photo credit Dan Williams Photography

By Dan Williams

“Playing the role of Alice Cooper tonight …. Me!”

That was a true statement last Thursday evening at BB&T Pavilion during band introductions.  As you no doubt know, Alice is a character played by Detroit-born Vincent Furnier.  In fact, “Alice Cooper” started out as the name of his band in 1968, not that of an individual.  But in the early 70’s, Furnier adopted the character as a singular personality with a macabre back story and a theatrical show not to be missed. The personality of Alice Cooper is about as far from real-life Vince Furnier as can be imagined.  That’s what makes the character so fun.

Cooper has become a fiery legend with a huge stage presence, backed by one of the most incredible bands one could ask for.  The stage is loaded with strange props including decapitated dolls, an over-sized toybox, a Frankenstein-like laboratory and a giant guillotine complete with druid-like executioners.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

While all of this surround him, a perfectly choreographed trio of guitarists pose and move about displaying their incredible talents but always as perfect backdrops and foils to the main demented character of Alice Cooper in full costumed glory.  On guitars and bass are Chuck Garric, Ryan Roxie, Nita Strauss, and Tommy Henriksen backed by the incredible Glen Sobel on drums.

The show spans Cooper’s career opening with 2000’s “Brutal Planet” followed by instant crowd pleaser “No More Mr. Nice Guy” from 1973.  The set list moved seamlessly into hits like 1997’s “Under My Wheels” and 1973’s “Billion Dollar Babies” where he appeared on stage with a rapier sword stuffed with hundred-dollar bills that he shook into the audience.  (Full disclosure:  The Benjamins were printed on green stock with Alice’s face in the center.)

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

Seven songs into the show, guitarist Nita Strauss took control of the stage and audience for one helluva solo exhibition.  Strauss is at the top of the food chain of rock shredders with many layers of technique on full display.  She was a powerful presence throughout the show, coming so close to upstaging the boss.

The second half started with costume changes as they launched into “Poison,” “Halo of Flies,” and a huge set-piece for “Feed My Frankenstein” where the druids strap Cooper onto a gurney and shoot electrical charges into him transforming him into “FrankenAlice,” a twelve-foot monster puppet.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

1975’s Cold Ethel from Welcome to My Nightmare was followed by a lovely version of “Only Women Bleed” accompanied by a beautiful twelve string guitar and a dancing ballerina.

The show ended with extended versions of monster hits “I’m Eighteen” and “School’s Out.”  The crowd had been on their feet with no intention of sitting.  Nobody took their eyes off the stage.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

Cooper recently complained in an interview that rock acts are too introverted today, that they stand at the mics and sing and show little animation to keep the audience interested.  He said that he came up watching Mick Jagger own the stage with his act and realized he would need a much bigger personality to compete for fans.

After watching his amazing, highly choreographed, and beautifully costumed show Thursday night … here’s a guy who younger performers need to emulate.  In one word, Alice Cooper is authentic.

Check out Alice Cooper’s Paranormal, released July 28^th on earMUSIC.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

Turnover

Good Nature

Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier

Turnover’s 2015 sophomore record, Peripheral Vision, was a complete shift from the band’s pop-punk sound on their debut record, Magnolia. The breakthrough transformation on Peripheral was a change that catapulted the band to new heights. Less of a pop-punk record and more a dream pop record (think Wild Nothing), Peripheral paved the way for, perhaps, the three-piece’s (former guitarist Eric Soucy departed the band earlier this year) best album t0-date, Good Vision (Run For Cover Records).

Good Nature is similar to Peripheral Vision in its sound, but features warmer, guitar-driven tracks that focus more on the arrangements than its predecessor. The opening track, “Super Natural”, features melodic guitars that offer a glimpse into the rest of Good Nature.

The track, “Sunshine Type”, shows just how much Turnover’s songs have grown. The sparkling guitars are the foundation of the song and a result of frontman Austin Getz’s desire to pay extra-attention to the arrangements on the album.

On “Butterfly Dream”, Getz sings about his newfound maturity: “Things that I’m using to get through the day/that keep me staring in the wrong direction/if I only ever look one way/then I can miss some things/that I would’ve liked to see”.

Anchored by dreamy, intricate guitars, the track “Curiosity” serves as the song that represents the LP cohesively, where Getz sings “we all have our curiosity/we’re so wide-eyed/it gets hard to look at things from different perspectives/what you think is backwards could be inside out/do you see now”.

The trio recorded the album at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, PA with their longtime producer, Will Yip, and the relaxed nature of the record could be a result of not having a set deadline. Chill guitars lay the foundation for “Pure Devotion”, where Turnover speaks on relationships, commitment, and loyalty: “for now you love me while my face is young and body’s strong/but one tomorrow they won’t be there when tomorrow comes/do you think you’ll love me when the lovin’ hurts/you’re captivated by a beauty that I didn’t earn”.

While a majority of the album is reminiscent of dreamy pop music similar to artists like Wild Nothing, Good Nature marks a point in Turnover’s career where they’ve made huge strides in their musical growth. From a pop-punk band to complete shift with Peripheral Vision, Good Nature expands on that shift, and illustrates how personal maturity can translate into emotional and intelligent musical maturity.

Rating: Bad-Ass

The Terrible Twos EP

Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier

The hard-hitting glam rock, spontaneous lyricism, and vocal delivery from lead singer,  j9, makes Brooklyn-based outfit, j and the 9s, a band to keep on your music radar.

The band’s latest release, The Terrible Twos EP, drops today. The trio is unlike any other band you’ve heard or seen live before. They deliver raw, original rock ‘n roll, that has garnered comparisons to artists like Led Zeppelin. The trio performs with a “hold nothing back” type of attitude which shows in their passionate live performances. That commanding attitude, paired with the passionate, authoritative nature of artists like Lady Gaga and Joan Jett, is what makes this band so exciting.

The trio wastes no time in delivering the type of rock ‘n roll that immediately punches you in the face, leaving you desperately wanting more. The lead single, “Love To Be”, is a raw, hard-hitting track with j9 delivering an emotionally raw vocal performance, equipped with a flute solo, that will make you say “wait, what?” The EP offers two versions of the song, an explicit performance and clean version, but the explicit version just sounds right.

The raw nature of the band’s heavy rock grooves only foreshadow what you can expect with the band’s live performance. On “Otherside”, the band channels elements of 70’s rock ‘n roll similarly to the psychedelia from bands like Pink Floyd, the punk rock nature of bands like The Ramones, and the authoritative, take-charge attitude of Joan Jett.

“Chronic Seducer” begins with a slower, melodic introduction, then breaks into heavy guitars over j9’s commanding vocals, singing “break your face off.”

J and the 9s’ The Terrible Twos is a 5-song collection is that will blow your mind and leave you wanting more. The uninhibited nature of j9’s vocals paired with the heavy hitting bass lines and guitar riffs will leave you rocking out to some incredible rock ‘n roll from a band with a very exciting future.

Rating: Bad-Ass

photo credit Kyle Ober

By Kyle Ober

The 35th Annual QuickCheck New Jersey Festival of Ballooning didn’t disappoint when it was all said and done, meaning Sunday when the Balloon launches, both Am/Sunrise and PM/Sunset were quite wonderful. In fact, the PM launch was absolutely spectacular. All the balloons went up practically at once  ascending to a cloudless perfectly blue sky making it a magical sight.

It is a sport that is completely weather dependent and unfortunately Friday AM rather foggy and by the time it burned off for a green, ok to launch flag, there were minimal participants. Saturday was rained out in the morning hours and winded out in the PM slot. But Sunday, assuming you believed the heavens would yield at at some point, much less paid attention to the weather report, was entirely worth the wait.

On the music front … I had the pleasure to catch George Thorogood who was completely enjoyable. Unfortunately I had to miss Pat Benatar although I heard she was superb.

George Thorogood is something of an American icon, in the world of Rock ‘n Roll at least, with a solid core following dating back to 1974. Ahh … old guy, some millennials might say! Okay, he’s in his 60’s .. and rocks his butt off .. and still sounds amazing as he exudes the essence of one of the badder boys of Rock ‘n Roll, evidenced by his scintillating stage show with a signature attitude as well as sneer. His hits, you’re probably singing to this day and don’t realize he penned such as “I Drink Alone”and “Bad to the Bone”, along with “Get A Haircut” and get a real job! And I’m betting it’s his voice in your head when you’re in a bar throwing back a few to “One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer” even though it’s really a John Lee Hoooker tune.

Growing up in the era of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, Thorogood was inspired to pick up a guitar at the age of 15 and give it a go. The rest is history as they say.

