It's been a quiet week here in Crabbland to the point that my GF was actually begging me to play some damn tunes instead of me ranting at the weatherman and their shitty weather forecast. Lotta things found at Half Priced Books in the cheap selection, new Joe Jackson for 2 bucks? Ben Waters' tribute to Ian Stewart and of course new Black Country Communion. So anyway, thought I do a review of what's out there.
Neil Young International Harvesters-A Treasure (Reprise)
New from the Neil Young Archives, we get a 1985 snapshot of Neil going country but getting to the end of the album he was getting bored with the fiddles and banjo and rocked out to a future looking Gray Angels at the end of the cd. While reviewers tend to rave about the Buffalo Springfield remake of Flying On The Ground Is Wrong, I prefer the country revisions of his Re Act Or stuff, although Southern Pacific Rufus Thebedoux adds more Orange Blossom Special to his fiddle work. At over 7 minutes long this does tend to wear out the welcome toward the end but Motor City seems more at home here than on Re Act Or. Too bad that Geffen shelved the original intent of Old Ways, for I think A Treasure gives the listener what that record would have sounded rather then the hastily redid version. Are You Ready For The Country still is the better version than Get Back To The Country. In the end, A Treasure makes better sense of Old Ways, due to the fact that Neil's backing band was underrated and country strong. And Amber Lynn, the leadoff would have worked wonders for Neil as country star had country radio embraced him (which they didn't) or perhaps Vince Gill had he decided to do a version himself.
Grade B+
Black Country Communion-2 (J & R Adventures)
More heavier than their first (if you can believe that) it didn't take long for Joe Bonamossa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Shernian to return to bash these 11 pieces of hard rock out, in fact they got that Led Zep vibe down quite well on The Outsider and Save Me. In fact Bonamossa could pass for a smokier blues croon over Hughes' banshee screaming which tends to tire me out after 62 minutes. In fact, the average time of the song average out over 5 minutes to which if your not into the boogie blooze of Zeppelin or Bad Company or Rainbow, you're free to return to the original resources for inspriation. If the first album tended to be more of a band collective, 2 has Hughes singing the majority of songs, which is fine if he doesn't strain himself to the point of screaming, to which gets him in trouble (that's goes all the way back to Trapeze or Mark 3 Deep Purple). What saves him is Bonamossa's Page like riffs and Jason Bonham sounding like his dad at times. Overall, I think 2 is a bit better than the first. Although I doubt I'll be playing anything after I Can See Your Spirit since Hughes's blues tends to drag a bit too long......
Grade B
Joe Jackson Trio-Live Music 2011 (Razor & Tie)
Next to Elvis Costello, Jackson remains one of the more frustrating artists that I listen to. He's never topped his Look Sharp/I'm The Man era although he'll be playing more Night And Day than either one, I do enjoy his jazzier remakes of Sunday Papers and a more tame but swinging Got The Time. He relies too much on the Night And Day tracks although I enjoyed the majority of them but can really do without A Slow Song that ends this record. The surprises is when he covers Ian Dury and David Bowie and tops Bowie on Scary Monsters. This album features the original members from his 1979 years (except Gary Sanford who opted out for family life and retirement) and while this live cd isn't as consistent nor entertaining as his Maby/Burke Summer In The City album, or Afterlife which did feature Sanford, this does have some good moments.
Grade B
Ben Waters: Boogie 4 Stu A Tribute To Ian Stewart (Eagle)
Ian Stewart was the Rolling Stones piano player that played behind the scenes when Mick and company decided to tour. Fact of the matter was the highlight of Dirty Work, was the untitled piano piece at the tail end of the record. That was Stewart playing. Ben Waters decided to put together a tribute album of sorts and basically showcases the influences of Stewart (Albert Ammons, Big Maceo, Pete Johnson). Highlights include PJ Harvey guesting on the Ray Charles' Lonely Avenue, Charlie Watts plays drums and even The Rolling Stones themselves (with Bill Wyman) appear on a cover of Bob Dylan's Watching The River Flow, the first time Mick Jagger has ever sounded this bluesy since Sticky Fingers. And from the grave Stewart concludes it all with Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me. All reet then.
Grade B+
2 comments:
I wasn't even aware of BCC coming out with a new album.
I do have Black Country Communion's first album. Much of it has to do with Perplexo's raving about the record. Yeah, I loved Joe Bonamossa's guitar work. In fact, I felt it complimented well with Jason Bonham's drums. It was Glen Hugh's banshee vocals that wore me thin after awhile.
I don't know about getting this album just yet, due to my mixed thoughts on the first album.
They work fast Drew.
2 is more harder rocking and more heavier but like you, it's Glenn Hughes' over the top vocals that tend to grate on my nerves after a while. Never cared much for when he decides to go all blues like he did towards the end of this cd. I do like The Outsider and Save Me, they do sound very Zeppelinesque and Smokestack Woman rocks like a Mofo.
If you had reservations about the first one, you may want to pass on 2 since Hughes sings on all but a couple tracks here. Plus it goes on a bit too long for me to sit all the way through. Cheers.
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