December 16, 2022

Paul Kanter & Grace Slick - Sunfighter (1971)

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Sunfighter is a 1971 album created by Paul Kantner and Grace Slick from Jefferson Airplane. 
The album was released shortly after the Airplane album Bark was released, and is the second record released on the Airplane's own Grunt vanity label, distributed by RCA Records. 
The album features a picture of their baby daughter, China Wing Kantner, on the cover. Many Bay Area musicians perform on the album, including all of the then current lineup of Jefferson Airplane, members of the Grateful Dead, Crosby, Stills, and Nash, and the horn group, Tower of Power. 
This album is also the first time a 17-year old Craig Chaquico recorded with Paul Kantner and Grace Slick. He would go on to become the lead guitarist for Jefferson Starship. 
The song "Sunfighter" is dedicated to Marty Balin, who had formed Jefferson Airplane with Kantner.

This is something of a family album, co-credited to Paul Kantner and his partner at the time, Grace Slick, and featuring on its cover a photograph of their infant daughter, China. 
It also features the family of San Francisco Bay Area musicians, including David Crosby, Graham Nash, Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead, and other current members of Jefferson Airplane and future members of Jefferson Starship. 
Its style of loosely arranged acid rock music and radical left political lyrics is similar to such recent albums as the Kantner/Starship Blows Against the Empire (December 1970) and the Airplane's Bark (August 1971), which were made by most of the same players. 
But Kantner and Slick's usual stridency is not counterbalanced by substance as much as on earlier efforts, perhaps because they were making too many albums too quickly to keep up the quality of their songwriting. Still, anyone who enjoys the sweet-and-sour unison singing of X's John Doe and Exene Cervenka should listen to Sunfighter to see where they got it from. 

Part 1 of the song "Diana" was written in response to the story of Diana Oughton and the Weathermen.Part 2 is a response to the Ohio National Guard mass shooting of students at Kent State University.

The song "Silver Spoon" concerns cannibalism. According to the liner notes, Grace Slick, now a vegan,conceived of the song out of frustration with pressure from vegetarian neighbors in Bolinas, California, where she and Kantner had recently moved.

The song "China" is about their new daughter, China Kantner. Her picture is used on the cover of the album. 


Side One
1.  Silver Spoon - 5:40 
2.  Diana - 0:52 
3.  Sunfighter - 3:50 
4.  Titanic - 2:25 
5.  Look at the Wood - 2:08 
6.  When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves - 4:59 

Side Two
1.  Million - 4:02 
2.  China - 3:17 
3.  Earth Mother - 3:16 
4.  Diana 2 - 1:01 
5.  Universal Copernican Mumbles - 2:03 
6.  Holding Together - 7:40 


Personnel
  • Paul Kantner – vocals, rhythm guitar
  • Grace Slick – vocals, piano
  • Jack Traylor – guitar on "Earth Mother", vocals on "Earth Mother"
  • Jerry Garcia – guitar on "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves", "Million", and "Holding Together"
  • Papa John Creach – electric violin on "Silver Spoon" and "Earth Mother"
  • Craig Chaquico – lead guitar on "Earth Mother"
  • Bill Laudner – vocals on "Million"
  • Jack Casady – bass on "Silver Spoon" and "China"
  • Spencer Dryden – drums on "Earth Mother"
  • David Crosby – vocals on "Look at the Wood", "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves", and "Diana 2", tambourine on "Look at the Wood"
  • Jorma Kaukonen – lead guitar on "Look at the Wood"
  • Graham Nash – ARP synthesizer on "Look at the Wood", vocals on "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves" and "Diana 2"
  • Chris Wing – drums on "China"
  • Pat Gleeson – moog on "Universal Copernican Mumbles", piano on "Universal Copernican Mumbles"
  • John Vierra – synthesizer on "Universal Copernican Mumbles", keyboards on "Universal Copernican Mumbles"
  • Phill Sawyer – sound effects on "Titanic"
  • Peter Kaukonen – guitar on "Sunfighter", mandolin on "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves"
  • Shelley Silverman – drums on "When I Was a Boy I Watched the Wolves"
  • Joey Covington – drums on "Silver Spoon", "Sunfighter", "China", and "Holding Together"
  • Edwin Hawkins Singers (Edwin Hawkins, Walter Hawkins, Tramaine Davis Hawkins, Elaine Kelley, Norma J. King, Barbara Gill, Ruth Wyons, Daphne Henderson, Shirley Miller, Eddie Bayers) – vocals on "Sunfighter"
  • Steven Schuster – flute on "Silver Spoon" and "Sunfighter", saxophone on "Sunfighter" and "China", horn arrangements on "Sunfighter", and "China"
  • Tower of Power (Greg Adams, Mic Gillette) – horns on "Sunfighter" and "China"
Production
  • Paul Kantner – producer
  • Grace Slick – producer, libretto booklet
  • Pat Ieraci (Maurice the Miracle Man) – engineer
  • Phill Sawyer – engineer
  • Acy Lehman – cover, assistant on libretto booklet
  • Heavy Water Lights (Mary Ann Mayer, Joan Chase) – lights inside
  • Gary Blackman – assistant on libretto booklet
Notes
Released:  November 1971 
Recorded: 1971 at Wally Heider Studios, San Francisco 
Genre:  Rock, Psychedelic rock 
Length:  41:48 

Label - Grunt/RCA Records 

December 15, 2022

Journey - Time3 (1992) [3CD Box]

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With the box set can be heard the progression of the band from the early days with heavy influences from Gregg Rolie (1972-1980), Aynsley Dunbar (1973-1978), and Neal Schon (1972–present), to the changes the band made with the addition of Steve Perry (1978–1997) and Jonathan Cain (1981-present), to the differences of the band after 1983, including Schon’s jazz influences and the album Raised on Radio.

