Vinyl Blog #23. Rich Robinson -Flux

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  I am a bit late in discussing my favorite records of 2016. But here it is anyway. I think this was my favorite album release of 2016. And those you know me personally, probably wouldn't see this as a surprise. I decided to take my time before writing about the latest album from Rich Robinson. The man has never written easily digested songs upon first listen. In my world, this is a compliment. Some of the greatest rock albums were designed for the listener to dig in, and to draw them back, not to quickly consume, and then toss away. 

   Music is important in his world, which means no disposability allowed. It seems as if all of Robinson's work is created with a natural flow. But once the ideas are discovered, the work begins, with an end result being a deeply rich recording, not only with the instrumentation, but with the lyrical themes and arrangements as well. That said, I believe it takes time to soak it all in with multiple listening sessions. That is probably what Mr. Robinson has always intended while creating his original brand of rock n roll. His legendary and classic body of work with The Black Crowes, as well as his solo records displays this beautifully. 

  The recording of "Flux" took Rich and his long time Drummer Joe Magistro back to their beloved Applehead Studios in Woodstock New York, where Robinson recorded his last two solo albums. The duo routinely finds renewed inspiration at this special place. I recently sat down with Joe Magistro for an interview on our podcast, where we talked about the creative process for the Flux sessions at Applehead. You can listen here: http://rocksavagepod.squarespace.com/vinylblog/2016/9/19/ep10-joe-magistrodrummer-for-rich-robinson .

  I had a chance to visit Applehead, back in 2014 when I traveled there to partake in the first of Rich's Woodstock Sessions. We watched them record in the barn studio that was formerly owned by Rick Danko from The Band. It's a vibey studio, and has been used by some legendary musicians over the years. Combined with Applehead's built in history, and tranquil scenery, it makes for a fantastic place for musicians to create. And it definitely contributes an essence to the work Rich Robinson has done there.

  Flux might be one of Rich Robinson's best albums of his career. I am aware that this is a tall thing to say when reflecting back on his body of work, but damn, this album is fantastic. Stand out songs for me include Astral, Everything's Alright, & Sleepwalker. There isn't one mediocre song on it. That is amazing considering that they went into the studio with almost nothing completely written, and proceeded to hammer out one song a day until completion. This is yet another attribute to the talent behind Flux, including all of the musicians involved, as well last the studio engineers. I have been a fan of Rich, since the beginning of his career. And I am completely thrilled by the fact that his work keeps getting better as the years roll on.

  Even though The Black Crowes appear to be gone for good, I am excited for what the future holds in the Rich Robinson camp, and encourage any fan of The Black Crowes to give his solo work a chance if you haven't already. It more than fills the void, and deserves a good, long listening session or two. Or fifty. Or one hundred. You get the point. Go check out RR's solo catalog now on Eagle Rock Entertainment. You will be a happier rock fan for it. 

Vinyl Blog #22. Soundgarden -Badmotorfinger (25th Anniversary Edition)

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  Back in 1990-91, I was a teenager who was heavily influenced by the previous generations music, which didn't bother me. I still listen to music from the 70's and 80's with a certain reverance, just like any self respecting rock fan should. But not until the Seattle grunge explosion, did I really find MY generation's musical revolution. No one saw it coming, and it came quickly, wiping the last ten years of hair metal bands, and synth pop mall music off the face of the earth. At the time, the sonically heaviest album on my radar was the now classic "And Justice For All" by Metallica. It was frightening, and made me feel like I might have a chance of going straight to hell for listening to it. Metal was dangerous, and I was attracted to it big time!

  Now, back to grunge. When Soundgarden released the masterpiece "Badmotorfinger" in the fall of 1991, it resembled nothing that I had heard before. The album was brooding, heavy in theme, and sometimes a bit bizarre. It challenged me as the listener, while drawing me in for another listen. Songs such as "Slaves & Bulldozers" and "Searching With My Good Eye Closed" leveled me as a youngster. These two tracks are still my favorite to this day. Many of the music critics at the time, compared them to Led Zeppelin, which I didn't really understand. Aside from the higher range vocals, I saw no resemblance. They felt more like Black Sabbath in terms of vibe, but didn't sound anything like either band. Now looking back in retrospect, this critique makes a bit more sense, in that Soundgarden stylistically is eclectic like Zeppelin. None of their albums sound the same. And that's why I love this band so much. Soundgarden are never boring or predictable.  

