Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing was released on November 7, 2006, just after country singer and songwriter Keith Urban entered -- of his own accord -- into treatment for alcoholism. With Urban having married actress Nicole Kidman just months before, the timing couldn't be better. After all, Urban is trying to get well at the very peak of his life -- thus far -- personally and professionally.

Be Here, his last album, is, at the time of this writing, at nearly the four-million mark in sales. As fine as that disc is, this one is another giant leap for Urban as an artist. Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing is slicker than anything Urban has issued before, but that's because it's more ambitious as well.

Urban is a rocking guitarist, a complete wildman on the electric six-string, and he can combine his tough, unhinged approach to playing guitar with pop songwriting and utterly brilliant production elements that layer strings, drum loops, fiddles, banjos, E-Bows, and Hammond B-3s. Add a songwriting style that touches on the classic elements of rock, country, and mainstream pop, and you have something that hasn't been heard in the country genre in this way before. That's right -- the album is further proof of his ability to stretch the genre to the breaking point by bringing in more of modern pop's elements while remaining firmly within it.

When experts talk about important German cult bands, the name Victory always comes up. The band from Hanover belonged alongside Accept and the Scorpions to Germany's number 1 export article in the eighties and was one of the few acts that could establish itself in the USA.

Their career began in the autumn of 1984, when guitarist Tommy Newton and bass player Peter were working on a new album for their band Fargo. Impressed with the exciting song material, the Scorpions drummer Herman Rarebell took the band under his wing and booked an American producer. Two days later, the band could revile that the internationally renowned Rock singer Charlie Huhn had joined the group. The result of the studio session was then sent on to the US manager David Krebs (Aerosmith, Scorpions, etc.), who then took the musicians to New York. Here the band name Fargo was changed to Victory and they were introduced to all the major record companies where they were finally taken on by ´Epic` (Sony Music).

With this Victory then travelled to Los Angeles, where they let the then, in his view, the most important sound engineer Michael Wagener mix the recording. In 1985 the debut album Victory was then released into the record shops worldwide. In the same year the band went on their first US tour: Victory completed 60 shows in the United States including four of the largest festivals in the country where they let themselves be celebrated by 80.000 crazy fans at the ´Texxas Jam` Festival in Dallas.

GARY HOEY ????

At fourteen, Hoey often lingered outside Boston's renowned Berklee College of Music, making friends and offering to pay for lessons. To devote his time to music, he dropped out of high school and began playing Boston's local clubs and teaching guitar to other young players. He auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne in 1988, when Osbourne was searching for a replacement for Jake E. Lee. Although the job went to Zakk Wylde.

In 1990 he teamed with singer Joel Ellis, bassist Rex Tennyson, and drummer Frankie Banali to form Heavy Bones. The band released their debut album in 1992 but broke up shortly afterwards.[1] In 1993, he recorded the successful Animal Instinct album, which included a cover of the Focus hit "Hocus Pocus". Not only did the hit rocket into the Billboard Top 5, outpacing all other singles as the most frequently played rock song of the year, but the album went on to reach classic rock notoriety.

The successful Endless Summer II soundtrack soon followed. He went on to record around twelve instrumental albums, all electric guitar oriented. His 1996 release, Bug Alley, displayed added vocal ability that he has expanded on more recent albums. He continues to tour extensively.

On offer here is a two-disc collection of songs from some of the best female singer-songwriters of the moment.

It is a companion to the recently-released Tales To Tell, which showcased male singer-songwriters. Disc one includes ‘The Calculation’ from Regina Spektor, ‘How to Tame Lions’ from Washington, ‘The Last Day on Earth’ from Kate Miller-Heidke, ‘Chinese’ from Lily Allen, ‘No Hard Feeling’ from Paris Wells, and ‘Byrds of Prey’ from Bertie Blackman.

Disc two features ‘Breath Me’ from Sia, ‘Forgiveness’ from Sarah McLachlan, ‘Your Own Kind of Girl’ from Clare Bowditch, ‘Too Late for Loves’ from Gin Wigmore, and ‘Other Side of the World’ from KT Tunstall. This is a pleasant mix of tracks.

In 1974, alongside Scott Gorham, an 18-year-old Scottish guitarist named Brian 'Robbo' Robertson replaced Gary Moore (R.I.P.) in Thin Lizzy, solidifying the best and most popular incarnation of that perpetually underrated outfit.

