Gary Moore "Blues For Greeny" 1995****

Back in 1990, Gary Moore's move from hard rock to blues must have seemed rather daring and uncommercial but it paid off, giving him his best selling album and re-popularizing the entire genre. At the height of his popularity, he made another risky decision: to record a tribute to semi-forgotten British Blues legend Peter Green. Green, who passed earlier this year, had appeared, aged 20, out of nowhere to replace the -also very young but already legendary- Eric Clapton in John Mayall's Blues Breakers. He later left to form Fleetwood Mac, but disappeared suddenly after an ominous incident that sparked his decent into mental illness (a story I recounted in a previous post). He would later make a low-key return to music but was still "missing in action" in '95 when Moore decided to record a whole album to remind the world what an excellent guitarist and songwriter he was. I didn't buy it at the time, as I was too familiar with the originals and couldn't see how he could possibly give them new life. I was, as it turns out, both right and wrong: Moore's versions often stay too close to the originals - some, like the Latin-tinged mid-tempo "I Loved Another Woman" are almost carbon copies. But it is a marvelous thing, and a testament to Moore's virtuosity, to hear those sweet guitar tones once again. Anyone can play fast or loud, but to wring such emotion out of the guitar is the sign of a true master. It helps, of course, that we're listening to the very same guitar - not just the same model, but the same instrument: Clapton had played a Les Paul in The Blues Breakers, and Green bought himself another Les Paul when he got his position in the band, but it was an older model with a thicker neck. To get a similar sustain to Clapton's, he removed the neck pickup and then screwed it on backwards, resulting in a very characteristic sound. During his dark years, Green sold his guitar to Moore, who plays it to great effect here. It would be passed on to some rich collectors, eventually finding its way to the hands of Metallica's Kirk Hammett, and while it's dubious that he can emulate Green's style as successfully as Moore, it's nice to think that this guitar can still enchant big audiences on records and onstage. Back to the album, one thing that surprised me was that Moore went straight for the blues tunes, eschewing some of Green's more famous compositions like the mellow psychedelia of "Black Magic Woman" and "Man Of The World" or the heavier "Oh Well" and "Green Manalishi". The lesser known tracks he chose are recreated lovingly and respectfully, without resorting to Moore's usual louder and more distorted electric blues style - though some songs like "Drifting" and "Looking for Somebody" do sport longer and "rockier" solos. The horns on the lively "If You Be My Baby" and excellent ballad "Love That Burns", and the strings on the emotive "Need Your Love So Bad" add some extra instrumental touches when necessary, while Moore's playing on "The Supernatural" is reminiscent of his own "Parisienne Walkways" - which goes to show that Green has always been one of his bigger influences. "Showbiz Blues" serves as a showcase for his skills on slide guitar, while finally this reissue closes with a trio of acoustic songs that, while good, are not up to the same level as the album proper. The only downside is that, if you are already familiar with the originals, there's not much new here. I am, and any time I want to listen to these tunes I'll be going back to the original versions. But that's a minor complaint, since the end result is utterly enjoyable, playing is excellent, and Moore's fame is sure to introduce these songs to new audiences. P.S. I got this album as part of a budget 5CD boxset (see above), which I can easily recommend, as it's cheap and of high quality:3 of the other albums are arguably even better than this, and all 5 of them are presented in the newest remastering and include bonus tracks. I will review each album separately, in time.

**** for Merry Go Round, I Loved Another Woman, Need Your Love So Bad, The Supernatural, Driftin', Love That Burns, Looking For Somebody

*** for If You Be My Baby, Long Grey Mare, The Same Way, Showbiz Blues, World Keeps On Turnin' (Acoustic), Same Way (Acoustic), Stop Messin' Around (Acoustic) 

