Jack Bruce and Robin Trower each made a name for themselves at the height of the ‘60s UK Blues movement. Bruce served as the bassist for the ultra popular “super group” Cream, while Trower gained fame for playing guitar in the aptly titled Robin Trower Band. 2008’s Seven Moons marks the third collaboration between the two artists, though the first since 1981. So the question lingers, do these two aging rockers still have what it takes to make a great modern blues album. Well, not exactly.
On Seven Moons, Bruce and Trower still sound exceptional on their individual instruments. Bruce nails his always steady, sometimes complicated bass lines like he’s been doing for the past 40 years. Trower doesn’t miss a step either, his bluesy, often times psychedelic infused guitar work sounds just as rich and pure as it always has. Even extraordinary session drummer Gary Husband does a commendable job behind the set. So what exactly is wrong with Seven Moons you ask? Well, despite all of the precise and technical aspects of the album, few of the songs here are, sadly, even the least bit memorable. The two artists attempt to cover different types of music throughout the disc, but come up flat in basically every department aside from a couple of straight up blues numbers that are scattered around the album.
If you loved Jack Bruce’s vocal ability on Cream classics such as “Sunshine of Your Love” and “White Room,” then you’ll be surprised the moment you hear his voice here. It’s changed quite radically, and for the most part doesn’t do much to aid the overall experience on Seven Moons. It’s an unorthodox voice that has certainly changed with age, but also suffers from the lack of help he’d receive from a good dose of backing vocals. The lack of Trower contributing much vocally often times leaves Bruce’s voice naked and awkward against the underlying music. His voice probably sounds the best on songs that are direct throw backs to the blues that have influenced these two artists for so long, such as the methodical “Bad Case of Celebrity.” Lyrically speaking “Celebrity” is also one of the few songs in which I could even make out what the hell Bruce is singing about, the title of the song says it all: the pitfalls of the celebrity lifestyle; the rest of the tracks aren’t so straightforward.
“And we will fly over hills of golden hue to the sound of beating wings / And Every song that every bird ever knew we will sing.”
That line is from the title track and happens to be the first words you’ll hear as soon as you press play. Just about every song on the album is filled with vague almost undecipherable lyrics about death and hopelessness. At times Bruce surprises though, he provides an uplifting lyric on the upbeat “Perfect Place,” and channels his introspective poetic side on the dreamy “I’m Home.”
For big fans of Bruce and Trower’s earlier work, this may very well be a great album to sink your teeth into; but for those who are looking for a good rock or modern blues album, there are quite a few better places to visit than Seven Moons. After a few listens of the album I did find myself enjoying a few tracks, “I’m Home” is just different enough to warrant repeated listening and “Bad Case of Celebrity” is surely Bruce’s best vocal performance on the record. But overall, Seven Moons is nothing truly special or memorable, Bruce and Trower may be best suited to stick with blues standards and their own previously written material and leave the song writing to the younger generation.
"Seven Moons" is on sale February 12, 2008 from Capitol.
