Robin Trower
Band members Related acts
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line up 1 (1973-75)
- James Dewar -- vocals, bass (RIP 2002)
line up 2 (1975-77)
- James Dewar -- vocals, bass (RIP 2002)
line up 3 (1977-78) NEW - Rusty Allen -- bass (replaced James Dewar) NEW
- Paulinho DaCosta -- percussion
line up 4 (1983-85) - Rusty Allen -- bass NEW - Bob Clouter -- drums (replaced Bill Lordan)
- Paulinho DaCosta -- percussion
line up 5 (1985) NEW - David Bronze -- vocals, bass (replaced Rusty Allen) NEW
- Martin Clapson -- drums (replaced Bill Clouter)
line up 5 (1986-88) - David Bronze -- vocals, bass (replaced Rusty Allen) NEW - Davey Pattison -- vocals NEW
- Pete Thompson -- drums (replaced Martin Clapson)
supporting musicians (1988) - Robert Martin -- keyboards, background vocals - Chris Thompson -- background vocals - Reg Webb – keyboards
line up x (2022) - Chris Taggart
-- drums, percussion - Richard Watts -- vocals
supporting musicians (2022) - Livingstone Brown -- bass - Paddy Milner -- organ
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- BLT - Lulu and the
Luwers (James Dewar) - The Stoic (James
Dewar)
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: For Earth Below Company: Chrysalis Catalog: CHR-1973 Year: 1975 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor ring wear; seam is rough Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5161 Price: $10.00
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When I was in high school a close friend of mine (hi Mark), was a major Robin Trower fan. Mark even passed up his junior prom to go see Trower. He tried and tried to get me interested in Trower, but hearing what sounded like a Hendrix wannabe and convinced Peter Frampton and Roxy Music were where it was at, I wanted nothing to do with the man. Well, Mark I was wrong and you were right !!! Frampton can't sell a CD to save his life and Bryan Ferry is lifeless poseur. Meanwhile, Trower continues to record and tour with more energy than most acts half his age.
1.) Shame the Devil (Robin Trower) - 3:34 (side 2)
1.) Aletha (Robin Trower) - 3:02
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Robin Trower Live! Company: Chrysalis Catalog: CHR-1080 Year: 1975 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor ring, corner and edge wear Available: 2 Catalog ID: 5162 Price: $10.00
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In an era where every act under the sun seemed determined to release a double live set, 1975's
"Robin Trower Live!" was a model of restraint and good taste. Featuring seven extended tracks drawn from the three earlier studio sets, the concert set provided an enjoyable, if abbreviated career retrospective. Sporting a nice mix of hits ("Too Rolling Stoned", "I Can't Wait Much Longer" and "Little Bit of Sympathy") and lesser known album tracks, the extended concert arrangements benefited virtually every song -
check out the sustain Trower gets on his "Daydream" solos. Also to their credit, the band minimized the typical in-concert bombast (the one major exception being Lordan's drum solo on
"Alethea"). That said it was interesting to note that Trower,
vocalist/bass player James Dewar and drummer Bill Lordan proved surprisingly adept at recreating their studio sound. Besides, how may artists record live albums in Sweden? One of
my all-time favorite concert sets, fans seemed to agree, kicking the set to #10.
