Untitled Document

How about a blues album from those masters of rocking rhythm, Aerosmith? Unlikely? Not in the least.

Steve Tyler introduces the CD in the finest traditions of circus sideshow parlance…. ”Ladeeeez and Gentleman,….Step right up….” As the band ease into a moderato 12 bar tempo on Road Runner,Steve comes in with a “Well I'm a Road Runner Honey…..” over the powerful rhythm perforated with Joe Perry's rock'n'roll styled and toned guitar licks. Joe also sings backing vox on this song and a special FX Harley Davidson adds the “road” flavour to the title! Brum Brum!

The rendition of Shame Shame Shame is not what I expected. A fast tempo number with Johnnie Johnson no less on piano has a late fifties swing type of rock'n'roll feel to it and a nice bass line. Steve Tyler's gruff vocals sound perfect with a great band behind him.

The Sonny Boy Williamson Eyesight to the Blind has a great intro with Elmore James style slides a la “Dust My Broom” whilst Steve Tyler's vocals again fitted the song perfectly. The harp fills and solos are superb but I'm unsure who actually plays harp as the credits on the CD notes are misleading. It's a great blues song though, all credit to the band.

There's a great start to Baby Please Don't Go, many will think this is a Van Morrison original, well the mighty Van…..well mighty moody Van did do a great version of Big Joe Williams fabulous song. Aerosmith have recorded an equally good version of this super riffy number. I love this song, it's fabulous and has a “live” feel to it.

The celebrated Memphis Horns feature on Never Loved a Girl the soul blues classic featured in The Commitments film. Great song breathed on by the Aerosmith magic. Joe Perry's cascading guitar is subtly underscored beneath Steve Tyler's dynamic vocals whilst the bass and drums have a really good uneven “firing order” which makes the song's rhythm so good.

Another excellent blues song is Back Back Train featuring Tracey Bonham on backing vocals and Joe Perry on lead vocal and Hurdy Gurdy, and Dobro guitar. It's a get down and dirty cowboy style blues…cowboy blues? It's actually a Mississippi Fred McDowell song, slow tempo doleful but glorious blues. Tracey Bonham's backing vocals are tremendous and are goose-pimple forming! Brilliant.

A Bo Diddley beat introduces You Gotta Move, another Mississippi Fred McDowell song, this a co-written effort with The Reverend G. Davis and sang by the irreverent Steve Tyler! Joe Perry excels with some mean guitar licks and some great rhythm guitar from Brad Whitford. This is one of the highlights of this excellent CD.

A Tyler/Perry original blues manifests itself in The Grind and is less traditional blues and typically Aerosmith. A good song.

A blues tribute wouldn't be complete without a Willie Dixon song now would it? Steve semi-mimics Willie Dixon vocally on I'm Ready. The often covered song has an unusual intro on this version but it fits very nicely. Steve Tyler really is versatile a vocalist and he pulls this off with ease with dynamic phrasing and tone.

The song Temperature is another Willie Dixon styled song but Cohen/Jacobs are credited as authors. Traditional and well played, it's a slow tempo swingy blues.

The Peter Green classic Stop Messing' Round is nicely interpreted by this superb band and sang by Joe Perry on lead vocals. Joe always strikes me as an Anglophile style guitar player in the Peter Green/Jimmy Page school, for I feel sure his influences lie between the two British superstars, with maybe a bit of Keith Richards thrown in for good measure!

The album slows down to play the Mississippi Fred McDowell blues; Jesus On The Main Line . One of those doleful and slightly depressing blues, it has it's merits, but for me spoils the ending of the CD. I would have preferred a rip-roaring 12 bar .That's just a personal view and don't let it put you off this excellent CD, because the rest of the album is fabulous.