Ashley Reaks And Joe Hakim: “Cultural Thrift” (2015) CD Review

Ashley Reaks is a musician and collage artist who seems to be constantly voyaging into interesting new areas, both musically and artistically (if you care to separate the two, that is, and I’m not sure he does). I was just recently turned onto his music, and from what I’ve heard so far, each album has a distinct sound and approach. For example, he released two CDs in 2014. The first, Compassion Fatigue, is a strange pop album in which the first song is exactly a minute long, the second two minutes long, and so on; the other, This Is Planet Grot, is a full-forced punk album. His newest release, Cultural Thrift (his second release of 2015 and eighth overall), is a collaboration with poet Joe Hakim, in which Joe provides the spoken word vocals and Ashley provides the music, playing bass, guitar and keyboards. This isn’t the first time the two have worked together; Joe Hakim appeared on a couple of tracks of Reaks’ previous release, Before Koresh, including the wonderful “I Want To Get A Celebrity Pregnant.” They are joined by Maria Jardardottir on vocals; Dave Kemp on saxophone, accordion, melodica and guitar; and Nick Dunne on guitar (all of whom also appeared on Before Koresh and earlier releases). The music incorporates elements of pop, jazz, and hip hop, each track feeling well-crafted to allow the lyrics to have the biggest impact.

Cultural Thrift opens with “Nature Poem,” which has a strong, prominent beat and some nice stuff on saxophone before Joe comes in on vocals. And when he does come in, the music relaxes just a bit to support him, with a very cool bass line. I love the slight pause Joe gives after the word “fresh” in the line, “Here, there is continuity and the brutality of pure air offset with the bitter-clean aroma of fresh manure,” giving the line a bit more humor. But the lines I love most are these: “I’m surrounded by the mating calls of Anlaby Road’s traffic/That’s my natural habitat/I guess I’m just built like that.” Those are the song’s final lines, and they come just a little more than halfway through the track, allowing for a cool instrumental section featuring some excellent stuff on saxophone and electric guitar.

That’s followed by a track titled “Albert Hofmann’s Bicycle,” which opens with the phrase, “Falling off,” which is perfect. And check out these lines: “as we make ill thought-out points/about nothing in
particular, surrender our vernacular,/in a desperate bid to appear spectacular/in each other’s eyes.” Nice, eh? The music begins to build, but then just as the vocals reach the final few lines, the instruments drop out to allow full focus on the lyrics. Interestingly, those last lines come only halfway through the track, and so the band then rises, and this second half features some wonderful vocal work by Maria Jardardottir. And then I love the saxophone on “To Let.” Toward the end of that track, the bass, saxophone and vocals work so well together to create a kind of fun atmosphere.

“The Principles Of Paranoia” features references to pop culture – to Spider-Man, The Matrix and Star Wars, all within the first few lines. It’s interesting to begin that way, to express a paranoia that could be serious with lighthearted references to mainstream culture. Is it as if he wishes his paranoia weren’t so serious, and wants to disarm his own troubles with these references? Or it could be to bring us all aboard, to disarm us, as it were. And this comes after an eerie musical introduction, setting us at unease. And haven’t we all had moments when we can relate to these lines: “Suddenly strangers who seemed safe seconds ago/shift in their seats and stare.”

“Special Brew Blues” begins with a gorgeous, foreign pop vibe, putting us in a certain mood. So the opening lines of the song, when they come, have more of a humor by their surprising juxtaposition: “S’only about one-sixty a tin, so it’s a bargain/by any fucker’s reckoning.” And I can’t help but appreciate these lines: “So fuck all of you who sup bottles of Bud/in shitty nightclubs/at three quid a go, buying into/a dream of a self-image/that will melt like snow/and soak into the dirt and the mud.” And just the word “Cheers!” leads into a very groovy instrumental section. And then the lines in “Imposter Syndrome” that stand out for me are: “Like a washed up nightclub singer gone insane/from repeatedly doing the same requests.” (By the way, yes, that's how it’s spelled on the CD, rather than “Impostor.”)

