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Recent Reviews
Queen's A Night at the Opera is a landmark album in Queen's career, and in rock in general. It gave us two of the most epic rock songs of all time. One of the songs is a rock radio staple and the rest are pretty much gems, which are unknown to most non-diehard Queen fans. You haven't heard some of the greatest rock songs of all time if you haven't heard this album.
Death on Two Legs is a amazing opener. Each band member shines on this song. Freddie is perfect on the piano and with his always amazing vocals. Brian May throws in some great guitar licks. Roger Taylor and John Deacon manage the rhythm section well here. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon is a fun piano romp that will get stuck in your head frequently. Trust me. I'm In Love With My Car is a great song featuring drummer Roger Taylor on vocals. It's obviously a parody of every car lover, with lyrics such as 'the machine of a dream/such a queen machine'. The guitar is great and if this band was fronted by Roger Taylor, it would probably be almost as good.
You're My Best Friend is a radio staple. It's a great song, which you've probably heard. It's a nice little pop ditty. '39 is probably the weak song here. Penned and written by Brian May, I'm not really sure how much there is to like here. Some of the vocal parts sound like they belong in a fairy tale. I like the bass in here though, it's somewhat catchy. Sweet Lady is a song that could almost be classified as metal. Some great riffs here and a great chorus, I like it. Seaside Rendezvous is another one of those fun romps like Lazing, which actually gets stuck in my head more. It's a pretty good song that I enjoy, even if it's not rock.
The Prophet Song is epic. I can actually say that it's probably more epic than Bohemian Rhapsody. The Prophet Song is about 2 minutes longer, and has the most epic thing in music, probably. The vocal break is so awesome, I get chills listening to it every time. Freddie really shines here, obviously in the vocal break. If you thought Bohemian Rhapsody was the most epic song by Queen, it's outshined by the Prophet Song once you here it.
Love of my Life is a great ballad, one that has almost made me cry at times. It's a charming little song, and is another underrated Queen tune. Good Company isn't a great song. Brian May penned and provided vocal duties for this one again. It has an ok chorus, but nothing else really going for it. Bohemian Rhapsody is always classified as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. If anything, it's one you will never forget. It has a great solo and of course the infamous vocal parts. I know it sounds like I've been bashing it. But in reality, I'm just annoyed of how overplayed it is. God Save the Queen is Brian May's homage to Jimi Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner. It's a cool instrumental, which has some of Brian May's trademark sound. It was really only used to close Queen's concerts though, and wasn't even played live.
A Night at the Opera is an album I love. It's also one of the most underrated rock records of all time. If you haven't checked this out yet, and you enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody, that's probably enough of a reason to purchase this album. It will be a nice edition to your collection. I assure you.
Death on Two Legs is a amazing opener. Each band member shines on this song. Freddie is perfect on the piano and with his always amazing vocals. Brian May throws in some great guitar licks. Roger Taylor and John Deacon manage the rhythm section well here. Lazing on a Sunday Afternoon is a fun piano romp that will get stuck in your head frequently. Trust me. I'm In Love With My Car is a great song featuring drummer Roger Taylor on vocals. It's obviously a parody of every car lover, with lyrics such as 'the machine of a dream/such a queen machine'. The guitar is great and if this band was fronted by Roger Taylor, it would probably be almost as good.
You're My Best Friend is a radio staple. It's a great song, which you've probably heard. It's a nice little pop ditty. '39 is probably the weak song here. Penned and written by Brian May, I'm not really sure how much there is to like here. Some of the vocal parts sound like they belong in a fairy tale. I like the bass in here though, it's somewhat catchy. Sweet Lady is a song that could almost be classified as metal. Some great riffs here and a great chorus, I like it. Seaside Rendezvous is another one of those fun romps like Lazing, which actually gets stuck in my head more. It's a pretty good song that I enjoy, even if it's not rock.
The Prophet Song is epic. I can actually say that it's probably more epic than Bohemian Rhapsody. The Prophet Song is about 2 minutes longer, and has the most epic thing in music, probably. The vocal break is so awesome, I get chills listening to it every time. Freddie really shines here, obviously in the vocal break. If you thought Bohemian Rhapsody was the most epic song by Queen, it's outshined by the Prophet Song once you here it.
Love of my Life is a great ballad, one that has almost made me cry at times. It's a charming little song, and is another underrated Queen tune. Good Company isn't a great song. Brian May penned and provided vocal duties for this one again. It has an ok chorus, but nothing else really going for it. Bohemian Rhapsody is always classified as one of the greatest rock songs of all time. If anything, it's one you will never forget. It has a great solo and of course the infamous vocal parts. I know it sounds like I've been bashing it. But in reality, I'm just annoyed of how overplayed it is. God Save the Queen is Brian May's homage to Jimi Hendrix's Star Spangled Banner. It's a cool instrumental, which has some of Brian May's trademark sound. It was really only used to close Queen's concerts though, and wasn't even played live.
A Night at the Opera is an album I love. It's also one of the most underrated rock records of all time. If you haven't checked this out yet, and you enjoy Bohemian Rhapsody, that's probably enough of a reason to purchase this album. It will be a nice edition to your collection. I assure you.
posted December 28, 2007 at 04:42:00 PM
Billy Squier, 80's star, known for The Stroke. Was there more to him? If you've ever asked that question then I will tell you, there is certainly more to him then The Stroke and In the Dark. Billy and his band were a powerhouse. The music is strong here, the lyrics are strong here. The album is one that I can say is perfect, not one song feels like filler. Everything rocks, and all of the songs could've been a hit.
A space-like effect opens In the Dark, the hard rocker that kicks off the album. Once the first few piercing guitar notes come in you know you're in for a treat. Here Billy adds some synthesizer in the background, but not to overpower the rest of the music, like The Final Countdown. Chorus is nice here as well. Kick, snare, kick, snare. The opening drum pound of The Stroke catches you're ear, and leaves you listening through the whole song. The catchy group shout of a chorus is perfect. My Kinda Lover is the ultimate rock song. The simple guitar riff propels the song and synth parts provide some nice feeling here..
The hit-train that was the first three songs ends here. That may be the case but the song quality does not drop. You Know What I Like is propelled by the galloping drum beat and Too Daze Gone is a somewhat slower song with a great hook. Lonely is the Night is another one of the top songs here. Similar to Zeppelin with bluesy riffs and pounding drums. Billy's singing really shines here as well. Whadda You Want From Me is a poppier tune. The drums pound and the guitar riff propels the song. Billy's unmistakable singing is great here too. Nice hook too.
The ballad finally pops up here after a sea of hard rockers. And Billy can sing a ballad as well. Nobody Knows is a beautiful tribute to John Lennon. This song grew on me after I wrote it off as boring, and saying that Billy sounded like a girl. This is probably my favorite song on the album now. I Need You is a slower song as well, though not a ballad at all. The wonderful bassline glides along this track. Chorus is memorable as well. The title track is a good closer to the album. It's mostly acoustic and, of course, the chorus is great here as well.
With this album Billy proves quite a few things. He has an awesome band. He has more awesome songs besides The Stroke. He can write a great hook. Basically, this album proves that Billy Squier is awesome and vastly underrated. Don't Say No is a filler-less album, one that is one of the few that can be called perfect. The Beatles' Revolver came close, except for that horrible song George wrote. Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction came close, except a song or two wasn't as strong as the rest. These bands, often regarded as musical geniuses, and praised as some of the greatest bands of all time, didn't have a perfect album. Billy Squier, a star of the early 80's, has achieved this. He has written a perfect album, and if you don't own it, you haven't heard good music.
A space-like effect opens In the Dark, the hard rocker that kicks off the album. Once the first few piercing guitar notes come in you know you're in for a treat. Here Billy adds some synthesizer in the background, but not to overpower the rest of the music, like The Final Countdown. Chorus is nice here as well. Kick, snare, kick, snare. The opening drum pound of The Stroke catches you're ear, and leaves you listening through the whole song. The catchy group shout of a chorus is perfect. My Kinda Lover is the ultimate rock song. The simple guitar riff propels the song and synth parts provide some nice feeling here..
The hit-train that was the first three songs ends here. That may be the case but the song quality does not drop. You Know What I Like is propelled by the galloping drum beat and Too Daze Gone is a somewhat slower song with a great hook. Lonely is the Night is another one of the top songs here. Similar to Zeppelin with bluesy riffs and pounding drums. Billy's singing really shines here as well. Whadda You Want From Me is a poppier tune. The drums pound and the guitar riff propels the song. Billy's unmistakable singing is great here too. Nice hook too.
The ballad finally pops up here after a sea of hard rockers. And Billy can sing a ballad as well. Nobody Knows is a beautiful tribute to John Lennon. This song grew on me after I wrote it off as boring, and saying that Billy sounded like a girl. This is probably my favorite song on the album now. I Need You is a slower song as well, though not a ballad at all. The wonderful bassline glides along this track. Chorus is memorable as well. The title track is a good closer to the album. It's mostly acoustic and, of course, the chorus is great here as well.
With this album Billy proves quite a few things. He has an awesome band. He has more awesome songs besides The Stroke. He can write a great hook. Basically, this album proves that Billy Squier is awesome and vastly underrated. Don't Say No is a filler-less album, one that is one of the few that can be called perfect. The Beatles' Revolver came close, except for that horrible song George wrote. Guns N' Roses' Appetite for Destruction came close, except a song or two wasn't as strong as the rest. These bands, often regarded as musical geniuses, and praised as some of the greatest bands of all time, didn't have a perfect album. Billy Squier, a star of the early 80's, has achieved this. He has written a perfect album, and if you don't own it, you haven't heard good music.
posted December 28, 2007 at 04:36:53 PM
One of the greatest debut albums (if not THE greatest) comes from this band, with amazing guitar shredder, Eddie Van Halen (EVH to some), delivering sonic leads. Alex Van Halen supplying drums, with Michael Anthony on bass. And of course, David Lee Roth, providing tons of energy, and lots of ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh YEAH! This is an album that any rock and roll fan must own. It's required listening.
