New Music Corner #259 - Whitford/St. Holmes - Scorpion Child

[Scott]

by "two two-fers in a row too good to miss" Scott

This week its another two-fer, but this two-fer comes with a twist, each albums 2 openers and 2 closers are posted so you can hear how each begins and ends.  Another first on CRB by me!!

Whitford / St. Holmes
Reunion

1. Shapes
2. Tender Is The Night
3. Gotta Keep On Movin'
4. Flood of Lies

---

Scorpion Child
Acid Roulette

5. She Sings, I Kill
6. Reaper's Danse
7. I Might Be Your Man
8. Addictions

Enjoy!

[Jon]

Scorpion Child--Thumbs Up

While listening to this, I kept thinking of Kingdom Come. Then it dawned on me that they're paying homage to Kingdom Come and that's not a bad thing! I think Kingdom Come was blamed for sounding to much like another band, it could have been Asia, Yes or Chic but I can't remember, but they were called Kingdom Clone by some after their first album and their career kinda went nowhere after that. Good thing Scorpion Child is around to keep the Kingdom Come fire burning!!!!

[Jon]

Whitford/St. Holmes--Thumbs In The Middle

I was completely underwhelmed with this. It rocks, for the most part, but it sounded really generic after the first song (which is yet another cover supplied by Scott and I'm wondering what his infatuation with cover songs is because it's getting really, really annoying) and a bit juvenile, lyric-wise. I'm not one of those people that are infatuated with lyrics, but for some reason they really stood out here. Well, at least it's gotta be better than Tyler's solo album, right? Nice that the debut was included with this set, or should I say their other album? Either way, it was nice.    

[Scott]

I like this one, but I do miss the lead guitar aspect to it... Its kinda weird what you get when you smash two Rhythm guitar players together.  But its a great melodic feel and the rhythm guitar work and riffs are quite good, its worth the price, and it will get played from time to time.  Tender Is The Night is my favorite so far

[RJhog (Admin)]

Scorpion Child has been posted before (the previous album, of course).  Seems as though one of the two people involved in this post to this point had a very similar opinion of the band.  Not sure about the other person's opinion, I can't find it anywhere in the post...

http://classic-rock-bottom.ning.com/forum/topics/nmc-131-scorpion-c...

[Scott]

Not sure why I missed that, but I've been picking at this Scorpion Child release for a good bit, decided to pull the trigger and I'm glad I did...  It actually quite good.  Funny thing happened after plowing through all my new Scorpions 50th Anniversary discs and the AC/DC catalog review, and that's that I've not been able to step away form the heavier bands since that time.  Kinda diggin' the harder edges for some reason...

[RJhog (Admin)]

Picking at the Whitford/St. Holmes offering.  I totally dig the first track.  That's really good hard rock right there.  I'm totally surprised that you are diggin' Tender Is The Night.  Not because I don't like it, I really do. It's quite country for you.  Easily as country as anything on Rick Springfield's release from earlier this year. And you are pretty anti-country.  That third track is not very good in my opinion.  The last track has a little bit of bluesy guitar, but not enough to save the song.  Two out of four for me.  I guess that's the same as Thumbs Even.

[Scott]

I hear more Stones qualities than Country, certainly nothing in there sounds like new-Country that's the stuff that's purely awful...

[RJhog (Admin)]

I shall listen to that song again.  The country music that is played on contemporary country stations today is absolutely awful.  I'll agree wholeheartedly on that point.  But Americana and Alt-Country can be quite good, and I listen to a good bit of that stuff.  

[Scott]

If its in the Poco/Early Eagles range I'll listen...

[RJhog (Admin)]

I hear some Zeppelin in Scorpion Child, but not as much as Kingdom Come.  I own the previous effort by the band, but I never listen to it.  From what I remember of it, I was thinking they were quite similar to Rival Sons.  But I think that was inaccurate.  I think they sound more like The Sword with a better singer.  But the songs aren't as good.  So this is okay, but I prefer the newest Rival Sons for my retro fix.  I just think the riffs are better, as well as the hooks.  Still, I don't feel listening to it was a waste of time whatsoever.  The only annoying thing was the end of the first song.  Well, and that scream in the ocean ending of the last track.  That was strange.