I’ve been on a big Jimmie Vaughan kick lately after picking up his Plays More Blues, Ballads, and Favorites a year or so ago and picking up some of his other discs here and there and I got to thinking about the first time I heard him play back in ’86 or so when I caught the video for “Tuff Enuff” on MTV from his band The Fabulous Thunderbirds. Being such a fan of his younger brother Stevie Ray Vaughan and reading articles where little bro praises his older bro and telling the interviewer that Jimmie was his favorite player, imagine the shock I received after hearing Jimmie’s lead and tone on that song. I was a budding guitar player at the time and absorbed everything from Van Halen and Ratt to Iron Maiden and Judas Priest, but SRV was something different- it was raw and spoke to me in a different way than those other bands did. So, while I actually really dug the song, that lead was kind of a big “HUH?” moment for me. But, like a lot of music I listen to, there was something interesting in the “sparseness and economy of sound” compared to his brother.

I’ve come to learn over the years that Jimmie is one cool dude. Sharp dresser, soulful singing voice, great rhythm player, and some seriously stinging leads and tone that I’ve really come to appreciate more as I’ve gotten older. While I absolutely LOVE his brother’s passion and fire (definitely in my top three guitar players of all time), Jimmie’s “less is more” approach is pretty much the polar opposite but very cool in its own right. Watched a video of him not too long ago describing his lead playing and while he could play Buddy Guy or Freddie King licks, he wanted to find his own unique voice and signature style on the guitar. That style paid off in spades with the Thunderbirds, who became the house band at Antone’s in Austin, Texas and often backed the many blues artists who played at the blues only venue. Talk about an education! Soon the T-birds were THE hot ticket in town and their mix of original tunes and deep well of covers earned them a record contract and the respect of artists from the Rolling Stones to Eric Clapton and Carlos Santana.

Not long after Stevie’s death in a tragic helicopter crash in 1990, Jimmie left the Fabulous Thunderbirds and struck out on his own as a solo artist. He’s released a good number of discs since that cover a wide range from classic Chicago blues, 50s rock and doo wop, and an old school jazz trio format; all styles feature Jimmie’s tasty playing and he sounds quite at home with most, if not every, tune on each disc. While he does a good bit of the singing and has a pretty decent voice to boot, Jimmie often features the most outstanding Lou Ann Barton (who played in an early version of Double Trouble with Stevie) on a good number of cuts- their vocal interplay is often a highlight of the songs, even moreso than the guitar playing! You really can’t go wrong with any of his discs although I prefer the Blues Ballads and Favorites series, which is being rereleased as a two disc set and retitled this year under the banner The Pleasure’s All Mine.

As someone who has a younger brother (and a musical one at that), I feel a certain kinship in the bond that Jimmie and Stevie shared in their love of music and how they expressed themselves. My brother and I still turn each other on to new bands and sounds similar to how these two absorbed blues music when they were younger- it’s a deep passion that we share and will continue to share until we are no longer on this earth. It’s obvious that Jimmie loves his brother and I doubt an interview goes by where he’s not asked a question about Stevie or he reflects on days when they were growing up trading licks with one another or talking tone. So Jimmie, here’s a shout out to you and all the other big brothers out there in sharing some brotherly love!

In honor of the new AC/DC single “Shot In The Dark” being released this Wednesday (October 7th, 2020) from their upcoming album PWR/UP, here is my top ten favorite AC/DC songs! A hard task, but it had to be done…

1. Have A Drink On Me
2. Hell Ain’t A Bad Place To Be (If You Want Blood… version)
3. Sin City
4. Live Wire
5. Hells Bells
6. Riff Raff (If You Want Blood… version)
7. Shake A Leg
8. Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap
9. If You Want Blood (You’ve Got It)
10. It’s A Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n Roll)

How about you?

“This is a song… for my muthaaaaaa… (and the boy she raised)”

Boy, there ain’t nothing much better than some nasty groovin’ guitar and some killer drums is there? Soulhat’s “Bonecrusher” has always been a hot slice of bluesy rhythm riffery; kind of a loosey goose Hendrix take wrapped up with a touch of Stevie Ray Vaughan and some good doses of Aerosmith funk but I’ll be derned if it ain’t the relentless drum chug from a dude named “Frosty” that really makes this thing cook like no other. Lyricially it’s a bunch of mumbo jumbo but who cares? With five plus minutes of devious skronk you’ve got one helluva good track.

“Bonecrusher” was the lead radio track from this Austin four piece’s second major label album Good To Be Gone and shows off more of the rocking side of Soulhat compared to some of the alterna-blues jam bandiness found on the rest of the album. This whole thing sounds like it’s built from one glorious live take and layered with extra vocals, yelps, different guitars, and feedback that jumps out of the speakers and grabs your attention with some stinging fretwork and slinky bass. But man it’s those DRUMS! Frosty, aka Bartholomew Eugene Smith-Frost, long a veteran of the music scene and known for playing with Lee Michaels (“Do You Know What I Mean?”) in the early 70s is such a propulsive dynamo on this as he lays down one deep, DEEP groove. Listen to the accents on the high hat and cymbals but most especially his cannon shots on the snare that slam along with the riff, and dig some of his other tasty fills during the solo spots. Pure drummer ear candy.

