Musicians :

Ernst Koch: Vocals
Jurgen Zabel: Guitar
Heinz Maas: Guitar
Thomas Lorenz: Drums
Wolfgang Gottstein: Bass
Michael Laakmann: Keyboards
Jenny & Jessie Koch: Backing Vocals

Titles:

01 Flames of Yesterday
02 Belfast Blues
03 Promised Land
04 Slow Ride
05 In Flow
06 Brothers of the Road
07 Hometown Heartbeat
08 Barefoot Southern Cowboys
09 Back on The Road
10 Ballad of Johnny

In this summer 2011, some sensational is coming to you from across the Rhine (we talk about Germany ! N.d.T.) with the ALMOST FAMOUS band, making reference to the Cameron Crowe's famous musical film that has the same name. Their 10 title album Promised Land is a stinging gunfire not far to be the record of the year, as the American bands don't do better. We almost wish that they could release its clone. To be honest, two rascals from this combo, the composer-guitarist Jurgen Zabel and the bassist Wolfgang Gottstein drew attention to themselves in 1997 with the release of an unforgettable CD Street Survivors and its memorables « Go for Dixie », « Road To Jacksonville » (that gave its name to this webzine), « The Old Cowboy », « Dixie Riders », all composed by Jurgen Zabel. So when we put this Almost Famous inside the deck and when the first tune « Flames of Yesterday » takes off like a shot, the ears are pricking up and we feel a great joy inside. The formerly Street Survivors' groove and its various musical inflections all the great names that built the southern rock’n roll circus are fond of can really be found here. Then we have a wonderful « Belfast Blues », the very good tune « Promised Land » that gives its name to this album : sometimes, it's difficult to make a choice because the titles easily follow one upon another. The guitar sparring matches' enthusiasts will find delightful things with the southern boogie « Hometown Heartbeat » with a special mention for the rhythm section. We go on with the smocking « Barefoot Southern Cowboys » and a « Back on The Road » that tells the Street Survivors' adventure, straight out birst into by the Ernst Koch's Bourbon sharpened voice, Heinz Maas' slide guitar, Michael Laakmann's ivory and the female backing vocals of Jenny and Jessy Koch, with at stake a damn fight of guitars, featuring of course the two swords cited before. Jurgen Zabel composed almost all the album except « In Flow » that is the pianist Michael Laakman's one. The album ends with a flourish with « Ballad of Johnny » that is a little like their own « Edge of Sundown ». Incidentally this Promised Land has got some touches that remains me the good souvenirs of the Danny Joe Brown Band. As only little damper to that work, do our german friends suffer like us from the economical crisis to the extend that they dare to record such a jewel on a hell of CD-R format ? Because this burning southern rock would almost ask to be fossilized for the future générations.

Jacques Dersigny