Review: Mecca “Undeniable”

Melodic rock/AOR
Back in 2002, the melodic rock world embraced a new band called Mecca, specializing in polished AOR rooted in the classic 80s sound but with a contemporary flair. Formed by vocalist Joe Vana, he enlisted, among others, the services of former Toto members David Hungate (bass) and Fergie Frederiksen on vocals and close friend and former Survivor founding member Jim Peterik, who contributed masterfully to the songwriting and production of the album. With such heavy hitters, the project could do no wrong.

Fans have been salivating for a new Mecca record ever since and now – 6 long years later – their dream has come true. Despite numerous setbacks, Vana continued charging forward to make this long-awaited follow up record, enlisting the talents of session masters such as Pat Mastellotto (King Crimson, Mr. Mister), Tony Levin (Peter Gabriel, King Crimson), along with Tommy Denander and Wolff. His core band was also created around Rick Vitek on drums, Brian Moritz on keyboards, Wally Hustin on bass, Eric Ragno on keyboards, Mark Alano on guitar and Joe’s son (Joey) on guitars and backing vocals.

The sophomore record wastes no time in regaining the foothold Mecca had that captivated audiences many years ago. “Perfect World” boasts engaging melodies augmented by slick production and smooth vocals. “Closing Time” flexes more guitar muscle, but not at the expense of a memorable chorus. Admirably reaching beyond their comfort zone are tracks like “Life’s Too Short”, which experiments with spoken word verses flanking a majestic chorus – it took me aback at first, but a second listen and I warmed up to this track fast. “I Know” slips right back into late 80s Toto and stands out as one of the best mid-tempo numbers on the record. Even though it clocks in over 6 minutes, “Did It For Love” is so masterfully written that you’ll want the song to continue nonetheless. Far and away the heaviest track in the bunch, “W2W” (which stands for wire to wire) is a blistering explosion of AOR strong enough to shake anyone out of a slumber and shows yet another side of this dynamic group.

“Undeniable” is described as an album that perfectly melts the outstanding High-Tech AOR approach of Mr. Mister’s “Welcome to the Real World” to the commercial brilliance of Toto’s “The Seventh One”. After hearing the record, I can’t argue with this description – it is close to a masterpiece. Fans of the debut are going to love it, and if you haven’t experienced Mecca before, now is the time! And one more thing…Mecca III is already underway!

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 9

Mecca – Facebook.

Review: Bobby Kimball and Jimi Jamison “Kimball Jamison”

Melodic rock/AOR
The teaming up of Bobby Kimball (Toto) and Jimi Jamison (Survivor) promises to be one of the most discussed alliances in the AOR world. Their debut record, simply entitled “Kimball Jamison” comes out on Frontier Records October 18.

Fans expecting the classic 80s AOR sound epitomized by their home bands are going to be in for a surprise. The big melodic choruses and lyrical content have been conserved, but the music has been catapulted into the modern age. The guitars sound fresh and gritty, constituting some of the hardest edge rock either of these guys has ever been associated with in the past. In my opinion, the results are fantastic and give this project a unique identity to call its own, rather than a strict mash up of the styles of Toto and Survivor.

Of course we are dealing with two titans in the vocal arena – Kimball and Jamison sound absolutely amazing, and take turns at lyrical lines in nearly every song making it a true 50/50 split of talent. Even better, most of song were written to contain a few sweet spots where Kimball or Jamison can really hold that high note and shine. For this we can thank ace songwriters such as Richard Page (Mr Mister), Jim Peterik (Survivor), Randy Goodrum (Steve Perry, Toto), John Waite, Erik Martensson (W.E.T.) and Robert Sall (Work of Art).

The guys come out with both guns blazing on “Worth Fighting For”, where loud guitars enhanced by keyboards drive a thundering song that wonders about whether we found that special someone (a sequel to “Is This Love”, perhaps?). Followed by the aggressive “Can’t Wait For Love” (video below), we have a superb introduction to what Kimball Jamison is all about. This is the kind of song I bet Survivor fans were hoping for on their last album “Reach”. Fans of either singer should be smiling ear to ear by now, but there are more gems to follow. While each song has its moments, the ones that really stand out for me include the mid-tempo treat laced with great backing vocals, “I Did Everything Wrong”, “We Gotta Believe”, and the majestic power ballad “Find Another Way”. But perhaps the best here is the encouragement anthem “Get Back In The Game” – this splendid rocker should find a home on the “Rocky VII” soundtrack.

