JIM CREAN – Gotcha Covered (2019 Visionary Noise)
Jim Crean is steeped in hard rock tradition. He’s worked with some of the legends, and he’s covered the rest of ’em. Atypical covers. Not the usual “hits” but interesting tracks you might know and remember, or will be exposed to for the first time. In 2019, Crean’s come out with an original album The London Fog, and a covers CD called Gotcha Covered. Lets see what surprises there are in store.
Right out of the gates, it’s a shocker: “Hall of the Mountain King”. You don’t hear Savatage covers every day, and fortunately Crean has the necessary scream abilities. He sounds like a man possessed by lust for the Mountain King’s gold!
Unpredictability is the theme for this album. Up next: Melissa Etheridge. It’s an oldie from her landmark first debut, “Like the Way I Do”, and you’ve never heard it so heavy. It sounds as if it was written to be played this way because it’s completely natural. White Lion are a little more centerfield, and “Hungry” is a killer choice. Jim Crean can easily handle mid-80s Mike Tramp songs, as they are right in his pocket. John Corabi is another singer who Crean is naturally suited to cover. The Scream’s “Outlaw” is definitely an obscure but inspired choice. Tasty riff. Badlands get the next nod, with “The Last Time”, the first single from the second album Voodoo Highway. The high notes are no problem, and the chorus goes on for lightyears.
Then it’s back to left field, with Bryan Adams’ old (pre-Reckless) classic “Lonely Nights”. You don’t hear Adams covers very often, and usually they suck. Not this one. Crean transforms it into a hard rock anthem, something Sammy Hagar could have recorded. Another shocker is Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You”, converted into a classy rock ballad, utterly different from the original. The Cars’ “Bye Bye Love” is another brilliant choice (not that you can go wrong with any Cars). It works well as hard rock. “Falling In Love”, a Scorpions oldie written by Herman Rarebell, adds a heavy kick at the right time.
“Saved By Zero” is the only track that doesn’t sound overly metalized. The Fixx cover reveals some more new wave roots, and a good song choice it is. The complex backing vocals sound fantastic. Crean does justice to his hometown boys The Goo Goo Dolls next with “Lazy Eye”. This non-album Goos song was on the soundtrack for the ill-fated Batman & Robin. As you’d expect, it boasts a strong chorus, but the chunky riff may surprise you. Another obscurity is “The Warning” by Victory, a strong 80s chug. Onto the 90s next: Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy and Cinderella’s Fred Coury had a band called Arcade. “Cry No More” is a ballad from their debut.
The last few songs include Dokken’s slow burning “When Heaven Comes Down”. Nothing wrong with some Back for the Attack era Dokken. The Sweet’s classic “Love Is Like Oxygen” brings that pop edge back. But it’s the closer, Chicago’s “25 or 6 to 4” that really slams it home. No horns, just guitars and heavy beats. The original arrangement is untouchable, but a heavy rock version? Sure, why not.
A good covers album is hard to come by. It all comes down to song selection. In this regard, Jim Crean knocked one out of the park.
4/5 stars
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