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New & Noteworthy
January 2007
Glenn Astarita
Longtime contributor to AAJ and Downbeat, Jazz Review, EjazzNews, Radio DirectX.Australian record label AIM specializes in reissues, largely focusing on American R&B, blues, zydeco, jazz and rock. This collection of tracks by the famed British blues-rock vocalist, Eric Burdon, is divided into studio and live recordings during his post-Animals and WAR period. As noted in the comprehensive liner notes, the program features live material recorded in 1976 at Los Angeles' Roxy venue and 1980s' studio tracks intended for a film titled Comeback. Ultimately, the material highlights Burdon's powerful vocal delivery and genuine feeling for blues music. He belts it all out with gusto and verve, over thrashing boogie grooves, blaring rock guitars and solid backbeats. On the downside, many of the performances fail to leave a lasting impression, based as they are on weak compositions. However, Burdon's mighty presence overcomes some of the lackluster material. Highpoints include the suggestive "Who Gives A F**K, and a few hard-driving numbers blessed with memorable hooks. And while Burdon's post-Animals career might seem a bit sketchy to some, this outing is a valuable chronicle of his work in the 1970s and 1980s.
