"Reflections: Side 3": A Raspberries tribute album that works!
Written: Oct 28 '06 (Updated Jul 23 '07)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Some great power pop anthems, including a great anti-war tune, highlight the 20-song collection.
Cons: Song production standards vary from professional to do-it-yourself at home recordings.
The Bottom Line: An interesting tribute album in which fans of Raspberries perform original songs written in the style of the band. Featured performers include Kyle Vincent, The Flashcubes and Qwasi Qwa.
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| Don_Krider's Full Review: Reflections: Side 3 - Songs From The Raspberries F... |
Reflections: Side 3 - Songs From The Raspberries Fan Community is the culmination of a three-year project by fans of 1970's rock idols Raspberries.
The Doggone Good Records release from executive producers Howard Whitman, Marvin Matthews and Mike Miller (of Norwegian Wood Studios) features some well-known power pop names like Kyle Vincent (who had a Top 20 AC hit in 1997 with Wake Me Up (When The World's Worth Waking Up For) on Hollywood Records) and The Flashcubes along with some very pleasant surprises among the lesser-known names on the 20-song CD.
Even better, the proceeds from sales of the CD benefit a very good cause, the VH-1 Save The Music Foundation.
Some background
For the uninitiated, Raspberries scored seven Hot 100 Billboard chart hits in 1972-74, including the million-seller Go All The Way and their album Starting Over was named Album Of The Year by Rolling Stone magazine in 1974.
The band's legendary status and fan loyalty led to the band reuniting in 2004, nearly 30-years after leaving the music scene in 1975, with its original lineup (Eric "All By Myself" Carmen, Wally Bryson, Dave Smalley and Jim Bonfanti) back together.
That band signed with Rykodisc earlier this year and their 2005 Los Angeles reunion show (the culmination of a successful 2004-2005 U. S. tour) was recorded by producer Mark Linett (Grammy-nominated engineer of Brian Wilson's Smile).
That Raspberries reunion tour saw some big names attending shows by the band, including Rick Springfield, Jon Bon Jovi, Paul Stanley of Kiss, Gene Cornish and Dino Danelli of The Rascals, with members of The Romantics, The Go-Go's, The Sex Pistols and Blondie, among others.
Bruce Springsteen even dedicated one of his songs to the band at three of his shows and the New York press proclaimed the Raspberries New York City shows as "one of the year's 10 best live shows."
The final result of that Raspberries reunion tour is that the Los Angeles concert recording is now being prepared for a CD/DVD release called Live On Sunset Strip, scheduled for release July 31, 2007. But that's another story.
This project
The story at hand, and this fine CD, Reflections: Side 3 - Songs From The Raspberries Fan Community, was conceived when the concept of a lasting Raspberries reunion happening was but a dream nearly three years ago.
Using the message boards of various official and fan sites, and personal contacts, the three men behind the project encouraged musical contributions from fans of the band. This CD resulted from those contributions.
The CD's title, Reflections: Side 3 - Songs From The Raspberries Fan Community, comes from some fan based tributes that appear on Raspberries.net called "Reflections" and the title of Raspberries 1973 album, Side 3.
The resulting CD has some stunning tracks. You never know what to expect from a tribute album, especially one that involves original material by the performers on the CD (not covers of Raspberries' songs).
In this case, this is a CD worth having in a power pop/alternative rock fans collection --- it's a good introduction to a large number of acts and a few of the songs are every bit as good as the Raspberries' original tunes, which is quite an achievement.
Some standout artists
The 20 songs on Reflections: Side 3 - Songs From The Raspberries Fan Community are all good, but a few of the tracks make the CD more than worth the price of purchase.
Larry Lange
The song that kills me is Whatever Happened To Love by Larry Lange. It's one of those rare tunes that has you wanting to sing along with it even when it's not on the CD player --- a melody and lyrics that stick in your head all day long.
Lange, author of the book The Beatles Way: Fab Wisdom For Everyday Life and the songwriter of a 1990's tune, No Matter What (also known as No Morira) that won ASCAP's Most Played Song Of The Year Award, writes an anti-war tune here.
Whatever Happened To Love, written by Lange and Mike Lorello, blends '70s Raspberries rock with lyrics that should become a modern anti-war anthem. It's such a cool concept: mix a delicious sounding power-chorded melody with lyrics that not only grab your attention, but which also make you think:
...screaming off the sea at night, rockets in the sky, how did we get back to live and die, whatever happened to love (I wanna know)... show me where it says in your Bible, that peace is in a rifle..."
