Book Review: Brat: An ’80s Story By Andrew McCarthy (Grand Central Publishing)

By: Jesse Striewski

Back in the ’80s, everyone had their favorite member of the so-called ‘brat pack,’ the group of young actors famously dubbed so by the media. I suppose if there was ever one member of said club that I related to the most, it would have to be the slightly aloof, yet seemingly down-to-Earth Andrew McCarthy. Known for his roles in such popular films as St. Elmo’s Fire, Pretty In Pink, and Weekend at Bernie’s, McCarthy has made a career for himself in more recent years as a writer and director.

Unlike so many biographies of its kind, Brat is written with style and eloquence, empathizing well thought-out ideas and stories over the standard ‘tell all’ memoirs that border on bragging about excessive sex and drug usage. Here McCarthy details his childhood growing up in New Jersey (another thing we also share in common), the spark that fueled the fire for his love of acting, and the filming of all of the previously mentioned films and then some. And somehow he even manages to do all this in just over two hundred pages, making it a quick read for those who might suffer from shorter attention spans.

The only complaint I might have here? Unfortunately there is no behind-the-scenes detail of the immortal Weekend at Bernie’s II; McCarthy simply (and swiftly) glances over it as an embarrassing after thought, though most will likely forgive him for that. Still, if you’re like me and salivate over any and all ’80s trivia, then Brat will likely be just as up your alley as it was mine.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Album Review: Helloween – Self-Titled (Nuclear Blast Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

In more recent times, classic power metal act Helloween reunited with two of its core members; guitarist/vocalist Kai Hansen and singer Michael Kiske, each returned to the band in 2016 to form one of the most solidified lineups in the group’s history to date, bringing its current membership up to seven.

The result is this twelve track, self-titled collection of new material (their first new studio album overall since 2015), which finds the band utilizing three vocalists at once for the first time ever. There’s some great moments found through out, with “Fear of the Fallen” leading the charge. Other tracks like “Mass Pollution” and “Indestructible” are some of the heaviest in the band’s career to date.

However, the end result is not completely flawless, either. “Skyfall” and “Out for the Glory” contain some impressive guitar work, but could easily lose the casual listener’s attention with their longer run times (the non-single version of the latter actually clocks in at over twelve minutes). And “Angels” feels incomplete, as if it can’t really decide what it wants to be.

There will always be plenty of naysayers out there looking down on Helloween for past “cheesy” moments (see: the music video for “Halloween”). But the more sophisticated listener should be able to appreciate the band’s highlighted technical skills, and recognize that Helloween have aged gracefully, worthy of being put alongside such contemporaries in the sub-genre as Queensryche or DragonForce.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Album Review: KennyHoopla – Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape// (Columbia Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

Last year when newcomer KennyHoopla dropped the brilliant single “how will i rest in peace if i’m buried by a highway?//,” it was apparent there was something uniquely special about this rising star. Now barely even a year later, he proves to be more than just a fluke with this brand new eight-song release.

Listeners first caught glimpse of Survivors Guilt: The Mixtape last November via the straight-to-the-point, 2-minute single and video, “estella//,” which also features Blink-182 drummer Travis Barker on it. Along the way, there’s painstakingly heartfelt slices of pop punk, indie, and emo that perfectly echo the soundtrack to youth. Tracks like “silence is also an answer//,” “smoke break//,” “turn back time//,” and latest single, “hollywood sucks//,” all display the singer’s raw talent and energy perfectly.

Every once in awhile, an act will come along and help restore my love of a music genre that I have often largely lost faith in. KennyHoopla has done just that, and if he keeps this up, he’s sure to lead the way at the top of his very own movement for years to come.

Rating: 5/5 Stars

Little Ozzy at Oasis on the River in Sanford, FL on 6/12/21 By Jesse Striewski/Photos By Brooke Striewski

I’ll be completely blunt here; when it comes to tribute and/or cover bands, I can sometimes border on the “snob-ish” side (my attitude has always been, ‘why would I want to see imitators, if I’ve already seen the original?’). But when it’s done right, a tribute/cover act can sometimes come close to being as fun as the real thing. Such was the case with 4’10 singer Lin Doak, otherwise known to the world as Little Ozzy, who along with his band, rocked Oasis on the River in Sanford this past Saturday, June 12.

Over the course of just a few years, Little Ozzy has climbed his way to the top as one of the world’s leading Ozzy Osbourne tribute acts, even appearing on such multiple TV shows including America’s Got Talent and Ozzy and Jack’s World Detour. And while I have already seen the actual Prince of Darkness himself before, both solo and with Black Sabbath (in 1997 and 2004, respectively), I knew there was something special enough about Little Ozzy to get me to put my usual reservations towards tribute bands aside for one night.

