photo courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

Album Review of Firefall: Friends & Family (Sunset Blvd. Records)

A classic rock band delivers an album of classic rock covers. Yeah, it’s been done before. But when it’s done well, it can be a fun listening experience. As expected, Firefall delivers first-class renditions of, in this case, thirteen lucky songs.

You’ve certainly heard Firefall hits from the ’70s, songs like “You Are the Woman,” “Just Remember I Love You,” and “Strange Way.” Founding member Jock Bartley (lead and acoustic guitar, vocals) appeared on all of those hits. In the current Firefall line-up, Bartley is joined by Steven Weinmeister (acoustic guitar, backing vocals), Jim Waddell (sax, flute, keyboard), John Bisaha (lead vocals, bass), and Sandy Ficca (drums). Though Bartley is the sole original member in this line-up, all except Ficca have been in the band since the 20th century.

On Friends & Family, Firefall pays homage to several of its favorite ’70s bands by covering some of their hits. (Technically, the Heart song covered was a 1985 hit, but they were also a ’70s band.)

image courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

The thirteen tracks on this disc (and the original band) are: “Long Train Running” (The Doobie Brothers); “Part of the Plan” (Dan Fogelberg), “What About Love” (Heart), “Can’t You See” (Marshall Tucker Band), “In The Heart Of The Night” (Poco), “Angry Eyes” (Loggins and Messina), “Simple Man” (Lynyrd Skynyrd), “I’ll Feel A Whole Lot Better” (The Byrds), “World Turning” (Fleetwood Mac), “I Got A Line On You” (Spirit), “Chest Fever” (The Band), “Colorado” (The Flying Burrito Brothers), and “Ooh Las Vegas” (Gram Parsons). There aren’t any weak cuts on this disc.

If you’re a fan of the song being covered, unless you’re overly protective of the original, you’ll enjoy the Firefall version. Of course, I have some favorites of my own.

The opening guitar noodling of “Long Train Running” is a great way to start the record. Firefall’s harmonies serving this song well, as do Bisaha’s lead vox, with just enough gravel and power to push the song forward but the ability to deliver a light touch where song requires.

Firefall’s rendition of “What About Love” is very cool, with the flute opening – and the flute’s usage elsewhere in the song – offering a slightly different vibe from Heart’s version. Obviously, the male lead vocal is another difference, though that difference is much less impactful on the song’s overall feel, to be honest, than the flute usage. There’s a more midtempo flavor to the song overall when compared to Heart’s heavier-rocking rendition, and Firefall deploys some bigger harmonies. Upon casual listen, Firefall’s cover doesn’t feel very different, but when you take all the little changes one-by-one… well, that’s the cool thing about a well-done cover.

The bigger, richer, more rockin’ version of “In the Heart of the Night” is another of my favorite updates. The ever-so-slightly grittier lead vocals, fuller sound bed, and more prominent keyboardwork in Firefall’s version are my favorite adjustments.

photo courtesy of Hello Wendy PR

Firefall seems to be having a lot of fun during “Simple Man,” playing it with the fierce energy you’d expect from a live performance of this song, whether by Skynyrd themselves or by any of a zillion other bands covering it.

Finally, I love the way Firefall ends the disc with the raucous, party-atmosphere rockin’ atmosphere of its “Ooh Las Vegas” cover. Leave ’em smiling and wanting more? Firefall certainly does!

Those were my five favorites on the disc. I’m sure your top five would differ. Mostly, though, this album is a neat trip back to the ’70s. On the one hand, a music fan could just make a playlist of the originals. However, covers by a talented band like Firefall can bring new elements and different twists to great songs, and that’s why cover songs – and cover albums – can be so much fun.

Looking Ahead

Firefall has several upcoming dates listed on the “Tour Dates” page of its website. This month, the band is one of the acts performing on the ’70s Rock and Romance Cruise, sailing from Fort Lauderdale on March 15th. Other currently booked dates cover a broad swath of the United States, so check the band’s website to see if and when they’ll be near you.