Rapid Fire: Tenacious D

Just managed to get in at the last minute, once again!
For this week's Rapid Fire post, I'm once again choosing three albums by the same band and yes, it's a Hard Rock band again. However, since tomorrow is April Fool's Day, this band also qualifies as Mock Rock. There aren't a huge number of albums by great Mock Rock bands to choose from but since my favourite Mock Rock outfit happens to only have three albums in their back catalogue (at the time of writing this), the choice was obvious.
I used to think this band were kind of tacky but after watching the film and listening to their music, I grew to love them. Now, Tenacious D are one of my favourite bands and I've seen them three times so far, so let's take a look at their three albums starting with their 2001 self-titled debut.


1. Tenacious D - Tenacious D

Tenacious D (album) may look pretty sinister but it's all part of the gag. Their music isn't heavy, devil worshipping music from Hell but sometimes the duo of Jables (Jack Black) and Kage (Kyle Gass) like to stray into those territories with the help of their backing band. Album opener "Kielbasa" is built around an acoustic melody and amusing lyrics that I shouldn't need to analyse for you to get. It soon becomes heavier but it's a strong representation for the rest of the album, as I once claimed in a blog post on great album openers.
Most songs are built around an acoustic melody and lyrics about sex, food or random concepts ranging from friendship ("Friendship") to karate ("Karate") although some start off heavy and stay that way ("The Road", "Rock Your Socks"). However, the biggest amount of variety on the album comes from the blending of comedic skits with Hard Rock tracks. It might make the album a bit hard to listen to in one sitting (unless you like brief amusing interludes between your tunes) but they're still pretty funny.
I recommend listening to this album all the way through at least once but after that, you're probably better off just picking tracks you like to enjoy now and then. Fortunately, there are plenty of these songs to choose from as Tenacious D have a habit of writing quality tunes in short bursts that tend to stray from the traditional Rock song formula.

1. Kielbasa

2. One Note Song

3. Tribute

4. Wonderboy

5. Hard Fucking

6. Fuck Her Gently

7. Explosivo

8. Dio

9. Inward Singing

10. Kyle Quit The Band

11. The Road

12. Cock Pushups

13. Lee

14. Friendship Test

15. Friendship

16. Karate Schnitzel

17. Karate

18. Rock Your Socks

19. Drive-Thru

20. Double Team

21. City Hall/I Believe/Malibu Nights

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

2. The Pick Of Destiny - Tenacious D

Critics panned this album for being a disappointing follow-up to the debut, along with needing knowledge of the film to appreciate completely. However, if you want an album that's entirely music without any of the skits, The Pick Of Destiny is great. Album opener "Kickapoo" spins an entertaining yarn of young JB's oppressive family and his journey to the city of fallen angels where the ocean meets the sand. It sounds like the opening song from an R-rated Rock opera and sets the tone for the rest of the album well.

Unlike their debut, the backing band have more of a presence on these songs with fewer tracks built around acoustic riffs, even though a few crop up here and there ("Classico", "History") and plenty ramping up the heavy material to the awesome degree ("Master Exploder", "Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)"). Whilst I can understand the complete lack of skits on the album (there's a film and it's funnier than the entire first album!), I can also understand how it's quite difficult to enjoy The Pick Of Destiny unless you've seen the film.

The songs on this album don't carry enough of the film's narrative to make it a standalone success so if anything, it's more of a soundtrack than a brand new studio album. However, if bands like Queen can include a soundtrack in their discography then so can Tenacious D, especially when it's as good as this one. I recommend watching the film before listening to this album but if you do want to listen to any songs as a taster first, I recommend tracks one, five, seven and fifteen.

1. Kickapoo

2. Classico

3. Baby

4. Destiny

5. History

6. The Government Totally Sucks

7. Master Exploder

8. The Divide

9. Papagenu (He's My Sassafrass)

10. Dude (I Totally Miss You)

11. Break-In City (Storm The Gate!)

12. Car Chase City

13. Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown)

14. POD

15. The Metal

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

3. Rize Of The Fenix - Tenacious D

The band's third/currently latest album may have somewhat of an...irregular album cover but the material on the record is a perfect blend of the first two albums. Coming off a tour that ended up losing money and all the aforementioned negative press, the dynamic duo needed some time to climb back to the top. Six years, to be exact (so still less than Metallica needed). Album opener "Rize Of The Fenix" explains this story with heavy riffs, several acts and the best explosion sound effect I've ever heard. To quote the chorus, the fuckin' D is back!

It's fair to say that the strongest material comes in the first half of the album with classic D material ("Roadie"), Hard Hard Rock ("Deth Starr") and an amusing skit ("Classical Teacher"). Once the album gets about 2/3 of the way through, things start to take a downward spiral with less energetic music and less inspired lyrics ("39", "Rock Is Dead"). There are some exceptions but even those could've been better; "To Be The Best" needed another verse (and the band have added that extra verse in certain live gigs) but it's still good.

I don't think anybody's saying this is the band's best album but it's certainly one of the better albums. It rides the line and pleases fans of Tenacious D and The Pick Of Destiny but most importantly, it doesn't spell the end for the band. The creative well isn't dry and, if the gigs I've been to are any indication, Jables and Kage still enjoy rocking out. Rize Of The Fenix is a solid entry to get the band back on track and a fourth album should try to capture the same magic as the first. More skits, more songs about sex, more actual songs that could be heard on the radio instead of just two-minute snippets that couldn't be fleshed out. Hopefully we'll get another album from the boys soon, as it's been five years since this came out.

1. Rize Of The Fenix

2. Low Hangin' Fruit

3. Classical Teacher

4. Senorita

5.Deth Starr

6. Roadie

7. Flutes & Trombones

8. The Ballad Of Hollywood Jack And The Rage Kage

9. Throw Down

10. Rock Is Dead

11. They Fucked Our Asses

12. To Be The Best

13. 39

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

Triple 7s, whadda ya know? I definitely didn't phone this one in!

I'm currently dealing with technical issues regarding my laptop and the Internet so blog posts may go on hold for a while. I'll still aim for an average of one a week but if I can't meet that, there's always my Twitter account.

Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild - Manaka Kataoka & Yasuaki Iwata

Yes, I'm reviewing a game's soundtrack. This is happening.

NOTE: Whilst I'm using the Sound Selection cover, I'll be talking about more pieces of music than the ones included on the CD. This is mostly because after 30+ years making games, Nintendo still don't know how to release a good soundtrack CD.
Also, whilst I'll be sharing my opinions on this game throughout the review, this isn't a review of the game itself. If you want to know whether I liked the game, I did; a lot. It's great and you should buy it if you're a fan of RPGs, Zelda, open world exploration and well crafted puzzle solving and combat gameplay.