There's even a mention in the song of a Raspberries' fan who was a captain serving in Iraq who couldn't attend a Raspberries reunion show but wrote the band from the battlefront in Iraq to tell of his love of the band (Raspberries Eric Carmen and Dave Smalley, the latter a Vietnam veteran himself, read the emotional letter on stage during the reunion tour):
"...Captain Tim's a friend of mine, they sent him to the war, now he's wondering what he's fighting for... the truth is standing there naked, but we're all wrapped up in hatred..."
I'm not usually big on anti-war songs because they often sound less than sincere, but I love this one --- it's honest, timely, and it's pretty darn cool.
Kyle Vincent
I first got into Kyle Vincent's music 21 years ago when he was lead singer of the band Candy. Candy had a minor MTV hit with Whatever Happened To Fun?, were produced by Raspberries' original producer Jimmy Ienner, and featured future Guns 'n' Roses guitarist Gilby Clarke.
Vincent went on to adult contemporary solo success in the late 1990's via the Top 20 AC hit Wake Me Up (When The World's Worth Waking Up For). He's got the multi-range vocal talent of Eric Carmen, the pop sense of Barry Manilow and the rock star good looks of Rick Springfield. That the man isn't a major star has always amazed me.
On Ghost Of Rock 'n' Roll Vincent delivers his usual standout performance via an ode to lost Top 40 radio sounds with a rocking backbeat as he sings the musical question:
"...rock and roll radio, what happened to the friend that I used to know?, you were there when I needed you most, now you're just a ghost of rock 'n' roll..."
The Flashcubes
The pride of Syracuse, The Flashcubes have never disappointed in a long power pop career. Their track here, You Got My Promise, delivers the goods in every way --- from lead singer/bassist Gary Frenay's yearning lead vocal, to guitarists Paul Armstrong and Arty Lenin's crazed power chording, to the amazing drum kit pounding of Tommy Allen, these guys are fantastic!
"...I'm gonna have to prove myself to you, eight days a week, so that you can trust in me, believe the words I speak, you got my promise, that I'll be here with you..."
Qwasi Qwa
These guys were teen sensations in Cleveland, Ohio, getting media buzz for having guitarist Jesse Bryson (son of the Raspberries lead guitarist, Wally Bryson) in the band.
Their gigs involved screaming young girls in their audiences, according the Cleveland Scene magazine, they won a readers poll as Best Americana Band in a Cleveland Free-Times poll, and in 1997 they won first place in the Mountain Dew/Belkin Productions High School Rock Off competition.
After high school, the band cut a couple of albums before Jesse Bryson went on to record with other bands, including Rosavelt and The Bryson Group.
Qwasi Qwa's track here, I Know, features Chuck Andrews on lead vocals in a song written by Andrews and Bryson that originally appeared on Qwasi Qwa's Shaking Hands With The Governor CD. The blues-tinged sound is more '60s Eric Burdon/Animals than it is Raspberries, and that's a good thing in this case:
"...the truth can hurt sometimes, I know..."
Billy Sullivan
Billy has backed everyone in rock history it seems, including Eric Carmen, Peter Noone, Mark Lindsay and Gary Lewis. Raspberries' fans know him best from playing as a sideman on the recent Raspberries reunion tour and as co-writer of the tune I'll Be On My Way on the album Play On by former Raspberries' bassist Scott McCarl.
Sullivan's All American Popster solo CD is also worth picking up.
Sullivan's track here, Passing Strangers, is a standout --- he wrote the tune, sings all the vocals and plays all the instruments. With a moderate rock beat and some sizzling lead guitar, Sullivan sounds like Scott McCarl vocally here in this lovely tune about seeing a potential lover on the street and wondering if a romance will work:
"...'cause we're passing strangers in the night..."
Khaoticos
With a sound that's at once a perfect marriage of The Fountains of Wayne and The Posies, the band Khaoticos blows me away with their track, Hold On, which is full of gorgeous multi-part harmonies, ringing guitar sounds and a great Brian Wilson-ish production in a tune about trying to win your lover's heart back:
"...how can I touch you, how can I have you, how can I make you stay and love me once again..."
John Lemonis
Eric Carmen should be producing this gentleman.
John Lemonis is better known as a Christian singer, but he has a beautiful, classic pop voice, and he has written the best Eric Carmen ballad that Eric never recorded with his track here, You're The Only One, a string-laden piano ballad that reminds me of such lesser known Carmen solo tunes as Foolin' Myself and The Way We Used To Be.
Lemonis plays all the instruments here on this outstanding production. It's one very pretty pop ballad:
"...you turned my life around, right from the very start, because you're the only one, you're the only one that I trust with my heart..."
Duophonics
Sounding like The Rubinoos and Fountains Of Wayne at their best, The Duophonics song, Please Don't Say Goodnight Tonight, was originally recorded by the band back in the 1970s.