1.) Too Rolling Stoned (Robin Trower) - 6:49 (side 2)
1.) Lady Love (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:23
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Caravan To Midnight Company: Chrysalis Catalog: CHR-1189 Year: 1978 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: minor ring, corner and edge wear Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
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Six years and
seven albums into his solo career, most folks should know what to expect
when buying a Robin Trower album. Accordingly 1978's "Caravan
To Midnight" should not have been a major surprise to
listeners. It certainly wasn't a surprise to my ears. Produced y Don
Davis, in terms of personnel the collection saw Jimmy Dewar drop his bass
duties in order to focus on vocals. Former Sly and the Family Stone
member Rustee Allen took over bass chores. And while it didn't drastically
alter Trower's patented sound, it was the album where I recall
thinking the formula was beginning to turn a little stale. That's not
to say the album was crap. It may have been overtly commercial, but 'My
Love (Burning Love)' was a great Bad Company-styled blues-rocker that should
have charted when released as a single. It was unexpected and
different, but the funky 'I'm Out To Get You' found Trower and company
mining Boz Scaggs silk suit territory. The title track instrumental was
slightly trippy with a strong melody. Elsewhere the set wasn't
bad, but tracks like 'Fool' and the single 'It's for You' failed to hit the
same levels as earlier studio offerings. Okay - I'll admit 'Birthday
Boy' was crap. My favorite Trower album? No, but it's better
than most reviews would have you believe. 1.) My Love (Burning Love) (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:17 rating: **** stars 'My Love (Burning Love)' introduced some awesome wah-wah effects and a hook that was hard to shake out of your head. Still, the Trower sound remained instantly recognizable - particularly James Dewar's amazing voice. One of Trower's most commercial and accessible rockers, the tune's always reminded me of a strong Bad Company performance. Released as an American single the tune should have been a massive hit, but vanished amidst a sea of indifference.
- 1978's 'My Love' b/w 'Sail On' (Chrysalis catalog number CHS 2238)
2.) Caravan To Midnight (instrumental) (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 5:01 rating: *** stars Complete with helicopter rotor sounds (or maybe it was suppose to be a UFO), the first minute or so sounded like you'd stumbled into a Tangerine Dream album. Trower's guitar abruptly kicked in and the song briefly reminded me of hippy-era Steve Miller. From there on 'Caravan To Midnight' was a pretty, relaxing, slightly lysergic-tinged instrumental. One of those tunes where you remember what a melodic player Trower can be. 3.) I'm Out To Get You (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 5:24 rating: **** stars I remember hearing 'I'm' Out To Get You' and thinking Trower had lost his mind. It opened up sounded like something from Jade Warrior before shifting into a slinky, adult contemporary soul melody that reminded me of something Boz Scaggs might have recorded when he decided to leave the blues and focus on Gucci suited success. Admittedly Dewar's' vocals were impressive and ultimately Trower kicked in a blazing solo that saved the performance. Hard to image I'm saving this about a Trower performance, but the tune really was funky ... Extra star for being so atypical. 4.) Lost In Love (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 4:27 rating: *** stars The Jimi Hendrix comparisons quickly get old, but the sultry ballad 'Lost In Love' is a performance where I can hear the comparison. Pretty, but I always though Dewar sounded uncomfortable singing in this higher register. 5.) Fool (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:45 rating: *** stars Not to be confused with the earlier 'The Fool and Me', the mid-tempo rocker 'Fool' sounded like it was written with a hope of commercial potential. Nice opening guitar, catchy chorus, but otherwise it wasn't particularly memorable.
1.) It's For You (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 4:38 rating: *** stars Slowing it down, 'It's For You' injected a bluesy flavor into the mix. A pleasant and relaxing ballad it was a nice change of pace to hear Trower and company stepping back their patented rock edge. The track was released as a single in the States and the UK:
US pressing: - 1978's 'It's For You' b/w 'Birthday Boy' (Chrysalis catalog number CHS-2272) UK pressing (red vinyl): - 1978's 'It's For You' and 'My Love (Burning Love)' b/w 'In City Dreams' (Chrysalis catalog number CHS-2247) 2.) Birthday Boy (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:51 rating: ** stars Returning to his fragile upper register, Dewar again sounded uncomfortable on the ballad 'Birthday Boy.' The song actually seemed to be about a young child's birthday. 3.) King Of The Dance (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:10 rating: *** stars Well the song title gave me pause. The lyric also made me wonder - dancing your way out of poverty !!! Not sure this one would have fit into their live set, but Dewar managed to make it listenable. Okay, the refrain was actually enjoyable. 4.) Sail On (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 4:02 rating: *** stars The closing ballad was an example where Dewar seemed comfortable singing in a higher range. It was also an example where the band stepped back from their typical frenetic performance and just kind of drifted along with one of their prettier melodies. Perhaps a touch dull? True.
