Trollheart

Lightning strikes twice --- Nelson --- 2010 (Frontiers)


Apparently, these guys were huge in the nineties, even netting a number one hit single, as well as several other, lower-placed but still top forty singles. I personally have never heard of them, but they seem to have been on top of the world when they released their first album, “After the rain”, and it shot into the US top twenty, giving them their number one single. They are brothers, both sons of the late Ricky Nelson, and have been recording and gigging since their debut twenty years ago, this being seen more or less as their comeback album, their last effort having been 2000's “Like father, like sons”. Their latest album has seemed to attract almost universal critical acclaim.

So what's all the fuss about? Let's listen. Well it opens powerfully, big Boston-style guitar melodies and good backing vocals as “Call me” gets us started. Both the brothers sing and play guitar, with Matthew adding bass to his talents, while brother Gunnar takes the drums. Because they both sing then it's hard to praise one or the other, but whichever Nelson takes the lead vocal on the opener certainly has a voice well suited to radio-friendly rock, and whoever's on the guitar here certainly knows what they're doing. The song is full of hooks, and certainly opens the album well. This continues with “Day by day”, another fast rocker in the style of Bon Jovi or Magnum, great guitar work and powerful drumming driving the song along.

It would appear the guys write all their own material, and “Ready willing and able” is a faster, uptempo boogie rocker that tips its hat to some of the glam rock bands of the eighties like Motley Crue, Hanoi Rocks and Quiet Riot, a real “let's have fun and rock” song that also nods to the overblown rock personas of the likes of Coverdale and Dave Lee Roth. One of the guys, at any rate, has a guitar technique that makes it sound quite a lot like Bryan May's signature, while there's also a lot of Brian Robertson-era Lizzy in there too.

Things slow right down for “How can I miss you?”, the first ballad it would seem, with a beautiful, epic guitar intro, which then powers up and in fact it's not a ballad at all --- I hate/love it when that happens! Big hooky chorus really makes this song something special, with a lot of Europe and Bon Jovi in it, very impressive, and “You're all I need tonight” is another powerful rocker with some great guitar.

Starting on a lovely piano melody from Gary Corbett with some sumptuous strings backing, “To get back to you” must surely be a ballad this time? Aching, passionate vocals from one or the other of the brothers, great melody and surely this would make a perfect single? Information on the album is, surprisingly, a little hard to come by, so I can't say if it was or not, but it's definitely a candidate for lighters held aloft in a live setting. It's also the longest song on the album, almost six minutes. Great, powerful and emotional guitar solo just about puts the icing on the cake of this song, making it, so far, the standout. “When you're gone” ramps everything back up in a fast rocker with that guitar sound that makes you think you're listening to Boston: wonder if they use Scholz's Rockman effects?

A half-ballad then with some jangly guitar in “Take me there”, some more nice strings arrangements and keyboards from Corbett. This is very much in Bon Jovi territory, but doesn't suffer from it. Probably would have been another good choice for a single. Another great hook in the chorus --- these guys certainly know how to write a great rock song! --- and some fine guitar work, which continues in “Come”, an uptempo rocker with lots of energy, borrowing a little of its melody from Prince's “Sign o' the times”, a song indeed which is bound to engender much snickering with double entendre lines like "When you come/ Come again!/ Next time you come/ Bring a friend!" then “In it for the money” is a little more restrained (though not much) as the boys poke fun at older “celebs” who don't realise they have had their day and should retire gracefully, but still think they "have it" . Sort of ZZ Top guitar here, very bluesy rock but with a serious hard edge.

A guitar-driven half-ballad in the style of Robbie Williams, “Change a thing” keeps things going with a certain sense of the Beatles and ELO, then the album closes on “Kickin' my heart around”, a heavy rock cruncher which provides the knockout punch to a pretty breathless bout, all told. If this was a debut album I'd be impressed. For it to be the comeback album from a band who have been around for over twenty years, but largely ignored for the greater part of those two decades, is nothing short of phenomenal. The energy, enthusiasm and freshness about this album is amazing. I have to get a copy of their debut, as it's said this is the “natural progression” from their first album.

I'm kind of amazed I never heard of these guys before, but they're certainly impressing me now. Natural talent like this is rare, and should always be encouraged and cultivated. Luckily, these two brothers come from a family that has always had music in their veins, and to whom, almost literally, music is the lifeblood that holds them together. The late Ricky Nelson can be justifiably proud of his two boys, as they carry on the family tradition.

TRACKLISTING

1. Call me
2. Day by day
3. Ready willing and able
4. How can I miss you?
5. You're all I need tonight
6. To get back to you
7. When you're gone
8. Take me there
9. Come
10. In it for the money
11. Change a thing
12. Kickin' my heart around

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

Always liked this one from Roachford (the album was rubbish though)...

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Unknown Soldier

Page 22-29

Rush- Liked your review of 2112, I've always loved that album especially its famous 7 part suite one of the most epic prog-suites ever written, I also like the B-side, but can't help feeling that one of two of the songs there could've been better. I recently listened to Hemispheres, the other classic album most similiar to it and now have to say that I think Hemispheres is even more awesome than 2112, its just more consistent!

Blake's 7- One of the greatest sci-fi series ever, I totally love this and often think about it, it was so gloomy and depressing, especially with those factory complex sets and all the character were doomed anyway!

