Starcatcher ［LP+トートバッグ］＜限定盤/Red Vinyl＞

Starcatcher doesnt find Greta Van Fleet returning to their roots -- thatd be a premature move, theyre only a half-decade into their career -- so much as making a bid for street cred: theyre stripping away the studio gloss so they can stand on their merits as a rock & roll band. Smartly, the group hired Dave Cobb, the Nashville musician who made his name as one of the sharpest and earthiest producers in Americana. Dont take Cobbs presence as a sign that the pride of Frankenmuth has suddenly discovered downhome roots. Cobbs resume is littered with such credits as Sammy Hagar, Slash, and Whiskey Myers, so hes on firm footing with Greta Van Fleet. He treats them like he treats any other band: the basic tracks are bashed out live in the studio, then given minimal overdubs for coloring. Its the polar opposite of Greg Kurstin, the studio maven who gave The Battle at Gardens Gate an appealing gloss that enhanced the fantastical aspects of the groups committed Led Zeppelin tribute. The lack of polish on Starcatcher does make Greta Van Fleet seem leaner, but not meaner: theres some brawn in the rhythms, particularly in the furious blast of "Runway Blues," but it often feels like all the power on the album is produced by pushing the levels to 11, a trick that means the trebly guitars slash like a razor. The volume isnt the only element on Starcatcher that lives in the red. All of the compositions are much too much, lurching from riff to riff as if the group wanted to cram each cut with as many ideas as possible. This is where Cobbs hands-off approach is a detriment. He may be able to capture the sound of a band playing in a room but in this case, it feels like the room is a rehearsal studio, with the band stuck playing rough drafts at maximum volume. A bit of tightening and a bit of polish wouldve gone a long way here. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

デイヴ・コブがプロデュースを担った3枚目のフル・アルバム。今回はライヴ・パフォーマンスの際に発するエネルギーをスタジオに持ち込んで制作されたそうで、演奏にもヴォーカルにも瞬発力と臨場感が倍加している。先達に通ずるサイケな空気感やメロディアスな展開にも磨きがかかっていて、もはやロックの未来でも過去でもどうでもよく、ロックそのものでしかない名作!
bounce (C)大原かおり