It’s been four long years since the last time fans have had some new material from N.W.O.T.H.M. titans Enforcer. There’s since been some changes in band personal since 2019’s Zenith album, with Garth Conduit now taking over for longtime bassist Tobias Lindqvist, yet that hasn’t slowed them down one bit.
The instrumental “Armageddon” opens Nostalgia up with hauntingly beautiful dueling guitars that segue directly into “Unshackle Me,” and from then on listeners are demanded to come take a ride of epic proportions with the band, with “Coming Alive” quickly following and launching one brutal attack of the senses after another.
“At the End of the Rainbow,” “Metal Supremacia,” “Keep the Flame Alive,” and “When the Thunder Roars (Crossfire)” are all more examples of what the band is capable of. The only time listeners are really even given a chance to catch their breath at all is during the title track, a ballad of sorts that finds frontman Olof Wikstrand pouring his heart out (curiously he is the only member of the band featured in the song’s video).
All in all, Nostalgia is thirteen tracks of pure metal at its finest. Make no mistakes about it, Enforcer are at the top of their game (and genre), and surely to remain there for a long time coming.
Things heated up at the Bandshell in Daytona Beach this past Saturday, May 6 for the Summer Throwback Bash featuring Taylor Dayne, Tiffany, and Freedom Williams of C+C Music Factory (I realize as I type this, these are mostly all artists I remember my older sisters listening to while growing up, and not so much my own – I was more the Iron Maiden type back then).
Upon arrival (fashionably late as usual, of course) local cover artists Are Friends Electric were well into their set already, and within moments they were having technical difficulties with their mics. After having a laugh or two at its expense, the issue was resolved, and the band was able to resume churning out more hits like “Love Shack” before bowing out and stepping aside for the rest of the acts.
Nineties rapper Freedom Williams, best remembered for his time fronting dance hit makers C+C Music Factory, was up next. He wasted no time as he and co-lead vocalist (whose name I want to say was Smooth Jenny?) ran straight through the hits; “Here We Go (Let’s Rock n’ Roll),” “Things That Make You Go Hmm…,” and of course “Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)” all made their way into the set.
I have long since flown the flag for ’80s pop sensation Tiffany, and I’ve said before and I’ll say it again; her lesser-known, more recent material is far more interesting than the hits she’s remembered for most. And while I’ve seen her live twice before, I was looking forward to hearing her with a full live band this time instead of acoustic (guitarist Mark Alberici was once again by her side, as well as former and current L.A. Guns members Johnny Martin and Scot Coogan).
After opening with “Keep on Swinging,” she launched into the title track of her latest album, “Shadows,” no doubt one of her best songs in recent memory. A couple more new tracks in the form of “Cried For the Last Time” and the ballad “You’re My Everything” followed before going through a trio of her most well-known hits in the form of “I Saw Him Standing There,” “Could’ve Been,” and of course, “I Think We’re Alone Now.”
And lastly, headliner Taylor Dayne – another female artist I can clearly remember salivating over on my big sisters’ LP covers – closed out the evening. “Prove Your Love” and “With Every Beat of My Heart” initially paved way for bigger hits like “Don’t Rush Me,” “Heart of Stone,” and “I’ll Always Love You.”
More than once Ms. Dayne gave a little back story on some songs before performing them, including with “I’ll Be Your Shelter,” “Love Will Lead You Back,” Can’t Get Enough of Your Love,” and of course, “Tell It to My Heart.” While these songs might not have been my cup of tea per se at the time of their original releases, it’s no doubt easier for me to appreciate them now all these years later as a father and husband (especially with my beautiful bride by my side; it turned out to be yet another one of our many adventures together).
It feels like just yesterday when The Goldbergs first premiered on ABC in 2013. The discovery of this simple nostalgia-based show that takes place in the ’80s was an innocent enough concept, and one I was easily able to relate and dive into with my own family from the start.
I really wanted to get into this season since its start last September, and did my best to give it a chance. For the most part, there were some moments reminiscent of those earlier seasons that reminded me of why the show was so good in the first place. Yet far too many times it still felt as though something was still missing.
But the series had no doubt gone down consistently in quality after the death of late actor George Segal (who played the grandfather, “Pops”) after season eight, and the unceremonious departure of Jeff Garlin (the father, “Murray”), the latter of which was finally shown some mercy this season and at least killed off instead of the weird CGI angle they tried to pull off the last half of said ninth season (which was more laughable itself than most of the jokes at the time).
There were some moments in season ten that did stick out; “DKNY” finds Adam (Sean Giambrone) visiting his once best friend Dave Kim (Kenny Ridwan) in the Big Apple and learning how much they’ve actually outgrown each other (all with a Halloween party as a back drop, where Tim Meadows guests and does a surprisingly funny impression of Prince); “A Flyer’s Path to Victory” is a spot-on ode to the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team (second only to the New Jersey Devils in my own world), and “Love Shack” is somehow now relatable as Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Geoff (Sam Lerner) struggle to find some grown-up time alone together for romance.
But by the final episode “Bev to the Future,” it feels like they are trying to just wrap up ten years worth of a show in just thirty minutes. And even including flashbacks with former cast members (even ostracized ones), it still feels like a case of too little too late. Whatever Garlin might have said or done behind the scenes to warrant his exit (which, judging by the vague reasoning given for his dismissal, it likely wasn’t much more than a case of weak woke Hollywood needing to control everything yet again), it surely was a mistake that unfortunately proved too costly in the end. Let it be a lesson learned to all those involved.
For whatever reason, I tend to forget just how great a metal band Overkill really are from time to time. But then a reminder comes along in the form of an album like Scorched, their twelfth full length studio effort and arguably one of their best releases in years.
The instant the twin guitar attack of the title track kicks off the record, it’s clear that listeners are in for some truly worthy thrash metal. While the intro is a definite highlight, there’s plenty of other moments that come close to duplicating it’s greatness; “Goin’ Home,” “Wicked Place,” “Won’t Be Comin’ Back,” and “Bag o’ Bones” are just a few of the numbers I wouldn’t mind personally hearing in the band’s set list should I ever see them live again.
While Overkill emerged from the same scene and era that spawned the likes of Metallica (who also just recently dropped a new album) all those years ago, their style still remains much more true to form. Overkill might not necessarily be the be all end all of their respective genre, but they certainly have earned a level of respect few others in the scene can match equally.
It’s been so long since the last season of The Mandalorian aired in late 2020, I honestly had a difficult time at first remembering where things had even left off. But rest assure there’s still plenty of Baby Yoda (or Grogu for those who like to be more technical) to go around.
This time around Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and Grogu are joined by fellow Mandalorian Bo-Katan Kryze (Katee Sackhoff) on their travels after some initial hesitation. Right off the bat there’s plenty of giant monsters and fire fights involving lasers and sabers, perfect thirst-quenchers for any old school Star Wars fans.
There’s plenty of returning familiar faces (though sadly still no Gina Carano), including Carl Weathers and Giancarlo Esposito, and even some delightful new ones (Jack Black and Christopher Lloyd are especially likable additions). The strangest moment of them all though is The Convert, an interesting enough stand alone episode featuring Omid Abtahi in the lead role that leaves viewers feeling empty without a proper ending or follow up.
It might be overly adorable at times thanks mainly to Grogu (at least the puppetry is actually done right with mainly practical effects instead of all-CGI as in most cases these days), and it’s far from perfect. But if nothing else, it is pure escapist entertainment worth occasionally getting lost in.
Shortly before Aerosmith released their fifteenth (and arguably their most commercially successful) album Get a Grip in 1993, I was introduced to the band via their classic 1975 offering Toys in the Attic when I came upon it among a pile of other cassettes in my family’s community “stash” of tapes and CD’s. I was roughly around twelve years old, and while I had already owned albums by the likes of M.C. Hammer and “Weird Al” Yankovic (naturally), Toys… was the first rock record that ever fully crossed my path. And what a game changer it was.
Not long after my discovery, the band released said Get a Grip album on April 20, 1993, and I was there for it all the way. I would actually shell out the few bucks it cost for a cassette single each and every time the band dropped a new song, slowly leading up to getting the album itself (I eventually would on Christmas morning that very same year, along with the band’s 1973 self-titled debut album along with it). By all accounts, the album was marketed perfectly, and I was just the right audience for it at the time.
Get a Grip starts off with an odd little intro that finds frontman Steven Tyler “rapping” some lyrics before kicking into high gear with “Eat the Rich,” arguably the most aggressive (and one of the best) track on the entire album. The equally fun title track and “Fever” follow before “Livin’ on the Edge,” the first single initially released from the record and one of the most unique videos made for any of the album’s singles (featuring Terminator 2 actor Edward Furlong).
“Flesh” takes things to a darker level, while the Joe Perry-penned “Walk on Down” brings a cool blues-ridden swag to things. “Shut up and Dance” was co-written by Damn Yankees bandmates Jack Blades and Tommy Shaw, and the band was also featured performing the track in the film Wayne’s World2 (released later that same year). It’s at that point the “ballads” really start taking hold with the song and video that introduced the world (and every eager twelve-year-old boy at the time, such as myself) to a young Alicia Silverstone, “Cryin’.”
“Gotta Love It” is sandwiched between “Cryin'” and another Silverstone track, “Crazy,” which is where most of us also first caught a glimpse of Tyler’s tall glass of water daughter, Liv. “Line Up” is a catchy number co-written by Lenny Kravitz that somehow found its way into the 1994 Jim Carrey vehicle Ace Ventura: Pet Detective. Last but not least of the “Silverstone Trio” (and preceding the most forgettable track on the album, “Boogie Man”) “Amazing,” which featured a cutting-edge technology (at the time at least) virtual reality themed-video, and co-starring actor Jason London. Co-written by long time collaborator Richie Supa, the song also featured vocals from Don Henley of The Eagles.
Often when brought up today, Get a Grip is not regarded by many as one of their favorite Aerosmith albums (I can see now why some would feel this way). But the facts are undeniable; it was the band’s first release in their then-twenty plus year career to reach number one on the Billboard 200, and still their highest selling-album to date. Several of the hits are still played on rock radio stations to this day, and something tells me most bands that have not achieved the same level of success would absolutely welcome it.
The moment “You Betray” kicks Black Diamonds – the latest from ’80s hard rockers L.A. Guns – into high gear, it’s apparent the guys have still got plenty left in them, and more than plenty to prove here.
Said intro track instantly brought me back to another album opener, “Face Down” from the band’s 1994 Vicious Cycle record (which ironically was my “true” introduction to the band all those years ago). This is followed up with “Wrong About You,” which features mammoth lead-off guitar riffs from Tracii Guns and Ace Von Johnson that seem primed for cruising the strip on a Saturday night.
“Diamonds” shows the band’s abilities to still maintain a softer side, while “Shattered Glass,” “Gonna Lose,” and “Like a Drug” all echo respective ’70s punk and/or Led Zepplin vibes. Sure there’s some clunkers (see; “Shame”), but that’s to be expected. Overall, this is worthy of putting alongside any of the band’s classic material; shame indeed it will likely fall under the radar like most “new” music from its era does.
Remember the original 1993 Super Mario Bros. movie, where the late Bob Hoskins and John Leguizamo first played the plumber brothers Mario and Luigi in a live action, heaping mess? It was the first ever film of its kind based off of a video game, and the makers of it painfully missed the mark, leaving audiences severely unimpressed. After all these years, TheSuper Mario Bros. Movie is what (most) fans have surely been waiting for.
This version is your standard search-and-rescue type of set up when brothers Mario (played by the very non-Italian Chris Pratt – but hey, it’s all about the selective outrage though, am I right?!) and Luigi (portrayed perfectly by Charlie Day of It’s Always Sunny inPhiladelphia fame) are whisked away and separated into an unknown underworld while attempting to save their home city Brooklyn from a plumbing emergency. They also just happen to land while the evil King of the Koopas, Bowser (another spot-on casting move with Jack Black) is plotting on taking over Mushroom Kingdom and marrying Princess Peach (Anya Taylor-Joy). But through the help of Peach, Mario learns just how “super” he can become as he sets off to save both his brother, and the innocent kingdom from peril.
Everything that was left out of the ’93 version makes its way into the story here seamlessly and without feeling forced, as the brothers each encounter strange new lands and befriend new characters along the way. And there’s nearly a reference to every MarioBros.-related game that’s come since the titular hero’s very first appearance in Donkey Kong all the way back in 1981, with everything from Mario Kart to Luigi’s Mansion. Sure, it’s essentially just a large advertisement for Nintendo, but it never crosses any lines that don’t make any sense to the plot.
All in all The Super Mario Bros. Movie is harmless family entertainment without being too overly cute, and focused solely on its story rather than getting in any unnecessary political agendas or jabs. The humor never stoops to low-brow levels, yet still manages to incorporate jokes aimed at adults. And there are plenty of throwbacks for nostalgia hounds to gush over (even the music, which stays very- ’80s throughout, is always well-placed). The film is a rare labor of love that’s beyond easy to find yourself fully escaping into it’s realms, and quite frankly, probably the best video game-related film produced thus far (sorry, Sonic!).
Que the old school fans still too cool to listen to anything post-Master of Puppets from Metallica, who will quickly shun their latest effort, 72 Seasons, before even giving it a chance. While I don’t claim to be well-versed on later releases such as their most previous album, Hardwired…to Self Destruct, I still try to maintain as much of an open mind as possible.
The world first caught a glimpse of this new album (their eleventh overall) after the band dropped it’s first single, the catchy enough thrash anthem “Lux Aeterna.” But it’s once you dig a little further that you really find the good stuff; the title track itself introduces things here with a punk-driven bass/drum combo that eventually turns into seven-plus minutes of pure adrenaline – and that’s just for starters.
“Shadows Follow,” “Sleepwalk My Life Away,” and “If Darkness Had a Son” are just a few more numbers to make note of before things finally accumulate with the epic, eleven-minute opus, “Inamorata” (if you’re not won over by the time you reach said track, you’re never going to be).
It’s also interesting to note the concept behind the album’s artwork and title; according to frontman James Hetfield, it refers to the first eighteen years of life (our most developmental), and how we as humans are constantly “Prisoners of childhood or breaking free of those bondages we carry.” Between this sentiment and Hetfield’s darker lyrics found within here, it’s a stark reminder of just how little time we have to actually make our marks on this Earth.
My first thought upon hearing about Scream VI was “Why give this one an actual number, yet just give last years “requel” the same exact name as the 1996 original (and wouldn’t that technically make this one just Scream 2 all over again?!)?” Yet that personal pet peeve of mine was really nothing in comparison to how low this franchise has actually sunk. Like many others, I had hoped the New York setting might help reinvigorate some life into this tired franchise; boy was that nothing more than wishful thinking though.
This outing finds sisters Sam and Tara Carpenter (Melissa Berrera and Jenna Ortega, respectively) from last year’s outing replanted and studying in the Big Apple, only to find (Uh-oh!) there’s another killer after them. Everything that unfolds from there is either cliche or predictable, made all the more worse by having to endure this mess with obnoxious supporting characters played by some of the most unlikable actors in the series to date. Neve Campbell was wise to step away from this mess, and Courteney Cox and Skeet Ulrich – the only two faces to return from the original – don’t do much to add to this mess.
The only bright spots are few and far between; the “intro kill” with a blind date setting features some inventiveness (and one very easy-on-the-eyes appearance from Samara Weaving), and the subway scene actually offers some intense moments before being yet just another let down (like the film itself).
Overall, the acting and dialogue are both atrocious, and everything meant to come as a “surprise” is merely eye-roll inducing. The far-fetched, preposterous ending is the final icing on the cake, so beyond believable it’s an insult to any reasonable intelligence. One of the characters actually sums it up best themselves after being stabbed when she utters, “Fuck this franchise.” I couldn’t agree more; after this entry, I’m officially done with the Scream films, too.
