The Grip Weeds Extraordinary "Soul Bender"

A new disc from New Jersey’s psychedelic pop/rock heroes The Grip Weeds is always cause for celebration. They're one of my favorite bands, and their latest release, Soul Bender, is a magnificent record that will, rock you, inspire you, delight you, and soothe your soul in equal measure. The songs on this phenomenal album are overflowing with scintillating guitars, thundering bass, high energy drums, captivating vocals and gorgeous harmonies that harken back to the classic rock of the 1960s, while also sounding fresh and contemporary. Soul Bender is one of the best rock and roll albums of the year, and it deserves a regular spot in your listening rotation, as well as a permanent one in your record collection.

The Grip Weeds lineup is comprised of Kurt Reil on drums and vocals, his wife Kristen Pinell Reil on lead guitar and vocals, Kurt’s brother Rick Reil on guitar, keyboard and vocals, and their long-time friend Dave DeSantis on bass and vocals. You can feel their unbridled enthusiasm at creating and playing music together. Their undeniable chemistry as a band is evident in every note, song and arrangement on Soul Bender, which was produced by Kurt at the band’s home base, the House of Vibes studios.

The record kicks off with the kinetic title track, an ode to love and musical inspiration, featuring dizzying guitars, high energy drums and impassioned vocals. That amazing opener is followed by “Flowers For Cynthia,” one of my favorite tracks on the record, a groovy baroque pop confection whose retro soundscape brings to mind the sounds of The Zombies, The Beatles and The Left Banke in equal measure. The dynamic “Spinning The Wheel” has a modern rock aura, while “Promise (Of The Real)” is an emotional tale of lost love, featuring strong vocal performances by Kurt and Kristen.

Soul Bender is filled with fantastic songs, including the hard-rocking “Conquer and Divide” and “Fragmented,” which have an edgier vibe than some of the more retro-imbued Grip Weeds tunes. Both tracks include some excellent instrumental work from Rick and Dave. “Gene Clark (Broken Wing)” successfully evokes the classic sound of The Byrds while paying tribute to the late guitarist and co-founder of that beloved band. The extraordinary “Someone In Love” is a revised version of “Your Love” the first song ever written by Kurt Reil. This wonderful tune has a definite Beach Boys meets early Beatles feel and sound to it, while the gritty “Wake Up Time” is an energetic, garage rock infused number that really kicks out the jams.

Every track on Soul Bender is worthy of multiple spins, including the sparkling, girl group styled “If You Were Here,” and the anthemic album closer “Love Comes In Different Ways” which joyously celebrates...love in true Beatles-esque fashion. To put it simply, Soul Bender rocks. It's an awe-inspiring, soul-satisfying record which showcases the talents of The Grip Weeds and elevates their already top-notch songwriting and performing skills to new heights. Soul Bender is out now on JEM Records: https://jemrecordings.com/. You can find out more about the The Grip Weeds and this phenomenal record at : https://www.gripweeds.com/.

Johnny J. Blair's Journey To The Sun

Johnny J. Blair is a multi-talented singer, songwriter and producer whose wide-ranging sound encompasses a variety of musical genres, including pop, rock, soul and jazz. He’s released some excellent records, including I Like The Street, Door in The Water and Grateful. Blair’s latest project is a sci-fi themed album entitled We’re Getting Closer To The Sun. Fans of artists like King Crimson, The Moody Blues, ELO, and Pink Floyd and should really dig this phenomenal record. We’re Getting Closer To The Sun is something of a sci-fi concept album, with themes ranging from a more hopeful, non-dystopian vision of the future, to love, faith and questions of mortality.

Several tracks on the disc have a 1960s feel, including the title track and “A Place Across The Sky.” These terrific songs feature very cool guitar work and atmospheric production, recalling the aura of classic Jimmy Webb penned songs like Glen Campbell’s “Witchita Lineman.” The outstanding “Letting Go” and “Changing of the Guard” continue the 1960s aesthetic, and are spiritually influenced by the music of bands like The Moody Blues, The Bee Gees, and The Beatles, with a bit of glam rock and folk thrown into the mix. The album includes a fantastic cover of the David Bowie classic “Space Oddity,” on which Blair and his fellow musicians manage to deftly balance staying faithful to the original while absolutely giving the song some original touches as well.


