On this day, March 18th, exactly two years ago, Chuck Berry, one of the true icons of classic rock and roll, left us. I don’t think anyone needs to be told about his merits and achievements in the field of music, and even people who are indifferent to rock have probably heard his songs in one form or another. It seems to me that my entire generation, without exception, has watched at least the first part of the Back To the Future or Pulp Fiction trilogy. For me personally, Chuck also became the only rock’n’roller from the 50s whose concert I was able to attend myself – it was, in my opinion, already five years ago, in Moscow, at Crocus City Hall. And, I must say, I have only good memories of that concert, because Comrade Berry fired up to the fullest, the crowd sang along, there was interaction between the audience and the musician… It was cool. I still remember Chuck jumping on one leg with a guitar in his hands-not only would I like to jump on one leg at that age, but at least live to be eighty-seven years old.
Anyway, at that concert, Chuck seemed to me as healthy as a bull. A couple of years later, on his 90th birthday, Berry announced the release of a new album. In general, everything was just wonderful, and therefore the news of Chuck’s death for me was like a thunderbolt in the middle of a clear cloudless sky. Nevertheless, Comrade Berry managed to record the album from beginning to end, and the record nevertheless saw the light. It’s called Chuck (2017), and it was Berry’s first release in 38 years, consisting mostly of new material. Before that, there was the Rockit album, released in 1979.
Two years later, I think I’ll be able to soberly and unbiasedly evaluate Chuck Berry’s latest album, so now I’m going to pour myself a cup of tea and do my favorite thing: I’m going to listen to music. Along the way, I’ll write a couple of notes that will become this article. I’m going to listen not in order, but according to my personal preference. I’ll start with track number 2 – Big Boys, because it says that my favorite guitarist Tom Morello took part in the recording of the track. Arm The Homeless and classic rock and roll? Purely in theory, it should work out just magically. Well, let’s go…
Okay, it wasn’t that cool. I mean, yes, it’s a great rock and roll song, just like in the good old days, but when I see the words ‘Tom Morello’, then I’m waiting for Tom Morello. I was expecting to hear signature guitar scratchings in half with classical riffs, and as a result Chuck Berry turned out to be the second musician after Linkin Park to record a song with Tom Morello that you can’t really hear Tom Morello on. I think that was the last guitar solo, but… That’s kind of it. On the other hand, these are all my high expectations, in general, I heard a first-class track from a professional in his field. Now, perhaps, let’s listen to Lady B. Goode, the sequel to the immortal Johnny B. Goode, which was released back in 1958. By the way, the only rock and roll song recorded on Voyager’s gold platinum as part of a message to extraterrestrial civilizations is Chuck Berry’s Johnny B. Goode. Three, two, one, play.
And this is a really great sequel in the best traditions of Comrade Berry: an easy, positive, fast and very simply composed track. The latter is probably a minus, but it seems to me that this was done on purpose, as a tribute to the original and all the other songs of that time. Of course, Lady B. Goode’s energy is not up to the first part, but most likely the problem here is that, in principle, it is very difficult not only to interrupt, but at least to match the energy that Johnny B. Goode carries. Nevertheless, as always, I liked that the story had a sequel. And now we turn to the title track – Wonderful Woman. Gary Clark Jr. is listed as the guest guitarist, but now I’m not expecting anything extraordinary.
Well, there was definitely more Gary Clark in Wonderful Woman than Tom Morello in Big Boys. The first track of the album as a whole is very similar to Clark Jr.’s work: the vocalist’s voice is somewhat deeper into the instruments, the beat is slower than in Chuck’s classical works. In short, this is a really first-class example of collaboration between two musicians who know their stuff: such a first track will definitely lure the listener to the rest of the album. This is probably my favorite song on this record so far. Next in my program is the composition Jamaica Moon – in fact, a reissue of Chuck’s old song Havana Moon with slightly modified words.
Okay, that was cool. Slow rock with words sung in a deliberately Jamaican accent – I definitely liked this version even more than the original Havana Moon. And I can only marvel once again at how cool rock’n’roll slowies can be! I probably won’t put Jamaica Moon higher than Wonderful Woman, but it was very close. So, what’s next… perhaps the fifth track. It’s called Darlin’, and if I’m interpreting the guest list correctly, then vocal music awaits us. Let’s go.
There was vocal music, but a little less than I expected, and in a slightly different key. Because suddenly I didn’t hear rock and roll, but real blues. And the words were not the standard experience of girls and love without much meaning that had been haunting us for the fourth song, but suddenly a very sensual message from father to daughter. All of this is somewhat out of step with the overall rhythm and picture, and it’s difficult to compare Darlin’ with the rest of the tracks, but overall it was a very pleasant nod towards the blues. It follows in the form of the song You Go To My Head – for the first time this track was recorded back in 1938, and since then it has become a jazz standard for all time. Of course, I’m very interested in hearing Chuck Berry’s version.
