When this came out in 2003, it marked the first studio release by
the Yardbirds in 35 years. In that time, of course, the personnel had changed quite a bit. Even those inclined to get excited by reunions of great bands should know right off that it includes just two original members, drummer
Jim McCarty and rhythm guitarist
Chris Dreja (though
Jeff Beck plays guest guitar on one number, "My Blind Life"). Rounded out by three "new" members (including bassist John Idan, whose lead singing sounds fairly close to original
Yardbirds vocalist
Keith Relf in style and tone), the record also features guest lead guitar cameos by
Jeff Baxter,
Joe Satriani,
Steve Vai, and
Brian May, with
Johnny Rzeznik of
the Goo Goo Dolls singing lead on "For Your Love." The instinct is to make cruel, sardonic jokes about how the absence of
Eric Clapton,
Jimmy Page, and (for the most part)
Jeff Beck doesn't matter, as guitarists were always the weak links in
the Yardbirds anyway. Yes, the non-presence of these fabled guitar heroes, as well as
Relf (who died in 1976), does mean that this can't be compared in any way to the group's classic 1960s output, even if it's billed to
the Yardbirds' name. For all that, however, this is a lot better than you'd expect, and certainly far more respectable than most reunion/comeback efforts by decimated lineups of classic outfits. The production is straight-ahead without the usual sellouts to modern technology, putting the sleek guitar work to the fore. Half the record has remakes of old
Yardbirds staples like "For Your Love," "Shapes of Things," and "Happenings Ten Years Time Ago," but they're not done badly, though you feel as though you're listening to a really good
Yardbirds tribute band rather than the real deal. The original material, though not as good as those old
Yardbirds tunes, actually sounds -- whether as a result of conscious or unconscious effort -- in
the Yardbirds style, with plenty of irregular tempos, minor-keyed melodies, metaphysically questing lyrics, and Gregorian vocals (as on the
Relf tribute "An Original Man (A Song for Keith)"). ~ Richie Unterberger