Drive-By Truckers: A Blessing And A Curse

Written by Fantasma el Rey

I’ve heard Drive-By Truckers mentioned a few times before and have wondered about their sound, so when El Bicho passed this one off to me I thought it might be an alright recording. Not so much, I think as I write this, not that it’s a bad album or that they’re a bad band it’s just that they don’t move me. They do have their highlights but they are too few and far between for me to fully enjoy this album.

Track one “Feb 14”, opens with a good beat and heavy guitar twang, sounds like it could lead to something; then we hear the lead vocalist and from there the song starts to lose me. The title has potential but this one falls short for me and is now another reason not to dig said date. The third track “Easy On Yourself” is the first number that caught my attention. The guitar work is solid and the drums are rocking, the lyrics and vocals come together well here, and the vocalists on this track I like a whole lot better than the guy on “Feb 14”.

Tracks four and five are two more highlights from the eleven on this disk, so along with track nine that brings my grand total to four. Kind of says something right there. “Aftermath USA” is an Eagles-inspired number complete with harmony background vocals. The lyrics and vocals are okay but just don’t get me going, even with lines about “crystal meth in the bathtub”. “Goodbye” is a slow, country number with a steady beat to keep it moving and the guitar soars once again here. The use of curses such as “God damn it/I swear to you I tried” again just don’t work for me and sound forced. Oh and trust me I’m not against cussing and cursing in songs of any sort. But for most bands I dig, these phrases and words are used to highlight a point and usually come across well, yet here I just don’t dig the vocal delivery of it.

Jumping to track nine and what to me is the best track on this album “Space City”, a solid country tune with good, strong lyrics, acoustic guitars and a solid drum thump. “It is a slow tune that’s hits hard, carried well by its vocals and simple yet heartfelt lyrics, which is why this number is the band's shining moment for me. Maybe it’s because I’m reminded of Cowboy Nation on this track, with its honest, straightforward country, back-to-basics sound.

From nine we move to ten, the title track “A Blessing And A Curse” and what starts out to be a damn good song (see there it is, told you I’d use it too. I used it to highlight the fact that this track could have saved the entire album for me). The drums kick this one off and are quickly followed by good guitar playing and a solid bass drive. They kick it up a few notches and we expect to them fly. For a solid minute and fifteen seconds I was into this tune, heavily thinking that this CD was going to kick ass in its final three songs, but it was not to be so. As soon as the lead singer put his mouth to the mic I was done. The band continues to rock behind him but the vocal mixture of Glenn Frey meets Perry Farrell just doesn’t jive with me; no offense to Glenn or Perry both whom I like. Even my girlfriend (who’s a big Eagles fan) winced and this kitten's only just recently been exposed to the country/rock sound.

The final track, “A World Of Hurt”, is a talking country blues tune about the disadvantage of suicide and how it’s not always the best option. Yet again, it just doesn’t stand out for me. Nice try though; if they can stop one of their fans from going down that road, then good for them.

The Drive-By Truckers are not a bad band and as I’ve mentioned before, they do have their moments; yet as a whole there is not too much that stands out about them or which would lead me to want to rush out and get this disk. They sound too much like what’s already out there and some of the vocals are far too close to the whole whiny vocals that are taking over modern rock. They fall just short of what seems to be their goal of outlaws of country music or “saviors of rock ‘n’ roll” as I have heard said about this band.

As for outlaw country, I’ll turn to my personal favorite and a true country musician who deserves a lot more attention than he gets, Mr. Dale Watson and for country/rock ‘n’ roll I recommend Jesse Dayton and his Road Kings. Hit their web sites to find their music. ‘nuff said.

Queensryche: Operation: Mindcrime II

Written by Fantasma el Rey

What a saga! For years I’ve listened to my brother-in-law tell me how good these guys are. So when I saw Mindcrime II was up for review I jumped at the chance to hear for myself. And I must say that they do indeed rock and have something to say as well. I did my homework for this one, reaching into said brother-in-law's CD collection for “research” material, so that I could get the whole effect of Operation: Mindcrime.

I began with Mindcrime I and gave it a solid listen, reading the lyrics as I bopped my head to the music; which rocks a little harder than the second album. Queensryche has also put out a box set of Mindcrime I to help aid the story along. The box comes with a complete lyrics book, a video of the live performance and a live CD. Very helpful for those new to Queensryche and just plain awesome for fans. I was taken into Queensryche's world of drugs and sinister beings, as I followed our hero Nikki as he began to remember exactly how he came to be in a mental institution.

The story of Nikki, a junkie who becomes the puppet of Dr. X, doing his bidding and killing a good number of people along the way, is long and fascinating, so I’ve got to try to condense it here, so as not to go off on some tangent about politics and government crooks. Nikki has an epiphany about the wrongness of his actions after killing a prominent individual who was connected to his beloved Mary. He turns on Dr. X, but fails to stop him, which results in the death of Mary. Nikki winds up being captured and tried for his crimes, thus landing in the loony bin and bringing us to the beginning of…( drum roll please).

