Easy listening was never intended to be a derisive term. Much like, 'easy on the eyes,' was meant to describe a lovely woman, the phrase simply meant that the music was easy on the ears - asking little of the listener except to enjoy. Paul McCartney's new album of old songs, Kisses on the Bottom, is easy listening in the best sense.

I first heard the album's first single, My Valentine, some time ago, and found it to be a remarkable summation of every love song the man had written, and he's written more than a few. Coming after perfect pop creations such as Here, There, and Everywhere, I Will, My Love, and Maybe I'm Amazed, Paul's latest silly love song is the best song on an album of tunes written by such masters as Billy Rose, Johnny Mercer, and Irving Berlin. The melody is gentle and lilting, his phrasing is superb, and the lyrics sound like the words of a man in love. Accompanied by Diana Krall's band, McCartney's heart on his sleeve performance is aided by a tremendous bit of lyrical guitar playing courtesy of Eric Clapton, who, as always, does his best work when working alongside a musician of his equal.

This album is definitely not for everyone. If you expect Paul to sound like Beatle Paul at 69, you may well be disappointed. This is the first record of his life in which McCartney's only function is to supply the singing, and while his range isn't what it once was, it is no less wonderful. This is like aged wine in the very best sense. My Very Good Friend the Milkman sounds like it could have been cut from the same cloth as The Beatles classic, When I'm Sixty-Four, in fact, this being one of the songs Paul sang at home as a child, it may well have been the template for the Sgt. Pepper toe tapper. That it's being sung now only makes it sweeter and mellowed more by time. Who says love doesn't last forever?

Producer Tommy LiPuma, and Krall's band are both near perfect throughout the record. Forgive them for possibly not quite having the instrumental, or arranging chops that Paul has bandied about for the last 50 years - the accompaniment is quite wonderful and unobtrusive throughout. The arrangements are sophisticated, and jazzy smooth, especially Krall's excellent piano playing. LiPuma's production is masterfully executed, and it truly sounds like a fifty year old recording. The stand up bass is always in the foreground, the brushes can be heard brushing the cymbals, and the strings are sumptuously sitting in the background, adorning and garnishing the entree, McCartney's great vocal stylings. Pro Tools? No, this is pros with tools.

I'm Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter contains the album's title, and as the album's opening track, it sets the stage appropriately. Krall's piano solo is as playful as any to have spilled off the fingertips of the writer of Martha My Dear. This tune wouldn't have sounded out of place at all back in 1973, when Paul was shaking off his band's traumatic ending, he was focusing on the lovely Linda, and getting his Wings.

Bucky and John Pizzarelli are a father and son who both happen to be jazz guitar legends, and they do a lovely job of jazzing up what could be a George Harrison and McCartney acoustic opening to It's Only a Paper Moon. They are joined by Andy Stein's lovely bit of gypsy violin playing, and the trio of instrumentalists find their way to Paris for the hot club informed solo section. McCartney's vocal is exceptionally playful on this one, and he proves himself to be quite adept at singing someone else's lyrics, something he has done very infrequently over the last fifty years. This number is a joy from beginning to end, and will even find approval from the staunchest of Beatles fans.

The Inch Worm is a children's tune originally performed by Danny Kaye in the 1952 film Hans Christian Anderson. It's a rather sophisticated little tune, utilizing a two part invention of the chorus being sung repeatedly in counterpoint to the later verses' melody. We're so used to listening to McCartney's musical genius that we can almost miss the incredible craft when coming from the pen of another. The vocal arrangement is amazing and it contains the only voices besides Paul's to grace the album. Once again, Tommy LiPuma does a great job of not overwhelming the lyrics and melody with instrumentation, and Krall's band is restrained and wonderfully tasteful in their interpretation, with an especially nice guitar part supplied by Anthony Wilson. This tune could well have been in Paul's head as he penned such Wings classics as Little Lamb Dragonfly. 

Stevie Wonder makes the album's second big name cameo appearance on the album's closing track, the McCartney penned Only Our Hearts, a tune that makes me think he still thinks of Linda a great deal. Wonder supplies a very appropriate harmonica solo. Paul works, and works, and works. Why? I think that quite possibly he's keeping himself busy, and waiting for a reunion that will only come after he's gone from this life.

Kisses on the Bottom is a great record. Not the greatest record McCartney has ever made, but hell, he's recorded 35 records since he left The Beatles all those years ago. The album could not have come at a better time. What it may be is the best Valentine's Day record ever. I couldn't imagine a more charming, romantic piece of music to share with a loved one on the day of all lovers - the most romantic record ever made by the maker of the best romantic music ever written.

Its timing is perfect for me as well. I am currently working on a book about Sir Paul - a tome that will not deal with lawsuits, band breakups, or personal proclivities, but instead looks at what matters most - the fact that James Paul McCartney may well be the most well rounded musician that ever lived. This long player is the perfect end cap, and gives me a great bit of perspective as I look at the musical life of an amazing man.

Come to this record knowing that it is a love letter to love, performed by a man sixty-nine years old, who has grown old gracefully and with tremendous dignity. You can't ask for more from an artist - he's remained true to his trade, his music, and his heart. Thanks, Paul.

I love discovering new talented band. Today’s discovery goes under the witty anagram Nevereven and is an American four-piece. I immediately hear some really nice King’s X overtones, and while doing this I read the name Ty Tabor on the cover. Well, the fact that the band used the talents of King’s X guitarist/singer Tabor to master the disc was probably no coincidence. The opener on the MCD, The World Of Tomorrow, has a bunch of King’s X in the main riff, but apart from that they do have a sound and touch of their own. Strong melodic chorus and a great sound. Gary Pickard has a great voice, too, the guitar work is great and I really like bass player Damian Peters’ intense playing. Remainder keeps the flame burning and is another great melodic piece, only small grains of the X-men here. Third track Give continues in the same vein, also with some really nice harmony vocals. They actually remind me of another excellent American band, .end of story, which is a good thing. Winterkill is a slightly darker and heavier track, but still with the really nice harmony vocals. This is a really enjoyable release that will spin a lot in my player. Finishing track Orpheus leaves off in the same vein. I like the tempo change, which is a nice touch and makes the song a bit more interesting. Great stuff indeed! My only criticism would be that if the band makes a full album they should add some tracks that varies a bit more from the format. On this release the opening track is the strongest one, while the other four tracks are great, but a bit too similar in shape and form. Highly promising, though!
Janne Stark
Year: 2011
Country: USA
Label: Self-released
Link: http://www.neverevenmusic.com/

It all started under the name Just A Quick Stop, at the time as a duo featuring guitarist Ronny Blylod (Destynation) and singer Daniel Söderberg. They released a pretty promising CD. The band was reinforced by bass player John Vigebo and drummer Henrik Söderqvist and they now became – Blackrain. I first saw the band at the Rock Out Wild festival in 2011, and was truly blown away by the band’s live performance. Into The Black is an outstanding debut, I must say! If you’re into melodic hard rock with a touch of King’s X meets Alter Bridge, but with classic hard rock elements in the mix, this is a must. Heavy, groovy and melodic with singer Söderberg really taking it to the next level. The sound is very organic, in your face, honest and may as well have been recorded live in the studio with some additional overdubs added afterwards. It’s by no means over-produced and even though I really like it, I think it’s here it shows it’s a self-produced production. The song material is really great with lots of cool groovy riffs and nice hooks. The band sounds tight and they really deliver on all levels. It’s very even album with no low points, and no extreme highs either. This is however not a bad thing. I much rather have an even, strong album, that one with 2-3 killer tracks and the rest below average. This is an album you can fully enjoy start to finish. Well done! Already looking forward to the next one!
Janne Stark
Year: 2011
Label: JAQS
Country: Sweden
Link: www.myspace.com/blackrainsweden <http://www.myspace.com/blackrainsweden> 

US band .end of story has released one official CD and some very promising demos. One album that was only half-finished was entitled .self-propelled and sounded really great already as an unfinished album. Now guitarist/singer Skot Reed and bass player Dave Eichman have finally finished up the album with the help of drummer Troy Hagar. If you’re into King’s X style hard rock with cool, and quite odd harmonies, detuned riffing, great melodies and heavy grooves, this band is a MUST. There’s not a weak song on this platter, instead it goes between good, great and killer! Among the last category there’s the heavy One Mrs. Hippie, the funky/heavy Reaper Sublime with killer bass work from Eichman, not forgetting the outstanding cool Blue Sun with cool vintage King’s X style variations and harmonies. This is music porn! Besides being a killer guitarist with great feeling and technique, Skot is a formidable singer with a really cool tone to his voice. I sure hope some label picks this one up and gives it a proper release, coz it sure deserves it!
Janne Stark
Country: USA
Year: 2011
Label: none
Link: http://www.endofstory.com/

Now here’s yet another combattant in the New Wave of Swedish Heavy Metal. We already know Enforcer, Helvetets Port, Steelwing and Portrait as young bands who have listened to their fathers old tape collections and quite successfully recreated the sounds of the classic 80s heavy metal with all the little charming flaws. Well, add Screamer to the lot. If they had recorded this with a slightly thinner sound, maybe recorded it to cassette and copied it a couple of times to make it lose a bit of quality, man I would’ve been fooled! Quite authentic I’d say. This type of stuff really brings you back to those days of tape trading and plays on the nostalgia nerve. Fans of nu-metal should pay no attention whatsoever to this, but all ye old metal fans out there should definitely add Screamer to your list of CDs to buy. The band sounds pretty tight and good, with a potent singer that deliver the classic eighties lyrics very convincingly. This sounds really good, boys!
Janne Stark
Label: High Roller
Country: Sweden
Year: 2011

We're off to Skellefteå and Blister Brigade. Man, that’s some pretty cool odd riffing straight in your face already in the opening track Devastating Smile. Then it goes into some weird sleaze vein. The band sounds really good and the style quite is quite original. Nice opening indeed. Second track, Rock ‘N Roll Grave, is sort of a semi-ballad which sounds more like Hanoi Rocks, but didn’t really hit me that hard, even though the chorus is pretty strong. Last track, Worst Case Scenario, picks up the pace again, again with some pretty cool riffing mixed with traditional sleaze-oriented metal. The band has a good tight sound. The singer is not a high pitch screamer, but sticks to the lower registers. He may not be the world’s most exciting singer, but he does do the job pretty well. Not bad at all.
Janne Stark
Country: Sweden
Year: 2012
Label: none
Link: http://sv-se.facebook.com/blisterbrigade

Swedish metal merchants Blackout Metal is musically way more exciting than their name. There must be at least a couple hundred bands called Blackout. Tip no 1: Change the name boys! I saw the band live at the Rock Out Wild festival in northern Sweden last year and they did very well live. Opening track Addict starts it off with some really heavy, crunchy riffing topped with clean but powerful vocals. Second track starts out a bit weird, where it sounds like the bass and guitars are either not tuned the same or someone is playing something differently, or it’s just for effect. Anyway, the track reminds me of vintage thrashy Metallica, think Four Horsemen or Whiplash. Final track, Never Again, continues in the same vein. Tight, powerful and good! This band should definitely appeal to fans of good old thrashy metal in the vein of Anthrax, early Metallica, Megadeth, Testament and Vicious Rumours etc.

Janne Stark
Year: 2011
Label: none
Country: Sweden
Link: http://www.blackoutmetal.com/