Review: WASP - Babylon

Label: Demolition Records

Released: October 13, 2009

Are you sick of the 80s? I certainly am. Having the synthpop of my youth sold back to me as if it's a new thing is bad enough, but the more egregious offenders are the old hair metal dinosaurs who not only want to resell their corporate sound, but also the mindless, superficial party mentality of the Reagan years. While that stuff was a musical mixed bag, it was, with few exceptions, an emotional void.

So, one would think that perhaps the latest offering from Blackie Lawless and WASP, the band who gave us the deep and heavy "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)" as well as a drunken Chris Holmes monologue in Decline of Western Civilization Part 2, would be no different, but closer examination of the band's career says otherwise. Even the stupidity of songs like "Animal" had a darkness that WASP's peers only pretended to understand and it wasn't long before WASP began expanding on that. By 1992's The Crimson Idol, Lawless, who essentially is WASP, began using his music to take an introspective journey. By 2004, he offered up the social commentary of the Neon God two part concept album. The point is that there's a little bit more to WASP than perhaps meets the eye and to lump them in with the other nonsense that's been held over from the 80s hard rock scene is unfair.

That brings us to WASP's latest release, Babylon. Musically, it isn't a real musical departure from their sound two decades ago. Some tracks lean toward hook-heavy hard rock. They're memorable and easy to fall into, but also suffer from that sense that there isn't much behind the veneer and that's where Lawless' sense of searching that underscores the album really helps out, providing substance rather than just smoke and mirrors. Much of the album leans more toward the heavier 80s metal sound and while these tracks benefit from the album's spiritual/emotional undercurrent, they don't require it. Babylon is solid today, but would have held up back in the genre's prime as well.

Overall, if you can't take 80s hard rock and heavy metal, Babylon won't change that. However, if the music is basically up your alley, but you've grown sick of its stagnation and stupidity, this might be the album that restores your faith that someone is playing your song without playing in your past. If you still wish it was 1988, you'll love Babylon and hopefully its sense of growth will rub off on you, because you need it.

Ratings
Satriani: 8/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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DVD: Rick Wakeman - The Six Wives of Henry VIII: Live at Hampton Court Palace

Label: Eagle Rock Entertainment

Released: October 13, 2009

When you combine Rick Wakeman with a celebration of the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's ascension to the throne of England, things are bound to be a bit over-the-top. Not to disappoint, Wakeman comes out in royal robes with six "wives" in period dress and the whole thing happens right in Henry's old home, Hampton Court Palace.

Wakeman is great. The English Rock Ensemble is great. The Orchestra Europa is great. The English Chamber Choir is great. From a technical point of view, all of this is to be expected. The venue is fabulous as well. For anything less bombastic than Wakeman's musical interpretation of Henry's wives, it might be overkill, but for this, it's perfect and it's completely clear why Wakeman always hoped to perform it here. While the venue is well-shown, the downside is that the players' faces get more screen time than their fingers. Wakeman is one of the most enjoyable keyboardists to simply watch. His hands do things that just seem unnatural and sadly, this film doesn't offer much opportunity to enjoy that.

The thing from which prog suffers most, and Wakeman is perhaps one of the biggest offenders in this respect, is its inaccessibility. Unlike most rock music, the average fan can neither pick up a guitar and learn the songs nor even understand the esoteric themes. What's beautiful in this concert is that it bridges that huge chasm that exists in a remarkably simple way: The performance is narrated by actor Brian Blessed and it is his dramatic readings and earthy humor that are not only engaging in their own right, but also bring the whole over-the-top performance back to earth in a way that even prog skeptics can appreciate.

This set also comes in CD format separately. While this will surely please Wakeman fans, the DVD is more exciting and has a much broader appeal.

Rating: 7/10



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Review: Balance and Composure - Only Boundaries

Label: No Sleep Records

Released: August 11, 2009

I love when a record is really busy, but doesn't get lost in the busyness. On the four song Only Boundaries, Balance and Composure fully live up to their name, balancing intricacies with listenable sensibility and remaining composed while the music swirls. "I Can't Do This Alone" combines a tribal rhythm with echoey guitar and yearning vocals into a song that pleads its case with both calm and determination . "Show Your Face" is reminiscent of Peter Cortner-era Dag Nasty, coupling earnest honesty with a desire to push the music beyond traditional limits. They accomplish the latter with considerable success, not just on this song, but throughout the record. Only Boundaries meets the challenges of exploration while leaving enough that's familiar to embrace.

No Sleep Records pressed 500 of these on black vinyl and the first 100 have a silk-screened b-side. It's a nice cover worthy of all of its 12 inches. For convenience, they throw in a CD copy as well.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Saint Bernadette - Word to the Lourdes

Label: Exotic Records

Released: April 14, 2009

The band name and album title here present a question. Is this band serious or tongue-in-cheek? After all, they've named themselves after the saint whose visions of the Blessed Mother continue to provide awe and inspiration to the faithful 150 years later. While their name could clearly be taken seriously, the title's less-than-reverent allusion to the place of Saint Bernadette's visions could also be read, as the band itself suggests, as a reference to pop icon Madonna's child. This duality goes beyond the surface though and permeates the music.

The tunes draw on punk, 70s glam and straightforward rock n roll backing a strong vocal performance from singer Meredith DiMenna. She plays it sultry and sexy, but strong and really cultivates an atmosphere that is both dark and hopeful, serious and fun. The music is not merely a vehicle for her voice though as the songs still take precedence. They're catchy without being overtly hooky, allowing them to hold onto what they catch. Solid production capitalizes on the band's tightness without loosing the looser, glammy feel. More than anything though, it is the co-existence of sensual seediness and upbeat positivity that makes Word to the Lourdes not simply a fine rock record, but also a real reflection of life.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Thieves and Liars - American Rock n Roll

Label: Dreamt

Released: September 1, 2009

Thieves & Liars debut, last year's When Dreams Become Reality, was a bold, expansive album. If it had a noticeable fault, it was that it didn't always turn its breadth into a cohesive whole. American Rock n Roll doesn't suffer that same ill though. It's a much more straight forward hard rock album. While nothing here is as ambitious as their debut, this album is much more even, relying more on raw passion and conviction than innovation. From the blistering rock n roll of "Walking by My Side" to the aggressive blues of "Killed a Man," Thieves & Liars successfully rein in innovation in favor of flat out rocking. While "Till the Walls Fall Down" and "Promised Land" are a little thin and lose the richness of 70s hard rock in favor of the synthetic riffs of the following decade, the album as a whole has far too much soul to be written off for a couple near misses. Overall, these songs of struggle and salvation, a hard rock gospel if you will, prove that rock n roll is anything but the devil's music.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Painted Willie - Mind Bowling (re-issue)

Label: DC-Jam Records

Released: July 17, 2009

SST Records was, if nothing else, a source of 80s musical madness. The label was somewhat diverse, but insanity was its consistency. While Hüsker Dü, the Meat Puppets and a few others moved on to major label semi-success, many of their bands burned up in the label's creative melee. Painted Willie was just such a band.

While Mind Bowling doesn't present essential listening for the general public, there are many out there who either missed it the first time or were too young when it went out of print or who sadly never owned a turntable (as it never made it to CD until now) that will appreciate it. The loose-to-the-point-of-near-deconsturction tunes meld mid-tempo, metally punk with the psych jams brought to the table by bands like Black Flag and the Meat Puppets. Along with other SST acts like DC3 and SWA, Painted Willie represent some of the earliest rumblings of what would later evolve into stoner rock. Mind Bowling will never have the broad impact of SST's upper echelon, but for those who want to dig a little deeper into underground rock's history, this re-issue is a fantastic opportunity to sample the madness.

