SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:32 Min.
It’s the eighth track off U2’s seminal 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.
REVIEW:
With some terrific harmonica action, this bluesy tune (particularly Bono’s vocals) conveys a bar-friendly sound. The song itself isn’t memorable, but “Trip Through Your Wires” is still a solid-enough effort from U2. It’s worth downloading as part of The Joshua Tree album.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 4:18 Min.
It’s the fifth track off U2’s seminal 1987 album, The Joshua Tree.
REVIEW:
The intriguing title alone suggests that listeners should give it a chance. Yet, that’s really how much this track deserves. As a moody, low-key ballad, “Running to Stand Still” is essentially a generic sampling of U2’s sound. In that sense, the song is filler for The Joshua Tree album.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5½ Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:57 Min.
Appearing as Track # 3, Brandy Norwood’s “Where Are You Now?” is from 1995’s Batman Forever soundtrack.
REVIEW:
It’s hardly a surprise that, like much of Batman Forever’s hodge-podge playlist, this tune has little, if anything, to do with Gotham City. Still, by working off some solid lyrics, Brandy’s vocals mesh well with this funky R&B melody. Of the soundtrack’s fourteen entries, her classy-sounding “Where Are You Now?” definitely lands among its top four.
In that regard, “Where Are You Now?” ages well enough as a download option for soundtrack and R&B playlists.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
Note: Besides Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose,” another track off this album worth considering is The Devlins’ “Crossing The River.”
Written Matthew Struges & (See Below)
Art by Freddie Williams II; Richard & Tanya Horie; Rob Leigh; & (See Below)
Cover Art by Freddie Williams II
SUMMARY:
Released by DC Comics for January 2010, this 80-page one-shot has the JSA’s brownstone HQ mystically rocked from within by spatial-time anomalies. The team roster includes: Wildcat, Stargirl, Damage, Mr. Terrific II, Lightning (Jennifer Pierce), Cyclone, Tomcat, Judomaster, Dr. Mid-Nite III, & Damage. Dividing into trios, various JSA teammates are pushed into bizarre, possibly hallucinatory scenarios. Ultimately, they’re caught up in twists (if not, tales) of Fate.
REVIEW:
There’s dual upshots: 1. The artwork is high-caliber, and 2. 80 pages for these visuals. As for the scripting, “meh” pretty much covers it. While DC’s 80-page Giant anthology specials can be intriguing reads, this one is a mixed bag – some characters (i.e. Wildcat) are allotted too much screen time while others (i.e. Lightning) are inexplicably assigned nothing to do.
The ‘haunted house’ plot’s bookend framework works okay, as far as keeping fans tuned in. Yet, these six interconnected tales go off in such wonky tangents that maintaining coherency is clearly a chore for the writers. Case in point: only Jerry Ordway’s easy-to-follow “Mother’s Little Secret” conveys a relatable sense of poignancy, let alone spikes sympathy for one of the JSA’s new generation characters.
Cyclone’s semi-naïve chat with Power Girl re: her costume’s distracting trademark is also well-played — but the rest of “Spin Cycle” is an eye-roller re: fallout from Wildcat & Icicle’s pinocle game (seriously). The other four tales similarly come off as glorified filler.
Justice Society of America 80-Page Giant # 1 is really meant for the franchise’s die-hards – specifically, those who like keeping track of the JSA’s cumbersome roster. Otherwise, the practical reason to keep this issue is for excellent DC artwork, i.e. the striking cover image.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
There’s a full-page “DC Nation” column.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:50 Min.
From the 2014 album, Strength to Believe, Epic Score released this pure electronica instrumental (as Track # 19).
Note: The same album offers an alternate version (Track # 6), which includes choral background vocals.
REVIEW:
Intense and ominously pulsating, it’s the ideal length for a sci-fi/action film or video game trailer. A potential deterrent could be this track’s relatively short length, in terms of the cost for a download. Though not by much, this “Unbreakable Will” triumphs over its alternate version with vocals. Simply put, the melody doesn’t need any help.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 1:50 Min.
From the 2014 album, Strength to Believe, Epic Score released this electronica tune (as Track # 6).
Note: Another version of “Unbreakable Will” (Track # 19) is a pure instrumental.
REVIEW:
Intense and ominously pulsating, it’s the ideal length for a sci-fi/action film or video game trailer. Still, there are two potential deterrents, as far as the price of a download: 1. the track’s relatively short length and 2. The background choral vocals are fine, but they really don’t contribute much in so little time. The instrumental version (Track # 19) is actually a slight improvement.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 6½ Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 2:54 Min.
This cover of Chuck Berry’s 1970 song is the fourth track off Joan Jett & The Blackhearts’ 1988 Up Your Alley album.
REVIEW:
At least, it’s different, as compared to the rest of Up Your Alley. One reason is that the rollicking 50’s-60’s-style pop melody forces Joan Jett to alter her style enough to match the tune’s lyrics. While the fast-tempo Johnny B. Good-like song has some kick to it, Jett’s sultry voice is miscast. The peppy dance hall sound needs someone more like Belinda Carlisle. In a rare instance, the Blackhearts are treading close to the same bubblegum turf as Carlisle’s Go-Go’s. Jett’s “Tulane” is okay as background noise, but it’s otherwise mercifully brief.
For a similar tune worth downloading, one recommendation is Katrina and the Waves’ ultra-caffeinated “Walking on Sunshine.”
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 6:01 Min.
This instrumental jazz tune is from the 2012 album, The Gathering, by The Clayton Brothers & Friends. Jeff Clayton composed “Tsunami.”
REVIEW:
Definitely well-played! “Tsunami” instantly instills the style of old-school jazz one might hear in a nightclub. Yet, the Clayton Brothers add some fresh twists reminiscent of performers like Dave Grusin to make this seemingly old sound seem new. For jazz playlists at home and/or work, this track makes good sense to have on hand.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 3:10 Min.
Canadian songstress Leah McHenry (aka Leah or LEAH) released this Celtic-themed metal track off her 2012 album, Of Earth & Angels.
REVIEW:
It’s an intriguing yet superficial amalgam. Transforming a low-key Celtic-styled theme into symphonic metal is a creative challenge Leah McHenry readily embraces. The first half of “Tragedy & Magic” is promising before it soon becomes repetitive. In particular, the metal element cranks itself up too much before McHenry finally reasserts her vocal presence. It’s a matter of too little too late, as the song doesn’t live up to its potential.
BRIAN & ROSCOE’S ODD MOON RATING: 5 Stars
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SUMMARY: RUNNING TIME: 5:45 Min.
This instrumental jazz tune is from the 2012 album, The Gathering, by The Clayton Brothers & Friends. John Clayton composed “Touch the Fog.”
REVIEW:
Given the title, this moody piece lives up to the spirit of film noir. More specifically, its romantically low-key sound is reminiscent of background noise for a nightclub scene for that style of movie. The Henry Mancini-like classiness of “Touch the Fog” is reminiscent of the jazz sound that the Peter Gunn TV series helped popularize. For instrumental playlists for home and/or work, this track offers a solid download option.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 7½ Stars
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