Atom Bomb - Blind Boys Of Alabama (The)

Advantages: great songs
Disadvantages: none

...I am not a religious man (far from it) and am no follower of gospel music but having come across the blid boys of alabamas Spirit of the Century album I couldn't wait to get my hands on this one. THere is no doubt that this is another fine album full of wonderful vocals. As with Spirit of the century the blind boys have been teamed up with another great set of backing musicians, although I must admit i do miss Danny Thompsons excellent bass playing which was an outstanding feature of the previous album. There is a good range of songs on this album which show up the beauty of the singing and playing. Even if like me you would never normall consider a gospel album this is well worth buying and if you have never heard spirit of the century you MUST get that album tha treally is essential listening U GOTTA LOVE IT... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average somewhat helpful

Advantages: Warms the cockles of your soul
Disadvantages: You need a soul in the first place

...As the winter months draw in it’s good to tuck oneself on bed with a flask, in a wood cabin, and authentic Deep South gospel blues to warm the cockles of the heart. This year my musical and spiritual heat is being provided by the soulful hauntings of Ben Harper and The Blind Boys of Alabama with There Will Be A Light. We are hearing the union of a combination of artists at their peak. The Blind Boys bring the raw Negro Spiritual tradition and decades of blended hymnal harmonising. Harper and his band bring the stripped down arrangements to vocals aged in oak caskets for generations, soaking up decades and life experience. As you expect there is variety without vanity. The lonely slide guitar in Dylan cover Well, Well, Well seems to be fighting for empathy whereas accapella lament Mother Pray is touching enough to bring tears... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful

Advantages: It's U2
Disadvantages: Some weaker tracks

...taken a step back -and by no means a bad one at that. The album doesn't skim on production but it's perhaps the back to basic approach to it that makes the album work. Go back and look at how raw their early stuff are and in places on Atomic Bomb you can see how over the years U2 have built on this. The Boys might be older and slightly greyer if you take a look at the photo's on the accompanied booklet but they still know how to belt 'em out with the best of them. Atomic Bomb isn't some arty experimental album it's about getting back to playing pure rock with guitar riffs to die for, Bono belting them out like the pro he is and imagining you're in a stadium someplace singing along! Yes in places it sounds grandiose, but the grittiness that made U2 is still there. The album takes on the usual U2 material of politics, love, spirituality... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful