-
CD Reviews
Contact Clyde to have your latest CD reviewed here! -
Book Reviews
Contact Clyde to have your latest CD reviewed here!
<
>
I don’t know if Bombay Black could have chosen a more appropriate title for their latest CD release than Bullets and Booze. This disc fires off shot after shot of good time rock and roll while screaming party, party, party from start to finish on this 15 song treasure-trove of straight-up, hard hitting, rock till you drop, excitement.
The lyrics on this disc give an insight into the life and times of Bombay Black. Their drink of choice is obviously Tequila. They have at least a minor fascination with tattoos (anyone who has ever woken up the next morning wondering “where they got that tattoo” will be able to relate to the lyrics of “Helluva Time”).They love to rock. And, of course, they really love to party. They love to party before the show. They love to party after the show. They love to party with one-another, they love to party with friends, and they love to party with fans—especially, female fans.
I’ve never really been into assigning a rating number to a CD. I’m a writer, not a mathematician. But if I would be pressed to rate this disc on a scale of 1 to 5, I’d definitely go with a solid 4, perhaps even a 4 ½, if, for no other reason, just because Bombay Black managed to pull off the amazing—if not close to impossible—feat of stringing 15 really good, solid, rock and roll numbers in a row onto this disc without a single snoozer or weakling throughout the entire playlist. There isn’t that “one” song anywhere on this disc that makes you wonder if you may have just heard the tune that will eventually be crowned the most amazing song of the 20-teens (or whatever they will eventually decide to refer to this decade as), but in the same token, there isn’t any one song on this entire compilation that will make you consider reaching for the skip button, either. Every rock and roll outfit in existence longs for their“Stairway to Heaven,” “Freebird” or “Sweet Emotion.” That one astronomical, killer hit that resonates so loudly around the entire world that you know from that day forward you will, always and forever, be revered as one of rock and roll’s all-time greatest. But in reality, a band’s number one obligation to their fans is to deliver the highest quality, most consistent, playlist from start to finish that they can. Bombay Black fulfills this obligation to perfection.
The disc switches up the tempo on one occasion to expose the dark side of Bombay Black. This occurs exactly at the midpoint of the disc on track 8, “Let Me Be.” I’ve never been a big fan of the grunge era, mainly because that dark Seattle, grungy sound was mostly a little too dark and dreary for my taste. But as the intro to “Let Me Be” begins to drone, it rings out with a slightly different dark tone than the typical grunge base. Bombay Black manages to capture the dark, without delving too deeply into the dreary. It’s more of a grunge meets old-school, Black Sabbath heavy metal tone. And the powerhouse choruses on this number rival that of any topnotch ‘80s arena rock super group in their heyday. Yet somehow, this twist from rock till you drop to down and dirty darkness rolls in and out without any interruption to the natural flow of this mostly upbeat and lively collection.
I kept anticipating that one “different” number that so many groups feel they have to dabble in to show they have a softer side. That one mushy ballad or tender love song that usually misses the mark of who the band really is by miles and miles. But it never materialized on this project. I thought, just for a second, that time had arrived on the last track of the disk when I heard the softer sound of a piano ringing out in the intro. Within milliseconds, however, the rest of the band comes thundering in and Bombay Black is right back to what they do best, rockin’ hard and singing about Tequila.
The boys from Bombay Black know exactly who they are, hard rockin’, hoopin’ and hollerin’, rock and roll rebels, and they never deviate from that winning formula—not even for a second.
Visit Bombay Black at http://www.bombayblackmusic.com/fr_home.cfm
Bombay Black
Pat Savage
Wind & Fire
Pat Savage is not exactly a household name in the traditional world of blues/rock performing. As a matter of fact, chances are pretty good that if you have never been to a large motorcycle rally, you have never heard of Pat Savage. Chances are even better, however, that if you have ever witnessed biker/rocker Pat Savage perform at a rally, it is something you will never forget. A Toronto native, Savage has been performing his blues/rock fusion style of what he refers to as “biker music” at motorcycle rallies and music festivals all across Canada, America and Europe, as well as South Africa and other far-reaching locations for years. Savage’s most recent CD release,“Wind and
Fire,” titled in honor of the Wind and Fire Motorcycle Club, made up of fire fighters that also share a common love for riding, keeps his biker music tradition alive and well.
