Album review : TESLA – Homage

July 14th, 2026 by brianmc

Frontiers Music [Release date : 17.07.26]

Tesla released their debut album, Mechanical Resonance in 1986 and now release their eighth, Homage, forty years later. Six studio albums and five live albums in between, and a relatively stable line up over these years. Jeff Keith (v), Brian Wheat (b), Frank Hannon (g), Dave Rude (g) and Steve Brown (d).

Homage wraps up 12 carefully curated rock songs – the ones that had a major influence on the band over the years. A vanity project? Only if they fail to add something new, something different.

It’s an interesting thought that perhaps Homage is a reversal of reality. Plenty of rock bands should be tipping their hats to Tesla, not the other way around. Depends where you’re standing.

Some surprise selections, with others expected, plus an impressive new song called ‘Never Alone’ that kicks off the album.

That opener drifts through time like a bluesy rock/love song born in last century Nashville. An occasionally bumpy ride, sometimes smooth, almost dreamlike at times, but rewarding just the same.

The only surprise among the covers is probably the sheer variety of songs chosen.
Who would have expected Queen’s ‘Spread Your Wings’, an unusually structured musical drama? Or Elvis’s ‘If I Can Dream’, a response to the turbulent social and political time of the late sixties in the USA? Or Supertramp’s paean to “the ethics of reciprocity”, ‘Give A Little Bit’?

Their choice of the Temptations’ ‘I Wish It Would Rain’ is inspired. Like most Motown songs it’s such a simple premise, but it’s the awesome sense of longing and loss that sells the song. Just made for Jeff Keith’s grainy vocals.
Just as impassioned in the hands of this steeped-in-the-blues rock band, is the Etta James’ classic blues/soul song ‘I’d Rather Go Blind’, a deeply felt response to her heroin addiction. It tends to simmer rather than boil, smart move.

Elsewhere, their covers range from CCR’s classic ‘Have You Ever Seen The Rain’ to Badfinger’s equally classic pop song ‘Come And Get It’, to songs originally released by genre greats like Lynyrd Skynyrd, James Brown and Bob Seger.

Something for everybody here. ****

Review by Brian McGowan

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Power Plays w/c 6 July 2026

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BEN POOLE No Second Chances (indie)
THE DEAD REDS Empire (Regni Records)
THE WLDLFE No Sleep (Riser House Records)
JANE AND THE KILLER QUEENS Body Horror (indie)
ESCAPE THE HIVE Around The Sun (Deko Entertainment)
ELYSION Guardian Angel (Massacre Records)

Featured Albums w/c 6 July 2026

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2025 (Singer Songwriter)

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