Frank Zappa called it “putting the eyebrows” on a musical performance: When anartist adds unique touches here and there, tweaks the arrangement to makeunexpected turns, or otherwise adds some special flair to a performance thatmakes the overall sound more expressive and memorable. Black Country Communionis a hard rock supergroup whose sound is far more than the sum of itscollective chops and they put the “eyebrows” on every track on Afterglow, theirfantastic third album. Whoever it was that said “they don’t make ‘em like theyused to” hasn’t heard Black Country Communion. Their pedigree alone qualifiesthem for some kind of exalted status.
Originally assembled by producer Kevin Shirley after arranging a spontaneousjam between guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa and singing bassist Glenn Hughes,this roaring quartet is rounded out by Dream Theater keyboardist DerekSherinian and drummer Jason Bonham. Ironically it is the guitar world’sexcitement over relative newcomer Joe Bonamassa that draws overdue attention torock veteran Hughes, who’s now enjoying the largest measure of success he’sever seen over the course of a career that began before Bonamassa was evenborn. Countless musical trends have come and gone since Glenn Hughes firstappeared on the Rock scene serving shadowy stints with Deep Purple and BlackSabbath, but the heavy blues rock sound of the 70s endures. It is Hughes’ meatyscreech that leads the charge on this album of blazing big rock riffs that guitaristBonamassa compares to the sound of a jet engine.
From the opening strains of “Big Train” all the way through to the album-closer“Crawl”, there’s a slew of mountainous guitar squalls here. Drummer JasonBonham has been involved in numerous musical projects over the years, but it’swith Black Country Communion where he best serves his legendary father’s legacyof sledgehammer subtleties.
Perhaps it’s no accident that BCC’s closest musical kin is Deep Purple. And oneassumes Zeppelin comparisons are inevitable with a Bonham on the drum kit. Butit’s the sinister symmetry of growling guitar and clever keyboard colors thatfuel this massive motor. Sherinian’s gurgling organ simmers under Bonamassa’shot lava guitar sludge in “Common Man”. Most likely it is an unintentionalirony at play here when Hughes sings about being “better off alone” in thelyrics of a phenomenal ensemble piece that features soaring solos from eachmember of the group before leaping off into a muscular blues groove heavy onclavinet reminiscent of Zep’s “Trampled Underfoot”. Metallic and melodic,Afterglow is an album that demands to be played at high volume.
2012 should have been a break out year for BCC but instead it devolved into anextended season of bickering and the band’s future now looks cloudy. A bighomecoming concert in Hughes’ and Bonham’s black country hometown ofWolverhampton was threatened by Bonnamassa’s refusal to honor the gig when theguitarist chose to turn his focus instead to his solo career. Squabblingbetween Hughes and Bonnamassa played out in the pages and websites of the rockpress. Big egos beget big misunderstandings. But if the singer and guitaristcan come to terms, Black Country Communion still has a chance to resume itstrajectory as modern day saviors of the classic rock sound. Stay tuned and stayhopeful.
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