Russ Ballard - It's Good To Be Here

Russ Ballard. The man with multiple hits. I will not list them here, you can go check on the internet. "It's Good To Be Here is not, strictly speaking, Russ Ballard's new album. It dates from 2015 but in 2020 the record company BMG reissues it: It's Good To Be Here are some of the songs from the UMU site. I’ve added new songs and recorded new, different versions of my old songs , Since You’ve Been Gone being one. I’ve also included new versions of my old songs, New York Groove and You Can Do Magic a song that I wrote for America."

On this album, Russ Ballard is on vocals, plays guitar, bass, piano, organ, and his son, Chris (producer) takes care of the drum programming and helps his father with the production. The whole gives a pleasant, silky and modern sound. Thirteen tracks, and it is with the very melodic and rock My Awakening that the album begins. A very beautiful title on which Russ Ballard proves his talent as a vocalist and guitarist. Time Machine tells the story of passing time. The need to get into a time machine and see those we miss. Clear guitars and pretty arpeggios, on a rock'n'roll rhythm. A pretty nostalgic song.

Video of My Awakening

Kickin' The Can starts on hectic rhythms. Big rhythm of drums and saturated guitars. Russ Ballard lives well with the times. Despite fifty years of career, he is well anchored in the 21st century. Annabel's Place changes its rhythm completely. Russ returns to the past (Let's Go Down to Annabel's Place) with a nostalgic air driven by a very present piano. Wasted (The Last Ride) is a nostalgic ballad too. The text seems very personal, appealing to memories. Russ Ballard sings very well. He manages to push in the treble without forcing.

Colliding is a heavier track, with thicker guitars but we stay in a melodic mid tempo. Very nice passages of guitars make this song one of the most successful on the album. Tidal Wave is a more optimistic pop song that sounds a bit like the 70's. I also really like The First Man That Ever Danced, a jovial rock with guitars sometimes rock'n'roll sometimes more aggressive.

Video of Colliding

The Misunderstood is more current. I can clearly see Roger Daltrey (with whom Russ has long collaborated) putting his voice there. For me the best title of the album. A haunting rhythm and a beautiful piano solo, then guitar at the end. All the talent and skill of composition of Mr. Ballard. Proud Man is a blues. A slow rhythm on an organ background. Very beautiful guitars here too and choirs always fair and never intrusive. Blues lovers you will love Proud Man. Magnificent Proud Man.

Video of Proud Man

New York Groove is an old title that Kiss and Ace Frehley had covered in their time. The 2020 version is jovial, almost country and the idea of turning up the volume takes us. The voice, the choirs, the piano, the acoustic guitar, everything is perfect. You knew Since You Been Gone covered by Ritchie Blackmore and his Rainbow. Russ's version for the album is surprising since the rhythm is slower. Since You Been Gone becomes a piano ballad, transfigured by a set of strings. I did not expect this result but this version is surprising.

The album closes with a superb You Can Do Magic that Russ Ballard had written for America. This version is hypnotic. The piano resonates in our heads for a long time. A splendid song, which proves, if needed, that Russ Ballard is one of the greatest composers of the last fifty years.