ROBIN TROWER - COME AND FIND ME
Reviewed by Laura DQ • 11 May 2025
At 80 years old and widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists ever to brandish a Fender Stratocaster, bluesman Robin Trower has nothing to prove. But it seems that he’s proving it anyway with latest album Come and Find Me, a work of remarkable inspiration from a man who could reasonably have been expected to run out of ideas some time ago. A talented lyricist, capable of defiant, stinging rockers and wounded, romantic ballads, there is a place for both on an album that takes traditional blues and gives it a bit of a shake.
With a guitar sound that sits somewhere close to Hendrix (a comparison undoubtedly made many times), the slinky One Go Round temporarily passes for Voodoo Child but favours sultry atmospherics over fiery histrionics. And it’s this sense of elegance that trickles through every track, a result of well-placed, distinctive solos that are always uniquely beautiful. But some credit must also go to vocalist Richard Watts, who brings life to Trower’s words, handling ballads like the achingly sad Take This Hurt Away and gentle Capture the Life Begun with real feeling. His smooth sophistication translates equally well on rockers like I Would Lose My Mind, bringing a welcome sense of warmth; a perfect foil for Trower's daring guitar mastery.
Contributing her own brand of soulfulness, Jess Hayes is at the mic for Tangled Love, giving a spirited performance reminiscent of Mollie Marriott. The track is a funkier diversion, powered by drummer Chris Taggart and bassist Glenn Letsch and punctuated with bursts of Trower's guitar wizardry. Without a Trace moves with similar groove, lending the album an interesting balance between smoky blues and songs that make you want to move, the title track somehow straddling both.
There’s class emanating from every note Trower plays, from the triumphant sound of wah guitar that opens A Little Bit of Freedom to the poignancy of the solo that closes out Time Stood Still, the latter so romantic that the weeping guitar might just have you crying too. You’ll come for the guitar playing, but you’ll stay for the songs. Come and find him, Robin Trower isn’t done yet.