I can’t think of the last time I reviewed an entire album positively, but here I go – this one is too perfect to try to pick one favorite song from. Edgar doesn’t pull any punches – although he was known in the 70’s as using cutting edge technology on his albums, here he’s just rocking my dancing shoes off with no pretensions, no looking back at past successes, no pretending to be retro. The band is the real thing, rock and roll hoochie koo with an all-night dance session in tow. This one got played all weekend and again on my Wednesday night blast-off hump day party, this one is being played straight through twice – maybe even thrice. The title song, Rebel Road, opens the album with some kick-ass guitar playing and tasty drums. The growl is wonderful “you do me wrong, I’ll do you worse.” The band backs up the narrator who was dealt the american dream and refused it. “They tried to sell me nine to five, I’ll do it my way. That’s what I say!” The lead guitar work is spectacular. Next up is Eye On You, a wonderful blues-rock look at the way our government is practicing making Orwell’s future come to life, “got nowhere to hide – there’s nothing you can do”. Acoustic guitars welcome us to The Power of Positive Drinking, complete with some sweet blues harp, while the chorus says “say goodbye to negative thinking”. Freedom introduces us to a 70’s acoustic story, complete with the power of 70’s poetry, “looking this whole world over, people all want to be free. . .You know this is the time for living out your dreams, all you have to do is believe!” We really were that optimistic, and I have to trust that young people still have that optimism! Let’s hope so. Very cool song. Rockin’ The Blues is exactly that – get UP and DANCE – “until you lose control!”
The Closer I Get brings us down to earth with a sweet ballad, right where it needs to be. A time to slow down the dance a bit and reflect on our lives. “Wherever I am, whatever I do, the further I go, the closer I get to you.” Beautiful. But we quickly return to rock and roll with Do It Again, “Saddle up, let’s ride!” A fun story of a band on the road. Then comes the biography tune, Texas Tornado, “I was born in Beaumont.” Texas, that is. Last stop on hiway 10 before Louisiana. You can bet you’ll find all the flavors here that Edgar heard coming through the airwaves that crossed the border, plus every flavor you need to get you up on your feet waving your hands in the air. As a bonus, some real fine laugh-along-lines. “I played all the clubs and most of the bars, made it up to Woodstock with all of the stars. They said we were wanted, dead or alive – but we had a good time, and that’s no jive. I can make it wail, I can make it moan, Texas Tornado on the saxophone!” Yep, along with some fine blowing! Peace And Love comes up next, complete with youthful optimism and a cute cut at those who are pretending that “global warming” has snuck up on us. Edgar was writing about the fragility of the ecosystem way back in the 1970’s, along with many others. No one wanted to listen.
Horns Of A Dilemma is a rocking reflection of what the heck does a bill-paying man choose to do when there’s no money left in the bank? Work all month, yet there’s too much month for the money we earn. Doesn’t matter when you have a blues song that helps you dance to the dilemma! Fun guitar and harmonica solo, along with some humorous narration. The album ends with another rocker Oh No No: “party animal, dangerously flammable” which simply invites me to start the album all over again from side one. I love CDs, cause I don’t have to flip the album! And, old as I am, I still see that teensy weensy button that says REPEAT so I can play it over and over and never have to move over to the console. “I’m thinking to myself, this is your lucky night!” Dance all night!
None of these songs would sound out of place on a radio station that bills itself as “Classic Rock”. Yet, because it was written and released in 2008 it’ll take another 30 years before anyone will allow for the classic flavors of this wonderful album to hit the airwaves. So, reserve a copy today before it disappears into the oblivion many rockers seem to fall into these days. The release date is July 8th, but keep an eye open at Edgar’s website & snatch onto one quick. Fine album. Edgar Winter
