Whitesnake – Forevermore album review
Released on : Frontiers records. Release date: Available now.
For those that didn’t know it, David Coverdale’s Whitesnake – And that’s exactly what it was called when it started! – have been going in one shape or form since about 1977 …
I was fortunate enough to have seen one of the earliest line up’s in 1979, that also at time included two of Coverdale’s former Deep Purple band mates, in Jon Lord (Keyboards) and Ian Paice (Drums), of course since then, the Whitesnake payroll, oops sorry, I mean line up ..., has been an ever revolving who’s who. In much the same way as Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow was.
The difference is, of course David Coverdale has kept the Whitesnake flag flying, whereas Blackmore has long since given up being a rock ‘n’ roller and become a strolling minstrel it seems!
The difference today with Whitesnake, is that it’s really not the bluesy driven rock, it started out as and David Coverdale, does not seem to have a line up that is full of ‘big names,’ but the band are players that perhaps most of you will have heard of a few of before at least. Reb Beach (Alice Cooper, Dokken, Night Ranger) on Guitars, when he’s not playing with Winger has been onboard since 2002 and Doug Aldrich (Dio, Hurricane, House of Lords), also has been a ‘Snake for the same amount of time.
Drummer Brian Tichy (REO Speedwagon, Ozzy, Foreigner, Billy Idol, etc) is fairly new joining last year, likewise bassist Michael Devin and newest member, Brian Ruedy (Bret Michaels, Brian Head Welch) on keyboards have both just joined this year.
‘Forevermore’ is Whitesnake’s eleventh studio album and although it’s not bad at all, it hasn’t grabbed me as quickly as previous releases, including 2008’s ‘Good To Be Bad.’
It is a grower though, so maybe, 'give it just a little more time ...'
I will say that ‘Steal Your Heart Away’ as an opener is very encouraging though and it rocks like any good Whitesnake track should, great catchy stuff with hit single written all over it if you ask me!
‘All Out Of Luck’ next is an almost blues based, hard rocking Whitesnake song, in the old style. A mid paced rocker, played heavy that shows that the new members have been doing their homework in listening to how a Whitesnake should be played!
The first single from the album, ‘Love Will Set You Free’ really reminds me of ‘Ready and Willing’ era ‘Snake and is a good choice for first single and getting radio play. Very commercial and viable.
Wow! ‘Easier Said Than Done’ almost revisits ‘Is This Love,’ if just a tad heavier at times, but for the most part is a true big old power ballad from the guy that certainly knows how to write of few of them!
Back to the rockin’ out with ‘Tell Me How’ and I love the way the Hammond organ eases in and in throughout, perhaps could’ve been brought up a little more in the mix though … A good solid rocker.
The guitar work throughout the album, is really nice playing even if at times I’d say some of the EQ’s are pushed a little far losing some of the clarity here and there.
‘I Need You (Shine a Light),’ up next sounds a little like Coverdale is straining his voice a little, and it’s perhaps the track that least grabs me here. It’s OK, a mid paced pop rocker, but it seems to be lacking a little something, even if I do really like the guitar solo.
When I first heard ‘One of These Days’ I wondered if Coverdale has called up Rod Stewart to help him write it and I dare you to tell me that it doesn’t sound just a little Rod Stewart (Maggie May) like. It’s different in the track listing though, so it breaks things up some with a different touch. I just wish at this point that I hadn’t heard Maggie May before and I’d praise it more!
‘Love and Treat Me Right’ gets right back to to Coverdale’s best sleaziest lyrics that he’s trademarked by now I’m sure!
OK, ‘Dogs In The Street’ is ‘Bad Boys’ or ‘Kittens Got Claws’ re-written and brought right up to date, perhaps with the slight edge over both of them. It’s just the lyric style that is …, well, it’s true Coverdale I guess!
I do like ‘Fare Thee Well,’ it’s a really nice ballad even if it’s perhaps a little close to ‘One of The Days.’
‘Whipping Boy Blues’ next, is a modern day rockin’ blues groove, again as on ‘I Need You’ he seems to be straining at times. There’s plenty of guitar histrionics’ here from both players, but I tend to think this track is possibly a little throwaway.
It seems that the band has hit a rockin’ out patch to wrap the album up, as ‘My Evil Ways’ next up continues in a classy way, with some excellent guitar interplay. Great!
The album closes with the title track, ‘Forevermore,’ which start soulfully before getting into a rockin’ riff, ala 'Kashmir …' Really.
I’m sure it will be a topic of discussion for a while, in the same way as ‘Still of the Night’ was before.
It’s a great track, it really is, but it’s just got to be tough for acts like Whitesnake to try and write new material that doesn’t sound like something else.
It’s a good album, of that there’s no doubt and sure there’s comparisons to other things, but all said and done, who doesn’t sound that way these days?!
The ‘Snakes are back!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Official band website: http://www.whitesnake.com/
