White Knuckles (Special Edition)

Ok this is like their best album to date!!! I love "Peace Dance" "Playboy" "Swing Low", and Michael's awesome song "John's song" It has a great classic rock sound. I'm excited to start learning "Peace Dance" on guitar and many, many other songs. This is definatly a HUGE step. I've seen them live before and have been a fan for a LONNNG TIME! I've also noticed that every album besides FOROSOCO has be named after one of the songs of the albums.

This CD has it all…serious sad songs, love songs, and fun, upbeat dance tunes. Some of the really powerful songs on this CD are Flowers, Unhappy Birthday (written about 9/11), Tuesday (written about divorce). John’s Song is a beautiful song written by Michael about a friend of his with Cancer and all the treatment options he was pursuing in order to beat it. These sadder songs are complimented with some great upbeat tunes that make you want to stop what you are doing and dance…Good News and Peace Dance (a fantastic song to see live). In terms of the band, Ira Siegel (guitar) really tears it up on Peace Dance and Unhappy Birthday. Frank Vilardi (drums) takes Tuesday from one extreme to the other and gives Swing Low a funkier feel. Paul Guzzone (bass) is always in the groove and Charlie Giordano is fantastic on the Hammond organ on the title track. The bonus track, Write a Song, is fun and gets you singing a long.

OMG. Sometimes there is a fine line between having the guts to consider trying something out of your talent comfort zone...and the stupidity to actually waste listeners time going through with it. I'm sure even the two misguided souls who (in the middle of their drunken stupor) gave these guys a resounding thumbs up for this veritable nonsense, would agree with the age old cliche : 'You'll Never Get Rich Playing Another Man's Game'. Well, my theory is that if The Bacon Brothers had to rely on their musical prowess to really make a loud living, six degrees would be about all the public's needle would move - and most of that would be microphone feedback. We all should realize by now that the biggest factor involved in evaluating an artist and his material is...to disregard his/her OTHER relatively unrelated (albeit substantial) talents. The point is, if Kevin Bacon wasn't in every tenth major movie release, then I think he would surely be judged a bit more accordingly. I've got an idea. If we all listen to this as if we'd never heard of Mr. Bacon before in any capacity, and measure it against other legitimate artists producing music like this - we'd likely arrive at the same conclusion I have: That comparatively speaking, this is LAME. And in some cases downright BRUTAL. Anyone who listens to just local musicians in your respective areas of the country, can find nine or ten neighborhood singer/songwriters whom - were they produced at the same level the Bacons were, would render similar (I'd say even superior) results. You see, some of the artists in my area can actually SING. Which is more than I can say for the Neverly brothers here. Well in their own song, they may be right about one thing - everybody SHOULD 'Get Away'---if they're asked if they actually pay good money for this collection of substandard natterings. Leave music to the professionals Kevin, and get back in front of the camera. Go, and help increase the level of quality in contemporary film, rather than help drain all the quality out of the music industry. How ironic it is to me, that his finest cinematic moment occurs at the end of 'A Few Good Men'...when he's called upon to utter something, and he just remains silent.

I don't want to be a life force killer or anything, but this is really bad. Sorry guys, I like most of your movies Kevin, but man, if you didn't have a movie career, you wouldn't be on iTunes, I can guarantee ya that! This is just not good at all. Don't waste any of your money on any of this. Not one good quality I can peg whatsoever. Not a good recording, the songwriting is not interesting at all and the vocals are not even close to being good, or on key.

To tell the truth when I ran across my new favorite cd (White Knuckles) I was actually searching for another album. Much to my surprise I instead found that besides being a talented actor Kevin Bacon was one half of one of the most amazing duos ever. White Knuckles is not a cd filled with vapid lyrics tacked to generic, predictables rhythms. It is music that causes reflection and has meaning far beyond what one is used to hearing today. Each song is a journey, one that I am willing to take over and over again.

Ever since I bought my first Bacon Brothers CD I've been hooked! I've seen them live 3 times, each time recruiting some new fans with me because it's hard not to like their music. This CD was a long time coming for me because I heard them play these tunes live and wanted them on CD but they weren't out yet, songs like Unhappy Birthday, Tuesday, and Peace Dance, my favorite of the album. As usual they delivered more than I had hoped for. Michael and Kevin have created original songs that will make you think or meditate or tap your foot or feel good or ALL OF THE ABOVE! I have always liked the pairing of their voices in harmony and this album in no different. I'm a little bummed because I bought this download version of their CD and when the actual CD came out I lost out on 2 songs! Guess I'll have to download those separately if they become available. For those of you that have never heard their music, if you like something you can sing along to, tap your foot to, or just listen and feel good to, then this is for you. Unhappy Birthday, about 9/11/01 has a 60's feel to it, Flowers is very soft and sweet as is Michael's voice when he sings it. Coffins and Cradles, also sweet sounding, can make you contemplate the circle of life or just meditate. Tuesday, Michael plays his cello as softly and meloncoly as the song dictates and you can feel the pain of the song. On the other hand, their upbeat songs like Good News, Write a Song and Peace Dance will make you want to move your feet, arms, and head, until all of a sudden, "You're Dancin'!" There's something for everyone here and I highly recommend it...I also recommend all of the other CD's plus their Live DVD! To really appreciate them you have to see them live. I will be seeing them again this Friday at BB Kings and I'm bringing another recruit! Can't wait!!!

What can you say about Kevin and Michael Bacon? Kevin has too many talents for just one person and Michael is a great composer that knows so much about music. In this new album they continue to expand their sound and develop the song writing skill that has shown through in their previous work. If you like the folk, rock, soul, and country feel, this album has it in spades. Great stuff.