CD Review: Chuck Berry – Chuck

CD Review: Chuck Berry – Chuck

Elvis Presley may
be regarded as the King of Rock n’ Roll, but Chuck Berry is the Father of Rock
n’ Roll, and the inspiration for every pop group and rock band that started
practicing Chuck’s guitar licks in their bedrooms as teenagers.  Superstars like The Beatles and the Rolling
Stones idolized Chuck, and when they talked about his influence during press
interviews, they introduced a new generation of kids to Chuck’s unique
genius.  And Johnny Rivers made an entire
career out of recording covers of Chuck Berry hits.

And now comes
CHUCK, the final studio album from Mr. Berry. 
Amazingly, his last album was released in 1979, yet his name is still
well-known to music fans around the world, while most artists who haven’t
released any new material in 38 years have been long forgotten.

CHUCK is
definitely not Berry’s strongest-ever album but it is a must-have for all true
Chuck Berry fans. The album was recorded in several studios in St Louis, Berry’s
home town, using the backing band that has been with him for around twenty
years.  The band includes son Charles Jr.
on guitar and daughter Ingrid on harmonica and backing vocals. Even grandson
Charles III can be heard playing guitar on a couple of tracks. Noticeably
absent is the distinctive piano playing of the late Johnny Johnson whose superb
keyboard work added so much to Berry’s classic hits.

Berry was never
shy about taking a great song and using the same melody to make another great
song – and another hit. Take for example 1957’s “School Days” that re-emerged
as the almost identical “No Particular Place to Go” in 1964.  On the new album, he reimagines the 1959 song
“Little Queenie” as “Wonderful Woman,” a tribute to Thelmetta, his wife of 68
years. Similarly, “Big Boys” is strongly reminiscent of “Roll Over Beethoven.”

But who cares if some
of the melodies sound familiar?  This is
Chuck Berry with new material that most of his fans had given up hope of ever
hearing.  And here is with his
guitar-playing sounding as good at the age of 90 as it did when he was 30.  Many artists have put out ‘final’ albums that
have them sounding frail and well past their prime.  Not so with Berry.  His voice is strong and his vocal delivery almost
as powerful as it ever was.  This was
probably helped by his regular live performances at the Blueberry Hill Club in
St. Louis, until he was well into his 80s. No, this isn’t his best-ever album,
but it’s still darn good!

Among the standout
tracks: “Big Boys,” “3/4 Time (Enchiladas)” that was recorded live, the sweet
ballad “Darlin’” and “Dutchman.”

As he said when he
announced the release of CHUCK: “Now I can hang up my shoes!”

Album review by
Preshias Harris for Country Music News International

# # #

Related Posts

Taylor Austin Dye – Out of These Hills

By Madison Monroe for Country Music News International Magazine

Eddie Noack – Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Tracy Byrd – The Definitive Collection

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Bayou Alligators – A Barrel Of Blues

By Christian Lamitschka for Country Music News International Magazine

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *