Rock Music

Review by kenethlevine — After a series of half prog-pop albums throughout most of the 1980s, in which the quality of the side long prog track declined with each release, MIKE OLDFIELD dispensed with the requisite magnum opus on "Earth Moving", the single worst album of his career. As if in reaction, he followed this with a CD consisting of one 60 minute track, "Amarok" which many saw as a return to form. Mike even enlisted some old friends like PADDY MOLONEY of CHIEFTAINS fame, who had appeared on "Five Miles Out", and CLODAGH SIMMONDS ("Ommadawn"), to appease and convince long time fans that this was the real deal. Indeed, how could he miss the mark with so much going for him. But miss it he did, hugely. It's like his early classics were held together by ritalin and now we have the hyperactive adult re-imagining them the way they were meant to be. This is a slapdash goulash of deliberately undeveloped concepts that rarely impress even as much as the mediocre "Wind Chimes", its most recent predecessor at the time. It's intentionally schizophrenic, but rather than furnishing even virtual links it severs them. Even on the vividly disjointed "Taurus 2", there was rhyme and reason and yes, melody. This isn't entirely lost, but even in the MP3 era, it's too hard to extract the 8 or so outstanding minutes - mostly those with tribal rhythms as a cross between "Five Miles out"and "Ommadawn" without improving upon them in the slightest, from their murky milieu. This is like the "on the rebound" album, where the second relationship is only better because it is so different, and it couldn't have been worse anyway. True, but not by much.

Review by Wicket — Considering "The Kindness of Strangers" and "Day for Night" are not exactly the most popular Spock albums, both precede the highly touted and highly praised "V" and Snow" (the latter being Neal's last album with the group), so identifying the evolving sound of Spock must continue with this album."Beware of Darkness" took the monolithic epics from "The Light", condensed them and tried to put more of a songwriting approach to the lyrics as opposed to just the crazy instrumentation, with mixed results. "From pressing play on this album's opener, "The Good Don't Last", I'm proud to say the quality issues seem to be completely absent once and for all this time. Which is excellent. What I find about this track that's so interesting, though, is that while the lyrics and melodies sung by Neal are very catchy, the whole 10 minute song doesn't seem to lose its proggy origins (despite Neal's 'Ode to Nirvana 4 minutes in). It's a very good song, but I feel it's a major foreshadow to "Day for Nights" more conventional, radio-aspiring approach. Hmm..."In The Mouth Of Madness" doesn't begin that way at all, though. The whole song is laced with abrupt synths and crashing waves of guitar licks and heavy chords that have a slight whiff of Dream Theater about them, without entirely going off the deep end, and thus the verses sound very Spock-like, very similar to those off "The Light"."Cakewalk on Easy Street" sounds like the title of a New York-based sitcom series, and even the intro sounds a bit like a hipster's theme song (in 1998, which in reality is impossible since hipsters are more of a 21st century thing, but I'm getting off topic). This definitely sounds like a radio song (again, in 1998, and even then it'd probably be rare to hear it), which doesn't surprise me because of Neal Morse's affection with short, catchy songs (which is one reason why some of his first solo outings were all radio-friendly alt rock songs, before his conversion to Christianity, obviously). "June" is constructed in a similar, radio-friendly way, a nice, lovely guitar-ballad with Morse overlapping his voice, creating wonderful chords and choruses in a very light track. Brilliant songs. Except, they're not really what you'd call "prog rock". "Strange World" is probably the most proggy of them all, but it just doesn't echo the Spock's Beard from the previous two albums. And since this IS a progressive rock focused website...Oh dear...Still, we have two long songs to go, so maybe things will shape up, starting with "Harm's Way". Perhaps not my most favorite intro of Spock's epics, but Ryu Okumoto does show off some flying fingers with chromatic down-sweeping licks. Neal's voice, once again, steals the show, but the slow jam, the first half is entertaining. Overall, it's a very laid-back tune. Basically, about 7 minutes in is where the tempo picks back up again and then a minute or so later a quick little tribal drum ditty from Nick D'Virgilio. It's a very happy song, and I like a lot, while I definitely consider it prog, it still feels more accessible and less spastic than "The Light", "The Water" or anything of "Beware of Darkness", in fact."Flow" sounds constructed along the same philosophy. It's a bit more of a mature prog epic. It's not just about spastically changing meters, changing mood, adding and subtracting different instruments, speeding up, slowing down, etc. It has catchy verses and choruses, mature sounding guitar solos, groovy jams, the lot. And that's fine. Apart from one, small thing.Is this the reason why this album isn't getting enough praise or respect?VERDICT: One of my prog friends (well, actually, my ONLY prog friend) is always skeptical whenever he finds a new band that claims to play progressive rock. To him, the lines seem so blurred, so irregular, he doesn't know what to think half the time, and this album is down that similar way of thinking. Yes, to me, it sounds like prog, but opinions may vary. Do you want the c

