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Mark Farner Closer To My Home Album Review
I’ve been waiting for this for some time.
The great singer/songwriter/guitarist Mark Farner (Grand Funk Railroad) has released a new solo album!!
Released on November 8 of 2024, the album is called Closer To My Home and it is a phenomenal album.
Produced by Mark and Mark Slaughter (Slaughter, The Vinnie Vincent Invasion), this album has everything you want if you are a fan of Mark or Grand Funk.
Every song is phenomenal. It even closes with a Grand Funk classic (I’m Your Captain/Closer To Home).
I can already say this is one of the best albums of 2024 and one of Mark’s best albums.
Thank you sir for making this album and for signing it too!!!!
It rocks, but is yet soulful and has tons of melody and great lyrics.
Rock on Mark Farner and thanks for giving me a shout out recently on a Facebook Live chat too (video below).
Video Gallery (click on thumbnail to play video)
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Motley Crue Cancelled EP Review
Now that I can post on the website again, I want to talk a little about the new Motley Crue EP.I’d heard all the songs online, but I love physical product and actually owning it.Motley are the band that many love to hate, especially on the internet, these days.However, I’ve been a fan for 25 years and I always will be.I don’t like that Mick Mars is not there, but Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, and Tommy Lee are still there, along with the amazing guitarist John 5 (John Lowery).I enjoy these songs. I’m not apologizing for it. They rock!I’m glad that Motley finally released more new music and I hope they will release more someday (albums please?!).Thanks guys for all the great music and keep on rocking!!
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Burton Cummings My Own Way To Rock Album Review
Burton Cummings (The Guess Who) released his second solo album, My Own Way To Rock, in 1977.
This album, in my opinion, is a masterpiece.
Every song is amazing.
My favorite is “Got To Find Another Way”.
Burton has been one of my favorite singers since I was little and he is still going strong in 2024.
If you do not know his music outside of The Guess Who (and their music too actually), please seek it out.
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Burton Cummings A Few Good Moments Album Review
Burton Cummings (The Guess Who, solo artist) released his first new studio album since 2008 on September 27 of 2024. It was released digitally on this day, but the physical release will come out November 15 of 2024.
It is called A Few Good Moments, and let me tell you, it has more than a few good moments on it.
I think every song (17 total) is very good.
Burton’s voice is still very strong after being what I consider to be one of the greatest singers of all time since he started in the 1960s.
His lyrics are still excellent and what can I say? He’s still great at what he does.
Burton played one of the new songs, Blackjack Fever, at the show I saw him at (review here), and I’m glad he finally put out another new album.
Again, it’s called A Few Good Moments and it is very good. Seek it out.
Keep on rocking Burton!!
P.S. Shortly after I originally posted this review, Burton himself or one of his people replied to me thanking me for the review and even acknowledged this website for posting this review (pics below)!!! Thank you sir!!!!!
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The Black Crowes Happiness Bastards Album Review
The Black Crowes are back with a great new album called Happiness Bastards.
Released on March 15 of 2024, this album marks The Crowes’ first full on new album of original material since 2009 (they released a cover EP in 2022 called 1972 though) and many thought this would never happen.
That’s because the band broke up, and by all accounts, singer Chris Robinson and his brother, guitarist Rich Robinson, did not get along.
However, they apparently put aside their differences and got back together a few years ago, and now the band includes Chris and Rich, as well as bassist Sven Pipien (who was been in the band for many years), Nico Bereciaua also on guitar, Erik Deutsch on keyboards, and Brian Griffin on drums.
This album rocks!! It sounds like a Black Crowes rock album to me, which is how I want it to be.
Some don’t like that more classic members aren’t there, but Chris and Rich are still great, can still write very good songs, and have a tight, rocking band.
If you don’t like it, fair enough.
But I do like it very much and I’m glad The Crowes are back.
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Jon Anderson And The Band Geeks True Album Review
Original Yes singer/founder Jon Anderson’s latest album, now with his group The Band Geeks, was released August 23 of 2024.
Called True, it is very much what you expect from Jon and his massive discography.
This album is truly awesome.
Jon’s voice is still as great as ever, and his band are great.
It consists of Jon on vocals of course, along with Richie Castellano on guitar/bass/keyboards/backing vocals, Andy Ascolece on drums/percussion/keyboards/backing vocals, Andy Graziano on guitar/backing vocals, Christopher Clark on keyboards, Robert Kipp on Hammond Organ/backing vocals, and Ann Marie Nacohio on backing vocals also.
If you are a fan of Jon, you should really enjoy this.
Every song is great.
I love when my favorite musicians keep making great music, even in their later years.
Sometimes they make some of their best work then.
I wish more would do that. I know most people don’t buy music like they used to, but I know there is still an audience out there.
Many classic artists like Jon Anderson, Ace Frehley, Deep Purple, Mr. Big, and others have put out great albums just this year.
So, it is possible for new music by classic artists to still be great.
Fans need to seek it out.
So, seek this one and others out and see what you think.
Oh, and I got this album signed by Jon, courtesy of TalkShopLive. I appreciate it!!
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John Carpenter Lost Themes and Anthology Music Reviews
Filmmaker John Carpenter has done a lot of music for his movies over the decades.
He has also, along with his son Cody and nephew Daniel Davies (son of The Kinks’ Ray Davies) have recorded some original albums and re-records of some of his musical pieces.
The original albums are Lost Themes, Lost Themes II, Lost Themes III Alive After Death, and Lost Themes No. 4 Noir.
These albums could easily be soundtracks, but they are original instrumental albums.
Classic Carpenter sounding throughout, but yet still new and fresh.
The first instrumental on the first Lost Themes is one of my favorite pieces of time, called Vortex.
And the re-records are called Anthology (Movie Themes 1974-1998) and Anthology II (Movie Themes 1976-1988).
Both are excellent compilations of various pieces Carpenter has written and recorded over the years.
And Carpenter and his son and nephew have done some concerts too (I wish they would do more so I could see them.) and documented that on a Blu-ray called Carpenter Live Retrospective.
Awesome awesome stuff.
Check all of these out, as well as Carpenter’s many soundtracks.
He is awesome!!!
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Night Ranger Midnight Madness Album Review
The band Night Ranger released their second album, Midnight Madness, in October of 1983.
Consisting of Jack Blades (Vocals/Bass), Brad Gillis (Guitar), Jeff Watson (Guitar), Kelly Keagy (Drums/Vocals), and Alan Fitzgerald (Keyboards), Night Ranger is a very good rock band, with some good melodic songs too.
This album features their biggest hit, Sister Christian, which is still being used in movies and TV shows and commercials.
The album also features the hits (You Can Still) Rock In America (also featuring one of my favorite singers Glenn Hughes on backing vocals!!) and When You Close Your Eyes.
This album is very good and this band is still around over 40 years later (still has Blades, Gillis and Keagy in the band).
Rock on guys!!
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Night Ranger ATBPO Album Review
Night Ranger released their 13th studio album, ATBPO, on August 6 of 2021.
The band still consists of 3/5 the original lineup (Jack Blades on vocals and bass, Brad Gillis on guitar, and Kelly Keagy on drums and vocals). It also features guitarist Kerri Kelli and Eric Levy on keyboards on the album.
This album really rocks, but also has some mellower songs too.
I was super late to these guys. I always knew their HUGE song Sister Christian, which is still featured in movies and on TV, but I just never got into them.
Although I always respected Jack and Brad for their other work (Jack with Damn Yankees and Brad with his brief tenure in Ozzy Osbourne’s band).
So I knew the band were solid, but again just never got into them.
I’m glad I finally did. They really do rock.
And this album is a great addition to their discography.
I hope they continue to release albums and rock for many years to come.
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Deep Purple =1 Album Review
One of my favorite bands, Deep Purple, released their 23rd studio album, =1, on July 19 of 2024.
Wow this album is INCREDIBLE!!
May be my album of the year. We’ll see.
Either way, I love it and it’s already one of my favorite Deep Purple albums.
Classic members Ian Gillan (Vocals), Roger Glover (Bass), and Ian Paice (Drums, and the only member that has been there from the beginning), along with Don Airey (Keyboards since 2002 when Jon Lord retired from touring) and Simon McBride (Guitar, joined in 2023 after Steve Morse stepped away) have put out a PHENOMENAL album.
Since 2012, Deep Purple have really been on a roll, releasing masterpiece after masterpiece (Now What?!, Infinite, Whoosh!, a covers album called Turning To Crime, and now =1).
All of these albums have been produced by Bob Ezrin (Alice Cooper, KISS, Pink Floyd just to name a few bands he’s worked with) and this is another STELLAR release.
I cannot say enough about this album.
Deep Purple prove that you can always release great music, regardless of how long you have been around.
I wish more acts would follow their lead because I know they could.
Keep rocking guys!!! You’re doing just fine.
Oh and my copy of the album came with a really cool DVD of the band on the road.
