No Time for Margueritas
Status Quo – Quid Pro Quo
Status Quo and their ever-present six-stringers, vocalists and principle songwriters Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt are British rock and roll institutions.
Since their transformation from late 60’s psychedelic popsters to early-70’s three chord 12 bar boogie rockers, they have been rockin’ all over the world for some forty years, caring not a jot for fads, fashions or that elusive fourth chord (although they did search for the latter a few years ago on their previous studio album).
But it’s still a huge surprise just how strong their 2011 release Quid Pro Quo is.
The band haven’t sounded this vibrant or guitar-orientated since the definitive Status Quo-tet of ‘Hello!,’ ‘Quo,’ ‘On the Level’ and ‘Blue For You,’ released between 1973 and 1976.
That’s not to say later releases weren’t good albums – 1977’s ‘Rocking All Over the World’ may be their most complete album and the early 80’s produced some strong material as the band made another transition from heavy boogie boys to a softer Quo-Lite model.
However for many fans Rossi and Parfitt took the group too far into pop territory.
Although songs such as ‘Marguerita Time’ (a true Status Clunker) and ‘Burning Bridges’ (listenable song hamstrung by a dreadful pop arrangement) were successful singles, it was a step too far for many of the Quo Army.
The band remained a strong live attraction but it was the start of diminishing rock and roll returns.
But a funny thing happened as the 90’s gave way to the Naughties – “proper Quo” (as many a fan refers to the older, classic model) was starting to be heard again.
1999’s Under the Influence (including the excellent ‘Twenty Wild Horses’ and ‘Shine On’) hinted at better things while a couple of their Millennium releases, ‘Heavy Traffic’ and ‘In Search of the Fourth Chord’ picked up decent critical review.
And then there's Quid Pro Quo.
A number of more recent Quo albums have opened with fast paced rockers or strong songs but ‘Two Way Traffic’ flies out the blocks with an energy not heard since ‘Is There a Better Way’ from the aforementioned Quo classic ‘Blue For You,’ thirty-five years and twenty studio albums ago.
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll ‘N‘ You’ follows, a gear or two below the opener but a great honky tonk based 12 bar boogie tune. It’s also the first download single from the album and a track picking up a lot of radio play.
‘Dust to Gold’ opens with a chiming but edgy riff which repeats throughout the mid-tempo rocker, while ‘Let’s Rock’ (with its lyrical nod to the song they are most associated with, their cover of John Fogerty’s ‘Rocking All Over The World’) may well become the next Quo anthem. You can just imagine the Quo Army belting out the chorus at any and every gig.
‘Let’s Rock’ also showcases the Quo rhythm section of bass player John Edwards and drummer Matt Letley doing what they do best – pumping out or driving along a proper (there’s that word again) Quo sound while the guitars are turned up to, if not a Spinal Tap 11, certainly an 8.
‘Can’t See for Looking’ keeps up the pace with a chugging opening reminiscent of the Stones’ ‘Let's Spend the Night Together’ and, as the album continues, you realise this is an album that isn't hanging about.
There's certainly no time for marguerita’s and rather than burning bridges, they’re musically mending them.
There are pop rock and roll moments that recall the tamer mid-80’s to mid-90’s material (such as ‘Better Than That’) but other than ‘The Winner’ (which may have been better named ‘The Filler’) the songs in question are still very listenable.
‘Any Way You Like It’ is a perfect example of the band easing off the gas as opposed to past endeavours where they were also easing off the song writing.
Another factor in the album’s favour, even on the lighter numbers, is Andy Bown’s keyboards and piano runs are used to add a flourish to the songs, or provide an accompaniment, rather than lead the songs or take control of the melody.
This is a fun, guitar led rock and roll album.
The songs making up the latter half of the album retain, for the most part, the quality of the first five numbers. ‘Leave a Little Light On’ is infectious rock and roll sing-a-long bar-room boogie while ‘Reality Cheque’ kicks out a blues boogie beat.