Operation: Mindcrime II which stars off with “Freiheit Ouverture” that sets the mood of the album with its slow, dark opening and killer strings section. From there we hear the release of Nikki and launch right in to the first full track on the album and one of its most rocking, “I’m American”. It is fuelled by killer guitar solos and Geoff Tates' rapid-fire vocals, which hit hard in their portrayal of politicians and the government; there are some key lines that pretty much sum it all up. “If you voted for the man, you’re wasting your time. /He’s got his fingers dipped in everyone’s pie” sounds kind of familiar and recent, doesn’t it? Sorry moving on, I said I wouldn’t get into it.

We continue to follow Nikki on his personal mission of revenge. “One Foot In Hell” puts him back on the streets, where he further formulates his plan of attack against Dr.X. “Speed of Light” finds our hero pondering life and his current situation, with a nice little Led Zeppelin “Kashmir”-sounding guitar backdrop. This is also where he comes to the final solution for the good doctor, “Don’t Worry, I’ll Kill The Bastard”.

“Signs Say Go” jumps and pushes Nikki even closer to his target. The confrontation between the two takes place through the songs: “Re-arrange you”, “The Chase” and “Murderer?” “The Chase” is cool because of the dialog between Nikki and Dr.X. very reminesent of the scene in Batman where Joker and Batman argue over who “made” who. “Murderer?” has more awesome guitar work and Nikki, who has now overcome Dr.X, thinking over what he has just done.

Nikki continues to struggle and confront himself, falling back into “A Junkie’s Blues”, thinking about the women he loved and who is waiting for him on the other side of the dawn in the dark halls and passages of his mind. “Fear City Slide” and “All The Promises” deal with Nikki contemplating suicide and reflecting more on the love he has lost. Here is where I get kind of lost. One can interpret the end in a few different ways, but I feel that Nikki offed himself; the way he talks of love and how he felt in the presence of his loved one, Mary. It seems he had nothing else to live for and how would he spend the rest of his days anyway, unless he disappears and becomes some kind of odd junkie figure of justice or a hit man of some sort, I don’t know perhaps the new junkie version of “The Foolkiller”.

Here is where you decide and take from the story and see of it what you will; what did you yourself bring to the lyrics and take from them? Hopefully, people can see this entire concept as more than just heavy guitar-driven albums. Don’t get me wrong, this band and the Mindcrime albums are solid rockers which help, but the lyrics are passionate and meaningful. The first Mindcrime has more political lyrics that still ring true and make just as much sense today as they did in the Reagan era; take a look around and you’ll see truth in them. The same truth is found in Mindcrime II, except in this one we deal more with love and the consequences of our actions. Each album stands alone, yet played together you get the full effect and can visualize the story more clearly.

So all in all, Queensryche: Operation: Mindcrime II go get it, if you don’t have the first one get that too, listen to it and hold on for the ride it takes you on. For fans, part two should deliver what you’ve been waiting all these years to hear. And while you’re shopping look for Fear Factory’s Obsolete it should be right up your alley. It too contains a good look at an Orwell/Huxley-esque world with heavy guitars.

Railroad Earth: Elko

Written by Fumo Verde

Fumo likes the bluegrass, along with the green. Through newer bands such as the Yonder Mountain String Band and Nickel Creek, I have heard the distinction between traditional and progressive bluegrass where percussion and extended jamming have become a part of the latter form. RRE blurs the line and bridges the gap.

Elko is a double-CD live set of songs and jams from their last three albums. If you would like to try something new in the way of bluegrass music, RRE could be your band. For those of you who may have heard of these cats already, you know what they can do.

Being a virgin to this new sound, “Long Way to Go (The Good Life)” was the cherry-popper for me, and oh, what a song. The roar of the crowd and the picking and tickling of the strings as they tune up makes way for a melody that sets you free as you listen to the story of a long way to go. This tune is a six minute and twenty-one second song that is the second shortest on these CDs, so these guys qualify as a “jam band”, believe me.

“Colorado (The Black Bear Sessions)” gives you more of a traveling feeling with its rolling banjo and sweet violin, but my favorite song off the first disc is “Bird in a House”, the title track off their second album. This song has a very “Dead” feel to it with as the drums keep the beat bumping along while the violin strolls along with the lyrics. “I want to sing my own song that's all/cried the bird and flew into the wall” sounds goofy, but the words reflect a feeling that most of us at times can relate to: a desire to do your own thing even if the outcome will lead to failure. The mandolin and violin blend well together during the jam, but when the electric guitar kicks in, it produces a soothing Jerry Garcia feel as the riffs wander and express themselves.
The second disc starts off with the title track Elko with its beat clicking along and all the strings coming out to play, this song's lyrics toss out images of the tired motel stuck in the middle of nowhere on some lonesome road.

“Like A Buddha” is a sixteen-minute jam that strings together elements of all aspects of this bands talents. The plucking that starts it out, along with the cymbals tinkling away give a great lead-in to the flute that causally draws you in, “Jethro Tull” like. Once again, there is the hint of Jerry when the electric guitar joins in. Off the second disc, this song is my favorite. The one political song on the second disc is “Warhead Boogie”, which also becomes a wandering jam that wanders for a little too long.

