Artist: Trower, Robin
Label: V-12 Records
Release: 2008
Rating: 4/5
Robin Trower and Jack Bruce are two eminent names from the world of rock, known to most mere mortals mainly from the glory days of the mighty rumble of Procol Harum and Cream. Trower and Bruce are old acquaintances, we can safely even call them friends, and after more than twenty-five years and two albums from the early ’80s (BLT and Truce), they’re now crossing swords for the third time with the sensational Seven Moons. And what a record it is! For the third time, the two old-timers have pulled off forging an outstanding blend of blues and rock, one that’s surely among the most important contributions to the blues rock genre of the 21st century.
Robin Trower and Jack Bruce are gentlemen of seriously mature years, so they don’t waste any time. With the opening Seven Moons, the duo quickly sets the tone, and with few exceptions it stubbornly stays the common denominator of the whole album. The record builds its color on the crossing of both musicians’ most recognizable stylistic trademarks, honed to their effective maximum. As expected, one of the key elements of the album is Bruce’s voice, which, even if it’s gotten a bit gravelly with age, is still commanding and thoroughly listenable. We’re happy to report that Jack Bruce can still hold his own vocally against heavy-duty blues rock steamrollers like Lives of Clay, which sucks us without warning straight into a world of relentless bluesy stomping. Trower revels here in perfect sonic control, often capable of unexpected build-ups, that in certain stretches hints at the tradition of British blues. But no panic, his playing brims with freshness and is full of exactly that minimalist magic that puts substance first. Trower is in excellent form, and the same mood radiates from the sensational performance Jack Bruce has prepared for us. Jack’s bass digs confidently deep beneath the guitarist’s lines, and his sharply clipped notes masterfully round off the song with chilling, yearning feelings. The duo goes one step further into the “unknown blue” with Come to Me, another effectively crafted blues rocker with a strong whiff of Hendrix.
She’s Not the One also owes a lot to Jimi’s magical aromas. Far from being material for repetitive radio play, the song boasts infectious melodiousness that carries its basic motif lightly over stripped-down arrangements, all the way to Trower’s shy solo at the end. So Far to Yesterday takes a similar path, but with a touch more dynamic range. Perfect Place and the personal confession with the telling title Bad Case of Celebrity impress with some intense root-sniffing. While the former is a one-of-a-kind blues rock specimen that keeps writhing like a viper before our eyes, Bad Case of Celebrity takes us into a dreamy world where despair and pain make their home! Bruce’s voice grabs the listener by the balls right away, sounding incredibly authentic in the style of the greatest blues orators. When Trower finally lets loose too, the whole supernatural magic of the partnership is laid bare before us in an instant.
With such a varied offering of songs in both content and instrumentation, which win you over with their exceptional character from the very first listen, the “unfinished” Distant Places of the Heart, Just Another Day and I’m Home actually feel redundant, even though you can’t really accuse them of lacking creativity. The synergy of two rock giants is present in them throughout, but unfortunately the three tracks lack a pinch of the organic feel that adorns the rest, which is to say the vast majority of the album. It’s precisely this life energy that Seven Moons proudly carries that proves Robin Trower and Jack Bruce, despite their respectable years, are still burning at full blast, firing on all cylinders! Hats off to the old-timers!
Lineup
Robin Trower: guitar, vocals
Jack Bruce: bass, vocals
Gary Husband: drums
Production
Robin Trower
Track list
1.Seven Moons
2.Lives of Clay
3.Distant Places of the Heart
4.She’s Not the One
5.So Far to Yesterday
6.Just Another Day
7.Perfect Place
8.The Last Door
9.Bad Case of Celebrity
10.Come to Me
11.I’m Home
Album length: 47.53
