April Blogstravaganza - Black Stone Cherry New Album Unboxing and Review

What's up, Stompers?!  I'm back already, this time with something a bit outside the norm.  And before anyone asks, no, this isn't an April fool's joke.  In fact, for me, April 1st will no longer be associated with tom-foolery and shenanigans.  Instead, it will henceforth be known as the day that the greatest band on the planet released their 5th studio album.  What does that have to do with Kentucky? 

Because Kentucky is where they call home.  Just like you and I.  They love it.  They breathe it, and they live it.  They preach it, and they write about it.  They spread the 'good ole boy gospel'  all across the globe, and they wave their bluegrass banner proudly.  Just like you and I. 

But UNLIKE you and I, these guys have legions of fans all over the world.  They're literally one of the top music acts out there today, of any genre.  It's pretty amazing to know that four guys from the Edmonton and Glasgow area are able to say that.  They're the epitome of hard work and dedication.  The epitome of believing in yourself and never giving up...and solid evidence that you don't have to surrender your identity, compromise your values, neglect your faith, or conform in general, to make it big.  That's a feat very few seem to accomplish.  They did it, and they're continuing to do it.  Kentucky proud, indeed.  In the decade+ that they've been together, they've accomplished a great deal.  From rubbing elbows and performing with legends, to winning awards and selling out shows all over the globe.  Europe in particular seems to love these guys just as much as the good ole U.S. of A.

These accomplishments don't go unnoticed.  Music aficionados near and far consider them to not only be a solid collective unit, but each individual member to be a technical master of their chosen musical disciplines.  John Fred Young one of the most technically proficient drummers/percussionists living today.  Being a capable drummer is an extremely complicated and complex process, and he does with ease what most others can't at all.  He's also known for his showmanship, and rightfully so.  Rhythm guitarist Ben Wells is a virtuoso.  There's no other way to describe him.  The licks and riffs alone that he comes up with are technical and emotional wizardry.  His solos are enough to make the most seasoned guitarists jaws drop.  It's the sort of thing that is sorely missing from a lot of modern music, and he's bringing it back with a vengeance.  Lead singer and lead guitarist Chris Robertson has a voice that is unmatched.  It's soulful, it's raspy, and his pitch control and vibrato are incredible.  His guitar work is out of this world, lending that down and dirty signature sound of theirs to their poly rhythmic repertoire.  There are a lot of musical exchanges between him and Ben.  They play off each others energy and styles very well.  Bassist Jon Lawhon is much of the same with his crushing bass lines and clean, crisp rhythms.  He's an invaluable asset to the quartet.  I could go on about the technical prowess of music all day.  With my marching band/drumline background, it's something that I know about first hand, and have always carried with me through the years.  It's an art form, and those of us who have played til our hands bled just for the sake of that art form, love and respect it for what it is. 


I suppose I need to go ahead and come clean about something.  I hadn't intended on doing a written review about this album.  I had fully intended on doing another one of my unboxing videos on my youtube channel and simply talking about it as I went along.  That didn't happen.  I had everything set up, and just when I was ready to begin, my tried and true trusty tripod broke.  After nearly 20 years, I had to bid it farewell.  It was tragic.

RIP :(

  .  





So, that sucks. 

Seriously, I had everything laid out and ready to go!

Nevertheless, when I got home this evening and I saw that big, beautiful brown box sitting on my porch, I could do nothing but smile.  I pre-ordered this bundle back in December, so it's been a long, sometimes impatient wait for it to arrive.  But, today was the day.

And so far, it was worth the wait.

With a few swipes of papaws old hunting knife, I was inside the box.  Immediately I noticed what was on top. 

Hopefully it fits.

Kentucky blend, baby!

The shirt itself is nice quality.  It's a poly blend fabric and it has some weight to it.  I don't think it will shrink in the wash and it should last awhile.  I thought it was a really cool bonus!







I literally fell asleep after I typed that last sentence, on the couch, with my laptop across my stomach.  But anyway yeah, the shirt.  I like it!  I plan on wearing it today.






I've got the album on now, listening to it for the second time since opening it last night.  I'm liking it more and more.  I can already tell it's going to be an instant classic and one of my personal favorites.  It is just as crushing as it is melodic, as sleazy as it is deep, and they can speed it up or slow it down anytime.  More on that a little later.  Let's dig a little deeper into the box o' goodies....

Ahh there it is, the crown jewel.

The album itself, very appropriately titled "Kentucky".  I love the cover art, and I'm sure there's a story behind why they chose that particular picture.  It's obviously a very Kentucky-esque setting with the small, older white house with a porch, isolated and on its own.  The front yard is filled with fallen leaves with a slight path leading to the front door.  Just like home.  Withered trees are on each side with a smaller tree and bush almost engulfing the right side.  There's some stuff sitting on the porch, and if you look closely, there's a smaller "junk house" type building around back.  The sky is cloudy and gloomy, really capping off the picture as an obvious Autumn scene in rural Kentucky.  It's all captured perfectly in this one picture.  As far as why those chose this location, it could be something sentimental to one of the members, or it could just be close to where they live and thought it looked cool.  We may never know.

Had to include a back shot.

On the back, we have the guys standing confidently towards a sunrise (possibly).  If that's the case, then I see it as being very symbolic of their journey so far.  They know where they stand, and they confidently stare towards a new day.  An unknown new day, but a new day nevertheless.  It could also be the sun piercing through the gloominess from the front of the cover, capturing the duality of living in Kentucky.  A lot of interpretations could be made here, but it's possible that I'm just reading too deep.  I tend to do that.

A closer shot of the track list.

1. The Way of the Future
2. In Our Dreams
3. Shakin' My Cage
4. Soul Machine
5. Long Ride
6. War
7. Hangman
8. Rescue Me
9. Feelin' Fuzzy
10. Darkest Secret
11. Born to Die
12. The Rambler


This album is all over the place and very ambitious, but they've still managed to keep their signature sound while doing so.  That's talent.  You've got the hard rocking and slightly unusual "In Our Dreams", to the emotional, County, almost Folk-like ballad "The Rambler".  They even included some funk with a horn section with "Soul Machine" and a great cover of the Edwin Starr classic "War".  The inclusion of Brass instruments was something I absolutely wasn't expecting, but I've always loved a good solid brass section.  Does it work with this style of heavy southern rock?  You damn right it does!  They also mentioned once in an interview that there was no digital editing with this album.  That means everything you hear was exactly how it was played in the studio.  There was no auto tune, no pitch bending, no adding in pre-recorded parts, none of that garbage.  Everything was played, sang, and accomplished in real time by THEM.  In other words, they actually know how to sing, and they actually know how to play their instruments with precision.

The sticker on the bottom...

I assumed there was a download card included, but a slipmat and a clip from the Mascot Messenger Newspaper?  What?

Well sho 'nuff!

In case you're unsure of what a slipmat is, it's a piece of [foam?] rubber that goes over the platter of a turn table, so your record will be protected on the bottom, and keep it from jarring around.  A very cool, quirky extra.  Very nice!

An insert from the Mascot Messenger.

I have to admit, I'm not familiar with the Mascot Messenger, but on the front page, it has a huge picture of Joe Bonamassa, who, if you haven't heard of him, go RIGHT NOW and look him up. It also has a story about Black Stone Cherry signing to Mascot Records.  Again, a cool gift and something neat to include with the package.

The all important download card.

For when you can't take your turntable with you.  It also included 3 bonus tracks! 

The record sleeve.

Very thick, high quality, glossy sleeve.  There are pictures of the guys with their production crew, and of their kids (or dogs, which can also be kids).

The other side of the record sleeve.

On the other side of the sleeve, there are four great pictures of each band member doing their thing with the proper credits at the bottom.  I literally just looked, because I thought to myself "These pictures look a lot like the kind Rob Fenn would take" and sure enough I saw his name on the credits on the opposite side.  Mr. Fenn is a great photographer, and I recommend you check out his work.

My oh my...

Of course, that beautifully pressed 180g vinyl.  This was the limited edition gold pressing.  I think this was limited to maybe 500 pressings.  It sounds amazing.  I don't want to get into that old discussion or debate about "which sounds better", but I do love the sound and interactivity of vinyl.  I love my Ipod too, I'm still wowed at the fact that I can fit my entire music library in my freaking POCKET, something I could only dream of while lugging bags of cassettes around as a kid, or Cds as a teen.  That's some Star Trek crap right there.  But, my love for physical media will never cease.  With the massive resurgence of vinyl over the last few years, it's made it a fun ride for people like me.

A different angle.

Side A label.

Side B label.

 And, just when I thought things couldn't possibly get any better; when I assumed every goody in the box had been uncovered and gazed upon...

........

In the very bottom of the box...underneath the bubble wrap and all that...was an autographed picture.  I was shocked.  I just sat there for a minute and looked at it.  I didn't expect it.  I didn't expect any of the goodies that came with it, but I really, REALLY didn't expect this.  Words honestly fail.  They didn't have to include this, and there was no warning that they were going to.  There was no "Hey pay us more money and the first 10 people will get an auto pen autograph from the band, maybe!" addition to the product description.  They did it because they wanted to, because they wanted to give their fans a little something extra for supporting them.  Pure class acts. 






