January 2003
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SANTANA |
THE SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES |
TOTO |
BEN GRANFELT |
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GEORGE HARRISON Brainwashed (Capitol / Dark Horse) Its seemed like an eternity of time between November 29, 2001 and the closing of 2002 but for fans of Beatles legend George Harrison the wait (and the many lonely nights just thinking what if?) has been worth it. Its almost like George has come back to us again, speaking to us from a far better place then desperate planet Earth has become. The reason to celebrate? Brainwashed is going to be the album everyone will call Georges last album, but those who knew George know that he left us with a library of unreleased and unfinished songs. It is true George has left the building and so it was up to his Traveling Wilburys buddy Jeff Lynne and Georges young son Dhani Harrison, in addition to drumming great Jim Keltner, to pick up the musical pieces and restructure the musical puzzle that George left unfinished. On reflection Jeff Lynne adds, Id been talking to George for the past couple or three years about finishing these songs. He said, Id like you to finish them for me. We talked about it, and he said that he didnt want the album to be posh. I thought if I left them rough as he would have liked, they wouldnt come over as well. So, sorry George, I made them a little bit posher than you may have wanted. But I felt I was doing them justice. And so it goes one year after we lost rocks first and best ever lead guitarist. But firmly ensconced in the Harrison rock and roll style, Brainwashed kicks some serious ass. From the lead off philosophy-rocker Any Road to the plaintive remorse of Looking For My Lifefrom the lush instrumental guitar sounds of Marwa Blues to the caustic Harrisonian lyrics of the title track (complete with its song closing Indian chant), Brainwashed just might be the greatest George album ever and is clearly just what his longest, staunchest fans have been yearning for, at least since the Wilburys split. Like George's buddy Gary Brooker used to sing, Still Therell Be More...but until then, Brainwashed is just the record youre gonna need to chase away those cold, cloudy wintertime blues. Perhaps it is best summed up by popmeister Jeff Lynne who adds, It was like, wow, people are going to get to hear this, and its great. It began to seem like a more joyful experience, a celebration of Georges life. www.georgeharrison.com |
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SANTANA Shaman (Arista) Latin
music is red hot right now and no one epitomizes the spirit of Latin
rock better than legendary guitar great Carlos Santana. Santana
arrived at Arista Records with a boom, releasing his 25 million
seller Supernatural album in 99. Santana followed up the
release of Supernatural big time with his 2002 album Shaman.
Like its predecessor, Shaman features an all-star lineup
of acts looking to rub musical elbows with the guitar icon. Produced
by Santana and record biz king-maker, Clive Davis, Shaman
spotlights guest vocalists Dido, Macy Gray, MeShell
Ndegeocello, operatic tenor Placido Domingo, Seal,
the rock band P.O.D. (dazzling on the Shaman highlight
America) in addition to fine players like the group Ozomatli,
Grover Washington and original Santana drummer Michael Shrieve.
Described by Carlos as being a beautiful example of synchronicity,
Shaman builds on the musical progress of Supernatural and
takes the multi-dimensional Santana rock sound to new heights. www.santana.com
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THE BEARS Live (Bears) Put
Adrian Belew in King Crimson and hell sing as good as Greg
Lake and, linked with KC guru, Robert Fripp hell dazzle with his
guitar craft. In The Bears, Belew knocks you out with his uncanny knack
for crafting Beatles-inspired 60s pop. Coming off the heels of
the groups 2001 album Car Caught Fire, The Bears
Live brings together an assortment of Bears classics recorded live
on their February 2002 tour including tracks from their NYC gigs on
2/23-24. With guitars ignited, Belew is evenly positioned in the 2002
Bears lineup which finds him rocking alongside like-minded guitarists
Rob Fetters and Bob Nyswonger with the band driven
by the discerning drumming of Chris Arduser. Its just amazing
how well rounded the group appears live and hearing this CD is proof.
The companion CD to the studio sounds of Car Caught Fire, The Bears
Live captures a great American pop band alive and in prime form.
www.thebearsmusic.com
/ www.cdbaby.com/cd/bearslive
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THE
SOUNDTRACK OF OUR LIVES Behind The Music (Universal) Theyve
developed a fine reputation as one of Swedens best pop bands and
six years after their 96 album, The Soundtrack Of Our Lives
release Behind The Musictheir U.S. major label
debut on Universal Records. Sweden has long been a bastion
of pop and instrumental jazz and rock. Performed by a lineup of fine
players (including TSOOLs front man Ebbot Lundberg and
guitarist Ian Person) Behind The Music is clearly the
groups catchiest and most compelling album yet. Blending modern
retro-pop influences like Kula Shaker and Oasis, TSOOL mix their pop
brew with vintage-sounding 60s instruments like the fabled Mellotron
and influences like The Beatles and The Monkees. Behind The Music
is a fine example of just how good pop music can still be in 2002.
www.thesoundtrackofourlives.net
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TOTO Through The Looking Glass (CMC / Capitol / EMI) For
their first new studio album in three years and their first for CMC
/ Capitol Records, rock legends Toto serve up a fine CD featuring
all new recordings of some time-honored pop gems. According to Toto
guitarist / vocalist Steve Lukather, Through The Looking
Glass is about looking back at the artists who have influenced us
in one way or another and paying homage to the music. On their
2002 CD, Lukather & companyincluding original Toto singer
Bobby Kimball, David Paich (keyboards), Mike Porcaro
(bass) and drumming legend Simon Phillipstastefully
revive a number of pop standards including The Beatles White
Album favorite While My Guitar Gently Weeps, Creams
67 smash Sunshine Of Your Love, Burn Down The
Mission (the Elton John classic) and other favorites from Bob
Dylan, Stevie Wonder, Steely Dan and Elvis Costello. The mostly vocal
album is tempered by a stunning instrumental cover of Herbie Hancocks
Maiden Voyage / Butterfly. The whole recording sounds great
and Lukathers guitar shines, especially on his faithful reproduction
of Claptons brilliant guitar solo on Sunshine Of Your Love.
Thanks to the top musicianship of all the players in Toto, Through
The Looking Glass is a super tribute to the spirit of rock and roll.
www.toto99.com
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BEN
GRANFELT All I Want To Be (Megamania) Back
in his native Finland guitar ace Ben Granfelt earned a stellar reputation
for his fretboard work with The Leningrad Cowboys as well as for several
excellent instrumental rock albums (including The Truth from
94). Last year Granfelt amazed his fans with his work on the impressive
2002 Wishbone Ash album Bona Fide. In the spirit of Bona
Fide, the late 2001 release of All I Want To Be further
establishes Granfelt as a gifted singer-songwriter in his own right.
Theres a couple of potent Wishbone-style instrumentals on the
CD and other highpoints come with catchy, searing prog-pop tracks like
Keep Tomorrow Free and Sea Of Love. Granfelts
guitar playing keeps the energy level high while Miri Miettinen (drums)
and Lauri Porra (bass) further enhance Granfelts rock soundscapes.
www.bengranfelt.com
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