The box also features several unreleased Journey songs, alternate versions or even demos such as “Velvet Curtain”, the very early (incomplete) version of “Feeling That Way” before Perry rebuilt the whole song structure.

Very few box sets satisfy the way that Journey’s Time3 satisfies.  When it was released in 1992, Journey wasn’t even a functioning entity anymore.  Sony’s box set still represents the kind of care and attention to detail that makes for an extraordinary listen.  It is arranged (mostly) chronologically with ample rare and unreleased material.  What is most remarkable is how great this rare and unreleased material is.  Aerosmith did a similar looking box set in 1992 as well (Pandora’s Box), but their set isn’t as steady a listen as Time3 is.  Time3‘s ample wealth of worthwhile rarities rank it easily as the superior set.

From start to bitter 80’s breakup, every Journey member from 1975 to 1986 is included.  George Tickner, Aynsley Dunbar, Robert Fleischman, Randy Jackson, Mike Baird and anybody else you may not have known were in Journey are represented in this box.  There are ample liner notes and photos explaining the roots and branches.  (Humorously the notes claim the early Journey instrumental “Nickel & Dime” may have been the prototype that Rush ripped off for “Tom Sawyer”.)  Valuable early rarities include the unreleased jazz rock number “Cookie Duster” and an excellent vocal track called “For You” recorded  with Robert Fleischman singing.  Fleischman might be best known as the original singer for Vinnie Vincent’s Invasion a decade later, but in Journey he turned in a pretty powerful pop rock song.  This was just before Steve Perry joined the band as its first full-time lead singer.  Keyboardist Gregg Rolie took care of the vocals before Perry joined, in addition to performing several smoking organ solos included herein.

There is a distinct change between the early progressive jam rock tracks and “For You”.  When they hired on a lead singer, it was with the intention to get a big break, and Steve Perry was the final ingredient.  With Perry they recorded brilliant classics such as “Patiently”, “Anytime” and the unforgettable “Wheel in the Sky”, which unfortunately is only included here as a live version.  Indeed, the Journey box set’s only weakness is a substitution of (non-rare) live versions for studio originals.  “Lights” is another such substitution.

Just as the band were making this prog-to-pop transition, drummer Aynsley Dunbar left.  His style was more progressive and frankly too highbrow for the direction Journey were going.  He was replaced by another total pro, the feel-oriented Steve Smith, a jazzbo at heart who can play R&B like nobody’s business.  “Too Late” from 1979’s Evolution is a perfect example of what he did to the Journey sound, as things simplified.

With Smith behind the kit, the hits kept pouring in.  “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’” (also included live), “Any Way You Want It”, “Line of Fire” and many more burned up speakers across America.  The band very quickly went from “point A” to “point B”, but also with several exceptional looks backward.  Some of these lesser known gems include “Little Girl” from a rare Journey soundtrack album called Dream, After Dream done for the Japanese market.  There is also the live “Dixie Highway” from Captured that shows off some serious instrumental chops.  A rare highlight is the soulful and unreleased cover of “Good Times”, with full-on horn section, from 1978.  It’s one of the songs that make it worth buying a box set like this.

Rolie left after Dream, After Dream and did not appear on the one new Journey song on Captured:  “The Party’s Over (Hopelessly in Love)”.  This brilliant pop rocker pointed the way towards the next era of Journey.  From The Babys came new keyboardist (and sometimes guitarist and singer) Jonathan Cain.  Cain forever brought Journey into the 1980’s, with modern keyboard accompaniment and serious writing abilities.  He has since become an indisposable member of the band, as important as founding guitarist Neal Schon himself.  Jon Cain’s first was the Escape album, which has sold nine million copies to date.  Not a bad little debut.  With “Don’t Stop Believin’” , “Stone in Love” and the smash ballad “Open Arms”, Journey ascended to the top of the mountain.  These tracks are all included as their studio originals.

There are a number of notable and great rarities from this period included in Time3.  “Natural Thing” was the soul-laden B-side to “Don’t Stop Believin’”, but feast your ears upon “La Raza Del Sol”, which snuck out as the progressive flipside of “Still They Ride”.  This blazingly recalls the arrangements of the early years with an unusually contemoplative lyric.  Check out Schon’s flamenco guitar solo.  There is the understated and brilliant rocker “Only Solutions”, from the 1982 Tron soundtrack.  These are valuable songs, that any Journey fan should enjoy completely.  Moving forward, “All That Really Matters” is a synthy demo with Jon Cain on lead vocals.  It doesn’t sound like Journey, but Cain fans will find it interesting.  Two more soundtrack songs are indispensable:  “Only the Young” from Vision Quest, and “Ask the Lonely” from Two of a Kind (both 1983).  Each song was significant enough to include on 1988’s Greatest Hits, so fans are well acquainted with both.  It’s incredible to think that Journey had songs of this quality to give to soundtracks.

Towards the end, as bands often do, Journey began falling apart.  Steve Perry had a hit solo debut Street Talk (1984) and he returned to Journey more confident, imposing a soul/R&B direction upon the band.  Steve Smith and founding bassist Ross Valory were out.  Randy Jackson and Mike Baird were in.  Raised on Radio took forever to record and underwhelmed fans upon reception.  A live version of “I’ll Be Alright Without You” with the new members indicates that Journey had sanded off the rough edges.

