The Week In Review: Will Hoge, Bruce Springsteen, Lucero & Kelly Clarkson

Look for full fledged reviews of all these shows in the next week.

I caught Will Hoge here in Chicago last week. He's down to a four piece band, but that didn't matter as the bourbon and blues-rock template was as good as its ever been. The show was short for his standards (100-minutes), but tough to argue with. His latest record, THE WRECKAGE, is damn good, but not on par with his last two records (IMO), but still good. That being said, it did take me about 4-5 listens to fully appreciate. I was mad I missed MIlwaukee the next night as the show proved to be epic with a staggering 11 song encore...alas...

...I was at the Bottom Lounge catching LUCERO {antiMusic link}. Damn these guys are great. I had never heard them until two days before, but I'll be damned. These guys just rule the stage and what I love about them is their drive to exhaust the audience. Well worth the $$$ if they come to your town. The horns sounded great on this night.
http://www.antimusic.com/reviews/09/Lucero_Live.shtml

Bruce Springsteen in St Louis the next night. In short, a disappointment. If you had never seen him before, it would have been splendid, but considering how phenomenal the show was the previous year, this one fell flat on all accounts. The biggest issue was the holdover of the same songs from last year, not performed as well. Seeing BTR again was great, but the songs leading up to it and after it never gelled.

Was sent to review Kelly Clarkson two nights later. I despise American Idol, but I'm not sure if I can despise anything that brought a talent like this to the forefront. She did a slew of covers and even melded a Alanis Morissette and Kings of Leon song together. Her rendition of "Lies" by the Black Keys was jaw dropping. It literally sent shivers down my spine. She also made sure her
audience knew it was the Black Keys. She did a Patsy Cline song acoustic and in the encore, did a full on band version of "Seven Nation Army" by the White Stripes with horns and all.

Say what you want, but beneath the pop exterior is a artist screaming to get out. Many of her biggest hits were done differently (acoustic, with horns, etc). One of the best surprises I have had in recent memory as far as shows go. Let's hope some of her fans seek out those artists she covered. Also, she got bonus points for bad mouthing her record label as "A**holes" not once, but twice. After she did "Lies" she mentioned how she wants to do more bluesy numbers, but
"The A-holes I work for won't let me".

For prices between $20 and $50, a definite bargain...

xT

A Look Inside Bon Jovi's 'When We Were Beautiful' Book

The good folks over at Harper Collins sent me a copy of the new Bon Jovi book, When We Were Beautiful, before its release next week. I honestly had no desire to really even look at the book, because I figured it would be nothing more than a glorified tour program. While it's not a definitive history on the band nor does it shed light on anything a fan doesn't already know, I have to say the book is far better than I could have anticipated.

To see a full blown preview, check out the official site.

First off, the pictures in the book are great. Say what you want about Phil Griffin's direction of the documentary, but his black and white shots are vivid and potent reminders of the poetic glories that can be captured on film. While I was under the impression that the book would house only newer pictures, I'm happy to say the book traces the entire history of the band, including some childhood pictures and vintage shots of the band. Mark Weiss' photo's are a time machine back a few decades. While Weiss never received the praise the likes of Anton Corbijn, his pictures are priceless. I'm a big believer that artists let their guard down when they have a close personal relationship with someone. Whether it be an author, video director or a photographer, they usually pull something more from them, capture them at being more vulnerable or even gets a shot or quote the average person couldn't. The pictures Weiss captured during the bands heyday (1986-1990) make the book worth its weight in gold.



I wouldn't compare it to U2's superb U2 by U2, but this is a different type of book. It's not meant to be a definitive history of the band or a full-blown picture book. It's merely a stop-gap book showcasing the band's history over the last few decades. While I could nitpick about what is not here (pics from Ross Halfin, in-depth reviews of each album, etc), for a mere $17, this is one of the best bargains for a coffee table book in recent memory. While I wish it was longer, I was surprised to see it so full of life.

I included some brief pics of the book below. It hits stores on November 3rd. I'll do a full blown review on antiMusic next week. Check back here for a link.

You can pre-order the book for $17 right here.

Bon Jovi's 2010-11 "The Circle Tour" Itinerary & Press Release (w/ some ticket prices)

See below for the official tour announcement. Per Ticketmaster, the prices for the New Jersey stadium shows will be between US $36.50 - US $150.00.

North American Tour Announced at Bon Jovi`s Exclusive New Meadowlands Stadium
Performance

Bon Jovi to be the First Band to Play New Meadowlands Stadium
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J.--(Business Wire)--

With New Jersey`s New Meadowlands Stadium as their backdrop, GRAMMY
Award-winning hometown heroes Bon Jovi performed at a concert and media event
today that announced "The Circle World Tour." The band is preparing to spend
nearly two years spanning the globe, including the kickoff event of New
Meadowlands Stadium, scheduled for May 26th and 27th, 2010.

The New Meadowlands concerts will go on sale beginning at 10am on Saturday,
October 31st, while additional tour dates go on sale November 9th and 16th. Fans
should continue to log on to www.bonjovi.com for the most up to date concert and
ticket on-sale information.

The band`s Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres performed
an exclusive set for a select group of 5,000 lucky contest winners, fan club
members, and on-site construction workers currently at work building the New
Meadowlands Stadium. Bon Jovi was also joined by New York Jets Chairman & CEO
Woody Johnson, New York Giants President & CEO, John Mara, as well asPresident
&CEO of the New Meadowlands Stadium Company, Mark Lamping. New York`s powerhouse
radio station WPLJ DJ, Race Taylor, served as emcee. Live footage of the event
is available at www.BonJovi.com. An embeddable player is available at
http://www.iclips.net/widgets/jbj/jbj_embed.html.

Beginning with the band`s North American tour launch on February 19th, 2010 in
Seattle, WA, Bon Jovi will spend much of the next two years on the road,
performing 135 shows in 30 countries. Following in the footsteps of their hugely
successful "Lost Highway Tour, Bon Jovi will draw fans around the world into
TheCircle, with a residency at London`s O2 Arena in June 2010 before returning
to America in the fall for an additional nationwide leg, and further dates well
into 2011.

"It is often said that the third time is a charm, and in the case of the Bon
Jovi/AEG Live relationship, this axiom certainly holds," said Randy Phillips,
President and CEO of AEG Live. "AEG Live has been honored to serve as the band's
worldwide tour promoters, from the 2005 'Have A Nice Day' tour to the highest
grossing tour of 2008, 'Lost Highway,' to the upcoming 'The Circle World Tour'
in 2010. Bon Jovi is one of the most prolific and exciting live rock bands in
the world."

Having sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts
in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans, Bon Jovi is at their best
when they`re on the move, and that`s truer now than ever before. The November
10th, 2009 release of Bon Jovi`s new album, The Circle, and the band`s
subsequent world tour, provides a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi`s commitment
to the hard-hitting rock & roll that has been the band`s indelible signature
since it began more than 26 years ago.

