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Defending ELP’s Love Beach Album and Other Albums Made By Bands That Were Not Successful or the Bands That Made Them Don’t Like Them
I am a fan of albums by bands/artists that for whatever reason were not successful.
There are so many: Aerosmith’s A Night in The Ruts and Rock In A Hard Place, Scorpions Eye II Eye, Black Sabbath Born Again, Seventh Star and Forbidden, Deep Purple The Battle Rages On, KISS Music From The Elder. Twisted Sister’s Love Is For Suckers.
There are sooooo many that were not successful and even the bands/artists that made them don’t even like them. And even fans don’t like them.
Another one is the Emerson Lake And Palmer (ELP) album called Love Beach.
I’ll be honest: I’ve known of ELP for years and knew some of their songs but I was not aware of most of their discography until recently, 2024.
After hearing all of their studio albums and some of their live albums, I can say they were a phenomenal band.
But I also knew that their Love Beach album has been panned by both the band and fans over the years.
After hearing the album, I don’t understand the criticism at all.
OK the album cover may have been and may still be a huge turn off. They remind me of The Bee Gees’ look from that same period, which was the late 70s. Now I’m not knocking that at all, but it’s just the truth. And I actually like the cover so there.
But if you listen to the album, it sounds like any other ELP album and that’s a great thing. They did not turn into a Disco band or change their style all of a sudden to cater to radio. If you are an ELP fan, there is NOTHING on this album you should not appreciate.
I get that bands/artists pan albums they’ve made if they weren’t hits, but why would you pan one if you had fun making it? Or if you didn’t have fun making it, why did you put it out? Maybe that’s just the way it is. You’ve made the album so you must release it. Although I don’t think that’s the case because record companies have shelved many albums over the years.
What I’m saying is that if you are a fan of any band, you should give each album a chance. If you don’t like it, fair enough. But just because the critics hate it, or your best friend hates it, doesn’t mean you will. It may end up being your favorite album by them.
Or so what if the album cover looks different. There may be great music there but you won’t hear it because you’re turned off by the cover.
Just give it a chance.
And for any ELP fans out there who read this or who are interested and aren’t even fans, check out their album Love Beach. You may actually like it.
And if you don’t like it, tell me why you don’t like it. Is there something there I’m not hearing?
Let me know.
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Bon Jovi Forever Album Release
Bon Jovi released their 16th studio album called Forever on June 7 of 2024.
This album is very much a comeback for singer/songwriter Jon Bon Jovi because he had vocal surgery last year and wasn’t sure he could sing at all anymore.
As of this writing, he is still recovering from this surgery.
However, he and his band, which includes original members Tico Torres (drums), David Bryan (keyboards), Hugh McDonald (bass), and now Phil X (guitar), John Shanks (guitar, and also co-producer and co-songwriter), and Everett Bradley (percussion, backing vocals), were able to make this album while Jon has been recovering.
If you are a fan of everything the band have done since 2000, then you should enjoy this album.
If you just prefer their 1980s material, then stay away from it because it doesn’t sound like those songs.
Me? I’m a fan of all of their albums. Some more than others, but all nonetheless, and I definitely like this one.
It’s Jon being very much a mature singer/songwriter now (think Bruce Springsteen) and he has been this way really since the 1990s.
I think every Bon Jovi album is very much a Bon Jovi sounding album, but again, Jon has really turned into more of a Springsteen type of songwriter, and I don’t think this is a bad thing.
I do wish they still rocked like they did in the 80s and there is still some of that (Living Proof may have been able to fit on one of their 80s albums.), but also, they moved so far away from the You Give Love A Bad Name, Breakout, and In And Out Of Love type songs a long time ago.
But having said that, I still think they rock enough and Jon is an excellent songwriter so I’m good with this album.
Lots of good songs on here. In fact, I don’t think any of them are bad. Some are a bit sentimental (Kiss The Bride is about a father, he actually, giving his daughter away at her wedding, but I do think it’s a good song.) but again, Jon is great at writing these types of songs.
