Midnight Oil – RESIST (Album Review)

New albums by beloved artists can be a challenging dichotomy for few reach, or surpass, their creative peak; arguably 1982-1990 in the case of Midnight Oil. Yet, with RESIST The Oils have returned to form by releasing an album that rivals their greatest releases. While nothing will ever compare to the groundbreaking Diesel And Dust, RESIST comes awfully close. The political style remains determinant in intent and the rock tuning and melodic rhythm are in perfect unison with Midnight Oil’s renowned sound signature. More than that, however, the biggest development in their music can be heard in the mix and mastering whereby the sonic experimentation that, while previously present throughout their career, is amplified to an extent previously unheard of by Midnight Oil. 

As it pertains to the overall recording, the lossless Apple Music stream is stunning. When an Apple Digital Master is this good, I question the benefits of picking up an album on vinyl. Yes, the ownership and tactile arguments are justified, but vinyl is mastered differently and that difference can be enough to change the overall tone of the record meaning that there is a chance it could sound inferior to the stream that I already adore. It’s just something to consider, especially as the price of new vinyl releases is at an all-time high. While I do not doubt that those of you who choose to go the vinyl route will be thoroughly pleased, streamers can rejoice in the knowledge that RESIST sounds perfect with no excessive compression throughout, only really showing up on Nobody’s Child. 

For those who can’t get past the political direction of the band, I implore you to put aside your own opinions and give RESIST a listen for it will take you on a musical journey that isn’t easily forgotten. Of course, their message is clear, if you care to hear it, for it is one of solemn reflection with numerous calls to action but RESIST is one of the best rock albums you’ll likely hear in 2022; it’s classic Midnight Oil.

Rising Seas opens the album magnificently with a solemn Peter Garrett on vocal in an acoustic-styled manner, but that quickly dissipates into the rhythmically-charged Midnight Oil sound we all know and love. There’s no interpretation of lyrical intent required here, for Rising Seas is, arguably, the most direct, and to the point, song The Oils have ever recorded. Rising Seas is also a wonderful acknowledgement that we’ve failed the coming generations as it pertains to critical environmental matters. It’s reflective and that is ultimately its superpower for it makes you think, perhaps reconsider, and ultimately want to act.

The associated music video is the best five and a half minutes of footage you’ll likely see this year. They generally don’t make music videos like this anymore. It’s powerful and influential, but most importantly it delivers a very real concern in a manner that touches the soul differently than other forms of media. I strongly believe that music as a messaging platform can be extremely powerful and when you add visuals that match the lyrics the way Midnight Oil has, you’ve got a compelling storytelling device that everyone should see, regardless of their beliefs. 

The Barca-Darling River is Midnight Oil 101. That driving rhythm has Garret’s obscure dance moves written all over it and The Barca-Darling River, while not necessarily forging new ground, is an expansion of their previous works. The musical lull in the middle may detract some who were more interested in a continuous rock tune, but as far as I’m concerned it’s masterfully placed and the transition isn’t awkward. 

Tarkine reminds me, musically, of some of the songs from Paul McCartney’s Egypt Station but Tarkine isn’t a standout. The chorus and musical aspects of the song are compelling, as an album track, but you’re unlikely to seek out Tarkine on its own. 

At The Time Of Writing has a killer hook and is arguably the best song on the album. While the mix is complex, with numerous sonic cues, the soundstage remains solid and you’ll want to turn the volume up on a song that I dare say will become a classic. Sensational!

Nobody’s Child is a bluesy number and is the first time that compression is heard on the album and is particularly noticeable via cymbal crunching. It isn’t nearly as bad as many other modern recordings, but for those of you who detest compressed sound elements, you may wish to skip this song. Regardless, Nobody’s Child is arguably a little different than one may expect from Midnight Oil, but it’s a solid tune nonetheless. 

To The Ends Of The Earth is a masterful composition. It may be an album track, rather than being single-worthy, but I’ll be damned if I don’t acknowledge just how good To The Ends Of The Earth is. Garret sings it perfectly and the band is subtly present but equally dominant throughout. It takes great skill and restraint to have such synergy; a position that could easily apply to the entire album. 

Reef harks back to the classic Midnight Oil sound we all know and love; hence, it’s a killer tune and is another with pure honesty declaring that coral reefs don’t belong to governments or mining corporations but to people; a simple but easy concept for anyone to understand. It's a shame when something that should be common sense is neglected by many and subsequently needs to be expressed in this manner.   

We Resist is perfectly placed in the album structure and while the song is a call to action, I feel that it isn’t directional enough and therefore is too open to interpretation that may not have been intended by Jim Moginie when he wrote it.

The music video offers more context but isn’t nearly as compelling as the Rising Seas video. Again, it comes down to a feeling that it lacks direction and while that shouldn’t undermine its intent, it does mean that the topics being discussed have the potential to be overlooked. 

