Missionaria Protectiva

  FOTOMAKER  Fotomaker  (Atlantic,1978) - Power pop      T he 1978 debut album from the band Fotomaker – a 70’s so-called “super group” that consisted of members of the Raspberries and The Rascals . Hailing from Long Island New York, bass player Gene Cornish and drummer Dino Danelli from The Rascals teamed up with guitarist/vocalist Wally Bryson of the Raspberries to get things rolling. The band was completed with the addition of keyboardist/vocalist Frankie Vinci and guitarist/vocalist Lex Marcshesi . TRACKLIST : Where Have You Been All My Life                        Can I Please Have Some More                        All There In Her Eyes                        Two Can Make It Work                        The Other...

  ATTITUDES  Ain't Love Enough: The Best Of...  (BMG,2018) - Pop rock       Attitudes, one of the most feel-good rock bands growing out of Los Angeles in the 1970s, will make waves yet again, this time in the world of streaming with a Best of album. Attitudes, composed of keyboardist David Foster, drummer Jim Keltner, bass guitarist Paul Stallworth, and guitarist/lead singer Danny Kortchmar, met as session musicians while jamming at the hip Studio B at the famed Record Plant in Los Angeles. TRACKLIST : Being Here With You Drink My Water Sweet Summer Music Let's Talk Turkey Ain't Love Enough Chump Change Romeo Honey Don't Leave LA Squank Turning In Space Lend A Hand Street Scene Chan...

       O n the one hand, it's noble of Scott Gorham to rename his Lynott-less version of Thin Lizzy for the purposes of a recording career. On the other, given that the music they make would fit snugly on to a late-70s Lizzy album – right down to singer Ricky Warwick's inflections and asides – it seems a little self-defeating. The stand-out is the most Lizzyesque song, Bound for Glory , with one of those twin lead guitar lines kicking into a riff filled with empty space: it's like 1976 all over again. Conversely, the worst song is where they take things too far and step outside Lizzydom: Kingdom of the Los t revs up the Celtic folk influence nicely, then charges into a boozealong chorus more suited to one of those aggressively Irish punk bands from the US. Between those two poles falls plenty of enjoyable melodic hard rock, never poor, though not always scaling the heights. But then Thin Lizzy were never the most consistent of studio bands, so maybe that's fitting. ...

  THUNDERSTICK  Feel Like Rock'n'Roll?  (Thunderbolt,1983) - NWOBHM       Thunderstick himself gained popularity and success as the eccentric, flamboyant drummer of Samson. Dressing up in gimp gear, leather, and performing in cages, with the popular act must have been an enjoyable experience for him, as it is rumored he turned down an offer to play in Iron Maiden to replace the often underrated Clive Burr, as he was enjoying his persona, and moderate success in the bands. I’m not sure if this rumor is true, or if it is, if he is kicking himself for not taking the opportunity to play with what became arguably the most successful British metal band to grow out the London scene. Either way, playing in Samson itself wasn’t enough, and he opted to form this act, fronted by female vocalist Jodee Valentine. Thunderstick here has a melodic, poppy, yet energetic sound. Interestingly, they do have the upbeat, party kinda vibe that Girlschool and Runestaff had, while ...

  TOKYO BLADE  Tokyo Blade  (Powerstation, 1983) -NWOBHM       Tokyo Blade definitely had some talent and wrote a few very catchy tunes. The playing wasn't spectacular, but it was more than competent on cuts like "Powergame" and "Break the Chains." They had the same heavy riffing and commercial sensibilities of the early Saxon albums. It all came together on the band's signature song, "If Heaven is Hell." This song is a true gem of the NWOBHM. It has a smashing chorus, an intricate structure that creates emotional ups and downs, great drumming and wonderful leads. If the Blade could have recreated the magic of this track again, there's no doubt in my mind they would have been picked up by a major label. Unfortunately, the album is dogged by some less than stellar songs like "On Through the Night", "Killer City" and "Liar." To be fair, these songs aren't horrible, just generic, but what really sets them apart i...

