Whitesnake - Flesh & Blood
by Kevin Wierzbicki
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After the band's radio, MTV and touring heyday in the 1980s/early '90s ended, Whitesnake faded from the public eye while leaving classic rock radio with staples like "Fool for Your Loving" and "Here I Go Again" to keep the fires burning. Front man David Coverdale though, not content to just put out live albums rehashing the hits, has been releasing Whitesnake albums featuring new material every now and then, with Flesh & Blood being the first since 2011's Forevermore. Considering that eight-year dry spell (not counting Coverdale's 2015 tribute to his work with Deep Purple, The Purple Album) it's no surprise that Flesh & Blood begins with the roaring guitars and hook-filled vocals of "Good to See You Again." The song's sentiment is meant not only for a lover but also for Whitesnake fans, and there's little doubt that those who have stuck it out with the band all these years will return the affection in spades. Fans that miss Motley Crue will find a familiar sound in the "Kick Start My Heart"-like "Shut Up & Kiss Me," and the effort overflows with solid rockers like the buzzy ode to bad girls that is "Trouble is Your Middle Name," the frenetic speed shuffle of "Get Up" and the lusty title truck. There are a couple of quieter moments too; the nearly seven-minute "Heart of Stone" burns with a slow fury until ending with a guitar freak-out while "After All" is a tender devotion to a lover played on acoustic guitar and garnished with lush backing vocals. Whitesnake is not reinventing themselves or rock 'n' roll here but this stellar effort proves that they are not just hanging on either.
Whitesnake - Flesh & Blood
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