Ratings
Satriani: 5/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Pictures of Then - Pictures of Then and the Wicked Sea

Label: self-released

Released: August 4, 2009

If Jeff Lynne was more quirky than slick, he may have found himself in the neighborhood of Pictures of Then and the Wicked Sea. From the start, the band makes it clear that they have both bombastic, big guitars as well as carefully crafted hooks up their sleeve, yet they manage to be grounded at the same time. They can be as easily driven by huge chords or swaggering riffs as they can be by acoustic intimacy or 70s countrified pop. Like Lynne, they borrow heavily from the Beatles' sound, but not as much from that band's creative adventurousness. While they do operate in a safer zone, it doesn't make them dull, because they give their influences a unique voice. Throughout, there's enough hint of indie cleverness to bind it all together, no matter which path a song takes, ultimately finding the happy ground between wild and careful and drawing on the best of both worlds.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 6/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Jazz Re-issues from Sonny Rollins, Clifford Brown, Max Roach, Red Garland, Art Tatum and Ben Webster

Label: Essential Jazz Classics

Released: June 2, 2009

The mid to late 50s was a near perfect time for jazz. As post-bop and cool jazz emerged from Charlie Parker's bebop shake-up, the genre's top artists were refining the sound. In a few short years, jazz would be set on its ear again by Ornette Coleman, John Coltrane and Charles Mingus among others who once again pushed the very definitions of the genre, but this period in the 50s produced some astoundingly good music even if, and perhaps because, it was perfecting the current state of jazz rather than running off to totally new horizons. Essential Jazz Classics has recently released a set of CDs that collects some of that period's best albums along with some interesting bonus material.

The Clifford Brown/Sonny Rollins/Max Roach Quintet's Complete Studio Recordings collects two classics, Clifford Brown and Max Roach at Basin Street and Sonny Rollins Plus Four. As good as Rollins is, he's simply overshadowed by Brown and Roach here as they bring much needed punch that makes these albums real standouts.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

Art Tatum and Ben Webster's The Album features the lone studio collaboration between these two giants (and Tatum's last session before his death). The mastering doesn't do much to clean up this recording, but, while that's a shame, the bonus material featuring Tatum playing many of the same songs as a soloist more than makes up for it. The man was just a monster on the piano and it's nothing short of incredible to hear that fully exposed in this way.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 8/10

The best known of the re-issues is Sonny Rollins' Saxophone Colossus. This Rollins classic is a great example of his smooth playing, but at times is upstaged by Max Roach's drumming. Roach is just a monster on the drums and that really makes this one a must hear album. This re-issue also includes Work Time, not considered one of Rollins' very best albums, but it certainly doesn't miss by much.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

Perhaps the most interesting of these re-issues is Red Garland's The 1956 Trio, which features the A Garland in Red album with selections from Groovy and Red Garland's Piano. Of the four albums, I was least familiar with Garland's playing and that may be what made this album really stand out. He gets so much out of the piano and is equally dynamic on slow tunes as he is on the more upbeat material. Add some monster bass parts from Paul Chambers and it's clear why this album is worth re-issuing, particularly for those unfamiliar with Garland's work.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 8/10
Aretha: 9/10
Overall: 9/10

All in all, this is a fine set of re-issues, particularly for younger or more cursory jazz fans who haven't heard these great albums. All include liner notes with a lot of information that add a little education to these great listens.

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Review: Flipper - Love

Label: MVD

Released: May 19, 2009

A reunion can be viewed in one of two ways. On one hand, it could be an attempt to cash in on the current popularity of the band's genre, something they may not have been able to do in their prime. On the other, it could be a way to expose the band to a new generation of fans as once great bands have a way of slipping into obscurity. Flipper's music is so anti-commercial that not even Kurt Cobain's endorsement brought their music to the mainstream, so it seems unlikely that former reason to reunite could be true. At the same time, they have remained the seminal art/noise punk outfit, so each generation has seemed to acquaint itself with their work. So, why reunite?

With Flipper, it's anyone's guess why they do anything and this is no exception. Perhaps their reunion for CBGB's sparked something, perhaps they enjoyed playing with Krist Novoselic, perhaps it just happened. After all, this band is no stranger to spontaneity. However it happened though, Love came to be. The album has the same heavy noisiness for which they've always been known, but there's something decidedly more deliberate this time. Though hardly accessible in any way, they have toned down the crazy into something a little more digestible. Love, which seems to be about a love that most people, myself included, don't quite get, still features that same half innocent, half debauched sweet sarcasm that underscores their art damaged existence. Overall, this new offering doesn't eclipse their catalog in any way, yet still provides a clear reason why this reunion is not just a one-and-done blip in their storied career.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10

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THe BAcksliders - Thank You

Label: self-released and free!

