Rockets
Back Talk

Here is the fourth album (1981) by the Americans, Rockets, dedicated to robust and unpretentious rock'n'roll blues, assisted by a good melodic vein, with an excellent rhythmic drive and an unknown virtuoso delivering perfect solos. Jim McCarty isn't famous, except among insiders, for whom he is a living legend.

For example, Ted Nugent, his colleague and fellow citizen, someone who spouts nonsense left and right about politics, hunting, guns, food, women, races, and religions, but who understands music and guitar, says: “I'm the only guy in rock'n'roll that plays that hollow body jazz guitar (Gibson Byrdland), and it's because I saw Jim McCarty creating those big fat full chords like I do on 'Stranglehold'; I learned that from Jimmy McCarty. Remember the name Jim McCarty. He is as important as Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry and Les Paul… a god on guitar!”.

The god in question doesn't exert himself too much this time, just in "Love for Hire," which sounds a bit southern with that wide and insistent arpeggio, then also in "I Can’t Get Satisfied" which is more than adequate rock'n'roll (there are few of these this time, there's more soul on average), complete with a bouncy little piano, slapped bass, perfectly fitting guitars, and finally the adrenaline-fueled "I’ll Be Your Lover."

For the rest, it's worth perking up your ears to the Doobie Brothers-like "Lift You Up," the vaguely Rolling Stones-esque "Shanghaied" (nice title), the again southern vibes of "Tired of Wearing Back" (great slide), the catchy chorus in the refrain of "American Dreams," up to the last gem "Lie to Me," the most beautiful of the bunch, a rhythm & blues sung by drummer Badanjek.

Beautiful cover. It reminds me of certain women who have crossed my life in more or less important, fateful, stressful ways: as beautiful and charming as always, questioning what you say or don't say, what you do or don't do. Day and night. How do they do it?