Podcast #126: Merciless

The boys take you backstage at the House of Blues for An Evening With...Eric Martin.What's bigger than seeing Mr. Big on their latest tour?  Meeting Mr. Big on their latest tour. And that's just what Genghis and Ragman recently did for An Evening With...Eric Martin.  Join the boys as they discuss Mr. Big's latest record What If... following it up with a live interview with Eric Martin.  Eric and the band rolled out the welcome mat backstage at the House of Blues to discuss the band's first tour of the U.S. in years, as well as the possibilities of a new album.

DVD of the Show: Mr. Big - Back to Budokan

Beer of the Show:  Left Hand Brewery - TNT Wiessen Double Bock (Beer Rating: 2)

Featured Tracks: Wind Me Up, Take Cover (King's X), Suffocation, Just Take My Heart,  Merciless, Unforgiven, Daddy, Brother, Lover, Little Boy, As Far As I Can See and American Beauty

- Ragman wants to thank Mr. Big for a stupendous evening!

Podcast #126: Merciless

Pretenders - Loose In L.A. [Blu-Ray]

One of the most recognizable female voices in rock pulls you into a night of some well-crafted songs in hi-def. Now this is how it's done.Truly, Chrissie Hynde is a classic rock and roll chick.  And seeing her do her thing in classic rock and roll style with her band, The Pretenders, playing what have become some classic rock and roll songs, is a really cool thing to see - especially on Blu-Ray.

And that's basically what you get for two hours on Loose In L.A..  Filmed at a sold-out show in the Wiltern Theater in the City of Angels on February 2003 (better late than never, eh?), you may hear Chrissie complain that her voice may not be up to par in the beginning (apparently necessitating a cortisone shot earlier that day), but you wouldn't know it to listen to this disc; she sounds a smooth as ever, singing her way through 26 songs from as many years of the band's catalog like the pro that she is.  The hi-definition looks fantastic and really takes you onstage with the band, with lots of smooth editing that shows the interplay that the band shares in an engaging way.  It really is one of those cases where it's practically better than being there.

It's a fairly standard package, with a 7.1 soundtrack - and one of the best mixed concerts I've ever heard - as well as the obligatory backstage footage and a video thrown in for good measure.  I wouldn't have minded if they'd thrown in more of the band's videos even with their old-school, low-def visuals for nostalgia's sake, but hey, you really can't complain with such a great show of Springsteenian duration.

The Bottom Line: If you're a Pretender's fan, you'll love this - especially since it's easily the best of their sparse live show catalog.  But if you're just a fan of good rock and roll and want to see how it's done by professionals, you won't be disappointed.

- Genghis really would like to see those classic MTV videos in hi-def...

Candelight Red - The Wreckage

Every now and then a new band comes along to stir things up in the modern rock catalog. Now, it's Candlelight Red.It's not everyday that a new band comes along and gives you a swift kick in the arse, and there's a certain satisfaction that occurs.  As you may know, I'm always on the lookout for a killer new band to blow me away, and the latest discovery is called Candelight Red.  They're right out of the Buzz Rock handbook, but with more of an edge. 

Sounding a bit like a cross between Papa Roach/Linkin Park/Bush, their debut record The Wreckage, is 10-track (if you count the intro) modern rock marvel.  The songs are well-written and very memorable.  Take the strongest aspects of each of the aforementioned bands, mix them together, and you get Candelight Red. 

For the most part, the CD is basic modern rock (with an edge), but on the track Medicated the band explores their heavier side.  This song is an uptempo rocker that is more in line with bands like Bullet for My Valentine and In Flames than the ones mentioned previously.  I gotta say I loved the other parts of the CD, but this track sent me over the top.  They may excel as a modern rock band, but they just explode when they heavy things up.  One last note, I have to mention that the band covered 80s pop rockers Roxette's She's Got the Look and just killed it.  I never thought I would hear that one on a hard rock/metal record.  Ballsy, and I like it.  A killer release.

