Search - Chuck Berry :: Rock It

No producer, he

Eugene J. Casey | USA | 03/13/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Chuck sings, plays and (most impressively) writes his backside off on this record. He has Johhny Johnson on piano and a Nashville rhythm section, and a handfull of great new Berry classics. What could go wrong? As mentioned in some of the other reviews here, the main problem is Chuck is his own worst producer. This record suffers from a dull, antiseptic sound, with little of the raw excitement of the glorious Chess sides or even some of Chuck's earlier 70s fare. If ever there was a work that could use a massive re-mixing it is this album. The performances are there but need to be properly brought to the fore. Yes, Chuck seems to want to be a bronze Mary Ford, overdubbing his voice two or three times on many of the tracks. Nice harmonizing but a little of it would've gone a long way. Still this record is worth picking up for the excellent top-notch, seemingly effortless pieces of Berry Americana: "Move It," "I Never Thought," and especially "Wudn't Me," a tune that sits beside "Johnny B Goode" and "Maybelline" and the other masterpieces in its concise narrative flow and Chuck wit."

VERY UNDER-APPRECIATED & UNDER-RATED

popular culture lover | Travelers Rest, SC United States | 08/26/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a neglected gem, if ever there was one. The entire lineup is great, with the only previously recorded being "Havana Moon." If you have any interest in Chuck Berry, this will demonstrate that he had not run out of gas creatively, even in the late 1970's. The cut "Wuden't Me" is especially clever, showing Chuck's trademark wordplay. And the spoken-word closer of the album, "Pass Away," is unlike anything Chuck ever did before. It shows him to be a literate, nuanced poet. Do yourself a favor and buy this album."

All is in order, save for the double-tracking

popular culture lover | 06/25/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Chuck is back: the poetry is super, the music and playing is too. A return to form, you might say. But why O why did he double track his voice on the rockers? That's not Chuck. To me, anyway. Other than that, this album would have easily rated a big 5 stars. But if you like Chuck Berry, of course you're going to buy this one. Hey, I heard him play a song or two off this album in NYC on 6-15-02, and it was fantastic, as was the entire concert. But ohhhh why the double tracking."