Play It Again: Sucking The 70s - Volume I & II

I discovered these pair of awesome throw-back to the 70s releases about a year ago, and have since been thoroughly enjoying these modernized classics. Small Stone Records collected the best of of the bands under their label and gave them some of the best songs of the 70s to put their heart and soul into. The best thing about this idea is most of these acts are qualified as 'retro-rock' bands, and so most of these covers don't sound out of place at all. Blues-stoner acts jamming out blues rock songs sound perfectly at home, no chance of a waver or misstep.

These albums are carried by two points, the original song quality, and the skill of the band covering them. Songs that you know and love from the 70s get proper justice here, and the few lesser known songs (I had never heard of Leaf Hound or Big Star before) that get an overhaul are of equal footing. Not every song within Sucking The 70s is truly amazing, but enough of it is to wow any audience.

To keep things simple, I'm just going to list all of the songs on the albums, with the ones I love in bold, and the very few I can't stand in italics, everything else is just ok. The list is organized by: Covering Band - "Song Title" (Original Band), to keep it simple to understand.

Sucking The 70s
I discovered this album first, a few days before the other and found it amazing. A few of these songs I had already, either on the respective act's releases or in some other special edition collection, but that didn't dim my excitement at having so many classic songs in one release. Personal favorites (above and beyond the bolded collection) are; "Cross Eyed Mary," "I Don't Have To Hide," and "Workin Man."

Tribute Series: Yellow Matter Custard

It's been a while, but here is the final tribute band/act that I discovered going through Mike Portnoy's discography. You can check out the others; Hammer of the Gods, Cygnus and the Sea Monsters, and Amazing Journey.

This is the album that started the trend (but the last I heard), One Night in New York City is a tribute to The Beatles under the name Yellow Matter Custard; made up of Mike Portnoy  (Dream Theater, Transatlantic, OSI, Liquid Tension Experiment), Neal Morse (Transatlantic, Spock's Beard), Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big) and Matt Bissonette (ELO). They take their name from a lyric in "I Am the Walrus", by The Beatles: "Yellow matter custard, dripping from a dead dog's eye".

The Beatles have never been my favorite act, which is why the great delay between this article and the others (about four months). I was much more interested in The Who and Rush, which is why they were the first of the set I listened to. It just doesn't have the spark for me, as hearing some of my favorite acts covered. You all can understand that right?

Rant: 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original II

So I wrote the first installment of this article way back in 2008, as one of my first articles, and while I do have a ton of cover songs in my arsenal, it's hard to pick 20 more songs that completely blow away the original versions enough to be made mention of. That is why the long pause (over two years) between articles. I've tried on a couple of occasions to compile a new list, but this is the first time I feel that I have found enough amazing songs to warrant a list of 20.

1. Andrew Clayton - "In My Time of Dying" - Traditional, notably done by Bob Dylan and Led Zeppelin
The fact that I was a direct part of the recording for this song may have something to do with it, but I think the other half is that it is so different from most of the other cover versions out there. It's got a bar room quality to it; a bunch of friends drinking and jamming out. Nice and chill.

2. Black Robot - "Cocaine" - Originally by J.J. Hale, made famous by Eric Clapton
An off-shoot from some of the members of Buckcherry, Black Robot's debut self-titled debut was an alright foray into the world of radio-friendly rock, but their cover of "Cocaine" really does the group some justice. While it's not amazing, it is a completely different direction for the legendary song, and I think the refresher works well.

3. Black NASA - "I Don't Have to Hide" - Originally by Bachman-Turner Overdrive
A song that I had for a while before I even realized it was a cover, and for that it will always shine brighter. The only reason I discovered that "I Don't Have to Hide" was a cover is from the two great editions of the Sucking The 70's collections. When I was jamming through them originally (all 4 discs worth) I came to this Black NASA song and was confused. This was a song I already owned and had heard many times before, it wasn't a cover was it? It was, and a favorite cover was born that day.

