From dailyrepublic.com on Weather:

“While We’re Young” is the lead off batter on the new Huey Lewis and the News album entitled “Weather.”  The staccato opening  is broken up by a “Ah!” by the band’s singer/namesake, the horns kick into the groove and just like that you are home. The quintessential sound of the band–with elements of blue eyed soul, catchy melodies and pop hooks–is like a hug from an old friend.

“Do you remember when not so long ago all we had was time?” the opening line asks. The theme of time is covered again in the album’s closing number. It has been 40 years since the band’s eponymously-titled debut in 1980. Their sophomore disc, “Picture This,” that was their launching pad to international fame, featured a fresh-faced young Huey on the cover which is in contrast to the full face shot of an older, wiser Huey on the current offering.

Suisun City native and Armijo High Class of 1969/1970 Johnny Colla produced the new disc.

An earnest love song, “I Am There For You” is the next track and begins with some Steve Cropper-esque guitar and a warm humming harmonic intro that leads into the vocal.

The bluesy “Hurry Back Baby”starts with the line “I’m not gonna lie to you, ‘cause I am an honest man, but I was only looking for a one-night stand.” It features some very tasty guitar throughout and the horns are on point.

“Remind Me Why I Love You Again” is a clever and funny and funky workout pointing out differences couples have. I really like the line “I’m blue, you’re red, thank God we got a Sleep Number bed.” They were seriously in the pocket on this one.

“Pretty Girls Everywhere,” the 1959 Eugene Church hit, is given a faithful but not imitative treatment and seems to invite the listener to come for the fun song and stay for the playful background vocals.

My only criticism is that it is a short disc—just 7 songs that clock in at just over 26 minutes. Still, there is not a bad track, all killer, no filler. In fact, in my view, it is the most cohesive and enjoyable musical statement from the band since the 80’s glory days.

Plus, it’s always better not to kitchen sink an audience, but leave them wanting more.

From crypticrock.com on Perdida:

One of the most successful bands to ever come out of the Grunge era in the early 1990s was Stone Temple Pilots, alongside the usual heavyweights—Nirvana (“Come as You Are”) Pearl Jam (“Even Flow”), Alice in Chains (“Man in the Box”), and Soundgarden (“Outshined”).

Formed in 1989, in San Diego, California, United States, Stone Temple Pilots shot to popularity as soon as Core was released in 1992—their best-selling debut record, powered by their most-recognizable, chart-topping single “Plush.” Five albums more ensued—1994’s Purple to 2010’s self-titled—still with their original vocalist, the late Scott Weiland, who died in 2015. Founders Dean DeLeo (guitar), Robert DeLeo (bass, backing vocals), and Eric Kretz (drums) soldiered on, recruiting Jeff Gutt as the new vocalist. The forthcoming offering, Perdida, will be Gutt’s second album with Stone Temple Pilots.

Scheduled for release on Friday, February 7, 2020, via Rhino Records, Perdida opens with its lead single—the countryside laments of “Fare Thee Well,” which has also a bluesy Gospel tinge to it, courtesy of Dean’s slide guitar, as well as the organ and piano melodies by guest musician Bill Appleberry and church-mode-style backing vocals by Joy Simpson and Tiffany Brown. Following next is the similarly sentimental balladry of “Three Wishes”—wistful with its delectable cornucopia of guitars. The mood then turns more somber with the throwback title track; graced with a subtle string orchestration by Yutong Sharpe (violin), Julie Staudhamaer (viola), and Erin Breene (cello), it will remind the initiated of the band’s 1996 single “Lady Picture Show.”

“I Didn’t know the Time” continues Perdida’s overall folky theme; plus ten for the beautiful guitar ad-lib and flute by Adrienne Byrne; if the term Folk Grunge has not been coined yet, then it is appropriate to use in describing the general sound of this album. Still seemingly in the same beat per minute, “Years” then further takes the listener to Stone Temple Pilots’ trip to ’70s Folk Rock; with its poignant piano parts and soulful alto-saxophone interlude by Chris Speed—absurd as this may sound—it may fit onto a playlist that includes songs by Chicago (“Saturday in the Park”) and America (“I Need You”). With “She’s My Queen,” Dean, Robert, Kretz, and Gutt then return the listener to the acoustic side of ’90s Grunge, in which the focus of the music was on the sonic innocence of the instruments and vocals instead of on the rage and angst.

Stone Temple Pilots then launch into the dirge-like, waltzy, string-laden, Post-Grunge sensibilities of “Miles Away.” The guitar then takes lead again with the dark, psychedelic sway of “You Found Yourself while Losing Your Heart,” which for a nanosecond exudes faint echoes of Stone Temple Pilots’ “Creep.” The penultimate “I Once Sat at Your Table” is one for the rustic road to Psychedelic Folk—a short guitar instrumental, preluding the textured falsetto-flavored, piano-led “Sunburst.”

Compared with Stone Temple Pilots’ other albums—both early and recent—Perdida might sound far off. However, one may consider it as the soft side of the band, and especially as the antithesis to 2018’s self-titled Blues-Grunge stomper, catching the band in its relaxed and contemplative predisposition. After all, Stone Temple Pilots, even in the time of Weiland, had never been in full-on Rock mode all the time.

Despite the shadow the death of the charismatic albeit troubled Weiland had cast on them, the remaining Stone Temple Pilots were able to rise from the tragedy. Perdida is a proof that the DeLeo brothers, Kretz, with especially Gutt are more than able to commandeer the band to where they have always set their eyes to—producing gut-wrenching and soul-piercing songs.

From sonicperspectives.com on The Other Side:

The first wave of prog-rock sometimes proves surprisingly tenacious. When a band reaches the 50 year mark, any remaining original members are inevitably reaching their 70s or beyond and usually there have been more than a few lineup changes along the way, if any original members remain at all. In the case of the Nektar, although the founding iconic focus of the band, Roye Albrighton, sadly passed away a few years ago, this resurrected version has called together three other original members who haven’t all been in the band at the same time since 1977. Welcome back, Derek “Mo” Moore, Ron Howden and Mick Brockett. Along with guitarist Ryche Chlanda who had a brief stint with the band in 1978, and bassist Randy Dembo who joined for a time in 2005, the only member who is truly new to Nektar is keyboardist Kendall Scott. But pedigree alone doesn’t necessarily equate a dignified carrying of the torch, let alone offering anything new worthwhile of a listener’s attention. Happily, the material offered on “The Other Side” is a sterling collection of songs and jams in its own right, containing over an hour of material which confidently brings the band into the 2020’s, a true cause for celebration not to mention a good reason to support their current tour.

Several of the songs herein have touchstones to the past and even take inspirations from nature’s elements. Opening rocker “I’m On Fire” is authored and sung by Mo Moore, the lyrics first being penned in 1978 for his soon-to-be bride, and now the music coming together to make for a scorcher of a start to the album. It’s a joyous clarion call to the faithful that this is a band re-birthed. As if to prove that was no fluke, followup “Skywriter” is one of the best compositions on the album, playfully starting with Ron Howden’s drum sticks tapping out a pattern before Chlanda’s smooth but emotive vocals take center stage. This track also has its origins from the 1978 period when Chlanda was in the band and the song was called “Sky Pilot”. During the instrumental break, Scott’s organ solo and Chlanda’s guitar offer entrancing interplay for the listener while the steady support of the rhythm section remains impressively engaging. Nektar boasts not one, but two bassists and sometimes they are both present on the same track. It makes for a rich, but not overwhelming, low end. At other times, Randy Dembo leaves his Rickenbacker for a 12-string guitar and Moore holds down the bottom end with experienced skill.

The centerpiece of the album undoubtedly is the 18-minute title track which takes up one full side of vinyl and is an homage to those who have passed from the Nektar Family. The song is somewhat of a medley between “Love Is” and “The Other Side”, cleverly blending together. The former walks the line of nearly being a bit sappy, while the latter contains more engaged vocal sections. Regardless, it’s the instrumental breaks which really make this song shine, beginning in earnest around the 9 minute mark. And then we truly witness the wizardry of Chlanda on guitar and Scott on keyboards. These two are a wonder to behold, and the continued success of Nektar owes much to their contributions throughout this recording. The solid drumming and bass work underneath perfectly compliments the arrangements and solos on top, giving the conviction of a well-chosen band who are playing skillfully together. This cohesiveness is taken even further on “Drifting”, a highlight of the entire album, which features one of the best vocal sections gently supported by piano mirroring the sung melodic lines, but then is largely devoted to intoxicating solo’ing in 9/8. As the tempo later alternates with 4/8, the bar is raised higher and it feels like this jam could go on forever, the specter of Nektar’s legacy rising up and enveloping the listener in swaths of psychedelic ecstasy. In many ways, the album could end here quite convincingly.

Instead, we are treated to the brief surprise of Roye’s own guitar playing, providing the intro to “Devil’s Doorway”. It’s a perfect mellow segue after the intensity of “Drifting” and we are brought back to earth as the song develops in true rock ’n roll fashion. Along with Scott’s synths and organ, the 70s feel very much alive in this piece, Nektar stands in its rightful place. There still remain three pieces on the album and they’re all fine in their own right, but honestly they almost feel unnecessary at this point as Nektar have proven their point. “The Light Beyond” is an atmospheric Scott solo piece which the band now use as their stage entrance for live shows, and “Look Thru Me” is basically a Chlanda acoustic solo song with sparse support from the band, notably including another ecstatic Scott synth solo. These two pieces slow up the flow of the album to a degree, but then we close with the strong “Y Can’t I B More Like U 2020” which brings the collective band together again for a grand finale.

At this point in their evolution, and after the passing of Albrighton, there likely weren’t many who expected a reformation of Nektar with a lineup like this. The point can’t be made strongly enough that the founding members chose very wisely in bringing back/in Chlanda and Scott, as this allows the entire lineup to shine and feel new and relevant while still rooted in their origins. As this new album releases on January 24th, the band find themselves in the middle of a North American Tour which extends into March. Show your support and treat yourself to the new material on album and in concert, where “The Other Side” tracks are played side by side with their classics.

From therockpit.net on The Serpent Rings:

From the opening bars of opener ‘Where Are You Eden?’ you can tell Tony Clarkin is particularly inspired as Magnum his baby since the early 70’s see in the new decade. It’s a solid opener, lushly orchestrated and as well as sounding a little heavier than recent offerings, also has a lushness that glides over the refrain giving it a feel of, say ELO.  ‘You Can’t Run Faster Than Bullets’ which follows retains that heaviness and takes the mood down with a hypnotic verse and soaring chorus 21 albums into their career, it’s my favourite opening certainly this century.

Clarkin this time as you might expect, has kept working the way he always has over the years – starting writing as soon as the previous album is put to bed and seeing the album from demo to finished article. It’s a process that has produced ten albums over the last two decades and this could just be the best of those.

‘Madman or Messiah’ that follows is the perfect mid-tempo rocker and cements the harder sound as it pushes melodically, driven by Catley’s inimitable vocals and Clarkin’s guitars, it’s perfect Magnum and the sort of sound that no one does as well as these guys over the years.  As well as songs like that, that talk about the cult of personality and self proclaimed messiahs, there are also contemplations on ecology like ‘Man’ which contemplates what we are doing to the planet in the name of short-term greed.

It wouldn’t be Magnum though without the fantasy element, as Clarkin states – “The Serpent Rings also presents Magnum from their dreamy, magical side, the title song being a perfect example – and a direct reflection of the amazing cover artwork courtesy of Rodney Matthews. Clarkin: “‘The Serpent Rings’ started out as a science fiction story but continued to evolve over time and even features a slightly bizarre side today. I’d describe the song as an eerie and somewhat creepy fairy tale.”

The new album also features a line-up change with bassist Dennis Ward (Pink Cream 69, Place Vendome, Unisonic) joining Clarkin, Catley, keyboardist Rick Benton and drummer Lee Morris, to replace Al Barrow for the album and the extensive UK Tour and European dates with Gotthard that follow.

Getting back to the album ‘The Archway of Tears’ takes you right back to those sweeping epics that Magnum has excelled at over the years and has some simply wonderful guitar in Clarkin’s most inspired solo here; whilst ‘Not Forgiven’ is a nice stomping rocker with a great breakdown, before the epic title track sweeps in on the back of a gathering storm and some atmospheric keys and just underlines the unerring quality here.

