D-Day's Revenge...
Speak your mind!
Fizz reviews Tesla's Twisted Wires
TESLA: Twisted Wires/The Acoustic Sessions (Tesla Electric Company)
By Fizz
Rating 5.0
Tesla’s music has meant a lot to me over the years. I was a fan as a kid during their heyday, kinda forgot about them while they were broken up, and rediscovered them in a big way when they reunited. So maybe I hold them to higher standards than I do other bands. But it’s been frustrating, being a Tesla fan over the past few years. During that time, they’ve put out two studio albums that I felt were far short of their potential, a worthless double-disc set of covers, and a forgettable live disc (I’m talking about Alive In Europe—2001’s RePlugged Live is essential).
So when I read on the Internet that Sacramento’s favorite sons wre putting out an album of reworked acoustic songs, I may have groaned audibly. Tesla often takes credit for starting the whole “unplugged” craze of the early ‘90’s, rightly or wrongly, and at various times have embarked on brief, all-acoustic tours to try and recapture the magic of 1990’s Five Man Acoustical Jam album. To their credit, I always felt Tesla were one of the very few bands who could pull this sort of thing off, just because their music was already so soulful and diverse, they had plenty of material to work with. And hell, smoke ‘em if ya got ‘em; I guess I can’t really fault them for playing up one of their strengths. But even before I’d heard it, it was hard to view Twisted Wires/The Acoustic Sessions as an essential release.
And now, here it is. Half of the twelve songs were recorded with original guitarist Tommy Skeoch, the other with new guy Dave Rude. I think some of the Skeoch material was meant for a box set, but with the total destruction of bassist Brian Wheat’s Jay Street Studio in a fire last year (where a lot of Tesla artifacts were kept), I’d say this is all we’re going to get. The major selling point of Twisted Wires is that it does contain two new songs, as well as some of the band’s more obscure tracks (thankfully, “Signs” is nowhere to be found).
In honor of my good buddy, whom longtime visitors to this site know as Rippenterror, I will adopt her trademark song-by-song reviewing style. Here goes …
1) Into The Now: I never really liked the title track to 2004’s comeback album all that much. Hearing it in stripped-down acoustic form doesn’t change that much. This is a fairly un-catchy song, not particularly well-suited for the unplugged treatment. Best thing about it is, they can’t do the stupid turntable-scratching thing from the original.
2) Hang Tough: Oh no. This is not good. Obviously, Jeff Keith’s voice is a shadow of what it was, thanks to smoking or age or drugs or some combination of all three. In their live set, a lot of older songs are performed in a lower key, or with adjusted vocal melodies. In this rendition of the leadoff track from 1989’s classic The Great Radio Controversy, JK may as well be talking instead of singing. Only the breakdown (“You stay locked away inside your room …”) is listenable.
3) Second Street: One of the two new songs. A fantastic song, one of the best the band has done since reuniting. Memorable from the first listen. Just a terrific chorus, even if it’s more than a little reminiscent of Into The Now’s “Recognize.” The only problem? JK’s voice seems to be cracking horribly in the verses, except he replicates the effect on every line. Maybe it sounds like heartfelt yearning and desperation to them, but to me it just sounds like poor breath control. Still a great song, and one I can easily relate to, and in these grim times, I bet a lot of us can.
4) Edison’s Medicine: I was skeptical of this one even before I heard it. The original is an uptempo rocker filled with crazy, whammy-bar-abusing guitar, so how can this possibly translate to the acoustic setting? Not very well, is the answer. Some weird phaser/talkbox effect is used to try and recreate the siren wails of the original, and since it was also one of the more vocally demanding of the bands hits, Jeff reverts to his semi-spoken delivery. The original was one of the more unique hits of the hair-metal era (I know two people who didn’t buy Psychotic Supper because this song put them off) but this version just falls flat. Jeff tries for the high note at the end, and fails.
