I recently read Joey Tempest's comments that he never thought that Europe could ever record an album like 'Bag Of Bones' and, to be fair, hardcore fans of the band aside, he wouldn't be the only one having such thoughts.
For so long the punchline to every pomp rock joke due to the phenomenal success of THAT SONG - surely both a blessing and a curse - Europe blurred the imprisoning lines of genre labelling with their 2009 album 'Last Look At Eden', an impressive collection of songs that was less of a re-birthing for the band, more of a respect refresher to the minds, and ears, of others. Its follow-up, however, mixes things up even further; the epic scope and tone of '...Eden' replaced with a bluesy, retro rock sound that consumes the entirety of the project.
With uber rock producer Kevin 'The Caveman' Shirley at the controls - producing, mixing and engineering - and Black Country Communion's six string maestro Joe Bonamassa guesting with some slide guitar (and former Frehley's Comet/secret Kiss drummer Anton Fig providing percussive overdubs too, fact fans), 'Bag Of Bones' is fully committed to ridding Europe of their parptastic AOR tag and, instead, cementing the band's footing in classic rock territory.
Still not sure? The first minute of album opener 'Riches To Rags' should convince you, John Norum's fat riff, Tempest's classy vocals and a typically intrusive hook all over your stereo like a dirty rock rash. 'Not Supposed To Sing The Blues', the album's first single, wastes no time (coming in at track number two) in pinning the band's influences to the rehearsal room corkboard. With lyrical references to AC/DC's 'Back In Black' and the like, the song is a love letter to a place where the band ideally see themselves residing, the destination seemingly set to be arrived at during the course of this, the Swedish band's ninth studio album.
'Firebox', with its swathes of keyboards - generally replaced, Praise the (Jon) Lord, throughout the duration of this album with gorgeous Hammond organ from Mic Michaeli - and Eastern-themed midsection, is possibly closer to the band's shackle-breaker of a previous album than anything else on offer here, but the sunbleaching of the band's sound is quickly restored with this album's title track, 'Bag Of Bones', a fine example of how to transform a standard slow verse/massive chorus tune into something memorable. 'Requiem', a twenty seven second instrumental piece, seems oddly placed between the album's fourth and fifth tracks - and would possibly have been earmarked as an opening intro if the band didn't appear to be so adamant on coming so quickly out of the gates with their rejuvenated retro rock sound - but its moodiness does put you in the zone to fully appreciate the song that follows; 'My Woman, My Friend' opens darkly and seductively before unfurling into a massive brawl of riff, hook and organ that combine to form the album's stand out track.
'Demon Head' is the kind of song that will adhere itself to the band's long-term fans, perfectly colouring the massively catchy choruses of the band's former guise with broad strokes of the blues that they now find themselves coated in, while 'Drink And A Smile' impresses with its rootsy charm and subtlety. 'Doghouse', however, is the closest that the album gets to papering over the cracks of the running time with formulaic filler, rehashing a Thunder/Havana Black piece of guitar work that roots the song in the past for all the wrong reasons; this song and the album's cover, a clichéd piece of rock cover art that replaces the modern art punch of its predecessor, threaten to make things appear dated rather than a paean to musical days gone by, but, thankfully, these appear to be a couple of blots on the landscape.
'Mercy You, Mercy Me' revolves around a riff so big that you can just imagine it rattling bones in a live setting, its chorus chanted back at the stage by the legion of committed fans in attendance. Final song 'Bring It All Home' is a slow burner, the nearest the album gets to a power ballad, I guess. It's a spirited, polished affair nonetheless, although its medium pace means that the record does limp over the finishing line somewhat, rather than bursting through the tape with a lung-busting final push.
The production, as you would imagine given Shirley's track record, hits home with every swing. It might not break any new ground but it manages to expertly combine the punch of a modern rock record with the warmth of vintage equipment and that, I'm sure, is all that the band would have wanted from the knob-twiddling legend nodding in approval through the studio glass.
John Norum's playing will no doubt please the aural anoraks who indulge in such curious pleasures, while Joey Tempest's vocals again confirm that he is one of the finest singers in the classic rock realms; his winning smile assuring female fans of the band that the man with whom they have dreamt of rocking the night alongside, or underneath, since the '80s still has it.
Further distancing themselves from the ties that bind them to their past, Europe have looked to the past of others while moulding 'Bag Of Bones' into the success that it will surely be. David Coverdale, for example, upon hearing this album, will probably put his feet up on his mountain of home perm kit packaging and mutter "my work here is done."
