Bruce; Jack: Silver Rails

Think Jack Bruce and you think Cream. Even decades down the line that's the case and for whatever reason an affliction more suffered by the one-time bassist and singer of one the seminal Rock acts of all time than it has ever been for the slowhanding guitarist, or grumpy as buggery drummer. However it isn't a fair manner in which to approach any solo album under any circumstance, especially when you consider just how high a benchmark Cream are to compare anyone against.

Silver Rails then is a gentle Rock album that sits in an easy groove and is as happy displaying a mid paced Jazz outlook, as is it a mid paced Blues vibe, or a mid paced Rock shuffle. "Reach For The Night" ambles along displaying Bruce's wonderful gravely, deep vocal tones, "Fields Of Forever" finds a Gerry Rafferty like sardonic smile and jaunts almost playfully. However "Don't Look Now" stumbles almost into a maudlin Randy Newman sidle of introspection, while "Industrial Child" struggles to hold the interest via a simple piano-voice approach. "Drone" on the other hand sounds like a polite White Stripes.

So even when not comparing Silver Rails against any of the back catalogue of this legendary musician, it is a struggle to describe what you'll find here as anything other than mid paced and middle of the road. Something which feels even more disappointing when you factor in that the guitar talent on this album includes Robin Trower, Phil Manzanera, Uli Jon Roth and Bernie Marsden.

By no means a poor effort Silver Rails is one of those albums best described as pleasant. That in itself is not an awful thing, but I can't hand on heart remember the last time I went trawling through my CD collection for that "pleasant" little listening experience. I can't say I'll ever feel the need to do so for Silver Rails either...

Track Listing
1.Candlelight
2.Reach For The Night
3.Fields Of Forever
4.Hidden Cities
5.Don't Look Now
6.Rusty Lady
7.Industrial Child
8.Drone
9.Keep It Down
10.No Surrender

Added: June 29th 2014
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Jack Bruce online
Hits: 2095
Language: english

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