Single Of The Week ~ The Whereabouts ~ Money & Fame

Hello and welcome to the first single of the week of 2015! Today I have a band I have just recently discovered for you who go by the name of The Whereabouts. This rock and roll quartet have blasted their way out of Ireland and into the music scenes and many eyes of big names and big labels. These guys are really kicking up some gears in terms of the hype they're bringing to the table considering they're only 18/19 years old. 

The band have recently signed with some impressive names in the industry including Steve Strange who has worked with the likes of Coldplay, Black Eyed Peas and Kodaline. They have also been on a string of impressive support slots for bands including Tom Odell, Imelda May, Kodaline and Imagine Dragons. The photos displayed below are from the New Years concert they performed in Dublin alongside Kodaline.

Their new single 'Money & Fame' is a very high tempo song that has no change in the speed of the track, all nice and fast paced. With some nice stabs and fills from the drums, it keeps this record spinning in my books. Its great to hear a band really trying to not change too much in a song as there are a lot of characteristics in this song already.

Photo credit: Mark Hylands

By the second listen of the track, you already know the rhythmic line from the guitar. A nice short number that's under three minutes will be a fan to any listener that enjoys the song from the off. The guitar line is the drive for the song, not too many chops and changes, but still with a driving energy.

The vocals are a main focal point with a very mature and impressive range. Same goes with the backing vocals too, everything seems to have been worked at to make it a professional sound. Recently there have been a lot of artists emerging that have that quality in their voice that sounds like the 60's again. Its a great feeling to know vocalists are starting to go back to this era, it a fantastic sound. 

Photo Credit: Mark Hylands

Though the song is just shy of three minutes long, its packed with everything that makes a good song. A catchy chorus, good lyrics to be heard from clear vocals, a wicked guitar solo smack bang in the middle and a bluesy ending. What more could you want? Don't forget that these boys are only 18/19 years of age! I can't wait to see what material they bring out in the next few years. A band to definitely keep your eyes peeled on for the next few years. 

Thank you very much for reading and until next time

Lewis 

Track | Website | Twitter

Single Of The Week ~ Joe Bonamassa & Beth Hart ~ Miss Lady

Hello and welcome to this weeks single of the week! This week I have been really getting back into an artist called Beth Hart recently and in particular one of the songs she performed with Joe Bonamassa on a duet album they made called "Miss Lady". This album came out last year and if you love soul, blues and funk then this is an album for you. 

'Miss Lady' from the first note gives you everything its got and still delivers throughout the song. They have really given this song a lot of thought with all of the breaks in it. Each individual instrument is heard clearly on this song from horns, organ, guitar, bass and of course Beth's vocals. 

The horns are a fantastic edition to the song, it really gives the song a completely new dimension. Using them for the introduction, you know that there's something special on offer. If you really focus on listening to them they're giving the song a lot of diversity and driving the song forward. They can sometimes be overshadowed by Joe's guitar playing, especially in the solo, but keeping song grooving is what it needs. 

One of the highlights of this song is Beth's incredibly soulful voice. With that rasp in her voice, it gives her vocals that edge that is so distinctive. Especially in the break down which sounds like the song is ending already, she really gives it everything she's got. It sounds like she is shouting because of that rasp in her voice, but its pure notations from her and sounds breathtaking!

I would recommend any album by her if you enjoy this song. Even on some of the more mellow songs, her voice continues to impress me. I look forward to a new album from her very soon as its been a long time coming! Even if its another collaboration album with Joe Bonamassa, it would still be an excellent piece of music on display. 

