Recently signing with Filament records, North Carolina rockers have emerged from the recording studio, where they worked with legendary producer Jim Wirth, to release a killer new EP titled Second Time Around. The album features heavy guitar work, poignant lyrics, deep rock grooves and powerful vocals, everything a modern rock band needs to stand out in an often overcrowded marketplace.
Before there was Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton, there was Top Topham. The original guitarist in one of the most famous, guitar-hero filled bands in rock history, Topham was the guitarist who started it all. Though his tenure with the band was short lived, being only 15 years old at the time his parents had issues with his late nights spent jamming in clubs, his influence can still be felt to this day.
It used to be that Rock n Roll was as American as apple pie. That the best rock n rollers grew up in the Deep South, the cornfields of the Midwest and under the sun of Los Angeles. But times have changed, and rock is now a global phenomenon, bringing to the world’s attention great bands and unbelievable talent from every corner of the globe. Case in point is one of Russia’s best rock bands, Pushking, and their latest record The World as We Love It is a testament to their longevity, creative output and ability to keep up with the biggest names it the business.
The distinct vocals of legendary singer, Eric Burdon, still resonate and captivate us nearly fifty years since The Animals made their way to America as part of the now heralded British Invasion. There was something deeply organic about the music that Eric and the rest of The Animals played, a gritty earthiness that had a working class feel to it.
Moving between the Metal and Jazz worlds throughout his long and successful career, guitarist Alex Skolnick is one of the few musicians on today’s scene who can claim to have played Thrash Metal shows and appeared at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. After graduating from the New School in New York, where he studied jazz, Skolnick has been blazing a new trail with his music as he and his trio brings Metal, Rock and Jazz together in highly personal and effective combination. All of these influences can be heard on the band’s latest album, Veritas.
Jazz is an art form that lives in the moment. Musical ideas are created on the spot, melodies swirl around complex harmonies and everything is kept together with a pulsing rhythm that ranges from bombastic to sultry and seductive. Because of Jazz’s ability to be absolutely spontaneous, many fans believe that live albums are the only way to properly capture the moment when a band comes together to breathe life into their tunes. But, live albums are also some of the hardest to capture because of the risk involved whenever a high level of improvisation is being injected into the music.
British-born guitarist, Billy Morrison recently decamped and made his way to Billy Idol’s band for an extensive globetrotting gig that’s carried him to Russia, Greece, Switzerland, England and Eastern Europe. That’s not to say that’s he’s not continuing his work with Camp Freddy and Circus Diablo, two groups that he’s worked with for several years.
Power pop balladeer, actor and rock chronicler Marshall Crenshaw creates and electrifies contemporary songs from the heartbeat of vintage vinyl. He’s firmly and comfortably grounded in the roots of rock ‘n’ roll and has gathered up a strong coterie of fans with his catchy hooks and timing. Crenshaw is a craftsman who merges classic taste with new style in a manner to produce his unique and captivating sound, always reminding us of the days when rock was young and magical.
When one thinks of Brazilian music, the soft sounds of Tom Jobim or Stan Getz usually spring to mind. Music that conjures up images of white-sand beaches, palm trees swaying in the breeze and long summer nights spent relaxing with friends. But, there are many sides to Brazilian music that don’t often receive the same level of attention outside of the musically bountiful country as Bossa Nova does.
Rock has a legacy of communicating rebellion, with street smarts and an eye towards defining distinctions between generations, the rich and poor, the isolation of youth and the anger when dreams are shattered by realities. And it may not always be the lyrics that reflect the plight of the underdog, as much as the grit and primal nature of the sound of rock. Few places have risen to the occasion to offer up rock like Detroit and its surrounding working class suburbs.