It didn’t come easy for Thorogood. His newly formed boyhood dream encountered the reality of a harsh music business when all the major record labels turned him down. He kept plugging, playing a bluesy style similar to Robert Johnson and Elmore James as an acoustic act and after a few years into it went electric, with a 3, later 4, piece band. His signature Blues Rock sound was solidified with the addition of a soulful saxophone. By way of a fan who knew somebody at a smaller label, Thorogood, on the verge of giving up, got signed to Rounder Records.

His debut, a now classic album, took off and soon went gold. Sixteen studio albums later, including 6 gold and 2 platinum, Thorogood is still rocking hard with over 100 shows a year and just released his first solo album, Party of One, on Rounder Records. if you have seen him in concert before you know the quality show he puts on and it hasn’t changed. If you’re of a younger generation and perhaps have only heard his name in passing, you owe it to yourself to go see his show and realize you’ve probably been singing his songs, or the ones he popularized, for years at your neighborhood bar and that they have become anthems and part of society’s fabric. I assure you, it won’t be a disappointment … that’s assuming Rock ‘n Roll is a part of your DNA.

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

photo credit Kyle Ober

Top Dollar

Reviewed by: Dan Williams

It’s stunning how so much weight can be delivered by just three skilled players.  Philly-based Power Trio On Top drops their new EP TOP DOLLAR this Friday, and it’s a burner!

On Top blends elements of Classic 70’s Rock, 80’s Heavy Metal with touches of punk in a modern hard driving package.

I caught up with lead singer and bassist Jaron Gulino while he fills in on tour with legendary hard rock band Tantric.  On Top is a project Gulino has led for seven years with local drummer Danny Piselli.  Guitarist Ric Haas takes over on guitar.  Together, they provide the driving muscle and momentum that has become synonymous with their sound.

Piselli brings a relentlessly heavy death metal drumming style to the sound that forces the listener back in their seat.  His creativity in beats and fills is an assault that lays a strong foundation on which to build.

Gulino has been a dynamic presence in the Mid-Atlantic area for at least ten years. His reputation is already locked in as the charismatic and energetic bass player for Philly’s MACH22.  Over the past year with MACH, Gulino has shared stages with Guns N’ Roses, Bret Michaels, Bon Jovi, and other monsters of rock.  He has also been sought out as guest bassist with Australian band Dellacoma and now American band Tantric.  His star is seriously on the rise.

This record marks the debut of new lead guitarist Ric Haas.  His guitar virtuosity is virtually unparalleled, if one considers his time in the industry.  His bluesy R&R style brings a powerful new direction to the On Top sound.  Haas has made a name for himself as a wunderkind on the axe.  At just eighteen, he has already guested on a side on Dee Snider’s (Twisted Sister) CD and joined MACH22 as second guitarist alongside Sebastian LaBar.  His very first gig with MACH22 was last July opening for Guns N’ Roses at Lincoln Financial Field.  A meteor doesn’t fly this fast.  But his fingers do!

The lead single is the blistering “Lovin’ The Devil.”  It leads in with a crunchy jaw-dropping shredded  guitar then met with Piselli’s driving drums.  Gulino jumps in with his unique vocal attack and strong bass lines.

Lines like “It hurts so good, I got it bad” signal Gulino’s autobiographical and observational source material for lyrics.  “I write about what I’m going through, other people and personal relationships, some good, some otherwise” he says in describing his work.  He goes on to say that “On Top is more widely focused” than his other projects and that the trio loves playing whether in practice or in front of an audience.  Either way, they play for themselves and hope that their high-octane energy and living for the moment translates to the audience.

A behind the scenes fourth member of this team is Joe DeLuca at Why Me Recording in Gibbsboro, NJ.  DeLuca is an industry veteran with a very long list of top shelf clients going back decades.  He’s just the right guy with the right touch to squeeze the perfect sound out of this record.  The EP was mixed and mastered by Chris “The Wizard” Collier at CM21 Productions.

Top Dollar drops Friday, August 18^th and will be available on iTunes, Spotify, Pandora and most other traditional sources.

Rating: Bad-Ass

Symphonies

Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier

Singer/songwriter Emily West delivers a cinematic performance on her new EP, Symphonies, a departure from her previous work.

Symphonies is an exciting adventure from start to finish. With the opening track, “Don’t Ever Go To Paris When You’re Lonely” she effortlessly displays how she can change her vocal abilities to fit the mood of the song. With the James Bond inspired track, “Heaven And Back”, the orchestra opens with some ominous notes, and then West breaks into soaring, sultry vocals.