Bon Jovi`s 2010 "The Circle World Tour" North American Itinerary

February 19 Seattle, WA KeyArena
February 22 San Jose, CA HP Pavilion
February 24 Phoenix, AZ Jobing.com Arena
February 26 Anaheim, CA Honda Center
March 2 Sacramento, CA ARCO Arena
March 4 Los Angeles, CA STAPLES Center
March 6 Las Vegas, NV MGM Grand Garden Arena
March 8 Denver, CO Pepsi Center
March 9 Omaha, NE Qwest Center
March 11 Wichita, KS INTRUST Bank Arena
March 13 Fargo, ND Fargodome
March 15 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center
March 17 Detroit, MI The Palace of Auburn Hills
March 19 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
March 20 Montreal, QC Bell Centre
March 23 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
March 24 Philadelphia, PA Wachovia Center
March 29 Washington, D.C. Verizon Center
April 7 St. Paul, MN Xcel Center
April 10 Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
April 13 Tulsa, OK BOK Center
April 15 Atlanta, GA Philips Arena
April 17 Tampa, FL St. Pete Times Forum
April 18 Ft. Lauderdale, FL BankAtlantic Center
April 21 Nashville, TN Sommet Center
April 22 Charlotte, NC Time Warner Cable Arena
May 26 East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium
May 27 East Rutherford, NJ New Meadowlands Stadium
July 15 Edmonton, AB Commonwealth Stadium
July 17 Winnipeg, MB Canad Inns Stadium
July 20 Toronto, ON Rogers Centre
July 24 Foxboro, MA Gillette Stadium
July 28 Regina, SK Mosaic Stadium at Taylor Field
July 30 Chicago, IL Soldier Field


*Advanced tickets to the New Meadowlands Stadium go on sale to American Express
Cardmembers beginning at 10am on Monday, October 26th.

*For more information on BON JOVI`s North American tour, visit www.BonJovi.com

About AEG Live

AEG Live, the live-entertainment division of Los Angeles-based AEG, is dedicated
to all aspects of live contemporary music performance. AEG Live is comprised of
touring, festival, exhibition, broadcast, merchandise and special event
divisions, fifteen regional offices, and thirty state-of-the-art venues. The
company is currently producing tours and productions including Bette Midler "The
Showgirl Must Go On" and Cher at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas,
The Color Purple and The Pee Wee Herman Show. The concert tour roster includes
artists such as Taylor Swift, Leonard Cohen, Bon Jovi, Celine Dion, Miley Cyrus,
Britney Spears, Kenny Chesney, P!nk, Paul McCartney, KISS and American Idols
Live. AEG Live is the largest producer of music festivals in North America from
the critically acclaimed Coachella Music & Arts Festival to Stagecoach and New
Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. For more information, go to
www.aeglive.comhttp://www.aeglive.com/.

Album Review: Michael McDermott-‘Hey La Hey’

Michael McDermott-‘Hey La Hey’

Album Review

***1/2 (3.5 Stars)

By Anthony Kuzminski

{Buy the album at this link}



I remember a friend giving me a copy of Michael McDermott’s Last Chance Lounge {link} and how engrossed I was by his surging voice. “Getting Off the Dime”, “Unemployed” and “Murder On Her Lips” were as soul-searching as music gets. Taking a page from the rock era’s great singer-songwriters, McDermott has a penchant for making you believe that he’s in the throes of war in each of his songs as he exerts himself to the point where your speakers will tower over from the avalanche of emotions. I re-discovered many of his earlier albums, including one with liner notes by Stephen King where he declared “Michael McDermott is a great artist”. However, something happened along the way…I lost sight of McDermott’s career path and trajectory, until now. His PR person, Matt Michaelis, reached out to me about my in-depth album review of Bon Jovi’s These Days record from a few months back which appeared on antiMusic. He asked if I was interested in possibly reviewing the record. I could make no promises, but he persisted and sent me a review copy a few days later. As I sat and listened to Hey La Hey on my ear phones a few days later, I felt a tidal wave of sensations overcome me. That same voice that absorbed me with a series of songs almost a decade back was reintroducing himself to me. Amidst spare yet inviting arrangements, I felt myself in these songs, I saw people I knew and like all great music, it unearthed emotions you sometimes forget you have. McDermott has made a career of writing about bewildered souls besieged by the complexities of life. Hey La Hey features characters full of fury, but for the first time in his life, an overwhelming sense of tenacity infects the entire album. His previous records featured rich, thick and layered textures providing some of his songs in a dazzling larger than life presentation. On Hey La Hey all the cosmetic embellishments are removed and what we’re left with are ten brutally truthful, poetic and solemn songs where the lyrics fly in your face like a irrefutable life force forcing reflection.



Youthful innocence fades to black and is replaced with the truth on the opener, “So Am I”. The dual tracked vocal adds to the warmth of the hymn-like confessional, evoking Lennon/McCartney in a “Two of Us” style. Two lovers here serenade one another with confessions most ponder but don’t dare speak (“You say your frightened well baby so am I”). McDermott’s wife, Heather Horton, provides backing vocals of restraint giving the songs an emotional center that a singular voice couldn’t match. Most writers speak of the things they think but do not say, where McDermott puts it all on the line right at the beginning of Hey La Hey. How many relationships sour because of a lack of communication? Beneath the shattered heart is realization where instead of running from the chaos of the world, two people, confess to one another that they’re ready to end their dirty little wars. Everyone searches for true love in one form or another and they feel that when they find it, it will be wine and roses, but the truth is real love is when you find someone who allows you to reveal your inner securities. The truths continue on “Hard To Break”, a song whose lead vocal is sung by Kate York with surreal authenticity. The vocals hold you like the embrace of a loved one who doesn’t want to let go. The melody is beneath the surface (as are McDermott’s vocals), amid lush instrumentation, including minimal percussion and an airy piano allowing the lyrics to come into focus.



“I Wanna Know Why” has an upbeat chorus songs asks questions of the heart in the midst of an urgent performance. “The Great American Novel” paints a picture of frustration with lyrics rich in detail with some fancy name-dropping with a jaunty arrangement evoking Bob Dylan at his best. “Dream Come True” is a revitalizing tale where love appears to solve all issues as McDermott pulls from his own experiences to bring light to the forefront. The acoustic laden “Room 411” is one filled with longing where McDermott’s whispered vocal adds to the song’s eeriness and spellbinding conclusion. Every single song on this record brings sensibility to the forefront. Rock N’ Roll is often deemed an art form of rebellion, yet McDermott is revolting by placing his characters in indisputable situations. It’s easy to write a love song, it’s tricky to write a love song that reflects real life. We all love the dreamy romance Hollywood conjures up, but none of it is plausible. McDermott has found his voice by pulling from his own life, punctuating his own emotions and in the process has made the preeminent record of his career and one of 2009’s finest as well.



