Wednesday 8 October 2014

Nick Oliveri's Uncontrollable - Leave Me Alone (Album Review)


Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 15/09/2014
Label: Schnitzel Records

‘Leave me Alone’ track listing:

1). Human Canonball Explodes (featuring Deen Ween of Ween and Moistboyz)
2). Keep Me In The Loop (featuring Stephen Haas of Moistboyz & Pure Luck)
3). Luv Is Fiction (featuring Lightnin' Woodcock and Marc Diamond of The Dwarves)
4). Come And You're Gone (featuring Marc Diamond and Blag Dhalia of The Dwarves)
5). The Robot Man (featuring Phil Campbell of Motorhead)
6). Get Lost (With Me) (featuring Rex Everything of Mondo Generator)
7). Leave Me Alone
8). The Void (featuring Bruno Fevery of Kyuss Lives! and Vista Chino)
9). Death Leads The Way (featruing Mike Pygmie of Mondo Generator and You Know Who) 

Bio:

Many artists struggle to establish their musical identity; Nick Oliveri has forged his through a long career of hard work and full command over his craft and his music. His new album, ‘LEAVE ME ALONE’, is a powerfully captivating proof of his multi-talented personality.

Recorded at Thunder Underground Studios in Palm Springs, CA. Oliveri plays all the instruments on this recording, including drums, guitar, bass and vocals. It features guitar solos from some special guests though, namely Phil Campbell from MOTORHEAD, Dean Ween (a.k.a. Mickey Moist) from WEEN and MOISTBOYZ, Stephen Haas from MOISTBOYZ, Mike Pygmie from MONDO GENERATOR, Marc Diamond from THE DWARVES and Bruno Fevery from KYUSS LIVES! and VISTA CHINO. There’s also a guest vocal by Blag Dahlia from THE DWARVES.

Review:

Anyone that knows my taste of music knows that I am a big fan of Nick’s work with Queens of the Stone Age. His songs are among my favorites on those amazing albums.  They had brute force, simplicity and a story behind them. The interpretation is up to the listener, which is the reason so many people love music because in your mind, the artist might be telling your story.

The new album by Nick Oliveri is in my opinion, off the fucking hook. This album has everything in it I needed and to be perfectly honest I think it resembles the best parts of early Queens work. Great guitar work, driving bass and drums and lyrically he is telling his story.  If you want to hop on Nick’s train, I believe you need a hard hat and a huge seat belt because it is going to be a glorious and bumpy ride.  So please sit back, as I discuss this album and why I feel it is a monster and why people will be digging it.

Starting with ‘Human Cannonball Explodes’, you are in for a treat with a spectacular bass breakdown and right into letting the rock, roll. Nick does not waste time letting the listener know they are listening to a rock album.

We are then swept into ‘Keep me in the Loop’. This tune has an immaculate groove and background whispers that lead into great guitar work that any player would dig. Also, a great descending line that superbly works its way back into the groove; this track is one of my favorites on the album.

Then we get thrown into ‘Luv is Fiction’. This has a nice nod to David Lee Roth as Nick states that, “I love the way the line runs up the back of your stockings.” This tune is a true ‘rock out with your cock out rock’ song. It has my favorite line in the album, “I’m low on fuel but I ain’t walking.” A-fucking- men to that. Also, the guitars on this monster eloquently crush your face at the first listening.

Next, ‘Come and Your Gone’. This song makes you feel like you are at CBGB’s, catching an early Television show with its great bass work and anthem like chorus. It houses a really solid groove and also a very slick breakdown. Tom Verlaine would give a nod to this fucker.‘The Robot Man’ follows up in 5th place. Complete with copters and sirens. Think of a Tarantino movie track like guitars, while a furious vocal floats above, giving you details of what is happening at the moment. There is a fantastic guitar solo and really nice boogie down drums. This song cements why I loved Nick’s tunes so much in Queens.

Taking the 6th spot is ‘Get Lost (With Me)’. For any of you that want a tune to bop your head too, go directly to this track. It will do the trick: comes assembled with a really strong dual vocal in the chorus and another killer solo. I was doing my own hand claps while listening to this gem.

Now we are into the 7th inning stretch. We are hit with a very nice Acoustic jam, ‘Leave Me
Alone’.  It is a nice piece with really nice chording and a fits perfectly in the 7th spot.
The next song had me doing 90 in a 35 mile per hour speed zone, ‘The Void’. You can feel the energy of this song blasting out of the speakers. You think this song is finished and just then, it comes back at you with rough intent; blistering song with an infantry of instrumentation.

The last is ‘Death Leads the Way’. It hits you with a great time signature and has an amazing chorus. The second chorus has great background vocals and “Ahs” with a very eerie quality to them. There is an onslaught of guitars that chug along at a cascading pace and goes back into the chorus. This is my favorite song on the album.  I was really surprised by this album as I had no idea what it would sound like. Well, it sounds like I will be listening to this album a lot.

Nick put an album together that rocks when it needs too, bops when you want it to and kicks your ass when your ass needs to be kicked.

I applaud Mr Oliveri for a gem of an album.

Gaff approved.

Words by: Marc Gaffney

You can pick up a copy here

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