LOST GEM: MOVING PICTURES - Days Of Innocence (Released: 1981)

MOVING PICTURES was an Aussie band that released three album through the 80's. Their debut album was Days Of Innocence released on Epic and Wheatley Record and reaching AUS # 1 and USA # 101. Second single from this album was What About Me, a masterclass power ballad reaching AUS # 1 and USA # 29. The song was re-released in 1989 reaching USA # 46... High Quality AOR.







Sound bites:





What About Me (official video):

LOST GEM: MELIDIAN - Lost In The Wild (Released: 1989)

Lost In The Wild is the only album released on CBS by this New York band. This is a sensational album full of keys, perfect guitar melodies and amazing songwriting, maybe the weakest point are Chris Cade's vocals. He does an excellent work in the rocking tunes where his voice fits perfect but he suffers a little when songs are mellower even having to resort to falsetto. MELIDIAN was some kind of ICON meets PAUL SABU meets AUTOGRAPH. An excellent album that you should have in your collection.





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Ready To Rock (official video):

VON GROOVE - S/T (Released: 1992, Chrysalis)

Von Groove formed back in 1990 in Canada. Their first album was released by Chrysalis Records in 92' produced by Richie Zito and with musical guests including Tommy Funderburk and Deen Castronovo between others. The band have another seven albums but none of them as good as their debut. This is a must have for lovers of  Warrant, Tyketto, Damn Yankees and late 80's Bon Jovi.










Sounds:










Once Is Not Enough (official video):

THE ANSWER - Revival (Release: Oct 3, 2011)

 

Here we go with the third effort by this Irish guys. With no doubt THE ANSWER is one of the best Rock bands of the last decade. Their music is straight pure Hard Rock with raw sound and some reminiscent of LED ZEPPELIN.
This album, Revival, is a masterpiece and for the first time in a long long time i must say that i love all the tracks in this cd. Cormac Neeson raspy voice is at its best with his old school way of singing, Paul Mahon riffs and solos are brutal while the rythm section with James Heatley on drums and Michael Waters on bass do and excellent work too, specially Heatley playing like an animal, more exactly like Animal the puppet, you remember? this crazy guy in love with drumming... Heatley is some kind of this, a fantastic and energetic drummer.
The album opens with Waste Your Tears, starting with some slide guitar that suddenly explode into electric with a heavy riff and some Zeppelinesque taste that leads into a great a catchy chorus... a brilliant start to this album with an epic in-crescendo ending full of backing vocals.
Use Me is an straight and fast cut with some AC/DC flavor and powerfull chorus backed by intense guitars... turn the volume into 10 and let this track blow you head. Trouble starts with some Southern guitar and harmonic that will remind you of COVERDALE/PAGE album leading to a more melodic bridge that once again turns into a powerfull chorus while Nowhere Freewhere is a more "poppy" cut feat. Lynne Jackaman from SAINT JUDE but sadly i must say that though she comes from a Blues-Rock band her way singing do not fit at all with THE ANSWER much rawer and oriented to Rock music. Tornado is the representation into music of what the title means, starting in a smooth way and turning into a "tornado" of Rock at the chorus. Vida (I Want You) is totally THE ANSWER while Caught On The Riverbed is a faster track built on funny drums and with expectacullar bridge that slows a bit at the chorus... another gem with a fantastic drums work. Destroy Me, once again, sounds a little of COVERDALE/PAGE and jumping we reach Can't Remember, Can't Forget, some kind of mid-tempo built on modern drums and with astonishing vocals. 
The rest of the album keeps the same rocking vibe with the exception of All Lights Down a more intimate cut but with strong chorus.


In summary, an awesome album of pure straight British Hard Rock. If you enjoy their previous albums you'll love this one.

Sound bites:







More info: http://www.theanswer.ie/home.html

Best Tracks (in order of preference):

Use Me
Waste Your Tears

Vida (I Want You)

Caught On The Riverbed

New Day Rising

This album is worth of 4.8 out of 5 ROCKS!!!

NEWS: New AEROSMITH album in March

Steven Tyler tells Rolling Stone... "Two months doing that and we’re almost there,"... "We’re gonna spend another month in L.A."...
Rolling Stone: "Is there a release date in mind?"
Steven Tyler: "March, hopefully."

FOREIGNER - Feels Like the First Time (Release: out now)

 

Everybody who use to read this blog should know that i deeply hate cover versions albums, so when i knew that one of my all-times favorite bands was going to release one of this stupid albums i felt a little dissapointed. I keep believing that this kind of albums add nothing to Rock music but this time i must say that this one is not that bad. This album consist of one first cd of unplugged versions of their own songs and a second one of re-recordings of their hits. Interesting to listen Say You Will, Waiting For A Girl Like You or Cold As Ice unplugged, though haven't got the magic of the originals, all those unplugged versions are elegant and extremely well executed.
The second cd is about re-recording cover versions and once again though all are fantastic none surpasses the originals. The band has decided to be true to the originals, in fact, in a couple of tunes you will hardly notice the difference, as Urgent.

I shouldn't forget there's one new song entitled Save Me a song that conveys good vibes and could have been part of Can't Slow Down.

In summary, FOREIGNER proves that keeps being a band of superb musicians and Kelly Hansen shows he is an astonishing singer though Lou Gramm could always reach a higher tone... that's why there's only one Lou Gramm.

Sound bites:







More info: http://www.foreigneronline.com/

Charts:

USA # 45

This album is worth of 4 out of 5 ROCKS!!!

You'll like to know the unplugged and re-recording songs:

Cd1:

1. Long, Long Way From Home (The Classics Unplugged) 2:52 2. Cold As Ice (The Classics Unplugged) 3:42 3. The Flame Still Burns (The Classics Unplugged) 4:58 4. Double Vision (The Classics Unplugged) 3:24 5. Fool For You Anyway (The Classics Unplugged) 4:17 6. Say You Will (The Classics Unplugged) 3:26 7. Starrider (The Classics Unplugged) 4:29 8. Waiting For A Girl Like You (The Classics Unplugged) 5:15 9. Feels Like The First Time (The Classics Unplugged) 3:11 10. Juke Box Hero (The Classics Unplugged) 5:05 11. That’s All Right (The Classics Unplugged) (Bonus Track)
Cd2:
1. Save Me (Bonus Track) (New) 3:49 2. Feels Like The First Time (2011 Recording) 4:07 3. Cold As Ice (2011 Recording) 3:14 4. Long, Long Way From Home (2011 Recording) 2:57 5. Hot Blooded (2011 Recording) 3:08 6. Double Vision (2011 Recording) 3:42 7. Head Games (2011 Recording) 3:57 8. Dirty White Boy (2011 Recording) 3:52 9. Urgent (2011 Recording) 4:30 10. Waiting For A Girl Like You (2011 Recording) 4:50 11. I Want To Know What Love Is (2011 Recording) 4:45 12. Juke Box Hero (2011 Recording) 4:25

SEBASTIAN BACH - Kicking & Screaming (Release: Sept 23, 2011 EUR - September 27, 2011 USA)

 

Here we go with the latest by former vocalist of multiplatinum band SKID ROW. And if you hope and pray for this album to be something in the vein of what was SKID ROW's s/t or Slave To The Grind i've got bad news for you, it ain't. This is a Hard Rock album but, like almost everything coming from USA and Canada in the last two decades, has a Modern Rock/Alternative flavor. The good news are that Sebastian Bach voice is in perfect shape and Bob Marlette production is espectacular.
Kicking & Screaming is the first track of this album and initial single, this song has heavy guitars and marked riff all mixed with a modern sound and Sebastian screaming like a mad dog, not a bad song but nothing special. My Own Worst Enemy is a strong and dificult to describe cut, guitar sounds a little Punk while Sebastian's voice is a little high and not showing the strength expected. Tunnelvision starts with acustic guitars that soon turns into electric and heavy. In this cut Bach's voice is more reconogcible though the tone of the track is of Modern Rock, anyway one of the best tracks in the album. Dance On Your Grave is a faster song starting with a raw bass and Sebastian singing like the old times. I'm Alive is a ballad that could have been taken from Superunknown by SOUNDGARDEN while Dirty Power retakes the heavier and faster line where Sebastian seems to feel more confortable.
The rest of the album keeps the same Modern Rock trend plenty of heavy guitars and a couple of "ballads" Dream Forever and Whisin'.

In summary, not a bad Modern Rock album but far away from what SKID ROW fans would have liked.

Sound bites:






More info: http://www.sebastianbach.com/updates.html

Best Tracks (in order of preference):

Tunnelvision

Dance On Your Grave

Dirty Power

This album is worth of 3 out of 5 ROCKS!!!

Kicking & Screaming (official video):