I’M NOT AN ARCHIVIST Larry Wallis (Cleopatra Records) *** ½
This will be of interest to Motorhead fans. Even before Fast Eddie Clark it was former Pink Fairies guitarist Larry Wallis (who passed away in 2019) that Lemmy formed the first version of Motorhead with. I’m Not An Archivist is the result of sessions for what should have been Larry’s first solo album, recorded in a week in 1977 with Man guitarist Deke Leonard, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas and bassist Big George Webley. If you’re into punk and/or The Clash you will dig this, and songs like Seeing Double feel like a glimpse of early Motorhead.
The title comes from Larry’s explanation whenever he was asked about the old tapes. Archivist is a curated collection of songs that hint at what that solo album might’ve been, the occasional guide vocal or instrumental notwithstanding, plus a fistful of out-takes and alternate versions. “We went into Eden Studios ready to lay down taped dynamite” Larry enthuses. “No disrespect to the musicians who played on the first versions, but I was so excited to be working with George, Pete and Deke in a big studio with unlimited time, how could I say no?”
I’m Not An Archivist has the charm of a well laid out bootleg and Wallis’s connection to Motorhead makes it an item of interest. Several of these tracks have appeared on other Cleopatra albums; The Sound Of Speed (2017) and Police Car- The Anthology (2024) so you may have heard some of these numbers before. 8 of these 20 tracks are CD only extras, but if you listen on Spotify you’ll get the whole magilla. The frenetic energy, the hard charging guitars and adrenaline make it a fascinating listen, but the demo-like quality of the songs can make it challenging. I discovered Motorhead with 1980’s Ace Of Spades and listening the stuff that came before is tough for me. Plus, I never liked punk much, and The Clash aren’t my shot of vodka. Read up on Larry Wallis’s early career, then dive in to this dirty set of rock & roll.
HOT TRACKS : On Parole (alternate version), Godzilla (version 2, CD only), Rhapsody In Blue (instrumental)
WHO KNOWS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS Greg Piccolo & Heavy Juice (MoMojo Records) *****
Greg Piccolo’s new album is a horn-driven thing of beauty, reflecting his past at a pivotal point in the history of Roomful Of Blues as band leader and vocalist. Who Knows What The Future Holds is a bright, lively collection of that I characterize as the sound of joy.
Who Knows isn’t a blues record although you will feel elements of that here, and the album has an interesting back story. “This recording represents my alternate career as a singer/ songwriter and focuses on unpublished tunes I have written over the years” Greg says. “I’ve opened my vault, and I’m so glad to now have the chance to finally share them. My hope is that you find as much joy in listening to them as I have in bringing them to you.” The disc is described as “introspection with infectious energy. The songs indicate personal reflection but they also move, being rooted in groove, rich in clever storytelling.”
Aside from digging the tunes themselves I really enjoy the production on Who Knows What The Future Holds; it’s crisp, clear and uncluttered without being shrill. Produced by the legendary Terry Manning (ZZ Top, Shania Twain), this is a deliberate shift towards Piccolo as a singer and songwriter. There is, however, a dark cloud as Manning, whose creative instincts guided the sessions with Greg, Heavy Juice and their special guests, passed away suddenly just after sending the first mix for review. So a careful effort was made to preserve Terry’s production vision while completing the album. In listening to this I gotta think he’d be pleased.
Who Knows is a record that jumps, jives and wails with abandon. Lots of styles involved here from reggae to blues to swing and back again, and as I’ve said so many times in reviewing other albums I dig, it sounds like the band is having a grand time. This disc promises to be but the first of hopefully many more chapters to come in a legendary career. Magnificent!
HOT TRACKS: People Are Hot, Break In The Clouds, Dream Girl
SHOUTING AT THE MOON Brinsley Schwarz (Fretsore Records) ****
This former bandmate of Graham Parker is back with his 3rd solo album since 2016. Shouting At the Moon is a collection of jazzy blues grooves, soulful pop and folky roots-rock that will show you a good and casually perfect good time.
Although away from music for quite a spell it was never very far away- Schwarz doesn’t like to force things. “Writing happens when it happens” he says, “I don’t worry about it. At one point I started to write lyrics I was really happy with. I didn’t think I was going to make another album until I finished the last one (Tangled, in 2021) and we (with collaborator James Hallawell) had 3 or 4 songs left over.” In explaining the way he works Brinsley says “I don’t really sit down and write songs. I write them as I see things happening; people talking, conversations. I wasn’t even thinking about making an album before my first, and now I’m on my 3rd.”