Running with the Devil kicks off the album with a car horn sound effect, then the thumping, yet simple bassline. Eddie and Alex jump in, EVH delivering the classic riff. And of course Roth exclaiming AWW YEAH! Roth is perfect during the verses. He delivers the words so smoothly, over the mellow guitar, Eddie constantly adding crazy trills and licks. He throws in tons of slides. The chorus features a group shout of RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL! And Roth doing yet more yeahs and woos. The solo kicks off, blowing your mind. This is just the beginning. The solo ends with EVH sliding into the riff. The solo comes again, barely even changed for the first time.
Eruption kicks off with a drum fill then, wow. Its full of EVH's trademark tapping and other crazy stuff. You just have to hear it. Careful though, you might explode. In the first 10 seconds, you learn how rock should be played. Eruption transitions smoothly into You Really Got Me. You listen to classic rock radio? You've heard this. It's a cover of a Kinks song (this version is better.) The riff starts and the drums come in crashing. And then you're like, wow. Roth comes in again. Singing the song perfectly, he makes it, as does the group chorus of You Really Got Me! And the occasional Oh! From Roth. The solo is great, and the breakdown perfect. With little guitar squiggles (that's what I call 'em) and ooh ah e oh ooh, you'll love it. Then Roth whispers the chorus, the band comes back full speed, the outro, and BAM! A new riff starts.
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love wins an award for the song with a ' in almost every word in the title. It's also awesome. The riff is cool, with lots of notes. Then the drums build up and EVH shreds the riff. Roth once again delivers perfectly. The chorus is cool, with a group shout of Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, and Roth singing a line. The chorus has Alex's ride in the background constantly thumping. The guitar solo is a slower one, with more sustains, and less CRAZY SHREDDING! Stuff. There's a breakdown with Roth whispering, the guitar dwindling in the background. The solo comes back, not different at all. Now we have the guitar shredding the chorus over Roth's shouts of HEY HEY HEY, which eventually becomes a group affair. The guitar shreds the ending, and your done.
I'm the One starts with really fast guitar, while Alex comes in with a snare drum thing. Eventually a riff plays which is cool. The intro plays during the verses. It's a more up tempo song then the past songs. Roth is more singing, less talking during this song. Amidst all the crazy frenzy EVH is tearing up the guitar, throughout pretty much the whole thing. All the licks he throws in are awesome, during Roth exclaiming "I'm the one, the one you want." Eddie doesn't stop the sonic guitar assault throughout the whole song. Till of course the breakdown, with a bop badop shooey doo wop thing. The chorus jumps right back in after that, with a cymbal frenzy and guitar shredding out the song.
Jamie's Cryin' is a slower song. It was one of the hits on the album. It begins with a nice drum fill, and EVH shredding slowly. Roth comes in perfectly, which he seems to be good at. The song goes into the chorus. "Oh oh oh, Jamie's Cryin'". Right after that it's back into the verse. Then the song picks up tempo. Roth sings about how Jamie wants to write a letter, while Alex's hi-hat shimmers as he hits it in rapid succession. The hi-hat goes faster than everything else in this song. The chorus jumps in, and then out, as the song slows again. The band backs up soulful Roth with some Ahhhahhh's and Alex's ride is very present during this part, which is cool. That part ends with a group line. Then SOLO!!! The solo in this song isn't very special. It's not Eddie's traditional tapping crazy thing, it's more melodic. After the solo, its back into my favorite part. The shimmy hi-hat part! Then the chorus. The next repeated part of the chorus has Eddie following the vocal line with his guitar. It's cool, but nothing special. EVH's part from the beginning is used to fade out the song.
Atomic Punk is next, and is probably a song that should've been released as a single. It begins with crazy cool guitar and Alex tapping his ride in tune to the part. A drum roll signals the start of the verse. This is a pretty upbeat song, like I'm The One. The chorus has David exclaiming "NOBODY RULES THESE STREETS AT NIGHT BUT ME! THE ATOMIC PUNK!" EVH is pretty much shredding through the whole song. After the second chorus we jump into the awesome solo. With lots of squeedly and that thing where his guitar goes like WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH and gets lower. When the solo's done, we have the part from the intro again. Except with a lot more strumming, which goes into the verse. The song ends with some sustained and distorted notes, courtesy of Edward Van Halen.
Feel Your Love Tonight is a song not talked about often when it comes to the discussion of this album. It is not necessarily a bad song, it's just not mentioned a lot. It begins with a cool riff, drum crashes and build ups. Roth is cool in the verses, but not much different. The lead up into the chorus has the shimmy hi-hat thing going on, leading into the chorus. The chorus has Roth going "I can't wait, to feel your love tonight." The rest of the band joins during the "Feel your love tonight," part. EVH throws in a crazy lick, and back into the verses. The shimmy hi-hat next leads us into an altered chorus. It's a round with Roth starting the line, and the band starting the same line from the beginning, about halfway through Roth says it. Basically, if you were ever in your school chorus, 9 out of 10 times you've probably done a round. After that, another verse. The solo isn't that bad, and makes up for some the songs low parts. It's pretty interesting for the most part. It ends with, my favorite, the shimmy hi-hat. We now go into an a cappela version of the round, with a cymbal and guitar chords joining in. The band eventually comes full in, then out. The song ends with the chorus line being sung by the group.
