2pworth

Author: Marc A. Price

  • THE AMAZING WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN: THE VOICE OF LOVE

    THE AMAZING WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN: THE VOICE OF LOVE

    What can be said about Arthur Brown that hasn’t been said a million times already? He is the archetype of the one-hit wonder. He is the rocker with wild onstage antics that have almost got him and others maimed and ultimately had him kicked off a tour with Jimi Hendrix. For the last 40 years he has been known as the man that screamed at the top of his voice, “I am the god of hellfire”, at the beginning of the only song he is known for.

    THE AMAZING WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN

    THE VOICE OF LOVE

    Zoho

    2008-06-10

    He has been residing in the “where are they now” file for many years. Apparently he has filled his time working as a painter and decorator in Austin, Texas or training to be a counselor. He has also turned out the occasional record, although none of these recordings really made any dent in the common consciousness. In contrast this album might just capture the imagination of quite a few.

    Despite his vocal performance on “Fire” being spotless, Brown may not be so well known for the sheer vocal range and volume that he has in those pipes. On The Voice of Love he belts out the 11 tracks with such power that I was in fear of losing all the glassware in my house. Sometimes putting so much force into his singing, he overshadows the acoustic backing track. On these occasions it has the unfortunate effect of making him sound like he is singing in the bath to an instrumental version of the song on a radio in another room. Those moments notwithstanding, The Voice of Love is still a robust collection of songs.

    There are few pop tunes here with a catchy chorus that stick in your brain. Of the original songs is the short, cute, and familiar-sounding “Shining Bright”. This song’s refrain “I need nobody now / I need no one and nothing / I need nobody now / seeing me shining bright” is an ode to Brown shying away from public adoration. It is almost as if he is explaining why he has not topped the rock world for the last 40 years. He is unapologetically saying that the music is what it is all about for him and not the trappings that come with it. He has been there, now he just wants to make music because it is what he enjoys.

    This collection includes original songs and a few covers. The most prominent of these is Brown’s take on another one-hit wonder’s song “Kites”, originally by Simon Dupree and the Big Sound. He turns this piece of psychedelia into a quirky love song. It takes a while, you are not sure whether you have heard it before, but then it comes to you that it is indeed a cover. Otis Redding’s “That’s How Strong My Love Is” also gets the Brown treatment, slowed down and with a slightly lower-key vocal in the outset, but not for long. Towards the end of the song Brown lets rip completely, performing vocal acrobatics showing off the full range that this 66-year old can muster. This fella has got a lot in him and it makes you wonder why he has been sidelined for such a long time.

    The sleeve notes make much of the recording methodology. Brown recorded this album on two-inch master tape using live performances throughout and the original vocal take wherever possible. Despite the protestations to the contrary, this is anything but a low-fi recording. It is crystal-clear, if a bit wobbly in the vocal department on occasion. Yet you can really forgive the odd misfire, due to the audacity of screeching a Glen Hughes-style, metal-god wail over a ukulele. It almost works and is very entertaining.

    To say that this is the best album that Brown has done since 1968’s Fire is meaningless. The potential that was shown back then has been realized in this release. The Voice of Love has been 40 years in the making. Despite a few idiosyncrasies, it has been worth the wait.

    This review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/the-amazing-world-of-arthur-brown-the-voice-of-love-2496119347.html
  • LOWLIGHT: BLOODLINE

    LOWLIGHT: BLOODLINE

    The cover of Bloodlines looks like it was lifted from an episode of the X-Files.

    LOWLIGHT

    BLOODLINE

    Wabi Sabi

    2008-04-10

    It draws you in with its mystery, two people running into the light. They are running into the unknown, running from something equally unknown and unknowable. The pity is that when you play the album you are confronted by drab, uninteresting songs performed in such a nasal way that you wonder if the singer has had rhinoplasty in order to achieve it. The songs are pretty much all about unrequited love or break ups or “why don’t any of the nice girls like me” and other whinges. “Timesick Blues” nearly became good when it started to sound like The The’s “Uncertain Smile”, albeit stripped of any imagination and creativity. In fact it is pretty easy to work out what the people on the cover are running away from.

