Midnight Wild Passion

German progressive rock band formed in Hannover in 1969. They took their name from H.G. Wells' "The Time Machine", and sci-fi elements feature in much of their music, particularly the mid-to-late 1970's concept albums…

If you're willing to count his work in such early regional bands as the Prime Movers and the Iguanas, Iggy Pop has been playing rock & roll for over 40 years as this compilation hits the stores – meaning there are guys in big-league rock bands who've spent years trying to be Iggy but weren't even alive when the guy first started plugging into the Real O Mind. That, dear readers, is influence, and while the man has had more than his share of creative ups and downs over those four decades, one spin of A Million in Prizes: The Anthology tells you why Iggy has always mattered, and still does – he has never lost the ability to plug into the primal madness and furious belief that separates great rock & roll from ordinary stuff, and he can call up that near-demonic passion on a regular basis…

Playing sideman to Rick Braun, Larry Carlton, Gato Barbieri, the Neville Brothers, and many others introduced guitarist/vocalist Steve Oliver to smooth jazz fans, but it was with Steve Reid's band that Oliver found a following. It was 1996 when Reid contacted Oliver at the last minute to fill in for a canceled opening act. Oliver hit the stage as a solo act and Reid was impressed with the guitarist's vocalese skills and summery sound. Oliver had come to vocalese not through King Pleasure or Lambert, Hendricks & Ross, but through Bobby McFerrin and Pat Metheny's work with Richard Bona and David Blamires, who sang along with guitar solos. Being a fan of the earthy Metheny sound, Reid hired Oliver after the gig and featured him in his touring band. Reid's Mysteries and Passion in Paradise albums featured Oliver not only as guitarist but songwriter as well. Oliver struck out on his own in 1999 with his debut, First View, released by Night Vision. The album spawned three hit singles on smooth jazz radio and earned the guitarist a Debut Artist of the Year award from Smooth Jazz News.

With the inevitable heat of summer already making itself at home, there’s few options so tempting as to roll down the windows and embrace the enthusiastic nostalgia of melodic rock brought by the uplifting graces of Tokyo Motor Fist and the vibrant charm of their latest album. “Lions” is so sweet and smooth that listening to it feels almost like a guilty indulgence, something that one would sneak a taste of alone in the kitchen by the blue light of an open fridge. There’s something raw and authentic about it that makes it instantly irresistible for fans of melodic hard rock at any point from the 80s to the present. Tokyo Motor Fist have captured the most decadent tones of melodic rock and are releasing a bright ray of sonic sunshine in a world that certainly needs that pure brand of brightness…