and emotive beauty with a singable melody , but it ’ s another track for a powerful and cinematic end-credits sequence rather than a party starter .
Make no mistake ; The Elephants of Mars is a treat targeted at guitar nerds . If you ’ re in that crowd , buy this album and dig in . Just be aware that despite the body-moving groove of the urbane “ Night Scene ” created by the top-flight rhythm section of bassist Bryan Beller and drummer Kenny Aronoff , you ’ ll need to catch a Satriani concert to hear the song in public . You won ’ t be hearing it at the grocery store in 20 years . Here ’ s another clue : vinyl fans can chase a special variant cover that ’ s only available at Guitar Center outlets . For the intended audience , The Elephants of Mars earns earns a strong recommendation and repeated play .
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– Jeff Elbel
PAUL WELLER Days of Speed
( Independiente / Craft )
The 2001 European tour that produced these live recordings was a first-time experiment by Weller to learn whether songs from his solo albums and celebrated bands would hold the listener ’ s attention without the accompaniment of brash Jam bandmates or soulful Style Council sidemen . The experiment was a success , and Days of Speed offers a primer on what made Weller tick as a songwriter up to 2000 ’ s Heliocentric album . Certainly , a classic strummer like Sound Affects ’ “ That ’ s Entertainment ” proves to be a shoo-in , but the bare-bones renderings of other songs like 1993 ’ s pensive “ Wild Wood ” reveal their essential charms . The set begins appropriately with the song of reinvention and rebirth “ Brand New Start ,” featuring Weller and his 12-string guitar . “ Don ’ t come ‘ round here expecting votes ; see who charts the course on a sinking boat ,” sings Weller with timeless criticism on swinging 1994 B-side “ The Loved .” With a joyful vocal , Weller ’ s playing on the buoyant Stanley Road track “ Out of the Sinking ” has spark and snap without the benefit of the studio version ’ s gritty Northern Soul rhythm section and distorted electric guitars . Weller sends a gleeful “ woo-hoo ” back into the crowd , answering a fan during “ Clues ” from Weller ’ s 1992 debut solo album . The crowd augments the arrangement to the same album ’ s “ Above the Clouds ,” singing euphoric background vocals . “ Here ’ s an old tune ,” says Weller when introducing the set ’ s first Jam track . All Mod Cons ' song “ English Rose ” earns a rowdy cheer of recognition from the audience in Wolverhampton . The solo performance amplifies the song ’ s melancholy sense a traveler longing for the love that waits at home . “ Everything Has a Price to Pay ” is marked by nimble folk-style guitar . Weller shifts to electric guitar and draws from his ‘ 60s R & B roots for the fond nostalgia of “ Amongst Butterflies .” Heavy Soul deep cut “ Science ” becomes a highlight with its terse funk and Weller ’ s lyric about doing the practical work in order to grow into his best self . Weller ’ s then-latest album Heliocentric is represented by three songs including “ Back in the Fire ” and “ Love-Less .” The album ’ s “ There ’ s No Drinking After You ’ re Dead ” carries open-hearted encouragement to make the most of every moment . Weller plays a pair for fans of The Style Council , including “ Down in the Seine .” “ Some people might remember it ,” says Weller before diving into the summery “ Headstart for Happiness .” The crowd response leaves no question about the recognition factor for jaunty Jam set-closer “ Town Called Malice .”
The album arrives in a glossy gatefold with concert photos and a replica setlist that includes a hand-scrawled letter by Weller wherein he describes making a deep connection through his songs into the crowd without the benefit of “ swirling lights and backdrops .” The uncluttered arrangements and presentation allow that connection to continue two decades later . This 2xLP reissue of the live album Days of Speed heightens the intimate experience of Weller ’ s solo-acoustic concert document . Rather than being a distraction , pauses for side flips draw the listener into the experience through interaction . It ’ s a benefit no one would have imagined upon the original CD release twenty years ago .
– Jeff Elbel
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TEARS FOR FEARS The Tipping Point
( Concord )
Tears for Fears may not be prolific , but they ’ re indisputably committed to their vision . The Tipping Point is only the pair ’ s second album released under the TFF banner since 1989 ’ s The Seeds of Love and follows reunion effort Everybody Loves a Happy Ending by almost 18 years . En route to the new album , the pair recorded , dismantled , scrapped , and re-recorded songs to reflect renewed purpose from the vantage point of 2022 . During the lengthy wait , fans were reminded of similarly painstaking efforts that resulted in pop masterpiece The Seeds of Love . While The Tipping Point doesn ’ t scale the same lofty peaks , it clearly reflect a pair of artists not content with merely trading upon past glories . Roland Orzabal and Curt Smith have spent their adult lives ingesting and interpreting new sounds , and The Tipping Point reflects their restless eclecticism . Opening track “ No Small Thing ” begins with a charming feint . It starts with a simple folk arrangement rooted in Smith ’ s single acoustic guitar in duet with Orzabal ’ s rich baritone , pushing may 2022 illinoisentertainer . com 17