© 02/2024 Scott R. Blackerby
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: Long Misty Days Company: Chrysalis Catalog: CHR 1107 Year: 1976 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: cut out hole top left; creases on top left and lower right corners Available: 1 Catalog ID: 5163 Price: $15.00
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Robin Trower's fourth studio effort, 1976's "Long Misty Days" found long-time engineer Geoff Emerick replacing Matthew Fisher behind the boards. In spite of the production change, with Robin Trower and bassist/lead singer James Dewar again co-writing the majority of the album, the set wasn't exactly a major change in direction . Hardcore fans were certainly happy with pile driver, Hendrix-flavored rockers such as the opener 'Same Rain Falls' and 'S.M.O.' Interestingly the first couple of times I played it, I can remember thinking there were places where Trower's patented formula began to sound a bit stale. The sound remained instantly recognizable and I still enjoyed it, but I had the feeling I'd heard some of these moves before. Still, anything with the late James Dewar on lead vocals was worth hearing and that was seldom as true as on the roaring 'Caledonia', 'S.M.O.' and the funky (yes, I said funky), 'Pride' and 'Messin' the Blues.' Three classics on one album ! Probably due to the fact they provided a change of pace with Trower and company pursuing a slower, denser, atmospheric (almost hazy) sound, the title track, 'Hold Me' and a cover of The Sutherland Brothers' 'Sailing' were also worth hearing. On the heels of several top-10 entries, commercially the set proved a mild disappointment, only reaching # 24.
Postscript - Playing the album for the first
time in five years, I have to admit I was overly critical when I wrote my
initial comments. There's even more to like on this one with James
Dewar seldom sounding as good. 1.) Same Rain Falls (Robin Trower - James Dewar) - 3:14 rating: *** stars Lots
of artists find a niche and burrow in - certainly the case for Trower and
company. Powered by Dewar's awesome voice, 'Same Rain Falls' sounded
like a lot of his earlier work. Two shakes of Hendrix; a touch of
blue-eyed soul ... Not a bad recipe, but not something you want to
have every day.
Powered
by one of Dewar's most impressive performances, the pretty, fuzz drenched
title track reminds me of one of those cold, foggy days that are
simultaneously fascinating and depressing. I can actually remember
running cross country in a Belgian woods outside of Brussels listening to
this on a Sony cassette player.
Always
loved the title chorus - Dewar and company injecting a touch of
pseudo-Gospel into their delivery. Elsewhere Trower turned in one of
his prettiest solos.
The driving 'Caledonia' easily makes it into my Trower top-10 list. Powered by another wonderful Dewar vocal, this one sounded like a V8 motor going into overdrive and then Trower's solo set off the afterburners ... The only criticism was the song was simply too short. Awesome choice as a single:
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1976's 'Caledonia' b/w 'Messin' with the Blues' (Chrysalis catalog number
CHS 2122)
As
mentioned, 'Pride' found Trower and company injecting a funky edge into
their sound. Yeah, it sounds strange, but Dewar had the perfect voice
to pull it off.
(side 2) 1.) Sailing (Gavin Sutherland) - 3:44 rating: **** stars I'd
actually head the Sutherland Brothers' original well before the Trower's
cover, or Rod Stewart's sickening hit version. While I love the
original, Dewar's voice made the cover special. Yes, I detest the
Stewart version. There
are some songs that just need to be cranked up to 11 ... 'S.M.O.' is
one of them. Classic Trower guitar riff and the man starts to go
ballistic at the end of the tune which shamefully fades out way too
early. As
a lifetime Frankie Miller fan, it was interesting to see he co-wrote the
song with Trower and Dewar. The result is one of the prettiest
blues-ballads in the Trower catalog. Slinky and perfect for a quiet
evening with the wife, or a special person. Another track that begged for an extended studio version. How did a Scotsman sound so funky?
