Silver Rails: Deluxe

© Marc Wickert [...] What an incredibly passionate album! Jack Bruce shoots straight from the heart here, like a double-barrel railgun, employing a less-is-more approach, with all 10 tracks being moody, tasteful offerings. Jack's solid Warwick-bass foundation on all tracks (except Industrial Child which has Jack on vocal and piano, and Tony Remy on acoustic guitar), provides an electric spinal cord throughout the set. Once renowned primarily as the godfather and liberator of bass guitars, Jack Bruce's impeccable piano playing is superb throughout the album and complements his bass wonderfully. Jack also adds an ambient Mellotron on Reach For The Night, Keep It Down and No Surrender! Then there's Jack Bruce's voice - a timber-rich treasure of opera, blues, jazz and soul, all elegantly blended together and providing one of music's greatest and most unique vocals, ever. For Silver Rails, Jack brings in a variety of hired guns to weave their own musical dynamics and magic. Somehow, they all contribute to a constant, cohesive mix throughout the album, all working to achieve one brilliant goal. Silver Rails is a very European work: presented in black and white, exploring perfectly the dark and light moods like a Leonardo di Vinci masterpiece. In a nutshell, Jack Bruce has nailed his latest solo production like a size 11 thunderbolt. He would have left the studio with this treasure under his arm, bearing Smiles And Grins from ear to ear. For my money, his best work yet. THE TRACKS Candlelight: Composed by Jack Bruce and wife Margrit Seyffer, who also acts as executive producer and co-ordinator on Silver Rails. Phil Manzanera (801, Roxy Music...) is the first of the hired guitar-guns on the set, horns accompany here nicely without dominating, John Medeski's Hammond organ flows with Jack's bass underlay. Reach For The Night: The album title Silver Rails comes from this Jack Bruce/Pete Brown composition. Jack's eerie narration alone could challenge Humphrey Bogart for his lead role in Casablanca. More haunting Hammond from John Medeski blends effortlessly into Derek Nash's tenor solo. Fields Of Forever: (Bruce/Brown), Jack strong bass punching out, piano escorts listener through track like a trusted friend, horn-solo block, Frank Tontoh drums. Hidden Cities: (Bruce/Hanrahan), Jack cascading vocals direct from the underworld with even a mention of Hitchcock's Rearview Mirror in lyrics. Uli Jon Roth's guitar soaring on horizon, Cindy Blackman Santana (Lenny Kravitz etc.) jazz/rock beat. Don't Look Now: (Bruce/Brown), Jack weaving vocals, John Medeski Skylab Hammond, Malcolm Bruce and Tony Remy guns, Jack's familiar piano that's constant throughout album. Rusty Lady: (Bruce/Brown), Jack punching bass, Malcolm Bruce pecking guitar, Robin Trower solo, Pete Brown signature lyrics, Frank Tontoh always present beat. Industrial Child: (Bruce/Brown), Jack's brilliant vocal and piano and Tony Remy's acoustic guitar could fit comfortably on Monkjack, or in a Russian opera. Drone: (Bruce), Jack buzzing bass and multi vocals, Milos Pai intriguing drums. Wait for Black Sabbath's version (joking). Sounds like it could have been treated by Brian Eno in Berlin - very European and excitingly adventurous. Keep It Down: (Bruce/Brown), Jack savory vocals and tip-toeing bass, Bernie Marsden soaring guitar, John Medeski Hammond, track original version on Out Of The Storm. No Surrender!: (Bruce/Brown), Jack hammering-bass, Mellotron, vocals, Cindy Blackman Santana tight drums, Bernie Marsden mad-hornet guitar, track original version on A Question Of Time. A fitting sealer for this stunning album.

OK so i got caught up in ome impulse buying and purchased this along with John Mayall's A Special Life & Ginger Baker's Why CD's. at this stage of the game i wouldn't expect these artists to retain their creative juice or live performance capabilities but after seeing Mayall a couple of years ago i thought anything was possible. the reviews seemed positive also but these performers always have cult followers so you never know; i'm one of those followers and know that music is very personal. So what a huge surprise when i listened to these cd's. i got way more pleasure out of these cd's then anything i can remember. It's as if they all got the same dose of spiritual energy and all released material that's up there with some of their best stuff and within months of each other. the recording quality of ALL THREE cd's is incredibly good (yes i'm an audiophile of sorts). not only is the sound quality top level, the mix always seems to be artfully done with just the right soundscape. the song writing also has great character again pointing to some deep spiritual drive for each of these composers. Jack Bruce has always been one of my favorite songwriters and bassists since my first intro to Cream in 68/69. i read his biography recently and recommend it to anyone that wants to understand the underpinnings of what translated into some intense contemporary music during the 60's. some of these songs/styles feel like they've been very carefully selected whether they be Bruce's signature style or something that might be culled from Elvis Costello. Very heartfelt material which make me think that Jack did this one from a very deep personal place. so do yourself a favor and buy all three cd's at once and barrage yourself with some ot the best contemporary music you'll ever find.

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Jack Bruce, qui aurait cru, un nouvel album, lui ayant des problèmes ' graves' de santé un excellent album, ou l'on retrouve ROBIN TROWER sur 1 titre puis BERNIE MARSDEN ULI JON ROTH et autres, le style varie selon les musicians , à conseiller d'urgence merci MR BRUCE

Niemand ,aber auch wirklich niemand kann - oder konnte - so perfekt vor der Musik hersingen (taktmäßig gesehen) wie dieser geniale Musiker.Als begehrter Sideman veredelte er die Musik diverser Künstler.Besonders hervorzuheben sind für mich hier die Kip Hanrahan - Sessions (Desire Develops and Edge) Robin Trower (Seven Moons). Und CREAM wäre ohne ihn undenkbar gewesen !! Daß er krank war, wusste man ja (und man sah es auch). Aber totkrank ? Trotzdem schafft der Mann dieses letzte Meisterwerk!! Respekt und Dank.. Die anfangs erwähnte einmalige Sangeskunst wird übrigens beim Titel "Rusty Lady " hier noch einmal besonders deutlich. (Ganzkörper-)Gänsehaut pur! Wie sensationell gut - und trotzdem bescheiden - dieser Mann war; davon kann man sich u.a. auf YouTube: The Cream Of Cream Complete Instructional - 1998 (mit Gary Moore und Gary Husband) überzeugen.

Well, Jack Bruce did it again. Another new record that doesn't sound like anything he's done before, yet instantly recognizable as "pure Jack". While describing the character in his music is difficult, one can certainly mention the easy to recognize elements: the killer bass lines, the perfect vocal overdubs, the strange chords and the occasional odd time signature, everything galvanized in amazing compositions, sometimes too simple at first, but start growing on you after a few listens. Who the hell on earth can start a record with a reggae, following it with a piano ballad, then a pop song with a catchy chorus and then a heavy metal piece with Uli Jon Roth on guitar, lyrics by Kip Hanrahan and four girls doing backing vocals? The only things I am not that crazy about are the two songs revisited. While the new "Keep it Down" provides a nice contrast to the original almost hysterical "Lost Weekend" (should I say semester?) version, "No Surrender" sounds like an above average cover band. I'd finish the album with a solo piano piece, but that's the way the banana splits. And last but not least, Pete Brown is shining again with amazing lyrics. This is great and honest music. Hope Jack will stop looking at the Fields of Forever, get rolling instead and make another album fast.

Ordered as a gift and package was not damaged