Monthly Archives: December 2009

Matheson Kamin’s “Best Of” List for 2009

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As we say goodbye to 2009, it’s time we make our “Best Of” lists for the year. As I like to write about both new albums that were released within the year and albums that slipped through the cracks, I don’t usually have enough current year releases in my catalog of reviews for the year to make a Top 10 list. Therefore, my “Best Of” list for 2009 will only contain 5 entries.

With a “Best Of” list, I think it should reflect all of the types of music covered by the writer that is creating the list. Because of this, my “Best Of” list for 2009 will contain many different styles of rock music. And with that in mind, here is my Top 5 list for 2009 in no particular order:

True Nature- “Feels Like Centuries”

Mambo Sons- “Heavy Days”

Cellbound- “Fallen Angels of Sui Caedere”

Sweet- “Live In America”

Lucky Singh- “7”

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Pighsit by Gary Pig Gold – IT’S BEGINNING TO SOUND A LOT LIKE… WELL…YOU KNOW WHAT

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XmasPigshitImageAhhh, Christmas! That magical time of year when we share love, presents, and our special musical tastes – both good and bad. Like those mounted singing bass sold down at Wal-Mart, seasonal music is an acquired, personal taste that says more about the listener than the actual music.

So, always nosy, Gary Pig Gold, alongside veteran r-n-r reporter Ken Burke, decided to ask their many music-minded acquaintances the following questions:

1) Which seasonal / Christmas recording do you never tire of hearing? What’s special about it?

2) Which seasonal / Christmas recording irritates you?

Guess what they said?

Steve Lester of Wix Records

1) That’s easy. “Santa Claus is Back in Town” by Elvis Presley. Seasonal or not, that sucker rocks! Who needs flying reindeer when you can have a “big black Cadillac”! I also have to give der Bingle’s “Melekalikimaka” an honorable mention. It has such a hypnotic, ethereal quality. I once listened to it twelve consecutive times with no intention of stopping there until family members intervened.

2) I normally don’t like to answer negatively slanted questions like this. But in this case I’ll make an exception: That Elmo and Patsy thing was criminal!!!

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Intense Nick’s CD Review: “Wish” mini EP by Sarah Coburn

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wish1‘Wish’ is a beautiful song for the festive season that was originally written some years ago and re-recorded recently due to requests from a close friend. It begins with a beautiful acoustic guitar intro to be joined by Sarah Co’burn’s smooth dulcet vocal tones. It is a song about losing someone close at this time of year, although somewhat reminiscent and melancholic but is heartfelt and caring. These are the two most important aspects of the season, and is put across so well in this acoustic format. Thanks not only go to Sarah Co’burn but also to ‘Broxy’, the founder of European Klassic Radio for requesting the re-recording of this song.

‘Abandoned’ is a new song which Sarah wrote after watching a documentary about the abandoned children in Mogilino, Bulgaria. The children in this institution were treated appallingly. It is another acoustic track with the guitar being provided by ex Anubis guitarist Andy Hart, who worked on the arrangements for all three tracks. Another truly
thoughtful and caring song, perfectly executed.

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Happy Holidays To All From The Rock and Roll Report!

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On behalf of everybody here at The Rock and Roll Report we wish you all a safe and happy holiday season hopefully spent with those you love and a healthy and happy New Year!

We will continue to publish throughout the holidays and we have a great end of the year Podcast for you so try and stop in once in awhile in between drunken egg nog Christmas carolling and fighting with the inlaws over whose turkey is bigger. We gurantee you a smile and some happy ears.

All the best and thank you for reading and making our little rock and roll website what it is today!

Mark and the whole Rock and Roll Report Team!

Live, Love, Laugh and Cry with ‘Thao and The Get Down Stay Down’

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l_3e7cce3242764406817eff1f25ec5626A complicated web of human interactions and emotions has never sounded so fun and playful as it does with Thao with The Get Down Stay Down. Thao’s music is indie rock at it’s finest, with elements of chamber pop and alternative folk mixed in for good measure. It’s catchy, quirky, and everything you’d expect from a band that sounds like they could be your best friends. Thao’s voice and lyrics are laced with an innocent sexiness that enhances the fun and fresh melodies of the band and the music strikes a balance between being both relatable and danceable.

The band’s latest album, Know Better Learn Faster, boasts songs like When We Swam, which instantly make an audience want to sing along. The title track is another standout and highlights their ability to produce an escalating progression of sound and emotion. The music portrays a kind of human quality that lets us know that this is a band that has lived their lives like the rest of us: just trying to figure it out as they go along and doing their best to enjoy the ride, even through the pain.

