From the opening note of the first song, I felt like I was sitting in my bedroom as a middle schooler rejoicing to the tunes emanating from my newly-acquired clock (FM!) radio. What I’m about to write might make Eugene and Tim vomit, or at least scratch their heads and say “Whaaaat?”, but my first impression was that I was hearing a long-lost Styx album. That didn’t last all the way through the album, but it was an early impression.
My comparison to Styx probably has something to do with the feel of this one. It just reeks of the late ’70s rock/pop smell – airier guitar riffs than what would follow in the ’80s and a very “happy music” tempo. The notable exception is the last track, Johnny All Alone, which is a seven minute, melodic and somber tune. Of course, it’s the one I liked the most.
Have to say that if you’re not a fan of ’70s pop-rock you’re not going to like this album, but if you are then this is a great choice. I’d never heard a single track from the album (that I can remember) and I enjoyed it enough that I gave it an extra listen. And as I mentioned I think Johnny All Alone truly leaves you with a good aftertaste (afterhear?) when you’re done.
In a stunning change of direction, Eugene picked a band and album with which I’m more than a little familiar. Aerosmith’s Pump has several songs that anyone around in the late 80s or early 90s would have heard on their favorite FM station or blasting from the tape deck while tooling around in their buddy’s ’83 Toyota, including Love in an Elevator, F.I.N.E., Janie’s Got a Gun, What it Takes and The Other Side.
So yeah, I’d heard every one of these tracks at some point in my hazy past – a first for any of Eugene’s selections – and so I wasn’t expecting to learn a whole lot when I sat down to listen. Of course, I was wrong.
I was wrong because I forgot that I’ve never really before done what I’m doing with Eugene’s list: I’m reading about the band and the album as I listen. Because I haven’t spent any time around the music business, whether it be working at a record store, a radio station, bar or concert venue, I’ve never really spent any time learning what goes into the making of an album or getting it released. So what did I learn? Well…
They recorded in the same studio that Bon Jovi recorded Slippery When Wet
They didn’t include lyrics in the album booklet because they were worried that the Parents Music Resource Center (remember those tools?) would protest the sex and drug references in the lyrics. Go figure.
F.I.N.E. is an acronym for “Fucked Up, Insecure, Neurotic, and Emotional”
“So enough with the history lesson,” you’re saying. “How’d you like it?” you’re wondering. Well, I’ve always liked this album, but even for someone who doesn’t mind hearing a 40-song rotation over and over at the store, many of these tunes were overplayed. Janie’s Got a Gun was a song, that by the end of 1990, I thought I never wanted to hear again. Since it’s been a while since I’d heard any of the tracks from the album (except for What it Takes) I found myself enjoying them all again, and I also rediscovered some deeper tracks that I’d forgotten about and really liked – Hoodoo/Voodoo Medicine Man being the best example.
All in all, this is a great album and I recommend it for anyone who likes some good old fashioned hard rock with a tinge of blues.
What rock was I living under that kept me from discovering this album before now? There’s much to like, not the least of which is that there’s a healthy strain of blues laced throughout. That said, it’s not the kind of blues influence that has me thinking, “Okay, that riff was cool the first twelve times but enough’s enough.” Rather it’s the kind of blues influence that injects a bit of lightness to balance out the “rockier” cuts.
I was nodding my head when I read this because one of my first thoughts, when I started listening, was, “These guys remind me a lot of Queens of the Stone Age” and that’s a good thing because Queens is one of my favorite bands from that era.
Honestly, I loved this album. The variety from track to track, Chris Goss’s vocals, the backing vocals, Tim Harrington’s lead guitar…I just loved all of it. Now, if you’re one of those folks who just can’t stand the blues in any way, you’ll probably disagree with me wholeheartedly.
I’m REAL interested in Tim’s take on this one because I just don’t know how he’s gonna react. He’s not a fan of southern rock, and any blues-influenced rock will have a taste of that, but this is truly bluesy so I suspect it grew on him as he listened. As always I’m interested in Eugene’s backstory for this one and I’m pretty sure this one is a true favorite of his.
With Eugene’s last selection, I basically trashed Sammy Hagar. Not that I think Hagar is a bad singer, but I’m just not a fan and his style distracts me enough that I have a hard time enjoying whatever song I’m listening to. This week’s selection features a singer, Dee Snider, that most people would think more likely to be annoying/distracting. He’s gimmicky and over the top, almost a parody of the 80s hair rock singer he was. Weirdly, though, I’ve always liked him.
Maybe it’s because I always loved how over the top Snider and the rest of Twisted Sister was. It was an unapologetic approach, a total schtick, and you almost had to remind yourself they were actually a pretty good band.
I was not real familiar with this particular album, but like everyone else alive in the mid-80s I’d heard their third album – Stay Hungry – a LOT. Hell, We’re Not Gonna Take It was essentially the anthem of my graduating class.
But this review is about Love is for Suckers and I’ll say it’s a solid effort. On my kindergarten grading sale it’s a low √+, with more √s than +s, but still enjoyable. It’s less “showy” than Stay Hungry was but it also seems a little more consistent. Simply put it’s just kinda fun.
I’m interested in Tim’s take on this one because it seems like the kind of thing he’d dig. I already know Eugene likes it, so I’m interested in his backstory for this one (those are my favorite parts of all his reviews).
Gotta say this up front for this album: I’ve never been a Sammy Hagar fan. Wasn’t a big fan of his solo stuff, and didn’t like his stint with Van Halen either. I can’t explain why, but I just never liked his approach to singing.
So, that being said listening to this album was kind of hard. Basically, I got tired of Hagar about halfway through the second song so I just tried to concentrate on the rest of the band as I listened.
Using my kindergarten grading system that I introduced with the last album I ended up giving this one a straight √. It might have been a √+ if anyone but Hagar had been singing, but since the lead singer is obviously a HUGE part of the band it’s awful hard to overcome that.
For instance, I really liked the start of I Don’t Want It but as soon as Hagar got into the action I just kinda had an, “ugh” reaction. Still, when Ronnie Montrose’s guitar was front and center I was really liking it. Honest to goodness that was true with almost every track of this album, so let’s just say that if you could eliminate the vocals this would be a + album.
As with UFO (Eugene’s last selection), I really enjoyed the long, 70s-style jams. If you’re a fan of that and don’t have the same problem with Hagar that I do, then you’ll like this one.
I’ve intentionally avoided reading Eugene & Tim’s reviews so that they don’t skew mine, but if I had to guess I’d say they don’t feel the same way about Hagar that I do. Wish I could explain why he has that effect on me, but it is what it is, so I’m prepared for Eugene to give me his flabbergasted look.
Thank God for Wikipedia. Without it, I would have had no idea this pick of Eugene’s is considered by many aficionados to be one of the best live albums. Until he sent the link to me and Eugene I’d never heard of UFO’s Strangers in the Night, but thanks to the wonders of the internet I can pretend to have known that Slash stated this is his favorite live album.
As I stated on the last post, I’m way behind in my Eugeology listening so I’ve come up with a system to expedite my listening and reviewing: until I get caught up I’m simply keeping a playlist of the songs on the album and scoring the songs thusly: If I like the song it gets a “+”, if I think it’s passable I give it a “√” and if I don’t like it I give it a “-“. You might recognize this as the same scoring kindergarten teachers use.
So, using my system the album gets a very solid “√+”, without a single track getting a “-” and more getting “+s” than “√s.” I was going to list my favorites here, but as I listened that list got pretty damn long so suffice it to say I really like the majority of them.
What I loved about the band: lead guitar. Dude really brought it, and to my untrained ear it didn’t sound like he missed a thing. Since guitarist Michael Schenker played with the Scorpions, who I loved back in the day, I’m pretty sure I’m biased. I also thought drums and bass were strong, but I’m no expert. Vocals were pretty good too, but as with every live album I’ve ever heard the vocals are overtaken by the instruments. In the end I really think Schenker carried the day.
What I loved about the album: solid, classic 70s-style concert jamming, which is why I really liked Love to Love (8 minutes) and Rock Bottom (11 minutes and the guitar solos are truly “Holy hell!” worthy).
Going to have to thank Eugene for turning me on to this one.
I am WAAAAY behind on my Eugeology posts, but that’s the price I pay for, well, living. You see my (much) better half and I recently celebrated our 25th anniversary and all the related planning, traveling and other such really put a dent in my free time. So, I’m going to be listening to a bunch of bands and posting my vapid and uninformed thoughts about them over the next few days.
This week’s band is one of my favorites from the late 80s and early 90s, The Cult and the album is Electric. The first time I heard them was also the first time I saw them; it was a performance on a late show (I don’t remember which one) and I was entranced by singer Ian Astbury. The combination of his stage presence and his incredibly distinctive voice was something to behold, and I thought it definitely set them apart from the rest of the crowd at the time.
