Description
With all due respect to Randy Bachman, this album shows clearly where the real heart and soul of BTO lies. C.F. Turner's vocals and bass are better than ever, and with Robin Bachman and Blair Thornton back on board, the band sounds as good as it has since Not Fragile. Newcomer Randy Murray is a terrific guitarist, and a perfect fit for BTO. (He also lends his vocal talents to classic songs originally sung by Randy Bachman.) 'Trial By Fire' includes five new cuts, and these alone are more than worth the price. It begins with a smoldering electric blues rendition of the classic 'House Of The Rising Sun' with an inspired vocal performance by Turner. The two new songs written entirely by the band members also stand out as hard rock gems. Check out Randy and Blair's guitar riffs on the title track! 'Nothin'Comes Easy' is a blues-rock ballad with a thunderous beat and heavy guitars reminiscent of 'Not Fragile' and 'Sledgehammer.' 'Testify', a high-octane love song, and the rollicking boogie number 'A Sense Of Danger' round out the new material. The remakes of old songs sound as good or better than the originals, probably in part due to modern recording techniques, which seem to bring out Turner's bass better. Many of these tracks offer new takes on the songs, some subtle, some not – how about a semi-accoustic version of 'Hold Back The Water'? – and are worth a listen even if you've heard the originals a thousand times. Though it may be destined to be heard only by true blue BTO fans like myself, 'Trial By Fire' easily ranks as some of the band's finest work. In fact, the only way this album could be better than it is would be to have even more new material, and possibly giving Randy Murray a shot at singing 'Takin' Care Of Business.' Track listing: 1. House Of The Rising Sun 2. Roll On Down The Highway 3. Trial By Fire 4. Hold Back The Water 5. Blue Collar 6. Gimme Your Money Please 7. Let It Ride 8. You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet 9. Not Fragile 10. Hey You 11. Take It Like A Man 12. Nothin Comes Easy 13. Testify 14. Four Wheel Drive 15. A Sense Of Danger