Black Country Communion V Album review.
Black Country Communion, the iconic rock supergroup featuring the talents of Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian, release of their highly anticipated fifth studio album, V, available worldwide on J&R Adventures on Friday June 14.
Their first album in 7 years sees them alongside producer Kevin Shirley produce another superb quality hard work record full of vocal acrobatics from Glenn Hughes who defies logic at 72 years of age and taut muscular guitar riffs from Joe Bonamassa and pounding drums from Jason Bonham with added depth to the music from Derek Sherinian like only they all can.
It's all about the collective with BCC and they come together to produce a 51 minute masterpiece that after living with it for a few days I am getting more from with every play.
Whether it's a vocal line from Glenn or the amazing bass lines and you forget what a player he is and maybe doesn't get the credit for.
Joe plays it hard rock on this album with only Restless seeing some blues melodic notes in the intro and outro like we have become used to but by the mid song guitar solo he is ripping it up and showing he can play every style possible.
Enlighten was the first single and from the first note sets the tone for the album with it's huge guitar riff and Jason setting the scene with his trademark pounding style and the production of Kevin Shirley shines through with Glenn adding plenty of bass lines and a big chorus with some held notes from Glenn vocally too. Would be a fantastic live show opener guys !!
Stay Free follows with it's funky riff centre piece before breaking out into a big hard rock chorus and then back to the funky riff in the second verse. Joe's fuzzed up guitar solo shows another string to his bow so to speak . Glenn opens up with vocal acrobatics with Joe soloing alongside him in the outro.
Red Sun sees another huge guitar riff and drum rhythm before the aforementioned Restless sees the pace drop with Joe's bluesy guitar riff and Glenn letting rip with his vocals soaring and Derek adding keys tones alongside Joe's guitar add libs and nice use of light and shade. Meaning when Joe explodes in the guitar solo it hits even harder. Stunning.
Letting Go is a 3 minute rocker with a stop start guitar riff and a very melodic chorus with Glenn held notes and a restrained vocal melody and a short fiery Joe guitar solo.
Skyway has another stop start guitar riff and during the verse picked notes under the vocal before building to the chorus. Joes' guitar solo starts with melodic picked and held notes before he builds up pace and then back to the big chorus.
You're Not Alone has a mighty guitar riff at the intro then more funky stop start in the verse before back to the big riff pre chorus where Glenn really opens up vocally with no boundaries.
Love And Faith has a Derek keys intro and then a pure Led Zeppelin joint Derek keys and Joe guitar riff as the songs main centre piece. Joe leads the vocal duties showing how he has developed into a world class vocalist before Glenn takes over just before another short Joe fiery guitar solo. More Joe vocals into Glenn add libbs and then back to the main riff in the outro.
Too Far Gone is a just shy of 4 minute rocker full of held vocal notes from Glenn and his bass playing exemplary and a Derek keys solo for a different texture.
The Open Road finishes the album in style with another stop start funky riff . As Joe's guitar solo starts you think here we go as he picks gently at the notes and it builds and builds with his playing increasing in pace and the band go with him. The chemistry and interplay as it grows is stunning and must have been a joy to see in the studio as a magic moment occurred. Jason pounds his kit into submission and it just makes you want to press play again and just hope please guys that they can find time in their busy schedules to play live in the UK soon.
Black Country Communion with V have added another rich layer into their resume and we can be very thankful that their journey continues.
Pre-order album from the UK and Europe – https://lnk.to/blackcountrycommunion
Pre-order album from North America – https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/bcc-v
