Heavy Metal Resource Reviews-TNT and John Taglieri

TNT-My Religion

It's always great to get new material from this great 80's act. It's been some time since the bands previous studio effort 'Transistor', and quite frankly, I wasn't sure if the band would ever release again or not. I found out however around the time that I was doing some work with Westworld that there would indeed be a new TNT album sometime this year. Well, it is here now so lets have a look. The band is back in it's entirety with Diesel Dahl returning to pound the skins. There is just a chemistry with these four guys as a unit that always provides for a complete listen. Looking at the music in general, this album is really good. The band have done a fair amount of experimentation in the recent past and to be honest, I liked alot of what they did, especially with the 'Firefly' album. Anyway, this album is more of a return to the bands earlier past of melodic rockers. I was surprised at the quantity of tracks on this disc. While the band has made some great albums, I don't remember them having an album with this many titles. This doesn't push the album into a filler tune problem either. I felt that the album was consistent with just about every track being a winner. I downloaded the bands single 'Lonely Nights' and I enjoyed it as my first exposure. I still find it as a favorite, but what makes this album fun is LeTekro's shredding. This guy has such a unique style and he gives us a healthy dose as usual. He wastes no time either. Take for instance the opener 'Invisible Noise'. Ronni pulls off an amazing blistering solo. The vocals and harmonies are top notch as well. It wouldn't be a TNT album without those overflowing melodies. No shortage here. I also like the groove this album has on tracks such as 'She Needs Me', the title track 'My Religion', 'Satellite', and 'Everything U R'. There are some of of the lighter tracks such as 'Perfectly' and 'Song 4 Dianne'. The album overall is well balanced and very tight. Good to have the band functioning again and hope it doesn't end anytime soon.

Overall

TNT release another tight album of 15 tracks. Godd consistency is one of the albums best attributes. I like the guitar work and feel that Tony is at the top of his game as usual vocally. The album can be had domestically and I would recommend it to all fans of 80's hard rock. Definitely one of the years best!

John Taglieri-Half And Half

John Taglieri has been no stranger around here on the Resource. I remember my first exposure to his music via Ultrasound 2000. I landed a copy of his 'Leap of Faith' album which was great in my opinion. The album heavily favored an AOR sound with big melodies and a lot of spirit. After some time, John offers up a mixed bag of goodies. His latest effort has half of it based in acoustic tracks and the other half offers us a live experience with John in an intimate setting. Looking first at the acoustic set, there is some very good stuff here. One listen to the first track 'How Will I Know' you get a sense that John is still doing what he does best. The music in some ways is similar to some of the stuff on the 'Leap of Faith' album. There isn't any flash, just infectious music. John has a classic sensibility. He's an artist that writes exceptional music and doesn't rely heavy on attitude or image which is so prevelant in the music industry today. This kind of element was very big with the stadium rockers of the 70's. You know, the pre-Mtv generations. Music sold because it was good. This is John all the way. The music is light in nature but has a bit of spunk with some good riffing on the acoustic in places. I found the first half of the album very enjoyable, laid back, and consistent. One other mention in the first half was the Spanish flavored 'Everyday'. A very infectious tune with cool flavor. The second half gives me a reminder of John's abilities live. It is very raw which is the way he wanted it. To experience music sometimes is to see it in it's purest form. This is captured perfectly in the final six tracks. No need for polish as the songs come to life without the usual studio magic. You have songs in this section from the 'Leap of Faith' album naturally. My favorite is the title track of that album. I liked that track the first time I heard and equally now. It's also comical to hear Taglieri interact with the crowd. He's a powerful acoustic performer which is evidenced by the recordings in this portion of the disc. Don't forget to check out the bonus hidden track as well. Nicely done John!

Overall

It's Indie and it's very cool. John is a performer without all the flash and tricks. It flows naturally and gives the listener an insight into the career of an individual who has a passion for writing great melodic music. It's raw but it's real. This is how it's done at the grass-roots level. It's done honestly. It's enjoyable to listen to especially for me after seeing him play live before. Kind of like going back. Great title!

More Info: John Taglieri Official Website