Some Like It Hot!!! The Flame Gets Reissued

The Flame – self titled
Fallout Records

Those who love the late, lamented, oft-troubled band known as Badfinger are hereby put on notice to check out Fallout Record’s 2006 reissue of the eponymously titled Stateside debut album of South African pop-rock band The Flame. Originally released by the band in 1970, the album has been a much-sought-after collector’s item for those into power pop and classic rock. Produced by Carl Wilson of the Beach Boys but not sounding at all like that band, the album is sure to turn the heads of many music fans who hate the suckery of today’s modern rock and wish it sounded like it used to when it used to…um….rock.

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Intense Nick checks out Groovegrinder

Groovegrinder are new friends to me and highly treasured. The day after this initial point of contact I found their new album in my post hole, ’The Daily Grind’. This is a great album containing nine top feel good funky rocking tunes. In the spring of 2007 Ross Cordrey and Jon Hoon formed a band with the intention of writing and performing high energy music that had its roots in blues but also takes a healthy swig from 70’s funk and british Rock. With the addition of Adam Porter (drums) and Philip David (bass) the line up was established and the result is Groovegrinder. A four piece Bristol based outfit whose perfectly crafted songs focus on a feel-good, foot tapping and hand clapping audience. Groovegrinder are here to tell you that for a couple of hours at least, you can lose yourself to the music and ‘stick it to the man’, I strongly recommend that you do.

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CD Review: Train “Save Me, San Francisco”

Honestly, I have been getting pretty weary of Train. A huge fan of their first couple records, I found their subsequent ones to be hit and miss. Their last one, 2006’s “For Me, It’s You”, was a real snoozefest – more fun could be had watching CSPAN. Making matters even worse, in 2007 lead singer Pat Monahan put out a steaming pile with his solo effort, “Last of Seven” (reviewed here). After that, I reached the conclusion that Train was at the caboose of their career.

I was in no rush to hear their fifth album, “Save Me, San Francisco”, especially after hearing the rather silly and annoying first single, “Hey Soul Sister”. But after a few more tracks in the album really picks up, sending you back in time to their early days. Train has finally stopped taking themselves so seriously and simply recorded a fun roots-rock record – their specialty, and what most fans fell in love with in the beginning. Additionally, Pat Monahan sounds fantastic on this record – he seems re-energized and has written melodies that allow him to showcase how great of a vocal talent he really is.

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“Love All, Serve All and Tell the Truth” – Trevor Hall, Eternal Optimist and Musician

When it comes to music, I find that most of my favorite albums are the ones that take some time to grow on me. However, every once in a while I hear an album with which I fall in love instantly and this was the case with Trevor Hall’s latest self-titled release.

From beginning to end this is an album that will not only engage your ears, but will also engage your inner being.  Trevor mixes reggae style with a rock and roll edge and smoothes it all out with deep, soothing vocals.  His music has an undeniable refreshing tone of unity that leaves behind a feeling of inspiration and his sound is somewhere along the lines of Matisyahu, Ben Harper and Michael Franti. He has however found his own voice and it’s one of love, hope and connection.

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Them Crooked Vultures Self Titled Debut album available now.

Them Crooked Vultures are finally here for our auditory pleasures. The band is composed of Josh Homme of Queens Of The Stone Age, Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters, and the legendary bassist John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin. Being a huge fan of all three bands I had no doubt the collaboration would be nothing short of amazing, and how right I was to assume.

The project has been in the works since 2005 and four years later the result is an intricate and distinguishably refreshing sound that leaves no questions in regard to the love and devotion these musicians have for what they do. Although fans would easily be able to recognize Josh’s vocals, John on the bass, and Grohl on drums, the combination is quite unique, having little resemblance to the respective bands these musicians have been a part of. The album has traces of influence ranging from rock to funk to psychedelic, subtle similarities to both Queens Of The Stone Age and Zeppelin are inevitably present upon first hearing, but overall quite innovative in its own right.

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The Rock and Roll Report Artist of The Week is Doobie Whitehorn

Doobie is the former Bass Player of 80’s bands Counterfeit and John Rundle & The Maulers and also became half of the successful Fred & Doobie project. He was then hand picked and persuaded by Midnight Oils ex Manager and the Producer of The Jac Dalton Band to become their Lead Guitarist and is a current member of the in demand Boris Loves to Boogie playing over 200 shows a year.

Being talked into doing this album wasn’t hard (over a couple of bourbons with a young metal band) and this seemed like a reasonable request, but to make it a bit more challenging Doobie decided to play everything himself and record it in his own studio while it was still being built. The result will be his first Solo album and the first released material with Doobie as the only musician.

Thanks should go to friends Rob Vorell from Derringers Music and master musician Darren Mullan for their wisdom and support, Andy Griffiths from Frets and Sticks Music and Daniel Hughes for use of their personal kits and to Kaye and Jac Dalton for the loan of assorted guitars and basses.

Today I would like thank Doobie Whitehorn  for taking some time out to do this for us his Fans

Welcome Doobie and before we start I just wanted to say Welcome to The Rock and Roll Report,We Love Your Tunes.

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CD Review: Like Bells S/T

Sure, it’s great to go out and see a concert for the main headliner; but as a music reviewer, it’s the opening bands that get my attention. If you don’t take the time to listen to opening bands, you may miss out on that next band that will grab your heart and give you that thrill you get when discovering new music.

On November 5th, I was in the audience for the Helen Money concert. One of the bands there to open the show was Oberlin, OH’s Like Bells. Like Bells is a trio made up of Garrett Openshaw, Gabe Baker and Will Mason.

Garrett Openshaw, Gabe Baker and Will Mason met while they were attending classes at Oberlin College. As the trio of Openshaw, Baker and Mason were taking the courses needed to complete their studies at the institution, they were also busy creating a new band that features an Indie/Experimental Rock style. With Openshaw on Violin/Viola/Vocals, Gabe Baker on Guitars, and Will Mason on Drums/Keyboards, the band already had an unusual combination of musical instruments to make up their sound; so when the band started creating their music, the music being created was different and fresh. It’s that sound that was captured on Like Bells’ 2008 self-titled release.

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PIGSHIT by Gary Pig Gold – AND NOW FOR SOMETHING ALMOST COMPLETELY DIFFERENT !!

No less an authority on such subjects as the late, very great George Harrison once proclaimed they picked straight up from where The Beatles left off. However, that’s but one reason I report today on something not always thought of as rock, or even roll.

That something in question, comprising of five uppity Oxford and Cambridge drop-outs who, alongside one itinerant American cartoonist, somehow joined forces in 1969 London to produce forty-five British (plus two German) half-hour television shows, five full-length motion pictures, three theatrical musicals, five (authorized) books, seventeen original (and one unreleased) audio albums and six video games (and counting), now tell The Whole Story – including, yes, even some of the “naughty bits” – in their (even the dead one’s) very own words throughout Monty Python: Almost The Truth (The Lawyer’s Cut), Eagle Rock Entertainment’s one and only three-DVD and/or two-BluRay disc video box set containing six hour-long episodes plus an additional one hundred and eighty minutes of bonus material.

Strictly numerically speaking, that is.

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OPENING ACTS WANTED FOR MEW’S U.S. TOUR

The “Open for Mew” contest gives local artists an opportunity to perform with Mew in the following markets: Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago, Boston, Portland, and New York City. Absolute Punk has created a forum to give up-and-coming bands the opportunity to submit their music to Mew, whom will hand select a winner in each of those cities listed above. To enter to win in any of the cities, you can also visit the home base for the contest at www.mewsite.com/openformew. Select your city and follow the link to enter to win.

RockAngel’s Radar goes Indie…Introducing The Temper Trap

Heard of a little band called Phoenix lately? Even if it doesn’t ring a bell, you’ve definitely heard the song 1901 in a car commercial, a TV show, or just turning on the radio. Well that band is great…and now commercially popular obviously. But that’s old news, and now I’m on to the next big thing that Glassnote Records is bringing to the masses, and that’s The Temper Trap.

Hailing from Australia, The Temper Trap has already caught the ears of BBC’s Radio 1 and countless SXSW critics and bloggers, and now it’s time that The Rock and Roll Report gets a taste of their newest album Conditions. These emotion driven melodies can transport you to an inner reflection and still manage to keep your toes tapping. You may not know it yet, but these guys are the soundtrack to your future.

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