So it's finally here, the new console Zelda game! I remember writing about listening to the trailer music and feeling incredibly hyped for not just the game itself but the soundtrack too. The trailer boasted an epic score combining classic motifs with exciting new melodies on a grand orchestral scale and I for one was looking forward to hearing a Zelda soundtrack with more fantasy elements that you might expect from a game like Skyrim. In the end, we basically got half of that; a mix of old and new but sounding more like an expansion to the Skyward Sword soundtrack. Sure, that soundtrack was cute but certainly not what was advertised in the trailer.
I'm not going to sit here like some hack writer hastily shitting out a blog post about how majestic and beautiful the entire soundtrack is because truth be told, it's my second least favourite of all the console Zelda games. I didn't hate it but I was very disappointed for a variety of reasons. For starters, the main theme isn't great. It's the first piece of music you hear when you leave the Shrine Of Restoration, ready to explore the ravaged but still gorgeous land of Hyrule, and it's just In The Bleak Midwinter. Better parts of the main theme are used throughout the game for when you activate towers and such but it doesn't stand out as a memorable piece of music in the same way that, say, the Wind Waker theme does (and this is coming from someone who places the WW soundtrack as his least favourite).
Secondly, one of the big observations, the silence. When you're out and about in the wild, there is no music apart from a few notes here and there (that play Zelda's Lullaby when you speed them up). I get it, the soundtrack is meant to be the land around you; the crickets, the wind, the wild itself. It's a neat idea but having watched gameplay footage of someone exploring to silence and someone exploring to the Hyrule Field theme from Ocarina Of Time, I feel I would honestly prefer music in place. However, that's only when you're exploring the wild on foot. There's music everywhere else.

You get tame galloping music when riding a horse, mediocre battle music when encountering an enemy and various familiar themes when entering a town or settlement. Whilst opinions will differ on which of these tunes work and which don't, most fans will probably agree that the music in different territories is one of the game's highlights, particularly for fans of Ocarina Of Time (clearly a big inspiration for the game). The game succeeds in blending classic with contemporary but unfortunately, with a series as rich as The Legend Of Zelda, the new music will always be overshadowed by the old.
Take the stables; now and then, you'll encounter a friendly hostel with a remixed theme of Epona's Song and occasionally, you'll find an anthropomorphic parrot playing that exact tune on the accordion. Whilst the stable music is nice, my ear is always drawn to the tune on the accordion when Kass is playing it. You could argue that it's due to the nature of the instrument but it doesn't even sound that overpowering when you listen to it; in fact, the new music always starts first when you approach the stable and yet it's Epona's Song I want to listen to. Other examples include Zora's Domain (containing echoes of the same theme from Ocarina Of Time) and Rito Village, the latter containing my favourite new piece of music but also borrowing the melody from Dragon Roost Island on mandolin.
This is fine if you just want to please fans with nostalgia but not if you plan on creating fresh memorable music, as this game seriously lacks that in the same way newer titles such as Skyward Sword have the Skyloft theme and Ballad Of The Goddess or risk taking games that break the standard Zelda formula like Majora's Mask has Clock Town and the Song Of Healing. Maybe time will prove me wrong here but to me, the most iconic piece of music from Breath Of The Wild (the trailer music) isn't even featured in the final game.

However, despite not containing standout pieces of music, this game does contain some great tracks. Korok Forest is delightfully whimsical and perfectly matched to the environment (if you can excuse the frequent drop in frames) and the aforementioned Rito Village is a fine example of how to properly mix your score, combining string and woodwind without fault. Plus, the game doesn't just excel at peaceful music. Some of the music that plays when you attack Divine Beasts (Vah Ruta and Vah Naboris in particular) is perfect boss battle music. It's just a shame it doesn't last longer, unless you suck at the game.
Another neat feature, which is pretty much a staple of Nintendo games, is a soundtrack that changes based on your progression through the game. A town's theme will add layers containing different instruments depending on what's happening, what time it is and what you've accomplished which, more often than not, improves the original music. The best example of this is in an optional sidequest where you build a town/cult on top of a giant rock; when you recruit a new villager from one of the four main races in this game, music based around that race will be added to the town. It works as a great audio-metaphor and listening experience.
Then there are the little musical cues that pop up now and then when you cook a new dish or get a heart container. As before, some are obvious references to Zelda games (the music playing when the Sheikah Slate downloads new parts of the map being the classic treasure chest theme) and some are new (a musical sting involving a boxing bell when you clear out a nest of Bokoblins). Not much to comment on here other than some work a lot better than others, although luckily the ones that work tend to show up more so that's good.

Overall, Breath Of The Wild's soundtrack is decent. Ignoring technical limitations of the time, I'd say other Zelda soundtracks were better but this is still a fine soundtrack. Much like a tightrope walker, it treads the line between taking risks on the left and playing it safe on the right, momentarily swaying a bit too far to one of the two sides but still making it across to the other side without plummeting towards catastrophic failure at the bottom. Despite my complaints at the start of this post, I give it a 7/10. Remember, we're talking about Zelda soundtracks here and to me, a bad Zelda soundtrack can still reach 5 or 6 out of 10. Compared to other game soundtracks, this one's bloody good so a 7/10 seems fair on the universal scale.
It could've reached an 8 or 9 if the main theme was more original, the trailer music was used in the game and the horse riding/exploration music had a bit more of an adventurous feel to it, but I'll concede that last point is down to personal taste. If you liked my review of video game music, let me know in the comments/via Twitter as Yooka Laylee's coming out soon and I. am. fucking. hyped.
I. am. also. incapable. of. learning. my. lesson. about. not. getting. too. excited. about. video. game. music.

Rapid Fire: Thin Lizzy, U2, Black Star Riders

Happy belated St. Patrick's Day!
To celebrate, I decided to hastily type up a Rapid Fire post celebrating some great Irish bands across the decades. Yes, they may be obvious choices but a popular band wouldn't be where it is today without some kind of reason so let's take a look at three different albums already!

