Birdland

Yardbirds | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 22, 2003)
• Original Release Date: 2003
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Favored Nations
• ASIN: B00008NUX1
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #113,452 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Surprisingly Good Cd From One Of The Sixties Best Bands!, May 25, 2003

By 

highway_star (Hallandale, Florida United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Birdland (Audio CD)

I was shocked to see there was a new cd from the sixties British group The Yardbirds. My first thought was that this was a cd of unreleased material, but low and behold an all new release from this great rock band. Original members of The Yardbirds, Jim McCarty (drums) and Chris Dreja (rhythym guitar) as well as lead guitarist Jeff Beck who does a guest appearance are on this new release and a host of other artists such as Slash, Steve Lukather, Brian May, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, etc. This cd, while obviously not as stunning as the original 60's Yardbirds material, is suprisingly good. You've got some classics remade such as "I'm Not talking", "For Your Love", "Train Kept A Rollin'", "Shapes Of Things", "Over Under Sideways Down", "Mr You're A Better Man Than I", "Happening Ten Years Time Ago", "The Nazz Are Blue" as well as other songs such as "Crying Out For Love", "Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout The News", "Mr Saboteur", "My Blind Life", "Mystery Of Being", "Dream Within A Dream" and "An Original Man" (a song for Keth Relf). The Yardbird's new vocalist John Idan, (on some songs, mostly the classics) tries very hard to sound like original vocalist Keth Relf who died years ago, and he does a fantastic job. As a matter of fact the entire new line up of Yardbirds sounds great alongside the several original members. This is a cd that will not only appeal to those of us that grew up in the 60's and loved the music of this great rock band, but also to a new generation of music lovers. Long Live The Yardbirds! Highly Recommended.

35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars No Eric, no Jimmy, very little Jeff, get it anyway!!!, April 28, 2003

By 

chris meesey Food Czar (The Colony, TX United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Birdland (Audio CD)

In the Yardbirds first new disc in 30+ years, fabled guitarists Eric Clapton and Jimmy Page are nowhere to be found, and Jeff Beck only plays on one cut ("My Blind Love"). Still, this is a very worthwhile effort. If you've read Alan Clayson's excellent biography ("The Yardbirds: The Band That Launched Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page."), then you realize that drummer Jim McCarty and bass/guitarist Chris Dreja were far more instrumental to the band's sound that they are usually given credit. They form the nucleus of the new Yardbirds, along with guitarist Gypie Mayo (fine solos throughout), bass player and Keith Relf-sound alike singer John Idan (exceptional on "Mister, You're a Better Man Than I"), and harmonica man Alan Glen (whose delightful solos are an unexpected plus). Throw in a few guest guitarists like Skunk Baxter, Joe Satriani, and Steve Vai and the result is an appealing blend of timeless classics and excellent new material. Standouts of the new songs are McCarty compositons "Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout the News" and "Dream Within a Dream". Finally, those old chestnuts, Mose Allison's "I'm Not Talking," and the Steve-Vai-led "Shapes of Things" sound brighter than ever. Listen, please don't fall into the trap of "Eric-and-Jimmy-and-Keith-aren't-on-this-record-so-it-can't-be-any-good." Give this disc a serious listen or two and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Yardbirds - 'Birdlands' (Favored Nation), March 11, 2005

By 

Mike Reed (USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Birdland (Audio CD)

Boy,talk about all the reunions you never,and I do mean never expect to see take place.Two original members of the Yardbirds reunite for this fifteen track CD.Half old songs redone,half new tracks.Which most of them are quite good.I mean,I would expect maybe a reunion awhile back of the surviving members of the Beatles or Zeppelin before the Yardbirds,and with a half of lp's worth of new material,mind you.Very nice 2003 release,the older cuts of course,rock like "For Your Love","Train Kept A Rollin'","Shape Of Things","Over Under Sideways Down"(one of my favorite tunes of all time),"Mr,You're A Better Man Than I Am" and "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago".The new cuts,like "Crying Out For Love","Please Don't Tell Me About The News" and "My Blind Life" are actually pretty decent,I thought.On most of these tunes,I thought the lead vocals sound very close to that of their late frontman Keith Relf.Line-up:Chris Dreja-rhythm guitar,Jim McCarty-drums,John Idan-bass&vocals,Gypie Mayo-guitar and Alan Glen-harmonica.Just all around good British blues rock revitalized.Recommended.They even toured the states awhile back.