That this new work will resonate favourably with Europe fans is an understatement: in fact, I can imagine, come year end, the majority of classic rock aficionados naming 'Bag Of Bones' as their album of the year because there is high quality, not danger, on the tracks.
www.europetheband.com
01 - Riches to Rags
02 - Not Supposed to Sing the Blues
03 - Firebox
04 - Bag of Bones
05 - Requiem
06 - My Woman My Friend
07 - Demon Head
08 - Drink and A Smile
09 - Doghouse
10 - Mercy You Mercy Me
11 - Bring It All Home
12 - Beautiful Disaster (Japan bonus track)
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Band The Mindbenders
Info: The Mindbenders / With Woman in Mind
Style: Rock
Years: 2002
Info: 320 kpbs
Info: 148 Mb
Info: U.K.
The Mindbenders 1966
With Woman In Mind 1967
Tracklist:
01. The Way You Do the Things You Do
02. Just a Little Bit
03. Seventh Son
04. One Fine Day
05. Tricky Dicky
06. A Groovy Kind of Love
07. Little Nightingale
08. Don't Cry No More
09. You Don't Know About Love
10. Love Is Good
11. Rockin' Jaybee
12. All Night Worker
13. To Be or Not to Be
14. Honey and Wine
15. Schoolgirl
16. A Little Piece of Leather
17. Shotgun
18. I Want Her She Wants Me
19. Mystery Train
20. The Morning After
21. Homework
22. Airport People
23. Cool Jerk
24. Ashes to Ashes
Band The Great Society
Info: Live At The Matrix
Style: Psychedelic Rock
Years: 1968
Info: 320 kpbs
Info: 153 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
1.Sally Go Round The Roses
2.Didn't Think So
3.Grimly Forming
4.Somebody To Love
5.Father Bruce
6.Outlaw Blues
7.Often As I May
8.Arbitration
9.White Rabbit
10.That's How It Is
11.Darkly Smiling
12.Nature Boy
13.You Can't Cry
14.Daydream Nightmare
15.Everybody Knows
16.Born To Be Burned
17.Father
Brendan Benson is back with another solo album, this time releasing it on Readymade Records, his own record label and publishing company. No need to talk of The Raconteurs here, as Benson’s What Kind of World is strictly his own sound (though he worked with Ashley Monroe on this album and once with the Raconteurs). As a result, the album offers some of Benson’s best songs to date.
“Bad for Me” has a great chorus line with a strong string presence, while “Here in the Deadlights” utilizes distorted guitar riffs. Benson’s “On the Fence” has an old bar piano sound as he and Monroe swoon about living in-between just about everything.
What Kind of World will be out in stores on April 21 (pre-order here). Stream Benson’s record below and check out his upcoming tour dates.
Band Brendan Benson Info: What Kind Of World Years: 2012 Time: Indie, Power Pop ???????Years: 12 ?????? | Tracklist: MP3 | 320 kbps Info: 103 MB
Tracklist:
01 – What Kind Of World
02 – Bad For Me
03 – Light Of Day
04 – Happy Most Of The Time
05 – Keep Me
06 – Pretty Baby
07 – Here In The Deadlights
08 – Met Your Match
09 – Thru The Ceiling
10 – No One Else But You
11 – Come On
12 – On The Fence
Rare!3-D was a short-lived American rock band of the early 1980s, best known for the hit singles All Night Television,Telephone Number, and the New Wave classic X-ray eyes.
They toured with such groups as The Ramones, The Cars, Eddie Money, Poco, and U2. Keyboardist Teddy Wender and Vocalist Ric Zivic have a music production business currently in Manhattan where they produce music for TV and commercials. U2 opened for 3-D at the Ritz in April 1980; they also appeared on SNL that same month.[1][2] They opened for the J.Geils Band on the Love Stinks tour circa 1980. Ric and Ted also produced the music for The Learning Channel's children's show Bingo and Molly and the current popular show Overhaulin.
As a keyboardist, Ted has recorded and performed with Michael Powers, Albert King, Wilson Pickett, Ben E King, Dr. John, Johnny Winter, Ric Derringer, Gordon Waller {Peter&Gordon}, Paul Jones, Odetta, Bill Chinook, Ray Draper, Gary Stewart, and Loudon Wainwright III (Ted played piano on Dead Skunk). Ted also composed two dance hits for the Doobie Brothers and the Memphis Horns. Teddy first started recording with the underground classic country rock band, White Cloud, which members included country fiddler legend Kenny Kosek and (dueling banjos) Eric Weissberg.
