Rock Music

Chicago/Earth, Wind & Fire: 25 or 6 to 4 (YouTube)Purchase CTA version Not one, not two, but three numbers in a single title: 25 or 6 to 4 (and when you say it aloud, you hear a fourth, no?) Releasing their first album in the late 60s as the Chicago Transit Authority, the band quickly renamed themselves Chicago when faced with legal action from the “official” CTA.My friends and I (and obviously millions more) had their music on heavy rotation in the early 70s. You must know their major hits such as Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is and Color My World. They rank 13thon the Billboard list of All Time Top Artists.There was speculation that the songs was about drugs (“Flashing lights against the sky …”?) So much else in that era was. However, Chicago band member and the song’s composer, Robert Lamm, says it is a reference to 3:35AM (“Waiting for the break of day …”)There are a number of YouTube versions of this song, but as I viewed them, one stood out in particular: Chicago and EWF together. Sorry: the sync seems to be off just a little, but the color, energy (check out Verdine White, the EWF bass player!) and sound quality here is better than in many of the other online files.Earth Wind and Fire rank a little lower on Billboard’s list, but still within the Top 100. Like Chicago, they also hail from the Windy City and trace their roots back to within a year or two of Chicago’s. Like Chicago, one of their strengths is a horn section. I think they make a great combination on stage.

Why so few posts here lately? Blame it on senioritis. Our son’s senior year of high school, now down to just a handful of days, has been a blur. You want to save each memory, savor each moment, but there are so many, and they come so fast. One such moment was Wednesday night, when Evan sang in his last choir concert. A bass-baritone, he was in four groups and sang in 12 numbers. The one that might linger longest in our memories is the surprise from the ’60s. In the program, the first number for the Concert Choir was listed as “Mission: Impossible,” arr. Emerson. Can’t be the same song, I thought. If it was that “Mission: Impossible,” Lalo Schifrin would be listed as the composer. Can’t be a song for a choir. I thought. There aren’t any lyrics. Oh, they sang “Mission: Impossible,” all right. They sang the Schifrin composition, “a great a cappella showcase for pop, jazz and show choirs” as arranged by Roger Emerson. Many of the 32 members of the Concert Choir reached into their jackets and dresses and put on shades. Then they clasped their hands, pointed their index fingers and cocked their thumbs. Then the IMF team moved stealthily about the stage, mixing precise choreography with precise scat singing. “You know,” I said to Evan after that tremendous performance, “I have several versions of that song at home.” “You do?” “Yeah. I even have a soundtrack LP from that show.” But we’ve explored that here before. Here’s another cool cover, with the great Jimmy Smith giving the Hammond B-3 organ another workout. “Mission: Impossible,” Jimmy Smith, from “Livin’ It Up!” 1968. The LP is out of print as such, but is available on a 2-on-1 CD with Smith’s 1967 “Respect” LP and digitally. Download: jimmy-smith-mission_-impossible.mp3 If you’re wondering what the East High performance was like, this is close. It’s from Fort Collins High School in Colorado from 2010. They also did a good job, but the East Concert Choir turned IMF team had better choreography. Please visit our other blog, The Midnight Tracker, for more vintage vinyl, one side at a time. Filed under: May 2013, Sounds Tagged: 1968, Jimmy Smith

Review by Vinyl Connection — Josef Zawinul wrote the melody 'In a silent way' after visiting his Austrian family for Christmas. The tune became the title for a 1969 album that indicated perhaps the most far-reaching change of direction for that most restless of musicians, Miles Davis. Here we find not one but three fecund keyboard players (Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Jo Zawinul), the introduction of guitarist John McLaughlin, a bright young percussion star in drummer Tony Williams and probably the most daring use of studio editing on a jazz album ever. Much has been written about the successor to this LP - the sprawling double album Bitches Brew which was released a mere seven months later - but that will not concern us here. We will only note that the brouhaha around that album often overshadows the brilliance of vision embodied in 'In a silent way'.The playing is exemplary throughout. According to Chick Corea, the fact that tapes were running constantly relaxed the musicians and 'made' the quiet atmosphere that pervades the music. The music itself is warm, spacious and indeed 'Peaceful'; lovers of electric piano will have much to savour here. The way Teo Macero edits the sections together was startling to some listeners at the time, one critic complaining that he had erroneously re-used one section. But it is this editing which gives 'In a silent way' its magic and power. With its two side-long pieces, its repetition, its relentless soothing groove, its spacey keyboards and floating trumpet and reed solos, this is a profoundly important and influential album. Don't worry if 'Bitches Brew' horrifies you and 'Kind of Blue' is just too jazz, if you are a lover of progressive music, this is the Miles album you need (other than Jack Johnson, but that's another story). www.vinylconnection.com.au

Review by Vinyl Connection — It dawned on David Sylvian (Japan) and Robert Fripp (King Crimson) that a creative partnership might be nice: 1993's excellent "The First Day" was the fruit. Putting together a high-quality touring band, they went on the road and "Damage" tells the tale. As well as live treatments of a big chunk of the studio album, several songs from Sylvian's "Gone To Earth" are included (Fripp collaborated on that under-rated 1986 album too). There is even a song from the (also under-rated) almost-Japan "Rain Tree Crow" (1991). Throughout, the musical energy ebbs and flows around Sylvian's languid voice; guitar textures are woven by Fripp and Michael Brook, while the rhythm section of Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto are limber and powerful (Fripp would work with them extensively in the later KC ProjeKcts). Despite the aching melancholy that characterises much of Sylvian's singing, this is not a grey album at all, more a day of many seasons. www.vinylconnection.com.au

www.kissarmysweden.netTommy Thayer will do a signing session at 4Sound in Stockholm, Sweden on June 2nd, 2013.More info HERE: www.kissarmysweden.net

Review by progbethyname — A PSYCHOTIC WALTZ INDEED!!I admit I wasn't blown away when I first listened to PSYCHOTIC WALTZ's INTO THE EVERFLOW. For me it was kind of confusing at first, but then after a few more listens I could understand and identify with what direction the band wanted to take and that is to create more of a deeper melody with their overall sound while still keeping and embodying that technical flare with the guitar playing, which they displayed so well off their first album, A SOCIAL GRACE. Certainly, INTO THE EVERFLOW has quite a bit to it both lyrically and musically. For example, BUDDY LACKEY a.k.a DEVON GRAVES is up to his usual tricks by being the rapid, spit fire vocalist that we know and love. A great moment in the album for me lyrically was on the track LITTLE PEOPLE where LACKEY lambasted the sycophantic suck ups of the music industry by characterizing them as small (literally), duplicitous people that are worth no ones time. LITTLE PEOPLE is a vocal laden track that was largely inspired by the band duo to the fact they couldn't get a north American record deal, which sparked a lot of animosity between the band and the music industry.?Meanwhile, PSYCHOTIC WALTZ would move on and create wonderfully crafted songs like INTO THE EVERFLOW, HANGING ON A STRING and The epic BUTTERFLY. These tracks would help propel the band to massive popularity, especially in EUROPE. Obviously, the garnered success was well deserved because those tracks I listed above are some of the thee most beautiful, technical and well written songs in progressive metal history. Certainly, PSYCHOTIC WALTZ have earned their place to be among the elite in the Prog Metal world. The wizardly guitar playing from both DAN ROCK and BRAIN McALPINE will forever be engraved in my head after listening to album joyfully and repeatedly.?Thus, what stands out the most in PSYCHOTIC WALTZ's INTO THE EVERFLOW is BUDDY LACKEY's incredible lyrical content and singing performances and the rich epic guitar solos performed by the arpeggio kings McALPINE and DAN ROCK (can't believe that is his real name!) To continue, the drums and percussion by NORM LEGGIO are absolutely solid, but not widely as noticeable like in some other prog metal bands such as FATES WARNING and DREAMTHEATER where drums can really take center stage. As for the bass, WARD EVANS adds a nice steady approach to bass playing that is neither flashy nor filler. The bass lines in INTO THE EVERFLOW and FREAKSHOW are a perfect example of bass playing that inconspicuously floates nicely in the background of the overall sound.?All in all, I can say that I really enjoyed this album and I can bet that big fans of Progressive Metal will gravitate towards this album nicely. The song writing and guitar playing are huge standouts on INTO THE EVERFLOW and could never be overlooked. My thanks to PSYCHOTIC WALTZ for making me into a psychotic for the amount of times I have played this record. Now it's your turn.?Crank it!!!

It's funny, isn't it? The Beatles broke up when they couldn't take it anymore. But R.E.M.? I think they retired. Ponder the difference, for a second, if there is one. One group couldn't stand each other and the other one just ran out of gas? That's basically how I read it. Could be wrong. Been wrong before.Anyway, this might not make much sense until you read Billy's post which will follow. I just got to Saturday night and sitting around late and felt like writing this down and so I'm kind of going out of turn. But, hell, it's a blog, so what difference? What are we going to do--fire each other? I think since the (untimely?) demise of R.E.M. a couple of years ago, Billy and I have been mourning in our own ways, trying to come to terms with it. They just didn't have anything anymore and everyone seemed to know it. Maybe we even knew it before they did. Almost at the moment R.E.M. signed a big contract with Sony, they were finished. I don't know that the two events were connected or that they weren't. All I know is that troubles and an apparent lack of inspiration seemed to follow.Well, here's what we agreed on at a concert the other night: we would each explain 10 great R.E.M. songs, not in competition with each other, but just as parallel homages. I haven't listened to R.E.M. In some time, so my list is organic and without order. Whatever comes into my head as a fav song I am going to go with, without much rethinking or editing. Again, no order, just 10 great songs. If you've got others, I'm sure we'd love to hear what they are."Bad Day"--this was the last great song, in my opinion, one that was older but unreleased until a compilation. Great lyrics, great riff, and it is my chance to say that bands don't always seem to know their own best material. How you leave this off of a CD is beyond me. Like "New Test Leper," it seems like one of those occasions when Michael Stipe is willing to step out from behind the mask and bare his soul, unadorned. "Shaking Through"--R.E.M.'s first album is one of the sonic marvels of the modern age--the energy of a young band meets the found sounds in Mitch Easter's studio. It would not be until three or four records later that the band would find such a sympathetic producer. This song establishes the kind of R.E.M. Jangling guitar that would serve them well for three more albums during the peak of their creativity. I love to sing along with one. I have no idea what it means."Begin The Begin" is one of the great this-is-who-we-are anthems that any band has ever opened a record with. Political, rocking, and nonsensical all at once, this the band raising their game in recognition of seeking a larger audience, but without compromise. There is no other band In history that could get away with "Let's begin again/ Like Martin Luther Zen" and have all of us nodding our heads like it is wisdom, which it might be. Life's Rich Pageant redefined our country like few other popular CDs have since Marvin Gaye's What's Going On? and this manifesto sets the tone both for R.E.M.'s emergence as a band with something to say and for Document, which finished the mission."(Don't Go Back To) Rockville"--Back when all of the band's songs referenced locales and people in Georgia, this one had the best feeling as a homegrown, should-be single. Some bands don't write a song this tuneful with such a a hummable chorus during their entire careers. This was merely the catchiest of a terrific batch of songs on Reckoning. I wish they had a better producer for these songs."Driver 8"--I've played this one too often on my own guitar not to mention it. The ultimate example of R.E.M.'s neo-gothic Southern vision. After this one finishes rocking, if you needed a chaser or an after-dinner drink, you could wind down thematically with "Swan Swan H.""Disturbance At The Heron House"-perhaps the best use of Michael Stipe's cyclical, repetitive lyrical style where the same phrases move in and out of a song i

Click to read the latest column from Jeffrey Morgan: JEFFREY MORGAN’S MEDIA BLACKOUT #369

Review by demolition man — A tremendous album once again from Nosound. Shut out the world and immerse yourself in the music. Beautifully crafted as usual with delicate piano and sublime cello moments. The somewhat rarely interspersed electric guitar liven up the affair for those extra special moments; the result is sheer quality. Following on from the perfection of three previous releases I just cannot find fault with this. Lightdark was always going to set the bar for me but Nosound have continued with a well trusted formula of dreamy music, perfect for relaxing to. Headphones on and try it!Very satisfying is the bonus CD of instrumental versions and in a sense the journey through this album is made even more rewarding without the vocals. All in all, no great surprises; nothing less than 5 stars. Congratulations to Nosound.

TeamRock: the Breaking Bands Show will be broadcast weekdays from midnight to 2.00am TeamRock Radio’s Breaking Bands show with Sophie K is all about new and unsigned bands. If you would like to submit a band to Breaking Bands please email breakingbands@teamrockradio.com with info and tracks. You can also send your stuff by post to: Breaking Bands TeamRock Radio – B2 Blue Fin Building 110 Southwark Street London SE1 0SU Breaking Bands host Sophie K (pictured) says: “I am the DJ who will bring you all the latest music from new, unsigned bands. Mix that in with your requests and funny stories, well, that’s my show in a nutshell. I can’t give my show a genre because if a song is good, I’ll play it. “Before I joined the team I was a DJ at Bloodstock Radio and the presenter for all the Sonisphere Festival videos. I also worked as a presenter for a shopping channel selling kettles and garden gnomes to grannies. I taught the grannies of the UK all about metal and apparently Amon Amarth watched me sell a duvet! “My motto in life is to not take things too seriously. I have no interest in showing off about who I have met or how much history I know about every album, I just want to make you have a laugh while getting excited about all the awesome new bands out there.” TeamRock Radio is part of TeamRock Ltd, which also owns Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and associated magazines. TeamRock Radio’s full daytime schedule is detailed below: Monday – Friday 0000 – 0200 Breaking Bands – Sophie K 0200 – 0600 Pete Bailey 0600 – 1000 Moose & JRock 1000 – 1400 Miss Rach 1400 – 1800 Dewsbury 1800 – 2100 Classic Rock Magazine Show – Nicky Horne 2100 – 0000 Metal Hammer Magazine Show – Alexander Milas TeamRock Radio is currently broadcasting test transmissions via the national digital audio broadcasting (DAB) platform Digital One. To listen, tune your DAB digital radio into @TeamRockRadio TeamRock Radio is also streaming through Radio Player.