Little Dreamer is similar to Feel Your Love Tonight, as it isn't mentioned as much. It starts with a cool riff. The drums come in, and someone goes "Chaa", then the verses start. Roth's voice is different here, yet I can't really put my finger on it. The chorus has "Ooooooooooo"s from the band and Roth going "Little Dreamer." I like the solo, with Alex's ride thumping in the background, and there's some fast parts here. The song ends with a soulful saying of "Little Dreamer," from Roth and a light cymbal roll.
Ice Cream Man. My favorite song on the album. It begins with some mellow acoustic picking and Roth going lounge-style, instead of his usual "AWW YEAH!" About a minute into the song the electric guitar kicks in, and this turns into one of the most rockin' songs on the album. The solo is one of Eddie's best. It begins with a crazy tapping part. It gets better. The drums and bass thump in the background, and Eddie does not stop shreddin'. At the end the chorus goes again. EVH shreds over the chorus. The band gets kicked out, and Roth sings the last line with so much, I can't even explain it. Like, in like 50's songs where it would go like lower. Yeah that's the best I can explain it. He finished the line and the band comes back in. Eddie ends it with some crazy tapping.
You're thrust right into On Fire next. The opening riff kicks off, Alex crashing in the background. Eddie shreds like crazy, goes into the riff. He throws in tons of licks that just blow your mind. The build up to the chorus has Alex's ride thumping. While the chorus has Roth singing "I'M ON FIYAAAAAAAAAAH" as high as he possibly could. He practically reaches new decibel levels, as well as breaks many windows with this high-flying chorus. The end of that had Eddie playing some more, drums completely booming. Then Roth goes "FIYAAAH! Really high again. Then it's like, CRAZY SOLO!! Definitely one of the best on the album. Rivaled by like only 2, in my opinion. The only problem with this song is that it fades out. It should have given an explosive ending to an explosive album.
Van Halen's debut is rivaled by few other first efforts. Eddie will take your mind, your body, and your soul and shred it up with his guitar. And Roth's high-flying singing, as well as the fantastic rhythm section from Alex and Michael, is not to be missed. If you do not own this album, go buy it. Go buy it now. NOW!
Running with the Devil kicks off the album with a car horn sound effect, then the thumping, yet simple bassline. Eddie and Alex jump in, EVH delivering the classic riff. And of course Roth exclaiming AWW YEAH! Roth is perfect during the verses. He delivers the words so smoothly, over the mellow guitar, Eddie constantly adding crazy trills and licks. He throws in tons of slides. The chorus features a group shout of RUNNING WITH THE DEVIL! And Roth doing yet more yeahs and woos. The solo kicks off, blowing your mind. This is just the beginning. The solo ends with EVH sliding into the riff. The solo comes again, barely even changed for the first time.
Eruption kicks off with a drum fill then, wow. Its full of EVH's trademark tapping and other crazy stuff. You just have to hear it. Careful though, you might explode. In the first 10 seconds, you learn how rock should be played. Eruption transitions smoothly into You Really Got Me. You listen to classic rock radio? You've heard this. It's a cover of a Kinks song (this version is better.) The riff starts and the drums come in crashing. And then you're like, wow. Roth comes in again. Singing the song perfectly, he makes it, as does the group chorus of You Really Got Me! And the occasional Oh! From Roth. The solo is great, and the breakdown perfect. With little guitar squiggles (that's what I call 'em) and ooh ah e oh ooh, you'll love it. Then Roth whispers the chorus, the band comes back full speed, the outro, and BAM! A new riff starts.
Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love wins an award for the song with a ' in almost every word in the title. It's also awesome. The riff is cool, with lots of notes. Then the drums build up and EVH shreds the riff. Roth once again delivers perfectly. The chorus is cool, with a group shout of Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love, and Roth singing a line. The chorus has Alex's ride in the background constantly thumping. The guitar solo is a slower one, with more sustains, and less CRAZY SHREDDING! Stuff. There's a breakdown with Roth whispering, the guitar dwindling in the background. The solo comes back, not different at all. Now we have the guitar shredding the chorus over Roth's shouts of HEY HEY HEY, which eventually becomes a group affair. The guitar shreds the ending, and your done.
I'm the One starts with really fast guitar, while Alex comes in with a snare drum thing. Eventually a riff plays which is cool. The intro plays during the verses. It's a more up tempo song then the past songs. Roth is more singing, less talking during this song. Amidst all the crazy frenzy EVH is tearing up the guitar, throughout pretty much the whole thing. All the licks he throws in are awesome, during Roth exclaiming "I'm the one, the one you want." Eddie doesn't stop the sonic guitar assault throughout the whole song. Till of course the breakdown, with a bop badop shooey doo wop thing. The chorus jumps right back in after that, with a cymbal frenzy and guitar shredding out the song.
Jamie's Cryin' is a slower song. It was one of the hits on the album. It begins with a nice drum fill, and EVH shredding slowly. Roth comes in perfectly, which he seems to be good at. The song goes into the chorus. "Oh oh oh, Jamie's Cryin'". Right after that it's back into the verse. Then the song picks up tempo. Roth sings about how Jamie wants to write a letter, while Alex's hi-hat shimmers as he hits it in rapid succession. The hi-hat goes faster than everything else in this song. The chorus jumps in, and then out, as the song slows again. The band backs up soulful Roth with some Ahhhahhh's and Alex's ride is very present during this part, which is cool. That part ends with a group line. Then SOLO!!! The solo in this song isn't very special. It's not Eddie's traditional tapping crazy thing, it's more melodic. After the solo, its back into my favorite part. The shimmy hi-hat part! Then the chorus. The next repeated part of the chorus has Eddie following the vocal line with his guitar. It's cool, but nothing special. EVH's part from the beginning is used to fade out the song.