    This review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/lowlight-bloodline-2496119328.html
  • CIAM: ANONYMOUS

    CIAM: ANONYMOUS

    With track titles such as “Misunderstood”, “Here I Am”, and “Looking for Love” CIAM are pushing the right buttons for the disaffected youth. Jeff Shapiro’s vocals are a predictable baritone on most of the tracks, sounding not unlike a young Wayne Hussey at times. Furthermore, a spotty teenager with no friends probably wrote the lyrics. Not a great start.

    CIAM

    ANONYMOUS

    Ciam Music

    2007-11-15

    However, the music and the production are where Anonymous wins points. Anonymous is a sumptuously produced collection of electronic sounds with a doom-laden almost old-school “goth” sound that has veins filled with modern fire. CIAM seem an idealistic bunch that want to restructure the landscape of music. With this release they have not broken any new ground yet but I suspect that they have won a healthy bunch of fans. Not least of all because the album is just plain free if you go to ciammusic.com or you could buy it for $8.99 from Amazon.com — a tough choice to be made. This is an interesting business model. Perhaps they plan to make all their money on t-shirt sales.

    However, one should listen to the album with caution for there is a bump in the road that may just throw you off your bike. Anonymous contains a cover version of the Velvet Underground classic “Venus in Furs”. If ever there was a list of songs that should NEVER be covered this one would be on it. CIAM have unforgivably taken this song, sucked out the atmosphere and rocked it up. They rocked up “Venus in Furs”! This reviewer shakes his head and walks away gloomily.

    The review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/ciam-anonymous-2496119342.html
  • DJ YODA: FABRICLIVE 39

    DJ YODA: FABRICLIVE 39

    The Fabric nightclub in London is one of the capital’s hottest venues. Many international DJs hit this club, which prides itself on its very broad music policy. The range of music played inside can be sampled by perusing the FabricLive Mix Series selection of releases, of which this is the 39th episode. DJ Yoda is in the house this time, and he takes full advantage of the huge palette afforded him.

    DJ YODA

    FABRICLIVE 39

    Fabric

    2008-05-13

    The London-born DJ Yoda has carved a reputation over the years for his eclectic and slightly comic style. He is the self-proclaimed “DJ Shadow with a sense of humour”. From his early How to Cut and Paste mixes (volumes one and two), DJ Yoda has eschewed the regular turntablist rules in favour of a diverse, surreal, and sometimes downright silly set list. This release is no exception. On FabricLive 39 DJ Yoda ferrets through a dust-covered music library at a feverish pace, leaving no dust jacket unturned. On this ultimate party record, we are treated to a bunch of old school and modern rap “choons”. Interspersed with these are such diverse gems as a brass version of Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing”, the Violent Femmes’ “Blister in the Sun”, and the ubiquitous “E.V.A.” by Jean-Jacques Perrey.

    There are so many places where DJ Yoda could slip up due to his rediculously mixed-up mix, but he only really stumbles in the opening round of this particular set. The pompous overture of “Intro/Requiem” doesn’t set the scene. There is no sense of fun here. This opener is overly grandiose and its unnecessary additional beats in “Blister in the Sun” are jarring. The mix into Skibadee’s “Ticka Tock” comes over as amateurish, largely due to this superfluous drum track. When they meet, the three parts just don’t go. However, after this slightly bumpy start, the album is a real treat.

    FabricLive 39 is not quite up to the same comedy standard as the How to Cut and Paste mixes but it is a damn fine snapshot of a party night out. If you need a CD to just throw on and forget about during your summer soirée then you can’t go far wrong with this one. Unless, of course, you wanted to go into the back catalogue of DJ Shadow, particularly his work with Cut Chemist. This release doesn’t really stack up if compared with the likes of Product Placement or even any of the How to Cut and Paste volumes.

