| Issue
#33
Nov/Dec ‘01
Let's
put everything that's been happening aside, for now
let’s just concentrate on Rock-n-Roll. Pure Rock-n-Roll.
Rhythm and Blues: the
epitome of Rock-n-Roll, Rock-n-Roll’s birthright. Some say
Rock-n-Roll is dead, lost
with the innocence of a long ago time when R&B/R-n-R mirrored a
youth culture that
expressed their rebellion through music, and laid the foundation of
seduction firmly
within the coins dropped through the slot of the Wurlitzer playing the
45’s.
Rock-n-Roll is still alive. It may be
referred
to as jukebox music, and found in the cutout bins, but it is timeless.
45’s / singles
/ hot wax / 33&1/3’s / platters / LP’s /
vinyl - it all perseveres on CD,
and you can still feel the power of the needle dropping into the
grooves. Yes it still
grooves us, moves us, picks us up and spins us around and around
– The turntable
bumps and grinds us from the dance floor to the bedroom, the corner
booth to the back
alley. From Sun Records and Motown, Phil Spector, Stax/Volt and The
Beatles. Most notably
from Rock-n-Roll’s parents: The Rhythm and Blues sound fueled
from the southern
reaches of New Orleans with its Texas swing influence right on up to
Chicago and its
barroom shuffle/swagger. It’s all about the infectious feel
and irresistible sexual
allure…
…Just like The
Manchurians
and their debut disc “One For All.”
Down and dirty Chicago
style barroom R&B that hails Rock-n-Roll with a business like
attitude of serious
rollicking house party fun tingling with a sex charged ferocity.
Based out of Meriden, CT, The
Manchurians are Roger C. Reale
(Vocals, Bass), Mike Roth
(Guitar, Vocals), and Mat Reale (Drums),
along with a host of Guest
/ Additional / Studio Manchurians (see complete list below)
– Most notably original “Animal” and Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame member Hilton
Valentine, who shines on the opening track “Storm Warning”
trading dueling lead
Guitar with Roth as this toe tapping, head bobbin’ tale of
woman woes blisters with
an early Aerosmith like nod to the pure Rock-n-Roll of original
R&B.
Track #2 “Never Come
Sunrise”
pushes the sex laden atmosphere with the hard, soaring lead harmonica
playing of Robert
Orsi forcing us, without hesitation, to get down and get
on it. Perhaps this is
why “Never Come Sunrise” has
found itself onto the soundtrack of the
upcoming Kiefer Sutherland film
“Desert Savior.”Also
receiving industry accolades is “Midnight Train”
a funky tale of the
blues, sporting vocals of wringing emotion that lay evidence as to why Buddy
Guy
has recorded it. And “Yes Man,”
a soaring account of sexual submission
cut directly from the club blues and featuring Orsi’s
harmonica as not just the
frosting, but the filling as well, this song was originally intended
for Albert
King, but was eventually recorded by BB
King. With such
legendary recognition it’s no wonder that this CD absolutely
takes on a life of
it’s own and transports us to a time when music not only
captured our heart and soul,
but helped to drive our emotions with a personal intensity that need
not be matched or
altered by any circumstances beyond the sound being traced by the
needle in the groove.
Take the groove of “Cold
Cold Heart,”
a song that drives itself like a runaway train Rock-n-Rollin’
down the track to run
down and trample over the femme fatale’s next victim. With
the harmonica accenting
the dire straits, we find ourselves strapped to the tracks along with
the narrator. “Locked
In A Mystery” presents another saga of heartbreak
as The Manchurians
take the R&B off the stage and into the studio. Emphasizing a
solid R&B base with
Beatle-esque style production (Magical Mystery Tour / Sgt. Pepper era)
of tape
manipulation it allows us to bask in the ability of music to celebrate
its birth, lament
its journey through the ages, and reaffirm it’s power and
glory.And, how over time it
is all still substantial enough to continue on, to persevere with that
infectious feel and
irresistible sexual allure…
The Manchurians - One For All
CD Out of Print - Available in Digital Download only (see above).
Guest
/ Additional / Studio Manchurians: Robert
Orsi - Harmonica, Hilton Valentine
-
Guitar, Peter
Detmold - Guitar, Backing Vocals, Jon
Tiven - Guitar, Jimmy
McAllister - Guitar, Tim Stawarz
- Guitar, Mickey Curry
- Drums, Alan Merrill - Backing Vocals.
*Shipping
&
Handling charges:
USA - $3.00
for the first 2 CDs
ordered,
Add $1.50 per each CD after.
Canada - $5.00 for the
first
CD ordered,
Add $2.00 per each CD after.
Everywhere else -$7.00
for the
first CD ordered,
Add $3.00 per each CD after.
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