Review by Taf Rock for MPM
Broken – an apt title indeed for a Walter Trout album. Less than a week after the release of this album Walter will be celebrating his 73rd birthday.
During those 73 years he has endured more than his fair share of ill fortune – none more so than his well documented period of serious ill health throughout 2013/2014. Walter was broken but thankfully not beyond repair. The present day sees Walter back on top form and producing first class music as exhibited on this his 31st solo album – once again produced by long-time collaborator Eric Corne, this album marking the 15th time the duo have worked together.
The album kicks off in fine form with Walter and his band being joined on the title track by blues powerhouse vocalist Beth Hart – a real heavyweight collaboration that sets the fires blazing within seconds of the amps crackling into life.
‘Pieces of myself just seem to break away… I lose a little more … every day’ he recalls the dark days of his illness and his subsequent journey to recovery ‘somebody put me back together’. Beth Hart’s towering vocals are heard for the first time in the duetted chorus before she sings the next verse alone. Against a backdrop of scintillating keyboards she croons ‘I just wanna feel … Everything seems so unreal’. Just like this magical combination. A masterpiece to open the album with. There’s no sign of any broken parts here as Walter lays down a breathtaking solo. Beth and Walter – two shining diamonds illuminating the darkness created by the track’s lyrical content. The track reaches its climactic conclusion as Beth’s vocals on the outro tower to unforeseen heights.
We hear harmonica for the first time as a cowboy seemingly walks into town for the western tinged blues of Turn And Walk Away. ‘It never occurred to me that you would ever set me free’ Walter sings over a lightly strummed guitar. A military-like drumbeat ensues but this song is no procession. Harmonica and guitar together in unison as Walter continues ‘the fire here … burns so true’.
Keyboards help create a mellow feeling during Courage In The Dark. A slow blues – ‘we all need some understanding … someone to care’. ‘It’s easy to get shattered by one insensitive remark’. Walter provides an exhibition of the highest quality blues as he breaks into a trademark solo at the track’s midpoint.
Walter brings a second guest to the stage for Bleed as Will Wilde becomes the star of the show for one track with his insane harmonica playing. A man renowned for his virtuosity on the gob iron – he performs the Gary Moore classic Parisienne Walkways during his live sets replacing the guitar solos with harmonica. A boogie style track – according to Trout’s drummer Michael Leasure the first boogie Walter has recorded throughout all 31 of his solo albums. Walter opens proceedings and sets the tempo before encouraging Wilde to ‘play your harmonica son’.
Not about to turn down that invite Wilde provides the spark, igniting the gunpowder with a scintillating performance that elevates this particular boogie to stratospheric heights. Feel the hairs on the back of your neck rise as the combined force of Wilde and Trout provide a whole new dynamic to the well trodden blues boogie format. Not to be outdone Walter emerges from the shadows and has the final say leading the band in a celebration of blues rock boogie style.
During his travels whilst on the road Walter often finds he is Talkin’ To Myself – as he yells at the TV in his hotel room. Opening with the strains of electric sitar a fast rhythm develops. Walter ‘wants to know … wants to disappear’. Walter demonstrates his versatility as the sitar creates quite a unique feeling and sound throughout this track.
As time passes by we all see changes in our life. Walter recalls how he used to know everyone in his neighborhood as he walked down Main Street, how everyone used to enquire as to each other’s well-being. Those times are long gone there’s No Magic (on the street). Most of us can identify with this sentiment. Opening with superb harmonica and vibrant keys this track has a kind of Rolling Stones feel about it. ‘I guess the good old days really weren’t all that good’ Walter surmises. The music is still quality though as harmonica, keys and guitar all duel for a place at the forefront of this tune – guitar eventually taking the prize as Trout eases into another display of excellence on the axe. ‘These days to be a hero you’ve just got to stay alive’ reflects Walter. Well Mr Trout you ‘made it through the madness’, you’re most certainly alive and a bonafide hero to your army of fans.
A protest song now as Walter proclaims I’ve Had Enough. With assistance from the leader of the pack himself. Who better to speak out in protest than the man who proclaimed ‘We’re Not Gonna Take It’, ‘I Am I’m Me’ and ‘I Wanna Rock’. None other than the voice of Twisted Sister Dee Snider. Quite possibly the heaviest song Trout has recorded the band rock out at break-neck pace. Walter using the guitar as an incendiary device, bringing the temperature to boiling point as he provides the opening vocal ‘too many people … eyes … shadows … lies’. Step forward the ace in the pack. The towering vocals of Dee Snider take over ‘too many preachers … rules … politicians … fools … lawyers … banks … soldiers … tanks’ the lyrics delivered with the venom that only Dee Snider possesses. Dee urges Walter to ‘show me what you got’ – Walter duly obliges with an in your face guitar solo. We end the tune with Walter and Dee exchanging one-line refrains before a tumultuous scream from Dee brings a furious and frantic tune to a close.
I guess we all need a breather after the frantic ferocity of the previous track – in complete contrast a five and a half minute instrumental about Walter’s Love Of My Life – his wife Marie – follows.
‘Choose your seat with the clearest view … Just Breathe‘. Walter takes singer/keyboardist Richard T Bear’s composition, tips a hat towards The Faces beautiful Ronnie Lane creation Debris and produces a glorious soul-tinged ballad. ‘I left my crystal ball at home … Wish it would turn to stone’. Skip Edwards features prominently as he performs magic on the ivories.
Heaven or Hell – the eternal question. Walter introduces this as if at a gig with a spoken intro ‘I met an old blind man in the street, gave him some money and something to eat, he said come on over here … sit by me and let me tell you what I still see’. A powerful burst of Leasure’s drums begins the track in earnest, the keyboards creating a kind of ethereal feeling. ‘You get what you deserve’ the old man ‘said to me’. He continues to preach to Walter ‘the fire glows in the dead of night … where you find the soulless sinner who’s been left behind’. Quite a rocky pace to this number Walter taking the lead with another ramped up solo, the anguished cries of the damned in hell are mimicked by the guitar in a Zeppelin like fashion.
Walter throws a light and delicate ballad into the mix. I Wanna Stay is an emotionally charged tune about being alone with his wife and how he felt.
The closing Falls Apart was written by Walter’s middle son. He also provided backing vocals throughout this final track, Walter’s solo and the backing vocal quite reminiscent of Pink Floyd, demonstrating once again how versatile Walter is. He may primarily be a blues player but Walter doesn’t let the blues constrain him as he indulges in a touch of psychedelia on this occasion.
Broken at the opening of this album, Walter Falls Apart on the final track but his quality and versatility assisted by three extra special guests make Walter Trout’s 31st solo album another success story. Some of the tracks may deal with the negative and dark side of modern living but he rocks out like never before at times whilst never forgetting his blues roots with some exquisite solos leaving the listener feeling positive and far from Broken.
1. Broken (feat. Beth Hart)
2. Turn And Walk Away
3. Courage In The Dark
4. Bleed (feat. Will Wilde on Harmonica)
5. Talkin’ To Myself
6. No Magic ( in the street )
7. I’ve Had Enough (feat. Dee Snider)
8. Love Of My Life
9. Breathe – written by Richard Gerstein
10. Heaven Or Hell
11. I Wanna Stay
12. Falls Apart
Tickets are available from www.waltertrout.com
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