Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview

Alpine White “The Hale” [EP] – The band did not take its name from the at-home teeth bleaching system, but rather the Gibson guitar. Colin Denker (lead vocals, guitar, piano, drums) is the mastermind behind this San Francisco quartet, which is rounded out by his brother Ian (bass, vocals), Ivan Wence (guitar, vocals), and Javier Benavides (drums). “The Hale” EP consists of four songs, the first half being superior to the second half. The gentle yet bright acoustic strumming of “When She Gets Home” serves as a fine introduction to this mellow rock band that straddles indie rock and power pop. “When She Gets Home” is memorable and moving, with enchanting backing vocals providing a sobering warmth. “The Evidence” picks up the pace a bit, practically floating with its soaring harmonies and crisp guitar line – another winner. “Days and Nights” is plagued with a lumbering introduction, but even when the vocals finally kick in, the song just doesn’t seem to get out of second gear. The record ends on a decent note with the steady “All The Weight” – lyrically strong, but musically less exciting than the standouts. Check out Alpine White if you like Snow Patrol, Arctic Monkeys, or Band of Horses. The EP is due out November 1 – learn more here.

Surprise of the week
Science has spoken – what are the catchiest songs ever? Some of them might surprise you…

News
I think this one will be a contender against the Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration for worst record of the year. Listen to William Shatner covering Black Sabbath here.

It has been a long time since we’ve heard from Alien Ant Farm (remember their awesome cover of Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal”)? I’m looking forward to the new record from these guys due early 2012. Details here.

Def Leppard discusses the state of music business: "The music industry went from being an art form to a business, and then to an industry." Read more here.

Butch Walker autobiography details here.

It’s confirmed: Jani Lane died of alcohol poisoning. Story here.

Rooney frontman Robert Schwartzman has announced the release of a new solo album and a supporting tour this fall.

And finally, in memory of Steve Jobs – a man who changed the face of the music business as much as he did computers.

Random iPOD song of the week
The Jayhawks – “Blue”


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Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.



MiniReview







Raining Jane “The Good Match” – Eclectic LA-based folk-rock band Raining Jane is back with their latest full-length CD, “The Good Match”. Long time touring partners of Sara Bareilles, and musical collaborators with acoustic rock luminaries like Willy Porter and Jason Mraz, the girls in Raining Jane have a lot to brag about. The songs on this new album span a range of emotions and feature outstanding songwriting, silky smooth harmonies, and unorthodox instrumentation including an occasional sitar, cajon, and glockenspiel. The result: a light folk rock soundtrack best suited for a lazy afternoon. Highlights for me include the polished radio-friendly title track, the buoyant “A World That's Made For Me And You”, and the closing acoustic track “New Year” (which strangely reminds me of Johnny Cash’s rendition of the Nine Inch Nails hit “Hurt”). And be sure to give a listen to their haunting reworking of Pat Benatar’s “Love Is A Battlefield”. Find out more about Raining Jane here.







Jason Dean “Coffee” [EP] - More acoustic rock goodness this week from singer/songwriter Jason Dean. With the backdrop of Virginia, Dean was inspired at a very early age by Hank Williams Jr, “not just a musician, but an entertainer as well”. Dean’s debut is this five song EP called “Coffee”, produced by himself and Pete Evick (Shinedown, Paramore, Bret Michaels). The songs are southern, bluesy and soulful, like too unlike what Kid Rock did on his last record, with hints of Stevie Ray Vaughn, The Allman Brothers, and Big Head Todd. Highlights include the groovy blues rock of “Only Wanna Be Me”, the Everlast vibe of “These Times”, and the breezy “Narrow Passage Creek”.

Jason Dean – official website.



Surprise of the week

And Dave Mustaine’s (Megadeth) favorite Metallica song is…

Click here to find out



News

35 years in the business and still going strong – Heart is planning a new album to follow up 2010’s “Red Velvet Car”. Can’t say I was a fan of that album, but I hold out hope…details here.



