Released By : Angel Air Records
Genre : Blues Rock, Classic Rock
Links : http://www.myspace.com/9bz
Tracklist:
disc 1
1. I Should Have Left It Up To You
2. Why Don’t You Try Me Tonight
3. Spanish Harlem
4. Why Can’t We Be What We Want To Be
5. Egg On My Face
6. You Don’t Love Me
7. Loaded Gun
8. Ballard Of A Dombovar
9. White Boys Lost In The Blues
10. Bring It On Home To Me
11. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)
12. One Foot In Heaven, One Foot In Hell
13. Helen
14. Down By The River
15. Soft Touch
disc 2
1. Money Or The Man
2. We Rock The House
3. Wild Kicking Horse
4. Go Girl
5. Cinnamon Man
6. Tell Me Why Can’t I Just Be Like You
7. 24 Miles Of America
8. Bad Behaviour
9. Alternative Swing
10. Electric
11. We Rock The House Again
12. She’s All The Rage
13. Line Of Least Resistance
This upcoming two CD package from NINE BELOW ZERO is a perfect example of why ANGEL AIR MUSIC is fast becoming my favorite re-issue label on the planet. This latest package contains remastered versions of two classic albums from one of the United Kingdom’s favorite sons, blues-rockers NINE BELOW ZERO.
NBZ came to fruition originally as STAN’S BLUES BAND back in 1977, and after finding a manager in 1979 changed their name to what it is now. During the time between then and now, the band have toured the world, recorded and released a bunch of successful; albums and had a few member changes. Probably the most notable member change was when Gerry McEvoy joined as the bass player, who at the time was better know as the longtime bassist for Rory Gallagher’s band, he also brought along with him drummer Brendan O’Neill. While mass commercial success never really befell the group, the cult following they have amassed over the years cannot be denied and has ensured that they roll along and still play live and still released the occasional record.
This collection combines two previously released albums 2000’s REFRIGERATOR and 2002’s CHILLED both of which originally came out on the bands own indie record label ZED RECORDS. Both albums have been lovingly remastered and both also feature two previously unreleased bonus tracks. REFRIGERATOR is a typical 9BZ album, with all of the trimmings you have come to expect from them. It certainly isn’t their best studio album, that accolade would probably go to 1992’s OFF THE HOOK, but it is still really good and as classy as the band have ever sounded. The other disc in this compilation however is a bit more special and worth the admission price alone. CHILLED as the name may suggest is a more laid back affair that is somewhere between the bands usual sound and an acoustic album. Not an acoustic album as in unplugged and quite, but more in the fact of replacing the electric guitars with acoustics and using brushes rather than drum sticks. Up until now I hadn’t heard this album and I must say I was very pleasantly surprised, even though the band are more laid back and ‘chilled’ on this one it really is a treat to the ears, from the Van Morrison inpired WHY DON’T YOU TRY ME TONIGHT, to the excellent cover versions of HOW SWEET IT IS (TO BE LOVED BY YOU and BRING IT ON HOME TO ME, there really is more variation that you expect while still all the while sounding unmistakably 9BZ. As usual ANGEL AIR have included a thick and informative booklet with some great bio information on the band and the whole product is as lovingly put together as you would expect from them. Yet another flying success from ANGEL AIR MUSIC and a great opportunity to hear two contrasting sides of a very classy band.
Written By ZeeZee
Rating : 9/10
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