Pushking The World As We Love It
by Justin Gaines
Staff Writer
Pushking’s latest album, The World As We Love It, has to be THE classic rock story of 2011. The long-running Russian band couldn’t have chosen a more impressive way to introduce itself than with the guest list for this album. The World As We Love It features vocal contributions from: (drum roll please) Alice Cooper; Paul Stanley (KISS); Billy Gibbons (ZZ Top); Glenn Hughes (Black Country Communion, ex-Deep Purple); John Lawton (ex-Uriah Heep); Joe Lynn Turner (ex-Rainbow, ex-Deep Purple); Dan McCafferty (Nazareth); Jeff Scott Soto (ex-damn near everyone); Graham Bonnet (ex-Rainbow, ex-Alcatrazz); Eric Martin (Mr. Big); Udo Dirkschneider (UDO, ex-Accept); and Jorn Lande (Masterplan, ex-all the bands that Jeff Scott Soto wasn’t in). If that doesn’t get your attention, check out the list of contributing musicians: Steve Lukather (Toto); Steve Vai; Steve Stevens; Joe Bonamassa; Stevie Salas; Keri Kelli (Alice Cooper); Eric Ragno; Matt Filippini; Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme); Al Perkins; Alex de Rosso (ex-Dokken); Tony Morra; and Paoletta. Producing the album is none other than Fabrizio Grossi, who has worked with a “who’s who” of classic rock artists. Intrigued yet?
For The World As We Love It, Pushking selected some of the best songs from its extensive back catalog, translated them from Russian to English and turned this stellar guest list loose. As you might expect, the results are nothing short of spectacular. The closest points of comparison are Nikolo Kotzev’s Brazen Abbot albums and Ken Hensley’s Blood on the Highway, both of which featured first-rate guests, including the aforementioned Hughes, Turner, Lawton and Lande, working around a central theme. Pushking’s overall sound more than suits the assembled cast. They band take a blues-based, very melodic, classic rock ‘n’ roll approach with some soulful, poetic lyrics. Obviously, the nature of the individual songs changes based on who is singing and playing guitar, so “Nature’s Child” (with Udo Dirkschneider) and “Heroin” (featuring Jorn Lande) are more metallic. The songs featuring Dan McCafferty and Glenn Hughes tend towards the bluesy side. Other highlights include Joe Lynn Turner’s performance on “Head Shooter,” Billy Gibbons on the down and dirty “Nightrider” and the closing chaos of “Kukarracha,” which features just about everyone.
This is an absolute blast of an all-star rock ‘n’ roll album. With first-rate musicianship, outstanding vocal performances, well-written songs and a great production job, it’s everything you could want in a classic rock album. Pushking sets out to make an unforgettable introduction to audiences outside of its native Russia, and with The World As We Love It, it more than succeeded.
Genre: Melodic Rock
Band:
Konstantin “Koha” Shustarev (v)
Dmitry Losev (g)
Roman Nevelev (b)
Oleg Bondaletov (k)
Andrey Kruglov (d)
Track Listing:
1. Intro
2. Nightrider
3. It’ll Be OK
4. Troubled Love
5. Stranger’s Song
6. Cut the Wire
7. My Reflections After Seeing the “Schindler’s List” Movie
8. God Made Us Free
9. Why Don’t You?
10. I Believe
11. Tonight
12. Private Own
13. Open Letter To God
14. Nature’s Child
15. I Love You
16. Head Shooter
17. Heroin
18. My Simple Song
19. Kukarracha
Label: Eagle Rock
Website: www.pushking.eu
Hardrock Haven rating: 9.25/10