Honkin' on Bobo

Honkin' on Bobo is a fulfilling cover album on which Aerosmith powerfully re-sounds many classic blues songs as its own rough rock and roll. A record giving form to a deep affection for blues, the band’s musical roots. The guitar resounds with gritty, raw riffs, the vocals move between lightness and earnestness, and the whole playing has a sure heat like a live show. From the speeding opener “Road Runner” and “Shame, Shame, Shame” to classic old blues songs like “Baby, Please Don’t Go,” every song is engaging, while cuts like “Eyesight to the Blind” and “Never Loved a Girl,” known for Aretha Franklin, convey the work’s fullness. The sole original song “The Grind” is also included. A record on which, while firmly keeping deep respect for the originals, the album by no means ends as mere reproduction. The mature breath of a long-partnered band powerfully draws each song into its own. An engaging record that again powerfully conveys the blues sense at Aerosmith’s roots — a record where the band’s origin shines.