Stephen
Unlike many glam metal bands in the mid 80s that's fueled with hairspray, spandex, and booze, Tesla emerged as a different earthy band playing a non-machinery real deal of rock and roll with blue jeans and plain shirt as their uniforms. The fact is that they're far from pop metal and more of a traditional heavy/blues metal band, but since they toured extensively with many glam bands, the media labeled the band as one of them. Never crossed anyone's mind that a bunch of tomato farmers and cement truck driver like them could possess an indisputably miraculous talents, and "Mechanical Resonance" is a proof of how smart they blend the retro ingredients of classic 70s rock and blues with the 80s hard rock vibe.
"EZ Come EZ Go" relentlessly moving fast between the relaxing verse and heavier chorus, "Getting Better" crawls with an emotional vocal before bursting into a powerful rocker, "Rock Me To The Top" is an astonishing great upbeat tune, and "Modern Day Cowboy" is everyone's favorite. Tesla cracked a one minute acoustical jam on the cover of Ph.D, "Little Suzi" which later inspired them on their timeless classic, "Love Song" and this proves to be their most successful single even though it's not my big fave. Still many great songs to like here such as the sleazy-titled "Cumin' Atcha Live", the lazy bluesy "We're No Good Together", or the classic Bad Company feel song, "Love Me".
Tesla is one of the few bands that's hard to hate since they always concentrated in making great music with splendid lyrics, party less, and never betrayed their roots, and this album is one of their remarkable piece and the landmark record that started the whole journey. If you're new to the band, "Mechanical Resonance" is a perfect starter.