Ole Borud Goes Outside The Limits With Latest Offering

It's just bizarre to think of Norway as a place that is now part of the west coast music renaissance. Sweden as well. Ole Borud is an artist who's dabbled in hard rock and other styles. But it's his smooth offerings that earn him respect around the globe. His latest album is "Outside The Limit" and it truly goes where no Ole Borud record has gone before.

The lead track, "Put My Money" is a funky Steely Dan-ish number that might revive a few of your old dance moves. The arrangement is so educated and historic. It respects the past and pushes the envelope forward just enough. "Always Love You" is a more direct melody that straddles 70's and 80's pop grooves. "Come and Rescue Us" establishes a great funky riff from the get go. It then settles into some fluent lyrical lines aided by some funky keys, guitars and intermittent horns.

"Talk To My Lawyer" is a humor driven lyric sung to a minimalist smooth jazz soundscape. For some reason I could hear Michael Jackson singing this on "Off The Wall". The album's title track oozes 80's funky pop again and would make a great 12 inch single. Mr. Borud has tapped into something that has been absent for about 35 years. "Blaming Game" is a plea for peace between humans. A more lite west coast melody that gathers steam as it runs along. There is plenty of ear candy on this album, and smart subtle instrumentation. "Good Time" turns up the funk with fat keyboard sounds and Borud's clean, clear vocals. Another song that could be remixed for maximum dance floor usage. "Can't Pretend" is melodically more linear and aligns more with early 80's west coast music. The guitars and vocals all mesh so seamlessly, creating a rich, lush soundscape.
There's even a terrific jazzy keyboard solo.

"Waiting For The Rain" does more funky jazz straddling with bursts of horns and that ever persistent funky guitar coming out of your right speaker. The production is so delightful. "Fast Enough" closes out this near flawless collection of well thought out music with more upbeat fun.

Ole Borud has created probably the best west coast dance record of 2019. These songs have massive crossover appeal to the dance floor and to smooth jazz radio where the format is more upbeat in it's approach. Lyrically the songs are good enough to make the music even more palatable. These are professionally done grooves for anyone with headphones or a good pair of dancing shoes. Highly recommended and a lot of fun!

Lindsey Webster's Breathtaking New "Feels Like Forever"

Lindsey Webster's work has been absolutely stunning from the very beginning. Her smokey, sultry, late night jazzy vocal, coupled with arrangements and melodies others can only dream about, are what makes her work stand out. Her latest single, "Feels Like Forever" is the next phase in her evolution as an artist. The singer she's most compared to is Sade. But there is something straight forward and more accessible in the way this comes off. How this isn't on the radio instead of the moronic electronic drivel is maddening. This woman's catalog is a how-to manual on how to create jazzy west-coast pop. And to hear actual musical instruments playing these melodious couplets is pleasantly counter cultural. The vocals alone on this track will restore your faith in the world. She has such an elusive gift. We wait patiently for a new album which should drop soon.

DeCarlo Is The Next Chapter In The Boston Legacy

With the band Boston on indefinite hiatus, it makes sense that lead singer Tommy DeCarlo would pick up the torch and run forward with classic new material. Decarlo's "Lightning Strikes Twice" is the best thing I've heard in recent months. 12 tracks, no filler and radio ready even for the states. Do I think American radio will embrace this album? Let's just say that if they don't accept this music then there is no hope for the music industry.

Single #1...first track, "A Better Day". This song alternates between electric and acoustic guitars DeCarlo's modern day Brad Delp delivery. Hooks and melody lines are everywhere. Tommy DeCarlo Jr.'s guitar solo is precise and buoyant without being flashy and pretentious.

Single #2...second track, "You Are The Fire", rocks a little harder but still delivers terrific singable lyrics coupled with some fuzzy clean guitar work. The Boston template is joyfully in place. The music is clean and easy to listen to. And all those great harmonies you remember are back and seem more alive and even more impactful.

Single #3...third track, "Give Love A Try", is a bit more esoteric in relation to Boston, as it borrows from Foreigner and Toto. The lyrics are a message we all need right now. This is followed by the atmospheric instrumental, "Into The Storm", which acts much like a power ballad as it introduces the next single...