The album’s proper closer, “Carry Your Cross” is a plaintive piano ballad features a tender vocal that is iridescently beautiful. The unadorned accompaniment compliments his brooding vocal that is so compelling and titanic it will strain your tear ducts. Given to a producer with radio in mind, they would have embellished the tune until it soared like a 747 into the sky and the heart of the song would have vanished. McDermott’s syncopated vocal on “I’d take your doubt and fear when trouble’s looming near” may be one of the greatest declarations of resolve and awakening in all of popular music. “Carry Your Cross” finds McDermott laying his life on the line with weighty depth. Few artists can excel with arrangements this subtle and make them so utterly believable. Years from now, even if McDermott falls off my radar again, this song will haunt me and its sudden conclusion will forever overwhelm and render me speechless.



Hey La Hey houses a sense of love and wonderment in its songs. One route to the new found happiness would have been to write over-the-top love ballads with titles as heroic as the instrumentation. McDermott twisted the idea of love, loss and yearning on its head with delicate and supple arrangements that may not find their way to life-FM radio stations, but stick to your insides because they are drenched with enthralling emotion. Characters discuss “If I knew now what I knew then” scenarios evoking reconciliation with their past. You hear the ache, pain and love where life experiences drip out of these songs wetting the listener in a fashion where answers slowly appear. And to think I almost never heard this record? If someone had not reached out to me, I wouldn’t know that this album exists and I definitely would not have sought it out. Chalk it up to luck, chance or whatever else, but I feel blessed to have this record in my possession, because Hey La Hey is brimming with fiery emotions that are so undeniable they burn themselves into your mind. There’s an overriding sense of responsibility and redemption on these songs. Instead of merely longing for a lost love, these characters take actions towards emancipation. True love is the ultimate prescription for failed dreams. As long as we have someone to bestow momentary glimpses of indisputable truth and beauty, the rest of life’s turbulences are far less devastating. When there’s no inhibition or shame, then one is truly free.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Bon Jovi 'The Circle' sound snippets online

A few of the international Amazon sites are playing sound snippets from the new Bon Jovi album The Circle. You can hear them via the embedded video below.

My thoughts? I'll plead the fifth until I have a full copy of the album in my hands.

Album Review: Lovehammers – ‘Heavy Crown’

Lovehammers – ‘Heavy Crown’ {Buy the record here}
Album Review
*** (3-Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
What can be said about Marty Casey and the Lovehammers? After being together for well over a decade, Casey tried out for Rockstar television show in 2005 featuring INXS and while he didn’t win, it allowed him enough exposure to finally take his band to new heights after three independent full-length records. Their self-titled major label debut (Marty Casey & Lovehammers ) was a rock-solid record with the genuinely phenomenal single “Trees”. Despite an assortment of side gigs, including one in Tracii Guns version of LA Guns, Casey has returned to the Lovehammers and together, they have created a record that to my astonishment is a colossal step forward. The band flexes their musical muscle proving they’re more than a fly-by-night success story. The trials and tribulations of being thrust into the spotlight, not to mention his many side projects has given Casey a refined outlook on life and his songwriting shows it. At their core, the Lovehammers are a united band of brothers whose friendship and history go back over two decades. Their shared history can be heard on their latest disc, Heavy Crown through burning performances that prove to be rather irrefutable.

Melding influences from the last few decades, you hear a bit of pop, grunge and even hair metal thrown in here making for a varied listen with the amps turned up. “Your Time, My Time” is a solid bit of sugary pop, while “Find Your Way” invades you with a chorus that encompasses you like a gust of wind on a perfect day. “Honest I’ll Wait” features a soul searching lyric and a finely tuned vocal that may turn some off, but the zeal pulls you in never wanting to let go even when the song begins its fade out. “Oh My Baby” is a mid-tempo number performed with a hushed ambiance amidst some soaring melodies provided by the ringing guitar. “Driving Blind” evokes overriding optimism with a band shooting for the highest heights while “Neverfall” could very well find a home as their main set closer in concert as it pumps the adrenaline with persuasive energy.

Not all of Heavy Crown works for me. “Loaded” has its verses sung through a distortion echo box of sorts and while it’s inspired, it falls flat. “Black Angel” ventures into Nickelback territory a bit too much for my liking. However, as I listened to “That’s Life”, I was impressed with its minimalism and its directness. The song has no musical theatrics, but it’s a reminder that sometimes the best rock n’ roll is the most simplistic. The title track is a towering ballad featuring a beseeching vocal from Casey (his best on the record) with the band carefully inducing a sense of earnestness from their collective efforts. Ballads live and die depending on how well you can sell it. Aerosmith’s “Don’t Wanna Miss a Thing” works because even though they didn’t write it, they dug deep and established empathy. On “Heavy Crown” Casey’s vocals and the band’s orchestral surging here are feel as good as the sun beaming onto your face on a perfect summer day. When the Lovehammers converge and transport songs like this, they take the listener away from their everyday troubles and in the end; can you fault anyone for that?

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Europe –‘Last Look At Eden’ Album Review

Europe –‘Last Look At Eden’
Album Review
*** ½ (3.5 Stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski
{Buy the record here}

• Read about Europe's 2005 live gig in Chicago here
  

The Swedish rock band Europe will forever be known for the infectious keyboard synch that dominates their single “The Final Countdown”. Used at virtually every timed sporting event for over two decades, it’s loathed as much as it is loved and like anything larger than life, it flat out divides people. Sadly many people only know of Europe from the hits from the The Final Countdown record, which is a misfortune because there’s more to them than meets the eye. I know what you’re thinking, but stay with me. There is far more depth to the band than anyone ever gave them credit for. By the time “The Final Countdown” crept into the Top-Ten in America, the band had been writing, recording and performing for almost seven years, something that is often unnoticed. They were a band long before the hard rock genre began flooding the marketplace with gold and platinum records. Following The Final Countdown the band released two records, 1988’s Out of This World and 1991’s Prisoners In Paradise. Both of these albums found the band broadening their creative muscles creating tunes dripping in melody, impeccable guitar and wailing keyboards. In truth, while neither yielded a hit on the same level as “The Final Countdown”, top to bottom, both were superior works to Countdown. While most other bands within the hard rock genre were writing about decadence and debauchery, Europe were writing songs that weren’t far from the classic rock staples they knew growing up from the likes of Thin Lizzy, UFO and Led Zeppelin. “Superstitious”, “Sign of the Times”, “Halfway To Heaven”, “All or Nothing” and “Talk To Me” all have a timeless quality full of contagious choruses and rave-up riffs. Both records were ignored by US audiences for a lack of promotional support. Aside from a six-week opening stint for Def Leppard in the summer of 1988 (done before the release of OOTW) the band went over seventeen years without touring the US. Prisoners In Paradise was released on September 24, 1991, one week after Nirvana’s Nevermind had been released and with minute promotional activity on US shores, the album and the band fell completely off the radar of everyone in the US. When Europe’s brand of music fell out of popularity, they decided to take a step back and take some time off and begin living their lives.