© 04/2024 Scott R. Blackerby
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Passion Company: GNP Crescendo Catalog: GNPS 2187 Year: 1987 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 2 Catalog ID: 5164 Price: $10.00
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Ignoring the mindless teenage boy wet dream cover and the equally lame back cover picture, 1987's Neil Norman produced "Passion" wasn't half bad. With Trower and bassist Dave Bronze responsible for writing most of the nine tracks, Trower and company seemed to be looking for a balance between hard rock moves and a more commercial AOR sound. With his likeable voice, former Gamma lead singer Davy Pattison injected songs like the title track, 'Caroline' and 'No Time' with a certain commercial sheen that had been missing from Trower's recent catalog. At the same time, the move towards an AOR song threatened to reduce Trower to another faceless AOR act. Material like 'Secret Doors' and 'No Time' could have easily been mistaken for David Coverdale and Whitesnake. Far better and in keeping with Trower's signature blend of rock and soul was the cruncher 'Bad Time'. Too bad there weren't more like it. Still, never less than enjoyable, the only real disappointment was that with the exception of the instrumental 'Night' Trower was largely relegated to sideman; memorable solos standing far and few between. Certainly not the worst thing he ever recorded, but not one of the album's I would gravitate to if I were looking to explore his catalog.
Released with little support the album proved somewhat of a commercial surprise peaking at # 100 on the US charts
"Passion" track listing:
1.) Caroline (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze - Webb) - 4:00 rating: *** stars Okay, it had a distinctive '80s AOR feel, but in spite of the bleating female backing singers, 'Caroline' had such a strong melody you could overlook most of those other shortcomings. 2.) Secret Doors (Robin Trower - Webb) - 4:18 rating: ** stars Faceless AOR metal ... hard to distinguish it from any of the dozens of hair bands that were dominating mid-'80s radio. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz The video and sound quality are poor, but YouTube has a 1986 performance of the tune: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4MfQf1jr8o 3.) If Forever (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze) - 3:36 rating: *** stars Nice power ballad that showcased Trower's guitar while recalling some of his earlier work. 4.) Won't Even Think About It (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze) - 4:40 rating: *** stars 'Won't Even Think About It' sounded like it had been penned to garner AOR play. Nice refrain, but otherwise fairly anonymous.
(side 2) 1.) Passion (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze) - 3:56 rating: *** stars To my ears the title track was a perfect example of my mixed feelings about this set. Powered by Dave Pattison's voice, it was one of the most pop-oriented tunes Trower ever recorded. On the other hand, the fact it could have been mistaken for a Whitesnake song wasn't a strength. 2.) No Time (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze - Webb) - 4:20 rating: *** stars Decent bluesy-rocker, with one of Trower's nicer solos, but musically there wasn't anything original across these 4 minutes. Another YouTube clip from a 1986 Toronto performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oGF8o5ZO8Ac 3.) Night (instrumental) (Robin Trower) - 3:57 rating: *** stars Pretty instrumental, though for some reason the tune has always reminded me a bit of The Stylistics 'You Make Me Feel Brand New'. 4.) Bad Time (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze) - 3:26 rating: *** stars Back to a more up tempo-styled Trower rocker that would have been better had Pattison refrained from trying to sound funky. At least Trower got to cut loose for a moment. 5.) One More Word (Robin Trower - Dave Bronze) - 3:45 rating: ** stars Could've been a single; not to say it was any good.
