Going Back to Roseland in Style

Dennis DeYoung - 26 East, Volume I

2020, Frontiers Records    

During the late 1970's and early 1980's there weren't many bands who could keep up with Styx.  From 1977 to 1980 Styx released four consecutive multi-platinum albums (The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, Cornerstone and Paradise Theatre.)  Styx was a mix of musical contradictions and complements that worked, in large part, due to the vision of Dennis DeYoung.  Forty years later, and 20+ years since DeYoung was pushed out of the band, Dennis remains the heart and soul of Styx to many fans.  His shows recreate the past for Styx fans 150 nights per year (or did pre-Coronavirus), and do so with an energy and vocal intensity that few 73 year old could match.

DeYoung thought he had hung up his spikes for new material until old friend Jim Peterik (Survivor, Ides of March, Pride of Lions) pulled him back in from the recording pasture.  Working together, DeYoung and Peterik wrote close to 20 songs.  One, "Proof of Heaven", appeared on Peterik's 2019 album Winds of Change.  DeYoung was just getting started, however, and dropped 26 East, Volume I in late May.  It mixes the best of Styx' rock sound with classic DeYoung ballads and wonderfully tongue-in-chic rock/pop.  

The album opens with "East of Midnight", a Jim Peterik tune enhanced with some classic DeYoung keyboard work.  The song fits nicely with DeYoung's looking back to look forward concept album, and sounds like a classic Styx tune.  "With All Due Respect" unleashes DeYoung's dad-humor style of the cognoscenti of television's talking head class in an irresistibly danceable rocker.  The chorus, "with all due respect, you are an asshole..." rings true with most people regardless of your thoughts on current events.  "Run For The Roses" and "Damn That Dream" take altering looks at the pursuit of success; the former a Pilate-like soliloquy on what really matters, the latter a paean to siren call of the life of a creative.  These two songs perhaps perfectly capture the tension that has driven DeYoung all of his (now eight) decades.  Longtime fans will appreciate DeYoung's ode to the American dream, "The Promise of This Land", calling for all Americans to work together to ensure the dream remains alive for all. 

The magic moment that seems to have inspired DeYoung to undertake this recording is the duet with Julian Lennon on "To The Good Old Days".  The song was written as an ode to his musical roots and where be began, and the inclusion of Lennon brings it full circle.  Musically this is the biggest surprise on the album; the song doesn't have the same tenor as the rest of the album, and I suppose that's the point.  It's well written, but will probably be hit or miss depending on what fans are looking for.  The album wraps with A.D. 2020, an ode to Paradise Past.  Get out the tissues, it's an appropriate ending to a brilliant career.

Except it's not the end.

26 East, Volume II has seven songs in the can with two to be recorded.  If Volume I is any indication, Dennis DeYoung still has plenty of gas in the tank.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Styx - The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight: Live

Styx – The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight: Live
2012, Eagle Rock Entertainment

From 1977 to 1981 there wasn’t a bigger name in American Rock N Roll than Styx.  The first group to ever score four consecutive multi-platinum albums, Styx dominated AOR and pop radio, and tour box offices, like few others up until their first breakup in 1984.  Times change, and musical styles move on.  Styx has never recaptured the commercial success they had in their prime, and the revolving door of band members and side projects since the band’s reunion in 1996 has made for a sound that is dynamic but altered from the signature sound of the band’s heyday.  In 2011, Styx put on a short concert tour that included complete live renditions of the band’s classic albums The Grand Illusion and Pieces Of Eight.  That tour is memorialized now on DVD, Blue-Ray, and combined DVD and 2-CD set. 

The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight: Live is a visually stunning and musically surprising performance.  Some of Styx’ greatest hits were featured on these two albums, including “The Grand Illusion”, “Fooling Yourself”, “Miss America”, “Come Sail Away”, “Blue Collar Man” and “Renegade”.  While the vocal mix has changed over the years, and Lawrence Gowan will never quite replace the voice of Dennis DeYoung, Styx managed to capture the same zeitgeist that made them the kings of Arena Rock for close to a decade.  The video presentation and audio quality are perfect, and Styx is entirely on their game on-stage.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Styx continues to be one of the highest grossing live acts in the U.S., and it’s easy to see why on The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight: Live.  So while lesser acts are ensconced in the Rock N Roll Hall of Jann Wenner’s album collection in Cleveland, true Icons of rock music such as Styx continue to do what they do best:  Rock and roll.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Styx at www.styxworld.com. 

   DVD/2-CD               BluRay                      DVD

Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Styx - Regeneration: Volume I & II

Styx – Regeneration: Volume I & II
2011, Eagle

Like many classic rock bands subject to the avarice of labels who own the rights to their songs, Styx has seen a number of re-releases and repackages of their material over the years.  Since 2007 there have been no less than nine greatest hits/best of packages released in various countries around the world.  Not too shabby for a band that apparently can’t even get a grudging nod of respect from the folks at Rolling St…  I mean the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   Styx is back with another re-package of old hits, but this time it’s a bit more intriguing.  Regeneration: Volume I & II offers 15 new recordings of classic Styx songs, plus one new track.