After a decade-long break, the band reconvened gather the same line-up that recorded The Final Countdown. Aside from an all too brief reunion on New Year’s Eve in 1999, the band remained dormant until sometime in 2003 when they decided to reunite for some concerts. The concerts progressed into their first studio album in thirteen years; Start from the Dark a staggering record, recorded with Countdown producer Kevin Elson, reaffirming that Europe was anything but a fluke. Seriously. Managing to incorporate the easy on the ear melodies that defined their success along with augmenting more mature lyric writing, this wasn’t an album full of nostalgia but a brave step forward forcing people to give the band a second look. Europe found themselves in an unusual predicament for 80’s rockers; they made a record that confirmed not just progression but it paid tribute to their legacy with modern panache. Ever since then the band has reached far, wide and high for heights that most would say is unattainable. Europe is one of the very few bands from the 1980’s who has surpassed their 80’s glory days creatively. Don’t let airplay and song recognition fool you, this is a band defying expectations making the best music of their career. The reaffirming Start proved to be lightning rod of inspiration that continued with 2006’s Secret Society and now with Last Look At Eden (released through earMusic) an album which may be their most accomplished to date.

Opening with an instrumental prelude followed by the title track, it finds the band well grounded and storming through the Y2K version of Europe with militaristic unwavering conviction. John Norum’s distortion-symphonic guitars provide the intrinsic melodies while Joey Tempest’s vocals command your attention unlike anything the band has attempted previously. The song isn’t subjugated by guitars or piano chords but by their bracing lyrics. (“This could be our moment, Time that we own it“) As the song reaches its exultant ending, they invite us in by growling “Come with me!” before the riveting climax pulling us in, completely readying us for the rest of the journey. “Gonna Get Ready” blastoffs amidst a rhythmic and supercharged guitar heavy performance reminiscent of their glory days. “New Love In Town” features an alluring chorus without veering into sentimental territory. The chorus of “The Beast” flies in your face amidst an effervescent performance where the band flexes their brute force as a unit. “Run With the Angels” has a jolt of buzzing guitars that hearken back to the band’s commercial prime but this time with bite. “Mojito Girl” is drenched in bluesy-metal reverb; John Norum’s guitars evokes the sounds of a bastard child of Jimmy Page & Jimi Hendrix. “Gonna Get Ready” stands as a proclamation from a band that is proving their greatest music is ahead of them and not behind. They wholly and outright are capturing the spirit of what made them break through to the mainstream without sounding passé. “In My Time” is the closest they get to a ballad on this record, but Norum’s blues guitar fills the song with a yearning desire and a heart rendering need that proves to be much more than you could envision. The album’s most illuminating and audacious track “No Stone Unturned” features back-to-back solos, one on guitar and one on organ. The arrangement is ambitious and has a larger-than-life quality to it that ventures into an avant-garde metal sound. This is the sound of a band stepping into the world of modern prog-rock while still keeping a toe in the pond of melodic rock with a dash of orchestral grooves that assault your senses leaving your mouth agape in bewilderment at the band’s command of their sound.

The twelve songs that encompass Last Look At Edenfeature more than virtuosic talents, but a band whose shared history is used adroitly to further their sonic template. This isn’t a throwback record or an album so far off their musical lineage that it would alienate their core fans. Europe appears to have found middle ground between channeling their past while feeding the fire of five distinctive musical talents that incessantly cultivate with every record. Most hard rock bands from the late 1980’s have had been incapable to evoke the magnetism that inspired their best-selling records. The key to Europe’s ongoing progression is that the band consists of the core line-up that wrote and recorded The Final Countdown. Guitarist John Norum left the group midway through the tour for that record and by reconnecting with him this past decade, they are picking up where they left off. To Norum’s credit, while his guitar is clearly up front in the mix on Eden it doesn’t engulf the songs. Instead of embracing the pop-metal sound that made the band famous, they are tackling an abundance of musical styles from classic rock to metal to progressive rock to produce an authentic sound that doesn’t feel forced. John Norum’s guitar solos are sprawling as they are bluesy and smoky-sweet while the rhythm section of John Levén and Ian Hauglan are bonded with purpose, creating a riveting backbeat that feels more like a legion of rhythm guitars instead of bass and drums. Keyboardist Mic Michaeli’s role may not be as prominent as it was at their commercial peak, but he adds ingenious flourishes never over-dominating yet fleshing out the sonic textures when needed helping create a indomitable sound. Europe’s shared history has allowed them to not just stay alive but become more than a nostalgia act, but an ongoing and ever evolving band that matters.

Laced with lyrics of resolve and songs that jump out at you amidst modern arrangements, Last Look At Eden is evidence that Europe’s initial success was no happenstance. Their accomplishments are a result of their ability to follow their own muse rather than trends. Whether you enjoy the brand of music Europe creates or not, you must respect them. On Europe’s last three records you will find a band amidst a creative revival. They are one of the few groups from the 80’s who hasn’t just survived but has grown in ways no one deemed possible and with each subsequent record as demonstrated by Last Look At Eden, Europe is a band that continues to astound. This is their moment, they own it.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Europe: Staring All Over Again (Archive Live Review Chicago 4/26/05)

Europe: Staring All Over Again
Chicago, IL The House of Blues
April 26, 2005
By Anthony Kuzminski

• Read the album review of Europe's latest album, 'Last Look At Eden' here.
  

Writer's Note: I've been listening to Europe's latest album, Last Look At Eden when it struck me that I had seen them in 2005 and was pleasantly surprised at how vital and alive they were in concert. If anything, they had gotten better with age. I dug up the review and it reads better than I expected. I wanted to re-write it but fought against my better judgement and am putting it up here warts and all. Enjoy and look for my review of their new album within the next day or two.

Something has changed since I've been away
-“Gotta Have Faith”

In 2005 alone I have seen concerts by Motley Crue, Enuff Z Nuff, White Lion, Tesla and just recently, Europe. One may to wonder if I have traveled in a time machine back to 1989. Here we are in the year 2005 and while I find my musical tastes have altered drastically since 1989, I’ll proudly confess that these bands have a place within my heart as they are the architects of my rock n’ roll initiation that later made me discover ranges of bands extremely wide and vast. When I heard Swedish rock band Europe would be making their first US tour in 17 years, I knew I had to be there because I was only eleven-years old they last time they toured the United States.