“Everyday” begins like a club dance tune. What I especially like is the mix of negative and positive feelings in the song’s final stanza: “I haven’t paid a bill in months, and/many, many sofas bear the imprint/of my arse. But today, the sun is out/and I’m having Szechuan Sensations/and half a bottle of Shiraz for my lunch./And to be honest,/it'll do.” The album then concludes with “The Way It Is,” about living from paycheck to paycheck, and not living up to one’s potential, to the point where it’s questioned whether it exists at all. A depressing subject, to be sure, but the line “So broke, I haven’t bought a decent TV in years” always makes me laugh. I think a lot of us can relate to these lines: “Thinking I’m better than this/even when I’m pissing away my potential/like it doesn’t exist.” And to these, which end the CD: “Praying before I go to sleep/something will come along/and lift me out of the shit/and make all the struggling worth it,/while at the same time/I have to try and accept/that this is just the way it is.”

CD Track List

1. Nature Poem
2. Albert Hofmann’s Bicycle
3. To Let
4. The Principles Of Paranoia
5. Special Brew Blues
6. Imposter Syndrome
7. Everyday
8. The Way It Is

Cultural Thrift was released on September 21, 2015.

Cutting Crew: “Add To Favourites” (2015) CD Review

Cutting Crew’s 1986 debut album, Broadcast, featured the huge hit “(I Just) Died In Your Arms,” an excellent tune. There were several other good songs on that record, and I listened to that album quite a bit (I still have it on vinyl). But I admit, I lost track of Cutting Crew somewhere along the way. It turns out the band had broken up in the 1990s after just a few records. Then, following the death of Kevin Scott MacMichael, Nick Van Eede reformed the band and put out a CD in 2005. Add To Favourites is the band’s first new album in ten years, and it features all original material, written or co-written by Nick Van Eede, the only original member to still be in the band. The band now includes Joolz Dunkley on guitar, slide guitar, mandolin and organ; Gareth Moulton on guitar; Jono Harrison on piano and organ; Nick Kay on bass; and Martyn Barker on drums.

The album opens with “Till The Money Runs Out” (actually, it’s written as “Till The Money Run$ Out”), a wonderful, positive-feeling pop tune. This is a great lead-off track, as it grabbed me right away. It has a light, fun feel, and even has some “Doo-ra-lan” vocals, designed to put you in a good mood. Here is a taste of the lyrcs: “Now I don’t want to steal your crown/Just want you to use it/And I don’t want to bring you down/Just try not to lose it/Before the money runs out/Before you scream and shout.” And this track features the Blackjack Horns. It’s followed by “Looking For A Friend,” a delightful, catchy number with a bluesy element. This track also features the Blackjack Horns, and I completely love what they do here. This is one of my favorites. This verse obviously holds interest, particularly in view of the band’s history: “I’ve been looking for a guitar player/He’s probably got a beer in his hand/Came here about ten years ago/They got him playing in the best rock ‘n’ roll band/And I’m still looking for my brother/They say I’ll find him out in the fields.” It’s interesting that this song has such a fun groove, especially when lines like “Friends and lovers/Taken long before their time/And I never, never got to say goodbye” could be totally depressing in another musical context. Rather than depress us, Cutting Crew will have us smiling, even dancing.

The group then switches gears for “Berlin In Winter,” a more serious-sounding song about the Berlin wall, with some nice work by Jono Harrison on piano. It ends with just a bit of chatter in German, and is followed by “Kept On Lovin’ You,” a slower number with some R&B elements. “In the arms of another, I kept on wanting you/’Cause when you love someone/It’s all you’re gonna do.” I love the backing vocals provided by Tom Arnold, TJ Davis and Angela Marcella Brooks. “San Ferian” has a sweeter acoustic sound. And I love halfway through when it kicks in with that great steady pounding. For me, that’s when the song really becomes wonderful. Joolz Dunkley plays mandolin on this track, and Mak Norman is on bass.

“Already Gone” has something of a Roy Orbison or Chris Isaak vibe in the vocal approach. “But haven’t you said enough tonight?/Didn’t we make the morning light?/Only a fool would turn back to see/You had already gone/You had already gone.” Tom Arnold plays accordion on this track. Then “As Far As I Can See” is a pretty tune, with some nice, delicate stuff on piano by Jono Harrison. Joolz Dunkley plays slide guitar on this track, and Tom Arnold is on organ. “Well, as far as I can see/And as long as I believe/That as hard as I keep drinking/The years laugh back at me.” There is also some really nice guitar work by Gareth Moulton. And then, as this song seems to be ending, like five minutes in, it takes a surprising and extreme turn.

