I’ve been listening to Robin Trower for nigh on 50 years – ever since the seminal ‘Bridge Of Sighs’. In all that time, he has been true to his music and created an unmistakeable sound and tone.
‘Come And Find Me’ is his 28th solo album and still finds him in fine musical fettle. He is joined by Chris Taggart on drums – driving and forceful but also subtle and intense at times – with long standing vocalist Richard Watts on vocals. Trower plays bass on most tracks with Glenn Letsch playing on ‘Tangled Love’ – with Jess Hayes depping on vocals - and ‘I Fly Straight To You’.
Trower’s signature sound is a dark and deep Blues tone, almost entirely played on his signature Fender Strat, heavy, portentous and slow, every note wrenching emotion and emphasising the meaning of his songs – here, he has it all.
The single ‘A Little Bit Of Freedom’, triggers the album and sets you off on a great ride. It starts in combative style with a blast of wah guitar and a bold first line (‘I don’t need no-one to think for me’). “I had a strong sense that red tape and rules are really constricting things in the world,” says Trower. “Too much red tape, not enough freedom to think – it’s got to where you feel straitjacketed.”
The title track is quintessential Trower, very reminiscent of his time working with Jack Bruce, with disquieting lyrics and sudden stops and starts. He does more in 4 minutes than most guitarists and songwriters manage in a career. The whole album reflects the darkness and threat that is all around us today – but not in the manner of a rockstar, removed from the travails of the world, rather, relating to peoples fears and hopes. “Musically, there’s a strong R&B flavour behind it, but it’s obviously rock ‘n’ roll,” he explains. “Lyrically, I think the world has become a lot darker in the last ten or twenty years. But there’s always hope. There’s more good people in the world than there are bad.”
In my opinion, it is his best for a few years, and it should stand head and shoulders above most Blues and rock albums released this year.