Single #4...Fifth track..."Lightning Strikes Twice". A stop-start-up-down lost Boston sounding hook. All with thunderous sound effects and lyrics lifted from what could have been a 1977 songwriting seminar.

Single #5...Sixth track..."Still In Love". A genuine, heart felt, piano based power ballad that eventually evolves into a more mid-tempo acoustic song. Again, the songwriting and melodic prowess here is pretty exciting since there ain't much new stuff being written to this caliber.

Single #6...Seventh track..."Rock and Soul". An amazing mix of west coast AOR and 70's rock complete with saxophones and abundant harmonies. There's also a dash of 80's Bad Company (think Fame and Fortune album).

Single #7...Eighth track..."There She Goes". A close to perfect rock single for any format. Harmonies, melody lines, that persistent Boston style Hammond B-3 in the background. Tommy sounds totally in charge on this and the band has struck radio gold for sure if radio cooperates.

Single #8...Ninth track..."Stand Up (Play Ball) was likely written for sports stadiums as a way to rile up fans. Works well with John Fogerty's "Centerfield".

Single #9...Tenth track..."The One" is another old fashioned power ballad with Tommy's voice taking a gentler approach. Maybe too soft for old Boston fans, but for those who loved "Amanda", this is a fine sequel.

Single #10...Eleventh track..."Gotta Go" goes great with Boston's "Party". A working class, blow off some steam weekend anthem. The music continues to be radio friendly at every turn.

Single #11...Twelfth track..."I Think I Fell In Love With You"...wraps up this melodic masterpiece with the entire Boston template in tact. More mid tempo rocking but with clarity and easy to sing lyrics.

Some will complain that this record isn't as heavy as some of Boston's material. It's weighs a little lighter but it carries the same substance. More importantly, it fills the great melodic rock void with something truly on par with excellent music from long ago. DeCarlo proves that apart from Tom Sholtz, he can create the next chapter in the Boston legacy. And here's hoping that we don't have to wait as long for DeCarlo music compared to the enormous gaps between Boston records. This is a must have for fans of Boston and RTZ.

Lightning Strikes Twice is being released on January 24th, 2020 via Frontiers Records....Order Here

Album rating 9.8

State Cows Return With The Brilliant "Challenges"

Donald Fagen and Walter Becker were the core of Steely Dan. Two extraordinarily talented human beings who put out some of the most sophisticated jazz tinged rock ever. In the country of Sweden, they have Daniel Andersson and Stefan Olofsson, who are making music that honors the tradition started by Becker and Fagen. Their band, State Cows, (an anagram for the term "west coast") is the most authentic attempt, in the year 2019, to replicate Steely Dan, Toto, Sneaker, Far Cry or any number of bands that are now considered "Yacht Rock".

These two gentlemen understand and worship at the altar of the past. But they create their own original variations. The Cows have been at this since 2010, and this is their third full length album. Fans would obviously like more output. But the band refuses to rush their musical greatness to the world. Their new album "Challenges" is their most consistent effort to date. The boys have mastered their ability to create original compositions, with entertaining and thought provoking lyrics.

The album's lead track, "Borrowed Time", is their most catchy track to date. Lyrically the tune seems to hint in a subtle way that mother earth's days are numbered. Guest guitarist Michael Landau lays down a solo that only elevates the song further, giving it real headphone gravitas. There is humor to follow on "Darwin Awards", celebrating some of the more "challenged" folks among us. These guys write songs with Becker and Fagen in their rear view. The song itself has an Aja-Gaucho feel to it with a little more bounce. "All Over" keeps the pace friendly and mid-tempo mirroring an early 80's Al Jarreau feel. So far so good. In fact there is more musical substance at this point than on most complete albums. The harmonies are rich and dreamy and the guitar work is simply stellar.

"Deportee" is another humorous lyric with some creative nautical references and persistently smoking lead guitar parts. "Waiting For Love" has a wonderful keyboard and vocal intro that bounces joyously along with tons of west coast mojo. "I Got The Message" is more Toto with a driving opening, followed by big riffs and choruses and sizzling guitars. These guys are visiting all the right west coast landmarks. "Human Ladders" feels like another Steely Dan outtake with a piano riff that shouts jazz, followed by some sweet vocal lines. The tune is instantly memorable and very funky, especially during the keyboard solo. "Cease To Ever Have Been" returns to Aja and includes some tasty saxophone. This track could have gone seven minutes and I would have been celebrating even more. "Wildfire" is the upbeat closer. As if Michael McDonald has taken over on keyboards. Certainly a bit more Minute By Minute or One Step Closer. Andersson's guitar playing and Olofsson's keyboards co-mingle magically to the very last note.

