Let's Visit The Weeklings at "Raspberry Park"

If you haven’t been listening to the music of New Jersey’s terrific power pop quartet, The Weeklings, then you’ve been missing out on something truly special. The group’s phenomenal songs are a remarkable blend of the sounds of the British Invasion and power pop, liberally sprinkled with a hint of modern rock. They’re also a superb live band, whose must see performances always win rave reviews from fans. Now is the perfect time to check out the band and their music, as their fabulous new album, Raspberry Park, is being released this Friday, January 19, on JEM Records. Raspberry Park is something of a concept album dedicated to the band’s home base in Asbury Park, an area which features a diverse collage of musical styles, including rock, pop, soul, R&B, and punk.

  

Raspberry Park kicks off with the title tune’s brief musical introduction, which segues into the fantastic “Like We Used To Do,” an energetic track which recalls an early Beatles number infused with the harder edged sound of bands like The Kinks. That’s followed up by the sensational “Brian Jones,” a tribute to the late co-founder of The Rolling Stones, featuring tasty harmonica licks, impressive vocals, and some very groovy guitar, bass and drum work. “Etude In E,” another interlude, comes up next, followed by the group’s stupendous version of The Beatles classic “I’ve Just Seen A Face.” The Weeklings are well-known for their unique interpretations of the music of The Fab Four, and their superlative cover of this beloved tune from Rubber Soul is yet another high-water mark in the band’s repertoire.

The Weeklings’ marvelous potpourri of rock, pop and soul sounds is on display throughout Raspberry Park. The album is filled with magnificent songs, ranging from the 90s rock infused ”All the Cash in the World” and “Falling Down a Flight of Stairs,” to the New Wave-styled, punk-fueled “None of Your Business.” You’ll also dig the straight ahead rock and roll vibes of “April’s Fool” and the 1980s-esque gem “Angeline,” one of my favorite tracks on the record. Every song is imbued with the band’s passion, high energy, and top-notch musicianship, whether it’s on brief interludes like “Samson” and “Appalachian Revenge,” or the group’s truly inspired rockabilly re-vamp of Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire.” Another highlight of the disc is the brilliant intertwining of the music of Buffalo Springfield and The Rolling Stones on the extraordinary “Mr. Soul Satisfaction,” which features guest vocalist Peter Noone of Herman’s Hermits.

The Weeklings lineup consists of Zeek, aka Bob Burger, on lead vocals, harmonica, and guitar; Lefty aka Glen Burtnik, on bass and background vocals; Rocky, aka John Merjave, on guitar and background vocals, and Smokestack, aka Joe Bellia, on drums.The outstanding original tunes on the album were largely written by Lefty and Zeek, and several of these well-crafted songs feature a bit more of a bittersweet tone than the band has featured on previous records, which is perfectly fitting given the album’s theme as a tribute to the wide array of musical genres which abound in Asbury Park. By the time you’ve finished your visit to Raspberry Park with the group’s deeply soulful take on the Sgt. Pepper track “She’s Leaving Home,” you’ll understand why The Weeklings just keep getting better with every new release!

For more info on The Weeklings and Raspberry Park, head over to www.jemrecordings.com. For a little taste of Raspberry Park, here are links to the videos for “Brian Jones” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abAFKBANq0I and “I’ve Just Seen A Face” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mGlfZ6up7NI.

Retro Movie: Don Siegel's "Charley Varrick"

Sheree North & Walter Matthau in Charley Varrick

1970s movie screens were filled with celebrated thrillers such as The French Connection, Klute, The Parallax View, Chinatown, and Serpico, but there were a number of other excellent genre films released during this period, including The Friends of Eddie Coyle, The Outfit and Night Moves, which are just as good as those well-remembered classics. One of these under the radar gems is Don Siegel's 1973 crime drama Charley Varrick. Siegel is best known for helming hard-edged crime films like Riot in Cell Block 11, Private Hell 36, the 1964 version of The Killers, Dirty Harry, and Escape From Alcatraz. He also directed the original Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Walter Matthau plays the title character, Charley Varrick, a former stunt pilot and crop duster who masterminds the robbery of a small-town bank in New Mexico. Unfortunately, two members of the crew, including Charley's wife Nadine, are killed during the heist, leaving the world weary Charley and a younger man, Harman Sullivan, on the run. When Charley and Harman discover that they've gotten away with a lot more money than they expected, Charley figures out that the bank must be a drop that launders Mafia money, and that the mob will be after them to recover their cash.

Charley's theory turns out to be correct. The mob dispatches a lethal hit man named Molly to recover the money, and kill the two thieves. It's a race against time as Charley tries to stay one step ahead of both the cops and the mob, while dealing with the impatient Harman, who wants to start enjoying their unexpected windfall. Charley Varrick is a tense, well-acted thriller, featuring a terrific lead performance from Matthau, who during this period was also exercising his flair for fine dramatic work in films like The Laughing Policeman and the original version of The Taking of Pelham One Two Three.

The marvelous supporting cast is chock full of faces that will be familiar to fans of 1970s cinema and TV shows, including Joe Don Baker, Sheree North, William Schallert, Woodrow Parfey, Norman Fell, John Vernon, Benson Fong, and Andy Robinson (best known as the serial killer Scorpio in director Siegel's Dirty Harry, and later as the duplicitous Garak on Star Trek; Deep Space Nine) who does a good job as Harman. In addition to the taut direction by Siegel, the film also features some fine cinematography by Michael Butler, and a cool score by Lalo Schifrin. The well-crafted screenplay was written by Dean Reisner and Howard Reese, based on the novel The Looters by John Reese.

The sharp, suspenseful Charley Varrick definitely earns its place among the pantheon of must-see (albeit lesser known by some viewers) 1970s films like Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, The Yakuza, Rolling Thunder and The Driver. If you're a fan of 1970s crime dramas with well-defined characters, a clever plot, and a touch of noir, you should definitely add Charley Varrick to your watch list. The film has been released on DVD and Blu-ray, and is also available on some streaming services. Here's a look at the trailer for the movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mqv1VwhWTv.

Monogroove's Extraordinary "The Flip Side"

Monogroove, the fantastic West Coast band led by the incomparable Rin Lennon, are back with their latest release, The Flip Side. Like the group's last two albums, There's Something Here and Into The Sun, The Flip Side is a fabulous record, filled with a terrific selection of rock, pop, folk, and punk flavored songs, which are steeped in the sounds of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, ranging from the ultra-cool, retro vibe of the opening track "Modern Day Romeo" to straight ahead rockers like "Brimstone" and the psychedelic-tinged "So Many Other Lives."

Lennon's extraordinary vocals, tender and angelic one moment, imbued with tough girl swagger the next, are passionate and filled with conviction. Just check out the phenomenal "I Am The Sun" and the 1960s pop-inspired "I Think Of You" and "I Don't Wanna Say" to see what I mean. Her guitar playing is also terrific, and is ably matched by the outstanding work of the band, which features Michael George on guitar and vocals, Jay Smith on drums and vocals, and Alias Wilde on bass. From the fabulous ballad "Let Me Know" to the modern rock flavored sound of "Mine All Mine," their top-notch musical chops, and superb vocals and harmonies, are clearly in evidence throughout the album.

The Flip Side also features a pair of very cool covers. The group's high-energy take on "(I'm Not Your) Stepping Stone" (previously recorded by the likes of Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Monkees and The Sex Pistols) is a groovy delight, and their heartfelt rendering of Coven's "One Tin Soldier" is a powerful version of a song whose themes are more topical than ever in these often fractious times. It's not easy to re-do well-known songs like these and truly make them your own, but Monogroove succeeds admirably with their superb renditions of these classic, much loved tunes.

Every track on The Flip Side (which will be released on Janaury 5) is worthy of multiple spins, from pop-flavored confections like "My Town" to guitar-infused rockers like "Tuff on Dirt" and "Dirty Dogs." These brilliantly crafted songs are definitely going to become new favorites, and are absolutely worthy of being added to your personal playlists. This is an exceptional record, made with care and affection by musicians who like ourselves, are clearly fans of the rock, pop, punk and power pop of the classic era. You can find out more about Monogroove and their music by heading over to bandcamp. Here's a link to the page for the album: https://monogroove.bandcamp.com/album/the-flip-side.

 

A Very "Merry" Batman Adventure

Batman has faced all kinds of threats throughout his long history, but this time the he's dealing with his greatest challenge yet; being the father of a rambunctious 8 year old! In the wonderful animated movie, Merry Little Batman, after cleaning up all of the crime in Gotham City, our hero has essentially retired to raise his son Damian. The young lad idolizes his father, and wants to be a superhero just like Batman when he grows up. When the Dark Knight gets a call for help from the Justice League on Christmas Eve, he races off to deal with the emergency, leaving Alfred to watch over Damian. 

When Wayne Manor is threatened by a group of thieves who are stealing Christmas presents in Gotham, Damian swings into action, squaring off against The Joker, and several other members of his father's Rogue's Gallery, including the Penguin and Poison Ivy. What Damian ultimately discovers is that the devious Joker's got a more insidious plan in mind than just Grinch-swiping some presents, and our young hero will have to step up his game to save the city. Will Damian be able to show his father he's worthy of the utility belt that he was given for Christmas?

Merry Little Batman is an engaging tale, which should appeal to Batman fans of all ages. It's a fast-paced, funny, and ultimately heart-warming holiday tale. The film is filled with in-jokes and references to the various incarnations TV and big-screen incarnations of Batman, which will delight long-time aficionados of the Dark Knight. Even if you're a casual fan, you should enjoy this Yuletide "little Batman" adventure. The animation is marvelous, and the film's old-fashioned look is influenced by the works of illustrator Ronald Searle. The voice cast is excellent, and the spirited performers include Luke Wilson as Batman, Yonas Kibreab as Damian, James Cromwell as Alfred, and David Hornsby as The Joker.

While the story loses a little bit of steam in its final act, Merry Little Batman is a terrific Christmas superhero adventure, made by a cast and crew who clearly have a lot of affection for the Dark Knight. The film's themes regarding family, growing up, and learning about the responsibilities of being a hero may bring to mind a couple of stories from that other major comics publisher, as well as several classic animated holiday tales, but Merry Little Batman is a a lot of fun on its own terms. It's a fabulous Christmas gift for Batman fans, and I think it's one of the best DC animated movies in a while. Here's a look at the trailer for the film, which is now streaming on Amazon Prime: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_GSMmXz0bHA.

Grey DeLisle is a Retro Country "Angel"

Is there anything the multi-talented Grey DeLisle can't do? She's a phenomenal singer, a gifted songwriter, a talented voice actor and a fantastic stand-up comedian. Her latest album, She's An Angel, is a valentine to old school country, and this record will warm your heart if you dig the sounds of artists like Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette and Loretta Lynn. DeLisle immediately declares her intentions on the sensational "I'll Go Back To Denver (And You Can Go To Hell)" a tale about a gal who hitched her wagon to a no good guy with a "greasy spray on tan." When he does her wrong, she lets him know in no uncertain terms just where he can move on to, and it's not back into her arms. That raucous opening number is the first of several tunes on the disc featuring tough as nails female characters, including "Everybody's Baby" and "I Missed You," a tongue in cheek number which will have you smiling and admiring DeLisle's gift for clever lyrics.

She's An Angel is filled with rollicking, guitar twangin' songs like "Quit Pickin' On Me," and "Shake That Thing" which are guaranteed to get you up and moving, and turning the volume way up. There's also the delightful "I Like The Way You Think I Think,"  the brassy "Big Sister," and the darkly funny breakup duet, "The Dog" one of the standout tracks on an album filled with high points. The wistful "Wasted" wouldn't sound out of place on one of Linda Ronstadt's early records, and the terrific "Who Bought The Boots Beside Your Bed?" evokes classic country at its best. DeLisle's exquisite voice is showcased throughout the album, but it's particularly effective on the lovely title song, and her knockout cover of Billy Vera's "I Really Got The Feeling", which reminds us that she's a brilliant interpreter of the work of other songwriters, as she displayed on her wonderful covers album, Borrowed, released in 2022.

