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THE OUTLAWS |
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THE OUTLAWS |
Musicians: Henry Paul - guitar & vocals CD1 : There’s good news for Southern Rock universe with a new live double-album of the Outlaws, recorded in many different shows and with a great musical quality. This album offers some very good versions of old famous songs and new titles, and didn’t fell in the trap of a simple cover. So listeners have a good time. It’s certainly because of the wonderful Henry Paul’s voice, which is still the same after all those years, and Chris Anderson and Steve Grisham nice guitar work. They do play Hughie Thomasson and Billy Jones style and join their own style. Monte Yoho heavy play joins the ensemble. This double-album shows a perfect choice of the band best songs, some close to the original versions, other in a modern way. After a crazy intro in the western style (thunder, coyote screams and guitar solo) arrive “There goes another love song” first notes that bring us in a nostalgic atmosphere. Then we get an amount of souvenirs! Outlaws great famous songs are played and it’s very nice to be able to listen to old songs such as « Song in the breeze », « South Carolina » or « Gunsmoke ». Henry Paul plays a country version of « Freeborn Man » and « Girl from Ohio » is played a little bit faster. Two guitarists have a good time on “Waterhole” and “Knoxville City”. Don’t forget a brilliant version of “Cold harbor” (from 1986 album “Soldiers of Fortune”) with a solo close to the record one. Band also plays some songs of the new album, such as “Hidin’ out in Tennessee” (classical country-rock song that ends in a fast Country song), “Born to be bad” (good fast rock song that Henry Paul names as a “Motorcycle Song”), “It’s about Pride” (Southern ballad that ends in a guitar cavalcade) and “Trail of Tears”. We also get a good surprise with some Henry Paul’s band covers. “Grey Ghost” is played slower but with burning guitars solos, and “So Long” which is always moving. At the end, Henry Paul gives the names of the writers of “Green Grass and High Tides” (Franck O’keefe, Billy Jones et Hughie Thomasson) and the group begins that song for a long guitar feast. “Ghost Riders in the Sky” closes the show. Congratulations! Good Job! Olivier Carle However, we have to say that there are some little mistakes on that album. And especially the apparition of a keyboard player which is totally useless, the Outlaws being a guitar band. Some keyboards are played and give the effect of a bison in a bar. These keyboard parts don’t add any bonus to the songs and even bring them in a kind of musical fog just like on “Hurry Sundown”, and even totally change some songs like the keyboard solo on “Freeborn Man” break or on “Prisoner”. And Hughie Thomasson loss is real. We just wait for his intervention on « There goes another love song », « Hurry sundown », « Green grass… » or « Ghost Riders”. But, that’s life. It’s a real souvenir of a lost period. In fact, there are two ways to enjoy that Tamp group new live album. In a nostalgic way where there’s no band without Hughie. Die-hard fans of the group will sure think that way, and won’t enjoy that album. Or in a modern way. We just take that album as it comes and we do enjoy the new dimension of those old songs thinking we are lucky to be able to see such a band at the top with the Southern flag. After all, the original singer and drummer are still in the band. And the two guitar players already played with Hughie. At the end, tradition and heritage are present. Honestly, after listening to that album, an Outlaws die-hard fan only can say “It’s really good!”, and a Southern Rock fan will sure enjoy the set-list with two songs of the Henry Paul band. And rock fans will sure enjoy the professional way and the gift of the musicians. So, to resume, this album will be enjoyed by everybody. And who knows? Wherever is Hughie, he may be happy to see that his band is still alive and they do play songs he wrote forty years ago. . There goes another southern song in the breeze ! Olivier Aubry |
