New album ‘Come and Find Me’ is released today via Provogue
Today the iconic British Blues master Robin Trower releases his new album Come and Find Me, via Provogue. To celebrate he has revealed the lyric video for the swaggering I Would Lose My Mind, which you can watch below:
Now in his eighth decade, with a lifetime of accolades and a seminal body of music behind him, Robin Trower is still chasing the biggest high he knows. It always starts the same way, with a road-scuffed Fender Stratocaster and a revved-up Marshall amplifier, those skilful fingers exploring the fretboard until a riff sticks and a new song ignites.
“Some people say I’m driven, but I think it’s just the love of doing it,” reflects Trower of a multi-million-selling solo catalogue fast approaching thirty releases (and that’s before you compute his collaborations with everyone from Jack Bruce to Bryan Ferry). “I play guitar every day and just through messing around, ideas happen. I can never feel the songs coming. But all of a sudden, you get a sliver of an idea and you think, ‘Oh, what’s this…?’”
Trower’s distinctive sound pours out of his fingers as they dart up his Fender Stratocaster, with an elegant swaggering blues groove on the cliché-free love song I Would Lose My Mind.
Always a sociable musician and generous collaborator, Trower enlisted his trusted studio band for Come And Find Me. Drummer Chris Taggart once again drives these powerful songs, with returning US bassist Glenn Letsch providing low end on Tangled Love and I Fly Straight To You (Trower played the remainder). Long-standing vocalist Richard Watts brilliantly interprets the guitarist’s highly personal lyric sheets, while guest singer Jess Hayes is a head-turning addition for Tangled Love’s tough, choppy soul. For the fairydust, Trower turned to Studio 91’s owner Sam Winfield for the engineering and final mix – but the guitarist was intimately involved with every element. “For me, working on a new song is a 24-hour job,” he explains. “It’s always on my mind. I’ll wake up in the middle of the night thinking about it.”
I Would Lose My Mind is the last single to be released from the album .The guitarist’s famed musicianship takes centre stage on the swampy One Go Round, which lived up to the ‘seize-the-day’ lyric with its rapid birth in the studio. “That was almost an instant finished thing. It was like a hot knife through butter. All the lead work was improvised, and it’s exactly where I live. The lyrical meaning is pretty obvious. You only get one go round, so try and make the most of it,” Trower explains.
This follows the previous single A Little Bit of Freedom, which starts in combative style with a blast of wah guitar and a bold first line (‘I don’t need no-one to think for me’). “I had a strong sense that red tape and rules are really constricting things in the world,” says Trower. “Too much red tape, not enough freedom to think – it’s got to where you feel straitjacketed.”
Fiery, thoughtful and fuelled by real human emotion in a time of machine-generated music, Come And Find Me is hardly the work of a rock icon resting on his laurels. On the contrary: keenly aware of passing time, Robin Trower has made it his late-period mission to capture as many shards of magic as possible. “In one way, I can’t believe it, that I’m still going at 80,” he says. “It’s kind of scary. You know that you’re way down the road, and you could hit a brick wall at any time. But I still love doing this. For me, there’s nothing more rewarding than working on a new song…”
Trower stands on the cusp of a whirlwind year that will see him put down heavy miles across America and the UK “I’m chomping at the bit, because I had to cancel a US tour last year due to an operation” he says. You can pick up tickets HERE.
Photo: Blackham Images
I just got the album on iTunes today. It is incredible. I would say a true must for Robin Trower fans. But that’s the problem, the rest of the world who still hasn’t heard of him. Play this for everyone you know. Wait to play Bridge of Sighs. This one’s so good you should be able to hook anyone who really appreciates good guitar music with this album alone. Ten there is the sing “Time Stood Still” which is the highlight. This is the best slow ballad style love song he’s ever written. Richard Watts is phenomenal on it. Nothing like it since Daydream. What a finish to this album. Yes I am listening to the album while i write this. Buy, and let your friends, especially the “Robin Who?” ones hear it.
This is in my opinion a masterpiece. I’m glad there are 11 songs on this album. The song ‘ Take This Hurt Away’ is a true mid tempo masterpiece and should be played on the tour. From a fans perspective pay this song, the fans will sit and be amazed. The song ‘Time Stood Still’ wow, keep this one in mind as well. Minor complaint, very minor, ‘Capture The Life Begun should have been just a bit longer. I still give this album a 10 out of 10. Keep a couple mid tempo ballads for the tour!
je suis tout à fait d’accord ; c’est un vrai excellent album dans le top 5 de Robin à mon avis ;;; merci Robin
For the last 13-14 years Robin has been turning out some of THE BEST music of his career!!! He just keeps getting better and better! HOPEFULLY he will keep Richard Watts as his singer. He is absolutely perfect for Robins material, both old and new. He’s sort of a mix of James Dewar, Davey Pattinson and Robin’s vocals. A brilliant choice for a vocalist. The new album is FANTASTIC! It’s just a shame that so much of Robin’s newer material will never be brought to life in a live setting. Just a suggestion, do a tour for all the die hard fans featuring only new material from the last 14 years! What a treat that would be! Tickets would sell like hot cakes! Keep up the great writing Robin! We love you!❤️👍
Hello, I hope to post 1 more comment here. I have been talking to a few Independent record store people up here in the Norwest Indiana area. They in their 60’s like the album, love a couple songs, but want another ‘Daydream’ type long length song or two. They want mood from time to time of a BOS. All are thankful of these want 4 or 5 albums, but the extra moody length is what they hope Robin will do a bit of in the future. Thanks, Scott