DeLisle's magnificent voice melds perfectly with the masterful work of the talented musicians featured on She's An Angel. This outstanding group of players includes guitarists Deke Dickerson and Eddie Clendening, who produced the album, as well as Jonny Bowler and Lelah Simon on bass, DJ Bonebrake and Bernie Dresel on drums, Carl Sunny Leland on piano and Tammy Rogers on strings. Everyone featured on She's An Angel is at the top of their game, and contributes to the old school atmosphere and pure country sound which is deeply embedded in the DNA of these excellent songs. The passion and joy that this talented group has for performing this music is evident in every note.

She's An Angel is terrific, and it's a splendid showcase for Grey DeLisle's exceptional talents as a singer and songwriter. I've been a fan of her work for a while now, and I think She's An Angel is superb. If you're an old school or retro country fan, cue up this disc on whatever platform or device you listen to, and get ready to be knocked out by the remarkable work of DeLisle and her fellow musicians. Need further convincing? Here are links to performances of "Shake That Thing," https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3mCPmOEF-E, and "Quit Pickin' On Me" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VW0zP9tpcsk.

Godzilla Minus One: A Powerful, Moving Tale

Godzilla has been a cinematic icon for almost 70 years now. From the somber, anti-nuclear message of 1954's original Gojira (released in the US two years later as Godzilla, King of the Monsters, featuring additional footage with Raymond Burr as a reporter who witnesses Godzilla's rampage) to the enjoyable, light-hearted silliness of later entries like Monster Zero (1965) and Son of Godzilla (1967), the Big G has remained a fan favorite through various sequels, reboots and re-imaginings. Both Toho Studios in Japan, who originated the series, and Legendary Pictures in the US have released Godzilla films in recent years, including Toho's Shin Godzilla (2016) and Legendary's Godzilla, King of the Monsters (2019), and Godzilla vs. Kong (2021).

Godzilla Minus One, the latest entry in the Toho series, returns to the somber tone of Ishiro Honda's Gojira, and it's a terrific movie, one of the best in the Godzilla canon. The story opens in the final days of World War II, and follows a kamikaze pilot named Koichi, who chooses to land at a repair base on Odo Island (a location familiar to long-time fans) rather than sacrifice himself in battle. When the base is attacked by a prehistoric monster the locals call Godzilla, all of the personnel are killed, except Koichi and the head mechanic, Tachibana, who blames Koichi for the deaths of the crew because the nervous pilot failed to fire his plane's guns at the creature. Due to his failure to act, Koichi suffers a spiritual crisis, and suffers nightmares about his experiences.

When Koichi returns to Japan, he finds the country has been devastated due to the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki by the United States. He ends up sheltering a young woman named Noriko, as well as an orphaned child whose parents were killed in the bombings. Still haunted by guilt due to his inaction at Odo Island, Koichi gets a job on a ship that locates and detonates discarded mines from the war. While working on the minesweeper, he once again crosses paths with Godzilla, who has been mutated by postwar atom bomb tests conducted by the Unites States, and is stronger than ever. Godzilla attacks Japan, causing further death and destruction to an already broken and shattered country. When the governments of Japan and the US fail to act for fear of panicking the public, Koichi and a group of former military personnel come up with a unique plan to destroy Godzilla.

Godzilla Minus One is an exciting, powerful and moving tale. Because we see the story through Koichi's eyes, we share in his journey, and empathize with his feelings of doubt, guilt, fear and ultimately, redemption. The movie is the most character based entry in the Godzilla series since Gojira, and the human story is never overtaken by the monster action. This creature is not the friendly, Earth-defending Big G of the 1960s or 1970s films in the series. In Godzilla Minus One, the monster is a menacing, unstoppable force of nature that's symbolic of mankind's own destructive tendencies. The Godzilla attack sequences are visually striking, dramatic and well-staged by director Takashi Yamazaki, who also wrote the screenplay, and helped design and create the excellent special effects for the film.

In addition to the terrific work behind the scenes by Yamazaki and his talented crew, the cast is excellent. Ryunosake Kamiki as Koichi, Hidetaka Yoshioka as Kenji (a member of the minesweeper crew who's the architect of the plan to defeat Godzilla) and Munetaka Aoki as Tachibana, the Odo Island mechanic with a grudge against Koichi, are particular standouts. There are some nice callbacks to Akira Ifukube's classic Godzilla themes in the score for the film. If you're a long-time Godzilla fan, I highly recommended Godzilla Minus One. It's a fantastic movie, and it brings the story of Godzilla back to its darker origins as a cautionary tale, and also tells a compelling human story with a lot of heart. Here's a link to the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvSrHIX5a-0.

A Psyche-Pop Christmas with The Grip Weeds

I'm a big fan of New Jersey's psyche pop heroes The Grip Weeds. I've previously raved about their work both at this blog, and in my other writing gig over at CultureSonar, https://www.culturesonar.com/. If you haven't yet heard their music, which is a spectacular mix of psychedelia, power pop and garage rock, it's time to check out superb albums such as How I Won The War, Trip Around The Sun, and their wonderful covers record,  DiG. The band's supremely talented lineup features Kurt Reil on drums and vocals, Kristin Pinell Reil on lead guitar and vocals, Rick Reil on guitar and vocals and Dave DeSantis on bass. With the holidays coming soon, you should also experience their musical brilliance on the recently released re-issue of their fabulous album, Under The Influence of Christmas, which is now available on JEM Records.

There are a plethora of Christmas records out there, but how many of them offer you that perfect mix of rocking originals, inspired re-workings of traditional classics, and fantastic reinterpretations of some well-known rock and roll holiday tunes? The Grip Weeds' Christmas celebration kicks off with the guitar-driven original "Christmas Dream," a terrific selection that wouldn't sound out of place on 1960s pop/rock radio during the holiday season. That's followed  by another Grip Weeds composition, the hard-rocking "Santa Make Me Good," which includes guest appearances by Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders, as well as Myke Scavone and Dar Francis of The Doughboys. This high-energy tune will have you playing air guitar and dancing around the room while you put up your holiday decorations. 

One of the best tracks on the album is an ethereal cover of one of my personal Yuletide favorites, "2000 Miles." The heartfelt rendition of this modern rock classic (originally recorded by The Pretenders) includes guest appearances by Jim Babjak and the late Pat DiNizio of The Smithereens. Vince Grogan of Buzzed Meg and Third of Never is featured on an acoustic-tinged version of Jethro Tull's "A Christmas Song" and The Left Banke's George Cameron checks in on "For The Holidays," another marvelous Grip Weeds original. Of course, no ultra cool holiday party would be complete without a psyche pop guest star, so Peter Horvath of The Anderson Council is along for the ride on a sensational garage rock run-through of "Welcome Christmas," from How The Grinch Stole Christmas which could turn even the Grinch himself into a power pop fan.

Under The Influence of Christmas also features The Grip Weeds' psychedelic flavored renditions of the holiday perennials "Hark The Herald Angels Sing" and "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" which are infused with heavenly vocals and jangly Byrds-esque guitars, touched off with some brilliant production work by Kurt Reil. This must have holiday record also includes the band's cover of Greg Lake's "I Believe In Father Christmas," Vince Montana's "Merry Christmas All" and the magical, positive energy filled original "Christmas, Bring Us." Under The Influence of Christmas is an extraordinary album from a phenomenal band. If you don't enjoy this dazzling record, your rock and roll heart must be two sizes too small! Under The Influence of Christmas is out now on JEM Records. For more about The Grip Weeds, head over to https://www.jemrecordings.com/, or https://www.gripweeds.com/. Here's a link to the promo video for the album release: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zrMz_o0KFo4.