Birdland

• Genres: Rock
• Representative Albums: "Paradise: Complete 1989-1991," "Birdland"

Biography

British band Birdland scored four U.K. chart hits in 1989 and 1990, including the Top 40 "Sleep with Me." Their album Birdland reached the U.K. charts in 1991. ~ William Ruhlmann, All Music Guide

Paradise: Complete 1989-1991 Buy this CD

Birdland [EP] Buy this CD

• Artist: The Yardbirds
• Rating:
• Release Date: April 22, 2003
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

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, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
I'm Not Talking	Mose Allison	The Yardbirds	(2:45)
Crying Out for Love	Jim McCarty	The Yardbirds	(4:37)
The Nazz Are Blue	Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith	The Yardbirds	(3:12)
For Your Love	Graham Gouldman	The Yardbirds	(3:21)
Please Don't Tell Me 'Bout the News	Jim McCarty	The Yardbirds	(3:59)
Train Kept a Rollin'	Tiny Bradshaw, Howard Kay, Lois Mann	The Yardbirds	(3:38)
Mr. Saboteur	Jim McCarty	The Yardbirds	(4:55)
Shapes of Things	Jim McCarty, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith	The Yardbirds	(2:38)
My Blind Life	Chris Dreja	The Yardbirds	(3:33)
Over, Under, Sideways, Down	Jeff Beck, Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja, Keith Relf, Paul Samwell-Smith	The Yardbirds	(3:16)
Mr. You're a Better Man Than I	Mike Hugg, Brian Hugg	The Yardbirds	(3:24)
Mystery of Being	Jim McCarty	The Yardbirds	(4:07)
Dream Within a Dream	Jim McCarty, Edgar Allan Poe	The Yardbirds	(4:44)
Happenings Ten Years Time Ago	Jeff Beck, Jimmy Page, Jim McCarty, Keith Relf	The Yardbirds	(3:23)
An Original Man (A Song for Keith)	Jim McCarty, Chris Dreja	The Yardbirds	(5:20)

Credits

Jeff Beck (Mixing), Jeff Beck (Guest Appearance), Joe Satriani (Guest Appearance), Steve Vai (Guest Appearance), The Yardbirds (Main Performer), Jim McCarty (Percussion), Jim McCarty (Drums), Jim McCarty (Vocals (Background)), Ken Allardyce (Producer), Ken Allardyce (Engineer), Ken Allardyce (Mixing), Jeff Baxter (Guest Appearance), Mark Dawson (Engineer), Mark Dawson (Assistant), Chris Dreja (Percussion), Chris Dreja (Guitar (Rhythm)), Chris Dreja (Art Direction), Chris Dreja (Design), Chris Dreja (Photography), Andy Le Vein (Engineer), Steve Lukather (Guest Appearance), Johnny Rzeznik (Guest Appearance), June Murakawa (Engineer), June Murakawa (Mixing Assistant), Martin Ditchum (Percussion), Nick Terry (Engineer), Neil Citron (Mixing), Clive Drew-Clifton (Engineer), Alan Glen (Harmonica), Enrico Sesselego (Studio Assistant), Gypie Mayo (Guitar), Gypie Mayo (Guitar (Rhythm)), John Idan (Guitar (Bass)), John Idan (Guitar (Rhythm)), John Idan (Vocals), John Idan (Vocals (Background))

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