The news of the upcoming release of a brand new record by Richie Sambora made me realize that it’s been 14 whole years since his last solo offering while the first thought that came to my mind when listening to the new material was that I have missed so much his voice and overall interpretation. You see, he may be astonishing as a backing vocalist in Bon Jovi but that’s not enough, right? In addition, I welcomed and greatly appreciated the fact that Richie decided to bring out the album via a small label given the state of the music industry nowadays.
In regards with the album now…the expectations were, are and always be big. When you have recorded two superb solo records and numerous others with your steady band, then it is only natural to expect from Richie only the best. So the question is: did Richie deliver the goods? The answer is: Definitely yes! Of course, “Aftermath of the Lowdown” cannot (and should not) be compared to his previous works…how could that be possible? The truth is that there only a few scarce common points with the two past solo efforts. The basic element of “Aftermath…” is the diversity of the compositions and the blatantly open, sensitive lyrics. What we get is pop rock, blues, new rock, classic rock, guitar driven hard rock…you name it! And all these through the excellent voice of Richie Sambora who seems to be in top form. Let’s hope that his recent adventure with his health is long gone and forever left behind by this great artist.
Of special notice is most emphatically the two bet moments on the record…I am talking about the magnificent “Seven Years Gone” and the beautifully-written opening track “Every Road Leads Home To You” that could have easily fir on a Jovi album (especially the latter).
Welcome Back, Mr. Bluesman!
Highlight: What a brilliant cover sleeve that is…