    Unless you are using such releases as a mix tape for a party, they have a sort of “you had to be there” factor. This can sometimes be a bit difficult to translate into a listenable album in the cold light of day. That said, this release is a record in the truest sense: a record of an event. Like a photograph, it allows you to relive the event if you were there, and live vicariously through others if you weren’t. If you just want to pretend that you are a superstar DJ, then slap this CD into your player, stand behind your decks, and dream away.

    The review was originally posted on popmatters.com

    The review was originally posted on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/dj-yoda-fabriclive-39-2496119358.html
  • THE DEATH SET: WORLDWIDE

    THE DEATH SET: WORLDWIDE

    Eighteen songs, 26 minutes. You just know that with statistics like that, the CD that you have put into you player is going to be out of the ordinary. The longest song on this album is two minutes and 24 seconds. To be honest if the songs were any longer your head might just cease to be in a fit of pique. Listening to the Death Set’s Worldwide is the real world expression of listening to Vogon poetry. Douglas Adams surely had something like this in mind when he created a race of beings that would use their artistic endeavours to torture those that annoy them. The album reaches in through your ear and batters your brain with a gold brick wrapped in a slice of lemon until you are begging for mercy. It is a veritable assault on the senses.

    THE DEATH SET

    WORLDWIDE

    Nija Tunes

    2008-04-22

    There is absolutely no point in fighting the inevitable. The sonic attack of Worldwide will kick the fight out of you. You will love this record despite all reason and you will not be able to fully determine why. Is it the catchy punk-o-matic construction of the tunes? Perhaps, they certainly are short and spiky but they aren’t particularly memorable even after a few listens. Then it must be the school ground sing-a-long nature of the vocal delivery? Could be, but in order to sing along you need to decipher the lyrics, and that is frankly nigh impossible. On repeated listens the only chorus I could work out was to “Intermission” which appeared to comprise of “something, something, the motherf**king death set”, or something.

    If Worldwide goes half way to capture the live experience of this band then the Death Set are a must see. These songs are fed through the early 1980s UK punk scene and spat out at velocity accompanied by a biscuit tin lid, a cheap Bontempi organ and a Speak and Spell. Can you spell “It Rocks”? It may sound like it was written and performed by a bunch of spotty teenagers with more testosterone and angst than talent but it sure gets the fire stoked. To go through each track and try to describe them or even liken them to that which has gone before would be pointless in the extreme. Try to imagine Big Black singing karaoke to a 12″ Long Playing record (like your Dad has) of early Devo songs, played at 45 rpm.

    With songs no longer than two and a half minutes how do you manage to squeeze in fillers? Somehow the Death Set manage. There are five under-a-minute instrumentals that would suffice for ringtones if you were of a mind to really piss people off. My choice is the 30 second “MFDS” which is a sample of the chorus of “Intermission”. I spend each day in a Russian roulette situation praying that my mobile phone doesn’t go off in that important board meeting; it is the only thing that keeps me awake.

    Worldwide is a timely reaction to the kind of songs that you hear on the radio every single day. It screams, “tear down and rebuild” just as a good punk record should, while the music industry around it is saying, “recycle”. What’s more the musicians are clearly smiling in the process. Frank Zappa once begged the question “Does Humor Belong in Music?” The Death Set scream, “yes, yes, yes” like Meg Ryan on Pink Viagra. While for the most part it is a bloody noise, it is a welcome noise and one that I will certainly be inflicting upon myself in the future. If only I could work out what they were saying.

