A hard-rock legend, an example for a million of musicians all over the world, both beginning and experienced, and also a talented actor, Meat Loaf has been pleasing the audience with his creations for more than four decades now. His unique vocals never losing their power and charm, deeply thought lyrics inspired both by his rich imagination and life itself, have made the artist famous and his music never gets old. Well-known for his love of sullen gothic atmosphere Meat Loaf and his band often create the images of medieval castles with ghosts in their songs, with a tragic love almost always serving a base of all the events and plots. The things are not that predictable, though. This year Meat Loaf has turned to a bit different theme recording the album Hang Cool Teddy Bear, which characterizes him not only as an ever self-improving artist but also a deeply looking psychologist able to create most interesting pictures and make the listener think them through.

Hang Cool Teddy Bear lives up to your expectations

The protagonist of the album Hang Cool Teddy Bear is a soldier who finds himself on the edge of life and death. Many believe that a person’s whole past life passes in front of one’s eyes but Meat Loaf suggests we consider a different variant. Except for the opener Peace On Earth, on which we get to know the main character and learn about his sad destiny, each of the songs here tells one of the variants of the soldier’s future life. It is not a secret that everything is possible and naturally the only glue here is love – there can be only one woman in the protagonist’s life and it is her that appears in all his life’s versions. The protagonist seems to have quite a joyful character, likes jokes and entertainment as it is clear on the track Los Angeloser, but later we realize he is also quite vulnerable. One of the most curious numbers on the album is If I Can’t Have You, for it does not only feature the backing vocals by DioGuardi, but also a piano verse from Hugh Laurie. If you watched Geeves and Wooster series you definitely know that Laurie is a classically trained pianist. When Meat Loaf guested in House M.D., he invited Hugh to play with him. An unfortunate love case is on the track Love Is Not Real (Next Time You Stab Me In The Back), one of the most emotional and powerful compositions on the album. The same is true about one of the record’s highlights Song Of Madness, on which Meat Loaf’s vocals sound almost twice stronger than the instrumentation. On the whole, the album will leave the brightest impression and lives up to your expectations.

A serious theme implying no sentiments

No doubt Meat Loaf’s voice sounds on Hang Cool Teddy Bear in all its beauty and strength. Even after so many years today his works are surprisingly taken as fresh, up-to-date and respectable. It is especially true about this recording. For the first time a Meat Loaf’s work is produced by Rob Cavallo, who has worked with such teams as Green Day, My Chemical Romance and others. Rob has been carefully watching the musicians’ creative work and has been very happy to get an opportunity to contribute to it, so all the arrangements are made perfect and the vocals really play the leading role here. Perhaps the only album’s drawback is the absence of a ballad – yet its theme is serious enough and does not imply any sentiments. Moreover, Meat Loaf is an artist who has already given the worlds a lot of slow and beautiful hits and this time he wants us to stay tense following the protagonist’s changing way of thinking. Thus the album Hang Cool Teddy Bear definitely enlarges one’s outlook and is going to be a priceless contribution to your rock-music collection.

Alexandra Zachernovskaya

Sir Paul McCartney shared his opinion about upcoming UK general election day, which is set for May 6. Ex-The Beatles member claimed that he felt dissatisfied with all three candidates for prime-minister position – Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and David Cameron. He also wished he had an opportunity to vote for Barack Obama.

«I’m not awfully impressed with the people who are in it. You know, I want a Barack Obama. If Obama was running here I think I’d be able to say: «Yeah, change, this is good, this is something different». That is what I want», said he.

Paul McCartney also claimed that he was recently invited to Houses Of Parliament to watch debates: «It was a very boring debate. But that’s not the point, it’s kind of seeing democracy at work».

Last week Paul McCartney announced that Concord Music Group company would reissue all his solo records, including the last studio effort Memory Almost Full. It will also re-release all albums by his side project Wings. Plans concerning another his side project, The Fireman, are unknown.