  VENOM  Official Bootleg  (American Phonograph, 1985) - Heavy metal       Oh Venom... So many different live albums to listen to, and pretty much all of them sound like the Show was taped and recorded in a filthy public toilet rather than at the legendary Hammersmith Odeon. This type of quantity over quality mentality on the part of the band is probably more than enough to frustrate most dedicated fans       Through the negativity, there are some bright spots on the album. Mantas’s soloing on “Seven Gales of Hell” is quite good because it breaks through the dirge of the album. In addition, Cronus’s vocals can actually be heard on some parts of the song. So, I should say that this is the best song on the album by default but the song does drag on a bit too long. The spoken part on “In Nomine Santanas” is done well and there is a good thrash part right after that bit. However, for top song, I am drawn to “Warhead.” Cronus introduces the song w...

        Grindcore's premiere bassist Shane Embury has been routinely breaking speed records with Napalm Death virtually since the band's inception. He has also collaborated on an impressive string of side projects, including Lock Up, Brujeria and Venomous Concept, to name but a few. NAPALM DEATH Live Corruption Earache, 1991 https://www.sendspace.com/file/rod3et

  STACKRIDGE  Friendliness  (MCA,1972) - Folk rock       Instead of taking their sound a step further, Stackridge appear to have been struck by a nostalgic 60's syndrome and their sophomore effort sounds more poppy and less progressive than their debut.Reputedly the limited time in the studio forced the band to use material predating ''Stackridge'' and the result was an album with strong THE BEATLES and PROCOL HARUM influences and less, quirky instrumental themes.Moreover there is almost no track to clock at over 4 minutes (except ''Syracuse the elephant'' and ''Teatime'').The stunning opener ''Lummy days'' gives hopes for another monumental work, being an all instrumental workout based on violin, piano and flutes with impressive interplays, somewhere between British Folk and Classical Music, but the following tracks are more in a Psychedelic Pop vein with some orchestral and Folk underlines, characterized by a strong ...

  JULIE DRISCOLL  1969  (Polydor,1971) - Folk rock       Popular pop diva drops the pop in 1969, recruits a group of musicians to record this record, marries one of them (Keith Tippett). That one-sentence summary of Julie Driscoll's bio brushes over a long career of successes but 1969 was certainly a turning point in her career, in her style of music, and of course, in her domestic life.       Mosy of the music is relatively mellow, but some sections - like the jazzy "Leaving It All Behind" build a sound almost reminiscent of the big-band era. "The Choice" is a standout, in which her simple vocal melodies are accompanied by an equally simple acoustic guitar line, punctuated by wonderful flute inserts that contrast with the somewhat somber singing to cause this otherwise linear song to sparkle with character. Probably the most impressive song is "Those That We Love" - with Tippett on piano - which tells the story of Elaine, a beautiful woman ...

  JENNIFER WARNES  Jennifer Warnes  (Arista,1977) - Country, Pop, Rock       J ennifer Warnes is the fourth album by American singer/songwriter Jennifer Warnes , released in late 1976 as her inaugural Arista Records album. It was her first album where she was credited by her full name, after being credited as simply “Jennifer” on her first three albums. The album generated Warnes’ first Billboard Hot 100 single “Right Time of the Night” which also ranked on the Billboard hit listings of C&W and Easy Listening tracks, with “Right Time…” reaching No. 1 on the latter. The second single, “I’m Dreaming” also reached the Easy Listening top ten. TRACKLIST : Love Hurts                        Round And Round                        Shine A Light                        You're The One ...

  KERRY LIVGREN  Seeds Of Change  (Kirshner/CBS,1980) - Progressive rock      Seeds of Change has a spectrum of songs that would sit comfortably on a Kansas album to those that would not.  The album’s high points are the two songs sung by Ronnie James Dio, who had then recently replaced Ozzy Osbourne in Black Sabbath (after himself having been replaced in Rainbow by Graham Bonnet).  Distinctive drum work by Jethro Tull’s Barriemore Barlow also reverberates through most of the songs.  A few other members of Kansas ; a few wives; a few musical friends from Ambrosia, Atlanta Rhythm Section, LeRoux; and even a few Kansas roadies also get to participate.  Overall, it's an album that any Kansas fan should have in his or her collection; and any Dio fan will find his performances here a lost treasure at the end of the rainbow. TRACKLIST : Just One Way                     ...