1. Jailbreak - Thin Lizzy

Possibly the most well known (if not one of the most) albums by Thin Lizzy containing two of their biggest hits; "The Boys Are Back In Town" and "Jailbreak", the latter also being the album opener. I may have given this song shit for containing a dumb opening lyric but as far as Classic Rock songs with a bit of a Hard Rock edge go, it's pretty good. In fact, the whole album is full of "pretty good" songs apart from "The Boys Are Back In Town", which is an absolute belter.
Jailbreak is serviceable but the most incredible thing about this or indeed any Thin Lizzy album is Phil Lynott's work as vocalist and bassist. It's quite possibly the defining trait of the band's entire career. His voice isn't just unique but it fits in perfectly with the band's sound regardless of whatever they ended up producing, as proven by the band's foray into Metal territories. But we're not talking about Thunder & Lightning, we're talking about Jailbreak.
Most people credit Gary Moore as being the best guitarist Thin Lizzy ever had but the twin harmonies of Scott Gorham and Brian Robertson deserve some credit too. Tracks like "Angel From The Coast", "Cowboy Song" and "Emerald" showed that they knew how to rock out with a variety of soft and heavy riffs, not to mention catchy solos too. I'd recommend Jailbreak to anyone who likes pure Classic Rock without the red, white and blue stains of America on it.

1. Jailbreak

2. Angel From The Coast

3. Running Back

4. Romeo And The Lonely Girl

5. Warriors

6. The Boys Are Back In Town

7. Fight Or Fall

8. Cowboy Song

9. Emerald

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

2. The Joshua Tree - U2

When people quote U2 albums, it's either this or Achtung Baby so when decided which album to listen to for this post, it had to be this one. Straight off the bat, we get three of the band's most famous songs in succession; "Where The Streets Have No Name", "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" and "With Or Without You". These are also the three weakest tracks on the album if you want Rock music as opposed to Wood. It's only when the album gets to "Bullet The Blue Sky" that the band clearly remembered you can make Alternative Rock with some fucking balls. Heavy bass, eerie guitar, drums that would've been better if Larry Mullen wasn't shit and Bono NOT whining.

Before you think of me as some fucking idiot who just wants AC/DC with every album he listens to, I was aware of the story behind this album. Dead friend + soul searching trip across America = The Joshua Tree. However, there are similar sounding tracks on the album that sound like they were written to be listened to and enjoyed ("In God's Country") and tracks that sound like the band trying to show everyone how fucking deep they were, basically the musical equivalent of a carefully posed Instagram pic of the band flexing in front of a mirror at a gym ("Where The Streets Have No Name").

Despite dedicating some time to rocking a little bit in the middle, the band return to slower, more sombre music in the last third of the album. Whilst I may not like the songs, the musical flow of the tracklist works and makes for a better listening experience...provided you can listen to the last songs without your mind drifting onto thoughts of how much happier you'd be listening to something else like a kitten trying to wake up its dead mother. It's lyrically well written and musically well performed (apart from Larry Mullen's parts, he just does what he can) but not an album I'd personally recommend unless you're on some kind of pilgrimage to seek out and listen to all the records you'd find in those pretentious "One Million Albums To Hear Before You Die" lists.

1. Where The Streets Have No Name

2. I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

3. With Or Without You

4. Bullet The Blue Sky

5. Running To Stand Still

6. Red Hill Mining Town

7. In God's Country

8. Trip Through Your Wires

9. One Tree Hill

10. Exit

11. Mothers Of The Disappeared

ALBUM RATING - 5/10

3. All Hell Breaks Loose - Black Star Riders

I said that I'd have to listen to more albums by this band in my Heavy Fire review so here I am, talking about their debut in a post on Irish Rock bands when I've already looked at a Thin Lizzy record. It was either these guys or the Cranberries and fuck. that. Anyway, to refresh your memory, Black Star Riders is basically Thin Lizzy 2.0 founded by Scott Gorham with a vocalist who sounds as close as they could get to Thin Lizzy without pissing on his memory. They also made their music heavier so, in theory, it should balance out to make a partway decent Rock band...and it does! As far as debuts go, this is alright.

Sadly, album opener and title track "All Hell Breaks Loose" is piss weak but thankfully the rest of the album makes up for it. I'm assuming they didn't want to name their album "Bound For Glory" after the song due to the connotations of arrogance on the band's part (even if it would've been a greater album opener with a much better name for the album) but if you're after Irish Hard Rock, this album delivers. The main downside to this is that it's a bit tame, even with heavier guitars, but debut albums are allowed to play it safe.

The tracks that do have a bit of an edge to them are usually the better songs to listen to ("Valley Of The Stones", "Bloodshot") but the whole album is enjoyable if not a little generic ("Hey Judas", "Someday Salvation"). I'd recommend All Hell Breaks Loose to anyone who likes Thin Lizzy and Hard Rock, pretty much my views towards Heavy Fire and likely The Killer Instinct, even though I haven't listened to it. The catchy guitar riffs are still there from the days when Lynott fronted the band and whilst it will never be as great as the days of Thin Lizzy at their peak, at least we've got something good.

1. All Hell Breaks Loose

2. Bound For Glory

3. Kingdom Of The Lost

4. Bloodshot

5. Kissin' The Ground

6. Hey Judas

7. Hoodoo Voodoo

8. Valley Of The Stones

9. Someday Salvation

10. Before The War

11. Blues Ain't So Bad

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

I'm aware I still have a blog post for March to catch up on but I've been quite preoccupied with playing Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild. Don't worry though, I'll make sure to post an extra one before April comes around.

Showdown: Live Versions

Time for another Showdown and this time, it's not video game related!
Last time I did a Showdown post, I covered songs that had been rerecorded by the same artist and, if you hadn't guessed by the title already, this time I'm looking at live versions of songs compared to the studio original.
It's fairly common knowledge that studio versions tend to be better than live versions when you're listening to the songs casually. However, even though most live versions are only awesome when you're there at the gig witnessing the band truly bringing the thunder to their well loved material, some are so incredible that they actually surpass the quality of the studio versions and become known as the greater track overall. I'll be discussing the studio and live versions of some of those songs along with a few I've thrown in that aren't as well known.
Whilst some live performances from random gigs throughout history may have been out of this world and easily trounce the originals, I'll only be counting songs from live albums that have been officially released to make it easier for you to find should you wish to listen along as you read. For the first time in a Showdown post, I've included a Spotify playlist link at the bottom of this post to make it easier for you to enjoy the music. As for the format of this post, it'll stay the same but I'll make a note of the albums (studio and live) I'm writing about in each round.
Right, let's get started!

ROUND ONE: "I Want You To Want Me" - Cheap Trick
Original (In Color) - Arguably the band's signature song and a fine piece of Bubblegum Pop Rock. It showcases the band's ability to take influence from The Beatles and still sound like their own entity but if we're being honest, it's a bit wet. It might have a catchy rhythm and all but fuck me, that guitar solo is just pathetic, isn't it? Fortunately the rest of the album has enough belters to make up for this one but how well did this song translate into a live Rock show?
Live Version (At Budokan) - Now THIS is what the song should've been. Chugging guitar throughout, a faster tempo, prominent bass and a proper set of guitar solos. The differences are small but the transformation is hugely effective, making this a perfect example of how to go off book with your live performance and make the song better instead of pissing off all the fans who just wanted to hear you play your best tracks without getting cute.
VERDICT - It has to be the Live Version, doesn't it? I mean, there's no way you can listen to the original and call it the superior version after hearing the band absolutely crush it at Budokan...ohhhh, that's where the name of the live album comes from!