Photo Credit: Christie Goodwin

If you think from this track she is good live, I can wholeheartedly tell you she is incredible live and she's coming back to the UK for a tour next Spring! Here are the dates:

Bristol Colston Hall                         Friday May 1

Liverpool Philharmonic Hall       Sunday May 3

Glasgow O2 ABC                              Wednesday May 6

London Barbican                              Friday May 8

Leeds Academy                                Saturday May 9

Cambridge Corn Exchange           Monday May 11

Nottingham Rock City                    Wednesday May 13

You can expect to find me at the UK date for sure, I've seen her twice already too! Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis 

Beth Hart Website

Twitter

Facebook

Album Review ~ Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band ~ Goin' Home

Hello, 

Welcome to this weeks main post, I'm going to be reviewing blues band Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band and their latest album "Goin' Home" that came out this April. This album delves deep into Kenny's inspirations as he re-creates some of his favourite songs by his heroes. The album features original songs from the likes of BB King, Bo Diddley, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Lee Dorsey. 

The album starts off with a track called "Palace Of The King". An upbeat Freddie King number to get the record off to a positive and exciting start. Keeping in the style of Freddie King the guitar tones are noticeably similar in this record to how Freddie played. The horns are a great edition to the track and this whole recording sounds very full.

After that is a classic sounding Walter Jacobs (Little Walter) track that goes by the name of "Everything's Gonna Be Alright". Its got that real blues drive and shuffle that the genre is so famous for, it never gets old. This is the first track we really get a flavour for Kenny's guitar solo's and its certainly one to really get your ears listening. His tone makes it sound like a vintage guitar, but is recorded with the clear quality we have today. Kenny's voice suits this song perfectly. 

Moving onto a Willie Dixon number called "I Love The Life I Live", again that real nice blues shuffle, but with a real blast from the harmonica. The tone from that harmonica has a real delta blues background to it, it sounds like its a recording from the 40's. I personally love a harmonica that sounds as bluesy as this, its one of my favourite instruments when played in this way. Though I found it a shame the harmonica wasn't used in the previous song being a Little Walter number. Though I can't complain too much with some classic blues shuffle done very well. 

The track "The House Is Rockin'" is a fast-paced Stevie Ray Vaughan song with a lot going on in the complexity of the blues straight groove. A neat little number that is certain to get anyone up and dancing to at a live show with a nice little ending too. "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" demonstrates more of the groovy side to the Shepherd band and really getting the chance to hear the power Kenny puts into his voice. At times it overwhelmed me with the raw power he puts in, likewise with how Albert King does the same with his songs, a great cover. 

To me, when "You Done Lost Your Good Thing Now" starts, you just know its a BB King track. It has that essence about it, that feel and the guitar solo at the start that Kenny nails. This is one of the stand out tracks on the album, the guitar licks are done to perfection and has one of the best piano solo's I've heard for a very long time. Throughout the first few verses you can hear the piano in the background with a few licks that are noticeable, but that solo...damn. As well as Kenny's impressive solo, this is the perfect homage one of the great blues legends. 

"You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover" goes into more of the country/blues scene with a great Willie Dixon cover that again will certainly get your head boppin' and your feet tapping. I've found that each song on this album doesn't sound the same as the last song. This album proves that blues can be a very creative genre, a lot of people speculate blues to be just a 1,4,5 chordal system with a shuffle. Each song has been different in its own right which is great to hear and keeps the listener entertained with Kenny's impressive blues band. 

Photo Credit: Mark Seliger (All Photos)

"Looking Back" is as cool as you can get with a cover. A really nice simple blues structured song with a lot going on in the song, but with a great guitar solo's. Kenny's tone for his guitar solo's make them sound authentic, nobody else can get the sound he is getting from those guitars. His solo's are note for note perfect with each note clean as a whistle for the listener to hear. 

"Born Under a Bad Sign" was another personal favourite because its one I play in my own blues/cover band 'The Delta Sons'. Singing away and I was really trying to see what Kenny had done with the song that was different from the original. The one thing I noticed is Kenny's laid back approach on how to sing the lyrics. He presents the lyrics how someone like BB King would, coming into the lyrics at any point, but still finishing off at the same point. Singing some words longer than others and really belting some notes out. 

Kenny's reason for creating this album was to pay homage to some of the artists he grew up with and whom inspired him to start playing guitar. He and his band have done this and more. They have recorded some excellent covers, some of which really show off what those legends were about. Taking their presence in songs and re-creating them in the song, but in Kenny's own way. Some with grunge, shuffled blues or a simple 4/4 groove, each song has its own identity and can give a listener a real understanding of how diverse blues actually is. 

"Goin' Home" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band is out now and I advise you all to have a listen if you want to get into blues. These are all classic tracks from legendary blues artists and its a great album to really understand what blues is all about. 

If you enjoy Kenny's album then he has just announced a April 215 tour too. These are the dates:

Salisbury City Hall                                             Friday April 10^th  

Holmfirth Picturedrome                                Saturday April 11^th

Glasgow O2 ABC                                               Sunday April 12^th  

Aberdeen Lemon Tree                                  Monday April 13^th

London O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire        Wednesday April 15^th

Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis

Single Review ~ The Districts ~ 4th And Roebling

Hello, 

Welcome to this single review and today I have a band called The Districts. This four piece from Pennsylvania have been together since 2009 and got signed to Fat Possum Records in 2013 after their impressive style of indie/blues rock.

The single '4th And Roebling' is taken from their latest album 'A Flourish and A Spoil' and certainly caught my attention when I was sent this song for a review. The song starts off with some nice bass lines accompanied by some background beats and tambourine. 

When the guitar starts to enter the scene, its building up to something quite unique. This four piece are really taking your ears on a little rollercoaster. Building up the tension for a split second by cranking it up and then bringing it back down to a softer tone from the guitar. Rob Grote (vocals) has a great vocal range for the band and really gives this band an identity. 

The vocals are used with a nice tone on the microphone to not make it sound crystal clear, a little bit of distortion gives his voice that real grit. You can tell there's power in those vocals that is great to hear from an indie band as a lot tend to stay at one level, but its getting pushed to the limit. 

The chorus' are what make the song, a lot of noise, great guitar tones and getting everything turned up a notch from the verses. The band is really putting a distinct barrier between what is the verse and chorus. Though they come into each other very quickly, there is no warning when its being cranked up for those chorus'. There is a very nice instrumental/guitar solo building up to the eruption of the ending chorus to really end it on a high note.

All in all its a great track that you should go check out! I'll leave a link below for the track. "4th And Roebling" is out on the 9th/10th February on Fat Possum Records. If you can't wait till February then check out their EP they released at the beginning of this year. 


Thanks for reading and until next time. 

Lewis 


Soundcloud link: www.soundcloud.com/fatpossum/the-districts-4th-and-roebling

Fat Possum website: www.fatpossum.com

Single Of The Week ~ Joanne Shaw Taylor ~ Mud Honey

Hello and welcome to the new segment on my blog called "Single Of The Week". Where every Friday if a song has caught my eye (and it may not be every week) then I'll be writing about it. Doesn't have to be new, its just something I've been really getting into the past week.

Lets get started with the first single of the week that comes from a blues/rock guitarist Joanne Shaw Taylor and her single called "Mud Honey" from the new album "The Dirty Truth". She has been rising up through the blues scene since her debut album 'White Sugar' 5 years ago. 

The British blues guitarist's playing has caught the eye of many music giants such as Joe Bonamassa and Stevie Wonder as an impressive feat for an established musician. She has now become the forefront female guitarist in blues, her powerful solo's and grungy rhythm sections are some of the notable things you can find in her playing. The main melody for my single of the week is nice and catchy, but not pop catchy. Just a guitar blues riff that supports the rest of the song and that's how it should be.

Joanne's voice is really captured in this single, husky, yet with a real blues spirit. Its certainly not your average voice from a female vocalist, but this isn't a bad thing. The song has a real energy and vibe throughout the song, Taylor's clear cut guitar solo's are at the forefront of the song. She doesn't hold back incase she makes a mistake, taking a risk in something she does best. 

Check out her new album "The Dirty Truth" and if you like her sound she is also playing live in the UK this November! Here are the dates in a lovely picture form!

