For Week Ending:
13 July 2024

Jimmy Page - Outrider (1988)

[Rock]

With riffs and a tone that were distinctively Jimmy Page, the great virtuoso's first true solo album 'Outrider' burst onto the hard rock scene in 1988 only a few shorts months after he featured all over Led Zeppelin band mate Robert Plant's return to rock on 'Now And Zen'. The buzz that appearance had generated only helped to build for this album, but ultimately the buzz wasn't justified. The album has a very modern blues feel, mostly aided by the vocals of John Miles on the two opening tracks. These launch the album well, but it is obvious very quickly that this is slicky produced product. Robert Plant returns the guesting favour and provides vocals to one track, 'The Only One', but sadly this is one of the tracks that suffers the most from the dated 80's production techniques. In fact most of the album is dripping in almost insipid reverb reflective of so many albums at the time, that it can only be from this period - stealing from it the opportunity to ever be seen as anything more than a product of its time. Instrumental 'Writes Of Winter' sounds like a barroom boogie, whilst the steel guitar on 'Emerald Eyes' is about the closest the album gets to his 1970s work. The final two tracks feature vocalist Chris Farlowe (who also performed vocals on Page's soundtrack to the film 'Deathwish II' back in 1982). These songs again head deep into blues territory, with 'Prison Blues' even being a slow song reminiscent of 'Since I've Been Loving You' in places, but never quite reaching that level of greatness. In fact the album as a whole never really reaches any level of the epic songwriting or guitar playing the public had hoped for from Page, and although it was big news at the time, it soon disappeared into department store bargain bins worldwide not long after.

Arist Information
James Patrick Page OBE (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the rock band Led Zeppelin. Prolific in creating guitar riffs, Page's style involves various alternative guitar tunings and melodic solos, coupled with aggressive, distorted guitar tones. It is also characterized by his folk and eastern-influenced acoustic work. He is notable for occasionally playing his guitar with a cello bow to create a droning sound texture to the music.

Release Information
'Outrider' is an album by Jimmy Page. It is his only solo studio album and the first time since 1969 he recorded with a record label other than Atlantic Records/Swan Song Records. Page recorded the music at his personal studio The Sol. Robert Plant guests on one track, "The Only One", while John Bonham's son Jason plays drums. It was originally intended to be a two album release. However, during the early recording stages of the album, Page's house was broken into and amongst the items stolen were the demo tapes which had been recorded up to that point.

Suicidal Tendencies - Freedumb (1999)

[Thrash Metal (Crossover)]

When doing a general review of band history as I do for all reviews, I had to double take at the band forming in 1980. Wow, that is a long time ago. During that period to now, I have fallen in and out of love with the band. First being hooked by their second release 'Join The Army' offering that emerging punk, rock, thrash style at the time. Lead by this 'little' 20 year old upstart in Mike Muir putting on a show and writing such classics as 'Possessed To Skate', they were on their way. It was over a decade to 'The Art Of Rebellion' which saw a very different sound from the band, that I loved and still listen to this day. A short fast forward to the topic of this review of 'Freedumb' - a recording after a 5 year hiatus and a great play on words that I guess highlighted the bands view of the world at that time. It was a return to the 3-4 minute blasts of pure in-your-face punk-rock. The title track gives you a good indication of what you are in for. That bass click in the early part is great, and we hear it at other times, including the intro to track 3. What you will hear is Muir leading the way in his hatred and protesting of all things that piss him off. Songs to pick out if I need to - the first track 'Freedumb', as described, 'I Ain't Like You', 'Naked', 'We Are Family' with a sick bass line thrown in at the start. Overall, this shows Suicidal Tendencies, in my mind re-emerging as a significant force in the punk/rock space. Sadly, there was one more release a year later and nothing after that for 10 years with Mike having back issues. The important thing is they are still alive and well, currently touring.