Tons of fun, some nonsense often funny lyrics, and a groove like no other. Totally worth your while to track down other Soulhat tracks while you are at it!

With the entire world months deep into a crazy pandemic, a lot of people are going stir crazy cooped up in their homes and are itching for ANYTHING to ease the stress and calm the nerves.  There has been some easing of restrictions here and there but unfortunately we are not going to be out of the woods for quite a while.  Wouldn’t it be nice for a little break and have at least SOME sort of enjoyment for a change?  Like…  a new AC\DC record?

Everyone likes AC\DC, right?  I mean, maybe a song or two?  Most of us that first heard the band are likely parents, grandparents, or cool uncles and have indoctrinated our kids\grandkids\nieces\nephews into the greatness of the band as the next step in their musical evolution from Disney songs and Nickelodeon tuneage to FULL BLOWN RAWK AND ROLL. So when rumors abound that guitarist Angus Young pulled the old gang back together in Vancouver in 2018 and photogs spotted the formerly retired Cliff Williams, newly reinstated(?) Phil Rudd (although Chris Slade may disagree… see recent Rolling Stone article), and a returning(!) Brian Johnson casually smoking on the back deck of a local studio, band fans have been salivating for ANY news- is it official?  Is Brian really back?  And Dee Snider dropping hints of using the late Malcolm Young’s guitar tracks on some new tunes…  to quote the great Ted Knight as Judge Smails in “Caddyshack”…

During these hectic times we need something to brighten our day.  We need something to get our toes a-tappin’, our booties shakin’, and our heads a-bangin’.  We need a new AC/DC record, pronto.  At least a single…  please?  Whaddya think boys?

So, we longtime fans all agree there ain’t nothin’ better than Iron Maiden in the 80s right?  Well, maybe some of you newer fans out there prefer the Maiden output from this century but is there any of you lot out there that prefers “the lost decade”?  The 90s were certainly an odd period for the band as multiple changes were afoot, not only with grunge and nu metal dominating the era but within the band itself-  out was guitarist Adrian Smith and in was Janick Gers, but most shocking of all and one that sent Maiden fans into a tizzy was the departure of Bruce Dickinson and the recruitment of his replacement Blaze Bayley.  Overall, the band put out four studio albums during that period but out of those which one was the best?  Only one man’s opinion…  but read on!

Let’s start with the decade topper No Prayer For The Dying–  at some point early in 1990 the band decide to “get back to the basics” and make a stripped down, rawer album devoid of the more progressive elements found on the previous two platters (Somewhere In Time and Seventh Son Of A Seventh Son).  As work commenced on the album guitarist Adrian Smith decided to take a leap of faith and leave the band, unhappy with the return to roots and eager to go off on his own to explore new things.  Enter Janick Gers for the recording of the album, which found the band still rocking hard but not making any progression from their previous albums-  it was more like a regression, although not an exceptionally bad one.  In all honesty, the album was a bit looser in some ways (see lead single “Holy Smoke” and “Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter” for raw fun) with more of a live, off the cuff feel but overall it felt a bit different from their great run in the 80s.  Part of this could be chalked up to the switch from the smoother stylings of Smith to the more wild and off the cuff Gers, but also Dickinson’s vocal range appeared to suffer as he was a bit more snarly and growly in comparison to the Air Raid Siren of old.  Songs like “Tailgunner”, “Run Silent Run Deep”, and “Fates Warning” were some of the highlights of the album but nothing felt like an Iron Maiden “classic”, and maybe the band agrees as very few (if any?) of these songs have reappeared since the tour for the album (other than maybe “Bring Your Daughter”).  As a Maiden diehard, I do pull this out on occasion and do enjoy the tunes because hey…  it’s Iron Maiden!

