Tracklisting:

'City Lights', 'Competition', 'I Want You', 'End Of The Line', 'Summerdays', 'Night To Remember', 'Wings Of Emotion', 'Come Closer', 'Cross Of Crosses', 'Nana', 'The One', 'This Time'

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7632385&frm=lk_imwan

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0014BS9Q6/?tag=imwan-20

MICHAEL SCHENKER GROUP/MSG's new album, In The Midst Of Beauty, will be released worldwide at the end of April and it is composed of 12 songs. Click photo to view the artwork.

In The Midst Of Beauty features the following tracks: 'City Lights', 'Competition', 'I Want You', 'End Of The Line', 'Summerdays', 'Night To Remember', 'Wings Of Emotion', 'Come Closer', 'Cross Of Crosses', 'Nana', 'The One', 'This Time'.

The album features former MSG singer Gary Barden on vocals, drummer Simon Philips (THE WHO, MSG, DEREK SHERINIAN), bassist Neil Murray (BLACK SABBATH, WHITESNAKE) and keyboardist Don Airey (DEEP PURPLE, OZZY OSBOURNE).

http://www.cduniverse.com/productinfo.asp?pid=7632385&frm=lk_imwan

Why is this being released on a Thursday? Is this label (Inakustik) another Steamhammer make believe domestic release? HELP...Linda

Amazon still shows it as a May 13th release. It does appear to be another export edition being made available in the States at a domestic price (it has the same label, catalogue number and UPC code as the German release) ... if so, then CD Universe's availability date would be just as volatile as for their imports, and also wouldn't necessarily match what Amazon USA shows as the release date.

Was anyone able to get this today in the U.S.? I checked with two shops that were supposed to receive this and neither did. Amazon's listings for this are a mess, mixing it up with a Siggi Schwarz/Schenker project. At the top of the screen in the title bar it's Michael Schenker Group, but then in the listing by the price, says the artist is Siggi Schwarz. It also shows no cover art, and now it doesn't list ANY release date and instead says they'll notify you when it's available.

Schenker's been trying to get his act together in terms of booze and behavior, but boy, is this U.S. release situation rather screwed-up, which is a shame because the samples I heard sound promising and he's got a killer line-up of players this time around (drummer Simon Phillips, Barden back on vocals, etc.).

According to CD UNIVERSE the new MSG cd is available and was released today , 5/13 . They are selling it for $12.09 plus $2.99 shipping . I will be ordering it before the end of the night.
Don

Yeah, I saw that, but then, both local stores I called today said it was in their systems showing today as the date and they had both ordered it but it didn't come in, and Amazon did formerly list the 5/13 date just a few days agoi, and now that's changed to 'no date and we'll notify you.'

Keep us posted if you get a confirmation from CD Universe that they have actually shipped your order; I've never ordered from them and don't know how their system works or how reliable they are or how up-to-date their info might be...

http://rnruniverse.proboards21.com/inde ... read=11617

cc Linda

Thanx for the Forum link. I guess possibly it came out in some parts of the country, but being that this did come out in Europe about two weeks ago, is there any chance the store in Casper was simply carrying the import version rather than the supposed "domestic" release that was due out here 5/13?

The label In-akustik is a German-based label with other releases by Al Dimeola and others, and looking at the contact info page, as best as I can tell there's nothing about them having a U.S. office or distribution contact. Obviously, U.S. outfits have to get it somwehre, but it's odd someone can find it today in Casper, Wyoming but Amazon doesn't even show a date now.

Here's their page on the Schenker release: http://www.in-akustik.com/en/MUSIC-&-ME ... no=0169085

Your welcome Geof. It seems like some retailers have it and some do not. Best Buy never even had it listed on its website. Barnes & Noble shows as available while FYE shows as out of stock. I am assuming, as Linda said, it appears to be an import being made available in the states at a domestic price. I'm putting my $ on Linda's description.

Now sites ar showing limited availability or 1-2 week delivery etc.. 2 strange!!!

I did order this cd on the night of the 13th , CD Universe says it is being processed and should ship in about 2 days . So hopefully I will have it by this time next week . I will keep you posted.
Don

I was emailed by CD Universe today and they said they did ship the cd to me today .