The last time Europe played Chicago was 1988. Well, than again, it wasn’t Chicago but Alpine Valley in East Troy, WI (opening for Def Leppard) in July of ’88, playing to a total of 70,000 fans. Let’s put things in perspective of how long ago that really was; Ronald Reagan was still president, gas was a little over a $1 a gallon, Def Leppard was at #2 on the Hot 100 with “Pour Some Sugar On Me”, the grunge explosion was three-plus years away and Metallica had yet to receive a single platinum album. What was most alarming to me was that 1988’s Out of This World album went platinum based on the airplay of the band’s videos on MTV alone. If the band had properly toured behind the album it would probably have sold three times as many copies. The band took their time writing their next album, the vastly underrated “Prisoners In Paradise”, released stateside on September 24, 1991. Two other major releases were planned for the same day; Bryan Adams return to form album Waking Up The Neighbors-produced by Mutt Lange, which contained the monstrous Robin Hood ballad and a little album called Nevermind, by a up and coming band from Seattle called Nirvana. Right there and there the tide turned. Prisoners In Paradise barely cracked Billboard Top 200 album chart even though it showcased the band’s finest work to date. Due to the tepid reaction of the album, the band opted to support it in well-established areas around the Globe and passed over America completely. When that campaign came to an end, the band went on indefinite hiatus, which lasted well over a decade.

In 2002, rumblings were being made that the band would reunite. Those rumors became reality in 2004. The band released two albums overseas; the first was a 2 disc compilation Rock The Night: The Very Best of Europe culling songs, rarities and b-sides from the first decade of their career. The second release was a new album-their first in thirteen years, Start From The Dark. Start From The Dark begins a new chapter for Europe, it incorporates a new sound for them, however, while it challenges it’s audience it does so with classic hooks and sounds that helped Europe sell close to twenty million records worldwide. Surprisingly, instead of over analyzing their music, Europe simply went ahead, did what felt right and made a extraordinary album. I was cynical because so many other bands from the same era have fallen flat on their faces trying to make new music. Even the new Motley Crue songs on their new “Best of” release leave a lot to be desired. So when Start From The Dark came to me in a Fed Ex package, so I would be familiar with the songs when I went to review the show, I was taken aback by the quality of the songs and how strongly they resonated. Start From The Dark is an album of unflinching compromise where the band knew the stakes were high and somehow they reached up and seized the moment with their life-affirming lyrics and self-introspective songs. This is what differentiates it from dozens of other releases I have heard over the last decade from their 80’s counterparts. And trust me; some of these bands have made truly repulsive music. Can anyone even tell me one song on the last few Warrant albums? Winger anyone? Even extraordinarily gifted bands like Cinderella have gone over a decade without any new material. Its one thing to be able to shine live and another to make innovative music without having it sound dated. Europe followed their hearts and their gut instincts during the writing process. They knew better than to try to be something they are not. Instead of conforming to what is fashionable, they stayed true to themselves and in turn made a first rate album.

There is no going back, this is what we know
We come to entertain, asking you to follow
-“Flames”

The House of Blues was not filled to capacity but there was a much larger crowd there than I figured there would be. The band did not have the album in stores and there had been no promotion whatsoever for the House of Blues gig. At 10:45 the lights dimmed and the announcement heralding the “Biggest rock band to ever emerge from Scandinavia” was made as Joey Tempest, John Norum, John Levin, Ian Haugland and Mic Michaeli emerged onto a stage in Chicago for the first time in seventeen years. “Got To Have Faith” opened the show and the band made their proclamation of faith and renewal, as they were out to reclaim the crowd and show those in attendance that they are more than a one-hit wonder. As Joey Tempest put on a Les Paul around his neck, the band led into “Ready or Not” from their 1988 album, Out of This World. What was surprising to me was the reaction from the crowd, as they clearly knew the deep cut from an underappreciated album nearly two decades old. The slow mood of the keyboard was up next before the words “Keep on walking that road and I’ll follow…” led into “Superstitious” one of four Top-40 hits the band had here in America. Joey Tempest gave his famous twirl of the mic stand a few times throughout the song led the crowd along to a forgotten classic which had been improved upon vastly from its studio counterpart.

For 100-minutes Europe performed a flawlessly paced set showcasing the old and new and never once losing the crowd. This was where my trepidation lied, I knew the majority would be unfamiliar with Start From The Dark, yet the songs are so fiery they were able to perform a bulk of the album and still receive eager reactions from the crowd. “America” is a scorching rocker which showcased some excellent axe work from John Norum and great backing vocals from keyboard player Mic Michelli. The rhythm section, bassist John Levin and drummer Ian Haugland, stayed in the background but kept the lashing beat with assurance and reserved stage presence letting Tempest and Norum share the limelight. Newer material including “Flames” and “Start From The Dark” were both presented with intensity and conviction as the thunderous licks of both tunes made them stand aside classic rock tracks as the band proclaimed “We’ve come to entertain, asking you to follow”…and that is just what the House of Blues crowd did.

“Wake Up Call” is one of the edgier new songs, with a driving beat from the drums and a monster riff supplied by John Norum. I’ve seen Norum over the years fill in for other acts like Dokken, but he appears to finally be back at home in Europe (he left in late 1986 over the direction of the band). The band’s conveyance of the tune was on fire as Tempest and Norum gleamed with eagerness and buoyancy usually reserved for stadium veterans. The gaze on their faces and the delivery of the new material illustrated to me just how much they believe in the songs off of Start From The Dark. Whether there are 80,000 or 800 people listening, they were giving it their all, not taking anything for granted. As the song ended there were hollers of appreciation from the crowd. This is the type of fervent reaction held in reserve for classic rock tunes you have heard for decades, not songs that are being listened to for the first time.

The preeminent track on the new album is “Hero” as it bridges the gap between a midtempo song and ballad. It’s a tribute to Thin Lizzy, as they motivated Europe to pick up their instruments and become a band. “You threw us all a line, when our days slipped away”. Yes, it’s a cliché-ridden tune, which is unpretentious and yet exceedingly reflective. Besides, whether or not the song is hip or current, all which really matters is that I was moved, and I was. It’s not hip to say that about a band mostly known for “The Final Countdown” but “Hero” reveals a band that has grown tenfold as musicians and songwriters over the last two decades. Instead of trying to be something they are not, they are doing what they do best, writing life-affirming songs, which in the end hopefully move those who listen to them. With proper promotion and solid touring, “Hero” should be anthem for stadiums, with lighters ablaze, across the world.

While the band slayed through the songs off of Start From The Dark with ease, they also filled in the gaps with classic tunes not heard on these shores for close to two decades. “Wings of Tomorrow”, from the album of the same name from 1984, was the oldest track the band performed. “Let The Good Times Rock”, which to me always sounded like a rehash of “Rock The Night” sounded salubrious and invigorating as the live track was edgier, yet still faithful to the original version. During the latter part of the main set, the band paced the stage like seasoned veterans and even went deep into their catalog for “Girl From Lebanon” (sadly the only track performed from Prisoners In Paradise) and a rare b-side, “Yesterday’s News”, which to my shock, was acknowledged by yells of praise from the audience. Mic Michaeli provided a keyboard solo that led into the intro “Sign of the Times” one of my favorite album cuts from the band and apparently from the sound of the crowd, one of theirs as well. The intro to the song, performed on piano is an remarkable piece of music as it leads into a deafening riff. Call me crazy but it was during this number that I knew I had to write what will arguably the most poetic piece of prose to from pen to paper about what the stage announcer referred to as “the biggest band to ever emerge from Scandinavia”. The foremost revelation to me during their performance at the House of Blues was the chemistry these five members had and the history they brought with them. Despite whatever name you place on their genre of music, Europe is first and foremost a rock band, and a damn good one at that.

