REVIEW: Nicklebag, Mas Feedback (Iguana)
- Linda Scott
The times, like the music scene, are a changin'. Just as rock n' roll has been pronounced dead, some new bands are bringin' it all back home. Nicklebag's Mas Feedback opens up rock's coffin and yanks it back out.
The album has a professional, polished sound coming from the veteran and high profile band members. The duo of vocalist Bernard Fowler and guitarist Stevie Salas are joined on this album by some world class performers. Fowler is currently singing backup vocals for the Rolling Stones on their Bridges to Babylon tour and also sang on their Voodoo Lounge tour. Salas is an astonishing rock n'roll guitarist who's made several albums on his Colorcode solo project. Producer Bill Laslow (Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, Material) brought these two together, and the Salas/Fowler combination is an electrifying winner.
Mas Feedback is further supported by former Living Colour bassist Doug Wimbish, former Slash's Snakepit tour drummer Brian Tichy, former Funkadelic keyman Bernie Worrell, ex Pearl Jam drummer Dave Abbruzzese, Rolling Stones tour bassist Darryl Jones, and Rolling Stones backup singer Lisa Fischer. The band has talent to spare.
Salas and Fowler alone or in combination penned 9 of the 14 tracks. The single "Grow" is a burning rock track that sets the album groove with its first track position. Covers of some familiar songs are powerful and funky. Funkadelic's "Hit It And Quit It" is louder, fiercer and funkier than ever. The Beatles' "I Am The Walrus" receives the same full bore rock treatment, and Stevie Wonder's "Don't Know Why I Love You" has a bluesier tone than Wonder ever used, and the song builds like a pressure cooker.
Keep the name Nicklebag, and their album Mas Feedback, in mind. It's killer rock for the nineties!