“Biggest Mistake Of My Life” is an odd one. There are moments when I really like this song, and other moments when I don’t. It makes a couple of weird references to pop culture – to Fifty Shades of Grey, “Single Ladies (Put A Ring On It).” But I like lines like, “Yeah, but you got restless, and I felt helpless/The heels you wore just made me breathless/I never bought that innocence you pleaded/’Cause if I got angry, you’d get cranky/Fall asleep from some hanky panky.” And that little catchy hook reminds me just a bit of The Kinks’ “Victoria.”

It’s followed by one of my favorite tracks, a gorgeous, mellow tune titled “Only For You.” Check out these lyrics: “For all the times I started a fight/A couple of drinks/Would make you feel right/Then there’d be no more lies to tell for you/Only for you.” This track features the Blackjack Horns, with a wonderful lead on saxophone by Gary Barnacle. This track builds in power and emotion, before returning to a more mellow vibe. The album then concludes with “(She Just Happened To Be) Beautiful,” a good folk song that makes me think a bit of David Wilcox. There are some really good lines in this song, like “She was old enough to haunt me, but young enough to run,” “She covered me with laughter, I covered up my shame” and “I was out of my depth, she was out of control.” This track features Dag Erik Osvold on guitar and percussion, Daniel Hovik on piano and Jack Birchwood on flugelhorn.

CD Track List

1. Till The Money Runs Out
2. Looking For A Friend
3. Berlin In Winter
4. Kept On Lovin’ You
5. San Ferian
6. Already Gone
7. As Far As I Can See
8. Biggest Mistake Of My Life
9. Only For You
10. (She Just Happened To Be) Beautiful

Add To Favourites was released on October 16, 2015 on In Like Flynn Records.

Marlene VerPlanck: “The Mood I’m In” (2016) CD Review

Marlene VerPlanck is an excellent jazz vocalist who has been performing and recording for decades. Her first album, I Think Of You With Every Breath I Take, was released in 1955 (and re-issued in 1983). Since then, she’s tackled standards as well as more obscure songs, and even lent her voice to commercials. On her new release, The Mood I’m In, she sings some favorites and some songs you might have forgotten about. But even if you haven’t heard these songs before, she makes them seem familiar. She is in her eighties now, and it’s remarkable how good her voice still sounds. Seriously, she sings the hell out of these tunes. On this album, she is joined by John Pearce on piano, Paul Morgan on bass, Bobby Worth on drums, Mark Nightingale on trombone, and Andy Panayi on saxophone and flute. And though the focus is largely on the vocals (as you’d expect), each of these musicians has plenty of opportunities to shine. This disc has liner notes by Leon Nock.

Marlene VerPlanck opens the album with its title track, “The Mood I’m In,” which was written by Paul Francis Webster and Pete King. It’s a fun, playful tune, and Marlene approaches it with joy. “But I'm going the route single/Oh, don't look to find me/Caught up in that marital spin/Yet someday I may sight one/Who looks like the right one/And waltz down the aisle with chagrin/You see, my friends/It all depends on the mood I'm in.” There’s also a really nice instrumental section. It’s a great, lively tune. And then Marlene Verplanck slows things down a bit for a very cool rendition of “Me And The Blues,” a song composed by Ted Koehler and Harry Warren. I love the strength and attitude in her voice as she sings, “They love you and deceive you/Then they up and leave you/What makes them so no good/I’m through with love/The best you get is nothing but trouble.” And listen to that horn! This is one of my favorite tracks.

Paul Morgan starts “Free And Easy” on bass, soon joined by Marlene VerPlanck on vocals. I love that section with just the two of them before the rest of the band comes in. And then the lead on flute by Andy Panayi is wonderful. But I think I actually prefer the slower numbers, because another of the highlights for me is her take on “It Shouldn’t Happen To A Dream,” which was written by Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges and Don George. This is a song that’s also been recorded by Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington and Anita O’Day, among others. There is something sweet and intimate in Marlene’s version that I just love. Not just in her vocal delivery, but in that really good lead spot by Mark Nightingale on trombone. Marlene also covers Duke Ellington’s “All Too Soon,” which was co-written by Carl Sigman. This is another gorgeous, slow number, with some wonderful work by John Pearce on piano.

Another song that Marlene has a lot of fun with is “Come On Strong,” written by Sammy Cahn and Jimmy Van Heusen. Of course, these lyrics are inherently fun: “I want to feel some weird vibrations/Follow your basic inclinations/And if you’re going to come on, come on strong” and “Make me feel so right that it’s wrong/Unless I feel the ceiling cave in/How will I know we’re misbehaving.” I love Marlene’s delivery. There’s certainly no holding back here. And then there’s a great instrumental section, featuring excellent work by Andy Panayi on saxophone.