I've been knocked down - come back around
It put some soul in this heart of mine
-“Gotta Have Faith”

Now the question I know you are all speculating is if the band even bothered to play material off of The Final Countdown. Yes, they did play it and what a reaction it received. The band’s number one-hit, in America, “Carrie” was performed by Joey Tempest alone and acoustic, but with the help of the audience made it into a sing-along. “Rock The Night” ended the main set as the band executed the tune to aptness eliciting a monstrous response from the audience. The retort was larger than any Poison song I saw Bret Michaels perform solo a few months earlier. “Cherokee” was performed in the encore and the crowd sang along with the Dial MTV favorite, word for word, fists flying in the air. The song does not really work from a lyrical standpoint, but it’s not so much what the song is about or whether or not it makes sense, but how it makes you feel and Europe delivered on this one. As the band finished the song, the lights dimmed and an intro from the keyboard could be heard. And then…that riff, you know which one I am talking about…that riff you hear in the final ten seconds of every championship game for the last two-decades, that riff that has stood the test of time and that riff whether you love it or hate it, is one of the most recognizable songs of the last twenty years, “The Final Countdown”. As the keyboard intro wound down and the drums, bass, and guitars kicked in I felt the floor below me quaking as the House of Blues, security and all, were hurdling into the air in an infatuated trance as the band transported the audience to another level and another time. This is what even the cynical came to see. Yes, it’s a pop tune that some love and some hate, but no matter what you say, let me say this, the last time the House of Blues floor shook the way it did was nearly five years to the date when Bon Jovi opened a rare club show with “Livin’ On A Prayer”. Europe exceeded all of my expectations with their live performance and new album. The only thing I would recommend to them is to play a longer set and to not ignore the Prisoners In Paradise album. Another five or six songs would have taken the evening to mind boggling proportions.

I see dozens of shows every year and at least once or twice, I go to a nostalgic show just so I can see certain bands I grew up with in the live environment. Some are great and others disappoint. Europe propelled my expectations to another stratosphere with a thriving live performance backed by an album which may wind up on my ten-best of the year. They have proven the pessimists wrong by believing in themselves and their music. I for one hope its not another seventeen years before they return to America. Till then, I guess I just “gotta have faith”.

Well I had enough
Gonna stand up straight
Rebuild my life
Well you gotta have faith
-“Gotta Have Faith”

Read about their live DVD, Live from the Dark here and buy it here.

Album Review: Will Hoge-‘The Wreckage‘

Will Hoge-‘The Wreckage‘
Album Review
Rykodisc
***1/2 (3.5 stars)
By Anthony Kuzminski

Buy the album here @ Amazon
Free MP3 song sample here

• Read about Will's first 2009 concert here.
• Don't know who Will Hoge is, then go here and read my article Will Hoge: The Redemption of Rock N' Roll
• 2007's Album of the Year 'Draw the Curtains' review here
  
• All Will Hoge posts can be read here.
  

Life can be a voyage of astonishment and infinite dreams. It can also be crammed with so many battles it deflates your soul leaving one to ask “where did it all go wrong?” People find themselves at dead ends not knowing where to turn. As they thumb through the pages of their past, the find demons that never relent. As the harsh realities of life set in, the questions increase and a loss of faith can lead to the worse kind of hurt; self-destruction. Nashville singer-songwriter Will Hoge’s fifth full length record The Wreckage finds broken souls questioning everything as the their walls close in on them. The eleven songs that encompass The Wreckage are drenched in melancholy. Hoge has never shied away from heartbreak and loss before, but this time around The Wreckage is infused with it. “This is the real world and things are just what they seem” Hoge croons on the album’s opening cut painting an all-too-real picture of strife that defies the romanticism of rock n’ roll with a mere twelve words. It doesn’t just wallop you in the gut, but continues to be agonizing as the ten battle worn hymns that follow permeate with lingering inquiries that do not have clear-cut answers. Hoge’s previous record, Draw the Curtains appeared to be a break-up record of sorts, but compared to The Wreckage it looks celebratory weighed against to the longing felt on The Wreckage. One gets the sense that Hoge has experienced something far more tormenting than physical pain and recuperation proving that physical lacerations can be healed, but the ones that disturb our psyche prove to be far more difficult to eradicate. The ache and threadbare emotions that gush out of these eleven songs remind us of one universal truth; love is a hard game to play.

