fingers to temples.. clear head.. slow breaths.. let’s go:

Kinda cool phaser effect on the snare in the opening drum riff! And then, ugh, that wah guitar solo intro that Santana has flushed his cred by laying down on too many soul/rock/pop crossovers lately. Makes me aware how used I am to listening to ‘band’-records these days, where all the musicians take part in shaping the songs and the sound. On Rock’N'Roll Jesus, the relationship between the front man and rest of the sound is less connected. You get that, quite frankly rather boring, session musician feel.

The rest of the song is a straight ahead soul rocker, ‘gimme shelter’-style backing vocals, horn stabs and all. I hope the rest of the album provide more originality.

Ugh, absolutely horribly botched looping of the acoustic guitar intro on the second track, Amen. I don’t get why they chose a looped riff there at all – through the whole intro and build up. I could imagine this track with a kind of Walking in Memphis-feel with a more dynamic guitar track. Instead it bounces between pop and pedal steel country and not in a good way.

Next!

Hee hee, Smells Like Teen Spirit drum intro on All Summer Long. I don’t know how I feel about a song that more or less copies Sweet Home Alabama, even getting close to covering its guitar solo. I guess that’s the point because Mr. Rock sings about that song in the lyrics too. It’s a tribute of sorts, a very very slightly rewritten cover. Odd! Musically it’s nothing special, so I’ll move on.

All riiight! Power Ballad time! Fingerpicked guitar intro, womanly mmmm-oooh-aaaas-I-love-it-when-you-play-it-like-that-s intro. Bit more honesty in Kid Rock’s vocals on the verse now, shows promise as he sings about the hardships and melancholy of life. I’m tired of this song before it’s over but it’s not uncomfortable to listen to.

It’s not until Sugar that Kid Rock gains some cred, that funky rock rap number is the first track he actually stretches his voice a little. It’s derivative, but at least it’s energetic and well-produced.

When U Love Someone.. is it too much to sigh if I’m supposed to keep an open mind? Dixie Chicks sans musical prowess (and the willingness to show it off) and sex appeal. Next!

I like the drum machine and banjo intro on New Orleans. Cool idea. The rest is more of the aforementioned session musician stuff, a guitar with no bite or grit whatsoever.

The album closer Half Your Age is allright too, if a little tacky:

> Hey now darlin’. You thought it was all fun and games. Running around telling everyone why we’re not together. I guess you just had to feel important. And I’m sure you thought I was just gonna sit back and take it on the chin. But honey, I’m a songwriter. And that, darlin’, is where you end, and this song begins.

Classic broken heart revenge song with entertaining lyrics and the catch phrase “She’s half your age, and twice as hot”.

I would have expected more from Kid Rock actually, from what little I know about him. Maybe a bit more attitude or controversial lyrics, maybe a little bit more agressive sound. But Rock N Roll Jesus is everything but. Flat sounding and very radio friendly tunes. I’m also a little surprised to not really hear any really catchy songs on here, a song that sticks in your head a bit better. It has, unsurprisingly, sold like crazy in the US, and All Summer Long, the Sweet Home Alabama copy – ehm, tribute – is a hit in several other countries.

Kid Rock – listenable but far from great. Prejudice Challenge #1: Kid Rock – Rock N Roll Jesus