  As most Soundgarden fans already know, the now legendary Terry Date produced Badmotorfinger. He was also the producer of Pantera's "Vulgar Display Of Power", which came out a few months later in 1992. My friends and I listened to these albums together quite often in the years to come. Pantera and Soundgarden were the new definition sonic heaviness in the early Nineties. As I mentioned before, I felt like I could go straight to hell for listening to this music. And I liked it. The decibels alone crept down into my cells, shattered my consciousness, and rebuilt it new again. Thats why these bands remain, what I like to call "life long music".

 It blows my mind, that this album is 25 years old. Time is flying by, but Soundgarden remain timeless. And I believe that this was the focus of the band the entire time they were writing their songs. I bought this copy of Badmotorfinger in Cleveland Ohio before a recent Red Fang show at The Beachland Ballroom. The remaster sounds better than ever on 180 gram, with revamped artwork in a gatefold cover. Dare I say, it looks better than ever as well. The Soundgarden camp is doing an excellent job with these reissues, and I highly recommend them. This music was recorded analog, and was always meant to be listened to on vinyl. Dig it. And go get it. 

Vinyl Blog #21. The Black Crowes -Amorica (180 Gram Reissue)

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 I have been a huge fan of The Black Crowes since their debut album "Shake Your Money Maker". I literally grew up with this music, and love every official release that they have done. I have thought a lot about this, and now know why, that like so many others, I am so damn attached to this band and their music. It's because The Black Crowes never spoon fed their fans with rehashed drivel, and instead deliberately followed their creative hearts, while wisely challenging the listener from album to album. Thank the rock gods for that! Their third masterpiece "Amorica is no different. And thats why this is lifelong music to me, even if the band no longer exists. 

  I was a first day buyer of Amorica when it was released on November 1st, 1994. Upon first listen, I was actually shocked to hear that it didn't sound anything like their previous effort "The Southern Harmony And Musical Companion". It's kind of silly to think back on it now, but this was the obvious trend with this band. Moving forward musically was the goal, and we were all on this ride together. Amorica gave way to a much more produced studio record than the more live sound on the previous records. As I remember, the first listen was somewhat challenging to my dumb teenage brain. My first reaction upon hearing the first few songs was "What the fuck? What did they do? To this day, Im not sure why, but maybe the sophistication of this new batch of songs would catch even the most loyal Crowes fan off guard.

  The subject matter of the lyrics were darker, deeper, and with themes of self loathing, and love gone wrong. On that note, the album isn't a bummer to listen to. No depression here. And no time for shoe gazing. The music drags the listener along upright with a loud rock n roll audacity. It makes me feel god damn good, even happy.  A song like the epic "Wiser Time" balanced out the darkness with a hint of self reflection, and learning from the pain of difficult relationships. There was no sunshine here. This shit was deep. I revisited the album every day, and on the fifth listen, I was hooked, chipping away the skepticism with each listen, until it was totally smashed and gone. I read an interview with Rich Robinson a while back, and in it he stated that when showing the new music to friends, that they had a similar reaction that I did upon the first listen. This is proof that amazing music is not always easy. It takes time to digest. And if the listener has patience, they will be rewarded. 

  Amorica has got to be one of the best and most underrated albums ever recorded at the now legendary Sound City Studios. Dave Grohl should have featured someone from the The Black Crowes in his amazing documentary about the studio. Sonically, this music is perfection incarnate. It sounds and feels exactly how real rock should sound. And I cannot escape this blog entry without mentioning the infamous album cover. As I understand it, some of the band members hate it. But as a fan, I loved it. It's in your face, and captures the unwavering spirit of rock. Album art is usually fucking boring and safe, trading art for marketing. Judge the book by the cover, and dive in with the volume high. 

Vinyl Blog #20. Black Sabbath -Sabbath Bloody Sabbath

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In honor of Black Sabbath's final tour, taking place in America as I write this, I decided to do a short feature on my current favorite Sabbath album, Sabbath Bloody Sabbath! Do you know why it's my favorite!? Simply because the music on this album was written in a fucking real life medieval dungeon! And it sounds like it! Who the hell does that? Black Fucking Sabbath! That's who! It doesn't get any more "metal" than that folks!

  As most of us already know, Black Sabbath are the god fathers of the heavy metal genre. But on a personal level, I enjoy their more expansive and experimental masterpiece compositions, that delve into the realm of blues, jazz and psychedelic jam. Even the title track has a more expansive vibe, along with the bludgeoning classic Iommi riff that we all know and love! Spiral Architect and A National Acrobat should have been massive hits in a perfect world. The orchestral parts of Spiral Architect had no written music at the time, and were a result of melodies hummed by the titan of rock himself, Ozzy Osbourne. This is why some people become super stars. Pure talent such as this, will not go unnoticed. It could have been the drugs too. But I suspect that it was a perfect combination of both superb talent and psychedelic assistance. This is just a thought, not a fact. But its fun to dig into the legend of this band, and think about while listening.

  Not only is this my favorite Sabbath album in terms of music, but it also has one of the best, and most legendary album covers to come out of 1970's. It captures the ominous vibe of the album perfectly. The artwork is a comprehensive piece, spanning the front and back cover, depicting the scene of a dying man, with two different outcomes. When interviewed in 1974, Ozzy Osbourne elaborated on the image: "The front of the cover represents a man dying on his deathbed. There are all these distorted figures bending over him and gloating as he lies there. These figures are actually him at different stages of his life. He’s a man of greed, a man who’s wanted everything all his life and done all this evil stuff. But flip the album over, and the back represents the good side of life. The person on the bed has been really good to people. He’s got all these beautiful people crying over him as he’s dying. At the bottom of the bed, he has two tame lions guarding him. All in all, this represents the good and bad of everything."

Read More: Cover Stories: Black Sabbath's 'Sabbath Bloody Sabbath' | http://loudwire.com/cover-stories-black-sabbath-sabbath-bloody-sabbath/?trackback=tsmclip

  In recent months, rock music has taken a beating, in terms of losing some great musicians. The generation including the members of Black Sabbath are slowly fading away. So it is sad to know that Sabbath will not be touring again after 2016. Given the age of all of the members, it is understandable. As a fan though, selfishly I hope that the guys can get together and continue to make music in the studio. I sure am glad that everyone in this band is still around, and even if they will be less active in the future, it feels good to know that some of the legends are still among us. So in tribute, play Sabbath on the turntable loudly, and educate the neighbors on what real music really is. 

Vinyl Blog #19. Rival Sons -Head Down

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When I first heard Rival Sons a few years ago, they were a pleasant and welcome surprise. It was one of those rare occasions for me, when I heard their songs on a Friday, and then by Sunday, I had their vinyl on the way to the house. And I mean their entire catalog. I owned it all. And I couldn't get enough of it. 

  My copy of their third full length LP "Head Down" was a limited edition print of 200 copies. I think the reason that their music has resonated so well, is that the band is just god damned authentic in every sense of the word. So far, they have written and recorded all of their music on the spot, with no pre-production whatsoever. According to the band, they write and arrange songs in the studio. It's amazing to know that what you hear on any Rival Sons record, is usually a first or second take. Who the fuck does that these days? They also do not use Pro-Tools, or any other kind of studio trickery, instead using analog, two inch tape to record. All songs are cut live, off the cuff, and instantly, similar to the old blues and rock records of the past. 

  When interviewed by Guitar World, Guitarist Scott Holiday explained the studio process for Rival Sons on the Head Down sessions: 

"So much rock and roll these days seems like it’s been so overworked. You listen and you can actually hear the labor that’s gone into making it. You’ve got to go back to the early sessions of Elvis, the Beatles and the Stones to find music that wasn’t as laborious. When you listen to those records, you know they didn’t labor over it. They just whipped it and cracked it out. We have the right people and confidence in each other to work off of that we’re able to go in and do that same thing. Be on the look out if you like loud and perfect rock n roll people. Cheers. 

For example, the song “Manifest Destiny, PT 1″ was a first take. It was the first time we had all ever played that song together. Then there’s the last song on the record, “True." Jay [Buchanan] and I literally had just talked about the song right before we recorded it."

