Saint Asonia’s Debut EP Will Appeal To Most Modern Mainstream Hard Rock Audiences

Posted on October 30, 2022 by philspicks

Hard rock super group Saint Asonia announced this week, it is set to release its new EP, Extrovert Nov. 18 through Spinefarm Records. In anticipation of the six-song record’s release, the band debuted the video for the EP’s lead single, ‘Wolf’ Thursday. When it is released just after Thanksgiving, Saint Asonia’s new EP will have come more than four months after the band’s debut EP, Introvert, which was released July 1 (also through Spinefarm Records). The two EPs are currently expected for joint release Dec. 9 as a complete collection, much like of Mice & Men combined its 2021 EPs, Timeless, Bloom, and Ad Infinitum last year into the album, Echo. Considering that these two EPs are allegedly going to be released as one joint recording in December, those who might not own either record would be well advised to wait for that planned release. While audiences await its release, they can take in Introvert now through all digital platforms and on CD. The record will appeal to the band’s established audiences in part through its musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The lyrical themes that accompany the EP’s musical arrangements play their own part into that appeal and will be examined a little later. The sequencing of that collective content rounds out its most important element and will also be discussed later. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the record. All things considered they make Introvert a presentation that gives audiences at least some reason to anticipate its coming companion record.

Introvert, the debut EP from hard rock super group Saint Asonia, is an interesting addition to this year’s field of new hard rock records and EPs in general. It is a presentation whose six total songs will appeal easily to the band’s established audiences. They are each also an easy fit for any mainstream, active rock radio station’s daily play list. Their collective musical arrangements prove these statements by themselves. Each arrangement is easily comparable to works from front man Adam Gontier’s primary project, Three Days Grace. That is not just because of his vocals, either. The specific melodic hard rock approach the he and his band mates – Mike Mushok (Staind), Cale Gontier (Art of Dying), and Cody Watkins (Art of Dying) – take in each song is so similar to the works that Three Days Grace have created. At the same time, audiences could just as easily to more recent works from Atreyu, which makes them even stronger. Stylistically, the songs are very close to one another. The thing is that there are some subtleties in the overall sound from one song to the next. When audiences actively listen to each song, they will immerse themselves in the songs and catch those subtleties, thus appreciating, again, each arrangement. To that end, it shows the strength of the arrangements in the bigger picture of Introvert.

The lyrical themes that accompany the record’s musical arrangements add to the EP’s interest in their own way both by themselves and paired with that musical content. The apparent theme of perseverance presented in the EP’s opener, ‘Above It All’ will resonate easily with any listener. The message is delivered with relative clarity as Gontier sings in the song’s chorus, “It’s time to take a stand and save our lives/Rise before we fall/There’s no more second chance/It’s do or die/Rise above it all.” This is a clear message of overcoming adversity and pushing through it. ‘Better Late Than Never,’ which immediately follows, somewhat continues that theme. In the case of this song, it finds its subject essentially talking about having pushed through that adversity and having come out on the other side stronger. This is noted as Gontier sings in the song’s chorus, “I know I was meant for something more/More than beaten, bloody, blacked out on the floor/But I’m here and it’s forever/It’s better late than never.”

From here, the record takes a more existential turn in ‘Chew Me Up’ as the song’s subject seems to address becoming his own self despite being told so many lies about certain things as he grew up. The song doesn’t note specifically the lies that the subject was told, but one can imagine they likely centered on so many aspects. The overarching theme here is one that is so common with rock and hard rock songs. It is that semi-angry introspection about the negative role that someone played in the past and how in hindsight, the subject has overcome that impact to be better than that other person.

From here, Gontier turns more introspective alongside his band mates, presenting songs of someone battling those all too familiar inner demons in the next pair of songs. There is some self-hatred, etc. in the songs, which will serve to help people going through such situations to know they are not alone. The record’s closer, ‘Blinding Lights’ is another all too familiar topic, thematically speaking. It focuses on the topic of a broken romantic relationship. So simply put, what audiences get here and in the rest of the EP’s lyrical content is material that is familiar and accessible in its own right. When it is all collectively considered alongside the record’s musical arrangements, that collective shows what makes the EP worth hearing even more.

The EP’s production puts the finishing touch to its presentation. That is because of the fullness that it brings out of each composition. That fullness is brought out through the balance of the songs’ instrumentations and vocals. The result of all of this is a general effect that ensures listeners’ maintained engagement and entertainment from beginning to end of the record. Taking this into account alongside the EP’s overall content, the whole makes Introvert an interesting new presentation from Saint Asonia that gives reason for audiences to anticipate its coming counterpart.

Introvert, Saint Asonioa’s recently released debut EP, is a presentation that the band’s established audiences will find interesting. It is a record whose six total songs are easy additions to any modern, active rock radio station’s play lists, too. That is proven in part through its musical arrangements, each of which is its own interesting melodic hard rock composition. The lyrical themes that accompany that musical content find themselves quite accessible and familiar. That makes them just as important to the record as their musical counterparts. The record’s production gives the EP an overall positive general effect, bringing everything full circle and completing the record’s presentation. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the EP. All things considered they make Introvert a presentation that gives the band’s reason to anticipate its coming companion EP, Extrovert.

Introvert is available now through Spinefarm Records. More information on the EP is available along with all of Saint Asonia’s latest news at:

Website: https://saintasonia.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saintasonia

Twitter: https://twitter.com/saintasonia

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Panton’s ‘Blue’ Proves Itself A Mixed Bag

Posted on October 28, 2022 by philspicks

Twelve years ago, jazz vocalist Diana Panton started an interesting trilogy of recordings with the release of her album, Pink (2009). The record was the beginning of a story of a romantic relationship between two people. The story was continued in 2013 with the equally simply titled Red. Now less than a decade after that record’s release, Panton has completed the trilogy with her brand new album (her 10^th album so far), Blue. A press release announcing the album’s release points out the intentional use of colors as the albums’ titles. It notes that pink is the color of infatuation, red the color of true love and its passion, and blue the color of heartbreak. The lyrical content featured throughout the record is a perfect fit for that description, too. This will be discussed shortly. While the lyrical content featured in this record matches well with the record’s title, the musical content that accompanies that lyrical content fits well with said material, but at the same time that is sadly not necessarily a good thing. This will be discussed a little later. The record’s production is also a positive worth noting and will also be examined later. When it is considered along with the album’s overall lyrical presentation, those two elements together make Blue worth hearing at least once.

Blue, the latest album from Diana Panton, is an intriguing new offering from the veteran jazz vocalist. Its interest comes in large part through its collective lyrical content. The album’s overall lyrical content focuses on the topic of love lost. That is because the album is the conclusion of a story about a romantic relationship that started with love’s birth (so to speak) way back in 2009 in Pink. The topic of love lost is universal, as is love found. To that end, the overall lyrical presentation here will find itself easily accessible to plenty of audiences. That includes audiences who might be less familiar with Panton and her catalog. From beginning to end, the album’s subject goes through the stages of dealing with that loss. From the initial sadness of the loss to eventually coming to terms with it as she sings about knowing that former love being there even when that person is not physically there. Rather than being sad or even angry, her memories are actually fond, showing that she has at last moved forward. Keeping all o this in mind this gradual lyrical progression from beginning to end will certainly resonate with audiences who are going through and even who have gone through the noted situation. To that end, the album’s overall lyrical presentation forms a strong foundation for the overall record’s presentation.

