ECHOES OF THUNDER E.P. The Hu (Better Noise Music) *****
I’ve been writing music reviews for just over 35 years now, and this is the first time I’ve written up a Mongolian band. Released to placate fans eagerly awaiting a new album Echoes Of Thunder, a 6 song EP, includes dramatic remixes of 3 tracks from their Rumble Of Thunder album along with the original versions. Dramatic, rockin’ and heavy, this is TRES cool.
The idea of this EP was suggested by the record company; “I’m glad because, as I like to say, from classic rock to heavy metal, our genre of Hunnu rock has no limits” says front man Galaa. “It presents more collaborations with different artists to expand our original music.” The Hu are a band from Mongolia that blend the hard guitars of heavy metal with Mongolian guttural singing. They blend that with traditional instruments and contemporary sounds to make what they call “Hunnu Rock”, and the percussive sounding results are captivating, a mix of modern rock with some wild elements that really draw you in.
It’s interesting to compare the original versions of these tracks to the remixes, particularly This Is Mongol (Warrior Souls) which features William Duval from Alice In Chains. Trevor McNevan of Thousand Foot Krutch, working under his remix alias Teerhawk, layers additional vocals and lyrics to expand on the original. The Bii Biyelgee remix features Tyler Glenn of Neon Trees, and the Triangle redo includes Rome. I dig the originals, but these remixes really rock.
Never heard of The Hu? Try Echoes Of Thunder on for size and you’ll be hooked- just like me.
HOT TRACKS: This Is Mongol remix, Triangle remix
GOD BLESS THE USA Aki Kumar (Little Village) ****
It’s a week of discovery for me, from a Mongolian rock band to an East Indian bluesman. Following his previous releases on this label (Aki Goes To Bollywood and Hindi Man Blues), God Bless The USA embraces traditional blues and takes it somewhere fresh- like Harry Manx.
It seems that with the blues in particular there’s the “that’s not the blues” versus “you’re doing the same thing over and over again” conflict, which Aki Kumar has sidestepped on God Bless The USA. You’ll notice that particularly on cuts like I Just Want To Make Love To You and A Man Of Constant Sorrow, where you’re likely familiar with previous versions and can compare them to how Aki has dressed them in new clothes, given a new look to a tradition.
It took Aki Kumar a long time to get to a place where an album like GBTUSA and the ones that came before it were possible. He built a recording studio and taught himself how to operate it. He’s a harp player, but he also took up the drums and learned that well enough that other band leaders hire him for gigs. Up top I compared him to Harry Manx but it’s not that they sound the same; they each combine the blues with East Indian music from different angles, 2 traditional musical forms melding to create something new yet familiar at the same time.
God Bless The USA is the blues but dressed in a snazzy new wardrobe. It’s not easy to take two such seemingly disparate music genres and combine them in an organic way that makes sense, but Kumar and his like-minded friends have done exactly that. This disc is blues with an exotic taste for you to savor and enjoy.
HOT TRACKS: I Just Want To Make Love To You, Time Will Tell, Man Of Constant Sorrow
XTRA CHERRIES Enuff N’Nuff (Cleopatra Records) ****
You don’t get a lot of bands from hair metal’s heyday still around yet making music to rival their classic output, but Enuff Z’Nuff is an exception. Xtra Cherries, their 21st album overall and second for this label, is the melodic riff-tastic stuff they’re known for, Cheap Trick meets The Raspberries. With the help of some stellar guests, they really brought their A game.
Xtra Cherries, described rightly as ‘power pop’, is a set of lushly produced hook-laden songs that fans will instantly take to heart like the deceptively titled Heavy Metal, a tune about that lifestyle, a real power-pop gem and sure to be a hit. The band today is Chip Z’nuff on vocals, bass and guitars, Jason Camino on guitars, Luis Kalil on guitars and Daxx Neilsen (Cheap Trick) on drums. As for the roster of special guests, that includes Robin Zander of Cheap Trick, original Journey vocalist Robert Fleischman, current Journey guitarist Neil Schon, former Guns N Roses drummer Steven Adler, Steve Stevens and Gunnar Nelson. ALSO; original singer/ guitarist Donnie Vie and the late Derek Frigo, included via an old demo.
In a way this reminds me of classic Kiss; memorable hooks and riffs, and vocal harmonies that rival The Beatles in their prime. During an appearance on The Late Show, David Letterman remarked “when it comes to rock n roll, these guys are all you need” and it’s hard to argue with that. Little Steven Van Zandt calls them “one of the most underrated bands in the world”, and judging by what radio has (or hasn’t) been playing in the last few decades that feels true. Coming up during the hair band explosion of the 80’s and with what seemed to be a fairly ‘jokey’ name being taken seriously was an uphill battle, but the pop song craft and attention to melodic detail in evidence on Xtra Cherries tells us that was a mistake. I ignored them back in the day because I thought the band name was stupid- shows what I know, but better late than never as they say.
Hard as nails? Nah… but Xtra Cherries is driven by melodies that stick to you like the grape jelly I just spilled on the counter. Cool stuff.
HOT TRACKS: Heavy Metal, Back To The Wall (with a musical quote from Queen’s We Will Rock Your), You Make Me Wanna Lie (featuring Robin Zander and Derek Frigo)
APARTMENT 14 Jeff Chaz (JCP Records) ****
They could’ve called this one “The Three G’s” for grit, groove and guitar. Apartment 14, Jeff’s first official EP in 3 years, is a refreshing blast of Louisiana blues from the ‘Bourbon Street Bluesman’. With a soulful voice and the way he manhandles that guitar, this is a real treat.
Born in Lake Charles and raised in Creole, Louisiana, Jeff dined on the soul of southern music from a young age. He started on trumpet and trombone before turning to singing and the guitar while touring with a Boston soul band and cut his teeth in Memphis blues joints and gospel churches; then came the move to New Orleans, which informs every note he sings and plays.
Apartment 14 is driven by Chaz’s power blues trio and augmented by some bright, juicy horn charts, with all 6 tracks written by Jeff. It’s like the city of Chicago and Nola had a one night stand, and 9 months later this sound appeared. This is the blues yes, but there’s a depth of soul that seems uncommon in modern performers. As a guitarist he reminds me of Jimmy Page or Neil Young in that his runs may not be precise, but in that unkempt way he exudes passion and style which in turn elevates the songs to something special.
One listen to Apartment 14 and it becomes clear why Jeff Chaz enjoys critical acclaim from the likes of Guitarist Magazine and why his songs can be heard on all 60,000+ TouchTunes jukeboxes across North America and Europe. This is rock solid blues.
https://www.facebook.com/JeffChazBlues/#
HOT TRACKS: Serial killer, You’ve Got A Funny Way Of Showing, The Brownsville Crawl