My gut instincts quickly proved right, as the band – which also consists of guitarist Johnny Lawrence, bassist Aaron Rowe, and drummer Draven Blaq – took the stage just after 9:00pm, opening with a one-two punch of “I Don’t Know” and “Crazy Train” (really the only appropriate way to introduce a set of Ozzy classics at this point). Adding to the overall decadence of the evening was the atmosphere of the venue Oasis itself; with a pool filled with bathing beauties directly in front of the stage, there was plenty for the eyes to behold.

I was pleasantly surprised when the band followed up with a bit of a deep cut in the form of “Believer,” before segueing into a number of Sabbath staples that included “Iron Man,” “Children of the Grave” (one of my personal favorites), and “Sweet Leaf.” Solos from Blaq and Lawrence sandwiched more hits like “Mama I’m Coming Home,” “War Pigs,” and “Suicide Solution,” before Little Ozzy told a brief story of meeting late Ozzy guitarist Randy Rhoads’ brother, Kelly.

The band then slowed things down a bit for a spot-on version of “Goodbye to Romance” (always a favorite), before finally calling it a night with epic renditions of “Mr. Crowley,” “Shot in the Dark,” and “Fairies Wear Boots.” Although their set was nearly flawless, I found it odd that mega hit “Bark at the Moon” was omitted from the set, and I would personally love to hear more forgotten tracks like “Breaking All the Rules” included as well (but that’s just me).

Still, there really wasn’t all that much to complain about Saturday night’s show. So the next time Little Ozzy comes through your town, be sure to catch him and his band if you can; it’s sure to put an Ozzy-size smile on your face!

Album Review: Mammoth WVH – Self-Titled (EX1 Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

The passing of iconic Van Halen guitarist/co-founder Eddie Van Halen last October sent a tidal wave of shock across rock communities the world over. Shortly after, Ed’s son (and most recent Van Halen bassist) Wolfgang dropped the emotionally-driven single “Distance,” a heartfelt track that served as a fitting tribute to his late father and resonated deeply with just about anyone who has ever experienced the lost of a loved one (present company included).

That first single was telling of what Wolfgang had been single-handedly putting together on his own for his debut solo album, which offers listeners a new prospective on the Van Halen legacy. Tracks like “Don’t Back Down,” “Stone,” and “Think It Over” feel as though they’d fit right in at the local watering hole on any given night of the week. That’s not to say there’s not a few weak spots, though; “Mammoth” and “The Big Picture” feel slightly forced, almost straining to sound modern while lacking much excitement.

No matter the caliber of song found here, there’s no denying the sheer talent and dedication put into this debut effort. One thing is apparent; this is only the start for Wolfgang Van Halen, who is sure to be a force to be reckoned with for many years to come.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Album Review: Atreyu – Baptize (Spinefarm Records)

By: Jesse Striewski

Remember when a host of young bands began to emerge in the late ’90s/early ’00s to create an exciting new sub-genre known now as metalcore? Atreyu were one of the leading bands at the forefront of the movement, but unfortunately seemed to lost their way for a minute there (I can barely even remember much from their last release, 2018’s In Our Wake, which I also reviewed at the time for another publication). Thankfully, the band finally seems to be fully back on track again.

And like many, I too had doubts whether an Atreyu without now-former frontman Alex Varkatzas would be worthwhile or not. But Brandon Saller (who was already half of the band’s voice from behind his drum kit) and bassist Marc McKnight have done more than admirable jobs in his place. Any reservations I may have had about the lineup change were quickly dissipated quickly upon first listen of Baptize.

While I wasn’t too blown away by the generic-sounding first track the band released from Baptize as a single, “Save Us” (still probably my least favorite song on the album), its follow ups in the shape of “Warrior” (featuring Blink-182’s Travis Barker), “Underrated,” and the title track, were much more exciting numbers. But like any great album, the true magic is in the deep cuts, which are just as eclectic as ever here. Saller really belts his heart out on more emotionally-driven numbers like “Dead Weight” and “Stay,” while the band is firing on all cylinders on tracks like the Iron Maiden-inspired “Weed,” and the just-for-fun “Fucked Up.”

In all honestly, I was completely expecting to give just another mediocre review here. But I’m glad I approached Baptize with an open mind. It not only had me revisiting much of their older material, but helped to reignite a love for a band I forgot I once had so long ago.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars