Black Country Communion - V (2024)


Black Country Communion is a band born in 2010 with some unknown musicians (I'm obviously sarcastic) like Derek Sherinian, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Joe Bonamassa. These guys have just released V, which clearly means this is the work number 5 of their discography. I saw the band live in 2011 at a festival in London and I was shocked by their presence and power (well, with Glenn Hughes what do you expect).

The new album V is comprised of 10 songs for 50 minutes of quality music. Three singles were released before the album, the first three tracks, Enlighten, Stay Free, and Red Sun. I like the first two, especially Stay Free. Restless and Love and Faith are pure Bonamassa, I love the first one with some classy bluesy guitars and a beautiful chorus. It is definitely in my personal top 3 of the album. 

There is also more uptempo and hard rock stuff like Letting Go or Too Far Gone, more on the Glenn Hughes mood, with spectacular notes in the chorus or You're Not Alone (great band performance on this one). The closure of the album is left to Open Road, an epic track, with a beautiful and intense second half, a great way to close the album.

The album is amazingly performed by the band and all makes sense but honestly I miss some of the "furious" tracks of the first two albums, Beggarman or The Outsider, just to name two tracks. I know, I'm very hard to please, but I can't really say anything negative about this album and about these amazing musicians and composers, never showing off their talent and capabilities for the sake of it, but always at the service of the song.

Rating 66/100
Top tracks: Stay Free, Restless, Too Far Gone.

Tracklist
1. Enlighten
2. Stay Free
3. Red Sun
4. Restless
5. Letting Go
6. Skyway
7. You’re Not Alone
8. Love And Faith
9. Too Far Gone
10. The Open Road