And once again Chuck sang it like it was the fifties again. A simple unhurried rhythm-and-blues classic, no different. I don’t know why, but when I first looked at this album, I expected something fresh from it. Some kind of bomb, revolution, novelty. But now I understand that Comrade Berry rather pays tribute to the memory of the last century and does everything the way he knows best. In principle, it’s probably even good, I just expected something different. Okay, let’s move on to the tenth track on the record, Eyes Of Man.
It turned out to be a kind of philosophical parable, a kind of Ozymandis from the world of rock and roll.Of course, not exactly Ozymandis, but the words about the temples that collapsed into dust inspired it… In general, it’s not bad, but I wasn’t particularly impressed simply because I adhere to a slightly different worldview. And so – another pleasant slow track, composed, perhaps, the most simply of all listened to, but at the same time firmly and tastefully. Probably, this is done so that the listener does not get distracted from the words by guitar riffs. Well, then we’ll listen to 3/4 Time (Enchiladas).
And one more sluggard. Well, wow, there are so many slowies here. A live recording, apparently. Despite the fact that I don’t particularly like live recordings on studio albums, 3/4 Time is definitely my favorite track in terms of lyrics: pleasant blues-rock is complemented by verses that will be close to every creative personality in one way or another. “I like Enchiladas and old Eldorados that shine, old red guitar, rock’n roll, nice girls and wine. Say it ain’t good for me, but people I’m still feeling fine. I just hold onto my guitar, rock it out 4/5 time. Sometimes I get sideways, stay up all night writing songs, you know. I know it ain’t healthy, but something I keep going on.” – not bad, isn’t it? Personally, I liked it. The next one in the program is She Still Loves You, track number 7.
Somehow, I managed to accidentally listen to all the fast tracks first and leave only the slow ones. Yes, She Still Loves You is another slow rock with a lot of blues. Perhaps, instead of writing the same thing three times, I’ll listen to the last track, and therefore summarize the results.
Dutchman, to be honest, surprised me a little. It’s not even a song, but a story told to the simplest guitar riff. It’s difficult to evaluate it somehow…
Well, now we can say about the Chuck album as a whole. I expected a lot of fast tracks, but there were only three of them – Big Boys, Lady B. Goode and Wonderful Woman. I’ll also call the last one the best track on the record, judging by the sound. Judging by the words, it’s 3/4 of the Time (Enchiladas). The worst? Probably Dutchman, but it’s hard to call him a composition either. It’s more of a small story that feels like a filler in the middle of the rest of the record, so kicking it would be too cheap a move. That’s why I’ll call You Go To My Head the worst track – when you make your own version of a jazz standard, you have to understand that you will be compared with all the other versions of this song. And Chuck’s version-well, it’s nothing special. Yes, it’s well sung and you can’t mess with it, but I’ve heard better versions.
And perhaps that’s the problem with the whole album: it doesn’t represent anything special at all. Yes, it’s well-composed, and it’s hard to criticize a rock mastodon like Chuck Berry, but… There’s nothing really memorable. I guess I’m talking about high expectations again.: As I said before, I expected something new from this record, but in fact, it turned out to be exactly the opposite. These are ten tracks from a true veteran of his field, and each of these tracks is written exactly as Chuck Berry wrote them at the very beginning of his career: quite simply and artlessly, but at the same time skillfully and talented.
To hear a similar sound in 2017, when everyone else is trying to somehow stand out from the crowd with various clever tricks, is a real surprise. And over time, Chuck’s talent and skill also gained experience, and, objectively speaking, it’s really impossible to find fault with the sound. Most of the tracks (seven) Anyway, they talk about love and girls – favorite rock’n’roll themes – and if I hadn’t known it was written and sung by a 90-year-old man, I wouldn’t have guessed. And considering all of the above, we get the fact that everything sounds exactly the way it always sounded on Chuck Berry records. I didn’t hear anything new: as promised by the album’s title, it’s just Chuck. No more, no less.
In general, this record is definitely not a great comeback, but, nevertheless, it demonstrates how alive rock and roll and its performer can be decades after the last recording in the studio. It’s a damn shame that Chuck left us – the devil knows, maybe his next album would be full of innovation and experimentation. But… Life is life. Thank you, Comrade Berry, for everything you have done for the music world of this planet. I’m going to take a sip of something stronger than tea…
2. Big Boys
3. You Go To My Head
4. 3/4 Time (Enchiladas)
5. Darlin’
6. Lady B. Goode
7. She Still Loves You
8. Jamaica Moon
9. Dutchman
10. Eyes Of Man
