CD Reviews
Heaven and Hell swings the hammer of the metal gods
Heaven and Hell: The Devil You Know
***1/2 out of *****
The musicians of Heaven and Hell have been driving forces in heavy metal for several decades. Combining musicians from Dio and Black Sabbath, the band has helped keep the fire burning, with each studio effort proving that the musicians truly are masters (and godfathers) of the genre.
The Devil You Know is the band’s long-awaited fourth album, following 1992’s Dehumanizer. The Devil You Know is Heaven and Hell’s heaviest album to date. The music’s general feel is just about as ominous as it gets, without seeming as if the musicians are trying too hard. It comes across very naturally for them and is almost reminiscent of the very dark undertones of early Black Sabbath work — which shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, because three of Heaven and Hell’s members were formerly of Black Sabbath fame.
Ronnie James Dio has a — or should I say the — classic voice of heavy metal. From his work in Dio to Black Sabbath and Heaven and Hell, he has kept his vocal capabilities in tip-top shape, which is more than many metal vocalists can say as they face getting older. His consistency is clear and chilling as ever, with soaring vocals dominating every track on The Devil You Know.
The first half of the album has a thundering, darker sound and almost borders on lethargic if listeners are not used to this kind of musical style. It’s this guttural, deep, rousing power that Heaven and Hell is known for. The album picks up the tempo considerably with the fourth track, “Double the Pain.” Heavy rhythms provided by drummer Vinny Appice and bassist Geezer Butler are key in the album’s dark sound, while the legendary Tony Iommi sticks to what he does best on the guitar.
The Devil You Know, while not exactly groundbreaking, is a solid heavy metal album, featuring experts in the craft. It is good to know there are still musicians out there who know how to produce a no-frills body of work that will be sure to teach the kids a much-needed lesson in Hard Rock 101.
Rebecca’s Picks: “Atom and Evil,” “Double the Pain,” “Neverwhere”
Dylan’s still maintains his swagger on album No. 33
Bob Dylan: Together Through Life
**** out of *****
Bob Dylan’s new CD, Together Through Life, takes fans on a journey through five decades of past Dylan sounds and also adds more depth and ingenuity to the American musician who is a little less than a month away from his 68th birthday.
The original idea for the CD developed after Dylan wrote the jazzy tune “Life is Hard” for French director Olivier Dahan’s upcoming film My Own Love Song. The rest of Together Through Life follows the track’s melancholy manner, as Dylan is often screeching out gloomy lyrics like only he can — he must be feeling blue, and fans can reap the benefits.
With the recruitment of accordion player David Hidalgo of the band Los Lobos, the CD creates a distinctive Tex-Mex sound Dylan rarely ventures into. The tracks “If You Ever Go to Houston” and “My Wife’s Home Town” most prominently explore this movement, taking listeners on a spontaneous southwestern voyage.
Other songs, including “Beyond Here Lies Nothin’,” delves into Muddy Waters-era blues in the Deep South, and some easy-listening tracks such as “Life is Hard” and “This Dream of You” would sound appropriate at any local cafe.
Together Through Nothing’s tracks are randomly thrown together in a style seemingly comfortable for Dylan. Accordion-heavy tunes sandwich songs with simple melodies and guitar riffs including “Life is Hard.” Other songs, such as “It’s All Good” and “Shake Shake Mama” add a faster, optimistic, and humorous undertone to the predominantly heavy-hearted album.
Dylan focuses his attention on the subject of love gone wrong throughout most tracks on Together Through Life. “If You Ever Go to Houston” depicts lonely drunks in the Texas city, and “Jolene” showcases the broken hearts of the title character’s unsuccessful conquests.
For the most part, Dylan’s weathered vocals don’t stray into bizarre metaphors or strung-out narratives. Together Through Life may be his most lyrically straight-forward album to date, but when he chirps a line like “people they tell me I have the blood of the land in my voice” on “I Feel a Change Coming On,” fans of the ’60s-era Dylan will feel satisfied.
Dan’s Picks: “Beyond Here Lies Nothing,” “Life is Hard,” and “If You Ever Go to Houston
Lee shows his feminine side
Ben Lee: The Rebirth Of Venus
** out of *****
The very first note of Ben Lee’s new album, The Rebirth Of Venus, gives the listener a poppy and upbeat sound that continues in the remaining tracks despite a lack of interesting lyrics.
Lee, who has decided to donate some of the album’s proceeds to a village banking program that supports low-income women involved in entrepreneurial efforts, uses The Rebirth Of Venus to connect with feminine energy through songs such as “Yoko Ono” and “I’m A Woman Too,” an annoyingly catchy anthem filled with cheesy phrases for all the strong, independent ladies out there.
“I Love Pop Music” starts off promising, but when the first verse comes in, it is anything but pop. Lee turns political as he begins rattling off the world’s latest fears — “the price of oil is at an all time high and rising / global warming threatens life as we know it on this planet.” Whatever potential the song had in the chorus is instantly ruined with even more similar complaints until the track’s end.
The Rebirth Of Venus slows down on “Bad Poetry” and creates a contemporary slow jazz-like rhythm with typical love ballad lyrics.
Then just when one may believe the singer/songwriter was done voicing his political opinions, Lee once again manages to give another testimonial in “Wake Up To America.” Even if listeners can make it through the first two spoken, monotonous lines of the song, “America is a big country / America is a big idea,” there isn’t much worth listening to afterwards.
The Rebirth Of Venus ends with “Song for the Divine Mother of the Universe,” another slower track honoring women. A call-and-response style flows through the whole song with a slight Indian sound heard in the background.
Overall, The Rebirth Of Venus shows that Lee’s distinct melodies are all his own, but at times, the lyrics fail to equal them. The album has its low spots, but many of the tracks still manage to encompass Lee’s laid-back attitude.
Kelly’s Picks: “What’s So Bad (About Feeling Good)?” and “Rise Up”
Melody knows her melodies
Melody Gardot: My One and Only Thrill
**** out of *****
After being hit by a car while riding her bike at age 19, Melody Gardot turned to music therapy as a way to cope with her severe injuries. With her latest, My One and Only Thrill, the Philadelphia native now has two albums in her catalogue.
For My One and Only Thrill, Gardot teamed up with Grammy-winning producer Larry Klein. In addition, three-time Grammy winner Vince Mendoza composed 10 of the album’s 11 tracks.
“Baby I’m a Fool,” the album’s opening track, has a very dreamlike feel because of its sliding guitar and harp. Gardot’s vocals sail over the strings that accompany her voice very well. The use of the double bass — as opposed to an electric bass — also gives the sound a very authentic quality.
“If the Stars Were Mine” is slightly reminiscent of the classic jazz standard “Girl from Ipanema.” This track has a heavy Latin influence and features Gardot trying something similar to scat singing.
The stringed orchestral instruments on “Our Love is Easy” gives the track a dark, somber feel. The rich, warm tone of Andy Martin’s trombone solo adds to this. His impeccable vibrato showcases his ability as a trombonist.
The album’s only cover, “Over the Rainbow,” doesn’t come close to measuring up to Judy Garland’s original version, but Gardot certainly gives it her own upbeat twist.
My One and Only Thrill has a very colorful overall sound. Some tracks are jazz-influenced while others have a Latin groove. Even fans of classical music will have a fond appreciation for this album.
Gardot’s therapeutic vocals and jazz-influenced instrumentation gives her music a vintage, Frank Sinatra-like feel. Even those who aren’t big fans of jazz singers will find My One and Only Thrill to be a standout album.
Nick’s Picks: “Baby I’m a Fool,” “If the Stars Were Mine,” “Our Love is Easy”
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