THE MAGPIE SALUTE – The Magpie Salute (2017)
THE MAGPIE SALUTE was formed in 2016 by former Black Crowes guitarist Rich Robinson, also including former Black Crowes members Marc Ford & Sven Pipien as well as a bunch of lead / backing vocalists as permanent members. There is a lot of excitement surrounding the release of this, their album self-titled “The Magpie Salute“, mostly because this is a The Black Crowes reunion.
Including 3 former The Black Crowes members, The Magpie Salute is enough to get one’s attention. Once the music comes on, however, and you hear the re-imagined Crowes tracks (as well as this groups take on songs by Delaney & Bonnie, War, The Faces, Pink Floyd and others) you will see just how damn special this band really is.
Among my favorites is the opener, Robinson penned ‘Omission’. It has a killer guitar rhythm and the song is both rockin’ and soulful at the same time.
The other is ‘Fearless’, an obscure Pink Floyd song that only the Floyd faithful know, taken from their album Meddle… but man, oh man, in The Magpie Salute hands is reworked into a fantastic track.
Even if everything else on this record sucked, these two tunes would make it worth buying the album. Thankfully, that is not the case. Every song stands on its own.
The performances have a live energy about them because they were recorded before a live audience at Robinson’s Applewood Studio in Woodstock, New York (other than “Omission” making it a true omission indeed as it’s a multi-track studio recording).
On a sad note, the album features the last recordings of Eddie Harsch, the late keyboardist for The Black Crowes. This makes the album both special and bittersweet.
The band is rounded out by Joe Magistro and guitarist Nico Bereciartua, lead singer John Hogg, former Black Crowes’ singer Charity White and background singers, Adrien Reju and Katrine Ottosen.
The talented musical tribe sails through The Black Crowes ‘What is Home’ and ‘Wiser Time’. They breathe new life into ‘Comin’ Home’ by Delaney & Bonnie, a very nice version.
The Faces ‘Glad and Sorry’ will be a live favorite for sure. They even do with a rocking approach Bob Marley’s ‘Time Will Tell’ as well, showing the diversity The Magpie Salute encompass.
Then they pull off traditional acoustic jams on ‘Ain’t No More Cane’. Darn, every song on the album is done very well… this band is able to play anything, fearless indeed.
“The Magpie Salute” is classic rock all over, from the earthy instrumentation and the solos the melodies / arrangements. Each note has a purpose and the vocal performances, both lead and background, are outstanding.
If in their next album The Magpie Salute can write new songs like they reinterpret here, holy smokes, the future for real classic rock music may be brighter than most think.
Pick this one up, as it is definitely worth double the sticker price.
01 – Omission
02 – Comin’ Home
03 – What Is Home
04 – Wiser Time
05 – Goin’ Down South
06 – War Drums
07 – Ain’t No More Cane
08 – Fearless
09 – Glad And Sorry
10 – Time Will Tell
Rich Robinson – guitar, vocals
Marc Ford – guitar, vocals
John Hogg – lead vocals, percussion
Sven Pipien – bass, vocals
Matt Slocum – keyboards
Joe Magistro – drums
Nico Bereciartua – guitar
Charity White – vocals
Adrien Reju – backing vocals
Katrine Ottosen – backing vocals
Eddie Harsch – guest keyboards
BUY IT !
www.amazon.de/Magpie-Salute/dp/B06XYG72TX
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