ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 6, 2009 By Steve Newton If you’re the type of person who makes the rounds of Vancouver’s live-music joints there’s a good chance you’ve already heard a lick or two from guitarist Scott Smith. His blues-rock trio, Terminal Station, has enjoyed a residency at Capones in Yaletown; Bottleneck, … Continue reading Album review: Terminal Station, Rolling All Night (2009)
Category: Album Reviews
Album review: Jeff Healey, Songs from the Road (2009)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 30, 2009 By Steve Newton I saw the original Jeff Healey Band play numerous times in the ’80s at Vancouver venues like the Yale and the 86 Street Music Hall. While always blown away by the searing talent of the young blind dude with the Strat on his … Continue reading Album review: Jeff Healey, Songs from the Road (2009)
Album review: Spinal Tap, Back From the Dead (2009)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 23, 2009 By Steve Newton I was never a huge Spinal Tap fan. Sure, I chuckled along with everyone else when Nigel Tufnel’s guitar amp went to 11, and when mutton-chopped bassist Derek Smalls got trapped on stage in that giant pod prop. The idea of an exploding … Continue reading Album review: Spinal Tap, Back From the Dead (2009)
Album review: Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, Under the Covers Vol. 2 (2009)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JULY 16, 2009 By Steve Newton Back in 2006, power-pop stalwart Matthew Sweet and sometimes-Bangles singer Susanna Hoffs collaborated on Under the Covers Vol. 1, in which they performed versions of ’60s hits by groups like the Beatles, the Who, and the Beach Boys. On Under the Covers Vol. 2 the … Continue reading Album review: Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs, Under the Covers Vol. 2 (2009)
Album review: Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (2009)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 11, 2009 By Steve Newton It’s a shame that so-called “supergroup” Chickenfoot—composed of guitar wizard Joe Satriani, drumming ace Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and a couple of guys who won’t be featured on the upcoming version of Guitar Hero: Van Halen (singer Sammy Hagar … Continue reading Album review: Chickenfoot, Chickenfoot (2009)
Album review: Guns N’ Roses, Chinese Democracy (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 27, 2008 By Steve Newton On a recent episode of The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert lectured Axl Rose for stealing his thunder by releasing Chinese Democracy, the first Guns N’ Roses album in 17 years, the very same day as Colbert’s Christmas special. “What’s the matter, Axl,” whined the … Continue reading Album review: Guns N’ Roses, Chinese Democracy (2008)
Album review: AC/DC, Black Ice (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 30, 2008 By Steve Newton AC/DC has it rough. Ever since the Aussie quintet came roaring back from the tragic death of Bon Scott with Back in Black, picky buggers like me have wanted them to match the consistent quality of that 1980 ear buster. There was a … Continue reading Album review: AC/DC, Black Ice (2008)
Album review: The New Odds, Cheerleader (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 19, 2008 By Steve Newton The original Odds team of singer-guitarists Craig Northey and Steven Drake was a pairing made in pop heaven. On its best songs, like “I Would Be Your Man” and “Nothing Beautiful”, its melodic sensibilities rivaled the Beatles-esque beauty of Crowded House. Mind you, … Continue reading Album review: The New Odds, Cheerleader (2008)
Album review: Robillard/Beaudoin/Geils, New Guitar Summit (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 5, 2008 By Steve Newton New Guitar Summit is an ongoing jazz project featuring guitarists Duke Robillard, Gerry Beaudoin, and Jay Geils, who some may remember as the guitarist for a kick-ass ’70s blues-rock band out of Detroit that turned lame in the ’80s and made hit records … Continue reading Album review: Robillard/Beaudoin/Geils, New Guitar Summit (2008)
Album review: Steve Stevens, Memory Crash (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 8, 2008 By Steve Newton Steve Stevens is best known as the raven-haired foil to platinum-blond pop-punk icon Billy Idol; he’s the leather-clad Les Paul–lover whose incendiary solos lit up Idol hits like “Rebel Yell” and “White Wedding”. But Stevens also moonlights as an instrumental rock-guitar virtuoso, and … Continue reading Album review: Steve Stevens, Memory Crash (2008)
Album review: Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 20, 2008 By Steve Newton When long-time member (and major songwriting force) Jason Isbell left the Drive-By Truckers last year, some fans worried that the southern rock–influenced alt-country act might falter a step or two. No freakin’ way: it just recruited another wicked guitarist, pedal-steel specialist (and original … Continue reading Album review: Drive-By Truckers, Brighter Than Creation’s Dark (2008)
Album review: Coheed and Cambria, No World for Tomorrow (2007)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 22, 2007 By Steve Newton Coheed and Cambria must be getting sick of the comparisons with Rush that have dogged the New York quartet since its inception, but the similarities continue unabated on the latest C&C disc, No World for Tomorrow. Anyone who's ever cranked up a Rush … Continue reading Album review: Coheed and Cambria, No World for Tomorrow (2007)
Album review: Loverboy, Just Getting Started (2007)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 8, 2007 By Steve Newton "Just getting started", my ass; these guys were toast ages ago. Do we really need them to step out of the Lamborghinis they've driven from their mortgage-free mansions to create the kind of ultra formulaic fodder Bon Jovi got bored with around 1983? … Continue reading Album review: Loverboy, Just Getting Started (2007)