Jimi Hendrix, a guitar-riff master, instrumental virtuoso and musical revolutionist, leaf us a huge legacy that we are unable to measure, or value in its full scale. Now that we are living in 2010, and several decades have passed after his death, what else can we require or expect from the great musician? It occurred that even nowadays the music market may offer us a new Jimi Hendrix album. And this is Valleys Of Neptune, a record released by the Experience Xendrix company. It is owned by the legend’s stepsister named Janie. This CD features twelve tracks. They are peculiar due to the fact that every one of them was recorded by Jimi and his band The Experience shortly before the outfit’s collapse. This world is one more relic excavated to tell us something else about one of the most outstanding musicians and his art that formed a whole separate civilization named Jimi Hendrix.

Hendrix means perfect

The songs off Valleys Of Neptune were collected separately from different sets made by Jimi during his working with The Experience. By that moment, the celebrated guitarist seemed to have used every single advantage of that cooperation; and some of the compositions clearly demonstrate his desire to work individually. You can hear it particularly well when Jimi rages through the drums and bass sections with his blues solos specially put ahead of the other instruments as if he was trying to get out of the music played by The Experience. Hendrix’s most loyal fans will recognize some of the presented songs because they might have heard them, named differently, before. The best known pieces are Stone Free, Fire, and Red House. However, this album has all the tracks mixed so that they sound to make you feel standing in the first row almost reaching the star. The rest of the material is worth listening at least because this is Jimi’s material. Even when he is straightforwardly improvising or fooling around with his guitar, his performance drives crazy. These songs are impossible to form an integral stylistic unity for eve their own existence is the result of Jimi Hendrix’s creative research and experimentation.

Genius has no rating

How can we rate a wok of a genius, if this is the genius who has set the bar for all the others to try to reach? What is the scale, the system of rating for us to use to evaluate Jimi Hendrix’s songs, if even the best pieces performed by his follower were made with the focus on his own music? Valleys Of Neptune does not need a thorough analysis, criticizing or studying. What this album needs is your listening because it is made to bring you a sheer pleasure. The given studio work is just an unexpected present to the great guitarist’s fans, one more walk with the legend. This is not the artist’s best or worst effort. You will be wrong to say that Jimi’s discography would suffer a great loss without it as it is full of masterful examples of rock-music. But will there be a single Jimi Hendrix fan who will say this album should not be in his CD collection? This because you are always ready to have another record of your favorite artist, one like Jimi, even if you have already got a great lot of CDs. Those unfamiliar with this kind of music may easily skip this release. But those who love this guy’s music and rock-music in general, will certainly not regret the time spent on Valleys Of Neptune.

Alex Bartholomew

Previously unheard record of Led Zeppelin’s 1971’s performance at the St Matthews Baths Hall was discovered in Britain. According to Vic Kemp – the man who revealed it – he has bought the record at a car boot sale for £3 and was not aware of its real value.

«I was going through a stand of CDs at the car boot and the guy who was selling them said: «You might be interested in this». It must have been recorded by someone standing at the front with a microphone. You can hear Robert Plant talking to the audience quite clearly», said he.

Record features such tracks as Immigrant Song, Whole Lotta Love, Stairway To Heaven, Rock & Roll and Black Dog.

Led Zeppelin never released official records from this concert. However, it is believed that the discovered CD was copied from the tapes made by the band.

The White Stripes’ and The Raconteurs’ frontman Jack White revealed that has recently recorded a duo with US rapper Jay-Z. According to his words, the resulting track is «unbelievable-sounding». However, the singer refused to say when and how the track will be released.

«I just did a record with Jay-Z. We did a song together a few weeks ago. It was incredible. I played him something that I’ve been kicking around for a while and he immediately came out with words for it. It’s unbelievable sounding», claimed Jack White.

Last month Jay-Z praised Jack White by calling him «a renaissance music man».

Jack White himself is currently working as a producer on the new album by his wife, British model Karen Elson.

Jay-Z released his last album The Blueprint 3 in autumn 2009.

U2 revealed plans to reissue their remix compilation album Artificial Horizon. The record features reworked versions of such hits as Beautiful Day, Vertigo, Get On Your Boots, City Of Blinding Lights and others. It hit the stores this month, but only on CDs, while the band wants to release it on vinyl too.

New triple-disc vinyl edition is set to hit the stores on May 14. It was not announced if some additional materials would be included.

