Perhaps it is the involvement of producer Kevin Shirley but Bag of Bones sounds more like Black Country Communion than anything that Europe have produced before. This is not a criticism, as Glenn Hughes’ supergroup have enjoyed major acclaim over the last couple of years with two albums that paid homage to 1970s hard rock and dirty blues. His influence can be heard through every aspect of Europe’s new album, from the more complex song arrangements to the production, while at times Joey Tempest even echoes Hughes’ unique voice. There is a maturity in Bag of Bones that was not necessarily present in the band’s earlier work, even 2009′s Last Look at Eden, and if listeners can get over the fact that this is the same group responsible for the 1986 hair metal hit The Final Countdown (something that has dogged Europe for the last twenty-five years) then they will find a surprisingly effective rock album.
Perhaps the opening track, Riches to Rags, is the band acknowledging what a radical change of direction Bag of Bones is, with even the title referencing how their commercial peak is long behind them. In the song Tempest sings, “This is the sound of us digging our grave, this is the sound of us burned at the sake,” maybe as a comment on how the critics may respond to the group’s new sound. Now each member of Europe is slowly approaching fifty and gone are the perms and spandex; instead there is a group of middle-aged musicians who are paying home to the bands that influenced them during their early days, and elements of Thin Lizzy and Deep Purple can certainly be heard throughout the album. Having released the underrated solo album Back Yard Blues in 2010, John Norum’s guitar style seems to evolved in recent years, while also embracing his love of blues. Yet despite its title, Not Supposed to Sing the Blues is more of a hard rock song and is perhaps the song that most resembles Black Country Communion.
Having taken three years to follow up Last Look at Eden, their new album feels like the band have taken time to rediscover themselves and revamp their sound. Bag of Bones is full of memorable guitar riffs, a strong rhythm section and the best performance Tempest has given in his thirty-year career. The title track also benefits from an appearance by acclaimed blues guitarist Joe Bonamassa, known for both his solo work and Black Country Communion. Bonamassa performs slide guitar during the verses and these sections of the song are one of the highlights of the album, although the chorus doesn’t quite match up. Following the thirty second instrumental interlude Requiem, the record commences once again with My Woman My Friend, which begins as a tender piano ballad before the guitar and drums kick in, transforming the song into something that echoes Led Zeppellin. Bag of Bones is certainly one of the heaviest albums that Europe have released, although it does have its mellow moments, such as the excellent Drink and a Smile and closing number Bring It All Home.
Bag of Bones is arguably the best album of Europe’s career and certainly their most sophisticated. For the most part, it is packed with rich melody, strong production and impressive songwriting. For a band who enjoyed their most success almost thirty years ago, it is something of a triumph that this album erases their hair metal heyday by embracing their love of classic rock. While Last Look at Eden had its moments it lacked focus, yet this has been remedied with Bag of Bones. With the exception of the brief and pointless (although atmospheric) Requiem, there seem to be no fillers this time around and Europe have shown that there is more to them than just that irritating ’80s keyboard riff.
Band photo: Michael Johansson
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