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Last week Birmingham UK was mistaken for Birmingham Alabama USA by.. er.. Birmingham City Council (UK). I am never surprised by Council incompetence but it was nice to be reminded of the 30th largest state in America. In my non-American mind the Southern States of the USA have always had a fascination for me.

In the past I have managed to visit Texas and Louisiana, and while I was only there for a short time I was able to get a feel for the Southern States. Given all the Anti Americanism going round these days it’s very easy to turn your nose up at these places, but I loved my time there. And while I visited pretty touristy places I still managed to find some locations off the beaten track in Houston, Austin and New Orleans. And so it is fuelled with memories of Lynard Skynard and Neil Young songs (and Lionel Ritchie famous son of Birmingham Alabama) I have a romantic notion of visiting Alabama, perhaps on the way to or from Miami in a massive SUV of some kind.

So imagine my surprise when I heard Kid Rocks incredible postmodern mangling of Warren Zevon’s Werewolves of London and Lynard Skynard’s Sweet Home Alabama, two of my favourite tunes (both have been on my iPod for years). At first I was FURIOUS. But then it hit No.1 while I was on holiday so I decided to give it a second listen. Now I love it. Being a good apple customer and a cover flow completist I had to download the whole Kid Rock album. It is an incredible tour de force, merging traditional all American rock, American Idol friendly ballads, Christian rock , lyrical works of genius and the most over blown stadium rock production values I’ve heard in a long time! On points the album wins. So here I present a track by track review:

Rock n Roll Jesus
Kid Rock
2007

Rock ‘n’ Roll Jesus
The opening track to Kid Rock’s 11th Album is a nice bit of rock. Luckily. Loaded with cliché’s Kid Rock is ‘Just like a freight train rollin’ packed tight full of rhythm and blues’. And the Devil is going to make us choose basically whether we want Kid Rock to save our souls for he is of course the Rock and Roll Jesus. All of this is presented to us with a large group of backing singers woo-ing, a very active brass section, twiddling guitars and ultimately everything else piling in too. Undoubtedly a good opener for his current stadium rock tour.

Amen
Now if the previous song was a bit naughty with all the drug and devil references and referring to himself as musical messiah Kid Rock wins back the Christian rockers with this number. You know your going to be OK using ‘Amen’ as your refrain throughout the tune. Luckily Kid Rock does not implore us to ‘think of the children for they are the future’ but manages to do nearly everything else. This song is very embarrassing to listen to with the windows down in a city centre traffic jam.

All Summer Long

Supporting the ‘3rd and 7th track on the album are the best’ theory All Summer Long has proven to be Kid Rock’s biggest hit in his career, particularly in Europe. One of the positive things about Kid Rock is that he clearly likes rock music, and is incredibly enthusiastic about this song. In fact he as been touring with the current incarnation Lynard Skynard and bringing on the Allman brothers as part of his live show (and interestingly rev. Run from Run DMC). This ‘mash up’ begins with Werewolves of London’s familiar piano and guitar intro and chorus and occasionally segues into Sweet Home Alabama. Skynard’s Billy Powel actual plays the piano part in this version. I think there’s more Werewolves than SWA. And all the while Kid Rock’s lyrics talk about being a teenager in northern Michigan (Detroit basically) and memorably refer to a lack of internet in 1989. Like the entire album and tour the tune riffs on Americana, and sends the classic rock nostalgia meter into a major spin. So while Kid Rock is swathed in the rebel flag as an honoury southern rocker one wonders ‘what the hell has this got to do with London?’ and ‘what does Neil Young think?’ and the answer is ‘nothing’ and ‘he probably doesn’t give a shit’. So gone are Zevon’s images of ‘Lee Ho Fooks’ and a large beastie clutching a chicken Chow Mien and also lost in the mix are the contentious ‘boo boo boo’s’ referring to Birmingham Alabama’s racist Governor of the 70’s. And bearing in mind the tune is a summer hit and its use as a backing track for WWE wrestling I really do wonder who’s going to be trotting out an aged Kid Rock when its been remixed in 25 years time!

Roll On
After all the excitement of the first few tracks as any fool would know its time to tone it down a bit with a self indulgent ballady type thing. Like Amen this track see’s Kid Rock giving us a bit of a musical counselling as he implores our ‘rollercoaster’ of life to ‘roll on’. The only other musicians to have successfully done this are Motely Crue and Ronan Keating.

So Hott
This tune is so hott it without a doubt requires the two ‘t’s. Apparently this is now very popular in strip clubs. Genius. It is a wonderful thing that Kid Rock can flip from schmaltz to filth so easily, that he is in actual fact writing for strip clubs! I’d certain put a £1 in the jar for this one.

Sugar
Kid Rock has married Pamela Anderson, it would seem this is an important part of establishing your rock credentials, a bit like marrying Patsy Kensit. And here Kid Rock tacitly refers to Pammy before launching into his trademark ‘Rock Rap’ through which he earnt his fame. He does this be asking ‘who’s gonna give me some Sugar tonight’.

When U Love Someone
This is defiantly there incase Kid Rock gets chosen to appear on American Idol, and if he has to ‘mentor’ the protégé’s he’s going to need a lightweight Country style effort for any contestant unwilling to take on ‘So Hott’ or ‘Sugar’. This is a pleasant listen, and while Americans are probably sick to death of Country Rock it’s a nice diversion from all the Elbow and Hot Chip we get over here. And it’s track 7.

New Orleans
No Southern Rock tinged album would be complete without a New Orleans number. Its reminiscent of the rockier Dr John and typical of the kind of bluesy Rock ’n’ Roll that plays out (often live) from the many bars down Bourbon Street enticing you in for Hurricanes and flaming Dr Peppers. More Spring Break than Jazzfest ‘New Orleans’ name checks jambalaya and crawfish pie and puts forward the idea of partying like the devil until early morning, which frankly any self respecting hedonist in the city would be doing anyway! And the song doesn’t mention Katrina and claims the French Quarter has all that’s needed. I suppose that doesn’t really matter too much as the one thing that’ll benefit the city post hurricane is more tourists, as the authorities seem unable to do anything.

Don’t Tell Me U Love Me
This is basically ‘When U Love Someone’ again. But slightly different.

Blue Jeans and Rosary
Rosary’s are Catholic right? Well this is about some religious bird being tempted by Kid Rock.

Half Your Age
This would appear to be another Pammy diss. It would seem that at nearly 40 Kid Rock has got a new girlfriend who’s 20 and does his washing for him. Can’t handle Ms Andersen? Most men can’t – that’s why they usually settle for a poster strategically placed on their bedroom wall (or under a pile of magazines if they have to be grown up about it).

Lowlife
Amazingly Kid Rock has done me a favour with this track, a John Eddie cover. Eddie is a contemporary of Springsteen and quite an interesting musician, if you like that sort of thing. Anyway I’d never heard of him before. Kid Rock’s version has all the ‘over the top’ production and shimmer that comes with this album.

So ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll Jesus’ is a load of Southern Rock nostalgia nicely wrapped up for the World Wrestling and American Idol crowd and served on mass to everyone everywhere. As this kind of thing goes its more listenable to than most and a great summer album. For me it’s made by the bonkers lyrical epithets that scatter the album, my favourite being ‘We didn’t have no internet, But man I never will forget, The way the moonlight shined upon her hair’

Shiptonblog music review: 7/10

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This years Caption was very good. I was only there for a short time, but I submitted this to the call for entries for the programme and it appeared however I was credited as Chris Shipley. A bit like when I appeared on Birmingham TV credited as coming from Bath. But I had many interesting chats and attended a great drawing workshop run by Al Davison. Also I was pleased to see the Mickey Rourke anthology I contributed to had sold out!

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Bad day for Gordy, worse day for Welsh painter and decorator.

This is my first Gordon cartoon…

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Bill and Mike to stop 3rd world tabs… good for them, no one else is bothering!