Original version of Artificial Horizon features such artists as Hot Chip, Justice, Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor and others. The full tracklisting is:
Elevation (Influx Mix)
Fast Cars (Jacknife Lee Mix)
Get On Your Boots (Fish Out Of Water Mix)
Vertigo (Trent Reznor Remix)
Magnificent (Falke Radio Mix)
I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight (Live U2360 Remix)
Beautiful Day (David Holmes Remix)
Staring At The Sun (Monster Truck Remix)
Happiness Is A Warm Gun (Danny Saber Mix)
Get On Yer Boots (Justice Remix)
City Of Blinding Lights (Hot Chip 2006 Remix)
If God Will Send His Angels (Grand Jury Mix)
Staring At The Sun (Brothers In Rhythm Ambient Mix)

U2 are currently busy working on their new studio album Songs Of Ascent, which is set to be released in 2010. Their previous record No Line On The Horizon hit the stores in 2009.

Green Day frontman Billie Joe Armstrong claimed that he and his bandmates already have started the recording of the new album. According to his words, the band has begun the work last autumn and was desperate to finish it as soon as possible.

Armstrong claimed that Green Day did not want to make another five-year gap between two records – meaning time-out between their previous albums 21st Century Breakdown and American Idiot, which were released in 2009 and 2004 accordingly.

«We did some demos in Berlin, some in Stockholm, some just outside of Glasgow and some in Amsterdam. We wanted to get the new songs down in some early form», claimed he.

Green Day are also busy helping Harmonix to create their own Rock Band videogame title. Like with The Beatles: Rock Band earlier, upcoming game will allow players to follow the band’s career from the start till current moment, and «perform» all important concerts in Green Day’s history.

Elton John is currently working on the new album in collaboration with famous US singer and songwriter Leon Russell and British poet Bernie Taupin. According to the official statement, the record is half-way done: «Basic tracks for new album have been recently completed and the gang is about to start vocals and overdubs immediately».

The same statement says that the record refers to different genres: «The trio has cut 15 songs ranging from The Rolling Stones-like rockers, country-tinged ballads, gospel and even a Sinatra-like weepy similar to something torn from the grooves of Frank Sinatra album In The Wee Small Hours».

It was also announced that upcoming album would feature a number of collaborations with other artists, such as Neil Young or R&B singer Booker T. Jones.

Elton John’s last studio effort, named The Captain & the Kid, hit the stores in 2006.

The musicians of Mumford & Sons can be freely called young, but promising artists. This year, their debut disc Sigh No More saw light. However, they are not actually new to the British scene, as they started performing in 2007 already – first, as the supporting and associated act with the more popular folk-artists. Nevertheless, due to their wonderful tunes and magnificent arrangements, the artists soon made their own way in the career stardom and decided to record a disc. Their music is the mixture of drive, emotions and diversity of instruments (including ethnic ones like dobro) in the interpretations of the songs. In spite of the title, in which the surname of the soloist and leader is used, the other members of Mumford & Sons are surely not his sons or even relatives. This title is the remembrance of the local family businesses of all kinds, in which the deal came from father to his sons generation after generation. They succeeded in this field for sure – take in consideration at least the fact that the artists resurrected the long ago dead interest of the big public to banjo. Although the musicians are mostly famous for their heart-grasping life performances, their first attempt Sigh No More will definitely cheer all the folk-music appreciators.

So many instruments and melodies on Sigh No More

From the first listen, the album Sigh No More strikes with its poly-sidedness – from the tunes to the arrangements. In this respect, we should never under appreciate the work of producer Marcus Dravs, who is known for his cooperation with such British and word stars as Coldplay and Bjork – he really assisted the artists to record a wonderful disc, worthy to state about it aloud. The disc opens with the tuneful track Sigh No More, which gave the title to the long-play and set the pace and to mood to it from the very beginning. It is followed by the decorated with horns folk-number The Cave, which gives way to the beautiful melody Winter Winds with the trumpet solo as the climax. In the motifs of such praiseworthy tracks as Roll Away Your Stone and Thistle & Weeds you can clearly here the Celtic roots, while the mournful songs White Blank Page and I Gave You All are the classical tales of the broken heart. It looks like the last two mentioned tracks are of autobiographical character for the soloist of Mumford & Sons. The single Little Lion Man has already become a hit in Great Britain, and it is of no wonder – it possesses a strong pop melody and infectious chorus. The bright and original track Timshel is the successful result of mixing bluegrass and gospel, while the motif Dust Bowl Dance is undoubtedly the strongest ballad on the disc and centers around the piano play. The album finishes with the pedestrian and tender elegy After The Storm.

