THE CASBAH CLUB
Eastworld
Well I approached this with some trepidation initially. A 'new' band selling themselves based on the bands they used to play with; a live release playing songs of their old bands. It seemed like a copout – a quick and easy way to make some money. Well I’m not here to guess at the rationale, but I will tell you that it’s really grown on me. Featuring ex-members of Big Country, The Jam and The Silencers, this five piece outfit is certainly of decent pedigree and worth a listen. With 3 ex-BC members, we get a heavy dose of BC tracks – 6 in all, but they’ve stayed away from the beaten path (‘cept one). Rounding out the CD are 3 very familiar Jam tracks and one JJ Gilmour (ex-Silencers) track. As a Jam fan and not a self-proclaimed Big Country fan, much of this did end up sounding fresh to me and not necessarily the 'rehash' that some may expect. Certainly being a live recording adds some energy to this performance too.
Opening with three Big Country tracks, the first is 'Seven Waves', a pleasant mid-tempo track that adequately sets the pace for the rest of the album. 'Perfect World' ups the pace with a driving bass expertly delivered by Bruce Foxton. The third track is stunningly gorgeous. 'Fragile Thing' delicately dances along on a gently flowing current equally pushed along by guitar, bass and drum complete with a vocal expertly layered on. Shifting gears, the band breaks out one of the Jam’s biggest hits, 'Town Called Malice'. Again Foxton’s bass sounds great, in fact musically the whole band sounds great. Vocally though, it misses Paul Weller’s throaty punch – oh well. Next up is BC’s 'Ships', a passionate rocker with an infectious chorus. 'Me & You' is one of JJ Gilmour’s own tracks. This is a strong track with a nice melody. The bass and organ carry this beautifully. Back to another Jam track, 'Butterfly Collector'. This is a classic song, delivered well but again missing Weller’s intensity. 'Never Take Your Place' picks up the pace again and is another reminder of BC’s strong catalog. It’s another intelligent, balanced rocker. The last Jam track, 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight', fairs better than the other two as this track features Foxton on lead vocals. Closing out the album is a favorite of just about everybody. BC’s 'In A Big Country' resonates well with it’s familiar guitar riffs that pierce the air and a melody that reminds us why this was Big Country at their peak.
This is a nice album that will get multiple plays. The crowd was clearly enjoying the performance, and the band are clearly relishing the moment as well. OK, so there’s no new material here, but it’s hard to complain about hearing well played variations on songs that have held up well over time. The CD also includes 25 minutes of interviews, a video clip from their Spring tour as well as a photo gallery – nice extras! These guys also have live dates planned for November. Check ‘em out. They’re talented and are pulling from a rich back catalogue. Enjoy!
Opening with three Big Country tracks, the first is 'Seven Waves', a pleasant mid-tempo track that adequately sets the pace for the rest of the album. 'Perfect World' ups the pace with a driving bass expertly delivered by Bruce Foxton. The third track is stunningly gorgeous. 'Fragile Thing' delicately dances along on a gently flowing current equally pushed along by guitar, bass and drum complete with a vocal expertly layered on. Shifting gears, the band breaks out one of the Jam’s biggest hits, 'Town Called Malice'. Again Foxton’s bass sounds great, in fact musically the whole band sounds great. Vocally though, it misses Paul Weller’s throaty punch – oh well. Next up is BC’s 'Ships', a passionate rocker with an infectious chorus. 'Me & You' is one of JJ Gilmour’s own tracks. This is a strong track with a nice melody. The bass and organ carry this beautifully. Back to another Jam track, 'Butterfly Collector'. This is a classic song, delivered well but again missing Weller’s intensity. 'Never Take Your Place' picks up the pace again and is another reminder of BC’s strong catalog. It’s another intelligent, balanced rocker. The last Jam track, 'Down In The Tube Station At Midnight', fairs better than the other two as this track features Foxton on lead vocals. Closing out the album is a favorite of just about everybody. BC’s 'In A Big Country' resonates well with it’s familiar guitar riffs that pierce the air and a melody that reminds us why this was Big Country at their peak.
This is a nice album that will get multiple plays. The crowd was clearly enjoying the performance, and the band are clearly relishing the moment as well. OK, so there’s no new material here, but it’s hard to complain about hearing well played variations on songs that have held up well over time. The CD also includes 25 minutes of interviews, a video clip from their Spring tour as well as a photo gallery – nice extras! These guys also have live dates planned for November. Check ‘em out. They’re talented and are pulling from a rich back catalogue. Enjoy!
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