Blair’s ethereal compositions also display some Laurel Canyon-esque touches, especially on the reflective “They Were There For You” and the powerful “I See The Angels Comin’ Round.” There’s a definite psychedelic vibe throughout the record, as evidenced by the presence of Mellotron and Stylophone. The remarkable tunes on We’re Getting Closer To The Sun feature sci-fi themed lyrics and concepts, and Blair has said that the album is influenced by a lot of classic science-fiction including the C.S. Lewis space trilogy, Alexander Key’s novel The Forgotten Door, and Nigel Kneale’s tales of Professor Quatermass. Like all of the best science-fiction stories, the music on this fabulous album is as much about love, faith and relationships as it is about spaceships, aliens and far out ideas.

We’re Getting Closer To The Sun is an extraordinary record. Concept albums are tough to pull off, and there are a quite a few rock and roll artists who’ve tried their hand at the genre throughout the years, including The Who, The Kinks, Genesis, Frank Zappa, Nine Inch Nails, and Green Day. Along with a group of talented musical collaborators which includes Prairie Prince, Mike Roe, and Chris Von Sneidern, “Singer At Large” Johnny J. Blair has managed to create a compelling album that will touch your heart, inspire your soul and have you reaching for the replay button to re-experience these amazing songs. You can check out We’re Getting Closer To The Sun at bandcamp by following this link: https://johnnyjblairsingeratlarge.bandcamp.com/album/new-album-were-getting-closer-to-the-sun.

Retro Science Fiction TV Series: UFO

Ed Bishop in UFO

 

During the late 1950s and on through much of the 1960s, the husband-and-wife team of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson created some of the most exciting children's shows on television, including Stingray, Fireball XL-5 and Captain Scarlet and The Mysterons. These series all featured top notch puppet and model work, and exciting action sequences. The Anderson series from this period that most US viewers remember is Thunderbirds, about a team of adventurers who rescued people in peril all around the world. By the late 1960s, the Andersons decided to branch out into live-action, and they produced a film called Doppelganger, aka Journey to the Far Side of the Sun, starring Roy Thinnes as an astronaut who returns from a spaceflight only to find he's landed, not on Earth, but on a parallel version of our world.

Their next project was UFO, a science-fiction adventure series about a secret organization called SHADO (Supreme Headquarters Alien Defence Organization) battling alien invaders who are visiting our planet for nefarious purposes, including stealing our organs to prolong their lives. The series starred Ed Bishop (who'd done voice work for the Andersons), George Sewell, Gabrielle Drake and Michael Billington. Bishop played Ed Straker, the head of SHADO, who commanded the group's forces on Earth (which were hidden beneath a movie studio) as well as their base located on the moon. UFO is fondly remembered by fans of a certain age for the excellent special effects by Derek Meddings, some groovy 1970s style fashions (designed by Sylvia Anderson) and the very cool theme music, provided by Barry Gray, a frequent contributor to projects produced by the Andersons.

The show was aimed at a more adult audience than previous Anderson efforts like Fireball XL-5, and was considerably darker in tone. Several episodes dealt not only with the ongoing conflict with the alien invaders, but focused on the personal lives of the SHADO crew, and the toll their job took on their personal lives. For example, the episode "A Question of Priorities" highlights a pivotal moment in Straker's life, as he makes a difficult choice between his family and his work at SHADO. Other entries dealt with ESP, corporate espionage and even a murder plot which was interrupted by the arrival of an alien. The cast was uniformly excellent, and featured several familiar faces in guest roles, including Jane Merrow, Jean Marsh and Lois Maxwell.

The series aired in England in 1970 and was syndicated in the US in 1972. While initial ratings in the States were strong, they dropped off towards the end of the run, which ended plans for a second season of the show. Originally, the new season would have mostly featured episodes set on SHADO's moonbase. Gerry Anderson re-worked this concept into what later became Space:1999, starring Martin Landau and Barbara Bain. UFO has aired throughout the years in syndication and on cable stations. Invasion: UFO, a 1980 film compiled from several episodes, was released overseas in cinemas and on cable in the US. UFO has also been issued on various home video formats, most recently on Blu-ray from Imprint Films. Here's a trailer for that release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ap2e-_bQ918. If you're a fan of 1970s sci-fi, or Gerry Anderson's other series, UFO is definitely work a look.

The Bongos Return with The Shroud of Touring

The Bongos were at the forefront of the alternative music scene in the New York area in the 1980s. Their music featured an eclectic mix of musical styles, and the Hoboken based group eventually gained national attention during the heyday of MTV, with the song “Numbers With Wings.” The band’s lineup featured Richard Barone on lead guitar and vocals, Rob Norris on bass and vocals, Frank Giannini on drums and backing vocals. Guitarist James Mastro joined the group after the release of their first full-length record, Drums Along The Hudson, which was issued in 1982. The album included the group’s alluring, dance-infused cover of “Mambo Sun,” by T. Rex: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6x1gUYBFO8.

The band’s unique musical style, blending elements of rock, pop, dance rhythms and new wave, as well as their high energy concerts, garnered them a reputation as one of the best bands on the New York area scene in the 1980s. The Bongos released Numbers With Wings in 1983, and the title song, as well as the dance floor hit “Barbarella” expanded their fan base, as more fans discovered them and grooved to their exhilarating music. The Bongos toured extensively throughout the 1980s, adding percussionist Steve Scales to their lineup. They continued to release new music, including 1985’s Brazilian rhythm-inspired Beat Hotel. The group disbanded in 1987, but the band has reunited several times during the 2000s, both live and on record, and The Bongos remain a much-revered favorite among music aficionados: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdPNmHJNQpc.

The great news for fans of The Bongos is that JEM Records is about to release The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985, a never before released live album originally recorded during the band’s heyday. This phenomenal record effectively captures the band’s unstoppable energy, and the intensity of their incendiary live performances. The Shroud of Touring is being issued to commemorate the 40th anniversary of an incredible concert which occurred at the Tradewinds club in Seabright, NJ on Memorial Day weekend in 1985. The band was at the top of their game that night, and the track list includes favorites such as “In The Congo” and “Tiger Nights,” plus terrific tunes such as “Telephoto Lens,” and “Apache Dancing.”

The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985 was produced by The Bongos and Steve Addabbo, and the disc has been lovingly remastered by Steve Rosenthal. This is an amazing record, showcasing the band at the peak of their musical powers. If you're a fan of the band (like myself) or were lucky enough to see the The Bongos back in the 1980s, this album will bring back some fond musical memories. If you’ve never seen or heard the band before, once you hear this fabulous record, you will definitely want to check out more of their fantastic, genre-defying music. To celebrate the album’s release, The Bongos original lineup of Richard Barone, Rob Norris, Frank Giannini and James Mastro will be performing several live shows in the New York/New Jersey area, including one at The Wonder Bar in Asbury Park, NJ on May 31st. The Shroud of Touring: Live in 1985 will be released May 23rd on CD by JEM Records, and is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Black Mirror Examines A "Eulogy"

Most people can recall a romantic relationship from their younger years that, for whatever reason, didn't work out. But can you remember what actually happened to cause that relationship to end? What if you could actually step back into a memory from that time in your life? That's the intriguing premise of "Eulogy," the penultimate episode of the current season of the Netflix anthology Black Mirror. As with many of the stories in Charlie Brooker's series, the story raises questions about how advanced technology really interacts with us and ultimately affects our lives.

In "Eulogy," Paul Giamatti portrays Phillip Connarty, who's contacted by a company called Eulogy. They represents the family of Carol, a former flame of Phillip's. Her family wants him to provide a memory of her for a memorial service. Eulogy offers a unique technology that allows a person to enter a photograph, and in essence, view the moment that a photo was taken in three dimensions, in order to jog a person's memory. At first, Paul is reluctant to do this, as his relationship with Carol ended badly. When he finally agrees to view his memories, the AI "guide" from Eulogy helps him enter several photos, and he begins to recall memories of his time with Carol.

What becomes apparent is that Phillip's memories of his relationship with Carol are colored by his own frailties, and his own perceptions of their romance. Phillip and Carol's time together may not have ended for the reasons he remembers. The truth about how things ended might be a bit more complicated than it seemed at first glance. As he digs deeper into his memories, Phillip experiences a roller coaster of emotions, and he's forced to come to terms with his real role in the end of their relationship. Giammati is excellent as Phillip, and his heart-wrenching performance carries the episode. 

