Michael L. (bluesman) from OXFORD, MA Reviewed on 10/12/2009...
vintage trower!
CD Reviews
Blue Trower
Kurt Harding | Boerne TX | 04/03/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Robin Trower has had his ups and downs through the years and I have followed him for most of his career since he was with Procol Harum. In my opinion, his golden years spanned the period between his first solo album and continued through In City Dreams. After that, his CDs became kind of a mixed bag that ranged from excellent to awful. Fans never knew which Trower was going to show up. Then about a year and a half or so ago, Trower issued a new album entitled Living Out Of Time. That CD should have settled questions as to whether Robin had any great music left in him. And if that didn't, last year's double-whammy of the Living Out Of Time Live DVD and this CD should have left no doubt that Robin Trower is as good as ever and maybe getting better!
Trower has always generally been considered a hard rock guitarist with strong blues leanings, but never before has his music been imbued with the blues as it is here. If Bridge of Sighs can be generally considered his finest rock album, then Another Days Blues should come to be considered his best blues effort to date.
Many of the songs here are remakes of previous songs, but every one of them is better off for it. Davey Pattison's vocals bring a dimension to Trower's songs not heard since the late, great James Dewar. And Trower himself plays with the kind of controlled fury characteristic of the best blues guitarists. Throw in old hands Reg Isadore on drums, Dave Bronze on bass and add Nicky Brown on organ, and you are in for a treat.
Some fans want to hear Trower play machine-gun fast as he was famous for in the old days. That wouldn't work with these songs, and Trower is musically mature enough to know it. The quality of the music on Another Day's Blues affirms his new approach.
Nearly the entire CD is first rate and I really like the remake of Someday Blues, 21st Century Blues, the retooled Go My Way, the languid Shining Through, the swinging cover of Crossroads, and the driving Feel So Bad. However, the most powerful and intense song, both lyrically and musically, is undoubtedly the reincarnation of Extermination Blues. Listen closely to and heed its cautionary message.
If you are an old fan of Robin Trower who just lost track of him over the years, Another Days Blues is the perfect album with which to make a reacquaintance. Then, get his Living Out Of Time DVD. And watch for his 2006 tour. You'll be glad you did.
"
Great cd - blues guitar with tone to die for...
D. Hill | Chandler, AZ | 02/24/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is the 1st cd I have purchased in a while that I can honestly listen to each song and enjoy. Every song is good. And the guitar is the shining star. Anyone interested in playing blues guitar should listen to this. Trower has great feel and tone -while not over playing. A blueprint of great blues guitar. The vocals are also good. Pattison is singing with passion. Especially on track #9. Shining Through is a great song all the way thru, with extremely strong guitar. The only complaint I have on this cd is the fade outs. Every song has too quick of a fade out. For God sake, let Trower wail!!! A few songs almost fade before pattison can get his last vocal in. Being a guitar player myself, I definitely want to hear more. Maybe that is the point, but I feel this could have been a major cd if the sweet sounding guitar being played by a true legend was allowed to playout on the endings."
Robin reaches a new high!
David Van Kleeck | Glendale, AZ USA | 03/02/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Having listened to this CD several times now and still getting excited at every listen, I rate this Album among Robin's BEST! If I had to choose just three songs that would make my case for this newest addition being rated so high, I'd have to say;
First, there's Davey Pattison's vocal treatment of 'Go My Way', the Title Track to another of my favorite Trower Albums. Davey brings that incredible voice and soulful interpretation into line keeping stride with Robin's guitar mastery, giving the song an entirely different feel from the original - one that still makes me want to roll the windows down and turn the volume UP!
Second, there is the lusciously rich and smokey vocals of Hazel Fernandez giving all she's got on 'Looking For a New Love'. This is a powerhouse performance by a woman who makes you FEEL the bar stool under you, breathe in the smoke filled air scented with perfume, hard liquor and the sweat of a dance floor filled with passionate prowlers on the make!
Third, and BEST from my point of view, there is Robin Trower giving voice to one of two brand new songs on the CD, the final track titled 'This Blue Love'. I have heard Robin sing many times now, but never like this. His voice has attained a range that is equal to his guitar, becoming as much a finely tuned instrument as his Signature Strat while expressing himself with pure passion and raw emotion! This song gives me chills EVERY TIME I hear it!"
Another great job Robin!
Mark | Stillwater, MN United States | 12/10/2005
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This new CD has some great guitar work by Robin, and Davey Paterson does some job as vocalist. This is a reworking of "Someday Blues", with a couple of new songs on it, and a different version of "Go my Way". I prefer this to "Someday Blues", just because I think the vocals go better with the guitar work than the previous release. Four and a half stars!"
"I must say this is my return to listening to Robin Trower after a lapse of twenty years! that's right, I was around when his first lp twice removed came out and cannot quite recall what I felt about that album. I lost touch with Trower's music soon after when I began to drift toward hard blues. My impression of Another Days Blues is colored by the fact I am NOT judging this in light of Trower's entire recorded output prior to this CD. I really like this CD. I love the controlled fire of Trower's playing. The CD does groove, despite some fans' opinion otherwise. I also went out and got the CD Somedays Blues. Guess what? I love this cd AS WELL!! This is despite the fact the Another Days Blues is a virtual remake of Some Day Blues.
Both Cds sound great. My pref at the moment is for the earlier release. The sound is more open and the playing is fresh and hits bulls eye on every track. The recent release has a fuller sound and the playing is equally good. A lot has been written about the fact that Trower's playing might lack the punch or the firewroks of his rock based cds. I cannot compare, but let me assure you that these two cds have enornmous fire to the playing. What about Trower's voice?? Well think about other great blues guitar players who you would not label as great vocalists (Jimmy Vaughan for e.g). My test is whether the playing and singing speak to each other: They do here in spades for me.
Buy both CDs and put them on, turn up the music and let it envelope you. My guess is the killer tone and beautifully conceived playing with space between the notes will pull you in. The five star rating is reserved for CDs that I would not hesitate to play for my friends and those that have stood up to repeated listening and that I can hear something new each time i play them. These CDs pass that test for me. This is great after hours music..."