Reviews roundup – Foreigner vs. The Static Shift vs. Bob Marley vs. Pär Lindh

Reviews roundup – Foreigner vs. The Static Shift vs. Bob Marley vs. Pär Lindh

FOREIGNER
The Best of 4 And More
Frontiers Music srl

I know what you’re thinking.  Not another revisit to the Foreigner back catalogue from Mick Jones and his hired hands.  Well, yes it is.  But at least this is trying to do something a wee bit different, by looking back to the greatest AOR album of all time.  Which is “4” by Foreigner in case you’re one of the easily confused.

It’s been 12 years since Jones reactivated the brand, although they’ve only managed one new release in that time, which has left Jones and his main (vocalist Kelly Hansen, bass guitarist Jeff Pilson and multi-instrumentalist Tom Gimbel.) in a world of rerecorded Greatest Hits, acoustic recordings of Greatest Hits and live recordings of Greatest Hits.

October this year saw them at a casino in Atlantic City performing ‘The Best of Foreigner 4 & More’ show.  And it’s a really good live album.  Which is no surprise because these are seasoned pros performing classic songs.  Especially since it sees songs like ‘Woman In Black’, ‘Break It Up’ and ‘Girl On The Moon’ getting dusted down and brought out to play.  But to me, it’s a lost opportunity.  I would loved (loved!) to have had the whole of “4” banged out from beginning to end.  Maybe they didn’t have the courage of their convictions, because “4” isn’t exactly a long album – 10 tracks, 40 minutes.  But only 7 make the cut here.

So I’m glad this is out, but it could have been great instead of good.

THE STATIC SHIFT
Windsor Street
independent

Time for a seventies influenced power trio from Calgary, Alberta over there in the Canadian colonies.  Yes, despite a combined age of about 20, Mitchell Brady (Guitar), Keone Friesen (Bass), and Isaiah Stonehouse (Drums) are looking back to a time when flares were de rigeur and riffs were huge.

There’s a hint of blues rock about what they do, although it’s coming from Beck, Bogert & Appice, rather than King, King & King.  But they’re good at what they do, with some listenable songs jam packed with energy and attitude.  ‘Gates of Dawn’, ‘I Won’t Do That’ and ‘You Don’t Know Me’ are the best of he bunch, but they sound like a great night out, with the potential to do something bigger and better.

BOB MARLEY
Uprising Live
Eagle Rock

Oh, shit.  Reggae.  Not for me, thanks.  Not since the Black Uhuru debacle of ’84, something that still sends me running to the bottle every time a flashback hits.

However, for those to whom this is not anathema, this is the first ever DVD release of the German television series Rockpalast, recorded on Bob Marley’s final tour, which ran from May 30th to July 13th 1980, and were his last European shows before his death in May 1981 at the age of 36.

Even though this was in support of the “Uprising” album, it’s chock full of classics with ‘No Woman, No Cry’, ‘Exodus’, ‘I Shot The Sheriff’, ‘Is This Love’ and ‘Jamming’ all present and correct.  It’s out with the full co-operation of Cedella Marley and Ziggy Marley, and is essential viewing for Marley fans.

Pär Lindh and PLP Orchestra
Three Christmas Concertos
Nordverk Classical Masterworks

It’s Chrrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiiiiiissssssstttttmmas!!!!!!!!!!

Well sort of.  Because this is a full on classical release from well regarded Swedish progster Pär Lindh, which sees him taking on Christmas concertos by A. Corelli and F. Manfredini as well a new concerto all of his own.

Now I’m cracking on a bit, so there seems to be more and more classical music cropping up on my MP3 player, and this one makes a very welcome addition.  It also helps that he’s a great keyboard player, as folk in the prog world will know from his time replacing Keith Emerson in the reformed Nice.

Classical fans will want to know that the music on offer is;

Pär Lindh Concerto grosso in a-minor for oboe, violin, celesta, tubular bells and string orchestra
Francesco Manfredini (1680-1748) Concerto grosso per il Santissimo Natale in C-major
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713) Concerto Grosso i g-minor Fatto per la notte di Natale

This is a precursor to three other concertos, forming a modern four seasons, with ‘The Winter’ (this one) to be succeeded by spring, summer and autumn, and if the melodic delights on offer here are anything to go by, then they will be very welcome round my way.

Musicians:
Pär Lindh celesta & harpsichord / Kennet Bohman oboe / Anders Lagerkvist violin / Kern Westerberg 2nd violin / Torbjörn Helander viola / Natalia Goldman cello / Per Björkling bass / Urban Grip tubular bells