Atomic Punk is next, and is probably a song that should've been released as a single. It begins with crazy cool guitar and Alex tapping his ride in tune to the part. A drum roll signals the start of the verse. This is a pretty upbeat song, like I'm The One. The chorus has David exclaiming "NOBODY RULES THESE STREETS AT NIGHT BUT ME! THE ATOMIC PUNK!" EVH is pretty much shredding through the whole song. After the second chorus we jump into the awesome solo. With lots of squeedly and that thing where his guitar goes like WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH and gets lower. When the solo's done, we have the part from the intro again. Except with a lot more strumming, which goes into the verse. The song ends with some sustained and distorted notes, courtesy of Edward Van Halen.
Feel Your Love Tonight is a song not talked about often when it comes to the discussion of this album. It is not necessarily a bad song, it's just not mentioned a lot. It begins with a cool riff, drum crashes and build ups. Roth is cool in the verses, but not much different. The lead up into the chorus has the shimmy hi-hat thing going on, leading into the chorus. The chorus has Roth going "I can't wait, to feel your love tonight." The rest of the band joins during the "Feel your love tonight," part. EVH throws in a crazy lick, and back into the verses. The shimmy hi-hat next leads us into an altered chorus. It's a round with Roth starting the line, and the band starting the same line from the beginning, about halfway through Roth says it. Basically, if you were ever in your school chorus, 9 out of 10 times you've probably done a round. After that, another verse. The solo isn't that bad, and makes up for some the songs low parts. It's pretty interesting for the most part. It ends with, my favorite, the shimmy hi-hat. We now go into an a cappela version of the round, with a cymbal and guitar chords joining in. The band eventually comes full in, then out. The song ends with the chorus line being sung by the group.
Little Dreamer is similar to Feel Your Love Tonight, as it isn't mentioned as much. It starts with a cool riff. The drums come in, and someone goes "Chaa", then the verses start. Roth's voice is different here, yet I can't really put my finger on it. The chorus has "Ooooooooooo"s from the band and Roth going "Little Dreamer." I like the solo, with Alex's ride thumping in the background, and there's some fast parts here. The song ends with a soulful saying of "Little Dreamer," from Roth and a light cymbal roll.
Ice Cream Man. My favorite song on the album. It begins with some mellow acoustic picking and Roth going lounge-style, instead of his usual "AWW YEAH!" About a minute into the song the electric guitar kicks in, and this turns into one of the most rockin' songs on the album. The solo is one of Eddie's best. It begins with a crazy tapping part. It gets better. The drums and bass thump in the background, and Eddie does not stop shreddin'. At the end the chorus goes again. EVH shreds over the chorus. The band gets kicked out, and Roth sings the last line with so much, I can't even explain it. Like, in like 50's songs where it would go like lower. Yeah that's the best I can explain it. He finished the line and the band comes back in. Eddie ends it with some crazy tapping.
You're thrust right into On Fire next. The opening riff kicks off, Alex crashing in the background. Eddie shreds like crazy, goes into the riff. He throws in tons of licks that just blow your mind. The build up to the chorus has Alex's ride thumping. While the chorus has Roth singing "I'M ON FIYAAAAAAAAAAH" as high as he possibly could. He practically reaches new decibel levels, as well as breaks many windows with this high-flying chorus. The end of that had Eddie playing some more, drums completely booming. Then Roth goes "FIYAAAH! Really high again. Then it's like, CRAZY SOLO!! Definitely one of the best on the album. Rivaled by like only 2, in my opinion. The only problem with this song is that it fades out. It should have given an explosive ending to an explosive album.
Van Halen's debut is rivaled by few other first efforts. Eddie will take your mind, your body, and your soul and shred it up with his guitar. And Roth's high-flying singing, as well as the fantastic rhythm section from Alex and Michael, is not to be missed. If you do not own this album, go buy it. Go buy it now. NOW!
posted October 12, 2007 at 01:23:21 PM
Cheap Trick's self titled debut is full of great Power Pop tunes.
ELO Kiddies starts the album, with a bouncy drum beat, then the sonic riff comes in. The riff starts with frontman Robin Zander going ELO Kiddies! ELO Kiddies! The guitar is chock full of riffs during the song, and they all fit perfectly. The guitar solo is ok, though not worthy of any awards. The drums punctuate parts of the solo and verses, with drum rolls and crash hits. Next is Daddy Should Have Stayed in High School, one of my personal favorite song titles. The song begins with a quiet distorted riff. Then lead guitarist Rick Nielsen goes into a little trill as the drums come in. And eventually the riff starts. The chorus consists of lots of "Ooooooooooooooo"s, till the song slows down and enters the verse again. There's a breakdown, with tom rolls on the drums, and a guitar riff. Then we enter the solo that fits the song. During parts of the song, and the outro, I'm pretty sure you can hear a cowbell, a nice addition. After this is Taxman, Mr. Theif, beginning with a solid drumbeat, and a great riff. The chorus picks up tempo, with Bun E. Carlos playing a crashing drum beat. The guitar is great in this song with a great solo. After the solo, Robin is practically screaming the verse.