RRE shows their grand talents here on this CD, before a live audience and what makes them differ from other bluegrass bands can be described in one word: fullness. With a sound like bluegrass, usually the more simple it is, the more traditional it becomes, but with RRE, it's the fullness of the instruments that gives way to the simplicity of what bluegrass is all about. RRE's rhythm, along with its harmonies, holds the spirit of bluegrass while the dobro, the flute and electric guitar open up for the free ride that lets RRE take bluegrass and the listener to a whole new realm of what bluegrass can be.

So step right up and buy your ticket, cause Railroad Earth is leaving the station, and this train you don't want to miss.

This is Fumo, saying “All Aboard.”

SLITHER

Written by Tío Esqueleto

Some months ago, when Slither was first brought to my attention, it was via a quick blurb synopsis, accompanied by a small, special effects headshot of what has become known as the Rookerslug. If you don't know what I'm talking about, it looks remarkably like a cross between Belial from Basketcase, anything From Beyond, and a struggling William Hurt at the end of Altered States. Heaven, to some of us. My initial thought was straight to video, but kudos to the "concrete", or "practical", special effects. No CGI. I later found out it was, in fact, soon to be a theatrical release.

Instantly, as with any film that sparks an interest, the very first (and most important) question is "Who's directing?" A trip to the IMDb, and a few VERY disappointing clicks later, I had my answer: James Gunn, a virtual no-name who, to his discredit, had penned three of what I would consider to be, personally, the most frustrating and insulting adaptations in the last 10 years: The Scooby-Doo films, and the Dawn of the Dead remake.

OUCH!! Scooby Doo is something I still hold very close to my heart, and couldn't believe that when it finally had it's chance (potential! - potential! - potential!), was hugely mishandled. Dawn of the Dead - REMAKE? Just plain blasphemy. Fanboy lament...cry cry cry...blah blah
blah..yeah, I know.

So, just when I was about to toss Slither over to "maybe someday through Netflix" status, I scrolled down a bit more, expecting to further my disgust for Gunn, when I came across this little nugget. James Gunn had directed Tromeo and Juliette, along with soiling his hands on a number of various Troma productions. He is Troma family, so to speak. Now I'm not the world's biggest Troma fan. In fact, with the exception of The Toxic Avenger, I find most of it pretty unwatchable. Respectable, but unwatchable. One thing you cannot take away from Troma, is that Troma has heart. So, it was a combination of that Troma "heart", the photo of the Rookerslug (and its obvious nods within its respected genre), and the fact that he tends to pretty much stay within the horror archetype, that I decided to give Mr. Gunn the benefit of the doubt.

I figured if this guy, with a true love, and a background in the most offensive of horror titles, is given a budget and an 'R' rating on a killer slugs from outer space movie, we could be in for horror gold, or at least one hell of a good time. Given the recent state of the horror film, a few gems aside, what's to lose? And, from there, it all fell into place. No big stars, an 'R' rating but with the Universal Pictures imprint, and the eventual arrival of what has got to be in the running for the best one-sheet of the year, the Slither bathtub poster. It was finally time to see what Mr. Gunn and, ultimately, Slither was all about...

Slither is your classic drive-in monster movie about a parasite from outer space, bent on taking over whatever planet it lands on next. In this case, a jelly-like, slithering, space vagina, born from a meteor that has recently crash landed in the woods of a small farming town, Anywhere, USA, where the recent start of deer-hunting season, appears to be all that is on anybody's mind.

The creature eventually finds a human host in an unsuspecting Michael Rooker, a loving husband who stumbles across it while taking a nighttime stroll to clear his head after a tift with the wife. It then proceeds, via its new Rooker shell, to mate with a local and begins its world domination, one parasitic slug at a time.

Slither is gross, suspenseful, and at times genuinely scary. It hails back to a time in horror movies that we haven't seen in quite some time. A time where a lot of directors are now claiming to go, but usually fall short. Drive-in, grindhouse, splatter, 42nd street, whatever you want to call it, Slither beckons back to the good old days when nothing was taboo. When kids (yes kids) were just as prone to an on-screen demise, as their grown-up counterparts (usually a
telltale sign that the studio system was in no way involved).

All of these things ring true with Slither but, more than anything, Slither is fun. FUN! - FUN! - FUN! The comedy in it is superb. It is equally as funny as it is gross, scary, or "wrong", if not more. Everybody in it does such a phenomenal job. One-liners and bad dialogue are quite possibly the biggest downfall for most genre movies. I learned long ago to excuse this shortcoming, as it just seemed to come with the territory. One-liners, especially.

Even Hellboy, while I know it is his shtick, and I was more than happy to oblige them, was tiring at times, especially to somebody who didn't know the character. With Slither you actually hang on for the next great line. The dialogue overall is one of the greatest assets to this movie. I found it a lot like Stephen King when he writes Podunk's and idgets. He does it quite well. Very realistic, yet very colorful. Slither's dialogue falls somewhere between this colorful King-speak, and the finer filth of the great John Waters.

