MPBrown Music Reviews

  Album Review #7     Artist:   Eagles Album:   Eagles Year of Release:   1972 Grade:   3 / 5   Band Members Glenn Frey – vocals, guitar, slide guitar Don Henley – vocals, drums, percussion Bernie Leadon – vocals, guitar, banjo, Dobro, mandolin Randy Meisner – vocals, bass guitar   Background The Eagles were formed out of Linda Ronstadt’s backing band.   Don Henley from Texas was recruited from his band Shiloh that had failed to catch on.   Glenn Frey from Michigan was part of Longbranch Pennywhistle with J.D. Southern. Bernie Leadon who also played with Ronstadt was also part of the Flying Burrito Brothers.   Randy Meisner was part of Ricky Nelson’s Stone Canyon Band.   While on tour with Ronstadt, Frey and Henley decided to form their own band.   Ronstadt suggested Leadon join the tour so the three could work together.   Meisner was also brought in for the same reason.   All f...

  Album Review #6 Artist:   UK Album:   UK Year of Release:   1978 Grade:   4.5/5   Band Members Allan Holdsworth – guitars Eddie Jobson – keyboards, electric violin, acoustic guitar John Wetton – vocals, bass Bill Bruford – drums, percussion   Background Sometimes this band is called the greatest supergroup that you’ve never heard of.   John Wetton and Bill Bruford played together for several years in King Crimson for a trio of albums (Lark’s Tongue in Aspic, Starless & Bible Black, the classic Red) before Robert Fripp disbanded King Crimson.   Afterwards, Wetton and Bruford tried to convince Fripp to restart Crimson to no avail.   Wetton and Bruford decided to form a new band with Bruford’s former Yes partner Rick Wakeman.   Wakeman’s record label refused to allow their solo star to work with Wetton and Bruford in a new band.   Wetton and Bruford decided to each choose one person each to bring ...

  Album Review #5   Artist:   Bruce Springsteen Album:   Born To Run Year of Release:   1975 Grade:   5/5   Band Members Bruce Springsteen – lead vocals, guitar, harmonica   The E Street Band Roy Bittan – piano, glockenspiel, harpsichord, organ, background vocals Clarence Clemons – saxophone Garry Tallent – bass guitar Max Weinberg – drums Ernest Carter – drums Danny Federici – organ David Sancious – keyboards   Mike Appel – background vocals Steven Van Zandt - background vocals Randy Brecker – trumpet, flugel horn Michael Brecker – tenor saxophone David Sanborn – baritone saxophone Wayne Andre – trombone Richard Davis – double bass Suki Lahav – violin Charles Calello – string arrangements     Background After two reasonably unsuccessful albums saleswise – “Greetings From Asbury Park” and “The Wild, The Innocent, & The E Street Shuffle”, Bruce Springsteen needed a big...

  Album Review #4   Artist:   Bob Seger Album:   Stranger In Town Year of Release:   1978 Grade:   4.5/5   Band Members Bob Seger – vocals, guitar, piano   The Silver Bullet Band: Drew Abbott – guitar Robyn Robbins – organ Alto Reed – saxophone Chris Campbell – bass David Teegarden – drums, percussion   Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section: Barry Becket – piano, organ Pete Carr – guitar Jimmy Johnson – guitar David Hood – bass Roger Hawkins – drums, percussion   Other musicians: Ken Bell – guitar on “Old Time Rock and Roll” Glenn Frey – guitar solo on “Till It Shines” Don Felder – guitar solo on “Ain’t Got No Money” Bill Payne – piano, organ on “Hollywood Nights” Doug Riley – piano on “Feel Like A Number” and “Brave Stranger” Randy McCormick – piano on “Old Time Rock and Roll” Howie McDonald – guitar solo on “Old Time Rock and Roll”     Background Detroit music legen...

  Album Review #3   Artist:   Billy Squier Album:   Tale Of The Tape Year of Release:   1980 Grade:   4/5   Band Members Billy Squier – Vocals, Guitar, Percussion Bruce Kulick – Guitar (future member of Kiss) David Sancious – Keyboards, Synthesizers (early member of E Street Band) Richard T. Bear – Keyboards Bucky Ballard – Bass Bobby Chouinard – Drums Ernest Carter – Percussion (early member of E Street Band) Woodstock Children’s Chorus     Background Boston’s Billy Squier was the driving force behind the band “Piper” which released two albums in the late 70s.   It was a solid band but really didn’t break it big.   Squier got a solo record deal and “Tale Of The Tape” was his debut solo record.   It has a lot in common with his next album – the massive “Don’t Say No”.   I was always partial to “Tale Of The Tape” after discovering it. ...

    Artist:   The Hooters Album:   Time Stand Still Year of Release:   2008 Grade:   4.5/5   Band Members Eric Bazilian – lead vocals, guitars, bass, mandolin, harmonica, recorder, keyboards, piano, saxophone Rob Hyman – lead vocals, piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, mandolin, accordion, melodica John Lilley – guitar, mandolin, dobro Fran Smith Jr – bass, backing vocals David Uosikkinen – drums     Background This band may not be as well known as some other bands on the list but don’t let that fool you.   This Philadelphia based band is top notch.   They are huge in Europe and along the east coast of the US.   Their fan base is pretty rabid as well (in a good way).   The Hooters (named after a nickname of the melodica instrument, not the restaurant) came from the ashes of Eric and Rob’s previous band “Baby Grand” who release two albums on Arista Records in the late 1970s.   Eric and Rob ...

  Album Review #1   Artist:   Asia Album:   Asia Year of Release:   1982 Grade:   5/5   Band Members John Wetton (Bass, Vocals) Steve Howe (Guitar) Geoff Downes (Keyboards) Carl Palmer (Drums)     Background To be honest, this album came out of the blue for me.   I was heavily into music – primarily in the standard rock vein.   The term supergroup was tossed around at the time but to be honest, the only one of the band members that I had heard of previously was Carl Palmer (of Emerson, Lake, & Palmer fame).   Joining him were guitarist Steve Howe (of Yes), Geoff Downes (of Yes and The Buggles), and John Wetton (of King Crimson, UK, Uriah Heep, and Roxy Music).   This was the biggest selling album of 1982 in the US.   Track Listing 1.        Heat Of The Moment (Wetton, Downes) 2.        Only Time Will Tell (Wet...