Whitesnake "The Purple Album"(Deluxe) 2015***

A few years ago I wrote (here) about witnessing a show of Whitesnake's Purple Tour. Obviously if I had the Purple album already I would have coupled the live review with the relevant CD presentation, but in that case I used a Whitesnake (WS) compilation from my collection. I hadn't even heard the album at the time but that didn't matter. I was eager to listen to WS play Mark III & IV Purple tracks, since they're pretty good musicians and since the touring version of Deep Purple choose to ignore the Coverdale/Hughes period and never play these songs live. As Coverdale explains in the CD's liner notes, it was Jon Lord's death (Deep Purple and sometime WS organist) that prompted him to speak with his old colleagues and patch things up, especially Blackmore with whom he hadn't parted in the best circumstances. This led to talking about working together again, which led to Coverdale revisiting these songs, trying out new arrangements etc. The collaboration didn't go through - at the time Blackmore was only playing Renaissance music, although he did return to rock a couple of years later with Rainbow (I was there too, read here). By then though Coverdale was really itching to play the songs again, so he went ahead without Blackmore, recording this tribute CD and touring with his regular group. Right before the recording, guitarist Doug Aldrich quit the band, so his replacement Joel Hoekstra joined Reb Beach to form the WS dual guitar attack team. Thus instead of DP Mark III/IV's line-up with two vocalists and one guitarist, the songs were re-arranged for a two-guitarist-one-vocalist team. The effects are visible right from the start: the CD opens with Mark III's literally most incendiary song "Burn". The solos are as intricate as the original's, but Blackmore's precise progressive style is replaced by a more agressive heavy metal tone. Vocal-wise, Coverdale can still carry the songs but there's a hole where bassist/co-vocalist Hughes's parts should be. There are some backing vocals throughout the album, but those Hughes/Coverdale harmonies are even more sorely missed than Blackmore's guitar. Don't forget Hughes is the man whom fans dubbed "the Voice of Rock". However exaggerated the title, he can't just be replaced with any backing singer. And talking about irreplaceable, what about Jon Lord? Don Airy has done an adequate job filling his boots in Deep Purple, but studio keyboardist Derek Hilland doesn't even try. He gets a few fills here and there (most notably in "You Keep On Moving") but otherwise, instead of Purple's trademark guitar/organ interplay, we get a double dose of lead guitar lending the heavier songs ("Stormbringer", "Lady Double Dealer" and "Lay Down Stay Down") a more metallic hue. Maybe that makes it sometimes seem as if that the band is substituting quality with quantity, but the results are nevertheless quite enjoyable. "The Gypsy" is an epic track from Stormbringer that WS fail to nail completely, but "Might Just Take Your Life" follows closely and successfully the original. Ditto for the soulful "You Keep On Moving" from 1975's Come Taste The Band which in retrospect seems to presage the early blues days of Whitesnake. Conversely, "You Fool No One" and "Love Child" sound like WS in their hair metal heyday - the latter even sounds uncannily like their big 1987 hit "Still Of The Night". Could we have been wrong then accusing WS of stealing Jimmy Page's riffs when they was actually copying Tommy Bolin? The version of "Holy Man" here seems to be a bit on the country -or at least Southern Rock- side, while "Sail Away" is a beautiful ballad with emotive lead vocal, nice harmonies and acoustic guitars . "Mistreated" is the classic heavy blues that functioned as a showcase for both Coverdale and Blackmore, which is why they both kept playing it with their later bands. It features in Whitesnake's Live at Hammersmith (1978) and Rainbow's On Stage (1976) in a memorable performance by Ronnie James Dio and is still a staple of the reformed Rainbow setlist. Coverdale delivers here an impassioned performance while the guitarists try to outdo Blackmore by playing even faster, which won't do the trick - but hey it's still pretty good. The band's sentimental side is completed with gorgeous acoustic ballad "Soldier of Fortune". The Deluxe version adds two more covers, both from Come Taste the Band. These are the funky "Lady Luck" and hard rocking "Comin' Home". Which brings the total to: 6 songs from Burn (1974), 5 from Stormbringer (1974) and 4 from Come Taste the Band (1975). The balance sounds about right. Apart from the extra tracks, the Deluxe version also includes a DVD with 4 video clips and a Behind The Scenes featurette. Worth paying a couple of extra bucks for - that's if you decide to get the album, which isn't something you ought to do unless: A) you're a WS fan who is somehow unfamiliar with the originals. In this case, you can view this as one of WS's better and harder rocking albums of the last two decades. B) you're a Deep Purple obsessive who never tires of listening to reinterpretations of his favorite songs. No matter whether these new versions are better (they aren't) or just different (they are, to a degree) than the originals, you'll enjoy their energy and savor the different touches. I guess I fall more or less in the second category.

**** for Burn, You Fool No One, Love Child, Might Just Take Your Life, You Keep On Moving, Soldier of Fortune, Stormbringer

*** for Sail Away, Lady Double Dealer, Mistreated, Holy Man, Lay Down Stay Down, Comin' Home

** for The Gypsy, Lady Luck

 

The Backbeat Band "Backbeat-Songs From The O.S.T." 1994****

Now that we're locked down because of the COVID-19 situation it's a good opportunity to watch some of our favorite movies again. Until recently I used to host movie nights at my house, now I'm sort of curating an online rock movies festival, picking music films for the usual crowd to watch - each from their own home. "Backbeat" was among my first choices. I like the way it combines music biopic, romance and buddy movie and, as the film stops just before the band becomes famous, it manages to eschew some of the worst movie biopic cliches.

  

For those who haven't seen the movie, and who don't recognize any famous bands on the cover, this is a movie about the 5 Beatles: John, Paul, George, Pete and Stu. You've probably heard of the Beatles referred to as the fab FOUR, and of someone called Ringo. But there really were 5 of them to start with, and the movie is focused on the 5th Beatle Stuart Sutcliffe, his friendship with Lennon, and the love story between him and German photographer Astrid Kirchherr. I don't want to give away too many details, but I guess I'm not spoiling anything if I tell you that Stu leaves the band to be a painter in Hamburg, Pete is replaced by Ringo Starr, and The Beatles embark on a journey to fame and success. 

When it came to the soundtrack, one has to remember that these are the young Beatles as straight-ahead rock'n'rollers, before they encounter their manager Brian Epstein who re-invented them as a pop band. The music had to convey the excitement of the time as well as to appeal to 90's youths, because this is basically a youth film about love, friendship, and opening up to the whole wide world, not a nostalgia trip for those who had lived through the 60's. So producer Don Was managed to gather an impressive cast of musicians from the 90's alternative music scene: Greg Dulli (The Afghan Whigs) and Dave Pirner (Soul Asylum) on vocals, Thurston Moore (Sonic Youth) and Don Fleming (Gumball) on guitar, Mike Mills (R.E.M.) on bass, and Nirvana's Dave Grohl on drums. They play the same rock'n'roll covers the The Beatles did in Liverpool and Hamburg clubs when they started out. The performances are wild, energetic, and authentic if probably a bit louder than The Beatles were at the time. It's fair to say that the musicians involved are much better than The Beatles were at that stage of their career, but they bring more than their professionalism to the project; they bring their sense of fun and excitement, which is what makes this album work as a standalone garage rock'n'roll record regardless of its connection to the film. Highlights include "Money", "Bad Boy", "Twist and Shout", "Please Mr. Postman", "Good Golly Miss Molly" (all lead vocal by Dulli) and "Roadrunner" (by Mike Mills, even if he sounds too American for a Beatle). David Pirner takes the lead vocal on "Long Tall Sally", "C'mon Everybody" and "Twenty Flight Rock". There are no bad or dull moments in this 11-song, 27-minute LP, but of course it's a covers album so there's nothing revolutionary either. Just a short, fun, rock'n'roll record. Isn't that enough?

**** for Money (That's What I Want), Bad Boy, Twist and Shout, Please Mr. Postman, Roadrunner, Good Golly Miss Molly

*** for Long Tall Sally, C'mon Everybody, Rock & Roll Music, Slow Down, Carol, Twenty Flight Rock

The Punkles "The Punkles" 1998**

I found this CD cheaply at the 2nd hand Pêle-Mêle shop in Brussels and thought it'd be good for a few laughs. Obviously the cover is a spoof (or tribute?) of punk rockers Stranglers' Black and White, while the logo is derived from The Beatles, with the name being an amalgam of punk and Beatles. You won't be surprised, then, to learn that their music is consisted by sped-up, Ramones-style, Beatles songs. Now is this parody or tribute, and where's the difference? The songs, anyway, are played in earnest: faster and with more energy, but not mockingly - they're fun but they're not a joke. Do they sound good? Listen, they're Beatles compositions. You can play them in punk style, jazz, reggae, or classical - if you're not completely useless as a musician or don't actually try to mess them up, they'll never sound bad because those songs are immortal. Two songs are sung in German: "She Loves You/Sie Liebt Dich" and "I Want to Hold Your Hand/Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand". For those not familiar with The Beatles discography, the Fab Four themselves had actually recorded these songs in German and released them as a single in Germany to capitalize on their fame as a live band in Hamburg. Which is, incidentally, The Punkles' hometown. The band members' stage names consist of the first name of a Ramone and surname of a Beatle - except for bassist Sid McCartney who apparently chose to take his name from Sid Vicious from the Sex Pistols. I guess "Dee Dee McCartney" sounded wrong somehow. The manager's name is (of course) Malcom McEpstein. Among the better tracks here are those recorded live: ostensibly at the Hollywood Bowling Center, with added girls' screams to reproduce the Beatlemania ambiance of the "Live At The Hollywood Bowl" Beatles album, they do have that peppy live sound. "All You Need Is Love" is less punked-up, and appears in two versions. The second "All Star version" with backing vocals by other (mostly German) punk rockers, replicating the original's all star cast of backing vocalists (The Stones, Clapton, Marianne Faithfull etc). The album ends with "The Silence of the Amps", 1,5 minute of static noise. A bit of internet searching reveals that the Punkles were also known as Prollhead, a German-language punk/metal parody band. Exactly why there are so many German rock parody bands is difficult to understand. It is a scientific fact that Germans and humour are mutually exclusive, so why even give it a try - let alone repeated ones? In any case the Japanese apparently got the joke, as 2 Punkles albums reached the Top 50 there. To me this album is only another curio for my collection. They're not bad, their music rocks amiably and they do a half-decent Beatles parody, but I can't help but compare them to The Rutles, another Beatles spoof band that had the privilege of containing members of the Monty Python comedy team, Bonzo Dog Band and The Beach Boys - the Punkles couldn't hold a candle to them...

