My Amazon Reviews: Judas Priest "The Chosen Few"

Cool Idea, OK Compilation
3 Out Of 5 Stars

This compilation of 17 Judas Priest songs is probably more interesting for its liner notes than the music. Which is pretty amazing, since Judas Priest are one of the top metal groups of all time. However, what sets "The Chosen Few" apart from most collections is the concept. Other hard rockers were invited to select a favorite Priest song and then contribute a brief word or two about why this song, above all the others Judas Priest have recorded, was the choice cut among the hundreds Priest have released.

It makes for some interesting insights. Who would think that David Coverdale of 80's hair band and Randy Blythe of thrash metal band Lamb of God would have something in common? Well, it seems they both have an affinity for Priest's cover of Fleetwood Mac's "The Green Manalishi With The Two Pronged Crown." Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath and Alice Cooper both favor "Living After Midnight." Or who would have thought that one of the more maligned Priest albums, "Turbo," would find a champion in Korn's Jonathan Davis, who liked it because of the synths, not despite them.

Ozzy Osbourne, Gene Simmons, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard and others pull out their fandom hats and pitch in. It makes for some fun reading, as the participants are about as agog at the idea of contributing to a Judas Priest compilation as the rest of us mere mortals. It also helps that some otherwise passed-over songs, like "Dissident Aggressor," "Beyond The Realms of Death" or "Turbo Lover" make the cut. If you're already a fan of Rob Halford's operatic metal yowls or the twin guitar leads that characterize any great Priest selection, then this CD will probably be unnecessary, a collectable at best. However, if you're a newbie into this legendary band's decades long discography, "The Chosen Few" makes for an interesting gateway drug.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Glee Cast "The Graduation Album"

Graduation of Glee
3 Out Of 5 Stars

I'm not sure why the cast seems so slighted on the Glee Graduation Album, but this leans very heavily on the "senior class" of McKinley High. It also pulls very hard on the pop spectrum, which leaves the usual mixture of classic songs, show tunes and current pop off this disc. For instance, Artie is totally absent. Santana and Brittany are merely background this time. No songs from the warblers or other groups, and no Sue cameos.

Which blands the material out significantly. "The Graduation Album" is more like a K-Tel album than the usually well balanced Glee offerings, saved mainly by Matthew Morrison's excellent reading of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" (made popular by Rod Stewart) and Lea Michelle doing a great take on Beyonce's "I Was Here." Often, though, some of the songs sound like karaoke ("Glory Days" being the worst offender) or uninspired (a totally unnecessary "We Are The Champions"). Given a couple of highlights of the year's season not on disc ("Paradise By The Dashboard Light," "Mean"), some of the overused artists (Madonna again?) could have easily been bumped. It makes me wonder if there will be another offering before the new season starts.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Marilyn Manson "Born Villain"

Reborn Again,
3 Out of 5 Stars

Manson jumps to the world of Indie-recording and delivers a big bang. "Born Villain" is his heaviest album since "The Golden Age of Grotesque" and sounds like he's back to being a bad-guy. Or at least a bad guy that isn't going though the motions. Gloriously gory, obviously obscene, flirtatious and filthy, all while MM wallows in some back to basics bible bashing. Have you heard it all before? Of course you have. But sometimes some gratuitous sex and violence in your hard rock makes for good junk food.

"Born Villain" works the turf like the pro Manson is. Starting with a "Life Sucks" number and closing with a deconstructed cover (featuring, of all people, Johnny Depp on one bluesy guitar), Manson sneers and winks his way along some well trodden paths. The highlights include the ode to sexual abuse in "Pistol Whipped," the talking blues of "The Gardener" and the mangling of "You're So Vain." There's plenty of absorbed Alice Cooper and Iggy Pop in these three songs alone to make this tasty.

Then there's the unexpected stuff, like the MacBeth soliloquy that opens "Overneath The Path of Misery;"

""And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing."

Yes, it's Shakespearean, and Manson chews through it in a carnivorous whisper. Just when I thought the guy didn't have any shocks left in his bag of tricks, he pulls one off. It's glitter from the gutter, and Manson, with "Born Villain," is back in form.

    

My Amazon Book Reviews: Neil Gaiman & Alice Cooper: "The Last Temptation"

Temptation Kicks In
3 Out Of 5 Stars

Steven always seems to be a part of Alice Cooper's batch of alter-egos, and when the album "The Last Temptation" came out, Steven made it into the comic books. I actually had the first volume of the three books to come out when I bought the CD back in 1994. It was part of Marvel Comics' short lived Rock Star Comics, started when KISS hit it big with their series of books. On the other hand, Steven already had stories via Alice's albums "Welcome To My Nightmare," Goes To Hell" and a cameo on "Hey Stoopid." Given that the CD "The Last Temptation" may well be the best of his Epic label trilogy, the graphic novel seemed like an obvious move.