Even at the end, there were still interesting happenings.  The liner notes reveal that even as the band was ending, they were winning awards.  Journey performed at the 1987 Bay Area Music Awards with a different singer — Michael Bolton.  One has to wonder where that could have gone.  The last music on this set chronologically comes in the shape of two unreleased instrumentals called “With a Tear” and “Into Your Arms”.  They were recorded in 1986 but not used for Raised on Radio, and so they were finished in 1992 by Schon and Cain for this box set.  Sadly these instrumentals are better than most of the tracks on Raised on Radio.  One is a ballad, and one is a rocker, but both are exceptional.  Journey started life with instrumentals, and so it’s fitting that Schon and Cain polished off the box set with a couple as well.

This box set was reissued a number of times, but for the money you can’t beat the original 1992 printing with the long box and large booklet.  The liner notes are ample but the rare photos may even top them.  From the earliest days there are pictures of the band with original guitarist George Tickner and drummer Prairie Prince.  Prince was invited to join permanently, but chose to join the Tubes instead, a band he found more creative.  He was replaced by Aynsley Dunbar who recorded the first LP.  Also pictured within are some truly impressive hair styles, clothes, and moustaches.

With tracks this strong from start to finish, great packaging, and such a wealth of rare material, it seems Time3 should be an easy 5/5 stars.  However, that niggling issue of live tracks (particularly “Wheel in the Sky”) replacing studio cuts is really devious.  It’s unnecessary.  It all but forces casual buyers to also own Greatest Hits for the studio versions. 

Track listing

Time 1

  1. “Of a Lifetime” (Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, George Tickner)
  2. “Kohoutek” (N. Schon, Rolie)
  3. “I’m Gonna Leave You” (N. Schon, Rolie, Tickner)
  4. “Cookie Duster” (previously unreleased) (Ross Valory)
  5. “Nickel and Dime” (N. Schon, Rolie, Tickner, R. Valory)
  6. “For You” (previously unreleased, lead vocals by Robert Fleischman) (N. Schon, Rolie, Robert Fleischman)
  7. “Velvet Curtain/Feeling That Way” (previously unreleased) (Steve Perry, Rolie, Aynsley Dunbar)
  8. “Anytime” (N. Schon, Rolie, Fleischman, R. Valory, Roger Silver)
  9. “Patiently” (Perry, N. Schon)
  10. “Good Times” (previously unreleased) (Sam Cooke)
  11. “Majestic” (Perry, N. Schon)
  12. “Too Late” (Perry, N. Schon)
  13. “Sweet and Simple” (Perry)
  14. “Just the Same Way” (N. Schon, Rolie, R. Valory)
  15. “Little Girl” (from the Dream, After Dream soundtrack) (Perry, N. Schon, Rolie)
  16. “Any Way You Want It” (Perry, N. Schon)
  17. “Someday Soon” (Perry, N. Schon, Rolie)
  18. “Good Morning Girl” (Perry, N. Schon)

Time 2

  1. “Where Were You” (Perry, N. Schon)
  2. “Line of Fire” (Perry, N. Schon)
  3. “Homemade Love” (Perry, N. Schon, Steve Smith)
  4. “Natural Thing” (B-side of Don’t Stop Believin’) (Perry, R. Valory)
  5. “Lights” (live) (Perry, N. Schon)
  6. “Stay Awhile” (live) (Perry, N. Schon)
  7. “Walks Like a Lady” (live) (Perry)
  8. “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’” (live) (Perry)
  9. “Dixie Highway” (live) (Perry, N. Schon)
  10. “Wheel in the Sky” (live) (N. Schon, Fleishman, Diane Valory)
  11. “The Party’s Over (Hopelessly in Love)” (Perry)
  12. “Don’t Stop Believin’” (Perry, N. Schon, Jonathan Cain)
  13. “Stone in Love” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  14. “Keep on Runnin'” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  15. “Who’s Crying Now” (Perry, Cain)
  16. “Still They Ride” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  17. “Open Arms” (Perry, Cain)
  18. “Mother, Father” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain, Matthew Schon)

Time 3

  1. “La Raza Del Sol” (B-side of “Still They Ride”, previously unreleased – alternate version) (Perry, Cain)
  2. “Only Solutions” (from the film Tron) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  3. “Liberty” (previously unreleased) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  4. “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” (Perry, Cain)
  5. “Send Her My Love” (Perry, Cain)
  6. “Faithfully” (Cain)
  7. “After the Fall” (Perry, Cain)
  8. “All That Really Matters” (previously unreleased, lead vocals by Jonathan Cain) (N. Schon, Cain)
  9. “The Eyes of a Woman” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  10. “Why Can’t This Night Go on Forever” (Perry, Cain)
  11. “Once You Love Somebody” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  12. “Happy to Give” (Perry, Cain)
  13. “Be Good to Yourself” (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  14. “Only the Young” (from the film Vision Quest) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  15. “Ask the Lonely” (from the film Two of a Kind) (Perry, Cain)
  16. “With a Tear” (instrumental; previously unreleased) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  17. “Into Your Arms” (instrumental; previously unreleased) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  18. “Girl Can’t Help It” (previously unreleased – live video mix) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)
  19. “I’ll Be Alright Without You” (previously unreleased – live video mix) (Perry, N. Schon, Cain)


Line-up / Musicians

Neal Schon – guitars
Steve Smith – drums
Steve Perry – vocals
Ross Valory – bass
Greg Rolie – keyboards
Jonathan Cain – keyboards
Aynsley Dunbar – drums
George Tickner – guitars

Companies, etc.