I will have a live review of the gig at the Shephards Bush Hall very soon! I hope you can all make it to one of her gigs. 

Thanks for reading and until next time. 

Lewis 

Website: www.joanneshawtaylor.com/

Album Review ~ Philip Sayce ~ Influence

Hello!

Welcome to this weeks main review! Today I have a Welsh born musician from Canada 
who goes by the name of Philip Sayce. Sayce is a blues/rock guitarist who has been rising up in the blues scene ever since his debut album 'Innerevolution'. His songwriting style and performance have had music critics singing his praises ever since.

I wanted to start off with a quote that Sayce said in his album trailer. " Music isn't about winning a spot on The Voice or American Idol, it's a life long commitment. It's paying respects to where this music came from". 

'Influence' is packed full of blues/rock that will have you listening to the album from top to bottom. The record displays genuine triumphs of songwriting from the roots of blues and Sayce is displaying the reasons why all music originated from the blues. The album seems to be teeming with guitar riffs with a helping of grunge on the side too. 

The high quality of the songwriting in the record comes down to being well thought out, crafted and countless amounts of hours spent on each song. Sayce and his producer are lovers of vintage instruments and sounds. For this album they managed to sit down and craft out a sound with every vintage piece of equipment they either owned or could get their hands on to get the right sound for the record. 

The overall sound to the album has all the technologies of today, but with that essence of the vintage sound they have been working on. Philip's sound isn't as clear as it could be, but this is definitely a positive point. It gives his voice that edge when he wants to belt some notes out in songs such as "Green Power" and "Sailin' Shoes".

His guitar tone provides a punch throughout and has definitely pulled out everything for this record. With solid beats and fills from the drums, each instrument used in this record keeps everything tight and exciting. The drums shine through on the song 'Evil Woman', as does Philips guitar skills. Powerfully struck chords and double bass work make this song one of the clear stand outs.

Sayce's guitar techniques and tone are thoroughly enjoyed in the instrumental song "Triumph". The amount of raw emotion and effort that has gone into playing that song reminds me a lot of when Hendrix played. You can sense a lot of passion in that song that gives you excitment and love towards the album. Sayce owes this album to many of the artists he grew up with such as Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton. All of which you need to check out urgently to understand the sound that Philip has created for the album that is very influenced by those artists.

The tracks I would recommend are "Out Of My Mind", "Sailin' Shoes" , "Evil Woman" and "Triumph". These are ones to check out to get a feel of what Sayce's sound and tone is within the album. 

Overall, a blues/rock album that is high up on my list of the best albums of this decade. It displays unique songwriting abilities, the mentality of getting the vintage sounds and dedicating it to some of the best known artists in the business that would all be proud to hear. I was pleasantly surprised when I first heard the album and I hope you will too! Philip Sayce is fast becoming my new favourite guitarist and one that is bringing blues/rock back to the fore-front of music once again.

'Influence' is out now from all good record stores and online for digital download. 

A quick thank you message to Noble PR for hooking me up with Philip's album for this review. Thank you very much for reading and until next time. 

Lewis

Website: http://philipsayce.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PhilipSayceMusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/philipsayce

Album Review ~ Joe Bonamassa ~ Different Shades Of Blue

Hello, 

Welcome to blog post 34! Today I will be looking at the blues/rock giant that is Joe Bonamassa and his brand new album 'Different Shades Of Blue'. If anyone knows me personally, I am a huge Bonamassa fan of all his work and his side projects with the likes of Beth Hart and Rock Candy Funk Party (see link below for both reviews on this blog).

The main band for this album is:

Joe Bonamassa - Vocals/Guitar
Carmine Rojas - Bass
Resse Wynans - Keys
Anton Fig - Drums 

The album came out on the 22nd September and has had a range of raving reviews about the record. This has got me massively excited, especially when he was on the Paul Jones show last week on BBC Radio 2 and mentioned that all the songs were originals. In previous records, Joe has done mostly originals, but always put in 2 or 3 covers. This album is all originals which he has never done before and to me seemed a risky move to take, but seems to have paid off. 

There was a lot of speculation around the album as to whether it would be another hit album following the likes of "Driving Towards The Daylight", "Blues Deluxe" and "Had To Cry Today". One reason for this is because he teamed up with writers from Nashville who write hit songs for country singers instead of blues singers.

This didn't seem like the perfect combination, but from the interview with Paul Jones, Joe explained that it was a breath of fresh air for them. The writers had freedom because Joe didn't know what to write. Whereas the writers were used to artists coming in saying "write me a hit"! Although I wouldn't of assumed his producer (who Joe has worked with since his early albums) would let anything slip under his belt that is anything but Joe's sound. 

The beginning of this album is just a short 1 minute and 20 second instrumental to get everyone in the mood for what's to come. The song "Oh Beautiful" reminds me of Led Zeppelin's Black Dog, but obviously a lot more atmospheric and bluesy. Its very different to a lot of things he has done before, in a good way. In the interview with Paul Jones he mentions that the solo in the song was all one take with no edits, very impressive. 

A small handful of the songs on the album aren't exactly what you would call blues/rock, but still have a great sound. Though when you hear songs such as "I Gave Everything Up For You, 'Cept The Blues", that's when you know Joe in his comfort zone. Songs like this stand out from the crowd, easily. Any blues singer would naturally be comfortable with the shuffle groove or 6/8 time signature for that matter.

Songs like "Get My Back Tomorrow", "Never Give All Your Heart" and "Oh Beautiful" are real blues/rock chord based songs, perfect for his live shows which are all about the power. Where as the song "So, What Should I Do" seems a lot more personal and emotional to him and the listener.

The horns are a fantastic edition to the album, they add a new dynamic to Joe's overall sound and just makes the record become bigger and better. The album demonstrates how mature Joe's singing and guitar playing has become since his last album. Its a lot cleaner and easier to hear what he is singing about, but with the same tonalities he posses that make him 'Joe Bonamassa'. Though still with a rifling roar from his solo's on quite a few of the tracks, which most people wanted to hear (including myself).

Overall, this album is worth checking out if you're an fan like myself or want an introduction to his work. Joe's sound has improved over the years, obviously you can't get away from the classics, but there are some in the making on this album. I wouldn't say its his best work, but its a great album none the less with guitar solo's, shuffles and real blues beating throughout.

Different Shades Of Blue is out now and from all good record stores and Itunes etc. If you have the album then let me know what you thought of it! 

Thank you for reading and until next time

Lewis

Rock Candy Funk Party Review - http://justanothermuso.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/rock-candy-funk-party-we-want-grooove.html

Beth Hart Review - http://justanothermuso.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/my-favourite-artists-beth-hart.html


Website: http://jbonamassa.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JoeBonamassa

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JBonamassa

Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/JoeBonamassaTV

Album Review ~ Gregory Porter ~ Liquid Spirit

Hello!

Welcome to blog post 33, I hope everyone is doing well! Today I have a wonderful artist I discovered a few days ago called Gregory Porter who is a downright wicked jazz/soul singer! The album is full of gems and such a wonderful pick up for me to find!

Gregory Porter comes from California and was originally going to become a professional footballer, but due to injuries that put his career at an end (thank god too!). His debut album "Water" was nominated for 'Best Vocal Jazz Album' at the 53rd Grammy's! His following record titled "Be Good" was very popular in the Netherlands and got lot of recognition for his soulful jazz voice. 

His latest album Liquid Spirit has attracted a lot of attention from across the globe with a number 12 spot in the UK album charts, 8 in Germany and 7 in Denmark! Porter's breakthrough into the mainstream market is becoming apparent with much coverage on BBC Radio 2 and some on BBC Radio 6 as well. 

