Happy Rhino Dayz!

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 13:27:14 GMT

This afternoon I was pleasantly suprised to find a little cardboard CD box in my mailbox from Amazon.com! The shipping date was posted as delivery around July 3rd to 15th. So imagine my suprise to find it 2 to 3 weeks early! Now 1/2 of my test with Amazon is complete, meaning I know I can order, pay, and receive items here in Shangahi. No longer do I have to cruize all the back alley and sidewalk markets trying to find my paculiar taste in music. Now if only phase 2 can be such a sucess (the anime DVD shipped 1 day before so I can only hope it clears customes.

Back to the point. I have had a little time to review this album before getting it and as I am listening to it I will share some of my discovery. For starters and those not so well versed in Rhino Bucket here is a quick catch-up session: Rhino Bucket has had 4 studio albums since 1990, with a 12 year lay off until last months release of the album I have refered to. Their earlier works include the debut Rhino Bucket in 1990, 1992's followup, Get Used to It, followed up by 1994's Pain. As with any Hollywood band they have had an interesting past. The original drummer, Liam Janson quit the band and dissapeared in 1992 causing the band to hire AC/DC's former drumer Simon Wright for tour and studio work. Rhino Bucket is in the same catigory of rock music very early AC/DC, Junk Yard, Dangerous Toys, Tora Tora, Kix, and many others. They never released a ballad which is the large reason for their lack of label support and eventual breakup in 1995/1996. The band sings rock anthems about fast drinking, fast cars, hard live, blue coller blues, and dangerous women. This is a band that never gave into to studio pressures and paid the price but are now back and just as hard and garage band as ever. Georg Dolivo's voice is still an erriely close match to Bon Scotts and if you close your eyes and get lost in the music at times you can swear it is AC/DC and not an American copy.

Now that we have a little history about the band and their music let me say this. I am happy to see them back, their original drummer is back too, well sort of, in the new form and name, Jackie Enx (yes that is a woman's name and yes you can make that conclusion because bingo, he is now a she). They have enlisted the help of axe master Brian Forsythe (formely of Kix) to replace Greg Fields. The band sounds solid after a few spins of the CD and as it will take a week to truely absorb all the tracks my initial impression is this. They do not sound tired or like any of their past material, but they are not at the top of their game as Get Use to It was. The album is good and a wonderful alternative to Nu Metal or Hybrid Rap/Metal that is everywhere today. Also you do not have to run for the tooth brush and dental floss when a ballad comes around because true to their form there are none here. I like their remake of "I Was Told" as it is a more soulful and boogie oriented track. They have toned down the distortion and turned up the bass on this album giving it more of a bottom end and blues feel. I wish I had my car and its stereo system now because I could crank this to see how it really feels. First impression is And then it got Ugly is a good album with long listenability. This style of music is not the type that you become obcessed with like a shiny new toy, but rather the comfortable old leather jacket you put into the closet in the spring time and then slip on the first cool night of fall as you go to the local watering hole, comfortable, honest, familar, comfortable and always there like an old friend.

Long Live Rock!

Sat, 10 Jun 2006 05:16:54 GMT

I was cruising through Amizon today, updating my profile and shipping information, registring some gifts, etc (you know they can ship to China and for just a bit more then shipping in the states?!!!!!) Well, to my suprise when I clicked on My Recomendations (haven't been to Amazon since I moved out of my apartment in the states) I noticed a NEW album from Rhino Bucket!!!!! And Then It Got Ugly Wow, was I suprised!!! I love this group! Yea, yea, they sould like AC/DC clones but in this age of whinny, unimaginative, brooding, meloncholy metal these guys came out with something new and I bet is just as pure and solid guitar driven rock as all their past albums! I hope I will be as pleasantly suprised as I was with The System Has Failed by Megadeath! I miss old rock and kick ass roll, and being in Shanghai it will be a real treat to listen to something fresh yet familiar again! I can't wait for the mail dude to show up.... in 3 to 4 weeks.... aggggg, at least it will be here, and for less then you think in shipping!

The Bravo Blog: Music

Happy Rhino Dayz!

Long Live Rock!