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AEROMITH - HONKIN’ ON BOBO- SONY MUSIC
Record Rating: ***1/2
A lot of prominent acts have gone back to the blues for inspiration, most recently Eric Clapton, who just released a full album's worth of Robert Johnson covers. And just like Clapton – with their first new album in four years – Steven Tyler and his boys have gone and reached back to the roots of rock ‘n’ roll with their latest one.
Steeped in the blues tradition - Honkin’ on Bobo - is a loud, sweat soaked album - fully fueled with guitar layers, pounding rhythms and Tyler's trademark over-the-top vocals. A 12-track collection of songs by Muddy Waters, Sonny Boy Williamson, and even a boogie fueled, harp layered rendition of Fleetwood Mac's Stop Messin' Around – this could have been the new comeback album for the classic rock and roll band. For let’s not forget few comebacks in rock and roll history have been as amazing as that of Aerosmith. Their triumphant return to the charts in the 1980s and the 90’s not only rekindled the band's earlier success, but also significantly surpassed it. With hits like Dude (Looks Like a Lady), Amazing and their power ballad, Cryin' - the group proved a hundred times over, that they had even more fire left in their fight than anyone could have imagined. Unfortunately they fail to impress here on their latest effort, as songs are done mild style, with no attempts to out-perform those who actually make a living playing blues. Still there are some minor highlights - which include a dramatic version of Mississippi Fred McDowell's You Gotta Move, where Aerosmith try to out-stone the Rolling Stones (who had covered the song on their 1971 album Sticky Fingers) - but fail miserably to do so.
Don’t get me wrong, I've always enjoyed Aerosmith's material, but I enjoy the blues even more. And in no way do Steven Tyler and his boys do justice to the genre as they could have, which is really too bad. Just look at Eric Clapton's blues cover album which came out recently - it’s excellent and guitar licking and foot stomping good. But that's another review. Longtime Aerosmith fans - you have been warned.
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