‘House of Kings’ has a great swing that is inescapable and makes you wonder what Catley would sound like singing the Blues as he blusters through the verses and for all its simplicity its amongst my favorites here and I love that crescendo of horns at the close. ‘The Great Unknown’ is the closest we get to a ballad here and its the sort of song to get lost in. ‘Man’ as we mentioned is a contemplation of capitalist greed at the price of our future and whilst I know Tony never gets political its a subject we all should be concerned about, and eloquently explored here.

The album closes out on as much of a high as it started out: ‘The Last One on Earth’ is the shortest song here but is packed with melody and swelling with emotion. The last word comes with ‘Crimson on the White Sand’, I’m always intrigued with how Tony closes and album and this time he chose to do so with what at first sounds like a contemplative ballad but the song quickly soars away in classic Magnum tradition.

On an album where the average track length is well over the five minute mark there’s plenty to get lost in here, but equally nothing here is overdone, Magnum are it seems at their very best striking out into the 20’s – melodic, powerful, wonderfully embellished and all a little harder than in recent times which just gives the compositions all that crisper an edge. This is Magnum at their finest and an absolute must. It might be far too soon to call contenders for album of the year, but I know this will be in that mix…

From americansongwriter.com on Hot Rats Sessions:

Unless you were around and musically aware in 1969 when this, Frank Zappa’s first official solo album, was unleashed, it’s hard to understand how revolutionary it was. Fifty years later, little has changed.

Hot Rats remains arguably Zappa’s finest project, which is saying plenty considering his catalog now numbers over 100 releases. But five decades ago, this explosive combination of free jazz, fusion jazz-rock, avant-garde and intricately crafted classically influenced compositions proved that Frank Zappa was so far ahead of most of his contemporaries as to make nearly anything else released in that watershed year seem tame in comparison.

The two short tunes that lead off either side of the initial vinyl (“Peaches En Regalia” and “Little Umbrellas”) remain some of Zappa’s best known works. They are tightly written jazz influenced pieces (calling them songs somehow doesn’t reflect sufficient gravitas) featuring complex but hummable melodies, complicated percussion and enough twists and turns to power entire albums from lesser talents.

But the bulk of the predominantly instrumental album displays the mind-altering musicianship of Zappa and especially his players;saxist/multi-instrumentalist Ian Underwood and violinist Don “Sugarcane” Harris. They push way outside conventional jazz boundaries on the brain frying “The Gumbo Variations” (at nearly 13 minutes, the disc’s longest and perhaps most intense track). Captain Beefheart’s scuzzy, Howlin’ Wolf-styled vocals power the swamp funk of the existential “Willie the Pimp” and the soundtrack inspired “Son of Mr. Green Genes” displays Zappa’s taut arranging abilities as nimbly as anything he wrote.

Hot Rats doesn’t just get any expanded treatment for this 50^th anniversary edition. Rather Zappa’s impossibly deep vaults are mined for every worthwhile note played and scrap of rehearsal tape that yielded the album’s initial 43 minutes. These six discs show, in a fly-on-the-wall fashion and for better or worse, how the sausage was made. The tracks were cut, pasted, shaped and edited from longer jam sessions (how about 15 minutes of “Willie the Pimp”?), multiple guitar overdubs (many featuring Zappa’s impressive use of the wah-wah pedal) and extended performances that sometimes don’t go anywhere of interest, but more often do. The whole shebang, now in a sturdy, sumptuous box with a 28 page book featuring firsthand accounts and rare pictures of the recording, will take nearly eight hours of your life to plow through, and even more to digest.

Clearly this isn’t for the Zappa neophyte, and not just because of its near $100 price tag. Even established fans will find wading and sifting through hours of raw material somewhat of a chore, despite the riches that may justify the time. But for Zappa obsessives, and you know who you are, it’s impossible to imagine a more thorough and exhaustive (maybe exhausting is a better word) examination of the artist and how his music was created—before the advent of digital technology– than this.

Sit back, dig in and enjoy.