It’s been a while now since the days when I was Poor Albert’s trusty helper at whitesnake.com.
In the meantime I’ve become a successful Internet entrepreneur and Poor Albert is now my trusty helper, taking care of the the web needs of my ever-growing team.
Needless to say, I was pleased and flattered to be asked to contribute a review of the new Whitesnake album and was happy to oblige.
Thanks to the Internet grapevine I’d already heard lots of good things about this album way before the release date.
This positive buzz was a great relief to me. Not, you understand, that I was expecting anything less than a masterpiece from my musical hero, but because I know that when an album has been as eagerly anticipated as this one, it’s almost impossible to please everyone.
But with Good To Be Bad it seemed as though Maestro Coverdale and his merry men had pulled off the same nigh-on impossible feat as with the 2006 Live In the Still Of The Night DVD, namely
Universal acclaim, universal admiration and not a dissenting voice to be heard! In fact, I still haven’t read a negative review anywhere.
And when I finally received my copy, I could understand why.
In Doug Aldrich, David seems to have found the perfect writing partner – with both of them bringing out the best in one another.
Over the last 30 years there have been so many incarnations of Whitesnake that even the most avid fan has difficulty in keeping up. And each era has its own fans – some preferring the more bluesy Whitesnake of the Moody-Marsden era, others the more metal-edged sound of the late 80’s.
What I find little short of miraculous with this album is that it seems to have united the Whitesnake fanbase like never before, with EVERYONE being behind it, no matter which era they favour.
Every review is, of course, subjective and this one is no different. What surprised and pleased me most about this album is that it’s much more hard-hitting than I was expecting given the more mellow approach of the 2000 solo album Into The Light. And although I enjoy mellow, I still like a spot of head-tossing and booty-shaking on occasion – it’s just that nowadays the booty is a little broader and the skirts that cover it a little longer!
I guess what I’m saying is that I like all the same things I’ve always liked but with an awareness of the passing of time.
And that’s exactly how I feel about Whitesnake with Good To Be Bad. There’s still the passion, the trademark break-down-the-door earthiness that has always been the band’s hallmark, but slightly more measured.
You wouldn’t think it possible to combine raunchy with dignified – but they’ve pulled it off!
What I love about the album is that there are so many of the typical Whitesnake trademarks, but with new twist. It’s like reading a book by a favourite author – it’s a brand new story but as a regular reader you recognise little touches reminiscent of previous works.
The opening song on the album, Best Years, pretty much sums up what I mean. Hard, heavy and haunting, it’s the Cryin’ In the Rain for the new millennium. And as with every Whitesnake album, there’s always a song that seems to sum up how I’m feeling and this one’s it.
Yes, David, I totally agree. The best years of my life are happening right here, right now, too!
I’m certainly looking forward to hearing Can You Hear The Wind Blow on the upcoming tour as it’s one of those songs just crying out to be played live. I can already see Mr Coverdale in my mind’s eye singing “All I want is just to spend my life with you” to some lucky, swooning, lady in the front row!
Call On Me is very much in the Coverdale-Page vein, while the up-tempo ballad All I Want All I Need could easily have slotted into David’s solo album, Into The Light.
One of the great things for me, and I’m sure I’m not alone in this, is how David can switch from sensitive lover to raging Neanderthal faster than you could tune a g-string to A.
And so it’s back to the chest-beating with the rip-roaring title track Good To Be Bad, another prime candidate for the live shows and the chance for the guitarists and rhythm section to strut their stuff.
All For Love is classic sing-a-long Whitesnake followed by the tender ballad Summer Rain.
Lay Down Your Love starts with an acapella intro before segueing into Zeppelinesque guitar riffs and some off those notes that only dogs can hear!
A Fool In Love is a hot and steamy bluesy rocker which is one of my favourite songs on the album, encapsulating the old and new Whitesnake with a driving, guitar-heavy melody and stand-out chorus.
Ey oop – here comes another classic back-to-the-roots fast-paced Whitesnake rocker – Got What You Need – proving that Mr Coverdale hasn’t lost any of his vocal verve and dexterity.
The album closer, the evocative ‘Til The End Of Time reminds me of both Free and the Beatles in parts and is my favourite ballad on the album.
With this album Whitesnake have shown that they are still a force to be reckoned with in 2008.
Congratulations David and the band on a brand new Whitesnake classic and I can’t wait to see you on tour!
And on the subject of hearing the wind blow, just listen to those Northwinds in blustery Saltburn during my trip to “The Birthplace”!