Motorhead is planning an album of cover tunes – should be interesting! Read all about it here.



Despite the death of Brad Delp, and the recent departure of Michael Sweet, Boston insists they are still together and will release the long awaiting album (the first since 2002’s "Corporate America"). Delp will be heard on this record. It is 85% finished according to the band, so that means we can expect it sometime in 2025. Details here.



Don’t know about you, but I am a sucker for these types of lists. Here are the top songs of the 80s, picked by Gibson.com



I admire Lita Ford’s take on aging! Ford says she still feels like the “20-year-old sexy rocker chick” at 51 and rejects plastic surgery, makeovers and working out…she looks fantastic. More here.



Details on Jani Lane’s final recording, “Sin”, done with Liberty n’Justice, a band featuring former Alice Cooper guitarist Keri Kelli, King Kobra’s JK Northrup and Bill Leverty of Firehouse. Lane’s last media activity was an appearance on VH1′s That Metal Show, which was due for broadcast on October 1 but has been brought forward to August 27. Story is here with an update here.



More Jani Lani news: 80s rockers (including Great White, Quiet Riot, LA Guns, Enuff Z'nuff) will be playing a free tribute to the late singer and songwriter. Details on that story here.



Random iPOD song of the week

“Impossible” by Anberlin…one of the finest modern rock songs I’ve heard in a long time.

Tribute to Jani Lane

I am saddened to hear the news about the death of Jani Lane, the former lead singer of Warrant. Below are some of my favorite songs by this underrated songwriter and performer. Jani Lane was also a member of the noted band Saints of the Underground (reviewed here). Thanks for the music Jani...I wish we had the chance to hear more.

Review: Warrant “Rockaholic”

Melodic Rock/hairband
The revolving door of personnel in the band called Warrant makes the early years of Fleetwood Mac seem pretty stable by comparison. Erik Turner (guitars), who formed the band in 1984, is in the current lineup along with others who have been with him since the early days. The gaping hole is that lead singer and key songwriter Jani Lane has been replaced with Robert Mason (Lynch Mob, Cry Of Love). For most people, Lane defined the sound of Warrant during their peak of popularity and any version of the band without him just isn’t the “real” Warrant they knew and loved. Well, we can sit and debate whether bands that go on without key personnel have a right to continue using the same name, or we can just judge the songs on “Rockaholic” as they stand.

As you can surmise from the title, “Rockaholic” covers standard fodder of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. The boys in this rendition of Warrant sound like they are giving it their all – the guitars are loud and proud, the bass and drums create a thunderous backbeat, and Mason belts out the tired lyrics with remarkable gusto. Where the guys come up short is in the songwriting category. Lane’s vocals are not only missed, but so are the melodic hooks that he could write. Not all songs suffer from this deficit – the album is like a sandwich. There is some tasty meat in the middle, but it is flanked by stale bread.

The record begins with songs that attempt to revive an element of the band’s glam roots with “Sex Ain’t Love” and “Innocence Gone”, but these tracks are in need of serious Viagra. Things don’t get very interesting until the power ballad “Home”. Leaving this comfort zone, the band grooves right into a driving mid-tempo number called “What Love Can Do”, which is one of the most accessible on the album. Next up is the first single, “Life’s A Song”, another respectable radio-friendly tune that gets better on repeated listens. Sounds more like a Danger Danger song, but it works for me. After this, things go South again with lukewarm songs like “Cocaine Freight Train” and “Sunshine”, but a decent power ballad is buried on the back half of the record in “Found Forever”. “Found Forever” is a little over the top but on equal footing with the quality of “Home”.

“Rockaholic” ain’t all bad, but I can’t see anyone getting addicted to it. The band needs an intervention. Fans should “cherry” pick the highlights.

iPOD-worthy: 5, 6, 7, 10

Warrant – official site.

Check out the video for “Life’s A Song”: