ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, DEC. 19, 1996 By Steve Newton Van Halen’s first-ever greatest-hits package is a generous collection of the legendary hard-rock act’s best-known material, but it still has its faults. First off, the two new tracks that reunited the band with David Lee Roth—“Can’t Get This Stuff No More” … Continue reading Album review: Van Halen, Best of Volume I (1996)
Album review: ZZ Top, Rhythmeen (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 31, 1996 By Steve Newton I’m having lots of ’70s flashbacks lately, but they’re not being caused by ancient run-ins with tiny squares of coloured paper. There’s a woman in the Straight editorial office researching the paper’s history, scanning every issue published since 1967, and right now … Continue reading Album review: ZZ Top, Rhythmeen (1996)
Album review: John Mellencamp, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, SEPT. 12, 1996 By Steve Newton In 1994, John Mellencamp was scheduled to perform here in support of his Dance Naked release, but the show was cancelled when the then–four-pack-a-day smoker suffered a heart attack. He hasn’t toured since, and from the sound of this new CD, Mellencamp … Continue reading Album review: John Mellencamp, Mr. Happy Go Lucky (1996)
Album review: The Tragically Hip, Trouble at the Henhouse (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MAY 9, 1996 By Steve Newton With this, its sixth album, the Tragically Hip appears to be taking the moody musical route favoured when it chose “Grace, Too” as the leadoff single from its previous CD, Day for Night. That tune revealed a more subtle, shadowy side to … Continue reading Album review: The Tragically Hip, Trouble at the Henhouse (1996)
Stratman Vince Converse just likes to hang out in bars and play blues for women
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, NOV. 18, 1999 By Steve Newton Vince Converse is one of those up-and-coming guitar slingers you read about in guitar magazines, a simmering talent just waiting to explode onto the music scene. He’s also the kind of player Fender likes to have as an endorsee. I guess that means … Continue reading Stratman Vince Converse just likes to hang out in bars and play blues for women
Album review: Various Artists, A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 29, 1996 By Steve Newton The folks behind this latest tribute to blues-rock guitar legend Stevie Ray Vaughan could hardly lose when they got Vaughan’s older brother (and biggest influence) Jimmie to organize and host a one-off concert featuring Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, B.B. King, Bonnie Raitt, … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, A Tribute to Stevie Ray Vaughan (1996)
Album review: Pete Droge & the Sinners, Find a Door (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 22, 1996 By Steve Newton Fans of the Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers school of jangly, melodic, grassroots rock should check out the second release by Seattle singer-songwriter Pete Droge. Lined up again with hotshot producer Brendan O’Brien (Matthew Sweet, Neil Young, Pearl Jam), the 27-year-old tunesmith … Continue reading Album review: Pete Droge & the Sinners, Find a Door (1996)
Album reviews: The Black Crowes, Three Snakes and One Charm (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, AUG. 8, 1996 By Steve Newton Those overtly pro-pot Black Crowes must be indulging in some mind-blowing reefer of late, because the Atlanta sextet really lets the creative juices flow on this, its fourth album. The band passes musical styles around like a fast-burning joint, injecting heavy (and … Continue reading Album reviews: The Black Crowes, Three Snakes and One Charm (1996)
Album review: Metallica, Load (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, JUNE 27, 1996 By Steve Newton Load is probably the most highly anticipated heavy-metal album ever. Not only is it Metallica’s first studio recording in five years, but it’s the follow-up to the breakthrough self-titled disc that brought metal to the mainstream via the resounding radio hit “Enter … Continue reading Album review: Metallica, Load (1996)
Album review: Various Artists, Songs in the Key of X (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, APRIL 11, 1996 By Steve Newton In the liner notes to this collection of mostly new tunes “from and inspired by” the cult TV series The X-Files, the show’s executive producer, Chris Carter, takes time out from justifying yet another product marked with the guaranteed money-making X-Files logo to … Continue reading Album review: Various Artists, Songs in the Key of X (1996)
Album review: Steve Earle, I Feel Alright (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 21, 1996 By Steve Newton If you’ve been wondering whatever happened to Steve Earle, join the club. Since his The Hard Way album of 1990, he’s been pretty well out of the musical picture—mainly because he was in jail for heroin possession. His run-ins with the law … Continue reading Album review: Steve Earle, I Feel Alright (1996)
Album review: Bad Religion, The Gray Race (1996)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, MARCH 7, 1996 By Steve Newton I don’t normally spend money on punk music from the ’70s, but when I came across a used cassette of Never Mind the Bollocks, Here’s the Sex Pistols recently, I couldn’t help myself. The notion of motoring around town to the raucous … Continue reading Album review: Bad Religion, The Gray Race (1996)
Album review: Tom Cochrane, Ragged Ass Road (1995)
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE GEORGIA STRAIGHT, OCT. 12, 1995 By Steve Newton While Tom Cochrane’s last album, Mad Mad World, spawned his biggest hit ever in the undisputably catchy “Life Is a Highway”, it was far from one of his best recordings overall. It included some pretty weak tunes—the worst being the ponderous title … Continue reading Album review: Tom Cochrane, Ragged Ass Road (1995)