Album Of The Week: Heartbreak City by The Cars

On Sunday September 15, 2019, the rock world and the Boston music scene lost one of it’s greats in Ric Ocasek who was one of the singers and rhythm guitar player of Boston rock band The Cars. The Cars were a very important band to the identity of Classic Rock in the city of Boston and they were a band that I grew up on. For today’s album of the week, I have decided to cover the band’s fifth studio album in Heartbreak City because it was the album that introduced me to the band. The album was released on March 13, 1984 which marks this as the 35TH anniversary of the album’s release and it was produced by famed producer Robert John “Mutt” Lange who was known for producing albums by AC/DC and Def Leppard to name a few. The album once again featured Ocasek (Rhythm Guitar and Vocals), Ben Orr (Bass and Vocals), Elliot Easton (Guitars and Vocals), Greg Hawkes (Keys and Fairlight CMI programming), and David Robinson (Drums). The album was a huge success and it bounced the band back as it peaked at number three on the Billboard Top 200 Charts making it only the second album to reach this high on the charts (Candy-O also peaked at 3). The album would also chart at number 12 in 1984 and 49 in 1985 on the Billboard Top 200 year end charts as it sold over four million records.

1. Hello Again– A new wave rocking hit, but it definitely was experimental as well for the band at the time. I always loved the key and synth opening of the track and we’ve seen the vocal intro effect before with Def Leppard. 5/5

2. Looking For Love– Even though this wasn’t a single, I always thought this was an awesome song for a deep cut on the record. It does a nice job treading on the line of ballad and synth pop single very well as she looks for love. 5/5

3, Magic– The second single released off the album and a number one hit on the U.S. Billboard Top Rock Tracks chart. You can hear the Fairlight CMI programming being put to use in the beginning before the keys take over. The track has a great charging rock sound to it complete with awesome bass riff from Orr. The track is all about when you find that true love, everything feels like magic, but it doesn’t last forever. 5/5

4. Drive– This is probably my favorite song on the whole entire album and one of the band’s best ballads. This is a track that is sung by Benjamin Orr and his bass riff dominates this great track. The track is all about how anyone can say they love you, but there is one true person who will “drive” to the ends of the earth for you. 5/5

5. Stranger Eyes– I love the intro to this song because it’s so 1980’s with the synth they are using I love it. I could see this song on a soundtrack to an 80’s horror film. A very bass driven track that is once again sang by Orr. 4.5/5

6. You Might Think– The very first single released off of the album that peaked at number one on the US Billboard Top Rock Tracks. I love the balance of it being a rock track with the keyboard playing and the nuances of the synth playing. 5/5

7. It’s Not the Night-a keyboard and synth heavy track that was written by both Orr and Ocasek and it features vocals from the both of them as well. When it comes time for Orr to sing, it turns into more of a rock song with the keys and synths still there. 4/5

8. Why I Can’t Have You– another Keys and Synth drive track whose tempo is a little slower than the other tracks that has that person in distress kind of mode (described as a lush ballad) especially since the song is about a guy who wants this woman, but he can’t have her. 5/5

9. I Refuse– a more upbeat synthpop track from the band in this track about a guy who refuses to be used by someone. 4.5/5

10. Heartbreak City– The last track on the album that was originally titled Jacki on the US cassette release. It’s a synthpop track that is a little bit on the darker side as it has to do with two lovers who can’t seem to be together because Jacki is obsessed with big lights of Hollywood or Heartbreak City. 4.5/5

My Final Thoughts– I love this album and always have since the first time I heard it and that was thanks to MTV who used to play music videos. There’s really only one song on the album that I never really cared for, but other than it’s a solid release. I am giving the album 4.75 stars out of five for a final grade. R.I.P. Ric Ocasek

The album cover when you unfold it

Rock Video Of The Week: Best In The West by The Wild!

There have been countless bands that have copied the formula that AC/DC has thrown down since day one. Many of those bands are barely still around, but there is one band that wants to defy the odds and they have a vocalist that just may help them succeed. While, I love everything that Brian Johnson brought to the band, it was Bon Scott that will always remain the standard for dirty old fashioned, kick in the nuts, rock and roll.The material that he produced with AC/DC is often duplicated, but never imitated. Then there is this band from Kelowna, British Columbia known as The Wild!, who if you close your eyes, you swear to whoever you believe in that it’s Bon on the microphone. It is so uncanny that I am instantly digging what these guys are putting out. Dylan Villain is the man that animates this band to life and it’s evident in our Rock Video Of The Week for the track Best In The West. The video is primarily a performance based video that showcases the chaos that ensues on stage and the just the fun these guys off the stage. Check out the video below:

Album Of The Week: High Voltage by AC/DC

In 2014, when we found out that AC/DC was continuing on without famed rhythm guitarist Malcolm Young, a lot of us were lost for words because for a little bit of time the reason was unknown. When we found out that he was suffering from dementia, we were shocked and saddened at the news that the backbone of the rhythm section would most likely never return. Then on November 18, 2017, we were saddened to learn the news that Malcolm had passed away. After 15 studio albums, it was all over as we mourn the loss of yet another legend and we decided that we would cover an AC/DC album as a tribute to Malcolm. The album we chose is the band’s first international release in High Voltage which was released on April 30, 1976 and was produced by Harry Vanda and the late George Young. The band was made up of Malcolm Young (Rhythm Guitar), Angus Young (Lead Guitar), Bon Scott (Vocals), Mark Evans (Bass), and Phil Rudd (Drums). The album peaked at number 146 on the Billboard Top 200 charts and has since gone three times platinum selling over three million copies.

1. It’s a Long Way to the Top (If You Wanna Rock ‘n’ Roll)– One of the most all time classic AC/DC songs that opens up with that powerful riff and comes complete with a bagpipe solo from Bon Scott. The track is all about the long journey to becoming a rock star that isn’t an easy road to go on. 5/5

2. Rock ‘n’ Roll Singer– A track that proves the true genius of frontman Bon Scott and how there was no one like him. A great hard driving rock song that is all about knowing what you want to do in which is to become a rock and roll singer. His wit is on display especially in this track and it’s awesome! 5/5

3. The Jack– A very dirty and dingy blues rock classic from the band about a girl they all know with a very bad venereal disease. A very classic track showcasing how amazing the band was and what else they could do. 5/5

4. Live Wire– an amazing bass riff opens up this track that just has way too much rock and roll swagger to it in this track that is talking about a kid who is just a hellraiser. 5/5

5. T.N.T.– This is by far one of the tracks in the band’s catalog that is just truly bad ass. It starts with a big power rock chords and some Aussie flavor with the Oi chants. The song is basically about a guy who is one of those bad asses that you just do not mess with. 5/5

6. Can I Sit Next to You Girl– A cool rock and roll track whose lyrics changed from the version Dave Evans sang to this one by Bon. It’s about a guy who hits on a girl and he gets the girl where the other version he doesn’t. I love Malcolm’s playing on this track because it’s unlike anything I have heard him do before. 5/5

7. Little Lover– What an amazing blues rock track this is from the gang in what I heard is a song about Angus according to some sources. I think it’s about a girl he seen in the front row of a show that was into Bon. From this track on, the bass parts are recorded by George Young while the drums are by Tony Currenti. 5/5

8. She’s Got Balls– This is another one of those tracks that is just cool from beginning to end. Bon apparently said that he wrote this song while he was married and that it was about his wife after she asked him to write a track for her. 5/5

9. High Voltage– The last track on the album was a live favorite for Bon back in the day as the crowd would sing along with him. The song is about him defending the way he and his bandmates look saying they are high voltage rock and roll!!!! 5/5

My Final Thoughts– This album in my opinion was the perfect first release from the band which means it joins the Five Star Club here on Moshpits and Movies as it receives five stars out of five for a final grade. This was the band at it’s hungriest stage of their careers and they were on fire. Admittingly, this album was sort of a greatest hits of their first two Australian releases which were High Voltage and T.N.T.. Nonetheless, this is one to listen to for sure. R.I.P. Malcolm Young (1953-2017)

Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween 2016: Day 7: Maximum Overdrive (1986)

For today’s entry to Eddie’s 31 Days Of Halloween, I was surprised that I hadn’t reviewed more Stephen King films more often than I have. So, today we decided to review a film that was always one of my favorite ones in Stephen King’s Maximum Overdrive, a film about a renegade comet that the Earth gets stuck in for eight days. Things start going out of whack on Earth like Lawnmowers running over people, a vending machine killing people with it’s soda cans, and tractor trailers driving on their own. For a group of workers and patrons at a truck stop, they don’t completely know what is going on when things start going haywire in Wilmington, North Carolina. For Bill Robinson (Emilio Estevez), a kid with a troubled past is just trying to get through life with his crappy job as a cook until he has to step up to be the hero when all of this craziness is going down. The film also stars Pat Hingle (Batman 1989) as Bubba Hendershot, Laura Harrington (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape) as Brett, Yeardly Smith (The Legend Of Billie Jean) as Connie, John Short (Ransom) as Curt, Holter Graham (Fly Away Home) as Deke, Frankie Faison (Silence Of The Lambs) as Handy, Christopher Murney (The Last Dragon) as Camp Loman, Ellen McElduff (JFK) as Wanda, J.C. Quinn (The Abyss) as Duncan, and the film was directed by Stephen King.

