Author Topic: bl5150's Top 50.........TOP TEN ...#1  (Read 69598 times)

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Online jingle.boy

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#47 - "a new machine"
« Reply #105 on: July 03, 2014, 03:01:17 PM »
Just checked out Shy.... Holeeeeeee shit...

No kidding, eh?

You're such a whore.   ;)
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Offline bl5150

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#47 - "a new machine"
« Reply #106 on: July 03, 2014, 07:46:45 PM »
Had a go with the first half of Night of the Crime this morning.  Meh...  production sounded a little dated, and it felt kinda generic to me.  Wait... Out for Blood just started.  Nice intro.  Nothing wrong with this, just didn't wow me.

Tyketto... somehow slipped off my radar, and I never went back to check them out.

tut tut Chad. Tykettoo is awesome! I even sent their best song in your roulette. You have no excuse  :biggrin: And with Bonfire, try Fireworks - its alot better sounding.

I have to say I like the Icon and Pink Floyd (though I'm no big PF fan ) but prefer both your honourable mentions over the actual choice. Saraya's WTBS is a great "proggish" melodic rock album. Its' sort of a hard rock version of Queensryche's Empire (same producer). Their first album was bluesy hard rock so the follow up was a bit of a surprise. They then disappeared. Shame as Sandi Saraya was hot.

I agree with a lot of this feedback - without rehashing my first post , the fact that I felt I could only cut it to 50 if I made it mostly about "life impact' has meant that , especially in the lower rankings , albums that I may not rate as high right now are getting a run.   I totally agree about the Bonfire production and hinted at that in my write up - unfortunately as far as Fireworks goes for me its Ready For Reaction (awesome!) and the rest (just ok).

If you put a few of these albums in front of me now and asked me to rank them as to what I want to play right now it'd go something like this :  Shy, Saraya, Icon, Tyketto, Bonfire ............however the Icon/Bonfire were by far the most influential in terms of listening time when I was "learning the ropes." A big reason I've gone to the trouble of the runners up and HM's is to bring back into the discussion albums that I really wanted to see mentioned but (under the criteria) couldn't make it.

Another update (or two) later.......

 

« Last Edit: July 03, 2014, 08:24:42 PM by bl5150 »
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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#47 - "a new machine"
« Reply #107 on: July 03, 2014, 07:50:18 PM »
It's all good.  Take a look at my first top 50, and people would shart themselves over the first 6 entries, and then wtf over a few more.  Life impact plays a big role... and it's Top 50 of all time, not just at the moment.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
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Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Offline bl5150

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#46 - "take me back"
« Reply #108 on: July 03, 2014, 09:44:17 PM »


#46 Noiseworks: s/t
Released 1987

Tracks
1.     Burning Feeling     
2.     Love Somebody     
3.     Take Me Back     
4.     No Lies     
5.     River Of Tears     
6.     Welcome To The World     
7.     Edge Of Darkness     
8.     Little Bit More     
9.     Only Loving You     
10.     It's Time

I'm not expecting much love for this , but you never know your luck.  I imagine only the Aussies will be familiar with the band.

Noiseworks are an Australian band who became local chart toppers with their brand of commercial rock in the late 80's -  AMG who do the biogs for my music streaming service call them "one of the better metal bands of the late 80's"   :rollin    Ummmm -  NO! .  I'd put them somewhere in between pissweak rock (Simple Minds) and hard rock .  Perhaps imagine Simple Minds book a surgeon for a strapadictomy + testosterone injections and emerge with some gonads. Some call it high tech AOR - in any case they certainly don’t sound like your stereotypical Aussie rock (AC/DC,Choirboys etc…)

They had a decent team behind them too – their debut was on CBS and produced by the very well regarded Mark Opitz. .  Vocalist Jon Stevens is an absolute champ who took a chance and moved to Australia from NZ to try his luck - he has awesome pipes and belts it out even better 20 years later too(I saw him live just recently) - guitarist Stuart Fraser has a rather scratchy tone  but it’s unique to him and I grew to like it well enough. 

The album itself has two fairly distinct types of songs - there's the more upbeat pop rock and then the slower, much more atmospheric tracks. And like most albums with a unique atmosphere to them , when I listen to this album it “takes me back” to when I often listened to it  etc...……… . It's also relatively cheese free compared to most of the stuff around at the time .  Highly recommended for non-Aussies to check out if you can get into relatively light rock and yet another ripper from the year 1987.

Jon Stevens of course went on to front INXS for an extended period after the death of Michael Hutchence. There were also strong hints he’d been sussed out for the Van Halen gig for VH 3 – personally I think he would’ve kicked ass and I wish he'd done a harder rock album of some description. I love this guy's voice when he's belting it out.

I've put a mix of the rockers and atmospheric tracks in the samples, starting with the more commercial stuff.  I'm surprised I had to upload many of these myself - it was big enough in Oz to think it'd be on Youtube/Grooveshark  :-\

Favourite Tracks:  Take Me Back , Little Bit More, It's Time, River Of Tears, Welcome To The World


Honourable Mention:  Triumph - Surveillance   ...........another goodie from 1987 and the linked track kicks ass.
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Offline bl5150

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#45 - "flyin' high"
« Reply #109 on: July 03, 2014, 10:20:58 PM »


#45 Red Dawn: Never Say Surrender
Released 1993

Tracks
1.     Flyin' High     5:45
2.     I'll Be There     4:11
3.     Liar     3:23
4.     Dangerous Child     6:17
5.     Promises     5:36
6.     I Can't Get Over You     5:39
7.     Christine     4:05
8.     Take These Chains     5:02
9.     She's On Fire     5:23
10.     Never Say Surrender     4:51

This is one of THE definitive AOR albums and for a one off project it’s just an amazing set of songs and performances – full of melody/hooks and stellar guitars..   A couple of the band members had some pedigree - David Rosenthal on keys  had been in Rainbow etc as had Chuck Burgi on drums, bassist Greg Smith played with Alice Cooper etc….….. but for all intents and purposes this is like a supergroup of relative unknowns , if that’s possible.   Larry Baud on vocals – who replaced original vocalist Mitch Malloy - sounds like Michael Bolton after a bolus of steroids + No Doze and guitarist Tristan Avakian (who was never really heard of again) studied guitar under Vinnie Moore and it shows. He’s also very obviously influenced by Steve Vai.

So imagine that style of singer over the top of lush keys and a slightly more restrained Steve Vai /Vinnie Moore on guitar playing commercial rock a la Journey with a dash of House of Lords keyboard pomp and that’s the sort of sound here.

 All in all just an amazing album and yet another little known masterpiece from the early 90’s released to the sound of crickets.

Favourite Tracks:  Flying HighLiar ,Never Say Surrender I'll Be There


Honourable Mention :  Valentine - Valentine
« Last Edit: July 03, 2014, 10:51:13 PM by bl5150 »
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#47 - "a new machine"
« Reply #110 on: July 04, 2014, 02:18:01 AM »
It's all good.  Take a look at my first top 50, and people would shart themselves over the first 6 entries, and then wtf over a few more.  Life impact plays a big role... and it's Top 50 of all time, not just at the moment.

And us forgeys have much more life for the mucis to impact on than these whipper snappers who only have 50 albums  :biggrin:

Red Dawn = awesome. Don't need to say anymore. Did I use these in your roulette Chad? They were lined up.

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#47 - "a new machine"
« Reply #111 on: July 04, 2014, 04:36:16 AM »
And us forgeys have much more life for the mucis to impact on than these whipper snappers who only have 50 albums  :biggrin:

And one of them only had a top 33 album list!

Red Dawn = awesome. Don't need to say anymore. Did I use these in your roulette Chad? They were lined up.

Nope, but the writeup has me THOROUGHLY intrigued.  Can't say the same for Noiseworks.  :lol  The cover even makes them look like INXS wannabees

Brent, you fail for not linking Headed for Nowhere with Triumph/Surveillance.  That's easily one of my top 5 guitar riffs ever.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
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Offline jjrock88

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#45 - "flyin' high"
« Reply #112 on: July 04, 2014, 10:48:34 AM »
Surveillance is neck and neck with Allied Forces for my favorite from Triumph.

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#45 - "flyin' high"
« Reply #113 on: July 04, 2014, 11:03:07 AM »
Thunder Seven is this guys favorite.  Never hear of the last 2 and will check them out.
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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#45 - "flyin' high"
« Reply #114 on: July 04, 2014, 11:06:38 AM »
Never rally heard any Triumph back int he day. When I heard Hugo's cover of Magic Power I got interested. Allied fORCES FOR ME, sURVEILLANCE 2ND.

