Reviews roundup – Steve Hill vs. Joe Bonamassa vs. Rose Tattoo

Reviews roundup – Steve Hill vs. Joe Bonamassa vs. Rose Tattoo

STEVE HILL
One Man Blues Rock Band
Manhaton

I was converted when I heard “Solo Recordings Volume 3″ late last year. Extraordinary blues rock from yer actual one man band. And now he’s back with a live album.

And it is live. “I wanted to capture a live album that featured all the energy of my live shows,” says Steve. There are no overdubs on this live album… I play everything myself in real time. There are no tapes or loops. What you hear is what you get.”

What you get is great. He powers through some great blues rock riffs an album mainly of original material. The likes of ‘Rhythm All Over’ and ‘The Collector’ are straight out of the top drawer. But he can mellow down easy as well and gets more ruminative on songs such as ‘Tough Luck’ and ”Out of Phase’. When he pulls a tune out of the Little Walter songbook it’s a real treat and it’s only the closing Jimi Hendrix cover that had me reaching for the skip button. I understand why it’s in a live show. I’m just not a fan.

But that aside this is as good as it gets in the blues rock world today.

JOE BONAMASSA
British Blues Explosion Live
Provogue

On the subject of modern blues rock, Joe Bonamassa fans must all be building extensions about now, what with the huge number of releases that the hardest working man in show-business punts out. And here’s another multi-format release for them.

This time around you have the choice of CD / DVD/ Blu-Ray & 3LP (Blue, Red & White). So that’s a new shelving unit then. This was a short term thing, though, so fans will snap them up with alacrity. It was a five date tour that allowed Mr B to highlight the music he grew up loving. Namely, the British blues rock explosion of the sixties. So this is where he tips his hat to the likes of Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.

The show was recorded at Greenwich Music Time at The Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich, London on July 7, 2016 and sees Mr B and his band (Michael Rhodes (Bass), Reese Wynans (Keyboards), Anton Fig (Drums) and Russ Irwin (Rhythm Guitar & Backing Vocals) give a right old kicking to tunes such as ‘Beck’s Bolero’, ‘Plynth (Water Down The Drain)’ and ‘SWLABR’, the real standouts on this release. So some happy Jeff Beck / Cream fans will be rubbing their hands. Except of course if you are a Beck or a Cream fan you’ll probably like the originals best. However, Bonamassa fans will enjoy the chance to hear him exploring his influences.

As a tour souvenir it works well, even if it nearly two years since the show. The DVD and Blu-Ray versions also boast bonus content such as Joe performing ‘Taxman’ Live at the Cavern Club, Liverpool, him being honoured with a “Brick In The Wall”, a featurette on the British Blues Explosion and a photo gallery of the British Blues Explosion show.

ROSE TATTOO
Blood Brothers
Golden Robot

I remember buying this when it came out as tour edition with a live from Wacken DVD. But I’d forgotten that it was actually a rather good album.

I’m one of those people old enough to have seen the classic line-up. I remember wandering round every record shop in Edinburgh the day after I saw them open for Rainbow looking for one of their records. There were none to be had despite there being about 30 record shops in town back then. So it was the back pages of Sounds and a postal order (ask your parents) before a picture disc of ‘Rock’n’Roll Outlaw’ finally arrived. Of course it all went pear shaped after the classic “Scarred For Life” album but every time they stumbled back into view I was there.

2007 was a bad year for the Tatts with guitarist Pete Wells and ex-bassist Ian Riley both dying within a few months of each other and title of this album was for them. It also turned out to be the final album by the late Mick Cocks. However, after a few missteps along the way this was almost vintage Rose Tattoo with the fantastic slide work of Dai Pritchard driving things along. Bluesy, sleazy songs like ‘Nothing to Lose’, ‘Black Eyed Bruiser’ and ‘Once in a Lifetime’ would have sat snugly on any of their classic releases. It’s a lot better than I remember from a decade ago and I won’t be letting it slip to the bottom of the pile again.

This reissue come with a six track live EP featuring songs of “Blood Brothers” and with an Autumn UK tour lined up (with Girlschool) this is shaping up to be a good year for Rose Tattoo fans.

_____
St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
_____