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On disc: Y & T



Anthology - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
OneTwo - Umberto Mino - 8 stars
Facemelter - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars
Live At The Mystic - Claudia Ehrhardt - 9 stars


www.meniketti.com
www.YandTrocks.com







Live At The Mystic

Live At The Mystic
(Frontiers Records - 2012)


Dave Meniketti is the driving force behind Y&T for almost 4 decades. Through the years he lost some of his mates, now he is the only original member, but that doesn't change them at all. Bassist Brad Lang jumped in when Phil Kennemore felt ill, and no is his successor - but fans will never forget Phil!

The band always played live a lot and so they did last year and decided to record two shows at The Mystic Theater - and this double CD documents the show. Dave Meniketti's vocals sounds a bit rawer, but it's still fun to listen to him singing their classics!

After the Prelude they kick off with On With The Show, and they live it! And with Black Tiger one of their classics is delivered early in the set, but more should follow! Sure, there are always songs die-hard fans miss, but it's a great collection of songs and a true celebration of the 30th anniversary of Earthshaker! Take a look at the set list and if you are a fan of Y&T you'll know, you have to get this double CD! I hope they also recorded these shows for a DVD... That would be just amazing! Anyway, you get more then 2 hours of Y&T - and they are still alive & kickin'!


Track listing:

CD1:
Prelude
On With The Show
Black Tiger
Dirty Girl
Mean Streak
Girl Crazy
Shine On
Blind Patriot
Winds Of Change
Straight Thru The Heart
Gonna Go Blind
Surrender
I'm Coming Home

CD2:
Hungry For Rock
Don't Wanna Lose
Don't Bring Me Down
Hurricane
I Believe In You
Eyes Of A Stranger
Rescue Me
Squeeze
Forever


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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Facemelter

Facemelter
(Frontiers Records - 2010)


On the last years tour I had a little conversation with mainman Dave Meniketti (see interview section) and he told me that they are planing to release a new album in 2010. Now Facemelter is hitting the stores, 13 years after Endangered Species.
With Prelude they kick off, an epic opening with a spoken words part. Then they lead you into Facemelter and On With The Show, a heavy rocker with a catchy vocal line. Y & T stay true to themselves, they focus on their strong points. On With The Show will fit into their set perfectly. At How Long the quartet manages to keep their sound and expend it. Don't expect Y & T to sound like a modern rock band, they sound like Y & T - and not backdated at all. I Want Your Money reminds me a bit of the Black Tiger era... Could have been on their 1982 album. Slowly with acoustic guitar they open up Wild Child, a balladesque tune. Again it's Dave Meniketti's expressive vocals as well has his guitar play which ennobles the song. Heavy guitars and the typical early 80's Y & T sound they offer with I'm Coming Home. Very cool! If You Want Me shows that Dave Meniketti still is able to write great ballads. With Hot Shot they have a heavy boogie to offer... Not another Barroom Boogie, but in the vein of their classic. A bit country rock like they kick off Don't Bring Me Down, but then the song becomes a heavy rocker with a Southern touch. Perhaps not what you expect from the Californians, but when they speed up for the refrain they sound like Y & T again. The closer One Life is well chosen, coz it will make you spin the album again. On the first pressing of the digipak you'll find a bonus track called Losing My Mind. And again I'm wondering why this track was chosen as a bonus track and didn't make it onto the regular CD. So I can just recommend to get the digipak - now!
I guess this album is a positive surprise for many rock fans. But if you saw Y & T live in recent years, then it won't be such a big surprise! Live the line-up works perfectly and now they demonstrate this on Facemelter! Finally they are back!


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

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OneTwo

OneTwo
(self-distribution - 2009)


This is the first time on one CD for the two albums Yesterday & Today and Struck Down, both released in the 70's by the combo today known as Y&T. This optical disc is available from the Dave Meniketti website or the band's website.
Finally everyone has the opportunity to them for a decent price, to listen to the beginning of Y&T as Yesterday and Today. On these two albums (in origin) there are few tracks that sometimes a lot of us had listen on live albums or compilations like 25 Hours A Day, Struck Down and Beautiful Dreamer. It's nice to hear them in their original version and easy to say that this band was not like the others: they have something special!!!!!! With a lot of pride my opinion is: BUY OR DIE!!!!
No way, for me Y&T are one of the most underrated band of this world and also a re-issue of any album is an excuse to say to YOU one more time that I Believe In You!!!!!!!!
Rating from the heart :10/10 .... Rating for the disc: 7/10 ... in total...


8 stars

Umberto Mino
 








Anthology

Anthology
(Raw Power Rec. - 1992)


A band which were successful in the US, but almost unknown outside the States. Some might remember that they opened up at AC/DC's For Those About To Rock-tour in Europe.
Y & T started in the late 70's as Yesterday & Today, later shortened the name to Y & T. This collection presents the highlights (or most of them) from their albums which been released between 1981 and 1985. Songs from classic albums like Black Tiger (1982) and Mean Streak (1983) incl. the title tracks, rockers & ballads and their only single hit. Summertime Girls which entered the US charts is an unusual track for Dave Meniketti and his pals, chosen by their label A&M Records. If you want to give it a try, I can recommend Don't Wanna Lose, Black Tiger, Mean Streak, Open Fire and Forever!


9 stars

Claudia Ehrhardt
 

           ©2008-2014 by Claudia Ehrhardt • E-Mail: contact@ice-vajal.com


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