Reviews roundup – David Cross Band vs. Wishing Well vs. Deadloss MF Superstar vs. Lionel Lodge
DAVID CROSS BAND
Sign of the Crow
Noisy Records
David Cross will always be best known in music circles for the time he spent with King Crimson in the seventies, appearing on the likes of ‘Larks’ Tongues in Aspic’, ‘Starless and Bible Black’ and ‘Red’.
Of course, he’s done a lot since then, with numerous collaborations and a string of solo/band albums, of which ‘Sign of the Crow’ is the latest. And if you heard his last, most excellent release ‘Closer Than Skin’, then you’ll be delighted to hear that this is another progsters delight.
It’s a twisting musical route that he and his colleagues take, which will delight old school prog fans, and with King Crimson lyricist Richard Palmer James on board again, there are some weighty tomes to take in. It’s not always enjoyable, but it’s certainly enthralling, as a listen to tunes like “Starfall”, the title track and “The Pool” should make obvious to all.
A very worthy release, well worth a listen.
WISHING WELL
Chasing Rainbows
Inverse Records
I was thinking Hippy Alert but it turns out that Wishing Well are a melodic rock band from Finland who revel in recreating the classic rock of that era.
And they are very good at it, so hats off to vocalist Peter James Goodman, drummer Rip Radioactive, bassist Richard Becker and guitarist Anssi Korkiakoski for recreating the feel of a time long gone, with some modern day production and great melodies.
That much is obvious from the opening title track, and by the time they’re on to the single “Hippie Heart Gypsy Soul”, which features ex Rainbow/MSG man Graham Bonnet on vocals, you’re in doubt that this is going to be a good time, all the time. The big ballad “I’ll Never Let You Go” would have been a cast iron hit three decades ago, but if you yearn for times long gone, then this os for you.
DEADLOSS MF SUPERSTAR
Meathooks of Love
In Tranquillo Records
Grunge punk, anyone? Which is what you would expect from a bunch of Aberdonians. I mean, if anyone is entitled to be miserable, then it’s them. Although at least they can always be grateful for not being fae Stonehaven.
And this is an odd release, as it’s a sort of greatest hits thing, with six new tracks on it, leaving you with twenty tunes. Which means if you’re new to the potty mouthed MFs, it’s a lot to take in at once. The other fourteen tracks come from ‘Let The Feeding Commence’, ‘Fear Stalks The City’, ‘Are You Ready To Die For…?’ and ‘Living The Lifestyle’, that takes us back all the way to the year 2000.
So it’s a mixed bag of personnel, production and quality. At their best they come over like an even more drunken Supersuckers. At their worst, it’s like the worst Stooges song battered into submission. With enough profanity to make the nineties regulars in Peep Peeps blanch, just a little. There is some cracking stuff, though, and an EP of “Turkmenistan”, “Feelin’ Southern” and “Feels Like The Bomb” would have been just lovely.
LIONEL LODGE
Human Heart
independent
A wandering Scotchman, aye! Well, he was born up by Inverness, before being exiled to the Canadian colonies with his pirate radio DJ dad, where he kicked off his music career, before heading back to Europe, living in England before ending up in his current abode over in Austria.
So some itchy feet there, and there is plenty of variety in his music, which basically lives in a rootsy folk environment, bit with a few off kilter twists and turns, just in case your attention should wander. It’s his twelfth album, although the second with his Austrian band, and if that middle America dusty road vibe is your thing, then this has a lot to commend it.
He can rock it up on the likes of “All She Wants”, draw out some inner turmoil on the title track, go all Nashville on “Pauper Or A King” and even get some Latin rhythms up and running on “‘You and I”. All ithout missing a beat.
It’s an expansive and enjoyable collection of roots music, that deserves a wide audience.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
Leave a comment