CD REVIEWS
Reviews By: John Tierney Laura Marongiu Billy James, Eddy S & Chad C
Missing Persons // Hollywood Lie
CD Review By: Billy James
Track List:
- Hollywood Lie
- King 4 A Day
- Movie Star
- Castles In The Sand
- Lucky
- Because Of You I’m Crying feat. Steve Stevens
- Fading Away
- Circles
- Ice Blue Eyes
- I Can’t Take It Anymore
- Gatsby
Attentive listeners have already noticed a narrative throughline in the highly acclaimed new album from ‘80s rock icons Missing Persons, Hollywood Lie. Indeed, the album is somehow part concept album, part autobiography. Its leadoff and title track express the overarching theme best, delving into the harsh realities of fame and terrible tragedies that often accompany the relentless pursuit of stardom in Tinseltown
Now, fans can experience the album’s narrative in video form as “Hollywood Lie” The video is released today. The video tells the all-too-familiar tale of a young starlet whose aspirations are met with disillusionment, crushed under the weight of Hollywood’s unforgiving facade. Through haunting melodies and evocative lyrics, Missing Persons vocalist Dale Bozzio paints a vivid picture of the trials and tribulations faced by those who dare to chase their dreams in the city of angels
Working in collaboration with Industrialism Films director Vicente Cordero, Bozzio draws from personal experiences and universal themes to craft a profound visual/audio experience that serves as a stark reminder of the fleeting nature of fame and the sacrifices often made in its pursuit. Bozzio’s cameo at the video’s conclusion suggests that there is both healing and hope to be found even after the cameras have stopped rolling and the audience has gone home.
Hollywood Lie is without a doubt the finest Missing Persons record since their ‘80s heyday. The visionary album features production from Adam Hamilton (William Shatner / L.A. Guns) and performances by Billy Idol guitarist Steve Stevens and The Knack’s Niles Prescott. Available now on all formats, including CD and vinyl.
Lorne Behrman // Blue Love
CD Review By: Eddy S
Lorne Behrman released his sophomore album, Blue Love, on February 9th, 2024 on Spaghetty Town Records. The record’s soulful spirit invites comparisons to Mink DeVille, solo Johnny Thunders, Velvet Underground, and T. Rex. It is a series of New York City vignettes haunted by shadows but guided by light. Blue Love, is loosely conceptual, poetically tracing a Panic At Need Park-inspired romance from woozy love to a desperate finale.
The single “Barbara,” a yacht-punk future classic, is a cinematic portrayal of an achingly beautiful junkie romance with a warm and emotionally evocative video directed by and starring the creative team of Dave Tierney (frontman of The Sweet Things) and Scarlett Thiele.
The stories on Blue Love are literate and lacerating, recalling the street poetics of Lou Reed, Jim Carroll, Jesse Malin, Patti Smith, Hubert Selby Jr., and Tom Waits. The songs feature stark and fluid guitar playing in the spirit of Television, The Stooges’ James Williamson, Johnny Thunders, and Robert Quine with Lou Reed.
The New York Dolls-y, “The Bellevue Song,” is a hilarious and campy rocker about falling in love while in a mental hospital. “Ferris Wheels” melds 1970s KISS cowbell rock with poetic relationship insights. The dying-love reverie, “Meet Me On The Moon,” replete with teardrop slide guitar, is about hoping for a pause to take in one last nice moment with a soon-to-be-ex before a breakup. The closing track, “Love In Desperate Times,” is an elegantly-adorned ballad that is a snapshot of Lorne’s life as a single dad, a few years ago.
Previously, Lorne issued a critically acclaimed EP, When I Hit the Floor, and a debut album, A Little Midnight, that have garnered reviews and features in Classic Rock Magazine, Vive Le Rock Magazine, Metronome, Glide Magazine, New Noise, Goldmine, and taste-making punk mag Razorcake. Lorne has played shows with Richard Lloyd (Television), Jeremy & the Harlequins, Lenny Kaye (Patti Smith Group), Jonny Polonsky, Adam Masterson, Lulu Lewis, and Diane Gentile, among many others.