This is a solid 5th entry into Black Stone Cherry's discography.  There's something here for everyone.  Their technical abilities shine through with each note, as does their love and passion for what they're getting to do.  The fact that there were no fancy digital editing tricks are ostensive, undeniable proof of that.  I don't have a favorite song just yet, though I'm leaning toward "The Rambler" and possibly "Rescue Me", though I dig the overall feel of "Soul Machine" and the "War" cover.  "Feeling Fuzzy" is pretty great as well.  Who knows, I'll likely change my mind a dozen more times before all is said and done.  I love the bold direction they took, being able to play many different styles, and in some cases cross genres, while keeping their signature sound.  That's very difficult to do.  Frankly, I could listen to Chris sing "Wheels on the Bus" while John Fred beat on a coffee can, and I'd be happy.  Every song is great though, just as with every album before.  Kentucky is likely to be my favorite after all is said and done.






As always, I appreciate you taking the time to read.  I know this was a step outside the usual material, but I've always wanted to include cultural pieces as well, in addition to the restaurant reviews.  Four great, humble, blessed guys from our beautiful Bluegrass state making it big in the music world definitely falls under the culture category.  This was also my first "music review", something I said I really never wanted to do.  Now that I have, I may do more in the future.  I know of a few other Kentucky folks making some waves in the industry right now *coughcoughchrisstapletoncoughcough*.  So, if you somehow haven't heard of these guys and you like some good ole Rock n' Roll, check them out, buy their album, seek out their past works, ("Peace is Free" is one of the greatest songs ever written, bar none) and lend them your support. 




ALWAYS support local musicians and local dreams, no matter the genre, and no matter how far out of reach those dreams may seem to be. 

http://www.blackstonecherry.com/

Chirico's Italian Ristorante - Pikeville, Kentucky

Good evening to ya!  We've almost plowed through mother nature's annual bi-polar crap-fest known as "March", and consistently decent weather is finally just around the corner.  I can already feel the sun on my face, and smell the flowers and Morel mushrooms soon to be in full bloom.  Spring in Kentucky is truly an experience to behold and I personally can't wait.  I'm sure you're in full agreement (except maybe those of you with allergies.  You have my empathy).


Anyway, a couple weeks ago I found myself bored and alone.  My girl was on a school trip with her daughter, and my friends often times have differing work schedules, so I was destined to spend a nice quiet weekend to myself...or not.  I actually wound up driving over to Pikeville and hanging out with an old friend from college.  I wound up crashing on his couch, but not before we took a short walk over to one of the area's best places for grub.  I'm always up for grub. 


I'd heard about Chirico's for several years.  Many of my friends are regular visitors there, and they're always speaking pretty highly of it.  Somehow, I've never been able to accompany any of them in the past.  Since I hadn't had the opportunity to review an Italian joint yet, I seized the opportunity.  I'm a sucker for Italian, to the point that I often pretend Chef Boyardee is high end delicacy straight out of Sicily.  Red Baron Pizza does the trick sometimes, too.

Ristorantes are better than restaurants.

We arrived there at approximately 7:30pm.  It was rainy and cold, so some good home cooked Italian will be just want the doctor ordered.  We walked in and I was immediately engulfed with the smell of the food.  I went from 'pretty hungry' to 'savage' in about 10 seconds.  I was already going through potential options in my mind. A nice hostess sat us, and apologized for us having to wait.  They had clearly just been slammed by a Saturday night dinner rush, so I assured her that no apology was necessary.  Considering it was less than 5 minutes, especially. 

It gave me an opportunity to snap a few pics, anyway.

I'm sure those people appreciate me doing this.

I usually don't like that shade of yellow, but for this place, it honestly works!

This place is chock full of history, and a nice pictorial representation of it.  More on that later...

So yeah, a 5 minute wait is well worth it if it means I can snap a few pictures.  We were sat, she again apologized, I again told her it was fine, and she proceeded to take my drink order.  It was out in less than a minute, which I'm sure is some kind of unofficial record.

Ha!  You thought I ordered Mt. Dew, didn't you!  Well I have high blood pressure now, so the joke's on you.

She gave us a few moments to peruse the menu.  I needed those few moments because everything on here sounded fantastic.  They have everything from brick oven pizza, to various subs and Stromboli, to all the classic Italian-American dishes we're all familiar with. 

Also, a great collection of appetizers.

I need to work on my photography skills, like yesterday.  Wow.

I don't know what a "Frankwich" is, but I'm intrigued.

As you can see, the usual suspects are here, along with some original works.  It's all fairly priced too, so that's some good news.  I had an honest conundrum trying to decide, so I did what anyone else would do in that situation, and ordered a sampler platter called the "Tour of Italy".  It was a helping of baked Rigatoni, Spaghetti with a homemade meatball, 5-layer lasagna, a baby calzone with one item (I Chose ham), and a side of ground Italian sausage.  This was over two weeks ago, and I'm getting heartburn just typing this.  Could I handle it?  Could I conquer 'the tour'?  Who knows, but it's a given that I was going to have a heck of a time trying.  It also came with a nice bowl of tomato bisque soup, which is a rare treat, honestly.  I'm a fan of such a soup, but I almost never get an opportunity to indulge. 

And indulge I did.

Ohh I so did.

It was very robust and flavorful.  The presence of garlic was very obvious, which is fine, because I like garlic.  It was nice and thick, and plenty of it.  The croutons on the side were a nice addition.  The complimented each other very well.  All the flavors were there with a nice texture and consistency.  Very nice.  But, nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.

Absolutely....NOTHING.

I need to see that again....

Sweet, sweet salvation.

 I know I've said this far too many times, but I mean it probably more so this time than I have any other....I didn't know where to start.  Do I dive straight in to the spaghetti?  Do I maul the meatball?  Do I tear into the baby calzone?  The lasagna?  Dive in to the Italian sausage?  What does one do in this situation??

I guess arbitrarily choose the baby Calzone...because it's there.

The bread was slightly crisp on the outside, warm and fluffy on the inside.  Very buttery flavor.  The inside?  Gooey, melted mozzarella, a nice dab of white cream sauce, and smokey chunks of ham.  I only wished it wasn't a 'baby' calzone, but a full grown, overweight big brother calzone.  That would be the only thing that could make it better.  Where to next??

You all remember that song, right?  Well, now it's going to be stuck in your head.

This was a very, very good meatball.  Thick, dense, full of rich flavor, cooked to perfection.  It had a nice blend of seasons that really went well with the already existing natural flavor.  The red pasta sauce on its own was great as well, but it really complimented the flavors of the meatball.  Very good combo there.  The noodles were al dente with a nice texture.  All too often pasta is overcooked, or worse, under cooked, and you're left with a weird, sometimes sticky texture.  Not here.  It was nearly perfect.

I see you, Italian sausage!

The side of Italian sausage was much of the same.  Rich, meaty flavor with a great blend of Italian spices and seasonings.  It went very well with the red sauce and the accompanying Rigatoni (as well as everything else on the plate!)  I promise there was a 5 layer lasagne in there somewhere too.  It was great.  Definite layers, as I could feel my fork slowly slicing through each one as I made the cut.  Great noodles, great sauce, and the layer of ricotta cheese in the middle was a nice surprise.  I know I didn't take a picture, but just imagine along with me. 

"We came, we saw, we kicked it's A**!"
-Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters

What's really scary, is that I still somehow managed to muster up the inner will to order a dessert.  Don't ask me how, because I have no answer.  We'll assume it was some kind of metaphysical, divine intervention of sorts. 

Whoops sorry, that's not dessert.  Though just as tempting.

Ahhhhh there we go. 

Cannoli.  No contest.  Though these other items sound great, I can not pass up a chance on a good house made Cannoli.  In case you're wondering, it's a fried pastry curled around almost into the shape of a soft taco.  It's then filled with various types of creams or cheeses.  Traditionally it's some blend with a ricotta base, but this one simply describes it as "sweet cream cheese", so now I'm more curious than ever.  It's also mixed with chocolate chips, and drizzled with chocolate sauce.  It's Heaven on a plate, and I can't pass it up.

Nor, could it pass me up.

It's almost hypnotic. 

Crisp pastry shell, golden fried but not greasy, and that sweet cream filling....wow.  I've never had anything quite like it, in taste and texture.  There's not even anything really familiar tasting about it, except maybe the presence of sweetened condensed milk?  Maybe?  I don't know, but it's the best I've ever had.  The chocolate chips mixed in with it really set it off as well.  Amazing dish. 







We sat there for a little while, allowed our food digest at least to the point of not being miserable, and just enjoyed each others company.  I decided I was going to get up and walk around a little bit.  There was an entire section of this place that I hadn't even seen yet, because it's down a narrow hallway opposite of where were were sitting.  As I mentioned earlier, this place has a lot of history, being that it was once a house...and the home to many members of the famed McCoy family.  Their 'spat' with the Hatfield family has reached legendary status at this point, and the entire area is now a tourist attraction due to the battlefields and so forth.  But this house in particular seems to hold a lot of history for at least one side of the feud, and it was really cool getting to learn that.  I believe you can 'feel' history, and its presence was definitely felt in that once old house.

Additional dining in the back.

More additional seating in the back.  I've enjoyed the decor at this place, too.

One of the many pictures hanging on the walls, this one of Roseanna McCoy.

Sam McCoy, who clearly enjoyed hunting squirrels. 

 

And....stairs?  My God where do they go???  I must find out!

And this, ladies and gents, is where the journey gets interesting....because a nice lady up front said she would be glad to take us on a tour of what lied above those steps.  Not everyone got to do that, so I guess we were special.







 

Made it to the top!

 

I was told people have actually gotten into the tub to take pictures before.  I was too lazy.

 

It's a white room...but no black curtains.

An old kitchen area.

Very, very nice carpentry work and architecture for the time period.  These folks had funds.

It was very cool getting to tour such a piece of history like this.  I couldn't imagine what kinds of conversations had taken place within those walls, or even what types of actions may have taken place.  It had that 'old house smell' to it as well.  Surely you know what I'm talking about.  It was also cold.  And dark.  You could almost see your breath as you traversed the hallways.  It was down right eerie at times.  It had an ambiance unlike any other.  It's very hard to describe being in such a place.  Teena, thank you again for taking us up the steps.  It's still much appreciated.







Let's recap!




Food Quality:
I've never been to Italy.  I've wanted to go since I was a child, and hopefully I'll get to make that trek someday.  This food is what I've always imagined it to be like across the pond.  Large, hearty servings full of flavor.  The sauce was great and house made.  The homemade meatball was dense and flavorful, you could really cut it with your fork.  The noodles were al dente and had great texture.  No stickiness.  The Italian sausage was very good and flavorful as well.  Great texture and it complimented the pastas very well, along with the meatball.  The lasagna had distinct layers and tasted great.  It was a bit buried underneath everything else, but it was still there.  The Cannoli was out of this world.  Great pastry shell, even better, unique cream cheese filling, along with chocolate chips and chocolate sauce.  It was great.  Very authentic flavors all around!  It in total cost me around 20 bucks for everything, including tax.  Not bad at all for the sheer amount of food I got, and especially for the quality.

Overall food quality score:  4.5/5





Ambiance:
Chirico's is very much an Italian joint.  The walls are that yellowish-beige color that we all think of when we hear "Italian".  The walls were adorned with various paintings, with grapes, ivy leaves, and many other pictures of the Hatfield and McCoy families.  The area upstairs is amazing and really sets the mood for the surroundings.  If you have the chance to go up there, do not cheat yourself out of that opportunity.  The music was your run of the mill Italian music with horns and string instruments.  The temperature was comfortable and even though the restaurant was basically divided into two sections, it doesn't feel cramped and it has a nice air flow to it.

Overall Ambiance score:  4.5/5





Cleanliness:  I went out of my way to try to find something dirty, and I couldn't.  Even after being blasted with a huge Saturday night dinner rush, the floors were still clean, the tables were in the process of being cleaned, everything was wiped down and sterilized, and the wait staff were all dressed nice with clean uniforms.  The restrooms were spotless and well stocked.  No problems with cleanliness at all.

Overall cleanliness score:  5/5




Service:  Our service was wonderful.  Our initial server apologized twice for having to wait for about 5 minutes before being seated.  I told her it was fine.  She was very attentive and kept our drink glasses filled.  She was knowledgeable about menu items and even though she was tired after a long shift, she was still smiling and was very friendly.  She did great.  The other server who took us upstairs for the house tour was great as well.  Very friendly and more than willing to take us up there and tell us all about the history of the house and the families.  Very, very cool, and not a treatment you would get just anywhere, for sure.

Overall service score:  5/5







Chirico's is a not-so-hidden treasure right in the middle of downtown Pikeville, in walking distance from the theater, and the East Kentucky Expo Center.  I'm glad i finally got the opportunity to dine here after years of hearing how great it is.  I can now consider myself one of the lucky ones.  Great food, great service, great staff, and lots of history.  There's nothing to dislike, and I'll be returning in the future without a doubt.  They have a website here if you want to dig a little deeper, and a second location in Logan, WV.

April is going to be epic.  Lots going on, and definitely more than one blog could possibly hold.  Maybe even more than two...or three.  Stay tuned, and thanks for reading!