Two short years later the band returned with Fear Of The Dark, an album which included the classic (yes, there IS one on this album!) title track along with a wildly uneven yet interesting batch of good to great tracks and also includes what has to be my all time least favorite Iron Maiden song in “Weekend Warrior” (let’s not get into it).  Interestingly, new boy Gers finally has some writing credits with the band, penning the ripping “Be Quick Or Be Dead” and semi-ballad “Wasting Love” with Dickinson; both tunes adding a fresh coat of paint but falling short of “greatest hits” status (the other two Gers/Dickinson tunes fall into the “just OK” category).  Bassist and sergeant at arms Steve Harris gives us the highly underrated “Childhood’s End”, swashbuckling fun in “From Here To Eternity”, and the semi-progressive “Afraid To Shoot Strangers”, yet his Gers cowrites are the weaker points of the album.  Still, the man can pen a gem and gives us the great title track but short of that, Fear ranks lower than No Prayer For The Dying for two specific reasons:  1) overall inconsistency in songwriting; and 2) the godawful snare sound from Nicko McBrain.  Just what in the hell is up with that?  It is mixed waaaay too high and has some sort of odd delayed echo that overpowers most of the songs and leaves a slappy, flat, and wet sound.  That lack of crack at the intro of “Be Quick Or Be Dead” has always turned me off, which is a shame because the album isn’t bad and some of the songs came off great live, but…  oh well.  The band took a few chances on this one but the end result is still the weakest album of the Dickinson years.

Next up comes the album that is one of the most divisive in the Maiden canon, one that has its fair share of haters but also one that uniquely stands on its own and has no comparison within the catalog.  Biggest change of all of course is new boy Blaze Bayley, an interesting yet somewhat inspired choice as a vocalist as he’s a bit deeper and huskier from a tonal perspective compared to Bruce with the only commonality is that they…  errr…  are both British (which seemed to be a necessity for the job); Bayley having led the biker rock cum Van Halen vibes of Wolfsbane for a few albums before being plucked from that band’s relative obscurity to front the mighty Maiden.  His debut with the band was the darkest, driest, and probably the most shocking release (get a load of Eddie!) in the band’s career in The X Factor, an album far removed from the previous two that retained some sonic stylings of the Maiden sound but lyrically focused more on the darker elements of the human psyche.  On first listen this was likely a bit jarring for long time fans, but once you wrap your mind around the fact that this ain’t Bruce Dickinson and accept Blaze for what he is then you will realize…  hey, this isn’t that bad of an album!  Matter of fact, it’s pretty good!  Well, I didn’t quite think that for a few months but after repeated listens at 5 AM in the morning on the long, dark drive to work with the occasional full moon in the sky I came to appreciate it.  Songs like “Sign Of The Cross”, “Blood On The World’s Hands”, and “The Edge Of Darkness” had bits of the Maiden gallop of old in spots but with much darker hues and textures rarely displayed on previous albums, and even moodier cuts like “Lord Of The Flies” and those somber in tone like “Fortunes Of War” and “2 AM” were oddly captivating in their own way.  The tenor of the songs as well as the understated production and over the top album artwork showed a different side of the band, one that was a bit removed from their heyday yet still retained enough uniqueness to keep things interesting.

Last album of the 90s and last to feature Blaze is Virtual XI, which is another odd mix of songs that are either excellent (“The Clansman”) or very good (“Futureal”) to good (“The Educated Fool”, “Don’t Look To The Eyes of a Stranger) and just OK (the rest of the album).  What’s interesting here is how Steve Harris can pen a nine minute classic in “The Clansman”, a song that has various unique parts that tie extremely well together, yet writes another nine minute song that has decent ideas yet is way too repetitive in “The Angel And The Gambler”, a song that would have been a decent rocker if they’d just cut that dang chorus down by a few minutes.  Those aforementioned “good” songs sound like brightly polished X Factor leftovers, fitting in quite well with Blaze’s darker and smoky midrange, but man…  quite a few of the remainders sound like the band was pining for their previous vocalist as many vocal lines and melodies feel too far out of Bayley’s comfort zone and leaving him straining to hit the notes and sounding flat on others.  Songs like “When Two Worlds Collide” and “Lightning Strikes Twice” sound perfectly tuned for a Bruce Bruce vocal but in Blaze’s hands they just sound downright off and not written to his strengths.  He’s got some of that punch in the midrange and sounds strong but there are too many notes in the Air Raid Siren’s register that he had not quite mastered and are poorly executed, which may have been one of the reasons he was let go not long after the tour for the album.

So dear readers, what album is Maiden’s best from the 90s?  No, you can’t pick one of Bruce or Adrian’s solo albums nor may you choose a live album!  As for my favorite?

(drum roll)

THE X FACTOR

Yes, you read that right-  The X Factor.  Some of you may be saying…  just how in THE HELL can you choose THAT album?  For one…  when listening, get Bruce out of your head.  This IS NOT A BRUCE DICKINSON ALBUM.  THIS is a Blaze Bayley album and suits his vocals to a T (short of the weak cut “Judgment Of Heaven”)-  it’s dark, it’s moody, and needed a vocalist with a richer and more midrangey tone than what Dickinson could offer.  Secondly…  this is a bit of a headphones album, one that is best felt all alone in a darkened room or space with no interruption.  Those early AM drives to work on moonlit nights traveled on dark roads with little traffic were key in my appreciation of this album.  The ebb and flow of the music along with the somber lyrical tone just hit me hard once I appreciate the album for what it was.  While I’m immensely happy that Bruce and Adrian Smith returned to the band in 2000 and feel that their most recent output is the best since their 80s classics, I still think The X Factor is a very good album that stands as the best from their 90s output.

