Rock Around the World

Treble Charger RCA . NA
Maybe It's Me

Maybe It's Me is produced by Lou Giordano, the genius who Produced, Engineered, and Mixed the Goo Goo Dolls' hit album, A Boy Named Goo.

Giordano's produced another winner here. This is straight ahead Rock and Roll, baby! Beautiful songs and a melodic approach to riff rock that reminds me a lot of Matthew Sweet's best work.

Friend Of Mine, Stupid Thing To Say, and Fade are spinners.

Go to your record store on Tuesday, July 15th and pick up this outstanding record. It'll make your Summer happen.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Friend Of Mine, Stupid Thing To Say, Fade, Takes Me Down.

Catherine Wheel Mercury. NR
Adam & Eve

Any album with the presence of Bob Ezrin on it will have a sonic contour that is esoteric, yet approachable.

Catherine Wheel continues with trenchant, regal songs that elevate the listener. This album feels like Roger Waters-era Pink Floyd.

Kudos to Garth Richardson for production and Randy Staub for the mix on this very subtle album.

Phantom Of The American Mother and Thunderbird are especially kool.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Delicious, Broken Nose, Phantom Of The American Mother, Satellite, Thunderbird, Here comes The Fat Controller, Goodbye.

The Vents Way Cool/Cargo/MCA. NA
Venus Again

Groovy, edgy Pop with Beatlesque harmonies in hooky, hummable patterns like World Is Crackin, or try on the harmony of Undeniable True, for instance. For a little Donnie Iris dig on Colleen for a minute.

World Is Crackin and Undeniable True are the spinners.


Internet Listening Pleasure: World Is Crackin, Undeniable True, Colleen, Things She Does, Venus Again.

FACE/OFF Hollywood Records. NR
Music From The Motion Picture

If Sam Peckinpah or Joseph Wambaugh had a dance school, their prize pupil would have to be John Woo. John Woo has choreographed an intense, unrelenting ballet featuring dancers the calibre of Nureyev and Barishnakov. The principal dancers in Woo's formidable troup are none other than Nicolas Cage and John Travolta.

As each other's nemesis, Travolta and Cage move (aided by Woo's prescient eye) with precision throughout this first class Action movie in a dance of death for 2 hours and change.

From the outset of the movie when Cage tosses the coverlet from his Husquevarna, til Travolta's final pirouette with Cage in the sand, I was moved to regard the movie as a form of extrapolated dance between the two leading men.

No question, Travolta's got the duende of the best dancers, but the big surprise here is Cage's feral, feline movement throughout the film. As Travolta and Cage trade characters, the dance progresses from amusing premise to an absolutely awesome study of someone getting under your skin.

In a scene that equals the shoot out-finale in The Wild Bunch, Archer's (née Troy's) raid on Troy's hideaway is one of the best firefights I've witnessed at the Cinema.

Nicolas Cage explores the complete personality range of Sean Archer and Castor Troy in this film, demonstrating Oscar calibre talent, his for the directing. Travolta must have gotten a kick out of exploring the Castor Troy character, since good and evil so singularly juxtaposed give John most of the best punch lines.

Woo's craftiness with emotion is such that he can numb you with sensory overload while re-exposing cauterized nerves. Kudos to John Woo for the best action directing I've seen so far, this Summer. Kudos to John Travolta and Nicolas Cage for nailing the reversals and getting the most out of a substantial screenplay, scripted by Mike Werb and Michael Colleary.

John Powell, with the help of excellent orchestrations, has unleashed one hell of a time-synched score! Powell's powerful score is in the best tradition of Elmer Bernstein and Jerry Goldsmith. I generally don't like to listen to scores, per se, but Powell's gripping music brings back the images of this movie like a memory rush. I only wish I had a push-pull subwoofer around to get the full effect of the orchestra. Powell's score makes FACE/OFF one helluva nutcracker suite!

Travolta coming home inhabited by Castor Troy is highlighted by James Brown's Papa's Got a Brand New Bag, Pt. 1 which is not on this CD. You'll dig the end title credits song by INXS called Don't Lose your Head, if you are patient enough.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Face On, Furniture, This Rediculous Chin, No More Drugs For That Man, Ready For The Big Ride, Bubba.

KISS Army On Line N/A. NR
Music From The Folder

Apparently there are tons of KISS Maniacs out there who communicate with each other via The Internet. This album was put together by online KISS fans, hence, KISS Army On Line.

Participants from all over the country, novices to professionals, contributed to this album, much of it via Internet. A full blown professional studio album is in the works. But this one is truly from the heart as these fans sing their little guts out for the band they love. Additionally, proceeds from the sale of this CD will go to Cancer research in the name of the late Eric Carr.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Strange Ways, Naked City, War Machine, Sweet Pain, Domino, Firehouse, God Of Thunder.

Duke Daniels Felix Culpa Music. NA
Duke Daniels

Duke Daniels plays around town at places like the Alligator Lounge and The Mint.

This is real kool music. The sounds captured by this band remind me of The Band fronted by Paul Westerburg. Dan Clark has got the voice of the Marlboro Man down cold. The rhythm section is solid and on the one. Dig the piano fingering on Darlin', which is an out and out spinner, if you ask me. The guitarist seems to know his Gatemouth Brown alright.

