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‘In the Line of Fire’ (Atlantic 7 82080-1) KKKK

Robin’s last album, ‘Take What You Need’, was utterly brilliant especially with ex-Gamma frontman Davey Pattison singing his head off like never before.

So lest we forget that Trower is still around, the man has come back with another album for Atlantic produced by Eddie Kramer that tries very hard to steal all the glory from the previous release.

Joining Trower once more comes Pattison along with (ex?) Ace Frehley bassist John Regan and, in background vocal capacity, both Drive She Said frontman Al Fritsch and ex-Balance singer Peppy Castro!

The direction seems to have more emphasis on commerciality than before but Robin’s blues style hasn’t been lost along the way.

But now more than ever before Trower’s music takes on a spacey, Gamma-like quality that’s testament to the influence Pattison’s voice has on the material. I’m banking on either ‘Turn The Volume Up’ (a spiced-up dirty rock guitar-oriented number with an anthemic chorus) or ‘Everybody’s Watching You Now’ (ZZ Top groove) to really capture all the attention and give Trower the commercial break he needs.

On first listening it isn’t as immediate an album as ‘Take What You Need’ but it’s still bloody good.

Dave Reynolds, Kerrang

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