Retro Reviews - March 2025!

While working on my Top 5 articles, I ended up listening to a lot of new stuff.  However, I figured I couldn't do a review for all of them, but here's a handful that I thought were worth talking about, partially because they let me carry on reviewing these bands' discographies.  

Deep Purple - Deep Purple in Rock

While I've reviewed a handful of this band's albums, I'm certainly doing them out of order.  In preparation for this one, I did listen to their first three albums, and they're just okay.  Obviously, Jon Lord's neo-classical elements were neat, but it was clear that they weren't really doing anything too special quite yet.  With a lineup change, things are certainly different, as the band really digs in hard on a louder, more intense sound.

Right away, new vocalist Ian Gillian makes an impact.  Rod Evans wasn't a bad singer, but he wouldn't have been a good match for this shift into hard rock.  Gillian takes command of the songs and gives them a ton of attitude.  The rest of the band really turns it up as well, making some very loud and forceful tunes.  Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore go back and forth with their solos, while Ian Paice rocks out with new bassist Roger Glover.  I can definitely see why the band felt this was a restart for them, calling this iteration Mark II.

However, it's still rough in spots.  Lord leans a little too hard on some atonal chords for his organ in spots, and the second half of the album isn't as strong, which is why it didn't make my Top 5 for the year.  Still, it's all pretty solid, heavy-hitting blues rock.  Songs like "Speed King" and "Child in Time" have cemented themselves in rock history, and the album sets the foundation for them to turn into one of the major hard rock bands of the era.

Scorpions - In Trance

Yup, it's time to pick up where I left off with this band.  While the first two album had them still messing around with progressive rock ideas, here we have the band fully streamlined into a 70s hard rock sound.  While I don't think they have their iconic sound quite yet, I can't deny this one had some very fun songs, and I'm kinda surprised it wasn't a bigger deal back then (on an international level, anyway).

Once again, Klaus Meine shows why he's one of the best of the business, his vocals majestically soaring over the songs, and the harmonies are very spot on as well.  However, I do wonder if guitarist Uli Jon Roth doesn't take a bit too much of the spotlight.  Some of the songs later on the album just feel like pieces for him to solo over, and not much else (including the instrumental track that closes the album).  Still, what's here rocks pretty well, finding a spot between Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, and Uriah Heep (especially with those organs they use in the background sometimes).

As for standouts, the title track is the biggest, feeling like a mini-epic with how it builds, "Robot Man" is definitely on the quirky side, but it also has some good energy, and many of the tracks show Roth's range of guitar playing ability, with him playing both melodic and noodly parts quite well.  Which is why it's strange that it feels like this album wasn't a bigger deal when it came out.  I get that getting a record outside of Germany in the 70s may not have been easy, but I could see fans of Queen and Rainbow really digging this, between the theatrical tones and dynamic guitar work.

Uriah Heep - Return to Fantasy

Speaking of which, I'm still working my way through this band's discography!  John Wetton of King Crimson (and would later start Asia) joins them on bass for this album.  However, the band stays pretty consistent with what they've been doing recently, though with a few twists here and there.

For an album title that claims to return to the fantastical, the lyrics seem to focus on typical romantic stuff.  I admit I would have liked them to bring back some of the ideas from Demons and Wizards.  Nevertheless, what makes Uriah Heep is still around: the tight vocal harmonies, the prominent organ, now joined by more synths, and some solid rocking grooves.  Wetton seems to bring a little funk with him, as well.  The title track and "Showdown" show the band still has their chops, both in performing and song-writing.  "Beautiful Dream" gets a bit weird, but in a good way, as the song builds well.  And the closer "A Year and a Day" has some good dynamics and transitions, getting a bit anthemic.

However, some songs end up being just filler.  "Your Turn to Remember" is a pretty generic blues rocker, "Why Did You Go" has this somber vibe that I think they've done better elsewhere, and "Prima Donna" has this horns section and bombastic energy that it didn't even feel like Uriah Heep!  I'm not sure why they went with that for a single.  Overall, it's decent stuff, about as good as previous albums, if perhaps a little less inspired, as it seems like they're hitting the same notes as before.

Queen - A Night at the Opera

Well here's a bit of a throwback.  Much earlier in my blog, I started reviewing Queen's discography, hoping to get a little deeper into their catalog.  After doing the first three albums, I guess I dropped the ball.  Fortunately, these Top 5 articles I'm doing have inspired me to pick this band up again.  With all the 70s rock I'm listening to, it's hard to imagine the decade without Queen, after all.