Burning out of the gates is the album’s opener, “Hard To Love”, setting the stage for heartache. Notice is served immediately that there are brewing emotions under the surface of clashing guitars and an ever reliable and muscular rhythm section that twists your inner emotions. Yet there are piano chords that feel as triumphant as Springsteen’s “Born To Run” and Bob Seger’s “Roll Me Away” but then one hears the lyric “it gets worse before it turns around” it wakes one up like a cold splash of water to the face, signaling this is just the beginning of a dark ride full of ecstasies and agonies. The bouncy “Long Gone” questions whether redemption is possible in a scorned soul. The blistering guitar solo stands side by side with beseeching lyrics (“Let go of the ghost”). The album’s title track is sparse with an acoustic guitar, piano and drums creating a despairing mood. The lyrics invade the listener amidst a perfect balance of reverb and an icy vocal that is as naked as they come. Despite knowing everything about a certain person is wrong for them, deep down they still hold the key to our heart and because of that, we’ll forever be a prisoner to them. “Favorite Waste of Time” has acrimonious lyrics delivered with a biting candor (“So you got the best of me, I'll just take what's left and leave this place”). On “What Could I Do” Hoge barely raises his voice that is still stunned by betrayal in a situation where no one wins. “Just Like Me” is scathing while Hoge’s band compliments the lyrics with submerged tension in an arrangement that is fueled by acrimony and infused with buoyancy. Long time drummer Sigurdur Birkis gives his best performance on record to date providing a solid resolve for Hoge and the other musicians to build on. Despite using much of the same personnel as Draw the Curtains the album’s production is more reigned in. Producers Ken Coomer and Charlie Brocco this time around let the languished vocals take center stage while the music is performed with refinement and restraint. As the overwrought lyrics drip off Hoge’s tongue, they seep into your psyche.
The duet of “Goodnight/Goodbye” finds two people at the end of a day who knows their relationship is hopeless, but neither dare say a word. The duet with Ashley Monroe features a tranquil performance amidst some brush beating drums that is downright eerie. We’ve all been in these relationships and know harsh realities are too scary to confront and as a result, we fall into a pattern where lingering questions disappear amidst the morning light where it’s too bright for us to confront our demons. “Where Do We Go From Down” confesses previous sins and asks arduous questions that there may not be tangible answers to. (“And I know that in time you will leave me but your memory won't”). The organ illuminates the heart piercing lyric adding to the overall melancholy of the song. “Too Late Too Soon” features a vocal performance that may among Hoge’s best. His pleading sincerity evokes pure soul, especially on the stirring conclusion where the word “please” is repeated and uttered with emotive force before Hoge repeats the chorus with a whisper ending the album and leaving one to ruminate in the wreckage of torn emotions. As we wallow in our own pain and misery, we continually reminisce on the romantic interludes and to a time where the world seemed perfect, which makes the aftermath that much more cruel.
“Even If It Breaks Your Heart” and “Highway Wings” are the album’s two buoyant and redemptive tales which provide the album a much needed lift amidst all of the turbulence. “Even If it Breaks Your Heart” features an earnest and enlivening vocal where you can hear Hoge’s rigorous conviction to his art. This is his “Darkness on the Edge of Town”, an ode to the sheer power that music can instill in someone. The chorus of “Keep on dreaming even if it breaks your heart” is repeated over and over again pulling the listener in closer to hear the mysteries of life. Beneath every struggle in life are two paths; surrender and defiance. Does one keep on with their dream, or do they fold their cards and get out? The scoring in Hoge’s delivery speaks volumes. Instead of throttling his vocal cords in an over-the-top manner, he subtlety delivers the chorus with a strapping tone that is unrelenting. “Highway Wings” is magnanimous full of bristling inspiration as the band lets loose revving for the finish line. Despite being stung by broken dreams and promises, there is always the possibility of emancipation (“Hold on baby I’ll be there in a sweet little while”). The characters within Hoge’s songs are constantly in search of a life not racked by emotional woes. Every Will Hoge record takes the listener through jarring roads, deceitful lies, cruel truths and ultimately beautifying redemption, The Wreckage merely puts these brutal truths up front and center for one to contemplate. Make no mistake, most of the songs on The Wreckage harbor bleak topics, but this honesty allows the listener to live in spirit of these songs evoking daunting and undeniable questions to the forefront. The ghosts of our past are never far behind and ultimately, it’s up to us whether we write a new chapter or allow ourselves to wallow in yesterday’s miseries instead of tomorrow’s triumphs. Will Hoge’s The Wreckage may be the year’s most authentic rock n’ roll album; it is a forthright, sweeping and transfixing record that will haunt, console and rescue your soul even at your darkest hour.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Email of the Day (10/6/09)

The following response came in regards to this Bon Jovi review.

THANK YOU for writing this review. I couldn't even believe that people liked, "Have a nice day" cause I was embarrassed when I heard it cause it sounded like other stuff and the song just seemed dumb to me. "Weren't born to follow" sounds weaker than weak. The whole song falls apart in the chorus. I have noticed that BIG bands tend to get sucky when they fire their managers. Aerosmiths "Pump" album was HUUUUUGE and what made it great was that they had a gun to their head by others who made them work harder and longer to get the album to be better. Same thing with Metallica and they put out amazing stuff. Bon Jovi fired McGee and there went some oversight over quality. (I know they fired him a while ago, but the damage is showing)

Someone needed to say, THIS SONG SUCKS worse than your usual B-sides, Jon. I noticed a step down in quality from seeing them on "Bounce" and seeing them on "Lost Highway" Tour. Jon just walks on stage like he was so used to it all (and in a way he should be) but he seems to think that he can open his mouth and a good song comes out. He has lost the hunger that makes writers work harder. They never would have done this years ago.

Also, they need to go back to the pizza party days where they gave younger people pizzas to sit and listen to their songs and choose which were better. NEW JERSEY was a great album because THE FANS chose songs and more importantly rejected songs that surprised the band. I guarantee you that Weren't born to follow would NEVER have made it past one pizza party session.

DVD Review: ‘Anvil! The Story of Anvil’ (VH-1 Films)

Anvil! The Story of Anvil
DVD Review
By Anthony Kuzminski
Buy the DVD (Released October 6, 2009)

• Read my full-length review of the film here
• Read my review of Anvil's 13th album This Is Thirteen here
  

I’ve always been a junkie for documentary films, but I’m especially partial to ones involving music. Seeing a filmmaker dissect and let us into the world of talented musicians reveals much about their personalities and their art. However, the definition of a music documentary has been shattered this past year with the release of Anvil! The Story of Anvil (VH-1 Films), an epic look at the highly influential Canadian metal band {Read my full review here}. This is more than a feel-good movie or an entertaining film, but a cinematic tour de force that renews your faith in the world. Steve "Lips" Kudlow (guitarist and vocalist) and Robb Reiner (drummer) have been performing together since they were in high school together (current bassist Glenn "G5" Five has been with the band since 1995). In the course of the film, to see what all three of them go through isn’t just harrowing, torrential and heartbreaking, it’s also so real you can’t help but have all of your emotions turned up to 11. What makes this rags-to-rags story so involving are Lips and Robb. You instantaneously find them loveable and looking upon their circumstances, you begin to think how you could very well see yourself in their shoes. Despite everything and everyone telling them to give up their dreams, Lips and Robb remain undeterred which is the center and heart of the movie. With lesser people, the film would never connect with an audience, but because of the love and veneration these two people have for one another…and their dream; it heightens its impact and will most likely well up your eye ducts in a few scenes.

The genesis story behind the film is equally invigorating. Director Sacha Gervasi, best known as the screenwriter for the Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg film The Terminal, grew up an Anvil fan. As a teen he found himself backstage after a show with numerous other bands and the members of Anvil took a liking to him and subsequently had Gervasi be their tour guide of London and a year later in North America, a roadie over a summer vacation. What makes this encounter so astounding is that any band could have approached Gervasi and treated him as something more than a fan, but it was Lips and Robb who treated him with respect. If they had been too preoccupied with themselves on that particular night and didn’t bother to go out of their way to be friendly, this film wouldn’t exist. In a time where it appears the most unsavory people tend to make the most money; this is a film that leaves you the notion that anything is possible as long as you stick to your guns. I’ve seen upwards of 100-films this year and at this moment in time, only Anvil! The Story of Anvil and PIXAR’s Up have secured spots on my top-ten list. The film is finally being released on DVD on Tuesday October 6th by VH-1 Films after months of sold-out performances across movie theaters nationwide. To my surprise, the one disc release is full of enough extras to warrant you forking over your hard earned money for of Anvil! The Story of Anvil to be part of your DVD library.

The Video / Audio
Despite having the film pull from numerous sources (film, video, old footage), the consistency of the image throughout the film is better than expected. To my amazement, VH-1 Films managed to make it glisten on the DVD. The scenes flow seamlessly without you being jarred by the varying degrees of quality. The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image is reason enough to buy the DVD in case you were unable to see it in theaters. The Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround sound mix is equally splendid. Despite Gervasi financing this film himself starting back in 2005, he did not appear to cheap out on anything. He ensured that conversations could be heard and that no part of the movie do you find yourself saying “what did they just say”? The concert footage is especially riveting with dynamic sound and images that deserve to be seen on a more grand scale. One can hope that one or two of these shows make their way to DVD in their entirety in the not too distant future.

