkiller spirit, and made for a highlight of 2018.  As for this new one, I get the feeling that they're aiming for a stronger 80s vibe, with the bright colors and synths.  While I enjoyed the first two singles, later ones left me a little lukewarm.  Now that I've listened to the album as a whole, they really are carrying on where they left off, continuing their ironclad legacy.

Honestly, this album is pretty consistent.  While some songs stand out more than others, these veterans just plow on through, riff after riff, wail after wail, and there are no low points.  The highlights for me was the opener "Panic Attack" with the synths and mixed meter, the title track with the strong energy and a nod to the classic song "Sinner," "Trial By Fire" with the anthemic 6/8 groove, and "Sons of Thunder" that's a short and sweet burst of classic metal power.  If there is a problem, it's that the album might be a bit too long and some of the songs might blend together in the mind (especially with the Deluxe Edition, as those three songs don't add much).  Still, the standard of quality makes this a massive album, and while I know it's early, I could see this squeaking in to my Top 5 for this year!

Anniversary Series - 1979!

Wow, this has been a rough month!  I wanted to get some articles out before now, but I guess life had other plans.  Still, I am determined to do these Anniversary Articles, as they provide a fun summary to write up.  As it turns out, 1979 is a pretty solid year.  Melodic rock was really starting to take off, and we have the early signs of NWOBHM movement.  Let's get into it!

The year starts off strong with a lot of big names.  Scorpions was "Loving You Sunday Morning," Journey gave us some "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," Van Halen wanted to "Dance the Night Away," and Supertramp was having Breakfast in America.  That album was a big one for them, as the title track, "The Logical Song," "Goodbye Stranger," and "Take the Long Way Home" would be big hits for them.

Heavy metal gets some interesting releases this year, featuring the debut albums of both Accept and Saxon, as well as Motorhead's iconic double-bass kicking on Overkill.  Judas Priest released a classic live album with Unleashed in the East, Iron Maiden was working on their Soundhouse Tapes, and Motorhead would return later in the year with Bomber.  While I do think the next year would be where metal really takes off, this year was certainly a sign of things to come.

Meanwhile, the summer really heated up with a lot of massive hits.  The Electric Light Orchestra released "Don't Bring Me Down," Foreigner sang about "Head Games," Rainbow switched out Dio for Graham Bonnet to get Down to Earth, the Eagles went for The Long Run, and AC/DC drove down the Highway to Hell, which is easily the best album they did with Bon Scott.

As the year winded down, some of the high points included Styx's ballad "Babe," Molly Hatchet's "Flirtin' with Disaster," ZZ Top's "Cheap Sunglasses," and .38 Special's "Rockin' Into the Night."  However, the big album that would cap the year off is Pink Floyd's The Wall.  Powered by iconic hits like "Another Brick in the Wall Part Two," "Run Like Hell," and "Comfortably Numb," this psychological rock opera would put Pink Floyd back on top of the world, despite the band falling apart inside.  

That wraps up another year.  Check out the playlist below for more tracks, and let me know in the comments below if you think I've missed something.  I'll certainly do better next month for articles, as I've slowly been pulling some things together.  Until then, rock on!  \m/

New Videos - November 2023!

So I admit that things have been quiet lately (ironic, really), but I think I finally will have some time to catch up on some albums.  In the meantime, here is another handful of great videos to check out!  We got classic bands along with some newer ones, but it all rocks the same!

I still think it's crazy that Judas Priest is sharing these songs so early on, but I suppose they gotta ramp things up for their new tour with Sabaton somehow.  In any case, this is a solid 6/8 stomper and nice, catchy chorus.  While I think I liked "Panic Attack" a little more, it's by no means a bad metal song.

Firewind is also winding things up for an album coming out in March.  Gus G provides another track full of crunchy riffs and shreddy solos while Herbie Langhans sounds as good as ever for this band.  I remember liking their last album, so here's hoping this one will just as good.

It ain't flashy or sophisticated, but The Rods continue to do what they do best, and that is to play old-school metal like it's 1980 all over again.  While I have featured them in the past, this is another one of those bands that I should probably dig more into, as it seems like they have fun songs.

Scanner seems like a band that has sort of existed in the background of Germany's heavy/power metal scene without much recognition.  I think I had seen the name here and there, but never really took the time to check them out.  When this single came across my feed, I was delighted to hear a lot of energy and noodly riffs, not unlike Gamma Ray.  The lyrics are a little clunky in the delivery, but otherwise, it's a solid enough track to put them higher up on my radar!

Once again, Final Strike provide another slab of melodic, uplifting European-styled power metal.  It's not doing anything particularly new, but they seem to have the right pieces to fit right in with Freedom Call's particular camp of metal.  I need to get to this album!

