2014
has been quite a year for classic rock music. We’ve seen the release of many
new albums from classic artists, as well as some solid reissues/remasters. As I
do every year, I will briefly review every album I’ve bought this year. Note
that there are some albums in this article that I didn’t review the first time
around.
NEW ALBUMS
David
Crosby
Croz
Rating: ***
Much
to the surprise of many people, David Crosby decided to release his first album
in 20 years. Croz was handed to me by
my college radio station and I’ve only heard it once. While not a particularly
memorable album, Croz is an enjoyable
album. I can’t really pick out any stand out tracks. It’s just okay.
Steel
Panther
All
You Can Eat
Rating: ****
For
their third album, comedic hard rockers Steel Panther decided to stick to their
guns by presenting their fans with more juvenile-humored tracks. While it can
get tiresome to listen to the same over-the-top sexual jokes, the songs on here
are pretty damn good. “Party Like It’s the End of the World” is a hilarious
anthem while the hard hitting “Gloryhole” is good fun. Musically, the band are
tighter than ever. While songs such as “Bukkake Tears” have disgusting subject
matters, the music is very pretty and melodic. The stand out track on here, in
my opinion, is “The Burden of Being Wonderful.” This is an impressive song
coming from the band, as there is no dirty humor to be found in the lyrics. Instead,
singer Michael Starr musses about why he’s so perfect while everyone else
around him isn’t.
Various
Artists
Ronnie
James Dio- This Is Your Life
Raing: ****
After
years of waiting, an official Dio tribute album has been released. In all
honesty, I’ve only listened to this once. Still, it’s a great collection of
tunes from some of the best metal artists. Friends of Ronnie such as Rob
Halford and Glenn Hughes are on the album. The highlight, for me, is
Metallica’s suite of Rainbow tunes.
Uriah
Heep
Outsider
Rating: ****
45
years after their formation, Uriah Heep are still together making music
(although of its founding members, guitarist Mick Box is the only one). Outside is an important album in band’s
discography, considering it’s their first release after the death of long-time
bassist Trevor Bolder. With new bassist, Davey Rimmer, the band manages to
crank out a couple of songs on here. “Speed on Sound” is an electrifying opener
while “Looking at You” shows that the band can make keyboard-heavy sounding
track cool in 2014. “Can’t Take That Away” is a personal favorite as it does
certainly try to capture the band’s 1970s sound. While I prefer its predecessor
Into the Wild, Outsider is still a good album.
Quiet
Riot
10
Rating: ***
½
Much
to the surprise of many fans, Quiet Riot released a new album this year just
days after announcing its release. Since 2010, drummer Frankie Banali has been
touring with a new version of Quiet Riot- taking the surviving members of the
band’s last line up (guitarist Alex Grossi and bassist Chuck Wright) along with
a new lead singer. Ex-Love/Hate and Ratt singer Jizzy Pearl is now the band’s
new frontman. While many have criticized Banali’s choice to reform Quiet Riot
without the late Kevin DuBrow, the new band has been doing fairly well paying
tribute to the music. The new album, 10,
is a strangely structured album featuring six new studio track and four live
tracks. While strange, the end result isn’t bad at all. The new tracks
featuring Pearl are good while the live cuts featuring the late DuBrow are a
nice touch.
Judas
Priest
Redeemer
of Souls
Rating: ****
FAVORITE
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Despite
embarking on a “farewell tour” and the departure of guitarist KK Downing, Judas
Priest have managed to release a new kick-ass studio album. Now with guitarist
Richie Faulkner, the band delivers the goods throughout the album’s 13 tracks.
Songs such as “Dragonaut” and “Halls of Valahalla” prove the band can still
make hard n’ heavy tracks. Even Rob Halford is a good form, especially on
“Metalizer” and “Battle Cry.” The title
track is strong while the album bravely closes with the ballad-esque “Beginning
of the End,” which sounds as if it came from Sad Wings of Destiny. This
album is so great that it’s almost frightening.
