Rock Around the World

Queen Made In Heaven. Hollywood. NR.
It is So fitting that I should review this album on the eve of the 4th Anniversary of Freddie Mercury's passing.
Remember the ending of Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid where Newman and Redford exchange that knowing look and smile before they step into oblivion?
Well, here on Made In Heaven, in the language of Music, Freddie Mercury, Deacon, Taylor and May exchange that very same look and smile as they go out guns blazing. It seems to me Freddie wanted to go out in style with empty chambers in his six guns...
This album blazes with the intensity of an Artist who intentionally insisted on burning the wick at both ends, leaving no wax. Sine Cere.
I have listened to Queen over the years since I first became aware of FM radio and its circuitous formats...Made In Heaven stands for me as Queen's Finest Work. Everyone on this project KNEW that it was the swan song and Every member of Queen seems to have given it their Best.
Many, many, many Queen fans will finally come to the closure they never got in 1991. PLEASE let your CD linger after track 11 expires... Hilary, this one's for you.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Let Me Live, My Life Has Been Saved, Heaven For Everyone, Too Much Love Will Kill You, You Don't Fool Me, It's A Beautiful Day, "Fab" (13).
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Ozzy Osbourne Ozzmosis. Epic. NR.
Ozzy has returned to the scene harder and heavier...almost rested, so to speak... It's amazing how powerful anyone can be if they get just a bit of rest. I sense a newfound energy in Ozzy's singing and phrasing. The time off's obviously been good for Ozzy...Retirement Sucks.
The sound of distant thunder has returned with Deen Castronovo on drums, Geezer Butler on bass and Zakk Wylde on Power Chords. The refreshing addition of Rick Wakeman is a masterstroke...
We all used to rave about Rick wakeman in high school... and his keyboard work on this album is tasty and cooperative. Old L.A. Tonight is like a sequel to G&R's November Rain...
Internet Listening Pleasure: Perry Mason, Ghost Behind My Eyes, Thunder Underground, See You On The Other Side, Old L.A. Tonight.
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Carla Olson Wave Of The Hand - The Best of Carla Olson. Watermelon. NR.
This album is proof of the worth of an Artist... Major guns help out with background vocals, material, sideman positions... Carla's got this thing about her that attracts this sort of high level talent...
Give the album a listen and you'll know what I mean.
Internet Listening Pleasure: I'm Trying, Special, Every Angel In Heaven, Midnight Mission, Clean Cut Kid, I Can't Fight It.
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Steely Dan Alive In America. Giant. NR.
The Dan has relented and decided to play in the Sheds livestyle instead of coopin' it up in Studio perfection... And I dig it live... Move the air, baby!
Internet Listening Pleasure: Green Earrings, Bodhisattva, Reelin' In The Years, Peg, Kid Charlemagne.
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Melvin Taylor & The Slack Band Self Titled. Evidence. NR.
Go to your local record store and get This album! Oh man, the cat is an authentic, serious bluesman.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Texas Flood, All Your Love (I Miss Loving), Don't Throw Your Love On Me So Strong, T-Bone Shuffle.
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Yngwie Malmsteen Magnum Opus. Viceroy/Architect Music. NR.
Look for my interview with Yngwie Malmsteen to follow shortly.
This is guitar for the practising Musician, it is not for garage level posers that are still fascinated with fuzz and distortion.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Cross The Line, Fire In The Sky, Amberdawn, No Love Lost, The Only One, I'd Die Without You.
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Saigon Kick Devil In The Details. CMC International. NR.
I once helped Phil Collen from Def Leppard locate a Saigon Kick album when I worked for $4.75/hr at this overblown, overhyped, sweatshop of a record store...(what part of Bull Shit don't you understand?)
Helping Phil get that record always stuck in my mind because it made me wonder about Saigon Kick, if a major dude like Phil was buying their stuff.
This is a Great album with material capable of knocking off alot of the cheese whiz that is playing on the radio these days.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Russian Girl, Killing Ground, Spanish Rain, Flesh & Bone, Sunshine, Afraid, So Painfully, Edgar.
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Vince Neil Carved In Stone. Warner Bros. Records. NR.
Well, the boys in The Crue are certainly rudderless, if not ship-wrecked and derelict without Vince Neil.
Vince Neil was the balls in a Ballsy Band that is now somehow emasculated without this Man. The Tattoos and everything are cool and I really dig Mick Mars, but there is Nothing to bring to the table these days from Motley Crue. Bummer dudes,
Vince Neil is the Main Course and you all are just waiters without him. Sorry.
This album, Carved In Stone, is audiophile Crue. Vince Neil Rocks.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Breakin' The Gun, The Crawl, One Way, Find A Dream, The Rift.
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Euclid Drive Euclid Drive. Itty Bitty Records. NA.
David Lee Roth meets The Gap Band.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Big City Life, Hang Tuff, Wheel Of Fortune
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Savatage Dead Winter Dead. Atlantic. NR.
Thematic, novella of the suffering in Bosnia. This album was too heavy to take in one sitting based on the subject material.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Sarajevo, This Isn't What Madness, Christmas Eve, Not What You See.
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The Beautiful South The Best Of The Beautiful South. Go Disc!/Mercury. NR.
Pleasant Pop Music for when you need to relax or ponder the day's activities.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Song For Whoever, A Little Time, Old Red Eyes Is Back, 36D, Everybody's Talkin', Dream A Little Dream of Me.
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Primus Tales From The Punchbowl. Interscope/Atlantic. NR.
Have a beer on me when you lads make it to Belgium on your European Tour.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Mrs. Blaileen, Wynona's Big Brown Beaver, Southbound Pachyderm, Glass Sandwich, Over The Electric Grapevine.
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2 Minutes Hate Let It Eat. Ardent. NA.
This sound is very L.A., Sunset Strip, Whisky A Go-Go.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Killing Time, Alligator, Liar, Zero, Pilot, And You Are.
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Into Another Seemless. Hollywood. NA.
Sort of Soundgardening to me.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Mutate Me, Getting Nowhere, Seemless, After Birth, Regarding Earthlings, May I.
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Letters To Cleo Wholesale Meats And Fish. Giant. NR.
This band's female vocalist, Kay Hanley, is a throwback to the enchanting tone of LuLu/To Sir With Love updated and modernized for the 90's.
Internet Listening Pleasure: Demon Rock, Fast Way, Jennifer, Acid Jed, He's Got An Answer, I Could Sleep.
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