Another song from an album I need to get to sooner rather than later.  This time we have Sorcerer going for an epic gallop, chugging along at a faster tempo than usual for these doomsters.  However, Anders Engberg's vocals soar just as before, and there are plenty of noodly guitars, which are a staple of the band, by now.

New Videos - October 2023!

Happy Halloween!  Once again, I've got another handful of new videos for you to rock out while you celebrate the spooky season.  Well, okay, not all of these are really Halloween-themed, but they're all pretty good songs, which are never out of season!  Check these out!

While this is a band I keep meaning to catch back up on, but it seems they're plowing ahead with a new single, which hopefully will lead to a new album!  As expected, it's a solid anthemic rocker with a good chorus, as it seems the band hasn't lost a step in all these years!  I'm definitely looking forward to what they do after this.

After they blew me away a few years ago, Sorcerer is back to bring another slab of epic doom metal, with the emphasis on "epic!"  Back are the thick guitars, intense noodly solos, and Anders Engberg's soaring vocals, channeling a bit of Rainbow-era Dio a little.  The hard tempo shift for the solo also got my attention, as this song is more than just another plodding doom rocker!  I need to get into more of this band!

Trying to find a vein of hope in the midst of all the negativity, Firewind sticks with their heavy/power metal sound, which is still pretty solid.  Herbie Langhans gives the song the energy it needs with his charismatic gritty vocals and Gus G provides his pyrotechnic fretwork, making for a crunchy-but-anthemic piece of uplifting music.

While I admit I haven't kept up with Sonata Arctica lately, a number of folks are calling this a return to form of their old school power metal days, and I hear it!  The uptempo harpsichord synths channel the likes of Ecliptica and Winterheart's Guild in a way I haven't heard from them in a while!

I can't believe it's been five years since Firepower.  That was a good album, and with a bit of a synthy start, these legends are intent on carrying on their classic metal assault with another album due next year.  While there are no surprises here, the band is still executing their sound at a high level.

Last Played - June 2023! (200 Posts!)

A little over two years ago, I posted an article celebrating the fact that I had reached 100 posts.  In that article, I talked about how I wanted to celebrate that as it had been the most consistent blog I had worked on in my life.  Now that I'm at 200 posts (as of this one), I do feel impressed that I've continued to be pretty consistent about posting all these music reviews and articles.  I also find it kinda crazy that I've been doing this for about 4 1/2 years (as I didn't start in earnest until November 2018).  I've listened to a lot of music and discovered some new bands, as well as taken opportunities to check out classic bands of the past.  That being said, I don't think I have much more to add to what I said for the 100 posts article, so I'm just going to keep right on going and dive into some reviews!

Yes - Mirror to the Sky

After there was a seven year gap between Heaven & Earth and The Quest, I didn't think we'd be getting another album from these guys so soon.  Yet, just in two short (or long, depending) years, we have another one.  The early singles left me feeling a little underwhelmed, but now that I've jammed the album a few times, this does feel like another small improvement for this particular era of Yes.

The lack of energy is felt once again, and there isn't anything quite as driven as "The Ice Bridge" from the last album, as the Mirror to the Sky seeks to match its cover art with a lot of laidback, spacy songs.  "Cut from the Stars" is a decent opener, setting the stage for the rest of these symphonically layered songs, and "All Connected" holds together pretty well for it's nine-minute runtime.  However, the energy takes a bit of a dive with songs like "Luminosity," "Circles of Time," and "One Second Is Enough." They're not bad, but their more chilled-out soft rock vibe makes it hard to really follow their progressions and ideas.  "Unknown Place" tries a few different things, but never really comes together.  These are then contrasted by some of their weirder ideas, with "Living Out Their Dream" having this satirical, rockabilly style, and "Magic Potion" bring out some 70s funk.  It seems like they can only be lively if they're being a bit silly.  Not that I think they need to be serious all the time, but it does make it hard to feel like they're not just wasting my time.

However, much of this is made up for by the title track.  This thirteen minute epic is definitely better than anything else on the album, as it has some solid ideas, great dynamics, and a better sense of what it's trying to be.  They let the song build on its own, having good energetic moments followed by moody passages that reminded me of some of the mysterious sections on "Machine Messiah."  They even use their symphonic arrangements well on this song, helping to bolster the melodies and transitions.  While I do think the ending could have been helped with something a little more epic, or even just a reprise of some earlier lyrics, I do think they have hammered out a pretty solid song here.

