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It's a challenge writing a review of a covers album when the originals
are already well-known as classics. So... who is this album aimed at?
Definitely at the people who appreciate mature, inspired guitarwork, played
with an artistry and imagination which takes each tune a step above and
beyond - because you have to listen to it that way, and be ready for when
it goes to those places. It's not for people who just want 'cover
versions'.
On the first listen, it did take me a while to get into each song, purely
due to hearing a different voice to the one that had made each song its
own - and that made it harder, on the first run-through, to appraise each
song in a whole-is-greater-than-the-sum-of-the-parts kinda way. This is
in no way a criticism of Davey - it's a criticism of myself! But it didn't
take long to get over that, cos even on the first hearing it was clear
that the creativity is at a peak - a 'summit' indeed! Michael Schenker's
feel and tone are sublime and Gunter Nezhoda's confident basslines underpin
each tune with full-bodied bluesy energy. Davey's whiskey vocals particularly
suit Pearly Queen, Never In My Life (which features Leslie West and Michael
Schenker together), and also Long Misty Days - which is just beautiful.
All the tracks have an added dimension to the original, and throughout
the album Aynsley Dunbar's drumming is rock solid. Michael's solo on Whiter
Shade Of Pale is enchanting. Lots of superlatives, I know - but musically
they're justified.
Even
though this is a studio recording, it does sound very much like a real-time
jam session, where each song develops and builds as it goes.
The solos on them all are very uplifting - on the first few listens The
Stealer and Voyager solos particularly - and on I Got The Fyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
too, whoahhh! Theme For An Imaginary Western was one I was really looking
forward to hearing,
as Leslie West and Michael again both play on this one, and it didn't
disappoint at all - it scaled new heights as promised and as expected
from these two great guitar legends.
I'm not sure if this will ever happen, but I'd really like to see all
these tracks performed Live cos I'm sure the live improvisations could
take these songs anywhere the jammers want to take them. The only track
that I haven't really got into yet is the opener, Shapes Of Things. For
me, that is the only one that doesn't musically match up to the tried-and-trusted
version. But the others have qualities that make up for it. I would also
like to hear an alternative version of the whole album as an instrumental,
too - because that's where I think its appeal to Schenker fans really
is.
Batttttty
- April 13th 2004
Footnote added 25th April - OK, I've listened to the album for a couple
of weeks now, and I think there should be some kind of disclaimer on the
packaging, more or less saying 'Don't buy this cd if you like your 'covers'
to be clones of the originals. Clear your mind of the originals before
you listen' or something like that. And an appropriate alternative title
for the album could be .... 'Adventures Of The Jamagination'.
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