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Review: Michael Thompson Band – Future Past
Michael Thompson Band – Future Past
(2012, Frontiers Records)
1. High Times … 4:41
2. Can’t Be Right … 4:06
3. Future Past … 5:11
4. When You Love Someone … 5:24
5. Here I Am … 3:48
6. Beautiful Mystery … 4:38
7. Break Me Down … 4:33
8. End Game … 4:32
9. Gypsy Road … 4:44
10. Can’t Miss … 4:36
11. Fight For Your Life … 5:04
Band:
Larry King – Vocals
Michael Thompson – Guitar, Keyboards
Khari Parker – Drums
Alan Berliant – Bass
Additional: Musicians:
John Blasucci – Keyboards
Dave Hiltebrand – Bass
Matt Walker – Drums
Sahara Thompson – Backing Vocals
J.P. Delaire – Keyboards, Backing Vocals, Sax
Producer: Larry King & Michael Thompson
I wasn’t familiar with Michael Thompson before this album but his list of credits in the music industry is very impressive. He looks to be a very in-demand session player that has worked on soundtracks and with tons of rock/pop/R&B artists like *NSYNC, Barbara Streisand, Bette Midler, Boyz II Men, Brandy, Celine Dion, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Ciara, Debbie Gibson, the Eagles, Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson, Joe Cocker, Johnny Mathis, Kenny G, Lionel Richie, Madonna, Mariah Carey, Michael Bolton, Michael Buble, Michael Jackson, Neil Diamond, Seal, Shania Twain, Toni Braxton, TLC and Whitney Houston. Very impressive list.
Though Michael has managed to release two solo albums and also form another melodic rock outfit called TRW, with such a busy session career it’s no wonder there’s been a 23 year gap between the Michael Thompson Band’s debut album 1989′s How Long and Future Past. In 2007, Frontiers Records re-issued How Long (which was originally released by Geffen Records) so obviously they’d want to release the follow-up MTB album as well.
As you would expect from such a seasoned session player, the songs on Future Past are expertly recorded, written and performed. Thompson’s chosen vocalist for this album, Larry King, has a great voice and is exactly what I like to hear from melodic rock acts. A lot of this album sounds like the type of AOR that you would’ve heard in the early or mid ’80s (I am told this is referred to as “West Coast AOR”). But unlike many of those melodic rock albums from the 1980s, Future Past is thankfully not drowned in keyboards. After all, Thompson is a guitarist first and foremost so the keys take a backseat to that.
Future Past doesn’t actually live in the past completely though. “Can’t Be Right” has modern touches to it and “Here I Am” sounds like something I’d expect from Bon Jovi these days.
MTB has turned in a collection of sentimental moments and catchy, uplifting songs that is sure to please melodic rock fans everywhere.
Highlights: ”High Times”, “Can’t Be Right”, “Future Past”, “Here I Am”, “Beautiful Mystery”, “Fight For Your Life”
Mr. Big – Live from the Living Room (review)
Mr. Big – Live From the Living Room
(2012, Frontiers Records)
1. Undertow … 5:30
2. Still Ain’t Enough For Me … 3:24
3. As Far As I Can See … 4:05
4. Voodoo Kiss … 4:11
5. Take Cover … 5:34
6. Around the World … 4:23
7. Stranger In My Life … 5:15
8. All the Way Up … 5:17
9. To Be With You … 4:35
10. Nobody Left to Blame … 5:54
Band:
Eric Martin – Lead Vocals
Paul Gilbert – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Billy Sheehan – Bass, Backing Vocals
Pat Torpey – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Producer: Mr. Big & Pat Regan
Recorded during January 2011 in Tokyo, Japan in front of a small studio audience, Live from the Living Room captures Mr. Big’s very first acoustic show. Since the show was done during and for promotion of 2010′s What If… album, seven of the ten tracks from this set are stripped down versions of songs from that album. Of course it’d be crazy for Mr. Big to do their first ever acoustic show and not perform their biggest hit “To Be With You” (from 1991′s Lean Into It). Completing the set is “Voodoo Kiss”, which comes from the same album as “To Be With You” and “Take Cover” from 1996′s Hey Man.
Technically speaking, the band is very good. That should come as no surprise. Eric Martin sounds great and obviously Paul Gilbert & Billy Sheehan haven’t lost a step over the years. But… Mr. Big has never been one of my favorite bands. Despite the fact that they are great musicians, I’ve never really felt a big connection to them outside a few songs. Still, this live acoustic album should be an enjoyable listen that’s sure to please those that are big fans of What If… and Mr. Big in general.
Highlights: “Undertow”, “Take Cover”, “Around the World”, “Stranger In My Life”, “To Be With You”
http://www.mrbigsite.com/
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Mollo/Martin – The Third Cage
Mollo/Martin – The Third Cage (2012, Frontiers Records)
1. Wicked World … 4:40
2. Cirque du Freak … 4:13
3. Oh My Soul … 5:13
4. One of the Few … 4:01
5. Still In Love With You … 4:21
6. Can’t Stay Here … 4:08
7. Wardance … 6:00
8. Don’t Know What It Is About You … 4:55
9. Blind Fury … 5:06
10. Violet Moon … 7:38
Musicians:
Tony Martin – Vocals
Dario Mollo – Guitars, Bass, Keyboards
Roberto Gualdi – Drums
Fulvio Gaslini – Bass
Dario Patti – Keyboards
Brian War – Keyboards
If you’ve been following this blog for any decent amount of time or have conversed with me on message boards or Facebook, you’ve probably realized that I’m a big fan of Tony Martin. I rank his run in Sabbath second only to the great Ronnie James Dio. That said, I haven’t heard any of his side-projects or guest spots on other albums and have only heard the latest of his two solo albums (leaving 1992′s Back Where I Belong on my bucket list).
Dario Mollo, on the other hand, I know next to nothing about this Italian guitarist. Looking at his official website and the Frontiers website, I can tell you that he was in a metal band in the ’80s called Crossbones and in 2000 & 2005 released albums under the Voodoo Hill name with the legendary Glenn Hughes on vocals (I really need to check those albums out). He also did a UK tour as a member of the “Graham Bonnet & Don Airey Band”.
Also during this time is when “The Cage” series of albums came to be. Dario recruited Tony Martin to sing on and write lyrics for 1999′s The Cage and they paired up again in 2004 for The Cage 2. I was made aware of both of these projects awhile back and while I’ve seen good reviews for them, I never picked them up because they are, unfortunately, out of print and very expensive (I think I’ll pass on spending $80-$140 for a CD!). Well, at least now I am able to listen to the latest Cage album!
The first thing I noticed is that Tony Martin has not lost a step over the years. He sounds just as good here as he did on The Eternal Idol or Headless Cross. Not that I expected anything less because he sounded excellent on Scream as well. As for Dario, well, if you’ve got Glenn Hughes, Tony Martin, Graham Bonnet and Don Airey willing and wanting to work with you — then you know you’re pretty good at what you do. Some very nice solos and riffing going on here.
Though the album starts off heavy with “Wicked World” , “Cirque Du Freak” & “Oh My Soul” (the last two sound like they could’ve come from a Sabbath album with Tony), there’s a variety of styles to be found on this album. “One of the Few”, “Can’t Stay Here” and “Don’t Know What It Is About You” are all melodic rockers, taking Tony back to his musical roots and still displaying him as being just as comfortable singing these types of songs as he is singing heavy metal. “Still In Love With You” is heavy with an epic Middle Eastern-flair to it. “Wardance” is probably my favorite track on the album with the tribal rhythm of the drums and it’s just too catchy (“WAR!…DANCE!”). “Blind Fury” may be the heaviest track on the album while “Violet Moon” is a beautiful, near-trippy ballad that closes out the album.
There’s really not a bad track on this album. With each spin (and there’s been quite a few of them) I’ve grown to appreciate each song more and more but “Still In Love With You”, “Can’t Stay Here”, “Wardance” and “Don’t Know What It Is About You” were the instant standouts when I first listened.
How does The Third Cage compare to the first two Mollo/Martin albums? Don’t ask me! But I do know that Dario & Tony have delivered a great blend of hard rock, metal and melodic rock that has me wanting to snatch up whatever else Dario has done and has me wishing for even more new Tony Martin music.
Highlights: ”Cirque Du Freak”, “One of the Few”, “Still In Love With You”, “Can’t Stay Here”, “Wardance”, “Don’t Know What It Is About You”, “Violet Moon”
Dario Mollo Official Website
Dario Mollo – Tony Martin The Cage Facebook Page
Tony Martin Facebook Page
Fools Faith – Sinister F
Fools Faith – Sinister F (2011, Sick Day Records & Entertainment)
1. Across The Sky … 4:12
2. Forgotten … 3:51
3. Break Me … 4:32
4. Change Direction … 5:55
5. Sinister F … 3:53
6. Wait For Me … 4:58
7. Possession … 4:29
8. Ordinary Man … 4:12
9. Won’t Be Home (Tonight) … 4:55
10. Lies … 4:15
Band:
Joey Dia – Vocals
John Gallicano – Guitars
Andy Kadin – Bass, Keyboards
Marc Chandler – Drums
Sinister F is the sophomore effort from this Connecticut-based rock band after having released their debut Undone in 2007. A previous line-up of the group went by the name of Aftermath and had released Natural Destruction on the Escape Music label in 2003.
I wasn’t really aware of this band and by looking at the cover, I was expecting something heavy and perhaps something I wasn’t going to like. Instead, Fools Faith’s Sinister F delivers a great assortment of hard rock and melodic rock. Although the music and production certainly is modern and I can imagine a number of these tracks making it to radio (“Possession” has enough modern crunch), I still get a late ’80s/early ’90s melodic hard rock vibe from these guys that reminds me of groups such as Babylon A.D. and Mass at times.
For my first spin of the album I put it on as background noise and actually ended up getting sucked into a few songs like the “Across the Sky”, “Change Direction” and “Wait for Me”. Great melodies all around this album whether we’re dealing with rockers or ballads. Speaking of ballads, “Won’t Be Home (Tonight)” is fantastic. Great melancholy piece of melodic rock.
Had I done a list of the Top 30 albums for 2011 (instead of my usual Top 25), there is no doubt that Sinister F would’ve made the cut. Don’t get me wrong though, Fools Faith have delivered a hell of an album and are definitely worth seeking out for fans of melodic hard rock.
Highlights: ”Across the Sky”, “Forgotten”, “Wait For Me”, “Change Direction”, “Won’t Be Home (Tonight)”
http://www.foolsfaith.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fools-Faith/70421015019
http://www.myspace.com/foolsfaith
Buy ‘Sinister F’ from Amazon.com
Edguy – Age of the Joker
Edguy – Age of the Joker (2011, Nuclear Blast Records)
1. Robin Hood … 8:24
2. Nobody’s Hero … 4:31
3. Rock of Cashel … 6:18
4. Pandora’s Box … 6:45
5. Breathe … 5:03
6. Two Out of Seven … 4:27
7. Faces in the Darkness … 5:22
8. The Arcane Guild … 4:58
9. Fire on the Downline … 5:46
10. Behind the Gates to Midnight World … 8:56
11. Every Night Without You … 4:52
Band:
Tobias Sammet – Vocals
Jens Ludwig – Guitar
Dirk Sauer – Guitar
Tobias Exxel – Bass
Felix Bohnke – Drums
Producer: Sascha Paeth
Wow, I had planned on reviewing this one as soon as it came out but I just kept putting it off despite having already given Age of the Joker a few (unfocused) listen. Having given the album a few more attentive spins, Age of the Joker is a really good album that is easily an improvement over Tinnitus Sanctus (which itself was a fine album and one of the best of that year but was missing a certain spark I heard on Rocket Ride …yes, I’m a fan).
For a number of uptight power metal fans, Rocket Ride and Tinnitus Sanctus are considered to be low-points for Edguy. With those albums they took on more of an eighties melodic hard rock flavor though Tinnitus Sanctus was the heavier of the two albums that saw them going back into a metallic direction. I would imagine the same fans that derided the last two albums will have mixed feelings about this new release.
Age of the Joker borrows from both the power metal and the catchy hard rock eras of Edguy while also incorporating elements of Sammet’s Avantasia epics. Other than the goofy humor that Edguy displays with an eight minute song like “Robin Hood” (and if you don’t think these guys are taking the piss just watch the video for it), it’s getting hard to distinguish the two groups these days because they’ve both moved into a more friendly melodic hard rock/metal direction over the last few year. Perhaps it’s time to start using a producer other than Sascha Paeth…
Stylistically, I think the album art is a conscious effort on the band’s part to make the jaded fans take them more seriously after having last seen cartoon aliens riding a rocket ship and an ear-bleeding Jesus Christ being sported on the covers. This cover art reminds me of the cover to Mandrake even if it is still a bi
There’s a little something for everyone here. You want old school Edguy? Check out “Robin Hood” and “The Arcane Guild”. You want something more in line with Rocket Ride? You’ve got “Nobody’s Hero”, the bluegrassy “Pandora’s Box” and the power ballad “Every Night Without You”. Hey, were you a big fan of the recent Avantasia albums? Give “Rock of Cashel” and “Behind the Gates to Midnight World” a listen.
