November 2002
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ANTON FIG |
DJ SAMMY |
JUGHEAD |
RONNIE WOOD |
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TOM PETTY The Last DJ (Warner Bros.) Back
in the 80s, Tom Petty worked with both Jeff Lynne and George Harrison
and while those two are not on The Last DJ, both Lynne and Harrison
would be proud of Pettys latest album recorded with his long time
band The Heartbreakers. Recorded in L.A. and produced by George
Drakoulias, the 2002 release features a dozen new Petty tracks that
feature guitarist Mike Campbell, Benmont Tench (keyboards)
and Scott Thurston on guitars and lap steel guitar. Armed with
a killer band, some of the best songs hes ever written and a supporting
cast of guest artists like Lindsey Buckingham (backing vocals)
and arranger Jon Brion, Petty rises to the occasion on The
Last DJ. For long time Petty fans there will be two versions of
The Last DJ to choose fromthe regular CD, consisting of
the entire CD enhanced with filmed studio performances of the title
track, The Last DJ and Have Love Will Travel,
while a limited edition Last DJ package will feature the CD packaged
with a 38 minute DVD consisting of a behind the scenes look at the making
of the new album.
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ANTON FIG Figments (Planula) One
of the best albums of 2002, Figments is the long awaited album
from celebrity drummer Anton Fig. Best known as the house drummer in
the David Letterman Show band, Fig has sagaciously assembled
a number prominent music heroes for his solo debut. Also the drummer
in the house band at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Fig has over the
years worked with the best in the biz. First off, the voices Fig spotlights
on the CD are brilliant and among the fine vocalists taking center spotlight
here are legendary folk-rocker Richie Havens, Beach Boys founder
Brian Wilson, Wilsons former band mate in the Boys,
singer/guitarist Blondie Chaplin and legendary songwriter, Chip
Taylor (Wild Thing), singing the Fig/Taylor tune When
The Good Die Young. Brian Wilsons ever-amazing harmonies
supporting Chaplins striking vocals on Hand On My Shoulder
is clearly a Figments highlight. According to Anton, This
record reminds me of the days when we used to put on headphones and
listen to the details in the music. The combinations of singers and
musicians, different from song to song, are exciting. From a guitarists
perspective, the album features ace fretboard work from Chaplin, Ace
Frehley, Chris Spedding and Vincent Nguini (to name
a few) as well as keyboards legends like Al Kooper, Paul Shaffer
and the dozens of other notable Fig cohorts partaking in the upbeat
musical moods here. Whatever your favorite flavor of musicrock,
pop, jazz and moreFigments has it covered on what has to
be among the coolest surprises of 2002.
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THE ELMS Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll (Sparrow ) One
of the premier Christian music labels in the U.S., Sparrow Records
recently released the Fall 2002 album from The Elms. Jangly pop with
a rock twist, Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll is a good bet for
anyone who appreciates Beatles-inspired melodic pop (check out The
First Day). The driving electric guitar sound of vocalist Owen
Thomas and Thom Daugherty leads the charge and the material
on the CD is a fine showcase for their talents. Stating that Its
been like breathing new air to see this album come together, Thomas
also admits that bands like The Who, The Verve, Elvis Costello,
Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers and The Beatles inspired us to get into
music, and the results are obvious on the 2002 Elms set. An excellent
follow up to their overlooked 2001 release The Big Surprise (also
on Sparrow), Truth, Soul, Rock & Roll resonates with
a fresh and classic pop-rock sound.
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DJ
SAMMY Heaven (Robbins Entertainment) One
of Europes most popular DJs, DJ Sammy has his finger
on the pulse of the current dance and club music scene. For the release
of Heaven, his full length debut CD on NYC-based
Robbins Entertainment, the native of Majorca in the Mediterranean
Sea unites a number of uptempo dance groove originals with cool, uptempo
dance music covers of pop jewels like California Dreaming
(the John Phillips classic), El Condor Pasa (made
famous by Simon & Garfunkel), The Boys Of Summer
(written by Don Henley) and the title track Heaven
(a worldwide hit in 1985 for Bryan Adams). In the words of DJ
Sammy, Choosing a song to freshly interpret is a long process
for me, yet on Heaven Sammy breathes new life into these
songs. Featuring several outstanding female vocalists such as the lovely
Loona, the fresh, carnal dance grooves running throughout the
13 track Heaven makes it a major milestone for 21st Century club
and dance music disciples.
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JUGHEAD Jughead (IOMA) No,
its not the Archies comic hero, this Jughead teams the Bisonnette
brothers, Matt and Greg with Derek Sherinian and
Ty Tabor and the results are a striking fusion of immense musical
depth and expertise. Tabor and Sherinian were the respective guitarist
and keyboardist in an another great prog-pop band called Platypus and
with the Bisonnette rhythm section on hand, theyve crafted an
excellent album that takes its spirit and tone both from The Beatles
and ELO and the best contemporary pop groups like Stone Temple Pilots.
Featuring complete lyric sheet, the eleven track Jughead CD just
gets better with repeat spins as is best exemplified in such modern
Jughead pop gems such as Shame On The Butterfly and Flowers.
A combination of pop whimsy and musical might, Jughead is a rare
prog-pop treat indeed. www.insideoutmusic.com
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RONNIE
WOOD Not For Beginners (SPV) Best
known as the guitar behind the sound of those early 70s Rod Stewart
and The Faces albumsand since the early 70s, also as the
guitarist with The Rolling Stonesguitar great Ronnie Wood released
Not For Beginners on SPV Records in late 2001. A bluesy,
rootsy, vintage set of acoustic and electric guitar-based rockers, Not
For Beginners features several legends such as Elvis Presleys
band members Scotty Moore and DJ Fontana. Bob Dylan
even jams in on several of the instrumental tracks here as does
Woods former bandmate in The Small Faces, keys man Ian MacLagan,
Woods son Jesse Wood and drummer Andy Newmark. Wood
sounds totally relaxed and is right at home on these tailor made blues
and roots-rock gems. To top it off, Woody swiftly executes an excellent
pop-inspired cover of The Byrds 60s hit So You Want
To Be A Rock And Roll Star. Woods tasteful painting adorns
the CD cover art on this, his seventh solo album.
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