Archive for rock’n’roll

The Straddlerz – The Straddlerz

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , , on 1st March 2021 by Pieni

The Straddlerz
“The Straddlerz”
Dirty rock’n’roll
Self-released
On 29th January 2021

thestraddlerz copy

When two strains of Latin blood – Italian and Argentinian – come together to produce rock music, the outcome must be passionate. And that’s what The Straddlerz self-titled debut album is.

The recording is way too raw, so I’m guessing the producer wanted to preserve the original intensity of both Linda Filippin’s yelling and Michael Reynal’s shredding. I understand that, but a little more polish would make the sound less messy without hurting their edge.

Not all songs roll out like a freight train, or not entirely. “Circle Of Insanity” has a less-than-a-minute seductive intro before all hell breaks loose; that same seduction lasts for half of the song “Addiction” but then Michael doesn’t help himself (did I mention there are two solos in “No Changes”?) and there go the guitars at full speed again, with everybody else following suit. Only “Don’t Go Away” has this bluesy seventies vibe and matching tempo, proving that the “pure and dirty” rockers know a thing or two about melody. “Junkie Bastards” has a groovy beat that’s quite catchy, but since it deviates a bit from their general stance it was “Streets Of Love” – a harder catchiness – that made it to a promotional video.

Someone called them “rock and roll with attitude”. I agree, but personally, I need more than that to fully appreciate a band.

6/10

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

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Ricky Warwick – When Life Was Hard & Fast

Posted in Review with tags , , , , , on 16th February 2021 by Pieni

Ricky Warwick
“When Life Was Hard & Fast”
Rock
Release: 19th February 2021
Via Nuclear Blast Records

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Ricky Warwick’s solo career has been a straightforward rock ride and this “When Life Was Hard & Fast” is probably the most genuine in such essence. He invited some friends over, some well-known names in the scene, but the fact that you don’t see “feat. Rockstar X” in any of the titles proves how those invitations weren’t a marketing stunt; just a bunch of buddies celebrating good ol’ rock ‘n’roll. The opening and title-track, for instance. A catchy, spirited tune where Def Leppard–Joe Elliott’s crystal voice contrasts perfectly with Warwick’s raspy pitch in the chorus. Or how Andy Taylor (yes, that legend who used to play in Duran Duran) produces a mean guitar solo in the political vent “I’d Rather Be Hit”. Thunder’s Luke Morley also plays a sharp solo on “You Don’t Love Me”, but I’m personally more hooked on the groovy, smooth rhythm provided by the bass on this song.

The Mink Deville cover of “Gunslinger” is pretty loyal to the original but with all the perks of a nowadays recording, meaning it sounds more refined but keeps all the rock’n’roll attitude of the seventies. So it’s kinda funny to talk about “Clown Of Misery” now, as in order to preserve its candid acoustic nature they stuck to the demo version and it sounds like you’re listening to it on an old radio transistor. But it’s “Time Don’t Seem To Matter” that really shows you the graceful side of rock – also acoustic, with some delicate samples in the background and then an electric solo mirrors the chorus modulation sung by Warwick and his youngest daughter Pepper (whom the song was written for).

All the brisk and snappy traits on this record prove how honest Warwick is when he says “rock’n’roll ain’t dead – it’s just lost in its mystery”.

7,5/10

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

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Patricia Vonne – Rattle My Cage

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , on 26th April 2016 by izaforestspirit

Patricia Vonne
Rattle my Cage
Released 22nd April 2016
Texas “Tejano” Rock
Released via String Commander, a division of M.I.G.-Music GmbH

Rattle my Cage’ is the new album from the Texan American singer and songwriter Patricia Vonne. In addition to being a musician, Vonne is also an actress and the sister of renowned film maker Robert Rodriguez. Her style is a mixture of rock with Latino music and jazz as well as other genres popular in her native Texas.

