Joe Cocker: May 20, 1944 to December 22, 2014

Rest in peace, brother.

Book Review: Blues In Modern Days, by Terry Mullins

Terry Mullins: Blues In Modern Days | Book Review

Blues Blast Publishing

http://www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Softcover, 227 pages

Hello!

As many of you know, I am a staff writer for Blues Blast Magazine, and this has been a wonderful opportunity for me over the past few years. Well, Bob Kieser (the mastermind of Blues Blast) recently started Blues Blast Publishing, and their first publication is Blues in Modern Days, by Terry Mullins.

Terry is an author and former record store owner who loves all types of music, but has a deep appreciation that the blues is the at the root of almost all modern music. You can find his journalistic writings on a daily basis if you live in the Ozarks, and weekly if you are a fan of Blues Blast Magazine. As Senior Staff Writer, he writes a slew of feature articles and interviews and they are all must-reads.

Blues in Modern Days lets 31 prominent modern blues artists share their stories in their own words with Terry moderating and putting everything into context with his own writing. Even if you are not a big blues fan, you surely have heard of a few of these fine folks: Jody Williams, Billy Boy Arnold, Sugar Pie Desanto, Matt ‘Guitar’ Murphy, James Cotton, Lonnie Brooks, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Wayne Baker Brooks, Kenny ‘Beedy Eyes’ Smith, Diunna Greenleaf, Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith, Mud Morganfield, Phil Wiggins, Teeny Tucker, Kenny Neal, Lurrie Bell, Johnny Rawls, Lady Bianca, Sugar Blue, Willie ‘The Touch’ Hayes, Billy Branch, Zora Young, John Primer, Dave Riley, Magic Slim, Lil’ Ed Williams, James ‘Super Chikan’ Johnson, Guitar Shorty, Eric ‘Guitar’ Davis, Eddie ‘Devil Boy’ Turner and Toronzo Cannon.

All of these folks have something fun to share, and this book provides a wonderful insight into the daily lives of professional musicians, as well as their hopes and inspirations. Mullins has an easygoing and compelling writing style making this a fun read as it delivers a solid lesson in the history of modern blues. It is not chock full of photos, but there are action shots of the artists, and I believe Kieser shot all of them for Blues Blast over the years.

I finished my copy awhile ago, reading a story or two each night, and each chapter provided many nuggets that were new to me. I only wish that there was even more, and hope that they can publish a second volume at some point. Anyway, I highly recommend picking up a copy and continuing your education too!

If you want to get your own copy (and you should), head on over to http://www.bluesblastmagazine.com/blues-in-modern-days/ where you can buy one for $15.95 plus $5 for postage. They will ship to Canada and overseas too, please see the site for details.

Mahalo!

Low Society – You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down |Album Review

Low Society – You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down

Icehouse Records

www.screaminblues.com

www.icehouserecords.com

12 tracks / 56:20

You can find blues in any flavor you like: Delta, Chicago style, Memphis style, jazz-influenced, blues-rock, and stuff that just defies categorization. Low Society provides the latter, pushing the limits of blues with their own high-energy rocking sound.

Low Society is fronted by the formidable Mandy Lemons who is from Houston, but made her way through New York City to finally end up in the rock and roll capital of the world: Memphis, Tennessee. The other major part of this band’s equation is Sturgis Nikides, a guitarist who was originally inspired by seeing the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan show. It sounds like he has not put his axe down since that day in 1964, as he is a masterful player in the blues-rock world, including his own brand of mind-bending slide work.

These two got together in 2008 in the Big Apple and hit it off, writing and recording and playing the first of hundreds of gigs. Eventually they moved to Memphis, where they were able to learn another way to approach the blues from one its the masters, saxophonist Dr. Herman Green. Low Society released their very good debut album, High Time, in 2011 and they have not let up, including a performance at the 2014 International Blues Challenge.

You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down is their sophomore album, and it is truly something to behold. Sturgis and Mandy laid down a dozen tracks that include ten Nikedes/Lemons originals, and two cool covers. They were joined on this effort by a super-tight backline of Nick Dodson on bass and Mike Munn behind the drum kit. Rounding out the ensemble were Green on the sax, Rick Steff on the keys, Brian Hawkins and his blues harp, and Lee Booth with backing vocals. Nikides produced this project and the album was recorded at the venerable America Recording Studio in Memphis, with mixing done by Larry Nix (of Stax fame).

Their set kicks off with “Crammed & Jammed,” and it is obvious that this band has a good head of steam and they know there way around the hard-rocking blues block. Over the rock solid Memphis-supplied bass and drums, Nikedes slide work is vicious and Lemons’ voice is a glorious mixture of raw power and smooth phrasing, sort of like a combination of Big Mama Thornton and Shirley Bassey. I would love to use a Janis Joplin comparison, but that would be too easy!

This is followed up by the first cover, Koko Taylor’s “Voodoo Woman,” and Mandy does a bang-up job on one of her inspiration’s most iconic songs. Steff’s Hammond sets the appropriately spooky and dramatic mood, and the Dr. delivers a dump truck load of killer saxophone alongside Sturgis’ best Sonny Landreth-style playing. After these two high-intensity songs, things are dialed back a bit for “Need Yer Love.” This song is sexy as hell, and under the chanteuse is an offbeat rhythm filled in with accordion that lends a bit of Paris mixed with circus atmosphere.

The originals are all very well written, and the songwriters did not create a template to knock out ten songs that are all the same with only the words moved around. Each of their songs has a unique feel and construction so that things always stay sharp. “Son House Says” has a jazzy fusion feel to it, and the title track has a Southern rock vibe with honky-tonk piano. But the standout track is “This Heart of Mine,” which is a slow blues rock ballad that sounds like something Led Zeppelin would have recorded. Well, it would sound like that if they had a high-energy woman singing, a little background organ, and Robin Trower/Stevie Ray playing the guitar. Other than that, it is just like Led Zep…

But it was hard to pick out a favorite as all of the songs are very good – there is not a dud to be found, and they mix genres with furious abandon. Low Society sounds just as comfortable combining a hoe-down with a trip to a church for “Up in Your Grave,” or pulling out the resonator guitar and bringing in John Shaw on piano for the Memphis Minnie spiritual gem “Let Me Ride.” After almost an hour things draw to a close with “Should’ve Known Better” which brings some righteous Texas blues that is spiced up with a little sax from Dr, Green.

If you are a fan of blues or rock, you will like You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down. Low Society hit the ball out of the park with this one, and it will be interesting to see where they go from here. So, pick up a copy of their album, and make sure you head over to their website to see if they have any gigs coming up. It will be worth your time!

Thank you!

Review of Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City

Hello!

If you love musical theatre, you have to see at least one show on Broadway before you die. No matter how good the local theatre company shows are that you have seen, nothing compares to how tight of a performance you will see in New York City. This is the place that actors, dancers and musicians aspire to perform, and when the roles are filled only the best are selected. Also, after a show had played for a few months (or years), there are no silly mistakes and the sound is completely dialed in. It makes for a complete audio and visual experience.

Whenever I travel to the Tri-State area, I always make a point to get into the city to see a show, and a few days ago I got to check out the legendary Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre on 51st Street in the Paramount Plaza building. This 1933-seat house is the biggest theatre on Broadway, and it is one of the newer ones, having opened in 1972. This means the seats are not as tiny, and it turned out to be a great place to see the show. The acoustics and lines of sight are excellent, which is to be expected if you are throwing down cash for one of the best shows in town.

Wicked (the Untold Story of the Witches of Oz) is based on Gregory Maguire’s novel of the same name. Grammy and Academy Award-winning lyricist and composer Stephen Schwartz found the book, and negotiated to have it made into a musical, as Universal owned the rights, and had planned to turn it into a film. Schwartz wrote the lyrics and music, and Emmy-Award winner Winnie Holzman wrote the book.

The original cast had Kristen Chenoweth and Idina Menzel in the leads, and after tuning things up in San Francisco, the show opened at the Gershwin in 2003 and has been running ever since. That means over 4600 performances and close to $900 million at the box office. They planned to make the film version after the musical lost momentum, but they might need to rethink that. This show is a juggernaut!

The musical provides a different perspective of the more familiar Oz story, as this one comes from the point of view of Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Glinda the Good. It begins before Dorothy’s arrival, and continues on though bucket of water incident. There is a little bit of everything: a love story, sibling rivalry, the corruption of power, and a fall from grace. What more could you ask for?

I could not ask for anything more than I got that evening – the Broadway production of Wicked was the best stage show I have ever seen.

For starters, perfect actors were chosen for the leads. They did not have to rely on the age-old trick of getting a famous TV or movie actor to draw the crowds in, so they staffed the production with top-tier actors and dancers that can actually sing (sorry, Zach Braff). Caroline Bowman and Kara Lindsay earned the roles of Elphaba and Glinda, Kelli Barrett played Nessarose, Kathy Fitzgerald was Madame Morrible, Tom McGowan played the Wizard, and Matt Shingledecker took on the role of Fiyero.

The 22-member chorus kept busy with costume changes, playing the flying monkeys, students, palace guards and the good-natured citizen of Oz. Their dance routines were spot-on, and nothing they did detracted from the overall show, helped in part by the flawless and innovative choreography of James Lynn Abbott.

Costumes for the cast were designed by Susan Hilferty, and they capered about amongst gorgeous natural and steampunk industrial sets by Eugene Lee. The elements on the stage were innovative in the way they were introduced to the scenes and also in the way the cast interacted with them. There were also some pretty cool animated objects, but I will not ruin the surprises for you in case you have not seen the show. The visuals were rounded out by some neat projections by Elaine J. McCarthy and lighting that was designed by Kenneth Posner.

Aurally, Tony Meola’s sound was perfect, as the actors voices sounded natural and were at the right volume, and the 23-member orchestra under the direction of by Bryan Perri, was mixed with the vocals so that there were no distractions and everything was balanced.

That word sums this show up: “balanced.” Nothing stood out or detracted from the story. Everything element and feature was high-quality, but I did not walk away saying “Wow, the sound was good!” or “Boy, the costumes were neat!” I left the theatre thinking about what a wonderful experience I had, and not realizing that 2 hours and 45 minutes had passed (with the 15 minute intermission).

For once I have nothing to complain about, and have only praise for a show, which never happens.

It is worth the time and effort to check out Wicked at the Gershwin Theatre if you ever make it to New York City. I know touring versions are available from time-to-time (it is actually playing in Los Angeles right now), but seeing this show will make for a magical evening. I promise!

Mahalo!

Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater – Soul Funky | Album Review

Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater – Soul Funky

Self Release through Cleartone Records

www.eddyclearwater.com

12 tracks / 75:44

Eddy “The Chief” Clearwater is a certified Chicago hero, and is certainly one of the legendary blues guitarists/singers of the last half of the 20th century. Born as Edward Harrington in pre-WWII Mississippi, he moved with his family to Alabama where he taught himself to play the guitar (as a southpaw), and he took up with a few gospel groups. But the big city lights have their allure, and he finally had to take off for the Windy City in 1950 to live with his uncle.

He started his career in Illinois washing dishes, but he worked his way into some gospel gigs and eventually fell under the mentorship of Magic Sam. By 1953 he was performing as Guitar Eddy Clearwater, and he has not let up since -- that long of a professional music career makes for true guitar hero stuff!

Well past the normal retirement age Eddy is still out gigging and recording while most folks of his era are sitting at home and trying to figure out what to do with themselves. He has figured out what he wants to do, and that is playing the blues! His latest release, Soul Funky, is a wonderful glimpse into the world of his live show, as recorded at SPACE in Evanston, Illinois on January 10, 2014.

A killer crew joined Eddy that evening, and they brought some serious muscle to what must have been a crowded stage. This included Ronnie Baker Brooks on vocals and guitar, Johnny Iguana (the Claudettes!) on the keys, Shoji Naito on guitar and blues harp, Stephen Bass behind the drum kit, David Knopf on bass, and Thomas Crivellone on guitar. Eddy, Shoji and Rick Barnes produced this 12 song disc that plays out like a regular hour-plus club set, and they made sure that it would be a neat piece of work in all respects.

The show kicks off with “They Call Me the Chief,” a catchy intro that was written by Brooks, and it is the first chance on the CD to hear The Chief’s still-incredible guitar prowess. Eddy and Ronnie are proficient songwriters, which is fortunate as these gentlemen penned 10 out of the 12 songs on this album. From there they coasted into “Hypnotized,” an original funky blues tune with burning guitars from Brooks and Clearwater and sweet Hammond work from Iguana.

“Too Old To Get Married,” was written by Brooks and is catchy enough that hearing it once is enough to get it stuck in your head for the rest of the day. It has that Check Berry sound, this time with Naito on guitar and a little Jerry Lee Lewis piano thrown in for good measure. It is all good stuff, but the highlight of this album is a hybrid presentation of “Came Up the Hard Way” and “Root to the Fruit,” which is thirteen minutes of slow-grinding blues and feel-good stomp, both with some nice harmonica parts from Shoji. It looks kind of weird on paper but works out just fine on the stage.