Lost At Sea is a song that puts me into bass rhythmic heaven for Bones Hillman's bass track is utterly perfect. It’s another song that will remind you of Midnight Oil’s classic era and while that isn’t necessarily a bad thing it’s a little too predictable; if you’re looking for an evolution of the band of course. Predictability, however, is perfectly acceptable when lyrical meaning is strong enough to rise above the music itself. 

Undercover sees Peter Garret deliver the vocals with an exceptional cadence. Yes, he’s been singing in this style for his entire career, but the effect is amplified here and can subsequently be thoroughly appreciated. Undercover is a great song and the more I listen to it, the more it unpacks itself. While it likely won’t be the first song you seek out, it’s one that I feel will become a fan favourite; after a few plays, of course. 

We Are Not Afraid is musical bliss. That introduction is magnificent and it’s fair to declare We Are Not Afraid as one of The Oils' greatest recordings; it’s certainly their greatest slower-tempo song. It’s one that I’d love to see Midnight Oil perform live with a Symphony Orchestra for as amazing as it is, there’s a more ostentatious song to be heard in We Are Not Afraid. The lyrical interpretations that can be devised from We Are Not Afraid are broad and diverse, but the underlying principle meaning is one that anyone can get behind and apply to their own circumstances.  

Last Frontier starts promisingly, even if the radio chatter and overall sonic interlude are a little distracting. I would have preferred that Last Frontier started at around the 1:30 mark, but alas that isn’t the case. As for being the closing song, I would have preferred if We Are Not Afraid closed out the album for the hook of Last Frontier is great, but the song itself is a little too disjointed, from a musical perspective, to close the album on a high note. Nevertheless, the lyrical questioning leaves the listener contemplating, and most likely Midnight Oil chose this song to act as a call to action for it is their motif. 

While RESIST will support the Oils’ final tour, and more new music is always appreciated, if RESIST were to close out the Midnight Oil story, I couldn’t think of a more appropriate swansong. RESIST is also the final series of recordings from Midnight Oil that featured their longtime bassist, Bones Hillman, who passed away in November 2020. His bass chords are ever-present on RESIST and are some of his finest ever recorded. That too could be said for the contribution of the entire band but perhaps what is most remarkable is that Midnight Oil doesn’t sound as though they’ve aged, or taken a hiatus. RESIST, ultimately, is a worthy addition to their extensive back catalogue and one that will undoubtedly appeal to fans and newcomers alike. 

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Crosby, Stills & Nash - CSN (Album Review)

Released in 1977, CSN is the second official release from the folk-rock supergroup trio known simply as Crosby, Stills & Nash. While some will point to the eponymous debut as their greatest work, CSN has a greater sense of uniformity as each master musician perfectly complements the other, thereby making this a perfect entry point and arguably their most accessible album.

Some may lament Neil Young’s absence, but as valued as Young was throughout the years to the Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY) lineup there’s something special about the vocal harmonies of the original trio that transcends the quartet. 

That uniqueness is also seen in the album artwork; an album that I still need to acquire on vinyl. Part of its appeal is the joy expressed by the band members and the feeling that they are ordinary people just like you and me thereby making the album and their music even more relatable. That said, modern re-issues, including streaming releases, have a different cover photograph to the original album release (pre-CD era) whereby all three are looking off in different directions as if harmony isn’t present amongst them. I prefer the newer, more positive, artwork as I feel it works better with the album experience. However, having both would be much more realistic to the entire art imitating life philosophy as a photograph is a mere moment of happiness often followed by despondency. While album artwork can certainly change our perception of music, what isn’t in question is the audible perfection heard on CSN.

The lossless 24-bit 44.1 kHz ALAC Apple Digital Master stream, from Apple Music, is full-bodied, detailed, and engaging. While there is an analog-like sound in this particular mastering of CSN, I can’t help but wonder what Steve Hoffman’s remaster (24K+ Gold CD Series - Audio Fidelity - AFZ 144) from 2013 would sound like as his work is generally well-regarded. The stream isn’t disappointing by any means but there are moments when listening to songs like Shadow Captain and Just A Song Before I Go where I wonder if there’s a little more detail, depth, and overall soundstage that could be pulled out of the original master recording. 

Nevertheless, sit back, relax, and join me as we take a look at the songs that make up CSN. 

Shadow Captain highlights the overarching style of CSN and is a solid opener. The rhythm and depth of the soundstage are particularly captivating but Russ Kunkel’s drum and conga beat are subtle but full of energy. Normally the continuous hi-hat element would drive me insane, but it’s perfectly mixed thereby not being too forward in the mix and allowing other musical elements to build upon it. 

See The Changes has a stunning vocal harmony that works perfectly with its basic composition thereby validating that sometimes less really is more for I couldn't imagine this song with more complex sonic elements. See The Changes is nothing short of pure perfection. 