    This review was originally posted on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/the-death-set-worldwide-2496128438.html
  • APOCALYPTICA: WORLDS COLLIDE

    APOCALYPTICA: WORLDS COLLIDE

    When Apocalyptica appeared on the music scene in 1996 with Plays Metallica by Four Cellos, they were busting the lid off a new can. Their unique blend of heavy metal and cellos was something really remarkable and daring. What was hard to fathom was their target audience. Those that liked classical music would have shunned the recording as sacrilege, and fans of Metallica were a little bemused. Their debut highlighted all of the similarities between classical music and the brand of metal made popular by Metallica. The idea was simple, unconventional, and brilliant. Just take four cellos and some classical arrangements of Metallica tunes, record them, and release to the general public.

    APOCALYPTICA

    WORDS COLLIDE

    Jive

    2008-04-15

    Worlds Collide is a different sort of record. It uses a somewhat more conventional approach, and is not really the better for it. Where before the band played it straight with acoustic instruments and no percussion, this album — with its drums and distorted cellos (sounding like guitars) — comes at you more like a rock band. Although this isn’t Apocalyptica’s first release to include drums (they have had a permanent drummer since 2005), one cannot help but feel that they’d be lost without them now. The addition of drums and distortion makes them a different band altogether. Rather than being (as they used to say) chamber musicians who happened to like metal, they have evolved into a metal band that happens to play cellos.

    On first listen, the instrumentals on Worlds Collide are overshadowed by the tracks with vocals on them. It can be quite a struggle to keep your hands from the skip button as the tracks with vocal accompaniment sound so much more accomplished. This is where the transition between chamber metal musicians and metal band becomes problematic, as the instrumentals were really what the band used to be about. It would be a horrible shame if the vocal-free songs were avoided in favour of the somewhat (dare I say it) gimmicky tracks with guest stars on them.

    Till Lindemann (Rammstein), Corey Taylor (Slipknot), Dave Lombardo (Slayer), and Cristina Scabbia (Lacuna Coil) all offered their musical services to this recording. Tomoyasu Hotei comes and goes almost unnoticed, while Lombardo could frankly be any drummer to the untrained ear, and Scabbia does a passable Evanescence impression. Only Lindemann offers anything that one might call different with his rendition of David Bowie’s “Heroes” in German (the song is credited as “Helden” on the album). On another day, this cover version could so easily have been cheesy, but not today — though I can’t help but smirk every time I hear the initial, earnest, and very guttural “Du”. That’s not to say that the guest spots are without value. Despite my earlier dismissive remarks, they do come over well. Flagship track “I’m Not Jesus”, featuring Corey Taylor, tackles the thorny subject of child abuse by priests, but it has a really catchy chorus to prevent it from burning in hell for all eternity. Re-recorded for the American release of the album, “I Don’t Care” with Adam Gontier (Three Days Grace) on vocal duties is equally memorable, even if it sounds like it’s been lifted from the next Spiderman soundtrack (that is to say, it sounds a bit like Nickelback). However, as commercial as these tracks are, the shift from the unusual to a regular rock band is palpable. Now that Apocalyptica have integrated aspects from “regular” rock music into their sound, what really sets them apart from every other metal band out there?

    In the grand scheme of things, there is probably only so much one can do with heavy metal music (I’ll burn for that one). Apocalyptica began their career by marching to the beat of their own drum, but somehow the introduction of percussion has brought them into the mainstream. What they produce is still high-quality material, although ultimately not as groundbreaking as they were 12 years ago, and this is a shame. However, the introduction of mainstream elements and the use of guests from more established acts are likely to bring them new fans. Rather than converting their target audience, Apocalyptica have capitulated and headed for the mainstream.

    This review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/apocalyptica-worlds-collide-2496131664.html
  • WHITESNAKE: GOOD TO BE BAD

    WHITESNAKE: GOOD TO BE BAD

    “It’s very butch. Very muscular…” says David Coverdale about the first Whitesnake album in 11 years. Pause for a while and take that in.