So overall, another mixed bag.  The production also has some blending that once again uses the lushness of Open Your Eyes or The Quest, but here it's starting to muddle together.  It makes me wonder what these songs would sound like live without all the production, if they wouldn't sound a little stronger.  Nevertheless, there are signs of a band figuring out what their sound should be, and if they do choose to write another one in the near future, I would hope they bring back some of the classic punchiness of their earlier albums.  They seem to have the prog side figured out, but they're still struggling with the rock side.

Starset - Transmissions

Starset is band I had been hearing about here and there.  While I had checked out a few songs and thought they were fine, I hadn't really dug in and given them a serious listen.  However, when an online listening party group gave me an opportunity to check out their debut album, I figured it was as good a time as any to give this band a chance.  What I didn't expect was all the production on the music, making this album quite the cinematic experience, for better and worse.

First off, this sounds just plain huge.  Making the most of both orchestral strings and synthy ambience, the album goes for the melodramatic and simply doesn't let up at all.  It even has a story concept, though the lyrics don't make it immediately obvious.  In their story, Starset is an organization set to interpret a set of message from the future, trying to fix their past into something better.  However, many of the lyrics also focus on personal relationships, usually discussing about how much another person means to the character singing the song, especially now that they're gone.  It's never clear if it's romantic or platonic, but the personal connection seems vital none-the-less, making it seem like a main motivation to affect the timeline.

As for the music, it's an interesting mishmash of bombastic movie soundtracks, synthwave, and melodic alt metal (think Breaking Benjamin or mid-to-late Linkin Park), with a dash of prog as it drifts from song to song.  In fact, most tracks have these long, ambient segues that bring the energy back down before the next anthem, but they go on for quite a while, some of them even being 3 minutes long!  While it certainly makes for an interesting album-listening experience, the songs start to blend together into an emotionally intense blend, with very little sticking out.  "Let It Die," ended up being the most memorable, mostly because of the sudden synthy arpeggios on the chorus.  It's certainly not a bad set of songs, as it has a very concrete idea of what it wants to be, but with all the production this album has, it feels like it has as much in common with Two Steps From Hell or Audiomachine as it does with rock music.

Judas Priest - Painkiller

Despite being such an iconic album from the legendary band, I hadn't listened to this album beyond the title track until now.  After some interesting attempts to lean more into the pop metal style, the band bring in Scott Travis from Racer X to play drums, and completely blow up everyone's speakers with tons of epicness and aggression!

Right from opening title track, this album was different.  Travis's drumming kicks things into high gear, and Rob Halford's wails make it clear that this wasn't going to be just any metal album.  Things carry on with more high octane riffing, with "Hell Patrol," "All Guns Blazing," and "Leather Rebel."  The second half of the album gets more dramatic and dark, as the band drift into themes of horror and evil.  "Night Crawler" in particular feels like it was based on some 80s slasher movie, which brings me to the lyrics.  To be fair, they have abandoned a lot of the glammy topics in favor for some of the more classic metal tropes, but they do get pretty cheesy here and there.  "Metal Meltdown" feels a little weak as a speedy metal anthem, and "A Touch of Evil" drifts into metal-based synth pop territory.  They aren't bad songs, necessarily, but they do feel weaker compared to the songs that really excel.

Speaking of excelling, I can feel that Tipton and Downing wanted to prove they were the iconic metal duo, and they succeeded!  They provide not only some great riffs, but the solos are technical and frantic without going out of control, and they often trade back-and-forth on the songs.  Travis's drumming is also all over the album, and seems to be the force that really drives this album forward.  Halford also gives a great performance, often going to his shrieking wail that we would later return to on his first solo album Resurrection.  I can see a lot of old-school metal fans seeing this as a great comeback after the lackluster Turbo and Ram It Down.  Looking back on it now, it's easy to see this album as redefining traditional metal and being influential on many other bands.

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Only three this time, as I have been pretty busy.  Also, I haven't forgotten about doing an Anniversary Article for this month, it just turns out that needed some extra time to come together, so it should be done by the end of this month.  Once I get into July, things should normalize (I hope).  I know there's a lot of albums that came out this year that I want to catch up on, but we'll see what I get around to.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - April 2023!

Well, this is exciting!  I usually don't have a review up so soon after a new album releases!  Of course, there's much more here than just Metallica, as I spice it up with a few other things, but I'm putting the Metallica review up first, as I figure that's going to be the most interesting part of this article.  Let's get into it!

Metallica - 72 Seasons

Here it is: the new Metallica album!  After a long, seven-year hiatus since Hardwired... to Self-Destruct, the world's biggest metal band suddenly started dropping new singles for this new one, and I have to admit I've gotten my hopes up a little.  While I do think it's overlong, and a little repetitive, this is definitely an improvement over their last studio effort, mostly by bringing back some of their NWOBHM tendencies.  