P.S. this album is also available under the title "Beat The Punkles". Different title, different cover, same songs (with the addition of 2 bonus tracks).

*** for Eight Days a Week, Help, I Should Have Known Better, Sie Liebt Dich, Komm Gib Mir Deine Hand(live), All You Need Is Love, A Hard Days Night(live), I Feel Fine(live), Ticket to Ride(live), Can't Buy Me Love(live) 

** for Please Please Me, I Saw Her Standing There, Twist & Shout(live), All You Need Is Love (All Star version)

* for The Silence of the Amps

George Martin "In My Life" 1998**

Often referred to (by, among others, Paul McCartney) as the fifth Beatle, Sir George Martin has scored music for the theatre and cinema, and has produced and arranged many records. Despite that, he'll always be remembered mostly for producing (almost) all our beloved Beatles albums - the exception being "Let It Be". His contributions (the string quartet on "Eleanor Rigby", piano solo in "In My Life") were on the spot and helped raise some already great songs to the level of masterpiece. So it's no surprise that he returns to the Beatles songbook here. What is puzzling is his oddball choice of collaborators, ranging from talented musicians (Jeff Beck), less talented musicians (Celine Dion), talented non-musicians (Robin Williams) and non-talented non-musicians (sorry Goldie Hawn!). He tries to give new twists to the familiar tunes and is only intermittently successful. Opener "Come Together" by actor Robin Williams & jazz singer Bobby McFerrin is pleasant enough, if redundant. On the contrary, re-imagining "A Hard Day's Night" as sensual late-night jazz with Hawn imitating Marilyn Monroe is a bold and interesting move. Jeff Beck on electric guitar delivers a masterful instrumental jazz-rock version of "A Day In The Life", ditto for acoustic guitarist John Williams on a beautifully orchestrated version of "Here Comes The Sun". Virtuoso violinist Vanessa Mae gives her own classical interpretation of "Because", aided by a choir. Celine Dion turns everything into pop mush and "Here There & Everywhere" is no exception. The orchestration is reminiscent of James Bond movies, of which Martin has scored a couple. Phil Collins delivers a medley from "Abbey Road". The comedians try to inhabit the characters in the songs as if they were movie roles: Billy Connolly impersonates a circus ringmaster on "...Mr. Kite", while Jim Carey tries different voices as he obviously doesn't have an idea who "The Walrus" is supposed to be. It's said he was inspired by a character from "Alice Through the Looking-Glass" but I guess only John Lennon knows for sure, and he isn't around to explain. Martin also reprises here his instrumental music from the "Yellow Submarine" soundtrack, which has to be the less-played side of any Beatles record. For those who don't own the LP, side A contained the songs and Side B the orchestral movie score. Nobody ever turned it around to listen to Martin's composition, so he must have thought it was worth another chance and included it here. Another Martin instrumental is "Friends And Lovers" a beautiful orchestral piece that segues into the centrepiece of the album "In My Life". It features Sean Connery reciting the words of the song, backed by a sad piano and strings. I'm sure it was supposed to be a sensitive and affecting epilogue, but I found it fairly ridiculous. The album was designed to be Martin's final statement, at the age of 72. As it turns out, he lived enough to celebrate his 90th birthday and only passed away earlier this year. It was one of the shocking deaths of 2016, only instead of "I can't believe that Bowie (or Prince) is dead" it was "I can't believe George Martin was still alive". No disrespect meant - the man left a tremendous legacy behind. Any time you want to celebrate it, play The Beatles' Rubber Soul or Revolver. Not this CD.

*** for Come Together (Robin Williams & Bobby McFerrin), A Hard Day's Night (Goldie Hawn), A Day In The Life (Jeff Beck), Because (Vanessa Mae), Here Comes The Sun (John Williams), Golden Slumbers/Carry That Weight/The End (Phil Collins), Friends And Lovers (George Martin)

** for Here There & Everywhere (Celine Dion), I Am The Walrus (Jim Carey), Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite (Billy Connolly), The Pepperland Suite/March Of The Meanies/Sea Of Monsters (George Martin), In My Life (Sean Connery)

