Recorded at Clearwell Castle near Gloucester
this was the first true
Whitesnake release with Jon
Lord on it (he actually recorded with the band on this one unlike Trouble
where he put his parts on afterwards). The former Deep
Purple keyboard player definitely brought some class to the band.
Check out the mood setting Hammond organ on Walking In The Shadow Of
The Blues (a Whitesnake classic). This album, although
rather patchy, contains some excellent moments that were a good indication
of where the band was heading. DC to my ears was singing more confidently
than ever before, a confidence that was to truly shine on the following
album Ready An’ Willing.
The vocals on Help Me Thro' The Day are quite amazing and the album
opener Long Way From Home showed that DC always had a finger
in the pop rock pie (yes puritans this was many years before Is
This Love went through the roof to questionable screams of “Sell
out!”). The album still had that generic blues rock
vibe but I think DC was still finding his feet and direction.
Some of the moments are dodgy (don’t mention the dreadful Bernie
Marsden vehicle Outlaw) but the pumping title track with some
excellent slide guitar from Micky Moody more
than makes up for it. This was a definite progression from the Trouble
album and of course it had that sleeve :-)))!
Although not the best early ‘Snakes album it was certainly a nod in the right direction. Incidentally, the album closer We Wish You Well (DC at his best) was always used as the bands sign off at live shows. This record signalled the end for drummer David “Duck” Dowle's position within the band as he was fired in the July of '79 shortly before it's release. He was suitably replaced by a certain Mr. Paice although the drumming you hear on the CD is Dowle's (it wasn't thought feasible to re-record over his drum parts).
Track Listing
1. Long Way From Home (Coverdale)
2. Walking InThe Shadow Of The Blues (Coverdale/Marsden)
3. Help Me Thro' The Day (Russell)
4. Medicine Man (Coverdale)
5. You 'N' Me (Coverdale/Marsden)
6. Mean Business (Whitesnake)
7. Love Hunter (Coverdale/Marsden)
8. Outlaw (Coverdale/Lord/Marsden)
9. Rock 'N' Roll Women (Coverdale/Moody)
10. We Wish You Well (Coverdale)
Extra Tracks (remastered version)
11. Belgium Tom's Hat Trick (Moody)
12. Love To Keep You Warm (Coverdale)
13. Ain't No Love In The Heart Of The City (Price/Walsh)
14. Trouble (Coverdale/Marsden)
Produced 'n' Engineered by Martin (P.C.) Birch
Musicians
David Coverdale - vocals
Bernie Marsden - guitar/vocals
Micky Moody - slide guitar/guitar/vocals
Neil Murray - bass
John Lord - keyboards
Duck Dowle - drums
This article was written by ASH.
Copyright © 1999 A Hackney.