Afterglow - Black Country Communion

Quote from Forever Young

The Circle and The Giver the weak points?? Shaking my head on that one. They may be the best points!

I guess though its what kind of stuff one likes. If its more of a commercial type "hit song" thing then yeah you'd feel that way. If its the deeper, heavier stuff then no. These two are flooring me!! Love the rest, but they are the best!!

Yep, got to agree with you there - those two songs are immense.

so i'm hearing "afterglow" now for a few days and nights and want to give you my first sight about this work.

All songs seem to me more composed not fruits of a lot jammin'.
Ok we all know. Glenn was writing the whole material except two songs Jason was writing.
At first the songs are musically and lyrically so high end, any superlative is hard to find i'd just say divine.
The "Big Train", one of my favourites, same "Confessor" or "Common Man" and then "Afterglow"!! Well i just heard the song with headphones sitting in my livingroom and suddenly tears were in my eyes. The lyric so personally, by the way a good thing the lyric has to be downloaded, so if one wants to read, reading on large piece of paper is much more comfortable.
The lower parts, so fragile, sweet, a lil mystic or a lil naiv.
But this isn't 70ies music, although the 70ies were very naiv but now naivity is gone, i'd just call it reckless. 70-based rock, ok.
The only track i personally would think as weaker is "Cry Freedom" for me.
"The Giver" another wonderful soulbender.

The bandplaying is so tight, Jason is terrific, he's my favourite drummer together with Ian Paice.
Derek Sherinian is a dangerous keyboarder, all is said.
And Bonamassa is excellent and doing less agressive soloing here, so Glenn's voice has to do this job alone. And how breathtaking!
Only i would like to hear a bit more drama from the guitar in the loudest parts, ok.
Glenn's bassplaying and sound is f...g great, the orange amp maybe the best he ever used?

Next time i would love to hear from Glenn doing some real smokin' hardrockstuff again, maybe live in 2013?

greets
Sigurd

Quote from Sigurd

Glenn's bassplaying and sound is f...g great, the orange amp maybe the best he ever used?

Sigurd - totally agree! His bass sounds AMAZING on this record. I'm a big fan of Orange - I have the 4x10 isobaric bass cab, but I'm using a GK head...anyway, however he's doing it, I really think this might be the best his bass has ever sounded, and it sits so beautifully in the mix.

Hallo Kev! Yes "it sits so beautifully in the mix" is just what i'm wondering about. I mean the bass is always difficult to handle for the soundengineer.
Kevin Shirley had done a great job again.
Perhaps the bass now is much more present here because the guitartracks are mixed not so dense like in "2", except "Crawl" which has got that nice doubling effect on guitar.

Orange amps not only for bass just also for guitar are great, i read Jimmy Page uses that one too.

greets
Sigurd

Quote from Kev Moore

Sigurd - totally agree! His bass sounds AMAZING on this record. I'm a big fan of Orange - I have the 4x10 isobaric bass cab, but I'm using a GK head...anyway, however he's doing it, I really think this might be the best his bass has ever sounded, and it sits so beautifully in the mix.

Probably more to do with some "Caveman" magic rather than the Orange

Hey all

Have listened to Afterglow numerous times since its release. Its a very good album, i'm not sure it's their best. I was interested when Joe said the first one was his. I listened to them one after the other last week and couldnt decide.

Track highlights, The Circle and The Giver, two mighty mighty songs, epic!
Followed closely by Afterglow, Big Train, Confessor and This Is Your Time. I like the quirkiness of Crawl too.

Performance wise, Glenn steals the show with his vocal performance, absolutely sensational.

Jason and Derek are great on this album too.

I think its Joe's weakest performance on the 3 albums. His soloing [to my non guitar player ears] is ok, but i just felt his lead work was underwhelming.

I still believe that BCC haven't made the best album that they can yet. Whether they will do in the future, is another question.

Siggurd/Johgh: I'm almost certain it's mostly down to the Caveman!

I feel, as a band, BCC have (had?) room to grow yet further and could top 'Afterglow' -which is certainly my favourite now - given the right circumstances.

What I do know is, Glenn has moved onto yet another level, and, all these years after I first heard him in 1974, he continues to amaze and inspire me as a musician.

Finally got the chance to post a review!