4. Blind Guardian - "Spread Your Wings" - Originally by Queen
One of my favorite covers of all time. Hansi Kürsch, the vocalist for Blind Guardian, cites Queen as one of his major inspirations and he knocks this one out of the park. His amazing vocals, coupled with the rest of the band's fluency with their instruments, makes this a song to behold. A lot of emotion is heard on the original, and it is doubled on this new version.

5. Blind Guardian - "The Wizard" - Originally by Uriah Heep
I know, I know, not only two Blind Guardian songs on the list, but two originals by Uriah Heep (see number eighteen for the second), but sometimes it's worth it. The original is great, and Blind Guardian don't stray far from it, but, once again, Hansi Kürsch's vocals make it go the extra mile.

Retrospective: Johnny Cash - The American Recordings (Part 2)

I tried to get all of Johnny Cash's albums from The American Recordings within one article, but I had too much to say about each album. After I conceited defeat to that idea, I had plenty of room to go back and give the works the attention they deserved.
The chilling conclusion below:

American IV: The Man Comes Around - 2002
Much more somber then the previous albums within the American Series, The Man Comes Around is all the better for it. It's as if Johnny Cash realized that this would be the last of the series to be released during his lifetime, with him dying in September in 2003. This album is the largest percentage of covers, and these are some of his strongest of the series; songs like "Bridge Over Troubled Water," "I Hung My Head," and "We'll Meet Again" (one of my favorites) really are benefited by the man's particular simple style (covers of Simon & Garfunkel, Sting, and Vera Lynn, respectively). And then there are the songs that are an amazing shift from their original, Nine Inch Nail's "Hurt" (which people still don't believe Johnny Cash didn't write himself) puts a lighter note on a dark, dark song, and his version of "Personal Jesus" is a far cry from the original, semi-industrial style of Depeche Mode. Really some solid work on what would be Johnny Cash's last album released during his lifetime. Not a bad way to go.

Video: Johnny Cash - "Hurt" (Originally by Nine Inch Nails)

I figured, with me listening to the discography of Johnny Cash and writing about it (at least the American Series) I might as well put up the video of one of his most songs from the collection. "Hurt" was originally released by Nine Inch Nails, but I think it was done way better by The Man In Black. Hell, most people only know of the Cash version, and are surprised when I point out that it's a cover. This song is amazing in both formats, southern/acoustic and the industrial original, but Johnny Cash's baritone and simplistic recording style really pushes it over the edge for me.

I'm sorry about the intro, advertising for whatever YouTube persona that is. I looked long and hard for a better version, but they all wouldn't allow me to embed it into my site (that is to bring the video here, and not make you go you YouTube). This one is someone else's edited version, although after the first minute or so it gos directly into the official music video. I don't doubt if this gets pulled soon, but if it does, let me know and I''l look for another copy. It is a great song, and I think you all need to hear it in some fashion.

Retrospective: Johnny Cash - The American Recordings (Part 1)

Johnny Cash is a legend in any time. His style of music changed with the times - originating in gospel then to country (and the outlaw variety) to rock and roll and finally to a voice and a guitar (the American Recordings) - always keeping himself fresh and original (even when he was doing covers). During his life (and some after) he released *9 albums...that is amazing for any man, band, and genre! For this particular article, I won't be going through all of that, instead opting for my favorite series of Cash recordings: The American Recordings.
The American Recordings are a six-disc set (some could add a couple) of re-recorded Cash songs amongst covers the songs that he thought were worth listening to. A neat idea, and one he pulls off amazingly. His style of just his voice and his guitar (some have an accompaniment from Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers, but even that is limited) is something to behold. For my last Current Trend I went into my love of this simplicity in music, that a song with an empty background strikes more into my heart then a full orchestra. Johnny Cash does it amazingly, and that's what I want to go into to.

American Recordings - 1994
His fist album joining the American Recording Agency, from whence the name of the album comes from, American Recordings is the most focused on re-recording his own material out of the series, and as someone who didn't grow up on Johnny Cash (me) it is kind of nice to hear his older stuff in this new light. Songs like "Like A Soldier," and Nick Lowe's "The Beast In Me" come into haunting focus under this new musical direction. This is my least favorite of the group, but it still is a great disc, and a great place to start. It was ranked 364 on Rolling Stone's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, so that's saying something. And while this isn't the best of the series (no matter what Rolling Stone says), it does lay the groundwork for further amazing albums.

