Format: CD Condition: New Year of Release: 2004 Cat. No.: 87025 Label: Sony/Columbia
Aerosmith are one of the few arena-sized bands still capable of playing it down-to-earth when the occasion calls. For Honkin' on Bobo, the boys return to their bar band roots (and fire a warning shot at Jack White) with this set of classic blues and soul covers generously peppered with harmonica, horns, and boogie-woogie piano.
For years, Aerosmith sprinkled similar ditties on their LPs, but devoting a whole disc to material associated with John Lee Hooker, Mississippi Fred McDowell, et al? That takes chutzpah--and they've got it to spare here. "Shame, Shame, Shame" is a finger-waggin', hip-shakin' romp, while "Baby, Please Don't Go" starts out spooky, then escalates as Steven Tyler builds to a full-throttle holler with Joe Perry's guitar blazing his backside all the way. Tyler even snatches one signature song ("Never Loved A Girl") away from the Queen of Soul...at least for a few minutes.
--Kurt B. Reighley
TRACK LISTING:
1 Road Runner 2 Shame, Shame, Shame 3 Eyesight To The Blind 4 Baby, Please Don't Go 5 Never Loved A Girl 6 Back Back Train 7 You Gotta Move 8 The Grind 9 I'm Ready 10 Temperature 11 Stop Messin' Around 12 Jesus Is On The Mainline
