Robin Trower Roots and Branches Label : V12
Released: February 2013
Format : Mp3 @ 320
Guitarist Robin Trower pays homage to his early influences on this recording. Roots and Branches songs. Trower also demonstrates his guitar mastery on new material as well.
This album – his 31st if you except live albums – sees him mixing classicsa with his own material but the treatment of the classics is all about the song and his treatment – no copying of anyone elses style or repeating the classic lines. Hear his version of ‘Little Red Rooster’; everyone knows the Stones version and there oughtn’t be too many who don’t know the Willie Dixon/Howling Wolf original but he takes the song and adds a relaxed positivity to it that takes out the brashness of Jagger or the tweeness of Carla Thomas and gives you a song that is new and completely familiar at the same time.
Or take a listen to ‘That’s Alright Mama’ – Elvis and Big Mama Thornton laid down the classic versions and Arthur Crudup (Big Boy) wrote it and released the first version back in 1946. This version is a stone killer with a blasting riff and brilliantly funky tones. He also covers Leiber & Stoller’s ‘Hound Dog’ and takes it much closer to Big Mama Thornton’s blast than Elvis’s
Tracklist : 1. Hound Dog - 3:50
2. The Thrill Is Gone - 5:31
3. When I Heard Your Name - 5:06
4. Little Red Rooster - 6:04
5. I Believe to My Soul - 4:22
6. Shape of Things to Come - 3:43
7. That's Alright Mama - 3:19
8. Save Your Love - 7:10
9. Born Under a Bad Sign - 3:33
10. Sheltered Moon - 5:33
11. See My Life - 5:19
Robin Trower: Guitars and Vocals
Livingstone Brown: Bass Guitar
Richard Watts: Bass Guitar and Vocals
Chris Taggart: Drums
Luke Smith: Keyboards
Paul Jones: Harmonica