Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Whitesnake
Label: EMI Records
Released: 1978
Length: 38:20
Rating: 4/5
»Trouble« was the studio debut of British hard rock champions Whitesnake, who in the first phase of their career (1978-1984) made their name as an incredibly heartfelt blues rock outfit. They had to fight tooth and nail for media exposure at first, so they threw themselves heart and soul into writing and playing every new song. Frontman and incorrigible vocal charmer David Coverdale had already, on the EP »Snakebite« (1978), released a month earlier, struck a deal with the renowned producer Martin Birch, who had worked on some of the best studio achievements of Coverdale’s previous band, Deep Purple.
David also managed to bring in another former Deep Purple colleague, the legendary keyboard grandmaster Jon Lord (1941-2012). Whitesnake’s original keyboardist was actually Brian Johnston (ex-Streetwalkers), but he didn’t fit Coverdale’s demanding taste at all, so David hoped that former Procol Harum organist Pete Solley would turn out to be the right pick. Solley didn’t last long in the band either, as he had more important production commitments and had to say his goodbyes.
So the seasoned Lord stepped in. After Deep Purple’s breakup he had tried to refresh his career with the short-lived project Paice, Ashton & Lord, which also featured Purple drummer Ian Paice, another future Whitesnake member. The legendary keyboardist joined a band that, with the guitar pairing of Micky Moody and Bernie Marsden, already had a rich supply of guitar harmonies. Besides his wealth of experience, he brought extra sonic depth through a wide range of organ and synthesizer wizardry. Original drummer Steve Plant, who played on »Snakebite«, was replaced by Dave Dowle (ex-Streetwalkers), and here’s a fascinating tidbit: at just 13, he formed his first band, Canterbury Glass, together with former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett.
»Trouble«, whose name, according to Coverdale, comes from the fact that the singer’s first child was born during the recording, presented a hard-hitting blues rock outfit in full flight, brimming with passion on the wings of David’s always emotionally rich vocals and a burning desire to prove their chops as songwriters and players. »Take Me With You« is the explosive opener you’d expect from real hard rock heavyweights, with plenty of razor-sharp guitar passages, tastefully greased Hammond organ lines and a temperamental drum stampede, while the color of Coverdale’s mighty voice keeps twisting with fervent longing.
The rather shallow lyrics, mostly about love and even more often spiced up with eroticism, were usually the main target of criticism throughout their career. But anyone who knew Coverdale’s nature, and the fact that he went from a shy young man to standing under the spotlights of huge stadiums practically overnight when he joined Deep Purple, found it much easier to understand why he was always so preoccupied with these messages on the border between sensual poetry and naked sexuality, and with his ‘white snake’.
On the highly melodic crowd-pleaser »Love to Keep You Warm«, built from simple but supremely tasteful guitar phrasing between Moody and Marsden, Lord’s rustling organ and a very catchy chorus, our passionate frontman longs for the warmth of a woman’s body. The blandly titled »Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)« is another ‘party’ tune, with an almost danceable rhythm courtesy of frisky organ and piano passages and sharpened guitar licks, while the erotically spiced chorus is accompanied by tasteful harmonies. The hard rock version of »Day Tripper« turns out to be a surprisingly successful take on The Beatles’ evergreen: the central vocal harmony suits Coverdale’s voice extremely well, while the full-bodied guitar passages with effects and Lord’s keyboard antics add a cheeky, flirtatious atmosphere.
On the fast-paced »Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)«, the dizzying guitar wizardry of the two guitar masters stands out in particular, firmly backed by Murray’s rattling bass lines, in which you can catch a whiff of jazz fusion. That gets an extra push from Lord’s short but passionate organ improvisation. You can hear clearly here what kind of virtuosos Coverdale had gathered around him, players who went beyond the strict genre limits of your typical blues rock exploits. »The Time Is Right For Love«, steeped in a nostalgic mood, already borders on early melodic rock/AOR, which they’d flirt with far more through the eighties. Here too there are majestic harmonies between the two guitarists, complex bass lines and complex keyboard specialties, while Coverdale’s vocal performance this time is closer to a pure lyrical confession than to shameless eroticism.
The title track is, as expected, a full-blooded blues rocker with cutting guitar phrases, ethereal backing vocals and David’s irritated, frustrated vocal approach, weighed down by ‘everyday troubles’. Here Moody and Marsden once again split the lead guitar duties beautifully. The lone but excellent instrumental »Belgian’s Tom Hat Trick« is a rare, slightly humorous moment, which, thanks to lively boogie rhythms led by merciless drum fills, wild guitar passages and organ orgies, recreates an authentic barroom atmosphere.
»Free Flight« is yet another temperamental blues rocker with a touch of funk and R&B whimsy. What impresses most are the complex and above all melodic vocal harmonies, under the surprising lead of Bernie Marsden in the main vocal role, though the level of sharpness and virtuosity from David’s ‘partners in crime’ is once again considerable. The closer, »Don’t Mess With Me«, is one of the most punchy moments of the whole album, where Mr. Coverdale proves with a passionate vocal performance that you definitely don’t joke around with him when he’s hungry for meaty delights, while his comrades faithfully cover him with wild passages on both guitars and organ, rattling bass lines and uncompromising drum crashes.
At a time when ‘old rock’ was considered something outlived and ‘dinosaur-like’ in the commercial media amid the march of punk and disco, Whitesnake boldly ignored the trend dictates of the day and on »Trouble« burned through a form of hard rock soaked in bluesy melody. From here on, the climb to the top of the best hard rock bands of the era was merely a formality.
Line-up
David Coverdale – vocals
Micky Moody – guitar
Bernie Marsden – guitar, vocals on “Free Flight”
Neil Murray – bass guitar
Jon Lord – keyboards
Dave Dowle – drums
Production
Martin Birch
Track list
1. Take Me With You
2. Love to Keep You Warm
3. Lie Down (A Modern Love Song)
4. Day Tripper
5. Nighthawk (Vampire Blues)
6. The Time Is Right for Love
7. Trouble
8. Belgian Tom’s Hat Trick
9. Free Flight
10. Don’t Mess With Me