The mayor in this film, played by Gregg Henry, being the prime example of this Midwestern, yet overtly Southern fried local flavor. Gunn doesn't skip on the references, either. If you know what you're looking for, this picture has more references than if Kevin Smith, Quentin Tarantino, and Kevin Williamson, engaged in a threeway behind the video store, while Eli Roth watched. Jam packed! The aforementioned Mayor character, Jack Macready, is a nod to Kurt Russel's character in The Thing. One of many references that include The Blob, The Brood, and Videodrome, just to name a few. There is a serious Cronenberg undertone running throughout. Pregnancy woes, slime, one's body rebelling against oneself. I wasn't surprised to find that Gunn is a rampant Cronenberg fan. It certainly shows here.

My only very minor Slither complaint would be the CGI slugs, but there are more than enough wonderful concrete/practical SFX, that what little CGI there is is more than bearable. In fact, most of the CGI is really quite good.

They just do not make them like this anymore, my friends. This is what they mean by a 'B' movie. Most people confuse 'B' movies with really shitty attempts at 'A' movies. Not this one. It was a 'B' movie from its inception. No stars, nobody big backing it, no budget but surprisingly well made, and Rated R, it is a CAPITAL B+++ (A), a fucking riot!

Does it excuse Mr. Gunn from his past travesties? No, but it is a great start down the road to redemption.

Abou-Khalil, Kuhn & Cagwin: Journey to the Centre of An Egg

Written by Fumo Verde

For a real freaky evening, pack a freshy-fresh, pop this CD into the player, pull out a bottle of red (and not that Charles Shaw shit, either) and prepare for a different kind of East meets West. Lebanese-born oud master Rabih Abou-Khalil lays down some of the most interesting tracks you'll ever hear. Not being one to be pigeonholed to a certain genre of sound, Abou-Khalil explores waves not yet ridden. Journey to the Centre of an Egg has nothing to do with omelets but everything to do with breaking the shells and pushing boundaries.

At first, I thought these guys were just tuning up when I started playing the disc. Once I turned it up, I started to catch on. Now, I think I know what an oud is, but I'm not too sure. I do know to become a master at anything, you have to be practicing for a long frackin' time. For 25 years, Abou-Khalil has been charming the world with his oud and the way he plays it.

In Journey... he blends jazz, the sweet-controlled sound of chaos, with his Middle Eastern sound. Subscribing to the Miles Davis theory that "what you don't play is just as important as what you do play", Rabih takes his oud to a new realm along with long-time percussionist and collaborator Jarrod Cagwin, whose artistry is subtle, yet dynamic. He seems to be at home on this disc as he sometimes slips in and out of the chaos until Rabih takes control.

Joachim Kuhn, one of Germany’s greatest pianist/composers, adds in with his renowned skills. He is one of Europe's most accomplished and respected jazz musicians. Like Felix the Cat's magic bag of tricks, Kuhn's experience brings a cornucopia of ideas that lend themselves to Rabih's adventures. This is the first time Rabih has ever added a piano. Drummer Wolfgang Reisinger joins in on two tracks.

The Journey… starts out with the oud and piano in a comparable rhythm with the drums softly beating in the back on "Shrewd Woman", sounding like you are about to set out down the old Silk Road. Somewhere down that road some unstructured jazz breaks in as the piano and oud now offset each other with different little riffs and chords that bounce around. Cagwin is lured into the chaotic form, but then his beats seem to charge off into the distance. He is the first to come back, bringing in Jochim and Rabih, as the first track settles down. That is followed by "Little Camels". The oud and drum start this out with a traditional Arabic sound, but then Rabih stretches the oud deeper as Kuhn brings in the keys of the piano.

The first three tracks are a build-up to the middle two, " I'm Better Off Without You" and "Natwasheh and Kadwasheh", both of which are the antithesis of the CD. In the former, the movement of the rhythm starts out strong and quick, similar to "Little Camels", yet in the middle of the piece the oud takes a slow, dark turn. Here is where the Davis Theory is applied. Rabih holds well to it, and so do Kuhn and Cagwin. Wolfgang too knows his formats as he taunts the oud and piano with his taps and rolls. "Natwasheh and Kadwasheh" comes right after and the distinction between the two becomes blurred. Like a 25-minute jam, the tone picks up in "Natwasheh and Kadwasheh" after a few moments.

"Mango" and "No Plastic Cups, Please" follow. They break from Middle Eastern tradition and blow full on, especially on "No Plastic Cups, Please", as the oud chases the keys around the pattering of the drums. "Sweet and Sour Milk" finishes off the "Journey..." at just over four minutes with a retracing of Middle Eastern sounds as the piano blends in to the storytelling of the oud. Chaos is over and all have made it safely home, least it seems so for now.

Journey... is the equivalent of an abstract painting where the artist’s idea is for the viewer, or this time the listener, to make up their own definitions about what they had just experienced. I believe in Davis’ theory, but at times I found myself getting up just to make sure my player was still on and the disc wasn't over yet. I understand that what is not played, like what is not said, can be made out to be very powerful or very delicate depending on the enterprise that is being presented. The essences of which, is captured here.

Abou-Khalil and his crew have brought us the ancient sound of the Middle East and crafted it into the abstract format of Western, specifically American Jazz. Rabih has proved that sounds from anywhere in the world can be brought together, and when this occurs, new ideas in music can arise, although you may have to crack a few eggs in doing it.