“Push Me Pull Me” Pearl Jam, Yield

I’m a bit of a fair-weather Pearl Jam fan, having liked their first couple of albums and bits and pieces of everything they’ve released since but man, “Push Me Pull Me” is down in the lower tier of the catalog.  A bit surprised that I actually have this song on here but with a lot of Pearl Jam I’ve picked up over the years, I’ll leave it on and then see if something grabs me in shuffle mode.  This does not, although the bass throb from Jeff Ament and drum whack from Jack Irons is decent but the disaffected vocal from Eddie Vedder makes this a thumbs down for me.

“Man Of Golden Words” Mother Love Bone, Mother Love Bone

Oh, if Andrew Wood would only have lived how the entire grunge scene would have changed..  well, maybe not the entire scene but no Pearl Jam (Stone Gossard and Jeff Ament were on board here).  At any rate, “Man Of Golden Words” is a decent, solemn piano and acoustic based ditty that features the cool croon from Wood and for you trivia buffs out there is the song in which Temple Of The Dog took their name from.  Interestingly, this leans a bit closer to Alice In Chains/Soundgarden territory in darkness but stands uniquely on its own.

“Cowboys From Hell” Pantera, Cowboys From Hell

NOW we’re talkin’….  early 90s were certainly a sea change in rock and metal music-  hair was fading, alternative rock was making a scene, grunge was creeping around the corner, and heavy music was getting more and more bombastic and rifftacular.  And boy what a riff-  “Cowboys” features one funky, choppy chunkster, putting Dimebag Darrell Abbott front and center as the latest guitar hero in town.  And the rest of the band ain’t to shabby either with brother Vinnie Paul on drums and Rex Brown on bass, but holy sh!t those vocals…  Philip Anselmo is LETHAL.

“Execution – Don’t Save Me” Death Angel, The Dream Calls For Blood

Kicking off with a brief acoustic spot topped with harmonized guitars (“Execution”, I’m assuming) comes this heavy thrasher from Bay Area boys Death Angel.  This cut mixes some serious breakneck pacing in the main riff which eases the throttle some in the main verse section before flooring it during the solo sections once again, while singer Mark Osegueda belts out in fine, rip roaring fashion.  In some ways I miss that early, nearly chaotic vocals that young Mark would belt out back in the day but his voice has matured like a fine wine.  Still, it’s those riffs that bring us all to the yard.

“Willie Brown Blues” Ry Cooder, Crossroads

I’ve always had huge respect for Ry Cooder although I’d not picked up much of his material until just recently.  The Crossroads soundtrack was one of the first I’d grabbed as I’d loved the movie and dug the tunes (dig the cameo from Steve Vai!) with “Willie Brown Blues” being a good example; pretty much a jump blues with some fiery harmonica playing from John “Juke” Logan and vocals from “Willie Brown” himself, actor/singer Joe Seneca.  And yeah, movie magic made Karate Kid Ralph Macchio look good on the six string but that’s actually Mr. Cooder himself with the funky goods.

“Child Of Mine” Fleetwood Mac, Bare Trees

Mid-period Fleetwood Mac reminds me of that old joke…  “Paul McCartney was in a band BEFORE Wings???”  Yeah the Mac has gone through a few iterations before the Buckingham/Nicks era, with “Bare Trees” being the only album that featured the guitar tag team of Danny Kirwan and Bob Welch.  “Child Of Mine” is a damn good rocker, sounding maybe a tad bit like Marc Bolan backed by the Stones with Billy Preston on organ.  Sung by Kirwan with a cool vocal but man, that rhythm section of McVie\Fleetwood is nails and Christine McVie is groovy baby on the keyboards

“Things Change” Dwight Yoakum, The Very Best Of

I’ve made plenty of comments before about how I dislike most modern country, but as Dwight likes to sing…  things change.  But hey, screw it-  I’m not in the demographic they are writing for.  At any rate Dwight is on point here with one of his late 90s hits that’s maybe a tad bit more produced than his classics, but dig that vocal melody and his excellent voice plus those singalong “na na nas” that stick in the brain like an earworm.  Toss in some sweet electric guitar playing from his partner in crime Pete Anderson and you’ve got a country tune I can agree with.

“Ain’t Enough” Army Of Anyone, Army Of Anyone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ox_B0z9zGk

Army of Anyone was a bit of a one album supergroup featuring the brothers DeLeo from Stone Temple Pilots, singer Richard Patrick from Filter, and drummer Ray Luzier who spent time bashing away behind David Lee Roth.  Their lone album featured alternarock not too far removed from STP although Patrick’s vocal melodies hailed more toward classic rock singers than some of the Bowie flavors and warbling roar favored by that groups Scott Weiland.  If you like STP and Filter then you should dig what’s going on here as it’s not far removed from either band.  All in a all a good tune.