Credits

Notes
Released: December 1, 1992
Recorded: May 1976 – August 1985
Genre: Progressive rock, hard rock
Length: 73:39 (Disc 1)
76:31 (Disc 2)
78:21 (Disc 3)

Label – Columbia/Sony

December 10, 2022

Henny Vrienten - Nacht (De soundtrack) (2006)

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Een prachtig project met zeer diverse artiesten. Henny Vrienten zorgt voor een zeer consequent geluid door het album, waarbij verschillende tracks leeker in elkaar overvloeien.
Tom Barman in het Nederlands is toch wel bijzonder en Nachtzwemmen van Henk Hofstede is beeldschoon (al is een eerder uitgebrachte, zeer zeldzame versie door Nits nog mooier).
De film van Hofstede is zeker het bekijken waard, maar niet verrassend voor mensen die Nits de afgelopen jaren live hebben gezien.

Vrienten besloot een tijdje geleden een ambitieus project op te starten omtrent het thema nacht. Hij wilde een soundtrack creëren voor de late (of vroege) uurtjes en vroeg daarvoor wat bevriende Hollandse en Belgische singer-songwriters om ideeën aan te dragen. Met één duidelijke voorwaarde: alle songs in hetzelfde tempo van zeventig beats per minuut, zoals de hartslag van iemand die slaapt. 
De ruwe schetsen werden daarna met de 11 deelnemende artiesten afzonderlijk uitgewerkt in de studio, waarna Vrienten zelf nog meer dan anderhalf jaar sleutelde aan de nummers en de afsluiter in zijn eentje maakte. 
'Nacht, de soundtrack' smeedt intrigerende muziek en vaak prachtige teksten tot een fijn, relaxt geheel. Frank Boeijen blinkt uit in opener 'De Maan Van Antwerpen' met slechts één gemompelde poëtische regel onttrokken aan een door hem geschreven gedicht. Het vat het Antwerpse nachtleven perfect met melancholiek gefluit, opwellende strijkers en een fijn blazertje. 
Thé Lau volgt hem op en zingt (na ja, mompelt meer) door trekharmonica ondersteunt zijn sferisch nummer 'Nachtvriend' over de eenzaamheid, alsof hij in de leer is geweest bij Lee Hazlewood. Andere opmerkelijke uitschieters zijn van Tom America - die een aantal gesprekken van Tilburgse allochtonen zoals Spinvis verknipte tot het bezwerende 'Neti/La Noche' - en Solex, met het kabbelende, soundscape-achtige 'Nocturnal Animals' dat wordt versterkt door haar krachtige vocalen. 
Boudewijn de Groot brengt in 'Het Jagen Voorbij' de laatste tekst van Lennaert Nijgh ten gehore en 'De Doordachte' van Tom Barmin is ook opvallend, omdat hij zich voor het eerst van de Nederlandse taal bedient. Ik hoor de dEUS-frontman toch liever in het Engels, maar dat neemt niet weg dat het best goed uit de verf komt. 
De reggae en ska-invloeden die aan Doe Maar doen denken worden ook niet geschuwd in de tracks van Def P of Beef-zanger Pieter Both. 
Het nummer van cabaretier Herman Finkers had als enige van de 12 gerust achterwege mogen blijven. Niet dat het zo vreselijk slecht is, eerder dat hij gewoon niet in dit rijtje past. De Nits-zanger Henk Hofstede visualiseerde bovendien de songteksten in beeld, bijgevoegd als dvd. 
Je hebt de film niet nodig om 'Nacht' te vatten of appreciëren, maar de muziek wordt wel akelig goed in beeld gebracht middels onder meer desolate steden, wegen en zwervers. ‘Nacht, de soundtrack’ is een sferisch, soms hypnotiserend mooi plaatje geworden.

Een geslaagd project van Vrienten en Co. Eentje die goed de sfeer van de "nacht" weet neer te zetten. Op dit album een verzameling artiesten die de verwachtingen weten waar te maken en anderzijds waarvan je dat niet verwacht zou hebben.
Heman Finkers, is daar o.a een van. Maar met zijn Palestrina achtige kerkelijke intermezzo's i.c.m. de gitaar is het zeer goed uitgepakt. 
Opener Frank Boeijen weet naar mijn gevoel zelfs een sfeer neer te zetten a la Round Midnight. Trouwens dat past ook redelijk goed bij dit album. 
De trompet met demper komt met enige regelmaat terug in de nummers. De hartslag is het ritme van dit album, waardoor ook de reggae van Pieter Both of de flow van Def P erin past (al heb ik het zelf niet zo met die monotoon). Het gemurmel van The Lau is nou ook niet hetjedat, maar past wonderwel bij de sfeer die dit album ademt van begin tot eind.
Echt een plaat om laat te draaien, in je luie stoel met een wijntje en koptelefoon op. Zelf heb ik dit gedaan met de DVD voor mijn neus. 
De combinatie Tom Barman en Henny Vrienten pakt ook goed uit en hun stemmen hebben wel wat van elkaar weg. Henny misschien wat hoger en Tom wat ruwer en lager.
Jan Rot ziet er op beeld wel wat eng uit, maar doet niets af aan het verstilde van Stil.
Als Gala Slaapt is een mooi einde van het begin van een droom en dat wat komen gaat na de rem slaap.