Accept
Blind
Rage
Rating: ****
As
their third album since reuniting with new singer Mark Tornillo, Accept’s Blind Rage is another heavy album from
the German heavy metal band. Compared to 2010’s Blood of the Nations and 2012’s Stalingrad,
this one follows them up nicely. In fact, I think I might like this better than
Stalingrad. Accept still knows how to
make rapid-fire head bangers such as “Stampede” and “Trail of Tears.” The band
even offers the melodic “Dark Side of My Heart,” and the anthem-driven “Wanna
Be Free.”
Riot
V
Unleash
the Fire
Rating: ****
Sole
original member Mark Reale might’ve died from Crohn’s Disease in 2012 but that
didn’t stop guitarist Mike Flyntz and bassist Donnie Van Stavern from
continuing to perform the music of Riot. Now under the name Riot V, the new
group has been touring all year long with new singer Todd Michael Hall at the
helm. From beginning to end, Unleash the
Fire is a touching tribute to Reale as the album’s 12 tracks celebrate all
eras of Riot. “Ride Hard Live Free” is a guitar heavy track while “Metal
Warrior” is lyrically filled with references to other Riot songs. The band even
offers throwbacks to the classic Riot era with “Return of the Outlaw” (a sequel
to “Outlaw” from Fire Down Under),
“Take Me Back” and “Land of the Rising Sun.” I think it’s safe to say the
legacy of Riot is in good hands.
Pink
Floyd
The
Endless River
Rating: ***
(3.25)
Much
to the surprise of many people, it was announced in July that Pink Floyd would
have a new studio album out this year. The truth is that the material on this
album isn’t new, has it comes from session previously known as “The Big
Spliff.” This project was recorded by Pink Floyd as a side project during the
recording of The Division Bell. It
was originally an electronica affair that wouldn’t be released under the Pink
Floyd name. However, David Gilmour and Nick Mason thought it was good enough to
release not only as a swan song but as a tribute to the late Rick Wright. With
that, Gilmour and Mason recorded new music to the unfinished product. While it
does sound like a Pink Floyd album, The
Endless River also comes across as an album I’d probably hear playing at a massage
parlor. At times, the album can become boring to listen to. With the exception
of one song, the album is entirely instrumental. Still, there are some good
tracks on here with most of them last for only some two minutes. The sole track
with vocals, “Louder Than Words,” is a great song. Despite a few positives,
this album didn’t need to be released.
AC/DC
Rock
or Bust
Rating: ***
½ (3.75)
Despite
the retirement of co-founding member Malcolm Young, AC/DC have decided to
soldier on without him. Rock or Bust is
the band’s first album since 2008’s Black
Ice. The album runs at a little under 35 minutes, making this the shortest
album the band has ever made. Still, there some great songs such as the title
track, “Play Ball” and “Dogs of War.” Of the 11 tracks, there are a few weak
songs. Personally, I feel the songs on Black
Ice were stronger although that album had the longer runtime (55 minutes-
the band’s longest album ever). For what it is, Rock or Bust is good fun.
RANKINGS (excluding Crosby and the Dio
tribute album, given I didn’t listen to them much)
1. Judas
Priest- Redeemer of Souls
2. Riot
V- Unleash the Fire
3. Accept-
Blind Rage
4. Uriah
Heep- Outsider
5. Steel
Panther- All You Can Eat
6. AC/DC-
Rock or Bust
7. Quiet
Riot- 10
8. Pink
Floyd- The Endless River
REISSUES AND ARCHIVAL RELEASES
Love
Black
Beauty
Rating: ****
FAVORITE
(AND ONLY) ARCHIVAL RELEASE OF THE YEAR
In
1974, Arthur Lee was still with his band Love. At that time, the band featured
an all-black line up of the group. This line-up recorded an album entitled Black Beauty. While the album was
complete, the album ended up being shelved due to their record label folding. Lee
meant to properly release the album before his passing in 2006, although the
album had since then been widely bootlegged amongst music lovers. In 2011, a
new label called High Moon Records announced they would release the album as
one of their first two releases (the other being a long out-of-print Gene Clark
album). With High Moon Records being a new label, the release date kept
changing. The vinyl was released first just last year and now the CD is here in
2014. If released in 1974, Black Beauty could’ve
been a comeback for Arthur Lee and Love. The mix of hard driving rock against
R&B and soul sounds make this album. The remaster used an acetate copy of
the album and it still sounds wonderful. Songs such as “Midnight Sun,” “Young
and Able” and “Beep Beep” are all great. Along with the album, High Moon have
treated Love fans to some previously unreleased bonus tracks. If you’re a Love
fan, this is well worth the $27.
