Search - James Gang :: Newborn/Jesse Come Home

Newborn Come Home: The last ride

berkshire_cowboy | Columbus, Ohio | 07/14/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"By 1974, the James Gang, featuring vocalist Roy Kenner and guitarist Tommy Bolin, had run out of steam, and founding member Jimmy Fox decided to disband the group. One short year later, the Gang was back with a new line-up (featuring Bubba Keith and Frank Zappa-lookalike Richard Shack) and a new LP, 'Newborn'. The album went nowhere, and Keith and Shack split. A year after the release of Newborn, the Gang emerged again, this time with keyboardist Phil Giallombardo and guitarist Bob Webb. This line-up's album, 'Jesse Come Home,' hit stores in '76. Five years after Joe Walsh left the band, the new Gang just couldn't stir up any interest, so they broke up for good later in the year.



Wounded Bird, a great label for reissues, brings us these 2 infamous albums on one disc. As always with Wounded Bird, the sound is fantastic and the packaging is just OK. The booklet features a photo of the Giallombardo/Webb Gang with Phil doing his famous "'Thing' from the Addams Family" trick. Ironically, Phil was in the James Gang before Joe Walsh joined and the band began recording. By 1974-1976, the James Gang was such a revolving door of musicians that it was hard to keep up them. All group members had their own talents, and none of the musicians tried to sound like Joe Walsh (save for Bob Webb) or the previous James Gang line-up. Although their popularity declined real quick and the Gang's musical focus was non-existent by this era, they still cranked out some good tunes. 'Newborn' isn't quite the sonic revelation the title promises, but the Shack/Keith line-up does some pretty cool Mountain imitations (see "Earthshaker") and offers lots of crunchy power chords and great rock vocals. I think the best cuts here are "Shoulda Seen Your Face," "Merry Go Round," and "Gonna Get By," all solid rockers. Far from essential listening, but still a good rockin' time. I tend to favor 'Jesse Come Home' a bit more than Newborn because the sounds are a little more varied. Plus, it's interesting to hear Bobby Webb cop Joe Walsh here and there (check out the guitar solo on "Feeling Alright"...."Stealin' the Show" is a poor man's "Falling Down"). Besides a few nods to the Gang's most famous member, this album has nothing to do with the loud, power-trio rock that the Gang cranked out with Joe as its leader. Phil croons on "Love Hurts," a mellow Andrew Gold song, and plays one of the hokiest piano lines ever on the mini-epic "When I Was a Sailor." "Peasant Song" is a melodramatic Giallombardo tune complete with full orchestral arrangements. Although it's actually very pretty, "The Bomber" it ain't.



It's great to finally have these albums on CD. This release will be essential for completists and interesting to James Gang fans who thought the band was over when Walsh left. Or you could just buy it to look at the booklet and see Phil Giallombardo's hand trick."

Newborn is a rocking album

GPark | Macon, Ga. USA | 05/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Newborn is one of the James Gang's best albums but it never got the praise it deserved. It features Bubba Keith as a superb lead vocalist and songwriter of most of the tunes on this album. Check out their cover of Heartbreak Hotel. That's the way it's done Elvis!! If you love 70's rock with lots of crunchy, rocking guitars and great vocals this album is for you! You don't have to be a James Gang fan to get into this one. GPark"

Let 'em Ride

Mr. Richard D. Coreno | Berea, Ohio USA | 06/16/2009

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The critics have mostly panned the final pair of studio albums for the Dale Peters (b) and Jim Fox (d) led band, but both have solid tracks which shows that the creative fire had not burned out.



Newborn (May 1975) was aptly titled, since the group broke up the year before with the departure of Tommy Bolin (g) and Roy Kenner (v). Peters and Fox lean heavily on newcomers Richard Shack (g) and Bubba Keith (v); they co-write seven of the 11 songs, with Keith penning two tracks and teaming up with Mark Smith for the solid Gonna Get By. There is one cover, the iconic Heartbreak Hotel.



Though the 33:34 has some solid rock, the album could only make it to #97 on the Billboard album chart. The cover is a reproduction of Dali's Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man.



The album cover to Jesse Come Home (February 1976) seems to point to the inevitable final attempt by Peters and Fox at keeping the band alive. Bob Webb (g) and Phil Giallombardo (k) bring a more "experimental" sound that paves a new path that only reached a mediocre #109 on the album chart. Feelin' Alright, Stealin' the Show and When I Was a Sailor are the top cuts of the nine tracks that clock in at 31:02.



By letting the James Gang ride without trying to find linkage to Joe Walsh or Bolin will allow the artistry to be fully appreciated. Peters and Fox were not trying to recapture lightning in the jar, which may finally be clearly heard - and appreciated - with the albums on one CD."