© 04/2024 Scott R. Blackerby
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Genre: rock Rating: *** (3 stars) Title: Take What You Need Company: Atlantic Catalog: 81838-1 Year: 1988 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+ Comments: -- Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $15.00
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Excluding the collaborations with Jack Bruce, by my count 1988's "Take What You Need" was Robin Trower's 12th album. No matter how talented you are, at some point you are going to start running out of creative steam and enthusiasm. Perhaps Paul Shuttleworth's uninspired cover art was an indication, but I'd suggest this is the album where Trower and company hit that wall.
Produced by Neil Norman, this outing found Trower continuing to work with the line-up of bassist David Bronze, former Gamma vocalist Davey Pattison and drummer Pete Thompson. With the bulk of the nine songs co-written by Trower and Bronze, the results were professional and at least mildly enjoyable. Songs like 'Tear It Up', the title track and 'Love Attack' sounded a little more radio friendly that much of Trower's earlier catalog. Norman's production was okay, though tracks like 'I Want You Home' and 'Love Attack' came off as formulaic and bland mid-'80s studio moves. Complete with syndrums and synthesizer washes, at it's nadir the album could easily have been mistaken for one of the faceless "corporate" bands that were cluttering airwaves - think Foreigner, or Gamma which was Pattison's prior outfit. Anyone expecting to hear another "Bridge of Sighs" was likely to be disappointed. At least to my ears the biggest shortcoming stemmed from Trower's low-keyed profile throughout the album. Yes, his thick, chunky sound remained recognizable throughout the album, but with the possible exceptions of the radio-friendly rocker 'Shattered' and the sweet ballad 'Over You' Trower just didn't seem all that excited, or engaged in the recording. Atlantic certainly didn't see to know what to do with Trower, but the collection still managed to chart, hitting # 133 on the US Billboard album charts..
"Take What You Need" track listing:
1.) Tear It Up (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 4:23 rating: *** stars I have to remind myself that any vocalist working with Trower is going to find himself at a disadvantage in that they'll be compared to the late James Dewar. No matter how talented you are that's just a no-win situation to find yourself in. The fact of the matter is Davey Pattison was a first-rate singer and his performance on the rocker 'Tear It Up' was enjoyable. Nah, the song wasn't even close to being a classic Trower effort, but a couple of cold beers and it started to sound better and better. Atlantic released it as a 12" promotion 45:
- 1986's 'Tear It Up' (LP version) b/w 'Tear It Up' (live version) (Atlantic catalog PR 2253)
2.) Take What You Need (From Me) (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 5:32 rating: *** stars 'Take What You Need (From Me) ' was always struck me as being one of the more commercial tracks in the Trower catalog; certainly one of Pattison's nicer performances. At the same time the song leaves me with this weird feeling Trower was slowly falling victim to Atlantic's pressure for a more commercial sound. Trower's remarkably low-keyed until three-quarters of the song was over, but then he uncorked one of the tastiest solos. Sadly the song was pretty much over by then. 3.) Love Attack (Robin Trower) - 3:29 rating: *** stars Funky isn't an adjective you'd expect to hear to describe Trower. And while you weren't going to mistake this for a Sly & the Family Stone outing, the David Bronze/Pete Thompson rhythm section got a chance to showcase what a tight unit they were. Docked a star for the sophomoric lyrics. 4.) I Want You Home (Robin Trower) - 3:49 rating: *** stars Finally a song that showcased Trower's thick, sustained sound from the get-go ... Another tune that was unexpectedly radio-friendly. Not bad, just unexpected.
(side 2) 1.) Shattered (Robin Trower) - 3:20 rating: **** stars The good news is 'Shattered' showcased that thick, patented Trower sound. The song also featured one of Trower's better melodies. Another good thing; Pattison's gravelly performance reminded me a little of James Dewar on this one. I've always wondered what the logic was, but Atlantic released the song as the album's third and final 12" 45:
- 1988's 'Shattered' (LP version) b/w 'Shattered' (live version) (Atlantic catalog number PR-2459)
2.) Over You (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 5:36 rating: **** stars It wasn't a breathtaking performance, but the sweet ballad 'Over You' was another track that briefly recalled James Dewar era Trower. Extra star for the great memory. 3.) Careless (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 3:39 rating: *** stars The opening guitar riff is one of the album's catchiest facets. The rest of the song not so much ... 4.) Second Time (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 3:40 rating: *** stars The blues-rocker 'Second Time' had the same feel as a decent Bad Company, or Free tune. Great if you like those bands (like I do). If you're not a fan, then this one won't do much for you. 5.) Love Won't Wait Forever (Robin Trower - David Bronze) - 4:47 rating: **** stars The ballad 'Love Won't Wait Forever' closed the album with the collection's most radio-friendly performance. With a vaporous arrangement (think "Long Misty Days") it was also one of the tracks that harkened back to Trower's classic earlier catalog. It also served as the album's second single:
- 1988's 'Love Won't Wait Forever' b/w 'Love Won't Wait Forever' (Atlantic catalog number PR-2374)
© Scott R. Blackerby 06/2024
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Genre: rock Rating: **** (4 stars) Title: No More Worlds To Conquer Company: Provogue Catalog: PRO 76241 Year: 2022 Country/State: UK Grade (cover/record): NM/NM Comments: sealed copy Available: 1 Catalog ID: -- Price: $50.00
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Since leaving Procol Harum and going solo in 1971, guitarist Robin Trower has released close to forty albums. Now in his late 70s, Trower's still actively performing - though COVID took him off the road in recent years. In spite of occasional brushes with success, he's not exactly a mainstream act. It still makes for a remarkable career and life. And as the album title hints at, if you were expecting to hear something completely different - well "No More Worlds To Conquer" might not be an album you want to invest in.
Working separately with producers Livingstone Brown and Sam Winfield, the album finds Trower continuing his partnership with former Action Patrol drummer Chris Taggart, with ex-Retreat member Richard Watts stepping in to handle vocals. The album actually had a rather lengthy and tortuous birth. Trower had actually completed an album when COVID struck. That collection was shelved and unable to tour, Trower had plenty time on his hands and continued to write new material. Listening to the completed material he decided to replace five of the songs with four new efforts and to rerecord several other tracks. The final results find Trower seemingly taking stock of his life and the world around him. Lyrically it's quite diverse with atypical 'Deadly Kiss' exhibiting what appears to be an anti-drug stance, while 'Cloud Across the Sun' and 'The Razor's Edge' offer up swipes at the political system and politicians in general. That's not to imply the album reflected any sort of newfound activist stance. Tracks like the opener 'Ball of Fire', 'Waiting for the Rain To Fall' and the funky 'Losing You' made it clear Trower's focus remained on the blues and hard rock.
The first couple of times I listened to the album I liked most of the songs, but I'll admit I found myself comparing it to earlier glories and in particular Watts' performances to those of the late James Dewar. And then it struck me such comparison weren't particularly fair to anyone. The fact of the matter is Watts was quite good. In fact, on the title track, 'The Razor's Edge' and 'Wither On the Vine', his performances even reminded me a little of Dewar. High praise. Admittedly you are not going to discover anything "modern" here. No collaborations with this month's remix "king." No nod to rap, or reggaeton. No auto-tune vocals. No collaboration with a South Korean Boy Band ... And while that might leave some folks on the sidelines, I found it to be a refreshing change of pace. No offense to any of those earlier musical niches, but it just did my heart and ears good to hear a stripped down album were you were hearing someone who had mastered his musical niche. And while it may not be the best album Trower's ever recorded, it's consistently enjoyable with at least a handful of songs that seem likely to stand up to repeated spins. All told a nice addition to Trower's extensive recording catalog and one of the year's biggest surprises for me.
Can anyone explain the cover art? Trower was credited with the artwork and even though I've stared at it for quite some time, I'm at a loss with respect to what I'm looking at. Is there a connection to the album title?
