Retro Reviews - June 2024!

Unsurprisingly, the Anniversary Articles are dominating my listening lately.  At least, with this one, I'm starting to get ahead again.  I've also got quite the variety here, going from 80s pop rock to grunge to prog and back.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!

Steve Perry - Street Talk

I admit I mostly threw this on for a lark.  At a time of Journey's peak success, Steve Perry sought to have a go on his own, ending up with something much more pop than rock.  Still, powered by his iconic voice, it has some nice, nostalgic charm, even if the album came out before I was born!

While the big song "Oh Sherrie" shares a lot with his band's melodic sensibilities, the rest of the album seems to drift between soul and pop, with dashes of funk here and there.  It feels like a 70s album with 80s production, if that makes sense, perhaps as a consequence of bringing some of his pre-Journey work into the mix.  "It's Only Love" was a nice, upbeat tune (even if it did have the James Bond chord progression in parts), and the other tracks flow pretty well.  While I think it's missing the hard rock crunch that Neal Schon provides, it's a nice collection of soft rock tunes that let Steve what he does best.

Rush - Presto

So after nearly a decade of synth-driven rock, the trio takes a break, then comes back together with a more guitar focused album, marking another turn in this historic band's history.  However, as I enjoy a lot of it, I feel like there's still something missing.

While the synthesizers have taken a backseat, Alex Lifeson retains his thin, jangly guitars, making the album feel more like 80s pop rock, like if U2 covered Rush.  Still, it's not like these are bad songs.  Neil Peart gives the album his regular blend of complex lyrics and drum patterns, ensuring the songs never feel flat.  This is also a more sing-songy album, as there are a lot of catchy melodic lines for Geddy to sing.  I also noticed that the choruses on these songs tend to be softer than the verses, making for some strange dynamics.  I guess when I heard this was going to be different that the ones before, I was expecting more than just a shift in which layers get the attention. 

Again, I don't think this is a bad album. (In fact, I'm getting the impression that Rush has no bad albums.)  Taking it as it is, Rush carries on their legacy of interesting songs, full of clever lyrics and interludes, while letting each member shine.  As before, I may need to listen to this a few times to really wrap my head around it, but first impressions leave me a little underwhelmed.

Rush - Sixteen Stone

Starting up just as the grunge wave was peaking, Bush's debut album was definitely the right album at the right time to go big.  While I never listened to it at the time, I remember a lot of kids in school talking about this band, and since then I've always been mildly curious.   Finally getting around to it, it definitely sounds like pretty typical mid-90s alternative rock, and not much more.

At the time, critics bashed the band for sounding too much like Nirvana, and I admit I have to agree.  Not only are the guitar tones, vocal melodies, and song dynamics similar, the angst-filled lyrics on alienation and drug addiction are pretty standard for the genre.  However, I do think there is more going on than just copying a popular band.  Gavin Rossdale is more of a singer, almost crooning at times, and there is more of a musical touch, giving them a bit of a Pearl Jam vibe, especially as many of the songs escalate towards the end.  It's hard to know if they have anything to themselves, though "Alien" feels like it wanders into post-rock or shoegaze.  Still, considering all the songs, I can hear the transition to post-grunge, as I'm hearing ideas I'd hear from later bands, like Nickelback and Our Lady Peace.

Coming out at the end of a rough year for grunge, I guess folks flocked to it, despite it's reputation, as the album sold quite well on release, thanks to a handful of big singles like "Comedown" and the cinematic "Glycerine."  I also liked "Little Things" and "Machine Head." Overall, it's some pretty typical grunge for the time, but I think there are signs of the band's potential, which, as it seems, carrying them well into the future.

Anniversary Series - 1974!

Happy Leap Day!  It's kind of peculiar to think this year will be the last round of Anniversary Articles, as I will have done one for every year since 1970.  Well, let's not get ahead of ourselves, as we have a solid year of rock music to discuss here.  1974 is a bit of a curious year, as we see the end of prog rock and the beginnings of arena rock.  Let's check out what was going on for 1974!

Right off, we get a handful of great hits, with "Black Water" by the Doobie Brothers and Grand Funk Railroad's cover of "Loco-motion."  The Eagles give "The Best of My Love" and "Already Gone," while Rush's debut makes waves in Cleveland with "Working Man."  We also see the debut of Kiss, though still a few years off of their success, but their first record provides live staples like "Strutter" and "Deuce."

Things heat up as the year goes on, with Aerosmith's "Same Old Song and Dance," Bad Company's debut album with "Can't Get Enough," and Lynyrd Skynyrd giving us a Second Helping down in their "Sweet Home Alabama."  This is followed by Bachman-Turner Overdrive's Not Fragile, including hits like "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet."

While progressive rock was looking a little long in the tooth by now, it was still a standout year with some big, experimental albums.  King Crimson started things off with Starless and Bible Black, along with Camel's Mirage.  Rick Wakeman took listeners on a Journey to the Center of the Earth, Emerson Lake & Palmer said Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends with an epic live album, Supertramp committed The Crime of the Century, Genesis ended their Gabriel era with The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway, and Yes would get quite technical with Relayer.  King Crimson then came back with the much celebrated Red.  However, after this year, prog rock would really drop off, as tastes and trends were shifting away from extended songwriting and musical experimentation.

Still, the year ends strong with some solid rock.  Kiss comes back Hotter Than Hell, Sweet has the "Fox on the Run," Grand Funk Railraod returns with "Some Kind of Wonderful," and Queen teases their upcoming stadium rock prowess with "Stone Cold Crazy" and "Killer Queen" on Sheer Heart Attack.  It was certainly a busy year for some of these bands.  Even Deep Purple put out Burn and Stormbringer this year, before Ritchie Blackmore had had enough and left to start his Rainbow.

As you can see, this was another great year for rock music, even as styles and line-ups were changing.  Be sure to check out my playlist below for more classics, and if you think I've missed something, let me know in the comments below.  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 - 1987!

Moving right along with these Anniversary articles it's time for 1987!  To be honest, this year is pretty dominated by glam metal, but that's not a bad thing, as it hadn't quite worn out its welcome yet.  Sure, there were rumblings in the underground, with more extreme metal and college rock getting momentum, but those are outside the scope of this blog.  For now, let's focus on the melodic rock and metal of the year!

Like I said, it was a big year for glam metal.  Whitesnake released their massive self-titled album, featuring a re-recording of "Here I Go Again" and the big ballad "Is This Love?"  Mötley Crüe took things to the "Wild Side" with Girls, Girls, Girls, Great White put out Once Bitten, with the big hit "Rock Me," Dokken came Back for the Attack, and Guns 'n' Roses had their historic debut album.  Would classic rock be the same without "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Sweet Child o' Mine"?

However, in my opinion, the biggest album in the pop metal world is Def Leppard's Hysteria.  After having such a rough hiatus, with their drummer losing an arm, they came back with a titanic record that featured seven hit singles, and even some of the deeper tracks like "Run Riot" and "Excitable" are solid.  The story goes that the album wasn't as big at first, but when "Pour Some Sugar On Me" hit the radio waves, it became one of the best selling albums of the decade, and when I listen to it, I can't deny that it deserves it.  Just massive stadium-ready hooks from front-to-back.

Of course, the decade wasn't all metal.  Rock still had a presence here and there.  The Alan Parsons Project would release their last album, Gaudi, early in this year.  One would expect a concept album about a Spanish architect, but it's a solid release.  Other former prog rockers would put out some decent melodic rock as well.  Rush had the synth-heavy Hold Your Fire, Yes tried for, but largely failed to get big success with Big Generator, and Pink Floyd had their peculiar comeback with A Momentary Lapse of Reason, which as become one of my favorites of theirs in recent years.  Marillion also had a decent year with Clutching at Straws, a concept album about a man who missed out on success and brags about it while drinking in a bar.

Speaking of progressive music, Savatage would finally ditch any attempt at MTV success and rediscover themselves with Hall of the Mountain King, which saw them teaming up with Paul O'Neill and starting their shift into the symphonic, concept-driven metal that would take them to Trans-Siberian Orchestra in the 90s.  Other notable metal release include Manowar's Fighting the World, Dio's Dream Evil, doom metal legends Candlemass's Nightfall, and Running Wild finally finding success with the piratey Under Jolly Roger. 

Finally, I want to bring up Helloween's massive Keeper of the Seven Keys Part I.  While the band had released an album before this one, I feel like Keeper is when they finally found their sound, and as a consequence, established the sound of power metal for many bands to follow.  Between the upbeat "I'm Alive" and the epic "Halloween," it was really the first time melodic leads and aggressive riffing really came together, establishing the genre that wouldn't quite take off until a decade later.

That wraps up this year, clearly one for throwing up fists for some great rock and metal.  As always, my playlist is below with even more great tracks, and if you think I've missed something, let me know in the comments.  I hope you're enjoying these articles as much as I enjoy making them!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - April 2022!

I'm finally getting around to listening to some new stuff!  Well, new to me anyway.  Lots of catching up on classic bands this time, but there's a lot of good stuff to go over.  Here's what I've been listening to lately!!

Anvil - Metal On Metal

Last year, I decided to check out Anvil's debut album, only to find it pretty underwhelming and immature.  There were a few decent parts, but otherwise, I was not impressed.  So I was glad to hear how much of an improvement their next album was, as they push further into heavy metal territory.

Right off the bat, with the opening title track, you can tell they've picked up a lot of heft.  While they did have a bit of the NWOBHM rockin' before, on this album there's much stronger Judas Priest and Accept vibes.  The riffs are chunkier, and the leads are quite noodly, as they find little gaps to fill in here and there.  "Mothra" and "Scenary" continue the heavy metal assault, with Lips sounding a lot like Rob Halford.  "March of the Crabs" stands out as well, as it's a noodly instrumental reminiscent of early Iron Maiden, and there are some more Maiden-y riffs on "Tease Me, Please Me."  Things even get a bit thrashy on the tracks "Jackhammer" and "666."  Everyone just sounds like they really stepped up their game for this album.

Unfortunately, the sleazy lyrics make return on a handful of songs.  However, they aren't quite as amateur as they were on the last album, as they wouldn't be out of place on some glam metal albums that would dominate the decade, so maybe they were ahead of their time.  Still, this album is a major improvement after Hard 'n' Heavy, with the metal riffing and bigger attitude across the board.

Rush - Hold Your Fire

As I said in my review of Power Windows over two years ago, Rush is a band that I think I like, but I haven't really spent a lot of time with them, especially their later material.  Picking this up where I left off, Hold Your Fire shows Rush at their most 80s, for better and worse.

This is definitely an album that dates itself.  The production definitely sounds like 1987 (making me think of Yes's Big Generator from the same year, actually).  However, once you get past this, the music remains some pretty solid, synth-heavy melodic rock.  Geddy Lee gets a lot of layers of lushness out of his keyboards, givng the songs an expansive feel to match their big ideas.  He doesn't overuse any particular sound, often shifting from big symphonic synth pads to small, noddly little pieces.

Of course, we also get Lee's melodic basslines, Lifeson's unique (if jangly) guitar work, and Peart's iconic drum fills.  I don't know if any of the tracks really stand out, as they are all generally pretty solid, though I do feel like the band has definitely taken a deeper step into AOR territory.  However, the occasional proggy bit and Peart's lyrics really help to elevate this album from getting too fluffy and shallow.

I like this album more than Power Windows, as this one feels more optimistic and uplifting, over all.  Once again, I think this album could grow on me if I listened to it more.  It really is impressive how these guys seem to sound so iconic even deep within the 80s rock scene.  While it certainly is a product of its time, Rush remain consistent as ever.

Black Sabbath - Dehumanizer

So after doing Heaven and Hell and The Mob Rules, I wasn't sure if I wanted to do the rest of the 80s for Sabbath.  I had heard that it gets pretty messy and mediocre.  So I thought I'd just jump right ahead to 1992 and the return of the Dio lineup.  While it was a short-lived reunion, the result is some pretty decent heavy metal.

It's interesting comparing this one to the two previous ones, as I feel like the decade difference in time has allowed for some subtle changes.  Not only is the production even shinier, I could start to hear the influences of the last decade seeping in a little as well.  Of course, Dio brings his stamp onto things, with songs sounding like much of the output from his solo career, especially "TV Crims" and "Master of Insanity."  But when they do the darker songs like "Computer God, "After All (The Dead)," and "Buried Alive," it sounds like one of those slower thrash metal songs, like the opening of "South of Heaven" by Slayer.  However, there are a few poppy songs as well, with "Sins of the Father" and "I" making me think of Ozzy's solo stuff, of all things.

Despite all these interesting influences, I can't shake the feeling that it's a bit of a safe album.  While it's certainly not bad, as I did quite like "After All (The Dead), "TV Crimes", and "I," I don't know if it really has any surprises, or any thing that the other two Dio Sabbath albums didn't do better.  It's a solid album, as everyone performs well and Iommi does some decent solos, though, Certainly a big comeback for the band and their fans, but I do wonder if it was a little too focused on trying to recapture some old magic.

Hammer King - Kingdom of the Hammer King

After enjoying their self-titled album last year, I thought I would dig into their back catalog and check out Hammer King's debut album.  While I expected more of their heavy/power metal sound, this album definitely shows a band that hasn't quite matured, but still establishes a decent foundation for them to build on.

The main thing that stands out is just how generic it all is.  This is about as meat-and-potatoes as a heavy/power metal album can be!  The lyrics in particular are quite short and simple, leaning heavily into their inspirations of Manowar and HammerFall.  However, they end up turning the simplicity into a strength, helping the songs feel more catchy and fun to sing along with.  The songwriting is also pretty straight-forward and formulaic, but there is something to be said for focusing on execution, resulting plenty of mid-tempo chugging, and some very nice melodic solos.

However, it really is the same tone and vibe all the way through.  While "Blood Angels" does get a little darker and heavier, this is some pretty cookie-cutter heavy/power metal.  There isn't much to criticize, though, as it's all done pretty well.  I particularly enjoyed the call-and-response elements on "Aderlass," "We Are the Hammer" kicks it up a notch, and "Figure in the Black" is a curious ode to James Bond, of all things.  While it's not as good as their self-titled album, I can see this album as a good starting point for what they will become.

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 - 1991!

Sorry for the lack of content lately.  At least I was able to put this one together in advance.  It's also fortunate that 1991 is such a big deal in rock music history, providing plenty of material for this anniversary article.  1991 was definitely the end of some eras and the beginnings of others.  It would be hard to think of a year that would come to represent such massive shifts in the rock scene more than this one.  Still, with such change, great music gets made.

Speaking of the end of eras, Queen would experience a pretty major shift.  Releasing Innuendo in February, it would end up being the last record they would record alongside their singer Freddie Mercury before he would pass away later in this year.  Other bands facing the ends of an era would also include Skid Row, as Slave to the Grind would be their last with singer Sebastian Bach, and Europe, whose Strangers in Paradise would be their last album for more than 10 years.

Other bands were coming to a close as well.  Genesis released We Can't Dance, which would end up being their last with Phil Collins (though currently there is talk of another reunion tour, so who knows).  Dire Straits also put out their last album On Every Street, one that I think is very underrated in their catalog.  Rush would also bring a close to their synthesizer-heavy 80s with Roll the Bones, bringing things back to a more streamlined rock sound.

Of course, it was not all doom-and-gloom for rock and metal bands.  Van Halen was still rocking with Sammy Hagar, releasing For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge, and Mr. Big would kickstart their popularity in Japan with the single "To Be With You."  Guns 'n' Roses would finally release their double album Use Your Illusion, Ozzy proved he wasn't slowing down with No More Tears, and Metallica would release their self-titled album, which is still their most popular one to this day.

However, the big change came from the Seattle bands.  While they wouldn't get their big explosion next year, 1991 featured some of their biggest releases.  Not only do you have Pearl Jam's Ten, Temple of the Dog's only album, and Soundgarden's Badmotorfinger, but also Nirvana's Nevermind, which would introduce the sound to the rest of nation and turn it into an international phenomenon.  Almost instantly, record labels were dropping anything with an 80s rock sound in favor of this grittier, thicker style.  I don't know if there has ever been such a hard pivot in the rock music  industry before or since.

And that's 1991!  Certainly a year of changes, and the music shows.  A lot of pop metal and melodic rock would fade from popularity, making way for the new alternative rock sound, but good music, nevertheless.  I have a bunch more in the playlist below, and as always, let me know if there's something I've missed!  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/

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/

Last Played - March 2020!

Well, it's been a heck-of-a month, hasn't it?  I know it has been for me.  Still, there's no shortage of rock to listen to, so let's dig into what I've been hearing lately.

Led Zeppelin - In Through The Out Door

Zeppelin is a staple of classic rock, there is no doubt, but In Through the Out Door is a record that represents a more troubled time for the band.  Touring exhaustion, drug dependencies, and personal tragedies led to an album that doesn't have the same level of energy as previous ones.  That being said, it's not a bad collection of songs when listened to on its own.

The first thing that stands out is the heavy use of synthesizers and piano, courtesy of John Paul Jones.  On the one hand, it does make the album distinct from Zeppelin's others, but they don't necessarily stand out of place, either.  Zeppelin's always had a symphonic side to their style, they're just using synths instead of full orchestration.  However, they do take center stage in the mix, sometimes burying Page's guitars and even Plant's vocals!

The album is definitely softer than their other ones as well, but there are a few upbeat moments.  "In the Evening" is a decent rock song, "Hot Dog" is straight-up (if rather generic) rockabilly, "Fool in the Rain" embraces a samba beat, and the beginning of "Carouselambra" is rather quite punchy.  The album also sees the band pushing deeper into prog territory.  "Fool in the Rain" really lets Bonham play around some jazz fusion rhythms, and "Carouselambra" definitely has some interesting shifts, with the moody middle section, and the bouncier end section that almost sounds like New Wave!  However, the stand-out is easily "All of My Love," the emotional ballad Plant wrote in honor of his son who had passed away a few years earlier.  While it's not as hard-hitting as "Kashmir" or "Achilles' Last Stand," I do think it fits well with the band's epics as a softer interpretation of arena rock.

As I wasn't alive when it came out, I can't really ignore this album's place in the band's history and the hindsight associated with it.  While Page can still play some decent solos, this album is clearly not his best work, and while Bonham has nothing to prove, but I doubt this is what he would have wanted as his last recorded effort.  It's hard not to see this as the band winding down to a conclusion that would end up being rather permanent.  Even the titans of rock have their end.

Serenity - The Last Knight

Serenity has been doing their brand of progressive power metal for over 10 years, and their latest carries on that trend without deviation.  I remember listening to Codex Atlanticus a few years ago and thought it was decent, and The Last Knight seems to be in the same category.  Just kinda decent.

The only songs that stand out to me are "Invictus" which was a solid opening track (after the obligatory instrumental piece, of course), "My Kingdom Comes" with it's 6/8 gallop, and "Wings of Pride" which is rather proggy, with different moods and dynamics.  That last one made me wish the whole album was like this instead of group of standard tunes that we got.

Overall, the whole thing just coasts along.  Some of it is fast, some of it is mid-tempo. there's a ballad; all pretty standard stuff.  It's not bad, though, occupying a space between Kamelot and the Italian-style of prog metal, with Neuhauser's vocals soaring over it all.  Full of symphonic tones and melodic guitars, their production values are top-notch.  It's a shame not all the songs are of that same quality.

Rush - Power Windows

Despite being a lifelong fan of Yes and Pink Floyd, I came to Rush much later in my life, and it's been an interesting journey as I've been exploring their discography.  Power Windows is a long ways away from their classic hard prog rock sound of the 70s, but it remains unique to themselves, as the band is deep in their electronic rock period.

Each song is rich with all kinds of synthesizer sounds, from Geddy's arpeggiating keyboards to Neil Peart's sample-heavy drums.  Even Lifeson gets a few touches on his guitars.  All of this allows the production to have this wall-of-sound approach that may have sounded great at the time, but comes across as a little dated now.  Not that I have a problem with it, but it definitely shows a different mentality than their clearer, heavier 70s stuff.

To be honest, this album is kind of a wash for me, with not much standing out.  Rush still has their proggier tendencies, with their thoughtful lyrics, unconventional time signature changes, and iconic song-writing, and many of the rhythms seem to carry on a reggae influence that gives me Police vibes (though I suppose they started it themselves back on "Spirit of Radio").

To their credit, though, these songs are jam-packed with little bits and pieces, so this album may grow on me with repeated listens.  In the end, Rush will always be Rush, regardless of the decade.  Their talents always shine through somehow, and this album is no different, featuring Geddy's strong basslines, Lifeson's energetic solos, and Peart's rolling drums.

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So I guess I didn't really get to listen to anything amazing this past month.  Sometimes that happens, and that's okay.  We need to have the decent albums set the stage for when the great ones come along (though that Rush album could grow on me).

As for my schedule, I don't know what to expect.  Between a bit of a stubborn cold and some sleep-schedule shenanigans, accompanied by the general chaos Covid-19 is causing, I don't know what the immediate future of my blog will be.  However, I'm sure as long as I keep listening to all this rock music, I'll find things to talk about.

Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1975!

Hey, it's time for another one of these!  My goal is to do an anniversary article once a month for the rest of the year. That should provide some decent variety, especially as I get closer to the present!  This month, 1975!  To be honest, this year is very much a time of transition.  Prog was wearing out its welcome, arena rock was really picking up, and punk was still a few years off.  Still, a lot of great stuff came out this year, so let's get into it!

Early in the year, Rush introduces the world to Neil Peart with Fly by Night.  While they still retain much of their Zeppelin-like debut, the song-writing definitely went up a notch or two when they got their new drummer.  Of course, Zeppelin themselves would show their chops that same month with Physical Graffiti, a titanic double-album with epics like "Kashmir" and "Ten Years Gone."  

Also expanding the arena rock style is Alice Cooper and Kiss, with their style and flashy flair.  Alice introduced us all to his nightmares, while Kiss were Dressed to Kill, though their success wouldn't come around until they release Alive! later on this year.  Inspired by UK's glam rockers, these bands gave shows few attendees would forget, letting us rock 'n' roll all night!

As winter turns to spring, we get Aerosmith's Toys in the Attic.  With massive tracks like "Walk This Way" and "Sweet Emotion," its no wonder they still get airplay on classic rock radio.  At the same time, fellow blues-rockers Bad Company released Straight Shooter, giving us "Feel Like Makin' Love" and "Shooting Star."  The Eagles followed with One of These Nights, a massive album featuring not only the title track, but "Lyin' Eyes" and "Take It To The Limit" as well!

Despite this trend of more streamlined rock, the prog-masters were still putting out material.  Rick Wakeman would continue his solo career by dabbling with King Arthur and his Knights, Camel released The Snow Goose, Hawkwind had Warrior on the Edge of Time, and Uriah Heep was making a Return to Fantasy.  Rush would be highly productive and release Caress of Steel, expanding their prog rock style with "Bastille Day" and the side-long epic "The Fountain of Lamneth."

Of course, the big prog rock record would be Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here.  Featuring incredible and innovate moods and melodies, the band really came together and made a masterpiece (in my opinion, anyway).  Unfortunately, it would also be the last time they would be so well-balanced and in-sync with each other.

Heavy metal also saw a few excellent releases, with Black Sabbath releasing Sabotage, a rather underrated album with classics like "Hole in the Sky" and "Symptom of the Universe."  Meanwhile, Rickie Blackmore would finally break from Deep Purple and introduce the world to Ronnie James Dio with his Rainbow Debut.  "Man on the Silver Mountain" remains one of the most epic tracks ever recorded!

Wrapping things up, Fleetwood Mac would introduce the world to Stevie Nicks on their second self-titled album, providing singles in the second-half of '75 and deep into '76.  Styx finally gets their major record label debut with Equinox, full of great songs like "Lorelei," "Lonely Child," and "Suite Madame Blue."

And finally, a discussion of rock from 1975 would not be complete without Queen's A Night At The Opera, released at the end of November.  Between the poppy "You're My Best Friend," the epic "The Prophet's Song," and of course the headbang-worthy "Bohemian Rhapsody," it was a release few rockers could afford to miss.

Hard to beat a conclusion like that!  Hopefully, you're all enjoying this style of article.  I know I'm having fun digging through all this stuff, and I know I've missed some great tracks, so I've got another playlist below.  If I'm missing anything, let me know.  Until then, rock on! \m/