Just a quick glimpse at the track listings, with titles like“Born
to Ride,” “Ridin’ on my Harley,” “Got to Ride,” and “Harley Man,” tells the tale of the lyrics on this biker classic. With traditional biker phrases like, riding coast to coast, love that sound of my Harley in gear, got my knees in the breeze, wind in my hair, rolling till the break of dawn and the age-old Harley rider’s mantra, if I had to explain, you wouldn’t understand, peppered in from start to finish, cranking up this CD will instantly inspire any real motorcycle enthusiast to jump on their bike and hit the highway. Other more subtle moments from the collection conjure up an implied image, leaving specific details to the listener’s imagination. Like when I listen to the chorus on the softer “Big City Nights” I envision a weary, lone rider, cruising along well after dusk, gazing over the handle bars at the faint city lights, still far off in the distance, representing the end of the journey after a long, hard day’s ride.
But all this isn’t to say that you have to be a hardcore biker to enjoy this CD. After all, I’m sure just as many—if not more—non-riders have rocked out to Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” over the years as have riders across the globe. So now that we’ve covered the lyrical aspect of this project, let’s take a look at what the disc offers from a musical perspective. Hard-hitting guitar riffs, masterful blues techniques, riveting vocals and screaming guitar solos dwell on this disc in abundance.
Breaking it down track by track:
Born to Ride: Let the rockin’ begin! This number starts the disc off just the way I like it, with hard driving, slightly distorted, electric guitars delivered with just enough crunch to make you say, “oh, hell yeah!”
Ridin’ on my Harley: More blistering guitar work with a little added boogie-woogie flavor. The song also breaks twice briefly into an almost bop-shoo-wop,’50’s-style interlude that adds an interesting twist.
Big City Lights: This is a melodic number that takes the intensity level down a few notches but still features some pretty impressive lead guitar riffs.
El Diablo: Perhaps the most interesting track on the disc, not to mention probably my personal favorite. Heavy metal guitars with just a dash of Spanish flavor. You really have to hear it to completely understand.
Ridin’ Hard Livin’ Free: More hard-rockin’, boogie-woogie style, good-old-fashion rock and roll commemorating the biker’s lifestyle.
Keep on Rollin’: A slow, bluesy number dedicated to both bike riders and the bike builders that make the riding possible.
John the Revelator: A tribute to the disciple John delivered in what can only be described as down-home, Delta-style blues.
The Coolest Place: A light and bouncy, almost kind of tongue in cheek, fun little pre-breakup number with just a hint of a Steppenwolf feel to it.
Got to Ride: A return to those attention-getting, hard-crunching guitars from the start of the CD with a little El Diablo style tone in the solos.
Harley Man: This number can be summed up from start to finish in one simple sentence, good-old-fashioned, twelve bar blues, done to near perfection. Savage’s
skills as a lead guitarist really shine through on this number.
Wind and Fire: Lyrically, this song is nothing short of a tribute to brave firefighters worldwide. Musically, as well as lyrically, it is smooth and melodic in most parts, yet almost haunting in others, just like the way of life it celebrates.
Check out Savage's website at http://www.savageroads.com
Wind & Fire
Pat Savage is not exactly a household name in the traditional world of blues/rock performing. As a matter of fact, chances are pretty good that if you have never been to a large motorcycle rally, you have never heard of Pat Savage. Chances are even better, however, that if you have ever witnessed biker/rocker Pat Savage perform at a rally, it is something you will never forget. A Toronto native, Savage has been performing his blues/rock fusion style of what he refers to as “biker music” at motorcycle rallies and music festivals all across Canada, America and Europe, as well as South Africa and other far-reaching locations for years. Savage’s most recent CD release,“Wind and
Fire,” titled in honor of the Wind and Fire Motorcycle Club, made up of fire fighters that also share a common love for riding, keeps his biker music tradition alive and well.
