September 05, 2018

Vybe - Vybe (1995) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 314-527 067-2
☠: Selected by Sentinel
© 1995 Island Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

tags: vybe, vybe album, 1995, flac,

Lil Mo - Based On a True Story (2001)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 62374-2

© 2001 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Dan LeRoy
On her long-awaited debut, Lil' Mo shows why stars like Jay-Z, Ja Rule, and Keith Sweat were so anxious to feature her on their own albums. The Big Apple rapper and singer is a protégé of Missy "Misdemeanor" Elliot, but where Elliot's game is cutting lines and cutting-edge hip-hop, Lil' Mo is a lil' more subtle, preferring to tap into her roots in old-fashioned gospel and R&B. That's not to say this album lacks the requisite up-tempo club thumpers -- "Gangsta" and "Superwoman, Pt. 2" certainly fill that bill. It's just that when things mellow out a bit, Mo really shines -- on sweet slow jams like "How Many Times," or on the stunning, bitter kiss-off, "Ta Da." Probably the best reference point for Lil' Mo's winning blend of street smarts and classic soul divaship is Mary J. Blige, and Based on a True Story suggests that Blige could have some serious competition in the years to come.

tags: lil mo, based on a true story, 2001, flac,

September 04, 2018

The Gits - Frenching The Bully (1992) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock
Label Number: CZ051
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☠: Selected by Lass
© 1992 C/Z Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
The most immediately obvious aspect of the Gits' debut album, Frenching the Bully, is Mia Zapata's righteous, feminist-tinged punk rage. Her songs wind their way through tales of deception, insecurity, failed relationships, and hard drinking, while her hoarse, husky voice supports the combination of toughness and vulnerability projected in her lyrics. Even if Zapata's meanings are occasionally a bit obscure, and even if a few songs seem to lack adequate melodicism, Frenching the Bully is an invigorating piece of punk rock.

tags: the gits, frenching the bully, 1992, flac,

The Gits - Enter: The Conquering Chicken (1993) ☠

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Punk Rock.
Label Number: CZ076
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☠: Selected by Lass
© 1993 C/Z Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Before the Gits' second album, Enter: The Conquering Chicken, could be completed, lead singer Mia Zapata was brutally raped and murdered, lending an atmosphere of solemnity to the proceedings that might not otherwise be so prevalent. The tone of this record is actually lighter than the previous one, although that's due in large part to some of the filler material necessitated by Zapata's absence; most of it is lighthearted, especially given the circumstances, and there are two versions of "Social Love" back to back, one a solo acoustic performance by Zapata. The first half of the record holds much of its substance, including a surprisingly effective cover of Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come," and Zapata's fully fleshed-out originals can be positively harrowing. Enter: The Conquering Chicken can't quite be up to the level of Frenching the Bully, since there's no way the album could truly be completed, but parts of it stand as a powerful epitaph, and the informal tone of the filler actually helps paint a more complete picture of Zapata as a human being.

tags: the gits, enter the conquering chicken, 1993, flac,

W.A.S.P. - Unholy Terror (2001)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: 06076 85204-2

© 2001 Metal-Is Records
AllMusic Review by Gary Hill
W.A.S.P. has always seemed to be a bit divided musically. At times, their music comes across as very raw, almost unfinished. However, another side of the band leans to the more melodic and powerful, wall-of-sound approach. This disc showcases both of these sides. Where it seems to work best is on the material that is more in that melodic style. Overall, the CD should please fans of the band, but probably won't bring any new listeners to the fold.

tags: wasp, w.a.s.p., unholy terror, 2001, flac,

September 03, 2018

Mother Love Bone - Apple (1990)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Grunge
Label Number: 843 191-2
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© 1990 Polydor Records
AllMusic Review by Alex Henderson
Fair or unfair, Mother Love Bone is destined to be described as "the band Jeff Ament and Stone Gossard were in before Pearl Jam." But in fact, Apple is a solid offering that can stand on its own merits. Even if Pearl Jam had never come about, Apple would be well worth obtaining. Though MLB proudly declared its allegiance to Seattle in a 1990 interview with Cash Box, Apple really doesn't fall into the alternative rock category or inspire comparisons to bands like Nirvana, Alice in Chains, or Soundgarden. Rather, MLB were clearly Led Zeppelin and Aerosmith devotees, and it's hard to miss the influence of Zep's Robert Plant and Aerosmith's Steven Tyler when lead singer Andrew Wood tears into such intense yet melodic hard rock boogie as "Capricorn Sister," "Stardog Champion," and "Captain Hi-Top." This was a band with great potential, but sadly, one can only speculate on what would have happened had it had a chance to develop.

tags: mother love bone, apple, 1990, flac,

W.A.S.P. - W.A.S.P. (1984)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP 7 46661 2

© 1984-1989 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
With glam rock making a comeback of sorts in 1984 (Mötley Crüe, Ratt, etc.), another Los Angeles band, W.A.S.P., couldn't have picked a better time to release its self-titled debut. By merging lyrics that dealt with the expected heavy metal themes (sex, Satanism, etc.) alongside Blackie Lawless' rough vocals and Chris Holmes' guitar riffing, the band sounded and looked more menacing than your average L.A. glam band at the time. Add to it a stage show that was gimmick-heavy (Lawless would drink blood from a skull and rip open a pillow, while wearing buttless leather pants and saw blades on his arms), and you had a "can't miss" recipe for controversy and publicity -- resulting in the debut's eventual gold certification. The album contains most of their best-known tracks, such as the raging singles/videos "I Wanna Be Somebody" and "L.O.V.E. Machine," plus the anti-establishment "School Daze," the semi-ballad "Sleeping (In the Fire)," and the angst-filled anthems "The Flame," "Hellion," "On Your Knees," and "Tormentor." [The 1998 CD reissue contains three bonus tracks, including a cover of the Rolling Stones' "Paint It Black," as well as their overtly sexual early fan fav, "Animal (Fuck Like a Beast)."]

tags: wasp, w.a.s.p., wasp album, 1984, flac,

W.A.S.P. - The Last Command (1985)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP 7 46636 2

© 1985-1989 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
On W.A.S.P.'s sophomore effort, 1985's The Last Command, the band hired Quiet Riot producer Spencer Proffer to man the boards, resulting in a slightly more accessible sound than their rugged self-titled debut. Although the album wasn't the massive commercial breakthrough the band had hoped for, it resulted in their second gold-certified release in a row as they became one of the more popular metal bands of the mid-'80s (touring heavily with the likes of Kiss, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden). Blackie Lawless' lyrics still relied heavily on sexual fantasies ("Sex Drive"), as well as tales of revenge ("Ballcrusher," "Jack Action"), and children of the street ("Running Wild in the Streets"). The album's two singles/videos proved popular on MTV's heavy metal-oriented shows -- the party-hearty "Blind in Texas" and "Wild Child," the latter a tale of a Harley-riding free spirit. [The 1998 CD reissue nearly doubled the original album's length, featuring a cover of Mountain's early-'70s hit "Mississippi Queen," the original B-side "Savage," and five live tracks recorded at England's Lyceum in October of 1984: "On Your Knees," "Hellion," "L.O.V.E. Machine," "Animal," and "I Wanna Be Somebody."]

tags: w.a.s.p., wasp, the last command, 1985, flac,

W.A.S.P. - Inside The Electric Circus (1986)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP 7 46346 2

© 1986 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
While W.A.S.P. remained a gimmick-heavy live act (around this time, Blackie Lawless had a codpiece that would shoot sparks!), they attempted to grow musically with each successive release -- most evidently beginning with 1986's Inside the Electric Circus. While Lawless was the band's main leader and songwriter from the beginning, he had even more of a say in the musical direction by switching to rhythm guitar from bass when original guitarist Randy Piper exited the band (ex-King Kobra member Johnny Rod joined on bass). By selecting a pair of early-'70s hard rock classics to cover -- Humble Pie's "I Don't Need No Doctor" and Uriah Heep's "Easy Living" -- it was clear that W.A.S.P. wanted their fans to pay more attention to the music. But it's not to say that the group completely abandoned their brash heavy metal roots -- the U.K. single "9.5.-N.A.S.T.Y." and the album-opening title track packed plenty of scream-along excitement. [The 1998 reissue contains a pair of B-sides previously unavailable on CD: "Flesh and Fire" and "D.B. Blues."]

tags: wasp, w.a.s.p., inside the electric circus, 1986, flac,

W.A.S.P. - The Headless Children (1989)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal, Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP 7 48942 2

