Live With The University Of Colorado Symphony Orchestra by the Indigo Girls

For my 831^st review I am proud to present this great album which was recorded in front of a sold-out audience in Boulder, Colorado, and deftly mixed by GRAMMY-winner Trina Shoemaker (Sheryl Crow, Emmylou Harris).  Live With The University of Colorado Symphony Orchestra by the Indigo Girls a Grammy Award-winning folk-rock music American duo consisting of Amy Ray and Emily Saliers showcases the Indigo Girls at their finest: raw, real, and revelatory and was released on June 29. 2018 on the Rounder Records label.  This double CD collection features tracks from throughout the band’s career, the 22-song set features a mix of reimagined classics, including fan favorites Galileo, Closer to Fine, Ghost, Power of Too, Go and so much more. I was impressed with how they took their classics and did them with a symphony orchestra and with how well this album was recorded, performed and produced.  If you are a fan of the Indigo Girls, you will want to check out this album and add it to your music library.

Prequelle by Ghosts

Prequelle is the fourth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Ghost, released on June 1, 2018, on the Loma Vista Records label.  The theme to this album is about the Plague and the Black Death, which led to about half the population of Europe dying as seen in such tracks as the opening track Ashes features Minou Forge, Tobias’ daughter, singing Ring a Ring o’ Roses, a nursery rhyme said to have originated during the plague, Rats, Witch Image, Pro Memoria, the closing track Life Eternal which asks if you were given the choice to live forever, would you want to do that?  I was impressed with the heavy guitar riffs and clean vocals. This album was well written, recorded, produced and performed.  This is an album you definitely want to add to your metal music collection

Blues Enough by The Hitman Blues Band

For my 829^th music review, here is a great blues album called Blues Enough, released January 31, 2013 and performed by the New York based Hitman Blues Band which contains eleven new original songs which is a mixture of modern blues, which can be high energy, slow and soulful, or happy boogie with horns, great guitar riffs and great vocals as seen with such tracks as the title track Blues Enough, Sam The Bluzman, Backhand Drive, Every Piece Of Me, Streets of Downtown and much more.  This release was well recorded, written, performed and produced.  This is a great addition to one’s blues collection and is available for purchase from CD Baby, Amazon, and everywhere that CD’s and digital downloads are sold and don’t forget to sign up for their mailing list will get you a free five-song sampler: http://www.hitmanbluesband.net 

Atomic Bitchwax and The Sword at Capone’s in Johnson City, Tennessee

For my 828^th review, this is my review of the concert I had the privilege to see on June 26^th at Capone’s in Johnson City, Tennessee.  The opening act was Atomic Bitchwax American rock band from New Jersey consisting of Finn Ryan on guitar and vocals, Chris Kosnick on bass and vocals and Bob Pantella on drums.  They did tracks from their two latest albums Gravitron and Force Field.  They did a very exciting show and signed my two albums afterward.  I even had a chance to talk with the guys in the band after their performance and enjoyed it very much.  Next up on stage was The Sword, an American heavy metal band from Austin, Texas consisting of John D. Cronise on vocals and guitars, Kyle Shutt on guitars, Bryan Richie on bass and synthesizers, and Santiago “Jimmy” Vela III on drums and percussion.  They put on a great show playing tracks from their Used Future album and some of their earlier releases which great guitar riffs and powerful vocals. Afterwards, I got my album Used Future signed all the band members.  If you get the opportunity to see these two bands in concert, be sure you do.

The Kindness Of Strangers by Silent Rival

For my 827^th review, I present The Kindness of Strangers a May 12, 2017 release by Los Angeles based band Silent Revival on the Listen Loud Records label.  This great band consisted of Sara Coda on vocals, guitarist Joz Ramirez, bass player Yutaka Sao, and drummer Brock Bowers.  Listening to this great album reminded me of the sounds of such great bands as Missing Persons, The Pretenders, and Til Tuesday with such great tracks as Hollywood, Die A Little, Paradise, Paranoid, Take It From Me and so much more.  I was impressed with Sara’s great voice and how she took a song and grabs your attention, also how well this album was written, recorded, and produced.  This is definitely an album you will want to add to your music library and can find this great release on Amazon, Itunes and everywhere CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Diamante, From Ashes To New and Bad Wolves at Capone’s in Johnson City, Tennessee

For 826^th review, I want to share my experience at a venue that I enjoyed and want to experience again.  Last night my wife, my stepdaughter and I had VIP tickets for a great show at Capone’s, a venue in Johnson City, Tennessee.  Our VIP tickets were only for a meet and greet with a great band called Bad Wolves but an individual who had a VIP meet and greets pass for the band From Ashes To New was not able to go so he gave myself and my stepdaughter the passes so we could go.  Our first experience was to see soundcheck for From Ashes To New, then have our photos taken with them and they have posters, albums, etc signed.  I was able to get my Vinyl album of their latest release The Future signed by all the band members.  After a short wait we were able to go back in for our VIP pass meet and great with Bad Wolves, a band we were able to see at Carolina Rebellion.  My wife, my daughter and I were able to meet Bad Wolves, get our picture taken with them and have our posters, and my vinyl album Disobey signed by the band members and had a chance to talk with them a little bit. From there we got our drinks and went on back to the concert area.  I had the opportunity to talk with the owner of this great venue and found out we had a lot in common, with both of us have been disc jockeys at one time or another.  He was very friendly and spoke with my wife and me for a while and had nice conversations about other bands that have performed at this venue.  Afterwards, the show was about to begin. The first performer to hit the stage was Diamante.  She put on a great show with powerful vocals.  She did songs from her album Coming In Hot and also did her cover of the Heart classic Crazy On You.  Until last night the only song I had heard by her was her duet with Bad Wolves called Hear Me Now.  I am now a big fan of her music.   Next on the stage was From Ashes To New, an American rock band from Lancaster, Pennsylvania featuring Danny Case on clean and unclean vocals, Matt Brandyberry on vocals, keyboards and rhythm guitar, Lance Dowdle on lead guitar and Mat Madiro who was former drummer of Heavy metal band Trivium is now the drummer for this great band.  They put on an outstanding performance with tracks from Day One that was released in 2016 and their current album The Future which was released 20 April 2018.  With their clean and unclean vocals, heavy drum beats and with some rap thrown it, everyone enjoyed their performance. Finally to finish the evening was a great show by California heavy metal supergroup Bad Wolves.  The band consists of vocalist  Tommy Vext (ex-Divine Heresy, ex-Snot), drummer John Boecklin (ex-DevilDriver), lead guitarist Doc Coyle (ex-God Forbid), rhythm guitarist Chris Cain (ex-Bury Your Dead, ex-For the Fallen Dreams) and bassist Kyle Konkiel (ex-In This Moment, Vimic).  This band did a great show with tracks from their debut album Disobey that was released May 11, 2016.  They finished the night with their third single, which was a cover of Zombie (originally by The Cranberries), which charted on multiple Billboard charts. The Cranberries singer, Dolores O’Riordan, was supposed to have performed the song with the band but died prior to recording it so the band decided to donate all profits from this song to Delores O’Riordan’s children.  They made an announcement that to date they have raised 250,000 dollars so far.  As they sang this closing song you saw people break out their lighters and lights on their cell phones and sang along with this song.  I wish to finish this review on how well I liked the venue Capone’s.  My wife and I found that the people that were at the door were not too friendly like they were bouncers.  I feel when you arrive at a location, you will want to feel welcome.  The bartenders were very friendly and as their prepared our drinks they smiled and showed how well qualified they were as bartenders.  We ordered food and it took a little while which is understandable with the number of people.  The food was very good.  Finally was management.  The owner is very friendly and we had a great conversation with him and he runs a smooth ship.  The only thing my wife said the only things she noticed that could be improved was that it could have been cooler up toward the stage, even the bands mentioned it and more seating for people that are handicapped and unable to stand for long periods.  We are looking forward to going to this venue again which we have tickets to see Trivium in July.

Shelter Me by Jack Russell

Jack Russell, the inimitable vocalist and founding member of the 80’s metal legends Great White, has recently reissued this 1996 debut solo album Shelter Me on May 25, 2018, on the Deadline Music Records label and distributed by the Cleopatra Records label. This hard-living singer belted out both ballads and rockers on this album with such great tracks as the title song Shelter Me, a cover of the great Beatles song Hey Bulldog, a Great White classic Save Your Love, Shine On, When I Look Into Your Eyes and much more.  I was impressed with how well this album was written, recorded, produced and performed.  If you are a fan of Great White, you will want to add this solo album to your music library and is available from Amazon and everywhere CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

 

Skyscraper by The Man From Ravcon

Skyscraper is the October 15, 2013 release by former Ravelers vocalist and guitarist Mike Brown (aka The Man from RavCon) and my second review by this artist.  This album is a mixture of psych, funk, prog and other genres with is a nice mix of keyboards, synthesizer, mellotron and guitar as shown in such tracks as the title track Skyscraper,  the music box waltz Secret Passage, the blue guitar track Higher, the funky sound of Veni Vidi Vici and much more.   I am very impressed with how well this album was written, recorded and performed.  With strong melodies and excellent musicianship, this is an album you really need to check out on Spotify and then purchase from Amazon, CD Baby and so many other places where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.

Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995) by Def Leppard

Vault: Def Leppard Greatest Hits (1980–1995) is the first greatest hits album and the second compilation album by English hard rock band Def Leppard. The album was originally released on 23 October 1995 by Mercury Records.  For you vinyl collectors, I am proud to announce that this great compilation is now on vinyl as of June 15. 2018.  This two-album collection contains such great tracks as Hysteria, Photograph, Pour Some Sugar On Me, Rock Of Ages, Armageddon It, and so much more as well one newly recorded song, When Love & Hate Collide, which was released as a single on 2 October 1995 previously a leftover from the Adrenalize recording sessions.  This album was well performed, recorded, produced, and compiled.  If you have room for only on Def Leppard album in your library then this is the one you need to add.  You can purchase this album on Vinyl, CD and Digital Download from Amazon, Itunes and anywhere music is sold.

Unbridled & Ablaze by Zialand

For my 822^nd review, I am proud to present the third album by Zialand titled Unbridled & Ablaze which was released on June 8, 2018, on the Glittermouth Records label in which she wrote, produced, and performed on. This Norwegian recording artist has such a great voice and this album is described Cinematic Soul Pop with such great tracks as Thunder, Don’t Look Down, Landslide, Fever and so much more. I am looking forward to hearing her first two albums. I was impressed with how well this album was recorded, produced and performed as well as her songwriting style and ability.  I highly recommend you give this album a listen and purchase this where CD’s and digital downloads are sold.