Customer Reviews

Mystic Fire

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Interesting CD. Sometimes, Mountain sounds like a combination of Rob Zombie and ZZ Top and sometimes there's almost a hint of Jim Morrison and the Doors (on Mystic Fire for instance). This is one CD I really can't totally recommend, but can't really say it's all bad either. "Mystic Fire", "The Sea", and especially "Better Off With The Blues" are pretty good tunes.
"Fever", the old cover done by who knows how many "lounge singers" and jazzed up here just doesn't seem to belong. I would have preferred another original track from the band. I like the three songs previously mentioned, but otherwise, I'd probably leave this one alone.

If I were an extremely well funded philanthropist, the first thing I would do is start a foundation. This foundation would have a large endowment with funds available for musicians that were once very famous, but have fallen out of favor for one reason or another - usually not for any other reason than the passage of time. And they have already paid their dues. A condition of accepting this large sum of money would be that they could NOT re-form or tour. Not to say that we would be better off with all the bands that were around in the 1970s not having any reunions, but I am quite sure that the majority of them would be much more comfortable (not to mention the potential for worsening their already failing health) without having to rehearse, record, and/or go on the road. Without question the surviving members of Mountain would be approved for a large grant from my foundation.

There is no way on earth that one can compare this album to any of the old Mountain albums. I understand those who are big fans of Leslie and Corky giving them lots of leeway. And some may be so hungry for more Mountain they are willing to hear these two decrepit old men rock out. Some may even, if they squint their ears, be able to make out some of the characteristics that made Mountain such a great band. But on this album there is very, very little of their old selves that is evident. Maybe if they "reinvented" themselves, that is, they chose a different musical direction to explore they might find their niche. But they try to be "heavy", and they do not succeed one iota.

I feel bad. I didn't want to write this bad review because I love their old music so much. But I wish someone had warned me before I spent good money on this CD. Don't be mistaken, though -- they are still one of my favorite bands of all time. I listen to "Climbing", "Nantucket Sleighride", "Flowers of Evil" and "The Road..." as often as I do any other albums in my collection. And I was hoping that this album would be at least passable. Nope.

Leslie West is said to be Jeff Beck's favoite guitarist. That was over 30 years ago...now Leslie is just a shadow of his former self in more ways than one. There are really no memorable guitar solos on this entire album; plus his classic Les Paul Junior "tube" tone & vibrato are no where to be found. No really good songs or even guitar riffs either. I could not even listen to it all the way thru. If you want flat out...to the wall rock, pick up the new Blue Oyster Cult, Status Quo, or Ted Nugent cds; wait for this one to hit the cut-out bin.

Nothing special here and if you are looking for an introduction into Mountain, this shouldn't be it.

If you play "Talk Dirty" from Leslie's late 80s album and the song "Mystic Fire", guess what? It's the same riff. A good riff mind you - but I hope he doesn't use it again ten years from now and name it something else.

Get Nantucket, Climbing, The Road, Mountain etc. before you consider getting this.

If your a fan of the old Mountain style of basic trio rock, you'll lovethis new cd. With 6 new songs, this cdsurpasses by far the last release [ AMans World]. Well worth the listen.

In Europe this CD is called "High" ,so for a review look under Mountain-High.

I'm a Big Leslie West fan from way back. When I saw that Leslie and Corky had got back together with this release I rushed out to pick it up. The verdict is that this release surpasses the last release by the boys from Mountain by a well, mountain. Great rock and roll tunes with Leslies signature sound. Corky plays his a** off on the drums here as well. Some of the highlights include a great bluesy version of Fever, a slowed down version of Sea (of Fire), a rockin new tune Marble peach/Rotten peach, and a cool redux of Nantucket Sleighride. However, my personal favorite has to be "Better off with the Blues" a great switch of tempo from laid back blues to down an dirty blues. This is the best Leslie/Corky CD to be released in a long time. If your a old Mountain fan or want to hear one of the best guitar players to play rock &roll blues you owe it to yourself to get this CD. Bring the show out to Colorado boys. Keep on Rockin.

Hey boys, Mountain is back and back in a big way!!! If you are looking for a road CD with red hot guitar licks and a drum beat to push the miles into oblivion, then you're going to want to have Mystic Fire by Mountain in your head unit. The album opens with Immortal which in a very real way sets the tone for the rest of the tracks on this tour de force of an album. Killer riffs are evident throughout the CD will have you nearly bouncing in your seat. The second track is the title cut. I defy you to sit still! It just plain can't be done. Even cover tracks on this CD will have you bouncing around. Fever is a throaty soulful cover of an old blues/rock standard that I wish all covers were, thanks in no small way to Todd Wolfe's slide guitar work. You'll fnd yourself singing along in several places on this album.

The selection of cuts for this CD are wonderful. They really show the range of this power group. Leslie West's Guitar and vocal work is excellent and very well complimented by the driving rhythms of Corky Laing's drum and percussion virtuosity. Be sure to crank up Mountain Express! Chuck Hearne and Ritchie Scarlett share the duty on the Bass with Leslie West providing the bass line on Immortal. On Nantuckett Sleighride, contra bass is provided by Erik Wendelken and Violin by David Polan.

It has been a long long long time since I have felt forced to sit down and write something about an album. This album has done it. My vote for the best cut from this CD is probably the hardest decision in a while. There's all the ones I have mentioned already and The sea, Mutant X, Better Off With the Blues, Marble Peach/Rotten Peach (killer riffs), A spectacular version Johnny Comes Marching Home that will have you'll feel in your bones, and the last track is Nantuckett Sleighride Redux. Hell, folks, I can't decide! The only thing I can say with any real intelligence about this CD is as follows. Buy this CD! It is a must have for any true devotee of K.A. Rock and Roll. It is available on the Lightyear label #54492-2.

Just bought and listened to the best and true-to-the sound MOUNTAIN album since NANTUCKET SLEIGHRIDE! Yes, it's that good.Is it a coincidence that they do a cover of the Felix Pappallardi/Gail Collins-written song on this new CD? I don't think so as I feel it shows Leslie and Corky have taken the original Mountain concept to the XXIst century. Enjoy... and I mean it.

OK, this one wasn't bad. Nantucket Sleighride Redux was very good and it sounds like Leslie might finally be able to SING it properly (I've seen Leslie live twice - the playing rocks but he just can't SING that song for some reason... sigh), and some of the other songs are OK, but nothing memorable.

The album (like the last one) is still lacking in the song-writing department (Gail and Felix might have been weird but they were OK to decent song writers) and the sound here is thin, for some reason.

OTOH, I did buy it (and another one for my brother, who's loved Leslie/Mountain for YEARS), I do listen to it, and it still has more heart that 9 tenths of the "product" being produced today.

So - to sum it up - it's well worth 10 or 12 dollars, and if you get a chance, go see Leslie/Mountain, that IS worth it!