Rant: 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original - UPDATED!!!

This is a direct copy from my original 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original, but I was working on my list of 20 more kick-ass covers, and I decided that I needed to go more into detail with these songs, telling why they are so amazing. I'm doing it with the new list, so why not update the old? Plus it opens up my new readers to one of my first articles as my 'career' as a 'writer'.

1. Bruce Dickinson with Godspeed - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" - Originally by Black Sabbath 
A great opener for the list; although Godspeed was a short-lived act (barely making it two year), with Bruce Dickinson with the lead vocals they could have amounted to anything. This song is from the Nativity In Black tribute album to Black Sabbath, and it is one of the most played tracks for me.

2. Demons & Wizards - "Immigrant Song" - Originally by Led Zeppelin 
Those guitars, those vocals, that double bass drum... the entirety of this song shoots far over anything Led Zeppelin ever have done. I love both Demon & Wizards albums (waiting/wanting for a third...) but this song seals their legendary status for me. I can't even stomach the original, because after hearing this version, you will swear the original is by an indie band, there is that much of a difference between the 'rock' and the 'metal.'

3. Dope - "You Spin Me Right Round (Like A Record)" - Originally by Dead or Alive
A so-so band covering a crappy disco song. I really don't know why I included this one originally, but it was two years ago. This is still the only Dope song I listen to (an Ex is the one who introduced me to the band), but even that is sketchy. Still, I'd rather hear Dope shout it out then Dead or Alive, that is for sure.

4. Eric Clapton - "Cocaine" - Originally by J.J. Cale
Ok, this one is a bit of a cop-out, as most people have never heard of J.J. Cale, and as such have no inkling of what the original brings. This is still a Clapton staple, and I don't know a single person who doesn't love this song, whether it be the original or the unplugged version, you can catch anyone and everyone humming along whenever it pops on the radio.

5. Eric Clapton - "I Shot The Sheriff" - Originally by Bob Marley
The first in a long line of 'Oh, I thought that was the original artist,' "I Shot The Sheriff" has been argued over countless times. Was it Marley or Clapton who recorded it first? Which one is better? Yadda yadda. Well I am here to tell you it was Bob Marley who originally wrote and recorded the song, but Eric Clapton re-recorded only a year later, which then launched to number one on the Billboard Hot 100, causing all the confusion.

Video: Slowed Down Rush

Originally I only hard the track, not the video, and I thought that someone had just taken "Working Man" by Rush and slowed it down considerably. But, after a bit more inspection of the site I found it on (I'm not going to link to it because they said that Rush sucks, and I just can't take that level of disrespect) I discovered a link for the video you see below you. Apparently a group of people (it doesn't say) decided to turn this classic Rush song into a down-tempo, doom song, and it's pretty damn good!
I had this idea some time ago, to create a doom tribute band that does nothing but re-record classic tunes in a slower and heavier format. Sort of like what Type O Negative did to "Paranoid," on their re-issue of The Origin of The Feces, "Black Sabbath," from the Nativity In Black tribute album to Black Sabbath, and again on "Black Sabbath (From the Satanic Perspective)," from their greatest hits album, The Least Worst of. I'm sure there are plenty of other acts that have taken this idea and ran with it, but the examples by ToN are the ones that are first to mind.
Anyway, this is a good idea, and a great song to start out with. I hope this group decides to make this a running theme, I'd like to see "Cary on Wayward Son" by Kansas slowed up and drudged about some day.

New Album: Stryper - The Covering

As I said in my 2011 wish-list, I have never even heard much from Stryper, let alone claim to be a fan. I'm just not into the glam rock of the 80s and so, besides a single or two, this band never was brought into the foreground of my musical experience. I was just going to pass over their newest album, The Covering (their 7th I believe), and not give it a second thought, but then I saw that it was a cover album. For anyone who has been visiting me here for very long (or AngryChairs), you know I love cover songs and albums. I think that if a band can turn a good song great - or the few times a crappy song good - then that is something to be held in high regard. There's an art-form to a good cover, and so few get it right that when it happens, it's something special. Anyway, because of my love of cover albums, and only because of this, I decided to pick out The Covering from my massive collection and give it a spin. I was not disappointed.

