Album Review: Supersonic Blues Machine - "West of Flushing South of Frisco"

Rock band Supersonic Blues Machine functions under the basic principle that when the Devil taught Robert Johnson how to play the blues in exchange for his immortal soul, the medium was already fairly well developed, and by the time we were introduced as a population to John Lee Hooker, no more evolution was necessary.  Through this lens, Stevie Ray Vaughn and ZZ Top sort of become the final prophets, the last Testament of blues rock who kept the root genre pure, even differentiating it from the very minor tweaks embedded by either rockabilly or the British or both.

It makes sense then, that Billy Gibbons appears  as one of many guests on the band’s debut record “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” not in a torch passing (because no one believes ZZ Top to be done,) but in a show of solidarity with the very idea that blues rock needn’t have ever made any adjustments.  Gibbons’ endorsement of Supersonic Blues Machine proves the band’s proper chops to handle this aging but revered and weighty genre with proper care and admiration.

Nowhere is this craftsmanship more apparent than in the smile-inducing, easy singalong of “Remedy,” (featuring Warren Haynes!) an old-school swinging rock anthem backed by a big chorus and a simple hook that both embraces the listener and reminds them of yesteryear.  There’s some Doobie Brothers in the mix here, but Supersonic Blues Machine still manages to sound fresh, creating a sound that is inimitably their own.

Not to be outdone, we’re then treated to the two song set of “Bone Bucket Blues” and “Let It Be,” both the kind of up-tempo, finger-snapping singalongs that have floated this particular musical idiom for roughly sixty years.  The former even contains a brief throwback to Hooker’s timeless classic “Boom Boom,” sewn into the seams of a song that moves and bounces.  The latter is a slow burn; a deep groove that relies heavily on the soulful tones of traditional blues to make to an impacting statement.  It’s two different interpretations of the lessons of blues rock, both equally vital to the greater story of How We Got Here.

The bothersome detail of Supersonic Blues Machine lies partly in a fault of the name of the band.  That is to say, the music experienced on “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” is a lot of things, but ‘Supersonic’ isn’t among them.  It’s similar to when hearing of the band Megaton Leviathan and then discovering that it’s an atmospheric band that doesn’t really play notes (sorry, that’s a cheap dig at a band not here to defend themselves.)  Anyway, the music here doesn’t necessarily need to be blistering for it to be successful or achieve its goal, but a little more urgency might have roughed up the edges just a smidge (technical term.)  The lead-up of “Running Whiskey” is soulful and great, but the chorus comes across flat.  For an album that boasts so many guests who have this principle in their wheelhouse, it comes as some disappointment that Supersonic Blues Machine missed the lesson on payoff.  Only for a short instrumental cut toward the end, “Whiskey Time,” do we really see the kind of pedal-pushing oomph that so characterizes so many of the Blues Machine’s idols.

I want to love “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” because I love all the ideas behind it and all the ideals that it stands for.  All of that is perfect.  The composition is really good, and the performance of the band is both consistent and tight.  But as it stands, I can only bring myself to like this record, not love it.  There’s some adrenaline missing in the margins that would have gone a long way.

Nevertheless, let’s not get too down.  Still way more good than bad here.  “West of Flushing, South of Frisco” is a really good record, and an excellent example of the undying marriage of blues and rock and roll.  If you’re in the northeast and frozen solid into your home by the cold snap this weekend, warm up your beverage of choice and you could well relax the day away with this.

A Joyous Night of Rock Revival - Graveyard Concert Review

The Brooklyn Bowl is, to say the least, a unique place to see a show.  Naturally, when a common concert attendee sees the name ‘Bowl,’ the natural assumption is that we’re talking about a place shaped like an amphitheater, indoors or out, capable of pristine audio and a thoroughly dignified concert experience.  The Brooklyn Bowl by contrast, while certainly dignified and in possession of pretty good aural reproduction, nevertheless asserts its name in a different fashion, as a fully functional bowling alley, in companionship with the normal amenities of a concert venue.  While a pleasant surprise, the sensation of walking in for the first time is not unlike Otto Mann’s reaction on “The Simpsons” upon leaving a store called ‘Stoner’s Pot Emporium.”

The night began with Spiders, the four-piece retro rock act that is bravely trying to change the common musical word association with “The Gothenburg Scene.”  To lead the evening was the power and circumstance of “Mad Dog,” the band’s best riff and most infectious song, which immediately sent the crowd into a head-nodding paroxysm of appreciation.  The focal point of Spiders is vocalist Ann-Sofie Hoyles, who channels the music into her being and allows the power of the groove to bodily move her about the stage.  She dances, stomps, twists and gyrates, kneeling to feel the power of the beat and swinging into the microphone for a performance that’s surprisingly consistent, given all the kinetic energy being expended.  Hoyles’ presence is uniquely her own, but for the sake of argument is somewhere between Janis Joplin and Teri Gender Bender of Le Butcherettes.  While Spiders performed a tight set behind her, Hoyles was the full story (despite the delightfully over-the-top feathered lapels of bassist Olle Griphammar,) capturing the audience’s attention and making fans out of many.

Graveyard.  As if they needed to prove it on this night, in the argument for best active rock band on Earth.  The four piece led by Joakim Nilsson comes out to the stage without assuming any particular air; they are there simply to perform for the gathered masses, which had filled in by this time, anxious with anticipation.  Many bands set the tone for their set by projecting an image, but Graveyard stands apart in that the band members allow the tone of the songs to set the attitude of the performance.  It seems like an elementary notion, and it’s difficult to explain in words, but Graveyard manages to almost take a back seat to their own songs.

While the energy of some of Graveyard’s pieces are a talking point, the real star of their set on this night were the slow, measured, heavily blues-laden pieces that so successfully dot their albums.  Beginning the set was “No Good, Mr. Holden,” a gem from “Hisingen Blues,” that swayed and undulated with deep, throwback groove.

It is rare in music to discover an album that sounds like an old friend from the first few listens.  It is rarer still to discover that that album takes on entirely new and virile dimensions when it is exhibited live.  Such is the case with Graveyard’s “Innocence and Decadence,” which is quickly coming up on six months old.  “From a Hole in the Wall,” featuring the smoother vocals of new(ish) bassist Truls Mörck exploded forth from the stage, rousing the gathered throng and giving perhaps just a small window of what it might have been like to see Cream perform in their heyday.  The psychedelic influence on “I&D,” though subtle, helped differentiate and diversify the set, as the paced swing of “Cause and Defect” shifted into the leaping drive of “The Suits, The Law and the Uniforms,” keeping the set moving and the crowd interested.

The standouts of Graveyard’s performance, almost unilaterally, were the love songs, or perhaps more appropriately, the songs concerning love and relationships.  “Too Much is Not Enough,” a song that sounds slightly overdone on the album, comes alive in this setting, the other band members taking the place of the recorded chorus and the tones of Jonatan Larocca-Ramm’s guitar finding depth in reverb.  By the time the set wound down to a thunderous “Uncomfortably Numb,” sweat dripped freely from Nilsson as he crooned the verses of a song that has always sounded like an inverted “Free Bird.”

Yet for all that, the set’s most emotional moment came in the encore, as Nilsson emerged alone and lit only on one side by a single stage light, strummed and sang through “Stay For a Song,” the powerful ballad which had the crowd mouthing the lyrics and the fashionable ladies of Brooklyn swaying in appreciation.  The performance was perfectly dotted by the subtle ovation the rest of the Graveyard received from the crowd as they took their places to continue the evening.  Ultimately, the band said goodnight following the bigger-than-life organized blues chaos of “The Siren,” and the crowd was left smiling, knowing they had just seen professionals put on. a. show.

Graveyard stands poised to take on the world.  And they just might win.

Album Review: Dilana - Songs From The Motion Picture "Angel Camouflaged"

Time passes faster than we realize. It seems that every time we turn around, we're further down the path of life than we should be. It's an inescapable phenomenon, a reality that we have to cope with. When we're told to seize the day, and to live in the moment, that is why. Not because there's something beautiful about being fully in the present, but because it will slip through our fingers faster than we can clutch to save it. I say this, realizing that it has been three years since we last got new music from Dilana. That was the album "Beautiful Monster", which leads me to a confession. In the name of honesty, I should mention that not only was that my Album Of The Year, but it has climbed in my most recent rankings into my five favorite records ever, because of the emotional gut-punch I get every time I listen to it. Now that I've established I'm probably incapable of being truly objective when it comes to Dilana, given what she has meant to me, we come to why we're here.

This new record isn't actually a new record, but a collection of the songs that were written and recorded for the movie "Angel Camouflaged", which Dilana starred in. As such, I wouldn't feel right grading this as a proper album. A collection is a better term for it.

"Airplane" kicks things off, and is Dilana at her pop best. The guitars have some punk snarl to them, and this is on the heavier end of her music, but it's anchored by a chorus that is a pure melodic gem, and Dilana's vocals are as always phenomenal. There's the perfect blend of pop and rock in there, strong enough to band your head to, but sweet enough to sing along with. That's a hard balance to strike, and this song hits it so well that I found myself playing it on repeat, unable to get it out of my head.