Pat Boone "In A Metal Mood - No More Mr. Nice Guy" 1997***

This is the ULTIMATE ROCK AND TROLL RECORD! Yeah, I know that back in '97 trolling was not a part of our vocabulary but what do you call this CD cover? A 65-year old former teen idol-turned-religious singer and conservative media figure, suddenly donning an earring and black leather vest in order to deliver heavy metal covers? And I'm not even mentioning his posing on a Harley Davidson, Easy Rider-style, on the back cover. It must be a joke, just look at the glimmer in his eye. Someone had a lot a fun designing this cover just to troll us, didn't he? Yes, and no. Yes, I'm sure the graphic designer must have been chuckling all the time while he made this, but no - the record is legit. And if you think the cover is funny, wait 'till you hear the music - you will be ROFL. We're talking about the likes of Metallica executed in honest-to-God Big Band/ Las Vegas entertainer style. Now, some of us remember how Pat Boone built a super successful career in the 50's by taking hot black R&B and turning it into pop mush fit for consumption by white middle-class teens. Hell, he was that decade's second biggest selling artist, next to Elvis! So maybe he figured that if that approach worked with the blues, why not try it on heavy metal? They're both the devil's music, I'll grant you, but Pat Boone ain't afraid of the Devil! The Devil should be afraid of Pat Boone, after what he did to his favorite music! And the funniest thing is that it often works! The big band arrangements are done in earnest with top professional musicians and, surprisingly, some songs seem to lend themselves a little too naturally to the swing treatment, with screaming guitars a little too easily replaced by the catchy jazz riffs and solos and the sudden blasts of brass. As for Boone himself, back in the 50's he was already his generation's less talented singer and his voice hasn't improved with time. Sometimes he croons along to the song merrily and sometimes he just goofily recites the words. But what does it matter? It's precious enough just to listen to Mr. Christian Right-Wing spouting lyrics like "You think it's easy doing one-night stands? Try playing in a rock'n'roll band!". AC/DC's "It's a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock 'n' Roll)", by the way, sounds great in this setting, with its cool Hammond organ and late-night saxes. Ozzy's "Crazy Train" also sounds fine as light jazz - and I dare you not to burst out laughing when the backup singers go "crazy crazy traiin!choo-choo!". On "Paradise City" Boone struggles to keep up while the band plays a fast Tito Puente-like mambo rhythm. In the middle of the song they let up a little to let him catch his breath and off they go again. For the (also Latin-tinged) lead single "Smoke on the Water" they really pull all the stops, even persuading The Man-in-Black himself, Mr. Ritchie Blackmore, to come down from the silver mountain and play some electric guitar. "Holy Diver" likewise has a high profile guest in Ronnie James Dio who adds some (almost inaudible) backing vocals. It is, together with Metallica's "Enter Sandman", the most surreal experience here - that nice easy listening music combined with those dark lyrics. Judas Priest's "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" works well as swing jazz while "No More Mr. Nice Guy" is just hilarious - no other way to describe it. Of the ballads, Hendrix's "The Wind Cries Mary" gets a passable performance, while "Stairway to Heaven" tries to swing unsuccessfully and "Love Hurts" is sappy even for Pat Boone standards. The faux-soul version of Van Halen's "Panama" is probably the CD's lowest point. The album eventually sold well as it became a popular joke gift for metalheads, but at what cost? Worried for his immortal soul (seriously!) Boone's Christian fans intervened to drag him back to the path of righteousness, and thankfully succeeded! I mean, Hell wouldn't be Hell anymore with the likes of Pat Boone around! P.S. Some guy on youtube had the idea of coupling Pat Boone's version of "Holy Diver" with Dio's official video. I'm posting it here, but I have to warn you it's dangerous. People have died of laughter - it's rare but it's been known to happen! I mean, the sight of the late hobbit-sized Metal God wielding a sword is cause enough for hilarity by itself, but when he opens he mouth and you hear Pat Boone's voice you'll be trying to keep control of your bladder...

**** for Smoke on the Water (Deep Purple), It's a Long Way to the Top (AC/DC), Enter Sandman (Metallica), Holy Diver (Dio), Crazy Train  (Ozzy Osbourne) 

*** for You've Got Another Thing Comin' (Judas Priest), No More Mr. Nice Guy (Alice Cooper), Paradise City (Guns N' Roses), The Wind Cries Mary (Jimi Hendrix Experience)