Top 20 of 2010: 6 - 10

Day two of the top 20. Again these are in no real order, other then alphabetical. It was almost impossible to trim it all down to 20, let alone rank them. These are the 20 Best of 2010, if you haven't heard these yet, make sure they are the first thing you do in 2011!

6. Fireball Ministry - Fireball Ministry (See Review)
Simply superb, one of Fireball Ministry's more solid efforts. While it doesn't contain the usual mix of great songs with so-so songs, this release does deliver for the full album-length. Longtime fans of the group may find this album a bit boring or repetitive, but I see an act that has discovered what is their 'core' sound and has decided to push that forward. As I said (both here and in my short review), does not have songs that stand far beyond the rest, all of the songs are of like quality and style. Instead of a mix of all the sub-genres of stoner, Fireball Ministry (album) is filled with the fuzziest, groove-laden stoner rock that you have ever heard. Every song is filled to the brim with moving bass lines, rocked out guitars (and the fuzz), and solid drum beats. The vocals are all above average; in style, content and delivery. In all possible aspects, this album delivers.

5 Quick Album Reviews: Classics

New releases by 'classic' acts:

Annihilator - Annihilator

I've always liked Annihilator, thinking them above most thrash/groove acts that have come along. When asked the infamous question among metalheads; "Metallica or Megadeth?" I almost always answer "Annihilator," mostly to looks of confusion or disgust, but that's me and my tastes for you. Their 2010 self-titled album does not disappoint. It brings me back to their classic era of Alice In Hell or King of The Kill, back in the beginning of their career - not 21 years later. I haven't heard much from them within the last decade, but I may have to if it is all of this quality. Almost every song is great, they all groove, they all are angry, they all have amazing music. There is even a Van Halen cover! It's not their best song, mostly because it sounds like Van Halen and not Annihilator. I don't really know the song ("Romeo Delight"), but you would be able to tell of it's origin through the music. This is groove metal done right! While 'the greats' of thrash have fallen by the wayside Annihilator continues to put out classic albums. Here's hoping that they keep it up for another 21 years!

Tribute Series: Hammer of The Gods

As I was researching the horrible news of Mike Pornoy leaving Dream Theater I stumbled upon a series of tribute shows he, and several other musicians, took part in in the 2000's. I have not been listening to these in order (instead opting to listen in the order that most appeals to me), and so will not be reviewing them in order, but they are pretty sweet, and fairly unknown. So I think they deserve some sort of mention.

Continuing with the thread of amazing tribute bands, Hammer of The Gods is a tribute to the granddaddy of them all: Led Zeppelin, and is made up of Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big), Daniel Gildenlöw (Flower Kings), Dave LaRue (Dixie Dregs) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater).
After a lackluster representation of Rush, and a pretty damn good version of The Who, this version of Led Zeppelin is probably the best of the series so far. While the music isn't as tight as I'd like it to be, we can probably blame that on the live setting, and most likely the quickness of the project itself. All of the musicians present are different shades of amazing (with some more-so then others; Read: Mike Portnoy is amazing!) and do a great job with it. The vocals aren't dead on with Jimmy Page's, but who would expect them to be? They still hold true to the Zep sound - good enough for me anyway.

Tribute Series: Amazing Journey

As I was researching the horrible news of Mike Pornoy leaving Dream Theater I stumbled upon a series of tribute shows he, and several other musicians, took part in in the 2000's. I have not been listening to these in order (instead opting to listen in the order that most appeals to me), and so will not be reviewing them in order, but they are pretty sweet, and fairly unknown. So I think they deserve some sort of mention.

