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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
The greatest thing about being in your twenties is that swagger and the sense of invincibility that the age range carries with, until that fateful moment comes. It is the time when you realise that your teenage years are almost over and you just don't want to let them go. This is exactly the narrative theme ongoing on Happy Bastards, the new album from the talented Andy Frasco & The U.N.
The American collective throw a full-throttle, incandescent goodbye party to their youth, infusing their music formula with an irresistible pastiche of 60's R&B, Soul, Reggae and Dance. Add to this winning recipe, lyrics sometimes funny, other times deep or even, occasionally, on high testosterone level to make you play this album over and over again. The sole goal of the record, though, is to make people want to dance and have a good time and, by jove, they fulfill that superbly.
Despite the album's light-hearted theme, Andy Frasco & The U.N. sound in fabulous form, even more so than their previous, critically-acclaimed third album Half A Man. There are the vibes of a whole Motown-style orchestra in tracks like When You're Lonely (Fill You Up), the East Coast R&B heart-warming sound of tunes like Make It Work, Blame It On The Pu**y and (Oh My My) Can't Get You Off My Mind or the cheeky folkish Rumba of Let's Get Down To Business.
The velvet soul of Good Ride, a song about breaking up, is perhaps the true highlight of an album that manages to incorporate brilliantly so many different musical elements. The band work together in perfect harmony, thanks to the strong and powerful voice of singer, Frasco and the great sonic amalgam of The U.N.
Happy Bastards is an uplifting record that aims to bring joy to everyday life. Even when they use language straight-to-your-face, Frasco and The U.N. manage to keep their style true to themselves, respecting their roots and still offering an incredibly dynamic and fresh sound. A highly entertaining record for any time and any place.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Happy Bastards will be released on 25th March on Ruf Records
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Scotland is not just one of the most enchanting parts of the United Kingdom but also a land that never ceases to surprise for the variety of music genres this place is able to gift the world with. It can be rock or pop or blues, that doesn't matter, because a true Scot will play any type of music straight from his heart and soul.
To be able to combine many different genres and make them work as sublimely as the Glaswegian Stevie Nimmo does on his brand new solo album, Sky Won't Fall, is a demonstration of true, sheer talent.
Recorded in just ten days, the album is the perfect introduction to Nimmo's personality and his versatility as a musician.
From the imperial attack of the opener Chains Of Hope, a true rock and roll firecracker, bouncing to the almost country-esque ballad Walk The Thin Line, to then buzzing to the sexy riffs of Nimmo's guitar on that wonderful slow blues that is Gambler's Roll, Sky Won't Fall is like a series of pyrotechnical fireworks that dazzle the listeners in every track of the album.
Nimmo's ability on guitar is well known among the blues/rock world but his singing style is perhaps the most sublime discovery on his new album. The Scottish artist showcases an incredible array of singing styles throughout the record, from the thunderous, powerful vocals on Roll The Dice Again to the deeply emotional and soulful delivery on the acoustic, closing tune Love You More Tonight.
It is well worth mentioning the great wall-of-sound that Craig Bacon on drums and Mat Beable on bass have helped to achieve on Sky Won't Fall, completing Nimmo's outstanding work on guitars and vocals.
2016 has hardly started and it has already gifted fans of blues, rock and blues/rock with some authentic masterpieces. Make some space for Sky Won't Fall on your CD rack, because Stevie Nimmo has pulled out of his magical music hat his best work so far.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Sky Won't Fall is out now on Manhaton Records
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
One of the many positive aspects of music genres like Blues, Roots or Americana is that one doesn't necessarily need to be a native American to be able to play such types of music, as long as there is the right commitment and enough heart and soul from an artist.
Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip from Finland, at their sixth album have successfully managed to create the right blend of all the genres above mentioned with class, elegance and, most of all, great artistry. Ain't Bad Yet, their new record, shows in full the great eclecticism of a band that has reached an incredible musical maturity as years go by.
There are some truly inspired moments on the band's new album. The opener Last Train In Memphis is the perfect introduction to the album. Bjorklof's electric guitar and Lefty Leppanen's slide guitar duel with great synchronicity, with Teemu Vuorela's almost jazzy drumming style to support beautifully the rhytmic canvas of the song.
Train In Jerusalem is a rousing Blues-Rock ride that has got all the criterias to become an international hit, sustained admirably by Bjorklof's guitar playing and a singing style that gets better and better over time, just like a fine wine.
Rat Chase reveals a slightly more Funky-Jazz side of Bjorklof & Blue Strip while the track Today reveals in full the Protean capacity of a band able to incorporate, in a three-minutes-plus song, elements of Blues, Folk and Americana with such lightness and consummate craftmanship at the same time.
Make no mistakes about one thing; Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip are at the top of their forms and they mean every note they play and sing in each of the eleven tracks of Ain't Bad Yet. Without a doubt, the peak of their musical career so far.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Ain't Bad Yet is out now and can be purchased on Amazon
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Not many people is aware that, when Big Boy Bloater released in 2014 the album Loopy, the english artist was already struggling deeply in his battle with depression that took almost a couple of years to overcome. A battle that, thankfully, Big Boy managed to fight and win through the only antidote he really truly knows: making music.
Big Boy Bloater is not just one of the best singers/songwriters in the United Kingdom but he is also fuelled with a solid dose of dark humour and irony. The latter shines in cubical characters just by taking a look at the album title. Luxury Hobo is Big Boy's way of having a go at the spoiled way that modern society lives nowadays and the fact that after all, we all are Luxury Hobos.
The album is a celebration of Big Boy Bloater's sparkling talent and personality and The Limits provide, once again, an excellent music structure throughout the whole record. Luxury Hobo travels through different decades of music and has some really inspired moments. The opener Devils Not Angels is Big Boy's raucous and foot-stomping caution about people you meet for the first time and how to interact carefully with them. The mid-section of the tune provides a prodigious guitar riff that brings back echoes of the 60's style of Chuck Berry or Carl Perkins, showcasing once again the great ability on guitar of Big Boy Bloater.
The excursus into the rock and roll of the late 60's and early 70's does not end there. I Love You (But I Can't Stand Your Friends) recalls memories of The Stones' Sticky Fingers period, while the closing Not Cool Man has got that infectious guitar riff that made the fortune of bands like Dr. Feelgood.
It is real fun hearing how well Big Boy Bloater & The Limits stretch sonically their music formula, alternating R&B's sound layers with rock and rolls' ones. When it comes to R&B though, there are few people around able to do it like Big Boy Bloater does, not just through his great guitar skills but also through his wonderful singing voice.
Luxury Hobo Blues has the sound of the Stax period written through and through, as has All Things Considered too, with Big Boy's voice reaching its absolute peak of depth and intensity, on this particular tune. I Got The Feeling Someone's Watching Me is a playful slowed rumba and Big Boy's singing style get as close as humanly possible to Tom Waits' one.
Lyrically, there is a lot of entertainment too, thanks to the witty and eclectic Big Boy's writing style. Robot Girlfriend, one of the album's singles is a dark twist on how technology takes over the human race. It's the tale of a female robot, object of the owner's fantasies that reverses the roles in this absurd relationship and fall, in the end, for a male robot instead.
The only real shame about the album is that it clocks off after less than 40 minutes. It is though a great return to form for Big Boy Bloater & The Limits and most of all, the welcomed return to one of the most vibrant and clever entertainers and music raconteurs around.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Luxury Hobo is out now and it can be purchased via Provogue/Mascot Label Group
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
This is more than a record. West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is a tale of deep friendship amongst musicians, all tuned towards the same goal and playing with their hearts on their sleeves.
Supersonic Blues Machine is a music project born partly by destiny and partly by a wonderful musical chain reaction. Fabrizio Grossi (Bass Player, Producer and Mixer) and Lance Lopez (Guitars and Vocals) have been friends long before Supersonic Blues Machine was born. In 2012, they hooked up together in Los Angeles and after just a day and a half in the studio, they came up with three songs, planting, almost by accident, the basis for what then became the SBM project.
Destiny played again a vital part in the creation of the band, when veteran drummer Kenny Aronoff joined the pair. Aronoff found a mutual musical ground almost immediately with Grossi and Lopez, integrating his vast musical experience and background with his equally hugely experienced two new music compadres.
West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is a modern masterpiece and one of the contenders as blues/rock album of the year 2016. Grossi, Lopez and Aronoff synchronicity and interplay on every track of the album is as close to perfection as it may possibly be. This record is an enchanting rollercoaster of rhythms, harmonies, brotherhood, redemption and forgiveness, all wrapped in one of the best musical packages available right now in the music business.
I Ain't Falling Again is an almost 70's rock sounding tune, that digs deep into the personal life of Fabrizio Grossi. The drumming provided by Aronoff cadences ad-hoc the inner feelings unraveled by the lyrics and constitutes one of the many highlights of the record. Even when the band decides to do a cover, the results are outstanding. Ain't No Love (In The Heart Of The City) kicks in with a thunderous guitar riff, then gently slows down and then the tune opens up again with the keyboards, in a crescendo that allows then the whole band to blend into the song. Lopez's versatility, throughout the album not just as a guitarist but also as a singer, is second to none. His voice, particularly on this tune, is as warm and emotional that would have made Bobby "Blue" Bland utterly proud.
Supersonic Blues Machine is a big music family, one of the largest and healthiest. And when family calls, every member comes in and help out in the best way possible. Each and every friend of the band adds his personal touch to each song in the way they find more natural. There is no showing off involved, just pure fun and a genuine will to jam together. You can sense the fun that Billy Gibbons feels by playing on an almost autobiographical (for him) track like Running Whiskey or the happy swagger running through Chris Duarte's Stratocaster during the funky tempo of That's My Way.
There are some truly sublime musical moments, both from the band and their Special Guests. Warren Haynes provides some very inspired guitar riffs on that splendid Americana ballad that is Remedy, without a doubt another very inspired moment of the album. Supersonic Blues Machine show no signs of slowing down the intensity on this majestic album. Can't Take It No More seems almost a song designed specifically for Walter Trout's playing style. Trout superbly creates an highly effective otherwordly feeling on this track, through his vocals and his unmistakable guitar sound.
When one starts to think that the surprises are over, the evocative sound of the ballad Let's Call It A Day takes the listeners to another unexpected spin on the Supersonic Blues Machine's musical rollercoaster. Robben Ford's playing style is dreamy and succeeds brilliantly to bring to the album those colours and flavours of the 60's West Coast era. The closing Watchagonnado is a hymn to the band's attitude; it's a funky tune with tinges of blues, describing what Jesus Christ's point of view would be, should he be back on earth and realizing how much humans have trivialised and twisted his teaching.
West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is an eponymous sonic journey through past, present and future of blues and rock. It's creativity and fun, it's artistry and improvisation, it's irony and seriousness. Most of all, it's a message of true love for music and a celebration of cameraderie among musicians.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
West Of Flushing, South Of Frisco is released on 26th February via Provogue/Mascot Label Group
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Since their 2013 debut album Furiosity, the Canadian Hard-Rock band Monster Truck has been building a steadily high reputation in the rock circuit.
By supporting artists like Alice In Chains, ZZ Top, Slash and Rival Sons, amongst others, in the last few years, Monster Truck have learned very well how to refine and improve their already thunderous sound on this second offering, Sittin' Heavy, with surprising results.
Many rock bands have the tendency to indulge themselves on long guitar solos, where often lyrics might not be strong enough on their songs but this is not certainly the case of Sittin' Heavy.
The sound of Monster Truck is more organic than many more other bands around. The songs have got all the elements that a true rock band should have. The interplay between all the band members, sonically and vocally never fails in any moment of the album, giving to the whole record an extra added value.