** for Panama (Van Halen), Love Hurts (Nazareth), Stairway to Heaven (Led Zeppelin)

Nouvelle Vague "Bande A Part" 2006***

Rarely is one band's name so indicative of their intentions. "Nouvelle Vague" is of course French for "New Wave" but the very act of its translation makes it sound different, somehow lighter and more cultivated. Likewise what NV did was take familiar New Wave/Post Punk hits (and some cult favorites) and transform them by using a different musical language. The singers here seem to derive inspiration from the French 60's ye-ye and pop girl singers like Francoise Hardy.  Gentle electronica, light 60's pop and bossa nova replace the angular guitars and brooding dispositions of some post-punk originals. And at the same time that punk-rock becomes more palatable with the addition of gentle electronic beats, the synth-heavy new wave hits (e.g. Yazoo's "Don't Go", Heaven 17's "Let Me Go") are given a more organic, bluesy treatment, resulting in a homogenized mix where Yazoo can sit comfortably next to The Cramps. As this is NV's second CD milking the same idea, some songs seem to have been chosen not because the band was inspired by them but based on a "who haven't we done yet?" mentality. Including a New Order or Blondie song in such a project becomes obligatory in this respect and NV go for the obvious choices "Blue Monday" and "Heart of Glass". The former works well in latin dance mode, while the latter is taken back to its rocksteady roots. Neither is transformed as in previous examples - I'm thinking especially of previous album's "Guns of Brixton" which was my introduction to the band. It was placed in a Clash tribute CD given out with Uncut magazine and immediately caught my attention. "Killing Moon" opens the album with a carnival intro that remind me of Nick Cave's "The Carny" and continues with a sultry sweet Lolita singing "So soon you'll take me/Up in your arms/Too late to beg you/Or cancel it...". With the addition of some eerie background noises, we've got a winner very early in the race. "Ever Fallen in Love" is a close second, an immortal pop song given a bouncy bossa treatment. The Fine Young Cannibals were the first to liberate it from its punk wrapping, so this new version isn't as groundbreaking as it'd otherwise be. Stiv Bators' Lords of the New Church are often unfairly forgotten when it comes to discussing 80's post punk, so it's cool that NV chose to include one of their songs here. Billy Idol's "Dancing with Myself" is the exact opposite, a loud catchy number that never completely left the airways. The NV version is likewise the album's most unsubtle and populist moment. The Wake's "O Pamela" was completely unknown to me, so I should thank Nouvelle Vague for turning me on to that post-punk gem. The Cramps' "Human Fly" is an absolute favorite of mine and it's sung here in a drunk stripper voice. Unpolished and rude, it goes well with lyrics like "I'm an unzipped fly". I like what they've done with the song. "Bela Lugosi's Dead" begins with spooky sound effects as the Bride of Dracula spouts lines like "The bats have left the bell tower/The victims have been bled". Though only half as scary as the original, it's still disquieting listening. The only NV track guaranteed to chase (all but the most perverse) customers away from the bar. Their jazz, happy-go-lucky version of The Sound's "(I Can't) Escape Myself" would be enough to make Adrian Borland commit suicide all over again. Shame on you, people! Visage's "Fade toGrey" is given a uncommercial dark, accordeon-heavy sound. They must have figured that, by this point, no-one but the most dedicated fan is still listening. Which is a pity, because their nostalgic, rainy take on Blancmange's "Waves" is a late highlight - probably the only track that works even if you don't know the original - I confess I didn't!

**** for The Killing Moon (Echo & the Bunnymen), Ever Fallen in Love (Buzzcocks), Waves (Blancmange)

*** for Dance with Me (The Lords of the New Church) Don't Go (Yazoo), O Pamela (The Wake), Blue Monday (New Order), Human Fly (The Cramps), Bela Lugosi's Dead (Bauhaus), Let Me Go (Heaven 17), Fade to Grey (Visage)

