VA - Who Are You – An All Star Tribute to the Who

VA - Who Are You – An All Star Tribute to the Who - 2012

from AM|G

Who Are You: An All-Star Tribute to the Who collects mostly faithful covers by a wide range of rockers, spanning various highlights of the Who's legacy, hitting on classics from their early mod days as well as later arena rock staples. The monolithic nature of the Who's catalog makes the task of delivering an acceptable cover a little tricky. If you're going to do it by the numbers (no reference intended), it's gotta be stellar or it will pale in comparison to the original. Joe Lynn Turner and Leslie West's screaming rendition of "The Seeker" staggers around with all the verve and bile of the original, while even a slightly less energetic reading of "Baba O'Riley" by Jerry Goldman with Nektar falls flat, coming off deflated and milquetoast. Iggy Pop's clumsy version of "I Can't Explain" flops similarly, sounding just a touch too phoned-in for its own good. An explosive version of "My Generation" by the Kinks' Dave Davies with members of the Vibrators and the Damned makes up for the missteps of the rest of the comp, with blown-out guitar tones and crashing drums sounding almost as youthfully tense and electric as the original. The Raveonettes also offer a highlight with a dreamy reverb-pop rendition of "The Kids Are Alright." Though a spotty affair, the strengths of Who Are You redeem the more hackneyed moments. 

01. Eminence Front
02. Baba O'Riley
03. I Can See For Miles
04. Love Reign O'er Me
05. My Generation
06. The Kids Are Alright
07. Won't Get Fooled Again08. Anyway Anyhow Anywhere
09. I Can't Explain
10. Behind Blue Eyes
11. Magic Bus
12. Who Are You
13. Pinball Wizard
14. Squeeze Box
15. Bargain
16. The Seeker



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Chis Laterzo - West Coast Sound

Chis Laterzo - West Coast Sound - 2015

from hyperbolium.com

There’s always been a note of Neil Young’s high, keening tone in Chris Laterzo’s voice, but on his fifth album, backed by twanging alt-country, the notes are more plentiful and apparent. That’s not a criticism, it’s a compliment, as Laterzo doesn’t copy Young so much as sing original songs in a style that echoes Young’s work from the ‘60s and ‘70s. You can also hear flavors of Shannon Hoon in his high notes and Chris Robinson in his tremelo, and the loping rhythms of Laterzo’s American “cowboy rock” also connect him to the cosmos of Gram Parsons. The album’s title track finds Laterzo surrendering not just to the natural elements of his adopted California, but also to the the country-tinged rock that once flowed freely from Laurel Canyon.

Laterzo sings lovingly of his former neighborhood, “Echo Park,” memorializing the people, places and lifestyle of an important point in his life. Dan Wistrom’s pedal steel is particularly potent on this track. Laterzo is settled in Los Angeles, but having grown up in Denver, Boston and Brussels, he harbors a wanderlust that’s satiated as a touring musician and as the rambler of “Tumbleweed.” The road beckons more darkly as an avenue of escape for “Someday Blue,” with a tempo and acoustic guitar that suggest the despair of the Rolling Stones’ “Angie.” Despair turns to resignation in “Drag,” as Laterzo concludes you can’t negotiate with a closed book, and resignation turns to spite in “Subaru,” despite the lyric’s claim to the contrary.

There’s a wistfulness to Laterzo’s singing that merges memories with realizations. The backward glances of “The Bradbury” and “Chaperone” aren’t nostalgia, they’re the slightly stoned, or in the case of “Chaperone,” fantastically dreamed, building blocks of experience. The latter is stripped down to acoustic guitar and snare drum, and played at a tempo that perfectly paces the sleepwalking vocal. Laterzo often sounds lost in thought, as if his thoughts are extemporaneous and still forming as they’re being related; it’s a powerful way to draw listeners into songs. The album is low-key, but Laterzo’s reflections are bright and engrossing, and will entice fans of Young, Jackson Browne, the Byrds and other canyon dwellers.

01. West Coast Sound
02. Tumbleweed
03. Drag
04. Someday Blue
05. Echo Park
06. Subaru
07. The Ray Bradbury
08. Chaperone






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William Souffreau - Time

William Souffreau - Time - 2004

William was born on the 14th of April 1946, in Erembodegem, under a Belgian moon. He jumped into the music scene in the early sixties with the rock 'n' roll band The Blue Jets. At that time William wrote his first song, 'Feel so Lonely', which was later recorded on the album ‘Shake It’ (2002) by Blink It. Around 1963 William played with The Mings. His first recordings date from 1966, with The Four Rockets. Near the end of the 60s The Four Rockets became the more psychedelic rockband Dementia Praecox.

In 1970 William was elected number one rock singer of Belgium. Earlier that year he had founded the band The Voodoo, which soon became Irish Coffee. This rock band was a large success in many countries. Irish Coffee recorded one album and four singles (including the hit single 'Masterpiece'), all collector's items now. The band played many concerts and did numerous TV and radio shows. Irish Coffee was a support act for Uriah Heep, Chicken Shack and Golden Earring, among others. In 1974 the Irish Coffee story came to an end.

01. Think Again
02. One of These Days
03. Guitarman
04. There Ain't no Road Too Long
05. Let me Tell You Something
06. Gardenman
07. Made up my Mind
08. Mean Woman
09. Hope There's Time Left
10. I Had a Friend

William Souffreau - Vocals, Electric Guitars, Acoustic Guitar, Organ
Frankie Cooreman, Geert Maerschalck - Bass
Gert Meert - Bongos, Djembe, Percusion, Drums
Jo Mathieu - Acoustic Guitar (lead guitar on 'Think Again')
Nils De Caster - Violin
Tony Boast - Ashray, Mandolin, Slide Guitar
Hans Quaghebuer - Hurdy Gurdy
Karel De Backer - Organ





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Joey Molland - Return to Memphis

Joey Molland - Return to Memphis - 2014

from therocktologist.com

Badfinger legend Joey Molland takes a trip to Royal Studios in Memphis and emerges showing of a handful of original numbers that cross moments of beauty with unexpected insipidness.

One great thing about this album is that it’s been put together with a feel for what makes a quality record, which means it’s not necessarily a collection of strong features, but also has a true flow. And yes as the title suggests, Molland’s musical roots are pretty much evidently planted. Never afraid to leap from the blue eyed soulfulness of “Walk Out in the Rain” to the toughened up roughness of “Still I Love You”, Molland delivers with panache and style. He lover the tone on “All I Ever Dreamed”, calls on the tears with “Hero” in and even indulges in some seriously inspiring guitar work here and there. That’s for the best moments. The trouble with Joey’s return is that for the most part the album is okay, and nothing more. Molland’s voice even sounds tired here and there, but then again similar material would no doubt squeeze the guts out of a singer 20 years younger too. On other hand, “Return to Memphis” isn’t short of hummable melodies, married with skilfully controlled energy and zip that tell of an album of colourful proportions which means no worries for Joey Molland. 

01. Walk Out In The Rain
02. build a Ship to Mars
03. Only When it Rains
04. Got a feeling
05. Yesterday
06. All I ever Dreamed
07. Hero
08. All I Need Is Love
09. Is it Any Wonder
10.Still I Love You

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