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Weekly Reviews For October 16, 2005

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I am Managing Editor at Metal4Life

I also contribute reviews to getreadytorock

I am also featured reviewer at spacerock.co.uk

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Dave Dill
Rick Ray Band
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I was Editor & reviewer at MetalUK.

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KT Tunstall - Suddenly I See

I hated this the first time I heard it, but after repeated exposure to music television, it has gradually seeped into my brain.

So, when the 7" dropped through the letterbox it was with some glee that I dropped it on to the turntable. Maybe, it's the repeated blues shuffle, but it is thoroughly enjoyable.

The B-side has a live version of "Moment Of Madness" which is a bit pedestrian but does come Wurlitzer enhanced. Has a nice, melancholy vocal, though. Dreadful outer sleeve but a fabulous pic of the delightful Ms Tunstall on the inner.

Here's hoping she's not as precious as the internet and meeja are making her out to be. Would be a shame.

Disturbed - Stricken


Now that's more like it. the return of shouty bald men with bolts in their chin! I've absolutely no idea how Disturbed became successful with 'the kids' with their resolutely old fashioned heavy metal, but I'm certainly not complaining.

Coming on like mid period Accept, but with better melodies, this is only lacking a killer chorus, but does have an absolutely cracking riff. Oh, and right on cue the 1986 guitar solo arrives! All that's missing is some dry ice and a wind machine. Which would be wasted on baldy bloke, but never mind. Magnificent, and on lovely red vinyl too.

JJ72 - Coming Home

Weren't this lot supposed to be the next big thing? Then they seemed to just vanish from the radar. Well, they're back and purveying the anthemic power ballads which personify the mid-noughties. Strange, that 20 years ago this type of music was being decried from the rooftops by critics everywhere, who rejoiced when grunge killed it off. Maybe it was the big hair but apparently it's OK now, as long as it's performed by miserable, skinny white boys.

But this one is quite good. Not up there with White Lion, but better than most of the angstful anthems being hung out to dry these days. B-sides rubbish, mind.

The Rick Ray Band - Temporary World

'Temporary World' has become a bittersweet listening experience because of the sudden death of singer Chuck Abraham shortly after its release. At last it seemed the Rick Ray Band had found a 'front man' who could lead the vocal line with passion, emotion and not inconsiderable ability and who could also contribute to the writing process on, what is for me, the band's finest and most consistent musical offering to date. It all worked so well that plans were already being made for future projects when Chuck's untimely death intervened. Still, 'Temporary World' is an album in which Chuck Abraham can be immensely proud of his contribution and I am sure he is, at this moment, looking down from above with the realisation that what he gave to the Rick Ray Band was very, very special.

As readers will know I am a great admirer of Rick Ray's music and have spelled out my reasons in numerous articles, interviews and reviews. I would put the opening number 'Until the End' among his finest work (and there is a considerable volume of music to choose from!)
From the ominous 'industrial' sounding opening, the track launches into one of those fabulous Ray riffs but there is a surprise in store- it is actually Frank Pellino who supplies the cleaner guitar sound that takes the song to a new level and also Chuck Abraham's impassioned vocal peaking on 'The system has completely failed'- we all know what he means! There is a jazz sensibility about the track with the two guitarists, Rick Shultz on reeds and a rhythm section of Jack Ambrose and Sam 'PJ' Glorioso gelling as never before. 7 minutes and I am out of breath already. 'Until the End' is credited as a band composition and it certainly sounds like it!

'Rumour Clinic' is a clever song with an unforgettable chorus on a familiar theme- the manipulation of the masses through 'spin doctors'. Jack Ambrose takes the vocal on the seriously infectious 'X in the Sky', a song about chemtrails over American skies and their detrimental effects on human health. These two tracks also feature extended solos by Rick Schultz. 'Modified Universe' is a Ray/ Shultz/ Glorioso composition, an instrumental with an interesting twist around the 4 minute mark when there is what I can only describe as a Peter Green feel about the music.
'Change Stays the Same' is another one of those wonderful 12-bar variations Rick Ray is famous for and I wasn't surprised when half way in there was a walking bass line and a very jazzy interchange between the two Rick's. The most moving moment on the album comes with the Ray/Abraham song 'Enemies of America', a wonderfully sensitive acoustic guitar based arrangement for such a difficult subject. (I'd like to hear an acoustic version without any guitar soloing though!) Even the rather cloying sentimentality of 'Together Forever' works largely due to Chuck Abraham's vocal delivery although this immediate personal subject matter contrasts with the bigger issues explored elsewhere.

On 'Chemical Dispersion' Rick Ray reminds us what a good singer he is with his Lennon like 'snarl'. It features a nifty organ and synth break by Frank Pellino which made me wonder why Rick doesn't use keyboards more often in his music. I was waiting for one of those lovely Ray acoustic instrumental offerings and I wasn't disappointed with 'Passage of Time' as once more the sensitivity and dexterity of the man's guitar technique are demonstrated.

Rick takes the lead vocal on a title track which took on a prophetic poignancy given the sad event that followed. The closing track 'Alteration' for me summed up what is good about the album with Chuck's powerful vocal, Rick Ray providing a stunning set of guitar arpeggios and riffs that took me back to some of the wondrous music of the early seventies- I couldn't quite place who exactly!- and Rick Schultz sounding more assured than ever providing, with the rhythm section, a solid backdrop. There was definitely something different about this number!

'Temporary World' is a protest album that works out a lot of emotion through the most peaceful of means- music- and asks some big questions. It's a cogent and compelling body of work on which a band pursues a musical vision that demands the listener's respect and earns it!

All Rick Ray albums are available from The Rocker

Review by Phil Jackson for Zeitgeist

Missy Higgins - Ten Days

Missy seems to have got lost in the rush of female singer / songwriters being hurled at us by record companies these days, but she is one of the best, so don't miss out.

She mixes sweetness, vulnerability and a slight edge to her performance and songs that lift it up above some of the more pedestrian material clogging up the charts and it would be a shame if she missed out. She may have acquired her extra edge back in Australia playing with her brothers' jazz band, as her voice is a lot more developed than most twenty year olds.

The extra track “Dancing Dirt In The Snow” is better than most peoples A-sides, so treat yourself to some Missy now.

The Answer - Keep Believin'

Wow! In fact, double wow! A blazing classic rock anthem in the mould of early Fastway or Kingdom Come.

Starting off as a mid paced groover, it really starts to kick off when the guitars get notched up and the vocals go helium. The only thing wrong with it, is its brevity. Not something you hear often from me!

The B-side is a bit flat in comparison, but a few more tracks like “Keep Believin'” and we could have some new rock heroes. But, lets hope they're not the new My Little Funhouse.

The Warlocks - Come Save Us

Definitely no relation to the Grateful Dead but I have a great deal of time for The Warlocks brand of grungey, psychedelic rock.

Granted, they don't write great songs, but when they hit on a hypnotic, spacey groove, as they do here, it's well worth a listen.

Over on the B-side (for this is a lovely old fashioned 7” vinyl release), things start off in Doors ballad fashion, before getting even more depressing! Well, it is called “Suicide Note”!, and is morbidly fascinating.

Cherubs - Man Of No Importance

Hang on a minute. Nope, just checked the CD and it's not the new Franz Ferdinand single. Sounds just like them though, but with harder guitars.

This is single number 3 from their debut album “Uncovered By Hearbeat” and they've been doing the festival circuit over the summer at T In The Park, Reading etc, so this might be the one to make people sit up and take notice of their Wire a like sounds. Although with The Franz Ferdinand backlash having started already, who knows.

I actually prefer the B-side, which is a demo version of previous single “Hey Bunny” where they go all art punk on your ass, the guitars are turned up to 11 and vocalist Staale Krantz Bruland (Norwegian doncha know) sounds like he's about to keel over with excitement.

Attitude we like.