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Posts tagged Doug Aldrich
Whitesnake – Forevermore (2011) (@256)
16 Dec 2011
Thanks to OzOz for the review contribution.
(Review from hardrockhaven.net, geeksofdoom.com, dangerdog.com)
“Forevermore” is Whitesnake’s 11th studio album, coming out in 2011. It faithfully follows the same pattern as their previous album, 2008′s “Good to be Bad”, meaning it wisely and effortlessly meshes together the various eras of Whitesnake’s history.
Coverdale, singing in a lower register since he can no longer hit the notes of old, and your expectations for this album should be filtered through that fact.
More than compensating for the standard issue vocals is some stupendously strong guitar work. There is simply nothing negative that can be written about the twin axe attack launched by Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach. These two rock legends play with such scorching energy that it’s a wonder they don’t melt the strings.
The whole feel of the album is warm and organic without crossing the line into artificial gloss and glitz, allowing the melodic edges to really shine.
With few exceptions, this is solid Whitesnake. With the blues-based formula, while inventing nothing new, this is one impressive and hard rocking album.
There’s life in the old snake yet.
Line-up:
- David Coverdale / vocals
- Doug Aldrich / guitars
- Reb Beach / guitars
- Michael Devin / bass
- Brian Tichy / drums
Track List:
01. Steal Your Heart Away – 5:18
02. All Out Of Luck – 5:27
03. Love Will Set You Free – 3:51
04. Easier Said Than Done – 5:12
05. Tell Me How – 4:40
06. I Need You (Shine A Light) – 3:48
07. One Of These Days – 4:52
08. Love & Treat Me Right – 4:13
09. Dogs In The Street – 3:47
10. Fare Thee Well – 5:17
11. Whipping Boy Blues – 5:01
12. My Evil Ways – 4:32
13. Forevermore – 7:21
14. Whipping Boy Blues (SWAMP MIX) – 5:58
Link in comments.
Dio – Holy Diver Live (2006) (@256)
15 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from amazon, allmusic)
Captured live in front of a sold-out London crowd, Ronnie James Dio delivers a truly memorable performance on this truly memorable night. Dio has been hailed as one of the finest voices in rock for over 30 years now and for good reason. Due to his stints in Rainbow, Black Sabbath and as a solo artist, Dio is one of the few people in the history of music that can honestly say they have played on three classic albums, each under a different moniker.
“Holy Diver Live” features the classic “Holy Diver” album in its entirety, from start to finish, recorded live for the very first time. It also features, among others, “Heaven & Hell”, “Sign of the Southern Cross” and “Mob Rules” from his Black Sabbath days, “Tarot Woman”, “Man on the Silver Mountain” and “Long Live Rock ‘N’ Roll” from the Rainbow days and “We Rock” from his solo career.
Most of the songs that you want in a Dio collection are here on this album and they are all performed superbly (for a guy that’s been pumping out screaming for nearly 40 years). Headbangers worldwide have to be happy whenever the woefully underrated Dio/Sabbath-era gem “Sign of the Southern Cross” gets an airing on-stage. Despite guitarist Craig Goldy not performing on this night (due to an arm injury, Doug Aldrich took his place), “Holy Diver Live” is a fine live album — from both a performance and set-list standpoint.
Line-up:
* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Doug Aldrich – guitar
* Scott Warren – keyboards
* Rudy Sarzo – bass
* Simon Wright – drums
Track List:
CD1
01. Stand Up And Shout – 4:33
02. Holy Diver – 4:46
03. Gypsy – 9:46
04. Caught In The Middle – 4:51
05. Don’t Talk To Strangers – 5:11
06. Straight Through The Heart – 4:37
07. Invisible – 5:17
08. Rainbow In The Dark – 4:46
09. Shame On The Night – 16:52
CD2
01. Tarot Woman – 6:53
02. Sign Of The Southern Cross – 3:21
03. One Night In The City – 6:10
04. The Gates Of Babylon – 8:23
05. Heaven And Hell – 11:25
06. Man On The Silver Mountain – 4:14
07. Long Live Rock ‘n’ Roll – 6:14
08. We Rock – 6:21
Links in comments.
Dio – Evil or Divine (Live 2002) (@256)
12 Nov 2008
Thanks to Man in Silence for the review contribution.
(Review from metal-archives.com)
“Evil or Divine” is a live album featuring Doug Aldrich on guitar, recorded in New York City in 2002. The entire band was spot on this night, and the recording quality was exceptional.
This album starts with “Killing The Dragon”, and as usual Dio’s voice is spot on for a man of so many years. Doug Aldrich’s guitar playing is even better than in the studio, especially with his killer guitar solo. You can really tell that he is influenced by guys like Hendrix and Tony Iommi as you listen to the things he plays.