While the lyrical presentation featured in this album does well for the record, the musical content that accompanies the album’s lyrical presentation is somewhat more of a balancing act. The mood set throughout the album’s musical arrangements is subdued. Early on in the likes of ‘Where Do You Start/Once Upon A Time’ ‘Losing My Mind’ and her cover of The Beatles’ timeless single, ‘Yesterday’ goes beyond being subdued and becomes quite melancholy. Between that mood early on and the more subdued mood (that sometimes even includes a bit of cynicism) that makes up the rest of the album, the noted approach helps bring out the most from the songs’ lyrical material. At the same time though, it also causes the songs, which range between two minutes, 15 seconds to as much as six minutes, 13 seconds, to feel even longer than they are. That is because they move so slowly as they illustrate the feelings expressed in each song’s lyrical content. This actually hurts the album to a point because it is very likely to leave many audiences feeling like they want to just fast forward through the tracks, or just skip them altogether after a certain point. Keeping this in mind, while the record’s musical content is helpful in making the album reach its overall goal, the fact of the matter is that it actually hurts the album in the bigger picture. It is not enough to doom the record, but is still of concern.

Knowing that the musical content featured in Blue is not enough to doom the record, there is still at least one more positive to examine. That positive is the album’s production. The production takes into account the emotions that Panton works to illicit through the arrangements, and succeeds in making sure that said emotions are fully felt by her audiences. The subtleties in her dynamic control as she sings and the balance therein with the songs’ instrumentations are handled expertly from one song to the next. To that end, even as long as the songs feel because of the overall approach taken, audiences who are willing to sit through the songs will certainly note the time and effort that clearly went into the songs’ production. When they do they will agree that the album, in conjunction with Pink and Red works quite well at least. The record still does not make itself memorable in the bigger picture of Panton’s overall catalog even with this in mind but is still worth hearing at least once.

Blue, the latest album from Diana Panton, is an intriguing new offering from the veteran jazz vocalist. It is a presentation that works well with its counterparts, Pink and Red. That is due to its overarching lyrical presentation and even the emotion evoked through its musical arrangements and their production. At the same time, the arrangements and production thereof makes it necessary for audiences to be in a specific mindset in order to fully appreciate the songs. To that end, the album – again – works in companion with its counterparts, but in the bigger picture of Panton’s catalog, is sadly one of her less memorable presentations.

Blue is available now. More information on the album is available along with all of Diana Panton’s latest news at:

Website: http://www.dianapanton.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DianaPantonFanpage

Twitter: http://twitter.com/pantonda5

To keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest sports and entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Jane Monheit’s New Seasonal Music Compilation Will Make Most Audiences “Merry”

Posted on October 26, 2022 by philspicks

Courtesy: Club 44 Records/Provident Entertainment

The holiday season is officially here again. Whether people want to admit it or not, Halloween is the technically the start of the holiday season here in the United States. With Halloween now only days away, the countdown is on to Thanksgiving and then, of course Christmas. That means it won’t be long before the sounds of the season will be echoing through the stores and lining store shelves, too. One of the new offerings that will be available this year in terms of holiday music offerings is jazz artist Jane Monheit. Set for release Friday through Club 44 Records, the nine-song record is an interesting entry in this year’s field of holiday music offerings. That is because unlike so many other holiday music compilations it offers audiences a blend of well- and lesser-known holiday standards throughout rather than just all of the same old same old songs. The more well-known standards, such as ‘The Christmas Song,’ ‘Let It Snow’ and ‘Winter Wonderland’ are all here and all are presented in their own special way. There is even a upper saccharine sweet take of the classic song, ‘Christmastime is Here’ from the timeless Peanuts TV special, A Charlie Brown Christmas featured here. For all of the familiarity presented here though, it is the lesser-known songs that really drive the compilation. One of the most notable of the lesser-known covers featured here is that of ‘That Holiday Feelin’’. This song will be discussed shortly. ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve’ does its own share to make the compilation worth hearing, and will be examined a little later. ‘(Christmas) Stay With Me’ is yet another of the lesser-known works featured here that stands out. It will also be discussed later. When all three of these songs are considered alongside yet another lesser-known entry, ‘The Merriest’ and all of the record’s more well-known songs, the whole makes The Merriest an interesting entry among this year’s field of holiday music releases.

The Merriest, the new holiday music collection from jazz vocalist Jane Monheit, is an interesting addition to this year’s already crowded field of seasonal sounds. Her second solo holiday collection since the release of 2005’s The Season (She also appeared on The David Benoit Trio’s 2015 holiday record, Believe), it proves worth hearing largely because of the lesser-known covers that she included in its body. One of the most notable of those covers comes in the form of ‘That Holiday Feelin’’. Originally composed by the team of Joe Guercio and Bill and Patty Jacob, the song rose to fame around 1964 thanks to the vocal team of Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme (more popularly known as Steve and Edie). Monheit largely stays true to the source material here (so to speak). The main difference here is that where Steve and Eydie’s rendition is most popularly a big, bombastic presentation, Monheit’s rendition is much more subdued thanks to arranger Michael Kanan. Kanan tones things down here replacing the big band elements with the simplicity of a piano, a pair of what sounds like conga drums and a drumset played by a pair of brushes. Monheit’s fellow jazz star John PIzzarelli joins in the fun, taking Lawrence’s place in this iterance. Bassist Karl McComas-Reichl’s subtle performance adds its own welcome touch to the presentation here. The much more relaxed take on the song here is just as welcome as the rendition made so famous by Steve and Eydie, just in its own way that is a perfect fit for an upscale restaurant or even a classy holiday party. Again, being a song that most jazz artists do not take on when it comes to holiday collections, it is that much more engaging and entertaining.

Monheit’s take of ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?’ is another lesser-known holiday jazz standard that is worth hearing. Originally composed by Frank Loesser all the way back in 1947, it was originally made famous by Margaret Whiting the same year. It has been covered by the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Diana Krall, and Harry Connick, Jr. among others, but still a limited number of vocalists in the bigger picture of the jazz and pop realms. To that end, it is still not a work that is commonly seen on holiday collections in stores nowadays. Comparing Monheit’s take on the song to that of Whiting, Monheit pays tribute to Whiting’s rendition, giving it a nice nostalgic feel through her vocal delivery. Her voice is so velvety soft throughout and so controlled in her dynamics. The performance gives the song so much warmth and heart. Arranger Wayne Haun’s interpretation of the classic song adds even more to that sense of nostalgia what with the use of the strings as the primary backing. The subtle, gentle use of the piano alongside the strings adds even more to that rich musical picture. Even Whiting’s rendition incorporated strings, although her take on the song was more of a big band arrangement. Of course, the 1940s being the era of big band that should come as no surprise. To that end, it is still its own engaging and entertaining work. Monheit and Haun’s take on the song just gives it a new and welcome life and identity. The duality of that sense of infatuation with another person and shyness is balanced so well throughout thanks to the work of all involved here, showing even more why the covers of the lesser-known standards are so important to this compilation.

One more lesser-known work that is worth examining in this record is that of ‘(Christmas) Stay With Me.’ Originally composed by Cy Coleman and David Zippel for the 1989 Broadway musical, “City of Angels,” it was apparently an instrumental track, and quite the relaxed, bluesy tune, too. The rendition performed by Monheit and arranged and orchestrated by Max Haymer and Wayne Haun is less bluesy in its approach, leaning more in a jazz direction. As with Monheit’s take of ‘What Are You Doing New Year’s Eve?’ this version incorporates a lot of strings and piano in support of Monheit’s rich, warm vocals. It really incorporates more of a big band sense here, circa the 1950s and 60s. It is its own unique presentation that any jazz fan will welcome, especially considering the rarity of its appearance among holiday music collections. Together with the other songs examined here and with the rest of the record’s entries, the whole makes The Merriest an overall presentation that will make any jazz fan merry this holiday season.

The Merriest, the new seasonal music compilation from jazz vocalist Jane Monheit, is an interesting addition to this year’s field of new holiday music collections. That is due largely to the inclusion of its lesser-known covers, most of which are presented here. They stay as true as possible to their source material while also giving the songs their own updated identity that is welcome in each case. When they are considered along with the compilation’s other more well-known songs, the whole makes The Merriest a record that will make Monheit’s fans and jazz fans alike merry this holiday season.