Neil Gaiman participated in shaping the concept of the album and book with Alice, and if you've heard the album, the resemblance to "Something Wicked This Way Comes" and "Faust" are obvious. The book, though, pushes Alice's bubblegum Grand Guignol into serious territory, with Cooper doppelganger "The Showman" luring Steven into a haunted theater where nightmares will keep you safe, if you're willing to trade The Showman fort something he wants. It's more creepy than scary, as the temptations include hot women, revenge on the bullies, and your parents becoming ghostly apparitions with Alice Eyes.

The art is nicely reproduced (nice job by Dark Horse Books) and I like the hardcover design. It's a lot of the parts it borrows from (they even drop a copy of "Something Wicked" on a book table without irony) and the odd drop of album lyrics. For Alice fans, it's definitely worth having, maybe 50/50 for graphic novel buffs.

     

My Amazon DVD Reviews: "Suck"

Tune in to KCUS
4 Out Of 4 Stars

A giddy, goofy piece of rock and roll camp that delivers on all counts, from the homages to classic rock albums and pictures to the cameos from Moby, Henry Rollins, Iggy Pop, Alice Cooper, Alex Lifeson, "Suck" makes glorious hash of the overworked vampire movie and rock band films. Dave Foley manages "The Winners," a mediocre band that travels in a hearse and can't catch a break. That is, until the sexy female bass player gets bit and becomes a goth idol. Before you know it, the band is gaining fans by the thousands, leaving a trail of groupies in their wake and Malcolm McDowell on their trail.

There is no real attempt to make this anything but a corny cult flick, even the 'animation' is hokey. Alice and Iggy are obviously having a blast chewing their parts, and there's an hysterical inside joke regarding Moby as the lead singer of a rival band. The original songs are just good enough to be Spinal Tapp-ish, but not too bad as to make you graon. The soundtrack itself contains the likes of Lou Reed, Iggy, Cooper, David Bowie and The Burning Brides, and is a true addition to the film. "Suck" is exactly the kind of film that should be on the A-List for a few decades' worth of Halloween parties.

     

My Amazon Reviews: Alice Cooper "Welcome 2 My Nightmare "

Alice and Vince Gill are buddies?
4 Out Of 5 Stars


Maybe the strangest aspect of "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" is Alice Cooper's guest list. Kei$sha makes a convincing auto-tuned devil on "What Baby Wants," and his old buddies from the classic days, Micheal Bruce, Dennis Dunaway and Neal Smith rejoin Alice for the first time since "Muscle of Love." Bob Ezrin gets back into the producer's chair. Steve Hunter (guitars on the first "Nightmare") is back in the fold, along with Dick Wagner. Rob Zombie drops in. But weirder than anything else is that Vince Gill plays lead guitar. Not just once as a novelty, but twice. And fer cryin' out loud, on "Runaway Train," he freaking shreds.

Yep. Alice Cooper and Vince Gill are pals, golfing buddies, even. It's just one of the pieces that makes "Welcome 2 My Nightmare" work better than you'd ever expect. Alice has never really retired the "Nightmare" concept, as little Steven has popped up on plenty of albums since 1975. "Goes To Hell," "The Last Temptation" and 2008's "Along Came a Spider" were all extensions of Steven's sleepy-time. However, Alice has never explicitly labeled them as sequels to the original "Nightmare," so when the familiar piano tinkle leads off "I Am Made of You" (despite the Linkin Park styled Auto-Tune) he makes the connection as obvious as he can.

Before you know it, Steven is running out of ways to stay awake ("Caffeine, Caffeine") and is on-board the nightmare express. The aforementioned Vince Gill exits Nashville pickin' for a ripping solo on Alice's Hellbound "Runaway Train" (his other solo is the more subdued "I Gotta Get Out of Here," the obligatory 'Steven wakes up' number). Alice's playful nature stays up on tracks like "Ghouls Gone Wild" and the first single "I'll Bite Your Face Off." Nor does the sinister Alice stay away, as "When Hell Comes Home" goes serious on a very dark topic. More obvious than anything is that Alice is clearly enjoying himself and resurgent popularity ("Along Came a Spider" was his first Top 100 entry in over a decade), and despite the obvious attempt to attach this album to a past highlight via title, "Welcome 2" is a darn fine rock album.