REV IT UP AND TAKE THIS BABY FOR A SPIN ...
Albums featuring cover songs are often empty, souless
affairs retreading on safe and predictable musical ground.
Often, these albums are one listen and into the dust bin
records that bring no new creativity or vision to the table.
A new CD by acclaimed rock drummer Rodger Carter, Saturday
Morning Cartunes proves that notion wrong. A veteran session
and touring drummer who's worked with the likes of, Bonnie
Raitt, Eddie Money, Rick Springfield, Gene Simmons and Cheap
Trick lead singer, Robin Zander, Carter's debut CD offers up
a judicious choice of 12 well selected and executed covers
including "On Top Of The World" by Cheap Trick, "The Wait"
by The Pretenders, a smokin' take on "Rip It Out" culled
from Ace Frehley's eponymous 1978 solo album, "Get It Up, "
a standout from Aerosmith's 1978 album Draw The Line, plus a
surprisingly funky take on "The Fat Albert Theme Song".
It doesn't hurt that Carter surrounded himself with some of
Southern California's finest musicians including such
heavyweight cats as guitarists John 5 (Marilyn Manson/Rob
Zombie), Yogi (Wallflowers/Buckcherry), Tim Pierce (John
Waite/Rick Springfield), bassist Matt Bissonette (Ringo
Starr/ELO), Mark Browne (Melissa Etheridge), Lance Morrison
(Don Henley) and others. A fine slate of tremendous singers
on board this record, including R&B great Gonzales Ozen,
Pauly Trudeau (Mandy Moore, Lifehouse) and solo artists
Evanne Riskas and Debbie Holiday, all tackle the material
with conviction and passion, intent on reinvention rather
than mimicry.
To these ears, the highlights are numerous with a soulful
cover of The Babys' 1980 FM radio hit, "Back On My Feet
Again" a particular favorite, sporting the Joe Cocker big
lunged vocal stylings of Gonzales Ozen; the song also offers
a surprising musical twist near the end by paying homage to
that underrated band's first U.S. smash, "Isn't It Time",
which is cleverly used as the song's coda.
Saturday Morning Cartunes is one musical ride you'll want to
take over and over again.
- Ken Sharp
FMQB magazine
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