For another side of Robin George, look and
listen no further than Heartlines.
A collection of stripped back numbers, Heartlines featuresRobin George
in solo/ acoustic mode, with the additional
textures of second acoustic or electric guitar and those trademark
multi-layered backing & harmony vocals.
Opening with the Dangerous Music brace of
'Heartline' and 'Spy,' Robin George goes on to deliver another twelve
acoustic (and electrically backed) numbers including rock and roll
lullaby number 'Dark and Stormy', the alt-country blues of 'Moonlight
Honey' and fun little looking back number, 'Early Daze.'
There's also room on Heartlines for a more delicate, acoustic mix of
Phil Lynott’s 'Kings Call,' which originally featured in more
electric-folk guise on 2001 tribute album The Spirit of the Black Rose.
The only thing you need to have, or hear,
from Robin George is the 12" of 'Heartline' and Dangerous Music?
Do me a favour.
Actually, do yourself a favour and acoustically engage with Heartlines.
Ross Muir
www.FabricationsHQ.com
Robin George – Feed the Wolf / Surreal Six String
Robin George may not have gotten all the plaudits or breaks he
deserved across his career but the man who gave us Dangerous Music
back in the 80s and later decades should certainly be garnering
applause as the musician who made the most of lockdown (by some
long, album issuing way).
Hot on the heels of earlier 2021 releases Wilderness and
Heartlines come the dovetailing pairing of Feed the
Wolf and Surreal Six String; the former is the latest
full length studio album from Robin George while the latter is his
first fully instrumental offering (much as Heartlines was
his first all acoustic release).
That his distinct and individualistic Dangerous Music sound and
style is still alive and well is evident from tracks such as opener
'Momma Sister Daughter' (Bolan vocality meets guitar-edged Robin
George rock and roll), the muscly and, again, Bolan-esque (an
oft-cited and valid comparison) title track and 'Savage Song,' a
gritty, fast-paced number on which Mr George isn’t exactly hanging
about.
'Savage Song' also highlights a major Robin George trait, that of
reinventing & rerecording some of his older songs to suit his
current state of musical mind (some may recall 'Savage Song' as a
highlight of Damage Control, a supergroup of sorts
featuring George, raspy-throated Quireboys front man Spike, Chris
Slade and the late Pete Way).
Other Feed The Wolf highlights include 'Funky Rock Groove'
(which does exactly what it says on the tin), the bluesy sway of
'Love is Blind' (featuring some tasty guitar licks from Robin
George), the edgy but melodic 'Castles in the Sky' (whose origins go
back to the History of the Wolverhampton born musician) and
the quirkier 'Painful Kiss,' originally from the album of the same
name.
The album ends on the similarly quirky and very catchy 'Early Daze,'
a looking-back and ‘If I knew then’ styled nod to more carefree and
innocent times (a shorter acoustic version also sits on
Heartlines).
Surreal Six String
is a collection of primarily reworked numbers from across Robin
George’s career and catalogue, instrumental-ised with the
lyric-melody line played on guitar in effective and, on some of the
tracks, quite expressive style.
Opener 'Go Down Fighting' was Robin George’s first major single
release in 1983 but here is based on his later rocked up version; it
therefore works well as a feisty instrumental.
It's also nice to see a place for the atmospheric, tempo shifting
instrumental 'Charlotte Starlight,' which goes back to the History
album, and 'Love Power & Peace' (featuring Hammond fills from
the late Ken Hensley and melodic guitar play from Robin George) from
the all-star charity album of that name.
You’ll also find instrumental versions of Wolf numbers
'Painful Kiss' and 'Love is Blind' as well as re-workings of the
more rock and roll styled 'Dancing Shoes' (from the Rogue Angels
album) and a shorter take of the blues swaggering 'Freedom,' from
last year’s BitterSweet HeartBeat album.
Other highlights include 'Brandy Bottle Blues' (another with a
self-explanatory title), which features a couple of bars of blues
blasting sax from Mel Collins, and album closer 'Oxygen.'
Originally a love song, 'Oxygen' works equally well as an expressive
guitar workout in instrumental clothing.
So another brace of 2021 releases from a man who clearly wasn’t
twiddling thumbs during lockdown/s.
Further proof of that ever-busy schedule?
Robin George has also released a fully remastered version of the Asia
2 Marquee gig from 1986 (of which he was an integral part), a
Robin George & Dangerous Music Euro Tour Live CD, a
RoxStar Legends compilation and a remastered retooling of the
Love Power & Peace album as Rocking LovePower.
He is now looking at reissuing some Damage Control music and
achieving an official release for the album he recorded with Glenn
Hughes in 1989 (previously issued under decidedly dodgy and awful
audio quality circumstances).
No wonder he lives in Spain – he clearly needs, and deserves, the
siestas.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Feed The Wolf & Surreal Six String, along with all
other aforementioned releases, can be purchased on CD direct from
the artist’s website: http://www.robingeorge.co.uk/
Look out for
FabricationsHQ's interview chat with Robin George at the end of
November.