Let me just say that this is a very safe album.  Metallica fans will find plenty of new anthems to enjoy, but the haters will likely snort their dismissals and move along.  One thing I will say is that they have brought back some of the energy that was sorely missing from Hardwired.  While we're not quite into Death Magnetic territory (to say nothing of the classic 80s era), the pacing of the album doesn't get too bogged down this time around.  It isn't particularly thrashy, either, but there are more harmonies on this one, not only in the vocals, but with the guitars as well, which is what gives it a bit more of an old-school metal vibe.  However, I will say that some of the songs go for a bit too long, especially the eleven-minute closer "Inamorata," which is just too repetitive for its own good.

Things start off pretty well, with the title track stomping away, and the first single "Lux Æterna" really pushing that Motörhead energy.  "Screaming Suicide" has an interesting build up towards the end, "You Must Burn!" gets heavy and even a bit doomy, and "Too Far Gone?" features some unique melodies and progressions.  However, things do get a bit sluggish at times, especially with tracks like "Sleepwalk My Life Away," "Crown of Barbed Wire," and "If Darkness Had a Son," but they never get to Load and Reload levels of bad.  Once again, we have a mixed bag of a Metallica album that seems just a bit too long to really feel solid.  However, the older-styled riffing and extra energy make this worth more than a listen or two.

Judas Priest - Ram It Down

I know I said I was going to focus on new releases, but I was in the mood to check out some classic 80s metal and settled on this one.  While I haven't reviewed much of Judas Priest's catalog, I have listened to more than half of it, and this one was next.  After the cheesy, but honestly not that bad, Turbo album, Ram It Down continues the glammy Priest style, for better or worse.

It's kind of a conflicted album.  On the one hand, the production is very 80s and shiny, making me think of some of Ozzy's or even Def Leppard's material, and the song-writing does tend to lean into some pop metal clichés and lyrics.  However, I can deny that what's here is very well done.  Tipton and Downing lay out some pretty solid riffs, and provide some great solos, especially the back-and-forth section on "Ram It Down."  Halford is also giving his all on the vocals.  His voice lends the words a lot of authority, even if they are kinda bland or just covering Chuck Berry.  The bass and drums are okay, but definitely have a computery feel (especially if the detail about them using a drum machine for a lot of tracks is true).  The bass in particular tends to pulse like a synthesizer on a number of tracks.

Still, it's not like it's really a deal-breaker.  If you're willing to forgive that it doesn't sound all that much like Screaming for Vengeance, these are a decent handful of very 80s-sounding metal tracks.  The title track is is a solid opener, "Come and Get It" and "Hard as Iron" have some decent metal riffing, and "Blood Red Skies" has this very dramatic, somber vibe that feels like Halford is fighting Skynet in a post-apocalyptic future.  Purists might cringe, and they would have plenty of reason to, but those of us who don't mind a brighter, more accessible kind of metal might find something to like here.

Kamelot - The Shadow Theory

This is the last album I needed to hear before checking out Kamelot's latest opus.  I promise that's coming soon, but for now, The Shadow Theory.  Again, I'm not certain as to whether or not this is a concept album, but this one seems to find a good balance between their classic sound and their newer symphonic style, much to my delight.

A lot of the staples I expect from a modern Kamelot release are here: the production is lush allowing for grand orchestrations, Thomas Youngblood has plenty of riffs and licks to share across the album, Oliver Palotai adds his synths and trades solos with Youngblood, and Tommy Karevik is channeling Roy Khan more than ever.  However, they've brought in Johan Nunez for the drums this time, and he seems to be bringing back the double-kicking energy of the older albums like Epica and The Black Halo!  While it's not on every song, there is a general uptick in intensity compared to their last few albums, and I appreciate it considerably.  They also bring in Lauren Hart to do some harsh vocals, but they fit the song well, especially on "Mindfall Remedy."  Overall, this is a very solid work.

I think this is definitely best album they've done with Karevik so far, as I have very little to complain about here.  Things start well with "Phantom Drive" and "Ravenlight," while songs like "Kevlar Skin" and "Mindfall Remedy" show their darker side.  I also like how dramatic "Stories Unheard" is, with it's shifting dynamics, and "Vespertine (My Crimson Bride)" has an interesting, uplifting vibe powered by some rockin' energy, making it stand out.  While it's not like the band lost their way with the more symphonic albums before this one, but this definitely feels like the comeback of the classic Kamelot style I've been waiting for.

Lovebites - Judgement Day

Alright, here's another new release.  After going on hiatus last year, I wasn't sure how long it would be before Lovebites would come back, so I was pretty surprised when they got their new bassist so suddenly and had put out an album so quickly.  While they do have a lot to live up to (they were in my Top 5 for 2020 after all), the band carry on just they have before without missing a beat.