You can read more here: http://www.guitarworld.com/head-down-rival-sons-guitarist-scott-holiday-talks-new-album-and-his-encounter-jimmy-page

  The authenticity and killer rock vibe is evident on any Rival Sons record. This music is meant to be listened to on vinyl, and as a listener, it permeated down to the cellular level. Just the way music should. The songs are amazing. Pure and rare talent at its finest. 2016 will be a big year for Rival Sons. They will be touring as the opening act for the final Black Sabbath tour. I suspect that this fact alone will launch this band into the stratosphere of the rock universe. They also have already recorded a new album, which will be announced soon I suspect. Be on the look out if you are a rock fan. You won't be disappointed. 

Vinyl Blog #18. Led Zeppelin II (180g Reissue)

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 The music of Led Zeppelin really is an epic saga of sorts. I think simply calling the second Zeppelin album "II" was more than appropriate for this band. The rock saga continues..

  Once you learn how this album was recorded, then the unique talent and sound of Led Zeppelin is more than apparent. Lesser bands did not possess the power to create such a cohesive piece of music, while containing a signature sound. Prior to the internet, the legend was that "II" was recorded in hotel rooms across the country whilst the band was on tour. I always wondered how the unsuspecting guests in adjacent rooms felt about John Bohnam's drums splitting their skulls in two through thin hotel walls. It was always a fun thought, and totally a rock n roll thing to do if true. Alas, with the golden age of internet surfing, we have come to find out that only the writing sessions for the album were done in hotels. A much more realistic and manageable task, but still a little less fun to think about. 

  Squashed rumors or not, this still does not effect the power and mystique of the second Led Zeppelin album. It apparently was recorded in haste, while on tour in shitty studios all over England and The United States. Thats still, definitely and admiral task! Eddie Kramer was on board this time to assist Jimmy Page in the engineering and production. This was also the first time that Robert Plant was credited in the song writing process. When listening to the lyrics of the songs, it is clear that this was a turning point in lyrical content and style for the band. The young Plant was coming into his own as a songwriter. A legendary frontman was emerging. The Golden God was born.

  Led Zeppelin II is largely regarded as the birth place for what would be come modern heavy metal. Its hard to imagine that these days, but before 1969, there was probably nothing heavier than the riff to "Whole Lotta Love". In the fairly new world of distorted guitar rock, Im sure a first listen to this music in 1969 was brutal, shocking, and amazing at the same time. The album would go gold in 1969, and would go on to sell over 12 million copies. The critics were wrong again. But who really listens to them anyway?

Vinyl Blog #17. Led Zeppelin I (180g Reissue)

I was born in the late 1970's. That being said, I missed out on what would be the British invasion movement, which effectively radicalized rock n roll music. Bands like Led Zeppelin started out of the gate, creating some of the sonically heaviest music of the time. Today its hard to imagine a world without Led Zeppelin, but I sometimes wonder how this initially sounded to rock fans at the time, when this music was new and contemporary. I bet that this musical bludgeoning left the listener feeling like they were doing something wrong. And judging by the initial success of the first Led Zeppelin album, I assume that they liked that feeling.

  Led Zeppelin I was recorded at Olympic Studios in 1968 and Produced by Jimmy Page with Glen Johns. It is said to have took a total of 36 hours to record, with the initial tracks all performed live.  All four of the Zeppelin members were on top of their game. Any musician would have to be, to cut an entire album in 36 hours. Of course, the simple fact that Jimmy Page and John Paul Jones were well seasoned studio musicians before Zeppelin probably helped the endeavor as well. And with having in their presence, the raw talent of John Bohnam and Robert Plant, the circle was epically complete. I wonder how effortless it was to record with John Bohnam on the drums in the studio? No click tracks there my friends. Just beautiful and flawless execution.

  It is amazing to me that some of the first reviews of this album were unbelievably bad. The now notorious, and generally mean spirited Rolling Stone review said the following: "In their willingness to waste their considerable talent on unworthy material the Zeppelin has produced an album which is sadly reminiscent of Truth. Like the Beck group they are also perfectly willing to make themselves a two- (or, more accurately, one-a-half) man show. It would seem that, if they're to help fill the void created by the demise of Cream, they will have to find a producer (and editor) and some material worthy of their collective attention.

  Rolling Stone would go on to shit on Zeppelin for years after that. Its a great thing that the guys in Zeppelin created for themselves first, and in the wake, took millions of people with them. This is just another reason why artists should never listen to critics. Bad reviews are better left unsaid, and are blatantly anti art. As the saying goes, "promote what is great, not what you hate".  In this case, wiser words have never been spoken.

  

Read more: http://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/led-zeppelin-i-19690315#ixzz3wCUqxUDi 
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Vinyl Blog #16. Red Fang -Whales & Leeches

 Red Fang rules!  They are a great Stoner/Metal/Rock band from Portland Oregon. Their most recent release "Whales And Leeches" carry on the band's superb tradition of loud and heavy rock music. I opened for them a few years ago with my band Burn Blue Sky when they were on the Metal Alliance Tour. The Cleveland date was sold out to the max. It was a legendary night of heavy music. The guys in Red Fang were super friendly too, and hung out all night with everyone. It was a killer time! They give new meaning to the term "road dogs". This band is constantly on tour, and in recent years, has built a huge fan base in the US and Europe. Their first taste of fame was due to their video for the song "Prehistoric Dog", which features the band building suits of armor out of beer cans, and waging war against a group of LARPERS. This is serious stuff people. Seriously badass heavy rock n roll that is. Go buy their records and see them live as soon as humanly possible. 

Vinyl Blog #15. Torche -Restarter

  This album smokes. Someday I hope that Torche gets to the next level. They are a well known band in the underground Metal/Rock scene. However, I think they have the talent and diversity in their music to take it to the next step. Plus, these guys work hard. They take any tour that comes their way, and have zig zagged around the country a million times over by now. Their latest album "Restarter", is heavy but has hooks too. And with great hooks, the melodies seep into the songs as well. Dare I say that these songs are catchy? Some snobby music purist might disagree, but I find nothing wrong with a good catchy rock n roll song. It is easy to imagine hearing their songs on the radio. Why the hell is a song like "Bishops In Arms" or "Minions" not in the top ten on iTunes by now? I guess it doesn't matter that much. If these guys keep banging it out on the road, they will grow their audience eventually. Thats how rock bands have to do it these days. And in the end, it probably feels like a more genuine success if you earn it on the road. So if you see these guys coming to your town, be sure to check them out! And better yet, buy their vinyl at the merch table! Support Rock!

Vinyl Blog #14. The Black Crowes -Before The Frost..Until The Freeze

In the realm of rock music, The Black Crowes are easily one of the most interesting and influential bands of the last 25 years. They were relentlessly focused on maintaining a certain amount of integrity to the music they created. Their records challenged the listener. The band never repeated themselves from one release to the next. This came at a cost in terms of commercial success throughout the years, but to the real fans of rock music, I don't believe that this mattered much. The crowds showed up in droves to any show The Black Crowes were a part of, until the end of the band in 2013. 

  As a long time fan of The Black Crowes, It was pretty cool to see that their final album would be a double release. It was a large body of all new material, recorded in Woodstock New York at Levon Helm's barn studio in front of an audience, over the course of five nights. It was produced by Paul Stacey. The first disc highlighted eleven rock and blues inspired tracks, while the second disc showed the country influences of the band. Guitar World interviewed the band about the recording approach in 2009. “It was a much different process than what we’re used to,” says guitarist Rich Robinson. “When you do a record, you usually have time to dissect the songs in the studio and work them out. But having an audience there, we wanted to put on a great show while we were recording, and that didn’t leave a lot of room for changing stuff.”  

  Before The Frost..Until The Freeze was released on August 31st, 2009 through the bands label Silver Arrow Records, and was well received by both critics and the fans. The subsequent tour to support the album was also a huge success. It now appears that this is indeed, the last studio album that we will see from The Black Crowes. Before The Frost..Until The Freeze serves as an epic final statement, and does bookend an impressive career by the band. In the wake of the break up of The Black Crowes, Chris and Rich Robinson have gone on to pursue more intimate and grass roots solo careers. I sometimes wonder what it must be like in the internal workings of a band like this, to where they render themselves unable to work together? Hopefully they can patch things up one day and continue to make great music together. Until then, we have their back catalog to enjoy and be inspired by, as well as the brothers separate solo work, which is well worth exploring.