Hard Rock Music Time Machine – 9/14/17

Each Thursday, Hard Rock Music Time Machine takes a journey back in time to feature a variety of songs that date back as far as the ’70s.

In addition to appearing on the embedded YouTube playlist below, all songs featured on Hard Rock Music Time Machine can be listened to individually by clicking on the hyper-linked song titles above each review.
 

 

 

ADAM WALDMAN – (Publisher, Hard Rock Daddy)

TRIUMPH – “Movin’ On” (1979)

Even though “Movin’ On” is not featured on a live album, the intro begins with the applause of the crowd, and of course, a cowbell that would make Spinal Tap proud.  The opening track off of Triumph’s 1979 release sets the tone for the rest of the brief, but brilliant, album – Just A Game.

The song is about touring, but the sentiment is one that hits home in different ways (depending on your situation).  With an uplifting vibe, memorable guitar leads and sweet vocal harmonies, “Movin’ On” makes you feel good about leaving the past behind you and looking towards the future.  While this wasn’t the song that introduced me to Triumph, it was this album that made me a lifelong fan.
 

 
BOSTON – “Don’t Look Back” (1978)

Like Triumph’s “Movin’ On,” Boston’s “Don’t Look Back” is another feel good song that looks towards the future.  After a monster debut album littered with hits, Boston’s sophomore effort never quite got the recognition that it deserved.  Beyond this title track, most of the other songs weren’t radio hits.  What’s interesting is that the band’s sound is almost identical to the sound of the debut album.  In fact, Boston remains to this day, one of the most distinct acts in the history of rock and roll.  The band didn’t look back after their 1978 release, however they didn’t look ahead either.  It took them another eight years to release the follow-up to this album.
 

 

 

 ANDY CHEUNG – HRD Music Scout

CORROSION OF CONFORMITY – “Albatross” (1994)

One of my favorite bands of all time is North Carolina’s Corrosion of Conformity.  The band started out as a punk/hardcore outfit before morphing into the band they are now…heavy, sludgy, blues metal.  Pepper Keenaone (one of the best guitarists in my opinion) wails and sings with such soul and passion that it’s hard to ignore.  The band borders on being progressive with the drumming of Reed Mullin and the bass playing of Mike Dean.  Couple that with the guitar geniuses of Keenaone and Woody Weatherman, and you have one of the best bands in metal today.

 

CROWBAR – “Walk With Knowledge Wisely” (2014)

One of the hardest working sludge metal bands ever is Louisiana’s Crowbar.  This long lasting band (started in 1988) has released eleven albums to date and is still going strong.  Popularizing the genre, Crowbar’s music is slow, drudging, and heavy like walking through the swamps of Louisiana.  Inject that with the aggression of hardcore and you have the sound of sludge metal.  Eyehategod and Down are two other bands that are pioneers of the genre that have also traded musicians in the past with Crowbar.  “Walk with Knowledge Wisely” is off their album Symmetry in Black.  It’s one of my favorite Crowbar songs ever.
 

 

 

ROB DELL’AQUILA – HRD Music Scout

MUSE – “Butterflies And Hurricanes” (2003)

British rock band Muse formed in 1994, and has been releasing albums since 1999. They have enjoyed enormous commercial and critical success, garnering numerous awards, including two Grammy’s.  They match a complex and diverse range of instrumentation to a modern vibe.  That combination is well-represented on this selection from their 2003 album, Absolution.

 

MUSE – “Supremacy” (2012)

In 2012, Muse released the hit album, The 2nd Law, which incorporated additional modern influences, including dubstep.  This new direction worried some fans, but the quality of the material is hard to argue against with songs like this this favorite.