Week of Mar 20, 2022

 A lot of great picks this week. For the most part, these are new releases that came out in the last three to four months. 

News

Ketanji Brown Jackson Supreme Court justice hearings proceed with usual shenanigans

NY state prosecutors resignation letters made public, site miscarriage of justice if Trump not charged

Wife of SCOTUS justice Thomas texted WH Meadows on Jan 6 to urge reversal of election

Ukraine war enters stalemate as Russia fails to advance against resistance

Music of Note

This conventional rock quartet has a knack for performing well crafted tunes that are a cut above the crowd. This is Electric Light Orchestra without the attempt to sound like an orchestra. Good vocal harmonies, strong arrangements, and a variety of instruments makes it an enjoyable adventure. The mysterious part is how a band this solid that has been together over twenty years has only three albums to show for it, has little live performance history, and band members without other band history.

The magical part of Joe Satriani is that he has been able to perform consistently well over his thirty odd years of composing mainstay rock n roll to accentuate his phenomenal guitar playing. Killer tune alert: “Ali Farka, Dick Dale, an Alien and Me” (yes, you hear all these references) and “Nineteen Eighty”, just a classic rolling guitar extravaganza.

Just, wow. The first track on this album by this super trio, “Everything I Am”, is a brilliant piece that makes you wonder if Crosby, Stills, and Nash came back from the 60’s in top form. It sent chills down my spine. The whole album isn’t in the same style but is close in quality (luckily, “King for a Day” is another CSN clone). Tasty throughout.

I’ve been a fan of this metal group because I keep finding nuggets of high energy rock that fits well with my portable player. They don’t break new ground, just pound out rhythmic music that’s great for running or doing menial tasks. This 2012 release fills the bill. The 16-minute “The Fisherman” epic is Led Zeppelin  “Kashmir” like. The catchy "Unchain the Earth" is a gem. The songs span a wide berth in the rock mode, from heavy to art rock to power rock to prog rock. Solid throughout.

Interesting Music

Ringo Starr? Elton John? Benmont Tench? A veritable who’s who of rock joins the Pearl Jam frontman to make music that could be a vast portion of an encyclopedia of rock styles. It could be a recipe for disaster but everyone is used in top form without stumbling into excess. For some reason, I like Vedder’s voice better when he’s away from Pearl Jam. The song “Long Way” sounded so much like a Tom Petty song, I had to check to see it wasn’t their writing.

This Greek psychedelic rock band could be described as a modern version of Pink Floyd without the Alan Parsons production value. They don’t sound Greek because they sing in English and nothing close to Greek folk music. The extended numbers use long instrumental segments punctuated with shifting chord patterns. Sometimes reminded of Ozric Tentacles when they incorporate synth and guitar solos. Considering the number of songs I pulled to add to my player, this probably should have been put in the top group.

Synth pop artist formerly of the band Erasure. Well-formed, but a little slow for my tastes.

He could be Andy Bell’s distant cousin, but he has a more frantic boost. More air and bass lines in this synth pop outing, not too dissimilar from Tangerine Dream’s more pop approach in the 80’s. One irritating sound on several pieces; scribbling. It doesn't add musicality or texture, just a distraction.

After an eighteen year absence, the Songs From the Big Chair duo are back. Still capable of that luscious full pop sound with good hooks, the years haven't dampened the product.

Sparse rock featuring Heyden Thorpe’s unusual high operatic vocal style has elements similar to Tears For Fears. Excellent production is only hampered by the less accessible melodies. It takes getting used to.