I’m not exactly sure what Texas rock is. Texas makes me think of Westerns, ranches, cowboys, country music, Tex-mex food and so on. Based on the description offered in the press release, I knew that this wasn’t going to be country music nor was it a soundtrack to some Western movie. So, let’s see what we have here…

The title track, co-written with the blues artist Johnny Reno, is a pleasant and fairly catchy rock song which demonstrates Vonne’s skill as a singer. Her melodic and passionate vocals are a perfect match to the guitars. The Latino style, Spanish song Que Maravilla slows the pace down a little with the guitar tunes and the sound of the violin giving it a slightly sombre tone. Also Patricia Vonne’s Spanish sounds all the more profound and it’s impossible not to feel the emotions that must have gone into writing the lyrics.

This Cat’s in the Doghouse has that catchy and light-hearted rock’n’roll style which makes you want to get up and dance. Dulce Refugio sounds like that would easily be played in any club or bar specializing in Latino music be it salsa, tango or even flamenco. You can almost picture yourself at a bar by the beach, wearing a sombrero hat and drinking an ice-cold Corona beer.

In summary, listening to ‘Rattle My Cage’ this has been an interesting and educational experience for me. It’s taught me a few things about the various music styles of Texas. I happen to speak Spanish and I’m familiar with Latino music so Patricia Vonne’s Spanish songs on here struck a cord with me.

4/5

Iza Raittila

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Monster Magnet – Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , on 22nd November 2015 by Mickelrath

Monster Magnet
“Cobras And Fire (The Mastermind Redux)”
Heavy Rock
Released: 9th October 2015
Via Napalm Records

It’s funny, when a movie gets remade I tend to get in a twist and vent my frustrations.  However when I heard that rock ‘n’ roll legends, Monster Magnet were going to be reworking their 2010 record, Mastermind, I had nothing but curiosity as to what that was going to be like – I have absolutely nothing but respect for the man that is Dave Wyndorf.  Their last studio effort Milking The Stars gave another life to the 2013 album Last Patrol, so there’s no reason that this couldn’t do the same. This album brings a lot of themes of retrospection, isolation, drug and alcohol abuse and sexual fantasy. This is in contrast to the original record which themes were more about reality and exploitive American consumerism.

Right off of the bat the reworking begins with songs like “Dig That Hole” becoming the new song “She Digs That Hole” where Wyndorf warps the music into a brighter song with cleaner electric guitars and changing the message from drugs and reality TV to more about a sex fantasy involving a girlfriend who regularly brings other women into the bedroom. Also the new version of the title track “Mastermind” which is a sludgy and a pretty straight forward stoner rock song.  The newer version keeps the riff but adds more to it.  It’s cleans up the sound, adds in an organ and adds a false ending that fades out.  The whole thing in general feels more polished and easier to market.  The original Mastermind was very much in its niche whereas this seems more identifiable to a bigger market. Also the nine minute long Hallucination Bomb has a more experimental feel, still keeping a lot of that original haziness but there’s heavy string sounds and drudges along to a spectacle of a guitar solo.  

This is definitely not a slouch of an album.  Some people may call reworking your older albums a bit lazy but this feels like genuine effort rather than a cheap cash-in on already popular songs.  It actually feels new and interesting. Being a fan of this band for a lot time has certainly added context but I don’t think that it’s 100% necessary to fully enjoy this record.  This could be the first Monster Magnet album you’ve heard and it will still lead you into loving this band.  Dave Wyndorf is a wonderful songwriter who takes his work seriously and the rest of the guys Phil Caivano, Bob Pantella, Garrett Sweeny and Chris Kosnik are fantastic musicians who always perform the music excellently.

All I can say is this is one quality record, I always look forward to hearing new stuff from them and this was no different. The best tunes for me personally are “Watch Me Fade”, a bonus track on the original Mastermind and yes it’s still awesome. The breathtaking “Hallucination Bomb” just for being so epic sounding.  Also “Gods and Punks” for being far more downplayed than it’s original counterpart, it’s far more trippy and fun to listen to.  Superb album, I highly recommend this to any fan of rock or metal, especially if you have an interest in songwriting and composition.