ROUND TWO: "Old Man" - Neil Young
Original (Harvest) - I wouldn't call myself a fan of Neil Young by any stretch but damn, I love this song. Definitely one of Neil Young's strongest tracks and it deserves to be more well known than pretty much every other song of his you hear on the radio. The only part of the song I would consider weak would be the backing vocalists, as they're unnecessary in this recording. Everything else has a purpose and adds to the song in some way but the backing vocals arguably ruin what would've been an otherwise perfect mix.
Live Version (Live At Massey Hall 1971) - Fun fact, this live version actually came out before the studio version so I guess this is technically the original, huh...or rather the live at the BBC version is. Anyway, I chose this track to compare because I'd heard this is an excellent performance (even if it does start with Neil moaning at someone). I'm inclined to halfway agree with that sentiment, as Neil's playing is spot on and his vocals are far more passionate than they come across in the studio version. However, because it's part of an acoustic set, it's missing the crucial ingredient that the other instruments would've provided.
VERDICT - It's a tough call but ultimately, I'm going to give it to the Original. Vocally, the live version is superior but musically (where it counts, in my opinion), it comes as close as it can but doesn't reach the mark. If I could splice this version with one that has piano, bass and drums, I think I'd have the perfect "Old Man", as the casting agent said to the director.

ROUND THREE: "Lazy" - Deep Purple
Original (Machine Head) - A fan favourite and a great example of how fucking amazing Jon Lord & Richie Blackmore were. Deep Purple are mostly known for Hard Rock or a bit of Prog but this Bluesy number off one of their biggest albums shows each member of the Mk II band at their peak...well, except Ian Gillan. Presumably he was out having a crafty fag for the first half of this track but everyone else brings it. This song's definitely grown on me over time and whilst it's still not one of my favourite Deep Purple tracks, it's easily one of their strongest.
Live Version (Made In Japan) - Another popular live album from Asia that stands toe to toe with the band's studio material. The track length may exceed ten minutes and the first minute of that is what I assume to be the band trying to connect to dial-up Internet using a buggered fax machine and an amp BUT once the band stop tossing about and start to play the song, it becomes something special. With beefed up performances from each band member, this version is often considered the superior of the two, even if they do get bored towards the end and piss about for a bit.
VERDICT - I'm going against popular opinion here and siding with the Original. Whilst the live version has some excellent performances, I can't be doing with what's basically the band jerking off when there's a perfectly suitable and catchy studio version available. However, I can imagine the Made In Japan performance was fucking incredible to watch live.

ROUND FOUR: "Folsom Prison Blues" - Johnny Cash
Original (With His Hot And Blue Guitar) - Carrying on the Blues theme with this short number from Johnny Cash, many people will know this song due to the line about the man in Reno. They might also confuse it for "I Walk The Line" as they both have a similar guitar melody. Personally, I prefer this track's music and lyrics but it's a little too slow and basic for me to truly enjoy. Still, compared to other examples of Blues from the decade, this is a great song.
Live Version (At Folsom Prison) - I think the overall performance at the prison is more notable than this actual recording but as far as live versions go, this is pretty decent. Again, the tempo is sped up and musically the solos are a bit more energetic but otherwise, it's practically just the same as the studio version. Oh, and you know how the prisoners all cheer during the Reno bit? Yeah, that didn't happen. It was added afterwards. Still, makes for a good moment in the song.
VERDICT - If you couldn't tell, I'm not really gushing over either of them but it's a clear win for the Live Version here. I decide the victor mostly based on which version I'd rather listen to and if I could only choose one for the rest of my life, I think I'd get the most out of the one recorded at Folsom Prison...oohhhhhh, I just got the name for this album as well!

ROUND FIVE: "Rock And Roll All Nite" - KISS
Original (Dressed To Kill) - Considering this song was released in the mid-70s, can we really call this a Hard Rock track? It sounds more like Classic Rock to me, especially when compared to songs like "Hotter Than Hell" and "Detroit Rock City". Anyway, it's the band's signature song and it's dumb, in a word. It has a great guitar riff but it's built around the same sentiment that the Beastie Boys made fun of in "(You Gotta) Fight For Your Right (To Party!)". When the fucking Beastie Boys are giving you shit, you know you need to rethink things.
Live Version (Alive!) - As far as live versions go, this is damn near identical to the studio version except for one key difference; an added guitar solo. Once you listen to this version, you won't be able to enjoy the original again without feeling like it's missing something. It just fits in so perfectly and gives the song that much needed kick. In fact, it's what the WaveGroup Sound based their cover on for Guitar Hero 3: Legends Of Rock (discussed in this blog post).
VERDICT - Obviously the Live Version. If you could edit out the sound of the audience (the single biggest problem with live recordings), you'd have a pretty damn good Hard Rock song right there. With the sound of cheering still in, it's just good.

ROUND SIX: "Young Man Blues" - The Who
Original (The House That Track Built) - This is the second song on this list where the studio "original" isn't actually the original version of this song. It was included on a compilation album about four years after the live album this came from was released and since then has been featured on a Tommy deluxe reissue and on Odds And Sods as a shitty alternative recording. Most people probably don't even know that the studio version exists but I reckon everyone who's heard it knows that it's a bit fucking weak.
Live Version (Live At Leeds) - Possibly the best example of an awesome recording aided by Keith Moon going apeshit on drums and definitely the superior version of the song. Added guitar solos, a tempo that suits the rhythm, more passion in the vocals and some fine bass playing from John Entwistle too. If not the greatest live recording in this list then definitely top three. Shame I've yet to hear another live version of a song by The Who that didn't make me want to self harm.
VERDICT - Weren't you reading? Live Version takes the win. The only positive thing I'll say about the studio version is that there's some guitar playing during the vocals that sounds alright but other than that, it's live all the way!

