Karen Carpenter's lost gem

Growing up The Carpenters were one of my mother's favorite groups.  She loved Karen Carpenter's singing and the music of Richard Carpenter.  I remember listening to many of their albums on a weekend afternoon.  Karen Carpenter had a wonderful voice and she knew how to deliver what her brother wrote.  The Carpenters ruled the soft rock to easy listening area of the AM dial in the 70's.  I don't think there were many weddings that "We've Only Just Begun" wasn't played at during that time.  Were the Carpenters a really great duo?  Sure the songs that  Richard Carpenter wrote are classics.  Were some of them more than bordering on sapy?   Yes. I really think Karen didn't get her due as a vocalist or the fantastic drummer that she was due to the sapy factor.

In 1979 Karen worked on her solo release with producer Phil Ramone.  As I have read and heard  about from interviews is that Karen wanted to explore a more mature and modern sound.  As 1980 came around she brought the release to A&M records only to have Albert and Moss to urge her not to release it. As described by her producer Phil Romone, after a painful decision she shelved it and had to pay back the money it took to make it.  Three years later, Karen Carpenter left us due to her struggle with Anorexia.  Growing up with the Carpenters, her untimely death really hurt.  If anything good came out of the loss was that a disease that had been in the dark for too long came out into the light.

So I grew hearing of the lost album.  It was just the past few years that I found that the album was actually released.  I found a copy on ebay but didn't pull the trigger and buy it.  So while watching a recent special on the Carpenters I got curious about her lost release. Yes, Apple music has it and after a few times listening to the music  I believe Albert and Moss were wrong not to release it.

Now I am reviewing the music with the mindset of living in 2015, but I remember 1980.  Sex and sexuality was there but on the fringes of popular culture and certainly the nice girl from the Carpenters didn't sing about Making Love or her First Time.  Looking at the lyrics from the next century it seems so tame but Madonna and Prince hadn't taken over main stream music yet.  So I can understand their decision, but boy we missed out on some great music.

Karen Carpenter the album is filled with catchy, if a bit dated songs.  I think it could have really moved Karen's career along to new areas.  Making Love in the Afternoon is a track that Peter Certera wrote and sang background vocals on.  With no doubt I am sure that the track would have been a mega pop hit.  It's a catchy well sung track that I could listen to over and over again.  If I had You is another pop hit and finally her cover of Still Crazy after all These Years is a lost classic.  Truly her delivery of that song could have a blog written about it alone and is a testament to how great a vocalist she really was.  The only knock I have on the album is that the music style to some of the songs is a bit pop disco sounding. which is something that  was done a the time.  The music isn't enough of a knock on the album that I wouldn't recommend it.

So if you are looking for a wonderful artist who explored new areas to only be denied, give Karen Carpenter's solo album a listen.  And I have to say it is nice to live in a world that at least we are starting to respect female artists for the complete Woman that they are.

Til next time, listen to the best - your ears deserve it.  

Kylie: Christmas in the Disco

It is December and in the spirit of the season I am going to review some of my favorite Christmas CDs.

Kylie Minogue is the greatest Disco Princess outside the USA.  In my mind she should be the greatest in the states too but for some reason she has never fully gone over around here.  Kylie has been on the music scene for decades.  In 1988 she broke on the US shores with a cover of the classic Locomotion.  After that she disappeared from the States for a while.  Now the rest of the world was enjoying the disco diva, but Kylie was another one of those artists that didn't just come across in the USA.  I got back to listening to her in 2001 with the Fever CD. The video of Can't Get You Out Of My Head was futuristic and hot.  Kylie not only is a great singer, but certainly not hard to look at. Fever was a great disco/dance CD and I enjoyed it.  But unfortunately like with her appearance in 88 she left the US pop carts.

With Kylie being in the charts world wide as long as she has been I was surprised that this year's release is her first Christmas CD.  Drama/Switchblade Kitten, an old and dear friend, suggested I review the release and I couldn't wait.

