Friday, August 26, 2011

Let's Hope It's Not The Last


The Last Shadow Puppets
The Age of Understatement
2008
Ripped @ 320 w 3% recovery
Re-upped for Terry C

I've had this on my iPod for two years now and as you all know, I live my life on shuffle. These songs keep popping up and I have to check to see who it is every time since they always catch my ear. If you have not had a chance to listen to them, grab it now for a treat for your ears.


Review by Heather Phares

It's not that often that side projects are more ambitious than the players' main bands, but the Last Shadow Puppets, the collaboration between the Arctic Monkeys' Alex Turner and the Rascals' Miles Kane, is one of those rare birds. With their day jobs, Turner and Kane are revivalists of different strains of "angry young British man" rock, but with the help of drummer/producer James Ford (also of Simian Mobile Disco), arranger Owen Pallett (Final Fantasy), and the London Metropolitan Orchestra, on The Age of the Understatement they revitalize the lush, symphonic pop of early Scott Walker and David Bowie, when they needed an orchestra to express just how sweeping their feelings were. The title track's galloping strings-and-timpani drama begins the album, making it readily apparent just how ironic The Age of the Understatement's name is, and just how well the Last Shadow Puppets have recaptured that lavish late-'60s/early-'70s sound. The main update to it comes from Turner and Kane's voices; stark and suave like Walker and Bowie they are not, but that's a good thing -- their boyish, unpretentious voices and brotherly harmonies keep the album from dipping into kitsch. Instead, a surprising urgency runs through The Age of the Understatement, most noticeably on the taut "Calm Like You" and "Separate and Ever Deadly," but also on softer moments like "The Meeting Place" and the extremely Walker-esque "My Mistakes Were Made for You." Whenever the drama threatens to become too monotonous, the band knows when to change things up: "I Don't Like You Anymore" brings in more of the Arctic Monkeys' spit and spite, building up to a livid guitar solo that practically shakes with loathing, while "Standing Next to Me" and "Time Has Come" rein in the bombast. Despite all the intensity, the Last Shadow Puppets have a light touch -- their songs are short and don't overstay their welcome, and the whole affair is just arty and indulgent enough to make it special. It's not an overstatement to say that The Age of the Understatement is a likable, accomplished working holiday.

Tracklist:

1 The Age of the Understatement
2 Standing Next to Me
3 Calm Like You
4 Separate and Ever Deadly
5 The Chamber
6 Only the Truth
7 My Mistakes Were Made for You
8 Black Plant
9 I Don't Like You Any More
10 In My Room
11 The Meeting Place
12 Time Has Come Again

Get it HERE
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Monday, August 01, 2011

Play Ball!


3Balls of Fire
Firepower
2002
320 w/3% recovery

Gettin' along in the basball season now so check out these


3 Balls of Fire, AKA The Men with the Burning Guitars, was formed in 1987 by guitarist/songwriter Burnin' Mike Vernon. Vernon, born in 1954 (Albuquerque, NM), joined his first band, Stoned Catsup, in Arlington, Texas, in 1969.

From '73-'75 Vernon studied Spanish guitar at the Univ. of Texas-El Paso and then returned to the Dallas-Ft. Worth area where he played in various jazz, blues, rock, and western bands. During this time he had the opportunity to sit in with such greats as Freddie King, Big Joe Turner, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Gary Duncan of the Quicksilver Messenger Service.

In '79 he formed the instrumental group Perry Mason & the Defendants and cut two 45's for the Mars label. The group played all over the north Texas area and Oklahoma. By '82 the band's sound turned decidedly surf in nature as the band performed surf guitar songs from the '60's and originals by Vernon.

In 1985, Vernon moved to Austin and formed 3 Balls of Fire. Joining in on bass and drums was Vic Gerrard and Chris Stix Staples, forming the tightly-wound rhythm section on the Balls' self-titled debut recording on Amazing Records in 1987.

In 1989, Gerard and Staples joined Two Hoots and a Holler, and Vernon kept the group alive by adding Jackie Newhouse (Stevie Ray Vaughan's bassist until 1980) and a revolving list of stellar players from the Austin area. In the early '90's, the group released two cassettes, toured from Louisiana to California, had their music featured in the movie Good Girl, Bad Girl, and opened for Dick Dale's first national tour in Austin in 1993.
The original lineup of 3 Balls of Fire reunited in 1998 and released The Best of the Balls, 1988-1998 CD to critical acclaim. After two years of regular Friday night gigs at Ego's Lounge, they released the Friday Night at Ego's Lounge CD on Austin's Deep Eddy Records in January 2000. The Austin Chronicle listed the album in the Texas top ten of 2000. The same year saw the band do a tour with George Tomsco, backing the legendary guitarist for the Fireballs. In June 2001, Nokie Edwards of the Ventures toured select Texas cities with the Balls as his backing band!
The Balls released their FirePower CD in 2002, Chrome & Water in 2004 and Jet Set Guitars in 2008. All of the Balls' Cds have landed in several top ten of the year lists. Firepower was followed by the FirePower Express tour in summer 2002, and several cuts from the CD appeared on national tv (WB, FOX), NPR, three surf compilations, two surfing videos and Muzack!!! The Shock-n-Awe tour of 2003 was a smashing sucsess, and 2004 saw the release of 'Chrome & Water'and several west coast appearances. With appearances in New York and London,emmy-winnning television credits and the prestigeous Austin Music Awards in '06, the Balls just keep a rollin' to glory....

Tracklist