My Amazon Reviews: Josh Zuckerman "Got Love?"

Got Love If You Want It
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Philadelphia Singer/Songwriter Josh Zuckerman tries a bit more rocking for his third CD, "Got Love?" It seems to be a pretty good fit. Even more fun is that Josh also gets into the funk. Add some solid social messaging, and you've got "Got Love?".

Josh is a confident singer and he aligns his songs to his voice, making the album fit the artist. He's punchy without meriting a migraine, so the buzzing lead guitars of "I Thought You Love Me" convince you that they belong and aren't an annoyance. He even does the love ballads well, as the string saturated "Fall In Love Again" (shades of Five for Fighting here) prove.

My favorite though is the title track. Asking why anyone's love should be considered different from another's, "Got Love" lifts a bass-line from Cameo's "Word Up" and asks the always pertinent question...why isn't all love equal? It's among the best songs here, and given that he's working on a follow-up (this was released in 2009), I am eager to hear more about love from Josh Zuckerman.

     

My Video from today's Occupy Philly March

Finally, Some Catching Up. Book Sales, Driving in the Rain and Avoid The Winking Lizard.

This time last week, David Stein (on the left, above), Alex Ironrod, artist John Randle and I had already finished our kinky creativity forum in Ohio for Cleveland Leather Awareness Weekend. I was very happy with the forum, as we had about 25 attendees early in the event (Friday at 1:30), and those in attendance asked plenty of questions. The three authors in the crew each read from a slection of their work, while John described how he makes decisions regarding his kinky painting. (His triptych on display was beautiful.)

David arrived in Philly from NYC via Bolt Bus Weds for an overnight stay, displacing poor Sophie Cat from her usual room. On Thursday, we headed for Pittsburgh with a stop in Carlisle for what David called "the best crab cakes outside of Maryland." The Sunnyside Restaurant did not disappoint! Too bad it wasn't open for Sunday Business or we would have stopped on the return drive. We spent the night with my good friend Russ in Pittsburgh.

Friday we drove - for a second day - in the rain. David had registered too late for the main hotel, so I dropped him off and headed for the host location to set up. Alex and his crew had already set up, so my table and books were up and on display with ease. Sales were solid, and I was pleased by that. I also got in a serious session with an Irishman from DC, who left me some souvenirs.

That gentleman, his boy, a friend of theirs and I went to a restaurant called "Winking Lizard" for a meal and service so bad that we complained to the manager (spilled drinks, cole slaw literally dropped in one person's lap, etc). Usually, the manager will say something like, I'm sorry, and I'll comp you the drinks, or something similar, but not this one. He actually began to argue with us. We were so angry that we left, went to a different bar and wound up doing some hard drinking.

Which is unusual for me. The last time I was impaired was in Amsterdam over two years ago. But I now like Belgian Blue Moon Wheat Beer. Really like it. A lot. Made the fireworks at the end of the Cleveland Indians game (a full half-hour of them) a real kick to watch.

Sunday, by one PM, David and I were back on the road and in the rain, again, this time headed back to Philly. Monday was a day to chauffeur David around the city a bit, taking him to Giovanni's Room (Philadelphia's Gay Book Store, and one of the few left in the country), and then to The Trollycar Diner for lunch and a comfort food lunch with author Thom Magistar (that's him on the right).

Ultimately, I got David back to 30th Street Station and back on the Bolt Bus for NYC. I've been busy this week catching up and kitty-sitting, and still on the search for work.

My Amazon Reviews: The A's "The A's/A Woman's Got The Power"

A's for Effort, 4 Out of 5 Stars

Wow. One of my longtime wishlist bands finally, finally gets a CD. The A's recorded two albums for Arista in the early 80's before they imploded in a mess of mismanagement and personal disputes. But that hardly matters when you hear the many uber-cool new-wave raves that lay upon this 2-fer-one CD. In fact, the only thing missing would have been the band's swan-song "Four Dances" EP.

However, all is forgiven just due to the fact that I can pop this puppy into my CD player and feel the electricity from the debut's lead track "After Last Night." Pure 80's skinny-tie new wave, nervous jittery vocals and snotty attitude, yet danceable as heck. The rest of the album followed suit, with wicked hooks and a delicious sense of humor, as witnessed by the extrapolation of "Grounded/Twist and Shout." Singer Richard Bush sounded like an every-punk with adolescent wisdom paired with musical smarts, backed up by Rocco Notte on keyboards and Rick DiFonzo on guitar, with a solid beat supplied by Terry Bortman on bass and Michael Snyder on drums. Unless you were Eastern PA (or maybe the Jersey Shore), it's likely you didn't hear any of these.

Arista Records smelled success and smoothed the band out a bit for the second album, "A Woman's Got The Power." It was easily as energetic as the debut while more sophisticated, and was partially produced by Nick Garvey of The Motors while Rick Chertoff did the rest. (Chertoff eventually became the producer of such stars as Cyndi Lauper.) The title track even managed a good bit of airplay, enough so to be on a few 80's compilation albums. Arista honcho Clive Davis even spoon-fed The A's a "hit" that the band allegedly hated ("When The Rebel Comes Home"). You could hear the band stretch out on "Heart Of America" - ya gotta dig that banjo! - that made me think of The Plimsouls.This was great stuff, but the world wasn't digging it.

Doesn't mean you can't catch up. The A's were one of the first New Wave bands to break out of Philadelphia, along with others that tried but failed (The Cats, Quincy, The Reds) and those that made it (The Hooters, the late Robert Hazard). We have waited long enough, so get this now.