Next is Cry, Cry. It begins with an eerie sound effect, leading into the riff. The drums build up, and join the ensemble. Then Robin joins. The chorus has Robin asking to not call him out, and the song is easily a love one. The solo is cool, though nothing like super amazing. The breakdown with the thumping drums and little teeny tiny guitar notes with Robin going Cry, Cry, is cool. Oh, Candy begins with a cool Hi-Hat and kick drum thing, then the riff comes in. Once the verse comes in the lead guitar is sparse, with little notes and licks being played. The chorus picks up the tempo and adds the guitar. The next verse keeps the same tempo, and when its done, we enter a mini guitar solo. And during all of this Bun E. keeps a crashing beat going on. After Candy is Hot Love. It begins with a crazy riff, and right about now I've noticed that Rick Nielsen is a great riff maker, and this is proof of it. Bun E. has a thumping beat going through the song.
Next is Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace, which begins with a slow guitar. Bun E comes in with a slow beat, that fits the song. The song is slow and never picks up tempo. After Speak Now' is He's a Whore, another one of my personal favorite song titles. It begins with a crashing beat, and a great riff. Then Robin Zander comes in. The riff perfectly makes the song. The chorus is the best, because how many other songs have you heard with people shouting He's a Whore! And after the great minisolo the shouting of "I'm a Whore!" This just puts icing on the cake. Next is Mandocello, which begins with an acoustic guitar, hinting at a ballad. The drums then enter, as well as Robin. The song is slower, but is far from a ballad. The guitar solo in this one is a nice melodic slow solo. The ending goes back to the acoustic guitar, finishing the song.
The Ballad of Tv Violence is next. It kicks off with a cool riff, and then the thumping drums come in. When Robin sings, there is no guitar, but instead the drums. When its done, and he starts the next line, the guitar comes back. The chorus features a weird effect on Robins voice. When we go back to the verse, the guitar is there the whole time. The guitar solo is great, one of the best heard so far in my opinion. The song is phenoemonal, and probably the best on the album. After this track there are five bonus previously unreleased tracks. The version you buy might not have these. I'm reviewing them anyways. The first one is called Lovin Money, it begins with a simple riff. Then another guitar comes in, and the crashing drums. The verses feature the crashing drums still, and these are one of the things that totally make Cheap Trick. Next is I Want You To Want Me, the song that pretty much showed me Cheap Trick. It begins with a drum roll, then the guitar comes. The song is much different from the final version. And its much worse. Robin sounds horrible, the guitar is totally different. The only thing fine about it is the constantly thumping drums. After this is Lookout, which begins with a cool guitar riff and crashing drums, like so many Cheap Trick songs do. The song is pretty upbeat, but Robin still sounds horrible, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the songs. Next is Your All Talk, which begins with a really cool drumbeat, and eventually a cool riff. The chorus is simple. I love this song but only because of the beat. The hi hat thing so cool, I just can't describe it. You just have to listen to it. The last song on the album is I Dig Go-Go Girls. It begins with a sonic guitar riff and Robin exclaiming that he Digs Go-Go Girls. Robin's voice still isn't that good, but I think its just because they are just Outtake tracks.
Overall, Cheap Tricks self titled debut is a solid album. The outtakes kind of bring the album down a little, but overall its great. What the album originally was is all that matters, and its a musthave for fans of Cheap Trick, or just their style of music.
ELO Kiddies starts the album, with a bouncy drum beat, then the sonic riff comes in. The riff starts with frontman Robin Zander going ELO Kiddies! ELO Kiddies! The guitar is chock full of riffs during the song, and they all fit perfectly. The guitar solo is ok, though not worthy of any awards. The drums punctuate parts of the solo and verses, with drum rolls and crash hits. Next is Daddy Should Have Stayed in High School, one of my personal favorite song titles. The song begins with a quiet distorted riff. Then lead guitarist Rick Nielsen goes into a little trill as the drums come in. And eventually the riff starts. The chorus consists of lots of "Ooooooooooooooo"s, till the song slows down and enters the verse again. There's a breakdown, with tom rolls on the drums, and a guitar riff. Then we enter the solo that fits the song. During parts of the song, and the outro, I'm pretty sure you can hear a cowbell, a nice addition. After this is Taxman, Mr. Theif, beginning with a solid drumbeat, and a great riff. The chorus picks up tempo, with Bun E. Carlos playing a crashing drum beat. The guitar is great in this song with a great solo. After the solo, Robin is practically screaming the verse.
Next is Cry, Cry. It begins with an eerie sound effect, leading into the riff. The drums build up, and join the ensemble. Then Robin joins. The chorus has Robin asking to not call him out, and the song is easily a love one. The solo is cool, though nothing like super amazing. The breakdown with the thumping drums and little teeny tiny guitar notes with Robin going Cry, Cry, is cool. Oh, Candy begins with a cool Hi-Hat and kick drum thing, then the riff comes in. Once the verse comes in the lead guitar is sparse, with little notes and licks being played. The chorus picks up the tempo and adds the guitar. The next verse keeps the same tempo, and when its done, we enter a mini guitar solo. And during all of this Bun E. keeps a crashing beat going on. After Candy is Hot Love. It begins with a crazy riff, and right about now I've noticed that Rick Nielsen is a great riff maker, and this is proof of it. Bun E. has a thumping beat going through the song.