Schwarz’s methods are admittedly unconventional but the results speak for themselves. As I listen to songs like Nothing Is What It Seems I am captivated by his way with words, but honestly it’s the groove of songs like this that grab your attention first. These tracks give you something to feel even before you auger down into the words and grab onto some deep concepts and things to think about.
If we are to label Shouting At The Moon as any particular type of music, the jazzy blues and soulful pop tags with a side of folky roots-rock as mentioned in the first paragraph seem to fit well enough. This thing has a friendly vibe overall, gentle and as musically excellent as it is laid back. When you put this album on you can literally feel yourself relax, mentally and physically. I firmly believe that the right type of music at the right time can be useful therapy, and Shouting At The Moon is a prime example. It’s easy to see yourself in Brinsely’s stories, but it’s also possible to just feel the music and enjoy the ride… a fine way to pass an afternoon.
www.brinsleyschwarzofficial.com
HOT TRACKS: The Chance, E very Day, Watch The Moon Come Down
LIVE FROM THE GUILD THEATRE LA Guns (Cleopatra Records) ****+
LA Guns is a band that remembers how rock & roll should be; loud, filthy and unapologetic. That’s exactly what Live From The Guild Theatre is- riff driven and nasty in the very best way. This was recorded almost exactly a year ago at the onstage launch of Leopard Skin, Guns’ most acclaimed album in years. If you don’t remember what all the fuss was about surrounding the Sunset Strip scene in the 80’s, this puppy is a loud and proud reminder.
Of said previous album Leopard Skin, Rockpit.net comments that “LA Guns aren’t stuck in the past- they’ve evolved naturally, delivering a record that feels fresh while staying true to their roots”, and of course that carries over to LFTGT… not bad for a band that’s been around in various forms since 1983. Maximumvolumemusic.com says the best thing about this band is “still having a way of sounding filthy (and) how unapologetic they are” which helps explain their longevity. Live At the Guild Theatre is powered by the band’s explosive stage energy as they bear down and charge through their set with enthusiasm.
I believe I’ve admitted in print before that during its heyday I was a hair metal snob, preferring the ‘real metal’ of bands like Sabbath, Maiden, Purple and Zeppelin, but a record like Live From The Guild Theatre is a reminder of what I’d cheated myself out of. Always appreciative of a good riff, this disc is loaded to the nuts with them, what I call ‘Camaro-grade rock & roll’, the kind of stuff that should be blasting from the windows of passing muscle cars on Friday nights.
The first single here is Electric Gypsy which originates on LA Guns’ debut, so aside from saluting their latest album Guild Theatre is also a history lesson of this band that should’ve been a bigger deal way back when. Bottom line; this is fuckin’ great rock & roll- turn it up!
HOT TRACKS: Sex Action, Electric Gypsy, One More Reason/ Theramin Jam
BLUE COLLAR Chris O’Leary (Alligator Records) *****
The latest album from this marine combat veteran is some mighty powerful blues. Blue Collar is hard-core Chicago blues mixing with Memphis soul and New Orleans funk, an irresistible stew not for the faint of heart. From Chris’s soulful vocals to his blistering harmonica work, this is a record you’ll be seeing at the top of many a list come year’s end.
The mileage that goes into making a wicked blues disc like Blue Collar is telling. “I’ve lived the craziest life” Chris says. “Going to war; performing and touring with Levon Helm, befriending and learning from blues legend James Cotton, now recording for Alligator. It’s something that I’ll never take for granted.” Indeed, these tracks are the sound of some hard-won blues-worthy experience. These songs are fueled by a well-oiled, dynamic band that exudes swaggering confidence at each turn and O’Leary’s vocals, which remind me of Rick Estrin, bring it all home.
The songs on Blue Collar, produced by O’Leary, “are all personal, all real-life” he says. One More Cup Of Coffee featuring L’il Ed Williams on slide, is a real barn burner that practically scorched my speakers. Then there are songs like Bad Decisions and After 2AM that examine the trouble you can get into after making ill-advised decisions once the sun goes down… if that ain’t the blues then I don’t know what is. If slow blues with a sexy grind is your thing then I recommend Nothing But A Memory which features Chris’s friend and mentor Bob Margolin bringing some Muddy Waters mojo to the table.
“This record is a little lighter in subject matter than (his 2024 Alligator debut) The Hard Line” Chris notes, “probably because I’m in a better place. But I try to keep it real and live in the moment because life happens and you’re knocked on your ass before you know it.” Blue Collar is as blue as blues can be, and if Chris O’Leary isn’t mentioned in the same breath as some of the legends of the genre now then it’s just a matter of time. This is magnificent.
https://www.alligator.com/albums/Blue-Collar-CD/
HOT TRACKS: Bad Decisions, Nothing But A Memory, After 2AM
