anniversary issue, Super Deluxe Anniversary, containing three jam packed discs and a Blu Ray disc of the album, along with a 100-page hard- back book with handwritten lyrics, George Mar- tin’s score, tons of photos and so much more. The original album is here, remastered by
a dedicated team of engineers at Abbey Road stu- dios in London. They used state of the art sound equipment combined with vintage gear to main- tain the authenticity of the original analog recordings. The two additional CD’s contain pure gold. Tracks from the sessions, demos and alter- nate takes with lots of talk included. Rumors back then were that the boys
hated each other by the time they recorded this, their final album, but listening to this, we hear lots of fun and levity, laughter and joking around. Doesn’t sound like men who hate each other, now does it?
Hearing various alternate versions of “Her
Majesty,” “Octopus’s Garden,” “Here Comes the Sun,” “Something” and all the other classics is a real treat, as are bonus tracks like The Ballad of John & Yoko,” “Goodbye,” and “Come and Get it.” Honestly, the mix is the best, clearest, most high fidelity mix Abbey Road has ever enjoyed. In Oc- tober, Abbey Road returned to the number one position on the British charts after 50 years! Sim- ply excellent.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
The Mavericks Play the Hits (Thirty Tigers) After three decades of music,
the Mavericks are just as hot as ever, and have amassed a large and devoted following.,
and to celebrate their anniversary, the band cov- ers a group of songs by artists that influenced them. But the Mavericks didn’t just do a by the book job of covering these hits, they ran them through their unique filter so they came out “Maverickized.” Their first single release from the album is
a rocking version of the John Anderson hit, “Swingin’.” They do a great cover of Waylon’s “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way,” rocked up with a horn section! Springsteen’s “Hungry
Southbound Snake Charmers To the Bone (Southbound Snake Charmers) I’m so very much excited to
hear To the Bone, the fourth and latest release from Southbound
Snake Charmers. Their 2017 album, Rhythm ‘n’ Rust instantly drew me in to their world of psy- chedelic blues rock. That record totally capti- vated my attention, and was an instant hit for me. With to the Bone, this trio from Melbourne, Aus- tralia continues to push the envelope of blues rock with heavy and thunderous beats, loaded to the brim with gobs of grease, and hard-edge lyrics. This EP features four brand new all-origi- nal tracks, and two remastered favorites. The band is fronted by vocalist/guitarist Chris Den- man, with bassist Nat Sutphin and drummer Brooke Maloney comprising one hell of a rhythm section. Denman notes their intent on this recording was to recreate a 60’s / 70’s vibe, by recording all the rhythm live in one room at one time, omitting any synthesized or digital instru- ments. This certainly gives the music a warmer and more personal sound. Reminiscent of the wonderful, hoodoo-injected swampy sounds of John Fogerty, the album hits the ground running with “Through the Smoke”. The band masterfully creates an ominous stage
Heart” is given a real 1950’s rock and roll vibe, and they bring the horns back in for a remake of Elvis’ “Don’t Be Cruel.” Freddy Fender’s “Before the Next Teardrop Falls” gets a downright beauti- ful acoustic reading and the cover of Willie’s “Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain” is stripped down a loan guitar and vocals by Raul Malo. The boys turn in eleven great tunes, in-
cluding hits written by the legendary Harlan Howard, Hank Cochran, and more, and there’s a great rendition of “Once Upon a Time” featuring Martina McBride. The Mavericks have always held true to their name, and always pushed the envelope. Play the Hits continues that tradition with style and swagger.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60