I’m much more familiar Sonic Temple, which was the album they produced after Electric, but there were a few tracks on this I recognized. Love Removal Machine is probably the song the average schmo like me would have heard, but I’d also heard Wild Flower and their cover of Born to Be Wild (not a great cover BTW).
What I’ve always loved about The Cult is that you always know it when you hear them. As I’ve already said Astbury is one of the most distinctive singers around, but I’d also say that Billy Duffy on guitar has a pretty recognizable style, although some of his solos fall prey to the <insert solo here> arrangement. In other words they feel a little gratuitous.
This is a solid album, but if I had to pick I’d go for Sonic Temple as their better album. If you’re looking for a little harder edge, old school rockin’ then this is definitely worth your time, but if your time is limited then go with the later album.
Normally I’m not at a loss for words, but as I write this I truly can’t come up with anything that would come close to adequately describe how I feel today about the woman who joined me in saying “I do” 25 years ago today. What I can say is that I’m amazed that 25 years can seem to pass so quickly and yet every one of those years feel like they pack a lifetime of memories. None of those years were easy; all held days, weeks and months of ecstasy; some held weeks or months of challenges and pain; most held a dose of all of that. The result is that we stand together here on the other side of those 25 years and I love her more than I could ever imagine back when we were so young and untested.
Most people spend their lives wondering if they’ll ever experience a miracle. I wake up every morning and look into the eyes of mine. I’m truly a man who’s been blessed beyond measure.
Apparently Tim and Eugene were flabbergasted by my dislike of last week’s selection. Hell, I thought I was being nice by not even mentioning the ridiculous band name, but whatever Enuff was definitely not enough. Or maybe it was too much.
This week’s selection is the exact opposite of last week’s: great band name and a great album.
What’s not to love? Great vocals throughout – their background vocals are outstanding – and lots of really good guitar play from beginning to end. And there’s no feel to any of them, which is what I described in last week’s review as “gratuitous solos.” Everything just fits. Oh, and I particularly enjoyed the bass on 21st Century Schizoid Man. As the kids say these days, that *&it was tight.
I’m no expert, but to my amateur ears these guys are just a really, well, tight band. The album clocks in at around 32 minutes, so there’s no wasted motion in any of these tracks. Short, full of hooks, and as I mentioned before the vocals and guitars are just fantastic.
Eugene keeps picking albums like this one and I’ll be a very happy man.
Life got in the way last week so I wasn’t able to post #6 on time and now I’m playing catch up, thus the double post today. It’s gonna be short and sweet for both so here goes:
#6 Black Star Rider’s All Hell Breaks Loose
Until Eugene sent us the link to this one I’d never heard Black Star Rider and that’s a damn shame. To put it as simply as possible, these guys are bad-ass. Their style is right in my wheelhouse – guitar solos that aren’t overbearing, great bass, vocals that sound like the result of a life lived and lyrics that actually tell a story. Really, just a lot to love about this album. In fact if you asked me to provide an example of the hard rock “sound” I like I’d point you to this album.
The band is made up of some Thin Lizzy alumni, and you can definitely hear it, but to be honest I like this better than I ever remember liking any Thin Lizzy stuff. It’s been a while so I think I’m going to have to go back and listen to the old stuff to see what my new ears think.
I think I need to just write a macro that automatically inserts “The selection this week from Eugene is another one I’ve never heard before” at the beginning of these posts because I think it will probably be true 99% of the time. That’s great for me because it means I’m being exposed to all kinds of new stuff, and I think it’s good for the project because Tim and Eugene never know what they’re going to get from me.
For this one what they’re going to get from me is my first true thumbs down. If I’d heard the first track, Heaven or Hell, on its own I’d have seen no reason to listen to another tune from these guys. It’s a pretty good representation of two things I don’t like about some hard rock: gratuitous guitar solos and vocals that seem strained or even a little whiny. As I worked my way through the album I definitely found some tracks I liked better than others, Strength among them, but none really hit home with me.
Honestly I had to work on this one. If Black Star Rider was in my wheelhouse, this one was somewhere below deck, although not in the bilge. Not one of the tracks had me thinking, “Man that was awesome, I can’t wait to hear what’s next.” It might sound simplistic, but I really think it just comes down to not liking their style and that was exemplified by my reaction to their first track. It’s not like they’re bad – I can see why Eugene has them on his list – it’s just their sound/style isn’t for me.
Befuddled 