I urge all the Mel Rock fans to try that Red Dawn album. Great write up. Didn't know Avakian studied under Vinnie Moore. Shame he disappeared as he had chops.

notice how I avoided any mention of Noiseworks? It's better that way.  :biggrin:

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#45 - "flyin' high"
« Reply #115 on: July 04, 2014, 12:16:28 PM »
I urge all the Mel Rock fans to try that Red Dawn album. Great write up.

Did so.  It was wicked!
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
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Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Offline bl5150

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Time to up the ante  :metal  - from here , aside from a couple of more bluesy rock/AOR interludes , it's all rock and metal.




#44 Annihilator: Never Neverland
Released 1990

Tracks
1.   "The Fun Palace"     5:51
2.   "Road to Ruin"     3:42
3.   "Sixes and Sevens"     5:20
4.   "Stonewall"     4:50
5.   "Never, Neverland"     5:29
6.   "Imperiled Eyes"     5:27
7.   "Kraf Dinner"     2:41
8.   "Phantasmagoria"     3:59
9.   "Reduced to Ash"     3:09
10.   "I Am in Command"     3:34

 In September 1990 , within a week of each other, two thrash metal classics were released…………Rust In Peace and Never Neverland.  To me there are four classics of that genre that just nail the combination of heaviness, melody and great guitar work (more the rhythm work for Metallica and Anthrax) and they are:  Rust In Peace, Spreading The Disease, Master of Puppets and Never Neverland….Testament were also a favourite but to me they never managed a totally killer album.

In the case of Annihilator and Anthrax it seems to be widely acknowledged that Alison Hell and Among The Living are the “classics” but to me neither are in the same ballpark.

Anyway………all of those bands bar Annihilator (see later) had only one album that totally clicked with me and Never Neverland was the album that got the most airplay in my bedroom so here it sits in my Top 50 just ahead of the others.   The key man of course is Jeff Waters who for a little while there was IMO close enough to world’s most under rated guitarist.  He seems to suffer from a condition that makes it impossible to keep a band together for more than five minutes and unfortunately the vast majority of music released since hasn’t been worthy of mention but , when he was in his sweet spot , not many could touch Jeff Waters.   He combined the right hand of Hetfield and Mustaine with the left hand of Friedman and I would say in some respects better than Friedman during this period.  The combination of crunching rhythms , quieter interludes and progressive, technical ,melodious (h/t JLB  ;D ) shredding on this album is about as good as it gets. 

One other thing about Annihilator back then is that the various themes (everything from girls confined to home by crazy grandmothers,crazy dreams, general disorder, environmental damage, drunk driving to schizophrenia to macaroni cheese) combined with Jeff’s crazy guitar playing always made me feel like I was listening inside a lunatic asylum  :lol  Very cool…I think. Hmm.   The second half of the album falls away quite a bit , but the first half is so damn perfect that it justifies its spot.

The follow up Set The World on Fire took the whole Black Album sellout thing to a new level and was a big change in direction – everything from regular thrash to AOR style melodic rock.  Like TBA (even more so)  it was considered a horrible sell out at the time by diehard fans but taken on its own merit (perhaps as a Jeff Waters solo album) it’s another (their last) great album and of course features a killer rhythm section with our very own Mike Mangini. The guitar playing is possibly even better than on Never Neverland – a classic softer metal/rock album that almost got this spot in the list.

Favourite Tracks: The Fun Palace , Stonewall, Never Neverland , Sixes and Sevens


Honourable Mention :  China - Sign In The Sky
« Last Edit: July 04, 2014, 07:39:48 PM by bl5150 »
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

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Offline jjrock88

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Never really looked into them too much.  Only familiar with Alison Hell.

Offline bl5150

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Never really looked into them too much.  Only familiar with Alison Hell.

If you're not banging your head by the end of Fun Palace I'll eat my hat jj  ;D
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Offline jjrock88

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I just listened to it.  Kick ass tune!

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Knew from the title change what it would be. Awesome album! :metal :metal
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Offline Lowdz

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I had a listen to some Annihilator a couple of years ago on recommendations from her. Didn't do anything at all for me.
YOur honourable mention however, is a great undiscovered gem. Bought this on vinyl on release after seeing them support someone back in the day (so many gigs I don't remember who). NOt a classic from start to finish but some really good songs in there.