The Merriest is scheduled for release Friday through Club 44 Records and Provident Entertainment. More information on the album is available along with all of Jane Monheit’s latest news at:

Website: https://janemonheitonline.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janemonheit

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ja n eMonheit

Queensryche Scores Another Success With ‘Digital Noise Alliance’

Posted on October 25, 2022 by philspicks

Early this month, veteran prog-metal band Queensryche released its latest album, Digital Noise Alliance to audiences. The band’s 15^th album of original content (the band released its covers collection, Take Cover in 2007), it was released more than three and a half years after the release of the band’s then latest album, The Verdict and is the band’s fourth album released through Century Media Records. The 11-song album is everything that the band’s established audiences have come to expect from the group, both musically and lyrically, with arrangements that throw back to the band’s early days and lyrical themes that are certain to leave people thinking throughout. That is proven right from the record’s outset in the form of ‘In Extremis.’ The song will be discussed shortly. ‘Nocturnal Light,’ which comes later in the album’s 55-minute run, is another example of how the album’s musical and lyrical content come together to make it an interesting presentation. ‘Forest,’ which comes even later in the album’s run, is yet another example of what makes Queensryche’s new album so intriguing. It will also be examined later. When it and the other songs noted here are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole of that content makes the album overall another enjoyable addition to Queensryche’s catalog.

Digital Noise Alliance, the 15^th new album from veteran prog-metal outfit Queensryche, is another presentation that audiences will agree is a strong new offering from the band. Its appeal comes through its musical and lyrical content alike, as is evidenced right from the album’s outset in its opener, ‘In Extremis.’ The nearly five-minute composition boasts a musical arrangement that throws way back to the band’s early days, what with the cutting guitar riff and tight time keeping. Front man Todd La Torre’s vocals are just as strong as ever here, too, continuing to sound so much like former front man Geoff Tate. While the arrangement harkens back to days gone by from Queensryche, it still boasts its own identity that keeps it just as engaging and entertaining as the works from those days.

The heaviness and energy in the arrangement becomes especially interesting taking into consideration the theme at the center of the song’s lyrical content. According to comments made by the band upon the single’s release, the song’s lyrics center on someone going through his/her last moments alive. The band said here, “This song is about being on your deathbed surrounded by your loved ones. Clinging to the last sense available, letting them know you will still be hearing them after correspondence or perceived consciousness is visible. Other conceptual metaphors flash in and out, taking note of a world that will not bend to accommodate such suffering, a universe of mockery and a universe void of such abilities.” Considering this expansive explanation, the fire and energy exhibited in the song just does not seem to match, such a theme would typically be accompanied by an arrangement that is more schmaltzy and contemplative in its nature. So to have that juxtaposition there makes for quite the interesting presentation. It makes the song just one example of what makes Digital Noise Alliance so engaging and entertaining. ‘Nocturnal Light’ is another example of the album’s overall strength.

‘Nocturnal Light’ presents its own unique arrangement at its foundation. La Torre’s vocals once again take audiences back in time with their power. At the same time, the overall instrumentation gives the song an even more intriguing identity. That is because the verses can actually be somewhat compared to works from Tool, of all bands. That might not be such a stretch, considering that so many audiences and critics alike consider Tool to be “dark prog.” The chorus sections meanwhile are more along the lines of classic Queensryche with their melodic rock approach. That overall approach and sound makes this song’s musical arrangement quite interesting in its own right in the bigger picture of this record.

The lyrical content that accompanies the song’s unique musical arrangement adds even more to the song’s overall presentation. In the case of this song, it comes across (at least to this critic) as a commentary about someone who is his/her own worst enemy. This is inferred early on in the song’s lead verse and chorus, in which La Torre sings, “What’s become of you/What’s become of me/And all we breathe/Cold soul/No visitors (in the chambers tonight)/Your soul to take in plain sight/No spoken word but always there/Don’t need no trigger to waste you away/Your words will fall/Casting memories of shade/These empty crowds and falling stars/And time and time again/Lost in emptiness/A victim of circumstance/You leave no stone.” The seeming commentary continues in the song’s second verse, which states, “Play the role/This masquerade/You speak your mind/Do as you’re told/No time to waste/In plain sight/Stand all alone/No breath of air/A broken sinner with a halo of gold/An open mind as the secrets unfold/The pendulum will swing tonight.” That note of a broken sinner with a halo of gold especially points to the seeming theme. It comes across as saying the person is imperfect, good and bad in one, but more good than bad. The remaining content seems to contemplate overall that person’s overall persona. Again, this is all just this critic’s own interpretation and hopefully is somewhere in the proverbial ballpark. The seeming overall contemplative nature of the song’s lyrical theme is a good fit with its companion musical content, and the two halves together make this song yet another example of how the album’s musical and lyrical content come together to make it overall, another strong new entry from the band.

One more song that stands out in this record comes even later in the album’s run in the form of the nearly five-minute opus, ‘Forest.’ The song presents a musical arrangement whose subtle approach is just as unique as anything else in this record. On the one hand, audiences can hear subtle influences of Pink Floyd in the light, semi-acoustic guitar line and equally gentle choral effects and drums. On another hand, audiences familiar with the works of fellow prog-rock outfit Spock’s Beard can just as much make comparison to that band’s works, too. To yet another extent, audiences familiar with Queensryche’s work can also make a subtle comparison to the band’s timeless hit single, ‘Silent Lucidity.’ The overall musical presentation is such a unique presentation that it becomes a work that cannot be ignored.

The musical content featured in this song is just one part of what makes it stand out. Its lyrical content adds its own interest here, seemingly taking on the all-too familiar topic of someone who has lost someone close to him/her. This is inferred right from the song’s opening verse and chorus, which state, “Leaves blow away/There they go/Please, won’t you stay?/Don’t you know?/I couldn’t miss you more/I can feel you all around/One more sign tonight/Make a sound or dim the lights/Help me find a way/Yesterday’s a memory/But it’s all I have today.” The seeming theme continues in the song’s second verse, which states, “Seasons they change/Nice and slow/Don’t you know/Tides rolling in/Ebb and flow/Can swallow you/Then let you go.” From there, La Torre reprises the song’s chorus, again finding the song’s subject yearning for that apparently dearly departed person. The verse meanwhile seems to find the subject seems to be thinking about the time that has passed since that person “went away.” This overall topic, together with the song’s musical arrangement, makes for its own engaging presentation that will touch so many listeners. When it is considered along with the other songs examined here and with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes even clearer what makes Digital Noise Alliance such an enjoyable new offering from Queensryche.

Digital Noise Alliance, the latest studio offering from veteran prog-metal/rock band Queensryche, is another presentation that the band’s established audiences will enjoy. More casual audiences will find it just as enjoyable. That is due to its combination of musical and lyrical content, as is evidenced through the songs examined here. When these songs are considered along with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Digital Noise Alliance a record that any Queensryche fan will agree is well worth hearing.

Digital Noise Alliance is available now through Century Media. More information on Queensryche’s new album is available online along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: http://www.queensrycheofficial.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/QueensrycheOfficial

Twitter: http://twitter.com/queensryche

To keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news, go online to http://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment reviews and news in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

The Dead Daisies’ New LP Is A “Shining” New Rock Record

Posted on October 24, 2022 by philspicks

Late last month, rock band The Dead Daisies released its latest album, Radiance through SPV Steamhammer. The band’s sixth album, it came a little more than a year after the band’s then latest album, Holy Ground. It is a welcome follow-up to that record and an equally welcome new addition to the band’s catalog, too thanks to its musical and lyrical content alike. The musical arrangements feature a nice blend of neo classic rock (for which the band has come to be known over the years) and some more modern sounds and styles. The lyrical content that accompanies the record’s musical content offers some easily accessible material that is certain to resonate with audiences. One of the most notable of the record’s entries comes halfway through its 10-song run in the form of ‘Born To Fly.’ The song will be discussed shortly. ‘Courageous,’ which comes later in the album’s 36-minute run time, is another example of how the record’s overall content comes together to make the album engaging and entertaining. The album’s title track, which comes just ahead of its midpoint, is yet another example of what makes Radiance so enjoyable. It will also be examined later. Each song noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album’s presentation. When they are considered alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Radiance a shining new offering from The Dead Daisies that shows this band is still alive and kicking.

