http://joevigtop40.blogspot.com/2014/05/top-40-may-2014.html
Hear the CD/LP here:
http://steamagetimegiant.bandcamp.com/album/steam-age-time-giant
Nelson Slater's Steam Age Time Giant is a stunning collection of melodies and eclectic modern new-millennium-new-wave avant-garde underground rock. Opening track "This Thing" has a poignant as well as yearning lyric which borrows nicely from Elton John's 1973 masterpiece Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player, specifically the gem "High Flying Bird."
Elton John's High Flying Bird
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWv4CJ3jVQ4&feature=kp
"Broken Hard" could be a major hit if reinterpreted for a young alternative rock band, maybe with some Ric Ocasek production. The jazz/folk/punk on Steam Age Time Giant leaning more towards Yoko Ono's work with Ornette Coleman.
The ideas spring at you from north, south, east and west, over, under, sideways, down - Nelson has no shortage of imagery and audio reinvention. "Slaves of the Modern Age" is exactly what the Velvet Underground should be doing in 2014, but Lou Reed's college pal, Nelson Slater, is doing it for them. "Check Yourself" is another short, snappy and highly inventive escapade. Just as Tommy James rarely copied himself, "Hanky Panky" so different from "Crimson & Clover" so different from "Three Times In Love" - like Bobby Hebb stretching chord patterns and realigning melodies so that "Sunny" sounds so different from "A Natural Man" which sounds so different from "Proud Soul Heritage" or "My Best Friend" - the brilliant composers keep seeking new frontiers. "Check Yourself" borders on R & B with folk/punk undercurrents and fades away almost in mid-stream.
"Just a Taste" takes minimalist music to another world, the concept de-volving further with "Get Straight" - perhaps the long-awaited sequel to the Modern Lovers "I'm Straight"
I'm Straight - Jonathan Richman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_exvKnrK6g
"Lonely Weekend" is not the lost weekend nor is it Andy MacKay's In Search of Eddy Riff - it seems to be a cover of the great Charlie Rich's "Lonely Weekends."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mXyYTquXRc&feature=kp
A youthful Andy Mackay along with saxophone and cat stare out from the front cover of this compelling instrumental LP recorded between February of 1974 and June of 1975. Opening with a cool cover of "Wild Weekend," the Top Ten 1963 hit for the Rebels, this is fun stuff from the artsy realm of serious U.K. musicians. With less complexity than listeners have come to expect from Roxy Music alum, an innocent ballad like Skeeter Davis' "The End of the World" becomes transcendent by way of simple instrumentation -- Mackay's sax as the lead instrument, tasty guitars, and keys filling in nicely. There is a definite '60s feel to this album, perhaps a testimonial along with the reinterpretation of the four covers included in this mix of originals and traditional songs. Mackay's "Walking the Whippet" is like some rave amendment to the number one surf rock hit from 1962, "Telstar" by the Tornadoes. The back cover has what looks like a nuclear rocket tilted right with a sax shifting left against a cloudy background. The version of Motown's "What Becomes of The Broken Hearted" leans more towards Muzak than the experimentation one would expect from this Roxy crew. Former bandmate Eno along with his replacement in Roxy Music, Eddie Jobson, and the usual suspects, John Porter, Paul Thompson, even Deep Purple's Roger Glover, all conspire and bring inspiration to this highly listenable project. The arrangement of Schubert's "An Die Musik" changes the mood dramatically. Whatever fueled the Ferry/Eno split, the creative ideas of individual members of RM started spreading out over many solo discs at this point in time, from Phil Manzanera's Diamond Head to Eno and Ferry's multitudinous albums on their own. Guitarist Manzanera's disc sounds more like a test of Roxy's themes, a good supplement to the contributor's various facets, while here Andy Mackay just seems to be expressing himself and having fun. Released on the cusp of what the French would call thenouvelle vague, containing flavors of girl group instrumentation and other '60s musical references, there is a good balance between familiar songs -- The Beatles' "Long and Winding Road" and atmospheric pieces like "The Hour Before Dawn" or the album's high point, "Pyramid of Night (Past, Present and Future," both composed by Andy Mackay. The Mackay/Eno composition "Time Regained" is also worth noting. Good background party music that will keep your guests from leaving.
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This Thing 03:28
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2.
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Broken Hard 03:13
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3.
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Slaves Of The Modern Age 02:31
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4.
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Check Yourself 02:44
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5.
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Cat Stu at Hal and Al's 03:11
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6.
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I Dream You 03:15
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7.
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Do You See 02:43
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Just A Taste 02:05
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Get Straight 04:38
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Lonely Weekend 02:07
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11.
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Panic 03:10
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12.
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Complete The Story Now 03:00
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about
Everything’s changed since 12/21/2012. For Nelson Slater, his current band STEAM-AGE TIME-GIANT, the world, our solar system and the future of human kind .If Nelson Slater can re-emerge from the obscurity that has cloaked him and his work for 30 years then we truly have proof that the impossible can happen. The appearance of the Death Asteroid that came to announce our doom was answered by the heroic and generous Meteor that showered wealth and hope down upon us. Embedded in the packaging and content of this new vinyl LP are keys to a survivable future for the human species. The listener follows songs through their winding path from future to past, from galaxy to neighborhood bar . And the suspicion arises that we may be witnessing the birth of a STAR.
Mikey Wax
Self-titled CD
Review by Joe Viglione
Mikey Wax’s eponymous sixth CD (by my estimate, from Wikipedia and http://www.mikeywax.com/ ) is the work of a seasoned writer/vocalist/keyboardist, issuing a dozen perfectly crafted songs – both musically and lyrically – embellished by top notch production from Scott Cash and Ed Cash. With all the music invading my P.O. box this particular disc has remained in the players at home and in the car for a good week now, which is an indicator of its potential staying power.
The effervescent production and performance on the opener, "You Lift Me Up" - pave the way for an in the pocket collection of memorable pop songs, all unique with a separate personality to each. Cher could easily duet with Mikey on "You Lift Me Up," a throwback to her 1998 “Believe” phase that saturated the dance clubs, superb guitars closing it out at around the 3:20 mark. Things shift immediately sound-wise, from the dance hall of the opener to 70s-friendly pop radio on "Bottle Of Jack." This is quite an amazing moment on the disc and worthy of attention. Everything about it gets five stars, from his superb voice on the chorus to the distinctive words. It is most clever lyrically as well as in its musical design. Very, very nice. In a perfect world it’s a big hit.
"Only One," written by Mikey and Jonny Wax, is powerfully direct in its delivery, the definite vocal with punctuation marks from the producers as found in The Supremes’ “Reflections” and “Love Child” (not comparing the songs, just noting the solid production.) It reminds this reviewer of the days of Paul Young - the voice of the early Paul Young recording in the new millennium, that is. Scott and Ed Cash's production is as dynamic as anything on Top 40 in the days of yore and its crisp voicing of each instrument complementing, not overpowering the singer. is a plus.
These compositions, all drenched in heavy romantic themes, offer something different musically cut after cut. The aim is definitely the market James Blunt conquered and with the strong hooks from "Hang On" to "Alive in New York City" and throughout, this new disc from Mikey has a very good chance of reaching that wider audience. “Baby Don’t You Let Me Down” engages a bit of country pop, back when Olivia Newton John, Anne Murray and Kenny Rogers ruled the airwaves while “Let You Run” comes in with a driving groove and an accompaniment that resembles a modern-day “wall of sound,” a powerful ensemble that gets even bigger as it rolls on into “Alive in New York City.” His voice is terrific here - “Alive in NYC” written solely by Wax, the lingering guitar under the chorus adding textures to this key element of the dozen songs that comprise the CD, material that is chock full of romantic promise that every lover wants to hear.
The piano on “The Calm” is taken straight out of Elton John’s “Grey Seal” from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, a trick Elton (lifting influences from here and there) employed most frequently. Wax even appears to sing “no, I ain’t no Elton John” in the final track, “Last Great Song,” unless it’s a Lady Mondegreen – misheard lyric, though malapropisms don’t appear to be part of the formula at play here. The tune is blanketed by a warm, lush production surrounding the singer’s attractive vocal with the huge chorus reaching a crescendo.
"Take Me Home" is another powerful melody that will stay in your head after you leave the car or wherever else you play CDs. It evokes the ardent emotional attachment found in Paul Davis’ classic hit, “Cool Night” where he beckons “come on over….” Following the concept up with “Walking on Air” is a smart segue, bringing into the new millennium the serious style that Davis, Stephen Bishop and Gino Vanelli added to Top 40. “Walking on Air” may be my favorite track here, tight and exciting production gives Wax the opportunity to deliver the spot-on vocal which shimmers with exuberance. An irresistible hook and excellent break that tugs you right back into the chorus.
“With the rooftop down/and the stars shining bright” gives the punch to what started out as Mikey Wax the balladeer on the opening to “Fall Back in Love.” It’s another song that seems to consciously be different structurally and melodically from all the other selections, though the theme remains undeniably romantic. For those of us who couldn’t stand the insufferable Rick Astley and/or Michael McDonald’s ‘swallow your tongue while singing” routine, this artist’s delivery entertains and adds to the music, never getting in the way. If only Mikey Wax was around back then to sing on what became annoying radio; annoying due to the lack of a sincere voice, where the sensitivity of a Richard Marx was needed. When Mikey wants to “take you on a date and start all over” you really believe him.
Of the twelve tracks only one brings the four minute mark, the finale, "Last Great Song." Co-written by Scott & Ed Cash and Mikey Wax, the piano ballad is driving me crazy in trying to place the 70s male vocalist who set a similar mood. There’s a lot to absorb, and appreciate, on Mikey Wax the record, and it is hardly cliché to say there’s not a bad track here, because everything works together as a cohesive unit. It’s a bouquet of, as stated at the outset of this review, perfectly crafted pop music delivered with honesty and delivered in an entertaining and very appealing way.
Mikey Wax will appear on Visual Radio at 8 PM on Thursday, June 5, 2014 WinCAM - Winchester Community Television and at The Middle East nightclub 1 PM on Sunday afternoon June 8th.
http://calendar.boston.com/cambridge_ma/events/show/370377053-mikey-wax
SPECIAL NOTE on VISUAL RADIO
Frank Dello Stritto discusses the film
Killers from Space @ 8:45 PM http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047149/
Best of Visual Radio cablecast last week:
http://medford.patch.com/groups/access-tv-producer-/p/debut-tonight-the-best-of-visual-radio--60-min...
Watch 29 minutes of the Best of Visual Radio here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5xPjot54Os
http://medford.patch.com/groups/access-tv-producer-/p/video-footage--30-minutes-of-the-best-of-visua...
COPYRIGHT (C)2014 Joe Viglione all rights reserved.
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