Offline bl5150

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#43: Place Vendome: s/t
Released October 2005

tracks

"Cross the Line"  4:56
"I Will Be Waiting" - 4:56
"Too Late" - 4:17
"I Will Be Gone"  5:12
"The Setting Sun"  4:48
"Place Vendome" - 3:58
"Heaven's Door" - 4:06
"Right Here"  - 4:13
"Magic Carpet Ride" - 4:01
"Sign of the Times" - 5:16

I’d always been an admirer of Michael Kiske but I found limited highlights in the early Helloween material - to be quite frank I think the "Keepers" albums are over rated.   There were a number of tracks I loved from the Kiske era (I Want Out and Mankind to name a couple) but a whole lot more that did nothing for me.  After his self imposed exile the last thing I expected was a project like this that covers everything from AOR to (light) metal with beautifully written songs and awesome performances across the whole range from Kiske.  I never figured him as an AOR singer but it does suit him here.  And that this set of great songs was written almost entirely by Denis Ward for this project is equally mindblowing.........I think the quality is better than anything he's done in his more full time bands.

I remember reading that Kiske recorded the vocals in his home studio and sent the tracks to the band to work on – and that he was disappointed at how heavy they’d made some of it.  Well I don’t agree with him there but to think that the band never met in the studio makes this even more of an achievement.  I rate pretty much every track highly , although I do have my favourites as linked.

As mentioned previously I'm over the whole Frontiers project band thing but this is one hell of an exception.  It's also rather ironic that Kiske produced perhaps the best album of his career fronting a group essentially made up of the original band of Andy Deris , his replacement in Helloween.

Favourite Tracks:  Cross The Line, Sign of the Times, Magic Carpet RideThe Setting Sun


Honourable Mention:  Snakes In Paradise - Garden of Eden One of the better voices around the place Stefan Berggren and his band - he later also joined Company of Snakes with Moody/Marsden from the old Whitesnake
« Last Edit: July 05, 2014, 08:29:42 AM by bl5150 »
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Offline jjrock88

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Kiske is awesome!

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Kiske is awesome!
Hell fuc#ing YES!!

The Keepers albums are not overrated. They are Vocal Tour De Forces.

And that Place Vendome album is great!!
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
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Offline Lowdz

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Great album, no doubt. But PC 69 are awesome. I actually prefer their singer (David Redman not Andi Deris - yuk) to Kiske. I was never a huge Helloween fan at all and have only got into them in the last 3 years or so - and I love the Keepers albums, but Dark Ride is possibly my favourite.
PV is an excellent melodic rock album. Good call.

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The first PV is incredible.  The second was a bit of a disappointment.  When I saw this as an entry, I knew Tim would be in here pretty quick with his man-love for Michael.   :biggrin:  I also agree the Keepers albums are over-rated... I've tried, but they just don't click for me, and if that's the best that Helloween has to offer, well, guess I'll just take a pass.  I love Kiske outside of Helloween though, maybe I just fell his voice is perfectly suited for a more melodic sound as opposed to power metal?  I dunno.

Never did get into Annihilitor, and I doubt I will.  Tried a few tracks.... meh.

With a Lowdz recommendation, guess I need to check out China.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
I fear for the day when something happens on the right that is SO nuts that even Stadler says "That's crazy".
Quote from: Puppies_On_Acid
Remember the mark of a great vocalist is if TAC hates them with a special passion

Offline Lowdz

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The first PV is incredible.  The second was a bit of a disappointment.  When I saw this as an entry, I knew Tim would be in here pretty quick with his man-love for Michael.   :biggrin:  I also agree the Keepers albums are over-rated... I've tried, but they just don't click for me, and if that's the best that Helloween has to offer, well, guess I'll just take a pass.  I love Kiske outside of Helloween though, maybe I just fell his voice is perfectly suited for a more melodic sound as opposed to power metal?  I dunno.

Never did get into Annihilitor, and I doubt I will.  Tried a few tracks.... meh.

With a Lowdz recommendation, guess I need to check out China.

