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Last of the Sane marks the return of Earth Crisis to their first real label home, Victory Records, after a brief stay at the somewhat bigger and more metal Roadrunner imprint. The record is a collection of covers from the likes of Black Sabbath, the Rolling Stones, and Slayer, as well as demo versions from the band's own earlier career work. The group sounds a little more genuine during their treatments of actual punk tracks, like the Dead Kennedys' "Holiday in Cambodia" or the Misfits' "Earth A.D." The classic Led Zeppelin cut from Physical Graffiti, "Wanton Song," is the better of the highly restylized classic rock and metal cuts. Demo versions of "Broken Foundation" and "Gomorrah's Season Ends" are as fiery as anything in the band's catalog and a real bonus to this mostly covers collection. Some might argue that Earth Crisis had lost a bit of their edge by the time of this return to Victory -- and the release of this record, along with Slither-- and that argument might indeed be correct. But no matter where it fits in relation to their early career work, Last of the Sane still has to be considered a solid, heavy offering worthy of recommendation. ~ Vincent Jeffries, All Music Guide
Miles Davis electric set ready at last
Six-CD Cellar Door Sessions boxed set of live recordings chronicles trumpeter's electric-funk fury from 1970.
After several delays, the six-CD boxed set Miles Davis--The Cellar Door Sessions 1970 will finally see the light of day.
Recorded live at the height of Davis' full-flame electric-funk period, post-Bitches Brew, the Columbia/Legacy discs will hit stores December 27.
The set features an all-star lineup, including Keith Jarrett on Rhodes and electric keyboards, guitarist John McLaughlin, saxophonist Gary Bartz, electric bassist Michael Henderson, drummer Jack DeJohnette, and percussionist Airto Moreira.
"When you think of who was in the band and how they were playing and reacting to Miles' extremely discreet and very ambiguous directions, it's just amazing," McLaughlin told Billboard earlier this year. "Keith was playing like a man possessed on two keyboards, and we all had wah-wah pedals."
Bob Belden, who produced the previously unreleased compilation with Adam Holzman, says, "These guys had the idea of how rock and jazz worked together, and they got more of a focused sound out of their instruments than the rock guys. Miles was capturing Cream and Hendrix and extending it into improvisation in a powerful live setting. After this came fusion, most of which sounds childish in comparison."
In related news, at Mo Pitkin's House of Satisfaction in New York, Davis aficionado Greg Masters hosts Miles Monday, a free three-hour weekly listening session featuring his extensive collection of Davis' standard and bootleg recordings. "This is a chance for people to hear Miles' music, especially the electric stuff, that never gets played on the radio," Masters says.
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