The CD concludes with “Too Late Now,” written by Alan Jay Lerner and Burton Lane for the 1951 movie Royal Wedding. Marlene VerPlanck does a wonderful job with this pretty number. “All the things we’ve done together/I relive when we’re apart/All the tender fun together/Stays on in my heart/How could I ever close the door/And be the same as I was before/Darling, no, no, I can’t anymore/It’s too late.”

CD Track List

1. The Mood I’m In
2. Me and The Blues
3. Free And Easy
4. It Shouldn’t Happen To A Dream
5. Certain People
6. I Want To Talk About You
7. Come On Strong
8. All Too Soon
9. It Started All Over Again/The Second Time Around
10. This Is Always
11. My Kind Of Trouble Is You
12. Too Late Now

The Mood I’m In is scheduled to be released on CD on January 1, 2016 on Audiophile Records. It was made available as a download on December 9, 2015.

Art Pepper: “Live At Fat Tuesday’s” (2015) CD Review

At the beginning of the year, three live albums by Art Pepper were released, three volumes of Neon Art, all with music from concerts the saxophonist performed in 1981. This music was so fantastic that after the release of the third, I lamented the fact that there wasn’t a fourth volume coming. But we are now treated to something equally amazing – Live At Fat Tuesday’s, which was also recorded in 1981, and which was previously unissued. At this show, on April 15 in New York, Art Pepper was joined by Milcho Leviev on piano, George Mraz on bass and Al Foster on drums. (Of those musicians, only Milcho Leviev plays on any of the Neon Art discs; he is on Neon Art: Volume One.) And as on Neon Art, this disc includes some nice long jams. After all, the disc contains seventy minutes of music, and only five tracks. This disc also includes a forty-page booklet, with an interview Brian Priestley conducted with Art Pepper in 1980, as well as an interview that Zev Feldman conducted with Laurie Pepper earlier this year. There are also some thoughts and memories by John Koenig, Stephane Ollivier and Steve Getz. And there are some photos, making this an all-round excellent package.

This disc opens with a Thelonious Monk tune, “Rhythm-A-Ning,” which Al Foster kicks off on drums. You probably know Foster from his work with Miles Davis, and he’s fantastic here. And it’s not long before the band is just cooking, and I love the way Art Pepper and George Mraz are off and running together. And then Milcho Leviev is rocking there, and there is hardly a space for a breath. The song is like a force that no one could control, or would want to. The audience at this venue must have been beside themselves, not sure whether to dance or just stare. And then after six minutes or so, Art Pepper does take a breather, but the tune itself doesn’t relax much. Milcho might technically be leading, but George and Al are flying right along with him, and then Milcho is off like a maniac outrunning his own fire. And then George Mraz takes a bass solo, followed by a brief solo by Al Foster, presented in spurts between which the whole band returns to the theme.

That’s followed by a standard, Cole Porter’s “What Is This Thing Called Love?” There is some wonderful stage banter leading into this tune, joking about a request. The song is played at a good clip, with some tremendous playing by all four musicians. Clearly, these guys aren’t ready to calm down yet. And like six and a half minutes in, Milcho Leviev delivers some unusual and intriguing stuff on piano as he begins his lead section, and at moments seems to be attacking the piano (with the piano loving it). And then there is this great section with just bass and drums, the two conversing, before Art and Milcho rejoin them.

They finally do slow things down a bit with “Goodbye,” a composition by Gordon Jenkins. In the introduction to “Goodbye,” Art Pepper mentions how Benny Goodman would sign off with this tune. And then he offers up a beautiful rendition, Art blowing sweetly, truthfully. Sure, several minutes in, there is some brief brash playing, but soon he returns to beauty. This track has some interesting peaks, but for me the best moments are when they return from those peaks – those are the moments that are the most emotionally engaging.

Art Pepper then dips into his own compositions, beginning with “Make A List, Make A Wish,” and wow, just wow. This version is just bloody amazing, beginning with some great work on bass by George Mraz, with the band really grooving. Emerging from that groove is some particularly impressive playing by Milcho Leviev on piano. His lead part grows into some cool and delightfully persistent beast. Interestingly, as he ends that lead section, the bass is allowed to rule for a little while, rather than the tune going right into Art’s lead. That way, Art’s section emerges from the groove, as Milcho’s was able to. And then Art Pepper’s work is a total joy, played over a fun groove by the other musicians. I love this track. Another version of this tune you should check out is the one that was included on Neon Art: Volume Three, that one with different musicians.