© 1989 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
With 1988's The Headless Children, W.A.S.P. attempted to be taken as serious artists (for the most part). And while singer/guitarist/leader Blackie Lawless expressed excitement about the band's current lineup, which included longtime guitarist Chris Holmes, bassist Johnny Rod, Quiet Riot drummer Frankie Banali, and Uriah Heep keyboardist Ken Hensley -- the complete group never toured. With the band concentrating more on the music than the gimmicks (the group was pictured sans ghoulish makeup and costumes), The Headless Children remains W.A.S.P.'s most accomplished work. The album's best-known tracks remain their cover of the Who's Quadrophenia anthem "The Real Me" and the rocking "Mean Man" (an autobiographical tale about guitarist Holmes), while a pair of epics -- "The Heretic" and the title track -- and perhaps W.A.S.P.'s best ballad, "Forever Free," were also standouts. While longtime fans may prefer the gross-out heavy metal of their early albums (W.A.S.P. and The Last Command), The Headless Children is their best constructed album. [The 1998 CD reissue contained six added bonus tracks -- among them a cover of Jethro Tull's "Locomotive Breath" and live versions of "L.O.V.E. Machine" and "Blind in Texas."]

tags: wasp, w.a.s.p., the headless children, 1989, flac,

W.A.S.P. - The Crimson Idol (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Heavy Metal
Label Number: CDP 0777 7 99443 2 3

© 1992 Capitol Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
Between 1990-1992, little was heard from one of the 1980s' most theatrical metal bands, W.A.S.P. Many assumed they'd broken up, especially when it became publicly known that the entire band had split from leader Blackie Lawless (the most surprising departure being longtime guitarist Chris Holmes). But the truth of the matter was that Lawless was hard at work the entire time, composing an epic concept album, 1993's The Crimson Idol, which told the tale of a tormented rock star, Jonathan. Lawless handled rhythm guitar, bass, vocal, and keyboard duties himself, and renowned studio musician Bob Kulick filled in Holmes' vacated position, while a pair of drummers were used (including the drummer on The Headless Children, Frankie Banali). The songs weren't a radical departure stylistically for W.A.S.P., and since no original members were left, The Crimson Idol is essentially a Blackie Lawless solo album. The over 74-minute album contained such hard-hitting highlights as "The Invisible Boy," "Chainsaw Charlie (Murders in the New Morgue)," and "I Am One." Unfortunately, The Crimson Idol sunk from sight upon release (keep in mind, this was the era of "grunge") but, interestingly, marked eventual Korn/Limp Bizkit producer Ross Robinson's first studio credit, as assistant engineer. [The 1998 CD reissue was expanded to a double-disc set, the second disc comprised of 12 b-sides (!). Included was a cover of Led Zeppelin's "When the Levee Breaks," the studio outtakes "Phantoms in the Mirror" and "The Eulogy," plus many acoustic renditions ("The Idol") and live tracks ("Chainsaw Charlie," "Wild Child," "The Real Me").]

tags: wasp, w.a.s.p., the crimson idol, 1992, flac,

September 02, 2018

Keith Sweat - Make It Last Forever (1987)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 9 60763-2

© 1987 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Andrew Hamilton
Produced by Teddy Riley, Keith Sweat's debut, Make It Last Forever, exploded all over urban and pop stations and remains the brightest star in Sweat's galaxy of LPs. Sweat's pleading, whining tenor adroitly draws you into every song, demanding an emotional commitment. Who can't relate to "Something Just Ain't Right" and "Right and a Wrong Way," two tense, stunning realizations. The hip-hop beats and plucky guitar of "I Want Her" put new jack swing on the map; it was Sweat's first single release and topped Billboard's R&B chart the week of January 30, 1988. All eight tracks are impressive, with his rendition of Tony Hester's "In the Rain," popularized by the Dramatics, equaling and possibly surpassing the original.

tags: keith sweat, make it last forever, 1987, flac,

Keith Sweat - Get Up On It (1994)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 61550-2

© 1994 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Jose F. Promis
After scoring massive success with his first two albums, Make It Last Forever and I'll Give All My Love to You, Keith Sweat's third album, Keep It Comin', signaled something of a creative and commercial slump for the new jack pioneer, which continued through 1994's Get Up on It. However, Get Up on It is not a bad album by any means. In fact, the set is classic Keith Sweat, filled to the brim with the pleading ballads that made this Harlem crooner so popular. Sweat began to utilize female background vocals, courtesy of Kut Klose, to full effect on this album, especially on the hit title track (one of the album's shining moments), a trend that he perfected on his huge 1996 self-titled comeback album. So Get Up on It finds Sweat in a stage of transition, leaving the formula that began to grow stale on Keep It Comin' and beginning to feature female backing vocals at center stage, somewhat similar to what Barry White and Luther Vandross had done before him. Get Up on It churned out two other singles, the up-tempo yet slightly unimaginative "How Do You Like It?" (which, as the set's lead single, didn't really work to catapult the album to massive early sales) and the big ballad "When I Give My Love," which is pure Keith Sweat. Other standouts include "Put Your Loving Through the Test," featuring the late Roger Troutman, and "Telephone Love." For fans of classic Keith Sweat, R&B ballads, and mid-tempo grooves, this album will do, although it doesn't rank as one of the more essential pieces in this artist's enduring catalog.

