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Album Review
by SashaS
13-4-2004
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| Aerosmith: 'Honkin' on Hobo' = ace-plus |
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Aerosmith: 'Honkin’ On Bobo'
(Columbia)
Aerosmith return to blues f-f-f-rocking
If you are saving monies for D-12’s opus, better go out now and get some value for your dosh. Eminem’s sideproj is gonna be more of less, i.e. gentler, blander and more mainstream, Aerosmith’s ‘Honkin’ On Bobo’ is rock’s primal scream, the birthplace of youth uprising, the howl of a defining social strata. As a matter of the recorded history, Bill Haley and The Comets recorded the first mainstream rock song, ‘Rock Around The Clock’, fifty years ago (see today’s News for more info).
Aerosmith, one of the finest purveyors of Rockism, have always had a rougher ride in Europe by being regarded as the American version of The Rolling Stones and there are certain similarities - but Aeros ain’t nobody’s facsimiles. Having seen them live enough times, the show they played at Wembley Stadium some years ago - was a spectacle that fired with every riff! Aerosmith are a colossal band that goes OTT, alike The Stones, and they antics have often recalled the Spinal Tap-type excesses.
But, deep down, like when Mick and his band of veterans rock a small venue - the true power and nature of the band, the original wannabes are aroused once again. That’s how ‘Honkin’’ sounds like, a band gone back to its roots and rediscovered its own lost souls, first loves and fallen for it - all over again. The years of self-destruction didn’t happen, this is the band back in the day - but with all the experience of the intervening career.
That’s why they can play it all with ease but with more passion and guts than most sneering punk-rockers who could be their biological offspring. Joe Perry’s guitar, as much as Steven Tyler’s vocal drive the songs that walk a thin line between electric blues and early Rock’n’Roll, although ‘Never Loved a Girl’ [with The Memphis Horns] is rather soulful and the final ‘Jesus Is On The Main Line’ is truly gospelly.
This is a band reborn, especially in slow, driving numbers like the punishing ‘Back Back Train’ and Willie Dixon’s ‘I’m Ready’ is simply cooking. Tyler plays some killer harmonica on ‘Road Runner’ and the lone original track, ‘The Grind’, that validates them alongside the legends. Aerosmith thrill throughout but rockers like ‘Shame, Shame, Shame’ are raved-up and ‘You Gotta Move’ [covered aeons ago by The Rolling Stones and one of three tracks here by Mississippi bluesman Fred McDowell] is Bo Diddley in top gear.
Perry is ferocious and omnipotent, guiding the band like a man possessed in the midnight prowl of ‘Back Back Train’, the slamming shuffle breakdown of ‘Temperature’ (with blues great Jimmie Johnson on piano), and Stevie Ray Vaughan send-up, ‘Stop Messin’ Around’ (with Perry on vocals). At certain points Tyler appears to pay homage to Dr John, the voodoo bluesist, even.
‘Honkin’ On Bobo’ is a huge blast of a disc, with heart, soul, and fury to spare. Aerosmith still cherish that blues power and it would be nice to experience it in a small club. It‘d blow the “bloody roof off” [assume Michael Caine’s pronunciation in ‘The Italian Job’]. It could be 1972 - and we mean it as the Devils Tower-size compliment.
Someone’s remark of ‘Honkin’’ being an “album sounding at times like a lost Sun session broadcast from deep outer space” may be true but having ventured no place more alien than Death Valley, I’ll settle for the Deep South.
9/10
SashaS
13-4-2004
Aerosmith’s album ‘Honkin’ On Bobo’ is released 05 April 2004 by Columbia
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