Metallica - "Six Feet Down Under" CD EP Review

Ever wonder what a dodgy sounding Metallica bootleg would sound like? The new "Six Feet Down Under" EP gives you a chance to find out! Getting a bit more serious, while this disc was released to commemorate Metallica’s Australia/New Zealand tour, it really serves no purpose (outside of a potential drink coaster) as the disc’s eight tracks cover no new ground.

The tracks were culled from live recordings from Metallica’s last four tours of Australia. The first four tracks are from audience tapes (and sound as such) but the sound quality radically improves with the last four tracks which are from the soundboard.

Here is the complete track list:

01. Eye of the Beholder - Recorded live on May 4, 1989 at Festival Hall in Melbourne
02. ...And Justice For All - Recorded live on May 4, 1989 at Festival Hall in Melbourne
03. Through the Never - Recorded live on April 8, 1993 at the Entertainment Centre in Perth
04. The Unforgiven - Recorded live on April 4, 1993 at the National Tennis Centre in Melbourne
05. Low Man's Lyric (Acoustic) - Recorded live on April 11, 1998 at the Entertainment Centre in Perth
06. Devil's Dance - Recorded live on April 12, 1998 at the Entertainment Centre in Perth
07. Frantic - Recorded live on January 21, 2004 at the Entertainment Centre in Sydney
08. Fight Fire With Fire - Recorded live on January 19, 2004 at the Entertainment Centre in Brisbane

While it is commendable that this “EP” runs for over 50 minutes, I can’t get past the bad sound on the first half of the disc. I also find it hard to believe that these are the best recordings or most interesting song selection from the band’s previous runs through Australia. I did a quick search through YouTube and the free downloads on LiveMetallica.com and here are some better sounding live versions (though only the YouTube video is from Australia) of pretty much all of the songs on "Six Feet Down Under".

1989 Tour: Erwin Center, Austin, TX 2-3-89

1993 Tour: County Fairgrounds, Middletown, NY 6-17-94

1998 Tour: Great Woods Center, Mansfield, MA 7-19-98

2004 Tour:



For $16.98 (the price on Amazon), you would be better served downloading a soundboard recording of one of the current Australian shows on LiveMetallica.com.

Links:
Metallica

Wolf and Cub Announce U.S. Digital Release of "Science and Sorcery" (Psychedelic Rock)

DOWNLOAD: Wolf & Cub - Seven Sevens (MP3)

Australian psychedelic rockers Wolf & Cub have been busy since the release of their 2006 debut full-length Vessels. The band has toured Australia with bands like TV On The Radio, The Killers, Queens of the Stone Age, Wolfmother and Primal Scream. Wolf & Cub also made it over to the US in the Spring of '07 for a few NYC shows. I remember shows at Cake Shop and Union Pool but there may have been others area shows as well.

Wolf & Cub's new disc, Science and Sorcery, came out a few months ago overseas and the disc is now scheduled for a digital release on August 4th (through Dot Dash) here in the US. The new disc was produced by Chris "Bumblebeez" Colonna who gives the band more of a Primal Scream-style dance floor groove all while keeping their psychedelic roots intact. Australia's Yen magazine described the new disc as "Psychedelic rock you can dance to… two thumbs up”.

Check out this live version of "Hearts" (from Science and Sorcery):



Links:
Wolf & Cub's MySpace Profile

Sydney, Australia's Red Riders are Playing Four NYC Shows Next Week

DOWNLOAD: Red Riders - "My Love Is Stronger Than Your Love" (MP3)

After a run of shows in both Los Angeles and at SXSW, Sydney Australia's Red Riders are playing a run of four New York City shows next week.

Monday, March 23rd – Live Nation Showcase @ Blender Theater

Tuesday, March 24th – Fontana’s (11PM)

Wednesday, March 25th – Club NME @ The Annex

Thursday, March 26th – Bell House, Brooklyn, 6pm -1am with Youth Group, The Grates, Infusion, The Fumes, The Boat People, The Art, The Resignators

Red Riders have been getting a lot of positive press in Australia these last few years and they describe themselves as "charged by anybody who pursues creative ventures with little regard for their future health or wealth. Their inspirations draw from the wide open sounds of mid-late 80s Australian bands like The Go-Betweens, The Triffids, some Icehouse, The Church and the bombast of early 90s baggy. A love/hate relationship with Sydney and living in a haunted country that's always doing its best to get rid of you also plays a role in what you will hear and see."

Here is the video for "Slide In Next To Me" from Red Riders' debut CD Replica Replica.



Links:
Red Riders' MySpace Profile
Red Riders' Website

Nerissa Campbell: Interview About New Disc and CD Release Shows (Jazz)

A few days ago, I had posted about Nerissa Campbell's CD release show at 55 Bar (W. Village) tomorrow night. Nerissa is a jazz artist who leans toward the Billie Holliday or Peggy Lee style of jazz and her new CD is entitled Musings of a Telescopic Tree.

Nerissa and I had a chance to catch up tonight and talk about the new CD, the show tomorrow night and her upcoming CD release shows in Australia. Here is a direct link to the interview and here is a link to the .

Links:
Nerissa Campbell's MySpace Profile

Nerissa Campbell is Playing 55 Bar (W. Village) on Thursday, Jan. 15th

DOWNLOAD: Nerissa Campbell - Glasgow (MP3)

Jazz artist (and Australian transplant) Nerissa Campbell is releasing her second disc, Musings of a Telescopic Tree, next week at a show at 55 Bar in the W. Village.

Musings of a Telescopic Tree has a feel like an old Billie Holliday or Peggy Lee album but all of the material on this disc is new and fresh. The disc's ten tracks are somewhat melancholy, with tales of love, loss and depression but this is balanced by an underlying openness to the record. The overall sound of the disc has a warmth that allows Nerissa voice to fill the open spaces. The band plays very tight jazz and R&B fills, providing strong support to both the vocals and each other, and they too have enough space across the disc to improvise, solo and shine.

Thursday night's show starts at 7PM and admission is free.

Links:
55 Bar
Nerissa Campbell's MySpace Profile