Whitesnake
Lovehunter

THE REVIEW

Hello to all DeBaserians and non!

This time I am taking on the task of reviewing a band that has greatly divided the Hard & Heavy audience: Whitesnake by David Coverdale. The former frontman of Deep Purple formed his group in 1977. A band with bluesy sounds, a genre very dear to the singer. Some have called Coverdale a Rock icon, others have doubted (and doubt) his singing qualities, and others, on the other hand, believe he simply capitalized by exploiting this genre. I believe Coverdale was very good at navigating the various eras of Rock; first singing with Deep Purple at the height of the Hard Rock revolution, then (taking advantage of the good dose of fame acquired) he was able to devote himself to his favorite style and more suitable for his voice, namely Hard Blues; finally, from the second half of the '80s to the present day, he has made the band's sound heavier to ride the wave left by Heavy Metal.

After the first three albums of decent (if not good) success, in 1979 " Lovehunter" is released. With the collaboration of Wikipedia, I discover the line-up that created this record: besides, obviously, Coverdale, the magical duo Moody-Mardsen is confirmed; on the keyboards, there is a Rock legend, that Jon Lord who made his friend David famous; on bass Neil Murray and on drums Dave Dowle (he won't last long, he will be replaced by another former purple: Ian Paice).

The album opens with "Long Way From Home", a track with sounds typical of the late '70s, very commercial, both for the sound and for the chorus formed in the refrain by the three string instrument players.

The second track, however, is one of the most famous in the Whitesnake repertoire: "Walking In The Shadow Of The Blues", a song that Coverdale dedicates to himself and his passion: the Blues. The rhythm of this song is pressing, very determined and you can also hear the first solo of the album by Bernie Mardsen, the contribution of Jon Lord is also really important: a true masterpiece.

There is also room for a well-executed cover by Leon Russell: "Help Me Thro' The Day". The album continues with a series of very catchy and well-played Hard Blues songs such as "Medicine Man" (excellent riff by Mardsen), "You 'N' Me", the fast "Mean Business", all tracks that showcase the technical virtuosity of the musicians and their harmony.

The title track deserves a few more words: "Lovehunter". Irriverent as usual in the lyrics (which often deal with women, as in this case, life on the road, and drinking), and with a very Southern Rock style, this song is undoubtedly the best on the album. I emphasized the Southern sound because the contribution given by that genius Micky Moody and his slide guitar is very successful and will be even more appreciated in live performances, making it a must at every concert of the era. Great job, guys!

After listening to the commercial "Outlaw" and the rocking "Rock 'N' Roll Women" (name omen), the Snakes bid farewell with a ballad dedicated to those who are undoubtedly the cornerstone of music in general: the fans. "We Wish You Well" is the right conclusion for an excellent album, which consecrates a band made up of excellent musicians who carry on a genre like Hard Blues that is very lively and cheerful, but not to be underestimated at all.

Thank you for your attention, a greeting to the DeReaders, I Wish You Well!