** for Heart of Glass (Blondie), Dancing with Myself (Billy Idol), I Can't Escape Myself (The Sound)

Bettye LaVette "Interpretations:The British Rock Songbook" 2010****

Based on her voice, Bettye LaVette should by rights have been as big a star as Aretha Franklin or Roberta Flack. Yet, after a few R&B hits in the 60's, she disappeared until the early 00's when she was discovered by white audiences. In the last 10 years she's recorded more albums than in the preceding 40. She's not really a songwriter, more a master interpreter, and this album is her tribute to British Rock. It was borne out of a single occasion, a Kennedy Center show in honor of The Who. She was invited to sing "Love Reign O'er Me" from Quadrophenia and her emotive performance shook the house, almost moving guests of honor Townshend and Daltrey to tears. It was then decided that she'd do a whole album of British Rock to reciprocate the respect that British rockers showed to black blues artists when they were treated like outcasts in their own country. The album is accurately titled "Interpretations", as she really gives her own version of the songs rather than simply cover them. It starts off with "The Word", a Beatles (Lennon:"mainly mine") song from 1965. Her version is an upbeat gospel soul triumph that would have made John proud. The Beatles dominate this collection as she also chooses one song each from the solo albums of George, Paul and Ringo. Harrison's "Isn't It a Pity" gets a very sparse arrangement that allows the vocal performance to shine even brighter, but I don't much care for its funereal pace. Ringo's "It Don't Come Easy" is, like most songs here, slower than the original but well served by its Deep South blues rock arrangement. As the song says "Got to pay your dues if you wanna sing the blues/And you know it don't come easy". It sure didn't come easy for LaVette, who's been paying her dues for 50 years now. McCartney is a master writer of sensitive love songs and his "Maybe I'm Amazed" is perfect for her expressive voice. She's helped by the heartwarming string arrangements and Gilmour-like guitarwork. Which brings us to..."Wish You Were Here". For rock singers, tackling Pink Floyd's masterpiece can be intimidating, but LaVette felt at ease making changes to it - as she explains, these songs never got played on black radio stations in the US, so she didn't have any preconceptions about how they should be sung. She treats it like a blues - when they explained to her it's written about a former bandmember that died recently, she approached it as a lament for her singer friends that have left this world. It's a moving performance, embellished once again with strings. Led Zeppelin's "All My Love" is earthier than the original, with a smoky late night feel and a stirring tortured soul delivery. Traffic's "No Time To Live" is another slow song with a similarly emotive performance. As for "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood", at first I didn't understand why it's here, For me it's foremost a Nina Simone song, but it seems that Bettye had The Animals' version in mind. She gives it a funky Southern Soul twist. The Rolling Stones' "Salt of the Earth" is completely reinvented as gospel. The song sounds as if it's just now found its true calling - Hallelujah, take it to the Mississippi to be baptised and let it forevermore be sung by Baptist choirs all over the American south! "Nights in White Satin" is a tricky one: in the wrong hands, it can get syrupy sweet instead of emotional. No such fear, that voice carries such passion and hurt it can never sound soft. "Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad" is introduced with some funky basslines - at last a much needed change a pace, with a James Brown-style dance rhythm and soul horns. Elton John's "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" is another slow blues song and, frankly, the most indifferent track of this CD which closes with the aforementioned Kennedy Center performance. Such is the power of Bettye LaVette's voice, she can sing the phonebook and transform it into heart-wrenching blues. Imagine what she does with The Who's masterpiece. Wait a minute, you don't have to imagine it, just click on the video below!

***** for The Word" (Beatles)

**** for Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood (Animals), All My Love (Led Zeppelin), Wish You Were Here (Pink Floyd), It Don't Come Easy, (Ringo Starr), Maybe I'm Amazed (Paul McCartney), Salt of the Earth (Rolling Stones), Nights in White Satin (Moody Blues), Why Does Love Got To Be So Sad (Eric Clapton), Love Reign O'er Me (The Who)

*** for No Time To Live (Traffic), Isn't It a Pity (George Harrison), Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me (Elton John)

Various Artists "From Clarksdale to Heaven - Remembering John Lee Hooker" 2002***

Born in Mississippi in 1917, John Lee Hooker was around almost as long as the blues itself, devising a new urban blues boogie style, scoring his first hits in the 40's and experiencing a late career rebirth with 1989's "The Healer" that lasted until his death in 2001. These late records were full of guests from the blues and rock world, lining up to play the blues with one of the last original pioneers of the genre. Many of them are also featured here to pay tribute to the master bluesman and help raise money for a charity in his name. The result is entertaining but uneven, as it often happens with such tribute albums. Although most of the songs are J.L.Hooker originals, the end result mostly reflects the players themselves. A bit of the old DNA is in evidence in the opening soulful performance of "I Want to Hug You", sung by his daughter Zakiya backed by Johnnie Johnson & Bobby Murray. The classic "I'm in the Mood" is given a generic hard rock treatment by Jack Bruce and Gary Moore (now both also sadly deceased). Not bad, but I much prefer their slow take on "Serve Me Right to Suffer". Yes, it does sound like any other Gary Moore ballad, albeit a very good one. In any case, neither song sounds anything like the original. "Bad Like Jesse James" (by Vince Converse backed by Leo Lyons and Ric Lee from Ten Years After) comes somewhat closer. "Baby Lee" and "Little Wheel" are even more faithful, played with gusto by 60's veterans Gary Brooker (Procol Harum) and Andy Fairweather-Low (Amen Corner and, more recently, Roger Waters' band). The acoustic "Ground Hog Blues" also sports a quite original feel, not surprisingly since T.S. McPhee (from The Groundhogs) has played with Hooker since the 60's and was one of the first people to introduce him to British audiences. Colosseum's Dick Heckstall-Smith on sax adds a welcome jazz twist. On "I'm Leaving" they rock harder, as they're joined by Humbie Pie guitarist extraordinaire Clem Clempson. Jeff Beck offers his guitar pyrotechnics to the Hooker-like boogie "Hobo Blues" and the traditional gospel "Will The Circle Be Unbroken". Former Rolling Stone Mick Taylor adds workmanlike boogie "This Is Hip" and Peter Green takes on "Crawlin' King Snake", one of Hooker's most famous tunes. Of all the superstar guitarists involved in this project, Green was (in his Fleetwood Mac days) once the greatest. Inspired by religion (and drugs) he took a break in 1970 and never completely returned. His folk-blues guitar playing here is beautiful but very different and inferior to his old style, while his vocals sound like they're from beyond the grave. The remaining two tracks are the most intriguing as they come from half-finished J.L.Hooker projects: Greggs Eggs' blues-soul "The Business" (vocals by Suzanne Sterling) was destined for the next Hooker CD but never recorded by him due to his death and "Red House" features the great man himself backed by Booker T. Jones on organ and Randy California (from Spirit) on guitar. It was supposed to appear on a Jimi Hendrix tribute album and it's typical late-period J.L.Hooker, a nice slow jam with his trademark mumbling vocals. Not an extraordinary find, but a fine epitaph nevertheless.