Quid Pro Quo closes nearly as well as it opens with the rock and roll brace of ‘It’s All About You’ and ‘My Old Ways.’
The latter track deserves special mention because of its own special mention in the lyrics of the Hee Bee Gee Bees, the spoof comedy band that produced a parody album in 1981. It included the best song Status Quo never did, ‘Boring Song.’
Quo loved it (while the Bee Gees hated the parodies done of them, but that’s another story), and funnily enough mention of the Hee Bee Gee Bees brings me to the only complaints I have with this album...
‘My Old Ways’ isn’t actually the last song on Quid Pro Quo.
It closes the album, but it’s followed by the bonus track ‘In the Army 2010,’ a re-recording of the band’s 1986 hit complete with accompaniment from the Corps of Army Music choir.
Released as a single in 2010, it has now found a home on Quid Pro Quo but it sits very uncomfortably on such an out and out rock and roll album.
The ultimate bonus/ hidden track would have been a cover of the aforementioned ‘Boring Song,’ a perfect fit for one of the most self effacing never-take-themselves-too-seriously bands on the planet.
My other gripe is perhaps more obvious.
With Status Quo having such a distinct but repetitive sound, 13 songs (14 if you include Army) is a couple too many for my Muirsical tastes.
My own MP3 iPod version already has the re-record of ‘Army’ and ‘The Winner’ removed and the album is all the better, and tighter, for it.
Initial copies of the album include a bonus Official Live Bootleg CD featuring ten of the band’s best known or most popular tracks.
Recorded in 2010, it’s the perfect partner to Quid Pro Quo, a live ‘best of’ to compliment the best album Status Quo have produced in the last thirty years.
Language experts and historians of Latin will tell you Quid Pro Quo translates as “something for something” or an exchange of similar services between two people or bodies.
Beg to differ.
It clearly translates as “Quintessentially, Proper Quo.”
Ross Muir
June 2011
The following audio tracks are presented to accompany the above review and promote the work of the artist/s. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Two Way Traffic
Status Quo – Quid Pro Quo
Status Quo and their ever-present six-stringers, vocalists and principle songwriters Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt are British rock and roll institutions.
Since their transformation from late 60’s psychedelic popsters to early-70’s three chord 12 bar boogie rockers, they have been rockin’ all over the world for some forty years, caring not a jot for fads, fashions or that elusive fourth chord (although they did search for the latter a few years ago on their previous studio album).
But it’s still a huge surprise just how strong their 2011 release Quid Pro Quo is.
The band haven’t sounded this vibrant or guitar-orientated since the definitive Status Quo-tet of ‘Hello!,’ ‘Quo,’ ‘On the Level’ and ‘Blue For You,’ released between 1973 and 1976.
That’s not to say later releases weren’t good albums – 1977’s ‘Rocking All Over the World’ may be their most complete album and the early 80’s produced some strong material as the band made another transition from heavy boogie boys to a softer Quo-Lite model.
However for many fans Rossi and Parfitt took the group too far into pop territory.
Although songs such as ‘Marguerita Time’ (a true Status Clunker) and ‘Burning Bridges’ (listenable song hamstrung by a dreadful pop arrangement) were successful singles, it was a step too far for many of the Quo Army.
The band remained a strong live attraction but it was the start of diminishing rock and roll returns.
But a funny thing happened as the 90’s gave way to the Naughties – “proper Quo” (as many a fan refers to the older, classic model) was starting to be heard again.
1999’s Under the Influence (including the excellent ‘Twenty Wild Horses’ and ‘Shine On’) hinted at better things while a couple of their Millennium releases, ‘Heavy Traffic’ and ‘In Search of the Fourth Chord’ picked up decent critical review.
And then there's Quid Pro Quo.
A number of more recent Quo albums have opened with fast paced rockers or strong songs but ‘Two Way Traffic’ flies out the blocks with an energy not heard since ‘Is There a Better Way’ from the aforementioned Quo classic ‘Blue For You,’ thirty-five years and twenty studio albums ago.
