The Scorpions' long Farewell Tour continues with the release of this quite clever new album. Since the most successful German musical export announced their final tour in the spring of 2010, it has been touring off and on but said with certainty that Sting in the Tail, their spring 2010 studio album, would be their last one.
So, how to satisfy the throngs of fans wanting new material? Re-record some of your biggest hits and throw in a half dozen cover tunes from some of your favorite artists. It's pretty clever, as is the title of the “new” album: Comeblack, since it isn’t technically a comeback you see?
As for the music, it’s pretty entertaining as a hard rock release. The covers range from the adequate version of The Kinks' classic “All Day and All of the Night,” and The Beatles' “Across the Universe,” to the outstanding “Children of the Revolution” (T-Rex), “Ruby Tuesday” (The Rolling Stones), and the best version I’ve ever heard of “Tainted Love.” It's a song originally recorded by Gloria Jones in 1965 but which gained worldwide popularity with Soft Cell’s version in 1981 and ’82.
The remakes of original Scorpions material, however, left me a bit flat. I did enjoy the new versions of “The Zoo” and “Still Loving You,” as both sound fresh and powerful. But all in all, the originals are still my versions of choice.
My recommendation is if you are a dyed-in-the-wool Scorpions fanatic, buy Comeblack. If you are a fan but not a rabid one, stick to the classic Scorpions material.
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