Genre - Hard Rock / Psychedelic Rock / Retro Rock
Label -
Track listing:
01 - Anywhere We Want To Go
02 - Cinnamon Girl
03 - Sunshine
04 - Days
05 - Gimme Some Truth
06 - You Get What You Deserve
07 - Citadel
08 - For What It's Worth
09 - Ride Captain Ride
10 - Hey Bulldog
11 - Strychnine
12 - White Rabbit
13 - Devil Or Angel
14 - Eeny Meeny Miney Moe
L.A. Guns founder guitarist TRACii GUNS set himself on a new path last year when he pulled together his own band LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN and revisited the roots of classic rock. The First Record delved deep into Sixties and Seventies blues and psychedelic rock for a surprisingly refreshing venture.
Now, The Tracii Guns League of Gentlemen warp back to the past once more for "The Second Record".
Tracii and friends appear to go a little deeper into the past, more towards the psychedelic Sixties for their sound. However, unlike the previous album, "The Second Record" offer no original material from the band. It's entirely covers, including songs from The Beatles, John Lennon, Neil Young, Jefferson Airplane, The Kinks, Rolling Stones, and Mitch Davis to mention some of the more high profile artists.
You might find that you might not recognize some of the songs. But you will remember Cinnamon Girl, White Rabbit, Ride Captain Ride, Lennon's Gimme Some Truth or For What It's Worth.
That latter song, made famous by Buffalo Springfield, is likely best known by it's refrain, 'I think it's time we stop, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's going down.'
Possibly the very best thing that can be said of this album, the songs, and the League's treatment of them, is the genuine authenticity and simplicity they give the songs.
In those days there was no digital recording, Pro Tools, or auto-tuning. Recording was simple and direct, often bare bones, raw, and straight forward, with the musician and instrument seeming to have an almost organic bond.
Guns and fellows get this, and while it may seem that these recordings sound more modern, the band strays little from the original vibe of a song.
The aforementioned "For What It's Worth" is a good example when Guns expresses the psycho, sometime eerie, guitar line that both leads and provides the necessary atmosphere. Another is "White Rabbit", where the drums offer this disturbing foreboding at the start and the guitar line, again, reveals the trippiness of the lyrical theme.
Fundamentally, while wanting to render the songs faithfully, I think Guns's League wanted mostly to channel the musical style and spirit of the era to our century.
That's no mean feat, and they succeed substantially. It might even cause you to a little classic rock history yourself.
This is Classic Rock, and really well done.
Well Worth Checking Out!
Recommended.
Rating 9/10
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