From spillmagazine.com on The Best Of Everything:

Just over six months following the release of the massive career anthology An American Treasure, which featured an abundatnce of never before heard material, the Tom Petty estate has released his second posthumous collection, The Best Of Everything. While this too is another compilation album which pays tribute to one of America’s greatest songwriters, it feels like more like a streamlined and standard greatest hits album, whereas the appropriately titled An American Treasure was a box set which focused on Petty’s hits along with unreleased songs, demos, alternate cuts, and live tracks. In comparison, The Best Of Everything may seem like much less, but it serves as a more accessible, albeit far less grand, collection of Petty’s hits for a more casual audience, while also being an excellent point of entry into Petty’s career for those unfamiliar with his work. Ultimately, however, it is yet another reminder of the absence of Petty’s voice, writing, and subtle social commentary.

Upon opening with “Free Fallin’”, followed by “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”, The Best Of Everything stands as a fairly standard greatest hits. The double disc collection includes all of Petty’s biggest commercial hits such as “Refugee”, “American Girl”, “I Won’t Back Down”, “Runnin’ Down A Dream”, “Wildflowers” and his quintessential duet with Stevie Nicks “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around”, among others. The album even includes more recent tracks like “I Should Have Known It” and “American Dream Plan B”, making it a true career spanning collection of the singles which defined Petty’s career. Quite curiously, however, the album includes a number of lesser known singles, deep tracks, and songs from Mudcrutch, including “Scare Easy”, “Trailer”, “Room At The Top”, and “Angel Dream (No. 2)” along with a handful of others.

The Best Of Everything includes an unreleased, alternate version of “The Best Of Everything”. Originally released in 1985 as the closing track for Southern Accents, the new cut sounds re-mastered, features an additional verse, and sounds more like Petty & The Heartbreakers than the original version as the synths are substituted with a warm piano from Benmont Tench as well as Mike Campbell’s guitar solo sounding much bigger and more climatic. As much as Southern Accents stands among Petty’s most ambitious works, I’m curious if, like “The Best Of Everything”, there is an alternative cut which feels and sounds more organic.

Closing the album is the only truly unreleased song, “For Real”. The stark track follows Petty as I imagine he looked back at his career – perhaps this was an outtake for what would become his final studio album, 2014’s stellar Hypnotic Eye – and exclaiming that he did it all for himself; his creative drive, his passion, his desire to be a musician and for nothing or no one else. Now to be clear, there was never a point, ever, in his forty year career where any fan would have doubted this; Petty’s discography has always shined bright with a rich sense of integrity. What makes “For Real” incredibly poignant is that it is the message we needed to hear; it is the message we had to be reminded of for our own sake. Even today, we could all take a lesson from Petty and “For Real” alone takes The Best Of Everything to a whole different level.

With the inclusion of such hits and lesser known tracks, The Best Of Everything delivers a strong series of hits along with a number of songs which the more casual listeners may not have heard, creating a sense of intrigue and a want to dig through Petty’s eclectic discography. While, as a whole, it may not offer much new content for the lifelong collectors, especially those who picked up An American Treasure, the inclusion of “The Best Of Everything (Alt. Version)” and especially “For Real” should make The Best Of Everything far more enticing. That being said, while it isn’t known as to how much unreleased material there is, I do hope that his family and band shift their attention to a reissue to 1994’s Wildflowers with the unreleased second disc which Petty publicly discussed releasing shortly before embarking on his 40^th Anniversary Tour in the summer of 2016.

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From spillmagazine.com on The Verdict:

Washington’s legendary heavy metal outfit Queensrÿche have released a new album The Verdict.  Having built their reputation in the ‘80s, their eponymous ‘83 Iron Maiden-esque EP got the band noticed immediately, in part due to their video for lead single “Queen of the Reich” being shown regularly on MTV.  Queensrÿche kept evolving and kept challenging themselves and their fans by adding heavy doses of prog into their sound and continuously experimenting.  All of their releases from ’83 through to ’94 reached Gold or Platinum status and they cracked the Top 10 singles charts with “Silent Lucidity” in 1990, not to mention the numerous Grammy and MTV Music Video Award nominations.  It was Queensrÿche’s combination of great songwriting, masterful musicianship, their eclectic departures (one of their hit songs was a cover of Lisa Dal Bello’s “Gonna Get Close You” which crossed over into Goth territory), their intriguing sci-fi, sociopolitical and conspiracy-themed concept albums, and Geoff Tate’s wide-ranging operatic vocals that made them legends.

