Album, Single and EP Reviews


 

 

  Swinging from the Chains of Love by Blackie and the Rodeo Kings


Swinging from the Chains of Love cover art

Artist: Blackie and the Rodeo Kings
Title: Swinging from the Chains of Love
Catalogue Number: True North TND515
Review Format: CD
Release Year: 2009



How much a man forgets. I suppose we should all be grateful for the vast diversity of music that is available to us but sometimes it just gets too much. It wasn't until I actually listened to this album that I remembered who Blackie and The Rodeo Kings are. They're Tom Wilson, Colin Linden and Stephen Fearing, in case you need reminding, and this album is a compilation of their finest moments.

This band do music for grown ups. Grown ups who appreciate the sort of quality musicianship on show here. The songs themselves are generally laidback ("Sometimes It Comes So Easy" reminded me of prime time Dire Straits, for example) and slip over easier than an 18 year old malt whisky. As the album progressed, the familiar melody of "Heaven for a Lonely Man" made me wonder how I had managed to forget this band. There's also an unreleased track - "The Caves of Jericho" that feels like a resurrection anthem for The Band - for those of you that have their five albums already.

There is little doubt that Blackie and the Rodeo Kings are a band that does what they do well. Come to think of it, they are more like a band that does what they do because that is what they were meant to do.

 


www.rodeokings.com
Reviewer:
Review Date: March 19 2009