ROUND SEVEN: "Sunday Bloody Sunday" - U2
Original (War) - I like U2 on occasion but sadly, this song doesn't make my cut. There's something about The Edge's guitar playing that annoys me and Bono's whining voice doesn't help and since this song is largely just the same guitar and bass riffs on a cycle, it doesn't do much to please me. However, for fans of U2, it's probably their most U2ish song and a good example of the band's songwriting capabilities; they weren't about flashy solos or power, they just wanted to make what they considered good music.
Live Version (Under A Blood Red Sky) - This recording is regarded as one of the best live versions of a song and what I want to know is what the fuck was everyone else listening to? It's all over the fucking place! Larry Mullen and Adam Clayton sound completely out of sync on drums and bass and they come across like a high school band that didn't practise enough before their big show. If I liked the song, I might have a better reception of this track but as it stands, this sounds like absolute tosh to me. At least Bono still sounds like Bono, although it's debatable whether or not that's something that should be praised.
VERDICT - I don't like either track but it's definitely going to the Original here. An absolute mess of a recording with inconsistent drums that may or may not change tempo throughout. In order to know for certain, I'd have to listen to the live recording again and I need some fucking time after hearing it once.

ROUND EIGHT: "Free Bird" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Original ((Pronounced 'Leh-'Nerd 'Skin-'Nerd)) - I don't really need to say anything about this, do I? We all know the song, we all know that the solo is amazing and every time I mention it on this blog, I have to say the same things about the song over and over again. It's an awesome song, even if the slower first half does get a bit dull when you've heard all the other Southern Rock epics out there.
Live Version (One More From The Road) - I've discussed this entire live album before and still think it's one of the best collections of music out there for anyone who likes Skynyrd's music. Every song on it's great to listen to but the track everyone agrees stands out is their 13-minute rendition of "Free Bird". Apparently, this what stoked the flames for the trope of everyone shouting "FREE BIRD!" at live shows, since Ronnie Van Zant asks the crowd what song they'd like to hear before they break into it. It's a fucking fantastic performance too with possibly the greatest big rock ending to any song ever recorded.
VERDICT - Jesus, this is tricky. The original is like stonehenge; it's an artifact that will stand the test of time and probably still be around longer than anything released today. However, that live version is spectacular and I still get chills when I listen to their big finale. I'd like to give the win to both on this one occasion but if I have to pick a winner, I'm going with the Original. The lead into the main riff during the solo is brilliant and whilst the outro on the live version may be superior, the lengthy ballad section at the start goes on just a bit too long for me (cut to about 6:27 for the good bit).

ROUND NINE: "Whipping Post" - The Allman Brothers Band
Original (The Allman Brothers Band) - Southern Rock followed by more Southern Rock, that's just how I roll. It's hardly the most famous Allman Brothers Band track but it was one of their first big songs. It starts off with an ominous bass riff before introducing a Wild West guitar riff that still remains one of their best contributions to music alongside "Jessica" and the solo in "Blue Sky". It's a Bluesy Southern Rock number but it's still pretty damn good.
Live Version (At Filmore East) - Buckle up, boys. If you thought the last live version was long, you ain't heard nothing yet! This rendition of "Whipping Post", despite having a faster tempo, clocks in at over 23 minutes long. Whilst this is an impressive feat for any live band, the tragic fallacy is that people assume this is an incredible live version of a song when really it's a pretty poor version compared to the original. Sure, the first half or so is great but then the band run out of steam and start jerking each other off for a while without knowing when to bloody end. This is one of those few times where faster tempos can make a song worse (see also "Hocus Pocus" - Focus).
VERDICT - An easier decision this time; Original takes the win again. Granted the solos in the live version are something every Rock fan needs to toughen up and listen to all the way through at least once (even if they can probably stop around the ten minute mark), I know which track I'd rather listen to again. It's a shame The Allman Brothers Band couldn't bring this fretting fury to the studio but at least they managed to capture their raw talent at Filmore East.

ROUND TEN: "Do You Feel Like We Do" - Peter Frampton
Original (Frampton's Camel) - Did you know a studio version of this song existed? You'd think it was another "Young Man Blues" what with all the hype around the live version but we'll get onto that in a bit. The studio original is noticeably slower and obviously lacks the middle talkbox section, instead introducing the outro solo a lot earlier. It's actually quite a decent tune and I'd recommend checking it out if you've only heard the live version.
Live Version (Frampton Comes Alive) - Another looooong live song but luckily, this is just 13 minutes as well. Regarded as possibly the most famous live recording on this list, a large portion of this song is dedicated to the credits jam between Frampton and "Buck-Man" on the keyboards before they eventually break into the glorious outro solo. Some people consider "Show Me The Way" to be the better live recording off the album but there's always something to be said for the last song on a band's live album. They've fed off the crowd's energy and now they're ready to release it one last time, hence "Do You Feel Like We Do".
VERDICT - I feel like both deserve some recognition here too but the win's going to the Live Version for taking the material provided in the song and using it more effectively than the studio original. If I could speed up the original just a little bit, I'd probably prefer that version but goddamn, Frampton needed to come alive in the studio that fateful day...OOOHHHHHH, now I get the album name, it's because the Allman Brothers recorded At Filmore East! Fuck, that one took a while to sink in.


Well it's been an educational blog post for some but was there anything I missed? Did I fail to include an even greater example of where the live recording was greater than the studio version or have I absolutely fucking nailed it, once again? Let me know in the comments or via Twitter.

As promised, here's the Spotify playlist for this post and I apologise if any of the verdicts were spoiled for you in scrolling down to the bottom of this post.

Taster Session #7

VIDEO GAME EDITION!
That's right, this time I'll be looking at five pieces of music from upcoming video games and discussing initial impressions along with whether I'm looking forward to the soundtrack (and, by extension, the game too). These games might be new releases or they might by HD remakes but the one unifying trend is that they all have brand new music recorded for the game. One thing to keep in mind here is that the quality of the music here will vary. Normally I can link you to a high quality music video on Youtube but this time, most of the tunes will be trailer rips or Soundcloud pages until the games come out themselves and someone can get proper OST versions.
Right then, time to tuck in!

"Trailer Theme" - Manaka Kataoka         (listen here)
From the game Legend Of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild (03/03/17)

I'll admit that I wasn't impressed with the footage from this game shown off at E3 but after that story trailer was released, I was completely sold. I've already ordered a Switch and this game primarily based on this trailer alone (and my love of console Zelda games) but it's fair to say that the music is what makes the most impact. It starts off with what sounds like the score to an open world RPG game (anyone else hear a bit of Geralt Of Rivia from The Witcher 3 once the percussion comes in?) but slowly becomes much more dynamic and...fuck it, I'll say it; epic. When paired with the footage, the trailer could well be one of the best a video game has had to offer but thankfully it's still amazing on its own.
Zelda music has always (and I mean ALWAYS) been excellent so I can't see how this game will fail to meet expectations when everything else seems to be up to scratch. I am hyped to hear each piece of music even though it's not Koji Kondo at the helm (although I think he's still supervising) and eagerly await to get stuck into what could well be the best Zelda game yet, even if it's not your typical Zelda game.


"Tribalstack Tropics" - Grant Kirkhope         (listen here)
From the game Yooka-Laylee (11/04/17)

After something epic, we need to take a breather which means it's time to enjoy the Yooka-Laylee music again! I'm also a huge fan of Banjo Kazooie and other classic Rare platformers so I'm definitely stoked for this game when it drops in April. From what I've heard of Grant Kirkhope's compositions, it definitely sounds like they're going for a similar feel to the old Banjo tunes but this time with a full orchestra (thanks to Kickstarter backers!). This tune was one of the first pieces released and whilst it's probably going to be improved for the final game, it's a good taster for what the game's music will be like.
Whilst it's not as impressive as the Zelda trailer music, it sets the tone perfectly with that upbeat marimba and change in styles, presumably as you enter different areas in the level. I'm looking forward to playing Yooka-Laylee more than anything else about it but the fact that the music fits the game perfectly is a solid sign that the rest of the soundtrack will be strong too. Special shout out to these guys for actually releasing a CD/digital/vinyl soundtrack of the game with its release, proving that some developers/publishers know that players actually do listen to video game music outside of playing the game.


"Lady Layton's Theme" - Tomohito Nishiura         (listen here)
From the game Lady Layton: The Millionaire Ariadone's Conspiracy (??/??/17)

I'm pretty sure they'll shorten that name down when it's released outside of Japan but Lady Layton: The Millionaire Ariadone's Conspiracy is something I'd forgotten about until researching upcoming games this year. I'm a big fan of the Professor Layton series and love listening to music from the game (particularly Miracle Mask, even if I wasn't a fan of the plot). Whilst I wasn't thrilled to see Hershel and Luke absent from this entry into the Layton series, the gameplay (and music) appears to be similar to older games. There's a quaint feel to the theme and once again, subtle references to older Layton titles in the music.
Whilst I need to know more about this game for me to be as excited about it as I am with others on this list, I'll definitely be getting Lady Layton when it hopefully comes out this year and I look forward to hearing new pieces of music to solve puzzles to. Here's hoping the Professor and Luke will at least make an appearance somewhere, although I imagine it will be towards the end so as not to overshadow this new character in her debut adventure.


"Reveal Trailer Theme" - David Garcia         (listen here)
From the game Rime (??/05/17)

This game looks wonderful, let's just say this right now. I can talk about how it looks like Journey, Okami and Wind Waker but the trailer I linked up above speaks for itself so go ahead and check it out if you haven't already. As for the music, it's not as imposing as some of the other tracks on this list. I've a feeling it was picked to accompany the footage and not stand up on its own feet, which is fine. I like the music but it doesn't grab me in the same way the others did. The gameplay, however, does.
I'm excited more for the game than the actual soundtrack but I can imagine a title like this surprising me and giving me at least a couple of tunes I enjoy listening to whilst solving puzzles or just chilling out on my laptop. Hopefully it'll be engaging from start to finish and won't have long periods of tediously milling about on glorified scavenger hunts like Wind Waker.


"N. Sanity Beach" - ??????         (listen here)
From the game Crash Bandicoot: N. Sane Trilogy (30/06/17)

Obviously I've saved one of the best for last! I am so fucking hyped for this, it's unbelievable. I don't think a day has gone by where I haven't thought about how awesome this is going to be since the first trailer was released, partly down to the soundtrack. I think I've said before that Crash Bandicoot 2: Cortex Strikes Back was what got me into video game music and it's fair to say that Crash Bandicoot: Warped also helped strengthen my love of the genre. When I found out the original music from the trilogy would be rerecorded in proper 2017 quality, I knew I had to own this.
So far we've only got a couple of pieces of music to sample but they're pretty damn faithful to the originals whilst sounding even better. The N. Sanity Beach theme sounds just as comical and wacky as the Mutato Muzika version so my expectations are pretty high. Between Breath Of The Wild and the N. Sane Trilogy, the gaming part of my brain is pretty fucking excited and it's heavily down to the soundtrack teases of both games. I just wish I knew who the composer was so I could give them credit but oh well, I'll find out closer to June.


Obviously there are other games coming out this year that will likely have stellar soundtracks (I would've included Final Fantasy VII Remake if they'd released new music for it) but for now, we've got a strong set of tasters right here.
Next week, normal Rock/Metal music shall be returning.

Rip It Up - Thunder

Did you guys know Thunder released a new album this month? Yeah, me neither which is odd considering I listen to a radio station where the lead vocalist is one of the DJs (yes, THAT Danny Bowes!!!!). I only found out about it after looking into album releases this year and after listening to it from start to finish, I realised why nobody's been promoting it.
Welcome to the review!

No, don't be fooled by the cover. This isn't a Testament or Alter Bridge album; it's by Thunder. You know, Thunder; the band that gave us "Love Walked In" and a pretty mediocre cover of "Gimme Some Lovin'"? They're a fairly obscure outfit that have existed since the late 80s primarily due to their sound being too bland to really make a splash anywhere other than specialist Rock radio. Don't get me wrong, I do like this band to an extent. Laughing On Judgement Day is a great album but I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who strives for variety in their music and on the subject of variety (or rather "lack of"), let's talk about Rip It Up.
You might expect me to say something like "I was expecting something really heavy due to the album cover and song titles", as I have done on quite a few reviews and yes, whilst the album artwork does suggest something a bit more fierce than Backstreet Symphony or Wonder Days, I'm not going to get my hopes up when it comes to a band like Thunder that are most comfortable trotting out generic Rock. Between the tepid album opener "No One Gets Out Alive" that sounds like the band wanted to try something with a bit of energy but couldn't follow through and bland Blues Rock title track "Rip It Up" that felt more like a group of old friends casually jamming than attempting to produce a decent lead single, my low standards were just about met.
One positive thing I will say is that these two songs set the tone for the rest of the album perfectly. It's safe and boring, just like The Rolling Stones and Creed. You can hear good riffs and talented musicianship but none of it really rocks, it just sounds like incidental public domain Rock music you hear on adverts or TV shows. Some hack critics may refer to this music as "Dad Rock" but I strongly disagree; to call this "Dad Rock" is an insult to bands like Deep Purple and Motorhead that generally populate Father's Day compilation albums. If anything, this is Tosspot Pubgoer Rock; the sort of music that's enjoyed by that one tit at your local who always bangs on about how great Joe Bonamassa and Bruce Springsteen are*.

There are other tracks that sound like failed attempts to write Hard Rock such as "Shakedown" with heavier guitar/bass but are held back by the tame vocals from Danny Bowes (yes, THAT Danny Bowes!!!!) and drumming from Gary James, more on him in a bit. There's also "She Likes The Cocaine", no prizes for guessing what the lyrics are about. Usually songs about wild women and drugs have some kind of backbone but the music completely undermines the lyrical themes cancelling out anything this song could've had going for it and leaving you feeling absolutely neutral whilst listening to it. Some songs manage to get the correct balance and sound alright ("Heartbreak Hurricane", "The Chosen One") but only when you've been exposed to the tracks before it. Take them out of the album, compare them to any other modern Rock song by contemporary or ageing artists and chances are they'll fall flat.
When it comes to Rock, the bar has been set relatively high now and Thunder simply aren't able to reach it. However, when it comes to Blues Rock, Thunder can happily coast along in the passable territory of the genre with tracks like "In Another Life" and "Tumbling Down". The main reason for this is due to the limited talents of their drummer, Gary James. Whilst he may have been decent in the band's early days (and let's face it, he was no Chad Smith), Gary James lacks the ability or maybe just the stamina to take the band further with faster music and more complex rhythms. He's adept at playing basic beats so that's what the band are stuck with and even then, he can fuck it up.
"The Enemy Inside" could've been a belter, especially with the guitar riffs and vocals heavily inspired by The Who ("The Seeker" and "Relay" respectively) but the tempo needed to be double time instead of the usual slog of a speed. Then there's the album closer, "There's Always A Loser", a track that gets progressively heavier across the board with electric guitars being introduced over halfway through...at least it should get heavier if Gary James didn't start off with a John Bonham "Kashmir"/"When The Levee Breaks" rhythm that remains constant throughout the entire track. He should've started off simple, THEN pounded out those heavier beats to give the song more velocity as each band member gets into it.

Unlike most Rock albums, the second half of Rip It Up is actually stronger than the first and despite all the shit I've been giving it, the album doesn't contain many real fuck ups outside of weak percussion and vocals (YES, THAT DANNY BOWES!!!!!!). If Thunder were younger, they probably would've injected more passion into it but it's clear that they can't play heavy music anymore, begging the question as to why they'd bother trying in the first place. Ultimately the whole album is a weak entry into the Hard Rock genre, especially with bands like Black Star Riders and Rival Sons putting out high quality material on a fairly frequent basis.
I give this album a 3/10 and wouldn't really recommend it to fans of proper Rock music. Blues Rock enthusiasts/boring bastards might enjoy some tracks but I think it's time for Thunder to either adapt with the aid of a producer capable of pushing musicians to their creative and/or technical limits or bow out gracefully on their own terms. I say this based entirely on their studio efforts, not live performances. Maybe the band kick ass on stage when fuelled by thousands of cheering fans but if they can't bring at least a sizable fraction of that energy into the studio with them, they may as well not bother.


* "Bruce plays on stage for up to three hours at gigs!" Yeah, three hours of Bruce Springsteen songs. That's probably equivalent to one hour of Meat Loaf now shut the fuck up and get back to draining your fourth pint.

Rapid Fire: The Cult

I need to review more albums, as we're over a month into the year and so far I've only listened to Heavy Fire - Black Star Riders (review here). I could also do with writing more Rapid Fire posts covering three different albums with less analysis per record so let's start with three albums from the same band; The Cult.
I was tempted to pick a band like Deep Purple or Queen for this post due to their relatively diverse range of styles across the entire career but in the end, I opted to write about three consecutive albums by The Cult which arguably contain their best material. This was due to me not really dedicating a post to the band (whereas I have done with other big name Rock bands) and wanting to give these three albums some love on the blog.
Kicking the list off is their second album, Love.

1. Love - The Cult

Released in 1985, Love marks the beginning of The Cult's transition from Goth Rock to Hard Rock to a sort of amalgamation of the two that took four years and three albums. Most people would probably recognise this album's (and this band's) signature hit, "She Sells Sanctuary" as it's a fairly catchy tune that contains your typical hallmarks of The Cult. Standard 4/4 beat? Check. Clean guitar riffs? Check. Rolling bassline? Check. Ian Astbury's hauntingly raw vocals? Check CHECK!
It's probably the most "Cult" song in existence but don't think that this album doesn't try to create a couple more in the form of album opener "Nirvana", underrated filler track "Hollow Man" and additional single "Rain". There are also a few more gothic sounding tracks with some eerie guitarwork such as "Black Angel", "Phoenix" (a slightly heavier song possessed with the ghost of The Stooges) and title track "Love", a tune that owes a fair bit to "Lunatic Fringe" - Red Rider which came out about four years before.
As far as Goth to Hard Rock transition albums go, Love is pretty great. It's got a solid variety between both subgenres and it's a decent follow up to the band's debut, Dreamtime, that still echoes some of the spiritual vibes they were big fans of when they started out. I recommend it if you've ever heard a song by The Cult and enjoyed it, which is a phrase I imagine I'll be rewriting and regurgitating throughout this post.

1. Nirvana

2. Big Neon Glitter

3. Love

4. Brother Wolf; Sister Moon

5. Rain

6. Phoenix

7. Hollow Man

8. Revolution

9. She Sells Sanctuary

10. Black Angel

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

2. Electric - The Cult

Two years later, The Cult returned with this categorically Hard Rock album. You can tell from the album opener, "Wild Flower", that the band weren't pissing about and were ready to cash in on the genre (even if they were about a decade too late). Billy Duffy's guitar is less mysterious and more crunchy, Jamie Stewart's bass is still present but has been buried under the mix, Les Warner's drumming is giving the cymbals a bit more voice and Ian Astbury's vocals...well, they're still amazing but then you don't fix what isn't broken, otherwise you end up with [INSERT "EXPERIMENTATION" ALBUM HERE].

This album also gave birth to two Cult classics, so to speak: "Love Removal Machine" and "Lil' Devil", both carrying the aforementioned qualities of a typical Cult song but with a few alterations to the guitar. Firstly, it's no longer as clean and secondly, the use of soloing is permitted. In fact, "Love Removal Machine" has two beastly solos and a double time section that the end that makes you wonder why this band didn't start out rocking the fucking house years earlier.

The album is full of guitar-heavy tunes but slightly less variety than Love. Sure, there are a few standout tracks that deviate from the band's cookie cutter material ("Bad Fun", "Memphis Hip Shake") and there is a cover of Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild" which is easily one of the shittiest covers ever to ruin a classic hit in all of Rock music but aside from those niggles, Electric is brilliant. Definitely an album for Hard Rock lovers, even if it feels a little more corporate than the early AC/DC records.

