Tesla | Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions

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by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Tesla’s follow-up of 2008’s Forever More with Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions a 12-song compilation of acoustic remakes of their classic songs, one cover and two new songs. Revisiting the past, Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions includes six songs that were recorded with Tommy Skeoch in 2005 at Brian Wheat’s studio, J Street Recorders. The other six songs feature Tesla’s present day lineup, or everyone from the original band, sans Skeoch, enter Dave Rude.

Trying to determine what songs feature Skeoch was more than difficult. An image of the back cover of Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions was found on CDUniverse.com. According to the details listed on the back cover, Skeoch recorded on the songs “Into The Now,” “Hang Tough,” “Edison’s Medicine,” “Shine Away” and “I Love You.” With the sixth song not noted. The lack of information is frustrating. This a pet peeve for all reviewers who receive digital downloads versus hard copy CDs because it is a challenge to verify detailed recording information.

Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions features two brand-new tracks, “Second Street” and “Better off Without You,” a cover of the Climax Blues Band’s ’70s hit “I Love You,” nine acoustic remakes, which include fans favorites and more obscure album tracks. The theme here is “acoustic,” much like the Five Man Acoustical Jam, except the band subtracts the setting of performing in front of an audience. This concept has worked well for Tesla over the years; Jeff Keith’s bluesy-gritty voice is built to be laid bare over an acoustic guitar and quiet percussion.

Melancholy and easy-listening, Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions is a slick collection of songs made for listeners to sit back and just chill out to. Tesla music beats to the heart of the working-class Americans who like music that tells stories, their stories, in fact. Lost love, heart break, desire, longing, believing in yourself are themes that lyrically they hit the nail on the head time after time. The new music fits the mold of the group. Both songs will have you singing along after a few listens. The old songs are shined and polished in their stripped back form.

You are probably telling yourself that you have heard these songs in this format before. Two new songs maybe are not be enticing enough to shell out cash for another CD purchase. But the more you listen to Twisted Wires and The Acoustic Sessions, the more this presentation of Tesla’s chosen selection of songs grows on you. They have taken songs that in their original form leaned heavily on the electric crunch of Marshall amplifiers and redefined the presentation into a whole new animal. They also have taken more obscure songs and given them a second life so that fans might rediscover them.

Genre: Hard Rock

Band:
Frank Hannon (vocals, guitar, piano)
Jeff Keith (vocals)
Brian Wheat (bass)
Dave Rude (guitar)
Troy Luccketta (drums, percussion).
* Tommy Skeoch (guitar) appears on these songs

Track Listing:
01. Into The Now *
02. Hang Tough *
03. 2nd Street
04. Edison’s Medicine *
05. What You Give
06. Better Off Without You
07. Shine Away *
08. I Love You *
09. Changes
10. A Lot To Lose
11. Caught In A Dream
12. Song And Emotion

Official site: www.teslatheband.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/teslatheband
Youtube: www.youtube.com/teslatheband
iTunes buy link: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/twisted-wires/id445984574

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10