Led by the man mountain, Angry Anderson, Rose Tattoo is back with their
first new studio album in 18 years. Unlike many re-union albums, this
is worth something, seeing the band producing one of their best ever.
The 16 tracks on here are filled with booze, sweat, and gasoline. Always
rougher than AC/DC even at their roughest, these guys do the working
class grind better than anyone; see tunes like 'Union Man'. Never a big
fan of most of the band's stuff, I was impressed with this CD from the
first track to the last. It is nothing new, unique, or that special, but
it is a very good at what it sets out to do. Rose Tattoo is, as it
always has been, well produced pub blues rock. Raw and unadulterated,
it gets under your skin, if you are in the right mood, and puts a smile
on your face. Endlessly on the road, the band is "doing" the festival
scene as well as an extensive tour. It is only live that you see why
Anderson and Co are still so popular; they give it all, live.
Marty: 7
Rush
Vapor Trails
(Anthem Atlantic)
Delayed by multiple tragedies and long overdue, the new one from Rush is
an eagerly waited "event" release. Was it worth the wait? Initially no;
at first listen this Rush album is nowhere near as approachable as some
of their past output. Dark, moody and stark (the cover-art leads the
way), it shows a side of Rush far removed from some of their more well
known output. It takes at least 3 listens to get into this 13 track
release. I am sure the band would not have it any other way. It has been
written in places that this album sounds more "modern" than their normal
output. Far from it, it is just starker, with virtually no keyboards or
guitar synths. It's Rush's hardest album ever, with less of the
muso/prog overtones of old. It is well worth the effort, and once fully
digested, it becomes obvious there is no dross to be had. Not their best
album, but not their worst either, any rating would vary almost from
listen to listen. Fans will buy it come what may, the rest of you might
have a few listens of someone else's before making the investment. It
will be interesting to see which direction the band heads with their
next one.
Welcome to Darker than Dark®, the home of the darker side of all of us. Expect the the unexpected, a bit of fiction, the reviews and rants of Marty and anyone else we plan to add to this place. So take a trip to the place where dark sides come to play, a den for the ominous meanderings of the multitudes.
"When it comes to Cthulhu, I am all out to sea..."
MommaBear April 2002
