1. Motorhead
2. Vibrator
3. Lost Johnny
4. Iron Horse / Born To Lose
5. White Line Fever
6. Keep Us On The Road
7. The Watcher
8. Train Kept A-Rollin’
9. City Kids
10. Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers
11. On Parole
12. Instro
13. I’m Your Witch Doctor
Motorhead is viewed as a massively important part of the history of metal. It’s impossible to deny that. But don’t forget that Motorhead was also a big piece of punk as well. Released three months before the debut album by Sex Pistols, Motorhead combines metal, punk and rock and roll into one heavy, loud and pissed off disc. Lemmy Kilmister was fired from Hawkwind and then formed and fronted this band, which he did until his death in 2015. This album was a hot mess of burning guitar riffs, fast driving songs, and insane sounding vocals. It wasn’t a hit, and it was pretty much a failure as far as sales went, but it still lives to this day as a melting pot of everything that was great about heavy rock in the late seventies. Like the rest of Motorhead’s career, you won’t find an ounce of compromise here.
Motorhead was recorded in just three days on a minimal budget by a band that was out of their minds on speed. The sound is often muddy and almost painfully thick. But there’s also an intensity that they were able to capture that makes this record special. The title track is a punk masterpiece. Everything else almost smells like a dark club filled with stale beer. The poor production actually makes it a better album. Lemmy shows his writing and vocal abilities, and Motorhead was off and running. The bonus tracks are leftovers from the sessions that were released in 1980 as an EP, including a nifty cover of ZZ Top’s “Beer Drinkers And Hell Raisers. This is a fun and important document of not just metal and punk, but also of how much fun rock and roll really can be.
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THE AVETT BROTHERS
I AND LOVE AND YOU
2009 – AMERICAN
Produced By RICK RUBIN
1. I And Love And You
2. January Wedding
3. Head Full Of Doubt / Road Full Of Promise
4. And It Spread
5. The Perfect Space
6. Ten Thousand Words
7. Kick Drum Heart
8. Laundry Room
9. Ill With Want
10. Tin Man
11. Slight Figure Of Speech
12. It Goes On And On
13. Incomplete And Insecure
They’re not quite country, but they fit in with country music. They’re not rock, and not quite folk. Americana is where The Avett Brothers fit the best. I And Love And You is their sixth album, but it’s their major label debut…they worked hard to get to this point. They were rewarded with being able to land Rick Rubin as their producer. Scott and Seth Avett and their band, along with Rubin, made a record that was criticized for being too sanitized and clean, but it’s just that which brings this album a dignity that really shines through. The album cover, painted by Scott Avett, is not the best, but that’s the worst thing you can say about this disc…which makes it a winner. I And Love And You combines all the best things about this band into one neat and shining package.
There are great moments here. The title track gets you right away, and then you get gems like “Kick Drum Heart”, “Head Full Of Doubt/Road Full Of Promise”, and “Slight Figure Of Speech”. But the best of this lot is the sheer beauty of “Ten Thousand Words”, which may be their most perfect song with its chorus of “Ain’t it like most people? I’m no different. We love to talk on things we don’t know about”. And then they turn around and rock on “Kick Drum Heart”. Fine songwriting, great playing, and Rubin is the perfect fit for this band. This was a much deserved breakthrough for The Avett Brothers, who are still at it to this day. A really great Americana album that recalls the glory days of The Band and Big Pink era Dylan. This one is a definite keeper.
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WIDESPREAD PANIC
LIVE IN THE CLASSIC CITY
2002 – SANCTUARY
Produced By WIDESPREAD PANIC & JOHN KEANE
1. Action Man
2. Chilly Water
3. Pleas / Chilly Water
4. C Brown
5. Little Lily
6. I’m Not Alone
7. One Arm Steve
8. Flat Foot Flewzy
9. Surprise Valley
10. Blight
11. Walkin’
1. All Time Low
2. Mercy
3. Ride Me High
4. Drums
5. Time Is Free
6. Climb To Safety
7. Blue Indian
1. Bear’s Gone Fishin’
2. Waker
3. Dyin’ Man
4. Stop And Go
5. Hatfield
6. Tall Boy
7. Red Hot Mama
8. Worry
9. Let’s Get The Show On The Road
If jam bands are your thing, then Widespread Panic is your next best substitute for the Dead. And Live In The Classic City is pretty much nirvana. If not your thing, then this could be a very tedious listen. This is Panic’s third live album out of ten, and it's a whopper. Recorded over three nights in their hometown of Athens, Georgia, Classic City runs over three and a half hours and three discs long. Seven of the tracks are more than ten minutes long. Of course, if you are a fan of this band, then that won’t faze you at all. But the question is out there: why would you settle for a live album from a band like this that has as their biggest asset the experience of actually being there? I could see it if there was a companion video, but even as a fan, how much pleasure can there be listening to this for three and a half hours with no visuals?
