Artist: Canned Heat Album: The New Age

Year: 1991
Duration: 0:0-1

Keep the Heat with Canned Heat's New Age Album! A Critical Review

Canned Heat was a band that came out of blues-rock in the 1960s. With their variety of styles ranging from electric rock to funk, Canned Heat broke into the music scene with their first album, “Canned Heat With Let’s Work Together.” Now, fast forward to their latest album, The New Age, and it’s clear that the band still has plenty of fire. In this blog post, we will take a critical look at The New Age album, including a brief history of the band, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and give our overall critic of the album.

Canned Heat is a band that’s been around for quite some time, but if you haven't heard of them, then you're missing out. Their latest album, The New Age, is a mix of styles that showcase the maturity and range of the band. With this album, they have taken the roots of rock and blues and spiced it with elements of soul, jazz, and funk making it a remarkable listening experience and a statement that there is new age music to explore.

The New Age album has a sound that's a mix of classic Canned Heat music, but there are noticeable differences that pull new fans and keep the old ones interested. The album is a combination of electric and acoustic tracks, each having its vibe that can still be identified as Canned Heat. The sound of the album fittingly mirrors the band's evolution since the release of their first album and still holds a resonance for fans of the previous tracks while creating a catalogue that's relative for a new batch of listeners.

While every track on the album deserves recognition, a couple of tracks stand out, notably, Control, I Need Someone, and The Bell Won't Ring. Control has an eerie opening synth sound that progresses into a blend of bass, funky guitar riffs, and rock drums. The lyrics are crooned in a spoken-word fashion by lead singer James T. Thornbury, which suits the theme of the song perfectly. I Need Someone captures the spirit of classic rock infused with a hint of blues, accompanied by harmonica solos that Canned Heat is famous for. The Bell Won't Ring is a deep-cut song that showcases the band's versatility in that it uses jazz-influenced drumming and a surf guitar style to create a folk-themed sound.

The most innovative parts of the album show the band's exploration of different sounds and the introduction of new instruments, such as an accordion in “Keeping it Real,” highlighting the band's willingness to experiment with how to create their signature sound.

However, like every album, The New Age has its flaws. The flow of the album could be better: a few tracks seem out of place, meaning that at a certain point, the album starts to feel disjointed and doesn’t come together as a whole. A couple of tracks tend to be repetitive, and some of the lyrics may not be as crafted as potential listeners may expect.

In conclusion, Canned Heat’s The New Age is an enjoyable album that shows the band's growth since their early years. The songs on this album demonstrate the variety and talent of the band, bringing together a mix of sounds that appeal to both old and new Canned Heat fans. However, the album also has a few pitfalls, such as some repetitive tracks and disjointed flow. Overall, The New Age is an album worth listening to, and one that shows a band willing to take risks and broaden horizons. It's a pointer of a new age of music from Canned Heat that stays true to the band's roots while exploring paths less traveled.