They've updated the song and the vocals here making for a fresh, vibrant, modern-sounding rock track which takes me back to my '70s high school and college radio favorites (you know, "guy sees girl, guy dates girl, guy begs girl"...):
"...please don't leave me here to sleep alone, please don't say goodnight tonight..."
Craig Pearman
A Raspberries' fan delight, Craig Pearman's Let's Take A Chance combines various Raspberries melodies into one tune that I now proclaim as the ultimate Raspberries' tribute. Power chords, harmonies, and a driving, sugary sweet melody --- what more could a power pop fan desire?
"...let's take a chance and try our love, 'cause we've got nothing to lose girl..."
Howard Whitman
Originally written for Howard' Whitman's 1980's band The Lobsters, this rockin' little number features some interesting lyrics about a conversation with your wanna-be girlfriend's dad:
"...her father took me drinking, and it kind of got me thinking, he had a scotch and water, made a little offer, 'Keep your hands off of my daughter'..."
The CD
On a single CD, with a generous 75 minute and 43 second running time, you get 20 songs by 20 artists. These range from rock 'n' roll gems to surprisingly delicious pop ballads, all done in the spirit of Raspberries' music.
The 8-page CD booklet features liner notes by Marvin Matthews and includes comments by most of the artists. Though the project isn't officially endorsed by the band, there are comments in the booklet from three of the band's members (Carmen, Bryson and Smalley).
Some songs showcase superb studio production, while others suffer a bit from their do-it-yourself (DIY) recording origins --- that may bother pop music purists, but I've never liked over-production, and I've enjoyed many DIY recordings over the years (much of what we call garage rock and punk started out as recorded tunes played by poor guys playing in a garage or basement on the cheapest of recording equipment).
All the songs on this CD are good, just the same.
Worth noting is that proceeds from the sale of this CD will benefit the VH-1 Save The Music Foundation. Details are at http://www.nwrstudio.com/raspberriestribute .
The tracks:
Whatever Happened To Love by Larry Lange, Ghost Of Rock 'n' Roll by Kyle Vincent, You Got My Promise by The Flashcubes, I Know by Qwasi Qwa, For You And I by Marvin Matthews (with Howard Whitman; this answers the musical question, "What if Springsteen sang lead with Raspberries?" for me) and Passing Strangers by Billy Sullivan.
Also, Hold On by Khaoticos, You're The Only One by John Lemonis, Won't Let Go by Paul Cartmill, Remote Control by Unknown Reason, Please Don't Say Goodnight Tonight by Duophonic, Let's Take A Chance by Craig Pearman and Criticizer by Mike Miller (perhaps the finest tribute to Wally Bryson ever, it features a blending of Wally's guitar riffs from several Raspberries' classics).
Also, How Could You Do This To Me? by Pat Griffin, Something To Hold On To by Howard Whitman, Something I'm Good At by Billy K, Where's The Road? by Mitch Spera, Why Tell Me It's Over by Michael Phillips, What Do You Want? by Bill Campbell and Summer Of '83 by Tony Cartmill (nice soft rocker that laments that "a dream can turn into a chance you let go by").
The final thought
You can help out the VH-1 Save The Music Foundation and treat yourself to some great, melodic power pop by buying this CD. This is a good album offering a chance to experience 20 different artists on one CD and would make a fine stocking stuffer this holiday season.
Just released:
Live On Sunset Strip (Deluxe Edition of 2 CDs and a DVD recorded during the 2005 reunion tour) By Raspberries, a 2007 Rykodisc release with liner notes by Bruce Springsteen and a photo of John Lennon in a Raspberries sweatshirt in the CD booklet, produced by Mark Linett and Eric Carmen: http://www.epinions.com/content_393207123588
Special thanks
To Epinions.Com music category lead Shelly, aka Lambchops (http://www.epinions.com/user-lambchops), for adding this title to the Epinions' musical database.
On the web
Ordering information and the web page for this CD (clickable links to the websites of many of the artists on the CD are on this page): http://www.nwrstudio.com/raspberriestribute
Mike Miller's Norwegian Wood Studios: http://www.nwrstudio.com/
Raspberries site: http://www.raspberries.net and http://www.raspberriesonline.com
The 2005 Capitol Records anthology, Greatest, by Raspberries: http://www.epinions.com/content_186044681860
Recommended:
Yes
Great Music to Play While: Driving
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Don_Krider
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Member: Don Krider
Location: USA
Reviews written: 301
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About Me:
Fan of power pop (Raspberries, Badfinger, Cheap Trick, The Knack, Romantics, Slade,Sweet...) --- "Play On"!!!
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