Radiance, the latest album from rock band The Dead Daisies, is a strong new offering from the band that will appeal equally to the band’s established audience base and to rock fans in general. That is proven through its musical and lyrical content alike. ‘Born to Fly,’ which serves as the album’s midpoint is just one of the songs that does so well to exhibit the album’s appeal. The song’s musical arrangement forms the foundation of its appeal. The steady accented beats on the drums performed by drummer Brian Tichy that open the song immediately make it infectious because of the groove that they create. Guitarist Doug Aldrich’s riff soon enters, making for even more punch alongside bassist David Lowy’s low end. The richness created through that overall instrumentation makes for so much modern rock heaviness that will keep listeners engaged and entertained throughout. Front man Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple) adds his own powerful punch through the control of his vocals throughout the song, too. The juxtaposition of his work to that musical content makes the song’s overall musical arrangement reason enough to take in this song.

The lyrical content that accompanies the hard rocking punch from the song’s musical content adds even more to the song’s impact. That is because of the seeming positive message that it presents. The seeming theme is presented as Hughes sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Gonna leave today/In the great skyway/Climbing in the sonic air/Vibration in my blood/Elation understood/It’s a Mother Earth affair/And I wander like a bird/In my tranquility/’Cause I was born to fly.” Hughes continues in the song’s second verse, “Here in the openness/Relive a dream, confess/A prophecy, some time ago/I take the long way home/No matter where I roam/High above into the glow.” This just sounds like a theme of positivity and feeling free of so much. It comes across as deeply metaphorical language, but the overall message remains. It is a message of so much joy and freedom from the constraints of the world that would otherwise tie one down mentally and emotionally. This is all just this critic’s interpretation. That overall joy, together with the power in the song’s musical arrangement makes for so much enjoyment just in this song alone.

Another song featured in this record that makes the album so positive comes later in the presentation in the form of ‘Courageous.’ The musical arrangement featured in the song is another heavy, driving composition. Aldrich’s blues-infused guitar riff forms the song’s foundation while Hughes’ vocals pair with the bass and drums to flesh out the arrangement even more and make it so infectious throughout. The energy that is exuded through the group’s collective performance makes the arrangement just as powerful as any of the album’s other entries.

The infectious impact of the song’s arrangement pairs with the seeming message of encouragement and empowerment to make for even more interest. The seeming message is inferred as Hughes sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “Arc light/I do rely/You try so hard/But you can’t let go/You hear a word my friend?/You breathe/You let in/I hear you callin’/Now you got to believe/When you give and receive/It’s courageous/Now you’re breaking away/Got to live for today/It’s courageous.” The seeming message continues in the song’s second verse, which finds Hughes singing, “What will become of you?/Sweet little bird in June/You try so hard/But you can’t let go/And now you testify/It’s time to purify/Under the skin/Sanctify yourself/Sit tight/Hold back again/You breathe/You let it in/I hear you callin’.” It is as if this is someone addressing a person who will not let himself or herself go and be free. Again, this is just this critic’s interpretation. The thoughtful nature in which this seeming message of being true to one’s self and become empowered makes for plenty of interest in itself. When it is paired with the song’s equally infectious, positive musical arrangement, the whole makes ‘Courageous’ all the more engaging and entertaining and just one more example of how much Radiance has to offer audiences.

Radiance’s title track is just one more of so many examples of what audiences will find enjoyable about the album. This song’s arrangement stands out among its counterparts due to its sludge rock approach a la Black Label Society. What’s even more interesting here is how Hughes’ vocals pair with the instrumentation to make the overall arrangement comparable to not only works from Black Label Society, but also to those from Alter Bridge (which also has recently released its latest album). The arrangement overall will resonate with ease among audiences.

The musical depth presented in ‘Radiance’ is just one part of what makes the song stand out. The uplifting lyrical theme featured in the song makes it all the more interesting. The theme here is similar to that featured in ‘Courageous’ or so it seems. That seems the case as Hughes sings apparently from the vantage point of someone trying to get another person to let that radiance glow. This is inferred as he sings in the song’s lead verse and chorus, “You wanna leave the grey/You can’t find a way/The pull of gravity/There lies your destiny/Your karma legacy/Where is the harmony?/No peace of mind/And your eyes won’t let you see/In the radiance/Underneath the skyline/In the radiance/I can see your star shine.” That mention of being able to see one’s star shine even though that person won’t let his/her eyes see makes the inferred theme stronger in its presentation. It is strengthened even more in the song’s second verse as Hughes sings, “I see the majesty/Deep in the tapestry/You are so blind/I hear your rhapsody/White light above the sky/No need to wonder why/So let it shine.” Again, here is that person seemingly telling another person to let his/her positive side show through. He is trying to get that person to see the positive in himself or herself just like the rest of the world sees. It is a message that is certain to resonate with so many listeners. Add in the somewhat contemplative nature of the song’s arrangement and the mood is set even more for the song’s impact. The whole makes this song yet another powerful addition to the album that further shows how much Radiance has to offer audiences. When it is considered alongside the other songs examine here and with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Radiance yet another welcome addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.

Radiance, the latest entry from The Dead Daisies, is another impressive offering from the band that is certain to appeal equally to the band’s established audiences and to rock purists alike. The record’s combined musical and lyrical content alike makes that clear, as is evidenced through the trio of songs examined here. When that trio of compositions is considered alongside the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes Radiance a shining addition to this year’s field of new rock albums.

Radiance is available now through SPV Steamhammer. More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://thedeaddaisies.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDeadDaisies

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheDeadDaisies

To keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews, go online to https://www.facebook.com/philspicks and “Like” it. Fans can always keep up with the latest entertainment news and reviews in the Phil’s Picks blog at https://philspicks.wordpress.com.

Stryper’s New LP Will Have More Than A Prayer Among The Band’s Most Devoted Audiences

Posted on October 16, 2022 by philspicks

Veteran Christian rock band Stryper is set to release its latest album, The Final Battle, Friday through Frontiers Music s.r.l. While the album is titled, The Final Battle, fans of the band should not be concerned about it being the band’s finale record. Coming roughly four years after the release of the band’s then latest album, Even The Devil Believes, the 11-song record will appeal primarily to the band’s established audiences. That is due in part to the album’s musical arrangements, which will be discussed shortly. The lyrical content that accompanies the album’s musical arrangements makes for its own interest and will be discussed a little later. The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the record’s presentation and will also be addressed later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make the album a record that Stryper’s most devoted fan base and more causal 80s rock fans.

The Final Battle, the latest album from Stryper (the band’s 14^th album), is a presentation that the most devoted of the band’s audiences will find appealing. The record’s appeal comes in part through its featured musical arrangements. For the most part the arrangements featured in this record throw back to the band’s early works. It is that 80s hair metal approach for which the band has come to be known throughout its career. For all of the vintage hair metal sounds that make up so much of the album’s body, it also boasts at least a slight amount of more modern content. That more modern sound comes late in the album’s run in the form of ‘No Rest for the Wicked.’ The nearly four-minute composition is grounded in its heavy, plodding guitar line that is accompanied by steady time keeping of drummer Robert Sweet. The choral approach used to the vocals in the chorus is a classic 80s hair metal cliché that when paired with the heavier, almost doom metal approach of the verses, makes this song really one of the album’s most notable additions. Audiences could also argue that even with front man Michael Sweet’s Rob Halford-esque vocals and the equally power-metal style instrumentation from his band mates, the album’s opener, ‘Transgressor’ still presents its own modern power metal approach. That helps to change things up for the band in its own way, too. The heaviness of that song’s follow-up, ‘See No Evil, Hear No Evil’ also presents its own modern hard rock approach that will appeal to audiences just as much. For those wanting something more familiar from Stryper this time out, ‘Till Death Do Us Part’ gives audiences just that, what with the soaring guitars and Journey style overall instrumentation. It and other entries featured throughout the record give the album’s overall musical content reason enough for the band’s noted audiences to hear this record at least once.

