Classic Rock

Pieces

11/17/2009
in
Manassas
Joseph Bland

In 1971, Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young gathered musicians to record sessions for his third solo album. Some of the people invited included members of the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrds. The resulting group worked out so well that they decided to record an album together as their own band.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

Pieces

10/20/2009
in
Manassas
Alicia Neubauer

In 1971, Stephen Stills of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young gathered musicians to record sessions for his third solo album. Some of the people invited included members of the Flying Burrito Brothers and the Byrds. The resulting group worked out so well that they decided to record an album together as their own band.

The still unnamed band partook on a small tour. While at the train station in Manassas, Va., a photo of the band under the Manassas sign was taken, finally giving them a moniker and an album cover.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Live!!! At the Ohio Theatre!

9/9/2009
in
The Polka Floyd Show
Adaora Otiji

A hybrid of accordions and electric guitars, The Polka Floyd Show put an interesting spin on classic Pink Floyd hits.

The band's newest album, "Live!!! At the Ohio Theatre!" shows the Floyd revering group in their natural habitat, on stage, and simultaneously proves there's actually a demand for the quirky genre by the fans screaming in the background.

While not necessarily bad, the concept of Pink Floyd and polka music is different and definitely and acquired taste, which could only be bred in the band's native Ohio.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Waiting for the Sun

7/26/2009
in
The Doors
Adam Rowan

After the stylistic flourishes--and excesses-?of the band's first two seminal albums, the Doors' third record, "Waiting for the Sun" is almost jarring with its straightforward sound. While the eponymous debut album and "Strange Days" delighted in strange soundscapes that lyrically, musically and philosophically defied the reigning hippie mentality of the era, "Sun" is more akin to the Byrds than America's leading experimental blues-rock band.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars

Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs

6/30/2009
in
Derek and the Dominos
Adam Rowan

Despite his fame and adoration as one of the best living rock guitarists, Eric Clapton has rarely made music that could be described as transcendent. At best, he is a workmanlike blues player, unable to rise above the genre's origins. Cream and Blind Faith certainly had moments of greatness but, overall, Clapton's career has been marred by something many classic guitar players suffer from.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars

Some Girls

6/8/2009
in
The Rolling Stones
Adam Rowan

One of the many things done correctly in Martin Scorsese's 2008 Rolling Stones concert film "Shine a Light" was to present the band playing a set-list of some of their best songs, rather than the awful tripe the "world's greatest rock band" has elected to put on their last few studio albums. Not only did the song selection show the band in a light more flattering than their dinosaurian performance at the 2006 Super Bowl halftime show, it also demonstrated the vitality of the group's music decades after it was released, as well as the Stones themselves.

Reviewer Rating: 
5.00Stars

The Future Starts Here: The Essential Doors Hits

6/8/2009
in
The Doors
Stefan Julian

For any music aficionado that has never sat down and listened to The Doors, besides on the radio, then "The Future Starts Here" is a great place to begin.

This is not only one of the most unique bands to come out of the 1960s ? blending blues, poetry, jazz, flamenco and rock ? but also one of the most talented and innovative.

As for front men of rock bands Jim Morrison is iconic. He stands along side the immortal ghosts of Jimi Hendrix, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Frank Sinatra, and Elvis Presley.

Reviewer Rating: 
5.00Stars

Full Moon Fever

6/3/2009
in
Tom Petty
Adam Rowan

Though the 1989 release of "Full Moon Fever" marked the first official Tom Petty solo album, this designation seems misleading. For the 13 years before and the 20 years after this record, he led the Heartbreakers. Petty was always the singular voice behind the band's roots rock-meets-country-meets-New Wave identity. True, guitarist and founding member Mike Campbell commonly co-wrote songs on the Heartbreakers' albums and the other band members each had a specific niche they filled with economy and skill. However, Petty has always been the band's de facto leader.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.50Stars

Keeping the Love Alive

5/2/2009
in
The Marshall Tucker Band
Andrew Randall

Keeping the Love Alive is a collection of hits from the Marshall Tucker Band. The album includes some of the songs they are most famous for as well as some lesser-known chart toppers.

"Can't You See" is the first track on the album. In the song, a man bemoans his fate when his woman leaves him. This song is not only well written, but the vocals are great too. The depth in the vocals creates a sense of empathy for this man whose life has just changed drastically.

"Why Didn't I Think of That" is a song about a man in awe of another who steals a woman's heart.

Reviewer Rating: 
3.50Stars

Hope and Glory

9/7/2007
in
Ann Wilson
Jenna Horan

Ann Wilson, lead singer of the legendary Heart, releases her first solo record, a collection of covers. With guests on nine of 12 tracks, Wilson brings a fresh sound to well known hits such as Led Zeppelin's "Immigrant Song" and Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Bad Moon Rising." Guest artists include Elton John, k.d.

Reviewer Rating: 
4.00Stars
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