Track listing

1.  De Maan van Antwerpen  (met Frank Boeijen)  (7:29)
2.  Nachtvriend  (met Thé Lau)  (5:25)
3.  Het Jagen Voorbij  (met Boudewijn de Groot)  (5:03)
4.  Falling Star  (met Pieter Both)  (5:00)
5.  De Doorgedachte  (met Tom Barman)  (4:29)
6.  Nachtvuur  (met Def P)  (4:51)
7.  Stil  (met Jan Rot)  (5:17)
8.  Nocturnal Animals  (met Solex)  (3:51)
9.  Neti / La Noche  (met Tom America)  (6:56)
10.  Als Ik Denk Dat Ik Doodga  (met Herman Finkers)  (2:55)
11.  Nachtzwemmen  (met Henk Hofstede)  (5:49) 
12.  Als Gala Slaapt  (3:35)


Companies, etc.
Credits

Notes
Release:  2006
Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack
Tijdsduur:  1:00:40

Label - V2 Records

Alice Cooper - Muscle Of Love (1973)

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Muscle of Love is the seventh and final studio album by rock band Alice Cooper. It was released in late 1973, the band played its last concert a few months later.

In a contemporary interview with Circus magazine, Cooper said that a loose concept of “urban sex habits” developed during the album’s recording.
The title of “Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo)’ refers to the Hippopotamus club of New York City which the band used to frequent.
“Never Been Sold Before” is the retort of a prostitute to the man she is supporting, and the title track is, according to Cooper, about “sexual awakenings”.
“It’s about the kid who just learned how to masturbate, and what all those dirty books his father used to hide are all about.”
“Woman Machine” is a science fiction-themed song dating back to the band’s early years and is, as Cooper explained, “basically a chauvinistic song.
It’s about a female robot, like Julie Newmar was on that TV program with Bob Cummings. If we had women robots, they could do anything, even sexual things, just by changing their tubes.”

Not all of the songs have a sexual theme; “Crazy Little Child” tells the story of a youth criminal, and in “Teenage Lament ’74”, a teenager fails to find happiness even when doing everything to try to be “hip”.
“Man With the Golden Gun” was written with the intention of having it appear on the soundtrack of the then-upcoming James Bond film of the same name. Cooper recalled in a 2011 interview:

It was supposed to be the Bond theme, but it actually came in a day too late, and by the time they heard it, they'd already signed for Lulu's song. I went, "You're gonna take Lulu over this?" 'Cause it was perfect for The Man With The Golden Gun. 

It had helicopters, it had machine guns—it had the Pointer Sisters, Ronnie Spector, and Liza Minnelli doing background vocals! We went to every single one of those John Barry albums to try and invent the perfect James Bond song, and even Christopher Lee, who played Scaramanga in the movie, said, "Oh, man, why did we take the Lulu song? This song is the one!" So, yeah, we lost out on that one, but I still put it on the album. I said, "I don't care, I'm going to do a James Bond track no matter what.

Coming off such conceptual, theatrical, sleazy hard rock records as the massively successful School’s Out (1972) and Billion Dollar Babies (1973), the Alice Cooper group decided that their next release would be more along the lines of their earlier, more straightforward work (à la Love It to Death). While Muscle of Love was a gold-certified Top Ten success, it performed below expectations (their previous two albums peaked at number two and number one, respectively) and would unfortunately prove to be the original Alice Cooper band’s last studio album together.

The album may not be as coherent as their previous classics (producer Bob Ezrin took a leave of absence), and more filler is present than usual, yet Muscle of Love is perhaps Alice Cooper’s most underrated record — more than a few overlooked and forgotten classics reside here.
The two best-known tracks are undoubtedly the Top 20 anthem “Teenage Lament ’74,” which features none other than Liza Minnelli and the Pointer Sisters on backing vocals, and the boisterous title track.
But other tracks are just as good — the Led Zep-stomping opener “Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo),” the gentle “Hard Hearted Alice” (a precursor to Cooper’s future ballad-oriented direction), the raging “Working Up a Sweat,” and “Man with the Golden Gun” (which was written for the James Bond movie of the same name, but rejected).

 

Track listing

  1. Big Apple Dreamin’ (Hippo) – 5:10
  2. Never Been Sold Before – 4:28
  3. Hard Hearted Alice – 4:53
  4. Crazy Little Child – 5:03
  5. Working Up a Sweat – 3:32
  6. Muscle of Love – 3:45
  7. Man with the Golden Gun – 4:12
  8. Teenage Lament ’74 – 3:54
  9. Woman Machine – 4:31

Alice Cooper band

with:

Additional musicians from the LP liner notes:

Notes
Released: November 20, 1973
Recorded: 1973 Studio Sunset Sound, Hollywood; Record Plant, New York and The Cooper Mansion, Greenwich, Connecticut
Genre: Hard rock, glam rock, art rock
Length: 39:31

Label – Warner Bros. Records

November 09, 2022

U2 - U218 Singles (2006)

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U218 Singles is a greatest hits album by Irish rock band U2, released in November 2006. In most markets, the album contains 18 songs: 16 of their most successful and popular singles, and two new songs. 
The 17th track is a cover version of the Skids' "The Saints Are Coming", recorded with Green Day to benefit Hurricane Katrina charities. 
The 18th and closing track was a new song entitled "Window in the Skies". 
In some markets such as the United Kingdom, an extra song, "I Will Follow", was included as the opening track. A DVD compilation of music videos from throughout the group's career entitled U218 Videos was released concurrent to U218 Singles.