The 6-song EP takes the listener on a journey to various places and incorporates old-style pop songs into a modern sound resulting in a perfect mashup of old vs. new. “Pirate Ships” is, perhaps, the most radio-friendly song on the record. A piano-based track, “Pirate Ships”, opens with piano and infectious guitars before West begins singing to a potential significant other “I’m going to take you/I’m going to capture/your love/your love/and I’m going to set you free/all of your emotional battle scars/drowning to the sea.”

On “Stop Messing With My Heart”, West delivers a psychedelic-inspired song about unrequited love as she sings “Go back to all the lines/you were rehearsing/the very first thing/you told me in the dark/you said in love/we’re all actors playing a part.”

The title track is a soaring, powerful song about the various sides to West’s life: from normal, everyday events like going grocery shopping to getting glammed up for a huge performance. “Symphonies” has a hugeness to it that speaks volumes of West’s talent. It opens elegantly with her passionate vocals taking center stage.

Symphonies is a beautiful collection of songs that takes us West’s a little bit more. From soaring vocals to fresh arrangements, West delivers an undeniable, exciting extended play that takes advantage of her versatile, soaring vocals, and results in a unique musical experience.

Rating: Bad-Ass

Drum

Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier

It’s been two years since the release of Gold Class’ debut record, It’s You, and now the Melbourne-based quartet has readied their bold sophomore release, Drum.

On Drum, the four-piece creates a 10-song album that is very much in tune with Britain’s post-punk revival from bands like Interpol, Editors, and Bloc Party. Recorded at Head Gap Studios / Tropical Fuck Storm Studios and with the help of producer Gareth Liddiard (The Drones), the four-piece opens with the track “Twist In The Dark”, with its droning guitars and heavy rhythm section layered over Adam Curley’s stark vocals.

The heavy bass lines and rhythmic drumming in “Rose Blind” and “Get Yours” fit so intensely perfect together. Where on “Trouble Fun”, they switch gears and feature more melodic guitars over subdued bass lines, and gentle drums. It gives you a break from the heavy bass lines and drums for a few minutes until “Bully” begins.

The four-piece focuses on the guitars on “Thinking of Strangers”, a track that’s reminiscent of the early 90’s alternative scene; while on “Mercurian”, the group dials into the rhythmic hammering of the drums and heavy bass lines.

Drum is a record that will sound familiar, but if you listen to the inner parts and details of each song, break it down, and truly study it, you’ll discover that each song is a different and important piece of what makes this record so brilliant.

Rating: Bad-Ass

Ray Wylie Hubbard

Tell The Devil I’m Gettin’ There As Fast As I Can

Reviewed by: Jane Roser

One day I’d love to see Ray Wylie Hubbard write an episode for the hit CW show “Supernatural”. For a show that revolves around God and the Devil in cheeky, unexpected and profound ways, Hubbard could draw parallels from his own writing. From “Conversations With The Devil” to “Barefoot In Heaven”, Hubbard is a witty, expert storyteller exploring the droves of colorful characters one may chance to encounter on Earth, as well as on the way to Heaven or Hell.

Self-produced at The Zone in Dripping Springs, Texas and released on Bordello Records through Thirty Tigers, Hubbard’s 17th album Tell The Devil I’m Gettin’ There As Fast As I Can features guest appearances by Lucinda Williams, Eric Church, Patty Griffin and Austin-based psych-rockers Bright Light Social Hour, backed by his son Lucas (lead guitar), Kyle Schneider (drums), Jeff Plankenhorn (dobro and mandolin), Bukka Allen (B3 organ), plus studio owner Mike Morgan and engineer Pat Manskee both on bass.

Opening track “God Looked Around” reminded me a bit of Johnny Cash’s “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” with Hubbard’s spellbinding way of delivering a story-song in a simple, somber, yet powerful voice. Beginning with Genesis and ending with a visit to the pearly gates, he covers it all and no one else can emphasis the word “sssnake” or sneak in the phrase “naked as a jay bird” in a tale about Adam and Eve like Hubbard can.

“Lucifer and the Fallen Angels” starts off with a roadkill squirrel in Arkansas and quickly becomes a cautionary tale of what happens when you pick up the Devil and some fallen angels on the side of the road (basically you get told that no one in Nashville will publish your song and ends with Lucifer knocking over a liquor store for a bottle of Seagrams 7).

As hot as the hinges in Hell, Hubbard’s latest record is a magnificent reminder that there’s no guarantee for salvation, some souls can’t be redeemed, the Devil is a complicated, saucy fellow and one I’ll throw in for good measure – be careful who you trust because the Devil was once an angel.