The performances are all top notch and new bassist Fami fits right in the rhythm section with Haruna without any trouble.  Midori and Miyako shred things up again with plenty of impressive fretwork and riffing.  Even Asami's semi-broken English vocals are starting to become part of the band's sound for me.  Basically, it's business as usual for Lovebites.  I can only really think of a few issues, really.  First, the production does get a little muddy, as it's having to manage a lot of layers in their more symphonic arrangements, and not everything is as clear as it could be.  The only other thing is that some of the choruses aren't as strong as others on this album, but now I'm really nitpicking!

For what it's worth, they do mix it up a little, with "My Orion" having more of a mid-tempo, rockin' style, and "Dissonance" almost gets to Slayer territory with the aggressive riffing.  However, the stand-outs for are the straight-ahead power metal.  "Judgement Day" and "The Spirit Lives On" have the right kinds of bombast, "Stand and Deliver (Shoot 'em Down)" has a great traditional metal vibe, and "Lost in the Garden" and "Soldier Stands Solitarily" bring in some excellent neo-classical chops.  While I don't know if it holds up to the explosive Electric Pentagram, this is a solid continuation of what I love from this band.  Twilight Force has some pretty serious competition this year!

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I admit things have been a bit busy for me lately, but for this blog and in my real life.  It's also a bit of a challenge to try and balance classic albums with newer releases, as there is still just so much I want to listen to.  However, I think I've gotten a handle on things going forward, so let's hope I can keep it up!  Until then, rock on! \m/

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 - 1982!

While I do apologize for the lack of posts lately, but I am certainly not going to miss out on doing another Anniversary Series article.  This time: 1982, which is a pretty solid year.  Following up on 1977 would be hard, but this year has plenty of rock and metal to celebrate.

Right off, the year starts with three pretty big albums.  First is Asia's debut, a solid pack of AOR melodic rock, and one of my favorites of all time.  And given that it was the best selling album of the year, I don't think I'm alone in that.  The next big one was Iron Maiden's The Number of the Beast, kickstarting Bruce Dickinson's rise to the top of heavy metal vocalists, and catapulting the band to the heights of metal history.  This was followed by Scorpions' Blackout, with the big hit "No One Like You," helping to grow their international appeal.

As spring turns to summer, we see a landslide of melodic rock.  Toto released their massive IV album, with "Rosanna" and "Africa" become radio staples for many years to come.  Meanwhile, Magnum found themselves with Chase the Dragon, Rainbow continued their push into FM radio with Straight Between the Eyes, .38 Special gave us "Caught Up In You," Survivor told us about the "Eye of the Tiger," and the Steve Miller Band cast their spell with "Abracadabra." On top of all that, the Alan Parsons Project shift into melodic rock as well with Eye in the Sky, not only getting a big hit with the title track, but ensuring that the Chicago Bulls would have great intro music for their games for years to come.

Heavy metal was also heating up, with Anvil establishing their Metal on Metal sound, Manowar releasing their debut Battle Hymns, Twisted Sister put out their debut Under the Blade, and Judas Priest coming back from their lukewarm last album with the acclaimed Screaming with Vengeance, with the big hit "You've Got Another Thing," and the fan favorite "Electric Eye."  Accept would soon follow afterward with Restless and Wild, helping to push metal into going "Fast as a Shark," while telling us about the "Princess of the Dawn."

The rest of the year would give us a few solid rock albums.  Rush would push further into synthesizer territory with Signals, Dire Straits would warn us of the dangers of "Industrial Disease" on Love Over Gold, and Led Zeppelin would release their last, posthumous album Coda, putting a definitive capstone on their illustrious music productivity.  Closing out the year, Night Ranger would debut with Dawn Patrol, providing the big hit "Don't Tell Me You Love Me," and showing the future of rock in the 80s with their pop metal sound.

1982 sees more transitions, as AOR reaches its peak with metal coming up behind them, making it a fascinating year with a lot of variety.  As always, I've got the playlist below, and if you think I've missed something, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1977!

The middle of the month means it's time for another Anniversary Article, and I have to tell you that this year is a killer one for great rock music.  So many big bands putting out great albums, as things shift in a more FM radio-friendly direction.  Still, progressive rock wasn't quite out yet, as a few bands were still putting out some epic material.

In fact, the year starts off with one of the biggest prog rock bands: Pink Floyd.  Inspired by Orwell's allegorical novella Animal Farm, their Animals album shows them at their darkest, as well as their proggiest, with three very long songs dominating the album.  At around that same time, the often overlooked Starcastle would release the first of two albums.  While not quite as strong as their debut, I've always liked their mix of Yes and Kansas sounds, making for some very underrated prog.  Jethro Tull also released Songs of the Wood, the first of three very folk music heavy albums, and Journey went Next, starting to shift away from jazz-fusion into the hard rock they'd be known for.  The band would hire Steve Perry later that year.

As the spring warms things up, we get a slew of great hard rock albums.  Foreigner had their debut album, with the big singles "Feels Like the First Time" and "Cold as Ice," Heart warned us of the "Barracuda," AC/DC released Let There Be Rock, and Judas Priest committed Sin After Sin, as they further refined their heavy metal sound.  The Steve Miller Band would bring more of their southern-fried rock with Book of Dreams, featuring "Jet Airliner," "Swingtown," and "Jungle Love."

Summer would give us some more prog, as Yes would bring back Rick Wakeman for Going for the One, featuring one of their most beautiful songs, "Awaken."  Rush would push themselves further into prog territory with A Farewell to Kings, known for the ballad "Closer to the Heart" and the exotic "Xanadu."  Alan Parsons would return with his Project to provide the Asimov-inspired I, Robot.  However, the big album of the summer was Styx's The Grand Illusion.   Half the album remains on classic rock playlists across the country, and it was the first album I ever reviewed for this blog.  With standout classics like "Come Sail Away," "Fooling Yourself," "Miss America," and the title track, it's easy to see why this one was such a massive release.

The rest of the year would finish quite strong.  As we get into the fall, The Electric Light Orchestra release the double album Out of the Blue, which had "Turn to Stone," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," and the nearly overplayed "Mr. Blue Sky."  Kansas would follow that with Point of Know Return, a very solid, proggy, hard rock album from start to finish.  Then thing get epic with Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell, which I just reviewed, and Queen's News of the World, giving us the perennial stadium anthem "We Will Rock You," which flows into the titanic "We Are the Champions."  Eddie Money would then close the year out with his debut album, promising us "Two Tickets to Paradise."

Seriously, this is one amazing year, and I know I didn't cover everything, as you can see in the playlist below.  However, if you think I've missed something, just let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1981!

Honestly, it can be difficult to adequately provide a recap for these anniversary articles, as sometimes there is just so much good stuff that comes out in a year.  Suffice it to say that 1981 is another stellar year with great music.  

Things kick off with April Wine's "Sign of the Gypsy Queen," a great rock song that's really grown on me, recently.  At the same time, we have Styx releasing Paradise Theater, featuring massive songs like "Rockin' the Paradise," "The Best of Times," and "Too Much Time On My Hands."  .38 Special would have their big hit "Hold On Loosely" come out this year, and Billy Squier had "The Stroke."

Heavy metal would also have some big releases this year.  Iron Maiden would pick up of their popular debut record with Killers, expanding on their noodly style of metal.  Judas Priest had at tougher time, following up British Steel with Point of Entry, often regarded as a weaker entry, but I still enjoy "Heading Out to the Highway" as solid Priest song.  Ozzy Accept would come into their own with Breaker, which I reviewed earlier this month.

Prog rock may not have been much of a force by this point, but there still some significant albums, though Rush's Moving Pictures certainly stands out, with big hits like "Tom Sawyer" and "Limelight," as well as the fan favorite "YYZ."  Genesis would continue their pop-transition with Abacab, and King Crimson would suddenly reform for Discipline, ensuring that at least someone was exploring the boundaries of rock music.  

As the year goes on, we get even more great rockers.  Blue Öyster Cult recorded Fire of Unknown Origin, with the big hit "Burnin' For You," Journey provided "Don't Stop Believin'" and the epic ballad "Open Arms" from Escape, The Rolling Stones asked to "Start Me Up," and Def Leppard's High 'n' Dry gave us "Let It Go" and "Bringin' On the Heartbreak."  However, the big record for the summer was Foreigner's 4.  With massive tracks like "Waiting For a Girl Like You," "Jukebox Hero," and "Urgent," they showed they were the rock band to beat that year.

Even at the end of the year, it doesn't stop. The Police released Ghosts in the Machine, Loverboy sang out "Working For the Weekend," J.Geils Band had "Freeze-Frame," and The Cars used combined '50s kitsch with new wave sensibilities to Shake It Up.  Metal titans Black Sabbath would follow up their comeback record of Heaven and Hell with the equally solid Mob Rules, Ozzy also had a sequel record in Diary of a Madman with "Over the Mountain," and Saxon provided the NWOBHM anthem with "Denim and Leather."  The year would conclude with AC/DC's follow up to Back in Black with For Those About to Rock We Salute You.  Perhaps not as strong overall as their first with Brian Johnson, but that title track still gives me chills.