Paul
McCartney and Wings
Venus
And Mars & Wings At The Speed of Sound
Venus and Mars rating: ****
Speed of Sound rating: ***
½
The
Paul McCartney Archive Collection continues with two Wings albums, Venus and Mars and Wings At the Speed of Sound. As with the previous installments in
the collection, both albums have top-notch remastering and a bonus disc that’ll
make any completist happy. Venus and Mars
has always been a favorite of mine so hearing it remastered is very cool. Speed of Sound has always been an odd
album for me but the new remaster makes me appreciate the album a little more.
George
Harrison
All
Things Must Pass
Album and Remaster Rating: ****
½
The
George Harrison Apple albums were reissued and remastered during the fall, in a
box set form and as individual albums. Instead of buying the expensive box set,
I decided to give All Things Must Pass
a listen. After listening to it a few times, I have to agree with fellow
audiophiles: the 2014 remaster is better. The last time the album was released
was in 2001, one of the last things George ever worked on (released months before
he passed). While the 2001 remaster was fine for people then, it’s actually
pretty loud (especially on songs like “Wah-Wah”). The 2014 remaster sounds
warmer in comparison and according to what other people are saying on the web,
it’s closer to the vinyl. No matter which version of the album you own already,
I’d say go for it.
As for the rest of the box set, I’m not
too sure. Personally, I won’t repurchase Living
in the Material World given it was last reissued in 2006. Still, some think
the 2014 one sounds better. If anything, it’s good to know that all of George’s
albums are in print.
DVDS
The
Doors
Feast
of Friends
Rating: ****
After
years of being bootlegged, the long lost “surreal documentary” about the Doors
has finally been released. Filmed in 1968, Feast
of Friends is a short 40-minute documentary that shows the Doors on tour in
1968. The film was later completed by friends of Jim Morrison and Ray Manzarek
from UCLA and released in 1970, submitted for several film festivals. The movie
has never received an official home video release but footage from the movie
has been used in other Doors media such as home videos and music videos. Of the
40 minutes in the movie, I’ve already seen most of it in the videos MCA
released (which can all be found on The
Doors: Collector’s Edition DVD, three videos in one. It’s probably the best
Doors DVD out there). Still, it’s good to see the original movie. The bonus
features, especially a half hour of extra footage entitled “Feast of Friends
Encore” strengthens the movie itself. Also included is a BBC documentary from
1968 and a performance of “The End.”
BOOKS
Face
the Music: A Life Exposed
By
Paul Stanley
Rating: ****
It
might be hard to believe but as of this year, all four original members of Kiss
have released an autobiography. Rhythm guitarist and frontman Paul Stanley is
the last of the four to publish a book, but this was well worth the wait. For
me, Paul has always been my favorite member of Kiss as I think he’s a great
singer and songwriter. While most of the information in this book might not be
anything new, most of it is brutally honest. In the book, Stanley describes his
life as a shy, awkward kid with a stump ear who would later become one of the
most charismatic frontmen in rock history. Stanley’s journey isn’t an easy one,
filled with some regrets and tragedy. As one might’ve guessed, he rips his
former bandmates each a new asshole: Ace Frehley was apparently racist, Peter
Criss could be a moody bitch and Vinnie Vincent was just difficult to work
with. He even sheds more light on the late Eric Carr, who was loved by all of
the fans but didn’t always like his position in the group. In the end, Face the Music is well-worth reading.
2015 releases
It’s been confirmed that both Bob Dylan
and Black Star Riders will have new album out next year. Other than that, we’ll
just have to wait.
In memoriam
Scott Asheton- drummer of the Stooges
Tommy Ramone- original drummer of the
Ramones
Johnny Winter- guitarist and solo artist
Dick Wagner- guitarist, Alice Cooper and
Lou Reed
Glenn Cornick- original bassist of
Jethro Tull, Wild Turkey and Paris
Jack Bruce- bassist of Cream
Bobby Keys- saxophonist and sideman for
the Rolling Stones
Ian McLagan- keyboardist of the Small
Faces and Faces
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