I recieved this today from CD Universe . It is an excellent MSG cd , I wouldnt call it his best work but still an excellent cd. I have been a huge Schenker fan since about 1976 and his guitar playing still blows me away . He has lost that classic Schenker sound , which I loved . Barden still sounds great . Overall I do love it and recommend it . But I would probably buy a pile of dog poop if it had his name on it , Oh wait I did , they were called the McAuley era cd's .
Buy it , crank it , enjoy it . Schenker and Barden work well together.
Don

Sorry but I gotta disagree strongly with Don57 on this one. I am a huge Schenker fan and was VERY disappointed listening to this album. I've listened to this album every day for the past week trying to absorb it and it just does nothing for me at all.

He finally gets a decent singer again (and a great rhythm section) but - the songs stink, the production is terrible (sounds like mud), and his glorious instantly recognizable guitar tone is absent. Yeah he is a great player but this album is a huge disappointment (to me).

I even went back and listened to my entire MSG collection. This one is (again IMO) the worst of the albums with Gary Barden, better than some of his other recent stinkers songwise, but - why does his guitar tone sound so awful?? Is it the new Dean guitars he uses instead of his normal Gibsons that make the difference ??? Or something about Siggi's studio/production??

I hope he makes another album with Barden & writes some more songs, maybe they can come up with something better, and hopefully get something new made in a real studio with a real producer. Hell if he could sneak back into the USA maybe Mike Varney could produce him again, he at least could properly capture the "schenker sound".

While perhaps I shouldn't comment on a CD I just received today and am only about five songs into, I have to say my initial impression on those tracks was pretty much what slipkid said. Great line-up of musicians and better than his recent releases, but the production is so flat and demo-y sounding, and the material is pretty bland. The solos sounded good although somewhat buried, and I do miss his classic 'half-wah' tone...

I'm glad to see him trying to get his act together, but this is only a step in that direction...

hey that's it geof - that describes his sound perfectly - that half wahhed mick ronson type tone, but more cutting than ronson's

i wonder why it is not on this record but think it is probably jsut the awful overall production screwing up his tone (?)

I had a change of opinion of sorts on this cd . After listening to it a few times now , I still think it's a good cd . There is some really good playing by Schenker . But Bardens singing is where i'm changing my opinion. He sounds like he's just going through the motions , his heart is not in it .
Don

I agree, the singing is kind of wierd sounding for Gary - it's like he's singing in a lower register than he normally does (?). There's probably some explanation for that but I dunno....

A funny story - at the same time as I bought the new MSG I also bought a Barden album from 2004 called "Past and Present". It's all cover versions of old MSG songs, but done in some different arrangements - for instance ARMED & READY sounds almost calypso when it starts out. At first I was scratching my head but on repeated listens I really really like it.

As a joke I substituted Gary's PAST AND PRESENT CD in the MSG ITMOB case, and when a friend came over to hear it I started playing Gary's disc, telling him that contrary to internet reports the whole album is just old MSG retreads with new arrangements that they gave new song titles to for legal reasons. He was pretty bewildered and couldn't believe his ears. I couldn't keep a straight face through the joke though and fessed up about halfway through the album.

Gary has a couple other solo CDs that came out recently that I've not got around to buying that I am going to have to track down. If anybody has any of his post 2004 or so stuff and has opinions on that stuff (yay or nay) please let me know what you think.

I did have a cd with Gary Barden singing , Bernie Torme on guitar and I forget who else . I think they called the band Silver . Anyway I bought it because I love Tormes stuff and Barden , but this cd was absolute garbage . From what I remember it was pop music and Bernie Torme's playing was very tame. I traded it in about 2 weeks later .
Don

Thanks Don - I have 4 of the 5 SILVER albums and dig those. I consider them hard rock but heavy on the pop metal melodic vibe as you say. Wierd to hear that loud backup female singer singing alongside Gary on most of the tracks but I like her voice a lot.

The second one is the weakest IMO ("Dream Machines"). I like the first one the most.

I still want to pickup the latest one which is called "GOLD" (came out in '05). Pretty lame title there methinks.

Sounds like you must have bought either the first or second one, 'cause Bernie left after that.