Review by sinslice — Several good Italian bands of the 70's had a revival since the mid-90s to the present. Honestly, most did not cover my expectations. Except a few. Il Nome del Vento is one of those few. I consider it an appropriate continuation of Delirium III, using the melody that concludes that good album. Obviously, it is an acceptable perspective below the more than 30 years.Tight, melodic, jazzy, complex yet simple, colorful, with Italian spirit in words and music. Drawing wonderful musical and lyrical landscapes, inherent in the nature of that country.Great prominence of keyboards and wind instruments, combined masterfully with cello, violins. Bass, drums and guitars providing fundamental lines too.It flows naturally and never forced. Nice!

Review by BORA — Mellow, reflective and confusing.At this point SBB have largely left their former symphonic approach behind with only minute reminders of that still lingering around. I can't help, but to observe that the change seems to coincide with the departure of original drummer Jerzy Piotrowsky. I am not sure if he had that much influence on the band, suffice to say that he was exceptionally good on the skins.Ever since the band seem to have lost a vital element - and that legendary powerful drive. Practically we are left with a duo engaging the services of skilled drummers. Drummers who never really blended with, or become creatively essential part of the band, resulting in a change of style and dynamics.Paul Wertico is a fantastic drummer, but I only know that because I listen to Pat Metheny. His work with SBB remains precise, but average. The band has lost their former identity and haven't replaced it with a new and definite style. The odd nod towards Jazz-Rock is welcome, but not a dominant feature.Typically, as all of their albums "New Century "too contains some fine compositions, passages hidden amongst less exiting material. Emotive ballads next to spoken words that are more suited as "colouring" on a Techno/Psychedelic piece. A Folk-like song that shepherds would sing in the fields, some nice melodies and a bit of stretching out form the bulk of this album.If you are familiar with SBB then this package would represent another installment and somewhat enjoyable listening of their more recent (lack of) direction. In all sincerity, I enjoy bits here and there but if I didn't know the band, my first spin of the album would be the last. It's not at all horrible, but rather confusing work - yet again.

Photo Source: Ross HalfinKISS live on stage at Mediolanum Forum in Milan, Italy on Tuesday, June 18, 2013.Photo Source: Ross Halfin www.facebook.com/rosshalfinofficial

Photo Source: www.GeneSimmons.com Here's a photo of "The Demon" 'catching a wink' of sleep on the KISS jet as KISS heads to Zurich, Switzerland to play Hallenstadion Arena this Thursday, June 20, 2013.

Metallica Perform "Kill 'Em All" In Full @ Orion Fest" />Photo: Metallica @ Outside Lands 2012 Metallica hosted their now-annual Orion Music + More festival earlier this month and gave fans in attendance the thrill-of-a-lifetime by performing their classic 1983 debut album Kill ‘Em All in full as the mystery band from Baltimore (as Hetfield introduced them before grabbing his flying V) under the name Dehaan. Notably, the set fell on the 30th anniversary of the iconic metal album’s release. Hit the lights and check out the killer footage of the surprise performance below.

Source: Ross HalfinHere's Gene Simmons backstage after KISS' show at Mediolanum Forum in Milan, Italy on Tuesday, June 18, 2013.Photo Source: www.facebook.com/rosshalfinofficial

Catch tonight's live stream of Rock and Roll Night School: The Rolling Stones' Album Spotlight beginning at 7 p.m. EST!LIVE STREAM: Rock and Roll Night School – The Rolling Stones Album Spotlight: The Rolling Stones...rockhall.comWednesday, June 19, 2013 7 p.m. in the Rock Hall’s Foster Theater Rock and Roll Night School – The Rolling Stones Album Spotlight: The Rolling Stones (UK) (1964, 33:24) The Rolling...