Robin Trower: In City Dreams - 1977

Another "as if punk never happened" album from Robin Trower and his mates. This time Rustee Allen joins the trio on bass and James Dewar concentrates on vocals. 

There is more smooth, melodic tone to the sound now, however, and this is exhibited on the lengthy instrumental introductory passage of the opener, Somebody Calling. The track again puts me in mind of a slightly tougher Average White Band and its guitar sound definitely had tones of The Steve Miller Band's material from the same period - the Fly Like And Eagle and Book Of Dreams albums in particular.

The band go all pleasantly laid-back on the next track Sweet Wine Of Love, and that gritty, Hendrix-influenced blues sound has finally given way to a blissed-out, West Coast AOR radio-friendly summery, sensual breezy groove. This soft rock was very much the antithesis of punk. These guys no doubt didn't give a damn, however. Clearly. One bad thing about punk was that some quality music like this got swept under the table. These days, people's tases seem far more board. I know mine is.

Bluebird is gentle and beautiful, but, once again, has nothing of the spirit of 1977 about it, not just not punk, but no new wave as well, or disco for that matter. It is unthreatening AOR and I'm not quite sure who it would have appealed to in 1977. Californians maybe. James Dewar's voice is no longer a Rodgers-esque blues growl, it has gone all quiet, higher in pitch and sleepy.

Falling Star brings something of the funky blues rock vibe back, maybe reassuringly. They hadn't lost the blues after all. Next we get a live cut, for some reason (lack of other material maybe?) - it's a good one though, a steady cover of Bobby Bland's blues standard, Further On Up The Road. Smile has some of that winning wah-wah sound on show and it vaguely puts me in mind of some of David Bowie's late seventies material, but I can't quite put my finger on exactly why. Again, it has a long instrumental intro. Little Girl reverts back to summery, soporific torpor, though.

Love's Gonna Bring You Round has  a sumptuous deep thump to its very early-seventies slow groove. Trower treats us to a fine closing solo. The title track closes things down in fuzzy, late night and slightly mysterious style. It is a track that doesn't seem to get anywhere but that is also, strangely, its strength.

After this brief exploration of Robin Trower's seventies work I have come to conclusion that Bridge Of Sighs is definitely the best album of his from the period, pretty clearly. The formula has a tendency to drag somewhat after that, and four or five Robin Trower albums in a row leaves me seeking a change of musical feel.

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