Sunday, July 30, 2006
FREE (and legal) DOWNLOAD
Seth Lakeman "Setting of the Sun"
Go to http://sethlakeman.co.uk/settingofthesun/membersmedia.php
Fill in the form (nobody says you have to be 100% honest), and you can download a nice little guitar ditty. Nice to legally hear a great new UK artist, who shares a label with one KT Tunstall...
By the way, did you see KT on PBS? She did a super set, with only one new song "Hollywood Hill," which was as good as "Cherry Tree." I look forward to loads of great things from this lass! And if you can't/didn't see it, hope SOUNDSTAGE puts it out on CD or DVD.
SAMMY HAGAR
LIVIN' IT UP
What a nice, but schitzoid album. For the first half or so (and it's only 41 minutes...come on a full CD holds 80; give us at least 60 next time, ok dude?)...anyway for the first half you'd swear if the guitars were more agressive, we were listening to Van-Hagar again. But NOOOOOO, it's Sammy and the Wabos (together for 9 years now people) and they do it well. The Bob Dylan and Toby Keith covers make the disc sound familiar, and are well done, if a little lazy on Sam's part. "Sam I Am," performed on the LATE LATE SHOW in the USA is a killer and I hope it makes the radio rounds, more than "I Love This Bar," perhaps?
The last half or so of this package borders on Country & Western, pretty and plausable, but not Rock & Roll.
Bottom Line: 4/5 stars...maybe a tad less if you are not a fan, which of Sam I am!
Zeph, out
Seth Lakeman "Setting of the Sun"
Go to http://sethlakeman.co.uk/settingofthesun/membersmedia.php
Fill in the form (nobody says you have to be 100% honest), and you can download a nice little guitar ditty. Nice to legally hear a great new UK artist, who shares a label with one KT Tunstall...
By the way, did you see KT on PBS? She did a super set, with only one new song "Hollywood Hill," which was as good as "Cherry Tree." I look forward to loads of great things from this lass! And if you can't/didn't see it, hope SOUNDSTAGE puts it out on CD or DVD.
SAMMY HAGAR
LIVIN' IT UP
What a nice, but schitzoid album. For the first half or so (and it's only 41 minutes...come on a full CD holds 80; give us at least 60 next time, ok dude?)...anyway for the first half you'd swear if the guitars were more agressive, we were listening to Van-Hagar again. But NOOOOOO, it's Sammy and the Wabos (together for 9 years now people) and they do it well. The Bob Dylan and Toby Keith covers make the disc sound familiar, and are well done, if a little lazy on Sam's part. "Sam I Am," performed on the LATE LATE SHOW in the USA is a killer and I hope it makes the radio rounds, more than "I Love This Bar," perhaps?
The last half or so of this package borders on Country & Western, pretty and plausable, but not Rock & Roll.
Bottom Line: 4/5 stars...maybe a tad less if you are not a fan, which of Sam I am!
Zeph, out
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
TOM PETTY
HIGHWAY COMPANION's first single is "Saving Grace" and is Number one on classic radio in the USA right now, with the full CD out today. To me it sounds like ZZ Top's "La Grange" was done with a very Byrd-ish (think Roger McGuinn with cotton mouth). Now it does come together...but I don't see all the fuss. No, I have not gotten the full CD yet. I will review only those CDs I legally purchased; I just heard the tune and could not get over the sonic head-on crack up.
If you see it (or search online) USA TODAY had a nice story about Mr Petty in today's edition.
Zeph, out
PS: Oh, Sammy Hagar's "Living It Up" CD is out today too and is getting positive press...gotta hear some of that soon. And I am STILL waiting for the perfect evening to open the seal on Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" DVD...stay tuned, and don't waste your cash on "Living With War," it's a bore.
HIGHWAY COMPANION's first single is "Saving Grace" and is Number one on classic radio in the USA right now, with the full CD out today. To me it sounds like ZZ Top's "La Grange" was done with a very Byrd-ish (think Roger McGuinn with cotton mouth). Now it does come together...but I don't see all the fuss. No, I have not gotten the full CD yet. I will review only those CDs I legally purchased; I just heard the tune and could not get over the sonic head-on crack up.