This is Fumo saying.....I’m gonna make an omelet...I got the munchies. Later.

Nina Simone: Silk and Soul & The Soul of Nina Simone

Written by Ladron de Tebeos

Welcome back to my lair, my fellow carbon-based life forms, sorry I’ve been gone so long, I’ve been trying to raise funding for my new film, Brokeback Catholic Church. (Send all comments regarding my hell-bound soul to the owner of this website) Today we’ll be playing a little game called “Chasing the Dragon” and we’ll be spinning a CD or two from the High Priestess of Soul, Nina Simone. Let’s roll.

The album starts with a pounding drum and shrieking guitar that overwhelms your senses and…hmmm, I’m sorry, my CD changer started playing Led Zeppelin I by mistake…actually, this is pretty cool, I think I’ll review this instead…whoop, hang on a sec, the phone’s ringing…Okay, apparently the owner of this site, Mr. El Grande Bastardo, a.k.a. El Bicho, has told me that the Nina Simone review needs to be reviewed tonight, and if I do this review while high, he’s going to revoke my papers and send me back to El Salvador, stupid puto.

Silk and Soul is the follow up to Nina’s first album Nina Simone Sings the Blues. Here again, she has taken songs and molded them around her sensual silken voice to create an album that would best be experienced ‘making sweet sweet love’ as Chef would say. Nina wrote the song “Consummation”, a beautiful love song that reveals the tender side of her soul. “The Look of Love” is a Burt Bacharach written song (not a cover of that classic ABC song) from the motion picture Casino Royale. She also does a cover of that old Association song “Cherish” you remember that one; ‘Cherish is the word I used to describe, all the feelings that I have’, blah, blah, blah, it’s gay, but she makes it work. There’s a sense of longing on songs like “I wish I knew how it would feel to be free”, and “Why must your love well be so dry”. In truth, almost all of the songs on this album are well done, and fine examples of the way Nina can take a tune and make it her own, capturing the spiritual and melodic message of the writer.

Next up, The Soul of Nina Simone is a CD/DVD collection of greatest hits and live songs put together on one CD/DVD. (Does that make sense? oh well, who cares) The songs are more soulful and less pop-sounding than Silk and Soul, and this is a good thing as it gives her more of a chance to use her expressive vocals to capture all sorts of subtleties and nuances in this collection of songs. “Just Like Tom Thumb Blues” is a cover of an old Dylan song that tells of a man let down by everyone, society, government, and friends. “I think it’s going to rain today” is a heartbreaking song written by Randy Newman that looks achingly into a grey future. “To Love Somebody” is a cover of the old Bee Gees tune, turned from some bubble gum pop crap into an anger cry of betrayal. “Feeling Good” is just a great song that received some airplay on HBO promo’s for Six Feet Under, you know how it goes, ‘birds in the sky, you know how it feels, etc.’ I would say, if you could only get one of these two CD’s, definitely grab this one.

The DVD portion of this disc consists of several live performances from the ‘60s, including her performance on The Ed Sullivan Show and several songs from the Harlem Festival in ‘69. It’s all very good stuff, although I would have liked to have seen her in a more intimate setting, a small smoke-filled jazz club, maybe. But in spite of the settings, her voice shines through and connects with the audience to the point where the surroundings don’t matter, it’s just that voice and that presence and that’s all you need.

Oscar Castro-Neves: All One

Written by Fumo Verde

Who is this and why are you listing to it, Fumo?

Oscar Castro-Neves is a cat from Rio, Brazil. He was born into a musical family and by the time he was a teenager, he was writing, arranging, and composing all of his own material when people in the mid-1950s started to notice. He, along with Antonio Carlos Jobim and João Gilberto, was a vanguard of the Bossa Nova sound, which was a Latin beat that was coming out of South America and the Caribbean during some heavy times when the cold war was in full swing. It was music that gave the American people the haze of a tropical paradise south of the equator. After becoming a member of Sergio Mendes' group in the early ‘70s, his fame spread, and since he has performed with such greats as Yo-Yo Ma, Joe Henderson, Stan Getz, Eliane Elias, Edu Lobo, and countless other Brazilian jazz, classical and pop music stars. His big hit in the U.S. was “The Girl from Ipanema”.

Oscar has an impressive resume and he can play beautifully. “Double Rainbow” is a cool instrumental that uses guitars and violins along with a basic Brazilian rhythm that is the thread that ties this whole CD together. For anyone looking for something light and airy, like a scone, this song is it. He revs it up a bit in the title track, "All One", which reminds me of a cheesy ‘70s movie I saw late one night after a New Jersey Devils victory. With a binger by my side, I came across an old Sony and Cher movie, where they were young and Cher still had her original face. They ran through the flowers as the wind blew. The third track is called "Kurski Funk" and I’m still trying to figure out why. With a chorus chanting and clapping, this could be one of those World Music fusions, like a Brazilian and African mix, which it seemed Oscar was shooting for that but came up short. It smoothes out into something about to erupt but unfortunately, it never comes to pass.

