James Williamson and the Pink Hearts, Behind The Shade (2018) ENG

James Williamson and the Pink Hearts, Behind The Shade (2018)

By: Erreh Svaia

Rock N Roll Animal

James Williamson is surely one of my favorite guitarists, possessor of a wild but outstanding technique, he was the undisputed protagonist of one of the most emblematic records of what is possibly the best rock n roll band in history, the Raw Power of the Stooges, and saying this is not easy if we consider that the Stooges had already made a legendary album, the Fun House, in addition to this, to come face to face with a stage maniac like Iggy Pop is not easy, in the case of Williamson is palpable his impressive mastery of the guitar and his total affinity to that madness called the Stooges.

Semi-retired for decades, Williamson went from producing some albums (the New Values ​​and the Soldier, dark discs of Iggy Pop) and then to become a computer guru in Silicon Valley, but as they say: "bad habits are difficult to annihilate" , and Williamson returned to his guitar and the Stooges in a superb return disc entitled Ready To Die, but the story of Willamson the musician, does not end there, and now continues with a new band that is as surprising as James' own career , considering that Petra Haden, the daughter of the legendary bassist of Ornette Coleman (one of the pioneers of free jazz), Charlie Haden, is present here, Haden is no stranger to experimentation, and she recorded a full album herself, covering the "Sell Out " record of the powerful Who, with his voice as the only instrument, here Haden leans more for the violin, his favorite instrument, although of course he takes the microphone with total conviction in several pieces.

James Williamson and the Pink Hearts is the new joint adventure of Williamson and Haden, with them also appear the singer and guitarist Frank Meyer, from the punk band LA Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, already the name tells us a lot, originally when I heard about the album, the word "Americana" was mentioned as a reference, it should be mentioned that Behind the Shade has little to do with American folk music, and seems to relate a little more with the proto punk instincts of Williamson, and one or two nod to country music.

The first track, Riot on the Strip, surprises with its mix of New York Dolls and Stooges thanks to Meyer's defiant attitude and execution and Williamson's sharp-edged guitars, which also recorded part of the bass lines, Williamson consolidates his original reputation as an incendiary monster capable of playing in a passionate way like few others, for Judith Christ, the band reduces its fury a little and brings us a theme that seems like a very marked nod to the tremendous Van Morrison, with a Meyer revealing himself as a whole vocal promise.

For Pink Hearts Across the Sky, Haden begins to take the initiative, the theme shows some parts that seem to reflect those Stones in his time of fascination for Gram Parsons and country rock, "American Cosmic Music", yes, that could well describe the duel of sounds exchanged by Haden and Williamson, while for You Send Me Down there is a return to the crudest rock n roll again in the hands of the great Meyer and Haden.

There are some issues in which both Williamson, Haden and Meyer allow some experimentation, Purple Moon is a good example of this, which also shows the contribution of drummer Michael Urbano, or Miss Misery, with a Williamson more inclined by the acoustic, keeping Meyer and Haden company, while for Revolution Stomp, the band puts on their batteries and delights us with a fierce attack from the most inspired rock n roll.

The band is again on the edge of the precipice with the song that gives its name to the album, a daring experiment and true "tour de force" that comes out well, although it leaves the audience wanting maybe a better ending, something maybe more " upbeat "instead of the oppressive and somewhat decadent Died a Little Today, with a Haden as the protagonist in a beautiful but dark and gothic piece.

Behind the Shade is an outstanding record even for those of us who would like to listen to Williamson with Pop, Williamson's sacred guitar remains immaculate and manages to blend brilliantly with Haden's harsh violin and angelic voice, as well as Meyer's energetic participation, a pleasant surprise and a prodigious bet on the part of a veteran who refuses to repeat himself, to stagnate and who seems to enjoy the challenges and risks of this new adventure, a delight.