Although this album is credited to the Colin Hodgkinson Group, as its title, Backdoor Too!, suggests, it represents a return to the instrumentation and musical approach of Hodgkinson's 1970s jazz-rock instrumental trio, Back Door. In fact, as he explains in the liner notes, the new group grew out of reunions of the old one. Specifically, original Back Door members Hodgkinson (bass), Ron Aspery (saxophone/keyboards), and Tony Hicks (drums) reunited for the album Askin' the Way in 2003, but Aspery died at the end of that year. Hicks found a replacement for Aspery in Rod Mason, but then Hicks died in September 2006. Hodgkinson, who had been writing material for the reunited Back Door, decided to continue the project with Mason, and they added drummer Paul Robinson. On Backdoor Too!, they re-recorded old Back Door numbers including "The Spoiler" and "The Bed Creaks Louder," along with new tunes mostly written by Hodgkinson. That spare sound of three instruments -- electric bass, drums, and either soprano or alto saxophone (with occasional piano overdubs by Mason) -- recalls Back Door, although Hodgkinson is less leader and more group member this time, despite taking greater prominence in the band name. He does remind listeners of who's in charge at the end, however, performing the final track, "Sunshine on the Tongue," by himself. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide
