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. 

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Tommy Shaw - The Great Divide

Tommy Shaw – The Great Divide
2011, Pazzo Music/Fontana

Tommy Shaw is something of a rock n roll icon.   As one of the principal songwriters and vocalists for rock group Styx since 1976, Shaw (and the band) has cut a career path worthy of inclusion in the Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame.  Shaw has spent his share of time on other projects over the years, cutting four solo albums, two albums with Damn Yankees (Ted Nugent, Jack Blades) and three as part of Shaw/Blades.  Shaw has also appeared on a number of tributes and collections over time.  With a tenor voice that’s instantly recognizable, it’s no surprise that some Shaw’s songs (“Fooling Yourself”, “Renegade”, “Too Much Time On My Hands”, and “High Enough”) continue to be staples on classic rock radio.  Shaw’s latest album takes him down a new road.  Working with some of the finest bluegrass session players around, and with guest appearances by Dwight Yoakam, Alison Krauss and Brad Davis, Shaw’s The Great Divide is an absolute delight.

The Great Divide opens with “The Next Right Thing”, a wonderful blend of pop/rock songwriting and bluegrass style.  You could easily hear this tune appearing on a Shaw/Blades album or even as a rock number by Styx, but the bluegrass sound seems to fit perfectly.  The picking here is incredible; the backing band the real deal.  Yoakam sits in on backing vocals, adding his sound to a complex arrangement full of movement and zest.  Shaw is in fine voice here.  “Back In Your Kitchen” explores love as expressed through the culinary art.  Shaw’s songwriting is sharp and full of good humor, with a light feel that’s sweet and enjoyable.  The instrumentation here is deliriously good, and the vocal line is flawless.  “Sawmill” almost sounds like it could be Shaw playing with Union Station, matching the latter stylistically in a catchy, old-school country sound.

“The Great Divide” is sweet and melancholy; full of great hope and love.  Shaw manages to capture a bit of the high lonesome sound here at times in a ballad with a modern feel.  Alison Krauss adds her sweet voice on backing vocals.  “Shadows In The Moonlight” is a hauntingly tragic love story told in song.  Shaw manages an exquisite arrangement full of dark beauty.  “Get On The One” is a high energy turn about grabbing onto your dream and following it to fruition.  This is a theme that Shaw has revisited throughout the years in his songwriting, but remains fresh in an allegory of trains and contemporary bluegrass styling.  “Umpteen Miles” finds Shaw trying to sound like an Appalachian back-porch singer on the first verse.  It works to a degree, but the sound is much better when he graduates to his higher range for the chorus.  The story-song is brilliantly written and told; however, exploring the life of someone irrevocably tied to the land he grew up on. 

“Cavalry” is a sweet little love song built around traditional instrumentation and a wonderfully fresh pop sensibility.  “Afraid To Love” is pure Tommy Shaw; a pure pop ballad with bluegrass instrumentation.  “Give ‘Em Hell Harry” is a talk/sing number about Harry Truman’s musical career and how he stumbled into the presidency, suddenly communing with the likes of Stalin and Churchill.  It’s an entertaining turn; a nice change of pace.  Shaw closes out with “I’ll Be Comin’ Home”, an Americana/rock number done up in bluegrass instrumentation.  This is great songwriting, pure and simple, and Shaw’s iconic voice has never been better.  It’s the perfect close to a near-perfect album.

Tommy Shaw takes a surprising and pleasing turn with The Great Divide.  While it’s not at all surprising for a rock artist to suddenly turn to more traditional musical styles as their career progresses, it’s unusual to make the transition so well.  The Great Divide deftly blends traditional bluegrass sound and modern songwriting to create what should turn out to be one of the best bluegrass albums of 2011.  Don’t be entirely surprised if Shaw gets serious consideration for at least a GRAMMY nomination this time around.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (Out of 5)

Learn more about Tommy Shaw and The Great Divide at www.thegreatdividemusic.com.  The Great Divide is available from Amazon.com on CD, Vinyl and as a Download.  The album is also available from iTunes.

Review: Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus: Conquering Heroes

Carmine Appice's Guitar Zeus: Conquering Heroes
2009, Fuel Label Group
Carmine Appice has legendary status in the world of Rock N Roll. A founding member of Vanilla Fudge, Cactus and Beck, Boggert & Appice; Appice has also played with KGB, Paul Stanley, Pink Floyd, Stanley Clarke, Ted Nugent, King Kobra, Blue Murder and Ozzy Osbourne. Appice also played in Rod Stewart's band for a time, co-writing Young Turks and Do Ya Think I'm Sexy. In 1995, Appice created the Guitar Zeus project, an opportunity to do one-off performances/recordings with some of the best guitarists in the world. A total of three Guitar Zeus albums were released during the 1990's, featuring most of the top guitarists of the previous 20 years. Conquering Heroes, released August 25, 2009, compiles the best of those performances on two CDs.

Fans of 1980's Rock will have a field day with Conquering Heroes. Take your pick: Mr. Big's Paul Gilbert is here, Neal Schon (Journey), Brian May (Queen), Jennifer Batten (Michael Jackson), Elliot Easton (The Cars), Mick Mars (Motley Crue), Warren DeMartini (RATT), Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) and even Steven Seagal. If the 1970's are more your thing, you can choose between Steve Morse (Sea Level/Deep Purple), Ted Nugent, Denny Laine (Moody Blues/Wings) or Bruce Kulick (KISS, Meat Loaf). Highlights include the Progressive guitar wizardry of Yngwie J. Malmsteen (This Time Around), Wayne DeMartini (Perfect Day), Ted Nugent (Even Up The Score, Days Are Nights), Ty Tabor (Killing Time, Trippin' Again), Slash (Where You Belong), Kenji Kitajama (My Own Advice) and Mick Mars (Under The Moon And Stars).

Conquering Heroes is a great opportunity to catch some of the biggest guitar heroes of the past two generations doing what they do best, and occasionally offering some surprise turns in the process. This is some of Appice's finest work behind a drum kit, and each tune runs over with the vibrant energy of a new relationship. If you yearn for the days of the strutting guitar god, then Conquering Heroes is for you. Very well done.

Rating: 4 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Carmine Appice and the Guitar Zeus project at www.myspace.com/guitarzeus or http://www.carimappice.net/. You can purchase a copy of Conquering Heroes at Amazon.com.

Review: Riverdies – Down Yard

Riverdies – Down Yard

2009, Riverdies

Riverdies is a Rio de Janeiro-based rock band with big dreams, big melodies and a wide variety of musical influences. Together since 2000, Riverdies has built a strong following in their native Brazil and is looking to spread their music beyond its borders. Featuring Alex Melch on vocal and guitar; Fil Buchaul and Leo Graterol on guitar, Gui Farizeli on bass/vox and Victor vonDraxeler on drums, Riverdies rocks with the best of them. Their latest album, Down Yard, just might have what it takes to make some noise in North America and beyond.

The slow burn intensity of Pearl Jam crossed with the harder edge of Soundgarden or Alice In Chains is an apt way to describe Riverdies; bringing back the days of Grunge with a melodic vengeance. Down Yard opens with I Wonder, a big angry rocker that only deviates from the Seattle sound by incorporating a classic rock guitar solo. Riverdies steps back a bit further, walking the line between 1980's Pop/Metal and Grunge on Background. Vocalist Alex Melch is an affable and competent front man with an ideal voice for this material, although he never seems to really push the limit vocally. Riverdies slows things down a bit on Morning Dies, something of a melancholy power ballad. The musicianship here is particularly notable with distortion stripped away; the layering of guitars creates a smooth sound with a lot of vitality and movement underneath.

Riverdies takes off the gloves with Build A New Life, a big dynamic rocker with guitar work reminiscent of Tommy Shaw & Ted Nugent in their Damn Yankees days. Melch finally makes the leap and goes to the wall on a demanding vocal line that stretches his limits. Fate is a sleepy tune that works well in contrast to Build A New Life. There's a lot of interesting stuff going on in the multiple guitar parts here, although it does get a little overcrowded at times. Riverdies says goodnight with Cliff, perhaps the most interesting and unusual track on Down Yard. Cliff takes a complex melody and builds it into a shifting musical framework is too involved to be improv but a little too wild to be set in stone. Cliff would allow for a lot of room to play, particularly in a live setting.

Down Yard is an impressive if somewhat dated offering from Riverdies. The primary style here is the Seattle Grunge sound although it's been tempered by touches of 1980's Rock and lyric, singer-songwriter styles. Riverdies is dynamic and different enough to get attention. Their melancholic presentation usually works in Rock N Roll, and the songwriting is strong enough not to get stuck in a rut thus far. Take a chance and check out Riverdies; they just might surprise you.

Rating: 3 Stars (Out of 5)

You can learn more about Riverdies at www.myspace.com/riverdies or http://www.riverdies.com/. No online outlet could be found for Down Yard, but if you contact the band through their MySpace page I’m sure they’ll