Hard to say. Widespread Panic doesn’t have much in the way of dynamics, and songs have never been their strong suit, which is why they make their living as a nonstop touring band. They do have a solid and dedicated fan base, which means that they can pretty much do no wrong. This album is better taken in smaller doses…one disc per sitting makes it much more tolerable. But in the end, this won’t blow your doors off, and because you don’t get the full concert experience, well, it’s just not the same as spending a marathon of a night dancing and singing along. This album has been recognized as one of the best jam band documents of the new century, but my guess is that there isn’t a universe of competition for that title. This is okay…but you’ll be better served by going to a Panic show.
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QUEENSRYCHE
PROMISED LAND
1994 – EMI
Produced By QUEENSRYCHE & JAMES BARTON
1. 9:28 a.m.
2. I Am I
3. Damaged
4. Out Of Mind
5. Bridge
6. Promised Land
7. Disconnected
8. Lady Jane
9. My Global Mind
10. One More Time
11. Someone Else?
The end of the eighties and the dawn of the nineties had been very good for Queensryche. The Seattle area progressive metal band had released a pair of monster albums: 1988’s Operation: Mindcrime, followed by Empire in 1990. After heavy touring, the band needed to catch their breath, meaning that it would be four years before the follow up record came out. 1994’s Promised Land, their highly anticipated fifth album, shot immediately up the charts…and then died a slow and mostly quiet death. Queensryche sounded tired and out of touch…in four years, many metal fans had moved on to grunge and alternative rock. It didn’t help that much of Promised Land was slow and dark. Lots of songs about death and depression didn’t wow audiences who were now digging Nirvana and Pearl Jam.
Promised Land is not a bad album, by any means. Queensryche is a really great band, but the truth is, time was passing them by. Prog metal dirges were not working the same way they had just four years prior. Still, “I Am I” and “Bridge” are fine tracks, and show that Queensryche can still bring it. And “Someone Else?” is of interest as well, as it’s only Chris DeGarmo on piano and Geoff Tate on vocals. But this band, which has been going for over forty years now, had time pass them by here, and that’s not an easy clock to turn back. They live on with a rabid fan base and the quality of the two albums that came before this one. Promised Land is good, but not great. Don’t get your hopes up too high for this one, and you won’t be disappointed.
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The Floodplain Gang was a band from Boulder, CO. There isn’t much known about them, but here’s what I was able to find. In 1998, they were the winners of the Telluride Bluegrass Festival Band Contest. They played Telluride again in 1999, did some touring, and they had a pair of live shows in Boulder in 2000 at the Fox Theater. They apparently had a decent local following. After that? There’s nothing. They did, however, release a single album. In 1998, Blind Ride showcased the band as an interesting mix of bluegrass, jazz, and lots of jam band qualities that got them mentioned in the same breath as bands like String Cheese Incident. It’s a strange listen…bluegrass instruments with sax solos, with songs leaning more towards Dave Matthews than Bill Monroe.
You won’t find anything close to a hit here, and it’s fairly easy to see why this music didn’t gain a larger audience. The playing is very good, as are the vocals, but it’s tough to get behind the songs. The best of the lot are “Jimtown Rag” and “Riff Race”. The band lineup consists of guitar, bass, drums, mandolin, and a percussionist. What happened to them? They appear to have vanished into thin air sometime in 2000. The video below is from an independent show called FreeFormTV, which shows the band playing live. That’s it. The band was John Turpin, Krista Smith, Eric Walser, Heath Graham and Dan Senyvesi. Turpin has been maybe seen selling real estate in New Jersey…who knows? Blind Ride is a small band’s blip on the musical radar. A local band too soon forgotten.
