Seven Moons

Jack Bruce, Robin Trower | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 1, 2008)
• Original Release Date: 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: V-12 Records
• ASIN: B000ZIZ0OI
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (67 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #108,239 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

"Ain’t got time to waste / Keep thinking about the future," Jack Bruce wails in "Lives of Clay." On the second track of his forceful, album-length alliance with guitarist Robin Trower, Bruce’s signature bass lines chug beneath the blues-powered lead guitar. The duo sounds as if ready to break out, rather than the legendary veterans of more than four decades in the business. Long-time jazz and rock session drummer Gary Husband completes the trio for these live-in-studio sessions, which showcase the genius of Bruce and Trower equally and collaboratively. Trower’s Hendrix-style fingering leads the relentless title track, and his bluesy romps power the slower ballads, especially the shadowy "Distant Places of the Heart" and "Bad Case of Celebrity," a bluesy romp through the heart of pop idolism. As for Bruce, you wonder where 40 years have gone since Cream closed it down at the Royal Albert Hall. His familiar blues-based, bass-driven melodies chauffeur the album’s rockers, notably "Lives of Clay," "She’s Not the One," and the superlative "The Last Door." On this, he announces: "We came to search for what was lost." Clearly, they found what they were looking for. --Scott Holter

Product Description

Vinyl LP pressing of this 2008 album from this duo consisting of British Rock legends Jack Bruce (Cream) and Robin Trower (Procol Harum). The duo made two joint recordings in the early 1980's, and teamed up again for this record, this time with British drummer Gary Husband (Level 42). What makes Seven Moons such a success is that Bruce and Trower each play to their strengths, Bruce brings his distinctive croon/moan to bluesy, riff-oriented tunes dominated by Trower's playing. They conjure a power trio sound which touches on Cream and Hendrix yet draws from their own deep, dark wells of experience. --This text refers to the Vinyl edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

78 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise!!, February 2, 2008

By 

Studebacher Hoch (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Seven Moons (Audio CD)

I come to this release as a Jack Bruce fan. The previous collaborations of Trower/Bruce never did appeal to me all that much. They seemed drained of energy and Jack's bass seems to be buried too much in the mix. By contrast, when you look at, say, West, Bruce and Laing, the bass was recorded front and center and the album, although very uneven, had an incredible intensity and energy. The other obvious example was the song, Life on Earth. Done with Trower, it was a mid-tempo, undistinguished effort. When Bruce later recorded it for a solo album. it nearly exploded with vitality.

So, I was keeping my expectations low. And - wow! Was I pleasantly surprised to hear Seven Moons. First of all, unlike the other two efforts, this seems like a real collaboration, not like a Trower album with a little assist from Bruce. The bass is still too deep in the mix, and a bit mushy, but at least you can hear it - and it provides some memorable riffs. The best revelation of all is Bruce's vocal - which is a great mixture of power and warmth. Too often, in recent years, he has had a tendency to sound shrill and strained. Not so here. Just straight forward, warm, expressive.

Just Another Day and I'm Home seem to be about the emotional dislocation of (barely) surviving a deadly illness. And on these songs, especially, Bruce's vocals are simply stunning in his evocation of yearning and dread.

And, hey, Trower's playing is really wonderful, thorughout. Great tone. Still highly inventive and in its own way, a great, emotive voice. I'm not sure who else is really playing guitar this well, these days. It's a short list, that's for sure.

Gary Husband brings it all together on drums. He has been playing with Bruce for years now and it shows. His drumming is crisp and emphatic and inventive. Simply topnotch.

If I have any qualms at all, it's that simply wish there would have been one or two extended jams where these three could have kicked it up a bit. I do miss Jack cranking it up. But, hey, I'll take this for what it is - a collection of surprisingly catchy tunes, backed with great playing, and singing.

And for those who may disparage this effort, let me put it to others this way: if, in the 1980s, you were to pick up a new Muddy Waters album and complained that is was nothing more than a bunch of blues songs - people might wonder what planet you came down from. It's the same deal here. At this point in time, Trower has been playing Hendrix-like guitar now for far longer than Hendrix himself ever did. It's fair to say that Trower, finally gets to own the sound and be judged on his overall competence, which is very high. And, yeah, the album might sound like it came out of the late 60s/early 70s. But so what? It does what it does very well. If you don't particularly like Cream or Hendrix, this album will not appeal much to you. But if you're someone who accepts that era and that music as a legitimate genre (like the blues, or bebop) that is worth revisiting, then there's a lot to enjoy here.

And repeated listening brings ever greater rewards, It grows on you by leaps and bounds.

63 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best effort by these two legends!, January 13, 2008

By 

Strat_Lvr - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Seven Moons (Audio CD)

I've heard the "Truce" album as well as the "BLT," and this is by far the best collaboration between Trower and Jack Bruce. His bass playing is still incredible, and he sounds wonderful on this "Seven Moons" CD.

Robin as usual is fantastic on guitar, but that's because he's one of the best, and I don't care what other people or critics have to say about him, he's in the same league and even better than some of the most famous guitarists ever, including Hendrix, Beck, Page, Clapton, you name them, Robin is right there with the best of them, but the sad thing is he's never got the recognition he deserves.

This is a great CD, not one bad track on it, and if you're a fan of Trower and Jack Bruce, I recommend you get it. It's much better than I had anticipated, and I'm very glad to have purchased it without ever hearing one complete song on it.

Glenn Signal Hill,CA

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Unmistakable Sound, February 26, 2008

By 

Kurt Harding "bon vivant" (Boerne TX) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Seven Moons (Audio CD)

It heartens me to see the large number of reviews written for Seven Moons in the relatively short time since its release. Several years ago, Robin Trower mulled retirement from the recording studio. Since that time, he has issued three fine CDs (including this one), an excellent DVD and is currently in the middle of a successful concert tour. So by all appearances, he is back. And from the sound of this album, so is Jack Bruce.
Trower's sound is so unmistakable, you know you are hearing him play from the very first note. Ditto for the voice of Jack Bruce who has lost little since the glory days of Cream. Trower and Bruce were once teamed up in the past, and although I don't think Seven Moons is quite as strong as Trower's last outing, it is very much superior to this duo's last collaboration.
It took a couple of listens for this to grow on me and convince me that Bruce's voice is a near-perfect complement to Trower's guitar as it sizzles, stings, and growls its way through this fine selection of eleven originals. Trower shows his maturity in the way he plays. He feels no need to show off, but rather makes every note count with a subdued and tightly controlled approach to his music.
Though I generally like the whole CD, I find some songs to be outstanding. The best, in my opinion, are: the bluesy Lives of Clay, the rocking So Far to Yesterday, the driving, pounding The Last Door, and the sizzling Come To Me.
Those fans who like having the lyrics included in a booklet will find them instead printed inside the CD's tri-fold packaging.
Some say that Seven Moons will be best appreciated by those who were fans of Procol Harum and Cream. There may be some truth in that. But I think it will be appreciated as well by any lover of blues rock who gets the opportunity to hear it. Try it out, you should not be disappointed.