“Black Dog On My Shoulder” Manic Street Preachers, This Is My Truth Tell Me Yours

One of the great things about buying so many CDs and doing a good bit of listening on shuffle mode uncovers a lot of gems that you might not pick up as you listen to a band’s single disc.  I’d had the Manic’s rollicking debut album and had picked up a couple of latter period discs but hadn’t really listened to them until their brilliant, beautiful melodies of Everything Must Go.  “Black Dog” is a bit similar in style but leans a bit more 70s with its mix of sunny, folky acoustics and string backdrops but it’s James Dean Bradfield’s vocals and melodies that shine.  Quite an underrated band that is good for a smooth change of pace.

“Travelin’ Band” Creedence Clearwater Revival, In Concert

One of my all time favorite Creedence tunes, “Travelin’ Band” owes a serious debt to Chuck Berry from a guitar standpoint but John Fogerty sure lays down his best Little Richard impression too with his shouty, exuberant vocal.  How can you not like this?  Well, I have to drop a few points as this is the live version which is pretty darn swell and as usual Fogerty is on fire vocally and on guitar.  But what’s seriously missing from this version compared to the studio is that horn accompaniment, which is capably replicated here on guitar but is a bit too loosey goosey and not as tight as it should be, especially during the solo.  But it’s Creedence!  (I love Creedence 🙂 )

The gold goes to Cowboys From Hell by 20 car lengths followed by Travelin’ Band (only penalized by it being live) for the silver and the gold goes to Child Of Mine.

For those not in the know, your intrepid blogger was hospitalized a couple of times in December after a crazy bout with shingles, vertigo, and other complications that pretty much left me bedridden and darn near immobile for a good few days.  My head felt like it weighed 500 pounds and pressure on the left side of my noggin was equivalent to a blunted drill bit trying to work its way into my brain.  On top of that, I couldn’t keep any food down as any slight movements would send my into a violent spin and then…  well, you get the picture.  Toss in a morphine drip that did nothing other than generating vivid dreams of bluish white, dreary rock strewn landscapes that would melt and appear as “talking stomachs” (don’t ask) and I was an abject mess.

It’s hard to describe just how my five day hospital visit went but those first four days were extremely ugly and most of all, helpless.  All I wanted to do was lay there.  The TV was on but I couldn’t (and wouldn’t) look at it because the motion was enough to make me want to vomit.  Conversations between anyone in my room or with me and the nurses would just exacerbate the “brain ache”-  I couldn’t just turn them off entirely; I had to answer questions I was asked but I would rather have just turned my brain off and lay there.  I really just wanted my brain to be devoid of any thought because it was essentially too much to think about anything as that drill kept grinding away on the side of my head.  I knew I was sick; I was just too worn down to think about getting better.  I would just fade in and out of sleep/consciousness and watch the crazy melting and talking tummies.  Day one of these morose feelings blended into day two, which blended into day three, then day four.  Then something magical happened on Day Five.

On Day Five I got to the point where I wasn’t quite feeling the vertigo symptoms and the headaches had become less intense, so I decided I’d try to sit up in bed a little more and watch some TV.  My wife helped get me situated and got me some breakfast while we both watched the morning news and talked about just how soon I’d be able to get out of the hospital.  Day Four had been a bit of a turnaround so I was feeling a bit hopeful, although I’d not really moved much from the bed at all.  My mental state was starting to turn around and I was getting a bit of an itch but still a little worried to move as I thought for sure I would once again “lose my lunch” even if I rolled over.  And then…  I heard it…  that piano…  and those faint words…  “when I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me, speaking words of wisdom, let it be…”

And…  I cried.  I looked up at the TV and saw one of those Time/Life commercials and Paul McCartney was singing and playing the classic Beatles tune, accompanied by good ol’ Ringo behind the drum kit and that’s all it took.  The music that is always part of my daily repertoire in my mind was back after being gone for four days thanks to Paul McCartney and this silly commercial.  They probably didn’t play but ten seconds of the song but that’s all it took-  my eyes watered, my mind cleared somewhat, and then I realized…  I think I’m going home today.  My wife looked at me with concern and said “what’s wrong?” and all I could do was point to the TV with tears in my eyes and trying to get the words out to say that for the past few days I didn’t even think or hear music when I was so down and out and sick.  We laughed a bit, thinking that I was getting a little overly emotional from the steroids I’d been taking, but she knows how much music is a daily part of my life and was happy to see me take a turn for the better.  And yes, I did get to go home a little later that day and I’d like to think that Paul McCartney had a little bit to do with that.  Thanks Paul!

Sorry folks, this ain’t no “old man yells at cloud” post…  no, I admit I’m waaaay past the sell by date when it comes to new country (with some rare exceptions) so if you want my two cents on “good country” I’m definitely going to lean old school and probably lean towards something with pedal steel, maybe a hint of fiddle, and some twangin’ guitar.  Yeah, you get touches of that in the new stuff but not near enough to grab me and want to run out and buy the CD or download a track or two on iTunes.  But if you really want to bend my ear throw on a Marty Stuart track so I can get that old school feel and DEFINITELY lots of that twangin’ geetar.

Been a fan of Marty’s since…  oh, I’d say maybe early 90s when he came out with his classic Tempted album and dropped a couple of duets with Travis Tritt (“This One’s Gonna Hurt You” is outstanding) but over the past 15-20 years or so he’s released a string of very good albums with his killer backing band The Fabulous Superlatives that are arguably the best of his career.  Maybe it’s maturity, maybe it’s no record company pressure to write hits…  or maybe it’s that he’s going to do what he wants to, critics be damned.  But that’s a funny thing…  at this stage of his career Marty Stuart is more of an ambassador for country music than anyone out there, which is hard to critique.  He’s got the sound, he’s got the songs, he’s got the band, he’s got the talent, he’s got the Nudie suits, he’s got the cool hair, he’s got the throwback TV show, he’s got the classic country, he’s got the classic country rock, he’s got the gospel (check out the great Soul’s Chapel), he’s got the bluegrass…  what else do you want if you like old school country?

Hard to pick one Marty cut out of all to highlight but I’m gonna grab one from the last decade and pick “Badlands”, the lead cut from the album of the same name that was issued back in the late 2000s.  This song walks the fine line of both country and rock and showcases the best of what Marty has to offer at this stage of his career-  a great lyric, strong chorus, great blend of vocals from the Superlatives, cool sing along moments, and most of all, some absolutely killer guitar work between Marty and fellow guitarist Kenny Vaughn.  It’s a blend of The Byrds, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Gram Parsons, and just a hint of Eagles in the vocal that makes this plenty memorable and one of those that will have you hitting the repeat button.  I’m not really much of a lyric guy but Marty paints a compelling picture of the plight of Native Americans while offering up hints of hope for “the second coming of the red man” and “good will come again” to those mighty Badlands.

So if you’re like me and you respect the new stuff but your heart is with the classic country sound with a dash of rock, grab you some Marty Stuart.  The pedigree (he was in Lester Flatt and Johnny Cash’s bands, for crying out loud), the talent, and the songs are all there so what are you waiting for?  GO…  BUY…  NOW!

Full confession right up front…  before starting this blog post I don’t think I’ve listened to either of these albums all the way through.  Some of you are probably saying, “how can that be?  It’s METALLICA!  If you’re such a thrash metal fan and have caught the band live a number of times how can you NOT have listened to either in full?”  Well…  you’ve kinda hit the nail on the head with that “thrash metal” comment because neither album fits that description, plus…  well…  both albums have always left this fan scratching his head fifteen or so years down the road (well, maybe not as much as St. Anger but that’s a post for another time).  So let’s get into it, shall we?

A little back history with my relationship with Metallica…  somewhere back in 1985/1986 or so I’d caught “For Whom The Bell Tolls” on a local metal radio show, dug the tune, and thought “hey, that’s pretty good.  These guys seem to be getting a bit of attention in the metal mags too so why don’t we buy this Ride The Lightning and see how the rest sounds?”  At the time I was in college so I sauntered over to the local record store, grabbed the LP, put it on, and…  DID NOT GET IT.  Too aggressive, too abrasive, and not quite what I was expecting.  Not long thereafter I caught the band open for Ozzy Osbourne in front of a rabid crowd and still didn’t get it.  It wasn’t until my brother bought Master Of Puppets that it finally grabbed me after consecutive plays.  That aggression and raw power finally sunk in and from there Metallica was one of my bands; one that felt more real and more in tune with my young self than some of the crap that was on MTV and radio at the time.

By the time Load came out in 1996 my love for the band had taken a minor hit based on the style changes found on Metallica (aka “The Black Album”), which was pretty much their “coming out party” to basic rockheads due to a more streamlined, more “rock” sound rather than the unrelenting thrash of old that appealed to me in the first place.  In some ways it was a bit of a novelty to me that I could appreciate but in the end I missed that relentless aggression that gave me that swift kick in the pants.  So when five years down the road word got out of a new Metallica album I was quite excited yet anxiously hoping for a return to form.  So what did I think of Load once I got it?  Disappointed to say the least.

What is it about Load (and Reload for that matter, but we’ll get to it shortly) that is so polarizing to Metallica fans?  I can certainly understand how the album brought in the new blood that dug heavy riff rock and if either of these two are your favorite Metallica album I’m not going to knock you for it.  However, as for me it was not quite the Metallica I wanted to hear.  As a whole the album is filled with a lot of interesting ideas but nothing quite lives up to anything from their previous material- certainly the flip side of the coin from their first four releases although the two are somewhat aligned stylistically with much of the Black Album while adding a few detours into southern rock and alternative metal.  That said, some of the chances work surprisingly well:  lead single “Until It Sleeps” was such an oddball on first listen; a bit of cowboy goth rock crooned by James Hetfield that has its satisfyingly heavy moments like “Enter Sandman” did on the previous album that, bundled together, make it a winner.  Toss in other Black Album nods like the mighty heft of “King Nothing” (great bassline from Jason Newsted) and the solid crunch of “Ain’t My Bitch” then counter them with the swagger of “Poor Twisted Me”, bluesy bruiser in “Bleeding Me” (some great playing from Hetfield and Kirk Hammett), and the riffy swing of “Wasting My Hate” and you’ve got the makings of a really good album; maybe not on par with the first four but an adventurous step not too far removed from their self titled record.  No face melting thrash here; no, just southern fried riff rock akin to what Corrosion of Conformity was doing around the same timeframe with more bluesy twists.

As for the remainder of the album-  well, it’s an odd melange of sounds that just don’t quite live up to the rest of the album.  “2×4” and “The House Jack Built” fall just short; the former has a cool Sabbath meets ZZ Top vibe yet with some odd vocal moments that knock it down a peg and the latter gets a little too alternative in spots and not quite convincing enough to stand up with the rest of the album.  Plus there are some cuts are brave experiments stretching into other genres that have never really worked for me at all (“Mama Said”, “Ronnie”, “Torn Within”).  Fortunately the album ends on a good note with the lurching, understated menace of “The Outlaw Torn”, sounding a bit like Dio-era Sabbath wrestling with Nick Cave at a Lynyrd Skynrd concert via a cut that seems to blend the best of the experimental sounds with Hetfield’s newer, more emotive vocals compared to the harsh bark of old.  All in all huge thumbs up to the man for stretching into uncharted territory and adding to the Metallica soundscape.

At one time I thought I liked Reload more than Load, but…  well, now you know my preference!  Although both albums were originally set to be one double album, the band decided to release Load then work on fine tuning the rest of the material to be released the following year.  Reload‘s debut single was “The Memory Remains”, a cut falling into that Southern rock/Sabbath sludgehole that is akin to material from the last album but throws a giant hanging curveball via guest vocalist Marianne Faithfull’s endearingly croaked “la las” near the end of the song (a charming earworm if there ever was one).  Unfortunately, that “sludge” drags this album down a notch in comparison to its predecessor.  Songs like “Carpe Diem Baby”, “Fixxxer”, “The Unforgiven II”, and “Slither”, seem ride that tempo a little too hard, not really breaking out into more familiar riffy territory yet staying in tepid groove territory with very few hooks that don’t quite work.  Counter to that, the songs that kick things up a notch are the real winners on this disc:  “Bad Seed”, while not pushing the needle too far, has a bit more stomp ‘n snarl in the riff and vocal department; and “Attitude”, “Better Than You”, and “Prince Charming” are sides of the same coin- again, heavy riffs featuring some confident Hetfield singing that comes close in spots to his approach on debut album Kill ‘Em All.  Still, the mightiest of them all on this album (and arguably the best tune between Load and Reload) is “Fuel”; a barnburner of a cut that kicks down the door from the get go-  Hetfield in commanding roar o’er top a rumbling, nasty riff that pushes the song ever forward with the rest of the band having nary a moment to catch up.  Throw in a few more crunchers like this and I’d be apt to change my thoughts on this disc, but unfortunately that was not the case as Reload falls a shade short of its predecessor.

Tell you what…  maybe they shoulda combined the best of both worlds and put out one disc.  Now THIS is what I’m talking about!  Arranged for maximum ferocity 🙂

1. Fuel
2. Ain’t My Bitch
3. Prince Charming
4. King Nothing
5. Bleeding Me
6. Until It Sleeps
7. Devil’s Dance
8. Wasting My Hate
9. Poor Twisted Me
10. Attitude
11. Better Than You
12. Bad Seed
13. The Outlaw Torn

Call it…  ReReLoaded?  

“Absent Friends” Saxon, Unleash The Beast

Big big Saxon fan here-  I can appreciate the sentiment of this song and the reason why it was written (passing of one of the band roadies) but the hard hearted sourpuss that I am just wants to RAWK when I hear Saxon.  However in listening to the lyrics and thinking about some of my “absent friends” it does bring a tear to this old grouch, especially as I get on in my years.  Overall the song is fairly simple, Biff and the boys penning a nice acoustic cut that’s well sung and well played but not my normal cuppa tea.

