Supergroups. They are of all times. Not always long-lived, not always particularly successful. Black Country Communion proves it can be different. The Anglo-American band has been paving the way for bluesy hard rock since 2010, and with V they deliver their fifth album. The previous four received very good reviews in blues circles worldwide, but – shame on me – escaped my attention.
Supergroup? So there are famous people in it? Absolutely! Hold on: Glenn Hughes, the now 73-year-old Voice of Rock you know from his role in Deep Purple and more recently as singer and bass player in The Dead Daisies, for example. Joe Bonamassa then. We shouldn’t introduce him, should we? The hyper-talented blues guitarist who proves with this band that he is also at home in other markets. Jason Bonham: son of. For the slightly less young readers who don’t remember their classics: son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham. And finally, former Dream Theater keyboard player Derek Sherinian. Not a second guitarist, then, but a keyboardist. As an unofficial fifth member, perhaps add producer Kevin Shirley. A friend of Joe Bonamassa’s, he also produced the previous four albums.
It does get bluesy in Restless. After a long guitar intro à la Gary Moore, with Hughes almost crooning for a change, the song grows after about two minutes into a very powerful power ballad with an AC/DC style solo. Not always my cup of tea, such a power ballad, but this one is quite nice.
Surely, with a power trio like Hughes, Bonamassa and Bonham in the ranks, I expect some more explosive rocking. You get just that! Opening track Enlighten catapults you back to the days when lead riffs, a subtle keyboard riff, powerful voices, a sing-along chorus and punchy cowbells ruled the roost. Not real heavy, and it has a slide guitar in the solo but a song that makes you curious for what’s to come. Skyway, too, is a midtempo rocker with a powerful chorus and a pompous but rather mellow solo. Stadium rock, no less.
Love And Faith could almost be called a tribute to Led Zeppelin. Remarkably, here Joe Bonamassa disposes of the vocals, harmoniously complemented by Hughes. Led Zeppelin fans might make a link with the song Thank You, and that will not be a coincidence.
In Too Far Gone, the classic riffs once again have the upper hand. Hughes’ voice is very much at the front of the mix here, and I can imagine that the long hauls of his somewhat nasal-sounding voice are not accessible to everyone. A Deep Purple-like Hammond riff gets you in for free.
Without question, V by Black Country Communion is a blues rock/hard rock and guitar-driven album with many references to Led Zeppelin and seventies riff rock. Not really hard (compared to The Dead Daisies for example) because of the melodies, the compositions, the funky elements. All of high quality, these four classics make sure of that.
Score:
82/100
Label:
Mascot Label Group, 2024
Tracklisting:
- Enlighten
- Stay Free
- Red Sun
- Restless
- Letting Go
- Skyway
- You’re Not Alone
- Love And Faith
- Too Far Gone
- The Open Road
Line-up:
- Glenn Hughes – Vocals, bass
- Joe Bonamassa – Guitar, vocals
- Derek Sherinian – Keyboard
- Jason Bonham – Drums
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