Touch (Mike Harrison Hamburg Blues Band album)

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Touch
Mike Harrison Hamburg Blues Band Cover.jpg
Studio album by Mike Harrison and the Hamburg Blues Band
Released 2001
Genre Rock, pop
Label Ruf Records

Touch is an album released on Ruf Records in 2001 by Mike Harrison and the Hamburg Blues Band.

Ruf Records record label

Ruf Records is a German independent record label, which was founded in 1994 by Luther Allison’s manager, Thomas Ruf, to promote Allison's career. The motto of the blues label is "Where Blues Crosses Over". The company's office is located in Lindewerra, Germany. As of 2008 Ruf has produced 120 releases, sold over one million albums, received two Grammy nominations and ten Blues Music Award nominations.

Mike Harrison (musician) British singer

Mike Harrison was an English musician, most notable as a principal lead singer of Spooky Tooth and as a solo artist. He was also the lead singer in The V.I.P.s, Art and the Hamburg Blues Band, among others.

Contents

History

Billed as "Mike Harrison meets the Hamburg Blues Band", the album followed an invitation to Mike Harrison in 1999 to regularly appear with the Hamburg Blues Band. [1] The album is notable for featuring new songs by lyricist Pete Brown, [2] with music by members of the Hamburg Blues Band, and lead vocals by Harrison.

Pete Brown English performance poet and lyricist

Peter Ronald Brown is an English performance poet, lyricist, and singer best known for his collaborations with Cream and Jack Bruce. Brown formed the bands Pete Brown & His Battered Ornaments and Pete Brown & Piblokto! and worked with Graham Bond and Phil Ryan. He also writes film scripts and formed a film production company.

The album received mixed reviews. As one reviewer commented, "Mike's voice is more reminiscent of Ray Charles now that he's older and is perfect for blues rock... This is one of those CDs you listen to for the first time and feel like you've been listening to it your entire life and not just because of the Spooky Tooth song at the end." [3] In contrast, another reviewer commented that "the band members are decent musicians, but their playing and the album's production is just too sterile, too perfect, lacking that certain 'oomph' or 'edge' that turns the ordinary into something special. Sadly, my critique goes for Mike's vocals as well, he sounds like he's 'going through the motions' and never transcends the material, not even on their closing cover of Spooky Tooth's 'Waiting For The Wind.' [4]

Track listing

All lyrics by Pete Brown, music by Conti, Lange, Wallbaum and Becker, unless otherwise noted.

  1. "Hold Back"
  2. "Movin' On"
  3. "Try Me Again"
  4. "Make Me Smile"
  5. "Security"
  6. "There's a Road"
  7. "King of Hearts" (Lyrics: Lange and R. Nicholas. Music: Conti, Lange, Wallbaum and Becker)
  8. "Perfect Day" (Lyrics: D. Storey. Music: D. Petersen)
  9. "Hittin' The Spot"
  10. "True Lies"
  11. "Waiting For The Wind" (Bonus Track; Wright, Grosvenor, Harrison)

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References

  1. David Ling, Archive: Lost in Time and Space; Teamrock.com, May 23, 2014. Retrieved 2018-01-02.
  2. Who had initially achieved international recognition primarily as a co-writer of songs with Jack Bruce, including such hits by Cream as "Sunshine of Your Love" (music by Jack Bruce and Eric Clapton) and "White Room" (music by Jack Bruce).
  3. The Hawk, Hidden Treasure, August 18, 2012. Amazon.com; consumer review.
  4. John H. McCarthy, Talented Musicians, A Great Vocalist, But a Disappointing Release, April 6, 2016. Amazon.com; consumer review. The reviewer also referenced Harrison's first solo album, released in 1971, which he described as "a stunner".