As a member of Thin Lizzy, Robertson contributed to five undeniable masterstrokes of guitar-driven hard rock -Nightlife, Fighting, Jailbreak, Johnny The Fox, and Bad Reputation- although by the time of that last record, the band had splintered, and Robertson was featured only on a few tracks and wasn’t pictured in the album art.

After his ousting from Lizzy (in which he was himself replaced by Gary Moore), Robertson formed the short-lived band Wild Horses before famously and briefly joining Motorhead in 1982 as the first replacement for Fast Eddie Clarke. Robertson’s personality and melodic playing style was an ill fit for Lemmy and Philthy, and after 1983’s 'Another Perfect Day', Robertson was out of Motorhead. Since then, Robertson has popped up at a few tributes, played a few guest spots here and there, but largely, whether intentional or not, he’s stayed out of the spotlight.

Robertson uncovered some tapes of some previously unreleased songs he had worked on some time before. He passed them on to his friend Søren Lindberg and asked him to have a listen. Lindberg checked them and called Robertson back and told him he had some brilliant stuff on there and maybe he should consider doing an album with them. Now, thirty-six years after he first appeared with Thin Lizzy, Brian Robertson releases his first solo album, "Diamonds And Dirt", featuring performances by Europe drummer Ian Haugland, bassist Nalle Pahlsson of swedish melodic rockers legend Treat, and former Michael Schenker Group and Great King Rat Leif Sundin as additional vocalist.

Lucinda Williams had al menige indringende plaat van haar gekwetste ziel geschraapt toen ze drie jaar geleden met 'Little Honey' een bijna even fantastische langspeler uit haar prille geluk distilleerde, geluk dat ze op haar drieënvijftigste had gevonden aan de hand van haar manager en coproducerTom Overby .

De jubelberichten in de Britse pers die haar tiende studioplaat 'Blessed' voorafgingen, luidden dat ze opníéuw een door rozengeur en maneschijn bedauwd meesterwerk klaar had. Op de kwaliteit valt inderdaad amper iets af te dingen, maar als dit happy-go-lucky is, geef onze portie geluk dan maar aan Fikkie. Maar Williams voelt nog altijd de vleugelslag van vlinders in haar buik, en doet daar in 'Sweet Love' en de titeltrack (die de afgrond tussen country en soul overbrugt) op een bijzonder warme, altijd onsentimentele manier kond van. Blessed: Lucinda met haar nieuwe leven, wij met haar talent om het goede én het kwade in dit ondermaanse met genadeloze precisie te bezingen.

Toen in 2006 het viertal dat we nu kennen als Black Stone Cherry debuteerden met het naar zichzelf genoemde album waren we in onze nopjes. Lekker vette Southern rock doorspekt met een stevige scheut blues en hardrock. Net genoeg om de oude generatie aan te spreken en de jonge niet de kast op te jagen. Nog eens twee jaar later werd met ‘Folklore And Superstition’ duidelijk dat dit geen eendagsvlieg was.

De songs waren er op alle punten op vooruitgegaan en ook live kon me een meer dan aardige reputatie opbouwen. Vandaag komen ze met hun derde langspeler en neem het nu maar van mij aan, dit is een juweeltje. Opnieuw zijn zanger, gitarist Chris Robertson en zijn vrienden erin geslaagd een perfecte balans te vinden tussen wat de jongere en de meer gerijpte muziekliefhebbers wil horen.

Er is ook plaats voor ernstigere noten en die kraken ze perfect op ‘Such A Shame’ waarop je duidelijk hoort dat dit geen AC/DC-kloon is maar een band met muzikanten die van wanten weten. In het najaar zou men door Europa trekken samen met Alter Bridge. Een combinatie die perfect samengaat. Dit is een van de beste cd’s die er dit jaar zullen verschijnen.

It seems like every Journey album since 'Raised On Radio' has been prefaced by guitarist Neil Schon claiming that it's going to be a full-on rock album, only for the finished article (excepting perhaps the poorly produced 'Generations') to be the usual ballad-heavy affair – which isn't necessarily a bad thing as no-one does ballads like Journey does.

However, I'm sure the news has already leaked out that they've only gone and done it this time, Schon obviously getting his wish with 'Eclipse' and giving you more riffs and notes for your buck than ever before. Opener 'City Of Hope' is a statement of intent. Built upon great guitar parts and an uplifting arrangement, it's a rocking opener that still doesn't scrimp on melody with Arnel Pineda delivering his gorgeous melody lines without a hint of an accent.

