‘For Earth Below’ Chrysalis CHR 1073
Bill Lordan, the band’s new
drummer, has added a good deal of funk to the overall Trower sound and vocalist Jimmy Dewar – long underrated but still a major force in Britain – delivers some fine old gritty blues while Trower, on the opening
side at least, seems to be guided more from the hip than the heart than usual.
The opener ‘Shame the Devil’ highlights these points well but ‘It’s Only Money’ is set more in the traditional
rhythmic style, Dewar laying back and grating soulfully as Trower and Lordan set about circling in that familiar Trower pattern but you still get some of that Trower guitar magic, that emotive, voluptuous, flowing
style that owes a lot to Hendrix but is now firmly moulded into Robin’s own sound.
Nevertheless, ‘Money’ does drag its feet a bit and the aggression and weight of ‘Confessin’ Midnight’ is a
welcome change, a boogie based rocker that allows Lordan to show some good self confidence and pure energy in the Simon Kirke mould and little Jimmy as mean as can be with shades of a growling Jack Bruce.
Dewar manages to combine his vocal and bass duties well enough and the firm floor that he and Lordan lay down is the perfect springboard for Trower’s simplest or most extravagant runs.
Side one closes
with a very good track, ‘Fine Day’, a delicate, lovely composition made so in the most part by Dewar’s impeccable handling and uncluttered, bubbling wah wah effects from Trower.
With Lordan’s equally
tasteful handling Jimmy glides easily through his work and into another mover to open side two, ‘Alethea’ where that drive and attack returns, Trower’s guitar cutting menacingly in and out, taking the
occasional break but ‘A Tale Untold’ is probably the standout track highlighted by a steady driving tempo and carefully held back vocals, the guitar telling as much of the story in the early parts as Dewar.
The drummer is again responsible for some good timing and propulsion, Trower content to set the pace and take the timely solo dash until at the end he plays a really creeping, atmospheric piece that makes the
hairs on your neck stand up (all smooth skinned types, watch out).
‘Gonna Be More Suspicious’ proves to be much more heavyweight and menacing Jimmy boy revelling in the abrasive rolling and tumbling
accompaniment and fighting his way to the top of the pile but it’s back to the slower tempo with the title track, the most lyrical number of the lot, Dewar hanging onto his lines longer, passions more openly
expressed and again showing himself to be a singer of the highest quality.
But it’s Trower’s track, floating and tumbling softly over the vocals, producer Matthew Fisher employing the same effects that
made ‘Bridge of Sighs’ such a fine number.
On the face of it this fits neatly into the Trower pattern of music but clearly, after a few listens, Dewar and Lordan have had a good deal to do with a slight
shift on this, the band’s third album.
A lot of Trower’s music does sound a bit samey and a change in the writing priorities might make a lot of difference and as this set takes some time to fully sink
in it might be a good idea for prospective Trower fans to give his first two albums a shot before deciding about ‘For Earth Below’.
It does of course show the overall width and creativity of Trower
and the band and along with Bad Company I think they hold out great hopes in the coming years for the future of British music.
Billy Walker, Sounds |