So there it is: 1981 in a nutshell.  I know I skipped over a ton of good stuff, and I tried to include them in the Spotify playlist below, but be sure to let me know if I've missed anything.  

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/

Last Played - August 2020 Part Two!

Yeah!  You're getting two of these this month!  I ended up spinning a bunch of new stuff this month, for various reasons.  I'm also thinking about shortening my remarks on each album, that way I'm less long-winded and you get more albums per article to check out.  We'll see how well that goes.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

Seventh Wonder - Become

So this is a band I've been hearing good things about for quite a while.  As is my nature, I've started with their first full-length album, and to be honest, it's not bad, but not really amazing.  The first thing I noticed was that the production is a bit on the muddy side, but it does help the band meld together, in a way, resulting in a mixed experience.

Musically, they're definitely of the same mold as Dream Theater or Symphony X, but I also felt some Angra vibes, largely in the melodies and choruses.  The band is clearly talented, but it does have the problem where the chops seem to come before the songs, and the solos, while many and well-performed, don't really seem to do much more than exercise their fingers.  Overall, it has some nice parts, but doesn't seem to build up to anything really noteworthy.  However, I can see this as just an early effort and the band certainly has the potential grow from here.

Quiet Riot - Metal Health

With the passing of Franki Banali (RIP), I figured I'd go back and actually listen to the record that made them a household name.  While I've heard the two bit hits on classic radio for years, I hadn't really heard the rest of this album before, so I thought I'd correct that.

"Metal Health" and "Cum On Feel The Noize" remain as iconic and fun as ever.  In fact, I think "Metal Health" has a kind of timelessness to it that puts it in the best of 80s metal, period.  As for the rest of the album, it's pretty standard pop metal stuff.  Some upbeat stuff, some mid-tempo stuff, a guitar solo, a ballad or two.  Standouts include the upbeat "Breathless" with it's driving tempo and slick guitar harmonies, and "Thunderbird" which is a tribute to band founder Randy Rhoads who had since left for Ozzy's band only to end up dying in that airplane accident.  Kinda brings things full circle, in a way, since Banali's death is what's compelling me to listen to the album.

Made back in a time when metal and rock was made for fun and glory, it's a decent album of anthemic rockers, buoyed by two hit singles that will remain on classic rock radio for years to come.

Attacker - Battle At Helms Deep

Sometimes, you just have to check something out based purely on the cover, and the cover of this one absolutely screams 80s metal with a heavy Dungeons and Dragons vibe.  And to be titled after one of the most iconic battles in all of fantasy fiction, I just couldn't ignore this.  And the result isn't that bad, honestly.

To be sure, this is very much straight-up US power metal, with a limited budget and plenty of riffs to spare.  The point of reference I kept coming back to was Metal Church, with a noodly dash of Iron Maiden's early work, a la Killers.  The vocalist was also giving me some David Wayne vibes, with a few nods to early Geddy Lee.  There are some interesting riffs and ideas floating around, with tempo and mood shifts here and there, and long solos, but it's nothing you haven't heard before.

There really aren't any stand-out tracks on this, but at the same time, it's never boring, keeping to a decent pace throughout.  If you've worn out your Dio records and want something a little crunchier to play in the background for your tabletop gaming night, Attacker has you covered.

Halford - Resurrection

So after Rob Halford left Judas Priest and spent most of a decade trying to rediscover himself though the groove metal of Fight and the industrial styles of 2wo, he ended up going back right where he started: straight-forward, classic, traditional, old-school, chugging, heavy metal.  Seriously, if I didn't know better, I'd think it was just another Judas Priest record I hadn't heard before.

As for stand out tracks there's the opener "Resurrection" definitely setting the pace and attitude of the album; "Made In Hell" which sees our singer thinking back to the early days of metal; "The One You Love to Hate" featuring Bruce Dickinson in a fun metal duet; and "Cyberworld" with its power metal chugging and double-kicking fury.  The only real criticism I have is that the second half isn't quite as strong as the first.

Seriously, this is just solid, straight-forward, old-school metal that he used to make with his former band, and continues to make since he rejoined.  If there is one other thing to take away from this album has, it's the confidence that Halford brings in his performance.  He is in peak form, wailing like he did in the 80s, and backed by massive sounding guitars and drums designed to fill stadiums with fist-pumping power.

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Well, there you go.  Four more albums at the end of the month.  Things seems to be carrying on around here with no time for stopping.  I think I'll probably be doing more of these articles, both for upcoming anniversary articles, and to try and catch up on 2020 releases (I haven't done well with that so far this year!).

Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1980!

You'd think with everything shutting down that I'd have more time for this blog, but as it seems, my time and interests have taken me away from here lately.  Of course, I'll still be posting content here when I feel like I've got something together, but things may slow down here for a while.

