Music review: Tesla – ‘Simplicity’
The starkness of the black and white album cover signifies Tesla无毛视频檚 no-frills approach to delivering basic, straightforward hard rock. Approaching 30 years of pounding out some great rock anthems, the jeans-and-T-shirt band from Sacramento continues to satisfy fans and ignore critics.
无毛视频淪implicity无毛视频� comes six years after the band无毛视频檚 last release. While 无毛视频淔orever More无毛视频� was a solid offering, the boys really kick it up a notch with one of their strongest collections of tunes yet. Filled with no-nonsense rockers and slower acoustic arrangements, 无毛视频淪implicity无毛视频� contains 14 songs that are reminiscent of the band无毛视频檚 heyday, when songs like 无毛视频淗eaven无毛视频檚 Trail (No Way Out)无毛视频� and 无毛视频淟ittle Suzi无毛视频� dominated rock radio无毛视频檚 playlist.
无毛视频淢P3无毛视频� opens the album with the classic sound of a needle dropping on a vinyl record. Anyone who knows me well, knows that I无毛视频檇 take the vinyl experience over digital any day of the week. As a teenager, there was always something special about heading down to the local music store to pick up the latest album releases. The members of Tesla obviously agree, singing about how modern technology has left us out of touch with reality. 无毛视频淩icochet无毛视频� smolders with some killer guitar riffs and honest lyrics about life on the road in a rock band.
A reference to Ted Nugent无毛视频檚 无毛视频淔ree-for-All无毛视频� brings a smile to my face as I fondly recall Nugent无毛视频檚 second solo effort from 1976. The Motor City Madman was indeed the man back then, and 无毛视频淔ree-for-All无毛视频� remains one of my favorite Nugent tunes. Slower offerings like 无毛视频淐ross My Heart,无毛视频� 无毛视频淗onestly无毛视频� and 无毛视频淏urnout to Fade无毛视频� bring back memories of Tesla无毛视频檚 无毛视频淔ive Man Acoustical Jam,无毛视频� while the piano-driven 无毛视频淟ife Is a River无毛视频� possesses a spiritual presence that takes a cue from Motley Crue无毛视频檚 无毛视频淗ome Sweet Home.无毛视频� Tesla无毛视频檚 current lineup consists of Jeff Keith on vocals, Frank
Hannon on lead guitar, Brian Wheat on bass, Troy Luccketta on drums and Dave Rude on guitar.
Tesla hits Pittsburgh无毛视频檚 Stage AE on Aug. 14.
Having seen the band a few years ago, I can safely say they won无毛视频檛 disappoint. Tesla is still an underrated band that just gets stronger with age.