Of course, this album is probably their best known, featuring some of their biggest hits, like "You're My Best Friend" and the immortal "Bohemian Rhapsody."  Getting into the deeper songs, we see more of their humorous and whimsical side, with "Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon," "Seaside Rendezvous," and "Good Company."  These sound like some of the Beatles' later experiments with a bouncier sound, but Queen gives them just enough pomp to make them their own.  As for more of their rock side, while "Sweet Lady" does feel like filler, "Death on Two Legs" has to be one of their most aggressive songs, and "The Prophet's Song," while maybe a little too long with the neat a capella section, is them at their most epic and theatrical.  Those looking for hard rock with plenty of flair would find little competition in the 70s.  

Reviewing this album maybe a little redundant, as it is so well loved, but like I said, I wanted to go beyond the handful of tracks that I hear on classic rock radio all the time.  While previous albums have decent, I can definitely say this one is nearly the complete package, a joy to listen to all the way through, and one of the best albums of 1975.  This Top 5 article I'm working on is gonna be hard to decide!

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/

Retro Reviews - January 2024!

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

Trouble - The Skull

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

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

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

Boston - Third Stage

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

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

Uriah Heep - Wonderworld

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

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

Blue Oyster Cult - Secret Treaties

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

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

Scorpions - Fly to the Rainbow

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

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

Anniversary Series - 1988!

The middle of the month means it's time for another Anniversary Article!  1988 is an interesting year, as we start to see the rock and metal scene shift and expand, resulting in quite the mix of genres.  While I sure I'm missing some stuff (let me know what you think of down in the comments below), here's a rundown of the big albums and songs that rocked folks 35 years ago!

The year starts off with a rather controversial group, Kingdom Come.  While at first they tried to deny it a little, but it's pretty clear they were intent on doing a glamified approach to the classic sound of Led Zeppelin, and to be honest, they were pretty good at it.  And it's not like they were the first to do so, as both Rush's first album and and some of Whitesnake's material come to mind.  In any case, one could see Kingdom Come as the beginning of the retro-clone style of bands that we see so much today, so maybe they're influential at least in that aspect.

Of course, the pop metal scene in general had plenty of albums going around, continuing to dominate the airwaves.  Scorpions came back after a four year album break with Savage Amusement, Europe went Out of This World, Winger was "Headed for a Heartbreak," Cinderella told us that we "Don't Know What You Got (Till It's Gone)," and Poison really blew up with Open Up and Say... Ahh!, featuring several big hits like "Nothin' But a Good Time," "Fallen Angel," and "Every Rose Has Its Thorn."

Metal's various sub-genres also saw some decent representation this year.  Manowar and Candlemass brought the epicness with Kings of Metal and Ancient Dreams, respectively.  Helloween continued to establish the foundation of power metal with Keeper of the Seven Keys Part 2.  Queensrÿche shifted into progressive metal with their concept album Operation: Mindcrime, and Iron Maiden pushed their proggy tendencies further with Seventh Son of a Seventh Son.  

However, the big winner of the year was thrash metal.  While all the big thrash bands put out albums this year (with Testament's probably being my personal favorite), it can't be denied that Metallica really put a spotlight on thrash with ...And Justice For All.  Despite the production problems, the album benefited from the music video for "One" getting plenty of airplay on MTV and the now-infamous snub at the Grammy's.  While some would argue that thrash's best year was 1986, the subgenre clearly started to break into the mainstream in 1988, and Metallica was leading the way.

So that's another year wrapped up.  Be sure to check out the playlist below for more great songs.  Until then, rock on! \m/

New Videos - April 2022!

I've finally started getting caught up on some of these new songs and videos.  There's been some pretty interesting stuff from bands both old and new.  Turn up the volume and check these out!

Starting off with some pretty solid symphonic metal.  While it's not earth-shaking by any means, it's well-played and well-balanced, finding the line between bombastic and catchy.  This is a new band, too, so I'll have to keep an eye out for more from them.

So I guess Jani is doing a solo album this time, with a bunch of singers (including his former Sonata Arctica bandmate Tony Kakko).  However, this single is with Timo Kotipelto, the singer from Stratovarius and Jani's own Cain's Offering, so this track is right up my alley, as I love both those bands.  Nice, bombastic symphonic power metal.

I admit I haven't kept up at all with Def Leppard's recent releases, but after checking this single, I'm kind of impressed!  I don't know if the rest of their new album sounds like this, but this has a rather dark swagger to it without really getting away from the arena-friendly rock sound the band is known for.  

Another classic 80s band whose modern material I've completely overlooked.  I knew they were working on the album, and I've heard a few singles, but this one really stands out.  Obviously, it reminds of "The Zoo," with its stompy, mid-tempo groove, but it has more of a spacy vibe that gives it a different feel.  Not bad for some old rockers!

Speaking of classic bands, here's a prog rock band from Sweden that's been around since the 70s, but I had never heard of them before.  This new track certainly has a lot of the trademarks of third-wave prog: laidback vibe with plenty of jazz-fusion groove.  I guess they have singers, but this one is instrumental.  Not a bad bit of noodling, really.

Despite all these older bands, there's always new ones to check out as well.  Fallen Sanctuary seems to be going for a classic power metal sound, making me think of early Sonata Arctica.  High speed riffing and soaring vocals are always an easy pick for me, but these guys seem to have some promise, I think.

Let's finish with one more piece of power metal from another new band.  This one is interesting, as it has some very symphonic flourishes, but the songwriting feels more like Helloween or Gamma Ray.  Still, it's some pretty epic, melodic stuff, with a great gruff singer in Ilkka Koski. 

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 - 1972!

A new year means a new batch of Anniversary articles!  Starting with 1972, we've got some pretty big albums reaching 50.  Rock was definitely expanding at this time, with progressive rock really starting to peak.  However, we also see some early evolutions of metal and hard rock as well.  Let's get into it.

Starting the year is actually a handful debut albums.  Blue Oyster Cult, Scorpions, and Styx would start their storied careers in the first quarter of 1972, with very little fanfare.  Scorpions and BOC were deep in the psychedelic rock style, and Styx was also very proggy, much like an American ELP, even featuring their own version of "Fanfare of the Common Man," which was used as part of a longer track.  However, all three had some of the hard rock crunch these bands would be known for later on.

That being said, the big album for the early part of the year was Deep Purple's Machine Head, which I reviewed nearly three years ago (where does the time go?).  Featuring their future hit "Smoke on the Water," the jam friendly "Space Truckin'," and proto-metal stomper "Highway Star," this album would celebrated years later as very influential for rockers around the world.

As the year goes on, we see many of the major prog rock releases.  Jethro Tull decided to pull a bit of a prank with their satirical concept album Thick as a Brick, which ended up becoming a celebrated masterpiece, despite (or, perhaps because of) the joke.  Pink Floyd would release Obscured by Clouds, a selection of songs the composed for a film that has pretty much since been forgotten if not for the Floyd connection.  I think it's a bit of an overlooked gem, with some neat little songs and spacy hammond organs.

However, the big prog releases came later, with ELP giving us Trilogy, Genesis dancing a Foxtrot, and Yes's titanic Close to the Edge.  Here, we see bands really pushing their song-writing limits, often writing epics that go over the 18 minute range.  I'm sure prog heads have their favorites, but for me, it's all about Close to the Edge and its masterful melodies and arrangements.  An incredible album from start to finish.

From here, the year gives us a few more highlights.  Eagles would also debut this year with their self-titled album providing several big hits with "Take It Easy," "Witchy Woman," and "Peaceful Easy Feeling."  In harder rock, Alice Cooper would let us know that "School's Out," and Black Sabbath would carry on with drug-addled Vol. 4.  Uriah Heep would release two albums this year, with Demons & Wizards and The Magician's Birthday, streamlining their own sound into a hard rocking outfit (and those Roger Dean covers are nice, too!).

Finally, the year would end with Deep Purple coming back with Made In Japan, a live album that wasn't even supposed to be released outside of it's titular country, but found itself in record players all over the world, with the band's improvisations extending their classic songs far beyond their original track lengths.  I enjoyed this one quite a bit myself when I reviewed it two years ago.

As you can see, this was quite the year for longer rock songs.  Fortunately, they're worth their runtime.  As always, I've got a playlist that has even more, and if you think I've missed something, let me know!  Until then, rock on! \m/

Last Played - February 2022!

I know I said I was going to get to 2022 stuff, but part of that are the upcoming anniversary articles, and in preparation of the first one, I'm going to do four albums from 1972!  These are all bands that I've been eager to learn more about and explore their discographies, so I was going to get to these eventually.  Still, these are some fascinating releases, even if some of them didn't really make major waves at the time.

Scorpions - Lonesome Crow

It's kind of weird to think that one of the biggest bands of the 80s had such an early start.  Brought together in the 60s by Rudolf Schenker and playing in a Merseybeat-style, the band would eventually bring in Rudolf's brother Michael and Klaus Meine in 1970 and start shifting toward a hard blues-rock sound.

Right off, this is a definitely far cry from the stadium-filling anthems the band would be known for, as it has a strong psychedelic sound.  Over the course of the album, I got vibes making me think of all kinds of bands from the era, like Cream, Grand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin, and some of that early bluesy Black Sabbath.  The songs drift from spacey to rockin' to jazzy and back without too much trouble.  However, the one thing that stands out is Klaus's vocals.  He really belts out some of these lines, showing that he was a great singer right from the start.  I don't know if anything really stood out to me from the album, but it grooves along quite nicely from beginning to end, especially the title track at the end, which is quite a neat jazz-fusion jam that goes for 13 minutes.

Of course, this version of the band would not last long.  Michael would get picked up by UFO, and the band then broke up.  Rudolf and Klaus would join Uli Jon Roth's band Dawn Road, only to change their name to Scorpions, as the name did have some recognition by then, and they figured they could build on it.  Still, it's a decent start for them, and hasn't aged that badly, honestly.

Blue Öyster Cult - Blue Öyster Cult

Blue Öyster Cult is another one of those bands where I know the two big songs, but haven't really dig into their catalog much.  I did listen to Agents of Fortune once, and was surprised to get a variety of songs instead of stuff more like "Don't Fear the Reaper."  Since then, I've learned to expand my expectations with this band.  I tried to keep this in mind as I listened to their debut, which certainly has some different moods throughout.

Drawing comparisons (as I usually do), it felt like a mix of Grand Funk Railroad, early Eagles, and some Deep Purple, all flavored with a song sense of psychedelic mysticism.  Sometimes it would be more rockin', such as "Transmaniacon MC," "Stairway to the Stars," and "Workshop of the Telescopes."  But other times, it would back into more moody territory, with "Before the Kiss, a Redcap" and "Screams."  Then you have "Cities on Flame with Rock and Roll" which has a stronger Sabbath vibe with some King Crimson thrown in.  And then "Redeemed" feels like CCR, with a bit of a folky twang.  However, through it all are some pretty decent performances.  Buck does a lot of great noodly leads on guitar, and Albert Bouchard has some fascinating jazzy style drumming.

However, overall, I don't know if the overall album really hangs together.  I can definitely see the appeal in a rock band that doesn't stick to one thing, but shifts around with different kind of grooves and feels.  But I don't know if I'm quite "converted" to the cult yet.  I'll probably need to listen to more of their stuff (which I plan to, eventually), but for now, this was a decent mix of curious rock songs.

Uriah Heep - Demons and Wizards

Carrying on with my quest of early Uriah Heep, this is just the first of two albums they released in 1972.  It also marks when they finally got their classic lineup together, which would last for the next handful of albums.  Right off, this album is actually pretty different from their previous two, leaving behind a lot of their Purple influences and providing some solid hard rock.

The Vanilla Fudge vibes do remain, though, resulting in songs that feel like a mix of 60s and 70s sounds.  The vocal harmonies are still on point, and Hensley's hammonds are still very much the core of the band's sound, but it does feel like the band is growing into its own now.  "Easy Livin'," is an obvious stand out with its rockin' vibe, but I really liked "Rainbow Demon" with its slower, ominous sound, almost like a 70s doom metal track.  Between the rockers are some ballads with "The Wizard" and "Paradise," which have some singer-songwriter vibes.  I also feel like there's an increase in Pink Floyd influences, with "Paradise" making me think of "Fearless," and "The Spell" having a middle section reminiscent of Floyd's more moody passages, with a very melodic, Gilmour-esque guitar lead.

I can tell they're getting more cohesive in their songwriting, and putting more thought into their songs.  They've also streamlined their style as well, as I felt there wasn't as my jam-friendly moments.  They're definitely talented folks, but I don't know if I was really blown away by anything here.  Still, I'm curious to see where they go from here, and once again, you won't have to wait for long!

Uriah Heep - The Magician's Birthday

Uriah Heep got a Moog!  You can tell because they add all these spacy synths to their songs, like a kid with a new toy.  Seriously, though, this album definitely shows a shift in a spacier direction, as I picked up vibes similar to Pink Floyd and early David Bowie.  Of course, the vocal harmonies from Vanilla Fudge still remain, but I suppose that was relatively standard for 70s rock, by the end.  I still don't know if I feel like this band has their own sound or not, but they still have a knack for some interesting rock songs.