Then there are songs like Legendary, which is the first single, that somewhat rocks, but is also very catchy and again with heartfelt lyrics.
Living Proof, as I mentioned before, definitely rocks.
That and My First Guitar may be my favorites as of this writing. Jon actually mentions my favorite band KISS twice in this song, which I appreciate.
People’s House and Walls of Jericho are favorites too.
Hollow Man is an excellent acoustic song (think Bruce Springsteen Nebraska album era or maybe even Bob Dylan).
Really all of these songs are heartfelt and meaningful, lyrically, and Jon sings them well.
I’m glad Jon and the band were able to make this album and I hope Jon gets his voice back enough to where they can tour.
His voice does sound good on this album, and he’s already sung live a little bit, but he’s been saying he’s not yet able to sing for 2.5 hours multiple nights a week yet. And he’s not sure if he can sing that much anymore. Time will tell.
Anyway, all my best to him because he is indeed a very good singer and songwriter and has matured as both with age.
And his band has always been great.
Rock on Jon and thanks for making another solid, heartfelt album.
I also bought the album digitally on their website because it came with two bonus tracks, one of which is the song That Was Then, This Is Now, which is really good.
Again, I like the album and I’m glad Jon was able to do it.
Is it my favorite? No, but I like it. Keep making music sir!!
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Diamond Head Lightning To The Nations Album Review
Wow I should have listened to this album a long time ago but am just now getting to it in 2024.
Diamond Head, a Heavy Metal band formed in the 1970s, released their first album, Lightning To The Nations, on October 3 of 1980, and wow what a debut album!!!
The band included Sean Harris on vocals, Brian Tatler on guitar, Colin Kimberley on bass, and Duncan Scott on drums.
With this album, I dare say, they influenced a lot of bands that came after them. Most notably Metallica, who have covered at least 4 songs from this album (from their Garage Inc. covers album).
After hearing this album, I can hear the influence and I think this album is one of the blueprints for a lot of Heavy Metal bands.
Diamond Head are definitely innovators.
If you are not familiar with this band, check out their music. Especially this album.
Diamond Head are still together, although guitarist Brian Tatler is the only original member still in the band.
While not working with Diamond Head, Brian is also playing guitar for Saxon, another hugely influential, innovative Heavy Metal band.
Check out Lightning To The Nations.
HOLY COW is it amazing.
I bought the deluxe edition, so it has a lot of bonus tracks. Even a bonus disc. Check it out!!!
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Kerry King From Hell I Rise Album Review
Five years since Slayer’s “Farewell Tour”, guitarist Kerry King has released his first album under his own name.
Called From Hell I Rise, released May 17 of 2024, is very much a continuation of what he did in Slayer, but with a different group of musicians.
Wow what a group Kerry has formed here. It includes singer Mark Osegueda (Death Angel), guitarist Phil Demmel (Vio-Lence, Machine Head), drummer Paul Bostaph (Slayer, Exodus, Forbidden), and bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah, Nothingface).
Kerry wrote all the songs and plays all of the rhythm guitar parts (like he mostly did in Slayer), and a lot of the lead guitar, but Phil does play quite a bit of lead guitar too.
If you are a Slayer fan, you should love this album.
It’s not a complete copy of it, but it’s close enough. And I’m fine with that because I love Slayer and I love this album.
Every song is a banger, as they say.
Mark is singing/screaming as great as he ever has, Kerry’s guitar parts are always amazing, and again, just the whole group Kerry has assembled just bring it.
I know Slayer is reuniting to do at least 3 festivals in 2024, and I’m fine with it if they do more than that, but I think Kerry has a great group here and I hope there is a lot more albums to come.
Rock on guys.
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Ian Hunter Defiance Part 2 Fiction Album Review
The great Ian Hunter, singer of Mott The Hoople, has released another great solo album called Defiance Part 2 Fiction (Defiance Part 1 is great too.). This was released on April 19 of 2024.
Like Defiance Part 1, Ian assembled a lot of great talent to help make this album.
Including Jeff Beck (RIP), Johnny Depp (who painted the album cover), Joe Elliott, most of Stone Temple Pilots, Cheap Trick, and others.
This album is great. Not a bad song on it.
Highly recommend checking it and Defiance Part 1 out.
Keep it up Ian!!
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Sebastian Bach Child Within The Man Album Review
Sebastian Bach is back with a great album called Child Within The Man, released May 10 of 2024.
What can I say? This album rocks!!!!!
Every song is great.
10 rockers and one ballad.
Sebastian is still an amazing singer/frontman and is still putting out great music.
Keep it up Baz!!
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Jasta …And Jasta For All Album Review
Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed has released another great solo album.
This time, he put out a Thrash Metal album called …And Jasta For All.
The album title and artwork is a take off/tribute to Metallica’s …And Justice For All album.
This album is HAAAARRRRD, as Jamey likes to say.
Charlie and Nick Bellmore play guitar and drums, respectively, and Joey Concepcion plays some guitar on it too. It also features a few Thrash Metal legends guesting, such as Scott Ian of Anthrax/S.O.D./Mr. Bungle/Pearl/The Damned Things, Steve “Zetro” Souza of Exodus, Chuck Billy of Testament, and Phil Demmel of VIO-LENCE, Machine Head, and Kerry King of Slayer’s band.
If you are a fan of Thrash Metal, you will love this.
Thanks Jamey for making another great album and for signing it.
It was released May 17, but I actually received it weeks before official release because it was shipped very quickly.
Again thanks Jamey. You rock!!!
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Blue Oyster Cult Ghost Stories Album Review
Rock legends Blue Oyster Cult released their 16th studio album, Ghost Stories, on April 12 of 2024.
This album consists of songs that were recorded between 1978-1983 and one in 2016, but were never released or not completely done at the time.
Some parts were added, but the parts that were recorded at the time were not changed, but just spruced up, if you will.
This album is very good. Sounds like classic BOC.
Classic members Eric Bloom (Vocals/Guitar/Keyboards) and Donald “Buck Dharma” Roeser (Vocals/Guitar) are still going strong.
If you are a fan, or have not checked them out and want to, I recommend this one and all their huge discography.
Rock out!!
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Saxon Hell, Fire And Damnation Album Review
New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) legends Saxon released their 26th (counting two cover albums) studio album Hell, Fire And Damnation on January 19 of 2024.
Saxon, consisting of singer Biff Byford, guitarists Doug Scarratt and Brian Tatler (Brian replacing long time guitarist Paul Quinn, who also plays on two songs on this album), bassist Nibbs Carter, and drummer Nigel Glockler, have been quite consistent over the decades with album releases and tours.
They put out an album every few years and most of them, I think, are very good.
They have their style of hard driving, hard rocking, heavy songs, but also incorporate melody and anthemic lyrics.
This album sounds modern and fresh, but also like classic Saxon to me.
Lots of great rocking, heavy riffs with Biff’s great vocals, but also some really good melody too. In fact, more melody than I remember from most recent Saxon albums.
This band is really good on album and really good in concert.
I’m seeing them for the 3rd time, May 17, in Cincinnati, OH, co-headlining with the legendary band Uriah Heep, and I cannot wait.
Keep on rocking Saxon!!!!!
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Scott Stapp Higher Power Album Review
Scott Stapp, the singer of Creed, released his 4th solo album, Higher Power, on March 15 of 2024.
I received it in the mail on March 17 and have listened to it 3 times already.
I really like this album a lot.
Lots of rocking songs, but also some very heartfelt and emotionally uplifting songs.
These songs really speak to me.
The song, If These Walls Could Talk (Featuring Dorothy singing with Scott) is PHENOMENAL and should be a HUGE hit single.
If you are only aware of Scott’s work with Creed, you should check out his solo albums.
This one, again called Higher Power, The Great Divide, Proof of Life, and The Space Between the Shadows.
All very good albums.