Carried Away is phenomenal! The recording, mix, and mastering is second-to-none. It’s undoubtedly one of the best songs Graham Nash has written. Add to this, Crosby’s backing vocal combined with the harmonica results in a textbook recording that any new artist should aspire towards for they rarely make music like this anymore. 

Fair Game is cringe-inducing and that Caribbean style does little to help the song or the flow of the record. It isn’t bad enough to tarnish the album but this is one song that should have been omitted.

Anything At All is a magnificent song that will captivate you from the very first note as the percussive elements ring out beautifully. Crosby’s vocal is performed and recorded so well that you’d swear he was in the room with you. Could this be the greatest vocal recording of his career? It’s certainly up there if it isn’t. There’s also a sense of truth here for Crosby is declaring that his opinionated personality has been the cause of numerous squabbles throughout the years. Yet, simultaneously, Anything At All is reflective thereby breaching the divide between authorial transparency and reader perception and interpretation. In other words, Anything At All is as much my song and your song as it is Crosby’s song for we are all fallible when it comes to letting our ego get the better of us.

Cathedral immediately reminds me of Genesis; Phil Collins’ era. I love it when a song reminds me of another artist. It’s as if my mind has a built-in discovery algorithm and thankfully I appreciate both bands so this correlation is complementary. Getting back to Cathedral, it’s a masterpiece and one of the best songs CSN ever recorded with memorable lyrics that will stick with you well beyond listening to the song. As with Crosby’s Anything At All, one has to suggest that this is Nash’s finest composition.

Dark Star is a solid tune but it’s one that I would have loved to hear CSN record with Young for it needs a gritty boost in the vocal harmony. That said, the Latin vibe is addictive thereby making Dark Star a perfect toe-tapper. 

Just A Song Before I Go is a perfect amalgamation of vocal harmony and instrumentation. It’s a gorgeous song and while some may lament its brief runtime, I consider it to be the perfect length. The only thing I wish is that it was the closer for CSN, for it suits that role, from a lyrical standpoint, far better than I Give You Give Blind. 

Run From Tears has a killer guitar riff that, along with Stephen Stills' lead vocal, takes a B-side and turns it into an A-side. 

Cold Rain has a delightful piano introduction before building into another harmonic masterpiece. It’s sonically beautiful and an absolute pleasure to listen to.

In My Dreams is textbook Easy Listening. 

I Give You Give Blind would have been a perfect song to include Young on, for it has his edgy style written all over it, but in his absence, I feel it’s overproduced and a little too pop-focused. While it’s still a great soft rock tune, it doesn’t quite hit the heights that I believe it could have and I feel it was a flawed decision to close CSN with it. My choice for the final song, as previously mentioned, would have been Just A Song Before I Go. 

Overall, CSN is one of the finest albums ever recorded, even with the inclusion of Fair Game. If nothing else, it’s a career highlight for Crosby, Stills & Nash.

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John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band – Roadhouse (Album Review)

Over the years John Cafferty has had some recognisable hits, such as Hearts On Fire, Voice Of America’s Sons, and C-I-T-Y, but in listening to Roadhouse, Bruce Springsteen is constantly on my mind as John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band have an uncanny similarity to the rock legend and the E Street Band. While it may be easy to ignore Roadhouse, as a result, doing so would be of detriment for there are some excellent tunes to be heard on this heartland rock album. 

Released in 1988, Roadhouse failed to chart and reach the heights of their previous album, Tough All Over, but rightly maintained a cult following of dedicated fans. While physical releases of Roadhouse are long out-of-print, the lossless Apple Music stream will likely fill the void for many music lovers. The reproduction is most certainly what one would expect from the era the album was recorded in. It isn’t brick walled, as the album, to my knowledge, has never been remastered and subsequently you’ll experience a solid soundstage with a clear separation between all players. The mastering itself is a little thin but not distractingly so. Certainly, a small boost in bass and a slight reduction in the treble would address that element. Naturally, your preferences may vary but I tend to lean towards a warmer sound signature.

Bound For Glory sets the tone for the entire album with a blues-based rock tune that will get you moving. Bound For Glory’s groove is infectious and that bass track, thanks to Patrick Lupo, is the driving force behind the song. Bottom line: it’s a rocking tune! 

Victory Dance is a little loose and is more Caribbean than you may expect following Bound For Glory. Victory Dance is one of those songs that will grow on you. It’s catchy and a little cringeworthy. You may even find yourself turning the volume down, ensuring that no one else hears you play it, for it becomes a guilty pleasure, but that sax solo is a redeeming aspect that ensures I look forward to the song every time I play Roadhouse.

Song & Dance sounds so close to Springsteen that you’d be forgiven thinking that it was his song. That said, Song & Dance is magnificent and is on par with Springsteen’s greatest output. Although, it’s a shame that it has never received the recognition it deserved for if Springsteen had recorded it, it would have been a chart-topping hit. 

