Liberty N’ Justice – The Cigar Chronicles Vols. 1 & 2 Review

The production value and lyrical context is typical but enjoyable. The older veteran musicians all deliver with quality and groove. Way to go again by Justin Murr and...

Released by: Independent

Release Date: February 28th, 2013

Genre: Hard Rock

Links: https://www.facebook.com/libertynjusticerocks

Links: http://www.libertynjustice.net/

 

 

Tracklist: 

 

Volume 1 (the covers)

 

1. “Ice Ice Baby” Seann Nicols (Adler’s Appetite/ Tarsha) & Eddie Ojeda (Twisted Sister)

originally recorded by Vanilla Ice

2. “I Can’t Dance” Stevie Rachelle (TUFF)

originally recorded by Genesis

3. “Pride (In The Name Of Love)” CJ Snare (Firehouse/ Rubicon Cross), George Lynch (Dokken/ Lynch Mob), & Jeff Pilson (Dokken/ Foreigner)

originally recorded by U2

4. “Stayin’ Alive” Kip Winger (Winger)

originally recorded by The Bee Gees

5. “YMCA” Kelly Keeling (Baton Rouge & Trans Siberian Orchestra), Chris Dickens (Mission Of One) & Neil Zaza

originally recorded by The Village People

6. “Iris” Tony Harnell (x-TNT/ Westworld) & Alex Grossi (Quiet Riot/ Hotel Diablo)

originally recorded by The Goo Goo Dolls

7. “You’re So Vain” Phil Lewis (LA Guns) & Chris Green (Rubicon Cross/ Furyon)

originally recorded by Carly Simon

8. “Queen Of The Night” Selena McVey & Brooke St. James (Tyketto)

originally recorded by Whitney Houston

9..”Blame It On The Rain” Andrew Freeman (Hurricane/Offspring/30 Stones), Pete Fry (FarCry) & Eric Ragno

originally recorded by Milli Vanilli

10. “Bye Bye Bye” Chas West (Bonham) & Jeff LaBar (Cinderella)

originally recorded by N’Sync

11. “Dancing On The Ceiling” James Christian (House Of Lords)

originally recorded by Lionel Ritchie

12.”Stuck In The Middle With You” Larry Worley (FearNot), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses), Andy Robbins (Holy Soldier/Joe Lynn Turner), & Anthony Gravley (Windup Rocket)

originally recorded by Stealers Wheel

13. “Mmmbop” Jamie Rowe (Guardian), Anthony Gravley (Windup Rocket), Roxx Hunter

originally recorded by Hanson

 

 

Volume 2 (The Originals)

 

1. “Devil His Dues” Derrick LeFevre (formerly of Lillian Axe), Vic Rivera (Crunch), Michael Feighan (White Cross) & Barry Graul (Mercy Me/ White Cross)

2. “The Greatest” David Cagle,Mark Allen Lanoue (Chasing Karma/ Bilioxi), & Brad Stetler

3. “Cupids Gonna Bleed’ Gunnar Nelson (Nelson),Steve Brown (Trixter) with Barry Carl (Rockapella)

4. “Under Construction” Eric Dover (Slash’s Snakepit/Jelly Fish),Mark Kendall (Great White) ,Ian Keith Hafner (Jaguar Blaze) & Eric Ragno

5. “Been There Done That” Ted Poley (Danger Danger) & Richard Kendrick (Straitjacket Smile)

6. “Grace” Michael Bormann (Jaded Heart/ Rain/ Charade), Phillip Bardowell (Unruly Child/ Beach Boys) & Mark Slaughter (Slaughter)

7. “Sucker Punched” Rick Stitch (Hotel Diablo), Jerry Dixon (Warrant) & Xander Demos

8. “Broken Bones” Giancarlo Floridia (Faithsedge), Greg Martin (The Kentucky Headhunters), & Chad Stewart (Faster Pussycat)