The second album of this series I have heard, Amazing Journey is a tribute to The Who and consists of Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big), Billy Sheehan (UFO), Gary Cherone (Extreme) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater).
When compared with their work on Cygnus And The Sea Monsters, One Night in New York City is a much better representation of The Who's catalog. The group hits all of their major hits, and even plays the majority of the album Tommy in it's entirety (skipping a few of the 'spoken word' tracks of the original), a real bonus. Some editions come with a bonus EP of another night's recording. All of the songs from this EP are already in the collection, so it's a bit odd of an add, but it's still nice to hear s different version of the songs (as live shows often vary from night to night).

Retrospective: Iced Earth (Part 2)

Days of Purgatory (1997)

Not really a stand-alone release, Days of Purgatory is a collection of the best songs from Iced Earth's first two albums, Iced Earth and Night of The Stormrider, re-recorded with their then-new singer, Matt Barlow. No 100% new tracks here, which puts me on the fence about the whole release. On one had it's nice to hear some of the songs redone with the clean, power metal vocals of Barlow (some songs he doesn't do so well at). On the other hand, re-recording the songs (even if it wasn't from my favorite era of Iced Earth's history) is like saying those first albums don't exist. The did a similar thing when Barlow was replaced for two albums by Tim "The Ripper" Owens; re-recording an EP (Overture of The Wicked) worth of classic Iced Earth tracks. It just seems like an odd path to take. It's worth the listen especially if you are a huge fan of the power metal days, but remember where these songs came from, and the men that composed them who are forgotten.

Something Wicked This Way Comes (1998)
One of my favorite albums, check out my page on this album for more.








Horror Show (2001)

An interesting 'concept album' of sorts; Horror Show tells the various tells of some of our nighttime horrors: werewolves, clowns, ghosts, mummies, Dracula, and Frankenstein monster all have their own songs, as well as several others. This album is alright, a far cry from their previous release, but still pretty decent. It has it's ups and downs, not keeping a consistent level of quality in the music or writing. One great song and surprise is a cover of Iron Maiden's "Transylvania", an instrumental track and really something you would not ordinarily expect on any release. The song makes it onto my collection of 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Then The Original, a list I made some time ago. Again this album is above average, but after such a superb release as Something Wicked, I expected so much more.

Tribute To The Gods (2002)

Quickly following Horror Show, Tribute To The Gods is a cover album by the group. I'm not sure why they chose to release a tribute album, but it works for me. I love a good cover, if a band can release an old song better then the original, then I am sold. This album covers the greats, like Kiss, Iron Maiden, Alice Cooper, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Blue Oyster Cult, and Judas Priest, hitting the classics, but also throwing in some lesser-known songs for flavor. Now unfortunately these lesser-knowns are my least favorite on the album, because to me if you're going to cover a popular song you can be average, but for a song very few can recognize, it has to be great, and they just couldn't pull it off. If you like cover songs/albums then Tribute To The Gods does not disappoint, if you want something spectacular then you need to keep looking.

The Glorious Burden (2004)

This is one of my least favorite Iced Earth albums; it just seems uninspired and forced, with lots of songs jammed together. The Glorious Burden is the first album, since Burnt Offerings, not to feature Matt Barlow as lead singer. During the writing of this album, Barlow decided to join the military and fight in Afghanistan (crazy!), being replaced by ex-Judas Priest singer, Tim "The Ripper" Owens (who replaced the original Judas Priest singer, Rob Halford, in 1997). This album is all about war, even going as far as to have a second disc (more like a bonus EP) with three songs dedicated to the Battle of Gettysburg. These songs are long and pretty boring, seemingly trying to echo the effect of the "Something Wicked" trilogy from Something Wicked This Way Comes, but to no avail. The only songs off these discs worth listening to is the first track "The Star-Spangled Banner" (how can you screw that up) and "When The Eagle Cries" - especially the unplugged version of the song (last track of the first disc). Other then those few songs, this is a poor excuse for an Iced Earth album, and I move it be stricken from the record!

The Something Wicked Saga - Framing Armageddon (2007); The Crucible Of Man (2008)
The only reason I combine these two album, aside for the fact that they are a double concept album, is because I have already gone into great deal about them. Otherwise these two albums are greatly different from each other, enough that one would never confuse them. Different singers and different sounds make these albums into two stand-alone albums, with fans of each.

