Some New Music / Some Lost Gems

Here are a few hot tips about some great rock and roll; not alternative and certainly not the radio hits that play incessantly on FM radio today.

Included here are opinions about some new releases and some lost gems that fans of melodic rock should appreciate. I urge readers to reveal some of their obscure and forgotten favorites and maybe bring to life, some treasures that have, over time, been lost in the abyss of rock and roll.

One of my favorite bands for the last 35 years is probably a virtual unknown to most readers here but they have released more #1 songs worldwide and have had more charted songs (63 with 22 in the top ten) in Great Britain than the Rolling Stones. Their worldwide record sales exceed 118 million and they have played over 6000 live concerts to over 25 million people in their 39 year history.

In 1991 this band was placed into the Guinness Book of World Records for playing 4 back to back concerts throughout England in 11 hours and 11 minutes. October saw the release of their 33^rd studio album and 38^th recording (if you include greatest hits releases); The Fourth Chord. I am sure that they will not be nominated for the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame but their story is, indeed, quite impressive.

This legendary band is Status Quo and my first exposure to them was in 1968 when I purchased their debut release ‘Pictures of Matchstick Men’; a psychedelic icon of the late 60’s. They evolved and became more of a blues/rock band for a couple of albums and then finally in 1973 reinvented themselves into “boogie rock”. That year saw the release of the now classic ‘Caroline’ and they have boogied on since.

There were peaks and valleys throughout the 80’s and 90’s and sometimes I held my nose as some of their material was sophomoric, but, they persisted and have stood the test of time.

On (In Search Of) ‘The Fourth Chord’, Status Quo returns with some pretty good material and it is even stronger than their 2005 release ‘The Party Ain’t Over Yet’. My suggestion to any new listener to Status Quo is that you opt for a live recording or DVD. On their website there are several live YouTube videos to watch.

Status Quo's studio material just does not do the live show, the enthusiasm of the band and the energy of their performance justice. To those who like feel good, energetic, fun music they are worthwhile checking out. Of course, (In Search Of) “The Fourth Chord” is a tongue-in cheek, play on words as Status Quo has always been accused of ‘three chord rock’.

http://www.statusquo.co.uk

Next up is something new by Ten front man, Gary Hughes. His unique vocals shine on his first new album since 1998, VERITAS. The musicianship, arrangements and orchestration of this solo effort is truly amazing. A variety of talented musicians from different genres of rock join Gary on this effort and it is sure to be a classic.

Looking around the web, I noted that it is on all of the major internet music sites including Amazon, CD Universe, etc. and can be ordered at http://www.nehrecords.com as well. My favorite cuts are: Wide Awake In Dreamland, I Know It’s Time and The Emerald Sea.

My only critique here is with the production, which at times is a bit muddy, leaving some of the musical parts lacking crispness and leaving the energy hanging on the edge of spectacular. Here is a link to a site to learn more about Gary and take a listen to the MP3 samples at NEH Records that you will find there.

http://www.tenofthebest.com/ten_solo_gh.htm

There are some releases through the years that I have owned and played until they were worn out. Most of these are out of print but there are a few “gems” that I have recently gotten my hands on and they sound as good to me now as they did back then.

Breathless-This Cleveland band was highly underrated and plagued by record label payola schemes in the 1980’s. They did however manage to release a couple of tremendous albums. Then, in 1993 an independent record label re-released several as a “Greatest Hits” set called ‘Picture This’. All of these recordings are rare finds today with ‘Picture This’ garnering $50-$100 for a mint copy. If you can get your hands on a Breathless CD or vinyl album, you won’t be able to stop playing it!

Painter-This 1973 release stands up today as a representation of what rock and roll was to become in the later half of the 70’s. Outstanding musicianship, great vocals and harmonies and a top ten single (West Coast Woman) were the product of this rare high energy recording. I picked this rare out of print recording up a couple of years ago and have yet to download it onto my iPod but I am doing that soon. Once again, if you get the chance, this is another gem worth owning.

Sutherland Brothers and Quiver-The only album that I ever had fondness for was the “Lifeboat” release and particularly one song titled “(I Don’t Want To Love You But) You got Me Anyway”. Another 1973 release that stands up in all of it’s glory today. A few years back, on a trip to Ireland, I found this recording on a CD and snapped it up; only to find that my favorite song was not on the Irish version of the album. I found this vinyl mint copy on E-Bay recently and scooped it up to transfer over to my iPod. In any event…great music, harmonies and songs.

Lucifer’s Friend-This is a group of musicians who have gone through many configurations as a band and although one of my favorite all time vocalists, John Lawton fronted the band for many years, their all time best recording was in 1983 entitled: “Sneak Me In”. Vocals on this album were handled by Mike Starrs in Lawton’s absence. This band is a cross between Styx, Genesis and the Scorpions, keyboard oriented with memorable melodic guitar riffs and songs that stick in your head. They made a comeback in 1999 with John Lawton at the helm with the SUMOGRIP release and it was a great effort but Sneak Me In is my favorite.

Now for a little critique and perhaps the most disappointing release of 2007, Paul Sabu’s Strange Messiah CD. Sabu’s self titled release on MCA Records 30 years ago introduced us to an artist that showed great promise. His first single was “Rock Me Slowly” and featured a Boston like guitar sound.

A couple of releases in the 1980’s did not yield Paul the expected success before bands like Pearl Jam took center stage, paving the way for the “alternative” sound that would dominate the airwaves for a decade. Sabu found that Europe was fertile ground for his sound and the 90’s saw some great releases and fantastic songs released in Germany, France, Holland and Italy.

Strange Messiah is Sabu’s latest release and it is truly sad to see a devolution in both songwriting and the quality of this recording. A truly disappointing CD and I don’t suggest it. The vocals are irritating and the production lacks clarity and it is laborious to listen to.

First and foremost a renowned producer who has been the driving force behind studio projects for legendary musical artists, Sabu’s website is very interesting with his connection to Shania Twain and his relationship with rock star Teri Tims, so if anyone is interested his site is at http://www.paulsabu.com. I do have about 40 songs from his many efforts on my iPod but Strange Messiah will never find it's way there!

Pictured here are Sabu’s first recording and his latest.

Now, if you have alot of vinyl that you want to transfer over to your iPod or MP3 player, I have a solution for you! I recently purchased an ION brand USB turntable with included software to transfer over vinyl albums and turn them into digital files.

This piece of equipment costs a little over $125 and is worth every penny. I would suggest, however, that anyone attempting this task should purchase an inexpensive mixer to give yourself more sound options and absolute control of the final product.

So, there you have it…another music blog and something out of the ordinary. I know that this is not of interest to many readers but to those who are a fan of good, solid melodic rock…these recordings and artists are worth a listen!