Presto Ballet - 'The Lost Art Of Time Travel'
It's hard to imagine that one man can be the author of such diverse material as Presto Ballet's 'The Lost Art Of Time Travel' and Metal Church's 'This Present Wasteland', but that's exactly the way it is with songwriter / guitarist, Kurdt Vanderhoof.
This second album from his progrock band, Presto Ballet is a hugely enjoyable journey through a seventies musical landscape, riding on the shoulders of progrock giants like Kansas, Genesis and Yes.
Edguy - Tinnitus Sanctus
Sammett does it again. His nonconformist approach takes the best stuff from every rock related genre, sub-genre and niche market, mixing uplifting hard rock choruses and heavy metal hooks into an instantly recognisable, hip'n'happening hybrid that is bound to appeal to all open minded fans.
Wow, that was a long sentence.
It's again produced by the maestro, Sascha Paeth.
T-Ride
A very welcome reissue for this genuine, solid gold masterpiece.
11 short tracks but every one a winner, from the sensory overload that establishes the T Ride template, 'Zombies From Hell' to the relatively minimalist 'You And Your Friend'. From the fleetfooted, hard punching 'Luxury Cruiser', a rock song with a blink-and-you-miss-it symphonic middle eight, to the most immediate, accessible track on the album 'Backdoor Romeo'.
T Ride was a band with a unique musical vision.
Raine Maida - The Hunter's Lullaby
A labour of love from former Our Lady Peace frontman.
OLP's post grunge rock found ready acceptance in the band's native Canada, thanks to guitarist Mike Turner's wiry, whiplash tunes and vocalist Raine Maida's metaphorical lyrics.
But that was yesterday. Maida has completely discarded the high pitched nasal vocal style and the rock chart pretensions. He sounds husky, sensual and sincere on this hip hop / slam poetry album set to music, written and largely performed with his pianist wife, Chantal Kreviazuk. Sublime.
Beaucoup - Then And Now
A genuinely fabulous reissue.
The "Then" is five songs from the band's 1984 debut album, marvelously remastered.
Written by band member Denis Lewin, these are outstanding AOR / Pomp recordings, redolent of lazy, hazy summer nights in an era, ironically given the year, when much was right the world.
It's been recorded with a light touch. It has its fluffy, romantic moments and its statutory eighties' quotient of cheesy lyrics, but there's a steely backbone that runs through the music, largely unnoticed, giving it a little more bite than most period AOR.
White Flame - Yesterday's News
A real surprise package (and I don't mean the ill conceived artwork).
Vaguely modelled on Aerosmith's raunchy, self certified brand of blues based hard rock, 'Yesterday's News' does a damn fine job of stamping out an album from the same template.
It doesn't always hit the mark, but it's brave, hard working and is blessed with several memorable melodies and a handful of hooky choruses.
TNT - Atlantis
Doubters and gainsayers will in time repent!
Reactionaries and Luddites likewise.
This will eventually be recognised as one of the band's finest.
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