"Double Headed Man" showcases a different side of Dilana, with a blues chord progression, and slide guitar that takes the song into Deep South country. The way Dilana flattens out her voice to get across the attitude is a perfect touch, a deft way of playing to the song's strength, which helps in selling it. "Slaves" keeps the softer tone going, but takes us into the more stark territory that "Beautiful Monster" tackled. There's something about hearing Dilana's voice in a softer setting that speaks louder than any band rocking as hard as they can. There's a vulnerability in her softer tone that makes her sound as though she's pouring her soul into a glass, a double, and sharing her soul with the audience. "Slaves" would have fit perfectly on that album, which is about as high a compliment as I can pay. It's a phenomenal song, the kind she writes that is unforgettably melodic, without needing the veneer of a pop song to subvert the message. It's simply beautiful music that hits me like nothing else.

But lest you think I'm denigrating pop music, "Maybe Just A Little" is purely that, a pop song, and it shows that Dilana can do that better than anyone on the charts as well. There are the stilted guitars of 90s guitar pop bands, and a beat as driving as can be for a song that is so restrained, but the highlight is Dilana's droning melody through the chorus, which turns the song into melancholy pop, which is a startlingly effective sound. "Everywhere" is a more traditional rock-oriented pop song, but that doesn't make it any less. It might lack the emotional heft of the previous tracks, but Dilana's ear for melody continues to hit the mark, crafting songs that feel familiar at first blush.

We round out the record with three songs that have been available before. "Ice" was on her album "Inside Out", but this version is a stripped-down affair that largely puts the focus on just her voice and a lone acoustic guitar. The song has always been beautiful, but it's never sounded as heart-breaking as it does here. And to cap things off, we get the grungy "Supersoul" and the edgy "Sexaholic". They're still good songs that I've listened to many times, but by virtue of their approach, they can't make the same impact as the more raw, emotional songs here.

As I said, I don't think it's fair to judge this as an album. With several songs that have been available before, and just under half an hour of music here, it's better to look at this as a way of rounding out a collection of Dilana's music. In that regard, this is a triumphant release that provides us the opportunity to hear songs that deserve to have a life beyond that movie. I consider myself a devoted fan of Dilana, and now that I've heard songs like "Slaves" and "Maybe Just A Little", I feel bad that we've missed out on these tracks until now.

Dilana has yet to disappoint, and this collection of songs continues that trend. I can only wait with baited breath for what comes next.

Album Review: Holy Grail - Times Of Pride And Peril

It was only a few years ago that there was a group of bands that hit the scene at just about the same time, all promising to restore the glory of 80s metal to a jaded audience. They tried to make records that were as fist-pumping and fun as the classics, modern heavy metal that didn't skimp on the reasons why metal became a phenomenon way back when. The problem was that, while those bands had good intentions, they weren't well-versed in how to write a good song, and they couldn't stay together. Most of those bands have either closed up shop already, or gone through enough changes that they are mere bit players on the stage. Holy Grail might be the biggest survivor of the bunch, as they hit us with their new album.

"Crystal King" kicks things off with shredding guitars, a frantic Maiden styled gallop, and vocals that try to shatter glass. It's an aggressive opening, but the band displays admirable restraint by pulling back and slowing the chorus down. The verses sound better for being the fastest parts, the chorus heavier for its more deliberate pacing, and the vocals can ratchet down to a place where the rest of us could consider singing along. It's good stuff.

The next track, "Waste Them All Away" has a main riff that sounds like a thrashy palm-muted neoclassical composition, which is utterly captivating. It's a really interesting spin on the format, and instantly makes the song more interesting than chugging out a low-string gallop. And when the song settles into a mid-tempo crunch, it has a nice hard rock swagger that simply works. Holy Grail has found a great balance here between being a raging metal monster, and writing catchy songs. Just listen to "Sudden Death", and you can hear this. The song is a pure thrash number through the verses, and then the chorus is a big hooky melody that spins the music right back into mass appeal. It's easy to say metal doesn't need to worry about songwriting, but when you hear it working, that becomes such an excuse for people who either can't or won't do it right.

What the record might lack in diversity, it makes up for in consistency. What you get at the start is what you get throughout; metal that marries melody and thrashy aggression. Normally, I would say that a record could use a bit more variation to keep things interesting, but "Times Of Pride And Peril" doesn't overstay its welcome, and I'm not sure how you would write anything softer that fits with the guitar approach on the album. There are some tempo changes, like the slower "Psychomanchia", which gives enough of a change of pace for this record.

