Hard Rock Daddy presents Music Discovery Monday – 9/28/15.
Each week, the HRD team shares songs that fly below radio’s radar, ranging from lesser-known artists to deeper cuts from both up-and-coming and established artists.
In addition to exposing the Hard Rock Daddy audience to new music that isn’t getting the attention that it deserves from radio, Music Discovery Monday also features a segment called “Hard Rock Music Time Machine,” which showcases older songs (from the ’70s to today) that hard rock music fans may have missed at the time of release.
In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlists beneath each section, all songs featured on Music Discovery Monday can be listened to by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles.
ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)
CHRIS CORNELL – “Nothing Compares 2 U” (Live SiriusXM)
In the 1980s, Prince made a huge impact with his eclectic sound and unique style. While the entire MTV generation was familiar with his hit songs, not every song made it into the mainstream. In 1985, he wrote “Nothing Compares 2 U” for a side project called The Family. It wasn’t until 1990 that the song became a hit when it was released as a single by Irish singer-songwriter, Sinead O’Connor.
The best (and most memorable) cover songs are the ones where an artist makes it their own. A quarter century ago, O’Connor made “Nothing Compares 2 U” her own, so much so that many people didn’t realize that it was actually written by Prince. She had a great run with the song, but as the saying goes…“all good things must come to an end.” Building upon what O’Connor did with the song in 1990, Cornell has taken it to another level in 2015.
Cornell’s truly inspired version of “Nothing Compares 2 U” has reverberated through the rock world since he performed it acoustically during a visit to SiriusXM last week. Unlike O’Connor, who built her career upon the success of the song, Cornell didn’t even include it on his most recent release, Higher Truth. To be able to capture this kind of magic in a live setting speaks volumes about Cornell’s talent.
This isn’t the first time that Cornell has done a brilliant acoustic interpretation of a popular song. See which classic song he made his own in the Hard Rock Music Time Machine segment of Music Discovery Monday.
JOE LYNN TURNER – “Love Conquers All” (Live from Glasgow)
Like fine wine, the great ones seem to just keep getting better with age. In recent weeks, an acoustic version of the 1990 Deep Purple classic, “Love Conquers All” was shared by Joe Lynn Turner. The performance, which was recorded in in Glasgow, Scotland, showcases the immense talent of JLT.
Just as Chris Cornell put a current spin on a song that captured the public’s attention in 1990, JLT has done the same. And though it may seem as though he has the advantage of being the original singer on the song, it can be argued that this was an even more impressive feat because he is being compared to his younger self.
The changing music climate in America has led JLT to spending more time performing overseas. Listening to this incredible live performance makes you wonder when the turning point for rock occurred in America. Talents like JLT should be revered regardless of current trends. We’re missing out here, but thankfully, there is still an appreciative audience to be found for this rock legend.
JON LOVELESS – HRD Music Scout
10 YEARS – “From Birth To Burial”
The latest single from this Knoxville, TN band is finally starting to work its way up the radio charts, but depending upon your station(s) of choice, it is one that might not have caught your ear yet unless you’re an existing fan of the band. The lyrics – depending upon your interpretation, I suppose – are a somewhat haunting indictment of the music business, delivered (almost ironically) in a very listenable fashion.
CROBOT – “Legend Of The Spaceborne Killer”
Even if it might tempt listeners to spontaneously use words like “groovy,” the recent single from these Pennsylvania rockers is perhaps among their most accessible, and flows better in a more Active Rock-oriented playlist than you might expect. If you haven’t given it a listen yet, it’s well worth checking out.
ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout
CIRCLE II CIRCLE – “Victim Of The Night”
Vocalist Zak Stevens (Trans-Siberian Orchestra, ex-Savatage) returns with his band Circle II Circle, and their newest album, Reign Of Darkness (due out October 16th). Out of Tampa, Florida, they play progressive metal with a power edge. This single opens with gripping keyboards that are quickly joined by bass and drums, leaving no misimpression early on about the drive of the piece. Listen, also, for an intense guitar solo and some great harmonies.
BURNING POINT – “In The Shadows”
Finland’s Burning Point have a new lead singer, Nitte Valo (ex-Battle Beast). She belts out some high and powerful notes on their newest album, which remakes six of the band’s best songs and adds four newly written ones. The remakes sound terrific and the new songs work well, too. “In The Shadows” is easily the heaviest of the new selections and really highlights Valo’s talent.
CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH – HRD Music Scout
KYLESA – “Shaping The Southern Sky”
Dubbed “sludge metal,” Kylesa is a Georgia power trio that has been around since 2001. “Shaping the Southern Sky” has that sludgy, murky quality to it, along with a terrific, heavy, southern metal rhythm – the song’s best feature. This track is from the upcoming Exhausting Fire, Kylesa’s 7th full-length album.
SLEAZY WAY OUT – “Wasted Chance”
The band and track name make no secret of what this song is about. The greatness of the song is in its simplicity and straightforwardness. Self-billed as being on the forefront of the Sleaze Rock movement, these Montreal rockers want you to know that they “are here to kick ass” – and they do a thorough job of it. You’ll pick up on the similarities to Jackyl and others.
SUBMISSIONS
To be considered for Music Discovery Monday, please e-mail a link to the song being submitted on YouTube and an artist bio to – submissions@MusicDiscoveryMonday.com
HARD ROCK MUSIC TIME MACHINE
ADAM WALDMAN
LED ZEPPELIN – “Moby Dick” (Live from Royal Albert Hall) (1970)
Drums are the engine that drives the machine when it comes to hard rock. And though many fans have an appreciation for drummers, they don’t necessarily look forward to hearing drum solos in a live setting. However, there are exceptions to every rule, and in the case of “Moby Dick,” John Bonham is certainly one of them. But then again, Bonham wasn’t just any drummer. He was such a big part of Led Zeppelin’s sound that his untimely passing brought an end to one of the greatest bands in the history of rock…
“We wish it to be known that the loss of our dear friend, and the deep sense of undivided harmony felt by ourselves and our manager, have led us to decide that we could not continue as we were.” The statement was signed simply “Led Zeppelin.”
This past week was the 35th anniversary of Bonham’s passing. To commemorate the passing of this drumming legend, I decided to include a live version of “Moby Dick,” which features an extended drum solo. Although Bonham’s contribution to the overall sound of Led Zeppelin cannot be understated, this song and solo capture the essence of what made him irreplaceable to the rest of the band.
CHRIS CORNELL – “Thank You” (Live From Royal Theatre – Victoria, BC) (2011)
As mentioned above, Chris Cornell has a way of making cover songs his own. It takes a lot of guts and talent to cover any Led Zeppelin song and make it your own, much less one that is considered to be a classic. What makes this song stand out in the Zeppelin catalog is the beautiful poetry of the lyrics. While many of the band’s lyrics are cryptic, “Thank You” is, quite simply, one of the best love songs ever written. Its distinct emotional vibe and mystique could easily be lost in translation, but Cornell captures it with nothing more than an acoustic guitar and a microphone. There are moments that are a bit more melancholic than the original, but those moments only serve to make the emotive, higher register vocals even more moving.
JON LOVELESS
ADRENALINE MOB – “Psychosane” (2012)
Raw, aggressive, downright irritable. That summarizes what remains my favorite song from this supergroup to date.
ROB DELL’AQUILA
STAR ONE – “Digital Rain” (2010)
Progressive metal meets space rock in Arjen Anthony Lucassen’s supergroup Star One. Their 2010 album Victims Of The Modern Age borrows its name from the movie A Clockwork Orange, and the tracks, while varied, are fitfully bound together by a science fiction theme in a dystopian future. On “Digital Rain,” dueling vocals are contributed by Russell Allen (Symphony X, Adrenaline Mob) and Damian Wilson (Threshold, Headspace).
LIONVILLE – “Another Day” (2012)
Melodic rock band Lionville produced this catchy number for their second album in 2012. The Italian band brings together the golden voice of Lars Safsund with the soaring guitar of Stefano Lionetti for AOR with a west coast influence.
CHRIS HERZEGOVITCH
TESLA – “Cry” (1994)
With the number of Tesla’s popular hits, great songs like “Cry” usually get overlooked. This tune, and several off of Bust A Nut, shows the heavier side of the band. The album was rated a Top 10 by Guitar World in 1994. Give it a listen.
LEMUR VOICE – “More Of Nothing” (1996)
Once called Aura, Lemur Voice was a Prog Metal band from the Netherlands. They only put out two albums, which is a shame, given the quality of “More of Nothing” and the all-around talent of the band. Great vocals from Gregoor van der Loo and guitar work from Marcel Coenen are the standout performances on this track.
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