While the musical content featured in The Final Battle makes its own share to engage and entertain audiences, it is just one part of what makes the album noteworthy. The lyrical themes that accompany the album’s musical arrangements make for their own interest. ‘Rise to the Call,’ another late entry is just one example of the importance of the record’s lyrical themes. This song’s theme openly exhibits the band’s devout Christian beliefs right from the lead verse and chorus, which state, “Encourage one another/Build each other up/In a world of trouble/Never say enough/Be strong and courageous/Do not be dismayed/For the Lord your God is with you today/We can’t go down like a ship on the sea/Because we’re too mighty/To fall to our knees/We fight and we wrestle/Risk losing it all/When we could win battles/And rise to the call.” That overt message of faith in God and trusting in God to help get one through those tough times is just as familiar to audiences as so many of the 8-s hair metal style arrangements that make up the album’s body. The message is furthered in the song’s second verse, which states, “God is our salvation/Never be afraid/He gives power to the weak/And strength to the enslaved/He’s the God of mercy/But we just can’t believe/He is everything/And more than we need.” Again, this is a clear message of having faith in God. Again, it will resonate clearly with plenty of the band’s established audiences.

‘Same Old Story,’ which boasts an infectious, heavy riff at its center (and a bass line that expertly compliments that guitar riff), is another key example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. In the case of this song, the message is similar to that of ‘Rise to the Call’ just in a different fashion. In the case of this song, it comes across more as a message that redemption is possible through faith. This is inferred through the song’s lead verse and chorus, which state, “I’ve been wondering why you hate your life/Spending all your time without a rhyme/Discarding love you find/Will you ever know how sad it is to be/Someone captive by their anger/On a ship that sails an empty sea/It’s the same old story/To darken all the glory/But you’ll cry out in the end/It’s the same old story/Today seems mandatory/But someday you’ll have to make amends.” This sounds by itself, like a message that we must repent and ask for forgiveness, but the song’s second verse changes that somewhat forceful message somewhat. That is the case as it states, “When you’re driving down a dark, lonely highway/Do you think of your mortality/And sins you’ve kept away/When you’re lying all alone/That’s when you’ll see/There’s a door that you can open/When you find the light, the lock and key.” Here is that message that life can change when we find that positive, that influential force in life. Instead of telling listeners they must seek out that change, that redemption, this verse instead tells audiences that they can find that light on their own and that it is up to them. It is a welcome change from the song’s lead verse, almost like Michael Sweet (or whichever band member that wrote the song) had a change of heart and realized the forceful way was not the way to go. To that end, this overall message of changing one’s life will resonate just as much with the band’s noted audiences as the theme in ‘Rise to the Call.’

‘Transgressor’ is yet another example of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. In the case of this song, it comes across as a song that serves as a reminder of sorts that we need to live our lives the best we can and as clean as possible. This is inferred through the song’s lead verse and chorus, which state, “We were all born of the world yet to be/More than just flesh/We are souls in the image of thee/And as we break/We begin to rebel/When we get older/Humilities harder to sell/Wide is the entrance/And broad is the way/That leads to destruction/And robs you of days/Narrow is the gate/It’s hard to endure/The road to eternal life/Transgressor.” That mention of the path being wide comes across as an allusion to all of the things in life that can tempt a person from living on the straight and narrow. That is of course just this critic’s own interpretation. The second verse continues that seeming message as it states, “Life has a way of escaping us all/Before we know it/We wake and its wasted away/It’s harder to see/When we make a bad call/A choice that determines/Where we stand in eternity.” This is a bit judgmental. There is no doubt about that. Whose place is it of one person to tell another what is right and wrong. Either way, the band’s most devoted fan base will, again, find such a message appealing. It is just one more theme that shows the importance of the album’s lyrical themes. When it and the other themes examined here are considered alongside the themes in the album’s other songs, the whole leaves no doubt as to the importance of the album’s overall lyrical content to its presentation.

There is no doubt that the content that makes up the body of The Final Battle forms a solid foundation for the record that will keep audiences engaged and entertained. The record’s production puts the finishing touch to the record. It brings out fully, the 80s hair metal sound for which the band has come to be known over the course of its life, ensuring the instrumentation and vocals are expertly balanced from one to the next. At the same time, it brings out even minute elements in each song that add their own touch to each composition. Knowing that Michael Sweet personally handles the production of the band’s records at this point in the band’s life, it shows his talent as a producer. The general effect from his work is such that it in itself will keep audiences engaged and entertained just as much as the record’s content. To that end, it is just as important to the album’s content. When it and the content are considered together, the whole makes the album in whole a work that the most devoted of Stryper’s audiences will enjoy along with the most devoted 8-s hair metal fans.

The Final Battle, the latest studio offering from Stryper, is a work that will appeal to a very targeted audience. That is proven in part through its featured musical arrangements. The record’s musical content largely throws back to works featured in its early records and to the general hair metal sound of the 80s. At the same time though, there are some modern touches tossed in at various points for good measure. That whole gives audiences something unique from the record’s opener to its finale. The lyrical themes that are featured alongside the album’s musical arrangements will find appeal among those targeted audiences because of their familiar devout Christian leaning. The production puts the finishing touch to the presentation. That is because of the positive general effect that it ensures. Each element examined is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered, they make the album a work that the noted audiences will be glad to know is not the band’s last despite its title.

The Final Battle is scheduled for release Friday through Frontiers s.l.r. More information on the album is available along with all of the band’s latest news at:

Website: https://www.stryper.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Stryper

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Stryper

Lamb Of God Has Reached Its Peak With ‘Omens’

Posted on October 9, 2022 by philspicks

Veteran metal outfit Lamb of God released its latest album, Omens Friday through Epic Records. The 10-song record is the band’s ninth studio recording and the band’s sixth album through Epic Records. It is among the most musically powerful of the band’s catalog, musically speaking, from beginning to end. This part of the record’s body will be discussed shortly. The record’s lyrical content is mostly accessible, and in turn makes for its own interest, too. It will be examined a little later. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements and will also be examined later. Each item noted is important in its own way to the whole of the album. All things considered they make the album yet another welcome addition to what is already a crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums this year.

Omens, Lamb of God’s brand-new album, is a powerful new offering from the veteran metal outfit. The record, which clocks in at just 40 minutes, proves itself so powerful in part through its musical arrangements. The record’s musical arrangements stand out because overall, they are a culmination of everything that the band has composed over the course of its nearly 30-year life. The groove metal which has made the band such a well-known and respected act is just as present as ever throughout the album. Audiences get a healthy dose of that sound and style right from the record’s outset in ‘Nevermore.’ Front man Randy Blythe’s low, half-groaning spoken word approach in the verses once again compliments the heavy guitars to make the song so engaging while the screams and equally screaming guitars add even more to the choruses. The band switches things up somewhat later in the album’s run in its title track. In place of the high-energy groove metal that makes up so much of the album, this song actually offers audiences a little more thrash approach. The band blends that with its groove metal leanings to make the song really stand on its own merits. ‘Gomorrah,’ which immediately follows, adds even more to the interest as it changes things even more. This song bears a sound and style that actually is slightly similar to that of works from Hatebreed while also having a pure metal approach. It really stands as one of the record’s most interesting musical presentations. As the album progresses, it goes even further in a thrash direction in its penultimate entry, ‘Denial Mechanism.’ The screams and wails from the guitar line in the bridge lend themselves to comparison to works from the likes of Testament while the overall approach throughout is just as comparable to works from that band, as well as to works from the likes of Hatebreed and so many others. ‘September Song,’ which closes the album, changes things up even more with its brooding, bass-driven opening bars. From there, the band launches into its more familiar heavy, lurching groove metal sound while still ensuring the song maintains its own identity separate from the works that make up so much of the band’s catalog. Even with that in mind, it sounds, overall, like it would fit perfectly in the band’s 2003 album, As The Palaces Burn. Between this song and all of the others here, what audiences get, musically, is a little something familiar and something less familiar. The whole is a musical presentation that will appeal to a wide range of audiences.

The musical content featured in Omens is just part of what makes it an appealing presentation. The lyrical content that accompanies that musical content makes for its own appeal. From beginning to end, the album’s lyrical offers audiences more familiar, accessible sociopolitical commentaries and ruminations on personal struggles. These are themes that the band has approached in different ways over the course of its life, but they hit just as hard here as ever. ‘Denial Mechanism’ is one of those songs that delivers some of that commentary. Blythe addresses the ongoing decline of civilization (so to speak) as he screams, “A pathetic birth of the end of times/Slowly creeping to the final deadline/No fairytale on a movie screen/Just slow collapse beneath our gluttony/Take warning/as the bloated masses gather/Take warning/As their childish screams of anger/Suck this broken system dry/Until there’s nothing left/Take warning.” He is warning people to take notice of all of the negative things happening and to see what is coming if things do not change. He continues in the song’s second verse, “An idiotic Doomsday/Mass annihilation/At the hand of our possessions/Plastic in your bloodstream/Plastic in your brain/The human race is f*****/Behind our thirst for everything.” Here in that last line is what seems like a commentary about mankind’s materialism and its role in everything that is happening negatively in the world. He concludes by telling the generation that will inherit the Earth, “I’ll be dead and gone/Long before the blade drops/It’s up to you my children/To decide if this all stops.” In other words, Blythe is reminding audiences that the fate of the planet is up to the current generation, because he will be long gone before the possible negative end happens. This is, again, a familiar-type message from the band and is certain to resonate with plenty of audiences.

‘Ditch,’ which comes much earlier in the album’s run, takes on people’s roles in their own lives in a very powerful fashion. The song opens with Blythe screaming, “I don’t’ give a God **** about your demands/Jus spit your trash and take a bow/I’ve heard it all before/The deviants and miscreants/break their vows/You can all keep crawling/I’m digging out/You’re face down/Down in a ditch that you dug yourself.” This is Blythe telling the world that people are responsible for themselves and their own actions and their results. Especially now in this world, it is a message that needs to be presented time and again. Blythe continues, “You can live and die by the hand you’re dealt/Unwound consequence/And you can never tell/Live or die by the hand you’re dealt.” This further illustrates that message. As if that is not enough, he further adds in the song’s next verse, “You demand a life you haven’t earned/Entitled, soft, and soon to learn/There’s no shoulders here for crying/You command an ego gone unchecked/Unbridled needs for cheap respect/But your dreams were built for dying.” He is talking about (or seeming to be talking about) the current generation and in general, people who have the mentality that they deserve the most for the least. The current generation certainly seems to have that mindset of thinking it deserves a life unearned. There are others out there who have that same mindset, so it makes the song all the harder hitting. To that end, this song is more proof of the importance of the album’s lyrical content. It is just one more of the songs that serves that end, too. ‘To The Grave,’ which immediately precedes ‘Ditch’ is yet another key example of the importance of the album’s lyrical themes.

‘To The Grave’ comes across as a song that seems to focus on the all too familiar topic of mental health. This is inferred as Blythe screams right from the song’s outset, “I’ve walked the halls of madness/I’ve heard the jailer’s laugh/I’ve yet to sing the funeral dirge/The only option left/Risen from an inferno of hopelessness and shame/Walked the tightrope out of it/Then shouldered all the blame.” The mention of “the jailer” is a metaphor. It is a representation of a controlling force. It is that force that keeps a person locked within one’s self. It is a good personification of this power. He continues, “Make no mistake/I know it’s always there/The scent of doom riding neglect/It’s hanging in the air.” Again, this further describes that feeling that so many people deal with in fighting depression. The theme becomes even clearer as Blythe adds, “The only thing to fear remains unseen/Never disappears/Stand guard eternally/The only thing I fear lives on inside of me/Whispers in my ear/To the grave eternally.” That is about as clear as one can get in delivering such a message. It is something that will resonate just as much with audiences as the other themes addressed so far. So simply put, his song comes across as being from the vantage point of someone battling that mental health battle. It is an increasingly common theme in rock and metal, and is certain to connect with audiences just as much as the other themes addressed here and throughout the album. When all of the record’s lyrical themes are considered together, the whole makes the album’s overall lyrical presentation just as engaging as the album’s musical presentation.

As much as Omens content does to make the album worth hearing, it is just one part of what makes the album worth hearing. The record’s production rounds out its most important elements. That is because it ensures that the record’s instrumentations and vocals are expertly balanced throughout its run. From one song to the next, the immense wall of sound generated through the instrumentation ensures each musician gets his own moment to shine while also not overpowering the vocals at the same time. The result is that the combination of the instrumentation and vocals creates a wholly positive general effect. That positive general effect brings everything full circle and completes the album’s presentation. Keeping that in mind, the whole of Omens becomes one more positive addition to this year’s already crowded field of new hard rock and metal albums.

Omens, the latest album from Lamb of God, is a strong new offering from the veteran metal outfit. The record’s appeal comes in part through its musical content. The record’s arrangements give audiences a welcome blend of something familiar and something different. It brings elements of the band’s existing catalog with influences from other established metal acts for a whole whose musical presentation is fully engaging and entertaining. The record’s lyrical themes are just as engaging, as they touch on topics that will connect with just as many audiences as the album’s musical arrangements. The album’s production puts the final touch to its presentation, ensuring an overall positive general effect. Each item examined is important in its own way to the whole of Omens. All things considered they make Omens a work that will appeal equally to Lamb of God’s fans and to metal fans in general.

Omens is available through Epic Records. More information on Omens is available online now at:

Website: https://www.lamb-of-god.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lambofgod

Twitter: https://twitter.com/lambofgod

mpi Media Group’s New ‘The Munsters’ Compilation DVD Is A Welcome Alternative To Rob Zombie’s New ‘The Munsters’ Prequel Movie

Posted on October 8, 2022 by philspicks

Rob Zombie’s new prequel to the beloved 1960s sitcom The Munsters officially debuted on Netflix and released on DVD and Blu-ray this week. In the short time that the movie, which tells the story of how Herman and Lily met, has been met with starkly sharp responses from audiences and critics alike. According to the numbers from Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has received a score of 49% from critics so far, and even worse among audiences, at 35%. The criticisms have run the gamut, from the makeup and costumes to the general look to the very story itself. It further shows that it is impossible to improve on perfection, even when perfection only lasted two seasons. Thankfully for fans of the much better source material that has remained so beloved to this day, mpi Media Group released a much better alternative to the new Munsters movie in the form of the new classic Munsters compilation DVD, Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Show Cast Members & More Lost Treasures. The single-disc presentation offers plenty for audiences to enjoy over the course of its roughly two hour run time. That is due in large part to its featured content, which will be discussed shortly. The quality of the footage presented adds to the appeal in its own way and will be addressed a little later. Considering the content presented here, the DVD’s average price point rounds out its most important elements and will also be examined later. Each item noted here is important in its own way to the whole of the DVD’s presentation. All things considered they make the DVD a welcome watch not only during the Halloween season this year but any time during the year.

mpi Media Group’s brand-new collection of rare The Munsters TV appearances is a presentation that so many of the classic sitcom’s fans will appreciate. That is due in no small part to its featured content. The content that makes up the DVD’s body comes in the form of the rare hour-long TV special, Marineland Carnival. This is a presentation that is not included in the standalone DVD sets for either of the series’ two seasons released in 2013. Season 1 does include the series’ original unaired pilot episode, but again, neither season set features this collection which finds Herman, Lily, Grandpa, Eddie and Marilyn at the Marineland Oceanarium (likely in Florida) taking in a show at the facility. The family thinks it is at a fish market, leading to its own share of laughs along the way. Grandpa makes his way up a flag pole and does a few stunts in the process (or rather his stunt double more likely) at one point. Eddie and Marilyn see a pair of “mermaids” feeding some dolphins at another, as well as enjoying trainers work with seals and dolphins. Meanwhile Herman, Lily and Grandpa also meet a rather confident walrus who wants to get his feet…er…flippers in the TV door as they make their own way through the park. The hour-long story is funny in its own right, though it is clear why it was never included as part of the original series at any point.