Killin’ Time has an introduction that reminds me not only of Springsteen but U2 before blasting into the core of the song. It’s a nice build-up and Killin’ Time follows Song & Dance perfectly and offers further validation that had Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band received more recognition, Killin’ Time would have been a success on the level of those aforementioned great artists. Another exceptional rock tune, yes, but I’m not fond of the abrupt ending. 

Wheel Of Fortune is heartland rock gold. It has a little bit of everything and nothing that you don’t need. Perfect is perhaps too strong a word, but it’s textbook solid. 

Burn The Roadhouse Down is country pop and won’t be to everyone’s tastes, especially considering it reminds me of Shania Twain. Yes, Roadhouse predated Twain’s sound, but it’s a correlation nonetheless. Burn The Roadhouse Down is on par with Victory Dance; a solid addition to the album that fans will likely appreciate but a song few will seek out.

Penetration has a guitar tuned introduction that reminds me of Dire Straits’. Again, Cafferty’s vocal is too similar to Springsteen’s but the more you listen to him, the more you’ll notice the subtle differences that separate the artists. Despite artist correlations, Penetration is a great song. 

Wishing Well is a solid album tune, but where I loved Lupo’s bass track on Bound For Glory I find it too loose, and subsequently distracting, on Wishing Well.  

Customary Thing is groove-filled and will get your body moving involuntarily. While it isn’t the strongest song, it still works well amongst this collection of tunes. It also reminds me of another song but I can’t put my finger on which one; perhaps you know, dear reader? 

Hard Way To Go has a killer drum track and as with Customary Thing, Hard Way To Go isn’t forging new ground. It’s album filler, but sometimes when filler merges into a greater body of work, it’s an incredible addition for we’ve all come across albums with a couple of awesome songs and the rest are largely forgettable. Roadhouse doesn’t fall under that category because it is a sum of its parts rather than an album backing up a couple of singles. 

Higher Ground is a sonic bliss having been mixed and recorded perfectly. By all rights, it should have been a massive hit as it’s anthemic. Higher Ground is most certainly one of the best songs on Roadhouse and in my opinion, is a candidate for Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band’s greatest song and should have been not only the title track but the closing song. Magnificent!

Road I’m Runnin’ is a great rock closer, with some killer guitar licks, but it’s no Higher Ground. It’s catchy and encourages me to listen to the album again and that, dear reader, is sometimes all that is required of a closing track. 

Overall, an interesting thing happens when you listen to John Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band, on repeat, you become more entranced with Cafferty & The Beaver Brown Band and forget the similarities to Springsteen. At that moment, the music takes on a life of its own and becomes a thoroughly enjoyable musical experience in its own right. Therefore, I implore you to put Roadhouse on repeat, perhaps in the background, and wait until that moment when you’re no longer comparing but appreciating what can only be described as a killer underrated rock album. 

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Spiders – Why Don't You Love Me / Hitch Hike / Don't Blow Your Mind (EP Review)

Before Alice was Alice Cooper he was Vincent Furnier; a young man with a dream of making it big in the music industry. While we know how that story progressed, the earliest recordings of Alice Cooper, both the man and the band, are often overlooked for these recordings don’t fall under the Alice Cooper moniker. Then known as the Spiders, the band entered the studio in 1966 to record Don’t Blow Your Mind; an original (Dennis) Dunaway/Furnier tune that made its way, rightly so, to number one on a local Top Forty radio station¹ in Phoenix, Arizona. 

While the EP Why Don't You Love Me / Hitch Hike / Don't Blow Your Mind, from 1998, offers an admirable facsimile of this original recording, from a sonic perspective, disappointingly the B-side to Don’t Blow Your Mind, No Price Tag, is omitted from this release. Arguably, No Price Tag isn’t the greatest song in the world, and is the poorest from these early recordings, but it is a strange omission nonetheless. The likely reason for its absence is that only 500 copies of the original single were ever pressed and being released over five decades ago, it gets more challenging to track down high-quality original pressings, stampers, and tapes.

Nevertheless, what makes this release so unique is that the pre-Alice Cooper sound was akin to other bands of the era. A Beatles' influence can certainly be heard, as can The Rolling Stones, but when you listen to these early recordings the band sounds nothing like they do on Pretties For You or Easy Action. Some may even suggest that the Spiders sounded far better on these early recordings than on their first couple of albums and I’d have to agree with them. Yes, the Spiders were much more imitators than trendsetters, so the music they performed during this period should be viewed through a lens of influence and mimicry; an act that Cooper himself acknowledges, declaring that had he not had the Beatles or the Stones to mimic, his music career would never have happened².

Of course, the band would branch out into their experimental psychedelic hard rock style and never really return to the style heard in these early recordings. Disappointing from one perspective because these early tunes are compelling but it’s fair to suggest that the band would have gotten swallowed up amongst the other similar bands of the era should they have stayed on that trajectory. Plus, and most importantly, we would have never gotten the incredible music, from Alice Cooper, if their style hadn’t changed. 