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CHEAP TRICK
IN COLOR
1977 – EPIC
Produced By TOM WERMAN
1. Hello There
2. Big Eyes
3. Downed
4. I Want You To Want Me
5. You’re All Talk
6. Oh Caroline
7. Clock Strikes Ten
8. Southern Girls
9. Come On, Come On
10. So Good To See You
11. Oh Boy (Instrumental)
12. Southern Girls (1975 Demo)
13. Come On, Come On (1975 Demo)
14. You’re All Talk (Live)
15. Goodnight (Live)
Once upon a time, Cheap Trick was just about the coolest band on the planet. That time was the end of the seventies. Their first three albums came out in 1977 and 78, and they were pure pop rock awesomeness. And then, they topped that off with their legendary Live At Budokan record, which made them superstars. And then, Cheap Trick began it’s short journey into becoming a shadow of what they had started out as…a trip that was already over at the dawn of the eighties. But those first four albums…man. This band could rock. In Color was their second disc, and it’s a killer. Japanese audiences caught on to In Color before Americans did, as the album became a smash hit there and became the push start for the Budokan album.
The big hit here was “I Want You To Want Me”, which actually didn’t become big until the live version came out. “Clock Strikes Ten”, “Southern Girls”, and the stinging short opener “Hello There” are great as well. Guitarist Rick Neilsen is a beast, and Robin Zander is as strong a lead singer as you could hope for. In Color is tight, well written and the band is as good as anyone. They would have several albums that sold better, but Cheap Trick was absolutely at their best for those two years in the late seventies. The first four albums are essential…everything else is spotty and less than what they are capable of. In Color was re-recorded by the band in 1997, but it was never completed, and thus, never released. That’s okay. Accept no substitutes.
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TRAVIS
THE BOY WITH NO NAME
2007 – EPIC
Produced By TRAVIS, STEVE ORCHARD, NIGEL GODRICH, MIKE HEDGES & GEORGE TANDERO
1. 3 Times And You Lose
2. Selfish Jean
3. Closer
4. Big Chair
5. Battleships
6. Eyes Wide Open
7. My Eyes
8. One Night
9. Under The Moonlight
10. Out In Space
11. Colder
12. New Amsterdam
Travis is yet another one of those bands from the UK that America simply missed out on. Led by singer Fran Healy, this band has made some pretty great music over the years. The Boy With No Name is their fifth album. It marks the first time other members of the band contributed to the songwriting other than Healy. It’s perhaps most famous for having received a scathing review from N.M.E., which rated it as a 2 out of 10 and said it was “impotent aural gruel” with “all the soul of a platform announcement”. That’s pretty harsh, and is also completely unwarranted. What The Boy With No Name contains is some really well written and well played pop rock music that is highly listenable. UK fans got it right, as the album became their fifth to reach the top ten in sales.
The best songs here are “My Eyes”, “Selfish Jean” and “Closer”. But there is more to love than just the hits, as Travis puts together a mostly solid album. “Battleships” is a quaint ballad. “3 Times And You Lose” is almost Radiohead-like. “Eyes Wide Open” is a nice driving rocker. The Boy With No Name was their first album to not go platinum, and their next effort, Ode To J. Smith would be something of a setback. But Travis has proven themselves over the years to be a band that it’s hard to go wrong with. And ten albums in now, they are still going strong and doing quite well in the UK. Good singing, playing and writing…once again, the British get a band right while American audiences are missing out. This is not their greatest effort, but it’s still a very good record.
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LIZ KINNON
MS. BEHAVIN’
2007 – LEMON SEED
Produced By LIZ KINNON
1. Ms. Behavin’
2. A Little Spice
3. Fazendo Acreditor (Make Me Believe)
4. Vertigo
5. Smile
6. Journey
7. Sono E Bentu (Sound Of Wind)
8. Sweetlight
9. Love For Sale
10. Caffe Latte
11. Par Os Meus Filhos (For My Children)
Smooth jazz. Oh, I know it’s labeled as Latin jazz. But this has new age soft and smooth jazz written all over it. Liz Kinnon has a long background in Latin and Brazilian music, and those influences are all over this album, but in the end, this is smooth jazz. Which means that it’s all really well played and layered with the best of intentions. It’s also safe, very pop friendly, and is definitely music you can nap to. Ms. Behavin’ is her debut solo album, and it’s all of those things. Kinnon’s piano and arrangements are joined by a long list of fine musicians. Kinnon, who is a well respected teacher and piano coach, has unquestionable talent. And while her music is layered with expertise, it ultimately falls short simply by playing it safe. There’s not a single dark moment here, and darkness is something this could use.