One of the things I appreciate about this album is that it doesn't have highlights. That might sound like an odd compliment, but what I mean is that you can take any of these ten tracks, and they all exude a quality that makes them a kick to listen to. From front to back, this album keeps turning out songs that are rock solid examples of what Holy Grail is all about. Everything here is pure heavy metal, with great guitar tones, very good vocals, and a melody that should stick with you.

Overall, you can't go wrong listening to "Times Of Pride And Peril". Traditional melodic heavy metal might not be the hip thing anymore, but this is a good example of why it used to be, and why I think metal has in large part lost its way. While I wouldn't call this any sort of modern classic, it's a damn fine record that gives an old-school metal fan everything they could want. Holy Grail has done themselves proud with this one.

Death Angel Reissues!

 

As thrash was resurrected and reinvented over the past five or six years, no band has been the beneficiary of this resurgence more than Death Angel, a band who was marginalized during the halcyon days of thrash but has reunited and come back with a considerable vengeance in the last ten years.

To help new listeners get acclimated to what has come before, Metal Blade records has taken it upon themselves to re-issue two of the band’s first iteration recordings, 1988’s “Frolic Through the Park” and 1990’s live album “Fall From Grace.”  Both are restored with presented with roughly the original packaging and imagery which more or less authenticates the entire experience.

The production here is re-crafted but artfully done, so that all the thin crunch of the original recording, limited by both the technology of the time and the resources available, remains intact as an edifice to the Way Things Used To Be.  “Frolic Through the Park,” to that end, does not disappoint – the album still pulses with the youth of a band yet untamed; the writing is bursting with vitriol and righteous inquisition of the world, while the choruses are repeated and simple, perfect for banging a fist or a skull.

The inclusion of “Fall From Grace” is a more curious examination, as the live record was released more or less without the band’s permission way back in 1990 (thus the conspicuous absence of Death Angel’s customary artwork.)  To see it restored and re-presented is a strange sensation, as the album generated buzz at the time, but was the source of much consternation in the same stroke.  As far as the music is concerned however, the album boasts a more full experience and thicker sound than “Frolic,” both as an extension of the band’s more mature playing and the underpinnings of technology.  From a purely aural standpoint, “Fall From Grace” is the superior of these two releases.

If your introduction to Death Angel has only come since the band’s new millennium reconstitution, then be forewarned that these two releases from a bygone era are extremely rough around the edges by comparison.  However, they are, for different reasons, important parts of the band’s history, and if you’re a completist, an avid fan and historian, or someone who thought they outgrew these albums but wants to hear them again, you’re in luck.  Metal Blade has done these albums a fine service by bringing them out of the vault and back into the light.

Album Review: Elton John - Wonderful Crazy Night

One of the things I respect as much as can be is when a veteran artist, who has no need to make new music anymore, continues to produce records because of an inner need to be creative. Maybe they aren't always great, and they will surely never capture the public's attention the way their earlier work did, but I love the idea of someone staying creative and writing songs because it's what they love to do. Despite not having a hit on the radio in ages, Elton John has never stopped making new albums. He had a down period on the 90s, but he came roaring back to life in the new millennium, stripping down his sound to find his muse again. Together, he and Bernie Taupin made a very good record in "Peachtree Road", and then topped it with what I consider the best Elton John record of them all; "The Captain And The Kid".

That record is one that I have listened to countless times, one that sits in my list of favorite albums. It'sa pure distillation of how when you strip away the facade of Elton John, there is massive talent underneath. The more mature approach Elton has taken was a welcome development, one that let his songs breathe on their own. Unfortunately, he took that approach to the extreme with "The Diving Board", a record that was so slow and turgid that it was rightly ignored.

"Wonderful Crazy Night" is a step back in the right direction, a celebration of the joy you can have playing music. It's a record that's intended to be upbeat, lively, and a good time. If that's the aim, it surely hits the mark.

The title track gets things off to a rollicking start, with a bouncing beat carried by the bass, and Elton's piano's and organs serving as support to the ruckus the band has kicked up. It's the most energetic number Elton has penned in several album cycles, and sounds remarkably fresh coming from a man who is nearly seventy. You can hear how much he's enjoying the process as "In The Name Of You" plays, with the kind of swagger you can't help but nod your head along with. The organ swells are lovely, and then the short guitar solo sounds exactly like it was played in 1975. But it's not nostalgic music, it's people from the old guard doing what they do best.

"Wonderful Crazy Night" is the warmest, most upbeat album Elton has made in God knows how long, and that shift in tone makes all the difference. While there are scatterings of horns and accordions, and even a bit of sinister country that pop up, there's nothing radical or new going on here. These songs are in line with the best of what Elton has been doing since dropping off of pop radio, but for the first time he sounds content to be making music that would have been hits back in the day. While he's spent the last few records making music that was always aimed at fulfilling some other creative need, this is a purely pop record that could rightly be called the mature evolution of his Rocket Man persona. Even if the songs aren't going to be recognized as hits anymore, he's still writing them, and sounding as confident in the material as ever.

"Blue Wonderful" is one of those songs that should be heralded as a modern classic. It has Elton's trademark melodies, wrapping around Bernie Taupin's words to form a perfect nugget of what pop music used to be. Not to disparage the past, but there's no reason to deny that this is as good, if not better, than a lot of the concert staples.

That feeling keeps creeping into my thoughts throughout the record. As songs like "I've Got 2 Wings", "A Good Heart", and "Guilty Pleasure" pass by, they're all beautifully melodic songs that I can't help but find myself swaying to in my chair. No, this isn't flamboyant in the way the backward-looking among us can't see past, but it can't be. That kind of music can't come from someone who isn't in the throws of raging youth, but this record is what that songwriter would have turned into with a few decades of life experience to draw from. These aren't songs based on and performed by characters and cliches, these are songs that cut closer to the bone.

When "Wonderful Crazy Night" is over, I find myself wanting to hit play again, to revisit these songs, because they do something I think is immensely important in music; they endear themselves. I get inundated with so much music that is made by miserable people, for miserable people, that sounds miserable, that hearing a record that reflects the unabashed joy music can create is cathartic beyond words. I'm not going to sit here and try to say that "Wonderful Crazy Night" is the second coming of "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road", but I will say that it's a record that deserves far better than it will get. Elton isn't going to score any hits with this, but that only underscores the fickleness of the pop audience. This is a great record that can speak to a wide audience, if only their ears were open. "Wonderful Crazy Night" is indeed wonderful.

Album Review: Prong - "X - No Absolutes"

Over nearly thirty years, Tommy Victor and Prong have dictated the pace and evolution of groove metal from raw experiment to raw art.  The innovator that seemingly launched a thousand bands, Prong has always suffered the fate of having their disciples attain more fame than the originator, the living shadow of headline acts like Korn and Nine Inch Nails.  Never to be slowed though, Prong returns in 2016 with “X – No Absolutes,” the band’s third full-length record in as many years and fourth since 2012.

So what to expect from “X”?  Well, in base terms, more of the same, but in a good way.  Victor and company are still writhing deep in the traditional muck of groove metal, fuzzing out their amps and carving cavernous swaths with full, thumping tones.  To hear Prong is to hear the birth of groove metal over and over again – the genre in its unadulterated, original form.

There is, then, a certain familiarity when listening to “X,” regardless of the fact that these are entirely new compositions.  “X” echoes with many of the same tones that have followed the genre through a hundred different permutations, whether the blues-based thunder of Clutch, the distorted wail of Corrosion of Conformity or the hammering downbeat of White Zombie.  Even just the opener, “Ultimate Authority” brings back gleeful memories of the late 90s, when it was still possible for a band to be incredibly heavy and also rhythmic and melodic at the same time.

What separates “X – No Absolutes” from other albums in the genre, and even from other Prong albums, is the maturity and emotional context of the content.  Victor plays a diverse hand for this record, whether he’s crushing out ripping grooves for “Without Words” or plaintively reaching out for the surprisingly powerful “Do Nothing.”

It is the latter of these pieces which requires greater inspection, as it is one of a handful of songs on “X” that really pushes the Prong formula more toward a melodic appeal and adds a new dimension that the youthful virility of “Beg to Differ” didn’t offer.  That doesn’t make “Beg to Differ” a worse album in retrospect, but it does make “X” a more versatile and intelligent animal, as Victor succeeds in making the listener take stock of his words and not just his tone.  “With Dignity” is in much the same vein, using a heavy but marginally less dense guitar tone to accentuate the feeling that This Song Is About Something.  It’s a side of Prong we don’t get to see all that often, but is an excellent complement to the band’s tried-and-true formula of head-nodding rampages.

Speaking of, there’s plenty of those, too.  “Cut and Dry” slams out measures upon measures of drop-tuned sludge, the art of which was seemingly lost in time except to a privileged few.  There is a similarly punctuated affect for “Worth Pursuing” and the title cut, which are no less great a listening experience for the fact that we’ve discussed them less here.  What strikes is the vein of quasi-punk chanting vocal delivery and giant sing-along choruses that runs through much of the album and while not entirely unexpected is a welcome addition into the fold.

The only nit worth even thinking about picking here is that amidst the affirmations and encouragements and doubts of Victor’s messages, he occasionally crosses a wire, as “In Spite of Hindrances” tells us to ‘walk right through the door / with dignity,’ while “With Dignity” tells us to ‘walk away / with dignity.’  Just an observation.

“X – No Absolutes” is a lot of things; a groove metal record with giant punk choruses and a wonderfully uncomprised old-school feel.   This kind of metal has sadly all but left for dead, and yet here stands Prong, single-handedly injecting life into the method by the simple action of creating a kick-ass album with remarkable conviction.  For a real long time Prong has both talked the talk and walked the walk.  Nothing about that has changed.

An Angel Uncamouflaged: Talking With Dilana

Despite getting her greatest exposure on the reality show "Rockstar: Supernova", Dilana has proven herself to be an artist's artist, following her instincts to carve our a career that is entirely her own. She has traveled the world, played countless shows, and left an indelible impact on the lives of her fans. That is a fact I can attest to, as both a fan and a critic. Since the first time I heard her voice, she has been my favorite singer. And as a critic, her last album, "Beautiful Monster", was named my Album Of The Year in 2013, memorialized in this review I wrote.

Dilana is now gearing up for the release of a new album (a review of which should be upcoming), a collection of the songs she wrote and recorded for the movie "Angel Camouflaged", which she starred in. Leading up to the release, I was fortunate enough to have the chance to speak with her.

Your new album is made up of the songs you wrote and performed for the movie "Angel Camouflaged".  How did you get involved in acting, and is it something you're looking to doing more of in the future?

The director for the film first saw me on CBS when I was performing a song on a TV show called Rockstar Supernova. He met with me right after the series ended and offered me the lead role for his' film. At first, I was just interested in writing the music for the film and didn't even take the acting part seriously because I never thought it would really happen. To my surprise it did!  I loved it, and yes, I would love to be in more acting roles.

Was it difficult to create songs that had to fit the content and intent of the movie, instead of reflecting your own experiences?

Partially yes but for the most part I still wrote the lyrics based on personal feelings and experience. The hard part was making it happy LOL.  The song, Slaves was and is very, very true and real to me.

Sexaholic definitely reflects my sex addiction which seems to have disappeared since I've become a mother LOL. SuperSoul was already written, the producers picked it because they liked it for a specific scene. We re-recorded it to update the production a little.  Ice, which is the theme song for the film, was also pre-written by myself and a good friend in Holland, Jeff Zwart in the late 90s.  We also re-recorded this track and on this album it is a much shorter version, as it is the actual film version.  The title for the film, Angel Camouflaged is taken from lyrics in this song.  The lyrics for Airplane, Everywhere and Maybe just a little, were written straight from my broken heart at that time. They definitely reflect a moment in time for me. I was going through a very hard time with my personal relationship and these lyrics just flowed out of me like a river.

I know many artists are their own worst critics, myself included.  Are you someone who can sit down and listen to your own songs, or do you find it hard to listen to your own voice?

Most of the time yes. But there are certain recordings of my voice, that I really dig. You will never catch me sitting and listening to my own CDs, ever… LOL. I do however have the ability to listen to recordings objectively for the best possible release.

You made a record before "Rockstar: Supernova" called "Wonderfool".  It's not what someone who is just now hearing you would expect, but how do you look back at that record, both the music and the experience?

I totally agree with that one! The experience in itself was bittersweet. It was my first solo deal with a major record label in Europe. I was young and I was very excited and inexperienced. So all I wanted, was to record my first solo album. At the same time, I felt trapped because I had no real say in how I wanted to deliver anything, both musically and vocally. I was also really insecure and felt that if I were to speak up, I would be laughed at. So I shut up, I sucked it up and just sang the way the producer wanted me to.  About the songs, I think many of those songs are great songs. If I could do it over, I would record them completely differently.

It took a long time for your next record, "InsideOut", to come to fruition.  Were there ever any times during that process where you were discouraged enough to think about scrapping the idea?

The recording process lasted almost 2 months. It was a great working environment and process and we were in the studio six out of seven days a week. I loved and enjoyed every note and every beat. The sad part was, the label in the UK went down before the record even was released. So it set on the shelf in London collecting dust for close to two years. A private investor eventually bought the Masters from the label and released it on iTunes. During that time I was very discouraged and depressed. It is such a great album, it deserved so much more attention. Songs like Holiday, Somebody Else, Loud Silence,Falling Apart and Solid Gold are hits, plain and simple. But the cd never got the exposure, no super marketing or promotion campaigns etc...What a shame… This still really makes my heart hurt when I think about it. That was when I decided never to sign a major label deal again.

How do you avoid letting the setbacks become overwhelming?

Oh they're overwhelming alright. I cannot avoid my feelings. In fact, my feelings are my inspiration. But I feel them, I grieve and breathe them, and then I do my best to let them go and move on. 

"InsideOut" covers a lot of ground musically.  Is that reflective of your own tastes and personality?  Do you think it's important for you to avoid being categorized for a singular sound?

Yes for sure, on both points. Inside out is a reflection of a lot of various tastes and for sure, my up-and-down, crazy personality. But it still doesn't cover everything.I would probably need at least five new albums to reflect all of me. There is no way I could be categorized for a singular sound. I have so many different loves of music and sound. Hopefully I will live long enough to explore all these genres.

"Beautiful Monster" was funded by a Kickstarter campaign.  How much does it mean to you that your fans care enough about you and your music to contribute money to make it possible?

I say it over and over, I have the best and most loyal and loving fans on the planet. There's not a day that passes by, when I don't think about how fortunate and how loved I am. To know that there are all these people around the world, who love my music, Who are moved and connected to my lyrics, and who believe in me, is priceless! 

Why do you think your fans are so dedicated to you, not just as an artist, but as a person?

I think in part because of the lyrics that I write. They are words that come from a deep and true place. A place of pain and salvation, a place of knowing and experience. I know that many of my songs have helped people with so many real life issues. Also, I know that people appreciate it when artists like myself, give them love and attention. I get such a warmth inside, when I give a fan a heartfelt hug and see the joy and surprise in their eyes. Or when I take a moment to ask how they are doing and I call them by their name. I truly believe that we are all equal. My gift is just that, a gift, to share with others, to make others feel emotion and feel relief, to help them find answers. I also realize that I would never have my life and career without the love and support from my beautiful fans. And I will never take this for granted.

I love learning about the creative process.  How did you go about the songwriting process, and choosing the songs that made the final cut?

Each song is different. Sometimes it's a small idea which starts in a dream. Other times it's a melody that pops into my head while I'm driving. Sometimes it's seeing the actions of others, war, pain, fear, love… That sparks an idea. Usually, for me, I start with the lyrics but that's not always the case. My favorite way of writing is to sit in a room with a cowriter. There is nothing more fun than collaborating on ideas. To see the seed growing and finally picking that flower, is so exciting and so fulfilling as a writer. The best reward is playing it live and seeing the audience and the fans reacting!

"Falling Apart" is possibly my favorite song ever.  Is there a story behind it, and how did you come to record two different versions of it?

Thank you! I too, I love that song.  This was a cowrite at 4am in New York City with a perfect stranger & amazing co writing partner in a studio.  I was in another (lol) very broken and painful, long distance relationship with another artist who lives in Iceland. These lyrics also just poured out of me. It was kind of easy writing this one…

All of your music is incredibly emotional.  Is making records, and performing these songs live, as cathartic an experience for you as it is for the audience?

Without a doubt. There are many moments on stage, when I can't even do a song which is on the set list because I'm too emotional. There've also been many times when I just immerse myself into the song so deeply that I can barely make it through the song without crying. I used to care about that, I used to think it made me look weak. Nowadays, I don't give a sh*t what I look like or what people think. I've learned over the past years that showing emotion and showing fear and pain is in fact a very powerful thing to do.

Do you have any exciting projects coming up? Is there anything else you want to tell the readers?

There are so many exciting things going on I don't even know where to begin. I'm about to embark on a five week tour with my all-girls band (SHÍ is DILANA) from Europe. It'll be their first time in the USA so I am beyond excited for them. This band really rocks and is extremely musical and very inspiring for me to perform with. Another exciting thing is the Rock Against Trafficking project!  I was chosen as the only "unknown" artist to record a song by Sting or Police, for this album and live show in LA. Other artists also involved are Stevie wonder, Anne Wilson, Alanis Morissette, Slash, Fergie, Nickelback, Rob Thomas and MANY more!!

2016 looks to be very promising. I'm also heading back to Europe again for a bunch of awesome festivals and cool shows.

For more information on Dilana, including how to purchase a copy of her new album of songs from "Angel Camouflaged", visit her Facebook page, or Dilanarocks.com

Album Review: Walking With Giants - "Worlds Unknown"

Walking With Giants is the epithet of Gary Noon, multi-instrumentalist and hard rock songwriter, a man who lays down his own brand of rock while at the same time being publicly indebted to his favorite musicians.  His debut full-length album “Worlds Unknown,” allows those two lines to cross, as the album is idiomatically the work of Noon, but assisted by contributions of musicians from some of Noon’s idols, Sevendust and Alter Bridge

The thrust of this new album is that Noon once again wants to give his listeners a record of accessible rock that is pleasantly free of pretense and the lowest common denominator.  As a bonus, Walking With Giants is trying to uplift the mood of those around them, asking the listener to shut out all the negative influence he or she is surrounded by and instead take inspiration from within to forge a better tomorrow.  It sounds a little melodramatic, but in a world where popular rock radio suffered a mighty blow with the coming of Nickelback’s drivel and the meandered yelping of that band’s associated musical army, it’s a refreshing twist to see someone make hard rock have another message again.