5) What You Give: As sappy as this song is, I have always loved it. Put a guitar in my hands, and it’s likely to be the first thing I play. But goddamn, how many more versions do we need? This is a different version than was released on the 2007 iTunes EP Peace Of Time. The song still retains its emotional power (sad song disguised as happy song), but after so many different versions, it’s hard to get excited over this one. Sounds kinda like it might’ve been taken from a radio broadcast, you know, like, “Hey guys, tomorrow morning at 8:20, we’re gonna have Tesla in the studio to play live!” Two guitars and vocals, no bass or drums, and I think I hear a small crowd cheering in the background?
6) Better Off Without You: The other “new” song, actually dating back to the band’s mid-‘80’s days as City Kidd. On Eddie Trunk’s That Metal Show last year, Frank Hannon accused Guns n’ Roses of ripping this track off for “Patience,” although he later said he was just joking. Well, he may have had a point, because the chord progression is indeed exactly the same as the latter half of GnR’s hit. This is Jeff’s best vocal performance on the disc, which is odd when you consider the song was written 25 years ago, when his voice was much different. How the hell did this song not make it onto Mechanical Resonance, maybe in place of “Before My Eyes” or “Cover Queen?” This could’ve been a hit!
7) Shine Away: Another of my favorite Tesla songs, from 1994’s Bust A Nut. That album, and this song in particular, has always seemed like one of their most heartfelt and personal songs, lyrics-wise. This version appeared on the Best Buy bonus disc of Real To Reel, but here, they’ve stripped out even those minimal electric guitars and replaced them with acoustics. Part of the appeal of the original was the juxtaposed heavy and mellow sections, so trying to reproduce the former on this version isn’t all that effective. Got to give ‘em credit for at least recognizing this great, overlooked tune, though.
8) I Love You: This is a cover of the forgotten, early-‘80’s top-20 hit by the Climax Blues Band. This version also appeared on the Peace Of Time EP, the only previously-released song here, although this version sounds very slightly remixed. Actually recorded in 2000 for Jeff’s wedding. Maudlin yes, but very pleasant to the ear., and another good effort by JK.
9) Changes: Not one of my favorite Tesla songs, and right off, I could do without the minute-long piano intro. Once they finally get it going, it’s one of Twisted Wires’s more pleasant surprises. The melody has been stripped of high notes, but more effectively than on other songs. And maybe because I’m older myself, I can relate to the lyrics a little better now.
10) A Lot To Lose: Another song from Bust A Nut, and one of the band’s less-impressive ballads. As such, it’s one of the more forgettable songs here as well.
11) Caught In A Dream: This song’s opening line has always made me gag (“If you can, imagine this: the whole world sharin’ one big kiss”), but it was one of the more melodically catchy songs off Into The Now. Here, the band’s hopelessly utopian vision doesn’t sound that much different, except for a sneakily adjusted chorus melody.
12) Song And Emotion: Tesla’s musical eulogy for the late Steve Clark was alwys one of their most powerful songs, and here is no different. In fact, of all the songs on Twisted Wires, this one probably stays closest to its original melody. Even the parts that were originally heavy sound pretty good in acoustic form
Missing: During the band’s last tour before breaking up in the mid-‘90’s, playing as a four-piece after the departure of Tommy Skeoch, Tesla played an uptempo acoustic number called “Little Bit O’ Somethin’.” That song would’ve been perfect for this set, but for now, I guess it’ll remain the little secret of bootleg collectors.
Twisted Wires isn’t a terrible release, but nor is it a particularly necessary one. It makes me wonder if the band really thinks more people will buy this than would buy the album of all-new tunes they say they’re working on. Got to give them credit for staying away from the bigger hits, as there’s no “Little Suzi” or “Love Song” to be found. Not all of the songs work very well without amps and distortion, though, and listening to this, it’s hard to believe they actually thought songs like “Hang Tough” or “Edison’s Medicine” actually sounded good. Still, with “2nd Street” and “Better Off Without You,” I get a couple flashes of the Tesla I know and love and have been missing for the past few years. I haven’t given up on the band yet, and these two tracks give me hope, but Twisted Wires is only for the diehards. No getting around that. With that in mind, I can’t justify a higher rating.
Best Songs: “2nd Street,” “Better Off Without You”
Worst songs: “Hang Tough,” “Edison’s Medicine”
7/21/11
