The Rock (1996)

Jericho was a surprise. The reunited Band, minus guitarist Robbie Robertson, created an album that built on their strengths by using carefully selected contemporary songwriters and covers. Although it lacked the resonance of Music From Big Pink or even Stage Fright, the group sounded fresh and it was a better album than most of the Band's solo records. High on the Hog, the second album by the reunited Band, isn't quite as good but it has a number of stellar moments. The key to the album's success isn't the material – they're saddled with a couple of weak songs – but the group's interplay. By now, the musicians have developed a sympathetic interaction that sounds ancient but still living, breathing and vital. It's a joy to hear them play and that's what carries High on the Hog over its rough spots.

Lou Reed - Different Times, Lou Reed In The '70s (1996) {RCA 66864-2}
EAC rip (secure mode) | FLAC (tracks)+CUE+LOG -> 432 Mb | MP3 @320 -> 183 Mb
Full Artwork @ 300 dpi (jpg) -> 20 Mb | 5% repair rar
© 1970's, 1996 RCA Records / BMG | 66864-2
Rock / Rock & Roll / Psychedelic Rock / Art Rock

Lou Reed is very much an album-oriented artist, and those who think they may develop a serious interest in his work are better advised to seek individual titles than compilations. If you just want some of his best songs around the house, though, this is a well-chosen, economic 17-track survey of his best material from his best period as a solo act (the early to mid-'70s). Drawing most heavily from the Transformer and Berlin albums, this has his most famous/notorious early solo works ("Walk on the Wild Side," "Vicious," "Satellite of Love," "Caroline Says"), some inferior but notably different remakes of songs he recorded with the Velvet Underground ("Lisa Says," "I Can't Stand It," "Sweet Jane"), and other high points like "Kill Your Sons" and "Coney Island Baby.

Crispian St. Peters was one mid-'60s act, like We Five (from whom he appropriated a song), who seemed to capture a moment with his best songs, but never moved past that moment. In his particular case, a mix of psychological problems, bad timing, and an inconsistent style seemed to make it impossible to get past his two big hits.

Inspired by Cream, Mountain, and Jimi Hendrix, Mike Onesko's Blindside Blues Band forges ahead with its own energy-charged take on rock 'n blues. With help from Aynsley Dunbar (Journey, Starship, Whitesnake) on drums, Mike Onesko has created one of the most exciting CDs in modern blues/rock. Mike Onesko formed the Blindside Blues Band in the early 1990’s with bassist Greg Chaisson and drummer Jeff Martin formerly of Jake E. Lee’s “Badlands”. Their mission statement was to create harder-edged blues music in the tradition of late 60’s/ early 70’s blues-rock artists such as Cream, Mountain, and Robin Trower. After recording four critically-acclaimed CD’s with some personnel changes along the way, the group fulfilled their initial contract with Blues Bureau and recorded a series of records for the Akarma and Grooveyard labels, each known for their quality releases in the psychedelic and blues-rock genres.

On its one and only major-label release, Year of the Rat, NY Loose delivers powerful performances of a punk-pop musical blend that have nothing whatsoever to do with other '90s platinum purveyors of radio punk. Instead of simply being snide or just plain goofy rock stars like Green Day or the Offspring, NY Loose emits a refreshingly punk attitude of contrariness, if not actual rebellion, on this 1996 release. Founding members Brijitte West (guitars and vocals) and Danny Nordahl (bass) are joined on Year of the Rat by drummer Pete Lloyd and guitarist Marc Diamond. Each member seems versed well enough in the standard instrumental punk vocabulary, but West's saucy delivery and upfront lyrics make NY Loose special.