Copo Events [Release date: 30.01.26]

Interesting stuff here from Mick Rogers on his third solo album. It is not quite what you might expect from the musician who has provided lead guitar and sometimes lead vocals for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band for the last few decades.

Except for a few references, this isn’t prog and it isn’t blues. It is long though (clocking in at 1hr 17 mins), it is eclectic and it is surprisingly ‘modern’.

The album kicks of with three tracks under the monicker ‘The Gasoline Suite’: two instrumentals and a song written for TV coverage of IndyCar racing in the USA. Drum loops and keyboard sequences dominate to give the pulsing, grinding energy befitting high octane petrol-head themes. ‘Pump It Up!’ is the best of the trio.

For an album titled ‘The Guitarist’, it is the keyboard and drum/bass patterns that immediately catch the ear, owing more to the genres of electronic and dance than anything we’ve seen from Rogers before. For instance, layered rhythms and vocal snippets create a soundscape for Mick’s synthesised guitar on ‘Slip Through My Fingers’ and ‘No More’ has a funky feel underneath some understated guitar riffs and fluid soloing.

‘Sitting On Top Of The World’ follows a similar pattern, though the track has more than a nod to blues rock. ‘Sheesh Ka Bab’ is an instrumental with eastern influences over another strong rhythm groove.

A change of mood comes with ‘The Airplay Suite’, three shorter tracks written some while ago, according to Rogers. The best of which, ‘Not Now’ stands out as a tight, sharp slice of pop/rock.

The final few tracks are a mixed bag of original material and covers. ‘Open It Up’ is another multi-layered track with some interesting vocal loops and a decent, distorted guitar break. However, ‘The Boys’ is a Shadows cover and it jars a little, sitting uncomfortably with everything else here.

Other covers include an upbeat but uninspiring cover of the John Lee Hooker’s ‘Big Legs, Tight Skirt’, (passing quickly over the lyrical content that the BBC might say ‘reflects the standards, language and attitudes of its time!); and a much better, imaginative reworking of ‘House of the Rising Sun’ which creates a dark mood and features one of Mick’s best solos on the album.

The traditional ‘I Am A Man of Constant Sorrow’ (offered here as a bonus track on the well-packaged CD), retains some of the gospel feel in an overall more funky, synthesised arrangement with a lovely Rogers solo heavy on the distortion.

In between the covers we find two contrasting tracks. ‘Human’ – the album’s lead track, carries a keyboard melody that welds itself to the inside of your brain, building with a with a lush production and a smooth vocal performance. Maybe the album’s standout piece.

Whereas ‘The Privateers’ is an instrumental track written by Mick his son, George Sherrard, in which the Father quite rightly expresses considerable pride. George also plays the keyboards and gels very well with his old man on the extended spotlight lead passages. The track is probably the closest you might expect to hear from a talented guitarist who earns his daily crust in a prog rock band.

This is a diverse and unexpected album, by turns satisfying and sometimes rewardingly challenging. Massive respect to Rogers for doing something a little different. On the other hand, the collection lacks a bit of coherence and can feel disjointed. If a few of the weaker tracks were pruned, the album would hang together better. Overall though, it is a testament to a fine musician and very well worth an explore. ***½

Review by Dave Atkinson

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STREETLIGHT Shake That Feeling (Frontiers)

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