I’ve been a Doobie Brothers fan since first hearing their third studio album, “The Captain and Me” in 1973. Their mix of hard-edged guitars with vocal harmonies won me over. Songs like Natural Thing, Long Train Runnin’, China Grove…well, ALL of them only gave a sneak peak at what was to become a popular hit-making band.
Fast forward to the 2010 edition of the band. They had their huge hits and concert tours throughout the eighties. After singer Michael McDonald left the band they continued to tour and record without the success of earlier years. They brought back their original record producer, friend Ted Templeman, along with original guitarists and vocalists Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston. After playing a few gigs together they asked former drummer Michael Hossick and master-of-all-stringed-instruments John McFee to reunite for a new Doobies album and tour.
Adding to the fun, Willie Nelson and ex-Doobie Michael McDonald make appearances. Don’t be fooled however, this is no re-union album with ‘guest artists’ added for filler. The Doobies of old with their harmonies, timeless rhythms and guitar solos are here. If you enjoyed this band in the past give them another try here.
A nice twist is the remake of ‘Nobody’ from their first album. This version has a new guitar solo and spotlights Johnston’s rougher vocal style. Producer Templeton played up to every band member’s strengths and styles. The Simmons-Johnston-McFee trio is one of the best front lines in rock while drummer Hossick’s playing is forward and driven. Templeton did what many of us music purists hope for by not overdriving and overmixing the album. It sounds equally good on a smaller system or better home audio gear.
Whether you want to relive the Doobie glory years or just want a great rock record give World Gone Crazy a listen. Enjoy.
Thanks for visiting Hear More Music!
Doug