Nothing on the new release list for last Friday really bowled me over, so I’m shifting gears. I gave a listen to new records from a couple of classic rock bands you might not be aware are still alive and kicking out albums.
• Yes, The Quest – I’ll get this one out of the way asap. Forget the quest, stay home and listen to something else. There was a surprising (to me) amount of internet buzz over the last couple of weeks about Yes releasing a new album. First one in seven years! Their first since Chris Squire passed! Steve Howe returns on guitar! No Jon Anderson on vocals, but they got another guy named Jon! Same spelling! This is some seriously dreadful stuff from a band that once gave us “Roundabout” and Close to the Edge. Thoroughly uninteresting prog rock, a sin for which there is no absolution. Even the mighty Howe is reduced to ineffective noodling around on the guitar. I’d say he’s relegated to the background if the soundstage had a background. The production is so flat and sterile sounding I kept thinking I was listening to a cartoon soundtrack. I gave it two listens, in service to this post (you’re welcome), and hope to never hear any of it again. Oh, and this Jon ain’t that Jon.
•The Doobie Brothers, Liberté – I wouldn’t blame you for thinking the Doobies were defunct, it’s been 11 years since their last album. I would have guessed they were, too. If you were a fan back in the day, you likely remember two distinct phases of the band – the earlier, grittier rock version that hit big with “Long Train Runnin’” and “Black Water,” and the later yacht-rock version when Michael McDonald was takin’ them to the streets. And by streets, I mean massive radio play and royalties. This isn’t either, for better or worse.
You get three members from the classic lineup on the album, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston, and John McFee. If I had listened to Liberté without knowing who it was, I would've figured it out by the familiar sounding voices, if not the music. The songs aren’t new Doobie classics, no “China Grove” or “Listen to the Music” here. Not even a “Minute By Minute.” In fact, they aren’t particularly memorable at all. The lyrics lean heavily on clichés and the production is modern, meaning flat, glossy, and Spotify-ready. I was ready to never think about the record again until I made an interesting discovery.
The first time I listened to Liberté, I gave it my full attention. A decent stereo, feet up, and beer in hand. In that setting, it failed. I was waiting for glimpses of the old Doobies magic that never arrived. My second listen was the revelation. I played it in the kitchen on a Bluetooth speaker while I was washing a mountain of dishes and realized that as a vaguely classic rock-sounding record in the background, it works just fine. The songs will never fool you into thinking they would fit on The Captain and Me, but they’re catchy enough to make a decent soundtrack for doing other things. I’ll probably hit play again the next time my household chores are piling up.
Is that a recommendation? You’ll have to decide for yourself, I’m afraid. If you’re looking for something a little rocking, a little nostalgic, but not engaging enough to pull your attention from whatever task is at hand, you could do a lot worse. Late period Boston comes to mind.
John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen, Wasted Days (single) – Most music fans probably know these two guys are still active, so it doesn’t quite fit the theme, but it's new, and I wanted to mention it so I could recommend something else. “Wasted Days” is a new Mellencamp song, with Bruce joining in on vocals and some guitar. It’s always nice to hear these two voices, they call to mind decades of great songs. But as I listened, I realized if their vocals were replaced by less iconic ones, there isn’t much of a song here. A reflection on getting older, I suppose, but a pretty bland one considering the participants. Bruce adds a really fiery (sorry, I meant tepid) electric guitar solo at about the halfway point. I’ve listened a couple of times, and that’s probably enough. If you want to hear Bruce collaborating on something that really gets his fire burning, check out his recent contribution to the remake of The Killers’ “Dustland.” That one went straight to my Qobuz Mixtape playlist.
EARWORM: “Dustland” – The Killers feat. Bruce Springsteen: Great song, great performance, Brandon and Bruce should date more often.
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