It's been a full decade since alternative-rock band Bush has released a studio album - and even then, it wasn't particularly well receieved. So after a ten year hiatus for the Bush moniker, Gavin Rossdale returns with a fairly new lineup (except that he retained the original Bush drummer), and the new arrival is not without its flaws.

     Rossdale has kept busy and in the spotlight over the past decade despite no new Bush material, as he has gotten married to Gwen Stefani, worked on a solo album, had a somewhat forgettable side project called Institute, and also has had some successful acting gigs as well. Gavin Rossdale is a very likeable star, talented in many feilds, so it was refreshing to see him return with the band that essentially put him on the map. Unfortunately, the album, The Sea of Memories, is not quite the statement I thought it should have been.

     Perhaps Rossdale was not intending to make a tremendous splash or statement with his comeback Bush album - maybe he just wanted to release a new, strong record and just get the wheels in motion again. If that is the case, then The Sea of Memories succeeds. It doesn't sound dramatically different than their previous material and it doesn't take a new direction. It has a familiarity to it, but it doesn't sound like a rehash either. Though while it does have a fair share of strong tunes, it has several odd stumbles. For instance, "The Afterlife" and the apparent Gwen Stefani homage "She's A Stallion", while sweet with intent, are just unlistenable. However, it also features some triumphs like "The Sound of Winter", and the surprising closing ballad "Be Still My Love." Rossdale's voice still sounds as great as ever, and as a fan of Bush's previous work, I take solace in that fact.

     As a songwriter, Gavin Rossdale has always striked me as one who is uncompromising - someone who has a particular vision and looks to attain within his own unique ability. That contention is on full display here as many of the songs have a distinct Bush-like flow to them that I've come to expect, and I completely respect his expression here. Sometimes it works better than others as I have explained, but I am glad that Rossdale has stuck to his guns.

     Ultimately I was hoping for a truly great album. To my dismay, that did not happen. With that said, I still enjoyed The Sea of Memories, and would recommend it to alternative rock fans as it is still a worthwhile listen. One other critic put it very well when he said that, and I am paraphrasing, but who would be clamoring for a Bush record ten years after their break up? I suppose that critic has a point as their popularity has certainly seemed to dim over the years, but, they still got it for the most part even after such a lengthy absence. Hopefully this album becomes something of a stepping stone into a brighter future for this very enjoyable band led by the ever talented Rossdale.

Track Highlights:

"The Sound of Winter"

"Be Still My Love"

"The Heart of the Matter"

"The Mirror of the Signs"

"Red Light"

-Kurt L.

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     With Rehab, which ultimately became their last release - due to lead singer Kevin DuBrow's untimely and tragic overdose induced death at age 52 - this is an album that isn't a tremendous departure from their previous work. It's basically what you expect it to be - a record filled with some party hard hair metal anthems, and a few rather catchy and hard hitting numbers. However, like most QR albums, they run out of steam after a while and burn out before the closing note is struck.

     Rehab does display some ambition - like in the bluesy "Old Habits Die Hard." It also features frustration, like in tracks "It Sucks To Be You", which is terrible. From the outset though, it hooks you right away with two of QR's best songs ever. "Free" displays a strength that harkens back decades - and Kevin DuBrow's voice didn't seem to age one bit either, he sounds great - the next song, "Blind Faith" is arguably one of their best songs in their entire catalog. It is  reflective, and it surely must speak on a very personal level for DuBrow - if you look at the lyrics, you'll likely see why. After that, there are a spot few others that are decent, but the latter half of the album is mostly forgettable.

     So is this album worth a listen? It is a difficult one to recommend considering its deep flaws. Frankly, the best advice if you are a big QR fan is to download "Free" and "Blind Faith" off iTunes and you can pretty much spare the rest, even the decent ones. Overall, Quiet Riot's final album is much like the rest of their work, it has its highs and its lows. It can wow and it can disappoint. In any case, Kevin DuBrow was a fine musician and it is a shame that his life was taken so young. May he Rest In Peace.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Blind Faith"

"Free"

"South of Heaven"

"Old Habits Die Hard"

"Black Reign"

-Kurt L.

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     Even with its incredibly dark subject matter - from psychological illness, to themes of death, war, and severe drug abuse and hallucinations - this album has ultimately transcended into the mainstream stratosphere. It features some of the most recognizable guitar riffs in rock and roll history, heard in songs like "War Pigs/Luke's Wall", "Paranoid", and perhaps most notably in "Iron Man." Paranoid's reach can be heard in modern music video games like Guitar Hero, where these Black Sabbath classics are a blast to play. Dozens of modern bands have covered these songs during the forty years from its original release, and new generations will continue to do so. The influence and impact of this album is undeniable in the sound of rock successors - take Alice In Chains' classic album Dirt (1992) for example, that album oozes nods to Black Sabbath's Paranoid. Even the film franchise Iron Man, based on the Marvel comic, features the legendary guitar riffs of the original song of the same name.

     This is certainly one of those albums where every song is a timeless classic. I found myself listening to and humming "Hand of Doom" over and over again - and that is just one of its many greats. The production of the album is also quite stellar. A big step up from the fairly muddier sound of their debut self-titled album, Paranoid has a much more distinct punch in its tone. The musicanship is brilliant. Tony Iommi is a fantastic guitarist with some seriously awesome licks. Ozzy Osbourne does some of his best vocal performances, and the rythym section of Geezer Butler (bass) and Bill Ward (drums) really blend well to hammer home the sound.

     Paranoid has a fearless presentation, and in a word, it is stunning. If you've never heard this album before in its entirety, from beginning to end, you simply should sit down and give it a good listen - you will be blown away. If you've never heard of this album before, you likely have already heard its profound influence. One of the finest records in the history of heavy metal.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"War Pigs/Luke's Wall"

"Hand of Doom"

"Iron Man"

"Paranoid"

"Electric Funeral"

"Fairies Wear Boots"

-Kurt L.

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     With the release of 5150 in 1986, what began was the great polarization of the Van Halen fan base. To this day, there seems to be a never ending debate, an unanswerable question...who is the better singer and presence in and for Van Halen? Are you a Roth guy? Or a Hagar guy? Van Halen? Or Van Hagar? Personally, I subscribe to the "Van Hagar" camp, however, since this band is one of my favorite bands in history, I love 'em both. In the end, Hagar is a better singer as he has a better vocal range and ability. He is also a more accomplished and professional songwriter with experience dating back to 1973 with Montrose. However, to his own merit, Roth was a terrific frontman!

     So, let's talk about the album, shall we? Well, first things first, you are greeted with an explosive "Hellooo baaaby!" by Hagar, and the action begins. It's a grand entrance, fitting for such a crowd pleasing band. You'll notice the electronic drums right away, but it's just a different touch for the album - and also, Alex Van Halen is really playing them; no pre-recorded drum machines.

     I felt that Hagar and the rest of the Van Halen wanted to establish early and often a certain sense of attitude with the opening track "Good Enough." It's a testerone-adrenaline powerhouse with plenty of muscle to get the point across that Hagar is no joke. The in-your-face rocking is also seen in the super fast "Get Up" and reaches its climax with the satirical and rather interesting, yet undeniable catchy wordy closing song "Inside." One could argue that the band wanted to maintain its fan base, and win over some descenters. It seems possible considering the huge change at the front. In my eyes, Hagar impressed me from the start.

     While Roth was never quite as sophisticated as Hagar in terms of song composition, Roth certainly did have his fair share of brilliantly written songs - take "I'll Wait" and "Little Dreamer" as perfect examples. Hagar was more consistent in his work and it shows here with such catchy classics as "Why Can't This Be Love", "Love Walks In", "Dreams" and "5150." Hagar and his infusion of a pop element never left the band after this point, but they never abanonded their rock roots because Hagar too had already etched himself into rock history with Montrose and a successful solo act, hot off the heels of the single "I Can't Drive 55."

     It's interesting to note that David Lee Roth was booted from the band because he was in the midst of launching of his own solo career on his own terms outside the bands parameters. Yet when Sammy Hagar was hired to replace him, Hagar was still under contractual obligations with Geffen Records to release future albums as a solo act! Hagar subsequently released solo material while devoting most of his time to Van Halen. Seems paradoxical, does it not? For Hagar's 1987 release, I Never Said Goodbye, Eddie Van Halen appears as a bass player on some songs!

     With all that said, 5150 was a great way to kick off the so-called "Van Hagar" era for the band. They would continue to maintain their profound success for at least another decade with Hagar at the helm. And why not? 5150 is a great record.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Good Enough"

"Dreams"

"Love Walks In"

"5150"

"Why Can't This Be Love"

"Get Up"

"Summer Nights"

-Kurt L.

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     Iron Maiden, famed legendary heavy metal act, released its newest album on August 17th, 2010, The Final Frontier. I take an in depth look at this most recent Maiden release and also showcase some of the album's wacky bonus features on the alternate version of the CD entitled the Mission Edition. So after all these years, 30 plus to be exact, does Iron Maiden still bring it to the table? Find out by clicking the link below. Thank you as always for watching!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXDatUD1BQY

-Kurt L.

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     That is one of the unique gifts of Iron Maiden as a band, is that they have the ability to make every song sound like an epic. Many of the tracks on this album, like "Paschendale" for example, are expansive and rich. You are greeted and trated to an explosion of sound from these rather theatrical displays of musical power. At some intervals however, some of the songs are a little too long - as many of them clock in at seven or eight minutes in length. Though, one could argue that this album should be listened to from beginning to end to absorb the flow. It starts off with a blast of energy from its two fairly short opening songs then sweeps you away with "No More Lies" - in a classic Iron Maiden style.

     As a whole, Dance of Death is another solid Iron Maiden album. It has some highlights and some low points. A couple of tracks sound a little uninspired, but most have skilled execution and contagious energy. Is it better than Brave New World? No. That album was a near-masterpiece. Though, this one valiantly continues this 21st century Iron Maiden trend. They seem just more focused. Perhaps it is because they have reunited with the seemingly ageless Bruce Dickinson, and with him back at the helm, they have simply been rejuvenated.

     This album doesn't really do anything much differently than previous Maiden albums, but it certainly does what they do best - just simply more of it. Dance of Death is something I would recommend for sure, as it is a very enjoyable heavy metal/fantasy metal piece. It has everything a Maiden album should have and a ltitle more - thanks to the additional keyboards and strings with its influence taken from Brave New World. Essentially, it doesn't quite live up to its predecessor, but it is still a good and worthwhile listen.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Rainmaker"

"No More Lies"

"Dance of Death"

"Paschendale"

"Age of Innocence"

"New Frontier"

-Kurt L.

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     Crossing into the new millenium, the Scorpions could be considered dinosaurs - but judging from the album Unbreakable, that would be a ill-concieved claim. In fact, in Unbreakable, the decades old act sound rejuvenated with a new aggression vision. From the outset, with the opening track "New Generation", the Scorpions realize they are existing in a new era and the message of the song is passing on the torch for the future. Though while their message seems genuine, the fact can't be denied that the Scorpions can still rock, and rock hard, well into the 21st century. In fact, all of their 21st century albums are all quite strong - especially 2007's Humanity Hour I. Unbreakable not only looked to pass the torch, but certainly ushered in a new era of Scorpions music.

     For the most part, it is a fairly strong album but isn't without its flaws. While the entire album is listenable, there aren't a particularly vast collection of truly memorable tracks. Considering the strength of the aforementioned opening track, and the other truly strong highlights - "Love 'Em or Leave 'Em", "Deep And Dark", "Through My Eyes", and the exquisite "Maybe I Maybe You", the rest of the record is sort of average. Like I said, it is passable, but not very gripping - which is acceptable, not exceptional.

     The direction of this album is a lot more focused than the Scorpions' uneven Eye II Eye released in 1999. While they were clearly trying something new - which was successful to a solid degree, Unbreakable features more clarity and cohesion. As a whole it is better, and some of its track highlights are some of the bands best work. The half-piano, half-rocker ballad "Maybe I Maybe You" is one of their best songs they've ever created and is a truly beautiful, thought provoking song - in fact, it gave me goosebumps! Only so many songs can provoke such an emotionally charged physical response such as that!

     The musicianship on this album sounds very strong too. Klaus Meine, well into a 40 year career as a lead vocalist, has a voice that has remained untouched and unscathed by age. The band itself sounds just as tight as I had expected they would - as they always do.

     Unbreakable is a fairly heavy album by Scorpions standards, and that is a good thing. They are once again exuding how they can flex their musical muscle, even within the borders of rock and roll. They've done so much, so many different things within rock throughout all of their albums, it's quite an accomplishment on a musical front. While Unbreakable isn't perfect, it still indeed does deserve a listen. I do recommend it. It features some of their best work. The Scorpions, even well into their 4th decade in the business, still remain, like the title of this album, unbreakable.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Maybe I Maybe You"

"New Generation"

"Love 'Em Or Leave 'Em"

"Deep And Dark"

"Through My Eyes"

-Kurt L.

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     If you thought the Scorpions always sounded like they did on the song "Rock You Like A Hurricane", you'd be greatly mistaken. While they became famous toward the end of the 70s and largely throughout the 80s and beyond, their 1972 debut simply sounds nothing like it. What you will hear is a very unique album with a very distinct early 70s hard rock sound. It sounds like something that Led Zeppelin would have made - which is amazing. It contains elements of blues, and especially jazz. Often the songs on Lonesome Crow will deviate from their original rythyms and go off on a jam, and then suddenly return to the original song progression - which is clearly influenced from jazz. It's really a tour de force performance by the band.

     Every musician is in top notch form here. The dynamic abilities to craft such avant garde music is incredible. The only two remaining members from the debut album are singer Klaus Meine and rythym guitarist Rudolf Schenker. About Meine, a truly awesome singer, sounds much different here than he normally does on every future album since. Normally he dwells in a high tenor vocal range, but here, his tone is much deeper at times, more so than any other time in his career. His voice booms, it echoes, it commands. Upon a first listen, you wouldn't recognize it as Klaus Meine, but with more exposure to the album, you can surely tell. He does visit his high tenor self - and it's awesome.

     The real star of this album is lead guitarist Michael Schenker, who is Rudolf's younger brother. Michael Schenker was a guitar virtuoso who carries this album with his truly impressive and wowing solos. Unfortunately, Michael had a tenuous stay in the band due to his alcoholism and eventually departed from the band for good following 1979. He went ahead and launched a fairly successful solo career though. Anyway, his work though on Lonesome Crow is brilliant - along with the rest of the band.

     It turns out that this album was actually used as the soundtrack to a German film entitled Das Kaite Paradies. I never heard of the film until I did a little more research on Lonesome Crow. In any case, this is such a unique work in their library - with its nuances of jazz, blues, psychedlic rock, jam band, hard rock - it's truly great. I scored it fairly high on this review, and you may be wondering...is this the best Scorpions album ever? Well, I wouldn't say so - but I scored it high based on its own musical merits. There have been many terrific Scorpions records, and this is one of the their best, but ultimately not their best. I highly recommend though! I truly do.

     It took a few listens before I really felt I was able to appreciate this album. Initially I was turned off because it sounded nothing like the great Scorpions we all know. But I felt I was able to appreciate their roots and to see how they have evolved so much over the years. This album breaks their convention before they were able to even form their conventions. So who knows how a casual fan will receive this record because it is so different. If you invest some time, you will see the aesthetic power of this classic album.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Inheritance"

"I'm Goin' Mad"

"Leave Me"

"It All Depends"

"In Search of the Peace of Mind"

"Lonesome Crow"

-Kurt L.

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     On a musical level, Ain't No Grave is as consistent an album as he has released under the American Recordings moniker. While I feel this record lacks the punch of American V: Hundred Highways, it is still obviously a very effective album. If anything, American VI possesses something that no previous album can at the same level. It is a sense of urgency in the voice of Cash, and in the music itself. While urgency certainly existed in American IV: The Man Comes Around, and in Hundred Highways, the intense level of it is palpable here in Ain't No Grave. This is the closest Cash has sounded near death, and from his voice, he seems to be completely aware of it too. It is a touching experience to listen to these last few albums, and he sounds perhaps the most world-weary here.

     Despite being so ill Cash retains a warrior-like sound throughout. Each song is sung with the utmost of conviction. He sings about death, about faith, injustice, justice, redemption, and even references the calamities of big oil and corruption. It all seems so topical in 2010 even though it was recorded back in 2003. Cash often gracefully reflects on his own life lived and about saying his final goodbyes - and he says them with the utmost of dignity.

     The best material on this album is in the opening half, but the latter half also makes a significant statement. The closing track, "Aloha Oe", is fitting and memorable in message. It is much stronger than the closing track on Hundred Highways, and no one has ever recorded a more touching and emotionally deep version of what seems to be a relatively light-weight song.

     As with many of these American Recordings albums, Ain't No Grave is an essential listen. It is a compelling experience and a proper close to a monumental career. If this is indeed the final album in the series, it would surely be a strong way to make one's exit. Bravo.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Ain't No Grave"

"Redemption Day"

"For The Good Times"

"I Corinthians 15:55"

"Aloha Oe"

-Kurt L.

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     Following the early success of Quiet Riot, it seems that everything since their 1983 smash hit album Metal Health was a struggle. With their album sales and popularity tanking in the mid to late 80s, finally hitting rock bottom with the abysmal self-titled Quiet Riot in 1988 (the album that featured Paul Shortino on lead vocals), it seems that the 90s weren't any kinder to the heavy metal act. It seems that with each album Quiet Riot released in the 90s, it was distributed through a different record label. Be in Moonstone Records for the brilliant 1993 album Terrified (the best QR album in my opinion), or Kamikaze Records in 1995 for Down To The Bone, or in 1999 with Alive and Well by Cleopatra, there was a new label with each passing album. Why was this? What happened? These are questions that I simply cannot answer, but it is indeed a curious thought.

     As for Alive and Well, the album is just weak. Aside from Terrified, there aren't many flawless Quiet Riot albums to be heard. Alive and Well suffers from some incredibly bland song progression and utterly banal lyrics. Immature songs like "Slam Dunk (Way To Go!)" really drag this album down. "Angry" is another stinker. This record even includes an unsatisfying cover of AC/DC's "Highway to Hell."

     Two songs of the first nine new recordings are actually good. The opening track, "Don't Know What I Want" is vintage Quiet Riot and has a great hook and some really awesome and thunderous drums. "Overworked and Underpaid" is another solid effort. Unfortunately the rest is poor.

     The other saving grace of this album is the latter half of it which is comprised of re-recorded songs from the QR library. They re-record some of their best and most successful songs, and the new iterations are actually very impressive. I love the new iteration of the QR classic, "Don't Wanna Let You Go" with its refreshing acoustic approach. Also, "The Wild and The Young" is also a spirited re-recording that boasts a very enthusiastic and energetic sound. Other hits like "Cum on Feel the Noize" and "Metal Health (Bang Your Head)" are also a treat to hear all over again.

     These re-recorded tracks are a great addition and ultimately salvage what is otherwise a rather bad overall product. However, these re-recorded songs also serve as a reminder that QR's most popular and past material is eons better than the compositions on the rest of Alive and Well. I commend Quiet Riot though for including these re-recorded tracks. Frankly, I wish more bands would do that in their own newer albums. I'd love to hear Van Halen re-record "Runnin' With The Devil" or the Scorpions to re-record "Rock You Like A Hurricane", to use them as examples. The re-recording of certain songs can be construed as a compromise to the original versions, but I feel it's just a nice service for the fans.

     Alive and Well as a whole is something of a mixed bag. It has some very strong moments, be it the two solid new songs, or the new versions of QR classics. However, the rest of the package is marred with a directionless sense of songwriting and composition.

TRACK HIGHLIGHTS:

"Don't Know What I Want"

"Don't Wanna Let You Go 1999"

"The Wild And The Young 1999"

"Cum on Feel the Noize 1999"

"Metal Health (Bang Your Head) 1999"

"Overworked and Underpaid"

-Kurt L.

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