The main thing I noticed with this album (other than the Moog), is even more streamlining in their songwriting.  It really is fascinating how, in three years, their sound went from the jam-friendly Purple sound to this more concise style that feels very FM-radio friendly.  Still, a few tracks stood out.  "Sunrise" is a solid opener with some good dynamics, and "Sweet Lorraine" features more rocking and some interesting sounds from their new toy.  As for the rest, "Blind Eye" had some neat dual guitar leads, and "Tales" reminded me of "Starman" by Bowie.  The big epic title track was also curious, and a bit silly.  It kicked off with a Zeppelin-y riff, threw in a kazoo, had some very awkward transitions, and featured a long middle section that would shift between a guitar solo and chaos.  Probably not their best work, honestly, but the solo had some good moments.  Mick Box certainly has some range in his playing.

However, I think the biggest takeaway I had is just how much of their music made me think of Styx, and I wonder if they were big fans of Uriah Heep as they were starting out, as I can easily see the comparisons: vocal harmonies, hard rock riffs, dramatic lyrics, and dynamic use of keyboards and organs.  As for The Magician's Birthday, I don't think it was as strong as Demons and Wizards or Look At Yourself, but it had some neat moments.

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Well, that was fun.  Uriah Heep is band I knew very little about, so blasting through a handful of their albums has been an interesting experience.  I probably need to listen to them some more to really get a feel for them and their sound, but they clearly had a good thing going, and were very influential on a lot of later bands.

Next will be that 1972 Anniversary article, but then I plan to get back into some new releases, or at least music that isn't 50 years old.  Still, I enjoy digging into the past and checking out these kinds of albums, not only for archeological purposes, but to recognize that there is so much more than what gets played on classic rock stations.  In any case, here's hoping to another year of listening to great rock music, past or present.  Until then, rock on! \m/

Anniversary Series - 1990!

As the year moves along, I hope everyone is staying safe.  In the meantime, this series carries on, into the year 1990!  Another year of transition, much like 1980, with some genres coming to a close while new ones are picking up to take their place!

However, the year would kick of with the familiar sound of glam metal, as Slaughter would release their debut album Stick It To Ya, with the big song "Up All Night."  In fact, glam and pop metal would have a pretty good year over all, with Poison's Flesh and Blood, Steelheart's debut, Ratt's Detonator, Warrant's Cherry Pie, and Jon Bon Jovi's solo debut with Blaze of Glory.

The rest of metal weren't sitting back either.  As thrash metal became more mainstream, Megadeth would find greater popularity with Rust in Peace.  Chock full of big tracks like "Holy Wars," "Hangar 18," "Tornado of Souls," and the title track, songs the band still play live today, it was a release that was hard to beat.  Even Judas Priest got in on the thrash action with Painkiller, letting Halford really go wild with the vocals.

Power metal, while still a long ways off from its peak, would find a few solid releases.  Kai Hansen, after breaking off with Helloween, would start Gamma Ray, with their debut album Heading For Tomorrow coming out this year.  Blind Guardian would release Tales from the Twilight World (which I reviewed at the end of last year), would show them shifting into their iconic style of melodic leads and epic vocals.

Of course, there was a new style developing out in the northwest of the US.  While grunge and alternative rock wouldn't completely take over, bands like Alice in Chains and Soundgarden would laying down the groundwork for the explosion that would follow in the next few years.

Meanwhile, classic rock fans would have plenty for them as well.  After Tommy Shaw left Styx, he ended up forming Damn Yankees with Ted Nugent and Jack Blades of Night Ranger, who's debut album would put them on the map in a big way.  Of course, Styx weren't sitting back, releasing Caught in the Act to some acclaim.  This year would also give us AC/DC's The Razor's Edge, best known for "Thunderstruck" and proof that classic styles still had power to blow the minds of rock fans everywhere.

As the year drew to a close, glam metal would end up having the last say, with the Scorpions releasing Crazy World with the track "Winds of Change," reflecting to the changing times in Europe.  The genre itself would have a major shake up with Tesla's live acoustic cover of "Signs," a sign itself that glam metal had really gone about as far as it could go.

And that wraps up 1990, though my playlist below has a few extras, as always.  Again, if there's anything you think I left out anything, 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/

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.