Star Fred Gwynne gets his own moment in the sun in another funny appearance in The Red Skelton Show in the three-part story, “To-Ra-Ra-Bum Today.” Herman joins up with Red Skelton’s famous character Freddie The Freeloader in the story and learns how to live like Freddy. Freddy uses Herman as much as possible, though the story has its own hilarious ending that no one saw coming.

In yet another engaging and entertaining presentation, Gwynne’s co-star Yvonne De Carlo (who plays the part of Lily) appears on The Joey Bishop Show not in her Munsters costume and makeup but as herself. Her discussion with Bishop about her time on the show, and with the audience about other topics is truly enlightening in its own right.

Much the same can be said of fellow star Butch Patrick’s retrospective on his time on the show. Many audiences might be surprised to learn from Patrick himself that he got the part because Billy Mumy (Lost in Space, Babylon 5, The Twilight Zone) turned down the role of Eddie originally. He also notes the enjoyment that he had working with his fellow cast mates throughout the show’s short run while surprisingly speaking highly of Zombie’s new Munsters prequel. The brief discussion on these and so many other topics makes for even more enjoyment. This and the other features included in this disc really are the most notable of the disc’s overall presentation. There is an appearance by Gwynne as Herman on The Danny Kaye Show that is enjoyable. It finds Herman and Kaye’s Dracula-esque character acting like they are news figures in Transylvania. It is funny but not overly memorable. The commercials for other shows that mpi Media Group has released make up the rest of the DVD’s body. They really are anything but notable, so keeping all of this in mind, the primary content featured in this disc does give audiences plenty to enjoy regardless of the lesser material.

While the primary content featured in the disc makes for its own share of appeal, the quality of the footage therein makes for its own appeal. The majority of the classic clips shown here are from 1965. There is one from 1966, and Patrick’s comments were recorded this year. Those classic clips (including the hour-long special) still sound and look very impressive even considering the features’ ages. It is clear that no effort was taken to spit shine any of the footage, but it also did not need that added work, as audiences will see and hear for themselves. The result is such a wonderful and welcome sense of nostalgia for viewers. Again, this shows the clear importance of the footage presented here.

Keeping in mind the engagement and entertainment that this DVD’s content will bring through itself and through the quality of its video and audio, there is that much more for audiences to appreciate. That means there is one more item to note, that being the DVD’s average price point. The DVD’s average price point is $16.82. That price was obtained by averaging prices listed through Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Books-A-Million. The most common listing is $14.99, through Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Target lists the DVD at $15.99, which is still below the noted average price point. Barnes & Noble Booksellers and Books-A-Million list the DVD at $19.99 and $19.98 respectively, which is well above the average. In other words, for the most part, the DVD will not break any viewer’s bank account, coming in at less than $20. That will appeal in itself to the original series’ fans all the more. To that end, this price point proves to be just as important as the DVD’s content and its quality. Keeping all of this in mind, Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Cast & More Lost Treasures proves itself so worth owning and watching whether this Halloween season or any other time of the year.

Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Cast & More Lost Treasures, the new compilation of rare The Munsters TV appearances, is a presentation that so many fans of the original series will enjoy. The DVD proves so appealing in large part through its featured content. It is all content that is not featured as bonus content with the most recent – 2013 – release of the series’ two seasons on DVD. It is also so entertaining. The quality of the footage makes for its own appeal because it proves no touch ups were needed to any of said material. The average price point for the DVD makes for its own appeal, too, keeping in mind the overall appeal of the content. Keeping all of this in mind, the DVD in whole is a welcome addition to the home library of any fan of The Munsters.

Marineland Carnival with The Munsters TV Cast & More Lost Treasures is available now through mpi Media Group. More information on this and other titles from mpi Media Group is available at:

Website: https://mpihomevideo

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mpimediagrp

Classic Film Buffs Will Appreciate The Film Detective’s ‘The Bat’ Re-Issue

Posted on October 8, 2022 by philspicks

Courtesy: The Film Detective/MVD Entertainment Group

Halloween is just a matter of days away and just in time for the big day, independent movie distribution company The Film Detective will re-issue Universal Studios’ 1959 movie The Bat on DVD and Blu-ray. The cult classic has been panned by audiences and critics alike, getting a 20% score from Rotten Tomatoes. Even Vincent Price (who played more of a supporting part in the movie than lead) allegedly said he was ultimately disappointed with the movie in hindsight. All of this aside, it is still a work that its established audiences will find just as appealing in its latest presentation as in its theatrical premiere. That is due in part to the movie’s central story, which will be discussed shortly. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its latest re-issue is far from perfect but does add at least a little something to the presentation. The audio and video in this latest presentation is also of note and will also be discussed later. When it is considered alongside the other elements noted here, the whole makes The Film Detective’s forthcoming re-issue of The Bat a welcome addition to this year’s field of new DVD and Blu-ray re-issues.

The Film Detective’s upcoming re-issue of The Bat is a mostly successful offering from the classic cinema distribution company. The movie’s success comes in part through its central story. The story is simple: $1 million that was embezzled by a bank president is hidden in a house that has been rented by author Cornelia Van Gorder (Agnes Moorehead – Bewitched, Charlotte’s Web, Citizen Kane). Van Gorder and a group of others are in the house and are well aware of the money, searching for it during their stay. There’s just one problem, the infamous killer known as “The Bat” is also looking for the money, and will stop at nothing, including murder, to get the money first. While Moorehead is the lead here, the movie continues to be marketed, oddly, more on the back of Vincent Price (The House on Haunted Hill, House of Wax, The Great Mouse Detective). That is of note because for all intents and purposes, Price’s character of Dr. Malcolm Wells is in fact more of a supporting character here than a lead. Not to give it away for those who have yet to see the movie, but he is more or less a red herring and not the star, showing up at only certain points in the story. The Bat’s identity is eventually revealed in the story’s finale, but only after Dr. Wells ends up being killed by The Bat. Sorry, folks, that had to be revealed. The money is also found after The Bat is also killed. Who finally ended The Bat’s reign of terror (so to speak) and how will be left for audiences to figure out for themselves. There are some very real plot holes and other problems with the acting throughout the movie, but otherwise, they can be overlooked when looking at the bigger picture of the movie’s story. To that end, the story here is reason enough for audiences to take in this movie.

While the story at the center of The Bat gives audiences reason enough to makethe movie worth watching, the bonus content that accompanies the movie in its latest iteration makes for at least a little bit more reason to take in the movie. The most notable of the bonuses featured with the movie’s new re-issue is the essay composed by professor and film scholar Jason A. Ney. Ney’s essay is presented in a booklet that comes with the package. He notes in his essay, the roots of The Bat, pointing at that it was author Mary Roberts Rinehart’s debut novel, The Circular Staircase, that paved the way for what would become the stage presentation of The Bat. That presentation, which apparently Price greatly enjoyed as a child, went on to be made into a movie three times over, the final time with Price as one of its stars. He also points out the very deliberate choice by Rinehart and those involved in The Bat’s creation. From there Ney furthers the discussion, pointing out how Moorehead’s character of Van Gorder intentionally takes it on herself to try to solve the mystery of The Bat’s identity and the location of the stolen money. It really is a reflection of changing roles of women in society and again, Ney addresses this, too. It could be a starting point on so many discussions on feminism and its role in society and in cinema. As if all of this background is not enough, Ney also offers audiences a background on Rinehart’s very motivation for becoming an author. Not to give everything away, but it has to do with her family’s own standing. Interestingly, according to Ney, Rinehart remains one of the lesser-known figures in the literary world today, despite the maintained popularity of The Bat to this day. This and so much other background information and history that Ney provides in his essay makes for plenty of engaging reading material, and in turn really the most notable of the re-issue’s bonus content.

Ney also provides a feature-length audio commentary throughout the movie. The problem though, is that he clearly reads from a script throughout the course of his discussion. That is clear through his pacing and general delivery. He is not sitting there watching the movie at the same time as audiences. It detracts from the viewing experience and leaves one feeling like he only did the commentary to get paid, rather than out of love for the movie. It all just feels too scripted and fluid rather than organic. To that end, it really does detract from the movie’s presentation. Thankfully, the negative impact that the commentary leaves is not enough to doom the presentation.

The career retrospective of Crane Wilbur, who wrote the screenplay for The Bat also adds little if anything to the viewing experience and appreciation for the movie. That is because of how fast it moves. It just goes from one movie to the next on which he worked, so rapidly that it makes it difficult to follow even for those who fully engage themselves in the brief presentation.

On the positive side of things, the bonus radio broadcasts, which feature Price, of other programs make for their own enjoyment. They are not connected in the least to The Bat but are still fun to hear. They take audiences back to another time and give audiences more of a profile of Price’s work. Keeping that in mind, this and Ney’s essay do just enough to make the bonus content its own positive overall.

Knowing that the bonus content featured in The Bat’s new re-issue is neither entirely good nor bad, there is one more complete positive to note. That positive is the movie’s overall production. The audio and video presented here is so clear, even more than 60 years after the movie made its theatrical debut. It is unknown if any work was done to remaster the footage for its presentation here, but regardless, the overall presentation looks and sounds so good. That alone more than wakes for reason to take in the movie, especially among its established audiences. When this and the story are taken into account with the re-issue’s more notable bonus content, the whole makes The Bat’s new re-issue all the more engaging and entertaining.

The Film Detective’s forthcoming re-issue of Universal’s The Bat is a mostly successful presentation that classic film buffs will find enjoyable. That is due in part to its story, which is a simple soft-boiled crime tale. The bonus content that accompanies the movie in its new re-issue makes for its own appeal, at least to a point. The movie’s production rounds out its most important elements. That is because of the high quality of the sound and video. Each item examined here is important in its own way to the whole of the movie in its new presentation. All things considered they make The Bat a welcome addition to this year’s field of new DVD and Blu-ray re-issues.

The Film Detective’s forthcoming re-issue of The Bat is scheduled for release Oct. 25 on DVD and Blu-ray. More information on this and other titles from The Film Detective is available at:

Website: https://thefilmdetective.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/filmdetective

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FilmDetective

Bobby Watson’s New LP Is Another Mostly Successful Addition To 2022’s Field Of New Jazz Albums

Posted on October 7, 2022 by philspicks

Jazz saxophonist Bobby Watson released his latest album, Back Home in Kansas City Friday through Smoke Sessions Records. The 11-song record is his 21^st as a band leader and fourth to be released through Smoke Sessions Records and comes two years after the release of his then latest album, Keepin’ It Real. The 65-minute record is a wonderful introduction to Watson and his work for new audiences and just as welcome among his established audiences. That is proven through each of the record’s diverse compositions beginning with the record’s opener, ‘Back Home in Kansas City.’ This song will be discussed shortly. The relaxed vibes of ‘Celestial’ make it just as notable as ‘Back Home in Kansas City’. It will be discussed a little later. ‘Blues For Alto,’ the record’s closer, is yet another enjoyable addition to Watson’s new LP and will also be discussed later. Each song examined here is important in its own way to the whole of Back Home in Kansas City. When they are considered along with the rest of the album’s equally engaging and entertaining works, the whole makes the album overall not only one of the best of this year’s new jazz albums field, but also one of the year’s best new albums overall.

Back Home in Kansas City, the latest album from Bobby Watson, is a wonderfully enjoyable new offering from the veteran jazz saxophonist that is appealing on so many levels and will appeal to so many audiences. Its appeal is made clear right from its outset in the record’s opener/title track. Right from the song’s outset, the light bouncy vibe that Watson and his fellow musicians – Jeremy Pelt (trumpet), Cyrus Chestnut (piano), Curtis Lundy (bass), Victor Jones (drums) – create immediately lends itself to comparison to ‘Lester Leaps In.’ That song was crafted by another saxophonist many decades ago, Lester Young. Given the two songs sound different, but the overall stylistic approach taken in the title track here is really that close in style and sound. That this song still maintains its own identity even with that in mind makes the composition all the more enjoyable. Sadly, the liner notes featured in this album, which were penned by Academy Award®-winning film director and screenwriter Kevin Willmott does not offer any background on the song (or any of the album’s songs for that matter), but thankfully at least the media received some background in a press release announcing the album’s release. The release notes of the song that apparently uses the melody from the old Dixieland take of ‘Back Home in Indiana’ and Charlie Parker’s ‘Donna Lee’ for its structure. That is a unique background to consider, again, considering the noted stylistic similarity to ‘Lester Leaps In.’ It really makes for so much more interest in this song while perhaps renewing interest in the other songs and makes this just one of the songs that stands out in Watson’s new record.

Another song that stands out in this record comes in the form of Celestial.’ As noted already, the liner notes featured with the album sadly offer no background on any of the album’s songs. The information provided to the media about the album also has no background on this song. It is quite the polar opposite of ‘Back Home In Kansas City.’ Where that song is so upbeat and energetic, this song is so relaxed and subdued. It is really one of those Make-Believe Ballroom type works that is so danceable. The subtle use of the drums against the horns and piano leads to visions of the old upscale jazz clubs from the 1940s, the big band orchestra in its seats as people dressed in their finest dance hand in hand. Watson’s solo here is so rich in its controlled approach, too. There is so much warmth in his performance that audiences cannot help but remain engaged. Much the same can be said of Pelt’s performance during his solo. Going back to the fact that there is no background available about this song at all, the first thought that comes to mind in listening to this song and reading its title, is that of someone sitting outside on a warm night, looking up at the stars as they come out. That likely is not the backstory here, but to that end, it shows the importance of liner notes. Smoke Sessions Records is typically much better about presenting background about songs in albums released by its artists. It is disappointing that such background is not here.

Getting back on the subject at hand, there is at least one more song here to note. That song is the album’s closer, ‘Blues For Alto.’ The information provided to the media about this song is quite limited. The news release states only that the song is “self-explanatory.” There is nothing else. Listening to the six minute-plus song, it does have a nice, bluesy touch thanks to Watson’s work as he leads the way. Jones’ gentle brush strokes on the snare and time keeping on the hi-hat add just the right touch to the whole, as does Lundy’s work on the bass solo. Yes, even he gets his moment to shine in this record. Once again, it certainly would have been nice to have had some more background on the song (and the rest of the album’s entries), but either way, the song is enjoyable in its own right what with its bluesy jazz approach and sound. It makes the song a welcome finale for Watson’s new record that will leave audiences smiling, wanting more in the best way possible. When it is considered alongside the other songs examined here and with the rest of the album’s entries, the whole makes the album in general one more welcome addition to this year’s field of new jazz albums.

Back Home In Kansas City, the new album from Bobby Watson, is a mostly successful new offering from the veteran jazz saxophonist. That is proven from one song to the next. The diversity in the arrangements and the sequencing thereof is certain to make the album a favorite among jazz fans. The songs examined here do well to make that clear, even sans any background on the songs. When these songs and the rest of the record’s entries, the whole makes the LP one more of the year’s top new jazz albums and potentially one of the year’s top new albums overall.

Back Home in Kansas City is available through Smoke Sessions Records. More information on the album is available along with all of Bobby Watson’s latest news at:

Website: https://bobbywatson.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bobbywatson251

philspicks

All the latest reviews and news in entertainment

Monthly Archives: October 2022