As you'll know from reading previous posts on Rockgig, we were really looking forward to this album release - and frankly it doesn't disappoint. It's a definite grower too.. first play I thought it was good with a few stand-out tracks, but 3 or 4 plays in and it simply becomes magnificent. It was intriguing to know what the product of "The Voice of Rock", the best blues guitarist in the world, a powerhouse drummer and a prog-metal keyboard player would be (That's Glenn Hughes, Joe Bonamassa, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian in case you've been living under a rock for the last few months)..and the answer is pure, unashamed Classic Rock of the highest calibre.
If you're expecting cutting edge, extended jams like you get with other recent "Supergroups" like Them Crooked Vultures then you'll be disappointed. What you get is 12 well crafted, heavy rock songs, that have their roots back in the classic tracks of Deep Purple and Led Zeppelin.
Opening track "Black Country" is a killer track. Bonamassa recently said that he thought the opening track from an album should be worth the admission price alone.. and he's not wrong with this one. It starts with a galloping bass riff from Hughes that would easily sit alongside anything that Steve "Galloping Bass Riff" Harris from Iron Maiden has come up with.
Glenn Hughes vocals throughout the album are fantastic, easily the best he's done in a long while. The mixture of his rock voice and Bonamassa's more soothing, rich vocals work very well together.
(photo (C) Christie Goodwin)
Standout tracks? Not a duffer on the album, but if I had to name a couple then the opening track, "Black Country", that I just mentioned is fantastic, the remake of the old Trapeze track "Medusa", but for me the best thing on the album is "Song of Yesterday". If Jimmy Page had called in sick one day and Jimi Hendrix stood in, "Song of Yesterday" would be the result. Absolutely glorious.The album is out now.
NR.
Each to their own and all that, but I can't tell you how dissapointed I am with this album - what an anti-climax. I've played it to death since buying it and half the songs I have to skip - just gap fillers.
ReplyDeleteSong of yesterday made the album worth buying, but most of the rest of the tracks, don't get near to what I would have expected from who are arguably some of the best musicians in the world right now.
You've got a fair point. If I'd have reviewed this after only one play then I would have agreed with you. You've played it to death and it's disappointed you, but for me each time I played it I seemed to like a different track until soon I really liked the whole album - maybe being lucky enough to see them play it live added a new dimension to it for me - you're so right about Song of Yesterday though - it is a monster track and I would buy the album just for that track if I had to. I've read other reviews that loved it, and others that mirrored your thoughts - maybe it's simply Rock Marmite. Thanks for leaving a comment - we read all of them (except the ones with URL's in that our Spam filter chucks away)
ReplyDeleteWhen I first got the album, I could not listen to it again for a week or so. It is the heaviest thing I have heard for ages. After a few more listens, I am starting to really enjoy the selections. Glenn Hughes voice is amazingly good & his vocal range is very impressive. I am well acquainted with Bonamassa's guitar playing & he is one of the best. The rhythm section, comprising Hughes & Jason Bonham (like father, like son) is outstanding.
ReplyDeleteIt is so good to hear Classic Rock played with the right attitude.