Soren

May the 1st will see the release of “Second Time Around“, the new album from MIKE TRAMP. And while the ex-White Lion and Freak of Nature frontman is no rookie to releases in his own name, this time he does so with a special feeling.

Come all ye lovers of fuzz guitar and soak up the psych-tinged blues-rock sounds of Moses. Those who worship at the altar of power trios like Cream, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and Blue Cheer should have no problem sidling up to Changes, the debut album by this Danish threesome. Originally released in 1971, Changes was recorded in just two days, and the no-frills production approach extends to the arrangements and song structures; this is straight-ahead, damn near primal-sounding music, with not one extra note or instrument added. Simple blues riffs are at the heart of each song, and while a few of the tracks veer toward the lengthy side, there's little variation from that format.

The last Artillery album My Blood was lacking to say the least, so it was with a little trepidation that I approached their latest opus. A slight shift in personnel would see Søren Nico Adamsen and longtime drummer Carsten Nielsen leaving the fold, although replacing them would be the more-than-capable sticksman Josua Madsen, and a relatively new talent in vocalist Michael Bastholm Dahl…

Christian Ludwig Boxberg (1670-1729) belongs to the 'lost' generation of composers between Schütz and Bach. For decades, the revival of baroque music has concentrated on these two poles of German Baroque music to such an extent that everything between them can appear imperfect by comparison. Boxberg's 'Sardanapalus', however, is by no means imperfect. On the contrary, we experience here a remarkable synthesis of the various European national styles. Alongside German influences, those of both French and Italian opera are unmistakeable. The very witty libretto was written by Boxberg himself, and retells Diodorus's history of the profligate Assyrian King Sardanapalus who, far from being interested in ruling the land, liked to put on makeup, parade about in women's clothing and give in to acts of salaciousness with both women and men.

A French pressing of Amanda's 1989 Italian-only album Uomini più uomini was entitled Tant qu'il y aura des hommes (As Long As There Are Men) and basically contained the same song selection, although some of them had been re-recorded with French lyrics…

Accordionist Richard Galliano did for European folk — specifically, the early 20th century French ballroom dance form known as musette — what his mentor Astor Piazzolla did for the Argentinian tango. Galliano reimagined and revitalized a musical tradition, expanding its emotional range to reflect modern sensibilities, opening it up to improvisation learned through American jazz. In fact, Galliano was more of a jazz musician than a folk one, although he blurred the lines so much that distinctions were often difficult to make. Born in France of Italian stock, Galliano began playing accordion (as his father had) at a young age. He later picked up the trombone, and studied composition at the Academy in Nice…

Most long-time hard rock followers are well aware of MIKE TRAMP in terms of his legacy as the front man for 80’s platinum recording artist WHITE LION. Considering the fact that a ‘true’ reunion is out of the question, given guitarist Vito Bratta’s retirement from the scene, that doesn’t mean that Mike needs to lay his creative nature down and live in nostalgia. “Nomad” is the latest solo venture, a 10-song adventure that explores more of a softer, Melodic Rock terrain than his heavier, youthful years…