Luciana Souza, a famous Latin singer lends her voice to “Morre De Amor”, and though my Spanish sucks (my English ain't to better either), I do believe this is a love song. Luciana's voice is beautiful, and the piano and violin add to the richness of Souza's sound, as it does on “Nao Me Diga Adeus” where Oscar starts out funky, before merging into late night jazz bar grooves, adding Luciana in between the piano and saxophone mini-jams. "One Bad Habit" ends the disc. Oscar explains his one bad habit, which of course, "it's you...I'm always bouncing in the buff with you". Whoa, Oscar. Kids read this shit; watch your mouth.

I'm not dissing Oscar for anything; his musical portfolio and talent go unopposed, and personally, I liked this album though it’s more background than forefront. Even if you don't want to hear this, you may someday, if you are in a hotel, in a midwestern mall, or going into see your broker. This album is for those you who enjoy the Muzak sound that drifted on the fringes of ‘70s disco balls and the soft music that plays in your doctor’s office while your waiting for your colonoscopy. The arrangements work out fine, but each song sounds too much like an elevator ride. I was left feeling cheated, waiting for heavy Brazilian guitar-playing and conga beats to kick in. “All One” started out sounding great, but then just got melded into jazz fusion that is right now being pumped through your phone, as you sit there on hold waiting for your bank.

This is Fumo, saying, “Adios, babies.

HORRORPOPS - House of Blues, Sunset Strip - 3/24/06

Written by Fantasma el Rey

“H-O-R-R-O-R-P-O-P-S!!!” is the cheer and Bring It On is the latest album by Horrorpops who rocked the House of Blues to its foundation as they proved Neil Young’s line that “rock ‘n’ roll will never die.” But I’ll get back to them in a minute. There were two bands in support of Horrorpops this night: Left Alone and The Aggrolites.

Left Alone went on first, but because I was a tad bit late, I missed half of their set and didn’t get a chance to listen too well. As soon as we got into the club, my girlfriend and I had to figure out how to get in touch with some friends that we were holding tickets for. Added to the mix was the fact that we had to part a sea of people to find a desperately needed restroom due to the extra large energy drink we shared on the ride up to keep us bopping. My girlfriend also wanted to check out the jam-packed Horrorpops merchandise booth. All of this equaled no time to listen well. From what I did catch I thought that they were an “all right” band. I heard some punk rock and what sounded like a country tune, a nice compliment to their “classic punk” look, complete with colored Mohawk on the lead singer. My girlfriend’s youngest brother, David, who was attending his first concert, thought that they were a pretty solid band and liked them a little more than the band that followed.

The Aggrolites took the stage next and at first I thought they were an okay band with a solid rhythm and beat. Yet as I listened, I began to feel the vibe of this reggae band a bit more. The lead singer had a strong voice and an even stronger passion for what he was singing. This cat tried his hardest to get the crowd jumping and singing along but to no avail, yet he kept at it and went into the crowd to move them. Their versions of classics songs such as The Temptations “Ain’t To Proud To Beg” and The Beatles “Don’t Let Me Down” were carried well by the lead singer’s fire. His passion came to a peek on the jam “Reggae From The Ghetto”. This was the song I liked most from their set; here the singer tried his best to get the crowd to repeat the four-word chorus, but still not much of a response. I hope this band keeps going; I would like a chance to see then again.

“Bring it on!” As Horrorpops, (Patricia Day lead vocals/upright bass, Kim Nekroman guitar, Geoff Kresge guitar, and Niedermeier on drums) hit the stage, the House of Blues erupted. The crowd pushed and rushed forward to get in as close as possible to see the band they had been waiting all night to hear. Opening the set with “Freaks In Uniform” and moving into “Hit And Run,” the first two tracks on Bring It On, set the tone for the evening. The lively crowd moved in one big sway from side to side. As the music became harder, the traditional mosh pit came alive and inspired a good amount of fans to start crowd surfing. They saved it all for Horrorpops because they weren’t moving so much for anyone else that night. They were way more alive than the people at the first Horrorpops show I saw earlier on this tour back in November of ’05 at the same venue.

Horrorpops kept everything moving with fan favorites such as “Dotted With Hearts,” “Baby Lou Tattoo” and “S.O.B.”. On “Dotted With Hearts” Nekroman (who fronts his own band The Nekromantics) and Geoff do some doo-wop vocals, which always gets a big cheer from the crowd. We also get to watch NoNo and Kamilla Vanilla, the two go-go dancers, shine; they dance with giant stuffed hearts and throw them into the mob for extra love and cheers.

A big hit with us creepy sorts is the dark love song “Walk Like A Zombie”. I dig this song live because Nekroman and Patricia sing together, playing side by side and back to back, which is always a plus. It has cool lyrics about holding hands in the cemetery and naming kids “Morticia” and “Fester.” It has everything the late night, “B” horror movie set love to hear about. “S.O.B.” is a country/rockabilly tune that’s found a place in my heart, not only for its driving drums and steady bass thump, but also for its twisted look at the traditional country “done wrong” song lyrics.

