Ok, so for the second album, I decided to go with something in a different direction than Sunstorm. Tesla, originally wasn't one of my favourite bands or even close really; however, last May I saw them live at M3 in Columbia MD and absolutely loved the show they put on. Tesla was formed in Sacremento, California in 1984 by Jeff Keith, Frank Hannon, Tommy Skeoch, Brian Wheat, and Troy Luccketta. While most people would know Tesla as a glam metal band, seeing as how they got famous around the height of glam metal, the're music, as well as image, is a stark contrast to the glam metal bands of the 80's and early 90's. The're albums generally have an overall Hard Rock sound, however, I've always felt they have of a southern rock quality similar to .38 Special, with much heavier and faster music. The reason I've always felt this way is because of the lyrical content of their songs and the fact that many of their songs have very blusey background similar to Aerosmith.
As for the album Psychotic Supper, it was the third album released by Tesla in the early 90's and was the next to last album to feature Tommy Skeoch on rhythm guitar before he left due to substance abuse. The album is considered, by the band, to be the best album they have ever released; which I agree with to an extent, but ill get into that later. The album has certain overtones that the band really didn't go into on other albums, such as political and social issues on tracks like "Government Personnel", "Freedom Slaves", and "Don't De-Rock Me".
Tesla - Psychotic Supper (1991)
Genre: Hard Rock/ Southern Rock
Similar Artists: Aerosmith, .38 Special, Whitesnake, Warrant
Members:
Jeff Keith - Lead Vocals
Frank Hannon - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Piano, Organ, Hammond Organ, Backing Vocals
Tommy Skeoch - Lead and Rhythm Guitars, Backing Vocals
Brian Wheat - Bass, Piano, Backing Vocals
Troy Lucckletta - Drums, Percussion
Songs:
1. Change In The Weather
2. Edison's Medicine
3. Don't De-Rock Me
4. Call It What You Want
5. Song & Emotion
6. Time
7. Government Personnel
8. Freedom Slaves
9. Had Enough
10. What You Give
11. Stir It Up
12. Can't Stop
13. Toke About It
Summary:
Ok so, time to review this album, all in all, not bad; not sure if I necessarily agree with Tesla opinion that its the best thing they have ever recorded, but that's just me. Its a good album though and definitely one of their stronger albums. The album overall is very heavy; much heavier than the two albums before it, however, it shows that the band is definitely not to be grouped with glam bands of the 80's. The album is primary made up of heavier, faster upbeat tracks, almost 80% of the album. Also, which is different from the two other Tesla albums, they have a more political and social overtone in the lyrics ("Government Personnel","Freedom Slaves", and "Call It What You Want".)
The album starts of with three really guitar driven and upbeat tracks; "Change In The Weather", "Edison's Medicine", and "Don't De-Rock Me". All three songs flow seamlessly into one another when I listened to the album but don't have much to do with each other. "Change In The Weather" is also another one of those tracks that has a political overtone, that there needs to be a change in this country. But in any event, are much faster and upbeat than most other Tesla material. Something I found interested is that on "Change In The Weather" and "Edison's Medicine" the band utilizes something used in a lot of Aerosmith songs and that's the Call and Response chorus model, where the lead singer says a line and the backing singers either repeat the line or answer if it was a question. This type of chorus is used in a lot of blues music and southern rock. But anyway, the first three songs really start the album off at a high point and drive the album along.
Now, for me, here is where the album really picks up, the next two songs are "Call It What You Want" and "Song & Emotion"; possibly the two best songs on the album. The song "Call It What You Want" is a track in direct to Tipper Gore's labeling of music that SHE deemed to be explicit, mostly Hard Rock, Heavy Metal and Rap music of the 80's and early 90's. The song starts out fairly slow with a build up to the chorus where Jeff Keith basically says, in so many words, that he doesn't care what you call it, its still music to him. And throughout the song reinforces that its just music and it should stay that way. Now the next song, "Song & Emotion", I feel is the highlight of the album and as part of the live show, was mind-blowing. It starts out with this slow guitar intro with story-line vocal over-top and as the vocals keep going it builds to this huge chorus where the whole band comes in and is just really powerful. Along with several guitar solos and a nice long guitar outro, I believe it is the strongest song on the album.
The next track "Time" sounds like it could have been pulled off of Aerosmith's Toys In The Attic easily, it has a very bluesy guitar line and Jeff Keith's vocals sound very similar to Steven Tyler. The lyrical content of this song follows the same theme as the rest of the album of having a political and social issue overtone. Now, "Government Personnel" is a strange track for the album because it features just Jeff Keith on vocals and Frank Hannon on an acoustic guitar talking badly about the government. Now this kinda move isn't strange for a rock band now (a similar move to what Van Halen did on III) however, this was in 1991 so it was a little bit of a ballsy move, and the song only lasts for about a minute.
The next track, "Freedom Slaves" is another one of those political and social songs, however, it is more along the lines of what "Change In The Weather" was, a heavier and faster paced song. After that is "Had Enough" which could have come of either of the first two Mr. Big albums really just based on how the song sounds, it has a very bluesy sound and driving guitar line. The last four tracks on the album aren't really anything to write home about, they are more of the same from the rest of the album, however, they have more of a slower, more ballad-y sound to them. But they are great songs all in all and warrant listening to.
Pound for pound, song for song, Psychotic Supper by Tesla is a great album and definitely would be in required listening, if just for the first nine tracks on the album. However, I would not consider it to be THE best Tesla album of all time. There are much better albums such as "The Great Radio Controversy" or "Mechanical Resonance". The production quality of the album is amazing though and really shows that the band had definitely gained some backing by their label and were allowed to use the best materials they could get. Now, at my fathers request, apparently my grading system for albums is too...similar to other peoples. He suggested using "Hot Groupies" as a rating system, like 4/5 hot groupies or something like that. But I was thinking I would just stick with my way cause its easy. So for this album, I'm gonna give it a solid 8/10. So if your looking to get into something a little heavier than Aerosmith or getting into Tesla, I would definitely recommend this album, it definitely warrants a listen by anyone into this type of music.
