Review - The Yardbirds: Birdland

THE YARDBIRDS
Birdland (Favored Nations)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

Sometime on New Years Eve 1965 (or on New Years Day 1966 - the timing is a bit fuzzy after all those years) my life changed. The Beach Boys headed the bill at the New Years Eve Spectacular show in Seattle's Coliseum, and there were a bunch of other bands, some still memorable, some best forgotten, but before the night was over I heard the Yardbirds. Actually, I'd heard them before, via AM radio, but that was just a pale shadow of the effect they had live, both sonically and visually. They had the loudest guitars, longest hair, widest bell bottoms and strongest effect of the night. I've seen hundreds of shows since, but that one abbreviated set (I don't think anyone got more than a half an hour on the stage) has stuck with me forever.
Needless to say, I've been a hardcore Yardbirds fan every since, so that name carries with it a heritage I take very seriously. That's why I approached this album with a certain amount of trepidation. Sure, there are two of the original members here (drummer Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist Chris Dreja), but the band I saw was a five piece unit, and it's hard to imagine getting it right with 60% of the players missing.
By track three, I knew that everything was going to be all right. McCarty and Dreja might not have had the highest profiles in the original band, but they were keys to the sound, and they approached this project with a strong commitment to getting it right. They got it right. Sure, there are some differences, but some of them, at least, are for the better. While the original band was known as an incubator for guitarists, providing a launching pad for Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, this time around they provide a showcase for some of the hottest guitar slingers to appear in the 35 years since the last Yardbirds album, including Jeff Baxter, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, Slash, Brian May, Steve Luthaker and the return of the guitarist I saw that night in '65, Jeff Beck. That's a heck of a guitar lineup, but it's hardly half the story.
The original Yardbirds recordings stood on the strength of the material and the energy of the performances more than the quality of the recordings themselves. Technology and timetables being what they were, there's no doubt that they were never captured at their best. That's corrected this time around, with eight of their most memorable songs appearing in updated versions that are faithful to the style of the originals, but enhanced by the guest performances of the guest guitarists. I have the originals, I love them, but these cuts shine in the comparison.
The rest of the story is the rest of the band and the seven new songs. Gypie Mayo is the new lead guitar player, and when the current quintet plays he demonstrates chops worthy of any of his famous forbears. Lead vocals are handled by bassist John Idan, and while he doesn't mimic the late Keith Relf, his voice fits the old songs like they were written for him to sing and the new songs, well, they were written for him to sing. The lineup is rounded out by Alan Glen on harmonica. I guess it's fitting that it takes two players to handle Relf's dual role as singer/harmonica player. He was a vastly underrated performer in his time, and the subject of one of the new tunes, "An Original Man." It's a fine tribute. The rest of the new material is fine, too, each a worthy addition to the Yardbirds legacy.
This is a great musical event, and it's great music. The band is touring and will be making a US swing in the spring. I'll be there, even more excited than I was 38 years ago. If they're coming to your town, go to their show. Either way, take a trip to Birdland by picking up a copy of this one soon.
Track List:
I'm Not Talking * Crying Out For Love * The Nazz Are Blue * For Your Love * Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout The News * Train Kept A Rollin' * Mr. Saboteur * Shapes Of Things * My Blind Life * Over Under Sideways Down * Mr. You're A Better Man Than I * Mystery Of Being * Dream Within A Dream * Happenings Ten Years Time Ago * An Original Man (A Song For Keith)

© 2003 - Shaun Dale