Yes, there is a place in the world for jazz light like this, and if this brand of soft music is your thing, then this will make you happy. “Smile” and “Love For Sale” are standards, and her takes on those are interesting enough. It’s also a plus that Kinnon chose to utilize vocals on a few of the tracks here. Ms. Behavin’ was a CD Baby release, and because CD Baby no deals in actual CD’s, this album may be hard to find in physical form, although it’s easily available for streaming. She’s mostly into education these days, teaching several courses in jazz theory and piano. She also does film work, and has worked with several actors in preparing them for roles in which that play piano on screen. Ms. Behavin’ won’t blow your doors off, but it’s okay as far as easy listening jazz goes.
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WES MONTGOMERY
THE INCREDIBLE JAZZ GUITAR OF WES MONTGOMERY
1960 – RIVERSIDE
Produced By ORRIN KEEPNEWS
1. Airegin
2. D-Natural Blues
3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
4. Four On Six
5. West Coast Blues
6. In Your Own Sweet Way
7. Mr. Walker (Renie)
8. Gone With The Wind
Before there was Jimi or Eric or Beck or Page or any of the other famous guitar heroes who emerged in the late 1960’s, there was this guy. Wes Montgomery wasn’t the first to make the electric guitar a lead instrument, but he did open the door to its many possibilities. Woefully underrated, this is Montgomery’s greatest work. It is, in fact, maybe the greatest jazz guitar album of all time. His career began in the late 1940’s, with his first albums appearing in the late fifties. In the sixties, Montgomery was a machine. Between 1960 and 1968, he released nearly twenty albums. He made some of the greatest guitar music in the decade, and all of it was led by this amazing album. He would be a legend had he stopped recording after this record…fortunately, he did not.
Montgomery used a unique picking style in which he used his thumb, which is what gave him his unique sound. You can hear him burning through each track, the best of which are “Gone With The Wind”, “Polka Dots And Moonbeams” and “In Your Own Sweet Way”, but Montgomery also shows his talent as a writer…half of the tracks here are Wes originals. The album was recorded in just two days, and features the exceptional playing of Tommy Flanagan (piano), Albert Heath (drums), and Percy Heath (bass). This is a truly amazing jazz album…and if you’re a fan of great guitar playing, that’s exactly what you get here. Montgomery unfortunately died of a heart attack in 1968 at the young age of 45. He was truly one of the very best guitarists of all time. This album is proof of that.
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FischmanRockMonster, JazzMeister, Bluesboy,ClassicalMasterProfile Land of Enchantment
WES MONTGOMERY
THE INCREDIBLE JAZZ GUITAR OF WES MONTGOMERY
1960 – RIVERSIDE
Produced By ORRIN KEEPNEWS
1. Airegin
2. D-Natural Blues
3. Polka Dots And Moonbeams
4. Four On Six
5. West Coast Blues
6. In Your Own Sweet Way
7. Mr. Walker (Renie)
8. Gone With The Wind
Before there was Jimi or Eric or Beck or Page or any of the other famous guitar heroes who emerged in the late 1960’s, there was this guy. Wes Montgomery wasn’t the first to make the electric guitar a lead instrument, but he did open the door to its many possibilities. Woefully underrated, this is Montgomery’s greatest work. It is, in fact, maybe the greatest jazz guitar album of all time. His career began in the late 1940’s, with his first albums appearing in the late fifties. In the sixties, Montgomery was a machine. Between 1960 and 1968, he released nearly twenty albums. He made some of the greatest guitar music in the decade, and all of it was led by this amazing album. He would be a legend had he stopped recording after this record…fortunately, he did not.
Montgomery used a unique picking style in which he used his thumb, which is what gave him his unique sound. You can hear him burning through each track, the best of which are “Gone With The Wind”, “Polka Dots And Moonbeams” and “In Your Own Sweet Way”, but Montgomery also shows his talent as a writer…half of the tracks here are Wes originals. The album was recorded in just two days, and features the exceptional playing of Tommy Flanagan (piano), Albert Heath (drums), and Percy Heath (bass). This is a truly amazing jazz album…and if you’re a fan of great guitar playing, that’s exactly what you get here. Montgomery unfortunately died of a heart attack in 1968 at the young age of 45. He was truly one of the very best guitarists of all time. This album is proof of that.
Truly essential listening for anyone with even a passing interest either in guitar or in jazz. For someone like me who's a nut for both, this is as superlative as any studio album can get.
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