Music Now!

Archive for June, 2011

THE GREAT KAT’S “METAL MESSIAH” IS #1

ON WMUC RADIO’S “HEADBANGING ECSTASTY” PLAYLIST!

He Wang, DJ, WMUC

“Metal Messiah“ – Hit Song From The Great Kat’s Speed Guitar Masterpiece “WORSHIP ME OR DIE!” CD!

The Great Kat Guitar Goddess:

“Top 10 Fastest Shredders Of All Time” (Guitar One Magazine)

“50 Fastest Guitarists Of All Time” (Guitar World Magazine)

“The 100 Wildest Guitar Heroes” (Classic Rock Magazine)

“12 Greatest Female Electric Guitarists” (Elle Magazine)

Juilliard graduate violin virtuoso/Concertmaster of the Juilliard Pre-College Orchestra

Winner of the Artists International Competition on Violin/Carnegie Recital Hall Debut on Solo Violin

PRESS REVIEWS:

-”Wow! Very rarely does a DVD come along that inspires the old ‘You’ll have to see it to believe it!’ But such is the case with The Great Kat’s Beethoven’s Guitar Shred, an amazing display of speedy guitar wizardry. Kat slices and dices the Paganini composition with precision on guitar but she also plays a violin part that makes Charlie Daniels’ fiddle-off with the devil on ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia’ look like a molasses-dripping contest.” – Kevin Wierzbicki, antiMUSIC

-”The Great Kat rises again as Beethoven gets the guitar shred treatment on DVD. If you like heavy metal, distorted guitars and wild ladies in bondage gear, we have just about the perfect DVD for you – The Great Kat’s Beethoven’s Guitar Shred. Kat’s ‘shredding’ style is based on her classical violin education, now put to use mangling the greats of classical music into a nerve-jarring aural assault of finger-blisteringly fast electric noise. It is something you’ll want to watch over and over again, as much for Kat’s scantily-clad, blood-spattered dominatrix stage persona as for her blistering performances.” – Chris Jenkins, Home Cinema Choice

-”The Great Kat. She is the Juilliard-trained guitar shredder goddess of great note and can play ‘The Flight of the Bumblebee’ at 300 beats per minute. I was charged by her ‘Bloody Vivaldi’ release with ‘The Four Seasons’ for violin, chamber orchestra and band. She’s all over it and it’s fast, amazing and memorable. Sarasate’s ‘Carmen Fantasy’ is another classic twist. Pictured in a black bikini and chains on the back, The Great Kat’s long, golden hair is as wild as her playing is meticulous. Kat is still shocking. She’s already tackled ‘Beethoven’s Guitar Shred’ and other familiar artists.” – Darragh Doiron, The Port Arthur News

Janet Jackson has released her most recent album entitled Velvet Rope.

This one grabs your attention right from the very beginning with Velvet Rope and doesn’t let go until the very last note of the very last song Special, which is another great track by the way.

Janet Jackson is one of those musicians that has the ability to just win you over with her talent. The kind of artist it’s really a treat to be able to listen to.

This is a first rate CD, delivering a little something for everyone. I give it two thumbs up. It’s quite simply great listening. A must buy for the Rock fan.

While this entire album is outstanding some of my favorites are track 6 – My Need, track 17 – Tonight’s The Night, and track Velvet Rope – Special

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 2 – Velvet Rope. Wow!

Velvet Rope Release Notes:

Janet Jackson originally released Velvet Rope on October 7, 1997 on the Virgin Records label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Interlude-Twisted Elegance 2. Velvet Rope – (featuring Vanessa-Mae) 3. You 4. Got ‘Til It’s Gone – (featuring Q-Tip/Joni Mitchell) 5. Interlude-Speaker Phone 6. My Need 7. Interlude-Fasten Your Seatbelts 8. Go Deep 9. Free Xone 10. Interlude-Memory 11. Together Again 12. Interlude-Online 13. Empty 14. Interlude-Full 15. What About 16. Every Time 17. Tonight’s The Night 18. I Get Lonely 19. Rope Burn 20. Anything 21. Interlude-Sad Velvet Rope. Special

Personnel includes: Janet Jackson (vocals); Q-Tip (rap vocals); Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis (various instruments); Mike Scott, Dave Barry, O. Nicholas Raths (guitar); Vanessa Mae, Hanley Daws, Brenda Mickens, Michael Sobieski, Elizabeth Sobieski, Carolyn Daws, Leslie Shank, Daria Tedeschi, Jan Chong (violin); Alice Preves, Myrna Rain, Glen Donnellen, Charles Gray (viola); Josh Koestenbaum, Daryl Skobba, Dale Newton, Camilla Heller (cello); Ken Holmen (flute, clarinet, saxophone); Lynne Erickson (trumpet); James “Big Jim” Wright (organ, keyboards, background vocals); Gary Raynor (bass); Alex Richbourg (drum programming, background vocals); Xavier Smith (drum programming); The United Children’s Choir (background vocals); Joni Mitchell.

Producers: Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Janet Jackson.

Recorded at Flyte Tyme Studios, Edina, Minnesota.

The exceptionally talented Rock group Counting Crows have released their CD entitled This Desert Life. I am very confident and happy to announce that I believe Counting Crows fans, and Rock fans alike will be pleased with this one. With the release of This Desert Life their artistic excellence is on full display as they have once again delivered a brilliant collection of tracks that could very well be their best work to date.

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

These days it’s a very rare CD on which every single song is good or better than the one before it. This CD is certainly one of those rare CDs.

If you’re a Counting Crows fan, or just a fan of Rock music this is a CD your collection simply should not be without.

While this entire CD is really very good some of my favorites are track 3 – Amy Hit The Atmosphere, track 8 – I Wish I Was A Girl, and track 10 – St. Robinson In His Cadillac Dream

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Hanginaround. Great track!

This Desert Life Release Notes:

Counting Crows originally released This Desert Life on November 2, 1999 on the DGC (David Geffen Company) label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Hanginaround 2. Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby 3. Amy Hit The Atmosphere 4. Four Days 5. All My Friends 6. High Life 7. Colorblind 8. I Wish I Was A Girl 9. Speedway 10. St. Robinson In His Cadillac Dream

Counting Crows: Adam Duritz (vocals, piano); David Bryson (acoustic, electric, 12-string & slide guitars); Dan Vickrey (acoustic & electric guitars, sitar, background vocals); Matt Malley (12-string guitar, bass, background vocals); Ben Mize (drums, percussion, background vocals).

Additional personnel: David Immergluck (pedal steel & electric guitars, bass); Joel Derouin, Eve Butler (violin); Matt Funes (viola); Larry Corbett (cello); Dennis Herring (keyboards); David Lowery, Chris Seerfried, Gary DeRosa, Cinjun Tate, Charles Gillingham (background vocals).

Recorded in Hollywood, California in 1998.

Korn, the richly talented Rock group have released their latest album titled Untouchables and Wow! It’s good.

Refreshingly, this was one of those CDs I was able to just pop in and comfortably listen to from beginning to end. Every track is enjoyable and was pretty easy for me to listen to from start to finish.

Untouchables is a nicely varied, mix of 15 tracks that are very well written and brilliantly performed songs by these clearly gifted musicians. With many of the songs displaying a lot of the kind emotion that makes for a really great listen. Clearly drawing from what I can only imagine are their own real life experiences. At different points touching on the most real emotions of love, heartbreak, pain, failed relationships and unattainable romance. They’re all here.

Overall Untouchables is excellent from beginning to end. One of those CDs that after a few listens the songs are just etched into your memory. A must have for the Rock fan. Really sensational from beginning to end.

While the entire CD is outstanding some of my favorites are track 5 – Bottled Up Inside, track 8 – One More Time, and track 15 – Here To Stay

My Bonus Pick, and the one that got Sore [...as in "Stuck On REpeat"] is track 1 – Here To Stay. Good stuff!

Untouchables Release Notes:

Korn originally released Untouchables on June 11, 2002 on the Epic label.

CD Track List Follows:

1. Here To Stay 2. Make Believe 3. Blame 4. Hollow Life 5. Bottled Up Inside 6. Thoughtless 7. Hating 8. One More Time 9. Alone I Break 10. Embrace 11. Beat It Upright 12. Wake Up Hate 13. I’m Hiding 14. No One’s There 15. Here To Stay – (remix, hidden track)

Untouchables Album Notes This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.

Korn: Jonathan Davis (vocals); James Shaffer, Brian “Head” Welch (guitar); Fieldy (bass); David Silveria (drums).

Recorded at Conway Studio, Hollywood, California and The Village, Los Angeles, California.

Coming on the heels of the Rolling Stones’ most acclaimed album Exile On Main Street and a four album winning streak, Goats Head Soup had the deck stacked against it from the beginning as the reviews were less than enthusiastic with some critics proclaiming it the band’s worst album since 1967′s Their Satanic Majesties Request. First off, Their Satanic Majesties Request was not a bad album, and neither is Goats Head Soup. As a matter fact, it is very good-and on top of this it shows Mick Jagger and Keith Richards going in different directions, as Jagger is ascending up the celebrity A-list while Richards is slipping deeper into drug addiction.

There are moments that border on the rock n’ roll decadence parody that the subsequent It’s Only Rock ‘n Roll would bring to the surface as the opening track, “Dancing With Mr D.” “Dancing” would take the band’s (namely Jagger’s) satanic image to comic extremes while the closing track “Star Star” (originally titled “Starf___er”) celebrated their (and many other celebrities’) decadent lifestyle in an over-the-top sexually explicit manner. Aside from those two tracks there are beautiful songs: such as the haunting “100 Years Ago”; the smash hit ballad “Angie” which Jagger wrote for Anita Pallenberg (who was married to Keith Richards at the time!); the majestic and drugged out tracks “Winter” (which recalls “Moonlight Mile” on Sticky Fingers) and Keith’s vocal contribution “Coming Down Again”; and the murky psychedelia of “Can You Hear The Music.” Of course there is always good blues rock as “Silver Train” and “Hide Your Love” best demonstrate.

The highpoint along with maybe “Angie” is the socially conscious funky hard-rocker “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker)” which deals with the grit and filth of 1970s New York City, namely the accidental shooting of a young boy by the police.

While Goats Head Soup might be a notch below Exile, it is much more accessible, not to mention, a great album.