Reviews

Bodinrocker – Rock It The Right Way

Any fans of the classic Quo sound will be familiar already with two great albums by Swedish rocker, Bodinrocker – Hall of Flames from 2006 and Mysterious Man from 2010.

The good news is that Anders Bodin – Bodinrocker – has just released his latest album, the superb Rock it The Right Way. This is a great album. Not just an album for Quo fans, though the classic, driving boogie rock sound runs right through the album, but anyone who enjoys classic rock will find much to enjoy here.

The Race is my favourite track, but Foreign Land, Rock It The Right Way, Space and Long Way Round are right up there too. But every track is a winner, a really fine album – great melodies, strong vocals, fantastic guitar work with some really tasty solos, and the intelligent lyrics really add an additional layer. Best album I’ve heard for a long time.

Peter McCray

Bodinrocker – Rock It The Right Way

Anders Bodin hails from Sweden, where he begun writing and playing guitar at the tender age of ten. Influenced by Slade, The Beatles and especially Status Quo, they inspired him to become a serious musician during one of their shows in 1984.

Releasing his debut album “Hall Of Flames” in 2006, Bodin continued to write and perform, eventually securing a support slot with the mighty Quo themselves! It´s around this time that he started using the title Bodinrocker (which is Bodin´s nickname) as the bands moniker.

The inspiration of Quo is evident throughout opening song “Foreign Land”, with its “heads-down” boogie and it takes on the feel of some of their mid-eighties material. “Long Way Round” is closer to something The Move might have released, with an authentic sixties feel. The West Coast Rock of “Dreaming Away” ows a dept to Tom Petty and is a pleasant little tune. The end of the release has us heading back into realiable Boogie territory with “The Race” and “Space”.

As easy as it is to knock the Quo for being three chord wonders, no band really seems to be able to replicate their signature sound to any degree. Bodinrocker certainly puts in a good attempt, but ultimately the songs leave you wanting the real thing.

Ray Paul

Bodinrocker – Rock It The Right Way

It´s safe to say that nothing on “Rock it The Right Way” is too taxing. Anders Bodin and his merry band take an entirely straightforward approach to their music and serve up twelve tracks of simple but decently executed bluesy rock.

Fans of Status Quo will enjoy the heads down boogie of “Foreign Land” and “Guitar Man”, while elsewhere Bodinrocker tap into the Southern rock groove of Georgia Sattelites and ZZ Top. “Fly High” even has something of Skynard´s “What´s Your Name” about it.

No, there´s nothing close to orginality, but the Bodin crew can pen a decent song, even if never really threatening true greatness. It may sound insulting to say that it sounds like a bunch of good quality demos recorded by friends for kicks, but it´s not meant to; it´s uncomplicated music with it´s heart on it´s sleeve, entirely inoffensive and made for pure pleasure.

When Anders Bodin is an old man drinking a cold one on his porch and his grand kids ask him what he did back in the day, he can play this with a quiet, understated pride and smile.

Marcus Jervis

Bodinrocker – Rock It The Right Way

This is very Status Quo to say the least. It’s like a tribute to that said band with no songs by them – in fact he even supported them in 2010 in Sweden.

Bodinrocker literally rips off Quo riffs right the way through the album from ‘Foreign Land’ to the title track ‘Rock It The Right Way’ – nothing more to be said really.

Glenn Milligan

Bodinrocker – Rock It The Right Way

Finally, for today, we’re off to Sweden, to meet up with Anders Bodin from Gothenburg. He’s had a few albums out over the years, both under his given name, and the one he is currently using. He’s obviously a proper person, as “inspired by Status Quo’s supposedly farewell gig at the ice stadium in Stockholm in 1984, Anders, along with his first band Blackboard, managed to get the entire school auditorium to sing along to Bye Bye Johnny.” A story that makes me like him even before hearing a note.

But it’s actually pretty good. Especially to someone like me who regularly attests to the Status Quo being the greatest rock and roll band ever. Now, this is a bloke who actually used to have a band called 12 Bar Boogie, so you won’t be surprised to learn which of his influences rise to the top here, what with the guitar riffs and Hammond organ. Thankfully, though, he can also write a good tune.

There are a few to choose from, with ‘The Race’, ‘Long Way Round’ and the title track getting a lot of repeat plays around my way. It’s not all Quo though, with some excellent hard rock and even some pop rock, along for the ride. It’s the sign of a good album when it makes you want to go back and check the previous ones. This one does just that.

Stuarta Hamilton

http://therocker65.wordpress.com/2014/06/25/reviews-roundup-peter-gabriel-vs-tohpati-vs-marshall-x-vs-bodinrocker/

Bodinrocker är ett soloprojekt med Göteborgsmusikern Anders Bodin. Nu aktuell med nya plattan “Rock It The Right Way”, som är hans tredje. Plattan är inspelad tillsammans med Bodins svåger Lars Ekberg (som tidigare jobbat med blandannat Carola och Ulf Christiansson). Inspirationen haralltid kommit från band som Status Quo, Beatles, Slade och Neil Young. På nya plattan har han också samarbetat med låtskrivarna Mårten Lärka och Jan Leentjes från Holland. Musik är intensivt rockig och rätt kul. Ofta rätt likt flera av hans inspirationskällor .

Mattias Gustavsson

http://ikon1931.se/recensioner/rockigt-och-ratt-kul