“Backbone” by the legendary Status Quo came out quite a while ago but it is just so damn cool and well-crafted that it simply needs to be reviewed on these pages before the year ends. Following the death of Rick Parfitt, one often came across one of those awful naysayers or disbelievers who believes that Quo could (or should) not go on without Parfitt involved and that their rich legacy is being tarnished somehow, but lo and behold; the outfit anno 2019 sounds as vigorous and vital as ever and if anything, this album proves that there is still a lot of mileage left in the tank.

There are some excellent compositions to be found on “Backbone” in the shape of “Waiting for a Woman”, “Cut Me Some Slack”, and “Get Out of My Head”, just to list a few examples. In fact, the latter is undoubtedly one of the best Quo pieces to have come out for decades in my opinion. Other notable ones include the driven “Backing Off”, the catchy title track, and the groovy bonus track entitled “Face the Music”. Not surprisingly, there is an overload of guitar hooks throughout and Rossi’s vocals are strong while each and every member of the ensemble chimes in with a stellar performance. More importantly, the LP captures the essence of Status Quo and bears all the trademarks and wonderful quirks of said band, which is fantastic, but it also comes across as a proper band effort that is as cohesive as it is entertaining in terms of sound, style, and structure.

“Backbone” might not be the most exciting or fiery Status Quo record in existence, and there are three or four lackluster songs present on the disc that I could have done without, but in the overall perspective, it is an utterly fine slab of memorable rock ‘n’ roll. I cannot wait to experience some of these new tunes in a live setting.

 

http://www.statusquo.co.uk/