I hope this is not a one-off record. The chemistry between Kimball and Jamison, coupled with their instincts for potent melodies and their sheer vocal power, makes the pair an unbeatable melodic rock dream team.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10

Sites for: Bobby Kimball and Jimi Jamison

Check out the video “Can’t Wait For Love”

Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview

House of Lords “Big Money” - House of Lords debuted in 1989 with the release of the self-titled album, a record which is still regarded as one of the best arena rock releases of the 80s, up there with frontrunners like Whitesnake, Deep Purple, and Van Halen. The band has a varied and spotty catalogue ever since, with frequent lineup changes and oscillating musical styles to match. Some releases are downright catchy arena rock whereas others are less melodious prog rock. This month the band will add “Big Money” to its discography, which feels like a blend of their mixed melodic and prog rock past. The trademark vocals of James Christian sound finer than ever, and he is surrounded by updated guitar sounds and pounding beats. James teamed up again on the songwriting with long-time friend and partner Mark Baker along with the other band members Jimi Bell and BJ Zampa for this release. While “Big Money” rocks through and through, several of the tunes are overly long and burdened with less than compelling riffs. Standouts include “First To Cry”, “The Next Time I Hold You”, “Run For Your Life”, and “Once Twice”. More info on House of Lords can be found here.

Surprise of the week
Motley Crue guitarist Mick Mars is recording with latest American Idol winner James Durbin. Get the scoop here.

News
R.E.M. has broken up. Hard to believe…read about it from the band member’s perspectives here.

New “best of” collection coming from Paul Simon October 24. Details and track listing here.

Get a taste of the Lou Reed and Metallica project, “Lulu” here. It’s only 30 seconds, but confirms my worst fears about this collaboration.

Love this article at Popdose about Survivor’s underrated ballad “Ever Since The World Began” (video below).

INXS have sacked their singer JD Fortune for the second time. Story here.

Where are they now? Colin Hay (Men At Work) released a new video. Check it out here.

Toto collides with Survivor – Kimball Jamison. Debut video!


Random iPOD song of the week
Survivor “Ever Since The World Began” from the album “Eye of the Tiger”


Reminder: we’re now on Twitter! Follow us for even more updates, news, and reviews!

Odds and Ends

Each week I use this space to post some mini-reviews, cool tracks, random thoughts, neat news, or whatever else I damn well please.

MiniReview



Frank Palangi “Frank Palangi EP” [EP] – Frank Palangi is a solo rock artist from upstate New York cranking out a loud modern rock sound in the same vein as Creed and Godsmack. His self-titled EP was produced alongside Rogers Masson, who has worked with the likes of Marilyn Manson, and The Mavericks. The tracks are powerful and Palangi has a throaty vocal tone that is a cross between Daughtry and Scott Stapp. Some of his darker tunes, such as “Driving These Lines” sound like Marilyn Manson but without the crazy theatrics. While the songs are bold and lyrics interesting, there are two issues that dampen my enthusiasm. One, Palangi’s vocals just don’t do it for me – it sounds like he is imitating too much rather than trying to find his own voice. Two, despite their strong presence, most of the songs lack a sharp memorable hook. I hear potential in here though and wish Palangi luck in reaching his fullest level. If you like the aforementioned bands, Palangi’s EP is worth checking out. The release date for the EP has not been scheduled yet, but should be out before the end of 2011. You can catch the latest updates at Palangi’s Facebook page.

Surprise of the week
A picture is worth 1000 words? How about $360,000? That is how much some rare Beatles photos fetched. Read the story here.

News
Can’t wait for this one! Queens of the 80s, The Bangles, return September 13 with a new album! Even better, this one was recorded by Matthew Sweet. Full story and track listing here.

One of the best modern rock bands around. If you haven’t discovered Manic Street Preachers yet, this singles collection arriving this fall would serve as a great introduction. Check it out here.

The debut solo release from Fall Out Boy’s Patrick Stump will be called “Soul Punk” and drops October 17. He admits, "You may hate my solo music, [but] you may like the next Fall Out Boy record because of it." That’s clever marketing? More details here.

New ZZ Top is on the way! Billy Gibbons tells Mojo magazine, "It sounds and feels like Tres Hombres, with a few elements of the Eliminator period thrown in. A pretty wide range, from basic blues to slightly more fancy stuff.” Read more about it here and give the single “Flyin’ High” a listen here.

September 20th marks the release of “Mockingbird Time”, the long-awaited new album from The Jayhawks. The 12-track album is the first full-band studio release featuring both founding members Gary Louris and Mark Olson since 1995's “Tomorrow the Green Grass”. Read all about it here.

Should be an AOR fan’s dream: Toto's Bobby Kimball and Survivor's Jimi Jamison have teamed up for a duets album that will be release on October 14th in Europe and October 18th in North America. Details here.

Random iPOD song of the week
Awesome song that should have been a huge hit for The Outfield. “My Paradise” is about going back to your old stomping grounds.

Review: Nelson “Lightning Strikes Twice”

September, 1990. The Cold War officially ends, Bush is about to put Iraq in its place, “Ditto” becomes the response to everyone’s “I love you”, and Nelson’s shimmering song, "(Can't Live Without Your) Love and Affection", from their smash hit album “After The Rain”, was at the top of the Billboard music charts. Now, twenty years later, twins Matthew and Gunnar Nelson are back on the radar, hoping to create another storm with their Frontiers debut, “Lightning Strikes Twice”.

Nelson was by no means a “one-hit wonder” – three other very successful singles from their triple-platinum debut were all over MTV and radio throughout 1990 and 1991. Their follow-up record, 1995’s “Because They Can” was a solid effort, but the Seattle grunge bands had already ushered in a new era. “Because They Can” didn’t stand a chance and the Nelson brothers went into a tailspin and identity crisis, dabbling in darker concept albums (“Imaginator”), country fried rock (“Brother Harmony”), and even covering their famous father’s tunes from the Golden Era of Rock N Roll (“Like Father, Like Sons”).

Thankfully, despite two decades of waiting, Nelson have gone back to their AOR roots and crafted a record that any fan of “After The Rain” is going to love unconditionally. If giving the fans of your first record what they want is the barometer of success, “Lightning Strikes Twice” is a remarkable achievement. Any fan of music should stand in admiration of the magical harmonies Matthew and Gunnar produce, but this time out the twins put that talent to good use in songs that are just dripping with sugary melodies. The song structures resemble everything fans of AOR – past and present – could possibly want. As soon as you hear the ringing guitars and their trademark “whoa-oh oh oh” harmonies on the opener “Call Me”, you know Nelson is going to deliver on their promise. Their first music video in 15 years was filmed to “You’re All I Need Tonight” (see it below), a slice of pure AOR heaven. For you ballad lovers, there is an epic one that would make even Bon Jovi weak in the knees called “To Get Back To You”, which also features AOR master Steve Lukather (Toto) on guitar. The highlights keep coming with superb cuts like “When You’re Gone”, “Take Me There”, and “Change A Thing”.

As the third generation of Nelsons to have #1 hits, the boys do the family proud with this sensational comeback album. 1990 would have been as good to this record as it was to “After The Rain” – maybe even better. Perhaps the winds of musical change will blow once again at the backs of the Nelson twins. As they sang in 1990, “Only time will tell…”

More good news for Nelson fanatics…Frontiers Records will release two more Nelson albums to in Europe on December 3rd: “Before the Rain”, the demo collection of songs that secured their recording deal with Geffen Records in 1990, and “Perfect Storm – After the Rain World Tour 1991”,a live concert album. A North American release will follow in February 2011, as a complement to the release of “Lightning Strikes Twice”.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11

Nelson on MySpace. Official site. New “kick ass” website.

Check out the video for “You’re All I Need Tonight”

Trivia Corner: Mr. Mister Cher

In the mid to late 80s, Cher was cranking out a healthy dose of pop rock and AOR with the help of some big league players in game at the time. Her 1991 effort "Love Hurts", for example, features songs by Diane Warren and Desmond Child and production by Richie Zito and Bob Rock, staples of many a hairband.

Other familiar guests to melodic rockers will recognize the work and backing vocals of Richard Page (Mr. Mister) on the hit track "Save Up All Your Tears" and her duet, "One Small Step". "World Without Heroes" has songwriters as diverse as Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons (Kiss) and Lou Reed, with Steve Lukather on guitar (Toto) and Richard Marx on backing vocals - can you imagine all those folks in the same studio at the same time? Steve actually lends his guitar talents to many tracks on this CD. AOR master Kevin Chalfant is also credited for the track "Who You Gonna Believe".

Finally, we have a cover of the Nazareth classic, "Love Hurts" featuring Gunnar Nelson on backing vocals and Jeff Porcaro on drums. If you were a fan of Heart or any other artist/songwriter here, this CD might be worth a second listen.

Rare CD: Pointer Sisters "Energy"

This old CD from the Pointer Sisters, "Energy" is very scarce. It also features a lot of the Toto guys playing on it, placing it in high demand among PS fans as well as fans of AOR.

"(ARIOLA EXPRESS / BMG 74321 13591-2)

Printed in Germany.
Original Cover Artwork
Out of Print.Released on 1990
Original LP Released on 1978

Produced By: Richard Perry
Musicians:
David Paich (Toto)
Steve Lukather (Toto)
Jeffrey Porcaro (Toto)
David Hungate (Toto)
Steve Porcaro (Toto)

Tracks
1. Lay It On The Line
2. Dirty Work
3. Hypnotized
4. As I Come Of Age
5. Come And Get Your Love
6. Happiness
7. Fire
8. Angry Eyes
9. Echoes Of Love
10. Everybody Is A Star"

3-30-08: Sold for $324 on ebay (3 bids).

Currently selling for $559 on Amazon.com. Check now.

Review: Toto "Falling in Between"

Excellent band...excellent CD cover...excellent reviews by melodicrock.com and many others...how could I go wrong? I popped this into the player with high expectations (perhaps too high) and began scratching my head. What am I missing here?

Toto is famous for their extraordinary musicianship and songwriting skills. That comes through loud (louder than any other Toto release I've heard) and clear...but dammit...the songs just ain't there. I can't get into any of these, with possible exception of "King of the World" and "Simple Life." I've always liked Toto more when they incorporated their prog into well crafted rock songs with hooks. If you are a fan of the prog aspect of Toto, especially their earlier days when they weren't afraid to crank up the guitars, this CD is probably going to appeal to you a lot more than it did to me. Hate to say it, but I was very disappointed. The CD is hugely forgettable.

Toto on MySpace. Official site.

iPOD-worthy: 4, 6

Here is the single "Bottom of Your Soul"