First off, you can never go wrong choosing a film to watch that has a soundtrack completely provided by AC/DC and secondly this was the 80’s which meant that a lot of great horror flicks were coming out. I always loved the idea of tractor trailers trying to kill humans. It’s almost like the Terminator where the machines that man built are getting back at the human race. Some of the scenes can be cheesy, but for the most part this film was awesome. The fact that they had a road roller run over and flatten a kid at the little league field was ballsy in my opinion because you never really saw that in too many films. The kill scenes for the most part were actually really good and the combo of Laura Harrington and Emilio Estevez was a good decision, but they move a little too fast in the film. What I mean by that is the idea that they meet and she’s instantly his. Maybe, it’s because Emilio was a boss back in the day. I think Stephen King did a really good job directing the film and like a lot of other horror greats, he inserts himself in one little scene in the beginning of the movie when he tries to use the ATM. Definitely check out this little treasure from Stephen King as I give the film an B+ for a final grade.

Single Of The Week: Breakin’ Outta Hell by Airbourne

As promised, here is your second single of the week, but this time from the rock side of life. Airbourne have always been one of those bands that I enjoyed listening to because they brought that high octane sweaty styled rock and roll to the table much like the other legendary rock band from Australia in AC/DC. The band is now gearing up to release their fourth album Breakin’ Outta Hell via Spinefarm Records which will also be the band’s first since leaving Roadrunner Records. The album is expected to drop in stores and online on September 23RD to help prepare you for the mayhem, the band has unleashed the title track for all to consume. If you love the fast paced, big riff, arena rock styled music, then you are going to love this track. Joel O’Keeffe talked about the track saying, “We get a lot of feedback from our fans saying how much they love the faster tracks. But when they play them in the car… well, it can be tough on their pocket with all the speeding fines! ‘Breakin’ Outta Hell’ is definitely one of THOSE numbers… even the guys who filmed the lyric video were stopped by the police and given a fine.” He talked about the lyric video saying, “For us, these visuals really sum up the feeling behind the song and the album, too. The whole message is right there. Put on the single, or the album, and it’s, ‘F–k the boss and f–k all the tax I owe. I’m going out, I’m getting pissed and I’m going to listen to some hard rock ‘n’ roll.’ No ballads, no bulls–t. I’m breaking out of Hell!”

Music Video Of The Week: Old School by Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy

It’s not Tuesday, but we have a comedian as a music video of the week which can only mean one thing and that is we are covering Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy. We’ve already covered them once for the single of the week, but the band has unleashed another new track called Old School which is off of their first album Songs From the Garage that’s currently out in stores and online everywhere right now as we speak. Jim talks about the track saying, “Do you like RIFF driven, catchy hard rock music tunes that will get you out of your chair? Then the song ‘Old School’ is for you. This is my church, this is my temple, this is my therapy.” The video itself is mostly a performance based video with the guys playing in a garage fist before they move to a club to play. One of the funniest things about the video is Jim Breuer’s impressions of Rob Halford, Ozzy Osbourne, Dee Snider, Brian Johnson and many others too. You should definitely check out the video, the lyrics, and the guitar solo because it kicks ass. Check it out below:

Single Of The Week: Mr. Rock n Roll by Jim Breuer and the Loud & Rowdy

I know what you’re thinking right now it’s s that the same Jim Breuer as the in the comedian? The Jim Breuer comedian that is famous for his James Hetfield impressions and the Jim Breuer that did Goat Boy? My answer to you is that if you are thinking that then you are absolutely right, it’s the same guy. Jim Breuer has released his very own rock album with his band the Loud & Rowdy. Jim is releasing his album Songs From The Garage which features some amazing tracks that will fit right alongside hits from bands like Megadeth, AC/DC, etc. The Loud & Rowdy are made up of drummer Mike Tichy, bassist Joe Vigliotti, and guitarist Metal Mike while the album was produced by former Anthrax/current Volbeat guitarist Rob Caggiano. The track that I present to you guys is kind of bittersweet considering that Brian Johnson is no longer in AC/DC. Nevertheless, the band has released the track Mr. Rock n Roll which features Brian on vocals along with Breuer. It’s so awesome to hear Johnson’s vocals on this kick ass rock track that any AC/DC fan would enjoy listening to. Breuer talked about working with Johnson with Rolling Stone saying, “To me, Brian is the most powerful voice in rock & roll. He is also the funniest and most generous man I have ever known. I am still in awe of how he recorded the song and forever thankful.” Check out the track below and believe me Breuer is actually pretty good!