I love an album that starts with a solo. Nothing says: “I’m bursting to rock, and you can’t stop me”, like it. “Medusa” does that. “Next In Line” – it’s the opening track- has one. It also has liberal organ licks and bar room piano. Essentially, it’s a lot of fun.
And just in case you hadn’t worked it out, The “Russell” in Russell/Guns is Jack. You know him. He was in Great White. One of my favourite bands in the 80s (and responsible for my love of Mott The Hoople – they covered “Once Bitten….Twice Shy” and I investigated).
Oh, and the Guns? That’s Tracii. You know him too. He’s one of the finest guitarists of his generation, gave his name to two of the finest bands ever, and he’s enjoying himself here. He’s roped in LA Guns drummer Shane Fitzgibbon to do this too.
And while we’re busy catching you up, the keyboards? Alessandro Del Vecchio. You might not know him, but he’s the keyboard player to about a million bands as well as being house Producer for Frontiers Records and their conveyor belt.
More important than any of that, though, is that the opener neatly steers you into what the rest of the album might sound like. More blues than most of Guns’ stuff. There’s a swagger too. More Rolling Stones than Cathouse, and it suits Russell’s voice.
If you like that, you’ll love “Tell Me Why” which is slightly more raucous, but the harmonies in the chorus are glorious, not to mention the guitar is amongst the best from Guns.
OK, the lyrics aren’t the most original you’ve ever heard, but this is hard rock, baby, horns up and proud. “Coming Down” might want to “Rock the city right to the ground” but I’m not betting against it, to be honest.
Above all, though, “Medusa” just sounds really, really fun. “Where I Belong” has a touch of Grand Funk Railroad about it (but then, they are an American Band…..see what I did there?) but when Guns fires off his solo, it is pure sleaze.
Fancy a boogie? “For You” sorts you out, adding a dollop of melody and a piano solo together with soul-filled backing vocals that would make Black Crowes blush. Or do you fancy some classic rock? That’s easy. Skip to “Give Me The Night”. There’s a bit of Deep Purple about it. Maybe you want a ballad? You knew there would be, and “Living A Lie” has a go at reviving the Power Ballad for grins, but this album is better when it injects energy. “In And Out Of Love” (not a Bon Jovi cover) is polished melodic rock and its solo is tremendous stuff.
The title track pulls off the neat illusion of sounding epic in four minutes and 40 seconds. British melodic rock legends Magnum have made a career out of this stuff, and there’s a sentence I never thought I’d write about this album.
Indeed, there’s more melodic rock than I ever imagined there would be on an album made by these men, “Back Into Your Arms Again” is as confident, classy and polished as this type of thing will get in 2024. To be truthful, it sounded so familiar that I did look up if it was a cover at one point.
The final surprise is “I Want You”. You know how you can scan the tracklist on an album making assumptions? I picked this one as a big ballad from the get-go. Welcome to episode 343 of Andy Knows Nothing, but it’s a big swinging groover. The perfect end for this album, you might say.
Tracii Guns and Jack Russell don’t need any credit from me or any other hard rock fan of the last 30 years. Their work speaks for itself. This, though is right up with the best of it.
As Russell says “Initially, I had my reservations about making this record, but in the end it kicks ass. I’ll play with Tracii anytime.” To be truthful I too was dubious when the first press release came about the collaboration, but forget that. “Medusa” is stone-cold great.
Rating 8.5/10
REVIEW: RUSSELL/GUNS – MEDUSA (2024)
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