The Scrounger's Report

Feb. 02, 1999

Whine, She Said....and other stuff.

Yah. Ok. Like I got a bunch of CDs in yesterday, and they
range from putrescent to orgasmic...

From worst to best:

Mark Mangold - Mirror Image. 1996. Indigo Records.

WTF? Is this the same person who collaborated on "Drive, She Said?"
*ack* In the same vein as Mike Tramp, Joey Tempest, and Kip
Winger, all who decided to "find themselves" as of late. To each
of them I say: "Keep looking. This shit ain't it." It's well
produced, but listening to it makes my hair hurt. In its defense
it's not nearly as bad as the godawful "Azalea Place" from Joey
Tempest. Verdict: 68%.

Millenia - Thinking Rock. 1997. Carrera Records.

Not sure about this one. Laid back, but well-structured AOR.
It just never seems to "break through." I need to give this
one a few more listens before I condemn it or extoll it.
Tentatively: 79%.

Sabu - Between the Light. 1998. USG Records.

One could hear a progression towards the heavy between Only Child
and Only Child II. This continues, becoming even heavier, at
times almost a heavy metal album; some decent balladry going on.
I think this is a good step for him, as his voice was always too
crappy for AOR....it's more suited to metal. Headbangin' 81%.

Alien - S/T. 1993. Eagle Records.

This completes my Alien discography. Musically there is some
really good stuff here, but I'm not quite sold on the production
quality. I need to give it another listen. Unsure: 87%.

Norway - Night Dreams. 1997. Pier-San Records.

Hello! This band has some potential! The CD screams "minor label",
but it's surprisingly well-produced. Shades of early Bonfire with
a bit of Robin McAuley thrown in. Have these guys done any other
CDs? If so, send 'em. :) Impressively: 89%.

Icebreaker - Eleco. 1997. Erimark/Repo Music.

But what to my wondering ears should appear, the sounds of
Bobby Sexton (as in Neil Norman and Bobby Sexton - Facing Destiny).
This is really good stuff! It's evidently a 2-man band, Bobby
Sexton and Michael McBay (who?). Interestingly, there is a female
lead vocalist on 3 tracks, but she is not listed ANYWHERE on
the CD! Who is she? She sounds like a smoother version of Pat
Benatar. Any other CDs by this duo/trio? Surprisingly: 90%.

And last, but certainly not least:

Terra Nova - Livin' It Up. 1997. Now & Then.

GAWDDAMNMUTHERFUCKINGSONOFABITCHFROMHELLONASTICK!!!!

Who? What? Where? When? Why? and for how long?

This is a PHENOMENAL CD. I've got a CDR of another Terra Nova
CD somewhere, but it absolutely pales by comparison to this
stellar effort! Towering ballads, good rockers, top-notch
production, lotsa keys, lotsa vocals. *faint*

Looking back over the last few years, I can think of several
"momentous" listening events when I've been exposed to a
new CD: Fair Warning's S/T, Royal Hunt's "Moving Target", Blind
Guardian's "Nightfall in Middle Earth", to name a few. It's
hard to describe, but every now and then, usually entirely
too far between, you hear an album that blows you away. This
is one of them for me. I'll need to listen to it a few more
times to get over the euphoria, and to rationally rate the CD,
but at this point I'm guessing somewhere around 94-98%.

Discography please?

That's all for now. I'm spent.

-Dan