Why Don’t You Love Me is a cover of the Blackwells 1965 tune and The Spiders nailed it with a more rock and roll feel than the original. Furnier’s vocal is also stronger with a gruff edginess that we’d become increasingly familiar with from Love It To Death onwards. A great energetic opener. 

Hitch Hike, similarly, is a cover of, believe it or not, Marvin Gaye’s 1962 single. Gaye’s has a solid rhythm and blues groove and as much as I like the original, I’ve gotta say that the Spiders took it, rocked it up, and made it their own with a guitar twang perfectly played and tuned thereby taking the song to another level. Yes, the Spiders’ rendition is in the same vein as The Rolling Stones’ recording from Out Of Our Heads but I still find the Spiders’ recording to be the best version of this classic tune.

Don’t Blow Your Mind is indicative of the era and is an incredible Dunaway/Furnier original composition. Yes, I may have suggested that had they continued on this sonic path they would have been overlooked due to a plethora of similar bands, but Don’t Blow Your Mind is catchy, with a solid hook, that proves that they were destined for stardom. 

Why Don’t You Love Me (Instrumental) is a great closer to have on this release and if you’re like me, and have the EP on repeat, you’ll find it incredibly rewarding to listen to time and time again as it’s short, to the point, but a wonderful exploration in what could have been. 

Why Don't You Love Me / Hitch Hike / Don't Blow Your Mind is a killer EP that I put on par with The Rolling Stones’ Self-Titled EP; a must-own for any music lover’s collection of early band recordings that predate their greatest creative achievements.

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References

1. Alice Cooper: Golf Monster, Chapter 4, Earwigs and Spiders

2. Alice Cooper: Golf Monster, Chapter 2, Black Slacks and a Tight Windsor Knot

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Eric Clapton – Slowhand (Album Review)

By the time 1977 rolled around, Eric Clapton was already well-established with a series of hits with The Yardbirds, John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Cream, Blind Faith, and Derek and the Dominos, along with four well-received solo albums, including the chart-topping 461 Ocean Boulevard, yet nothing in my mind compares to the consistency and flow of Slowhand. It’s Clapton’s magnum opus.

Perfectly recorded, mixed, and mastered, Slowhand simply has to be heard to be believed. The lossless Apple Digital Master, available via Apple Music, is an experience in and of itself with a warm and enveloping sound signature. Some fans will inevitably point to the SACD release and its associated surround mix but as I haven’t had the privilege of hearing that particular release, Slowhand for me will, for the foreseeable future, be a stereo-focused masterpiece. That said, I do hope that we’ll see the surround mix re-released on Apple Music; not in Atmos, but Dolby Audio (a format that comes under Apple’s Spatial Audio moniker but is not remixed for Atmos thereby matching the original surround mix in an albeit lossy format). Naturally, vinyl editions are plentiful, but the Apple Music stream simply sounds right. Vinyl aficionados will likely be rolling their eyes at that statement, but I don’t find myself looking for more as it pertains to the sound quality of this release; the stream is that good! 

Where the vinyl counterpart would be of value is in the album cover department. While several Clapton albums have iconic cover art, Slowhand is one of those marvels in music where you’ll feel captivated to listen to the album while simply looking at, and holding, the album artwork. Immediately identifiable, the cover art captures the sound, the spaciousness in the mix, and ensures that it isn’t only a musical experience that one can enjoy. 

Behind the scenes, it’s imperative to give credit to the great Glyn Johns for his production and engineering work for Clapton acknowledges in Eric Clapton: The Autobiography that the disciplined producer brought the best out of Clapton and the band, even though they were all getting drunk and stoned¹. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of this admission is that, like many of the greatest albums ever recorded, intoxication was a key element in allowing the performance to speak for itself and in a way, become timeless. Of course, I’ve long suspected that the drugs of the 60s and 70s were of a special batch, for they simply don’t make music like that anymore, and while I don’t condone substance abuse, the correlation can not be ignored. 

What else can’t be ignored are the songs that comprise Slowhand; let’s take a look, and a listen, shall we? 

Cocaine may not be a Clapton original, but his interpretation of J.J. Cale’s original is incredible, adding a more bluesy rock feel to the song while simultaneously removing the twang Cale used in his rendition the year before. 

Wonderful Tonight is one of the most magnificent ballads ever recorded, although I’ve no doubt that some may find it cringeworthy. If nothing else, we surely can all agree that Clapton’s slow hand on this tune is simply exquisite. Naturally, with a song of this style and success, there were bound to be covers and Boyce Avenue’s and Ronnie Dunn’s are thoroughly enjoyable, although it doesn’t stray too far from the original. Michael Bublé’s and Damage’s interpretations, however, aren’t great as they shift the core elements too far thereby destroying the magic of the original composition. Babyface’s, Paul Canning’s and Khalil Fong’s aren’t bad but in all cases, Clapton’s original can’t be beaten. Although, Masaaki Kishibe’s new age instrumental version comes close. 