Liquid Spirit warms your heart, calms you down and lets you forget about your troubles. It sends you on a little journey with Gregory through the world of jazz, but on a completely different scale. In some respects the music has its own genre in the form of jazz, but I can't quite put my finger on it. I think its the soul element throughout the record that makes this album different to most jazz albums. 

Radio 2 have been pushing the song "The 'In' Crowd" which is a very fast paced jazz tune. It can really get your head nodding with the pace from the four piece. It was such a relief to hear this type of music on BBC Radio 2 during the day, they certainly brought out the stops for this song. 

The musicians in this album are amazing. I have to give a huge applause from myself of how professional and impressive the other musicians are to make this album what it is. Gregory's singing just sounds so effortless. Though his voice can't be faulted, its the perfect blend of melodic power and I'm glad he's gone down the route of jazz and soul.

A personal favourite of mine isn't exactly jazz when you first hear it, but I just instantly fell in love with the song and Gregory's voice from this song alone. The song is "Hey Laura" and it was really the reason I bought the album. I love jazz anyway, but even if I didn't, his voice convinced me to buy the whole album just from one song. Its so simple, but calming and just a perfect example of how beautiful music is. 

Songs like "Movin'", "Liquid Spirit" and "Wind Song" keep the momentum of the record going. Whilst you can easily relax and wind down to songs like "Brown Grass", "Wolfcry" and "I Fall In Love Too Easily". 

The duo of a pianist and Gregory Porter to me personally is just pure heaven. There's no other way to describe it, this album has made me realise why I fall in love with music. Beautiful pieces like this album need to be listened too and I hope everyone who reads this will agree with me. 

Let me know what you all thought of the album and if you would buy the album off the face off the one song I'll leave as the video for the review, "Hey Laura".

Until next time and thanks for reading

Lewis

Facebook - www.facebook.com/gregoryportermusic

Twitter - twitter.com/I_GregoryPorter

Youtube - www.youtube.com/user/GregoryPorterMusic

Album Review - 'Freedom Bound', Red Butler

Hello,

First off, I'd like to say thank you for the hugely positive response from my last post about Deafh, its been great to see so may people support the blog.

Today I will be talking about a young blues band that go by the name of Red Butler. An East Sussex based band that are made up of Jane Pearce (vocals), Alex Butler (guitar), Steve Eveleigh (bass) and Charlie Simpson (drums). This band have been one to look out for in the blues scene in the past year and now they have finally released their album.

The band have been vigorously touring Sussex and afar for gigs and festivals such as The Great British R&B Festival in Colne, which to me, for a band that have been together two years is a massive achievement to get into the blues scene so effectively and quickly. This is one of the reasons the album has been largely anticipated by many fans of the band.

The album 'Freedom Bound' is definitely a great blues/rock album which has been produced very well. Everything in the album seems to be in its right place. They have left one of their strongest songs 'Freedom Bound' till last on the album which is a great move as most albums tend to whither a little bit towards the end of an record. Not this one though, its ends with a very emotional and powerful song, not to say the least about the guitar solo! Oooo...that killer guitar solo!

If you enjoy guitar solos, then this is record is loaded with them! Alex Butler is the man with the riffs. He created them himself and is an exceptionally talented guitarist. The range of the musicality in the album keeps the momentum going with up-tempo songs such as "Danger Zone" and "Young and Free". Then can take it right down with the very emotional "River of Smoke" which is one of my personal favourites just for the raw emotion of the song, also Jane's singing in this song is off the scale. 

The song "Hoodoo" demonstrates Alex's guitar skills with some impressive slide work. Its very difficult to create some of the notes he plays in this track, including towards the end, but it creates a great delta blues vibe for the album. I also enjoy listening to how solid the bass and drums are together, locked in tight, keeping that train rolling.

Each song on the album has been extensively worked on for the past year or so and it really shows that they have put a lot of time and energy into this album and the songs they have created. When I hear the songs and think that they are mostly all original, I think that this band are very creative and have a great career ahead of them! So keep an eye out for them at one of their gigs or through their social pages (links below). 