Styx released Volume I and Volume II separately over the past year and a half, with the intent that the albums would be sold only at shows and on-line through the band’s fan club.  The secondary demand for the discs proved significant, however, and Eagle Records has packaged both albums in one set.  You can see our prior review of Regeneration: Volume I here.  Volume II runs in the same vein, with old Styx favorites getting new life from the current lineup.  Like Volume I, Volume II has a raw-but-polished quality, similar to a professionally produced live album.  Styx strives to capture the sound you hear in concert today on record rather than re-create the originals note-for-note.  The result is an exciting update to material that still seems vibrant even (in some cases) thirty-five years later. 

The band revives such hits as “Blue Collar Man”, “Renegade”, “Miss America”, “Snowblind” and “Too Much Time On My Hands”, with Tommy Shaw and James Young belting out classic vocal lines.  In the process, Styx digs out a wonderful gem in “Queen Of Spades”.  Lawrence Gowan does a great job with this classic album cut, even if it doesn’t have quite have the dramatic sense of the original.  Styx also gives life to two cuts Tommy Shaw performed with side project Damn Yankees (Shaw, Jack Blades, Ted Nugent & Michael Cartellone).  “High Enough” and “Coming Of Age” always sounded like Styx songs and work very well in the context of the current lineup of the band.

Yes, there was much complaining on-line and in fan enclaves when Styx started releasing the Regeneration projects.  Fans who will never forgive the band for the departure of Dennis DeYoung scalded the remaining members for carrying on without him, but this is what bands do, like it or not.  Regeneration: Volume I & II isn’t about excising a former band member, it’s about putting Styx in a position to make a living off their own work, rather than having all of the licensing opportunities fall into the lap of a dying major label architecture more interested in profiting off its catalogue than actually building up artists for the future.  Regeneration: Volume I & II gives more than fair value; classic songs with an updated sound that’s as fresh and vibrant today as ever.

Rating:  4 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Styx at www.styxworld.com. 

           CD                       Download
    iTunes.
Please note that the Amazon.com prices listed above are as of the posting date, and may have changed. Wildy's World is not responsible for price changes instituted by Amazon.com.

Epigene – A Wall Street Odyssey

Epigene – A Wall Street Odyssey
2011, Amammi Music

Upstate New York rockers Epigene have made a name for themselves over the past decade by writing outside of the box rock n roll songs.  Epigene’s latest work, A Wall Street Odyssey, may be their most ambitious work to date.  Primary songwriter Sean Bigler attempts to capture the fall and rebirth of Wall Street and her denizens over the past few years in an art-rock concept album with pretentions to being a rock musical. 

A Wall Street Odyssey follows the life and times of the fictional Yossarian, an investment banker living the high life on Wall Street who comes to a crisis of conscience through the crash of 2008.  Yossarian moves out of the city and finds a life he never dreamed of, and then returns as an advocate for less money, ala Jerry Maguire.  The album is steeped in rock influences including The Who, The Kinks, Green Day and even a touch of Andrew Lloyd Webber (from his rock musical phase in the 1970’s).  All Wall Street Odyssey starts strong on “Looks Like I Made It”, which sounds like the Beatles jamming alternately with Rick Wakeman and Dennis DeYoung on keyboards.  It’s a great opener for an album or a musical, with all of the energy and urgency you might expect.    Big scale pop and electro rock are the name of the game on “Money Master” and “The Catch 22”, showing the big sale and the beginning of the downward spiral.  “Take My Head Off” is the beginning of the downfall, both for Yossarian and for the album as a whole.  The struggle to overcome the cognitive dissonance of a life lived in essential conflict is reflected in the mild dissonance of the angular composition.

Unfortunately, things go quickly downhill from there.  Yossarian’s breakdown is reflected by a breakdown in cohesion of the songwriting that isn’t recovers until ¾ of the way through the 25-track album.  In the meantime it’s a self-referential bland pop experience that runs the gamut of 1970’s music, from AM radio easy listening music to smarmy pop.  Interestingly enough, it’s when Yossarian returns to Wall Street to see the scene of his crimes that the energy and panache returns.  “Stranger In A Strange Land” may remind listeners of 1980’s rockers Men At Work in sonic style.  The album gets preachy on “Colonization & Globalization” and stays there for much of the rest of the way.

A Wall Street Odyssey starts with tremendous potential, but quickly fizzles into a narcissistic political diorama of bland musical compositions and pretentious political motivations.  Epigene does show flashes of great songwriting on A Wall Street Odyssey, but this is an example where the intended message hijacks the music.  If you’re into overly preachy, mellow-art rock that dances into the edges of psychedelia from time to time, then A Wall Street Odyssey will be right up your alley.

Rating: 2 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Epigene at www.epigenemusic.com or www.myspace.com/epigenemusic.  Keep checking Epigene's sites for availability.

Syzygy - Realms Of Eternity

Syzygy - Realms Of Eternity
2009, FHL Records

Cleveland, Ohio rockers Syzygy have been developing their sound and identity for a number of years, first under the name Abraxas and later as Witsend. As the band developed and personnel changed, it became clear that the name Witsend would be more trouble than it was worth, and the band chose the moniker Syzygy. An alignment of the Earth, Moon and Sun, Syzygy often represents a coming together, and the name has never been apropos. Syzygy has found a sound that is both classic and fresh, relevant and magical. On Syzygy’s latest album, Realms Of Eternity, the band tackles the spiritual world and the afterlife. The themes on Realms Of Eternity are Judeo-Christian in nature, but Realms Of Eternity seems more of a metaphysical album than a religious one. Either way, it’s some of the most intriguing progressive rock of last few years.

Imagine 1970's Prog rockers Yes with Dennis DeYoung sitting in for Rick Wakeman on keys. Further imagine that this new band also engages in the occasional Jethro Tull-styled diversion, and you'll have a pretty good idea of the sound and range that Syzygy displays on Realms Of Eternity. Opening with "Darkfield", Syzygy gives us a moody and pensive tune that moves quickly to big dynamics, detailing the fall of Eden in song as the beginning of the conflict between God and Satan. Syzygy paints this story against a grand musical canvas, cast highs and lows; darks and lights as they balance the beauty of Paradise with the tension of the eternal struggle over its former inhabitants. "Vanitas" is an instrumental rock orchestral movement about Adam & Eve's self-discovery (and discovery of shame and vanity). It's a stylized representation that works well.

"Dreams" is a grand, theatrical rock number about hope. Keyboardist Sam Giunta channels early-1970's Dennis DeYoung here, and there's a definite James Young flair to the guitar line. "Echoes Remain" could have come right out of a Jethro Tull session circa Songs From The Wood, right down to its philosophic mien. Syzygy turns more to a Rick Wakeman style keyboard sound for "Dialectic", using significant instrumental and vocal layering to build a sound that is at once majestic and intellectual. At over sixteen minutes in length, "Dialectic" offers ample opportunity for instrumental airplay, and Syzygy doesn't miss a single opportunity, playing out a musical narrative of trials and tribulations.

Syzygy takes us on an interesting side trip, transitioning from the peaceful interlude of "Arranmore Isle" into the dark energy of "Overture" before resolving into the light air that flows into "The Sea". "The Sea" details man's yearning to return to God. Mankind hears the voices of the departed across the sea; those who have already returned to their home, and yearns as one to return to where they came from. Hope resurfaces on "The Morning Song", promising all of the wonderful things that Paradise can bring. "Variations, Part 1" and "Variations, Part 2" are both Yes-like in structure and sound, offering the musical equivalents of a movie's deleted scenes and alternate endings. Syzygy does venture into some interesting musical divergences, but these two tunes are for the serious Prog fans and instrumentalists out there who like to pick complex compositions apart for fun. "Reflection" is a moment of contemplation of Faith that leads into "Finale", a joyous yet rocky journey to reunion with God. The song is punctuated by big guitar solos and dynamic interplay; building into a frenzied peak before drawing down to a slow legato that then builds into a Styx-style closing chorus.

Syzygy pulls out all of the stops on Realms Of Eternity, paying homage to some of the most dynamic sounds of the Prog rock era and building on them in new and interesting ways. The heavily religious theme may put some off, but the album plays more like a Dante narrative than a sermon, and can be seen as a parable for man's eternal struggle to be independent set against his eternal need to be loved. Realms Of Eternity is one of the best Progressive rock albums of the past few years.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Syzygy at http://www.syzygymusic.com/ or www.myspace.com/syzygymusicenterprises. Realms Of Eternity is available as a CD or Download from Amazon. Downloads are also available via iTunes.

Review: Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element - Volume 2

Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element - Volume 2
2009, Silverwolf Records

Johnny Neel has it all, really. A top-level session player in Nashville, Neel has a Grammy nomination under his belt and has written songs recorded by The Allman Brothers, John Mayall, Joe Louis Walker, The Oak Ridge Boys, Marie Osmond and Travis Tritt. Neel is also well-respected as a performer, with a small but significant following mostly on the East Coast of the US. Neel’s sixth solo album, Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element Volume 2, was released earlier this year; A mix of Rock and Blues pervades the disc.

Volume 2 opens with Go, a great mid-tempo Blues/Rock hybrid with some intriguing minor-key vocal harmonies in the chorus. The song is strong overall, but the chorus adds that "gotcha" that draws listeners in and convinces them to stay for a while. Pass Out is a funky Rock jam that turns psychedelic before slamming back into the funk. Thing P-Funk meets Pink Floyd. Thunder is an impressive track, combining a pure Classic/Southern Rock sound with elements of Jazz, Funk and Soul. You'll want to get moving when this song is one. Smackin' Pepper goes for the ten-minute instrumental jam thing and ends up sounding a bit like album filler, although the Moog work in particular is impressive. Hot Beer Emergency mixes Styx-style keyboards with Southern Rock guitar for the most intriguing composition on the disc. Here Right Now is a fun and catchy Classic Rock paean that turns into an extended jam. Neel closes out with Playin' On The Tracks, a decent tune but probably not the best choice as a closer to the album.

Johnny Neel rips it up with his guitar, playing some of the hottest Rock and Blues guitar out there. The songwriting and composition here ranges from above average to excellent, although the extended jams do end up sounding like filler at times. Neel's band is as sharp as a tack, and no matter your inclination you'll find something here to enjoy. Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element, Volume 2 is definitely worth checking out.

Rating: 3 Stats (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element at http://www.johnnyneel.com/, www.myspace.com/johnnyneel, or www.myspace.com/thecriminalelement. You can purchase a copy of Johnny Neel And The Criminal Element Vol. 2 in Neel’s online CD Shop. You can download Volume 2 from iTunes.

Review: HB3 - The Veldt

HB3 - The Veldt
2007, Zegnotropic Records

HB3 is setting music free with a sound that combines organic electric instruments with electronic sounds and effects in fashion that might just be unique. Bridging the gaps from Charlie Parker to Eric Johnson to Yes and through Ravi Shankar on the way back, HB3 paints with a broad musical brush that's as interesting as it is hard to predict. HB3's latest album, The Veldt, is loosely based on the Ray Bradbury short story of the same name. HB3 looks to create a musical place of pure imagination and creativity both as a refuge from the world and a means to understand it.

The Veldt opens with Overture (Behold The Sea), sounding a bit like Mannheim Steamroller with Eric Johnson on guitar and Rick Wakeman sitting in on keys. Keyboard, guitar and piccolo bass pass the major and minor themes back and forth in a composition with theatrical implications. Pay Me Pray Me is described by HB3 as a prayer to Eros; the song itself is hard to decipher on the lyric side but plays like a very repressed alt-rocker with progressive tendencies in the chorus. The Veldt plays off of African rhythms and a somewhat demented bit of song construction to create a fantastical vision that crosses cultural and musical boundaries with each sonic breath. Perhaps the most interesting interlude in the song is a bass solo that sounds like it has been amplified with some electronic effects.

Casual Betrayal sews together threads of Brit Rock, Folk and 1980's keyboard-driven New Wave; the song explores the lack of honor in modern society and how it is passed from generation to the next like a social disease. HB3 manages to sound quite a lot like 54-40's Neil Osborne on this track. Manimal! combines Hip-Hop and Electronica with Horror-movie style themes. Manimal! is all over the musical map and is better heard than described. Harmonium takes Dennis DeYoung-style keyboard work (you might pick out distinct similarities to the opening of Fooling Yourself) and builds into something reminiscent of some of the experimental soundtrack work of the late 1980's. Fans of Giorgio Moroder will find themselves on familiar territory for much of the song.

On 007, HB3 pays tribute to Isao Tomita with a composition that runs the gamut Sci-Fi and Space Age novelty. Computers and spaceships as they may have been sonically imagined in the 1960's and 1970's reign here. Close But No Cigar is one of the most intriguing compositions here; I spent a dozen or so trips through this song trying to come up with a "sounds like" comparison and couldn't find anything that quite fit. The closest I came is to think of Pink Floyd as produced by William Ackerman. The Veldt closes out with Lion & Lamb which turns out to be something of a musical reprise of the entire album, in turns. Most or all of the major thematic elements of the individual songs come back in Lion & Lamb; a sort of musical yang and yin that compels the album while drawing all of the pieces together.

It's rare to come across a recording that's wholly original. HB3 achieves this not by fearing or shunning his influences, but by embracing them wholeheartedly and using them to loving create new ideas with old phrases. In a medium governed by eight basic notes it is often the music musicians themselves consume that drives their creations. HB3 takes all of these musical ideas that have entered his mind over the years and resets them as something wholly new and original. The Veldt is brilliant.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about HB3 at http://www.hb3.com/ or www.myspace.com/fromthelaboratory. You can purchase The Veldt as either CD or download at CDBaby.com.

Review: J.A.C.K. - Deletist

J.A.C.K. - Deletist

2009, Yabyum Records

Brooklyn-based alt-rock quarter J.A.C.K. keep the meaning of their acronym secret, but the word of mouth about their sound was uncontainable almost from the start. Three rip-roaring sons of Rock N Roll met while enrolled in New York University's music program, and after cementing their sound with the highly flying falsetto of vocalist/guitarist Scott Holland knew they had something special. Their sophomore release (and first full-length), Deletist, is out today. J.A.C.K. may be secretive about the original of their name, and DIY to the bone, but their sphere of influence is likely to expand significantly in the near future.

Deletist opens with the chaotic track Dracula, which spends most of its time as an alternative rocker but closes out with a keyboard driven classic rock section that would make Dennis DeYoung weep with joy. One thing you should understand about lead vocalist Scott Holland is that he can be something of a chameleon. On The Leader, Holland sounds like a cross between Klaus Meine and Bon Scott, whereas on a track like Extinguisher he can sound like a particularly raspy Bono. I Cut Off My Arms is perhaps the greatest “relationship gone wrong” songs I’ve ever heard, although it may be a bit disturbing for some. A distinctly poppy love song with some heavy guitar work represents the alternately lovesick and disturbed states of the protagonist. Bug appears to be a song about torture, or perhaps it’s just an allegory for crossing lines. Either way it’s at least mildly disturbing and gets your attention, right down to the lyric dueling guitar work in the bridge. Suicide Man opens with what might only be described as a gospel choir in Hell before turning into an alternately minimalist and noisy arrangement. The song itself is intriguing and definitely off the beaten track. You’ll also want to check out Summer’s War and Rainbow Blood.

J.A.C.K., J.A.C.K., J.A.C.K., what are we going to do with you? You don’t fit in with the other bands. You have some of the loftier musical ideals of a Radiohead, the occasional slow-heavy drive of Black Sabbath or Heaven And Hell, an ability to write songs like what Bono might come up on a dark day and a wonderfully and slightly worrying warped world perspective. We’ll find a place for you, because I believe a lot of people will be intrigued by your sound, I am just not sure how we present you to the world. Hey, I know! Let’s bring everyone to a show in Brooklyn! After you melt all their faces for a couple of hours they’ll be hooked! They’ll be buying copies of Deletist hand over fist!

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about J.A.C.K. at http://www.jackbandnyc.com/ or www.myspace.com/jacknyc. You can get a digital copy of Deletist at either Amazon MP3 or iTunes. If you want a hard copy, the only place to get one right now is at a live show (Face melting is included in the price of admission), but if you contact J.A.C.K. through their MySpace page perhaps they’ll hook you up.

Review: Dennis DeYoung - One Hundred Years From Now

Dennis DeYoung - One Hundred Years From Now

2009, Grand Illusion Music/Rounder Records

Dennis DeYoung is familiar to music fans as the iconic voice behind some of Styx' biggest hits. Songs like Lady, Come Sail Away, Babe, The Best Of Times and Mr. Roboto owned the airwaves in the 1970's and 1980's. DeYoung and Styx even spread their penchant for rock gold into the 1990's with Show Me The Way, a song that became thematic during the first Gulf War in 1990. DeYoung went on to write a full scale musical, The Hunchback Of Notre Dame, which won a Jefferson Award as Best Musical for it's Chicago run in 2008 and should be hitting Broadway in the next few years. He also continued to tour and record with Styx from the mid-1990's until a mysterious illness befell him en route to a very public divorce from the band he helped found. Sticking with the motto he enshrined in song, "Winner are losers who got up and gave it one more try", Dennis began touring with a new band playing the music of Styx as well as some original rock tunes and the occasional song from Hunchback. In 2007, DeYoung released One Hundred Years From Now in Canada, where the album achieved gold record status. In May of 2009, DeYoung released a reworked version of One Hundred Years From Now in the US on Rounder Records.

One Hundred Years From Now opens with the title track, originally recorded as a French/English duet with singer Eric LaPointe. For the US release, DeYoung takes solo possession of the vocals while making some lyrical alterations from the original. The song is artistic and theatrical rock; not so much an anti-war song about an anti-hared/vengeance/violence song. The musical canvas DeYoung creates here reminds one why Styx was such a commercial powerhouse from 1977 to 1983. DeYoung has always written with a mix of cynicism and optimism that comes from his working class background. DeYoung grew up in the Roseland section of Chicago in the 1960's amidst blue collar family and friends while the radical social changes of the 1960's swirled around him. This Time Next Year reflects that gilded sense of optimism of a generation that grew up knowing that no matter how difficult things might be they always get better.

Rain is a tremendous bit of Prog Rock writing, featuring heavy pop hooks, a big guitar sound and a driven keyboard root. The vocal triads in the chorus complete a sound that few bands dare to attempt nowadays. The song itself is a powerful paean to hopelessness and is a real knockout. The next song, Crossing The Rubicon, is musical nirvana for fans of classic Styx; a meandering lyrical ballad in Progressive Rock form that is the musical equivalent of a Chaucer tale. The point of no return (classically based in Caesar's crossing of the Rubicon river to invade Italy) signifies moving on, and is such a universal concept it is likely to have broad appeal. Save Me has a strong theatrical feel to it, a cry for help in the form of a mid-tempo pop song with a killer melody and wonderfully layered instrumentation.

DeYoung shows his most cynical aspect on I Don't Believe In Anything, a brilliant musical diatribe against modern technology and times which could be mistaken for the ultimate conspiracy theorists' theme song. Long time Styx fans will love this, and the injection of a little Chicago Blues is a nice bonus. My favorite song on the disc didn't appear on the Canadian version. If this had been a Styx album rather than a solo album, Pvt. Jones likely would have been sung by James Young, given the 1970's heavy metal style of the song, but it's nice to hear DeYoung really air it out on a heavy rocker for the first time in a long time. Pvt. Jones is a tribute to the soldiers who have paid a price for freedom, both those who have died and those who have come home irrevocably changed. Unlike many pro- or anti- war songs of the past few years, Pvt. Jones checks the politics at the door and just acknowledges those on the front lines.

I Believe In You is a fairly typical DeYoung pop ballad. It's a sweet, well-written love song that's certain mix-tape fodder. There Was A Time is more typical of the ballad DeYoung wrote early in his career but written from a more adult perspective. It's a ballad about regaining what was lost. There Was A Time has the theatric element that pervades DeYoung's writing and sounds like it could as easily appear on a Broadway stage as a rock album. Breathe Again is a song of love and thanks written for DeYoung's wife Suzanne; a testament to the idea that love can conquer all in highly personal terms. Styx fans will listen closely to the song Forgiveness for overtones that may apply to DeYoung's departure from the band. Irrespective of any connection, this may be the most interesting composition on One Hundred Years From Now. It's a highly insightful and honest look at the difficult negotiation between intellectual forgiveness and human emotion. The song itself is painted in dark and textured musical tones that underscore the struggle between heart and mind when forgiveness is entertained. DeYoung closes out the album with a big rocker, Turn Off CNN, imploring listeners to turn off the television and start thinking for themselves. DeYoung returns to his Rock N Roll/R&B roots on this one, particularly in the bridge.

DeYoung developed a reputation in later years with Styx as well as in his solo career as more of a balladeer than a rocker; he shatters that notion with One Hundred Years From Now. DeYoung turns in some of the best Rock material of his career on an unexpected and remarkable solo venture. Fans of Styx will eat this up, and fans of great music won't be able to keep away from an album that is destined to be a classic. One Hundred Years From Now is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc. Don't be surprised if this one gets a lot of mention on year-end lists and perhaps even an award nomination along the way.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Dennis DeYoung at http://www.dennisdeyoung.com/. You can purchase a copy of One Hundred Years From Now at Amazon.com, or download it from Amazon MP3 or iTunes. I would also suggest, if you have the opportunity, you check out the Canadian release, which includes the song Respect Me. This song was dropped from the US release but is definitely worth hearing.

Review: Lelio Padovani - Chasing The Muse

Lelio Padovani – Chasing The Muse
2007, Lelio Padovani

Lelio Padovani is a guitar player and teacher originally from Parma, Italy. With a life-long love of guitar influenced by the likes of Eric Johnson, George Lynch, Vinnie Moore and Joe Satriani, Padovani has developed a sound that ranges from sweet and melodic to hard-rocking alternative. Padovani’s fourth release, Chasing The Muse covers the entire spectrum, but focuses primarily in the soft rock/muzak range.

Chasing The Muse is a collection of eight songs written in an almost ambient classic rock style. Padovani’s guitar is the vocalist here, providing melody lines in the form of solos and flourishes against a bed of keyboard, bass and percussion. The opening track, Invitation, sounds like guitar work you might find on a Tommy Shaw/Jack Blades album on in a slower song from the post-DeYoung Styx catalog. Chasing The Muse is more of an Eric Johnson hybrid; the Rock N Roll version of elevator music, if you will. Rainy is a wonderfully moody composition featuring melodic guitar work, whereas Light And Shadow is more of an 80’s arena rock tune that begs for a vocalist to be added. Other highlights include New Day, Ballet and the alt-rocker Better Days.

Lelio Padovani steps forward with the highly entertaining and well made album Chasing The Muse. Guitar players will love this disc as Padovani makes the rounds of Classic, Alternative and Melodic Rock styles, always with that air of ambience close by. A few of the songs here scream to be more than just instrumental pieces. It would be interesting to see what Padovani might do in an ensemble format with a good singer and a strong rhythm section. The possibilities are staggering.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Lelio Padovani at http://www.leliopadovani.com/. You’ll have to contact Padovani directly through his website to get ordering information, as I was able to find no online outlets selling his CD.

Review: Monte Montgomery - Monte Montgomery

Monte Montgomery - Monte Montgomery
2008, Thirty Tigers

Monte Montgomery is a throwback to a time not so long ago when technical proficiency on guitar was only half of the equation. Guys like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Yngwie J. Malmsteen, Mark Knopfler and even Eddie Van Halen were technically proficient but also played with a fire in their soul that was otherworldly. As rock has moved away from solo-driven guitar works, the heart required for virtuosic play has largely been left behind in favor of a number of technically proficient but musically cold guitar players. Monte Montgomery flies in the face of that trend, playing with a technical proficiency that is stupefying but also a creative genius and intensity nonpareil. As luck or fate or whatever prime mover you choose to credit would have it he's also a fine songwriter with a lyrical touch and a sense of theater that would make Dennis DeYoung proud. On his latest release, 2008's Monte Montgomery, Montgomery offers up what may be the last great guitar god album until his next release.

Montgomery opens with River, an acoustic blues rocker with significant slide work. On top of everything else, Montgomery has a wonderfully soulful voice that can rise to a scream or drop to a whisper without notice. Listening to Montgomery's fretwork is mind-numbing. You'd swear at times there are at least two, maybe three guitars playing, but it's all Montgomery. Let's Go has the sort of intricate guitar progression that makes your head spin. Guitarists will have a ball trying to pick these recordings apart and recreate them, and a good number will come up against their own musical mortality trying. Montgomery is truly in a class by himself.

Company You Keep is an instant classic. I was blown away by the virtuosity and lyrical impact of this song, all delivered with that vibrant blue-eyed soul voice. Montgomery even shows his mellow side on the sweet ballad Loves Last Holiday. Montgomery plays around with amazing runs and harmonics on You Can't Fool Everyone. The song has a distinctive pop feel in conjunction with some of the most amazing guitar work thus far on the album. Could Have Loved You Forever is destined to be a classic song for somebody. If it doesn't become a hit for Montgomery then someone will pick it up and re-record it a few years down the road to great effect. Other highlights include Be Still, How Far, Midlife Matinee and the amazing ten-minute take on Jimi Hendrix' Little Wing.

To listen to Monte Montgomery play you might assume he's playing an electric guitar throughout Monte Montgomery. In fact all of his guitar work is acoustic; frenzied fretwork, neck bends and all. Monte Montgomery is a lightning bolt to the music industry. This sort of album (or artist, for that matter) doesn't come along very often. A generation from now young pop music stars will be lining up to play with Montgomery on duet or tribute albums. For now, enjoy watching an icon in the making. Amazing album, amazing guitar playing, amazing talent. Monte Montgomery is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Monte Montgomery at http://www.montemontgomery.com/. You can purchase a copy of Monte Montgomery at Amazon.com.

Review: Desmond Drive - I Called I

Desmond Drive – I Called I
2008, Desmond Drive
Desmond Drive is an Atlanta band with a big sound. Practicing the fine art of melody-driven rock in the vein of The Beatles or XTC, Desmond Drive literally turns heads when they start to play. Vocalist/keyboardist Bill Shaouy was raised on great melodic pop and managed to internalize that sensibility. It comes through in droves on Desmond Drive’s debut album, I Called I. With the help of Chuck Kelly (drums, percussion); Steve Platnick (Bass), and Rob Gal (guitarist and Producer), Shaouy offers up some of the sweetest pop confections you’re likely to hear.

Desmond Drive travels the highways and byways of big melodies and strong pop themes. The fact that these are applied to a distinct Americana style makes for a highly listenable and universal album that eludes distinct classification while constantly breaking new ground. I Called I opens with Two-Headed Beast, classic Americana in the image of Canadian trailblazers Blue Rodeo. Vocalist Bill Shaouy has a heavenly voice that's as smooth as anything and twice as pleasant. Desmond Drive nearly reinvents themselves on Poker Face, with a strong Roy Orbison thing going on. This is pure 1960's pop music; a love song with a slight country twang and big harmonies. Desmond Drive changes gears again on Isn't It A Wonder, a Beatles-esque pop ditty that's bizarrely beautiful in the most esoteric sense.

If you've ever spent much time on the folk scene in Upstate New York you may have come across a band called The Foothills Trio. I mention them because Desmond Drive's next song, Goodbye, sounds like The Foothills Trio sat down to jam with the Traveling Wilburies. The song carries tremendous harmonies and outstanding guitar work. Your Name is a sweet pop song that will popular for mix-tapes but is somewhat complacent, missing some of the energy encountered thus far on I Called I.

Simple Things, however, is probably the highlight of the album. Shaouy sounds inspired on this gem, which is as varied and complex as pop music gets. Simple Things has an almost Shakespearean quality about it; it's snappy with great hooks and a tremendous sense of movement. Leader finds Desmond Drive in the midst of 180-degree turn. It's an introspective and almost brutally honest self-assessment. It's a beautiful song with something of a John Lennon feel to it. My Will is the most straight forward pop/rock song on the album. It stands out the more so for seeming slightly out of place here. The song runs like a nervous child through the verse but finds purpose in the well-crafted and melodic chorus.

Happy Tollbooth Guy sounds like something that might show up in an Off-Broadway show. It's a bit campy and upbeat and showcases a vaguely theatrical style that runs just below the surface of much of Desmond Drive's music. Stylistically it sounds like Billy Joel and William Finn sat down at the same piano together. My Tribe is a great upbeat pop tune that could cross over as a dance hit, ala Fatboy Slim. My Tribe is the track with the greatest commercial potential, and honestly could be a dance hit with a remix by the right DJ. I Called I closes on a theatrical note, with the spiritually heavy One Night. Desmond Drive really gets down to their roots on these dramatic piano-driven tunes.

Desmond Drive is all over the musical map on I Called I. While this is not a key to commercial success in this day and age, it has always been a formula for classic, memorable, sometimes even iconic albums. I don't know if I'm willing to quite call I Called I iconic, but it's in the ballpark. The melodic sense here is stunning, and the composition style is unique and varied enough to make a distinct statement. Desmond Drive is lyrically competent and unafraid to take musical chances. Fans of folks like The Beatles, The Moody Blues and Dennis DeYoung-era Styx will love this. Fans of melodic pop rock and musicians in general will also find I Called I very gratifying. I Called I is a Wildy's World Certified Desert Island Disc, and definitely something you want on your to-do list.

Rating: 5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Desmond Drive at http://www.desmonddrive.com/. You can purchase a copy of I Called I at www.cdbaby.com/cd/desmonddrive.

Review: Sonic Bliss - Loved To Death

Sonic Bliss - Loved To Death
2008, Sonic Bliss

Sonic Bliss was born of five New York City music scene vets and one newcomer. The band seeks to bring old school classic rock into the twenty first century with smart lyrics, powerful songwriting and an explosive stage show. Vocalist Rene Berrios sounds like the ideal rock and roll front man, with a big powerful voice that can soar as easily as growl; Two lead guitarists, Roger Petersen and Kerry Christian Agnew give the band a Styx-like guitar sound, and Glenn Roberts and Charlie Martinez make up one of the tightest rhythm sections in Rock N Roll. Band members have individually played with or opened for Joan Jett, Mountain, Dee Snider/Twisted Sister, Ike and Tina Turner, Anthrax, Rick Derringer and Smokey Robinson, among others. Sonic Bliss itself has shared a stage with Winger, Black 47, Richie Havens, Cactus, Blue Oyster Cult and Savoy Brown. Sonic Bliss has built a reputation as one of the finest classic-rock style bands New York has seen. With Loved To Death, Sonic Bliss looks to propel themselves into a higher orbit. It just might work.

Loved To Death opens with Sahara, a big, strutting guitar rock tune that is at times reminiscent of Metallica. Aside from the big guitar work this song has a strong melody and a certain melancholy chutzpah that can not be denied. Far Cry takes off on a tear built of great guitar hooks and an outstanding vocal performance. This song sounds like post-Dennis DeYoung Styx material and is one of the better songs on the album. Better Days is a big acoustic anthem that allows the listener a bit of respite before the explosive hook that opens Home Again bends your mind. Home Again explores the human capacity for greed; the constant need for more and more. The song is full of great harmonies and a vibrant guitar part that very much moves the song along. Babe I'm Dying brings some 1970's funk into the mix, complete with horn section. Not to lay on the Styx references too much, but if you know ever heard Lonely People you'll know exactly what sound I'm talking about here.

It's not so much that Sonic Bliss sounds like anyone in particular, although the Styx and Metallica references have some real weight. It's more that Sonic Bliss engages on a musical playground that so many great bands have visited before. At the end of the day Sonic Bliss has a sound all their own, and that comes across nicely on Dead Sea Of Love, which is probably the best song on Loved To Death. Berrios is absolutely at the top of his game here, and Lea steps forward to the mic as a foil on the chorus to deliver a devastating aural counterpunch. The woman has pipes. In My Dreams opens with an organ interlude that segues into a roiling, angst filled guitar bank. The dark tone and themes roll away into sunlight for just Berrios and church-style organ. In My Dreams comes across as almost prayerfully introspective.

Nail In My Heart with a gypsy-sounding violin dancing along to a plaintive acoustic guitar part with Berrios singing over the top. This is perhaps the most emotionally powerful song on the album, and Lea again joins in to counterpoint Berrios. Save My Soul is an angry, anxious and ultimately desperate plea buried in driven guitars and seismic rhythms. Seven Days is a wonderfully dark rocker with religious overtones and some really unusual guitar work. From a pure Prog perspective this might be the most memorable song on Loved To Death, as it spirals almost out-of-control to its end. As an added bonus there's a live version of Stevie Wonder's Superstitious that will absolutely knock your socks off.

Sonic Bliss uses the concept album format album to drive home eleven powerful songs centered on themes of religion, redemption, belief and the infallibility of human imperfection. Prog/Arena rock fans you've been waiting for this one. Loved To Death brings retro-1970's hard rock into the twenty-first century with a glorious, resounding bang. Check out Loved To Death and see why Sonic Bliss have become almost legendary on the New York scene. You won't be disappointed.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Sonic Bliss at http://www.sonicbliss.net/, where you can purchase a copy of Loved To Death.