Robin Trower really is an unstoppable force. Releasing, on average, an album every two years, his passion for the blues remains undimmed and, on No More Worlds To Conquer, Robin sounds as inspired as ever. Indeed, while the title may suggest a sense of complacency, the opposite is true, with Robin continually refining his quest to reproduce the sound in his head. Here, working with Richard Watts (vocals) and Chris Taggart (drums), the results are typically spectacular, with Robin and his band once more capturing the listener with a varied set of songs and some truly amazing guitar work.
The album kicks off with a suitably energetic number, Ball Of Fire, which has a funky undercurrent and some blistering lead work. Richard’s vocals recall Stephen Stills’ work with The Rides, while Chris nails the beat under Robin’s prowling bass and scene-stealing guitar work. It’s a strong start and it feeds neatly into the title track, which has a darker, dustier western vibe, with hints of Danny Bryant’s heartfelt take on the blues. In contrast, the funky strut of Deadly Kiss will brook no denial, Robin’s wah-inflected guitar providing the perfect backdrop for Richard’s sweet falsetto. A lengthy track, it gives the band plenty of space to nail the groove and then hang a variety of different musical colours from it, and it’s an album highlight, destined to become a live favourite. The pace slows on the slow-burning Birdsong, a classic blues with a smooth, Robert Cray aspect. It’s a lovely track and it provides the perfect counterpoint to Deadly Kiss. The first half of the album concludes with a tougher number – Losing You, another piece that harks back to the work of The Rides, with its dusty vocal and taut beat. It ends the first side on a high, keeping the listener hooked as we reach the album’s midpoint.
Opening side two, Waiting For The Rain To Fall picks up a familiar theme for touring musicians – a sense of regret at not having spent more time with loved ones (with an attendant promise to make it up, which the listener suspects may never come). Next up, the haunting Wither On The Vina reminds the listener of how easy it is to wish life away, the subtle guitar work applied with sensitivity, allowing the vocals to shine on this contemplative piece. Having dipped the lights low enough, Robin leads his band into the storming blues of Cloud Across The Sun. A faster piece with plenty of space for a blistering lead run, it’s the perfect antidote to the reflective pieces that precede it, and it provides the necessary lift before the darker Fire To Ashes ruminates on the aging process. Lest things get too dark, however, Robin and his band unleash the funky strut of The Razor’s Edge, the guitar work awash in Hendrix fire, leaving the listener once more in awe at the way that the typically understated Trower can utterly explode when the mood so takes him. It’s a last bout of pyrotechnics before the album closes on I Will Always Be Your Shelter, a beautifully phrased and poignant finale that leaves not a dry eye in the house.
Robin Trower is one of those rare artists who lives to make music, regardless of the commercial success it may or may not achieve. His work is marked less by his remarkable guitar playing and more by the emotional honesty with which he imbues his songs and No more Worlds To Conquer is no exception in this regard. Like all good blues, there is both sadness and joy in evidence and Robin ensures that his guitar work, while incendiary, never detracts from the song. Another fantastic album, then, but from Robin Trower we expect no less. 8.5/10
