Customer Reviews

Whatever Turns You on

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

 

 

This is really a wonderful, totally underrated album. Featuring some of Jack Bruce's finest bassplaying ever, and two of his greatest compositions, "November Song" and "Like A Plate". Whereas Leslie West shines on some Mountain-like heavy blues rockers like "Rock And Roll Machine". But it really is Jack's album, his multilayered vocals and distinct piano/keyboardstyle dominating the picture.

Although all three considers this time a lowpoint in their lives, due to heavy abuses of all sorts, it does not come through in the music which sounds inspired and subtle. From the classic powertriojam ending "Token", the Procol Harum like "Sifting Sand", with one of those powerful Leslie West gospelvocals ,over the delicious piano and guitarduo "Slow Blues" to the avantgardelike ending to "Like A Plate", clearly reflecting Jack's collaboration with Carla Bley on "Escalator Over The Hill".

Time to re-valuate this lost masterwork from a powertrio, that was far better than it's reputation.

Every Cream and Mountain fan looked to West, Bruce & Laing with hopes that this combination would even exceed their erstwhile groups. It's a moot point whether it did, but this second of two studio albums produced by West, Bruce & Laing was greatly neglected, as they broke up virtually upon or even prior to its' release. Being a huge Cream and Mountain fan, I'm maybe biased in my rating, but it's some very tasteful and creative material. A sidenote: The Quadrophonic versions of "Why Don'tcha" and "Whatever Turns You On" on vinyl LP's from '72 & '73 have lots of extra guitar tracks in the mixes that will flip you out.

This seems to have been re-released for its Jack Bruce material which is nice because they omitted one of his finest songs ("November Song") on the big box set "Can You Follow?" As for "Whatever", evidently the partying got so out of control that West and Laing were unable to finish the record. The production was way overdone at times and they had probably only written half a record. Maybe West only contributed one or two songs. Whoever did the sequencing for this re-release chose some alternate mixes for Backfire and Token at the minimum. Probably if you want to hear the original you should pick up the recently newly available vinyl. I think I paid $5 for a new vinyl record. I enjoyed the Jack Bruce material on this and the other stuff is passable.

I've been a WBL fan since I got my hands on a copy of Why Dontcha back in 2000. I currently have a duplicated copy of the original Columbia release of Whatever Turns You On on CD along with a Vinyl copy.

I can say, without a shadow of a doubt, that this remaster is vastly superior to the original Vinyl and CD releases.

Let's not mince words, the original album, per Jack Bruce's biography, was mixed by Jack and Andy Johns while they were both in the throes of a TERRIBLE heroin addiction. The original release bears those stains in the form of half thought out ideas, badly mixed tracks and just general sloppiness.

This remaster tends to remove as many stains as it possibly can, while trying to preserve the integrity of the original release. This version simply sounds better and removes a number of "awkward" moments from a number of songs. Token is a good example, they mixed Leslies "looking for her face on the west side" vocal part out entirely and mixed up Jack's background vocals up as the focal point. It works very well.

They have also, apparently either used alternative tracks or have flown in pieces from alternative tracks on some songs, to good effect. The most obvious example of this is the new guitar intro for Backfire. It is drastically different than the standard release and honestly just fits the song better.

I may sit down a do a track by track analysis for those that are interested.

To summarize though, if you like WBL, Mountain or Cream just buy it.

West & Laing from Mountain? Jack Bruce from Cream? What more ingredients do you need in a recipe for masterful '70's FM hard rock? Never before have such titans entered the ring only to emerege with a most agreeably enjoyable pig-pile stench. It delivers with regularity, you dig?

WBL kicked ass, as best typified by their first studio outing, WHY DONTCHA, and especially by their posthumous live album, LIVE 'N KICKIN', both of them 5 star efforts. This second studio album is very different stylistically, and is really more of a Jack Bruce solo album from my point of view. He supposedly finished the album himself when the band disbanded, due to substance abuse problems. It is especially noteworthy for organ and piano work by Jack, he is quite the barrelhouse rock 'n roll pianist, believe it or not. The sound quality is a little odd on this import, it is like there are no bottom notes and no high notes, although Jack's distinctive bass playing is audible. It is an eclectic collection of tunes, largely featuring Jack, and if you like Jack Bruce or WBL in general you will like this, although the other two albums referenced hereinabove are clearly superior.

This CD needs no special commentary from me or anyone else. It speaks for itself. The CD is well worth the cost (it's an import). Now how about getting more West, Bruce & Laing on CD!