The promising debut of Mumford & Sons

The disc Sigh No More must be definitely called a much promising debut. It possesses integrity – both in lyrical and musical relations. However, at the same time the album can boast of a pleasant diversity in the matter of sounds and arrangements. It is so easy-going and tuneful from the beginning to the end that it will win the attention of both the folk-lovers and other genres’ listeners. As it was said earlier, a special role in the creation of the disc was played by producer Marcus Dravs, who helped the musicians of Mumford & Sons show in the studio all that they are able for on the scene. He brilliantly managed the message in spite of the fact that sometimes first-rate life tracks sound colorless and uninteresting in the studio performance. Well, as for the recording place, we should also notice the headquarters that the artists chose for the work over Sigh No More – it is the Eastcoast Studios, where such performers as Arctic Monkeys, Brian Eno and Lora Marling recorded before Mumford & Sons. No wonder, that the sound of the disc is above all praises. Nevertheless, as almost every debut attempt, Sigh No More has its dark moments. Firstly, it goes about the lyrics – the artists should develop their narration skills. Secondly, the album has a couple of filling tunes, although they are pleasant and qualitative. Well, all these insignificant drawbacks are nothing in comparison to the merits of Sigh No More.

Ninelle Kazakoff

The Californian punk-rockers Lifehouse are well-known for their steadily released albums always storing a radio hit or two or even three, and also for their reluctance to change anything in their music that has already brought them a massive popularity. Ten years have passed since the release of their debut long player, No Face Name; and the band sounds just like it did in the very beginning. The only changing thing is the quality of performance and arrangements that now adjust the music to the standards of pop-rock, which automatically means a stable growth of the fan-army. Considering these aspects, many were sure that the fifth long player by Lifehouse called Smoke & Mirrors would become a breaking point in the history of the outfit. This work is based on the same punk-rock, albeit dressed and tuned for the format of the leading radio stations. The Californians continue singing about that kind of love that in many cases turns into something we are afraid of and try to stay away from. Therefore, stylistically, Smoke & Mirrors do not cross even within an inch the borders of the territory comfortably occupied by the music of Lifehouse to these days. However, the musicians found the tools to make this record interesting even to those who have been with the band since its early days.

Hits and other good songs

The new CD’s opening track, All In, is a standout thing since it hardly matches the parameters of classic punk-rock album openers. This composition lacks energy and acceleration characteristic of the long record’s first songs. Saving pains in the beginning, the musicians let their emotions out during the explosive chorus. This well-tested approach works perfectly here too. Then comes a song with tempo alterations, Nerve Damage. This is a risky trick that sometimes fails performers, yet this time it works just fine. Soon, the musicians of Lifehouse decide to have some rest and leave solid guitar riffs for the sake of ballad sounding offering a splendid piece under the title It Is What It Is. Generally speaking, these guys have a way with making low-tempo heart-breaking stuff; and the record has a plenty of that. Yet a truly good rock-album must have a striking hit track that would make you dance and prance and go crazy in all possible ways. This mission here is taken up by Wrecking Ball. The verses are surprisingly performed by the bassist, Soderberg, and then comes the knocking-down chorus with a blast of emotions, a real roar, scream and yell making the words just insignificant. The only fault found with this song is that none of the following tracks manages to reach the bar set by this one.

Lifehouse getting better and better

The conquering of the rock-music radio stations by the hits off Smoke & Mirrors is just a matter of time. There certainly would be those who would blame the band for copying the best of the 2007 album, Who We Are, while preparing the present record. But these are either people who hate such music, or people who are infected with envy and already foresee a big commercial success for the new CD by Lifehouse. Sure, one day the audience will be fed up with it and demand something different; but right now this music is a ten-out-of-ten shot. These songs live a short, yet famous life and help their makers live a longer famous life. In a year, only hard-core fans of Lifehouse will be still listening to this CD day in day out, while the majority of the listeners will be focused on other releases. But who said that in a year Lifehouse will not deliver an even stronger album? From release to release, these guys are getting more mature, experienced and wiser. They are learning to make the best out of this music; and there are no reasons to worry about the quality of their next albums.

Alex Bartholomew