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(More customer reviews)Originally released in January 1980, Robin Trower's seventh LP "Victims of the Fury" proved to be his ultimate crowning achievement. It had been five years since what I consider to be his last truly great release before this, 1975's "For Earth Below." The three albums that came in between, 1976's "Long Misty Days," '77's "In City Dreams," and '78's "Caravan to Midnight," while all being good, I feel were somewhat uneven in quality for Trower standards.
That's why when Robin and company ushered in the new decade with "Victims of the Fury," both blues and heavy rock fans alike had reason to rejoice. While the at the time 34-year-old Robin originates from London and from a clearly English background, his emotionally rich and vivid playing, along with the ever soulful vocals of bassist James Dewar, were more rooted in U.S. blues of the past. Hence, Trower's LPs throughout the '70s always charted higher in America rather than in his own home country.
Being only five years old in 1980 when this album was first released, I was introduced to Trower's music much later on in the '90s with the "Essential Robin Trower" compilation. While collections like that are great for that purpose, I eventually picked up all the original albums, including the one being reviewed here "Victims of the Fury."
This record, as stated, is nothing short of a masterpiece. From the opener "Jack and Jill," Robin introduces his jangly, reverby guitar and some of the most fluid riffing he had ever created and more rooted in heavy rock than ever before. From there, the chorus on the title track really made it stand out to me on the "Essential" CD and hearing it here in its original LP placement position is amazing. Side one of the original album closes out with the breathtaking "Only Time," which paints an emotionally rich picture so vivid through the sounds you hear and the vocal lines are very poetic as well.
The reason I say in the headline that you must get the 1989 Chrysalis pressing of this CD rather than the 1997 BGO disc (which also had "Caravan to Midnight" tacked on), is that the latter switches the LP's original running order around and eliminates three of its compositions, "the Shout," "Fly Low," and what is one of Trower's best ever songs, "Ready for the Taking," which features one of his most mesmerizing riffs ever, truly brilliant. I am listening to it now and am still swept away by its essential beauty and power.
If you can't find or afford the original Chrysalis CD though and don't have a turntable to listen to the record, then definitely download the missing tracks here on Amazon. You won't regret it.
All in all, some of the best blues rock ever created from one of the genre's most amazing power trios. Highly recommended.
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