Tesla - Real to Reel
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Music CD Cover
Artist: TeslaEdition: Music CD
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Double CD
Published: 2007-08-02
CD Release Date: 2007-06-05
Music Label: Tesla Electric Co
Soundtracks:
- Space Truckin'
- Walk Away
- Hand Me Down World
- Bad Reputation
- Thank You
- I've Got A Feeling
- Day Of the Eagle
- Ball Of Confusion
- Rock Bottom
- Stealin'
- Bell Bottom Blues
- Honky Tonk Women
- Dear Mr. Fantasy
Free Music Notes for Real to Reel
Free Music Review: A Flawed Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
As tribute and cover albums go, this is definitely a standout -- probably one of the all time best rock geek-fests ever recorded. But to quote an old song; 'there aint nothing like the real thing, baby'. The originals defined rock, or have stood as outstanding works that defined an identity for the original recording acts.
TESLA has established themselves as a sort of nerdy cult-act here: like the guys who dress up as their favorite characters at Science-Fiction or Comic-Book conventions. TESLA's efforts here remind me more of TODD RUNDGREN's 'Faithful' album than last year's 'Yeah!', from DEF LEPPARD. DEF LEPPARD said they just wanted to go back and do the songs that originally brought them together. TESLA seems to be determined to be taken seriously -- they want to re-position themselves from "1980's hair band" to Summa-cum-Laude grads from "The School of [classic] Rock". So as a rock band, TESLA seems doomed: Rock and Rollers are the ones too cool for that $h!t they teach in school.
Instrumentally, TESLA has the sheet music nailed perfectly (it's clear that they all can READ music). And on nearly all songs, the audio-engineering is superior to that on the originals (the mix is cleaner, the sound more precise, etc.).
But weak vocals were what kept TESLA from achieving superstar status, and got them lumped in with MTV hair-band hacks. Vocally, Real-To-Reel a mixed bag. Unfortunately, the vocal shortcomings sink the album commercially. Beginning with 'Highway Star' -- the opening track -- the singing lacks the vocal power of Ian Gillan, and the song sounds like a really good rock-band-camp rendition. Size matters when it comes to torque and engine power, and TESLA comes off like a bunch of over-turboed rice-boys racing a big block American Muscle car (unlike some movies, the Muscle Car overwhelms the ricers in real life). Bottom Line, DEEP PURPLE remains a supergroup, TESLA remains the ultimate wanna-be geek band.
'Highway Star' sets the tone for the rest of the album: precise but unexciting musicianship fronted by withering vocals. The next track, a cover of 'Walk Away' (by THE JAMES GANG w/Joe Walsh) reinforces the sense that something crucial is missing here: this is the prep-school-kid version of a biker-gang song (wow, that is just like Todd Rundgren!). One noteworthy vocal exception here is the LED ZEPPELIN cover, 'Thank You'. Unlike many early LED ZEPPELIN songs, 'Thank You' was a vocal showcase for technique over strength, and TESLA succeeds here where they don't on the heavy power-rock tunes.
The only outright failure here is 'Honky Tonk Women'. Mick Jagger may get criticized for not being a great singer, but TESLA's awkward effort here is almost painful to listen to all the way through. Another problem with this song is that NO ONE (in TESLA or any other band) seems to be able to do Keith Richards' signature guitar riffs like Keith himself can.
The best tracks here are the heavy blues-rock songs, where the vocals are suborned to the instrumental components. Power riffs and chords, backed by a solid rhythm section. Where technique and finesse are more critical than raw power, the vocals here work very well. But when it's time to power up and kick out the jams, TESLA short-circuits.
Other worthy cuts:
Hand Me Down World (originally by THE GUESS WHO)
Bad Reputation (originally by THIN LIZZY)
Rock Bottom (originally by UFO)
I've Got a Feeling (oringally by THE BEATLES)
Bell Bottom BLues (orignally by ERIC CLAPTON)
I give the album 5 stars for several reasons:
1) The techncial quality of well engineered analog audio blows away nearly all the ameteurish digital crap that most bands release
2) The quality of the musicianship demonstrated here
3) The overall cratsmanship of the performance, and the recording
4) Despite the rock shortcomings, this is one of the most listener-friendly albums of 2007.
Real to Reel Poster
-titolo-real to reelartista-tesla etichetta-ryko-n. dischi1data-5 luglio 2007supporto-cd audiogenere-hard rock e metal----brani1.space truckin' (deep purple) 2.walk away (james gang) 3.hand me down world (guess who) 4.bad reputation (thin lizzy) 5.thank you (led zeppelin) 6.i've got a feeling (beatles) 7.day of the eagle (robin trower) 8.ball of confusion (temptations) 9.rock bottom (ufo) 10.stealin' (uriah heep) 11.bell bottom blues (eric clapton) 12.honky tonk woman (rolling stones) 13.dear mr. fantasy (traffClassic Rock Music CDs
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