I'll make it easy for you  :biggrin:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJjzjpLWN7Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VS68hX6e0A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Hbi_sTdh_g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsQvpenI5iw

Offline bl5150

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FWIW:

-  I agree that almost anything with Kiske is a vocal tour de force , I just don't think the Keepers songs are that great, with the odd exception. i'm glad Chad agreed with me - one more than I expected :neverusethis:   I'm a bit the same with Gamma Ray (I love Heading For Tomorrow - the song -for example, but find I don't connect with most of their stuff) so I think it's more a Kai Hansen thing.  I haven't got around to the most recent few Helloween discs but I was enjoying Master of the Rings back in the day before a mate nicked it and didn't return it , didn't like Time of the Oath , loved the 2nd half of The Dark Ride but not as much the first.  So Helloween are very hit and miss with me , but I do really like them when a song does gel.  If Notepad pops in for this discussion I might need tear gas and water cannons.  :o

-
Andi Deris - yuk

but Dark Ride is possibly my favourite.

To quote one of Australia's dumbest ever politicians - "Please explain "  ;D


I also like Readman era PC69 Paul and I'm still tossing up whether they get an HM - having said that I found they got a bit same-ish after a while.  The peak for me is Electrified/Sonic Dynamite , which both got a lot of airtime with me.

« Last Edit: July 05, 2014, 05:35:29 PM by bl5150 »
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au

Online TAC

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When I saw this as an entry, I knew Tim would be in here pretty quick with his man-love for Michael.   :biggrin: 

 :metal

FWIW:

-  I agree that almost anything with Kiske is a vocal tour de force , I just don't think the Keepers songs are that great,

I'm Alive
Future World
Keeper Of The Seven Keys
Halloween
We Got The Right
Eagle Fly Free
March Of Time
You Always Walk Alone
A Little Time
Twilight Of the Gods

Would all like to have a word with you.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline bl5150

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OK TAC - but they'll need to make an appointment  :P   It might be a while too as I give priority to new applicants rather than those I've already interviewed and rejected many years ago.  ;D


I will give them another listen but I would be amazed if my opinion has changed years later on music that , for the most part, I didn't rate at all .  I'll let you know if I have some sort of epiphany.
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Offline Lowdz

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I just don't love Deris' voice, but its not enough to ruin The Dark Ride. I'm more likely to reach for that over the other albums. I do quite like some of Pink Bubbles too but it does suffer from that crazy German "humour". So I'm not a typical Helloween fan.  :biggrin:

Offline bl5150

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The one Kiske era track I regularly play is Mankind (off Pink Bubbles) - if they were ever going to produce an album that really grabbed me that would've been it because I love that style but unfortunately the album was too "out there" and very patchy.
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www.theguitardojo.com.au

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OK TAC - but they'll need to make an appointment  :P   It might be a while too as I give priority to new applicants rather than those I've already interviewed and rejected many years ago.  ;D


I will give them another listen but I would be amazed if my opinion has changed years later on music that , for the most part, I didn't rate at all .  I'll let you know if I have some sort of epiphany.
What's funny is that Mankind is one of my least faves off of Pink Bubbles.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline bl5150

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#42 -"raw dogs"
« Reply #134 on: July 06, 2014, 07:31:34 PM »
I suppose it makes sense TAC given our wildly diverging views on the quality of the Keepers stuff ........and Savatage .... and  ;D  But just to highlight that great minds do still think alike at times I have an album coming up in the next few updates that was not only in your Top 50 but in exactly the same position .

Anyway............back to it



#42 Riverdogs: Riverdogs
Released 1990

Tracks
1.     Whisper     
2.     Toy Soldier     
3.     Big House     
4.     Holy War     
5.     Baby Blue     
6.     I Believe     
7.     Water from the Moon     
8.     Rain-Rain     
9.     Spooky
10    America

Here we have yet another qualty rock album from the early 90’s that came and went with barely a whimper.   It’s a much more mature, stripped back bluesy rock than most of the stuff making waves at the time – not too many huge choruses to be  found – but it’s certainly very well written and performed. I don't listen to it all that often these days but when I feel like something a bit more "rootsy"/bluesy then it's near the top of the go-to list. 

The lyrics and music  (mostly written by Lamothe)  are rather dark at times - often to do with the futility of war or war vet stories - but very well done . The vocal delivery is powerful and soulful and Viv Campbell puts in what is in my opinion his most tasteful performance as a guitarist with some very nice, well targetted soloing…  Top session drummer Mike Baird is behind the kit and there’s a cameo on keys by Kevin Gilbert on the song “America.”  Most of the songs sound as if they were originally intended to be more semi-acoustic and the arrival of Campbell gave the music the kick in the ass that takes them into a more rock kinda territory. It's not what I'd necessarily call an immediate album but something that will possibly work its way into your playlist over time.