A couple of sweet covers can be found in this set, too. “Please Accept my Love” does not stray far from the B.B. King original, and this slow blues ballad provides a breather in what is an otherwise rocking blues set. And “Lonesome Town” is a spooky grind with reverb galore, co-written by Los Straightjacket’s Eddie Angel. There will certainly be no mistaking this for the Ricky Nelson song of the same name.

As the album draws to a close, the “Ending Midnight Groove” gives Eddy the chance to graciously thank his fellow musicians, as well as the fans in the crowd that keep him in the spotlight year after year. His love for what he does and for the folks that come out to see him play is obvious; he is a bridge to an era of the blues that should be appreciated and never forgotten.

Soul Funky is the next best thing to seeing Eddy Clearwater and his band playing out, and if you are a fan of Chicago blues you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of this CD because you will be able to hear for yourself that after more than 60 years he is still at the top of his game. Unfortunately, his upcoming tour schedule is mostly in Europe, but if you play your cards right you will make sure you are in Evanston on January 9, as he has another gig scheduled at SPACE. Check him out for yourself!

Fo’ Reel – Heavy Water | Album Review

Fo’ Reel – Heavy Water

Self Release

www.foreelband.com

11 tracks / 53:06

Fo’ Reel bills themselves as a “New Orleans All Star Blues Funk” band, and though it sounds like hyperbole, there might just be something to their boast. Just looking over the list of personnel for their new album, Heavy Water, proves that they have a lot of powerful musicians in the line-up.

For starters, C.P. Love, the legendary Crescent City soul singer is their frontman, and a couple of Grammy winners are on the bill too: Jonny Neel behind the keyboards (Allman Brother, Gov’t Mule, and Dicky Betts) and Jon Smith on tenor sax. David Hyde takes on the bass chores, and the drums were played by Daryl Burgess or Allyn Robinson, depending on which city the recording session was in that day (New Orleans or Nashville). This ensemble is rounded out by Ward Smith on baritone saxophone, Barney Floyd on trumpet, and songwriter Rick Lawson, who provided the lead vocals on four of the tracks.

But do not forget guitarist and executive producer Mark Domizio, who is their leader and the brainchild that turned this group of journeyman musicians into a cohesive whole. David played with Dr. John’s band for 40 years, and has been a first-call guitarist on the New Orleans scene for just as long. Now that this disc is cut, he will be taking some of these guys on the road to spread their brand of blues to the hungry masses.

For a “New Orleans All Star Blues Funk” band, their selection of music is not what you would think it would be – what they play is not exactly the New Orleans Blues. Though there is an undercurrent of the NOLA vibe, their music has a smooth and soulful modern blues sound that is not loaded up with accordion, washboards, or raw production values. It is a fresh blues-based sound that incorporates elements of jazz, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, Latin beats, and even a little Texas swing. This album is as slick as hell with high-quality and seamless production, and the band cranks out eight original songs and three clever covers in just under an hour.

Heavy Water kicks off with “Breaking up Somebody’s Home,” the first of the three cover tunes. This Albert King standard differs from other versions that came before as it is more soul-based, with some incredible Hammond work from Neel, and killer horn arrangements from Smith. Love’s vocals are strong and suitably harsh and emotional for the theme of this song.

Love also takes the lead vocals on the other two covers: “Shake N Bake” and ”Just as I Am,” both of which were recorded by the late Luther Allison. The former is a slow-rolling funk masterpiece, and the latter borders on gospel. The common ground between the two is the rock-solid backline, Domizio’s stellar lead breaks, and the incredible keys of Neel.

Rick Lawson’s smooth voice brings more of a 1970s funk style to “Shake N Bake” which is an explosion of raw horns, retro synthesizer sound, and hammering snare and hi-hat. But otherwise, his vocals are used for slow-rolling blues tunes, including “Leave Your Love Alone,” “Blues,” and “Outside Love.” These latter two also feature some sublime slide work from Domizio.

As cool as all of this is, there are a few instrumentals that will really knock your socks off too. “Gate” is a jazzed-up Texas swing tribute to Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, with some trick fingering on the guitar and razor sharp horns, including a fabulous tenor sax solo from Smith. They chose to end the set with “Tater,” a jazzy horn fest with a funky beat.

Fo’ Reel’s Heavy Water is a very good album with first-rate writing, arranging, performance and production. If you like contemporary blues or soul, this disc is a must-buy, but also consider their live show if you are looking for a fun evening of righteous music. For details of how to purchase the CD or to see their gig schedule check out their website at www.foreelband.com

Thanks for checking in!

