From the first bars of ‘Wonderful Woman’ we know we’re in the unmistakable presence of one of the 20th century’s finest exponents of that musical idiom known as Rock’n’Roll. Charles Edward Anderson Berry. Chuck, to you. His final album is no lovingly curated, Rick Rubin-produced affair, nor a painstakingly contrived ‘parting gift’ a-la Blackstar. Black Star would have been a great album title though.
What we have instead is an endearingly ramshackle collection, which veers into wonky calypso and country-blues as well as the trademark rock and roll. Typical of Chuck really: he had many airs and graces but no pretensions.
He attacks the mainly self-penned tracks with a vigour belying his age at the time of recording. No concessions were made to modern recording techniques or musical movements. And why would he? He’s Chuck Fucking Berry after all. He milks THAT riff again and again just like, well, ringing a bell. It always sounds better than the last time. ‘Big Boys’, featuring Tom Morello, is vintage Berry, while on ‘Dutchman’ he gets to drip his honeyed tones over a tale of misdirected lust, while simultaneously cadging a drink. Nice trick.
On closing track ‘Eyes Of Man’, Berry preachifies like an old-time evangelist as he intones, “Those who do not know what they do not know, they’re foolish.” True enough, but perhaps a more fitting testimonial is to be found on ‘¾ Time (Enchiladas)’ with the line about an “Old red guitar, rock and roll, nice women and wine.” What more do you need?
Out June 16