1. Wild Flower

2. Peace Dog

3. Lil' Devil

4. Aphrodisiac Jacket

5. Electric Ocean

6. Bad Fun

7. King Contrary Man

8. Love Removal Machine

9. Born To Be Wild

10. Outlaw

11. Memphis Hip Shake

ALBUM RATING - 8/10

3. Sonic Temple - The Cult

The last of the unofficial trilogy, released in 1989 and containing the band's best album cover even if the guitarist is annoyingly off-centre. To paraphrase the opening line of album opener "Sun King", this is where The Cult's rise to power all ends. It might be because the band regressed slightly and went back to their mystical themes in both music and lyrics, it might be because the band decided to break into the Hard Rock genre about five years after the golden age of the genre had ended; all I know is this album still contains some killer tracks.

You've got epic stringed ballads ("Edie (Ciao Baby)"), remnants of Rock from a better album ("New York City") and of course, Cult classics ("Fire Woman"). It's an album perfect for fans of the last two but potentially a bit off-putting for purists belonging to either Goth or Hard Rock, not both. Fortunately, I love both genres so I can confirm that it's a damn good listen!

Sonic Temple could've been even better if the band decided to continue down the path they were headed with Electric but something tells me it wouldn't have been as unique. It would've been more of the same and could've spelled the end for the band so even if I didn't quite enjoy this album as much as the previous one, it's still an important part of the band's career, hence its inclusion in this Rapid Fire post. Much like Love and Electric, I recommend this album for lovers of Rock and The Cult as that's exactly what you get from start to finish.

1. Sun King

2. Fire Woman

3. American Horse

4. Edie (Ciao Baby)

5. Sweet Soul Sister

6. Soul Asylum

7. New York City

8. Automatic Blues

9. Soldier Blue

10. Wake Up Time For Freedom

11. Medicine Train

ALBUM RATING - 7/10

If you haven't heard them already, do yourself a favour and give each of these albums a listen. As for me, I'm going to go and do something Ian Astbury has never done; celebrate the fact that I made it the entire way through without referring to "shooting from the hip".

Heavy Fire - Black Star Riders

Our first review of 2017 and hopefully not our last!

Black Star Riders have a pretty solid back catalogue almost bordering on Metal so when I heard their single "When The Night Comes In" and saw the album was called Heavy Fire, I immediately expected something excellent for true fans of Hard Rock. In the end, I got something that's good and would recommend this to fans of both classic and contemporary Hard Rock.
There we go, review's done. Onto the next blog post!



Ah fuck it, I've got time to kill. Let's look at this in a bit more detail.
Heavy Fire is a good album, it's not exceptional or an "instant classic" but it has a fair balance between strong material and average Rock. Kicking off with album opener and title track "Heavy Fire" is a good way to go, as this song bursts in with sweet Heavy Metal riffs and a driving rhythm. Unfortunately, the band decided to get cute about one and a half minutes into the track and shoehorn a fairly mediocre melody in that they likely couldn't flesh out into a full song but at the same time didn't want to scrap. In a way, this acts as the best possible album opener and title track as it perfectly combines the positives and negatives of the entire album into a single four and a half minute package.
This might just be my opinion but proper Rock bands like Black Star Riders are at their best when they fucking rock. Naturally some bands often from the Alternative Rock genre are better suited for softer songs and a few Hair Metal artists are capable of nailing the Power Ballad but Black Star Riders aren't either of those genres; they're Rock. Hard Rock, to be precise. Their strengths lie in powerful riffs, crashing cymbals, vocals you want to belt out at the top of your lungs yourself and a tight song length between three and four minutes, four and a half at a push. Those tracks are easily the highlights of this album ("When The Night Comes In", "Who Rides The Tiger", "Letting Go Of Me").
However, I appreciate that the entire album can't be pumped full of energy and you need moments of down time to further emphasise the bigger tracks the band have more confidence in. This is all well and good if those filler tracks are well written and special in their own way; maybe if the tempo's slower, you can still give it an epic riff and a backbone (see "Fight From The Inside" - Queen) or if everything's sounding a little formulaic, you take the elements you're adept at and amplify them (see "The Duellists" - Iron Maiden). Instead, Black Star Riders just plod along and produce decent but easily forgettable and, arguably worse, "safe" Rock songs ("Testify Or Say Goodbye", "True Blue Kid").

There are some examples of songs that were almost awesome but fell at the last hurdle. "Thinking About You Could Get Me Killed" has a nice rumbling bassline but the chorus lacks the passion needed to carry the song through to greatness; in fact, it reminded me a lot of "I Was Wrong" - Social Distortion both vocally and musically. There's also "Ticket To Rise", a Bluesy song built around a serviceable riff but ultimately let down by a string of much better tracks preceding it on the album. The final insult is the album's closing track, "Fade". Gee, I wonder how this one's going to end!
Aside from having an intro way too close to "Something In The Air" - Thunderclap Newman (one of the worst Rock/Wood songs in existence), this is not how you end a Hard Rock album let alone one called Heavy Fire. This track would've been alright if it came earlier on in the album, as it's not a bad vehicle for demonstrating the band's musical maturity, but the last track on the album needed to pack a punch. Even if this had a tempo increase and faded out on faster rhythm after the band had rocked out one last time, I would've finished this album in a better mood. Instead, they fade out on a frenzied solo and leave me with shit in my ears.
If you're somewhat of a Black Star Riders fan and are hoping this album still sounds like them, you won't be disappointed. It does seem a little heavier than tracks I've been overexposed to on the radio but their music still treads the thin line between Hard Rock and Soft Metal, making it easily accessible to a variety of tastes on the Rock spectrum. I feel like I've said this before with other bands like Airbourne but whilst they haven't reached the need to innovate and *shudders* "experiment" with their sound yet, I would've rather they turned it up a notch, especially with the album title and cover alluding to a heavier collection of music. Unlike Breakin' Outta Hell however, I'm relatively happy with what I got here.

Heavy Fire is more or less solid from start to finish and whilst it could've done with one or two more powerful tracks instead of tunes like "Cold War Love", I would still recommend this album to listen to but not purchase for yourself. This is an album you'd give as a gift to someone who loves Rock or might treat yourself to once it drops in price a bit but this isn't something I'd rush out to the shops to buy. Instead, you're better off buying a few tracks off iTunes to show your support.
I rate the album 7/10 only because I'm rounding up from 6.5 and despite my criticisms, there aren't many glaring faults. The songs are suitably written if not a little generic at times and the ones that grab you by the short and curlies really do leave a good impression, despite the fact that they just metaphorically gripped a fistful of your pubes. I'm inclined to give previous Black Star Riders albums a listen after this, as they clearly know how to write great material outside of their singles and even if their previous hits are half as good as the best songs on this album, I'm still in for a hell of a ride.