This disc then concludes with “Red Car,” another of Art Pepper’s own compositions, one included on his 1976 LP The Trip. George Mraz gets things grooving immediately on bass, and you can hear someone shout out “Yeah!” This one is so much fun, and should get you moving. Art sounds perfect, and there is something joyful in his playing, in the sound, as the rest of the band rocks beneath him. And Milcho Leviev continues the high spirits with his lead spot on piano. Al Foster delivers a cool drum solo toward the end. If you want to hear another great version of this tune, check out Neon Art: Volume One.

CD Track List

1. Rhythm-A-Ning
2. What Is This Thing Called Love?
3. Goodbye
4. Make A List, Make A Wish
5. Red Car 

Live At Fat Tuesday’s was released on November 20, 2015 through Elemental Music.

Lafayette Harris, Jr. Trio: “Bend To The Light” (2015) CD Review

Lafayette Harris, Jr. is a jazz pianist, and his newest CD, Bend To The Light, features mostly original material, though some of these tracks are compositions he had recorded other versions of earlier and is revisiting here. His trio includes Lonnie Plaxico on bass and Willie Jones III on drums.

The album opens with its title track, “Bend To The Light,” a tune which has a very positive feel. It starts off in somewhat mellow, though bright territory, and then becomes a fun tune, especially because of what Lafayette does on piano. There is such a joy here coming from all three musicians. A few minutes in, the track then relaxes a bit for a nice bass lead section. This CD also includes a vocal version of “Bend To The Light,” with Jazzmeia Horn on vocals. There are no lyrics to this tune, just some delightful, playful scat in certain sections. This version is a bit longer than the first rendition.

“Take You Out” is the first of four cover tunes on this CD, this one written by Luther Vandross, Warryn Campbell, Harold Lilly and John Smith. I definitely prefer this instrumental rendition by Lafayette Harris, Jr. It features a light, delightful piano over a good groove. Also, Thomas Dyani adds some great percussion to this track. Yup, it’s much better than the original. The second cover, “12 Bars,” is one of my favorite tracks. It’s just a whole lot of fun, and put me in a fantastic mood.  This arrangement is by Roswell Rudd. The other two covers are the standards “Old Devil Moon” and “Tenderly.”

“We In The House” is a tune that Lafayette Harris, Jr. recorded earlier for his album Lafayette Is Here…Solo. That version is just piano, whereas here it is performed by his trio. The version here is a few minutes longer than that earlier version. I like this tune a lot, but that repeated hook comes straight out of The Association’s “Never My Love.” Right? There is a nice, and fairly lengthy lead on bass approximately halfway through. This CD also includes a shorter version of this tune, sans that wonderful bass section.

“Achern” is a composition that Lafayette Harris, Jr. originally recorded for Happy Together (there it has an exclamation point in its title). That earlier version was done with the trio, though at that time the trio was made up of different musicians – Cecil Brooks on drums and Dwayne Dolphin on bass. This is a seriously good tune, played with energy and joy. It’s followed by the pretty “Japanese Love Poem.” Thomas Dyani’s percussion adds an interesting exotic element, feeling both familiar and unfamiliar, like a familiar emotion in an unfamiliar setting.

“Blues On The Edge” is another of my favorites. Listen to how expressive the bass is, even before the solo. And there’s also a good drum solo too. I had been waiting for one, eager for one, and this one doesn’t disappoint. I love how it sort of continues even when the others join back in. That is some great playing by Willie Jones III. This is a composition that Lafayette Harris, Jr. recorded earlier and released on Trio Talk, with Dwayne Dolphin on bass and Winard Harper on drums. “Geneva” is another favorite. It has great energy right from the start, and I love how that section in the second half is allowed to go on longer than you might expect, with that repeated bit on piano while the drums go wild. It’s seriously great.

CD Track List

1. Bend To The Light
2. Take You Out
3. We In The House
4. 12 Bars
5. Achern
6. Japanese Love Poem
7. Old Devil Moon
8. Blues On The Edge
9. Tenderly
10. Geneva
11. Bend To The Light (Vocal Version)
12. We In The House (Short Version)

Bend To The Light was released on August 7, 2015 on Airmen Records.