Sittin' Heavy packs a memorable punch in the career of the Canadian quartet. The album shows all the different rock roots of the band and showcases big choruses, a solid lyrics' structure running through the whole record and an extraordinary sonic versatility.
The opening is powerful, in your face, with the fist-punching rhytm of tracks like Why Are You Not Rocking? and Don't Tell Me How To Live. Both songs constitute a true statement of the band's message about living life one day per time, always at the very best.
One of the great skills of Monster Truck is to be able to surprise the listeners when it is less expected. The song For The People takes you to a rock ride from Ontario to the US West Coast, with a foot-stomping, Lynyrd Skynyrd sound-a-like irresistible tempo. This track represents one of the best surprises of an album that shows constant signs of great musical maturity by Monster Truck.
The seductive sound of the ballad Black Forest slows temporarily the pace of Sittin' Heavy, but not for very long. Things Get Better is a swaggering tune, coloured with some beautiful bluesy tints provided by the excellent work of Brandon Bliss' organ.
The Enforcer is another highly entertaining moment of the album. The tune travels at the speed of light, with big choruses and an infectious, almost Marilyn Manson-esque drumming style that Steve Kiely provides beautifully on this track.
Enjoy The Time, the album's closer, sums up completely what the message of Sittin' Heavy and the band is all about. It's a ballad about cameraderie, good times and living for the moment, because tomorrow is a total uncertainty.
Sittin' Heavy is an album that gives real justice to a band that has been working hard and intensely to achieve the outstanding result they reached in this album. Monster Truck are back and they are here to stay for many years to come.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Sittin' Heavy is out now and can be purchased via Mascot Label Group
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Eric Corne is one of the most talented producers and engineers in the music business. He had never done a solo album, despite working with the cream of the music scene. Finally, October 2015 saw the release of his debut album, Kid Dynamite & The Common Man under his label Forty Below Records.
The record certainly has many fascinating elements and what may escape some, is the fact that this is not just a beautifully conceived and executed album but is also an autobiographical one too, in our opinion. Kid Dynamite & The Common Man is the tale of two sides of the same personality, in a record almost split in half. The first part of the album concentrates on the flamboyant character of Kid Dynamite, the second one on The Common Man, the perfect portrait of a standard citizen.
Corne plays cleverly his cards, both sonically and lyrically. While Kid Dynamite sees the world in an ambiguous way through Corne's lyrics, at the same time the music marches perfectly with the internal conflicts of the character. The Canadian born artist alternates change of music tempos within the same track with great creativity and Kid Dynamite reflects ad hoc the exhuberant and versatile approach to music of Eric Corne.
Kid Dynamite & The Common Man sees a great array of guest musicians contributing on the album. Thanks also to their great craftmanship, Corne manages brilliantly to exploit his Kid Dynamite's side by stretching his sonic artillery. From the almost pop-esque Dead End, with some extraordinary overlapping layers of harmonica and keys supporting the harmonic carpet created by Corne to the hypnotic alt-rock of Not Familiar, in which Corne/Dynamite sees technology and things like Big Brother as "..eye in the sky, designed to take control of you".
The transition from Kid Dynamite to The Common Man, on the album is very smooth. The sounds become more intimate, almost West Coast style, especially in tracks like Evil Men or Blackguard. The character of The Common Man allows Corne to talk about love (I Know A Girl), disillusion and hope (Nobody Plays) and socio-political issues, such as in the closing Common Man, where "A once great nation's fallen ill, a schoolyard bully hooked on pills, with one hand on the Bible and a hand inside the till".
It's a record full of pleasant surprises, where Corne fully succeeds in using the characters of Dynamite Kid & The Common Man to describe the many layers of his talent. Where the lyrics cease to tell about state of minds or personal feelings, Corne lets the music flow, as a catarthic vehicle to allow the listeners to try and explore, on their own, corners of the soul that sometimes words are unable to express.
A record of remarkable artistry for an artist of great intelligence and talent.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Kid Dynamite & The Common man is out now on Forty Below Records