Review: Demolition String Band - Different Kinds of Love

Label: Breaking Records

Released: November 20, 2007

With a name like Demolition String Band, there's bound to be some preconceptions. The mention of "string band" certainly creates an expectation of a 30s/40s pre-electric country and bluegrass revival. "Demolition," on the other hand, implies breaking down barriers or rejecting rules. In the end though, Demolition String Band isn't really what their name implies.

Their brand of alt-country really stems from country's electric era, from 50s rockabilly to the slicker sounds of the 60s and 70s. There's no question that they're a technically capable group and that has them poised to make an amazing record. The part that's missing most of the way through though is that certain sense of self that gives a band its identity. "Wisteria," for instance, is a great tune, but DSB fails to really project it. Boo Reiners' vocals tend to give the music a quirky boost next to the technically superior though often under-powered voice of Elena Skye, but it's not until the last few tracks that things really come alive. Skye really finds herself in the dark melancholy of "Thank You Claudia." Oddly enough, the band really gets into full swing on a garage rocker, "Undone in Sorrow," and then accelerates into the instrumental "Boonanza" (which seems to be in that race with a certain hot rod Lincoln). Different Kinds of Love finishes strong with the psychobilly rumble of "Drinkin' Whiskey," leaving one to wonder what happened over the first two-thirds of the album.

DSB really comes alive over the last four tracks and more than anything, that just makes me wish that same fire had been lit under the earlier tracks, because there are some really strong songs in there that didn't quite get the treatment that they deserve (and that DSB is clearly capable of giving them). The "string band" misnomer is no big deal, but, the last few songs aside, I could use a little more "demolition."

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 6/10
Overall: 6/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Fight - K5 (The War of Words Demos)

Label: Metal God Entertainment

Released: January 8, 2008

At the time, Judas Priest's Painkiller seemed like a breath of fresh air. Ram It Down was a decent album, but not enough to assure metalheads that Turbo was a mistake Priest wouldn't make again. Painkiller, on the other hand, seemed like Priest had not only abandoned their pop metal ambitions, but were attempting to fuse their sound with the 80s underground metal that they helped influence earlier in that decade. But that was then. Now Painkiller shows a band struggling a bit for relevance without simply reliving their past. It was a noble effort, but their thrash and hardcore leanings (largely courtesy of new drummer Scott Travis' playing) never really gelled with the remnants of the old Judas Priest sound.

Three years later, Fight's War of Words gave Halford and Travis the opportunity to explore their higher energy approach unencumbered by the Judas Priest sound hanging over their heads. The result was even more refreshing than Painkiller seemed...and it's held up much better. The album generally sounds much more natural, because the new sound isn't being superimposed onto the past. However, War of Words had plenty of support behind it and the end product just may be a bit too polished.

Enter K5 14 years later. These are the demos that Fight recorded before it was cleaned up for radio, MTV and mass consumption. These raw sessions tap into the thrash and hardcore for which Halford and company formed Fight in the first place. K5 trims two and a half songs from the War of Words track list, but they're songs that had less of the new Fight sound. These are replaced by four songs that never made the original album, all of which are nice additions. "Jesus Saves," a track hidden in War of Words' final track, stands on its own for the first time on K5.

K5 is not essential, but for those of us who wanted to know what these songs sounded like before they were cleaned up to be sold, it's an interesting window and, in a sense, a better album that gets at the essence of what Halford was trying to achieve with Fight. While it might be construed as a filler release, just remember Judas Priest is working on a concept album about Nostradamus, so this is the best we're gonna get out of Halford for awhile.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

Review: Ride Your Bike - Bad News from the Bar

Label: Deep Elm Records

Released: December 10, 2007

Ride Your Own Bike's debut, Bad News from the Bar, gets off on the right foot with "We All Have Our Own Shoes," whose strings slowly give way, but never completely, to a more traditional rock arrangement. After that, the creativity is pretty hit or miss though. For every clever or catchy moment, there's also some standard issue indie rock like "Sticks and Stones." Of course, some of the more original moments also struggle to work such as the horns on "Knack for Faith" (which are somewhat reminiscent of mid-70s McCartney). Likewise, some of the straightforward moments work simply on a good hook. At times their creativity shines, but just as often, it fizzles and their playing never really soars enough to compensate.

"Bad News from the Bar" is a concept album, but to its credit, it doesn't have to be taken as such. The narrative is there, but the songs, even the weakest among them, can all stand on their own, so nothing gets consumed by the concept. That extra dimension helps, but still doesn't push Bad News from the Bar over the top.

I first listened to this album while talking a walk in the snow and, to its credit, it made a real connection with me. It's the kind of record that has its time and place. The trouble is it doesn't snow that much here.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 5/10
Aretha: 5/10
Overall: 6/10

Website

Myspace

If you're curious about my rating categories, read the description.

One Sentence Review: Queensrÿche - Take Cover

Listening to Take Cover reminds me that the word "good" cannot be made from the letters in "Queensrÿche," but the word "cheesÿ" can.