  LEON RUSSELL  Leon Russell & The Shelter People  (Shelter,1971) - Rock'n'Roll         This record appears to have been recorded in fits and starts, because it lists four different groups as background musicians. It’s less a band and more like a loose collective; there’s The Shelter People, the Tulsa Tops, Muscle Shoals Swampers, and Friends in England. That being said, there is a cohesive fluidity to the album that belies the varied and seemingly complicated background groups.       Russell has a unique ability to compose his songs from the piano outward, which is to say that his songs feel played versus constructed .       Leon Russell and the Shelter People reminds me of what I like about albums from this era: the imperfection. This was a popular and successful record, but it isn’t perfect. So much popular music today is perfect; sure, imperfection is found on the fringes, but by and large, perfection is the name o...

  Dr. JOHN  Loser For You Baby  (Babylon,1982) - Voodoo funk   "Loser for You Baby" is a compilation album released in 1982 that packages some of Dr. John's earlier, often experimental or alternate recordings. Depending on the specific pressing, the collection is widely viewed by fans as an interesting curio rather than an essential studio album. TRACKLIST : Loser For You Baby                          The Ear Is On Strike                          I Pulled The Cover Off You Two Lovers                          Bring Your Love                          Make Your Own                          The Time Had Come             ...

        Guitar-slinger Richie Kotzen has recorded more than 20 albums under his own name since his debut at age 19, evolving from metal whiz-kid to mature singer-songwriter. Kotzen, born in Pennsylvania but a longtime resident of Los Angeles, was drafted for a bit into glam-metal MTV favorites Poison in the early-’90s and served a turn in L.A. hard-rock band Mr. Big around the turn of the century. As well as playing guitar and singing in the band Vertu alongside Jazz legends Stanley Clarke and Lenny White, he also impressed 6-string aficionados with a long string of solo ventures that touched on everything from metal to fusion. In 2012, Kotzen reunited with Mr. Big bassist Billy Sheehan for the power-trio Winery Dogs alongside ex-Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy; the band recorded two studio albums and a live DVD. Over the past few years, Kotzen has re-focused on his solo albums, playing all the instruments for such studio releases as Cannibals and, most recently, ...

  ARTHUR BROWN  Chisholm In My Bosom  (Gull,1977) - Rock       The first six tracks on the album are all listenable at variyng degrees. Nothing special or overly brilliant, just enjoyable pop-rock. The greatest effort and the track which makes the album worth every penny is the title track. It is not as crazy or wild as the earlier stuff by Arthur Brown but it is a lovely track, brilliant in it's own right and a delight to listen to. TRACKLIST: Need To Know                       Monkey Walk                       Let A Little Sunshine (Into Your Life)                       I Put A Spell On You                       She's On My Mind                       The Lord Is My Saviour   ...

  BROUGHTONS  Parlez-Vous English?  (Laser,1979) - Psychedelic rock       One of the last things The Edgar Broughton Band did in their heyday wasn't done by The Edgar Broughton Band. Re-formed in 1979 as simply The Broughtons, that incarnation of the band lasted just long enough to make this album.       Parlez-Vous English was originally recorded in 1979 and has a late '60s / early '70s vibe to it - so it probably missed its market by half a decade. And The Edgar Broughton Band was well known for its anti-everything activism and its political positions, which probably added to this record's lack of commercial success. So the fact that Parlez-Vous English isn't on the shelves of every collector of early Brit / Cantebury progressive music is a pity - it's very nicely put together, there's some good musicianship, every song is different from the next, and the whole package is a lot of fun . The humor and the some of the lyrics will be better ...