Just a quick glimpse at the track listings, with titles like“Born
to Ride,” “Ridin’ on my Harley,” “Got to Ride,” and “Harley Man,” tells the tale of the lyrics on this biker classic. With traditional biker phrases like, riding coast to coast, love that sound of my Harley in gear, got my knees in the breeze, wind in my hair, rolling till the break of dawn and the age-old Harley rider’s mantra, if I had to explain, you wouldn’t understand, peppered in from start to finish, cranking up this CD will instantly inspire any real motorcycle enthusiast to jump on their bike and hit the highway. Other more subtle moments from the collection conjure up an implied image, leaving specific details to the listener’s imagination. Like when I listen to the chorus on the softer “Big City Nights” I envision a weary, lone rider, cruising along well after dusk, gazing over the handle bars at the faint city lights, still far off in the distance, representing the end of the journey after a long, hard day’s ride.
But all this isn’t to say that you have to be a hardcore biker to enjoy this CD. After all, I’m sure just as many—if not more—non-riders have rocked out to Steppenwolf’s “Born to be Wild” over the years as have riders across the globe. So now that we’ve covered the lyrical aspect of this project, let’s take a look at what the disc offers from a musical perspective. Hard-hitting guitar riffs, masterful blues techniques, riveting vocals and screaming guitar solos dwell on this disc in abundance.
Breaking it down track by track:
Born to Ride: Let the rockin’ begin! This number starts the disc off just the way I like it, with hard driving, slightly distorted, electric guitars delivered with just enough crunch to make you say, “oh, hell yeah!”
Ridin’ on my Harley: More blistering guitar work with a little added boogie-woogie flavor. The song also breaks twice briefly into an almost bop-shoo-wop,’50’s-style interlude that adds an interesting twist.
Big City Lights: This is a melodic number that takes the intensity level down a few notches but still features some pretty impressive lead guitar riffs.
El Diablo: Perhaps the most interesting track on the disc, not to mention probably my personal favorite. Heavy metal guitars with just a dash of Spanish flavor. You really have to hear it to completely understand.
Ridin’ Hard Livin’ Free: More hard-rockin’, boogie-woogie style, good-old-fashion rock and roll commemorating the biker’s lifestyle.
Keep on Rollin’: A slow, bluesy number dedicated to both bike riders and the bike builders that make the riding possible.
John the Revelator: A tribute to the disciple John delivered in what can only be described as down-home, Delta-style blues.
The Coolest Place: A light and bouncy, almost kind of tongue in cheek, fun little pre-breakup number with just a hint of a Steppenwolf feel to it.
Got to Ride: A return to those attention-getting, hard-crunching guitars from the start of the CD with a little El Diablo style tone in the solos.
Harley Man: This number can be summed up from start to finish in one simple sentence, good-old-fashioned, twelve bar blues, done to near perfection. Savage’s
skills as a lead guitarist really shine through on this number.
Wind and Fire: Lyrically, this song is nothing short of a tribute to brave firefighters worldwide. Musically, as well as lyrically, it is smooth and melodic in most parts, yet almost haunting in others, just like the way of life it celebrates.
Check out Savage's website at http://www.savageroads.com
Odom was not only Ronnie Van Zant's personal security guard and a childhood friend of the late Van Zant, but he was also on the plane when it crashed and he was the last person on Earth to ever speak to the southern rock legend. If you ever wanted to know the true history of this phenomenal group, this book is a must read. From growing up in Jacksonville, to personnel changes along the way, to the history behind the making of many of Skynyrd's biggest hits, to the horrific plane crash and the painful days and years that followed, Odom shares the good, the bad and the ugly about the band in incredible detail.