Bottom Line: New rockers mixing it up a bit and creating a solid debut.  A new band with a lot of promise.  Solid tunes that will stay in your head for days.

Standout Tracks: The Dirt, Closer, She's Got the Look and Medicated

- Ragman is trying to make his quota...

Michael Schenker - Temple of Rock

A return to form by one of the masters, Temple of Rock showcases Herr Schenker doing what he does best. Ausgezeichnet!As his fans well know, Michael Schenker, whose influence runs deep within the hard rock/heavy metal community, has had a long successful career as a guitarist.  Being a member of Scorpions and UFO, as well as the founder of MSG, Michael has given his fans lots of shredding over the years.  And while Schenker records have been kind of hit and miss over the last several years due to unstable line ups, his latest offering, Temple of Rock, may well be his return to form. 

The new disc has an all-star lineup with Michael Voss (Casanova) on vocals, Herman Rarebell (Ex-Scorpions) on drums, and Pete Way (UFO) on bass.  If that weren't enough, Michael re-unites with Robin McAuley for the killer track Lover's Sinfony.  I believe this is the first time the two have collaborated since the Mcauley/Schenker years.  Another killer tune in which Schenker re-unites with former a vocalist (Doogie White) is the mid-tempo rocker Before the Devil Knows You're Dead.

Temple of Rock is chock full of killer melodic, hard rock tunes, boasting great melodies and memorable choruses.   Voss executes each song without a hitch, and I really dig this tandem.  These two definitely have a chemistry together - which may be the best match up since he was working with Mcauley.  Songs like Miss Claustrophobia and Scene of Crime are instant classics.  Now before I end this review, I also have to comment how good Schenker sounds on this release.  Michael rips more than I've heard from him in some time.  He really seems inspired and his hard work has definitely paid off.  This is simply a solid release from start to finish.

Editor's Note: Temple of Rock, could have been CD of the month, if it hadn't already been taken.

Bottom Line:  Solid songs driven by hard-hitting riffs make for the most complete Schenker record in sometime.  An all-star cast helps the master create one of his most intriguing, enjoyable records that will be hard to get out of the deck.

Standout Tracks:  Before the Devil Knows You're Dead, Scene of the Crime, Miss Claustrophobia and Storming In

- Ragman has been air guitaring to this one all week...

Saga - Heads or Tails Live

A decent live album that could've been a lot better. Pity they didn't wait a little later to have Sadler return to the fold.I was never the biggest Saga fan growing up, but have come to appreciate their music more over the past few years.  The first full length CD I had heard from them was their 2009 release, The Human Condition, and I gotta say I really dug it. So when their new live album was released, I knew I wanted to check it out.   Heads or Tails was the band's 5th studio album which came out back in 1983.  For the 25th anniversary of that release the band decided to do a live recording of the full album - but this time, with a different vocalist. 

Editor's Note: Rob Morratti replaced original vocalist Michael Sadler in 2008, but has since been replaced by the original vocalist Sadler, in 2011.

Sonically the CD sounds well, but it didn't do as much for me as the last studio release.  I'm not sure if it lost some of its flavor due to the fact that Sadler didn't sing on this release.  Moratti is a great vocalist, and sounded great on the last studio release, but on this one I think he was just weak in some areas.  Not being familiar enough with Heads or Tails, I can't really make the judgement, but something was definitely lacking on this live recording.  The band as a whole sounds great, and I did get into this record, but unfortunately it just didn't blow me away like I was hoping.

Bottom Line:  A good release from the band, but should have been done once Sadler was back in the fold.  Incredible musicianship throughout the disc, but some of the songs fall a little short vocally. This one might have been better had the band just recorded a regular show which encompassed the entire catalog.

Standout Tracks: Intermission, Cat Walk, Social Orphan and The Sound of Strangers

- Ragman is on the loose...