In any other time-space continuum where the music scene hadn't gone all dark and computerized, this album would go down as one of the best for 2019. Few Americans will know or even care about State Cows. Many will dismiss this as merely homage. But what the music world needs more of is homage. In addition, these guys write intros and outros and guitar solos. They structure vocal parts and harmonies that are full and complimentary. These songs are all very well thought out. The musical ideas aren't fragmented. They are complete thoughts. And this is another reason why the Cows have come home, yet again, with another masterful work.

RJ Howson Is Florida Blues Rock Royalty

First of all RJ Howson is friends with Duane Betts. So it's guilt by association. Guitar guilt. Howson plays a bluesy, soulful guitar in the Allman Brothers tradition. He has been working the live scene in Florida and beyond for many years. You can often find this extraordinary musician toiling in bars where the music often takes a backseat to the food or the view from the outdoor patio. But it's places like this that hone the craft. Modern day music has abandoned this type of dues paying.

About a year or so ago, RJ released his album "Set It Free". It contains 10 very strong blues rockers that are heavily influenced by the Florida blues rock scene and the southern rock tradition. It's a soulful blend that requires head bobbing and toe tapping. These songs turn into jam band gems when performed live. 10 original tracks performed by Howson, Pat McDonald on drums and Chuck Riley on bass. The entire album is playable and very high quality. Super standout tracks include "Sweet Soul Sister", "Carry Me Mama", "I Got Mud" and "Prove This Love Is True".

This is music that connects with the listener on a cosmic level. It's not just old school, it's school's in session. This is how you play blues and classic rock.

Howson and his band are a well oiled machine. These songs were recorded live in the studio and required just one take for the most part. That shows the confidence level and the commitment to making music the old fashioned way. This is one artist that deserves national attention. For now you can enjoy this band on the west coast of Florida where they can be usually found on any given weekend, perfecting their craft and earning new fans.

New Songs By England Dan and John Ford Coley???

If you like this amazing duo you may have missed these singles from the "Warner Archives". The intro on "Keep Your Smile" sounds scarily similar to Joey Scarbury's "Believe It Or Not", the theme from The Greatest American Hero TV show. After that the song settles into it's own groove and time travels us back to the cutting room floor circa 1978. If this is the cutting room floor, methinks we need to be crawling on our hands and knees scouring the place. Radio of course had no interest in this 40 something year old piece of nostalgia. Both men here are in their prime delivering a should-have-been radio hit. The tune recalls a time when the world was truly more on it's axis.

The record label wasn't finished though. For some strange reason they are releasing more music. Next is another, maybe even better radio ready tune called "Why Is It Me". A soothing blend of acoustic guitars, keyboards and perfect pitch vocals. You can almost see a sunset reflecting off the Gulf of Mexico as this one plays. Are these two songs a teaser? Is there an entire album of lost material ready to be foisted upon us? Decades after radio stations would even consider playing great music like this? I guess only time will tell. For now we have two great new lost tracks from two of the best singer songwriters of the late 1970's. We also have to honor the amazing Dan Seals who died from cancer at the age of 61 back in 2009. His lead vocal is the driving force in this duo, much like what Daryl Hall does for Hall and Oates. His contributions to these new songs are amazing. Let's hope the Warner Archives have more nuggets like these.

Blade Cisco Is An Italian Melodic Rock Juggernaut!

The Italian band Blade Cisco has released their debut full length album entitled "Edge of The Blade". Musically speaking, this is a large overflowing boiling mixture of sounds and licks from days gone by. My guess is that English is not the band's first language. Lyrically they keep it simple. But they manage to harmonize and vocalize on these words in a way few if any new bands do.

"Memories" is a big pompous opener with gargantuan harmonies and guitar lines stolen from Neal Schon. The production is crisp. There is no noise or compression. Plenty of well choreographed vocal overdubs. "Anything (Without Your Music)" immediately feels like something Orion The Hunter would have conjured up. Andrea Zanini and Valario Franchi share vocal duties. Both have clear, powerful range. "Foolin' Myself" arrives with a locomotive like zing with the guitar train chugging at full speed while the band finds fertile, big melody lines. The vocals are strong, but not needlessly overpowering. Check out the amazing keyboard solo. Guitars follow.

"Rain Over Me" intros with atmospheric keyboards and big fat Survivor guitar grooves. It settles in as a mid-tempo rocker that oozes melodic goodness. The guitar subtleties bob and weave between soft and harder edged rock. And it all works seamlessly. "Life Is A Lottery" feels extra 80's with a new wave keyboard line that joins with some large harmony based mid-tempo rock. By now you've reached the conclusion that these guys understand what it is to write fresh new hooks with great vocal parts.

The title track is more bare boned with it's affinity for straight up rock but still contains enough vocal and keyboard mischief to color outside the lines. "Hungry For Love" feels like either Night Ranger or Guiffria. It guitars along but has some finely crafted keyboard parts. And those soaring vocals, they are literally everywhere on this record. "Grey" starts with a Journey keyboard workout followed by some explosive guitar work that settles into a memorable softer melody. The vocal harmonies tickle the inner ear and stay there even after the song is over.

"Invisible To Me" combines all of the aforementioned ingredients for another chugging, rocking, rollicking, rhythm guitar rocker. "We Are Still Standing" starts quietly but then builds into a melodic rocker that borrows heavily from Survivor. The guitar work on this album is very impressive. The solos are all very melodious and fluent.

The boys grab some acoustic guitars for "My Way", combining elements of Boston, Extreme and Mr. Big. This entire album is bursting with vocal arrangements and melodies that glisten. If Blade Cisco were a planet in the solar system, they would be either Mars or Jupiter. They glow with shiny goodness and can be seen even from here in America. Best of luck and well wishes for this Italian juggernaut.

Super Vintage's Destiny Is A Wild Ride Through The World of 70's Hard Rock

Stravos Papadopoulos is not a name that rolls of the tongue. But in his homeland of Greece, he's a bit of a rock god. He plays guitar like a great ax slinger from the 1970's. In fact the 70's are all over his band Super Vintage. Those two words absolutely describe what this band is all about. They have released four albums to date, all on the amazing Grooveyard Records label.

Destiny is their fourth album and it is unapologetic in it's bluesy guitar based splendor. Stravos sings like he's just guzzled a half pint of whiskey right before heading over to the mic. This lethal combination of greasy vocals, blazing guitars and jackhammer drums, make this album totally unique in today's music world. The lead track, "Rock and Roll Saviors" comes off as a bit autobiographical. The build up to the body of the song is AC/DC-like in it's level of anticipation. The hooks are not as obvious but are still very effective.

Bands to reference: The Black Crowes, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, Thin Lizzy, The Outlaws and Moxy. There are bits and pieces of everything you've heard from this era, but Super Vintage retains their own strain. "Brotherhood of Blues" is slightly more mid-tempo, but still blisters along. Panagiotis Zabourlis adds another layer of guitars along with Stravos. Bass is handled by Jim Moralis and the drum assault is taken care of by Lazaros Simitsis. For a music fan like myself, I am always thankful when a band does minimalist production. Each instrument is clear and loud with hardly any effects. This is 100 Proof rock and roll.

There are no throwaway songs on this record. "Everything You Wanted" unleashes a guitar groove that punches you right in the gut! "Southern Train" is slightly more southern rock than some of the other songs, but still retains the Super Vintage sound. The mini-guitar jams on this record almost have you wishing this band did jam-band versions of these songs.

Other standouts include the lengthy "Naked Tree" and the acoustic title track. The latter being an homage to early Led Zeppelin. The silky clean audio is perfect for a good set of headphones. Like most quality albums, this is a grower and not a show-er. In other words, the more you listen to this record, the more it will get stuck in your subconscious. The members of Super Vintage are clearly worshippers of a dying American art form. And the end result is a very satisfying motorcycle ride through some rough and tumble classic rock.