The actions of Viv indicate he expected big things from the project too – he was originally just intending to produce the band’s demos but threw away his position with Whitesnake to hook up with these guys full time and has stated on more than one occasion that this album is his proudest achievement.

The band got together on and off over the years but effectively disbanded shortly after the album’s release (and flop).  Viv was moved by their label (Epic) across to the Shadow King project which I have featured below as an honourable mention. If like me you love Lou Gramm's voice , especially when rocking a bit , then that's definitely worth  a listen.

Favourite Tracks:  Water From The Moon , Holy War , WhisperSpooky


Honourable Mention:  Shadow King - s/t .......as mentioned above Lou Gramm rocking out a bit more than he did in Foreigner with Viv on guitar.  Another very short lived project.
« Last Edit: July 06, 2014, 07:46:21 PM by bl5150 »
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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#42 -"raw dogs"
« Reply #135 on: July 06, 2014, 09:55:26 PM »
Had a listen, found it very enjoyable.  Vocally, reminded me a lot of Coverdale as well.

Who recommended the Shadow King recently?  Was it you in the AOR thread?  I know I checked them out, and put 'em on the list.  Really dug them.

China... very enjoyable as well.  Can't find much on them on the interwebz.  Vocally, reminded me a lot of Toby Hitchcock.
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Offline bl5150

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#42 -"raw dogs"
« Reply #136 on: July 06, 2014, 09:57:11 PM »
i believe I recommended Shadow King to Big Hath in the melodic rock/AOR thread when he ran one of his suggestathons  :D
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

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Offline Big Hath

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#42 -"raw dogs"
« Reply #137 on: July 06, 2014, 09:59:04 PM »
i believe I recommended Shadow King to Big Hath in the melodic rock thread when he ran one of his suggestathons  :D

that was it.  Another album that is now making frequent appearances in the rotation.
Winger would be better!

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Re: bl5150's Top 50 ................the main event....#42 -"raw dogs"
« Reply #138 on: July 06, 2014, 10:01:29 PM »
i believe I recommended Shadow King to Big Hath in the melodic rock thread when he ran one of his suggestathons  :D

that was it.  Another album that is now making frequent appearances in the rotation.

Ok, that's it.  I bookmarked that post (and the PM you sent me Brent), and finally made my way through those recommendations a few weeks back.  That's why it's so fresh in my mind.  I was loving that one.
That's a word salad - and take it from me, I know word salad
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Offline bl5150

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#41 Symphony X : The Divine Wings of Tragedy
Released March 1997

tracks
1.    Of Sins and Shadows   04:58    
2.    Sea of Lies   04:19    
3.    Out of the Ashes   03:40    
4.    The Accolade   09:51    
5.    Pharaoh   05:29    
6.    The Eyes of Medusa   05:26
7.    The Witching Hour   04:15    
8.    The Divine Wings of Tragedy   20:43    
9.    Candlelight Fantasia   06:45    

Truly one of the classic albums in the prog metal space, this is everything it should be : epic and beautiful , yet brutally powerful.  Nobody here needs to be introduced to mobster extraordinaire Russell Allen  so I won’t bother other than to say he’s in peak form here – the rest of the band are spot on too and on songs like Eyes of Medusa guitarist Michael Romeo just about redefines the meaning of the word “crunch”.

I like parts of many SX albums – everything from Twilight In Olympus, Odyssey to Paradise Lost, but for me DWOT is where they really nailed it across the vast majority of an album. If I had to be picky songs like Out Of The Ashes, Pharoah and The Witching Hour don’t hold my attention as much as the more epic tunes.   I have no issue listening to this from start to finish and it contains a few of the most magical metal toons ever written in the way of The Accolade, Eyes of Medusa, Of Sins and Shadows etc…..

Favourites: The Accolade, The Eyes Of Medusa, Of Sins and Shadows



Honourable Mention:  Y&T - Ten
« Last Edit: July 06, 2014, 11:24:56 PM by bl5150 »
"I would just like to say that after all these years of heavy drinking, bright lights and late nights, I still don't need glasses. I drink right out of the bottle." - DLR

www.theguitardojo.com.au