Meanwhile, it is the middle of April, so it's time to put together another anniversary article, this time for the classic year of 1980.  This really was a big year for rock and metal, with some massive albums that started in January and didn't stop until December!  Let's get into it!

We kick the year off with prog rock bands shifting into more mainstream styles.  Rush released Permanent Waves, the first of their sound-streamlining that would define their sound for the upcoming decade.  The song "Spirit of Radio" was their first major radio hit, and be a staple of many live shows to come.  Fellow proggers Genesis was already mid-shift into pop, as 1980 saw them release Duke, with songs "Turn It On Again" and "Misunderstanding."  Yes even teamed up with new wave stars The Buggles ("Video Killed The Radio Star") to give us Drama, a very underrated album that's only recently been given it's proper due.

This year would also be a boon for heavy metal fans, as several bands released several strong records, many of which were debuts: Scorpions released Animal Magnetism featuring "The Zoo"; Judas Priest had British Steel, galvanizing their sound with tracks like "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law"; Iron Maiden had their raw and noodly self-titled debut; Black Sabbath reformed with Ronnie James Dio on the mic, giving us the titanic Heaven and Hell; Motorhead released Ace of Spades, featuring a title track full of gambling high-energy and drive; Diamond Head debuted with Lightning to the Nations, featuring the iconic "Am I Evil?" which would be famously covered by Metallica; Saxon cranked out both Wheels of Steel and Strong Arm of the Law; and Ozzy Osbourne would pull himself together for his own debut, Blizzard of Ozz, with iconic tracks like "Crazy Train," "I Don't Know," and "Mr. Crowley" proving Ozzy wasn't going away anytime soon.

One that stands out to me, though, is Def Leppard's debut On Through the Night.  It straddles the classic metal sound with the more pop-radio-friendly sound they would be known for, with some really catchy and well-written songs!  I remember giving this one a shot on a lark and was blown away with how much I liked all the songs!  It's like this band was made for the arenas!

Speaking of which, arena rock would also have a good year in 1980.  Journey's Departure provided "Any Way You Want It," Loverboy's debut exploded with "The Kid Is Hot Tonite" and "Turn Me Loose," Queen shook things up with The Game through the funky "Another One Bites the Dust," and the retro "Crazy Little Thing Called Love."

As the year goes on, we get the massive Back in Black by AC/DC, proving that even the death of the legendary Bon Scott couldn't stop this band (though Brian Johnson is no slouch in the vocals!).  I don't even need to tell you how many big tracks came from this album, as half of them are still played on classic rock radio stations around the world!

Towards the end of the year, we got Zenyatta Mondatta from The Police, with the massive hits "Don't Stand So Close To Me" and "De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da."  The Alan Parsons Project released Turn of a Friendly Card, best known for "Games People Play" and "Time."  And Queen would return to their classic blend of hard rock and pomp by providing the soundtrack to Flash Gordon, the main theme of which remains one of their most iconic compositions, and given who I'm talking about, that's saying something!

I hope you're enjoying these little trips down memory lane, even if I don't have any of these memories myself, technically.  Still, 1980 was a very strong year, and I left a lot of good albums out of the article!  As always, there's a playlist below with even more, and I've missed any, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - February 2019

This month has some great albums coming out, but that doesn't stop me from checking out videos.  Here's what I've found this time!

Iron Savior has been in the power metal world for a while, but take a more sci-fi route with their lyrics and story-telling.  Perhaps not the most innovative, but certainly a fun listen.  As far as I'm concerned, we can't have enough epic power metal!

Bloodbound is another band that's been cranking out power metal since the hey-day of the 2000s, and they play it like it never went out of style! Sure, lyrics about fantasy and dragons might be clichéd for the genre, but if it's done this well, who cares?!

Alright, here's something different.  Tremonti is clearly a band I've been sleeping on because this rocks real hard!  I've admitted before that I'm only really familiar with his work on Creed, but if he cranks out stuff like this on his own, I have some catching up to do!

I can't say I've heard of this band before, but Darkwater seems to bring some nice, melodic progressive metal here.  Mixing solid uptempo energy with a brooding atmosphere, and some nice synth leads, there's lots to like here!

Here's an interesting group!  Combining former members of Judas Priest, Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne, and the Scorpions, we get a decent, hard rockin' track that shows potential.  Calling themselves A New Revenge, they might be someone worth keeping an eye on.

Let's finish with something very different.  I admit I'm not familiar with Status Quo (which Francis Rossi is known for), but I stumbled across this song and it gives me a very strong ELO feel (like a folky "Mr. Blue Sky").  Worth a listen, I think.