This Week's Listen

Black Country - Black Country Communion (2010)


Just listened to this, and I have to say it is indeed quite awesome. The chemistry of this supergroup is simply great. Compared to other supergroups today, I'd say it stacks up to last year's Them Crooked Vultures, and absolutely annihilates Chickenfoot. So who's in the band and what do they play? This all-star lineup is one of the best I've seen, with Glenn Hughes (Trapeze, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath) on bass and lead vocals, Joe Bonamassa (solo) on guitar and vocals, Jason Bonham (various sessions) on drums, and finally Derek Sherinian (Dream Theater, Planet X, solo) on keys. This extremely unique lineup cranks out a whopping 72 minutes of hard-edged blues-rock on this fantastic debut album. I'd say Joe truly shines the most here, producing dazzling solos that demonstrate his talent beyond his usual bluesy work. Hughes is also a highlight because not only is his bass-playing noticeably top-notch, but his voice is also in exceptional form, with possibly more energy and better tone in comparison to his '70s work. Bonham does his thing, which mainly consists of pounding those drums like a true veteran. His father would be proud. And finally, Derek's part in this band seems to have been drowned out by everyone else, but still, he definitely does not take away from the experience.

All in all, this is a very unique release, and anyone into classic '70s blues-rock will be sure to enjoy this. Highly recommended.