Kooper's sixth solo release opens daringly enough, with his own funky version of "This Diamond Ring," which he transforms completely from its
Drifters-inspired origins. Most of the album is in a mid-'70s soul-funk vein, with
Tower of Power turning up elsewhere and
Kooper trying (with considerable success) to sound soulful on songs like "She Don't Ever Lose Her Groove" and "I Forgot to Be Your Lover." The playing throughout is excellent, with guitars by
Kooper himself (who also plays sitar, Mellotron, organ, and synthesizer) as well as
Little Beaver and
Reggie Young, with
Joe Walsh sitting in on one song, and horn arrangements by
Kooper and veteran soundtrack composer
Dominic Frontiere. The real centerpiece is the epic-length "Hollywood Vampire," which can't quite sustain its seven-minute length. The funkier numbers work, but some of the rest, like "In My Own Sweet Way," don't come off so well. This is two-thirds of a pretty fair album, and only lacks consistency. ~ Bruce Eder