As much as we love discovering new bands and new venues explored in our music, rock veterans putting out a good album brings the ultimate joy. We've seen Wishbone Ash, UFO, Paul Simon, Jeff Beck, Motorhead and many others still release good music. So when Robin Trower, who is still in great form with his full-time band and Jack Bruce, of whom the last I heard was the jam with Uli Roth, released their third album together (and the first in 25 years) earlier this year, I approached it with a bit of curiosity and a lot of keenness to hear some Trower licks. And what a pleasant surprise it turned out to be!

If you're looking for some energetic, blues-rock drinking anthems, look elsewhere. While it indeed is blues rock, Seven Moons is all about chilling out. As in, it's closer to desert rock than SRV. Jack Bruce's soulful, deep voice has aged extremely well. At 64, it looks like he can still do absolutely no wrong. He can still churn our vocal melodies like it's his bitch and the same goes for his signature bass lines that are as reputable as ever.

Gary Husband (John McLaughlin, Allan Holdsworth etc.,) completes the power trio here and his laid-back yet intricate drumming wholly lock well with the sound these old timers are going for. The hero here though, is Robin Trower. His dirty and effected Stratocaster tone is at its absolute finest and his phrasing, big bends and even bigger vibrato come at you throughout this album. If someone asks you what heartfelt guitar playing is, all you have to do is to point him/her to any of the solos here.

The melancholic, spaced-out and non-generic bunch of songs that make Seven Moons is an essential for all into blues rock of any kind. Come to think of it, I shouldn't be all that surprised with how great this turned out to be. These guys could have gotten together and jammed out some crap and it would've still been good. Vintage!



Year of Release: 2008
Label: V-12 Records