One thing I'd suggest is a remix of the rhythm tracks to give the bottom just a bit more punch. I think this band would be a great addition to the Warner-Reprise family of fine musical recordings.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Followin' A Star, Darlin'.

Camus Atlantic. NA
Sins Of The Father

At first listen, you may hear Bob Dylan or Tom Petty in the vocals of Camus. Trust me, Camus is not trying to sing like either of those two gentlemen.

Produced by Camus in a stripped down, bare and raw style, this is some of the most refreshing music I've listened to in eight months, no...make that a year and a half. I think the last band that moved me like this was Dishwalla. The sounds of the two acts are totally different, but the feelings they emote are what make them special to me.

A couple of the tracks are mixed by A&R genius, David Kahne. Get ready for the re-mix of U Who which is a ready made hit waiting to spin. On My Mind is the other spinner on the album.

Look for the RATW interview with Camus in the Emery On The Town section of Music News.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Send Her My Love, U Who, You're The One Who Got Away, Ouch, Citizen #, Sins Of The Father, On My Mind, Don't Call Me, Wonderland.

Slightly Miffed Slightly Fishy Records. NR
The Missing Piece

This is only a test!

The Cunninghams Revolution. NA
Zeroed Out

It's nice to hear a band out of Seattle that has more to do with Heart, Jimi Hendrix and Robert Cray than the coffee shop all-stars that made it in the early 90's. I mean, how much desperation, doom and death can you take? It's a relief to hear a band like this.

Seven, the band's lead vocalist, has the chops of early Elvis Costello, the tremolo of Iggy Pop and the hipsway of David Bowie in this vocal approach. Scott Bickham and Eric Craig are acolytes of the Joe Perry/Brad Whitford school of bad-ass guitar. Eliot Freed is one of the best young drummers I've heard in a while. I hope he gets a DW endorsement.

The Cunninghams craft guitar driven pop with a rockin' edge to it. Let's hope the guy who drives the Z3 gets these other great songs spun on the radio.

Look for the RATW interview with The Cunninghams in the Emery On The Town section of Music News.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Bottle Rockets, No Complaints, Intermission, Wannabe, Losing Team, Generic Song, Alienate.

Edwin McCain Lava/Atlantic. NA
Misguided Roses

The Edwin McCain band is Atlantic's answer to RCA's Dave Matthews Band. I think program directors who caught on to Dave Matthews' Crash Into Me ought to give the same sort of listen to Edwin McCain's Grind Me In The Gears, followed by I'll Be. These are the songs that do it for me.

Programmers are without excuse for leaving this material off the air.

Edwin McCain is in the tradition of singer-songwriters like Randy Newman, Joni Mitchell and James Taylor...all longevity artists. I wonder if James Taylor's Gorilla were released today if any programmers would have the balls to play any of it. Same thing with Edwin McCain.

I once heard this programmer calling Led Zeppelin a prog- rock band as his radio station was going down in flames that very night. Unbelievable. Squeeze your grapefruits, not your brains and play us some Edwin McCain.

Look for the RATW interview with Edwin McCain in the Emery On The Town section of Music News.



Internet Listening Pleasure: See The Sky Again, Grind Me In The Gears, I'll Be, How Strange It Seems, Punish Me, Darwin's Children, (I've Got To) Stop Thinkin''Bout That.

Cozy Powell Polydor/Chronicles. PR
The Best Of Cozy Powell

Cozy Powell is one of the best drummers to ever pick up sticks and give the cymbals a whack. Cozy Powell's mastery of pedalling and chiming are what sets this talented drummer apart. Powell's snare cack is remarkable.

It's no wonder Cozy Powell has been in some amazing bands: The Jeff Beck Group, Rainbow and Emerson, Lake & Powell.

I once saw Cozy play drums for Brian May in support of May's brilliant Back To The Light album a few years ago at The Palace. Brian May was perfect. Cozy Powell was like thunder and lightning. The thing about Powell, though, was his reluctance to take any of the limelight from Brian May. It was Brian May who made Cozy Powell take a curtain call to rapturous applause. That's when you know you're respected by your peers.

Cozy's peers contributed to his three albums for Polydor. Peers like Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Jack Bruce, Don Airey and Jon Lord showed up to jam with Cozy.

Cozy's style fits with everything from Blues Rock, Fusion, Prog-Rock, to film and television themes. I like Cat Moves the best.

Hear Cozy Powell as never before on this re-mastered set.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Killer, The Loner, Over The Top, Cat Moves, Up On The Downs, Octopuss, The Rattler.

Rainbow Polydor/Chronicles. PR
The Very Best of Rainbow

If you're a big fan of Rainbow, then this is the compilation for you. The Very Best of Rainbow has been re-mastered to deliver the very best sonics possible. My guess is that Chronicles is using Apogee AD1000 and UV22 Super CD Encoding, which rivals HDCD in its clarity and musicality.

That said, Ritchie Blackmore was one of a handful of top session Aces in Britain. Blackmore's experience with session work may have led him to distinguish Rainbow as a song-driven band, rather than the riff-driven band Deep Purple is reknowned for. Sure, Ritchie threw in some licks to let you know who made Deep Purple famous all over the World, but listen to the lyrics and song structure.

You'll hear sonics that influenced bands like Survivor which went on to make millions from soundtracks, copping the sound off of Since You Been Gone and All Night Long. Rainbow's sound resonated through the late 80's and early 90's in bands like Poison and even Warrant.

Ritchie Blackmore's other talent was getting excellent vocalists to add their colorations to Rainbow. Ronnie James Dio is regarded with great respect by every other vocalist I've ever talked to. Joe Lynn Turner contributed vocals that gave Rainbow its popular breakthrough hits of the 80's.

It is fitting that Ritchie Blackmore is out on the road with another iteration of Rainbow in the late 90's. I wish I hadn't missed Rainbow when they played at Billboard Live a couple months ago.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Man On The Silver Mountain, Gates Of Babylon, Since You Been Gone, Jealous Lover, Stone Cold, Power, Street Of Dreams.

Neil Young and Crazy Horse Reprise. NR
Year Of The Horse

Neil Young & Crazy Horse follow up their brilliant Broken Arrow album with a live album that captures Neil Young's sound when he plays with Crazy Horse. There ain't anybody out there that can get the sound Neil gets with Crazy Horse. It isn't all electric, there are some acoustic surprises, like Mr. Soul and Human Highway.

I love the anthem in Prisoner where Young declares, ..."we don't want to be watered down, taking orders from record company clowns...That's why we don't want to be good, we're prisoners of Rock & Roll."

Yeah Neil, dig it!


Internet Listening Pleasure: When You Dance, When Your Lonely Heart Breaks, Mr. Soul, Barstool Blues, Big time, Pocahontas, Prisoners.

Spiritualized Dedicated/Arista. NA
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space

The packaging of this album is like a pharmaceutical product. You'll know what I mean once you've bought the CD and opened it up. This is great music for anyone who lives the other eight hours of the day.

This is interstellar pop. Fresh and inventive, really kool stuff. Great ambient tones mixed with outer space vocals. A great album to work off heavy doses of caffeine late at night, after hours. Some of this music will definitely work its way into the cool out rooms of clubs.

Dig on I Think I'm In Love and Broken Heart. Ease back to Cool Waves when you get a chance. I think the prescription should be Spiritualized, b.i.d. for two weeks solid, reducing dosage to three times a month thereafter.


Internet Listening Pleasure: Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space, Come Together, I Think I'm In Love, Broken Heart, Cool Waves.

Treehouse Breaking Records/Atlantic. NA
Nobody's Monkey

If you like Bush, but kind of wanted more and never got it from that band, try this band out of Liverpool, England.

The Omigod earnestness of Pete Riley's voice and Keith Thomas' timely guitar licks equal or surpass that of Bush. I truly dig Bush's guitar player and I think he should start his own band, but that's niether here nor there are far as Treehouse is concerned, since I think Treehouse can kick Bush's ass musically.

The rhythm section of O'Brien and Juckes is punchy and powerful. I can testify from hearing Paul O'Brien on Bass and Abe Juckes on Drums LIVE that these cats have chops to spare, but they don't cut loose at the expense of the song and the groove they're in. The songs rule with these cats, and I think Treehouse knows they're only the messengers.

I think Hangin' On could be the one to bust this band out. I dig the sonics on that song. The spirit of Duane Allman soars on Northern Rainbow and Allison's Sky.



Internet Listening Pleasure: The Days, Daddy Inside, A Million Places At Once, On My Own Again, Losing Tonight, Hangin' On, Northern Rainbow, Allison's Sky.

Mansun EMI/Epic. NA
Attack of The Grey Lantern

Mansun is another British band turning out great music for tired ears like mine. I'm astonished by the remarkable sonics and craftiness of the initial public offering from this U.K. band.

The soundfields and treatments have the power of Pink Floyd's best work. The subject material is as polished as anything Tears For Fears has ever done.

In short, Paul Draper is a monster. This is the best produced album by a newbie I've ever heard. Draper -and I don't say this lightly, by any stretch- is heir to the intellectual property of Bob Ezrin, who is a genius of the first order. Plus, all the music and words were written by Draper. Yikes!

Don't get me wrong, Mansun is a band and the other members are willing accomplices in Draper's sonic overthrow. Such inspired performances must come from somewhere. I hear David Bowie collaborating with Tony Visconti. I hear George Martin and The Beatles. I see David Gilmour and Roger Waters working together.

Attack Of The Grey Lantern is even sequenced like a great album. Altogether uniform in its aural attack. Dig the quotation of Ringo Starr's break beats from The Inner Light on Tax Loss.

Of all the great British exports I've heard this year, Mansun shines alone, ineluctably preeminent.

...Now prove it to me LIVE...


Internet Listening Pleasure: The Chad Who Loved Me, Wide Open Space, She Makes My Nose Bleed; Take It Easy, Chicken; Mansun's Only Love song, Tax Loss, Dark Mavis.

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