Released: May 16, 2009

Thank You's title may prefigure last year's You're Welcome, but the sound is moving forward. THe BAcksliders don't refine their previous effort, so much as distill what's clearly in their hearts. Whether it's the flat out energy of "Have You Ever Been Down" or the hard-edged soulfullness of "Last Call," the band has a great handle on the pure, simple energy of rock n roll. As further proof, they do right by Little Richard (a backslider himself, at times) on the cover "Keep a Knockin'" and channel the Shangri-Las on their own "Twisted."

Kim Bonner's voice has that beautiful rock n roll imperfection. It's raspy and gritty, relying on raw passion more than range and control, but it has so much substance that it's something almost tangible to hold on to. She works perfectly with the loose, open swagger of the band that bangs out songs with just enough hook to catch you and plenty of grit to hold you. They capture the wild mix of soul and garage rock that ruled late 60s Detroit and take it on a trip through their home state of Texas' fine tradition of outlaw music. As their name implies, the music embodies the internal conflict between worldly desire and divine goodness. I always hope the good wins, but for the BAcksliders, it still seems up in the air.

Best of all, you can download the album for free, no strings attached:

Thank You

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Brian Bond - Fire & Gold

Label: self-released

Released: March 10, 2009

Folk and punk has found some common ground over the years. From Billy Bragg's incendiary love and politics to Elliott Smith's dark beauty, the two genres have occasionally met in strange ways that have never been entirely one genre or the other, yet clearly rooted in both.

Brian Bond is a similar artist in a sense. Musically, he's clearly a folk artist. The songs are gentle and quiet. At times, you can hear Elliot Smith's heartfelt hooks, only with a warmer, more open, perhaps more innocent heart. In addition, these songs have had time to develop over the two years it took to write and record them. It's clear, because nothing is rushed or incomplete. By taking the time to get it right, Bond gains the benefits of well thought out songs that, at the same time, don't lose their sense of spontaneity.

But somewhere in the spirit of this album is a fierce independence and DIY ethic that is clearly punk. Some of that stems from the album's simplicity. These songs are essentially Bond and his guitar. Though most songs feature accompaniment, it is crafted so as to enhance, but never overshadow Bond's performance. Fire & Gold follows its own path, one that runs musically parallel to folk, but spiritually intersects with the strengths of punk and indie music. It is a quiet moment for punks and a shot in the arm for folk.

This isn't the folk-punk thing that you get from a Chuck Reagan or a Defiance, Ohio. It's fundamentally (and beautifully) folk with a punk heart underneath.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Everyone Everywhere - A Lot of Weird People Standing Around

Label: Evil Weevil Records

Released: April 7, 2009

I'd almost forgotten what emo was like before it became a dirty word, but Everyone Everywhere is a clear reminder. Sure, the mohawk crowd is still going to find this to be too sappy, but it never devolves into the self-conscious and saccharine whine-fest that consumes the genre today. The vocals, sensitive, but never over-dramatic, ride the catchy fuzz and jangle of the guitar and a driving beat. It's been a long time since I've heard a song with the catchy punch of "Cool Pool Keg Toss Pete" that didn't seem like it was just aiming at the arenas. With just enough mix between loose and precise, each track on A Lot of Weird People Standing Around keeps the EP from getting too settled and easy which goes along way to show how emo was once kinda cool.

Grab this one quickly, because it's a nice package and it's limited to 200 (100 clear/100 blue).

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: John Scofield - Piety Street

Label: Emarcy

Released: March 31, 2009

Over the years, John Scofield has worked with a who's who of jazz and fusion artists. He has established himself as one of the top names in jazz guitar and is almost as well known outside of jazz circles as he is within. He's one of those artists who finds himself in the unique position of being able to try whatever he wants. While that position many times finds artists releasing ego-driven nonsense, Scofield chooses instead to make an album that is an interesting experiment, showcasing the music far more than the formidable players who made it.

Piety Street find the jazz guitarist and his band making bluesy renditions of gospel songs. More than a few times, it fails to break with the conventionality of straightforward blues, sucking much of the gospel elements he supposedly wanted to capture out of the music. However, Scofield and company more often find a place where jazz, blues and gospel sing in unison. Once or twice, it's downright amazing as on "It's a Big Army," a Scofield original that sounds like a rediscovered old-time gospel gem, but generally the album is fairly understated, illustrating the band's total trust in the music itself.

Piety Street is certainly not Scofield's best work, but it is an interesting change-up. Rather than either sticking to the tried-and-true or running off on some silly ego trip, he chooses to explore some of the music he loves even if it isn't the genre for which he's best known. He assembled a top-notch band to navigate this musical adventure with him and the result is, a few weak spots aside, a very interesting listen.

Ratings
Satriani: 10/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Kate Mann - Things Look Different When the Sun Goes Down

Label: Orange Dress Records

Released: March 17, 2009

On the surface, Kate Mann finds herself channeling a bit of Joni Mitchell and a bit of Janis Joplin, her music swinging gently across the short space between folk and blues. While it is that bit of Joni that shows up in a clever musical phrase here and there, it also manifests itself in the albums lighter, less compelling moments. But Mann's reliance on Janis makes up for those underwhelming spots with songs that have teeth to bite and hands to touch the soul.

The best example of what Mann offers though is made clear on "Robert Johnson Knew." Ever since Johnson sang about his encounter at the crossroads, the idea of selling one's soul has been oddly glorified in popular music (much like suicide and drug addiction), but just about everyone misses the point. The crossroads isn't a place for the happy or even the hedonistic. It is a place of torture and a moment of terrible decision. Mann questions if she'll really have to sign in blood. She wonders how long is forever. She isn't fabricating her demons, but vacillating between exorcising them or joining them. Honest dealing like this is at odds with the shallow lexicon of pop culture imagery. It is also Mann's greatest strength. I hope she makes it back, soul intact, because I think she may just know a thing or two herself.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Buried in Leather - We Are Gone

Label: Teenage Heart Records

Released: August 11, 2008

Perhaps nowhere did the earliest marriages of punk and metal produce better material than in Boston. The early 80s found the likes of Gang Green and the FUs infusing their street punk with more than just a hint of metal. A lot of this was forgotten later in the decade as thrash became the principal vehicle for the punk/metal crossover, but it's nice to see that the same spirit that produced these bands is still alive in Boston. Buried in Leather pour on an intense, yet fun attack of thrashy punk rock with just a little metal riffage for good measure. Even on mid-tempo tracks like the somewhat hard rock-influenced "More Dirty Places," they manage to amp things up to the max. On others, like the album closing "No Ninjas," they move from a lumbering start right into the breakneck energy for which punk has long been known. While We Are Gone may not exactly be a bold new future, it injects fantastic energy into a genre whose day was way too short the first time around. It feels just as fresh as This Is Boston Not LA did 25 years ago.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 5/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Benard/Worn in Red - Split 7"

Label: Alaska Records/No Breaks

Released: July 2008

If one word could describe this 7", it would be visceral. Nothing seems calculated or planned. Benard blasts through two songs of dissonance, frantic rhythms and pure passion in just under five and a half minutes. In that short time, they leave everything out there, their hearts on their post-hardcore sleeves.

Saying that Worn in Red is less intense than Benard is kind of like saying the Hiroshima blast was less intense than the Bravo explosion. Both will obliterate you. Still, Worn in Red reins it in ever so slightly, resulting in something a bit more fluid, ebbing and flowing (and then hitting you over the head).

The result is a great split with two bands that are on the same page, but perhaps a different paragraph. Both have full-throttle energy with Benard hitting a bit harder and Worn in Red a bit more dynamically.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

Benard:
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Review: Buffalo Killers - Let It Ride

Label: Alive Naturalsound

Released: July 8, 2008

It would be easy to get tired of hearing the 70s rehashed over and over if there weren't a few bands really doing something special with it. Buffalo Killers is just one of those bands. Though not quite as raw as their debut, Let It Ride turns up the soul, an ingredient not only missing from many of today's retro bands, but also from many of the originals. They have a fair bit in common with the Black Crowes (with whom they recently toured), but they're grittier with a dirtier sense of the blues. They master both power and mellowness whether taking on the understated "Give and Give" or the driving boogie of "On the Prowl." Let It Ride has more breadth than most of its peers and it keeps me from getting too tired of the 70s just yet.

Ratings
Satriani: 6/10
Zappa: 6/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 8/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Fall Horsie - Devil (e) Danger

Label: Youth Club Records

Released: October 28, 2008

There is a lot of music out there that isn't rock music in any way, shape or form...and yet it thoroughly rocks. None of this is headed for mainstream success, but it is often some of the most interesting music in even the broadest sense of the rock sphere. Fall Horsie is one of these bands. While the music itself ranges from chamber music to cabaret (having moments reminiscent of the Decemberists) and uses the very un-rock violin and viola, yet in its wildness and boldness it is very much a rock record. Fall Horsie's style will make them difficult for the average rock fan, but rock fans (albeit not average ones) must make up the core of their audience. That may not turn into a big cash in, but it has turned out a fine album.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 8/10
Dylan: 6/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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Review: Various Artists - A Blackheart Christmas

Label: Blackheart Records

Released: November 18, 2008

Every year at Christmastime we're treated (or subjected) to another collection of rock artists' takes on our favorite holiday songs. These albums tend to be a mixed bag made up of songs that will appeal to fans of the particular artists at least as novelties and others that are real bombs. The best case scenario might even include one or two renditions that are truly special.

A Blackheart Christmas does not have any real misses, but most of the tracks don't really transcend happy novelties for fans of the bands appearing. The Vacancies take on "Father Christmas," perhaps the best rock Christmas tune ever, is a fine listen, but doesn't go anywhere special. The drunken swagger of the Cute Lepers' "Christmas is the Time to Say I Love You" is a fun option for a non-traditional holiday. The rough edges on Thommy Price and Nefertiti Jones' "Winter Wonderland" give it punk appeal without losing its "happy holiday" sentiment.

Unlike most holiday comps though, A Blackheart Christmas has a pair of really special tracks that, in a (less-than-perfect) perfect world, might become Christmas classics. The Dollyrots give "Santa Baby" a snotty punk treatment, in lieu of its traditional sexy swing, as if it was meant to be about a down-and-out misfit rather than a well-to-do diva. Better still, Girl in a Coma turn "I'll Be Home for Christmas" into something dark and foreboding rather than hopeful. These are the Christmas carols for the "other half" in a sense.

Will this album replace Bing's "Little Drummer Boy" or Nat's "O Holy Night?" Probably not, but there's always room for a few more Christmas classics, especially when the might reach out to listeners whose world may not be so idyllic.

Rating: 7/10

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Review: Wilderness - (k)no(w)here

Label: Jagjaguwar

Released: November 4, 2008

Over the years, the term art rock hasn't had a real solid definition, but it has consistently included bands that push creative limits even if some sacrifice the raw ability to rock in the process. To not call Wilderness an art rock band would be a mistake, but to limit them to the trappings of any single era of that shifting genre would be just as incorrect.

If (k)no(w)here has a fault, it's that it tends to be art for art's sake, abandoning the structure of pop music for more esoteric designs. That makes the album a difficult listen, but the challenge has its rewards. Taking everything from Velvet Underground to PiL in varying doses, Wilderness runs through the spectrum of the "high art" of rock music without settling in any one spot. Aside from "Strand the Test of Time," which might as well be a lost Joy Division song, the album never gets into a rut of borrowing heavily from this or that. The result is an album both steeped in the art rock tradition and breaking out on its own, it's challenge well worth accepting. Besides, arty or not, it rocks on its own terms.

Ratings
Satriani: 7/10
Zappa: 7/10
Dylan: 7/10
Aretha: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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