Lay Down Sally is a toe-tapper but I much prefer the instrumental aspects of the song for while I appreciate Clapton’s vocal, I find Marcy Levy’s backing vocal to be too present in the mix. Whereas, on The Core, I feel her vocal is better placed. Admittedly, The Core is a duet so it should be expected that the vocals were recorded and mixed in a similar manner in an attempt to not overshadow either artist. It’s a shame Lay Down Sally wasn’t mixed similarly. 

Next Time You See Her is blues to the core with a simple hook; sometimes that is all you need.  

We’re All The Way is closely aligned, musically, with Wonderful Tonight. While We’re All The Way may lack the timeless feel of Wonderful Tonight, it’s still a gorgeous song. 

The Core is a solid duet and in a way, it’s surprising to hear Marcy Levy take the lead on the first verse. It’s somewhat unexpected but works extremely well. As mentioned earlier, the vocal mix here is perfect. Also of note, The Core is the longest song on Slowhand and while it could be suggested that it’s too long, the rhythmically infused guitar elements are wonderful to listen to and if you enjoy listening to music while driving, put this on, on your next Sunday drive, and you’ll notice just how magical it is as you traverse through roads less travelled, seeing the countryside, and appreciating the music in your soul. It likely wasn’t written with that intent, but it translates to the scenario perfectly.  

May You Never is a John Martyn cover and not that I have anything against Martyn, but I’m so grateful that Clapton re-recorded it for Martyn’s original is akin to a demo rather than a finished song. 

Mean Old Frisco has a deep blues sound signature that is simply irresistible. While it may not set new ground, and is somewhat predictable, I find that comforting from a listener’s perspective because you can simply meld with the groove and thoroughly enjoy the song. 

Peaches And Diesel is an incredible closer despite being an instrumental tune. Sonically it returns our attention to Wonderful Tonight, a highlight of the album, and subsequently compels me to listen to Slowhand again. 

To say Eric Clapton is a musical legend is an understatement and perhaps even an insult for his musical prowess is amongst the best to have ever strummed a guitar and he proves that on Slowhand; a laid-back rhythmic masterpiece. 

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City Boy – Self-Titled (Album Review)

Released in 1976, City Boy was the eponymous debut for a band that should have received more acclaim than they did. Offering music lovers soaring guitars to a melodic rock rhythm should have cemented their success but it wasn’t to be. A shame, yes, but thankfully streaming gives us all an opportunity to find an album, and a band, that otherwise would never have been on our radar. 

Produced by Robert John "Mutt" Lange and engineered and mixed by Mick Glossop, City Boy is an astonishing recording that has been mixed with pure perfection and would help cement these two behind-the-boards masters’ careers. Lange would not only produce City Boy’s first five albums but would go on to produce some of the biggest albums in music history; most notably AC/DC’s Back In Black, Foreigner‘s 4, and Def Leppard’s Pyromania. Of course, Lange would branch out beyond rock and produce Shania Twain’s masterpiece, Come On Over. With such a legacy, and City Boy being one of his first outings in the producer’s chair, one would rightly wonder how much of his legacy can be heard on these early recordings, but one need not worry for City Boy has a level of spit and polish that, arguably, couldn’t have been realised by the band themselves. That isn’t to suggest that City Boy weren’t capable, for a debut this is one astonishing recording of a very tight band, but correlations can and should be made between Lange’s later works and City Boy for his signature high production style can be easily heard on City Boy.

Mick Glossop’s career has been equally impressive with a discography that knows few bounds. Perhaps most impressive, however, is his extensive work with Van Morrison having contributed his production, engineering, and mixing skills to 17 of Morrison’s albums. Either way, City Boy showed that when you get Lange and Glossop working together on a production, magic happens.

Of course, City Boy is more than the production team and the musicians, Lol Mason (lead vocals), Mike Slamer (lead guitar), Steve Broughton (rhythm guitar), Max Thomas (keyboards), Chris Dunn (bass), and Roger Kent (drums) deserve immense credit for City Boy is one of the greatest albums recorded in the 70s; despite sales suggesting otherwise. Their musical prowess mixed with a vocal harmony style makes for a very pleasurable listening experience and of particular note is Mason’s vocal dexterity which is beyond reproach and Mike Slamer’s guitar work that is otherworldly. Slamer is, without doubt, one of the greatest guitarists you’ve, likely, never heard of. 

(Moonlight) Shake My Head and Leave sets the rhythm immediately, and you’ll be toe-tapping from the very first note, but I’d argue that it’s the weakest song on the album. It’s a little campy in its structure but stick with it for the song opens up with some divine guitar soloing. 

Deadly Delicious reminds me instantly of Skyhooks and I can’t help but wonder if the Australian natives had an influence on City Boy with Living In The 70’s predating City Boy by two years. I don’t know about you, but I can even hear a Shirley Strachan styled vocal delivery. That correlation aside, Deadly Delicious is a pure psychedelic rock masterpiece that really highlights Lol Mason’s vocal capabilities. There is, however, a percussive element mid-song that has a Caribbean wind-chime like sound that I find to be distracting, particularly as it’s a jarring aspect when contrasted with the other musical elements. It doesn’t ruin the song, but I would have preferred that element to be omitted.

Surgery Hours (Doctor Doctor) will have you grooving and like Deadly Delicious is indicative of the 70s sound. Surgery Hours (Doctor Doctor) would have been perfect for a single release, in my opinion, but I also hope that a modern hip hop artist comes across the song and chooses to sample its addictive hook.

Sunset Boulevard slows the tempo but as a classic rock tune, Sunset Boulevard is sensational, rivalling the very best and most popular songs of the era. Honestly, how this album, and particularly this song, was never admired by the broader music-loving public is beyond belief. It just goes to show that sales success isn’t an indication of quality. Absolutely magnificent!

Oddball Dance is so much fun. It’s quirky but is so addictive that I find myself putting Oddball Dance on repeat every time it comes on. It has everything one could want from a song: soaring guitars, killer bass and drum rhythm, magnificent percussive elements, and a lyrical presentation that is not only soothing but energetic. The interlude, however, can take you out of the song, but it doesn’t last long and when the song returns to its original path it’s a momentous moment. 

5000 Years / Don't Know Can't Tell is another song that showcases just how solid City Boy already was despite this being their debut release. The skill present on this song, and many others on the album, would arguably be reserved for artists with a much greater legacy to fall back on, but in the two years prior to this recording, these master musicians honed their art to such an extent that it defies belief. If you haven’t yet done so, may I recommend you turn the volume knob to the right when 5000 Years / Don't Know Can't Tell comes on. You won’t regret it!

The Hap-Ki-Do Kid has a diverse musical style that works surprisingly well as it takes influence from multiple genres. In fact, much of City Boy’s music is so genre-busting that one would rightly hear correlations from various artists, styles, and genres of music when listening to City Boy. Ultimately, it’s a fun tune but after the almost nine-minute behemoth that was 5000 Years / Don't Know Can't Tell it almost feels as though The Hap-Ki-Do Kid ends prematurely. 

The Greatest Story Ever Told is, arguably, the greatest song ever recorded. Okay, perhaps that is overreaching a little but it is a masterpiece that, without doubt, would be in my Top 100 70s Classic Rock playlist; if I had such a playlist, of course. The mix is perfect and the flow between the verses and chorus is the definition of perfection. Every musical element is perfectly presented, and the fade-out is utterly brilliant, meaning there isn’t a single aspect of the song that I’d change. 

Haymaking Time is a lovely closing tune, encouraging me to listen to the album again, but I would have loved for The Greatest Story Ever Told to close the album with Haymaking Time being the second to last track. Interestingly, however, I would have been less likely to listen to the album again following The Greatest Story Ever Told as it is a far more contemplative song, from a musical perspective, than Haymaking Time so perhaps the band and the production team got the tracking right in the first place. 

City Boy is a timeless masterpiece that not only harps back to the 70s era, but is equally appealing to modern music lovers of classic rock. It is with that thought that I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to appreciate music at a time when almost every recording ever made is readily available for if that wasn’t the case, I would likely have never come across City Boy and you, dear reader, wouldn’t be able to enjoy it while reading this review. Unless, of course, you’re one of their longtime fans and have always known just how good, and under-valued, City Boy really is. At least streaming allows the rest of us to play catch-up for this is one album not to be missed. 

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Meat Loaf – Hang Cool Teddy Bear (Album Review)

Many Meat Loaf albums are underrated, as we compare his output too often to Bat Out Of Hell, but Hang Cool Teddy Bear is more than a simple cash-in on the legacy, for there are some extraordinary songs to be heard. Yes, there are a couple of songs that I don’t feel suit Meat Loaf’s vocal style, but if you give it a chance, Hang Cool Teddy Bear is a great rock album that is worthy of the Meat Loaf moniker. Of course, Meat Loaf is more than a singular entity and the lineup of collaborators in this 2010 release is impressive, although, no music is featured from Meat Loaf’s long-time collaborator, Jim Steinman.

As for the recording, mix, and mastering of Hang Cool Teddy Bear, it’s LOUD! That isn’t necessarily a bad thing for it works well with the style of the album, but you’ll likely find yourself turning the volume down and listening at lower levels to prevent listener fatigue. Thankfully, even though the album is dynamically compromised, it hasn’t been compressed to the extent that elements, such as cymbals, are crunching unnaturally. In that regard, Ted Jensen did an admirable job mastering the album to modern standards. 

Similarly commendable is Boris Vallejo’s cover art. There’s just something about fantasy artwork that works so well for album covers. Naturally, while the music is the most important aspect, pictures can tell a thousand words and in this case, you can take from the artwork what you want. All I know is that this would look awesome on a vinyl-sized canvas. 

Peace On Earth isn’t the greatest tune to launch the album on, for the introduction is somewhat pointless and the tempo is a little too upbeat for Meat Loaf. Also of note is Meat Loaf’s lyrical style that appears to be a merging of himself, Lou Reed, and Johnny Cash. Does it work? I’m not sure it does, but you grow to accept it as it also makes an appearance on Living On The Outside. Regardless, while I’d suggest that the verses are a little chaotic, I thoroughly enjoy the delivery of the chorus. 

Living On The Outside, similarly to Peace On Earth, has a great chorus but a somewhat inconsistent verse structure. Nevertheless, Living On The Outside is catchy, with a solid rhythm, and some killer guitar licks. 

Los Angeloser should have opened Hang Cool Teddy Bear. An utterly brilliant and witty tune! You’ll be head-bopping and toe-tapping from the very first note and its literal meaning is reminiscent, in my mind, of Alice Cooper’s Lost In America. The combination of James Michael and Meat Loaf has struck again and I don’t know about you, but I would love to see these two collaborate on a future record in the same way as Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf collaborated. 

Despite being the first single from Hang Cool Teddy Bear, Los Angeloser failed to gain traction in the charts; a shame considering it is arguably the best song on the album and most certainly should be in Meat Loaf’s career highlight reel. However, one can’t help but wonder if the quirky music video played a role in its lacklustre success with the only redeeming factor being Meat Loaf’s role as the preacher. Alas, we’ll never know!

If I Can't Have You (feat. Kara DioGuardi and Hugh Laurie) had the potential to be another I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won‘t Do That), albeit with a faster tempo. The dynamic range, however, is a little shallow resulting in a smaller and more compressed soundstage that hides not only the backing vocals but Hugh Laurie’s piano elements throughout much of the song. DioGuardi’s vocal, however, is simply gorgeous and spot on. 

Love Is Not Real/Next Time You Stab Me In The Back has an enjoyable backbeat and overall rhythm, but it is Brian May and Steve Vai's intermingling guitar solo that makes this song truly memorable.

Like A Rose is one of the best songs on Hang Cool Teddy Bear and is one of my all-time favourite Meat Loaf tracks. In part, it’s due to Jack Black’s involvement but the tip of the hat to the Beastie Boys takes Like A Rose to another level. If there was one aspect that I’d change, it would be the mix. The guitar is simply too concealed and if it was more forward in the mix, and turned up by a few decibels, Like A Rose would be a guaranteed rock anthem.  

Song Of Madness is one tune that you’ll want to pump the volume on. Not only is Steve Vai’s guitar work masterful but Meat Loaf pushes his vocals beautifully, ensuring his signature smooth highs and guttural lows are prominent throughout. But, that bass tracking, by Chris Chaney, is what dreams are made of. A killer heavy metal-inspired tune!

Did You Ever Love Somebody slows the album down a little, but this isn’t your usual Meat Loaf ballad. It sounds, from a vocal perspective, like a demo as Meat Loaf’s full range isn’t on display here but that is also, strangely, part of its appeal. Did You Ever Love Somebody, however, could have been a masterpiece if a little more spit and polish had been applied. That introduction and gradual build, though, is magical. 

California Isn't Big Enough (Hey There Girl) is a rock song, with 80s synth elements, amongst a cascade of other styles, resulting in a compelling, yet confusing, composition. I enjoy the chorus, but as with a couple of other songs on Hang Cool Teddy Bear the chorus is where this song shines.

Running Away From Me is a classic B-side. It was never going to be a hit, but I like it. 

Let's Be In Love isn't a bad song, but is made significantly better thanks to Patti Russo. Again, Meat Loaf's vocal presence feels lacklustre, especially in the quiet passages, but given the love song styling it could be suggested that his vocal is intentionally vulnerable. Nevertheless, in comparison, Russo's Vocal takes the song to another level and it’s just disappointing that Russo doesn’t enter the mix until around the midway point of the song.

If It Rains is a great song but I would love to hear it with a slightly faster tempo and a little more edginess. 

Elvis In Vegas is a great closer but as good as Meat Loaf performs it, I’d love to hear Jon Bon Jovi record it as he co-wrote it with Desmond Child and Billy Falcon. A great song, regardless. 

Hang Cool Teddy Bear is likely no one’s first choice when listening to Meat Loaf, but it is underrated and is deserving of more attention as there is some thoroughly enjoyable music to be heard here. If you haven’t had a chance to check it out, I hope this review convinces you to give it a chance. Give it a few plays, particularly in the background, and you may be surprised just how much the entire album grows on you. 

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