With its references to “wreaking in the pit,” “Cool Flat Top” always sends the crowd into a frenzy. This is where the pit usually gets its heaviest. The one song that always sends them whirling is “Julia”, the killer opening track from their first album and one of my favorites as well; Both times I‘ve seen Horrorpops this number is used as an encore for obvious reasons, as it guitars are masterful and the beat and bass are infectious.

Horrorpops definitely bring it on in concert with their hard-driving, house-rocking brand of “physco-billy”. Here I should probably give the “ten peso” version of “psycho-billy”: it’s basically the meeting of punk rock and rockabilly with more attitude and a flare for things that go bump in the night, and Horrorpops do it well. Patricia’s vocal growl, delivered with a snarl, is even stronger live and reminds me of a more hardcore Wanda Jackson. Her howls and oohs are awesome, as she uses them to full effect to whip the crowd up before the start of certain songs; Patricia will sing a little of the chorus and ask if the audience can follow. They respond well when Necroman has anything at all to say; his command of the mob is powerful. While Geoff’s efforts to work them up go over just as well, his time spent with Tiger Army as bassmen serves him well here.

Their fans truly adore them, from the hardcore of punks and rebel greasers to the girls who see Patricia as a kick ass role model. Even David, who’s not as familiar with the band or the whole “psycho” scene, enjoyed his first show and thought that Horrorpops rocked. The only draw back for me was that my favorite tune of theirs wasn’t played, the ever-popular “Psychobitches Outta Hell”. But with all the other killer material I’m not at all disappointed and will go see this band for as long as I can score tickets before the venue sells out and most of the time they do just that.

Irakere: Bacalao Con Pan

Written by Fantasma el Rey

Everyone likes a challenge, right? Well I know I do, sometimes. So when El Bicho asked if I wanted to do the review for this Cuban jazz disk, I said, "What the hey? Why not?" Trying my hand at something a little different is just what I needed to expand my listening pleasure and knowledge. Right from the start, the title of this disk had been sitting on my mind like a bullfrog, "Bacalao Con Pan." What it means I have no idea except that it's something "with bread," but there it sat and mutated into my new favorite word. I know it's more of a phrase, but I began using it like I used to do with "Wang Chung," something similar to the way the Smurfs use the word "smurf" in many tones and for just about any situation. I was only cured of this after my highly annoyed girlfriend smacked it out of me, god bless her.

After playing the CD in the car and at home, I began to feel like I should be shouting things such as "Mira. Que conllo" or listening to more Miami Sound Macheen and calling for Castro to step down, 'cause he's been in power way too lung, man. Killing Che and making himself dictator. Todos las personas all they want is to live free and drink Coca and buy new Che-vys, conllo. IS THAT SO WRONG, SENOR CASTRO...LARGARSE CABRON!!! Sorry I digress; it's been a long day, and I've had too much cough syrup, on with the review.

Irakere is a group of Cuban jazz veterans who formed to develop musical ideas with total freedom. The band is known for getting folks up and dancing and that's the way they like it. According to the liner notes, "The word Irakere means both vegetation and whip in the African Yoruba language." That's not much of an explanation for me as to why the band chose the name but I guess it sounds cooler on the island. Who knows, maybe it has to do with the "taming" of unkept vegetation? Any way you take it the sound of this band is infectious. One can see why people can't help but dance. I should pass this disk on to Ladron de Tebeos; he might get a kick out of it.

The opening track "Valle De Picadura" is a mellow mid-tempo number that sounds very 1970s, the guitar playing is kind of funky yet reserved and the sax opens like something from a cop show from that era, somewhat heavy yet smooth, then moves into a "Harlem Nocturne" knock-off. Halfway through the song, we get the lyric chant common to Cuban jazz. This vocal approach appears regularly on this disk in almost all the up-tempo tunes. Not bad but it can get a little tiring; then again I'm sure at the time these dudes were pioneering this sound.

On track three "Aguanile Bonko" is where we get a better feel for this band. The sound is "tuff," the vocals gruff, and the horns are blaring in solid swing fashion. We even get a cracked sax solo that honks like masters such as Joe Houston or Big Jay McNeely. The guitar gets funky here as well, cutting in and out nicely, this is definitely Fantasma's kind of jump.

We get this same kind of jump effort on most of the other up-tempo tracks for the remainder of this disk. "Siete Tazas De Café" and "Rucu Rucu A Santa Clara" are where one can see clearly the influence these Cuban jazz masters had on the aforementioned Miami Sound Machine. The background in "Siete Tazas De Café", the percussion and horn section are a good example of this. While "Rucu Rucu A Santa Clara" sounds very much like a M.S.M. song except for the fact that there is no female lead vocalist.

There are only two slow songs on this disk and they are nice breaks in the action; the first is "Romance (Juegos Prohibidos)," a traditional and pretty tune that reflects the (Forbidden Games) of the title very well. I do very much dig acoustic guitars in that Spanish style. The second is the piano-led "Este Camino Largo." This song too reflects its title well with its smooth, Dexter Gordon sax solo, bringing to mind images of long roads traversed. These powerful slow tracks stand up strong next to the more prominent up-tempo numbers.