It all adds up to make one heck of a high quality album that is one of 2011′s best releases. In fact, I don’t think there are any filler tracks here (I would peg “Robin Hood” as my least favorite though). The band has quite possibly released one of their most consistent albums yet.
Highlights: ”Nobody’s Hero”, “Rock of Cashel”, “Pandora’s Box”, “Two Out of Seven”, “Fire on the Downline”, “Behind the Gates to Midnight World”, “Every Night Without You”
http://www.edguy.net
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http://www.twitter.com/_edguy
Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
Reckless Love – Animal Attraction (2011, Universal Music/Spinefarm Records UK)
1. “Animal Attraction”
2. “Speedin’”
3. “Born To Break Your Heart”
4. “Hot”
5. “Fantasy”
6. “Dirty Dreams”
7. “Dance”
8. “Fight”
9. “Switchblade Babe”
10. “On The Radio
11. “Coconuts
Band:
Olli Herman – Vocals
Pepe – Guitar
Jalle Verne – Bass
Hessu Maxx – Drums
Producer: Ilkka Wirtanen
Reckless Love came out of nowhere last year and delivered one of my favorite albums for 2010 so I was pretty enthusiastic when I heard a new album was coming in 2011. Fans of the band’s self-titled debut will not be disappointed with Animal Attraction.
Olli & the boys have given the world another great collection of slick ‘n’ polished glam & pop-metal. Whether it’s the sleazy “Animal Attraction”, the anthemic ”Hot” & “On The Radio”, the Euro-pop of “Dirty Dreams”, the hard pop groove of “Dance” (seriously, this could be a club hit in the U.S.), the hard rockin’ “Fight” or the somewhat quirky “Coconuts” (channeling Diamond Dave?) Reckless Love have proven themselves as kings of modern glam metal.
This album is just so darn catchy that I think I would rank it slightly above the debut (the album cover & new logo are certainly an improvement) but the guys really haven’t changed their style a bit. Anyone who likes the melodic hard rock/pop acts of the ’80s (Danger Danger, Def Leppard, David Lee Roth, Bon Jovi, KISS, etc.) is going to dig Animal Attraction.
These guys are a hit in their native Finland. Too bad albums such as this one go unnoticed here in America. Someone like Def Leppard or Poison or KISS needs to step up and take them out on the road next summer.
Highlights: “Animal Attraction”, “Speedin’”, “Hot”, “Fantasy”, “Dirty Dreams”, “Dance”
http://www.recklesslove.com
http://www.facebook.com/RecklessLove
House of Lords – Big Money
House of Lords – Big Money (2011, Frontiers Records)
1. “Big Money”
2. “One Man Down”
3. “First To Cry”
4. “Someday When”
5. “Searchin’”
6. “Living In A Dream World”
7. “The Next Time I Hold You”
8. “Run For Your Life”
9. “Hologram”
10. “Seven”
11. “Once Twice”
12. “Blood”
Band:
James Christian – Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Jimi Bell – Guitar
Chris McCarvill – Bass, Backing Vocals
B.J. Zampa – Drums, Percussion
Producer: James Christian
Despite having some excellent songs, I’ve always been a casual fan of House of Lords. It wasn’t until Cartesian Dreams that I became a bigger fan and was finally convinced to go back and acquire the rest of their catalog. It’s a fantastic body of work and Cartesian Dreams is probably my favorite Lords album so I was pretty excited when Big Money was announced.
On Big Money the band continues to blend AOR with hard rock (that darn near borders on metal sometimes) in a spectacular fashion. This is a utopia where the guitars are beefy, the drums are prominent and keyboards accentuate the songs. By this point, James Christian (the one constant factor in HoL all these years) has really hit upon a formula that works time and time again. Great melodies, big hooks, huge choruses, heavy rock ‘n’ roll, keyboards in a supporting role and fantastic production values. Not to mention Christian’s voice is just as good as ever as well.
The title track starts off the album right, letting you know the Lords are back and ready to rock. Really catchy song with a dash of cynicism thrown in. “One Man Down”, a song with a great catchy chorus, is told from the view of a soldier. “First to Cry” is the first song on the album to sound like it could have come from the ’80s, but I mean that in a good way. “Someday When” is a mid-tempo rocker that follows that same slick ’80s style of “First to Cry” and there are a number of more tracks that seem to shoot for that same sound. “The Next Time I Hold You” is the album’s only ballad and it’s a good one. The album wraps up with the heavy dirty rocker “Blood”.
While Big Money doesn’t quite reach the heights of Cartesian Dreams, this is a still very good addition to House of Lords’ already impressive catalog of melodic hard rock. Another prime example that House of Lords is simply one of the best melodic rock bands of all time. Another top album for 2011 and sure to please fans of the band.
Highlights: ”Big Money”, “One Man Down”, “First To Cry”, “Someday When”, “The Next Time I Hold You”, “Blood”
Mr. Big – What If…
Mr. Big – What If… [Russian Import] (2011, Frontiers Records/IROND Records)
1. “Undertow” … 4:49
2. “American Beauty” … 3:44
3. “Stranger In My Life” … 4:26
4. “Nobody Left to Blame” … 4:20
5. “Still Ain’t Enough for Me” … 3:04
6. “Once Upon a Time” … 4:03
7. “As Far as I Can See” … 3:55
8. “All the Way Up” … 5:12
9. “I Won’t Get in My Way” … 4:40
10. “Around the World” … 3:51
11. “I Get the Feeling” … 4:34
Bonus Track
12. “Unforgiven” … 4:16
Band:
Eric Martin – Vocals
Paul Gilbert – Guitar, Backing Vocals
Billy Sheehan – Bass, Backing Vocals
Pat Torpey – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Producer: Kevin Shirley
I waffled back and forth on picking this one up more than John Kerry because Mr. Big has never been of much interest to me. Sure, I own Lean Into It and despite that record having some standout tracks, I never thought it was ever good enough to where I needed to hear the rest of their catalog. The first few times I listened to “Undertow” after it was released late in 2010, I wasn’t impressed a bit and I had pretty much made up my mind I wasn’t going to get the album. But then the album was highly recommended to me by Rob Rockitt over at Hard Rock Hideout, so here we go…
After having listened to “Undertow” numerous times since getting this album (the song was on my iPod which is a high honor), I have to say I absolutely love it. Especially the break where it gets a bit funky. Other favorites are the metallic “American Beauty” and the ballad “Stranger In My Life”. “American Beauty” is apparently an old Mr. Big song that didn’t make their debut album. Reminds me a lot of Van Halen or David Lee Roth’s “Shy Boy” (which Sheehan also played on).
The album features a good mix of heavy numbers along with the slick melodic rock they are more known for. No offense to him, because even with a bit of wear he’s still a fine vocalist but I’ve always had a hard time buying Eric Martin on Mr. Big’s heavier and faster songs. I think he has a voice that is much more suited to the polished melodic rockers. Other than that, the musicianship on this album is fantastic and that really goes without saying. The interplay between Billy Sheehan & Paul Gilbert is amazing. Pat Torpey drives the songs and I have much more respect for him having watched a few of the band’s recent live clips on YouTube.
“Unforgiven” is a bonus track included for the North American/European release. I thought maybe we finally stuck it to Japan (Mr. Big’s biggest market) since they ALWAYS get bonus tracks but they ended up getting the exclusive “Kill Me With A Kiss” on their release. Anyway, it’s a decent tune that again showcases Gilbert & Sheehan.
The album has been pretty well reviewed by fans of the band and melodic rock sites so I imagine virtually anyone that’s liked what this band has done in the past will like this album. For me, I like the album but it isn’t something that will ever get much play from me. There’s just something missing from this band. Maybe it’s that they’re too good of musicians and too polished.
This is a used copy I picked up from Amazon.com… turns out it’s a Russian import and looks like it was released in collaboration with UK’s Classic Rock magazine — cool!
Highlights: “Undertow”, “American Beauty”, “Stranger In My Life”, “Nobody Left To Blame”, “I Won’t Get In My Way”
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