Before his solo career, Lorne played guitar in The Dimestore Haloes who “should have been huge,” once gushed taste-making Beantown alt-weeklyThe Boston Phoenix, and L.E.S. Stitches, vets of The Warped Tour who made a performance cameo in Spike Lee’s Summer Of Sam. His band The Dead Tricks worked with Goldfinger’s John Feldmann, and he was previously in The New York Dolls-y roots-punk band The Sweet Things who toured nationally and in the UK, and in 2019 released the critically acclaimed debut, In Borrowed Shoes. On Borrowed Time (Spaghetty Town Records).
BLUE ÖYSTER CULT // Ghost Stories
CD Review By: Laura Marongiu
After the resounding success of their 50th Anniversary celebration, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is eagerly gearing up for an exciting new chapter in their storied career with the upcoming release of ‘Ghost Stories.’ This highly anticipated album marks a fitting finale to the recording legacy of one of rock’s most iconic fixtures from the past 50 years.
In a thrilling partnership with Frontiers Music, BLUE ÖYSTER CULT is set to captivate fans with a collection of reimagined and newly completed songs that span from 1978-2016. These musical treasures, long considered ‘lost gems’ by BLUE ÖYSTER CULT enthusiasts, were originally recorded between 1978 and 1983, except for one track from 2016, “If I Fell.” Also included is the only known studio recording of their concert classic “Kick Out the Jams” (MC5 cover). Some of the material is from sessions workshopping material for an album, some is from performance rehearsals. All were recorded once in the hopes that someday they’d see the light of day.
George Geranios, the band’s original audio engineer and an integral part of the band’s golden years, co-produced the original 1978-83 recordings along with BÖC. All were originally recorded on reel-to-reel analog tape. They were later transferred to digital audio, which is when modern AI and magical musical talents met and the collection of vintage multi-track recordings was de-mixed, re-mixed, and produced by Steve Schenck and Richie Castellano to become ‘Ghost Stories.’
The two explain the album’s amazing process
Perilous //Yeah!!!
CD Review By: John Tierney
YEAH!!!, the debut album by Perilous is a perfect slice of glam pop from the four corners of NY State that mines the influences and style of each of its members to produce a cohesive sound that pushes all the rock n roll buttons. With Bob Cat’s punk rock buzz saw guitars, the charmingly playful and disarming vocals of Pauline (the band goes by first names), the driving and melodic basslines of Renee and the Moon via Burke-inspired drumming of Paul, the result is a collection of well written, fun to listen to instant euphoria that makes it impossible to sit still.
Gentleman Jesse // Where Time Stands Still Return Of The Mack
CD Review By: Chad C
Drunk Dial Records is a daring record label that challenges musicians to create original songs and classic covers in a single day, fueled by the creative energy of inebriation. Stemming from the unconventional idea of creating a record label that encourages bands to embrace the use of alcohol while crafting their music, Drunk Dial Records has swiftly evolved from a spontaneous concept to a vibrant reality. Determined to elevate beyond the realm of “Drunk History, but with bands,” the label embarked on a journey to transform its vision into a distinct and compelling musical experience. In the synergy of music and libations, it becomes evident that the most resonant songs are those intertwined with captivating narratives. Drunk Dial Records seeks to cultivate these stories by challenging musicians to immerse themselves in a day-long creative process: getting drunk, composing original songs, and recording both an original and a classic cover.
“This was a wild ride of a recording session,” shares Jesse Smith, singer of Gentleman Jesse. “The three of us got together that afternoon, fueled by the creative energy of the moment, and decided to craft ‘Where Time Stands Still.’ As the day unfolded, we took a bold swing at the 90s New Jack banger ‘Return of the Mack.’ To set the tempo, we immersed ourselves in a chopped and screwed version, all while sipping on French Rosé.” As the songs started to take shape, the trio cracked open some German lagers and the creative process unfolded against the backdrop of pizza orders during overdubs. Vocals and Tip Top Old Fashioneds marked the final stretch of the recording journey, resulting in an eclectic blend of musical brilliance and inebriated spontaneity. Jesse recounts the experience, saying, “Things got pretty fuzzy after that. After about 12 hours, we decided that everything was as good as it was going to get, considering our state.”