A solid stand out track is certainly the Santanaesque "Bacalao Con Pan." More heavy guitar funk, drums, rhythmic percussion, soaring horns and that awesome chorus of (here it comes, y'all) "Bacalao Con Pan." This tune is truly the most infectious on this CD. I totally dig the piano break right before the chanting starts and the horns lead the way for more funky drums and guitar work. You can't help but nod your head and thump your foot. Like its title before it, this jam has gotten under my skin and is a new favorite.

Irakere Bacalao Con Pan is a good look at these pioneers of modern Cuban jazz, a solid band that has its high points and a CD that I wouldn't mind playing a few more times in the future. The challenge is will I be able to play it all the way through, which is Fantasma's mark of an exceptionally excellent record. More than likely not, I know I'll skip to my favorite cuts, but I'll have a good time listening to the ones I choose to hear over and over again. That itself I'm sure says something for the infectious grooves of this band, BACALAO CON PAN FOR EVERYONE!!!

The Essential Chieftains

Written by Fumo Verde

Long before Lord of the Dance or Riverdance, long before bars sold green beer and Guinness was sold in a can, Paddy Moloney mastered the pipes and the tin whistle, and in doing so, started a career that would last over forty years. Before World Music was in vogue, the Chieftains had already been there and back

In December of 1963, Moloney gathered together the most talented traditional instrumentalists in his native home of Ireland, and from there they started out on a journey that would take the green hills of Ireland to the great halls of Europe and China to the recording studios of Nashville where, with Chet Akins and Willie Nelson, they would record Another Country, one of their six Grammy-winning albums. If you have never been touched by the sounds of the harp, flute, pipes and fiddle, then lend your ears to something that will surely change your mind and open your world.

I first discovered the Chieftains, or should I say, they found me, in 1984, on what was then a little-known cable channel called A&E. I was up at around two in the morning, because back then to see a hockey game in Southern California, your only recourse was A&E, which would show a replay of the third period of the last game broadcasted that night from wherever. I waited half asleep in a comfy chair with the channel selected in case I dozed off. I had hoped my New Jersey Devils would appear, but a different conjuring took place. Strange music I had never heard before affected me like some strange siren call. I can see myself now hopping around my small den, at 2:30 in the morning as Moloney and the boys played a slip jig. I still have no idea what that is, even though I have been a fan since that fateful night. (My vivid memory is accentuated because I kicked a chair accidentally and busted my big toe).

The Essential Chieftains collects the work from over forty years of not only traditional Irish folk music, but also traditional folk music from all around the world. Playing since the early ‘60s with oddly only an American cult following for the first few years, they began to break out in 1975. That year they provided the Oscar-winning soundtrack for Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, which spawned some radio airplay for "The Women of Ireland," the film’s love theme.
Even when breaking away from traditional Irish folk, Moloney and the band showed their gifts as instrumental composers and arrangers. A career highlight happened at Dublin's Phoenix Park where the band opened for Pope John Paul II, who along with 1,350,000 others where entertained by sounds of the Chieftains. "We were just the opening act" Moloney said. "The Pope was the Headliner".

The first disc is the Chieftains at their best because it features their roots. It is a summary of what they have done from instrumental pieces like "Lots of Drops of Brandy", "O'Sullivan’s March" and " An Poc Ar Buile/The Dingle Set" sung in the Gaelic tongue to "The Green Fields of America" an a cappella ballad describing the flight of immigrants from the Irish shores to their new homeland across the ocean.

That song is followed by "Santiago De Cuba," a Latin rhythm set that would make Pancho Sanchez proud. Others such as the "French March" and "Chasing The Fox (from The Ballad of The Irish Horse)" show how well the Chieftains have blended the sounds and instruments of other cultures into their own sound. These are some of the reasons the Chieftains have lasted for so long and have been heard by so many.

The second CD is a treasure in itself entitled "The Chieftains and Friends." The names alone give me goose bumps: Sting, Alison Krauss, Ricky Skaggs, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris, Los Lobos and of course, some of Ireland’s own treasures. The first song to start off sees them joined by with The Corrs. Andrea's voice lifts you off with this Spanish-Irish love song. "Shenandoah" with the legend Van Morrison follows it; its soft gospel sound plays against the rolling fiddle and flute letting the river run through you mind.

"The Long Journey Home" with Elvis Costello and the choir Anuna stray not far from the Irish tradition, but use a full of the Irish Film Orchestra (conducted by Fiachra Trench) gives one a feeling of patriotism whether you are Irish, Italian, or a red-blooded American. To finish off the set is the song "Jimmy Mo Mhile Stor" done with The Rankins, the first part sung in Gaelic followed by English. Its simple cords are played by the harp and fiddles and with the flutes and tin whistle filling in, the voices of Cookie, Heather and Raylene Rankin bring the Chieftains back home once again.

For anyone who loves world, or Irish folk music, The Essential Chieftains has it all, because Moloney and the Chieftains have it all. For a band who had found their small niche in the music world, little did they know back then what doors they would be opening today, and I for one, look forward to what they will have to offer tomorrow. If it is as half as good as what they have given us now, then the Chieftains will do just fine.

You know I will be enjoying the green this St Patty’s Day. Fumo O'Verde out.