Next is Speak Now or Forever Hold Your Peace, which begins with a slow guitar. Bun E comes in with a slow beat, that fits the song. The song is slow and never picks up tempo. After Speak Now' is He's a Whore, another one of my personal favorite song titles. It begins with a crashing beat, and a great riff. Then Robin Zander comes in. The riff perfectly makes the song. The chorus is the best, because how many other songs have you heard with people shouting He's a Whore! And after the great minisolo the shouting of "I'm a Whore!" This just puts icing on the cake. Next is Mandocello, which begins with an acoustic guitar, hinting at a ballad. The drums then enter, as well as Robin. The song is slower, but is far from a ballad. The guitar solo in this one is a nice melodic slow solo. The ending goes back to the acoustic guitar, finishing the song.
The Ballad of Tv Violence is next. It kicks off with a cool riff, and then the thumping drums come in. When Robin sings, there is no guitar, but instead the drums. When its done, and he starts the next line, the guitar comes back. The chorus features a weird effect on Robins voice. When we go back to the verse, the guitar is there the whole time. The guitar solo is great, one of the best heard so far in my opinion. The song is phenoemonal, and probably the best on the album. After this track there are five bonus previously unreleased tracks. The version you buy might not have these. I'm reviewing them anyways. The first one is called Lovin Money, it begins with a simple riff. Then another guitar comes in, and the crashing drums. The verses feature the crashing drums still, and these are one of the things that totally make Cheap Trick. Next is I Want You To Want Me, the song that pretty much showed me Cheap Trick. It begins with a drum roll, then the guitar comes. The song is much different from the final version. And its much worse. Robin sounds horrible, the guitar is totally different. The only thing fine about it is the constantly thumping drums. After this is Lookout, which begins with a cool guitar riff and crashing drums, like so many Cheap Trick songs do. The song is pretty upbeat, but Robin still sounds horrible, which makes it hard for me to enjoy the songs. Next is Your All Talk, which begins with a really cool drumbeat, and eventually a cool riff. The chorus is simple. I love this song but only because of the beat. The hi hat thing so cool, I just can't describe it. You just have to listen to it. The last song on the album is I Dig Go-Go Girls. It begins with a sonic guitar riff and Robin exclaiming that he Digs Go-Go Girls. Robin's voice still isn't that good, but I think its just because they are just Outtake tracks.
Overall, Cheap Tricks self titled debut is a solid album. The outtakes kind of bring the album down a little, but overall its great. What the album originally was is all that matters, and its a musthave for fans of Cheap Trick, or just their style of music.
posted August 29, 2007 at 07:44:30 AM
Under Cover is Ozzy's album of covers. It has classic rock songs, with Ozzy adding a more metal take to them.Rocky Mountain Way kicks off the album, starting with a heavy guitar riff, and pounding drums, differing from the original. Ozzy's voice perfectly fits this song. The guitar is heavier in this song, and more metal-like. The guitar solo is awesome, just like the original, except heavier. The talkbox/vocoder (not sure) part is awesome, and sounds different from the original as well. In My Life is a cover of a Beatles song. It begins with an acoustic guitar, and when Ozzy comes in, you can't tell its him straight away. It's a slower song, and Ozzy didn't really do a 'heavy' version of it. In fact, he did a slower version. After In My Life is Mississippi Queen. It begins with the classic cowbell, and guitar lick, which brings us in the intro. Then the song goes into the riff, and Ozzy comes in. The version isn't that much different from the original, except for Ozzy's voice. The guitar solo is just as good as the original. The song is overall a great cover, just not putting enough of a spin on the song.
Next is Go Now, a cover of a song by Bessie Banks, but more famously done by the Moody Blues. The song has Ozzy sounding weird in the beginning, and has guitar instead of piano. Its more of a heavy take on the song. And I kind of prefer it the original. The guitar solo is cool, and a nice addition. After this is Woman, a cover of a song by John Lennon. It begins with a combination of guitars and strings, then Ozzy comes in, with strings heard in the background. Eventually a guitar is heard faintly in the background, but Ozzy's vocals are the centerpiece of this song. Next is 21st Century Schizoid Man, a cover of the song by King Crimson. It begins with crashing drums, and Jimi Hendrix psychedelic like guitar. Then the tempo slows down, With Ozzy singing the lyrics over a guitar chord. Then the licks similar to the beginning come in again. The guitar solo is awesome, with parts of the solo alone, then a riff with the drums, repeated over and over a few times.
Next is a cover of All The Young Dudes, originally by Mott The Hoople. It begins like the original. The song keeps the same tempo as the original, I think it would've been cool to speed it up though. The chorus, while similar to the original, is different just because of Ozzy's voice in the chant. The guitar solo is simple, sounding like the chorus. After that is For What Its Worth, a cover of the song by Buffalo Springfield. It's a song that you probably heard before, just don't know it. It begins the same way, but once it goes into the verse, a power chord is heard. The chorus is more upbeat and heavy. The guitar solo that is added is nice, perfectly fitting the song. The new arrangement is perfect, probably one of the best on the album. Good Times is a song originally by Eric Burdon. The original is acoustic, and doesn't have much guitar. But Ozzy's version is all electric, and adds tons more guitar. It's a heavy metal take on the song, and I prefer this version to the original. The guitar solo has tons of flange, and sounds really cool.
Next is a song originally by Cream, Sunshine Of Your Love. Ozzy's version has a bass and drum intro, which kicks into the classic riff, which is more 'metalized'. The verses contain background vocals, as well as Ozzy's classic voice, which makes this a real METAL! take on the song. The guitar solo is cool, keeping the metal vibe. This is easily one of the best covers on the album. After this is Fire, not the Jimi version, but the song by The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. I've never heard the original before, so I'm reviewing this stand alone. It begins with Ozzy chanting, I am the God of Hellfire. Then the band joins in. I've heard the original doesn't have guitar, but this version does. I can't see this song not having guitar, since it sounds like it so despretly needs it. Next is a cover of the John Lennon classic, Working Class Hero. It begins with an acoustic, then Ozzy comes in. This version isn't much different from the original, but its a good cover anyways. The last song on the album is Sympathy For The Devil, a Rolling Stones cover. It begins with an upbeat drum beat and a scream. Then a guitar plays a chord over and over for the most part. The chorus is way different from the original. It is more upbeat, and features a guitar. There is a cool guitar solo, that opens with a low distorted riff, then kicks into the 'real' solo. There is a 2nd guitar solo, which is just as good as the first. The song is more guitar oriented than the original. Like WAY more guitar oriented. Also, the song drops the samba beat, for a more rock beat. This is another one of the best covers on the album.
Overall, Ozzy's covers are great. Most of them take a more metal side than the originals, and the result is great. Pick this one up if your an Ozzy fan, or casual Ozzy listener.
Next is Go Now, a cover of a song by Bessie Banks, but more famously done by the Moody Blues. The song has Ozzy sounding weird in the beginning, and has guitar instead of piano. Its more of a heavy take on the song. And I kind of prefer it the original. The guitar solo is cool, and a nice addition. After this is Woman, a cover of a song by John Lennon. It begins with a combination of guitars and strings, then Ozzy comes in, with strings heard in the background. Eventually a guitar is heard faintly in the background, but Ozzy's vocals are the centerpiece of this song. Next is 21st Century Schizoid Man, a cover of the song by King Crimson. It begins with crashing drums, and Jimi Hendrix psychedelic like guitar. Then the tempo slows down, With Ozzy singing the lyrics over a guitar chord. Then the licks similar to the beginning come in again. The guitar solo is awesome, with parts of the solo alone, then a riff with the drums, repeated over and over a few times.
Next is a cover of All The Young Dudes, originally by Mott The Hoople. It begins like the original. The song keeps the same tempo as the original, I think it would've been cool to speed it up though. The chorus, while similar to the original, is different just because of Ozzy's voice in the chant. The guitar solo is simple, sounding like the chorus. After that is For What Its Worth, a cover of the song by Buffalo Springfield. It's a song that you probably heard before, just don't know it. It begins the same way, but once it goes into the verse, a power chord is heard. The chorus is more upbeat and heavy. The guitar solo that is added is nice, perfectly fitting the song. The new arrangement is perfect, probably one of the best on the album. Good Times is a song originally by Eric Burdon. The original is acoustic, and doesn't have much guitar. But Ozzy's version is all electric, and adds tons more guitar. It's a heavy metal take on the song, and I prefer this version to the original. The guitar solo has tons of flange, and sounds really cool.
Next is a song originally by Cream, Sunshine Of Your Love. Ozzy's version has a bass and drum intro, which kicks into the classic riff, which is more 'metalized'. The verses contain background vocals, as well as Ozzy's classic voice, which makes this a real METAL! take on the song. The guitar solo is cool, keeping the metal vibe. This is easily one of the best covers on the album. After this is Fire, not the Jimi version, but the song by The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. I've never heard the original before, so I'm reviewing this stand alone. It begins with Ozzy chanting, I am the God of Hellfire. Then the band joins in. I've heard the original doesn't have guitar, but this version does. I can't see this song not having guitar, since it sounds like it so despretly needs it. Next is a cover of the John Lennon classic, Working Class Hero. It begins with an acoustic, then Ozzy comes in. This version isn't much different from the original, but its a good cover anyways. The last song on the album is Sympathy For The Devil, a Rolling Stones cover. It begins with an upbeat drum beat and a scream. Then a guitar plays a chord over and over for the most part. The chorus is way different from the original. It is more upbeat, and features a guitar. There is a cool guitar solo, that opens with a low distorted riff, then kicks into the 'real' solo. There is a 2nd guitar solo, which is just as good as the first. The song is more guitar oriented than the original. Like WAY more guitar oriented. Also, the song drops the samba beat, for a more rock beat. This is another one of the best covers on the album.
Overall, Ozzy's covers are great. Most of them take a more metal side than the originals, and the result is great. Pick this one up if your an Ozzy fan, or casual Ozzy listener.
posted August 27, 2007 at 08:20:09 AM
