Europe: Bag Of Bones

With Europe having now released four albums since the end of their thirteen year hiatus, the musical transformation of the band from keyboard driven Euro-AOR meets Melodic Rock into a genuine blues infused juggernaut would appear to be complete. New album Bag Of Bones finds a group of musicians who are at ease with themselves. Put simply, Europe are a band on a roll. Since they came back together, Joey Tempest, John Norum, Mic Michaeli, John Leven and Ian Haugland have confidently made music that oozes class and while anyone who expected to begin another Final Countdown will have been disappointed, if indeed a little confused. For the rest of us, the results have been quite astounding. Bag Of Bones not only continues Europe's journey towards a rich Commercially driven Blues Rock style, it finds them delivering an album that even their comeback effort from eight years ago, Start From The Dark, only hinted at. Dark, intense and deeply personal, BoB firmly plants it feet in the ground and proudly proclaims this is Europe 2012!

When mega-stardom hit Joey and the boys back in 1986, many thought guitarist John Norum was nothing short of mad to walk away from the bright light of fame. However staying true to his reason for picking up his six-string in the first place, Norum wanted to Rock and he wanted to do so in a genuinely Bluesy Heavy Rock manner that had as much to do with Deep Purple as it did Bon Jovi and the like. If his vision was Bag Of Bones, then more power to the man - he was right! And I say that as someone who a proud owner of every album this band has made. Norum is phenomenal on this album and while his talents are never far from the forefront, what really makes this Bag Of Bones as intoxicating as it is, is the equal billing that the Hammond infused keyboard work of Mic Michaeli and the ever improving vocals from Joey Tempest receive. The combination of blazing guitar and pulsating keyboards infuse all of the songs on this album, with the insistent "Demon Head", the grinding swagger of "Riches To Rags" and the ultra-catchy, yet hard hitting "Doghouse" being particularly potent. Add to that the Heavy Blues of the album's title track - which features a scintillating slide-guitar solo courtesy of Joe Bonamassa and the autobiographical lyric of "Not Supposed To Sing The Blues", the latter of which is a real slow grower - and this is an album that grabs your attention and never lets go.

One of the most under rated drummers in Rock, Haugland puts in his now customary stunning performance behind the kit, driving the songs on, adding flourishes and embellishments as he does so, while Leven locks everything into place with ever steady, yet fluid bass bursts. Impressively there are no passengers amongst the eleven tracks on Bag Of Bones, with the keyboard led groove of "My Woman My Friend" adding a weightier tone, while a captivating conclusion to the album arrives in the shape of "Bring It All Home", which again finds Tempest tapping into his emotions to tell a story. Both lyrically and musically, the song nods towards Queen's "The Show Must Go On", although Norum and Michaeli add more Blues roots than Brian and Freddie ever would.

Looking back through their catalogue, no matter which era you linger over, Europe have never released a bad album. However with Bag Of Bones they have topped the lot. If you've enjoyed any of their last three albums, you are going to adore this, but really Bag Of Bones is for anyone who loves expertly presented Rock music that comes from the heart.

Track Listing
1. Riches To Rags
2. Not Supposed To Sing The Blues
3. Firebox
4. Bag Of Bones
5. Requiem
6. My Woman My Friend
7. Demon Head
8. Drink And A Smile
9. Doghouse
10. Mercy You Mercy Me
11. Bring It All Home

Added: April 22nd 2012
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Europe The Band Online
Hits: 5716
Language: english

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