tags: keith sweat, get up on it, 1994, flac,

Keith Sweat - Keith Sweat (1996)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 61707-2

© 1996 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Leo Stanley
In a way, it's ironic that an album entitled Keith Sweat is crammed with guest stars, thereby attracting attention away from the man himself. No matter. Sweat turns in a typically stylish and sophisticated set of urban soul and new jack swing, all highlighted by his silky singing. Sweat's main talent is for smooth ballads, and Keith Sweat is filled with excellent selections, including the seductive "Come with Me," which features guest vocals by Ronald Isley. The album does bog down a bit with uneven material, but its high points are as captivating as any of Sweat's previous work.

tags: keith sweat, keith sweat album, 1996, flac,

Keith Sweat - Still In The Game (1998)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: R&B
Label Number: 62262-2

© 1998 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Michael Gallucci
While most R&B lovermen, except for the very elite few who are able to cross generations, fall apart after a few years of serving up bedroom-ready mood warmers, Keith Sweat is still capable of making decent records a decade into his career. He knows the secret of a good slow-groove album: seduction on the most intimate of levels. And on Still in the Game, Sweat goes one-on-one with his audience, playing into their hearts and souls with his typically smooth-croon grandeur. It all sounds a bit familiar (as well as a bit programmed) -- and the Jermaine Dupri, Erick Sermon and Too Short cameos add absolutely nothing to Sweat's sweet mix -- but there's a cool sexuality in his grooves and moves. And on the opening "Come and Get with Me," Sweat (with a little help from Snoop Dogg) spins R&B-hip-hop into a wondrous orbit.

tags: keith sweat, still in the game, 1998, flac,

Faster Pussycat - Wake Me When It's Over (1989)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: E2 60883

© 1989 Elektra Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Faster Pussycat's second album, Wake Me When It's Over, was a little less consistent than their debut; although a great deal of '80s hard rock was quite commercial, several songs here seem a little too calculated and insincere for their own good. The same triumvirate of influences as before dominate this album -- Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith, Guns N' Roses -- and the band scored its first hit with the power ballad "House of Pain."

tags: faster pussycat, wake me when its over, 1989, flac,

Faster Pussycat - The Power & The Glory Hole (2006)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock, Industrial Rock
Label Number: FE0100

© 2006 Full Effect Records
AllMusic Review by Greg Prato
The last time Faster Pussycat reared its hairsprayed head on record, it was 1992 (with that year's Whipped). But with grunge rock making hair metallists of the '80s obsolete in one fell swoop, Faster Pussycat -- like many of their glam ham pals -- disappeared. However, in 2006 (nearly 14 years after their last album), Faster Pussycat issued their fourth studio effort, The Power and the Glory Hole. Calling the band "Faster Pussycat"is a bit of false advertising, as the only gentleman who is still in attendance from past Pusycat platters is singer Taime Downe. And as evidenced by his post-Pussycat outfit, the Newlydeads,Downe received an industrial rock makeover along the way, and there is certainly a heavy electro vibe heard throughout Power (especially the album opener "Number 1 with a Bullet"). But Downe and his comrades still specialize in sleaze, as evidenced by such dirty ditties as the title track, "Sex Drugs & Rock N' Roll," "Porn Star," and especially the Shakespearian title, "Shut Up & Fuck." Whereas they used to be just solely glam, with Power and the Glory Hole, Faster Pussycat have morphed into a slightly different style, best described as "industrial-glam."

