No, Bob Seger did not release a new record this week, and nor am I in the mood to imitate the infamous dance scene from "Risky Business". I titled my latest entry "I like that old time rock and roll" because all three of the acts I'm reviewing this week are classic rock bands. So here goes!
"Angel Dance" by Robert Plant: It's funny that this song is a Los Lobos cover, and that Los Lobos just happen to be next in line for my reviews this week! Anyway, this song seems to be a joyous celebration of the Led Zeppelin frontman's inner folkie, which he seemed to bring out in his music quite frequently in the 2000's more than any other decade. Of course, Zeppelin have experimented with folk-rock ever since their debut, though it probably became more evident to fans of the band about a year later when they released their third album (which included "Gallows Pole", "That's the Way", and "Tangerine"). Unlike the bittersweet melancholia of "That's the Way" and "Tangerine", "Angel Dance" is a more upbeat, high-spirited romp (it's no wonder he called his backing group "Band of Joy" this time!!) Perhaps "Angel Dance" is not as memorable as the typical Zeppelin song, but it's still worth checking out!
"Burn It Down" by Los Lobos: With the "fiery" title of this song, I was expecting to hear the rockier, Santana-ish side of Los Lobos this time (as in "Mas Y Mas" and "The Road to Gila Bend"), but "Burn It Down" is, instead, a laid-back, mellow, folk-rock-y song. Perhaps the title doesn't always have to fit the song, though, as "Burn It Down" is a pretty decent song that seems like it would be most ideal to listen to sometime in the fall (more specifically, November) watching the leaves fall down from the trees. Perhaps the "autumnal" nature of this song threw me for a loop, too, as it has both a fire-related title AND it was released in August, typically the hottest time of the year for me!
"Nobody" by The Doobie Brothers: Much like the R.E.M. song I reviewed a couple weeks back, this song is also an oldie but a goodie that saw its release date later than expected...well, kind of. It was actually included on The Doobies' debut back in 1971, but no one really knew who they were back then. Many fans of The Doobies are familiar with the classic rock/adult contemporary standard "Black Water", and "Nobody" is kinda like that, only a bit faster. Both songs have that laid-back folk-rock-y feel to them, though in my opinion, "Nobody" is a bit better for its unique but catchy sound. It's pretty surprising to me that this song didn't get airplay during its initial release, but I guess the world wasn't ready for The Doobies back in '71, though it only took a year later until The Doobies and other classic rock/adult contemporary faves with a distinctly mellow California sound (i.e. The Eagles, Jackson Browne, etc.) made their "official" debut.
