MICHAEL STANLEY
''EIGHTEEN DOWN''
JUNE 6 2000
66:49
1. No Love Songs /5:25
2. I Rest My Case /5:26
3. Eleanor Rigby /6:16
4. Tremolo Parkway /4:16
5. I Can't Get This By Myself /4:51
6. Endgame /4:56
7. Any Other Fool /3:57
8. Downstream /4:00
9. Borderline /4:33
10. The Devil Came to Fremont Street /5:09
11. Factory Man /4:51
12. High Time /4:56
13. I'll Kill Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move /8:11
REVIEW
by Bret Adams
Michael Stanley is one reliable rock & roll musician. His Michael Stanley Band had a few tantalizing flirtations with widespread U.S. success in the early '80s (namely the Top 40 hits "He Can't Love You" and "My Town") before splitting up late in the decade. He became a radio and television personality in his native Cleveland but still continued making music as a solo artist for his loyal fans. The singer, songwriter, and guitarist's 2000 album Eighteen Down (his 18th album) continues his practice of weaving meaty rockers, plaintive ballads, and interesting cover choices together. Stanley, as usual, is backed by superb musicians such as keyboardist Bob Pelander, lead guitarist Danny Powers, and drummer Tommy Dobeck -- all three MSB veterans -- as well as other friends like vocalist Jennifer Lee and guitarist Marc Lee Shannon. The straight-ahead rock tunes include "No Love Songs," "I Can Get This by Myself," "Factory Man," and the Rainmakers' "Downstream." Mature ballads can be tricky to pull off, but "Any Other Fool" succeeds. The country-rock flavor of "Tremolo Parkway" and "The Devil Came to Fremont Street" isn't surprising since Stanley started out as a folkie with Silk in the late '60s, and his longtime friend, collaborator, and Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk mixed this album. As for the two best cover songs here, one is a legendary classic from the world's most famous rock band and the other is an obscure curiosity. Stanley turns the Beatles' strings-based "Eleanor Rigby" into a sophisticated, rich blend of pop, rock, and jazz. Tampa Red's "I'll Kill Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move" is given an appropriately twisted and dark interpretation, and riding its coattails to cap Eighteen Down is an uncredited, gospel-tinged, a cappella song.
BIOGRAPHY
by Bret Adams
Cleveland native Michael Stanley became a regional phenomenon, but the singer/songwriter/guitarist and his Michael Stanley Band deserved more national success than they achieved. Stanley, whose real name is Michael Stanley Gee, played bass with the folk-rock group Silk in the late '60s. He then went solo and released two solo albums in the early '70s that fit right in with the "singer/songwriter" era. His talent attracted the likes of producer Bill Szymczyk and guest musicians Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren, and David Sanborn from the beginning. He formed the Michael Stanley Band (aka MSB) in 1975 and pursued a more straightforward rock direction. MSB recorded a string of albums through the late '70s and early '80s that were modest successes nationally but major hits in Ohio. In fact, the Michael Stanley Band was such a sensation at home that it still holds attendance records at major concert venues. 1980's Heartland was easily MSB's best album, and Stanley agrees. It included the hit single "He Can't Love You" (sung by vocalist/keyboardist Kevin Raleigh) and the minor hit "Lover" (sung by Stanley and featuring blistering saxophone by Clarence Clemons). MSB's second and last Top 40 hit was Stanley's anthem "My Town" in 1983. After recording for Epic, Arista, and EMI, MSB independently released two albums on their own before breaking up in 1987.
The Michael Stanley Band was a reliably consistent, meat-and-potatoes enterprise responsible for superb Midwestern rock & roll. Stanley went on to become a popular television and radio personality in Cleveland. He still regularly releases albums -- solo and the one-off group project the Ghost Poets -- and performs annual summer and New Year's Eve shows along with occasional acoustic dates; these concerts and albums both feature MSB alumni and other Cleveland musicians. Razor & Tie has reissued most of MSB's catalog and two excellent best-of collections on compact disc.
DoWnLoAd
''EIGHTEEN DOWN''
JUNE 6 2000
66:49
1. No Love Songs /5:25
2. I Rest My Case /5:26
3. Eleanor Rigby /6:16
4. Tremolo Parkway /4:16
5. I Can't Get This By Myself /4:51
6. Endgame /4:56
7. Any Other Fool /3:57
8. Downstream /4:00
9. Borderline /4:33
10. The Devil Came to Fremont Street /5:09
11. Factory Man /4:51
12. High Time /4:56
13. I'll Kill Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move /8:11
REVIEW
by Bret Adams
Michael Stanley is one reliable rock & roll musician. His Michael Stanley Band had a few tantalizing flirtations with widespread U.S. success in the early '80s (namely the Top 40 hits "He Can't Love You" and "My Town") before splitting up late in the decade. He became a radio and television personality in his native Cleveland but still continued making music as a solo artist for his loyal fans. The singer, songwriter, and guitarist's 2000 album Eighteen Down (his 18th album) continues his practice of weaving meaty rockers, plaintive ballads, and interesting cover choices together. Stanley, as usual, is backed by superb musicians such as keyboardist Bob Pelander, lead guitarist Danny Powers, and drummer Tommy Dobeck -- all three MSB veterans -- as well as other friends like vocalist Jennifer Lee and guitarist Marc Lee Shannon. The straight-ahead rock tunes include "No Love Songs," "I Can Get This by Myself," "Factory Man," and the Rainmakers' "Downstream." Mature ballads can be tricky to pull off, but "Any Other Fool" succeeds. The country-rock flavor of "Tremolo Parkway" and "The Devil Came to Fremont Street" isn't surprising since Stanley started out as a folkie with Silk in the late '60s, and his longtime friend, collaborator, and Eagles producer Bill Szymczyk mixed this album. As for the two best cover songs here, one is a legendary classic from the world's most famous rock band and the other is an obscure curiosity. Stanley turns the Beatles' strings-based "Eleanor Rigby" into a sophisticated, rich blend of pop, rock, and jazz. Tampa Red's "I'll Kill Your Soul and Dare Your Spirit to Move" is given an appropriately twisted and dark interpretation, and riding its coattails to cap Eighteen Down is an uncredited, gospel-tinged, a cappella song.
BIOGRAPHY
by Bret Adams
Cleveland native Michael Stanley became a regional phenomenon, but the singer/songwriter/guitarist and his Michael Stanley Band deserved more national success than they achieved. Stanley, whose real name is Michael Stanley Gee, played bass with the folk-rock group Silk in the late '60s. He then went solo and released two solo albums in the early '70s that fit right in with the "singer/songwriter" era. His talent attracted the likes of producer Bill Szymczyk and guest musicians Joe Walsh, Todd Rundgren, and David Sanborn from the beginning. He formed the Michael Stanley Band (aka MSB) in 1975 and pursued a more straightforward rock direction. MSB recorded a string of albums through the late '70s and early '80s that were modest successes nationally but major hits in Ohio. In fact, the Michael Stanley Band was such a sensation at home that it still holds attendance records at major concert venues. 1980's Heartland was easily MSB's best album, and Stanley agrees. It included the hit single "He Can't Love You" (sung by vocalist/keyboardist Kevin Raleigh) and the minor hit "Lover" (sung by Stanley and featuring blistering saxophone by Clarence Clemons). MSB's second and last Top 40 hit was Stanley's anthem "My Town" in 1983. After recording for Epic, Arista, and EMI, MSB independently released two albums on their own before breaking up in 1987.
The Michael Stanley Band was a reliably consistent, meat-and-potatoes enterprise responsible for superb Midwestern rock & roll. Stanley went on to become a popular television and radio personality in Cleveland. He still regularly releases albums -- solo and the one-off group project the Ghost Poets -- and performs annual summer and New Year's Eve shows along with occasional acoustic dates; these concerts and albums both feature MSB alumni and other Cleveland musicians. Razor & Tie has reissued most of MSB's catalog and two excellent best-of collections on compact disc.
DoWnLoAd