1.Telephone Number
2.It's No Fun
3.Here Today, Gone Tomorow
4.Pin Up Girl
5.Back To You
6.X-Ray Eyes
7.All American Boy
8.Carnival
9.All Night Television
Band Ave Sangria
Info: Ave Sangria
Style: Prog Folk
Years: 1975
Info: 192 kpbs
Info: 55 Mb
Info: Brazil
Tracklist:
1. Dois Navegantes
2. La For
3. Tres Magaridas
4. O Pirata
5. Momento Na Praca
6. Cidade Grande
7. Seu Valdir
8. Hei! Man
9. Por Que
10. Corpo Em Chamas
11. Geogia, a Carcinceira
12. Sob o Sol de Sata
Band Libra
Info: Winter Day's Nightmare
Style: Rock Progressivo Italiano
Years: 1976
Info: 192 kpbs
Info: 50 Mb
Info: Italy
Tracklist:
1. Nothing Comes, Nothing Goes Part 1&2
2. This Chain
3. Full Winter Day's Nightmare
4. Lucy Squirrel
5. Hey Carlito
6. It's not Tasteful to Fly
7. My first Rainbow
8. This Chain (reprise)
Flower Kings Vocalist Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion Second Album ‘Powerplay’ Now Available
4/5/2012 – Sweden – The progressive rock community around the world is on fire about legendary Flower Kings vocalist Hasse Fröberg and his group Musical Companion new album ‘Powerplay’. Available on Reingold Records on April 23, ‘Powerplay’ is the second album by Swedish progrockers Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion. About a year after the release of their critically highly acclaimed debut ‘Future Past’ (Sept. 2010), the band entered the studio to cut the backing tracks for ‘Powerplay’ (April 2012). This time around, HFMC provides even harder hitting progressive rock – a must for fans of Rush, The Flower Kings and YES!
” ‘Powerpay’ is more wild and crazy than ‘Future Past’, ” Hasse explains. “Still, the melodies are in focus and we’re still the same guys in the band, so you’ll definitely recognize our sound. Some of the lyrics are by far the most personal I have written, while others reflect the world around us. At least the way I see it.”
Hasse Fröberg & Musical Companion:
Hasse Fröberg: Lead vocals, rhythm guitar
Anton Lindsjö: Lead guitar, backing vocals
Kjell Haraldsson: Keyboards, backing vocals
Thomsson: Bass, backing vocals
Ola Strandberg: Drums, backing vocals
The debut CD generated gigs in countries such as Sweden, Norway, Germany, Holland and Belgium. With the release of ‘Powerplay’, the band is now confirmed for festivals (“RoSfest”, Gettysburg in USA and “Night of the prog”, Loreley in Germany) as well as gigs on both sides of the Atlantic.
As sound engineer on ‘Powerplay’, the band has chosen to work with Tomas Bodin. He’s a collegue with Hasse in the established and influential prog band The Flower Kings. The collaboration proved to work out just fine and even if Hasse likes to be in the studio, he prefers the live scene: “Playing live is definitely the right element for us. I really can’t wait to take The Musical Companion and and the songs on ‘Powerplay’ on the road”.
Band Heartland
Info: Heartland
Style: Melodic Rock / AOR
Years: 1991
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 109.99 Mb
Info: UK
Tracklist:
01 - Teach You To Dream.
02 - Carrie Ann.
03 - Don't Cast Your Shadow.
04 - Real World.
05 - Fight Fire With Fire.
06 - That Thing.
07 - Walking On Ice.
08 - Paper Heart.
09 - Paradise.
10 - Promises.
Band Guild Of Ages
Info: Vox Dominatas
Style: Melodic Hard Rock
Years: 1999
Info: CBR 320 kbs
Info: 123.5 Mb
Info: USA
Tracklist:
01 - Let It Go.
02 - Change (Hey You).
03 - Bring The Revolution On.
04 - Save Me Tonight.
05 - Jump In The Fire.
06 - Wish That I Was There.
07 - Set Me Free.
08 - When You Run Away.
09 - Waiting For The Dawn.
10 - Hungry Like The Wolf.
Band Blindside Blues Band Info: Blindsided Info: USA Style: Hard Blues Rock Years: 1994 Info: MP3 CBR 320 kbps Info: 112 ?b Upload: Depositfiles; Rapidgator
Tracklist:
01. Play the Blues
02. Borderline Blues
03. Talkin' 'Bout My Baby
04. Truth Never Lies
05. Climb the Sky
06. Higher Ground
07. Long Hard Road
08. Whole Lotta Nothin'
09. Guilty
10. Catchin' Z's
Band Status Quo Info: In Search Of The Fourth Chord Info: England Style: Rock Years: 2007 Info: MP3 CBR 320 kbps (CD Rip) Info: 123 ?b Upload: Depositfiles
Tracklist:
01. Beginning Of The End
02. Alright
03. Pennsylvania Blues Tonight
04. I Don't Wanna Hurt You Anymore
05. Electric Arena
06. Gravy Train
07. Figure Of Eight
08. You're The One For Me
09. My Little Heartbreaker
10. Hold Me
11. Saddling Up
12. Bad News
13. Tongue Tied
