Released By: Frontiers Music s.r.l.
Release Date: Out Now!
Genre: Rock
Links: http://www.grahambonnetband.com/
Line Up:
Graham Bonnet – Vocals
Kurt James – Guitars
Beth-Ami Heavenstone – Bass
Jimmy Waldo – Keys
Mark Benquechea – Drums
*Joey Tafolla performs all rhythm and lead guitars on this album except for track 3, which was performed by Kurt James. Joey also performs on the DVD “Live at Daryl’s House
Tracklist:
1. Meanwhile Back In the Garage
2. The Hotel
3. Livin’ In Suspicion
4. Incest Outcest USA
5. Long Island Tea
6. The House
7. Sea of Trees
8. Man On the Corner
9. We Don’t Need Another Hero
10. America… Where Have You Gone
11. Heading Toward the Light
12. Past Lives
13. The Crying Chair
14. Starrcarr Lane (Live From Daryl’s House NY 2018)
It blows me away when a singer from back in the day can still sing as well as they could. Sadly, there are far fewer able to still go for it. Some are brought down by the ravages of time, others from simply doing bad things to their bodies for so long that their voices don’t stand a chance (i.e. cocaine is a helluva drug.) Of course some manage to defeat time and abuse to maintain their talent. One of those guys is Graham Bonnet. I don’t know his history, and I’m not saying he has or hasn’t imbibed, but he’s been singing an awful long time and his voice seems to get better and better with age. I was so blown away by The Book, his debut as The Graham Bonnet band, that I leapt at the chance to review the new one.
The album is Meanwhile, Back At the Garage, and from the title track opener that sounds as much like vintage Rainbow as vintage Rainbow to the beautiful “Crying Chair” closing the album (excluding the live Bonus Track,) he still demonstrates he’s at the top of his game. Much like The Book, Meanwhile, Back At the Garage runs the gamut of all the things over the years that has sealed Bonnet’s status as a bona fide Hard Rock/Metal Icon. From the clearly Rainbow/MSG inspired title track to the straight forward rocker “Livin’ In Suspicion” closer to his solo stuff to the crunchy heaviness of “Sea of Trees,” Bonnet and his band have created yet another gem of an album. Graham even takes on Tina Turner with his great cover of “We Don’t Need Another Hero” from the Beyond Thunderdome soundtrack (one of only a couple of things good about that movie.) If I had a quarrel with anything on the album (and I really don’t) is the overtly politically charged “America…Where Have You Gone?” It’s a great song, and I don’t necessarily disagree with what he is saying entirely, but I despise when bands get political. I go to music to escape the realities of my surroundings, so to have such a stark and emotional track happen, it took me a bit out of my groove (and I would wager was the very intention of adding it.) Some not so understanding and ambivalent might lose their minds over it. Luckily I’m not one of those people.
I don’t think that Meanwhile, Back In the Garage is better than The Book, but it’s at least as good. The evident chemistry of this group is prevalent on each and every track here. Some top notch performances all around from all involved and yet more stellar tracks to add to his legend. Yet another “must have” as far as I’m concerned.
Written by: Chris Martin
Rating: 9/10
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