Thao was gracious enough to take some time out during the band’s current US tour to answer a few questions for The Rock and Roll Report.

Q: At what point in your life did you know that you wanted to be a musician?

A: I think I knew very young, around 13, that I wanted to be a musician. I didn’t fully commit to the idea until the end of college when I intentionally left myself no other option. By this I mean I refused to even consider going to grad school and did not have any other kind of job lined up.

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CD Review: Andy Lehman and The Night Moves “Lowcountry”

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Lowcountry_Album_cover_lo-res 200Andy Lehman & The Night Moves released their sophomore effort, “Lowcountry” back in September on Ten Star Records. The band formed in 2007 and have been building a loyal following ever since. After hearing “Lowcountry”, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if they became the latest pop rock sensation.

To be honest, I was a bit taken aback on the first listen. The CD begins with a mellow 6 minute opus that tells a story about a girl named Ally who was going back to Mobile (Alabama). Memories of Bob Dylan‘s “Stuck Inside of Mobile” kept distracting me from the story of Ally, but I was abruptly shaken out of my Dylan daydream with a gorgeous bridge that flowed into one of the most uplifting and memorable choruses I’ve heard in some time. Pretty, baby! The other thing that threw me at first was Lehman‘s vocals…his voice is different…a little light, a little effeminate perhaps, but dammit I like it. His voice is smooth, soothing, and soaring at times – perfect for these laid-back and breezy Southern tunes. He sounds fragile and crystal clear – yes, his voice is like a wine glass – a cross between David Gates (Bread) and Kyle Vincent. Not that he can’t rock out, though, as you’ll read below.

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Sweden’s ‘Dirty Passion’ love their own music, Guns N’ Roses, Motley Crue not so much – but best of all, they’ll always speak their mind

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dirtypassion-03Perhaps it’s just me, but if I had the ability to change one thing about today’s rock scene, I’d bring it back to the ‘80s. Say what you will but I’m a sucker for the era when rock was raw, dirty, unapologetic and, well, mind-blowingly good.

Sweden’s Dirty Passion seem to share my outlook. Formed in 2006 in Malmö, Sweden, Emil Ekbladh (Vocals), Christopher Olsson (Guitar), Björn Wilander (Bass) and Markus Winberg (Drums) draw from the greats of that very scene, infusing their musical stylings into their own tracks to end up with a sound that is simultaneously nostalgic and modern. And, of course, always rockin’.

In early 2010 Dirty Passion will be touring Europe with Faster Pussycat and Enuff Z’ Nuff, and before they set off Emil took some time out to talk to The R&RR about all things rock.

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CD Review: Preacher Stone

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preacher stone 200If you like your rock ‘n’ roll down and dirty with a large slice of bluegrass then Preacher Stone will be right up your dusty alley.

Hailing from Charlotte North Carolina, this five piece consisting of Ronnie Riddle (Drums), Marty Hill (Guitars), Benny Huntt (Guitars), Josh Sanders (Bass), and Brett Enman (Drums), have created a debut offering of blues orientated rock songs fit for any hoedown.

Opener “Not Today” is raw sounding with slabs of guitar licks and a underlying bed of keys, which would not sound out of place on a Lynyrd Skynyrd album. Stand out tracks include the infectious “Livin’ Proof” with it’s funk driven riff and powerful vocals, and the more gentle “Blood from a stone” which has a country feel to it, but still packing a punch.

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The Rock and Roll Report Band of the Week is Wizardry

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Wizardry webOne of the perks about being a music journalist is the opportunity to be made aware of artists you ordinarily would never have even heard of if not for the plethora of publicists, labels and ambitious band members flooding my email box , proclaiming what they have to offer is going to “shock the very foundation that which the musical world stands upon.” Now, of course 99.9% of it is either an out and out lie or completely subjective (based on the opinions of parents – mine consider me to be a “catch”), but that just means that .01% manage to rock my world. And that’s also .01% that I never would have had the pleasure of knowing existed.

Brooklyn’s Wizardry falls into that very exceptional category. Brooklyn, already being home to some killer metal acts over the years (Biohazard, Type-0 Negative, Genghis Tron), has always been a hotbed for hardcore, so inspiration is in abundance.

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CD Review- Various Artists: A Minnesota Christmas

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Minn X-masThe time of year has come when people start thinking about the holidays and Christmas music. And each year, the catalog of music to search through grows bigger. Depending on what your taste in music is, you can find many albums that can make your holiday season more festive.

Just recently, a few musicians from the state of Minnesota got together to create some music to make the 2009 Holiday Season very festive; that CD is called Home For the Holidays: A Minnesota Christmas.

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