In the great tradition of Journey opening tracks it hooks you in and will stick in your head for weeks, the rock-out ending and shredding Neal Schon solo being the icing on the cake. 'Edge Of The Moment' continues in a similar vein with subtle, cheese-free hooks, loads of guitar and a chorus that takes a while to get your head around because it's so un-Journey-like. If that's a shocker then 'Chain Of Love' will be even more so, BLA BLA BLA

Suffice to say that Neal Schon was right: it really rocks!

Whether or not you're a fan of Sammy Hagar and his larger-than-life persona, there's no denying the guy's in-concert might, which has earned him a flotilla of fans and landed him high-profile gigs fronting legendary hard rock bands like Van Halen and Montrose.

HALLELUJAH is a live effort, featuring material culled from 2001 and 2002 gigs, that essentially serves as a chronology of the Red Rocker's career. After opening with the thunderous "Shaka Doobie" off the millennial TEN 13, this set list finds Hagar dusting off the Montrose classic "Rock Candy" before switching gears into pre-VH solo cuts like the super-catchy nugget "3 Lock Box" and often overlooked soundtrack cut "Heavy Metal." Hagar's lengthy stint with Van Halen is also represented, and finds VH bassist Michael Anthony (who was on the road as part of the brash singer's back-up group), lending a hand.

Even more interesting is a cameo by Gary Cherone, Hagar's vocal replacement in VH on the power ballad "When It's Love." Dipping into the three best albums he recorded with Van Halen, (5150, OU812 and FOR UNLAWFUL CARNAL KNOWLEDGE), the California native delivers killer versions of "Dreams," "Top of the World," and "Right Now" sure to please die-hard Van Hagar fans.

I firmly believe that one day a book will be written about Latterman and the incredible number of (similarly incredible) bands that its members have gone on to form out of its ashes.

This book will be essential to Punks of the Future (I’m calling that one as a potential future band name) to both keep track of who is in what band and the general timeline of the recorded output of said bands, and to also put into perspective the powerful effect of the songs of this select group of bands had on punks of all ages in the first decade of the 21st century.

If the aforementioned book is ever actually written, Iron Chic are due for an entire chapter on Not Like This for being a wholly unique record that encapsulates the aesthetic that, for lack of a better term, the Latterman-core bands represent that makes me a sucker for records like this

Anouk - To Get Her Together

is een plaat met een verhaal. Er staan liedjes op die gaan over een relatie die stuk loopt. Over twijfels, over verdriet, over woede. Voor dit album werkte ze samen met gelauwerde producers als Ryan Leslie. Een zanger die ook als producer werkt voor onder meer Mary J. Blige. Maar ook Reggie 'Syience' Perry, die muziek maakte voor John Legend en Jay-Z. Die mannen laten beats horen aan een blonde zangeres uit Holland. Anouk gebruikt die beats niet, maar liet zich erdoor laten inspireren.

De Zweedse producers Tore Johansson en Martin Gjerstad, waarmee Anouk samenwerkte aan de plaat For Bitter or Worse, werken ook weer mee aan deze plaat. To Get Her Together zal voor iedereen een plaat met een eigen verhaal worden. Over dat gekke dansje op Any Younger. Over de tranen bij What Have You Done, de gebalde vuisten bij Better Off Alone en het inzicht dat I'm a Cliché bood. Of, waarom niet, over die keer dat het inderdaad nogal smerig werd tijdens Down and Dirty.

De download is een exe bestand, gedaan voor degene die het lastig vind om iets uit te pakken,

Een nomaal zip bestand staat hier.

“Beautifully swelling cello-folk...Wes Swing creates a rich and lilting soundscape that is a sheer joy to explore." The classically trained Virginia based cellist, singer and multi-instrumentalist creates music of an alternative folk and pop variety and “[pushes] upon the boundaries of what defines the singer-songwriter genre".

In live performance, Wes Swing loops his cello and violin, combining layered strings and lyrics imbued with poetry with a full backing band. “Like a cold fall night pierces a mountain hollow...” writes Stephanie Garcia of The Hook. Throughout the recording project, Swing had the opportunity to work with many talented musicians. Backing vocals on "Through a Fogged Glass" were performed by the lovely folk singer Devon Sproule, and the talented Brian Caputo played drums and percussion.

