HTP - LIVE IN TOKYO
I haven't yet healed the wounds of the Italian tour, but fast as I can, I got "Htp Live in Tokyo" in my hands. The album brings togheter the best of the two dates recorded in Tokyo 17 and 19 of May 2002. I'm reviewing the Japanese edition of the cd, different from the European one (that you can already find in the stores from 7th of october). Infact here figures "No stranger to love", that in the European edition has left place to the in-studio song "Against the wall". This last one was the HTP Japanese edition bonus track. What a mess! Collectors... have a seat!
The cd is 75 minutes long, but there isn't much time to chat between one track and another, apart from the proper quote (after "Better man") about 11 september 2001. But this absolutely doesn't compromise, more improves the magnitude of this live album.
Starting as the screenplay is Devil's road, followed by Can't stop rock'n'roll. Two songs that surely will become masterpieces. The two singers rotate on the microphone with great synchrony, in a perfect fit. They worked a lot togheter, for example with the "Voices of Classic Rock" for the American FM stations.
Let's go with revival of ancient Rainbows. Death alley driver and I surrender. Joe here takes the first seat and digs in his past searching and finding the daybreak of his great times, when he was at the court of King Blackmore. Then sweet Joe takes his guitar and raises the mike to Glenn Hughes for a superb Stormbringer. Listen to the scream before the guitar solo. It will never end.
Dark days is the right tribute of Joe's latest solo album "Slam", and introduces to what I define the peak of the entire cd. Mistreated. Here Glenn Hughes sings in a divine mood. Listen and meditate. And make your comparisons with the other versions.... I'm almost crying.
The three Japanese sessionmen were really good in their part. There is Akira Kajiyama on guitars (he figures also in HTP studio album), Tosho Egawa on keyboards and Yoshihiro Kudo on drums.
Not satisfied Glenn performs the immortal No stranger to love, from "Seventh Star" of Black Sabbath. The song is arranged in the same way as Glenn already presented in his gigs. With a long outro of keyboards and vocals. What an atmosphere.
There's no time to breathe. There's time for "Building the machine". The album is represented here with Can't stop the flood. Great funk rock that makes your hips move. Sorry but... I can't stop this flood that makes me drown in pleasure...eh eh eh. It's a pity that in the last European tour this piece got cut out from the setlist.
The cd goes on funky with another HTP song, Better man. The first song that Glenn Joe wrote togheter. They work good here with their voices, and the result is a great drunkenness. Yeah, at this point I'm really drunk of this show.
And if you haven't get enough, the final boom is Ride the storm, a pure metal song taken from HTP. The ending of the gig is a return to melodic rock, with the sweet King of dreams. Someone says that the Deep Purple album with Turner is the worst. Objection. Listen to this wonderful piece of music, made more precious by Glenn Hughes' choruses.
I'm still drunk but I ride in the Street of dreams. Another Rainbow classic with a soft atmosphere. Joe wrote wonderful songs.
The last one...... Spotlight kid. So you can awake from this dream. But you'll push the repeat button on your cd reader. Then go and buy, friends. For every lover of classic rock, this album is already a masterpiece.
Roberto Cosentino