Then something happened.  Following great success came a long period of malaise, a creative lull, and seemingly confusion in terms of the band’s musical direction (including a failed attempt at grunge and an ill-conceived covers album). This culminated in founding vocalist Geoff Tate’s acrimonious departure from the band in 2012 and the arrival of new vocalist Todd La Torre. With La Torre, Queensrÿche found their second wind.  No longer shackled by Tate’s increasingly questionable creative influence and refusal to sing in the style that made him great, they returned to form and embraced their roots.  

The Verdict continues this comeback and may be their strongest statement in 20 years.  It’s punchy and strikes the right balance between classic metal, prog, and the choppier, chunkier metal that became popular after 1992.  Solid riffs drive the songs and seem to sync perfectly with La Torre’s vocal styling. La Torre can growl with the best of them but he’s also a perfectly capable tenor vocalist when needed and this simply adds to a winning formula.

Fave tracks include the blistering “Blood of the Levant” and the anthemic metal juggernaut “Man the Machine.”  “The Verdict” is in: this album’s a keeper.

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From metalwani.com on Distance Over Time:

Since their genesis in 1985, masters of the progressive, Dream Theater, established a brotherhood that they consider as integral to the creation of their music, if not more so, than the harmony of the instruments alone. During the summer of 2018, a four month period delegated to producing a new record, the band made a conscious decision to touch base with these core values. Removing themselves from the regular intensity of citified structures in favour of more sequestered pastures, Dream Theater wound up tucked away at the secluded, five-acre Yonderbarn studios in Monticello, NY, manning barbecues, enjoying bourbon, as well as writing and recording their new record, ‘Distance Over Time’. An organic return to roots brought to life by an almost renewed familial chemistry, there is little wonder as to why these legends and their fans grow more excited for its release on February 22nd.

As is often the case with an upcoming Dream Theater album, a curious trepidation is stirred up with regards to what they will deliver next. While the band do indeed have a trademark sound, ‘Distance Over Time’ proves that in 2019 they remain artistically brave, nurturing this sound once again, aligning it with their current incarnation. The electrifying “Paralyzed” serves as a vital representation of this. From its opening moments that see guitarist John Petrucci and drummer Mike Mangini bouncing off one another through an alarmingly enjoyable rhythmic interlock, to more large scale moments orchestrated by the versatile vocal delivery of singer James LaBrie, “Paralyzed” is simply ineradicable among this albums best.

To their delight, fans were gifted with a handful of leading singles in the run up to the release of ‘Distance Over Time’. The highly praised “Fall Into The Light” captures the band in their stylistic element. Though it was the studio play-through of “Untethered Angel” that portrayed Dream Theater at some of their progressive best. As keyboard player Jordan Rudess dances masterfully over his keys, he does so with a technical proficiency that simultaneously inspires while intimidates. As we look on in what can only be described as a jaw dropping giddiness, watching Rudess perform as his fellow band mates both support his moments and quickly pass the torch around the room for their own, quickly shifting the dynamic with ease, there is an evident enjoyment among them reflected in each and every track. Perhaps none more so than in the unexpected ballad entitled “Out Of Reach”.

Dream Theater are no strangers to flirting with the wistful, musing and melancholic sides of their personalities. “Out Of Reach” is easily deserving of occupying a place among some of their best examples of this. Built primarily around a simple, recurring melody on piano, elevated by the subtle nuances in a rare, stripped back performance by bassist John Myung, there lives an ethereal atmosphere deeply entrenched throughout this beautiful piece.

While their loyal fan base may disagree, Dream Theater have never considered themselves to be an outfit beyond reproach. But they have never allowed themselves to become prisoners of their own success. Instead they have retained what they hold dear, but have also kept their eyes forward, their vision never being reduced to something parochial. With that comes ingenuity as opposed to retrograde, with that comes ‘Distance Over Time’. A record that is wildly invigorating, enchantingly emotive and honors a brotherhood only few have been fortunate enough to know.

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From rockandbluesmuse.com on Nobody Told Me:

John Mayall, ‘The Godfather of British Blues,’ is back with his newest album, Nobody Told Me. It will be released on February 22 by Forty Below Records. Co-produced by Mayall and Forty Below founder Eric Corne, it gives us Mayall in top form (at the age of 85) on vocals, guitar, keyboards and harmonica. The legendary bluesman is accompanied by an impressive list of guest guitarists, including Joe Bonamassa, Alex Lifeson, Todd Rundgren, Carolyn Wonderland, Larry McCray and Steven Van Zandt, and the results are nothing short of spectacular.

The Order of the British Empire medal-winner and Blues Hall of Fame inductee is also joined by his regular rhythm section of Chicago bluesmen, Greg Rzab on bass and Jay Davenport on drums. Billy Watts plays rhythm guitar and the horn section from the Late Night with Conan O’Brien house band added the brass.

Track one on Nobody Told Me, “What Have I Done Wrong?” features guitar titan Joe Bonamassa. Since he’s no stranger to working with great horn ensembles in his own music, his sophisticated, yet biting fret work sounds right at home with the timely punches of the brass section. Mayall’s vocals, powerful and smooth with just a touch of a bluesman’s rasp, are delivered effortlessly on point.

Bonamassa also appears on track six, the slow-driving “Delta Hurricane.” His relentless attack is indeed a hurricane of well-placed notes, working well against Mayall’s tastefully understated keyboard soloing. Once again, the horns punch things up right through to the final notes.

Blues guitar shredder Larry McCray makes two blistering contributions to this album. “The Moon is Full” is an upbeat funk/blues nugget. Propelled by Rzab’s pulsating bass lines and Davenport’s staccato snare cracks, McCray uses all the available space in the intro, between verses and in the solo break to fill our ears with stinging string work. Mayall deftly dirties up his keyboard solo to match McCray’s grittiness. On the late Gary Moore’s “The Hurt Inside,” McCray’s aggressive playing is wholly appropriate, while the vulnerability of Mayall’s vocals capture the sentiment of Moore’s lyrics.

The current lead guitarist for John Mayall’s band, Carolyn Wonderland appears on three tracks which, taken together, show off her virtuoso blues guitar chops. On “Distant Lonesome Train,” the Houston native/Austin transplant speaks fluent slide guitar. Later, she makes her guitar chirp brightly and phrases exquisitely on the stop and go shuffle “Like It Like You Do.” Last, Wonderland applies the lightest of touches on “Nobody Told Me,” complimenting Mayall’s melancholy piano and vocals.

The most welcome surprises on Nobody Told Me are guests Alex Lifeson of Rush, Todd Rundgren and “Little Steven” Van Zandt of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band, each of whom turns in a very worthy blues guitar appearance.

Lifeson, who is known as a prog rock pioneer, shows up on The Jeff Healy Band’s “Evil And Here To Stay.” He lays back during the front half, allowing Mayall to carry things on keyboards and harmonica; during his solo and through the ending, his rock chops yield to his admirable blues chops. What does come through of his characteristic playing is his muscularity and the way he tends to make his notes sing out.

Todd Rundgren tears it up from the top down on the STAX Records classic, “That’s What Love Will Make You Do” by Little Milton. Conversely, Mayall’s vocals are subdued compared to Milton’s emphatic cries on the original. The rhythm and brass sections capture the spirit of Booker T. and the MGs and the Memphis Horns, nicely capping off a perfect track.

Veteran rocker Steven Van Zandt owns his moment in the spotlight on “It’s So Tough.” In his capable hands, the guitar emotes rock, blues and soul, all at once, as Mayall sings, “It’s so tough; there must be something we can do. Think more about your neighbor; ‘cause now it’s up to me and you.”

Back in 1963, John Mayall emerged as a force of the blues, not only because of his genuine musicianship but also because he proved to have an ear for emerging talent. In 2019, Mayall still has the chops and the ear for talent, and Nobody Told Me is another unquestionable success for the revered bandleader and blues master.