"Wes Swing is creating a very unique and personal style of music", combining elements of minimalism, folk, and rock to create an original sound. "Through a Fogged Glass" represents this variety in a holistic way, with string filled instrumentals surrounded by songs of family, longing, and imagery. For the music of Wes Swing, “listening is the biggest and most beautiful reward of all.”

Emboldened and encouraged by Mayall, Trout began his solo career in 1989. He was immediately embraced by European audiences and released his first album, Life in the Jungle that same year. Despite his prolific recording schedule, Trout's first U.S. release was 1998's critically heralded Walter Trout, which immediately established him as a staple of the American blues scene as well. And the rest is, quite literally, blues and rock history still in the making.

"In a sense, I've almost created my own genre," Trout says. "I've assimilated so many styles and so many influences from the great adventure of American music. I love Jeff Beck just as much as I love B.B. King. I believe in telling stories and honesty and searching for truth. And I have no interest in stifling my creativity. If I have a song in my head or I'm playing a solo and it gets a little outside of the box or off the beaten path, I'm going to let it flow and come out, or take me where it leads me. My quest in all of this is that I'd really love to be able to do it all."

Tjonge, jonge, als iemand in aanmerking komt voor meest onderschatte singer-songwriter, dan moet het John Waite welhaast zijn. Een man die zijn sporen meer dan heeft verdiend. Met de Babys maakte hij minstens twee wereldplaten en met Bad English bevestigde hij zijn reputatie.

En wat een gouden strot heeft John. Gevoelige ballads en stevige rock, met zijn elastieke en toch altijd ook breekbare stem beheerst hij alle regionen die de populaire muziek bevat.

En dan deze Figure in a landscape...wat een pareltje met als onbetwist hoogtepunt en meesterwerk het 'Masterpiece of loneliness'. Je zou zo een potje mee gaan janken, want deze jongen meent het.

Ook zijn vorige plaat, 'When you were mine' was al zo'n prijsjuweel. Daarvoor vond ik zijn muziek vaak wat te Amerikaans georiënteerd, van die typische 'een oor in-ander oor uit-achtige' radiorock. Wanneer brengt dit wonderkind weer eens wat nieuw werk uit?

A compilation of 20 girl fronted bands doing 1 song each. Though most of the bands are in the punk / alternative / hard rock genres they don’t have much in common other than that they’re all at least partially female. And there you have it. Some really good songs, some really bad ones and a lot of average material in between.

There's enough good ones on it to buy it I guess. I'll keep my copy and play some of it every now and again. Some of the bands suck and shouldn’t be on any compilations whatsoever, while most of them are good enough to be treated like a real band rather than a novelty ”girl band” act.

Mmmmm, deze review is twijfelachtig denk ik. Is dit leuk genoeg voor het nageschlacht ? Geen idee. De hoes is in ieder geval helemaal toppie. Daar doen we het voor.

Completed by George Harrison's son Dhani and Jeff Lynne (Traveling Wilburys, Cloud Nine) after the ex-Beatle succumbed to a long illness in November 2001, Brainwashed is a bittersweet reminder of the myriad contradictions that made Harrison such a compelling figure.

One of the most warm, melodically rich albums in a career pockmarked by personal frankness and professional indifference in its latter years, Harrison finds rewarding ways here to reconcile bitter assessments of the material world (the title track) with more fleshy concerns, as his jaunty take on the Arlen-Koehler chestnut "The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" ably demonstrates.

Pushing the singer's distinctive dry voice to the forefront, and with Harrison's trademark slide guitar riffs as sinewy as ever, Lynne's showcase production is mostly spot-on and refreshingly restrained, while Dhani brings his own fresh, touchingly personal insights to the record.

He double-tracked his own voice onto an old recording of his father chanting the traditional "Namah Parvati" and appended it as the album's spiritual benediction, a touching reminder that while musicians come and go, music can truly embody their spirit forever.

Ik ben normaal gesproken niet zo'n Kane liefhebber maar dit is toch wel goed hoor. No Surrender, het vijfde album van Kane, is een rockplaat zonder onnodige franje. Het album is ingespeeld met de band waarmee Dinand Woesthoff en Dennis van Leeuwen inmiddels twee jaar live op het podium staan: Robin Berlijn (gitaar), Joost Kroon (drums), Ivo Severijns (bas) en Nico Brandsen (keyboards). Het album is in een paar weken tijd opgenomen in de ICP Studio's in Brussel.

