Strange Fiction-Orange

Self-Release/Independent
2015

Strange Fiction is a Barcelona-based rock band comprised of Carlos Palacio (vocals), Sergi Venteo (guitars), Marc Martínez (bass) and Joel Marco (drums). Preceded by the single "Tease Her", "Orange" is the band's soon to be released new album and this 11-track recording has a run-time of 42 minutes. The album, which will be released on June 1st so be sure to mark your calenders(!), was engineered and recorded in Spain by Tomàs Robisco and then mastered in London by Andy "Hippy" Baldwin of Metropolis Studios. From a production standpoint everything about "Orange" is spot on. There can be no real complaints in that department. For a self-release "Orange" sounds professional and the album's smooth finish is a real selling point. All of which brings us to Spanish rockers Strange Fiction. With a crazy list of influences that range from Led Zeppelin to Tracy Chapman, Strange Fiction defies easy classification and even if they have been compared to the likes of Incubus and Red Hot Chili Peppers this Spanish quartet more than lives up to it's appropriately-named moniker! The smoking hot lead single "Tease Her" opens "Orange" with swagger and it's raw sexual magnetism is only matched by the raw and crunchy guitar riffs of Sergi Venteo! The same winning combination comes into play later on with "The Glitch" and to a lesser extent with "Spell". But, we're getting ahead of ourselves so let's roll back the tape to the sweet sounds of "Tease Her". Early on in "Orange" Strange Fiction lead singer Carlos Palacio proves his worth as a rock and roll front-man with this single and it's plain to see how much the band leans of his voice. That's not to say Strange Fiction is a one-man gang or anything, but rather that his voice has far-reaching appeal. Whether it's hard funking rock ("All It Meant") or something that sounds destined for commercial pop radio success ("Another Chance") the band's lead singer makes easy work of the situation. That's what you want out of a good front-man and Carlos Palacio is a damn good front-man and then some! He proves it on "Tease Her" and every track that follows. And the number that follows "Tease Her" is "Jacko". Don't you dare turn that dial as you get to hear some fantastic Michael Jackson love in "Jacko"! From that song we move on to the Incubus-like "Not Good Enough". Incidentally you can find the melodic "Not Good Enough" and "Tease Her" on the group's bandcamp page. The comparisons that have been made to The Red Hot Chili Peppers seem to be justified given "All It Meant" and the fun mash-up of Incubus and The Red Hot Chili Peppers that takes place on "Fisherman's Truth" is more than a little enjoyable! Strange Fiction switches gears often on "Orange" and yet it all leads back to a familiar sound that can only be this four-piece band. Credit that to guitarist Sergi Venteo and the rhythm section of Marc Martínez & Joel Marco as these three musicians go out of their way in their pursuit of the perfect sound! Back to the music we go and that means it's time to talk about "Icarus' Last Night" and "Spell". Not only does Strange Fiction roll out the rock for these two numbers, but they do it one better by adding a sci feel to the mix! Meanwhile "Tic Toc On Powder" offers up the right mix of pop, indie rock and classic rock. And speaking of mixes, "Remember Me" combines rock-steady Pearl Jam with Tracy Chapman's sentimental approach to soft rock. There is no way in heaven or hell that such an odd combination should work. Or at least that is what I would have thought if someone had suggested it to me. Here's the thing. Not only does "Remember Me" work... it ROCKS! It's weird, but it's just one of those things you have to hear for yourself. And come June 1st you can do just that! "How?" you might ask. Well, by heading over to the band's official website. There you can pre-order a FREE digital copy of "Orange"! And why wouldn't you want to get a digital copy of "Orange" for yourself? Unless you are a diehard metal fan only there's little reason not to check out Strange Fiction's upcoming album. This Barcelona-based rock band mixes it up in such a way that you can't help but enjoy "Orange". Besides the band's already mentioned, "Orange" recalls everyone from The Beatles and The Rolling Stones to Jane's Addiction and even Bruno Mars! When was the last time you heard that said about any band?

The Dream Logic-My Black Arts

Self-Release/Independent
2014

Their backgrounds include touring and performing with the likes of D’Angelo, Les Nubians, Alicia Keys and Christina Aguilera and their friends include guitarists Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and Vernon Reid (Living Color). Meet New York city's The Dream Logic. Made up of  band leader/vocalist Charles Compo and his longtime collaborators Jerry Brooks (bass) and Camille Gainer (drums), with the aforementioned friends/guitarists both helping out on this wild fourteen track LP, The Dream Logic is a fantastic new project just begging to be discovered by the older generation and today's young and hip crowd! The follow-up to 2013's "Dream Logic", "My Black Arts" is a bridge between the past and the present built with love and care by this eclectic jam fusion band. My first sampling of The Dream Logic came courtesy of the first single, "Drunken Monkey". With it's (FUNKY!) southern rock meets Steppenwolf's classic "Magic Carpet Ride" vibe it won me over something fierce! But for these New York born and bred musicians/friends there is so much more to the story when it comes to this fifty minute new album! Under the watchful eyes of multi- instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Charles Compo The Dream Logic comes alive on "My Black Arts". Never mind the funk as we're talking blues, soul, jazz, roots rock and even classic rock all gathered together for an impromptu jam session where there is only one rule-make it real. And by God it is as real as it gets when it comes to this New York-based band! Dripping with passion and integrity "My Black Arts" is a phenomenal release thanks in no small part to the shared chemistry of Compo, Brooks and Gainer. Recorded at The Cutting Room in NYC, "My Black Arts" never sways from it's mission statement and for young and old alike The Dream Logic roll out the red offering carpet. Whether you have a "few" miles to your body like some of us (wink wink) or you are still young enough to let down your hair this one will make you shake and move and feel alive! When the title cut rolls in and calls it a day you actually feel as if you've not only gotten your money's worth, but that you've been treated to one of the best shows that you've ever been to in your life! Sure there are good albums and even great albums. But when was the last time an album made you feel as if you've just witnessed a wonderful evenings worth of high-class entertainment? Until you hear "My Black Arts" for yourself chances are you won't be able to relate to the heartwarming afterglow of a release like this one! Not just for those into jazz-funk or fusion (listen to the excellent "Headlight's Into Darkness" for a sampling of soulful rock and roll) "My Black Arts" caters to all while still maintaining it's own identity. For some readers though an album like this one will require a leap of faith. That's understandable. If you've never branched out before on your own to sample all of the deliciousness that life has to offer it can be unnerving. The thing is in this case I must implore you to try out The Dream Logic. Offering more than you could ever imagine, "My Black Arts" is a soundtrack to a story just waiting to be written! One filled with love and adventure, twists and turns where you might know ahead of time that the ending is going to a happy one but you still delve in out of anticipation and child-like enthusiasm. And it can all be yours by simply clicking on this link: http://thedreamlogic.bandcamp.com/   

ArrJam-Session One

ArrJam.Atomic Stuff Promotion
2014

Ladies and gentlemen may I please have your attention. It's that time again in our program when we lay it all down and kick out the jams motherf**kers! And here to give us a helping hand with that assessment is Italy's ArrJam. Formed by bassist Il Daz and guitarist Mauroman and first begging life as a cover band of sorts, with Red Hot Chili Peppers, Primus, Robben Ford and Living Color not only getting the royal treatment, but further serving as one set of influences (the other being drummer Moretti Butcher's previous progressive metal roots), this four piece band is rounded out by lead singer Got. As the only singer who could use his voice as an instrument and improvise with bassist Il Daz (with improvisation and jam being key words to focus on when it comes to the fresh sound of these Italian rockers!) Got adds a lot when it comes to the essence of the apt-titled "Session One". Self-produced and featuring a total of twelve- tracks (several of which are instrumental cuts!) ArrJam's debut album was released this past April and just as their name implies this is the sound of one rock band which knows how to let down their hair and just jam! But, even as ArrJam cuts loose and gets knee-deep in the funk they keep everything pretty much in check making "Session One" a fun debut album! The group's early cover choices make up one aspect of the sound here as does the prog. metal roots of drummer Moretti Butcher. That said, "Session One" goes a long way towards making sure that rock and rollers are catered to as there are cherry picked elements of seventies classic rock and good old fashioned hard rock. Besides the singing of Got, which is a keen part of this album's more traditional-styled rock numbers, it's bassist Il Daz that drew me back. His playing is tight and with guitarist Mauroman and drummer Moretti Butcher joining in on the good times this largely-improvised album is impressive and worthy of repeated plays! These Italian's rockers are off to a hot start with "Session One" and from here on out the skies the limits if you ask me!

MACH22-Sweet Talk Intervention

Self-Released
2014

"Sweet Talk Intervention" is the the full-length debut album from Philadelphia-based MACH22. Although a relatively new name to the hard rock scene the band has already managed to play alongside the likes of Slash (who named MACH22 Grand Prize Winner in Guitar Center’s Onstage with Slash contest!), Cheap Thrill, Steel Panther and Tom Keifer. Additionally, the band, which is fronted by founding member Lamont Caldwell (a soulful front-man who toured with Bilal Oliver as a saxophonist and has also played with artists like Erykah Badu, Common, Kirk Franklin, Dave Matthews Band and The Roots) and plays (highly-addictive) adventurous hard rock, performed for an audience of 75,000 at Jay-Z’s "Made in America Festival"! With the Rock 'Em/Sock 'EM after-effects of this Jeff Labar (Cinderella) produced album still nice and fresh in the air it's pretty easy to pick up on just why a group like MACH22 can crossover from a crowd made up of Steel Panther fans to those of Jay-Z. That's of course assuming that that their live shows are even half as good as what was laid to tape on "Sweet Talk Intervention"! With a backing band that features Sebastian LaBar (son of Cinderella guitarist Jeff LaBar!) on lead guitars and vocals, Ted Merrill* on rhythm guitars and vocals*, Jaron Gulino** on bass and vocals and Damian MonteCarlo on drums you had the making of something special, but "Sweet Talk Intervention" goes above and beyond anyone's expectations! It certainly seems as if no expense has been spared (as far as talent is concerned!) when it came down to making sure that this ten-track release sizzled! And that's just it. What makes this recording stand out is how it crackles with electric energy! Lamont Caldwell stands up front and, just like a revved up preacher about to deliver a sermon of a lifetime, he leads the cavalierly in a chorus of soulful hard rock and heartfelt blues rock and it's more then a little crazy how it all seems so simple in MACH22's hands! There's more than enough in the way of good times to be had on the band's debut and while this house of rock might have been built on hard rock and roll and blues rock MACH22 never rests on it's laurels! The group's base sound would have been more then enough to carve out a niche in this rock market of ours, but by making frequent pit-stops in more out of the way places like AOR, funk and even hip-hop(!) they transform themselves into a all-encompassing band for the ages! It's an odd combination to be sure (hard rock and hip hop?) but here it really works as these different elements (AOR, hip hop and funk) live right next door to drop-dead hard rock riffs and those noisy neighbors of theirs (especially Sebastian LaBar who was trained by the one of the best when it comes to rock-based leads!) are always around to lend a helping hand in keeping it all on track! For MACH22 this (locked and loaded!) 10-track debut album (due to be released on May 6th so mark the date down in your calender!) is a great place to start off their (sure to be long) career! And with an appearance scheduled for this year's Rocklahoma festival (May 23-25 in Pryor, OK so be sure to check out  http://www.rocklahoma.com/ for more information!) MACH22 should be winning over a legion of new fans in no time at all! Both this disc and getting a chance to hear this group live are recommend!

 www.mach22music.com 
www.facebook.com/mach22


* Besides being voted a finalist in the Mark Tremonti shredding contest by Baltimore's 98 Rock radio listeners and having officially been sponsored by PRS Guitars, Ted's previous band (The Euphorics) performed with Dizzy Reed (Guns N Roses), Smile Empty Soul, Uli Jon Roth, Ionia and Charm City Devils.

** In addition to being an in-demand bassist (he recently played a handful of shows with Charm City Devils) Jaron Gulino fronts the very cool On Top whose 2011 debut-album, "Top Heavy", is highly recommend thanks to it's blend of classic heavy metal (Judas Priest, Saxon, Accept and Dio) and sleazy hard rock (Ratt, Twisted Sister, Dokken and W.A.S.P.).    

***Prior to joining MACH22 as it's drummer, Damian MonteCarlo fronted and played guitar in numerous bands that opened for the likes of Ratt, Skid Row,Warrant, Vince Neil and Dokken. He also self-produced three full-length albums and one EP.

Forgotten Gems: Lucy Brown-Lucy Brown

Released in 1991 on Megaforce/Atlantic Records, with producer Joe Blaney (Soul Asylum, Jack Bruce, Children, Bernie Worrell, Donna the Buffalo, The Beautiful, etc.) twisting the old knobs (or whatever you choose to call it kiddos!), "Lucy Brown" was the first major label release from the D.C. interracial "funk/metal" band of the same name. Originally formed in 1987, with lead vocalist/bassist Scott Llewellyn, guitarist Luis Peraza Jr. and drummer Chris Neuberg (reportedly) all serving as the founding members, Lucy Brown first hit the scene in 1988 with an entirely different self-titled affair. From what I've been able to gather (or per Wikipedia if you will!) that release was issued thanks to the Washington, DC-area label T.O.G. Records. Whether the bands first LP was/is as straight-up dope as this one happens to be is anyone's guess (or at least my guess as this is the only Lucy Brown album that I've had the pleasure of adding to my personal collection!), but for my money this little beauty (released during the heyday of the whole funk rock/funk metal explosion when bands like 24/7 Spyz, Living Colour, Red Hot Chili Peppers and (of course) Faith No More where busy ruling the top of the charts!) is TOTALLY where it's at! Unlike those mentioned acts Lucy Brown was more rock then metal. As the site AllMusic puts it (and they really hit the nail on the top of the head with this one!) Lucy Brown drew from "everyone from Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix to Sly Stone and Funkadelic" with equal access given to punk, classic rock, pop, soul and (naturally) funk! With this 1991 album the band added on a baritone lead singer in Gene Hawkins (R.I.P.) and with Llewellyn being able to full concentrate on (slap-heavy, drop-dead groovy!) bass riffs the band cut their path through and album that is more slick and damn stylistic then anything from the camps of 24/7 Spyz, Living Colour or Faith No More! While bassist Scott Llewellyn would leave the band in 1992 (he was replaced by Jon Papazoglou) Lucy Brown would muster one more (supposedly excellent!) recording in the form of a 1993 EP ("Five Dogs Dead") the group's long-term plans were derailed by the passing of Gene Hawkins in 1994 (his life was sadly cut w-a-y too short as a result of a heroin overdose). This 11-track LP stands as a monumental piece of funk-heavy rock and roll and as a lasting legacy to a band that (unfortunate as it may just be) few have ever heard of. Easily picked up on Amazon or Ebay from less then $10 (a total steal if you ask me!) "Lucy Brown" is a rock-steady, soulful, funk-filled and downright emotional ride which, for those looking to add something more dynamic to their life (only without necessarily indulging in thrashing guitars), seems like a surefire winner!

Dirty Shirt-Freak Show

Est Ouest - Est Vest
2013

Released back in February of this year, "Freak Show", which was produced by Mihai Tivadar & Charles "Kallaghan" Massabo, is the third studio album from "rock/metal" band Dirty Shirt. This Romanian act features two vocalists in Dan "Rini" Crăciun and Robi "Metalistu" Rusz  and is rounded out by Mihai Tivadar (guitars, synths, programming), Cristi Bălănean (guitars), Pali Novelli (bass) and Vlad "X" Ţoca (drums). Now, it was actually Mihai Tivadar who sent me a email asking if I'd be willing to give "Freak Show" a listen and review it. I'm always happy to accommodate such requests (especially when bands say please!) although the difference between the email request's title of "Balkan Crossover Metal from Romania" and the actually reality of what Dirty Shirts is all about is a bit striking! On their latest release this band is technically "crossover" if you consider throwing everything and the kitchen sink into your music crossover. Describing the group's actually sound on "Freak Show" would be almost impossible as there is ANYTHING and EVERYTHING going on here and yes friends, it is rather freakin' awesome (and then some!) so sit back and enjoy this wild ride! Check this out. We have the "typical" sounds of rock and roll and heavy metal from what is said to be one of the most original bands in Romania. But then you're also treated to funk, punk, hardcore, thrash, death metal (mostly it comes crashing out in some of the album's sick & twisted vocal deliveries!) elctro, world music, Romanian traditional music, folk rock, rap-like rock and even some nu metal! Oh yeah, you better believe that it is crazy folks, but at it's heart it's still very much a "loud and proud" kind of release from a group that obviously has way more talent in their little individual pinkies then most groups have collectively! Is "Freak Show" the right fit for everyone? Maybe not, but it sure as hell is fun, interesting and very creative! It's one of those rare albums where it keeps you glued to your seat just waiting to see what pops up next. You can hear it yourself at the link below (and trust me you'll want to hear "Freak Show" for yourself as it's just too original to be missed) and maybe even find out what it is exactly that makes this band tick!

http://dirtyshirt.bandcamp.com/album/freak-show-2013