Iron Maiden- A good comprehensive review there, well what can I add, like most I'm a Paul Di'Anno fan and love his vocal punk delivery which was heavy and raspy, the debut Maiden album is a classic in every sense, the second best album out of the essential NWOBHM years (only the Diamond Head debut was better have you listened to that yet?) Killers was also another great album as well. As far as I know, Di'Anno was kicked out for his heavy drug habit and also Maiden wanting to adopt a far more stadium metal sound. Anyways, Bruce Dickinson had demonstrated his vocal chops on a couple of Samson albums but Maiden were able to give him far better material than Samson could ever hope to write. Number of the Beast is often quoted as one of the most essential metal album of all time along with say Paranoid, Master of Puppets and Reign in Blood etc. It is indeed a great album, but I wouldn't put it on the same level as those albums or indeed the two Maiden albums that followed! Its problem is, that at times it's disjointed but still a great album. The Bruce Dickinson legend imo was really born on the next two sets Piece of Mind and Powerslave (essential to any metal collection). I also really like the more keyboard influenced Maiden albums as well Somewhere in Time and Seventh Son of a Seventh Son, Maiden had brought keyboards in here due to the popularity of keys in mainstream metal at the time (Van Halen the obvious reference here) After these albums it was really downhill and their two albums with Blaze Bayley are even worse than the two Judas Priest did without Rob Halford!!! Of the recent albums I'm a huge fan of A Matter of Life and Death.

__________________
Metal Wars

Power Metal

Pounding Decibels- A Hard and Heavy History

Trollheart

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

With certainly some of the weirdest lyrics for a song of its time, here's the enigmatic Wang Chung, with “Dance hall days”.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

Once again this section has got away from me, and it's been several months since we last looked at live versus studio performances. It's always good to see an artiste creating new, sometimes unique interpretations of their own songs, or the songs of others; occasionally the two come together and you have one of their original songs mixed into an older, perhaps classic song. Such a thing was achieved by Kylie on her “Body Language” tour in 2003, when she played her song “Breathe”, but rearranged it to flow into Serge Gainsbourg's sexy classic, “Je t'aime … moi non plus”, resulting in a total transformation of what was a good song to begin with, but ended up being quite phenomenal.

The version performed on that tour found its way, not surprisingly, onto the live DVD released the following year, “Body Language Live”, and has since become something of a staple on her live appearances. It's certainly given the old song new life, and fits in perfectly with Kylie's sexy, sultry image and her treatment of what was already a very passionate piece of music. Here then as usual are the two versions, the original from her album “Impossible princess” first, then the newer, live remix as it were. See which you prefer.

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

Thanks. I actually bought "2112", "Caress of steel" and "Exit stage left" on the same day I think, and they more or less formed my appreciation (at least, early) of Rush. I still regard the first two as some of their finest work, and yes, "Hemispheres" is excellent, as is "A farewell to kings".
You have to love the late Terry Nation! Going totally against the trend with sci-fi shows on TV, he gave us the first real antiheroes in that genre, the "less-than-magnificent seven", if you will, with a true icon in Avon. When you look back at the show today it seems painfully cheap, but the stories were well written, and hey, I always had a crush on Jenna!
Glad you enjoyed this: it took a long time to put together. There are a few points you raise though, which I'll go through now.
Hmm. I wonder? "Like most"? I'd say the vast majority of Maiden fans are Bruce nuts, like me. Although Di'Anno's vocal style did suit the first two albums, I couldn't have seen him cutting it on the next few. It needed a much more charismatic singer to bring Maiden into the big time, and I'm not all that fond of our Paul's voice.
Definitely. I actually review it in my "Maiden voyages" (no pun intended) section a lot further on, and talk about how different it was from how Maiden ended up. Great, great album though. Love "Killers" too, but really, in fairness, listening to either of those for the first time, would you have expected them to become as successful as they did?
Not yet. I'll get to it. I promise. Definitely before Christmas. Not saying which year...


As it should be. Kicked off a lifelong love-affair with metal for me!


As Kate Pulaski said on "Star Trek: the Next Generation" (NERD ALERT!) I couldn't disagree more! I think it's one of the most cohesive metal albums I've ever listened to. From the opening punch and bombast of "Invaders" to the slowing-down-but-then-powering-back-up "Children of the damned", on to the powerful eerie opening to "The prisoner", with its kickass melody and then to the excellent "22 Acacia Avenue", leading us to two tracks that don't even need introduction and on to the admittedly weakest track, "Gangland", but still good and finishing superbly on my all-time favourite, the epic "Hallowed be thy name", this album hits all the right spots and is a true masterclass on how to compile the definitive heavy metal album.


Yeah, agree with that. As you probably saw from my review of "Virtual XI" under the "Last Chance Saloon" feature, I warmed a little to it but even so the two Blaze albums were a real bump in the road, a serious downturn in Maiden's output and things only got back on track really with "Brave new world". Have you heard "En vivo!" yet? Reviewed a few days ago I think, maybe a week...

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

Trollheart

As probably everybody knows by now, today marks the hundredth anniversary of the sinking of the “Titanic”, so the worm would like to add his own little tribute, with this one from Saxon. This is “And the bands played on”. Okay, so it's not about the disaster, but hey: you Google “songs about the Titanic” and see how many you find! Anyway, it's better than playing “My heart will go on”, isn't it?

__________________
Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018