TIPTON, ENTWISTLE & POWELL
"Edge
of the World" (Rhino; 2006)
Reviewed by R. Scott Bolton
It may have been sitting on a shelf somewhere since it was originally recorded in 1997, but "Edge of the World" is a terrific rock CD that takes little pieces of the best talents of its main performers and combines them into an album that won't alienate fans of any of their previous work.
You'd expect greatness from Judas Priest's Glenn Tipton, The Who's John Entwistle and Cozy Powell (of everyone from Black Sabbath to Whitesnake to the Jeff Beck Group) and "Edge of the World" often comes close to greatness. With Tipton's trademark fretwork, Entwistle's soulful and complicated bass and Powell's nearly magical timekeeping, you have to wonder why this record sat on the shelf for so many years before finally finding its way to record shops this year.
Featuring soaring metal epics, hard rock anthems and various more experimental styles (especially for these three masters of rock), "Edge of the World" is more than a snapshot of an era; it's a record that still sounds surprisingly fresh and strong today.
More varied than most Priest CDs and heavier than most of The Who's catalog, "Edge of the World" really has only one disadvantage and it's not a major one. Glenn Tipton provides all vocals here and, as I've said elsewhere on these pages, he's not a horrible vocalist but he's not a particularly good one. Although Tipton's vocal work on "Edge of the World" is adequate, it would have been great to hear a true rock voice deliver these lyrics.
Again, that's a minor complaint and fans of "Turbo"-era Priest will find plenty to enjoy on "Edge of the World."
For more information, check out http://www.glenntipton.co.uk.
Rating Guide:
A classic. This record will kick your ass.
Killer. Not a classic but it will rock your world.
So-so. You've heard better.
Pretty bad. Might make a nice coaster.
Self explanatory. Just the sight of the cover makes you wanna hurl.
Copyright © 2006 by R. Scott Bolton. All rights
reserved.
Revised: 12 Aug 2024 14:34:00 -0400.
