Cleopatra Records artist: Cactus - Temple of Blues II - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Temple of Blues II, from Cactus and it's strong blues rock...old school! Opening with Back Door Man Pt 1&2, Eric Gales leads the way on vocal and guitr with Artie Dillon on rhythm guitar, Billy Sheehan on bass and featuring the driving drum work of Carmine Appice. Super. Pat Travers is featured on lead and slide guitar on Moanin' At Midnight with Ed Terry on vocal, Dillon on rhythm guitar, Jim Caputo on bass and Appice on organ and drums. Travers style really give the track a great bluesy feel, really grinding in. Very cool. Ron Bumblefoot Thal on guitar leads the way on Tokin Chokin', a fun, country pop rocker with edge. Terry handles vocals and with plenty of splash cymbals by Appice, and Johnny Rod on bass, Bumblefoot really sails on slide. Tail Dragger has a Brit blues rock feel with Terry on vocal and Rockin Jake on harp. Appice's driving drum line with Rudy Sarzo on bass, gives guitarist Alex Skolnick a cool rocking rhythm to jam on. Willie Dixon's Spoonful features Ted Nugent on guitars with Terry on vocal. Bob Daisley on bass and Appice on drums really give the track an assault feel and I really like it. Wrapping the release is Feel So Good with a heavier rock feel. It features Rob Caudill on vocals, Tommy Thayer, Artie Dillon and Britt Lightning on guitars, Sheehan on bass, Marty Paoletta on keys and of course Appice on drums. A solid closer for a cool blues rocking release. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Deko Entertainment artist: Shouse - Jaded - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Jaded, by Shouse and it's a substantial display of metal guitar prowess. Opening with a Synthesizer and electric guitar display by Mike Shouse on Romeo and Juliet theme it wets your appetite for what is to come. On A Bitter Cold, Shouse uses a solid hammer on technique running melodic rudiments on electric guitar. Very cool. On rocker, Smiley Faced Emoji, James Pulli on bass and Charlie Zeleny on drums lay a firm foundation and Shouse shows lightning fast shredding, wide vibrato and wild bends giving the track real commercial appeal. Title track, Jaded, has a real led footed drum kick and a moving bass line providing a firm bottom for Shouse to sculpt a scorching melody, with excellent phrasing, and solid suspended notes, hammering home his thematic concept. Wrapping the release is Upon Looking Back with a traditional rock rhythm and featuring Tony MacAlpine. A concrete bottom courtesy of Pulli and Zeleny really anchors the track and MacAlpine and Shouse take turns leading and the playing dual lead. This is a solid release for those interested in soaring electric guitar. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Cleopatra Records artist: Cactus - Temple Of Blues - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Temple of Blues, from Cactus, and it's a strong blues rocker. Opening with Bukka White's Parchment Farm really rocks. Using Mayall's basic arrangement, Carmine Appice on drums really drives it hard with Billy Sheehan on bass, Jim McCarty on guitar, Joe Bonamassa on lead guitar and Jim Stapley on vocal and harp. Excellent opener. Willie Dixon's Evil gets a real nice heavy makeover with heavy weight drum work by Appice and great guitar lead by McCarty. Dug Pinnick on bass really sets the groove and Dee Snider on lead vocal is outrageous. Coopper and White's country anthem, No Need To Worry is now a slow blues with excellent vocal and guitar phrasing by Warren Haynes with Jorgen Carlsson on bass and Appice on drums. Cactus original (from their 70's album) Big Mama Boogie (Pts 1&2) is a great track with Appice in his own seat at drums and James Caputo on bass. Stapley on vocal and harp does a real nice job and Pat Travers on slide really winds it out when Appice kicks it in gear. Dixon's You Can't Judge A Book By The Cover really kicks it featuring Stapley, Caputo and Appice and featuring Artie Dillon on guitar. Solid. Little Richard's Long Tall Sally gets that real "Cactus" treatment with a dynamic heavy bottom by Appice and Kenny Aaronson, Mark Stein on lead vocal and Fernando Perdomo on guitars. Excellent! Wrapping the release is Guiltless Glider with Tim Owens and Appice tearing it up. This is a great closer for one of the most fun real blues rock CDs to hit my desk in a long time. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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Purple Pyramid Records artist: Prog Collective - Dark Encounters - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Dark Encounters, from Prog Collective, a project founded and helmed by Billy Sherwood of Yes note. Opening with Darkest Hour, longtime Billy Idol guitarist, Steve Stevens is featured with soaring guitar riffs over Sherwood's bass, keyboard and drum composition. Atmospheric and intense, this is a strong opener. Steve Morse (Dregs/Deep Purple) adds his own virtuosity to Ominous Signs with a more structured composition allowing more freedom for Sherwood's own exploration. Dark Days is one of my favorite tracks on the release with Bumblefoot (GNR) contributing some real nice guitar and vocals, Patrick Moraz (Moody Blues) on keys, Omar Hakim (Weather Report) on drums and Sherwood on bass. Soft Machine's John Etheridge lays down some nicely phrased guitar lead on The Fifth Hour, paired with Sherwood on bass, keys and drums. Very cool. Another of my favorite tracks, Between Two Worlds features Steve Hillage (Gong) on guitars and Gregg Bissonette on drums and Sherwood on vocal, bass and keys. King Crimson's Pat Mastelotto sits in on drums on For All To See with strong guitar lines by Sherwood who also plays keys and bass. Bonus Tracks include Todd Rundgren's top ten hit, I Saw The Light featuring Rundgren on vocal and Rick Wakeman on keys and an up tempo cover of 10CC's I'm Not In Love featuring Wakeman on keys and Nektar. 

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”

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“Like” Bman’s Facebook page and get support for your favorite band or venue - click HERE For your convenience, you can click the title of this post above to be taken to a site where this cd can be purchased - Happy Listening