Scorpions, 'Comeblack' -- Album Review

As The Scorpions criss-cross the globe on their farewell tour, the band is also celebrating a new album release. The album, called Comeblack, is a little mystifying in that it is half old Scorps tunes rerecorded… and the other half covers. In the liner notes, the band explains their desire to record again: “This album is an encore for our diehard fans, saying thank you for all the support for so many years. At the same time this is a tribute to legendary bands from the sixties like The Beatles and The Rolling Stones who inspired us to follow our dreams.”

The first half of the record is comprised of all the famous Scorpions tunes, like “No One Like You” and Wind of Change.” While I’m not big on rerecorded albums – because really, what is the point? – I have to give the Scorps props on this one. Klaus Meine still sounds downright fantastic and in a lot of cases it is hard to tell whether the track is a redux or the original. That’s talent right there.

The more interesting part of the record is the covers, the best being “Tainted Love” (Gloria Jones) and “Ruby Tuesday” (Rolling Stones).

The main thing about Comeblack is that it is an album you don’t need… but if you are a Scorpions fan, you’ll probably want it to fill out your collection. Plus, the production is top notch and the sound is huge.  Comeblack is the last studio album the Scorpions will ever record, so it’s like owning a little piece of history as well.

Tracklisting:

01. Rhythm Of Love
02. No One Like You
03. The Zoo
04. Rock You Like A Hurricane
05. Blackout
06. Still Loving You
07. Wind Of Change

Covers:

08. Tainted Love (GLORIA JONES)
09. Children Of The Revolution (T. REX)
10. Across The Universe (THE BEATLES)
11. Tin Soldier (SMALL FACES)
12. All Day And All Of The Night (THE KINKS)
13. Ruby Tuesday (THE ROLLING STONES)

Comments

[bryon]

"The main thing about Comeblack is that it is an album you don’t need… but if you are a Scorpions fan, you’ll probably want it to fill out your collection."

That's exactly why bands record these types of albums. It's an easy way to generate some revenue from your hardcore fan base who will buy anything you put out.

I get a kick out of how the band calls it an encore for their fans. In reality it's an encore for the Scorpions who can make a few more bucks off of songs that they've sold, re-sold and re-packaged many times already.

I'm all for the free market -- if they can sell some albums doing this, then more power to them. And who knows, maybe the re-recordings sound terrific. But I certainly won't be buying.

[Ace Steele]

There's an underlying sub-text that people outside the music industry don't understand. The band, as songwriters own their songs. They DON'T own those original recorded versions. Their former record company does. This is why you'll get records like this. I happen to have this one & enjoy it very much. You'd have to be deaf to not be able to tell the difference between these versions & the originals. These are much more raw in the guitar tones & solos. And that's what's kind of cool about them. It kind of shows how good the songs are, stripped of 80's production gloss.

As for the covers, I'm going to disagree w/ Allyson on which is the best. I thought "Tainted Love" was a throwaway, while the cover of the T-Rex classic Children of The Revolution was awesome & the cover of the Beatles' "Across The Universe" was absolutely stunning.

Also, my Japanese version comes with 3 more bonus tracks,
'Big City Nights'
'Still Loving You - Je T'Aime Encore'(featuring a duet with French 2009 Pop Idol Winner Amandiner Bourgeois)
& 'Shapes Of Things' (Yardbirds Cover)

The Japanese version is well worth the extra expense, just for Amandiner's beautiful vocals in French on her duet w/ Klaus)

Hear for your selves: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=5LmGqm4Gzu8

Oh, & here's a link to "Hurricane"... stripped of all the gated reverb on the original. I prefer this raw version!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xw4e2pWGQgE&feature=related

[Forge]

Im with Ace on this. I for one prefer these version to the originals. I hate reverb and echo, so im happy to have the versions. I also downloaded a few of the songs off of L.A. Guns Cocked and Reloaded and would love it if Megadeth re-recorded the Killing is My Business album. Maybe it is a cashgrab (then again, how much cash do you think they really stand to make after selling, at best, 100k copies), but that doesn't mean there aren't fans out there who do want new versions of these songs.

[Gary]

Put me into Ace's corner on this also. These songs have a much more raw sound, like they were recorded on the spot, with the whole band just wailing. And Ally, I'm with you on Ruby Tuesday. This may be borderline blasphemy, but I think their version is actually a little better than the original....8>)

[Ace Steele]

One more thing that has to be said.

Klaus's vocals are absolutely incredible, with or without studio gloss. Sure he double tracked, everybody does.

But this is one guy who will NEVER need Auto-Tune.

Anyone who's ever listened to the live acoustic record "ACOUSTICA" knows Klaus is so unique he can even take covering The Cars, Kansas, & even Queen songs, and make them uniquely SCORPIONS.

[Sam]

Pretty good cover of Across The Universe, but I prefer the Beady Eye that they recorded last year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WiOF4zIjaqY

[Scorp4165]

Just heard this for first time today. What can I say ,I don't really like re workings of songs by bands. The originals are best but the scorps bring a polish to there work due to new recording methods. The music remains great. The covers however are a different thing entirely ,what made them think they could or should cover such songs..... They are superb.immediately recognisable as scorps.Klaus sings like a singer in his prime.lets home they come to uk before retire