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RANDOM TOUCH - Hammering On Moonlight
Lumme, better put on my smarthead today, as the biography
says "they are tougher than Radiohead, less structured
than King Crimson, less spacey and more angular than Miles
Davis' Bitches Brew". Won't be getting the party started
then. Chuck in some Zappa and Eno, and you've got a fair
idea of what this sounds like.
Album number 3 under the Random Touch moniker and it's electronic
avante-garde ahoy what with quotes from Jung on the sleevenotes
(Carl not Angus). This is certainly unique in it's execution
and a bold experiment in forgeing a new form of musical
expression.
There are a couple of choons which almost follow a linear
structure, but mainly this is a carefully plotted throw
everything at the wall and see what sticks approach to music.
There are constant changes in sound and mood, never allowing
you, the listener, to get comfortable. If the Jung quote
is correct, I wanna tell you a story about a woman I know,
or rather "The creation of something new is not accompanied
by the intellect but by the instinct acting from inner necessity",
then they are acting from the heart not the mind, and that
is to be applauded.
I don't know how often you'd want to play this, but you
won't be unaffected by the experience.
http://www.randomtouch.com.
Reviewed
by Phil Jackson
BLACK LABEL SOCIETY - The Blessed Hellride (Spitfire)
After several hunnerd years serving in the frontline of
the rock wars, it takes a lot to get me salivating (Sandra
excepted), and even more to get me pre-ordering albums,
but so it proved to be when a release date for the new Zakk
Wylde album was announced.
Standing alone, loud and proud beating off the hordes of
nu-metal wannabees armed with some monster riffs and a few
blast beats, Mr Wylde remains a beacon of all that is good
in the world of heavy rock. Without a bad record to his
(own) name, it remains a wonder why his employer, Sir Ozzy
of Osbourne remains immune to recording a whole album of
zakkchoons. Well, to be fair, we know why, don't we Sharon.
And on "Stillborn" we actually get to hear the
patented Oswald wail on a Zakk release for the first time.
And lo, it was good. Not that the Wylde one is any slouch
in the vocal department, sounding more like his boss than
ever before. Must be an age thing. Why I remember when we
first saw Zakk Junior back in the day, not a minute over
12 years old. And look at him now, a less purty version
of me. Although I couldn't compose and perform the greatest
Black Sabbath song never to be a Black Sabbath song, "Suffering
Overdue", the kind of song that makes the beer bell
yquiver with joy.
Lyrically, we're in very dark place, and the whole feel
is very conceptual, without getting all artsy on my ass.
Also good to see Zakks Southern roots still showing on "The
Blessed Hellride" itself. An early contender for rock
album of the year. Oh yes. Now to start counting the days
until the "Boozed, Broozed & Broken Boned"
DVD!
www.zakkwylde.com
www.blacklabelsociety.net
WHITESNAKE - Best Of / Here I Go Again:The Collection
So, the Monsters Of Rock draws near, Whitesnake are sliding
it one last time, and we have a UK best of and a US best
of. What to do. First of all, we slate the truly appalling
UK single CD Best Of, for it's dreadful design, cheap booklet
(if you can deign to give it that title), and lamentable
sleeve notes. The budget must have gone on the TV slots.
On the up side, it does include the late, great UK lineup
from the early eighties, a time when my world was ruled
by Mr Coverdales mixed up world of religious metaphors and
double entendres. Although it would have been nice to acknowledge
the world before "Fool For Your Loving" and how
can any release call itself Best Of with no "Walking
In The Shadow Of The Blues"? WIth 17 tracks you could
have dumped "Standing In The Shadow".
Over the Atlantic Ocean and we get a 2CD 35 track, lovingly
compiled, beautifully illustrated and coherent booklet,
unfortunately drawn from the turgid Geffen years. Which
means all shine, no spit. Apart from the early cleaned up
turds from "Slide It In" and the positively glowing
later era moments of "Now You're Gone" and "The
Deeper The Love". Sadly, no Coverdale Page, no "Restless
Heart" or "Starkers In Tokyo", and most tragically,
no "Into The LIght", Mr Coverdales finest moment.
And yes I know it was a solo album.
So what we need is the bloke who compiled the US version
to do the same for a UK release covering 1977 - 2001 including
solo and side projects (apart from "Days Of Thunder",
ouch). What's that you say? There are plans afoot to do
just that later in the year. So what the hell is this for?
Oh, yes the obligatory tour tie-in.
Musically, the UK version wins hands down, but you may want
to hold fire for that comprehensive Silver Anniversary anthology.