The songs to check out on this album if you haven't got time to listen to the whole song are "Danger Zone", "River of Smoke", "Freedom Bound" and "Young and Free". I'm looking forward to seeing what the band has to offer in the next few years, they deserve it for the effort they put in too! Keep an eye out for these guys! 

Thanks for reading and until next time!

Lewis 

Website: http://www.redbutlermusic.co.uk/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redbutlermusic

Twitter: https://twitter.com/redbutlermusic

Instagram: http://instagram.com/REDBUTLERMUSIC

Review - Led Zeppelin II Remastered (Vinyl)

Hello!

The other day I purchased these gem of a reissued vinyl, so I thought it was too good not to review! This album, was Led Zeppelin II Remastered. I have recently got into vinyl since early 2014 and getting a beautiful vinyl player for my 21st fuelled this ever growing love for vinyl's. 

This album was released on the 2nd June 2014 along with Led Zeppelin I and III on CD and Vinyl. These reissues were packed with bonus' as well as the legendary songs from the band such as "Whole Lotta Love" and "Ramble On" on this album. These bonus' are rough copies of the songs, so if you're a massive fan, then you're going to want to hear these. 

The rough copies of the vocals with the band are heaven for the ears, at first, I thought they were going to be the odd note or lyric in difference, but some of the sections are completely different to the versions we all know and love. The photos I took are just examples of what to expect with the artwork inside for all you lovely lot. 

One song that stands out from the crowd is obviously "Whole Lotta Love". You try sing along to the version you know and you can see how much they have changed from this rough copy. The vocals are not as strong and rushed slightly, there are no "whole lotta loves" from the backing vocals as it only comes from the guitar. Robert Plant clearly hasn't figured all the lyrics out as he repeats in the second verse "baby you need love" 4 times. 




The bridge/psychedelic section is shorter with not much scratching from Jimmy's guitar and Robert hangs back on his vocals slightly. Though there is some nice cross-sticking on the drums which I think should have been kept for the final cut. It all sounds very spaced and not as psychedelic as the final version.  Coming out of that section there is no guitar solo either. 






All of this is just an example from one song from the 8 rough cuts available. You can see how much has actually changed for the final cut of the song and is actually a lot of fun spotting the difference. Its great to see how musically talent these four were to see what needed adding and what could stay because it sounded good already. 

Another track which is amazing to listen to on the rough cut is "Moby Dick". Its quite a sneaky tactic to how they made this awesome track.  They obviously told Bonham to just go nuts and see what we can create for his drum solo part and then cut it back to the original song when ever he stopped. You hear them stop for Bonham's part later, Bonham counts back in and does his 16th note fill to then go on and finish the song (you all know how it goes). Very sneaky, but clever too.

Beautiful detail to look like the original vinyl's

I really enjoyed listening to this album and all the little gems you can hear from the rough cuts. I think this was great move for Led Zeppelin. They're such an iconic British band and this could really spark a new love for them. I find that music in the charts today is at a very low standard to what was made back in the 50's - 70's (judge me all you like about that statement). 

Its great to see some brilliant music being brought into the new age of music with some extras so fans like myself can just love their music all over again. I'll leave a link for where you can get them from on Amazon. 


Thanks for reading and until next time!

Lewis :)











Link: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=led%20zeppelin%20vinyl&sprefix=led+ze%2Caps%2C1318

My Favourite Artists - Beth Hart

Hello!

Apologies for being away for so long, my music uni has bombarded me with too many assignments! Although now they're all done, I can finally focus on this blog, which is a great thought so watch out for some more posts being uploaded!

Onto chapter 2 of the 'My Favourite Artists' series:

Today I'm going to be talking about a woman called Beth Hart, a blues/soul singer from Los  Angeles California. This girl knows how to belt a note out, but with such style and grace, its beautiful to watch. I have been lucky enough to see her twice live, once at The Roundhouse in Camden. This was definitely one of my favourite gigs to look back on and there are reasons which I will get to later on so stick around!