During the concert, there are solid blocks of Dio classics. “Don’t Talk To Strangers” stands out among the others, namely because of Aldrich’s guitar solo. Vivian Campbell would’ve shed a tear over how tastefully done Aldrich did this solo in the same phrasing as he did oh so many years ago.
Notable is “Heaven and Hell” with it’s guitar solo and tempo change, as well as for the extra line of lyrics Dio adds in. But the show closes with an amazingly upbeat version of “We Rock” with a great guitar solo with some added “We Rock” and “You Rock” at the end that make it classic.
This is a great live album to hear how good the band is in action.
Line-up:
* Ronnie James Dio – vocals
* Jimmy Bain – bass
* Simon Wright – drums
* Doug Aldrich – guitar
* Scott Warren – keyboards
Track List:
01. Killing The Dragon – 5:06
02. Egypt – Children Of The Sea – 7:56
03. Push – 3:53
04. Stand Up And Shout – 3:36
05. Rock And Roll – 5:11
06. Don’t Talk To Strangers – 5:48
07. Man On The Silver Mountain – 2:24
08. Guitar Solo – 9:06
09. Long Live Rock And Roll – 4:15
10. Fever Dreams – 4:08
11. Holy Diver – 5:06
12. Heaven And Hell – 6:38
13. The Last In Line – 5:44
14. Rainbow In The Dark – 5:04
15. We Rock – 5:15
Links in comments.
Whitesnake – Good to be Bad (2008) (@256)
25 May 2008
(Review from allmusic, about.com, dailymusicguide.com)
Whitesnake has been around for 30 years, and a band with that sort of longevity has to fight to stay modern and relevant. When it comes to new material from bands we grew up with, fans can be ambivalent. We’d rather hear “Fool For Your Loving”, “Still Of The Night” or “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” for the billionth time than something new.
With “Good To Be Bad”, Whitesnake proves they still have plenty left in the tank. The songs on the album are classic Whitesnake, full of big guitar riffs and melodic hooks. There’s a nice combination of rockers and ballads. There is something for every classic rock fan on here, from the head bangers (‘Good To Be Bad’), to the lighter wavers (‘All I Want, All I Need’).
Beginning with the single “All for Love,” dead center on the album, with classic power chords as a majestic intro to the big bad crunch of a four-chord riff that the tune hinges on. Rough and rowdy, it’s still got a killer hook in the refrain that is pure trademark Whitesnake. Guitars don’t sound like this on records anymore, and it’s too bad because that solid wall of big fat distorted roar still sounds like a Les Paul. Music aside, Coverdale’s voice is a bit lower in the 21st century, but he’s still better than 90 percent of the frontmen out there. He can emote, growl, and get up above that dense mix.
Though the highlight on the album is without a doubt the epic ‘Summer Rain’. This is a gorgeous, upbeat ballad, which is up there with the likes of ‘Here I Go Again’ and their other most impressive material. There is even a bit of blues on the album, which is guaranteed to get you reaching for that air guitar (A Fool In Love).
A fresh blast from the past.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – Vocals
* Doug Aldrich – Guitar
* Reb Beach – Guitar
* Timothy Drury – Keyboards
* Uriah Duffy – Bass
* Chris Frazier – Drums
Track List:
01. Best Years – 5:15
02. Can You Hear The Wind Blow – 5:04
03. Call On Me – 5:02
04. All I Want All I Need – 5:41
05. Good To Be Bad – 5:14
06. All For Love – 5:13
07. Summer Rain – 6:11
08. Lay Down Your Love – 6:01
09. A Fool In Love – 5:50
10. Got What You Need – 4:16
11. ‘Til The End Of Time – 5:35
Links in comments.
Whitesnake – Live in the Shadow of the Blues (2006) (@192)
24 May 2008
(Review from revelationz.net)
Whitesnake is back with a fresh double live album with 20 tracks, but more appealing it contains 4 brand new studio tracks. These songs are the first new songs from Whitesnake in ages and all new tracks are written in collaboration with the splendid guitarist Doug Aldrich.
Three of the new studio tracks are solid rockers. Coverdale also uses some of the old tricks in the book to adapt fans to the new material, since “Dog” opens with Coverdale’s classic howl. The up-tempo “Ready to rock” has a wall of Led Zeppelin like guitars and a killer solo. A chunky riff and yet another killer solo from Aldrich makes “If you Want Me a” potential live favorite. The best rocker is “If you want me”, since it has the best melody line. The song is a hybrid of classic melodic Whitesnake and a fresh powerful modern edge. “All I Want Is You” is a brilliant power ballad. The thick bluesy guitar sound gives goose pimples.
Most of the live recordings are from the recent world tours. All 20 songs are amazing, representing the legacy of Whitesnake. Hearing those astonishing songs performed by an amazing band and Mr Whitesnake himself David Coverdale makes “Live..In the Shadow of the Blues” one of the best live albums of 2006. The songs off “Whitesnake 1987″ never get worn out and they still sound fabulous – in fact they sound very similar to the record and the solos are note for note. The two songs off “Slip of the Tongue” album, Judgement Day and The Deeper the Love works really well live. Doug Aldrich and Reb Beach are a dangerous guitar duo.
The band’s performance is damn consistent and the songs are timeless. On top is Coverdale’s expressive and unique voice, which has suffered a bit from the many years in rock ‘n’ roll. “Live : In the Shadow of the Blues” is the perfect present for the aged rock fan who loves quality rock.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale / Lead Vocals
* Doug Aldrich / Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Reb Beach / Guitar, Backing Vocals
* Timothy Drury / Keyboards, Backing Vocals
* Uriah Duffy / Bass, Backing Vocals
* Tommy Aldridge / Drums
Track List:
CD1
01. Bad Boys
02. Slide It In
03. Slow An’ Easy
04. Love Ain’t No Stranger
05. Judgement Day
06. Is This Love
07. Blues For Mylene
08. Snake Dance
09. Crying In The Rain
10. Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of City
11. Fool For Your Loving
12. Here I Go Again
13. Still Of The Night
CD2
01. Burn-Stormbringer Burn
02. Give Me All Your Love Tonight
03. Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues
04. The Deeper The Love
05. Ready An’ Willing
06. Don’t Break My Heart Again
07. Take Me With You
08. Ready To Rock (New Studio Record)
09. If You Want Me-I’ll Come Running (New Studio Recording)
10. All I Want Is You (New Studio Record)
11. Dog (New Studio Recording)
Links in comments.
Whitesnake – Live in the Still of the Night (2004) (@320)
23 May 2008
(Review from blogcritics.org)
Whitesnake has always been a revolving door of musicians supporting band founder and frontman David Coverdale since the breakup of the classic line-up. “Live In The Still Of The Night” is certainly no different, finding Coverdale again surrounded by five hired guns, who breath new life into the band. They certainly have the muscle to resurrect this blues-rock dinosaur at a time when most of these “nu-rock” bands need to be stepped on with a two ton paw.
Coverdale can still belt out the arena-rock ballads and blues-metal anthems with the best of them, and he oozes enough charisma to keep the audience eating out of his hands for the entire show. Doug Aldrich is clearly from the older Jimmy Page/Gary Moore school of blues-based rock guitar. He even has a ’58 re-issue Gibson Les Paul that he persuaded Page to scratch his initials into with a fork. Reb Beach is more from the ’80s, Van Halen/Steve Vai school of flash guitar, but he can still do it all. Coverdale has clearly given Aldrich the spotlight in this band, as he takes the majority of the guitar solos, and even gets two full songs “Blues For Mylene”, and “Snake Dance”, which were essentially his solo vehicles. Beach does add some excellent rhythm guitar and the occasional colorful solo, but was much less in the spotlight.
The setlist is a decent mix of old and new, going all the way back to the beginning with the Snakebite slow-blues ballad “Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of The City”, and as far forward as the Slip Of The Tongue anthem “Judgement Day” from 1989. The 1987 album Whitesnake gets the lion’s share, six of the album’s eleven songs are performed.
Line-up:
* David Coverdale – Vocals
* Doug Aldrich – Guitar
* Reb Beach – Guitar
* Marco Mendoza – Bass
* Timothy Drury – Keyboards
* Tommy Aldridge – Drums
Track List:
01. Burn – 8:32
02. Bad Boys – 5:27
03. Love Ain’t No Stranger – 4:40
04. Ready An Willing – 6:03
05. Is This Love – 4:50
06. Give Me All Your Love – 4:53
07. Judgement Day – 5:23
08. Blues For Mylene – 3:53
09. Snake Dance – 2:08
10. Cryin’ In The Rain Pt1 – 4:37
11. Drum Solo – 5:15
12. Cryin’ In The Rain Pt2 – 3:04
13. Ain’t No Love In The Heart Of – 9:05
14. Don’t Break My Heart Again – 6:08
15. Fool For Your Lovin’ – 4:49
16. Here I Go Again – 6:56
17. Take Me With You – 7:15
18. Still Of The Night – 8:54
Links in comments.