 

The script by Charlie Brooker and Ella Road is terrific, and the direction by Chris Barrett and Luke Taylor is superb. The raw emotional power of this episode really hits home. While Black Mirror often deals with the inherent dangers of technology, and how it can affectsour lives, this episode deals with the emotional toll that life can take on us. "Eulogy" is one of the best entries of the current season of the series. Like "San Junipero" from Season 3 of the show, this is a very human story, touching on deep level of emotion. Black Mirror is currently available on Netflix.

14 Years Ago: The Origins of Eclectic Avenue

Dizzyfish - at the Oakdale Theatre in June 2024

I started Eclectic Avenue back in April of 2011. This blog began as an outlet to indulge my passion for writing about music, movies and books. I've always enjoyed writing, starting back in high school, on through my college years and moving forward to my years working in the publishing world. During that time, I wrote a couple of articles for local newspapers, and also did a stint as a writer/editor for the excellent KISS fanzine FIRE, which was published by my dear friend Gilda. Thanks to the support and encouragement of Gilda and a couple of other close friends, I decided to launch Eclectic Avenue. 

Eclectic Avenue received positive responses from readers, and as time went on, I got to know several other bloggers, and participated in several blogathons, special events in which a group of bloggers all write about a shared topic. Then in 2017, I decided to submit a story about Elton John to CultureSonar, a well-respected arts and entertainment website founded by music industry veteran Al Cattabiani. Since then, I've become a regular contributor to the site, and have written over 150 articles for them, including interviews with Dave Mason and William Shatner. It's been a great privilege to write for CultureSonar, and I'm thrilled to be part of the site's uber-talented group of writers.

I've had some incredible experiences over the years, interacting with talented artists like Marc Platt, Grey DeLisle, Rin Lennon of Monogroove, Kurt Reil of The Grip Weeds and Eric Herbst of Dizzyfish, among others. Thanks to Al Cattabiani, Cindy Grogan and Drew Pissara from CultureSonar for their support and encouragement, and also to Marty Scott and Maureen Pietoso at JEM Records for digging my work, and asking me to write about their fabulous artists on a regular basis. It has been an amazing experience working with all of you. I also want to express my sincere gratitude to all my readers for their appreciation of, and enthusiasm for, my writing. There's more to come, both here at Eclectic Avenue, and at Culture Sonar!

Recursion: A Mind-Bending Thriller

If you're a fan of truly original and intriguing stories, you should definitely be reading the work of Blake Crouch. He's the author of a number of best-selling novels, including the Wayward Pines trilogy, Dark Matter, and Upgrade. They're all exciting and suspenseful tales, deftly combining elements of the science-fiction, action film and thriller genres. Wayward Pines was turned into a television series on the FOX network, and Dark Matter was recently adapted for Apple TV. One of his best novels is Recursion, a mind-bending story about an invention that might just change the way we deal with our memories, as well as redefine our concept of time and reality.

Recursion starts off following two parallel story threads. One branch of the alternating chapters follows NYPD detective Barry Sutton, as he investigates the suicide of a woman who claims she is experiencing memories of a life that she never lived, including a different job, husband and home. It's part of an epidemic called False Memory Syndrome, which is affecting people all over the country. The second branch of the story concerns Helena Smith, a scientist researching new ways to treat the onset of Alzheimer's disease, including a groundbreaking process which implants a memory back into someone's brain.

The stories of Barry and Helena eventually intersect, as they both fall prey to the machinations of Marcus Slade, a billionaire philanthropist who has plans of his own for Helena's research, which involve time travel, and ultimately changing history, through a person's death and resurrection, combining the use of a deprivation chair with Helena's research. But the implications and results of Slade's use of her ideas combined with his own technology could lead to nuclear armageddon. It's up to Barry and Helena, who are in a race against time itself,  to stop Slade, and save the world as we know it.

Recursion is a kinetic thriller that features a clever and original science-fiction concept, and a fast-paced story. One of the novel's strengths is the well-developed characters, who have real emotional depth. These are people we can empathize with, as the traumas they're dealing with are things we can all relate to; for example, Barry is dealing with the loss of a child, and Helena's mother is suffering from Alzheimer's, which initially drives her research. There's also a real philosophical element to the story; should we use discoveries like Helena's, just because we can, no matter what the cost?  Recursion, like all of Blake Crouch's work, is entertaining, thought-provoking and intelligently written. Highly recommended.