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Recent Reviews |
Atello is: "Emotional Blackness" is a bit more sleazy, although not straying too far from the melodic backbone of Atello's sound. Lyrically, the song swims in standard rock waters, with its theme of "can't live with or without you" - but as with an old joke, it's the punch line that matters and the quirky guitar riff helps to steer the song home. The ballad "(You've Got a) Grip on My Heart" shows a mellower side of the band. A bit too fast paced for a "power ballad" this song is driven by a powerful, heavy riff, blended to great effects with a clean guitar. Again, the vocal theatrics of main man Larry Atello are somewhat reminiscent of Bang Tango's Joe LeTse, but the quality of his performance is years beyond LeTse's. The infectious "Your Love" has a groovy bass rhythm that grabs you from the get-go. The band's sound is established in this tune, where you can actually hear them having fun. "Full Moon Fever" begins with a driving riff and keeps pounding for 5 minutes. It's a fast-paced hard rocker in that sleazy-almost-glam style from the late 80's that is sorely missing from most releases these days. Not for everyone, I'm sure, but it should satisfy the appetite of those into bands like Faster Pussycat and Sleeze Beez. "Hold On" is more of a power ballad than "Grip on My Heart" although again, the pace speeds up for the chorus. This one's probably my favorite song here. Very cool guitar sound and the chorus is Yikes! Is "Blind Justice" a lost Roxy Blue track? Furiously, fast, and still so melodic it hurts this song should be a hit. The last few seconds, with the guitar, bass and drum each playing a riff for 2 seconds is just enthralling. Only wish they displayed these chops more often! "The Big Payoff" is comparably slower to the previous track, causing a bit of disorientation. The bass sounds amazing again and the band hint at cranking up the speed by end of the song, but it doesn't reach the bliss of the previous song. The production on this recording is fantastic, if a little bit on the high end. It's amazing what these guys have accomplished with (I'm guessing here) a tight independent budget. All the instruments are crystal clear and rather well blended. If you're in the New York area, try to catch them live, since I'm sure the material offered here sounds even better on stage. Hope one of the rock labels finds these guys soon, since they certainly have a lot to offer the scene. ----Released in 1999 by Atello
| Tracklist:
Intro , Love Me Down, Emotional Blackmail, (You’ve Got a) Grip on My Heart,
Your Love, Full Moon Fever, Hold On, Blind Justice, Big Payoff  Steamroller
Steamroller
is: This EP from Steamroller is certainly from the AC/DC/Jackyl school of cock rock. Heavy bass rhythms, pounding drums and crunchy guitar riffs define the sound of Steamroller. Add to that the unique approach of Marc Don Vito on vocals, and you've got yourself a fast, almost thrashy combination that delivers heavy rock with attitude. "Aurora" opens with an abrasive guitar lick that is quickly followed by a hypnotic drum and bass sequence. It is far more complex than AC/DC ever dreamed to be, yet once Marc Don Vito begins singing, the similarities are uncanny. Not a bad thing, since Steamroller does bring a fresh approach to the style with their modern approach, evidenced more obviously on the following tracks. "Serpent" blends in the classic rock style of "Aurora" with the feel of Alice in Chains, mostly through the guitar effects - although, this is a hard rock song. I'm not really into the yelled chorus, but the rest of the song has an undeniable thump that fits the song well. "Victorian Rose" is much softer, allowing the band to stretch out and enjoy themselves with the groove of the song. If promoted properly, this song should have no problem getting loads of airplay on the heavy rock stations. "Powerlines" is yet another groove oriented rocker. Much more akin to Jackyl than any other songs on the EP. The guitar playing is rather tasty with leads and runs that'll keep guitar fans happy, and the rhythm section drive the song with ferocious beat. Close to the end, the song features a kicking interlude that had me jumping in my seat. This disc is full of crunch and power chords, yet underneath that is a smoothly laid sense of melody that usually lacks in this style of heavy rock. Not AOR by any stretch of the imagination, Steamroller do provide an intense rock experience. For the bluesy, classic rock fans. ----Released in 1999 by Steamroller |Tracklist: Aurora, Serpent, Victorian Rose, Powerlines
Musicians: On "Worked My Self to Death," Drew's low voice makes him sound a bit goofy, which added to the quirkiness of the verses, comes across as a much more melodic Thomas Dolby song. I much prefer the style in which he sings the bridge and chorus, yet the song has a fun quality to it that the goofy-sounding verses only add to that element, rather than take away. "Lovers" is a rather nice power ballad, approached from a country sensibility. Corrine Barrett shines in her role as co-lead vocalist, adding another dimension to Drew's melody. "A Change Is one the Way" has Drew donning the goofy voice again - and I'll make it clear that in my world "goofy" does not mean bad - for a slow paced acoustic-based rocker. Makes you want to dig out the tie-dyes and just groove. Drew's voice has a sad quality o it that fits this song perfectly. The pace speeds up, and the volume cranks up, for the moody "Soldier Song." Smart lyrics shape this rocker, which is highlighted by Drew and Corrine's harmonies. "Is There Somewhere Else We Go" has a tinge of R&B, with a funky bass line and that almost sad tone in Drew's voice. The funkiness is accentuated in the chorus where the bass rhythm becomes as integral to the song as the vocal line. Now, my favorite song here has to be "A Song for Sara," which is a beautiful acoustic guitar ballad - with an amazingly melodic chorus. This is the sort of song that makes you want to grab your guitar and sing along. The sad lyrics blend perfectly with the lullaby-ish guitar and Drew's heart-felt performance. "Judicial Breakdown" and "Visitors from Saturn's Moon" are two more goofy numbers, although they take on very different subject. The former is a more serious look at the judicial system, while the latter is quite humorous, lyric wise - harking back to old sci-fi movies. "Caught in the Act" is another ballad in this collection of songs, but it didn't register as clearly as "A Song for Sara" with me. Dunno. It's not a bad song. It just didn't click with me. Well, I am not into political commentary in music at all, but at least "Billy Bob" (based on Bill Clinton's sexcapades) is funny and witty. Musically, it's a folksy number that fits the song's lyrical subject. Not a favorite track for me, but as I said, political commentary and I don't get along too well :). The overall feeling of this record is rather mellow. It has it's rocking moments and the goofiness of some of the songs make it quite enjoyable. However, I don't see many rock fans liking this, basically because it's too mellow to be considered "hard rock" in the traditional sense of the word. Yet, if you're in the mood for something softer, with a bit more brains and a sense of humor, give Drew Barrett a try. RealAudio and MP3 samples can be found at Drew's website. ----Released
in 1999 by Skyward Productions | Tracklist:
City of Sin,
Worked Myself to Death, Lovers, A Change Is On the Way, Soldier Song, Is There Somewhere Else We Go,
A Song for Sara, Judicial Breakdown, Visitors from Saturn's Moon, Caught in the Act,
Billy-Bob |
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