Reviews

WEEKLY REVIEWS FOR MAY 4th 2004

Review Index

I am also Assistant Editor & reviewer at MetalUK.

I also contribute reviews to getreadytorock

Recent reviews include
Rush - Chronicles (The Video Collection)
Deep Purple - The Early Years
Damageplan - New Found Power
Whitesnake - The Early Years

You will also find some reviews at spacerock.co.uk

The Rocker
New releases from;
Superczar - Pop Art
Various - Further Adventures of the Telepathic Explorers
When's The Future - Then
And many more....

 

New Reviews

JOHNNY LIMA | GOING SOME PLACE| THE PURSUIT| SMOKE & MIRRORS| THE DAVENPORTS| ALEXIS MOYER

Johnny Lima - Made In America

This is the third Johnny Lima release, following on (slowly) from 1996s debut and 1999s "Shine On". And what Mr Lima has to offer is a fabulous take on classic stadium rock, with a couple of obligatory ballads for those lighter in the air moments.
It's easy to make the references so what you're looking at is mid-period Bon Jovi coupled with some harder Skid Row edges and Def Leppard vocal harmonies. And how can you argue with that? There are some killer riffs, especially on the title track, and melodies to die for. Even better the 11 tracks race by in 37 minutes, which is a proper length for an album.
To run through the many highlights, "Made In California" is a chunky hard driving rocker, replete with light hearted pre grunge lyrics. "Best Night Of My Life" is a more uptempo number with a catchy chorus, layered guitars and incredible harmony vocals, everything you look for in a classic rock track. "We've Got Tonight" is probably the most Bon Jovi type song, a full on ballad that classic rock radio should lap up. "Another Girl" is full on Def Leppard, complete with a lyrical lament about unrequited love. Well, the girl doesn't like boys! "Love Ain't Enough" is another highlight, a powerful rock anthem driven on by a great vocal performance. Album closer "Welcome To My Paradise" is dark and brooding, perhaps out of place here, but great nonetheless.
The downsides. Well, the percussion is sometimes weak. I'm afraid that I'm a bit of a traditionalist and prefer the sound of a real drummer. And I could quite happily have lived without the Beatles cover, "Help". I never saw the point of the Beatles and I see no point in this. Minor quibbles aside, this is a rollicking good classic rock and roll album, which deserves a place in the home of anyone who cares about melodic rock.

Going Some Place - Offering

The opening track ‘If Only’ is a classic song of disaffection with some nice fluid guitar lines from one half of Going Some Place, composer and arranger Mark Sturdevant. ‘Part Time’ again deals with a troubled relationship in a very thoughtful way while ‘Haunted Garden’ features Gina Malfatti as guest vocalist. ‘Evil Man’ continues in the same way, another open, honest and very good song.

So if you like good songs with vocal harmonies, fluid guitar work, unassuming keyboard work and bass playing that work perfectly in the context (The other half- Bill Bentley is responsible) a light jazzy touch with a little ‘Latino’ feel here and there then ‘Offering’ is for you. I liked the way the songs were punctuated by three instrumentals (although the last one ‘War of the Bells’ does have wordless vocals) and particularly appreciated the classical touch on ‘Dance of the Shadows’..

As Ian Dury used to say this is ‘very good indeed’!

There are no webby details on the sleeve but Going Some Place can be contacted at 1381 Franquette Ave, Suite #D-8, Concord Ca 94520 CD is available from;

http://www.artistlaunch.com/artist4.asp?artistid=3283

Reviewed by Phil Jackson

The Pursuit - demo

Is it 1983? Have I wandered into a time machine and warped back to the horrors of shoegazing Smithdom?

It felt like it for a moment there. The band formerly known as The Origin Of Pursuit are going for that mean and moody sombre feel, encapsulated by the depths of Slowdive and their ilk.

Fortunately, on repeated listens, there are enough nuances to lift this from the potential mire they're inhabiting, plucking bits of Neurosis to further darken the mood, and move more towards a My Bloody Valentine vibe.

There's a rumble deep in their particular jungle that draws you in ever deeper, and it's nasty. In a good way. In between the shouty / quiet / shouty conformity which they're lifting off the Deftones, there is an original mind at work here, and it should be encouraged. Haven't got a Scooby what the songs are called, but the third one rules.

originofpursuit@yahoo.co.uk

Smoke & Mirrors - The Perfume of Creosote

Hurrah! A concept album. "The Perfume of Creosote" is a journey, taking the listener on a daylong sojourn through the desert from emboldened sunrise (Surya, The Divine Sun) to the dreamlike, UFO-infused night sky (As Heaven Falls from the Sky). So far, so hippy. But pay attention at the back, for this is absolutely compelling.

From the opening "Surya, The Divine Sun" (named after the Hindu sun god) through the astonishing "Mirage" (which remarkably sounds like one, which makes no sense until you listen to it) to "Riparian Oasis" with its beautiful guitar solo to the all too brief (but enthralling) "Dance of the Scorpions", this is an outstanding release.

Taking aspects of ambience, world music, psychedelia and jazz, the artists concerned, Michael Ely and Spider Taylor, have produced a lush and exotic beast of an album, inspiring in its beauty and wonder. There are twenty three stages to their journey, all of which combine to produce an elongated yet enigmatic and melodic eighty minutes masterpiece. Particularly noteworthy are the percussive elements, which fuse everything together, giving you something to hold on to, as the desert heat takes its toll. Look to "Adventures Of A Packrat" for a perfect example of the fusing together of disparate sounds.

Space rock aficionados will find much to love here, especially towards the latter stages of the journey, culminating in the resplendent "As Heaven Falls From The Sky". It could have been a bit of a mess, what with tribal percussion, prog rock guitars, trip-hop beats an ambient soundscapes, but you'll be hard pushed to find a better fusion experiment

The Davenports - Hi-Tech Lowlife

Listening to Davenports music can be a bit like jumping into a vat of finely ground flour with some sugar added. The music enshrouds you like a comfortable blanket with Scott Klass’s vocals bordering on the angelic- don’t be deceived though this is not soft pop! After all don’t they end the album with a bonus track called ‘Whore for the Holidays’ where the good old acerbic side of Klass’s lyrics give the music an edge, as always! Indeed the music mixes humour and gravity in depicting characters obviously close to the artist’s radar like the irritating ‘Eric Grey’ painted with a wonderful country laced shuffly beat and ‘Annette O’Toole’ with reference to Peter O’Toole’s daughter I believe. There’s also a song about a Melissa and a Daisy for good measure (Only Heather got a name check on their brilliant eponymous debut so there is definitely progression here!).

What makes music by The Davenports special apart from the songs being really infectious are the ingenuous little touches like the quirky piano on the title track, the synth and steel guitar (Dan Miller of They Might Be Giants) on ‘Avery Girls’, the guitar that redeems the ‘a little bit too trite’ ‘Everyone’s Talking About Baseball’, the strings on ‘Eric Grey’ and last but not least the horns on ‘Daisy to Everyone’.

I greatly enjoyed The Davenports first album and still play it and I’m pleased to say that the musical canvas has broadened if anything. I’m not sure there’s a song on ‘Hi-Tech Lowlife’ as good as ‘You’re On Your Own’ or ‘Five Steps’ but I can live with that. Comparisons if they are needed are with The Beach Boys, a little bit of XTC (on ‘Melissa Now’), possibly Crowded House, while songs like ‘You’re the only Girl For Me’ have a timeless Burt Bacharach kind of feel.

‘Hi-Tech Lowlife’ is an admirable record with intriguing lyrics and captivating arrangements that will get inside your head and stay there. Be warned!

Reviewed by Phil Jackson

Alexis - Angel's Don't Always Have Wings

Alexis has produced that strangest of things, an 80s sounding country album that is still vital and interesting. Well done, lass!

After the usual country tales of heartache, ALexis wound up on a country western show called "The Wisconsin Opry" in the Wisconsin Dells, in 1995. She's been there for For 10 years now, opening for Whisperin' Bill Anderson, Kitty Wells, Riders in the Sky and many more. Finally, after what seems like forever, Alexis has recorded her first CD.

Helped along by songwriter, Robert Dellaposta, these are classic country songs without bowing to the new conformity that bedevils so many genre releases. This is chock full of great songs from the title track through "Rest in Pieces", "If You Wanna Change My Mind" and "Shadow in the Dark".

Alexis relishes the big ballds and has a voice to match. She's working on her second CD, but you really want ot get to grips with this. And anyone who shares my love of Sandra Bullock has to be worth supporting!