Firstly, I'd like to tell you a little bit about her back story as it is definitely one hell of a rollercoaster. Beth Hart had a promising career ahead of her in 1999 with a major label signing, a number 1 hit in New Zealand and a new album out called 'Screamin' For My Supper'. Thing were really looking up for her career, fame and fortune were only a hairs-breath away. 

Unfortunately, this ever increasing fame got to her mind and she started to turn heavily to drink and drugs. These habits were getting worse by the day due to the amount of stress she was put under by her label and the demand from her. In the end Atlanta kicked her off the label and she was barely left with anything to her name. Her tour manager Scott Guetzkow took her to five hospitals (not including rehabs) to try get her back into a fit state. 


When Beth finally came around and saw what she had lost, she was ready for redemption and fight back for her love of music. She started this off with marrying Scott in Vegas and she went on to release a new album in 2003. Her reputation in the business has sky rocketed since her rehabilitation and because she got into the situation of being at the very rock bottom. She never wants to go back there, so she always put 110% into every gig she does and she is ever so thankful for everyone giving her a second chance. 

Her voice is a very beautiful blend of a calm peaceful tone, to the very scratchy and bellowing highs which make her voice very...very unique. In her voice you can hear and tell there is heartbreak, torture and sorrow, but she uses this to her advantage to come out with one of the best voices I know today. Along with her incredibly talented band, this makes up one of the best shows around. 

She has collaborated with a lot of musicians from Joe Bonamassa  to Jeff Buckley and Buddy Guy. Her career has seen her become more popular than ever before with the blues scene creeping its way back into the more popular side of the business. I believe if it wasn't for Joe Bonamassa making an album with her, she wouldn't be where she is today. 

The album 'Don't Explain' is the perfect selection of songs to really understand the connection that both Hart and Bonamassa have. This album really looks at the limits that Hart can take her voice to. Sometimes its indescribable how she even manages to create the notes she does.The songs on this album that really shine for Hart are 'I'd Rather Go Blind', 'For My Friend", "I'll Take Care You Of You" and "Your Heart Is as Black as Night".

Another album they released recently was called "Seesaw". Another fantastic soul album by the two of them that has become an instant classic. With the likes of "Miss Lady", "Them There Eyes" and "Strange Fruit". 

Beth live is a very captivating and intense musician. She will let you know what she is feeling before a song, tell you a story, let you all into a secret about her life. She is very open about her feelings towards a song, she wants everyone to know why she wrote the song so you can understand her feelings. Her piano talent is outstanding, I never knew until I saw her at The Roundhouse how good she was on keys. She managed to play us a solo piece by herself with her singing a song about her sister. A lot of her songs are very moving, very personal that everyone in the room connects to.

The other musicians that are currently on tour with her are:

Jon Nichols - Guitar
PJ Barth - Guitar
Bob Marinelli - Bass
Bill Ransom - Drums

The drummer had been changed from the first time I saw Beth live in 2012 in London. Bill Ransom is a very different drummer to the last one I saw. He has a very powerful hand to himself, but is one hell of an entertainer. I really love watching drummers that have a lot to give and show it off. He even did a trick where he stopped the music halfway through, bounced his stick from his snare up high into the air and caught it to restart the music. That, was one of the coolest things ive seen live done by a drummer.

Her live shows are definitely one to see, energetic, entertaining and you always go away with a smile! I would urge all of you to at least check out her latest album 'Bang Bang Boom Boom'. I believe Beth Hart should be further in her career than where she is, but she is currently having the time of her life with all the touring she is doing. As well as Scott always being there for her for each and every gig because he's the tour manager still.

I hope this has shed some light on what you can expect from this beautifully brilliant blues/soul singer. She is one to watch for the future even at her young age of 42, she is still out there fighting for a place up with the big time. She always will be fighting to repay what she had failed to do in her earlier career.

Thanks for reading and until next time

Lewis :)

Website: http://bethhart.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/officialbethhart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethHart