Music review: Randy Bachman – ‘Heavy Blues鈥�
鈥淚t hits you like a ton of bricks,鈥� sings Randy Bachman on the 71-year-old Canadian rocker鈥檚 latest solo effort. 鈥淗eavy Blues鈥� packs a powerful punch of blues and rock revolved around plenty of fervent guitar work. The former Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive member was inspired by words of wisdom offered by Neil Young.
Young encouraged Bachman to reinvent himself for the new album and not just crank out more of the same material. Bachman answers the challenge by composing fresh arrangements that detail the various changes in his life over the last several years.
For the new material, the accomplished guitarist joins up with some familiar six-string virtuosos to bolster the guitar-driven tone. Lending to the hot licks are Young, Joe Bonamassa, Robert Randolph and Peter Frampton. Also included is a posthumous appearance from the late Jeff Healey on the engaging 鈥淐onfessin鈥� to the Devil.鈥�
鈥淭he Edge鈥� opens the album with electrifying guitar chords reminiscent of Pete Townshend鈥檚 passionate string work on 鈥淲on鈥檛 Get Fooled Again.鈥� 鈥淭on of Bricks鈥� follows and delivers the same kind of grinding chords that fueled Bachman-Turner Overdrive鈥檚 classic 鈥淟et It Ride.鈥� Bonamassa and Frampton are exceptional on 鈥淏ad Child鈥� and the title track respectively.
For me, the highlight comes with Bachman laying down his best ZZ Top impression by delivering infectious boogie rock on 鈥淲ild Texas Ride.鈥� If you ever owned a copy of 鈥淏est of B.T.O. (So Far)鈥� with classic rock hits like 鈥淗ey You,鈥� 鈥淵ou Ain鈥檛 Seen Nothing Yet,鈥� 鈥淩oll on Down the Highway鈥� and 鈥淭akin鈥� Care of Business,鈥� Bachman鈥檚 latest musical resurgence promises to hit you like a ton of bricks, proving that he鈥檚 still very much capable of taking care of business.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.