**** for I Want to Hug You (Zakiya Hooker & Johnnie Johnson), Baby Lee (Gary Brooker & Andy Fairweather-Low), I'm Leaving (T.S. Mcphee, Dick Heckstall-Smith & Clem Clempson), Serves Me Right to Suffer (Gary Moore), Red House (John Lee Hooker & Booker T & Randy California)

*** for I'm in the Mood (Jack Bruce & Gary Moore), Bad Like Jesse James (Leo Lyons, Ric Lee, Vince Converse), Will the Circle Be Unbroken (Jeff Beck), Ground Hog Blues (T.S. McPhee & Dick Heckstall-Smith), This Is Hip (Mick Taylor), Little Wheel (Gary Brooker & Andy Fairweather-Low), Crawlin' King Snake (Peter Green), The Business (Greggs Eggs), Hobo Blues (Jeff Beck)

Eric Clapton and Friends "The Breeze: An Appreciation of J.J. Cale" 2014****

Eric Clapton must surely be JJ Cale's biggest fan. For his very first solo album he recorded a cover of then completely unknown Cale's "After Midnight". He then had a big hit with another Cale song, "Cocaine", while he recently recorded a whole album with him ("The Road to Escondido"). This fascination isn't all that apparent if you compare their playing styles: Cale's is fluid and relaxed, while Clapton's can be loud and fiery. Anyway, Cale's unfortunate passing last year led Clapton to curate a tribute album to him, with himself playing guitar and singing on some songs while various "friends" provide vocals & second guitar. These include Tom Petty, Mark Knopfler, John Mayer, Don White and country legend Willie Nelson. Other guest guitarists include Albert Lee, David Lindley, and Derek Trucks while Cale's widow Christine Lakeland helps with backing vocals. All artists approach their source material with respect (perhaps too much respect), resulting in beautiful and understated performances and an album that is quite homogenic and manages to exude the same feeling as Cale's own. "Same Old Blues" is probably the only song where Clapton's style is readily identifiable, as he mostly prefers to play close to the original rather than rock it out like he did with "Cocaine". Knopfler on the other hand makes "someday" sound like Dire Straits without straying too far since his style was always closer to that of Cale's. Opener "Call Me the Breeze" is indicative of the album, rolling along nicely with fantastic guitar work, although it still isn't as good as Lynyrd Skynyrd's version. "Rock and Roll Records" featuring Tom Petty is another winner. Not being familiar with the original versions of this or "Someday", I was much more pleased with these than e.g. "Lies", a great performance of this hit that is nevertheless so close to the original it's like listening to karaoke. John Mayer was known to me by name only but his singing here and on "Magnolia" convinced me to search for more. "Sensitive Kind" features fellow Okie Don White on vocals and is a delicate ballad that reminds me of Clapton's "Wonderful Tonight". Once more, although flawless, not my favorite cover of this song-that would be John Mayall's. "Cajun Moon" and "I Got the Same Old Blues" are two bluesy numbers by Clapton while "Songbird" and "Starbound" feature country legend Willie Nelson on vocals. He makes no effort to imitate JJ's singing and he songs are the better for it. "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" is a fast country number while "The Old Man and Me" sports a hypnotic bossa/blues rhythm. "Don't Wait" and “Train to Nowhere” are a couple of very successful collaborations between Clapton and, respectively, Mayer and Knopfler. Overall, the album manages to convey Cale's spirit and provide an enjoyable listening experience with some virtuosic but restrained guitar playing. Nevertheless I, for one, would like to hear such good musicians give their own version of the songs and preferably expand them beyond the 3-minute mark. Faithful as it is though, it makes for a good introduction to JJ Cale's music and should convince newcomers to dig deeper. If you're one, I'd suggest to get any of his first 5 albums, although you can't go wrong with anything bearing his name (As his critics like to point out, they all sound more or less the same).

**** for Call Me the Breeze, Rock and Roll Records, Someday, Cajun Moon, Don't Wait

*** for Lies, Sensitive Kind, Magnolia, I Got the Same Old Blues, Songbird, The Old Man and Me, Train to Nowhere, Starbound

** for Since You Said Goodbye, I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me), Crying Eyes