"No More Worlds To Conquer" track listing:
1.) Ball of Fire (Robin Trower) - 3:51 rating: **** stars For better or worse, it's hard for me to listen to a Trower song and not immediately compare it to his James Dewar-era catalog. The good news, is the opener 'Ball of Fire' was as tuneful as anything from that earlier timeframe. Trower's fuzz-powered, chunky guitar chords remained instantly recognizable; his delivery tasteful and economical. And while vocalist Richard Watts will never replace Dewar in my affections, I have to admit that he was damn good. One of those tracks that you have to crank up for maximum enjoyment. It sounds great in my 2002 Jeep Cherokee. Shame FM radio ignored this one. Trower released a video in support of the track: Robin Trower - Ball of Fire [Official] - YouTube 2.) No More Worlds To Conquer (Robin Trower) - 3:54 rating: **** stars Inspired by his readings on Alexander the Great, the title track makes it easy to see why Trower deserves the label "Strat God" ... Perhaps just wishful thinking on my part, but on this one Watt's performance actually reminded me of James Dewar. 3.) Deadly Kiss (Robin Trower) - 6:14 rating: *** stars Built on a nifty little guitar riff and what sounded like an anti-drug message, 'Deadly Kiss' was intriguing. Admittedly Watts' sounded a little uncomfortable signing in the higher ranges. Still, the Marvin Gaye-esque soul vibe was kind of cool. 4.) Birdsong (Robin Trower) - 4:11 rating: *** stars 'Birdsong' found Trower and company trotting out their patented bluesy-ballad sound. Admittedly it reminded me of more than a couple of earlier Trower compositions ('Long Misty Days' readily came to mind), but it was also a nice opportunity to hear the man's amazing guitar tones. 5.) Losing You (Robin Trower) - 2:51 rating: **** stars "Funky" might be a stretch, but 'Losing You' was definitely one of those tracks where it was hard not to tap your toes. How in the world does Trower get that warm sustained sound? 6.) Waiting for the Rain To Fall (Robin Trower) - 3:46 rating: **** stars Perhaps the album's most melodic offering, the ballad 'Waiting for the Rain To Fall' offered up a great example of Trower's tasteful and economical plying style. Not a single extra note ... this was the perfect late evening "relax" track. In an interview I read, Trower indicated the song had been influenced by Tamla-Motown and yes, I can kin do hear it.
(side 2) 1.) Wither On the Vine (Robin Trower) - 4:11 rating: *** stars If the album had a throwback to classic '70s Trower, the ballad 'Wither On the Vine' would be the performance. Awesome, measured Trower solo. 2.) Cloud Across the Sun (Robin Trower) - 3:14 rating: *** stars Seemingly a not-too-subtle swipe at politicians, 'Cloud Across the Sun' was another track that came close to capturing Trower's famed 'Bridge of Sighs' sound. Perhaps not the album's most original composition, but it certainly rocked out. 3.) Fire To Ashes (Robin Trower) - 3:44 rating: *** stars I've always liked Trower's blues-oriented tunes and 'Fire To Ashes' was a nice addition to the catalog. Paddy Milner's organ added a nice edge to the song. It was also one of Watts' stand-out performances. 4.) The Razor's Edge (Robin Trower) - 3:02 rating: **** stars My pick for the album's standout performance, lyrically 'The Razor's Edge' offered up some blistering political commentary (vote the lying bastards out !!!), which was only matched by Trower's patented Strat-through-a-Marshall-amp sound. Another one that you have to listen to with your speakers cranked up to eleven.. 5.) I Will Always Be Your Shelter (Robin Trower) - 4:17 rating: **** stars 'I Will Always Be Your Shelter' closed the album with a beautiful ballad. Lyrically it wasn't any great shakes, but the song sported some of the album's sweetest solos.
© 02/2024 Scott R. Blackerby
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