You Were Robbed - Amanda Marshall

"You Were Robbed" features artists and bands that should have gotten much more recognition and fame than they did. Check them out now...better late than never!


While quite famous in her native Canada, Amanda Marshall has not come close to reaching similar heights here in the US. Marshall was 'discovered' by another famous Canadian musician, the late great Jeff Healey. Her self-titled debut album appeared in 1995, pleasing the ears of many of our friends up North. Marshall has an astonishing voice that could stop traffic - it is soulful, but with a raspy rock edge. She delivers every song with sincere conviction and gravitates to those with memorable melodies. Her debut has a great mix of acoustic guitar and piano, perked up with some electric guitar for an extra punch every now and then. Just listen to tracks like "Let It Rain", "Birmingham", and "Sitting On Top Of The World".

Her 1999 sophomore effort, "Tuesday's Child" was almost as good, featuring more powerful pop rock gems like "Believe In You", "Love Lift Me", and my favorite, "If I Didn't Have You". Overall, this record is more ballad-rich, with lots of strings and glossy production. Some of that "organic" feel of the debut was compromised, but most of the songs are still strong and her voice is brilliant as always. She also had Desmond Child, Eric Bazilian (Hooters), and Carole King helping out with the songwriting, and Richie Sambora (Bon Jovi) playing guitar on "Why Don't You Love Me".

Marshall's third release, "Everybody's Got a Story" (2001), however, was a dramatic course change deep into R&B territory. I was not a fan of it. While there is a greatest hits compilation out there called "Intermission", I recommend you just pick up her first two albums - each is a masterpiece and available for pennies in used CD stores.

Amanda Marshall is reportedly in the studio cooking up a new release. Here's hoping that 2010 will be her year.

Marshall

Amanda Marshall: Official site.

Check out the video for "Let It Rain":

Review: Meat Loaf "Bat Out Of Hell III"

No one needs an introduction to Meat Loaf, the atypical rock star most famous for his original 1977 opus, "Bat Out Of Hell." Despite several other releases in the 80s, Meat Loaf pretty much found himself shoved into the back of the fridge with a half eaten rotting block of cheese. The 90s "sequel" to the 1977 blockbuster record brought Meat Loaf back into the limelight in a massive way. But once again, the follow-up efforts could not hold a candle to Bat II, and Meat Loaf was getting colder by the minute. The logic behind entitling the next record "Bat III" was more transparent than Saran wrap.

And you know what? It should have worked. This is a damn good album. Meat Loaf pours his heart and soul into this baby and recruited some of the biggest folks in the industry to record it. Shamefully, despite a solid debut at # 8 on the album charts in 2006, the CD has only gone gold and yielded no hit singles.

In the Meat Loaf tradition, he tries to deliver an album of epic proportions. Huge, sweeping songs with unexpected bridges and twists keep things interesting. The hooks are very strong for most of the songs, with backing vocals and harmonies galore. The songs are so dramatic one could argue it is to a fault and just too over the top. And some of the ultra-heavy rockers just stick out like sore thumbs, making the record as a whole inconsistent. For example, I can't shift gears from the heaviest song the Loaf has ever done ("The Monster Is Loose") to his cover of the Celine Dion (!) song, "It's All Coming Back To Me Now" (video - don't worry...it's the Meat Loaf version).

Bottom line: when the song works, it really works. Meat Loaf sings his lungs out and if you've enjoyed the theatrical sounds of the previous Bat records, you will like most of this one.

iPOD-worthy: 2, 4, 5, 8, 9, 11

Meat Loaf on MeatSpace...I mean MySpace. Official site.

Review: Scorpions "Humanity Hour 1"

I am stunned. Andrew at Melodicrock.com got me curious about this CD, which he gave a rave review to recently. In addition, it is on sale at Best Buy now (with a bonus track) for just $7.99. I'll put in a disclaimer here that no Scorpions CD has ever excited me beyond the hits compilations. For me, they've been a band that can occasionally come up with a good tune, but most of the other tracks on individual records just didn't do anything for me. Further, the juvenile cock rock lyrics that permeate most of their songs just don't make them worth listening to.

All that has changed with the 2007 release "Humanity Hour 1". The band sounds more wiser than older, and I am beside myself that they have pulled off such a 180. I was actually laughing out loud at how good this is, proud in a way of what these guys have done. Instantly evident in their maturity is the more intelligent and reflective lyrical content, and an amazingly good updated sound. You read about aging rockers "modernizing" their sound all the time, but it usually fails because they lose the essence of what their fans enjoy most about them (or the "modernizing" is an over-statement or sounds forced). Not so with "Humanity." The sound of the band is certainly more modern, but all that is good about the Scorpions, including their trademark sound, has somehow been retained and shines through.

The sonic quality on this CD is astounding, and these seasoned rockers sound tons better than their younger counterparts. An urgency and energy comes through in nearly every track. The production team of James Michael and Desmond Child work like a match made in heaven with the Scorpions. Most tracks have a heavier, driving guitar sound, augmented at key intervals with ringing acoustic guitars. Clever harmonies, superb lead guitar work, and great hooks abound. Highlights include the title track (and current single), "Hour 1," "The Game of Life," "The Future Never Dies," and "The Cross," all of which form a mini-concept album warning us about the cold advances of technology and the widespread adaptation of the "business model" dissolving the human spirit of individuals. Long time fans are rewarded with a straight-forward salute to rock and roll with "321," and those who enjoyed the ballad "Winds of Change" or "Send Me An Angel" will equally be turned on by "Your Last Song" and "You're Lovin' Me To Death." The only track that doesn't do much for me is "We Will Rise Again," although the title is foreshadowing of what the Scorpions have done with their career here.

The Scorpions are on tour, and you can track other news at their web site.

A video performance is available for the title track, "Humanity":