'Onze passie voor muziek maken groeit verder met elke plaat die we maken. Een soort onvoorwaardelijk vuur, waarmee we elke keer weer een nieuwe stap proberen te zetten', aldus Woesthoff. 'Meer dan ooit beseffen we dat we met enorm veel plezier met elkaar op het podium staan; dat gevoel wilden we in de studio vasthouden en verder brengen.'

Het lijkt erop alsof met No Surrender de cirkel rond is, en de band het enthousiasme en de muzikale honger van het allereerste begin weer heeft hervonden. De ambitie om te scoren, of zoals Dinand het noemt: 'het meedogenloze moeten', heeft plaats gemaakt voor ongecompliceerde lol en genieten van het moment. Kane heeft nog steeds een niet aflatende ambitie, maar die is nu verlegd naar de ambitie van het muziek maken zelf. Dinand: 'Ik ben me meer dan ooit bewust van het feit dat we al heel lang muziek mogen maken. Door alle successen en verleidingen verlies je soms uit het oog waar het om draait, en dat is bij ons de onvoorwaardelijke overgave aan muziek. No Surrender. Aftikken en gaan.'

De nationale parken van Amerika zijn rustpunten in het landschap. Binnen de grenzen van die parken wint het dikwijls overweldigende natuurschoon het ruimschoots van de Amerikaanse identiteit. Sterker nog, Amerika bestaat er niet.

De letters zijn er uit het landschap verdwenen. Geen billboards of andere reclame-uitingen. Slechts onopvallende bordjes die toeristen naar fotogenieke plekken wijzen. En natuurlijk wat verkeersborden, ook al heeft niemand er haast. Zo is het ook in Zion National Park in Utah. De beschaving heeft zich er zelfs aangepast aan de omgeving. Het asfalt is er niet grijs, maar roodbruin, net zoals de zandsteen aan weerskanten van de weg. Rotsen in prachtige zachte puddingvormen, het werk van de Virgin River miljoenen jaren geleden.

Vluchtstrook Amerika.

Linda Ronstadt, who emerged from SoCal's vaunted early-'70s country-folk scene, became the American female rock superstar of the Me Decade. After the initial success of the Stone Poneys' Michael Nesmith-penned "Different Drum," Ronstadt expanded her horizons through interpretations of a long string of successful pop and R&B covers.

Along the way she championed emerging songwriters like Warren Zevon ("Poor Poor Pitiful Me") and contemporary favorites like Neil Young ("Love Is a Rose") in the bargain.

As the formula waned with the changing tastes of the '80s, she briefly turned to new wave before stepping boldly back to the pop standards of the '30s, '40s, and '50s. Unfortunately, this collection inexplicably skips over that three-album collaboration with arranger-conductor Nelson Riddle, a body of work that presaged the 1990s' lounge-pop revival by a full decade--and outclassed it by miles.

It also eschews a compelling contemporary Latin chapter of her career in favor of her winning collaborations with Aaron Neville ("Don't Know Much" and "All My Life") and less successful AC fodder like "Winter Light" and "Somewhere Out There" with James Ingram. A good primer to Ronstadt's immense vocal talents and recording history, but one that's flawed by some crucial missing chapters.

When Allison Moorer released her last album, 2004’s The Duel, she said goodbye to a large part of her past. Working with a new band on a new label (an indie, no less) and incorporating a new sound, Moorer forged a new beginning, opting to write songs that were decidedly more rock than country.

What was most striking about the album, however, was the lyrical content, which violated every unwritten rule in country music by questioning God, criticizing the president, and exposing the folly of America’s military ambitions. In other words, the good ol’ gal who had diligently mined the traditions of country had taken a turn towards the left, which makes life very hard in the evangelical-driven country mainstream.

Overall, The Definitive Collection is an essential purchase for fans of country, alt-country, folk, and roots rock. Moorer is still relatively unknown—and almost certain to never “break”—but she’s already created a legacy that places her within sight of country’s pantheon of legends. By avoiding the short-term benefits of cashing in, she’s ensured her spot as an influential artist, the type that’s appreciated more by successive generations. Where Moorer’s career goes from here is anybody’s guess; Steve Earle is producing her next album, and we’ve already seen what Moorer is capable of when she takes off the gloves. Though her first four albums are undeniably great, they might be a mere prelude to something legendary.

Artiesten die hun weg naar de grotere podia nog moeten waarmaken. Artiesten die veel opzij zetten om hun liefde voor de muziek met anderen te delen. Artiesten die hopen de 'ware' muziekliefhebber te raken met hun teksten en composities. Het programma heeft een aantal vaste ijkpunten. Zo is er altijd ruimte voor een debuut, een klassieker en een bluesmoment. Het 4e nummer van de playlist geeft altijd een plek aan een Nederlandse band of singer-songwriter. En hieronder nog zo prachtding met een prachtwebsite met prachtmensen en prachtmuziek. (althans, dat vind ik) Rootsradio.

Klik hier voor een uurtje relaxxen.

The Eli Young Band is a bit of an anomaly. It's a country band, but it's not pop country like the stuff that's pilfered by American Idol contestants and pop stars posing as country artists. It's also not the hardcore sub-section championed by rebels and renegades like David Allan Coe. Rather, Jet Black & Jealous is a dyed-in-the-wool, honky tonk record that'll appeal to trucker hat wearin', waterin' hole dwellers all across this great country of ours as well as regular rock 'n roll fans that crave an itty bitty country twist on riffs! Vocalist/guitarist Mike Eli and guitarist James Young –hence "Eli Young"—formed the band.

Yhe two have a chemistry that shows up in the songwriting, since "Always the Love Songs" and "Radio Waves" are some of the most accessible, brain-infesting country songs we've heard in quite some time. The tunes take out a mortgage in your cranium and camp out there for hours at a time, thanks to their hummable, toe-tapping melodies and slice-o'-life lyrics. The requisite ballads–"Enough is Enough" and "Guinevere"—crop up here and there, but for the most part, Jet Black & Jealous is a knobs cranked album that's suitable for doin' donuts on a dirt road in Texas as easily as it is for drowning your sorrows at the nearest dive bar.

Voorbeeld(je) hier. Prachtig nummer.

Nou, vooruit. Nog een keer Osama.

Daarmee komt ook en vooral ter sprake, wat nou precies de bewijzen zijn, die de Amerikaanse regering onze regering heeft gepresenteerd, om aan te tonen, dat zónder enige twijfel vaststond dat Osama Bin Laden en ‘zijn’ Al Qaida, betrokken waren bij de aanslagen op de Twin Towers en het Pentagon op 11 September 2001. Dát was immers toch de reden en aanleiding voor de oorlog in het Midden Oosten? Onze onvoorwaardelijke steun aan de zienswijze van de Amerikaanse regering inzake de schuldigen van de aanslagen, heeft hopelijk afgehangen van HARD BEWIJS. Je zult immers maar de ouders zijn van de gesneuvelde soldaten die vielen in naam van de revanche op de aanslagen.

Het onderstaande verhaal is al een tijd bekend, maar heeft volgens ons veel te weinig aandacht gekregen. We vragen ons zelfs af, of het merendeel van de Nederlandse bevolking op de hoogte is van het FEIT, dat Bin Laden niet eens officieel beschuldigd wordt van deze aanslagen. Jazeker, je leest het goed, Bin Laden wordt niets ten laste gelegd inzake zijn betrokkenheid bij de aanslagen van 11 September 2001.

Lees het hele verhaal hieronder van redacteur Ed Haas van de Amerikaanse website Muckraker.~ Ondanks het ontbreken van FEITELIJK bewijs voor zijn betrokkenheid, blijft de hele wereld in de mantra hangen, dat Osama Bin Laden verantwoordelijk is voor de aanslagen van 11 September 2009. Iedereen, behalve de FBI.

Hier nog meer, kan er geen genoeg van krijgen eerlijk gezegd.

Met slechts een paar woorden weet de Texaanse Robyn Ludwick beelden te schetsen die zo raak zijn dat ze je simpelweg niet onberoerd kunnen laten. Naast het titelnummer Out Of These Blues (Late Show Records/Continental Song City/Munich) raken ook de andere elf nummers van haar allemaal hart en ziel.

Het zijn liedjes over three time losers, just an old hillbilly of a poor migrant farmer met altijd het besef: And love is a sweet thing to find / When you realize this old world is so unkind. Ze kan niet alleen prachtig beeldend schrijven, haar countryfolk is onontkoombaar door die stem van haar. Een stem als de splinters van een houten veranda. Die bibber is als de siddering die door het lijf jaagt – tot in de tenen – tijdens de bekroning van de liefde.

Maar diezelfde bibber draagt ook de sporen van al het leed dat hoort bij alles wat daar zoal aan vooraf kan gaan. Het leven, niets minder dan dat. Robyn Ludwick heeft met Out Of These Blues een album gemaakt dat in dezelfde hors categorie valt als het werk van Sam Baker, ook al een Texaan. Het beheerste spel van producer Gurf Morlix (allerlei snaren- en toetsenspul), Ian McLagan (B3, piano), Gene Elders (fiddle) Eddie Cantu (drums) en echtgenoot John Ludwick (bas) is ook al uitmuntend.
Deze review is van Alt country.nl

Beetje Bruce ?

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers are known for their concerts that occur in the Mexican beach town of Rocky Point, Mexico (Puerto Peñasco) for what is called "Circus Mexicus." This concert used to be held semi-annually, with a concert in May and another in October.

In 2009, RCPM consolidated the two shows into one yearly Circus Mexicus concert, held each year since in June. Circus Mexicus features a two-set, roughly four-hour concert, most recently held in a vacant lot adjacent to the Chango's Bar & Grill, behind the Sonoran Spa Resort. The previous location was in a dirt lot behind Sunset Cantina, close to Penasco del Sol Resort.

The following morning, an unofficial "hangover bash" is held at JJ's Cantina in nearby Cholla Bay where band members have been known to mingle with the fans and sign autographs. Each year the band performs a charity gig the Friday before Circus Mexicus called "Hot Dog and a Smile" benefiting Esparanza Para Los Ninos.

Heerlijke jukebox hier om te klikken. (klik)

Vorig jaar baarden hairmetalveteranen Ratt opzien door uit het niets ineens met Infestation op de proppen te komen, een album dat liet horen waarom het genre ooit het populairste ter wereld was (of nog steeds is: Bon Jovi haalde vorig jaar het meeste geld op met toeren in de Verenigde Staten). In 2011 is het de beurt aan de Finse veteraan Michael Monroe om de tijden van toen te doen herleven. Onder het motto "You can take the boy out of '78 / The style's gonna change but the sentiment ain't / You can't take '78 out of the boy" levert hij een set sleazy glampunksongs in optima forma af.

Daartoe verzamelde Monroe een band bestaande uit veteranen van zijn eigen oude band Hanoi Rocks, van The Wildhearts en van genregrondleggers The New York Dolls. Die houden het tempo zo hoog en gooien zoveel na één keer luisteren meezingbare refreinen in de muziek, dat er gewoon geen tijd is om na te denken over het enorme aantal clichés per minuut dat langskomt. Weerstand is zinloos: iedereen gaat voor de bijl voor tracks als 'Modern Day Miracle' en 'Bombs Away'. Dat die formule niet werkt als het om het broodnodige rustpunt gaat, snapt Monroe ook. Dus wordt het in 'Gone Baby Gone' overtuigend over de countryboeg gegooid, met een gastbijdrage van niemand minder dan Lucinda Williams.

In 'Debauchery as a Fine Art' komt ook Lemmy nog even langs wippen, wat Sensory Overdrive waarschijnlijk het enige album in de muziekgeschiedenis maakt waar zowel de Motörheadvoorman als de alt.countrysuperster aan meewerken. Monroe zingt in openingstracks 'Trick of the Wrist' dan wel "I used to sleep in the daytime / If I was even able to close my eyes / Now I let reality get me high". Dat betekent niet dat hij een brave huisvader is geworden die met een kopje Finse Senseo naar de Finse Caro Emerald luistert. Met Sensory Overdrive bewijst hij dat hij op zijn negenenveertigste ook zonder chemische hulpmiddelen nog steeds een volkomen losgeslagen rock-'n-rollfeest kan geven. Doe dat hem maar eens na.

Vreemde hoes ? Jawel. Vergis je niet, dit is snoeiharde hardrock van de bovenste plank. David is Reece is de man van Accept.

David Reece (Accept, Bangalore Choir) and Martin Kronlund (Dogface, Gypsy Rose) have met the first time in 2007. Reece was asked to join the Martin's band Gypsy Rose as the new front singer and in June 2008 the album 'Another World' was released. Their special friendship and musical chemistry continues till this day.

In November 2010 David Reece and Martin Kronlund decided to fulfill their dream about a project under their own moniker which was planed since. "Solid" was recorded, mixed, mastered and produced by Martin Kronlund and Reece at Kronlund's 'JM Studio' Sweden. "Solid", as the title already says, is a clean, strong piece of very powerful Melodic Hard Rock.

Martin Kronlund played most of the guitars which compliment David Reece's voice perfectly. David also reached out to lyricist Jon Wilde to share ideas and the end result is deep meaningful story lines. The record includes a high toned companionship of musician guests playing and also co-writing songs on the album. "My Angel Wears White" opens with great quality this album full of melodies.

This fast paced european melodic rocker has a killer chorus and an excellent guitar work by swedish guru Tommy Denander together with Kronlund's hot riffing. "Samurai" is the first single off 'Solid', and it's another winner. David Reece is in top form and sings his heart out, while Kronlund confirms that he is one of the best guitarists / arranger / producer nowadays. REECE-KRONLUND had delivered a very classy album in the best european tradition. Really Good.

Produced by Jay Joyce, Emmylou Harris' 21st studio album features the striking Harris originals "Darlin' Kate" (written for Kate McGarrigle) and "The Road" (written for Gram Parsons). On Hard Bargain, her third Nonesuch disc, she offers 11 original songs - three of them co-written with Grammy and Oscar-winning composer Will Jennings - that touch on the autobiographical while reaching for the universal.

She pays tribute to lost friends like her legendary mentor Gram Parsons ("The Road") and her frequent collaborator, the late Kate McGarrigle ("Darlin' Kate"), and also finds poignancy and fresh meaning in events both historical and personal. On "My Name Is Emmett Till" she recalls a pivotal act of violence during the civil rights movement in a heartbreakingly plain-spoken narrative, told from the victim's perspective; on "Goodnight Old World," she fashions a bittersweet lullaby to her newly born grandchild, contrasting a grown-up's world-weariness with a baby's wide-eyed wonder.

Few in pop or country music have achieved such honesty or revealed such maturity in their writing. Forty years into her career, Harris shares the hard-earned wisdom that comes with getting older, though she never stops looking ahead. In addition to the luminous originals Harris composed, the title track comes from Ron Sexsmith - a folk-rock ballad Harris had been coveting for a long time - and uplifting closing number "Cross Yourself" was contributed by Joyce.

Rock and Roll koningin en lid van Fleetwood Mac, Stevie Nicks, brengt op 29 april 2011 haar nieuwe studioalbum 'In Your Dreams' uit. Haar eerste album in maar liefst 10 jaar is mede geproduceerd door voormalig lid van Eurythmics Dave Stewart en Glen Ballard (o.a. Alanis Morissette, Dave Matthews Band).

Daarnaast schreef ze voor het nieuwe album de Walter Reed tribute track "Soldier's Angel " samen met niemand minder dan Lindsey Buckingham. "So Lindsey came in and played guitar, and he sings with me on the choruses. And it's ominous. It's an ominous song and his voice lent even more ominousity to the whole thing. So I think the world will be really knocked back when they hear 'Soldier's Angel' and I'm really excited for them to hear that."

Stevie Nicks built her legend on the California-Babylon chronicles she perfected in the Seventies with Fleetwood Mac, and in the Eighties on underrated solo gems like The Other Side of the Mirror. But she still has that eternal edge-of-17 tremor in her voice. The gypsy queen is in royal form on In Your Dreams — it's not just her first album in 10 years, it's her finest collection of songs since the Eighties.

Eric Church has the potential to become country music’s next Dierks Bentley, whether or not he makes it big at radio. What I mean by this is that he is both a consistent songwriter and a talented singer who obviously enjoys what he’s doing and has the unique and rare ability to incorporate contemporary sounds with traditional qualities and values to create both a memorable and attractive song, a quality that spelt instant stardom for Bentley in his early years.

It is these kinds of songs that make up Church’s long awaited sophomore album Carolina. Not only did Church have a hand in penning every single track on this album, he manages continuously incorporate a feeling on honesty, personal relevance and universal significance in most, if not all of these tracks.

From heartbreak to living on the edge Church covers a wide variety of circumstances that eventually apply to every life. in addition, this proud blue collar Carolinian provides a wide variety of emotions throughout this project from upbeat and rebellious to tortured and demeaned, each with it’s own special story to go along with it. Carolina is a very risky and shifty album, exploring some major risk areas in both sound and writing that make it all the more interesting in the end.

Church has defiantly proven that he knows what he is doing and how he wants to do it. Whether country radio or even the country community accepts him is out of the question, this blue collar country star has the talent and the urge to get it done. This album was not made to please the masses, but to please Church and those who want to, and should, take the time to listen.