Search - Robin Trower :: Day of the Eagle: The Best of Robin Trower

Despite a few missteps, this 'EAGLE' soars!

Christopher Gazzo | 07/10/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Robin Trower, as great as he is, probably does not get the recognition he deserves as a guitarist and songwriter. The original guitarist for Procol Harem set out on his own in 1971 to pursue a different direction. Often criticized for his overt Hendrix influence, Trower, not necessarily shaking the comparisons, has earned his place as an original and inspired player that few can match. Trower's greatest moment is, arguably, his 1974 release "Bridge of Sighs" which seems to showcase all of his winning attributes better than any of his other releases, perhaps even the compilations, including this one.



What you get here is a 17 song summation of Trower's work spanning from 1973's "Twice Removed From Yesterday" through 1980's "Victim's of the Fury." These were obviously his peak years as far as popularity is concerned but it does a disservice to the rest of his catalogue, which really has not waned in quality as one may suspect. The remastering of classics like "Day Of The Eagle," "About To Begin," and "Caravan To Midnight" all sound incredible with much added depth to the original recordings. However, the tracks selected from his live work from 1976's "Robin Trower Live" can, at times, lean towards sounding a little muddy. Unfortunately one of his best songs, "Too Rolling Stoned" from his "Bridge of Sighs" is represented here in a live version. Hey, it still smokes but wouldn't a 17 song compilation want to throw on the most well known version of a classic? In addition, the songs are not in chronological order but depending on your preference, this may not matter. All of this aside, there are some amazing recordings here that sadly many people are not familiar with. As an added bonus fans of Trower will be pleased to see the rare "Take a Fast Train" included, as it was originally the b-side to "Twice Removed From Yesterday" from his debut album of the same name. Speaking of which, where is THAT song? Well, it's not here.



Obviously this retrospective is meant as an introduction to a fabulous artist and to perhaps convince you to dig deeper into his often overlooked catalogue. Just be aware in doing so that there is so much more to hear from Robin Trower, whose career did not end in 1980, but continues to this day. If you like your blues rocking and are not familiar with Trower's post Procol Harem material you owe yourself the favor to pick this up. While you're there, grab a copy of "Bridge of Sighs." You can thank me later.

"

Silver guitar and golden voice

R. Amason | Tulsa, OK | 08/01/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This was a perfect walk on memory lane! I'd almost forgotten how much I loved Robin Trower's silvery, ethereal guitar and James Dewar's golden-throated, soulful voice. Day of the Eagle has many of the iconic Trower songs, and I listened to it several times, then loaded it on my mp3 player for any time I need a "fix". No other guitar player today has the same sound; Robin Trower is truly an original. A must-have for all Trower fans and those who love guitar legends."

Great Anthology Of Robin Trower; Should Be Purchased Along W

The Footpath Cowboy | Kingston, NY United States | 10/27/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"DAY OF THE EAGLE: THE BEST OF ROBIN TROWER is a great anthology of Robin Trower's work from 1973 to 1980. However, it should be purchased with BRIDGE OF SIGHS and THE ESSENTIAL ROBIN TROWER, because both of those have the studio version of "Too Rolling Stoned", whereas this one has a live version. The comparisons to Jimi Hendrix are totally unwarranted, because NOBODY could clone Jimi, and Robin was, and is, a great guitarist in his own right. Despite a few missteps (where's "Twice Removed From Yesterday"?), this anthology deserves five stars."