4.5/5

Mick Birchall

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Sister added more dates to European headlining tour

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , on 8th January 2015 by Pieni

Having recently toured through Europe as a support act for Skid Row, Swedish Sister announced recently a second round, this time as headliners. Today were added four other shows and there’s the promise of more to come. Here are the dates of Vultures Across Europe so far (click image for larger resolution):

sistertourdates

“This is the first European headline tour we do in a while after heavily touring Europe as a support to a lot of great bands the last 3-4 years. We’re really looking forward to playing whole sets every night and going through all the material we have on our three releases from the EP “Deadboys Making Noise” to the latest album “Disguised Vultures”. Will be killer nights for sure! See you out there!”

On their facebook page, the band has asked what songs the fans would like to hear on this tour, so if you’re one of them, make sure to make your opinion heard!

https://www.facebook.com/sisterband
http://www.sisterofficial.com/

Last October, in London, was like this:

Check out also their latest official video, for the track “Slay Yourself”:

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Falling In Reverse announce European tour

Posted in News with tags , , , , , , , on 8th January 2015 by Pieni

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After a couple of Summer festivals last year, Ronnie Radke and his partners in crime wanted more out of the Old Continent – Falling In Reverse will tour Europe on the following dates and locations:

2-Feb-2015 – Paris – Machine Du Moulin Rouge (France)
3-Feb-2015 – Antwerp – Trix (Belgium)
4-Feb-2015 – Hamburg – Markthalle (Germany)
6-Feb-2015 – Warsaw – Proxima (Poland)
7-Feb-2015 – Berlin – C Club / Astra (Germany)
9-Feb-2015 – Wien – Arena (Austria)
10-Feb-2015 – Munchen – Theaterfabrik (Germany)
11-Feb-2015 – Solothurn – Kofmehl (Switzerland)
13-Feb-2015 – Milan – Live Forum (Italy)
14-Feb-2015 – Karlsruhe – Substage (Germany)
15-Feb-2015 – Cologne – Essigfabrik (Germany)
17-Feb-2015 – Utrecht – Tivoli Rotunda (The Netherlands)

Their second album, “Fashionably Late”, was released in 2013 and it’s still a huge success today. But it’s time for new music and three weeks ago the Las Vegas act released the single “God, If You Are Above…“.

http://www.fallinginreverse.com/
https://www.facebook.com/fallinginreverseofficial
http://twitter.com/FIROfficial
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLE6855C4DE42C5B93
http://purevolume.com/fallinginreverse
http://fallinginreverse.buzznet.com/

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Led Zeppelin to release remasters with bonus discs of three first albums

Posted in News with tags , , , , , on 14th March 2014 by Pieni

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There is no doubt about the importance of Led Zeppelin in the history of Rock’n’Roll. Their first two albums saw the light of day 45 years ago, and the third barely a year later. Now, those three masterpieces will be re-released (2nd of June) with new remasterings by guitarist Jimmy Page himself. And as if that wasn’t enough of a treat, each album will include an additional disc with unheard studio and live material recorded back then. Quoting Mr. Page: » The material on the companion discs presents a portal to the time of the recording of Led Zeppelin. It is a selection of work in progress with rough mixes, backing tracks, alternate versions, and new material recorded at the time. «

Atlantic / Swan Song are proud to present “Led Zeppelin”, “Led Zeppelin II” and “Led Zeppelin III” on the following formats:

  • Single CD – Remastered album packaged in a gatefold card wallet.
  • Deluxe Edition (2CD) – Remastered album, plus a second disc of unreleased companion audio.
  • Single LP – Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl, packaged in a sleeve that replicates the LP’s first pressing in exacting detail. (For example, III will feature the original wheel and die cut holes.)
  • Deluxe Edition Vinyl – Remastered album and unreleased companion audio on 180-gram vinyl.
  • Digital Download – Remastered album and companion audio will both be available.
  • Super Deluxe Boxed Set – This collection includes:

– Remastered album on CD in vinyl replica sleeve.
– Companion audio on CD in card wallet.
– Remastered album on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating first pressing.
– Companion audio on 180-gram vinyl.
– High-def audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24 bit. (Live tracks are 48kHz/24 bit).
– Hard bound, 70+ page book filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia.
– High quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered.
– Led Zeppelin will also include a replica of the band’s original Atlantic press kit.