Bonus Features
A DVD release is only as good as its bonus features in my book. Over the last few years, as studios pull back on these features, I find myself buying fewer and fewer DVD’s. Not every DVD needs to have an 8-hour documentary “making of” the film, but it should have enough for even the most casual of fans to sink their teeth into. While I was hoping for a multi-disc set of outtakes and extras, I was pleasantly surprised at how distinguished the extras are on this DVD.

The biggest selling point for many metal fanatics on the DVD is a nearly 30-minute interview with Lars Ulrich of Metallica. While we see him offer short observations on the influence of Anvil in the film, here we get the full and unedited interview. Ulrich at his core has always been a fan and his knowledge of metal from the period which Anvil came from is fascinating. He puts the band and their impact into a larger context while offering a history of metal at that point in time. It’s an enlightening interview and I promise you, you’ll be entranced for its full duration.

There are three bonus scenes included as well. The most revealing of the three include where original Anvil guitarist, Dave "Squirrely" Allison, and bassist, Ian "Dix" Dickson, are doing today. The scene is brief, but essential and of the three, I wish this one had been included in the final film. Ultimately, the story is about Robb and Lips and including a scene like this may have taken away from their story, but in my opinion, it goes to show how undeterred Robb and Lips truly are in their goals.

There is a live performance of “School Love” from the 2006 Tokyo show with director Sacha Gervasi on drums which is playful and shows what a defiant band this is in concert. However, the highlight of the bonus features is a feature-length commentary by Gervasi, Robb Reiner and Lips Kudlow. Many people never think to listen to the commentary track, but here we find one that is essential. The three of them humorously discuss the film, their past histories and how the film was birthed. More importantly, when the commentary was recorded, the bands lives were shifting in an upward and positive direction. As they examine this film and sit with Gervasi, they recognize him and their good fortunate and how because of this film, their dreams are undeniably coming true. I would even go so far to say that the commentary track is almost as fundamental as the film itself. It’s one of those rare commentaries that are bursting with life and vivaciousness. The track is humorous, insightful, and quite emotional. The commentary is one of the reasons I would suggest purchasing Anvil! The Story of Anvil. You won’t want to listen to it once, but possibly multiple times.

Final Verdict
Anvil! The Story of Anvil is more than a momentous music documentary, or even an indispensable documentary; it is simply one of the best films of 2009. I have yet to meet someone who hasn’t been overwhelmingly moved by the film. It’s a reminder that despite all of the obstacles one has in front of them, those who succeed greatest in life are those who never give up. No other film in 2009 (or even recent memory) has elicited such an emotional reaction and it’s because of the genuine sincerity and good natured attitude of Robb and Lips. If you are lucky enough to come in contact with people like Robb and Lips, you know your life is blessed. One of 2009’s great films is now a magnificent DVD full of bonus features that broadens the on-going story of Anvil. My only complaint is that I wish there was more. Whenever life’s obstacles seem larger than life and beyond your reach, I’ll pull out this DVD and remind myself that nothing is impossible, you should as well.

Film Rating: A
DVD Rating: A-

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.

Anvil-‘This Is Thirteen’ Album Review

Anvil-This Is Thirteen

Album Review -Three-Stars (***)

By Anthony Kuzminski

Buy the cd at this link



Read my full-length review of the film here

Read my review of the Anvil DVD here

The Canadian metal act Anvil has experienced a Cinderella like year so far. Their film Anvil: The Story of Anvil has become a favorite of the film festival circuit, played to sold-out crowds for most of the year in theaters, will debut on VH-1 this coming week and there’s a DVD release right around the corner. If all of this wasn’t enough, their most recent studio album, This Is Thirteen has finally been reissued by VH-1 Classic Records. The genesis and creation of this record is documented in the film. Initially sold via their website, it’s now widely available and after a few listens, all I can say is that it’s definitely worth seeking out and has more to sink your teeth into than you would initially imagine. Despite all the good humor and Spinal Tap hurdles the band endures, at their core, they are a dynamic and magnificent metal band who can’t be denied.



Like any band in the midst of a crisis, Anvil has gone through its fair share of identity obstacles in the last decade. After releasing a number of albums that lacked sonic sophistication, not to mention a lack of personal honesty, the band decided to re-enlist the producer who brought them their greatest success on their first three records; Chris Tsangarides. Tsangarides’ resume speaks for itself (Judas Priest, Helloween, Black Sabbath & Thin Lizzy) and he brings a raw yet sophisticated edge to Anvil. Drummer Robb Reiner and guitarist/vocalist Lips (Steve Kudlow) sought a muse to help them find their way back home and Tsangarides led the way. Over thirteen carefully executed songs, the band found themselves and made their best record in over two decades.



The slow churning title-track is a throwback of sorts, but one can’t deny the stormy chord Sabbath-like chords that punctuate with truthfulness. After a decade of trying to chase and follow trends, the band sat down and wrote and recorded a record that is honed in the sound of their landmark records. Then there’s the interlocking drive of “Bombs Away” permeates with a hailing chorus. “Ready To Fight” features soldiering camaraderie amidst a ferocious rhythm section (which includes bassist Glenn Five who is often overlooked). “Flying Blind” evokes a keen sense of vintage Judas Priest. “Axe To Grind” is unrelenting with an in-your-face defiance. “Feed the Greed” is framed by clashing guitars and a rave-up chorus pointing fingers at those whose life mantra is controlled by the incessant need for the green. Especially poignant on this track are Kudlow’s raging vocals which bring to mind Motorhead’s Lemmy Kilmister. The blues-channeled “Big Business” has a groove to it reminiscent of Creem while “American Refugee” finds the band getting political and discerning showcasing that Anvil writes more than head banging riffs to rock out to. The album’s final track reveals a new found sense of maturity where the band took a view of the world and made it into a tour de force finale any metal band would be proud of. Instead of falling into old sexual innuendo traps, they created something far more indisputable and mature. The CD reissue has one bonus track, “Thumb Hang”, a classic among the die-hard Anvil fans, but had never been recorded before now.



This Is Thirteen feels like a ageless metal record; it isn’t death metal, speed or thrash metal, but simply a distinguished metal record cut from the cloth of their classic past where they embrace all of the elements that made them so influential in the first place. While it doesn’t take the listener in any new musical direction, it doesn’t have to when the performances are as infused with passion as these are. When artists accept what makes them undeniable, they can’t go off course. By embracing their past and writing lyrics with a more aged view, Anvil is showing us that they are more than just an influential band from the past but an influential one from the here and now.

Anthony Kuzminski is a Chicago based writer and Special Features Editor for the antiMusic Network and his daily writings can be read at The Screen Door and can be contacted at thescreendoor AT gmail DOT com.