U2's first two greatest-hits albums neatly divided themselves by decade, with the first covering the '80s and the second summing up the '90s. Their third hits comp, 2006's U218 Singles, is at once more ambitious and more concise, offering an overview of their first 26 years on a single disc comprised of 18 tracks -- and since two of those are new songs, that leaves just 16 songs to tell their whole story. That's not much space for a band with a career as lengthy and ambitious as U2, so it's inevitable that some painful cuts have been made. 
Nothing from October, Zooropa or Pop is here, and unless you're buying various import editions that have "I Will Follow" as a bonus track, there's nothing from Boy, either. There's only one cut each from The Unforgettable Fire and Rattle and Hum -- and bucking conventional wisdom, none of their three widely accepted masterpieces -- War, The Joshua Tree, or Achtung Baby -- provide the most songs here. No, out of all their albums the one that dominates U218 Singles is All That You Can't Leave Behind, their 2000 comeback from the depths of the misguided Pop, and one of two records that they've released since their last hits compilation, The Best of 1990-2000.

The other record they've released since then is How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb, which provides two songs here -- or, as many as there are from War and Achtung Baby. 
What this means is that this compilation skews very heavily toward latter-day U2 -- eight out of 18 tracks, a full 44 percent of the collection, are from 2000 on, which means that U218 Singles presents the classicist version of the band, featuring the anthems from U2 at their peak, plus the highlights from when U2 were trying their best to sound like U2 at their peak. 
They did it quite well, of course, from both a commercial and artistic standpoint, sometimes writing songs that stood proudly alongside "Pride (In the Name of Love)" and "Sunday Bloody Sunday" (as in "Beautiful Day") and sometimes not ("Elevation"). When it's all mixed together, it paints a portrait of a band that's a little slicker and streamlined than it often was, and it's hard not to miss the big-hearted yet moody band that made "Bad," "Gloria," and "A Sort of Homecoming," not to mention the middle-aged Euro experimentalists responsible for "Numb" and "Stay! (Faraway, So Close)," two essential components of the band that has been forced aside by the arena rock pros on display here.

Then again, U2 always were the best arena rockers of their generation, and for those who love the spectacle and sound of the band in full flight, U218 Singles serves up that side of the band quite well, along with two new entries that find the band continuing the assured, even-handed sound of Atomic Bomb: a cover of the Skids' "The Saints Are Coming," recorded with Green Day and rewritten to vaguely address the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, and "Window in the Skies," an anthemic pop number that relies too heavily on synth strings yet is saved by the band's sturdy songwriting and reliable performance. 
As such, it might not cover all the bases, but it covers enough of the major ones to be a good summary for fellow travelers who just know U2 from the radio, and it's also a good one-stop introduction to the basics for neophytes. 

The art direction and design for U218 Singles was handled by Shaughn McGrath. Many different photographs were used in the album's packaging with front and back cover photographs taken by David Corio and Anton Corbijn, respectively with booklet photographs by Corbijn, Paul Slattery, Andrew McPherson, Colm Henry, Matt Mahurin, Pennie Smith, and Sheila Rock.


Track listing

1.  Beautiful Day  (From the album: All That You Can't Leave Behind) (2000) - 4:05 
2.  I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For The  (From the album: Joshua Tree) (1987) - 4:38 
3.  Pride (In the Name of Love)  (From the album: The Unforgettable Fire) (1984) - 3:48 
4.  With or Without You  (From the album: The Joshua Tree) (1987) - 4:56 
5.  Vertigo  (From the album: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) (2004) - 3:10 
6.  New Year's Day (Japanese single version)  (From the album: War) (1983) - 4:17 
7.  Mysterious Ways  (From the album: Achtung Baby (1991) - 4:02 
8.  Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of  (From the album: All That You Can't Leave Behind) (2000) - 4:31 
9.  Where the Streets Have No Name (Single version)  (From the album: The Joshua Tree (1987) - 4:46 
10.  Sweetest Thing (Single mix)  (From the album: The Best of 1980–1990) (1998) - 3:00 
11.  Sunday Bloody Sunday  (From the album: War (1983) - 4:40 
12.  One  (From the album: Achtung Baby) (1991) - 4:35 
13.  Desire  (From the album: Rattle and Hum) (1988) - 2:59 
14.  Walk On (Edited version)  (From the album: All That You Can't Leave Behind) (2000) - 4:26 
15.  Elevation  (From the album: All That You Can't Leave Behind) (2000) - 3:47 
16.  Sometimes You Can't Make It on Your Own  (From the album: How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb) (2004) - 5:05 
17.  The Saints Are Coming (with Green Day)  (New song; originally by Skids from Scared to Dance) - 3:21 
18.  Window in the Skies  (New song) - 4:08 
19.  I Will Follow  [UK Bonus Track]  (From the album: Boy) (1980) - 3:38
20.  Smile  [iTunes Bonus Track] - 3:16


Companies, etc.
Credits

Notes
Released:  20 November 2006
Recorded:  1980–2006, new material recorded in September 2006 with Rick Rubin in France and at Abbey Road Studios 
Genre:  Rock, Pop 
Length:  1:21:32

Label - Mercury, Interscope 

November 07, 2022

Kate Bush - Aerial (2005) [2CD]

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Aerial is the eighth album by English singer-songwriter and musician Kate Bush. It was released as a double album in 2005, twelve years after her 1993 album The Red Shoes. 

Aerial was Bush's first double album, was released after a twelve-year absence from the music industry during which Bush devoted her time to family and the raising of her son, Bertie. 
The anticipation leading up to the album's release was immense, with press articles devoted to Bush being printed months, even years before. 
Like Bush's previous album, The Red Shoes, Aerial does not feature a cover photograph of Bush, but rather one that is emblematic of the album's celebration of sky, sea, and birdsong. 
The cover image, which seems to show a mountain range at sunset reflected on the sea is in fact a waveform of a blackbird song superimposed over a glowing photograph.