photo Led_Zeppelin_-_Led_Zeppelin_1969_front_cover_zpsbdd6f3e5.png
1. “Good Times Bad Times”
2. “Babe I’m Gonna Leave You”
3. “You Shook Me”
4. “Dazed And Confused”
5. “Your Time Is Gonna Come”
6. “Black Mountain Side”
7. “Communication Breakdown”
8. “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
9. “How Many More Times”

Companion Audio Disc
Live At The Olympia – Paris, France
October 10, 1969

1. “Good Times Bad Times/Communication Breakdown”
2. “I Can’t Quit You Baby”
3. “Heartbreaker”
4. “Dazed And Confused”
5. “White Summer/Black Mountain Side”
6. “You Shook Me”
7. “Moby Dick”
8. “How Many More Times”

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1. “Whole Lotta Love”
2. “What Is And What Should Never Be”
3. “The Lemon Song”
4. “Thank You”
5. “Heartbreaker”
6. “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman)”
7. “Ramble On”
8. “Moby Dick”
9. “Bring It On Home”

Companion Audio Disc
Alternate mixes and backing tracks

1. “Whole Lotta Love”
2. “What Is And What Should Never Be”
3. “Thank You”
4. “Heartbreaker”
5. “Living Loving Maid (She’s Just A Woman)”
6. “Ramble On”
7. “Moby Dick”
8. “La La”

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1. “Immigrant Song”
2. “Friends”
3. “Celebration Day”
4. “Since I’ve Been Loving You”
5. “Out On The Tiles”
6. “Gallows Pole”
7. “Tangerine”
8. “That’s The Way”
9. “Bron-Y-Aur Stomp”
10. “Hats Off To (Roy) Harper”

Companion Audio Disc
Studio outtakes

1. “The Immigrant Song”
2. “Friends”
3. “Celebration Day”
4. “Since I’ve Been Loving You”
5. “Bathroom Sound”
6. “Gallows Pole”
7. “That’s The Way”
8. “Jennings Farm Blues”
9. “Keys To The Highway/Trouble In Mind”

www.facebook.com/ledzeppelin

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Buckcherry – The Best Of

Posted in Uncategorized with tags , , , , , , on 8th October 2013 by Pieni

Buckcherry
“The Best Of”
Rock
To be released on 28th October 2013
Via Eleven Seven Records

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In the 15 years they’ve been active (they were formed in 1995 but split between 2002 and 2005), Buckcherry released six studio albums and sold over three million records just in their home country USA, where they were also certified gold and platinum several times and nominated for a “best hard rock performance“ Grammy (sadly, they they lost it to Wolfmother). A best-of compilation was mandatory.

The problem was probably which songs to choose. “Crazy Bitch”, “Lit Up” and “Sorry” are included in the aforementioned gold and platinum certifications, so one could say these made the choice by themselves. And the others… well, when a band (or label) thinks a certain song is single-material it’s because the song has potential to make it big among the fans = it’s one of the best songs in the current album. So Buckcherry didn’t complicate and trusted their original choices. Or almost. The first single out of “Black Butterfly”, “Too Drunk”, wasn’t very fortunate. Sure, it hit huge levels of popularity, but among a more mainstream crowd. Mid-tempo beat, shallow groove… no wonder they replaced it with a cover of Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” on the re-release of the album. Then the second single was “Don’t Go Away”, which is an okay ballad, but still… “Rose” is easy-going anc catchier than those two, so personally I think it would have been a better choice. And meanwhile Buckcherry must have thought the same, as it’s “Rose” that made it to this best-of – the only track here that was never released as a single.

Some bands like to include a brand new track and/or remixes, so that even the hardcore fans who own all their discography will feel compelled to get the compilation, for the featured novelty. Not Buckcherry. These are (some of) the tracks that put them where they are now, so this is what people must get as their best-of: the dirty rock of “Lit Up”, “Crazy Bitch”, “Next To You” and “Gluttony”, the more sleazy vibe in “Rescue Me”, “Ridin’”, “All Night Long” and “Nothing Left But Tears”, and the melodic thrill of “Sorry”, “Everything”, “Rose” and “For The Movies”. Rock’n’roll at its best – no pun intended.

5 / 5

by Renata “Pieni” Lino

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