Candye Kane -- Superhero Album | Album review

Hello!

I am sadly late to the party in becoming a fan of Candye Kane and her music. I discovered her through her association with my imaginary internet friend, Kennan Shaw, who was her bass player for years.

She has a fascinating life story, and has truly seen the elephant. Her personal successes and challenges have surely contributed to her convincingly soulful voice.

Candye Kane is not just talented, but is also well-regarded amongst her blues compadres. For 2010 she was nominated for three National Blues Foundation Awards, including: BB King Entertainer of the Year Award, Best Contemporary Blues CD, and Best Contemporary Blues Female. Eat that, Matchbox 20.

I bought her latest release Superhero from Satan’s minions (iTunes). It has been in regular rotation on my iPod ever since, and is some of my favorite music for just listening to. It has not been reduced to the level of the more ordinary music in my library that I use to zone out while I am writing. By the way, you will not find me writing reviews of music I do not REALLY like.

Superhero has 14 tracks, and they are all solid tunes, of which she wrote 10 (if I counted right). It is kind of hard for me to pigeon-hole the album into just one genre, as there are a lot of different styles going on, depending on which track you are listening to. I am going to call it an inspirationally vintage-rocking countrified blues album. Is that close enough?

It is blues-based music, but it does not give me the blues to listen to the lyrics. Her music’s message is positive, and this is a fun album that makes me feel good when I listen to it. Oh, and have I mentioned that Candye Kane can really sing? She is marvelous.

Here are a few observations:

She has the talent to do her own rendition of Led Zep/Willie Dixon’s “You Need Love”. But, it is so much more gritty than the other versions I have heard, along with having a lot more soul and drive.

Jack Tempchin wrote the track “Who’s Been Sleeping In My Bed”, and this is one of his better works, which is saying a lot, because he has written some pretty big hits. Unfortunately, some of those hits were with bands and artists I do not really care for, but nobody is perfect. He did just fine here.

The album ends on an inspirational note with the a cappella “I’m Gonna Be Just Fine”. And I think she will be.

I regret missing Ms. Kane when she came through Southern California recently, but not too much. She has an old-school work ethic, and tours constantly (250 days a year is what I found on the internet), so I know I will have the chance to see her again soon.

You can find more information about Candye Kane at her website (candykane.com) or through her fan page on Facebook.

Thanks!

George Taylor – Rain or Shine | Album Review

After experiencing wave after wave of mushy pop music that came out of the same mold, it is refreshing to hear a complete album of Americana that is full of great stories and distinct music. That is exactly what George Taylor delivers with his sophomore disc, Rain or Shine.

George is a Virginian blues musician that took a three year trip to Austin Texas and a tour through the Mississippi River Delta to discover his own blues sound, and it turns out that there is a lot of country music in him that is looking for a way to get out. The ten original tracks (all written by Taylor) are definitely blues based, but his rock, roots and country influences give these songs a vibe that is all his own.

Taylor recorded this album at Shine Music in Austin, and he took on the vocals, harmonica, and much of the guitar work. He was joined by Blake Lange on drums, Cody Ground behind the keyboards, and Jerry Reynolds on fiddle. Justin Douglas co-produced this project with George, and handled the engineering, mixing and mastering chores, as well as playing the bass, lap steel and dobro, and laying down the backing vocals. He is a busy guy!

Rain or Shine kicks off with “Goodnight” and the fiddle and harmonica combine with his tenor twang and spoken word interludes to give it a fun acoustic country feel. This song sets the listeners’ expectations high as the lyrics are very well crafted, and Taylor keeps up this standard for the next nine tracks with some excellent songs of love, loss and hitting the road.

”What am I Gonna Say” is George’s take on a murder ballad, this time with the theme of a weekend fling in Mexico gone horribly wrong -- hopefully this is not a true story. This is the most raw track on the album, with just Taylor, his acoustic guitar and gritty lyrics galore.

There are plenty of genres to be found here, including the jaunty electric piece, “Breakin’ in Boots,” which has a catchy chorus and almost enough fuzzy guitar to make any rocker happy. But the standout track from this set is “Only Blue” which has a unique Deltq/country/zydeco feel with just the right amount sweet pedal steel and raunchy harmonica lines.

All too soon, the album draws to a close with “Seat with Your Name,” a subtle ballad with sweet harmonica and tastefully restrained guitar picking. Cody Ground’s lovely piano work completes the picture as Taylor shares a bit of his personal faith: “I know a place we all need to go,
where there’s pearly gates and roads paved with gold,
and getting there’s easy and it frees you of shame.”

George Taylor’s Rain or Shine is a solid album of original American music with ten tracks that all deliver the goods. It is worth your time to give it a listen on his website at www.georgetaylormusic.com , and then do a quick search on Amazon, iTunes or CDbaby if you are interested in picking up a copy (vinyl available!) for yourself.

Thank you!

George Taylor – Rain or Shine

Self Release

www.georgetaylormusic.com

10 tracks / 41:16

The Deftones: Diamond Eyes | Album Review

Hello!

The Deftones Saturday Night Wrist album from 2006 introduced a new sound for the band, and was their best album to date. In May, the band released their sixth album, Diamond Eyes, which is an even better album.

The Deftones, based out of Sacramento, have been cranking out hard-edged alternative music since 1988. There was a pretty long gap between Saturday Night Wrist and Diamond Eyes, due to serious injuries to their bassist, Chi Cheng. He is still recovering from an automobile accident and did not participate in making their latest album (or supporting tour).

Diamond Eyes was released on May 4, 2010, which was two weeks earlier than planned, probably because the entire album had already been leaked out onto the internet. The band’s line-up was the same, except that Sergio Vega (formerly of Quicksand) played bass.

As I said, this is a fantastic album. Listeners will do themselves a disservice if they go to iTunes and cherry-pick a few songs. This is not the product of today’s typical one-hit wonder band. Diamond Eyes is very well-crafted and the unification/integration of the songs is something that is hard to find from any artist.

The Deftones’ music is still as heavy, perverted and violent as it has always been, but their most current albums have been increasingly melodic and (dare I say) hopeful. Perhaps the best way I can put it is that their sound has matured since the angrier White Pony years. The first track on the album (also titled Diamond Eyes) is the one that most obviously combines these two diverse themes: both heaviness and new-found sensitivity. The remainder of the songs waver back and forth between these two extremes. Pulling this off would be impossible without the genius of producer Nick Raskulinecz (Rush, Coheed and Cambria, Foo Fighters, Danzig, Marilyn Manson, Velvet Revolver). Of course, the musicians had to pull their weight too.

Frank Delgado’s synthesizer work sets the mood for the whole album. The synths are not overdone, and sometimes are quite simple, almost like special effects in a movie. They really help to combine the tracks into a unified theme.

The rhythms of Sergio Vega and drummer Abe Cunningham are about as good as it gets. On the first listen they seem very loose, but if you listen closer, they are super tight with each other. Their pinnacle on Diamond Eyes is "You've Seen the Butcher", which is some of smoothest metal you will find.

Stephen Carpenter’s guitar riffs are probably the most diverse stylistic elements of the album. He is a metal god, and can groove like a madman. He also has the ability to pull off some amazingly melodic lines, like you will find in "Sextape".

Chino Moreno’s vocals are not as brilliant as they were on the manic White Pony album, but he still has a lot of chops. His efforts on Diamond Eyes range from the subdued "Beauty School" to falsetto on “976-EVIL” to outright howling on "You've Seen the Butcher". None of the tracks would have been special without his input. Imagine Tool without Maynard, if you will.

Anyway, these guys pulled it off again. It is hard to outdo yourself, and the Deftones have done it twice in a row. Head on over to iTunes and download Diamond Eyes. You will not regret it. <>Thank you!

Rex and The Reviews

Hello!

There has been a slight change in my blogging situation, as there are CDs to be reviewed that are stacking around my studio like cordwood, and I am going to have to take a different path to get the word out about all of the great new music out there.

I publish 12 blog posts per month on Rex and the Bass and limit the content to two album reviews per month, so it will take me a lifetime to work these in. The most logical thing to do is to launch another blog: Rex and the Reviews. This site will join my music blog and my instructional design blog, so nothing will be going away – there will just be a little more of me out there.

The music that I will be reviewing comes from bands and promoters, and I will give a brief and honest assessment of each so that my readers will have an idea of what they will be getting if they decide to make a purchase. I am a reviewer, not a critic, meaning that I am not a judge.

I hope you will support this new blog, and appreciate it for what it is meant to be. I will leave the comments section open, so feel free to start conversations about what I have said or about your experiences with the music I am listening to. Comments will be moderated, so please be polite.

If you are a musician or promoter, feel free to contact me and we will see about getting you added into the mix. Music is about fun and entertainment, and I am glad to share the good news of whatever you are recording.

Thanks for checking in, and best wishes to you all.

Rex