Archive for March, 2013

Vinyl

‘Same three guys, same three chords’: ZZ Top celebrates 30th anniversary of smash hit Eliminator

For ZZ Top, 1983’s Eliminator was a turning point, in more ways than one. Billy Gibbons and Co. would never have more commercial success, but they would never sound more commercial, either — memorably experimenting with synthesizers You May Also Like: One fiery moment saved ZZ Top’s Afterburner from ’80sRead More

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‘Let’s hope it will progress into another decade’: Asia celebrates arrival of new guitarist Sam Coulson

John Wetton describes Sam Coulson’s arrival as the beginning of a new chapter for Asia — a less fussy, harder-hitting chapter. Coulson himself says Asia will likely have a heavier edge. You May Also Like: John Wetton, Geoff Downes say success nearly killed Asia: ‘The pressure got to some ofRead More

Vinyl

Steely Dan Sunday, “Hat Too Flat” (1994)

<<< BACKWARD (“This Moody Bastard”) ||| ONWARD (“Little Kawai”) >>> *** STEELY DAN SUNDAY INDEX *** This detailed re-evaluation of Becker’s first solo record from the mid-90s gave me a better appreciation of the album, but there are some quirks I still can’t overcome and the whole of “Hat TooRead More

Vinyl

FUSK – Super Kasper (2013)

To paraphrase Joe Lovano, FUSK doesn’t so much play free jazz, as set jazz free. Performing Super Kasper in a series of first takes, with three tracks presented as complete improvisations, this amalgam is simply too enterprising to fit into any one category. You May Also Like: Mike Bloomfield, AlRead More

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Adrenaline Mob – Coverta (2013)

I kind of chuckled when I saw that Adrenaline Mob had chosen three Ronnie James Dio-related songs for its eight-song covers EP, but now I get it. You May Also Like: Ronnie James Dio moved into the spotlight with the dark, uplifting Holy Diver Sammy Hagar, Don Felder + others,Read More

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One Track Mind: Kahil El’zabar, “Central Park West” (2013)

The “Chicagoan of the Year” as awarded by the Chicago Tribune has to be a person who’s done a lot for that large community, and as percussionist, bandleader, composer, past Association for the Advancement of Creative Musicians chairman You May Also Like: Kevin Eubanks – East West Time Line (2017)

Vinyl

‘Joe will not allow us to keep the name’: Glenn Hughes says split with Bonamassa ends Black Country Communion

Glenn Hughes is not only confirming the breakup of Black Country Communion, but now says departing guitarist Joe Bonamassa is refusing to let the remaining members continue forward with the band name. You May Also Like: How Black Country Communion’s Debut Brought Back ’70s-Style Hard Rock

Vinyl

‘We still would have been making Queen albums’: Brian May ruminates on what might have been

Guitarist Brian May says Queen’s record-smashing musical “We Will Rock You” is something Freddie Mercury would have loved. It’s just one of the many ways, the guitarist adds, that the late frontman remains a part of their lives. You May Also Like: Brian May talks about Adam Lambert’s Queen transformation:Read More

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‘There was no precedent for this’: Paul Stanley celebrates Kiss’ 40th year with autobiography

As Kiss celebrates its 40th anniversary, Paul Stanley is set to release an autobiography — making him the last of the group’s original quartet to do so, following Peter Criss, Ace Frehley and Gene Simmons You May Also Like: Kiss’ fussy and overwrought Destroyer tried to out think itself

Vinyl

Postal Service – Turn Around (2013): One Track Mind

Welcome back, Postal Service — this time for real. “Turn Around” is a squelchy, hook-focused dance number, but with the kind of lyrical midnight-blue melancholy that propelled the glorious X-fueled nihilism of New Order back in the 1980s. You May Also Like: The Unforgettable Mamas Gun Gem Tucked Away onRead More