Return of the Mother Head's Family Reunion

One of the best albums of 2007 is easily Return of the Mother Head’s Family Reunion by Richie Kotzen. Featuring eclectic styles, great songwriting and Richie’s melodic voice, this album has everything a fan of blues-based rock could want or need.

The track “You Know That” is one of the album’s best - and my personal favorite. It is half rock, half funk and completely fantastic. Many parts of this song are a throwback to classic rock of the 1960s. “You Know That” is a song with great guitar work that makes you want to move. Think Parliament Funkadelic meets The 5th Dimension meets the Rolling Stones.

A little slower is “You’re Crazy.” As per usual Kotzen, the guitar work album-wide is phenomenal, but exceptionally good on this track. The emotional lyrics help Kotzen and his band seem more human, thus the songs more believable. Piano work adds an extra layer to this melodic rock track.

If you like mellow, you’ll probably dig “Faith,” with its slow tempo and passionate vocals. While Return of the Mother Head’s Family Reunion is a decidedly rock album, “Faith” has an (unsurprising) gospel feel. Kotzen pours his heart out for his listeners, and we win. Even if you don’t like religious music, “Faith” is surprisingly approachable and exceptionally enjoyable.

Back to the rock. “Drift” helps pick up the pace, and illustrates many of Kotzen’s many guitar techniques, including sweeping. In America, Return of the Mother Head’s Family Reunion is actually called Go Faster, and that’s another track on the album. “Go Faster” is the hardest and fastest track on the release and it also features a big chorus. This is also the most commercial track on the album, meaning a great opportunity for radio play.

Here's the track listing:

Go Faster
Feed My Head
Fooled Again
Can You Feel It
You're Crazy
Chase It
Bad Things
Do It To Yourself
Dust
Faith
You Know That

Here's Richie performing "Fooled Again" live. The sound quality doesn't do the song justice.

Hear a few more songs at Richie Kotzen on Myspace.

Comments

[Don]

You know, I had another person tell me this was a great cd but I can't get past his voice. I just don't like the way his voice sounds and that ruins it for me. It does appear that I'm in the minority on this though.

[Crazynights]

Allyson, gonna have to totally disagree with you on this. This disc is mediocre at most.

[Allyson]

Crazynights,

Why do you characterize this disc as mediocre? I'd love to read your opinion.

Allyson

[crazynights]

Well for me it just doesn't bring the "punch" I was hoping for. Kotzen is a great guitarist. Loved him in POISON, but to me the disc just lacks that "crunch". I'll give it another spin; maybe I am missing something, but I'll give a song by song breakdown.

[nook]

you dudes need to check out his forty duece cd.top rock,no blues.quality