    WHITESNAKE

    GOOD TO BE BAD

    SPV

    2008-04-22

    The endless 25th anniversary reunion of the masters of hairspray metal is into its sixth year and has spawned Good To Be Bad. Coverdale & Co. are not known for releasing groundbreaking material so one might be forgiven for expecting no surprises on first listen. One would be wrong. The biggest surprise is that it is not a bad record. Sure, it is full of double entendre-fueled cock rock, but as far that oeuvre goes this is a pretty respectable example.

    This is a summer blockbuster of a record. It is akin to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the CGI Gopher in so far as it does exactly what it says on the tin. People will enjoy both because they provide an opportunity to relive past youth (and hair) without taxing the brain in any way, shape, or form. Granted, Harrison Ford will be banking more cash as a result of his endeavor, but that is what you get if you keep retiring and then coming back, Dave.

    This album ticks all of the boxes for devotees of the band. It drives down the familiar lane of Led Zeppelin riffs, big choruses, and is overflowing with “sexy” lyrics. While unlikely to win over any new fans, it will give the band something to sell at gigs. So, take her top down, ease the seat back, slide it in, and ride her at full pelt with this blasting from her speakers at full volume. Sometimes it’s Good To Be Bad.

    This review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/whitesnake-good-to-be-bad-2496129880.html
  • ASIA: PHOENIX

    ASIA: PHOENIX

    It is 25 years since Asia released the follow up to their successful eponymous debut album. Their sophomore effort Alpha didn’t especially set cash registers singing and was largely considered to be a disappointment. Soon after that release, original guitarist Steve Howe (of Yes fame) left and the band went through twenty-something years of line-up changes and lukewarm receptions to increasingly similar sounding (and similar titled) albums.

    ASIA

    PHOENIX

    Frontiers

    2008-04-11

    2008 sees all four of the founding fathers of progressive rock reunite with Phoenix. This album is in fact that “difficult” third album. It fits perfectly alongside the first two, slotting so seamlessly into their catalogue that you could easily forget that there have been eight studio albums in the intervening 25 years. Ultimately Phoenix would have you believe that those years never happened and that these godfathers of pompous AOR are picking up the threads where they left them all those years ago.

    “1982 feels like only yesterday,” comments keyboardist Geoff Downes. That would account for why he and his cohorts have produced this tiresome 1980s hand-me-down of a collection that cheerfully ignores the fact that the previous album these four musicians made together under this moniker was last century. Fans of the originals have most likely moved on, and so should Asia. The one saving grace is that while Asia are sidetracked by touring to promote this album they are preventing Yes, E.L.P., and The Buggles from re-forming.

    This review originally appeared on popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/asia-phoenix-2496131406.html
  • EASTFIELD/DESTRUCTORS 666: LABOR OMNIA VINCIT

    EASTFIELD/DESTRUCTORS 666: LABOR OMNIA VINCIT

    The title of this split EP translates from Latin into “Hard work Conquers All” and that speaks volumes for this release. It harkens back to a day when independent releases were independent of major record labels. It has a real “do it yourself” work ethic stamped through it like a stick of rock.

    EASTFIELD/DESTRUCTORS 666

    LABOR OMNIA VINCIT

    Unavailable

    Both Eastfield and Destructors 666 hail from the east of England. Destructors 666 are the latest incarnation of the Destructors, the Peterborough band that coughed up Gizz Butt (former guitarist for the Prodigy). In various forms they have been around since 1976 so in Cambridgeshire, England they are like the grandfathers of punk.

    No attempts are made my either band to break moulds or do anything innovative. What you might expect from an old school split punk single is exactly what you get. That may sound overly dismissive but these groups know their target audience, so why re invent the wheel. Of the seven songs present Destructors 666 come out sounding the more polished in a Misfits kind of way. Eastfield lose points for completely destroying the Tom Robinson Band’s gay rights standard “Glad to Be Gay”.

    This review originally poisoned popmatters.com

    https://www.popmatters.com/eastfield-destructors666-labor-omnia-vincit-2496144083.html