Album Review — Whitesnake
Whitesnake — Flesh & Blood
This week two of rock’s most visible and successful singers released albums with Sammy Hagar’s The Circle (to be reviewed next week) and David Coverdale’s Whitesnake. Coverdale has held a prominent position in rock since joining Deep Purple in 1973. By 1978 he had formed Whitesnake, and besides a short stint with Jimmy Page and a solo record, Coverdale has ridden the Whitesnake train for 40 years. The band members continue to change but somehow Coverdale always finds incredible guitar players. The list is pretty impressive with the likes of Adrian Vandenberg, John Sykes, Steve Vai, Warren DeMartini, Doug Aldrich and now Reb Beach and Joel Hoekstra.
The new album, “Flesh & Blood”, is the band’s first release of original material since 2011’s “Forever More” but you would never know it. Coverdale has gone to great lengths to connect to the band’s past. Everything from the cover of the record to the songs themselves screams 80s Whitesnake.
The album kicks off with “Good To See You Again” which is classic Whitesnake, blues influenced hard rock with Coverdale’s not so subtle lyrics.
“Gonna Be Alright” has a little more of an 80s rock feel to it with the overlaying keyboards in the verses. This one could have been on “Slip of the Tongue”.
The album’s first single, “Shut Up & Kiss Me”, is another throwback to 80s Whitesnake with the famous white Jaguar playing a major role in the video.
Personal favorites include “Always & Forever”, which is a more mid-tempo track. It’s a catchy tune that likely would have been a hit back when rock bands had hits.
“Well I Never” is my favorite track on the record. It sounds like it could have been on “Slide It In”, which is my favorite era of the band.
“After All” is a sweet acoustic ballad which is a bit unexpected and a pleasant surprise.
The album closer, “Sands of Time”, is the most interesting song on the record. Parts remind me of “Still of the Night” but other parts remind me of something off Def Leppard’s Hysteria.
The real standouts of this record are Beach and Hoekstra. The guitar playing is top notch which is something we’ve come to expect from Whitesnake.
It takes some time getting used to an aged Coverdale. For the most part, this sounds like a Whitesnake record, but it is missing that Coverdale howl that is a band trademark. Coverdale spends most of the record in a lower register and he is clearly limited in his range.
That being said, this is a good Whitesnake record. There isn’t a lot new here as far as content goes but if you enjoyed that three record run through the 80s you’ll likely enjoy “Flesh & Blood”.
85 out of 100
Track Listing
1. Good To See You Again
2. Gonna Be Alright
3. Shut Up & Kiss Me
4. Hey You (You Make Me Rock)
5. Always & Forever *
6. When I Think Of You (Color Me Blue)
7. Trouble Is Your Middle Name
8. Flesh & Blood
9. Well I Never *
10. Heart Of Stone
11. Get Up
12. After All *
13. Sands Of Time *
*Best Songs