Who's else is who in BCC
Jason Bonham, drummer for Led Zeppelin in their rare appearances since the death of his father, drummer John Bonham. The younger Bonham has also had stints with classic rock vets UFO and Foreigner.
Joe Bonamassa, blues guitar prodigy of the Jimi Hendrix / Stevie Ray Vaughan schools, has put in time with a long list that includes Eric Clapton, Ted Nugent, Foreigner, Gregg Allman, Joe Cocker and Buddy Guy.
Keyboardist Derek Sherinian, most recently with progressive rockers Dream Theater, has toured and recorded with KISS, Alice Cooper, and Billy Idol.
The making of '2'
l-r: Hughes, Bonamassa, Sherinian, Bonham
Black Country Communion promotional photo
Hughes, lead vocalist, bassist and principal songwriter summed up the goal of BCC's 2 in a musicradar.com interview. "Musically, I’m embracing riff-rock in a way I never have before. On a lot of my solo records, my feet were planted firmly in a lot of funky soul and R&B. On BCC 2, we’re going with a classic British rock vibe, without sacrificing groove and melody."
Producer Kevin Shirley, said Hughes, "likes to work fast and capture raw energy. He likes to hear a band play a song like it’s their first time doing so. I think we recorded 14 songs in 10 days – that’s five days longer than we spent making the first album - and the 11 best tracks made the record."
High points
Although individual band members have deep blues rock roots, there's no single dominant style from track to track. The varying tempos, lyrical themes and instrumentation blend well, a tribute to Shirley's producing ability.
Among my favorites: the Zeppelinesque "The Battle for Hadrian's Wall" - lyrics by Bonamassa and vocals by Hughes and Bonamassa; "Smokestack Woman" lives up to Hughes' liner note describing it as "a riffy track with a lil' rough and tumble"; "An Ordinary Son" - co-written by Hughes and Bonamassa, a tribute to parents; "Faithless" has lyrics compelling enough to stand out in a group of songs that are all well written.
Musically, 2 showcases each artist's musicianship: Hughes' deft touch on the bass, Bonamassa's extraordinary skill at standing out without dominating, Bonham's technical skills and ability to capture the mood with the beat, Sherinian's ability (like Bonamassa's) to play unbridled but without getting out of control.
High marks
As a notorious track-skipper, I'm always happy to find an album that I listen to all the way through, without jumping over tracks that don't really grab me. Having seen the video for "Man in the Middle" before hearing the CD, I wasn't so sure that I wouldn't skip that track, but as I listened to it, I realized my problem wasn't with the song so much as with the video, which, to me, is not at all connected to the lyrics.
It took a little while for BCC to grow on me with their first album, but with 2 I'm solidly converted. Having listened to it all the way through a couple of times now, I won't be surprised if it turns out to be as successful as the debut album, if not more so, especially now that the band has time to do more touring.
There are several good reasons for me to recommend this album. You may have a particular fondness for one or more of the artists and/or the other bands they've played with. Maybe you just like the supergroup concept, especially when it's well executed. But mostly, for whatever reasons you like classic rock, you'll like Black Country Communion's 2.
Release date: June 14, 2011
Review date: June 9, 2011
