Tim Brough's Black Leather Bookshelf

When Dinos Roamed The Earth
4 Out Of 5 Stars

"Black Blade" is one of my favorite Blue Oyster Cult songs. It marked their most successful foray into the science fiction/hard rock hybrids that made the meat of their first three albums, and is easily as great as the classic "Golden Age Of Leather" from "Spectres." That said, there are plenty of cool songs here for the BOC fan, and I pretty much figure this was their last really good album. "The Marshall Plan" is possibly one of the funniest songs the Cult ever made! Especially for the Guitar Riff 101 segment in the middle, this rates with right there with Blotto's "Heavy Metal Head." It may also be important to note that Blotto toured with Blue Oyster Cult and Dharma played on the previously mentioned parody.

If the thought that Blue Oyster Cult could possess a funny bone gets under your skin, then you should probably avoid this disc and go for "Spectres" or "Agents." But for "Cultosaurus Erectus," the BOC stretched their chops in a really fine way. Get this for "Black Blade," "Unknown Tongue" and the stunning "Divine Wind" ("if he really thinks we're the devil, then let's send him to hell..."). They were still capable of giving us hard rock (courtesy of super producer of the time Martin Birch) with brains.

As to the quality of the re-issue, it has the usual complaints aimed at Culture Factory's releases. It's hard to say that the CD is 'remastered' as much as 'made louder.' Audiophiles will cry foul, but they'll be plenty for whom the listening experience will be unsullied. "Cultosaurus Erectus" has none of the flaws from other in CF's collection (the shoddy digital skips in "The Romantics," for one example). I like the recreation of the album sleeve, with the caveat that the print is so freaking tiny. Proceed at your own risk.

When Thompson was on a roll
5 Out Of 5 Stars

In 1988, Capitol took a roll of the dice and signed Richard Thompson to an American record deal. Thompson had several brushes with success, and had skipped across several smaller labels, all while seeing that breakthrough always just seemingly out of reach. Someone at Hollywood and Vine must have seen this as an opportunity, and five studio albums ensued. With the promotional wheels of Capitol behind him, Thompson suddenly found his albums creeping into the top hundred, and the man himself on a serious creative roll. "Action Packed" is a superb collection that skims the cream from those albums and adds a new track.

Starting with "Amnesia" and going through "You? Me? Us?," Thompson was matched to producer Mitchell Froom, who seemed perfectly aligned towards Thompson's playing and songwriting. To his credit, Thompson embraced the style and finessed it, delivering some remarkable songs and his usual killer guitar playing. I challenge anyone to listen to "1952 Vincent Black Lightning" and not come away with the opinion that it is simply one of the best folk songs ever written or to hear "I Feel Good" and miss it's cynical bite. Those are just a pair of the classic songs on "Action Packed," balancing semi-rock songs with tenderly played pieces like "Beeswing." His final Capitol disc, "Mock Tudor," produced by Tom Rothrock and Rob Schnapf, and still had Froom on keyboards

Thompson has always had a soft spot for writing about the down-trodden, and there are a few of those here, as well. "Mr. Rebound" describes the woe of a man who always seems to be the fall-back when the women of his dreams needs a fling with somebody new. Then's there's "Waltzing's For Dreamers," in it's stately 3/4 time as Thompson describes each of the three steps of breaking his heart. The bonus tracks are no slouches, either, when you consider that they are usually the stuff of B-sides. The softly seductive "Persuasion" (co-written by Split Enz' Tim Finn) is cast as a ballad featuring his son, Teddy. "Mr Rebound" and "Fully Qualified to Be Your Man" were unavailable on CD prior to "Action Packed" and were recorded for "Mock Tudor."

Thompson has been making brilliant songs for so many years that it's difficult to recommend single CD's without busting your wallet. But for a blazing period between 1988 and 1999, he ran a streak of strong albums, and "Action Packed" pulls that decade into an enjoyably listenable single CD experience.

"I'm sad as a proud man can be sad tonight"
4 Out Of 5 Stars

That line comes from "Waltzing For Dreamers," the most melancholy song on Richard Thompson's 1988 album, "Amnesia." His first of several albums for the Capital label, it's also the second of Thompson's to feature then red hot producer Mitchell Froom. I'm not sure if it was the promise of some heavier promotion for the album or that Froom kept the album to a complimentary production job, but Thompson delivered a consistent batch of songs for "Amnesia," one of his better and certainly more mainstream efforts.

As for Thompson, he kept his stature as one of rock's great undiscovered geniuses, once again providing stellar songwriting, impassioned vocals and searing guitar work. One can forgive "Gypsy Love Song" for being one of "Amnesia's" weaker tracks for the incredible guitar solo, and wait for the politically biting "Jerusalem On The Jukebox," taking its aim at the uncomfortably cozy relationship between televangelists and politicians. That's also a track that showcases Thompson's dry humor, as well as "Yankee Go Home."

The songs are buoyed not only by Froom's sympathetic production, but a series of musical pros like Tony Leven, Jim Keltner and Jerry Scheff among others. The only thing missing is the kind of classic song Thompson typically had per record, the previously mentioned "Waltzing's For Dreamers." "I Still Dream" and the somewhat feisty "Don't Tempt Me" also comes close. But on his superb follow-up, "Rumour And Sigh," arguably one of his all time best albums, that the unforgettable songs reappeared. "Amnesia" is a great start to a productive few years for Thompson, and nit a bad album to have in the collection.

Back to Sludge Metal
4 Out Of 5 Stars

After decades of waiting, 3/4's of the original Black Sabbath (including Ozzy) reunite for what has to be one of the most anticipated CD's of the year, the boomtastic "13." I can testify that it was worth the wait. Producer Rick Rubin told the band to go back to their early albums to get a feel for what he was expecting to produce, and the band took it to heart. This is metal so dense, it cuts like used crankshaft motor oil. It's that heavy.

If you're looking for speedy riff rocking, it's not here. This is the sound that created such anthemic dirges as "War Pigs" or "Sweet Leaf." There's even a touch of Ozzy the blasphemer as he raises the question "Is God Dead?" And they pound that riff into submission for over 8 minutes. Granted, Ozzy's voice is showing its weathering, but Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler still have the magic spooky touch. (Audioslave drummer Brad Wilk fills in for Bill Ward.) "End Of The Beginning" snakes a demented blues riff to kick the album off with a oozing pounce. Or there's "Dear Father," which tackles the subject of abuse.

The band has never been scared of heavier topics, which "Dear Father" and the anxiety provoking "Methademic" show. (Given Ozzy's recent trip to rehab, maybe even closer to home than known.) The band even throws a few touchstones from the old days in when "Zeitgeist" pays homage to "Planet Caravan." Even with that obvious reference, "13" pounds and stomps like the monsters Black Sabbath were at the peak of their powers. The sense of dread and thrill of doom still permeate the best of the songs here, and - despite their age - the band doesn't sound like they are pandering to their past or trying to stay current. "13" is every bit as tasty as "The Devil You Know" (by Heaven and Hell with Dio), just down tuned and packed with 50% more evil.

Worth the wait and better than anyone could have possibly expected at this point in their collective life, "13" is a triumphant comeback. "I ain't no hero to come and save you," Ozzy wails in "Peace of Mind." Well, actually guys, you are. Thanks for saving heavy metal for 2013.

There's a Stardog waiting in the sky
3 Out Of 5 Stars

When hard rockers Breaking Benjamin went through a very ugly breakup and set guitarist Aaron Fink and bassist Mark James loose, they hooked back up with old bandmate and vocalist Nick Coyle (who served time with Fink and James in a band called Lifer - one album in 2000) from the critically acclaimed Drama Club, then found drummer Josh Karis. Laying low during the legal wrangling that was Breaking Benjamin's crash, the foursome started wood-shedding on new material. Taking their name from a Mother Love Bone song, they finally surface with this self released EP. "Exhale."

The album starts of promisingly enough with "Aphrodite," which plays to the band's strengths. I've always thought Fink to be an underrated guitarist who can create the heavy riffs but can also deliver atmosphere. Turns out Coyle is a pretty enthusiastic singer. There's also a very strong single contender with "When We Fall." Producer Grammy-nominated Neal Avron understands this kind of polished thump, and Stardog Champion follow through with the kind of high polished radio ready rock that would fit nicely on current AOR radio, especially anyone would take a shot at "When We Fall."

Unfortunately though, something is missing to my ears. Stardog Champion are certainly above the regular competence of plenty of bands mining this genre at the moment, but they seems to lack a certain sizzle that made Breaking Benjamin stand out over the crowd. I'm not sure if Stardog Champion needs to take themselves out on the road to gain that grittier feel, but the songs here come off as too polished, too eager to please. There's enough promise on "Exhale" to make me want to see where they go next, I just guess that I'll have to see where they head to as they continue onward.



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Richard Thompson plugs in...sort of
4 Out Of 5 Stars

While I doubt anyone will be mistaken into thinking this is the new posthumous Jimi Hendrix album, Richard Thompson relays his guitar mastery on "Electric." And while Thompson has traded up to electric guitars for this album, it's often hard to tell because Thompson's style is so unique. Even when he's picking at a slightly higher volume that usual, hardly anyone can match his guitar prowess.

"Electric" also shows off Thompson's skills as a songwriter. "Stony Ground" is a Celtic stomper about messing with the wrong lady, but it's filled with tricky wordplay. "My Enemy" (maybe my favorite song on the album) describes a relationship where everything may have gone to hell, but "how I need my enemy" keeps him coming back. This song, like many others, features backing vocals by Siobahn Maher Kennedy who adds a haunting touch to this particular song.

The other woman to share a song is Alison Krauss on "The Snow Goose." She also haunts the song, but in a different kind of locational way. It's beautiful work. There's more to "Electric" than doomed men and difficult women. Thompson has always had a sense of humor, which comes across on "Good Things Happen To Bad People." In a better world, it would be a popular single, but in real life it's a clever song with a catchy chorus.

If you're a fan of Thompson's work up and down the gamut, you're going to love "Electric." If you're new to his work, this isn't a bad starting point.


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Every Generation gets its Stones compilation.
4 Out Of 5 Stars

Just as 40 Licks was released to cover the Rolling Stones' 40th anniversary, it's time for a 50th Birthday set. "Grrr!" states the story of The Stones in multiple formats: you can purchase this album in 2, 3 or 5 disc sets. Way to market yourselves, guys.

That doesn't take away from the power of The Stones and their often ingenious singles. The first CD alone is a primer for rock and roll history, with "Satisfaction," "Jumping Jack Flash" and "Sympathy for The Devil" alone being the kind of songs bands would chew their hind legs off to compose...or even come up with a guitar lick as memorable. You'll also get a trio of the early, greasy Stones with "Come On," a cover of Buddy Holly's "Not Fade Away" and Mick and Keith laying down some early blues with "Little Red Rooster." It's the kind of early material most compilations tend to skip over.

Disc two contains plenty of latter classics, like "Miss You," "Brown Sugar" and "Start Me Up." But it also reminds you why the band once titled one of their single disc sets "Sucking In The Seventies." It makes you stuck with weaker material like "Angie" or "Emotional Rescue," along with the 80's material that was the band turning into a polished hit machine. Some of these songs hold up surprisingly well, like "Undercover of The Night," but "Anybody Seen My Baby" could have been left off and I don't think I'd have noticed.

Of the new songs, "Doom and Gloom" has serious swagger while "One More Shot" runs on fumes, really. But that still makes a whole batch of Jagger/Richards composition (along with a couple covers, like the aforementioned Buddy Holly song and "Harlem Shuffle." And no-one keeps a beat like Charlie Watts. Like all Stones collections, you can't always get what you want (She's So Cold"), but sometimes you get what you need. Or depending on which set, what you pay for.






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Aerosmith 2012
3 Out Of 5 Stars 

The newest incarnation of Aerosmith (it's been a decade since "Just Push Play") finds them almost in a parallel universe with the Rolling Stones. "Music From Another Dimension" is a confident and competent album, but no great shakes in the pantheon of Aerosmith. Like the Stones, they seem incapable of cutting a truly bad album in their golden years, but anyone expecting "Rocks" is stuck in a dimension all their own.

You're also stuck with the outside songwriter syndrome, with Desmond Child, Jim Vallance, Diane Warren and M. Moir (is that Monte Moir of The Time?) all sharing credits with the Aerosmith members. As usual, the Warren ballad "We All Fall Down" is commercial knockout (I'm going to bet on this as the single), while the Jim Vallance number "Legendary Child" is actually one of the better cuts. However, it's the Tyler/Perry songs that are the meat of "Dimension." The opener "Love XXX" is better than anything on "Just Push Play," and Tom Hamilton's "Tell Me" is an acoustic standout.

The lone curveball is the duet with country superstar Carrie Underwood. "Can't Stop Loving You" sounds like a song from the "Pump" period, even with Underwood's considerable pipes chiming in. It doesn't necessarily 'rock,' but it's no Nashville weeper, either. Add a bonus song from Joe Perry singing "Freedom Fighter" and you round out a decent Aerosmith album. "Music From Another Dimension" isn't going to convert any old fans, but at least it's not "Done With Mirrors."



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A Calling Card for early Aerosmith
4 Out Of 5 Stars

When this came out in 1980, Aerosmith were still one of the hottest rock bands in the world. The slippage of "Night In The Ruts" had just been released and the backlash (or the public breakup between the band and Joe Perry) hadn't happened yet. That meant the public's appetite for a Greatest Hits was still hot, and this ten song package filled in nicely. It collects songs from the debut to "Ruts," skips the "Live Bootleg" and adds one soundtrack single Beatles Cover from the camp classic movie "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" (in which Aerosmith played the villains!).

The main reason to own this is the 1978 version of "Come Together" from Sgt Pepper. This has been the only CD you can find it on (unless you want the SPLHCB soundtrack, and you probably don't). It also doesn't bother with the Run-DMC version of "Walk This Way" which tends to show up on other discs. The two best songs from "Draw The Line" are here and the goofy cover of "Remember Walking In The Sand" are included. The down side is that several of the tracks are single edits ("Same Old Song and Dance," "Sweet Emotion" and "Draw The Line," to name three) and "Train Kept a Rollin'" could have easily been included among the single releases.

Other than "Oh Yeah," which culls both the CBS and Geffen years onto two discs, "Aerosmith's Greatest Hits" is about as good a bang for the buck as you'll get from this band.


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