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From entertainment-focus.com on Signs:

Led by married couple Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Tedeschi Trucks Band formed back in 2010. Based in Jacksonville, Florida the band, which currently consists of 12 members, released debut album Revelator in 2011. Since then Tedeschi Trucks Band have released another two studio albums and all three of their releases have charted in the Top 15 on the Billboard 200 in the US. 3 years after the release of Let Me Get By, the band is releasing new album Signs.

Fusing Blues, Soul, R&B and Americana Signs sees Tedeschi Trucks Band continuing to forge their own path in music. This isn’t just a group of mates recording some tunes, this is a very skilled band bursting with musicians at the top of their game. Opener Signs, High Times gives you a flavour of what’s to come and it finds the band speaking frankly through their lyrics. While the music may sound uptempo and groovy, there’s a very serious message underpinning the track, and indeed the whole album. During these troubled times, Tedeschi Trucks Band are here to hope for change, instil optimism in the listener and deliver some of the most finely crafted songs of their career.

The intensity of Signs is something that really hits you. There’s so much to unpack both lyrically and musically. I’m Gonna Be Here as an example. The song is full of intricate riffs and melodies with Tedeschi’s voice hitting you in the sweet spot as she assures you she’ll be there through the dark and difficult times. The last 2 minutes of the song centre on an intense guitar riff while gospel-tinged backing vocals crank the tension up even further. No one trick ponies, the band then changes the tempo with When Will I Begin, one of the album’s slower and more contemplative moments.

Elsewhere on the record the bluesy Hard Case offers a relief from some of the weightier moments, Strengthen What Remains is a gorgeously understated track that allows Tedeschi’s voice to take most of the glory, and They Don’t Shine will have you stomping your feet to the beat with its soulful groove. One of the strongest moments is the Stevie Wonder-esque Shame, which could easily be a lost gem from the Motown era. The musicianship is so tight and Tedeschi’s voice so affecting, you can’t help but be moved by the track.

The Ending brings the album to a close and it’s another stripped-down moment. Pairing Tedeschi’s powerful voice with an acoustic guitar, it’s a stark contrast to the rest of the record. It’s an emotive final song dealing with loss and you’ll undoubtedly get goosebumps listening to it.

Signs is a strong record for Tedeschi Trucks Band and one that should easily match, if not better, their previous sales and chart positions. Even if you took out Tedeschi’s incredible voice, there would still be so much to enjoy here. Every single song is complex, layered and honest but with Tedeschi’s voice leading the charge, it cranks everything up to a more heightened level. Signs could have a very broad appeal and it’s going to make for some incredible live shows.

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From michaelsmusiclog.blogspot.com on Joint Effort:

Humble Pie was formed when vocalist and guitarist Steve Marriott left Small Faces. The original lineup of the group included Peter Frampton, but by 1971 he was replaced by Dave Clempson. The band also included Greg Ridley on bass and Jerry Shirley on drums. In 1974-1975, they recorded Joint Effort, at the same time they were recording Street Rats. Street Rats was released in 1975; Joint Effort was released yesterday. Interestingly, a couple of songs ended up on both albums – covers of “Rain” and “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker.” Liner notes by Dave Thompson tell the story of how this album came about. The band broke up not long after both albums were recorded, though reunited four years later for a brief period. The tracks on this release will certainly be cherished by Humble Pie fans. But even for those with only a slight interest in the band, there is some good material here, tunes worth checking out.

The album opens with a cover of “Think,” a song written by Lowman Pauling and made famous by James Brown (the liner notes erroneously credit Brown as the writer). The song was originally recorded by The “5” Royales, but it is the James Brown version that provides the inspiration for this Humble Pie rendition. This is a delightful, funky number with an edge, particularly to the vocal delivery. This track has a raw, loose power, and is a lot of fun. It should get you on your feet. “Think” is followed by “This Ol’ World,” a song with a good deal of soul. I love that guitar. This one too has something of a raw, unpolished sound. It was written by Steve Marriott and Greg Ridley. “This ol’ world can’t last too long/The way some people carry on.” Yup. And I love these lines: “Stand and be counted, y’all, as a people and not a nation/We’ve got the power, but not a one of us has got the inclination.” This is one of my favorite tracks. “Midnight Of My Life” is another of the album’s strongest tracks. It too has soul and a great vibe, as well as powerful and passionate vocals. It’s a song you can sink your teeth into.

The two tracks that would be included on both Street Rats and Joint Effort are “Let Me Be Your Lovemaker” and “Rain,” and on this album the two are presented one after the other. “Let Me Your Lovemaker” is a song that was a hit for Betty Wright in 1973. Humble Pie’s rendition has a heavier sound, more of a rock tune. Then the band’s cover of The Beatles’ “Rain” has a full and raw 1970s rock sound. That’s followed by “Snakes & Ladders,” a thumping, heavy tune written by Steve Marriott. “A Minute Of Your Time” is a slower, soulful number, and another of the disc’s highlights. That’s followed by “Charlene,” a very cool, kind of funky rock tune with an opening line that surprised me: “Let me tell you, when I was rich I was a son of a bitch.” The album ends the way it began, with a cover of “Think,” titled “Think 2.” It fades in like it’s a reprise, but it’s nearly as long as the disc’s opening track. This is a fun, funky jam, a great way to wrap things up.

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From michaelsmusiclog.blogspot.com on Focus 11:

Since I first listened to Focus’ 2017 release, The Focus Family Album, I’ve been looking forward to the band’s new release, Focus 11. That’s because that double album, which was an odd compilation of sorts, included a little tease of what was to come, with each of the two discs concluding with a track from Focus 11. Both tracks – “Clair-Obscur” and “Winnie” – were intriguing and got me excited for this new release. Now that I’m getting to enjoy the full disc, I find that basically the entire album is engaging. All of the tracks here are originals, most of them written by Thijs van Leer. Most tracks are instrumentals.

The album opens with “Who’s Calling?” which begins like a hard rocking song with that steady guitar. But what sticks out for me about this track is Pierre van der Linden’s impressive work on drums. It’s a decent track, but for me, the following tune, “Heaven,” is when things begin to get really good. This is a playful and delightful tune, with different sections, beginning with a kind of funky rhythm which I dig, and some great touches on keys. Then approximately a minute in, it takes on something of the joy and merriment of an old-time festival, and completely raises my spirits. I love this. The tune then builds from there, and there is more excellent work on percussion. Toward the end, there is suddenly some playful vocal work as well. This track just gets better and better as it develops and moves through its different sections. Heaven, indeed!

“How Many Miles?” is a good, solid, driving rock song, with some great stuff on flute rising above that rhythm. This is the only track on the album to include lyrics, and it turns out to be a love song of sorts. Check out these lines: “Let me reflect your energy/That moves my soul to ecstasy/Let me become your melody.” Toward the end, some of the lines are delivered basically as spoken word, and that turns out to be really effective. “How Many Miles?” is followed by “Mazzel.” I really dig the unusual rhythm here, which moves this jazzy tune in interesting directions. This is one that might get you dancing, but it is going to be a delightfully odd dance.

“Winnie” is one of the tracks that I first heard on The Focus Family Album. It has darker, unsettling feel at first, then rises out of that haunted land to a prettier realm when the flute takes over. The flute has a gentle, comforting sound. But we’re not out of the woods yet, as they say, as we still have to find our way through the maze. But at the end, that electric guitar escapes, and takes us all with it. Then “Palindrome” begins with some cool work on drums. This one is really driven by the drums, and includes a drum solo, which of course helps to make it one of my favorite tracks. That’s followed by “Clair-Obscur,” the other track that was included on The Focus Family Album. This one has an unusual mood, feeling introspective at moments, then reaching out and upward. It is quite pretty at times.

The only track not written by Thijs van Leer is “Mare Nostrum,” which was composed by bass player Udo Pannekeet, the newest member of the band. This one begins slowly, then partway through it changes gears and takes on a wonderfully frantic feel, and features some excellent playing. The album concludes with its title track, “Focus 11,” which also happens to be the eleventh track. This is another of my favorites. It has something of a sweet vibe at the start, and picks up at moments, feeling joyful. It is a kind of warm tune to leave us all in a good place.

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