What strikes most on the positive side of the ledger for “Walking With Giants” is that the album is expertly arranged and presented, particularly for a debut.  Noon is clearly taking his time and making sure that the product is properly rendered to his satisfaction, which denotes an admirable attention to detail.  From the very opening of “World Unknown Part 1” and into “Broken Truth,” there is a logical flow of the pieces that speaks to craft and patience.  All of these songs from first to last are free of shortcuts and layer the music in a way that appeals to the ear.

Walking With Giants hits all the necessary check marks that one expects, but where it stops is in going beyond those check marks.  “Worlds Unknown” to turn a phrase, never punches the listener in the face or displays an immediacy that would lend the experience a tangible edge.  “Back to Life” would have benefited greatly from an unbridled emotional push and the song could have accomplished this without abandoning the confines of this style of music.  The guitar of “Guilty One” is layered with a potentially tasty riff, but it lacks in bite, never reaching beyond the threshold to get into the listener’s kitchen.  Anyone hoping for a touch of righteous aggression from the fairly articulate Walking With Giants will be listening for a long while.

So what we really have here is a perfectly acceptable hard rock record that satisfies all the necessary requirements of same and is an easy, pleasant listen.  The other side of that same coin is that Walking With Giants does not challenge the listener and does not endeavor to push the envelope in any special direction.  “Worlds Unknown” doesn’t have to do that as a prerequisite for being enjoyable, but a little more urgency might have gone a long way.

Album Review: Tarot - Reflections

As I get older, I notice that one of the things I most appreciate in the music I listen to is authenticity. I like knowing that the music I hear is as it actually is, and isn't the creation of a host of computers messing with the natural order. There is something about hearing a sound that is so identifiable as what a guitar plugged into an amp should sound like that is hard to explain. It's why I've been so happy about the growing roster of bands that are embracing the vintage sounds of the 70s, even if most of them are still lacking in their results. Anything that moves us closer to having music go back to sounding like music is good with me.

Tarot is an Australian band that fits into that mold, playing a style of hard rock that lifts straight out of the days of Deep Purple and Rainbow. And like the records of yesteryear, they make their initial statement in a sprightly thirty-four minutes, resisting the urge to stay past their welcome.

We're ushered in with "Autumn Conjuration", which spends its first minute with a beautifully picked acoustic guitar, before things kick up with wonderfully vintage guitar tones and organ swells that warm my heart. The song makes good use of those dynamics, weaving between softer and heavier moments, with some lovely lead guitar thrown in. The only thing holding the song back is the vocal delivery, which reminds me of Manilla Road, a comparison that isn't one to celebrate. The vocals are thin and weak, which does detract from what is really a fun song.

As "Heed The Call" follows, we figure out more that Tarot is going for a feeling as much as anything else. They do an effective job of setting a slightly dark, laid-back tone that I can't immediately name-check with any other bands. There is clearly an appreciation for occult rock in the sound, but it's played without a commitment to the theater that sounds normally requires. Tarot is using it as a means of playing what I can only describe as relaxing hard rock.

Here's what I mean by that; if you're looking for an album to make you pump your fist, filled with songs that will capture your mind, this isn't that album. What "Reflections" is can more accurately be described as an album to put on late at night, with the lights turned low, when you want to drift away from reality. For those purposes, it's a perfect album.

Take "Strange Dimensions", for example. As it approaches the end, it reaches what should be a huge crescendo. I can hear the bits having been written, but the delivery lacks the power to make that moment pop out from the rest of the song. It could have been amazing, but the circumstances leave it as being merely good. It's the same thing with "Cloak And Dagger", which is my favorite track here. There's a solid hook that was written, but the delivery doesn't drive it home the way I would like it to.

Ultimately, "Reflections" is one of those albums that is promise waiting to be fulfilled. I love the sound and atmosphere that Tarot has created, and there are riffs and hooks in here that show me that they can be something really good, but the execution here isn't up to the level of what I sense they're capable of. They need more power and conviction, and a better vocal delivery would help. If they found that, "Reflections" can be the first chapter in a very good career. It's still a good album, and I enjoyed my time listening to it, but it sounds like an unrefined, unfinished product. The good news is that there very well could be a diamond in there, once the polishing is done.