Greg Lake And Geoff Downes: “Ride The Tiger” (2015) CD Review

Last month, an early recording from Keith Emerson was released, The Keith Emerson Trio. Last month also saw the release of his ELP bandmate Greg Lake’s previously unissued collaboration with Geoff Downes, Ride The Tiger, which was recorded in 1989-1990. While I’m not quite as fond of this CD as I am of the Keith Emerson disc, it is certainly worth listening to. After all, these are two musicians who’ve had quite an impact on music. Greg Lake is obviously known for his work with Emerson, Lake And Palmer and King Crimson, while Geoff Downes is known for his work with Asia and Yes. Greg Lake actually joined Asia briefly for concerts in Japan after the departure of John Wetton in 1983, and that was the first time the two musicians played together. Several years later they got together, along with Michael Giles on drums, to record the music on this disc. All of the tracks here are originals, written by Greg Lake and Geoff Downes. The music is certainly a product of its time, with regard to sound. There is no mistaking that late 1980s sound. Some of these songs were re-recorded later for other releases, (and a couple of tracks were included on a compilation), but with the release of Ride The Tiger, we have all of the original recordings for the first time.

The album opens with “Money Talks,” a song which would find its way onto From The Beginning: The Greg Lake Retrospective. It has a strange, angry sort of tone. “King of kings, they pull the strings/’Til they run you down/No matter what you’ve undergone/The measure of success/Is how much you can charge it on American Express/Believe me, money talks.” Interestingly, this song would be reworked and released as “Paper Blood” on the 1992 Emerson, Lake And Palmer album Black Moon. Some of the verses are the same, but the chorus is different, as is the sound. If you’re a fan of that song, you’ll enjoy hearing the original version here.

That is followed by “Love Under Fire,” a song that was reworked for inclusion on the 1992 Asia album Aqua. This begins as a prettier tune, and I immediately like it. I think this version is much better than the one on that Asia album, especially the vocals (and that cool bass lick). “You can hide in the jungle/You can climb up a tree, yes you can/You can scan the horizon/Tell me what do you see? Nothing.” This disc also includes an alternate mix of this song. This song was also included on From The Beginning: The Greg Lake Retrospective.

“Affairs Of The Heart” would end up on ELP’s Black Moon, in a reworked rendition. The version here is quite different in its sound, without the acoustic guitar. It has more of electronic feel, and it kicks in with more power than on the other version. “Street War” would also be released on an ELP album, In The Hot Seat, in a very different form. Not only is the sound different (and a bit slower) here, but the lyrics are also somewhat different. This version begins with the second stanza (and even then it’s slightly altered, from ELP’s “But still I see no compromise” to “You offer me no compromise,” for example): “Eyes ablaze with virtue, you raise the sword of state/You offer me no compromise, it's my heart upon the slate/I’m driven to the ledges, just one step to the wire/We're under siege, it's face to face, one spark can start a fire.”

“Check It Out” is a decent rock tune. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Twist and turn, I just can’t sleep/She’s driving me crazy/I’ve gone too far, I’m in too deep/She simply amazes me/Crush me like a hurricane/Let me pick up the pieces.” It is followed by “Blue Light,” which is one of my favorite tracks on this disc. It has a slower, more mellow vibe, with a kind of haunting quality at times. And I really like the vocals. Check out these lines: “When I look into the mirror, I don’t recognize my face/Something in this room ain’t right, I can feel it like a chill/So tell me why when I am moving does my shadow just stand still” and “’Cause there is only one way into here, but no way out.”

CD Track List

1. Money Talks
2. Love Under Fire
3. Affairs Of The Heart
4. Street War
5. Check It Out
6. Blue Light
7. Love Under Fire (alternate mix) 

Ride The Tiger was released on November 27, 2015 on Manticore Records.

The Girl Who Didn't Like Music

I once briefly knew a girl who didn’t like music. She owned only one CD, and that because it had been given to her. So of course I tried playing some of my favorite artists for her, figuring she just hadn’t been exposed to the right music yet. But no, nothing. Music had absolutely no effect on her. There was no song that made her smile, no song that made her cry. No instrument moved her, not even the violin or cello.

Later I discovered that as a child she had killed every pet her parents had brought into their home, and some of the neighbors' pets as well. And now police are looking to question her about the death of a young homeless woman. So, if you ever meet someone who doesn’t like music, be sure to give him or her a wide berth, for chances are that person is without a soul.