I listened to this album in full each day last week on the journey to and from work. and as its just me in the car its been on loud!

i think this is the best of the 3 on an overall song basis. Yes there are possibly more instant classics on the first two but i think there's more depth and risks on this and the more i play it the more i like it. Glenn hasn't played safe with straightforward song structures. His voice is full on too and i especially love the tracks where he sings rather than rocks. I cant give a favourite as they are all great and none that i fast forward past. It's clear that most were for a solo album and i can hear several in that style with GH nuances and phrasing rather than BCC. There's also a couple where i think they are more Iommi/Hughes style songs. I agree with Paul J about it being Joe's weakest performance - some of the solo's are underwhelming and widdly at best. I cant help thinking JJ or Soren would of pulled off a much better suited solo in some songs.
I'm also slightly disappointed in the amount of dueling between Derek and Joe. I thought the webisodes gave the impression he'd be featured more. I would have had Midnight Sun as the first track with that great Who sounding opening extended and built upon before they kicked into the song.

Anyway, overall a great album and a real shame no live shows. we can only hope Glenn does some "BCC Songbook" shows on his own. Soren could pull them off live and let's face it, its the voice and the songs we want to hear not the guitarist.

Quote from Johngh

My copy arrived today and having given it it's first spin I don't think its a patch on 2.
I'm hoping it will grow on me as I was looking forward to this so much, but at the minute it's a huge disapointment.

For the record I didn't like 1 either, so I'm beginning to think BCC ain't for me.

Sorry folks

Having posted this a week or so ago, and now having listened to it more, I've got to say it has grown on me. I still prefer 2, but this one is also a real gem.

(note to self, listen to albums before making rash judgements)

Quote from wolfysmith

we can only hope Glenn does some "BCC Songbook" shows on his own.

Soren could pull them off live and let's face it, its the voice and the songs we want to hear not the guitarist.

Depends on the guitarist. Regardless of the technical abilities and from a very female point of view, I know who I would like to see with Glenn on stage.

Could you imagine one Joe B. standing on a Marshall tower, shredding away to "Burn" like Søren did?

This one is definitely a grower. Have played it about three times and much too early to say much. Cool to at last hear Derek get out his signature synth solo patch, I've actually forgotten he had it. I also just got the new Skyrnyrd album and Classic Rock fan pack- I already just love Last of a Dying Breed.

Quote from Johngh

Having posted this a week or so ago, and now having listened to it more, I've got to say it has grown on me. I still prefer 2, but this one is also a real gem.

(note to self, listen to albums before making rash judgements)

At least you've come on here & reviewed you position mate - which is honourable! - I notice you're from Derbyshire, so I'd expect nothing less!

the more you hear Afterglow the more it unfolds.
Best way is with i-phone earplugs, believe or not, it sounds incredible.
All the details of the mix, and the pure power, yes it makes happy and make you fly.
Question: is Afterglow better than Two?
I wouldn't agree, all in all you can say Afterglow shows an evolution of Glenn's singing and songwriting, also the magic bassplaying is outstanding.
But the bandsound on two is unbeatable, just heard "Outsider", "Save Me", "Cold" again.
The solobattles between guitar and keyboards are great on both albums,
the guitarsolo on "Confessor" is terrific, Bonamassa is unbeatable here.
The lil jampart at the end of "Common Man" reminds me a bit to Glenn's jammin' with Tommy Bolin.

greets
Sigurd

I love Afterglow...so much that I've purchased 2 copies - it a great gift for any lover of Rock...and Glenn (of course)!

hi,
i like the afterglow album very much.
the title track is great. the vocals are unbelievable good. well done glenn.
there are so many killer songs on this album- i want to hear 'em live!

I listen to Afterglow, over-and-over, ...and it just keeps getting better !
Excellent review, short - but, accurate

I have all the studio albums & after seeing the dvd with the 'Afterglow' package I hoped this release would be the crowning glory
but it hasn't pushed my buttons though I will reappraise all their albums over time.
Still overall I hear a lack of cohesion between the musicians,sounding forced with a few notable exceptions..
Taking nothing away from all the talent the BCC players have individually
In places 'Afterglow' is a little funkier but the overall supressing of the funk/soul element within a Rock frame work has hindered my enjoyment of the all the BCC albums.
I guess Funk & Soul wasn't going to be within BCC's remit.As a GH fan a personal 'Best of' BCC compilation is as far as I can go with this 'project'.
Granted a Iommi link up is never going to feature Funk & Soul either but Glenn & Tony seem to spark some musical chemistry every time they get together..ditto Pat Thrall.
I would welcome a rebooting of GH's solo career when Glenn worked with more sympathetic Guitarists like of JJ Marsh & Jeff Kolman.
I accept I maybe a minority voice on this BCC overview.

from glazosifo