tags: faster pussycat, the power and the glory hole, 2006, flac,

Wildside - Under The Influence (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
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© 1992 Capitol Records
Review by Rob Rockitt for Hard Rock Hideout.com
One of the discs that I still play from time to time is the glam metal release by Wildside, called Under the Influence. If Under the Influence was released five years earlier, Wildside would have been a household name. Armed with a sound that was a mixture between RATT and Cinderella, they had the sound, and the look to make it big. Sadly, this disc was released right at the time that the music scene was going through the change to Grunge, and the disc did not gain the success is deserved. The CD was produced by Andy Johns (Cinderella, Van Halen, L.A. Guns), and even had a little writing help by Paul Stanley on the track Clock Strikes. I picked this disc up after hearing a few cuts on he syndicated hard rock station Z-Rock. This disc has remained in my play list ever since. In 2007, Under the Influence is becoming increasingly harder to find, and averages between 20 – 30 dollars on Ebay. It is a disc worth seeking out, if you missed it the first time around. The band put out a second release in 1995, that was a change in sound (more grunge, than glam) that completely bombed, and the band broke up. In 2004, another disc, The Wasted Years surfaced that contained some demos and live cuts, as well as Wildside’s version of the G ‘N R song Crash Diet. The released Under the Influence is the best release by the band, and is the release most people are still looking for. My favorite cuts off of this disc are, Hang on Lucy, Just Another Night, Hair of the Dog, and Clock Strikes. You can hear some of the tunes off of the Under the Influence at a fan made Wildside page on myspace. Buy this disc if you can find it. You won’t be disappointed!

tags: wildside, under the influence, 1992, flac,

September 01, 2018

Slaughter - The Wild Side (1992)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CDP-21911
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© 1992 Chrysalis Records
*No professional reviews available for this release.

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Slaughter - Fear No Evil (1995)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CMC 7403
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© 1995 CMC Interantional Records
AllMusic Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
During the alternative boom of the early '90s, Slaughter's pop audience simply disappeared, as did their major-label contract. To retaliate, Slaughter stuck together and became one of the first hair metal bands to sign with CMC International, an independent label who decided to preserve pop-metal for the late '90s. Fear No Evil, the first record Slaughter released on CMC, isn't a triumphant comeback, but it isn't bad either. They never were among the best pop-metal groups, lacking the hooks and charisma to make it to the top, but Fear No Evil shows that they could rock harder than anyone would have expected. Stylistically, there is no change -- these are the same three-chord rockers as before -- but they hit harder now, and the result is a record more enjoyable than The Wild Life, if not as catchy and well-constructed as Stick It to Ya.

tags: slaughter, fear no evil, 1995, flac,

Slaughter - Back To Reality (1999)

*Canadian pressing. 
Contains 12 tracks total.
Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: BG2 86276
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© 1999 CMC International Records
AllMusic Review by Steve Huey
Encouraged by their continued success as a touring unit, Slaughter reorganized following the tragic death of guitarist Tim Kelly with Back to Reality, which introduces new guitarist Jeff Blando. Regardless, it's still the same old Slaughter, albeit a touch heavier than they were in their hit-making prime -- they're catering to hard rock radio rather than power-ballad-hungry Top 40 programmers (which actually serves them well). Still, it's knowing their audience that's kept Slaughter around this long, and that audience wants straight-ahead, melodic, meat-and-potatoes hard rock. So even if most of the music on Back to Reality will sound somewhat rote and by the numbers to listeners who have no appetite for '80s-style pop-metal in 1999, it simply wouldn't pay for the band to take any chances or alter their sound -- and, actually, as Back to Reality proves, they're still pretty good at it, delivering decent songs and convincing performances demonstrating that they aren't just phoning it in. There's nothing earth-shattering here, but the level of quality is pleasantly surprising, and certainly not that far below their commercial heyday.

tags: slaughter, back to reality, 199, flac,

Slaughter - Revolution (1997)

Country: U.S.A.
Genre: Hard Rock
Label Number: CMC 06076-86214-2
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© 1997 CMC International/BMG Records
Review by Allmusic.com
Slaughter's 1995 FEAR NO EVIL showed that the band had much more substance than your average pop metal band of the early '90s, as it spiked its arena rock with unexpected twists and turns. On its 1997 follow up, REVOLUTION, the band takes a cue from a track on its previous release, "It'll Be Alright," and explores its Beatles fixation more freely.
A retro/psychedelic vibe permeates the album, clearly evident on such highlights as "American Pie" and the long and winding epic "Heaven it Cries." But Slaughter didn't completely turn its back on its previous direction, as evidenced by such tracks as the ballad "Can We Find a Way," and the rocking title track. Sadly, REVOLUTION would be the last studio album that guitarist Tim Kelly would appear on before his untimely death a year later.

tags: slaughter, revolution, 1997, flac,