Customer Reviews

Refreshed

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

 

 

This CD was put together after fans all over the world were falsely led to believe that the Berries would be doing a comeback tour. Unfortunately Eric Carmen joined Ringo's All-Star band and the reunion fell through. Wally, Scott and Dave put together this 6 song CD. The only real negative here is tht it is too short AND Jim Bonfanti's drumming is sorely missed.

1. Would You Say Yes Again?....YES I would say yes again and again....Scott at his finest....a kicking tune with clever melody and all power-pop.
2. When Is Your Dream?......Beautiful....song to make you cry..Wally is brilliant in this one. The guitar solo could have been a little more creative, but...it doesn't really matter.
3. Pop Teasers.....Dave's "I'm not happy " song. A well-deserved shot at Eric Carmen for bailing. This song kicks and grows on you.
4. Someone Like You.....Dave again....what a romantic. Killer song.
5. Love in My Eyes...Scott trying to write the ultimate pop song...overwritten but good fun nonetheless.
6. Rock 'N' Roll Kids ...Wally's Rocker....too short,....great chords,...awesome sound. Sounds like Wally 27 years ago.

No one knows better than I that the Raspberries should be fawned over, and given a break for past achievements... But please! I'll cut to the chase: 1) Duh! No Eric Carmen! (and you say but butbutbutbut... and I point out!: No Eric Carmen!) 2) not a single one of these songs is on a par with any song on any of the original Raspberries LPs, and you know it. Don't give me the Aging Gracefully blather either, John Lee Hooker still packed a punch til he was like 80.
Scott, Wally and Dave have every right to play music together if that's what they wanna do. But I will call a spade a spade: it's not really the Raspberries, and this record isn't good. But please buy Raspberries s/t, Fresh, Side Three and Starting Over NOW, because the Raspberries are the essence of a beautiful and powerful and very special thing. Just don't look for that essence on Refreshed.

OK so this isn't really the Raspberries in total, still for fans like me it came at a time when I would have bought anything by any of the ex-Raspberries- and it doesn't suck. Here we have a Raspberries that never was. Dave Smalley, Wally Bryson and the guy who replaced Dave in the band Scott McCarl. Kind of interesting. The production is good and the songs are fairly strong, especially Dave's songs "Pop Teasers" (a real hard knock on Eric Carmen's on again/off again plans for Raspberries reunion, and Someone Like You. One reviewer said that none of these songs was good enough to be on any Raspberries album. Well, let me refesh your memory "Rock and Roll Mama" or "With You In My Life" ??