9. “Sin” Jani Lane, Bill Leverty (Firehouse), & Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper)

10. “Give Em’ A Light” Paul Shortino (King Kobra/ Quiet Riot/ Rough Cutt) & Dave Henzerling (King Kobra/Steelshine)

11. “Daddy Long Legs” Louis St August (Mass) & Tim Gaines (Stryper)

12. “Cut Me Mick” Ron Keel (Keel) & Michael Phillips (Deliverance/ The Sacrificed)

13. “Tomorrow” Terry Ilous (Great White/XYZ),Ron Wikso (Foreigner,The Storm,David Lee Roth,Richie Sambora,Cher, Gregg Rolie Band), Alessandro Del Vecchio (Hardline, Ian Paice,Glenn Hughes, Edge Of Forever and Eden’s Curse) & PK Mitchell

 

Justin Murr and company return his time another all star cast of rockers leading the new and last compilation of star truck guest musicians to round out the new CD from Liberty N Justice titled The Cigar Chronicles Vols. 1 & 2. For over 20 years Murr has been leading this project and as of recent turned into a full time partnership with special guests that always managed to make the songs interesting and of high quality. The list of great names to contribute on the act is really a who’s who of the rock scene present and past. This is now the 13th album (and first double CD) “The Cigar Chronicles” (which features 26 songs and over 70 guest musicians).  What’s cool is that JK Northrup (King Kobra/ XYZ) have joined forced with David Cagle , Eric Ragno, and Michael Feighan and have already started to record the first LNJ band album in 13 years. Something to look forward to in the new year.

The shortlist of guests vocalist and musicians here featured some notables as Kip Winger, Tony Harnell, Kelly Keeling, Derrick LeFevre, Ted Poley, Michael Bormann and a host of theirs  too many to name here. The star powered contribution is perfect as they rip through their own versions of some classic over songs with a Rock emphasis on the Volume 1 which include the covers, Volume 2 are all original songs.

What a treat to hear some of the cover tracks here, listening to Kip Winger doing The Bee Gees and “Staying Alive” was a real treat, a smile required for this cover up. Cj Snare and George Lynch team up for take hold of the U2 classic Pride (In The Name Of Love) and this version if pretty solid. Tony Harnell graces the mic and adds a nice atmospheric cover of The Goo Goo Dolls track Iris as well in the first help of the covers Volume. One thing about covers is that some miss is giving the covered song a new light, well some of the preferred choices on the covers compilation do sound different and it breathes new life into them as they stand. One last notable is the Stealers Wheel classic Stuck in the Middle With You which covered here sounds killer, brought to you courtesy of Larry Worley (FearNot), Ron “Bumblefoot” Thal (Guns N’ Roses), Andy Robbins (Holy Soldier/Joe Lynn Turner), & Anthony Gravley (Windup Rocket).

The second volume steps up and presents new material and things kick up with redemption on the first track Devil His Dues with the strong vocals of former Lillian Axe front man Derrick LeFevre throwing things down with plenty of aptitude. I was really digging the lyrical content of Under Construction, nice smooth straight to the point laid back rocker. The straight up and gritty attitude of  Broken Bones is another excellent modern hard rock number with a crunch rhythm and section. A nostalgic number comes visibly clear with the great Jani Lane singing on the song Sin before his untimely passing last year. Memories ohh memories as Jani took part of the years on past records as well.

A great compilation mix with the covers on the first set and the second disc of new material from even more great guest musicians, something we come to expect for a long time now with the Liberty n Justice project. Quality if of the essence here as a bulk of the material marries all great things about Hard Rock past and present with it’s modern touches. The production value and lyrical context is typical but enjoyable. The older veteran musicians all deliver with quality and groove. Way to go  again by Justin Murr and friends, must check out for any fan of Hard Rock and if you have not checked their past records you are doing yourself a great disservice by not doing so.

 

Written by Denys

Ratings    Denys    8/10

 

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