Tribute Series: Cygnus And The Sea Monsters

As I was researching the horrible news of Mike Pornoy leaving Dream Theater I stumbled upon a series of tribute shows he, and several other musicians, took part in in the 2000's. I have not been listening to these in order (instead opting to listen in the order that most appeals to me), and so will not be reviewing them in order, but they are pretty sweet, and fairly unknown. So I think they deserve some sort of mention.

Cygnus And The Sea Monsters is a Rush tribute one-night-only supergroup consisting of Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big), Sean Malone (Cynic), Jason McMaster (Dangerous Toys) and Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater).
Out of the group i listened to this one first, as I am a huge Rush fan - more then The Who or Led Zeppelin anyway - and I think it is fitting that Mike Portnoy is sitting in for Neil Peart, as they are both amazing percussionists. The group hits all of the progressive rock classics (opting out the more mainstream successes like "Tom Sawyer" or "Spirit of Radio") and the band plays them all amazingly.

Video: Fishbone "Date Rape" (Sublime Cover)

Fishbone is a funk/ska band that was pretty big (in the ska circles) in the 80's. They started straight ska, then moved towards more of a funk sound, then got in a fight with their record company and released a couple of funk metal albums (with very little horns), then back to the funk ska. This song, "Date Rape," is from their latest studio album, Still Stuck In Your Throat, and is a Sublime cover. It's not their best song, but it is one of the best videos I found. Most of the other music videos were "very 80's" and more annoying then anything to watch.

Fishbone - "Date Rape" (Sublime Cover)

Video: GWAR "School's Out" (Alice Cooper Cover)

I'm not a huge GWAR fan, they make a few good singles and I hear their live show is amazing, but that about it. Although their newest album had this version of Alice Cooper's "School's Out," which is fantastic. It's so good it made my list of 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Originals, from a few months ago. I like the heavier feel of the song, and I really enjoy the extra psudo-verse they add right at the end. It makes me laugh every time.

Enjoy ("Schools out for summer Kiddies...")

Rant: 20 Cover Songs That Are Better Than The Original

So there are alot of covers out there. Most of them are utter shit. Either they are direct copies of the originals, or they try to put a creative spin on them that send down the spiral of hell. However, every so often a truly great cover comes along, a song that is so awesome that I cannot enjoy the original song nearly as much as I did before. Some of these are great songs covered by great bands, and some are crappy songs made great. This is my list of those songs:

1. Bruce Dickinson with Godspeed - "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath" - Originally by Black Sabbath
2. Demons & Wizards - "Immigrant Song" - Originally by Led Zeppelin
3. Dope - "You Spin Me Right Round (Like A Record)" - Originally by Dead or Alive
4. Eric Clapton - "Cocaine" - Originally by J.J. Cale
5. Eric Clapton - "I Shot The Sheriff" - Originally by Bob Marley
6. Foo Fighters - "Darling Nikki" - Originally by Prince
7. Gary Jules - "Mad World" - Originally by Tears For Fears
8. Guns N' Roses - "Hair of The Dog" - Originally by Nazareth
9. Guns N' Roses - "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" - Originally by Bob Dylan
10. Guns N' Roses - "Sympathy For The Devil" - Originally by The Rolling Stones
11. GWAR - "School's Out" - Originally by Alice Cooper
12. Helloween - "Hocus Pocus" - Originally by Focus
13. Iced Earth - "Shooting Star" - Originally by Bad Company
14. Iced Earth - "Transylvania" - Originally by Iron Maiden
15. Jimi Hendrix - "All Along The Watchtower" - Originally by Bob Dylan
16. Johnny Cash - Hurt" - Originally by Nine Inch Nails
17. Metallica - "Sabbra Cadabra" (With "A National Acrobat" mixed in the middle) - Originally by Black Sabbath
18. Tesla - "Signs" - Originally by Five Man Electrical Band
19. Type O Negative - "Hey Pete" - Originally "Hey Joe" by Jimi Hendrix
20. Ugly Kid Joe - "Cat's In The Cradle" - Originally by Harry Chapin