You hear about it all the time: musicians of different bands getting together recording a cd. Sometimes this results in a disaster but in the case of Black Country Communion I would almost say it surpasses their own work!
The energy that explodes out of my speakers tells me one important thing: These guys had a blast recording this silvery disc!! Joe Bonamassa is clearly in his element here playing one fat riff after another making me grab my guitar instantly…
The thing I love most about this album is that its honest. Not hundreds of overdubs, almost like you’re listening to a live performance, so props to the man pushing the buttons!
I was actually surprised that they have a keyboardist in the name of Derek Sherinian whom I remember of his time in Dream Theater This is probably because the electronics are not so much on the foreground in the heavy songs which I consider to be a good thing. It keeps everything intense and raw and I think you would have to switch off his handy work to find out that it is actually a very important part of the sound. In other words, everything blends perfectly and has its place in this group…
What else is there to say, this is by far one of the best albums that I have heard in years! No tracks to fill the space, amazing musicianship, the voice of Glenn Hughes, the skills of Joe Bonamassa and then there is Jason!
From experience I’ve learned that a drummer can completely transform the sound of a band, the energy it emits. Wrong drummer in the wrong place and a lot of the magic is gone. Jason is definitely the man for the Job here. That he is the son of Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham doesn’t mean anything to me, he doesn’t need his daddy’s fame and shows that time and time again. I’m sure the genes have helped him learning his skills probably but even with the genetics on his side, he got where he’s at now because of hard work, dedication, passion, and last but not least his musicianship!
Black Country Communion fills the need of millions of people who love that old skool rock music… Forget about Purple, Zeppelin and others for a while… There is a new gang in town and they mean business!!
My Favourite TracksLittle Secret (3 great solos)
Smokestack woman (great guitar main riff)
Faithless (great composition)
What I Love
- Fantastic guitar riffs
- Soaring guitar solos
- Great compositions
- Intense vocals
- I could go on for hours...
Not So Much
- I hate it that I can't really find something to dislike
For anyone who loves the old bands like Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, and others: check them out! But in general this is a great CD with a good mix of rock and blues influences. If you are an intermediate guitarist there is a lot for you on this cd to like and play...