Rating: Bad Ass

UNiVERSE

Reviewed by: Lauren Rosier

Through hard work, dedication, and perseverance comes great reward. Up and coming Philly area singer/songwriter, Jesse Lopez, has readied his debut LP, UNiVERSE, and delivers a personal account of his struggles with everyday life, including family, love, and relationships.

Lopez welcomes us into his world on the introduction as he raps “welcome to my universe/my thoughts, my pain, and my lessons learned/I made this record with no record deal/no financial support, so you know that every word is real” and then notes “I’m not a rapper or a singer/I’m an artist with a vision and a plan.”

The first full song, “Grind”, is a solid, infectious track that pulls together various elements of pop, R&B, and dance music. The result blends heavy bass lines, infectious R&B grooves, and guitars paired with Lopez’s inspirational lyrics illustrating his hard work and dedication to his music.

Perhaps the most radio-friendly song of the album is the track “In the Middle”. It screams late 90’s to early 2000’s pop/R&B with a modern sound that could appeal to many of today’s Top 40 listeners.

Gentle guitars and thunderous drums open the track “Take Me Home” with a bang. Lopez vows to “brave the storms that rage inside me” and breaks into an infectious chorus reminiscent of early All-American Rejects. “Heroes” also pulls from the pop punk subgenre and opens in a huge way with its epic guitars that foreshadow a song with a terrific message.

On “Open Letter”, Lopez delivers one of the most emotional tracks on the record, that focuses melds classy hip-hop beats with raw lyricism. He emotionally raps about his personal account of growing up without his father and how that has psychologically had an impact on his life.

Jesse Lopez creates a promising 12-song collection of diarist lyrics and contagious pop/R&B on his debut record, UNiVERSE. The record showcases his true artistry, both musically and lyrically, and proves to us that hard work and ambition can yield solid results.

Rating: Bad-Ass

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

By Dan Williams

Jethro Tull’s Ian Anderson closed out MusikFest, and That Mag was there.

2017 marks the fiftieth anniversary of the band Jethro Tull.  Anderson’s Tull are originators of Progressive Rock (Prog Rock), along with bands like King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Genesis, Rush and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.  Most began around 1968 as an offshoot of what is now called Classic Rock with lavish orchestrations oftentimes adopting a Medieval / Canterbury sound with early instruments.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

Jethro Tull was one of the most successful with now standard anthems such as “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” and Anderson’s trademark flute always at the fore.

As soon as the band took their places, they launched into 1972’s iconic title tune from the Living in the Past album and Anderson moved swiftly to stage left with his wireless flute.  The audience cheered loudly as they recognized the first lines.  Next came 1970’s bluesy “Nothing is Easy” followed by “Heavy Horses” and a stellar version of legendary “Thick as a Brick.”  Every song was accompanied by a huge backdrop screen with accompanying video.  Some graphics were modern and colorful like lyric videos while others were vintage videos showing a young Anderson at the time of the song’s release.  It was fascinating to see vintage Anderson in full bushy hair and beard mouthing the words the 70-year-old Anderson was singing live.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

And in most every case, his singing was perfect.  There was one song where something appeared off.  The last tune leading into intermission was 1977’s “Songs From The Wood” with its tight harmonies.  Anderson’s vocals were off.  It could have been a monitor problem or a sound board mix issue where his vocals stood out from the other voices, but something was amiss.  That was the only miscue for the entire set.

As much of an instrument are Anderson’s trademark stage movements.  Yes, he played on one leg several times throughout the evening.  Other times, he displayed a dancer’s grace, toe kicks or he pranced from left to right stage, hunched over like the Pied Piper.  All very classic.

The rest of the show was a wonderful blend of Jethro Tull standards, deep cuts and tunes from Anderson’s prolific post-Tull career.  Each came with a verbal intro and most with a story.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

Anderson’s demeanor was friendly and witty with a very polished and comfortable voice.  The set finished with the aforementioned crowd pleasers “Aqualung” and “Locomotive Breath” with its hard charging take no prisoners assault.

He no longer has the wild hair, but his voice, both his singing voice and his flute voice are in high form.  Anderson’s show was everything his younger and more contemporary fans could hope for.  This show was his opener for his four-month US and European tour.  He sounded in mid-tour form last night.

photo credit Dan Williams Photography

photo credit dan williams photography