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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Bachman & Turner

Bachman and Turner

Review by Gary Hill

Bachman and Turner are, of course, best known for Bachman Turner Overdrive. That band created a lot of hits, but I remember hearing some of their albums and thinking that everything sounded the same. They seemed a lot of the time like a one-trick pony. Well, this album proves that there’s a lot more to these guys than the simple staple rocker that became their style. Sure, you’ll hear a lot of that blues based hard rock here, but there is jazz in the mix (Randy Bachman was in The Guess Who and they had a lot of jazz in their sound) and they really do manage to vary things quite a bit throughout the set. This is a great disc that should please old-time fans of BTO, while perhaps earning these guys some new ones.


This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010  Volume 5 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Rollin Along

This is very much the type of straight ahead rocker Bachman Turner Overdrive always did. The vocals seem more gruff than the type of singing you’d expect from BTO, though. It’s a killer rocker.

That’s What It Is
A jazzy sort of motif is blended with a melodic rock sound. This is a cool song and a nice change of pace from the opener.
Moonlight Rider
There’s a funky element to this bluesy rocker. It’s another change and another killer cut.
Find Some Love
This really feels like a modern version of BTO, but with some Blue Oyster Cult thrown into the mix.
Slave To The Rhythm
While this cut isn’t a carbon copy of the previous one, it’s very much in the same musical territory. The thing is, I can hear some BOC on this, but also some Electric Light Orchestra.
Waiting Game
This bluesy rocker is more dramatic. It’s a powerful cut and a real highlight of the set. It’s kind of like BTO does ZZ Top to my ear.
I’ve Seen The Light
I hear this very much as a harder rocking, modern version of the old BTO sound.
Can t Go Back To Memphis
Clutch, ZZ Top and BTO all meet up in this scorching blues rocker.
Rock n Roll Is The Only Way Out
There are no real surprises here, but this is a hard rocking and catchy number that’s fun.
Neutral Zone
More overdriven, this one is built on a some classic BTO sounds and is a raw rocker.
Traffic Jam
A mellower cut, there is a definite jazzy element to this tune. It reminds me at times of Eric Clapton, but more often of Dire Straits.
Repo Man
The closer is another smoking blues rocker. It reminds me even more of Dire Straits than “Traffic Jam” did.
 
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