Aerial is one of Bush's most critically acclaimed albums. Musically, the album is a multi-layered work, incorporating elements of folk, Renaissance, classical, reggae, flamenco, and rock. As with 1985's Hounds of Love, the album is divided into two thematically distinct collections. 
The first disc, subtitled A Sea of Honey, features a set of unrelated songs including the hit single "King of the Mountain", a Renaissance-style ode to her son Albert "Bertie" McIntosh performed with period instruments, and a song based on the story of Joan of Arc named "Joanni". 
In the song "", Bush sings the number to its 78th decimal place, then from its 101st to its 137th decimal place. 
The piano and vocal piece "A Coral Room", dealing with the loss of Bush's mother and the passage of time, was hailed by critics as "stunning" in its simplicity, "profoundly moving" and as "one of the most beautiful" pieces Bush has ever recorded.

The second disc, subtitled A Sky of Honey, consists of a single piece of music reveling in the experience of outdoor adventures on a single summer day, beginning in the morning and ending twenty-four hours later with the next sunrise. 
The songs are saturated with the presence of birdsong, and all refer to the sky and sunlight, with the sea also featuring as an important element. Beginning with blackbirds singing in the dawn chorus, a woodpigeon cooing, solo piano, and Bush's son saying, "Mummy, Daddy, the day is full of birds," the piece begins with an early morning awakening to a beautiful day of sun shining "like the light in Italy"; it proceeds through a visit with a painter who is working on a new piece of pavement art ("An Architect's Dream" and "The Painter's Link") and then passes on to a crimson "Sunset". 
The interlude "Aerial Tal", consists of Bush imitating various samples of birdsong, while "Somewhere in Between" celebrates the ambiguous nature of dusk. 
"Nocturn", features a pair of lovers bathing in the sea after dark under a star-studded "diamond sky". The song cycle ends with "Aerial" and its euphoric welcome of the following morning's sunrise with the refrain "I need to get up on the roof...in the sun."

In the album's initial release, A Sky of Honey features Rolf Harris playing the didgeridoo and providing vocals on "An Architect's Dream" and "The Painter's Link". Following Harris' 2014 conviction for indecent assault, his vocals were replaced on the 2018 remaster with new recordings by McIntosh. 
Other guest artists include Peter Erskine, Eberhard Weber, Lol Creme and Procol Harum's Gary Brooker. 
In one of his final projects before his death in 2003, long-time Bush collaborator Michael Kamen arranged the string sections, performed by the London Metropolitan Orchestra.

The only single from the album was "King of the Mountain". The song makes references to Elvis Presley and the film Citizen Kane.



Disc one: A Sea of Honey

1. King of the Mountain - 4:53 
2. π - 6:09 
3. Bertie - 4:18 
4. Mrs. Bartolozzi - 5:58 
5. How to Be Invisible - 5:32 
6. Joanni - 4:56 
7. A Coral Room - 6:12 

Disc two: A Sky of Honey

1. Prelude - 1:26 
2. Prologue - 5:42 
3. An Architect's Dream - 4:50 
4. The Painter's Link - 1:35 
5. Sunset - 5:58 
6. Aerial Tal - 1:01 
7. Somewhere in Between - 5:00 
8. Nocturn - 8:34 
9. Aerial - 7:52 

All tracks are written by Kate Bush.

Personnel
  • Kate Bush – vocals, keyboards (1 –3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 13 –16), piano (4, 7, 9, 12)
  • Dan McIntosh – electric and acoustic guitar (1, 2, 5, 6, 10, 12, 14 –16)
  • Del Palmer – bass guitar (1, 5, 6, 14, 16)
  • Paddy Bush – backing vocals (1)
  • Steve Sanger – drums (1, 16)
  • Stuart Elliott – drums (2, 5, 12, 14)
  • Eberhard Weber – electric upright bass (2, 9)
  • Lol Creme – backing vocals (2, 15)
  • Eligio Quinteiro – renaissance guitar (3)
  • Richard Campbell and Susanna Pell – viol (3)
  • Bill Thorp – string arrangement (3)
  • Robin Jeffrey – renaissance percussion (3)
  • Chris Hall – accordion (5)
  • Michael Wood – male vocal (7)
  • Albert McIntosh (Bertie – Kate Bush's son) – "The Sun" (8), "The Painter" (10, 11, in 2018 edition)
  • Peter Erskine – drums (9, 10, 15)
  • London Metropolitan Orchestra strings (9, 11)
  • Michael Kamen – orchestral arranger and conductor
  • John Giblin – bass guitar (10, 12, 15)
  • Rolf Harris – "The Painter" (10, 11), didgeridoo (11) (first release only)
  • Gary Brooker – backing vocals (12, 14), hammond organ (14, 15)
  • Bosco D'Oliveira – percussion (15, 16)
Production
Notes
Released:  7 November 2005 
Recorded:  1996–2005 Studio Abbey Road Studios 
Genre:  Art rock, Progressive pop
Length:  79:58 

Label - EMI / Columbia (US)

November 06, 2022

Meat Loaf - Midnight at the Lost and Found (1983)

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Midnight at the Lost and Found is the third studio album by Meat Loaf, released in May 1983. This would be the final Meat Loaf release under Epic Records until The Very Best of Meat Loaf (1998).
Following a dispute with his former songwriter Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf was contractually obliged to release a new album. 
According to Meat Loaf, Steinman gave him "Total Eclipse of the Heart" and "Making Love Out of Nothing at All" for the album, but Meat Loaf's record company refused to pay for Steinman. 
The songs Steinman had given to Meat Loaf were then given to Bonnie Tyler and Air Supply respectively, which both became hits in their respective countries and worldwide. 
Struggling for time and with no resolution to his arguments with Steinman seemingly on the horizon (eventually, Steinman and Meat Loaf would sue one another), he was forced to find songwriters wherever he could, including writing the songs himself.
Meat Loaf is credited with being involved in the writing of numerous tracks on the album, including the title track. However, as Meat would later admit, he was not much of a songwriter and did not like the songs he had written for the album.

The '80s didn't start out easy for the previous decade's rock sensation, and after Jim Steinman had bailed out of the album Meat Loaf was left all alone, and with no help from his native US as well as mysterious health issues Midnight at the Lost and Found was seemingly doomed. But, as always Europe provided an outlet of success, especially in the UK where Meat was still a big concert draw, and where the album performed reasonably well in the charts.

Despite this, it has always been considered his weakest record and I’d have to agree with that analysis. The watery and thin production lacked the power and emotion of years gone by and highlights were few and far between. One such high point is Keep Driving which is faster and louder than most of the album, and the closing romantic number Fallen Angel stands up well too, but apart from these to there is little else to write home about 

"Razor's Edge", "If You Really Want To" and the title track were released as singles, but none made top chart positions. The song "Lost Love", which was originally recorded during the sessions for the album, was released as the B-side to "If You Really Want To".


Track listing​

1.  Razor's Edge  (Steve Buslowe, Paul Christie, Mark Doyle, Meat Loaf) - 4:07 
2.  Midnight at the Lost and Found  (Steve Buslowe, Paul Christie, Meat Loaf, Dan Peyronel) - 3:29 
3.  Wolf at Your Door  (Leslie Aday, Steve Buslowe) - 4:05 
4.  Keep Driving  (Paul Christie, Paul Jacobs, Meat Loaf) - 3:30 
5.  The Promised Land  (Chuck Berry) - 2:44 
6.  You Can Never Be Too Sure About the Girl  (Steve Buslowe, Meat Loaf) - 4:28 
7.  Priscilla  (Sarah Durkee, Paul Jacobs) - 3:33 
8.  Don't You Look at Me Like That  (Marshall James Styler) - 3:27 
9.  If You Really Want To  (George Meyer, Ted Neeley) - 3:38 
10.  Fallen Angel  (Dick Wagner) - 3:38 


Personnel
Companies, etc.
Credits
Notes
Released:  May 1983 
Recorded:  October 1982–February 1983
Recording Location:  Criteria Recording Studios, Miami, FL / Hit Factory, New York, NY / Power Station, New York, NY
Genre:  Hard rock, glam rock 
Length:  35:26 

Label - Cleveland International, Epic

November 05, 2022

Herman Brood & His Wild Romance - Bühnensucht / Herman Brood Live (1984)

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Het verdienstelijke live-album Bühnensucht verschijnt, voorlopig zijn laatste plaat. 
Recorded Live at "Parkzicht" Rotterdam in
The Netherlands

Heerlijk live album! Brood speelde in die tijd liever covers dan eigen nummers en heeft er hoorbaar plezier in. Het obligate Saturday Night weet hij toch een nieuwe draai te geven. 
De weergegeven titels zijn kernwoorden uit de eigenlijke titels.

De totale toewijding en energie uit de jaren '70 ligt inmiddels al achter ons en de nummers op de plaat worden gespeeld in tempo's die meer aan de studio-opnames doen denken.
Wat wel verfrissend is, is de setlist; heel veel rock 'n' roll covers en dat zelfs in een dusdanige hoeveelheid dat het een verrassende leuke plaat is geworden. Bühnensucht is geen bombastische indrukwekkende live-plaat zoals Cha Cha maar toch zeker een lekker stukje live rock 'n' roll, prettig en strak uitgevoerd
De Bombitas waren een fijne aanvulling van het Romance geluid, en mogen even laten zien wat ze kunnen in Heatwave.
Een erg fijne, swingende rock & roll plaat, met als hoogtepunt voor mij de ballad (When) Something (Is Wrong With My Baby).


Track listing​

1.  Tune (Intro  (Peer Gynt Suite)) (E. Grieg) - 0:50 
2.  (Get) Married  (Hollestelle, Brood) - 2:20 
3.  (There Ain't) No Love  (Bobby Bland) - 2:53 
4.  Checkin' Out  (Brood, Hollestelle) - 3:35 
5.  Heatwave (Heat Wave)  (Holland-Dozier-Holland) - 2:30 
6.  (Hell On) Wheels  (Brood, Hollestelle) - 2:32 
7.  Saturday Night  (Brood, Danny Lademacher) - 3:22 
8.  Kissed (Then She Kissed Me)  (Phil Spector, Ellie Greenwich, Jeff Barry) - 2:30 
9.  (No More) Dancin'  (John Hiatt) - 2:44 
10. Something (Wrong)  (David Porter, Isaac Hayes) - 3:14 
11 . Workin' (The Road)  (Brood, Hollestelle) - 2:55 
12.  Stay Alive  (Brood, Hollestelle, Angelo) - 5:45 
13.  Don't (Do)  (Brood, Hollestelle) - 2:05 

Companies, etc.
Credits

Personnel
Notes
Release: 1984
Genre:  Rock, Rock & Roll
Tijdsduur:  36:22

Label - Sky Records