Twice Removed from Yesterday

Robin Trower had shown flashes of his fretwork brilliance on Procol Harum's Home and in the subtle shadings of the group's other work. But striking out on his own, he wholeheartedly jumped into the blues-rock spectrum, devising a signature sound that reflected a debt to Jimi Hendrix. "Daydream" sounds like a great ballad Hendrix could've written had he lived. Bridge of Sighs is the best-known and most praised of Trower's solo work, but that's unfair to this debut, which features just as many satisfying performances from his power trio. Singer James Dewar is the archetypal hard rock singer, able to hit notes with an ominous authority. Drummer Reg Isidore tastefully changes things up without drawing attention to his flourishes. "I Can't Wait Much Longer," "Hannah," and "I Can't Stand It" display emotionally honest songwriting and instrumental workouts that made Trower and Co. a gold standard for future hard rock bands to aspire to.