“Dogs” Motorhead, Rock N Roll

Well, kinda like I said with the previous song…  when I want to hear Motorhead I want to RAWK.  “Dogs” kinda does but not in my preferred Motorhead style (which is heads down and uptempo) as this kind of plods and lurches along with very little fire other than the awesomely gravel throated vocal from Lemmy.  Very un-Motorhead drums though, especially considering original wildman Philthy Phil Taylor is back on the kit-  no drum rolls or double kicks.  And the production is loud, ugly, and clattery.

“Rosie” The Beat Farmers, The Pursuit Of Happiness

Man, what is it today?  When I want to hear The Beat Farmers I want to…  well…  actually this song is a great cover of the Tom Waits original, beautifully sung by Joey Harris and accompanied by Jerry Raney on backing vocals.  A great example of what these guys had to offer other than the four on the floor bar band rock and hilarious songs (“Happy Boy”, anyone?), as well as being a counter to the one and only Country Dick Montana.  I prefer THAT version, but damn…  this song is poignant and touching.  Kudos fellas!

“The Lengths” Black Keys, Rubber Factory

zzzzzzzzzzzz….  huh?  where am i?????  Oh yeah….  hmmmm….  and once again…  When I want to hear The Black Keys I want to rock…  OK, I’m poking too much fun.  Yeah, I prefer the swamp stomp from Dan and Patrick but damn can that Auerbach boy saaaaang!  Not quite a blues singer per se, but definitely mellow and very heartfelt and “The Lengths” shows off the chill vibe from the band that’s far removed from those other ramble tambles that get the booty shaking.  Very subtle, very cool, and some sweet slide.

“Always” Flotsam and Jetsam, Cold

Amazing to think how since Flots’ formation that they’ve always hung around in one form or another, lifers for the metal cause and not really giving up on those headbanging principles that caught our attention in the mid-80s.  “Always” is a cool branch from the band tree; not overtly thrashy like their earlier material nor groove drenched like something from the 90s, but more straightforward and punchy with subtle shifts of heft and depth.  And as always lead throat Erik AK is just a killer vocalist, this song being no exception-  fire and brimstone roars with various moods thrown into this stew.

“Stallions Of The Highway” Saxon, Live At Donington 1980

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S70cq-Q6vtE

A double shot of Saxon for your blog pleasure, and a song that’s a complete 180 from “Absent Friends” and yes, it RAWKS in all its raw power and glory as Biff and the boys play what was likely their biggest show at the time in front of an assembled crowd of metalheads at Donington Park in England.  “Stallions” is a heads down romper, a bit loose in execution but you can’t fault the boys as they were likely pumped full of energy for this show.  A bit loose and clattery but all in good rockin’ fun!

“Winds Of Change” Bruce Dickinson, Tattooed Millionaire

Oh boy…  “when I want to hear…”  ENOUGH!  So yeah, my preference for Bruce is the passionate, full throated thespian that fronts Iron Maiden but he’s got a ton of excellent material from his solo years.  “Winds Of Change” is OK; a bit repetitive in the chorus with Bruce maybe a tad overly emotive although it is saved a bit by a decent Janick Gers noodle.  Kind of a poor man’s “Tears Of The Dragon” which has a similar vocal melody but Bruce sounds much more convincing on that one.  Still, I’m a huge fan of the man’s vocal talents.

“Hard Driving Man” Thin Lizzy, 74 Live In Germany

Good luck tracking this one down!  Lizzy covers the J Geils Band on this bootleg during a tour of Germany and features a couple of guitarists who only appeared during this tour (Andy Gee and John Cann, minor minor footnotes in the band history).  Really this cut is just a spot of fun that gets by on the charms of the great Phil Lynott, who does his damndest to fire up the crowd as he leads his band of merry men through a fairly repetitive eight minutes.  REALLY loose yet spirited.

“Leila” ZZ Top, Six Pack

“The iPod Shuffle is like a box of chocolates…  you never know what you’re gonna get”  And boy is that right…  sorry boys, “Leila” does very little for me.  I love the Top but when I want to listen to the Top it’s that rockin’ guitar stuff that the boys do very very well.  Sure, the song is played well and Billy Gibbons guitar work is magnificent as usual but this is one of those “right turn Clydes” that the band was experimenting with before going whole hog with it (and with better ideas) come next album Eliminator.  Very sweet, very nice, but…  not the Top for me.

“So Long” Pat Benatar, All Fired Up: The Very Best Of Pat Benatar

Wow…  it figures.  So my post ends with a Pat Benatar song and album that was a departure from her standard sound, a bit more “torch” singer/R&B in vibe that didn’t really sell but was a decent move to fill those creative juices.  Pat actually sounds great here (as does husband Neil on guitar) but it’s not the Pat I reach for when I want to hear something.  Still, in shuffle mode, these are those cool little finds that take you off the beaten path and make you realize what other talents shine through in yer favorite artists.  But hey man…  gimme “Heartbreaker” any day!

Talk about an odd shuffle post this go round!  “Rosie” wins the day with “Always” coming in #2 followed by “Stallions Of The Highway”