If you see it (or search online) USA TODAY had a nice story about Mr Petty in today's edition.
Zeph, out
PS: Oh, Sammy Hagar's "Living It Up" CD is out today too and is getting positive press...gotta hear some of that soon. And I am STILL waiting for the perfect evening to open the seal on Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" DVD...stay tuned, and don't waste your cash on "Living With War," it's a bore.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
PINK FLOYD PULSE ON DVD = SUPREME SOUND
PULSE was originally available on VHS tape, and it was good. This brand-new release on DVD is superb! Now there is one proviso: it was originally shot on video, and despite the tender loving care the remastering process entailed, it still looks shot on video, but is a great look and you will enjoy the stadium P.F. experience from 1994.
Now the sound, is uncannily great. You have a choice of two different 5.1 mixes if your machine will allow it. And the vanilla stereo sounds great too.
Best feature: complete in concert rendition of DARK SIDE OF THE MOON...
Bottom Line: 4.5 of 5 stars!
Rock on you crazy diamond!
Zeph, out
PULSE was originally available on VHS tape, and it was good. This brand-new release on DVD is superb! Now there is one proviso: it was originally shot on video, and despite the tender loving care the remastering process entailed, it still looks shot on video, but is a great look and you will enjoy the stadium P.F. experience from 1994.
Now the sound, is uncannily great. You have a choice of two different 5.1 mixes if your machine will allow it. And the vanilla stereo sounds great too.
Best feature: complete in concert rendition of DARK SIDE OF THE MOON...
Bottom Line: 4.5 of 5 stars!
Rock on you crazy diamond!
Zeph, out
Saturday, July 01, 2006
LIVING WITH WAR.....NEIL YOUNG
First, I'm a huge Neil fan, especially when it's Crosby, Stills, Nash AND Young. And this CD, although a bit short in length (very short by today's standards) sounds great, and I love the "live in the studio" feel of guitar/bass/drums...it's a bit poor. That's the best word...poor. Sorry, Neil, it will not hold up like HARVEST. It has the power of FREEDOM, without the shelf-life. And it's so over-the-top political, that after two whole listens, I'm bored with it.
I hope CSNY can breathe some life into a few of these songs in concert this summer. Maybe I'll come around...but I doubt it. I hope CSNY FINALLY issues a new CD (even if it's a live recording), and moreover I still beg to see even a few minutes of the previous two re-union tours on DVD. Nash or was it Crosby was quoted as saying the footage is super.
No, as much as I love almost everything you've ever done (even other political songs like "Ohio" and "Rockin' In The Free World") you've lost me on this outing...but I have the DVD of HEART OF GOLD to see soon, and I bet I'll be back on the N.Y. payroll after that.
Pray for peace sir, but always be prepared for war...it's sadly the cost of living in the free world.
Bottom Line LIVING WITH WAR: 2/5 stars...borrow it, don't buy it. If you haven't yet, spend your money on Stills' MAN ALIVE! It's a real gem.
Zeph, out
First, I'm a huge Neil fan, especially when it's Crosby, Stills, Nash AND Young. And this CD, although a bit short in length (very short by today's standards) sounds great, and I love the "live in the studio" feel of guitar/bass/drums...it's a bit poor. That's the best word...poor. Sorry, Neil, it will not hold up like HARVEST. It has the power of FREEDOM, without the shelf-life. And it's so over-the-top political, that after two whole listens, I'm bored with it.
I hope CSNY can breathe some life into a few of these songs in concert this summer. Maybe I'll come around...but I doubt it. I hope CSNY FINALLY issues a new CD (even if it's a live recording), and moreover I still beg to see even a few minutes of the previous two re-union tours on DVD. Nash or was it Crosby was quoted as saying the footage is super.
No, as much as I love almost everything you've ever done (even other political songs like "Ohio" and "Rockin' In The Free World") you've lost me on this outing...but I have the DVD of HEART OF GOLD to see soon, and I bet I'll be back on the N.Y. payroll after that.
Pray for peace sir, but always be prepared for war...it's sadly the cost of living in the free world.
Bottom Line LIVING WITH WAR: 2/5 stars...borrow it, don't buy it. If you haven't yet, spend your money on Stills' MAN ALIVE! It's a real gem.
Zeph, out
