There are some album titles that write themselves. Such is the case with the latest from Joe Bouchard, American Rocker. Born and raised in New York, he’s as American as apple pie. As for his “rocker” credentials, Bouchard played bass, sang, and wrote for one of the greatest bands of all time, Blue Öyster Cult. Perhaps you’ve heard of them? Although Bouchard has now been out of the band that put him on the map for over 35 years, he continues to create new music faithful to their sound, specifically the late 70s pop era of Spectres (1977) and Mirrors (1979).
Now I’m not sure if this is a matter of Bouchard attempting to write in this classic vein, or rather it’s just him writing the only way he knows how to. It’s really hard to pin down, but Bouchard’s compositions tend to lie somewhere between introspective singer/songwriter and mega Spector-esque pop, topped off with a steady dose of rock n’ roll. Confusing? Perhaps for the uninitiated. Indeed, if your knowledge of BÖC is limited to the 2 (maybe 3) songs classic schlock radio have focus tested them down to, and a tongue in cheek SNL skit, this album might not be for you. But if you’re a fervent diz-buster such as myself who proudly wears the mark of the hook and cross, listen on!
While I wouldn’t go so far to label American Rocker a concept album, there is a strong undertone of 70s nostalgia to both the music and lyrics throughout. This is especially evident on “In the Golden Age” (a reference to BÖC’s “Golden Age of Leather”), which recalls BÖC’s time as arena rock kingpins, selling out every town they played and dropping one rock radio smash after the next. As I stated in the first paragraph, much of this album (if not all of it), wouldn’t sound out of place on a late 70s BÖC offering. From the straightforward “My Way is the Highway”, to the anthemically catchy “Katherine”, I can practically smell the burning incense and lite beer, dude!
There aren’t any forays into the cold psych metal sound of BÖC’s early 70s black and white era, or even their arcanely ominous synth infused early 80s output. However, American Rocker is not without its surprises. Throughout this 11 song collection, Bouchard touches upon swaggering jazz rock (“Conspiracy”), hauntingly atmospheric folk rock (“Deadly Kisses”), bold Wall of Sound pop (“Love Out of Thin Air”), and even a pseudo-spoken word piece that sounds more characteristic of latter day Johnny Cash (“Hounds of Hell”). It’s a wild and at times unpredictable ride that keeps the listener sitting on the edge of their seat.
On American Rocker, Bouchard so beautifully strides the line between nostalgia and currency that one can’t help but be in amazement. Here is yet another artist who, quite frankly, earned his right to do whatever the hell he wanted decades ago. The fact that he’s still going strong at 73 is a blessing. That he’s still releasing noteworthy rock n’ roll albums? An added bonus. I guess you could say he’s “livin’ for givin’ the devil his due”!
7 out of 10
Label: Deko Entertainment
Genre: Hard Rock
For fans of: Blue Öyster Cult, Alice Cooper, Starz