The new release is a mix of what you would expect in a Christmas CD and some surprises.  The CD starts out with the Christmas standards and they are okay but how many times have you heard Winter Wonderland and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?  Now what I was looking for was found in the tracks like I'm Gonna Be Warm This Winter, Every Day's Like Christmas and Christmas Wrapping.  These tracks are fun, poppy and danceable, Christmas Wrapping has a enjoyable contribution from Iggy Pop.  Kylie just smokes on Santa Baby and since she seems to be Madonna's successor in the Dance world it is appropriate she gives her own take to the classic that Madonna torched in the 80s.  The standout on the release is Kylie's cover of 2000 Miles.  Her voice molds the the feel of the song and shows that Kylie can really deliver an emotional ballad.

If you want to listen to a great artist that most of the world seems to enjoy more than Americans; I would give Kylie Christmas a listen.

Til next time listen, to the best - your ears deserve it.

Vandenberg a looked over Guitar god

One of  favorite guitarist  is Adrian Vandenberg.  The first reaction from most people is "Who?"  My reply is normally the blond guitar player in the Whitesnake videos.  Most of the time that works.  The fact that he is known as the 2nd best guitar player in someone else's band is a shame because he is so much more.

The 80's were the time to be a lead guitarist.  They were the gods of the age.  There were many of the gods on  MTV and shredding the stages with their mighty axes.  Unfortunately with so many gods on the scene some really notable guitarists got lost.

Okay the fact that I knew of  Vandenberg before Whitesnake was thanks to Mark "Blender" Benson. Mark was just able to find some real gems and the band Vandenberg was an outstanding discovery. The band had three albums in the early 80's and unfortunately other than Mark they never found a large audience.  I only own the Greatest Hits CD but I have listened to every album from many road trips with Mark.

What I find great about Adrian Vandenberg's style of guitar play is that unlike many other guitar gods of that time, is that guitar playing fits with the song instead of please suffer through this until my guitar solo comes in.  On the track Different Worlds he switches from classical guitar to electric naturally and it fits within the frame of the song.  The rest of their greatest hits CD is an perfect example of  early 80's hard rock.

I saw Whitesnake on tour where Adrian Vandenberg and Steve Vai were both playing guitar.  This is where my admiration for Vandenberg's guitar playing was cemented.  I am not taking anything away from Steve Vai, He is a technical genius on the guitar, but compared to Vandenberg he seemed like a little boy trying to show off.  In Vai's defense this was the style of the age and maybe this is why Vandenberg got lost in the mix.  When Adrian came to play his solo it was more like a master working on his art.  There was a passion and soul built into his playing along with the technical brilliance.   All I can say is that my date at the time swooned when he played.

This was the highest point of Adrian Vandenberg's career.  He faded away with the guitar gods of the age.  If you are looking for the best of early 80's hard rock I would give them a listen.

Til next time: listen to the best - your ears deserve it.

Redefining Roles In This Moment

My wife recently noticed that my blogs start with "In High School" quite often.  So I am doing this blog talking about a new band, yes from this century, but the obstacles they face have been around for awhile.

This blog will will have me talking about Octane Channel on Sirius/XM.  Hard Rock and Metal have for many years been a tough place for women.  In the art form Women have either been objects of Lust, Distain, or on very rare occasion adoration.  The great thing about this generation is the evolution on the sound.  Young woman have really started to come into their own as artists.  I have already talked about Halestorm a great Hard Rock band fronted by a female rocker. The newest band that has caught my attention is In This Moment.

I am not reviewing a CD but the band.  What I find really interesting about In This Moment is that they are carrying on the Shock Rock started by Alice Cooper.  Now I don't like all of their music. Some of it is just too edgy and rough, but I do respect what they are doing.  As I said earlier, women have not had an easy time in music in general but Hard Rock and Metal has been really tough to break into.  In This Moment has found their share of unfair criticism.  The lead singer Maria Brink is an attractive blond young woman, who sings about sex and edgy subjects.  The criticism is that a woman can not willfully want to discuss such subjects, there must be a man behind her forcing her to sing about such things so all us guys get aroused.  What utter Cave Man crap!  Maria Brink and the band are facing what Madonna did last century with  Pop and Dance  The band even released a song to answer their critics Sex Metal Barbie.  Now the song isn't my cup of tea but the message is right on.

Octane is where I found their music, some of I really enjoy, but finding their video channel on YouTube has taken it to a whole other level.  I am going sound really old here but I have missed out on the music videos on You Tube.  The discovery has made me thrilled and opened up a new way for me to enjoy music.  In This Moment's video channel is what made me appreciate the band even more.Their videos are testaments to Rob Zombie and Marilyn Manson.

I have mentioned several times that I don't get all of In This Moment, so I want to mention several songs I really dig.  Big Bad Wolf is one of their newer releases and it is the jam! Adrenalize is another great song and finally The Gun Show is very tasty and fun.

If you want to hear where Shock and NuMetal is going in the future led by a great female lead singer, In This Moment is a great place to start.

Til the next time' only listen to the best: your ears deserve it.

Metallica's Black day for purist

I remember Metallica from high school. All of the burn outs wore the t shirts from the early tours. For those of you who don't remember or don't know what a burn out was, they were the kids really into Metal music and drugs. I never was fully in their group I really liked hard rock I didn't have the application for Metal at the time, and I didn't do drugs. So I spent high school around the music of Metallica. I even remember the disappointment and heartache when the original bassist Cliff Burton died way too early. I guess the closest to early Metallica I got into was the video for the song One. 

When Metallica first came on the market they, like most Metal bands, weren't on the radio and they definitely weren't on MTV. Metal finally got a toe hold in the mass media with The Head Bangers Ball. I remember that show, 120 Minutes for alternative music and finally the great Ed Lover show for Rap was a way MTV gave a small voice to videos that weren't pop. 

In 1991 I was in college and Metallica released the Black album. I finally heard the band on radio and saw videos on MTV. I enjoyed what I heard and saw, but Metal purists were none too happy. Before I get to my review of the album I want to look at the Metal fans reaction and what is truly Selling Out. 

The problem with the Black Album is that it crossed over. This means Industry smucks realized that could make big money off of Metal music, or at least a formula of it. I think that after many times listening to New Metallica, and the fact that the band has lasted ,it must have meant that the band wanted a change. The great bands that last change. The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Rush, and heaven knows Queen all changed and tried different styles over their careers. I think the reason Metallica lasted is that they wanted to change. Unfortunately, there were many Metal bands that listened to the music industry smucks and changed for the money. Fans know when it is real and when it is a formula. Hey there are many Metal bands that didn't give into the Industry and they are still around. So is it truly Selling Out if you want to change your music and it becomes popular?  Let's be honest the Black Album could have bombed. 

On the album, The first change I noticed is that the songs are much shorter. It kind of reminds me of the change Rush did after their first few albums. It's like the band felt we know we can write epics ; can we get the point across in a shorter time. The other change is there is a heavier bass line. I sometimes wonder if this change plus the cross over of Rap lead to the Metal of the 21 century?  The songs are still very dark Enter Sandman, The Unforgiven, The God That Failed are all on the unpleasant side of life. I love Sad But True the grove just diggs in and grabs you. Finally, yes there is sort of a ballad on the album, Nothing Else Matters. I know that was probably the biggest sticking point for Metal purists. I have to admit I sort of side with the purists on this one. Now Hair Metal had already fallen into this Industry trap of releasing the heavy track and then the ballad ; so too did a lot of Metal bands who would never willing write more less release a ballad. So Metal went the way of Hair bands, Fans know a formula and will also look for the Pure Art

So I like the Black album, and to be frank to anytime there is a change haters be out in full force. But if it a change cause the musicians want it they will last. Give it a listen. it is a great Album. 

Till next time, listen to the best your ears deserve it. s

Steely Dan Alive Alive at Last

In keeping with my resent pod cast, Bluegrass Blog Mixer on ITunes and my last blog I felt it was time to share my thoughts on Steely Dan. I have reviewed the solo works from Donald Fagen and Walter Becker but I haven't shared my thoughts on a Steely Dan album. Now I love them all and the best worst thing I ever bought was Citizen Dan.  It was a box set of all of the CDs, but with the band not putting out anything new I had bought all there was to get.  I was stuck until the guys reunited for a tour. 

I have yet to see the band live. I do greatly regret it. Something is always in the way. So for now their live album will have to and it does do quite nicely. Now Donald and Walter are known to be perfectionist in the studio and I had often wondered would that translate to a live performance?  Surprisingly enough it does. I was in Interlochen Michigan working at the Arts Academy when the CD came out and the sound engineer guys where quite impressed with sound on the CD. 

Now my first memories of the Dan are once again the AM radio in the Parents VW Bug or van. In college I bought a cassette that had Katy Lied and The Royal Scam on it and I got sucked into their world.  Now to the suburban white boy that I am the world of the Dan is the other side of the tracks, drug dealers and the underbelly of life. A musically mysterious realm that their songs bring me to.  The reason I am reviewing Alive in America is the other albums have been reviewed and analyzed to death and as I wrote about earlier the first new Dan in many years. 

The CD starts the mood with Babylon Sisters and it glides on their jazz, pop, rock blend from there. The tracks are mainly the big hits.  I have to admit I was surprised that the only solo work on the CD was a Walter track. I reviewed Book of Liars on an earlier blog about Walter solo but on this release was my listening to the song. It is a better song live than what he had on his solo CD.  Oddly enough the song is richer and musically layered live than in the studio.  The feel of the recording is almost like you're seeing the band on a late summer night laying on a blanket under the stars.  

I recommend Alive in America for anyone like me who haven't gotten a chance to see the Dan live. 

Till next time listen to the best your ears deserve it!

Kamakiriad Fagen Looks at Middle Age

I love Steely Dan,  I have already reviewed Walter Becker and it is time for Donald Fagen.  Odds are even people who don't love Steely Dan will recognize some of Donald Fagen's songs.  Commercially he achieved more success after the break up than his partner Walter did.

Donald's first three CD's were his takes and views on early, middle and twilight of a man's life.  The first CD The Nightfly had a few hits and most people know of it.  The second CD Kamakiriad never really hit the pop crossover like the first, but right now it is my favorite of the three and the one I will review.

I guess being middle aged it is closer to what I see and feel.  I won't say I am what you traditional think of as middle age,:mainly no kids.  But I observe and feel what I would describe as the middle of my shuffle on this mortal coil.  That's a lot of explanation on why these tracks speak more to me and the tracks off the other two CDs.

Keeping in that theme, the CD starts with the track Trans-Island Skyway.  It is a track about how men love cars and when we get that one "I made it car."  For the singer, the car is way over the top with the bells and whistles, not that I don't think having a vegetable garden in your car isn't great. I haven't quite gotten to that "I made it" car yet, but I know I will share in the pride of the singer of this track. Snowbound is another great track.  When I hear it, I always picture my time in Michigan and the fun, at least for the first couple of days, of the town being covered in snow.  The stand out track on the whole CD is On The Dunes.  Beaches are special places and the way Donald uses his words paint such a picture of the pain that he feels from the breakup I really feel I am there.  Finally Tomorrow's Girls, I was talking with the Mrs about this song.  She works on campus at UK and I see the Coeds at work.  At my age women in their 20's almost feel like women from another planet.  Like the city is being invaded by Tomorrow's Girls.  The song nails how time changes and how we look at the opposite sex.

I got a wonderful gift for Christmas last year.  A pair of wireless Bose Headphones.  Now Steely Dan and Donald Fagen have been accused of over production on their CDs but to all who say that listen to their works on headphones.  Their songs are made for to close your eyes and let the music and lyrics take you to the dunes and watch a man morn a lost love, or watch a suburban college professor walk across campus and marvel at the Coeds like they are from another world.  The music Donald and Walter make is meant to immerse yourself in the worlds they create.  If it is overproduced and slick or not I don't care, when I listen I am there.

Til next time- only listen to the best: your ears deserve it!