‘Rock ‘N’ Roll ‘N‘ You’ follows, a gear or two below the opener but a great honky tonk based 12 bar boogie tune. It’s also the first download single from the album and a track picking up a lot of radio play.
‘Dust to Gold’ opens with a chiming but edgy riff which repeats throughout the mid-tempo rocker, while ‘Let’s Rock’ (with its lyrical nod to the song they are most associated with, their cover of John Fogerty’s ‘Rocking All Over The World’) may well become the next Quo anthem. You can just imagine the Quo Army belting out the chorus at any and every gig.
‘Let’s Rock’ also showcases the Quo rhythm section of bass player John Edwards and drummer Matt Letley doing what they do best – pumping out or driving along a proper (there’s that word again) Quo sound while the guitars are turned up to, if not a Spinal Tap 11, certainly an 8.
‘Can’t See for Looking’ keeps up the pace with a chugging opening reminiscent of the Stones’ ‘Let's Spend the Night Together’ and, as the album continues, you realise this is an album that isn't hanging about.
There's certainly no time for marguerita’s and rather than burning bridges, they’re musically mending them.
There are pop rock and roll moments that recall the tamer mid-80’s to mid-90’s material (such as ‘Better Than That’) but other than ‘The Winner’ (which may have been better named ‘The Filler’) the songs in question are still very listenable.
‘Any Way You Like It’ is a perfect example of the band easing off the gas as opposed to past endeavours where they were also easing off the song writing.
Another factor in the album’s favour, even on the lighter numbers, is Andy Bown’s keyboards and piano runs are used to add a flourish to the songs, or provide an accompaniment, rather than lead the songs or take control of the melody.
This is a fun, guitar led rock and roll album.
The songs making up the latter half of the album retain, for the most part, the quality of the first five numbers. ‘Leave a Little Light On’ is infectious rock and roll sing-a-long bar-room boogie while ‘Reality Cheque’ kicks out a blues boogie beat.
Quid Pro Quo closes nearly as well as it opens with the rock and roll brace of ‘It’s All About You’ and ‘My Old Ways.’
The latter track deserves special mention because of its own special mention in the lyrics of the Hee Bee Gee Bees, the spoof comedy band that produced a parody album in 1981. It included the best song Status Quo never did, ‘Boring Song.’
Quo loved it (while the Bee Gees hated the parodies done of them, but that’s another story), and funnily enough mention of the Hee Bee Gee Bees brings me to the only complaints I have with this album...
‘My Old Ways’ isn’t actually the last song on Quid Pro Quo.
It closes the album, but it’s followed by the bonus track ‘In the Army 2010,’ a re-recording of the band’s 1986 hit complete with accompaniment from the Corps of Army Music choir.
Released as a single in 2010, it has now found a home on Quid Pro Quo but it sits very uncomfortably on such an out and out rock and roll album.
The ultimate bonus/ hidden track would have been a cover of the aforementioned ‘Boring Song,’ a perfect fit for one of the most self effacing never-take-themselves-too-seriously bands on the planet.
My other gripe is perhaps more obvious.
With Status Quo having such a distinct but repetitive sound, 13 songs (14 if you include Army) is a couple too many for my Muirsical tastes.
My own MP3 iPod version already has the re-record of ‘Army’ and ‘The Winner’ removed and the album is all the better, and tighter, for it.
Initial copies of the album include a bonus Official Live Bootleg CD featuring ten of the band’s best known or most popular tracks.
Recorded in 2010, it’s the perfect partner to Quid Pro Quo, a live ‘best of’ to compliment the best album Status Quo have produced in the last thirty years.
Language experts and historians of Latin will tell you Quid Pro Quo translates as “something for something” or an exchange of similar services between two people or bodies.
Beg to differ.
It clearly translates as “Quintessentially, Proper Quo.”
Ross Muir
June 2011
The following audio tracks are presented to accompany the above review and promote the work of the artist/s. No infringement of copyright is intended.
Two Way Traffic
Leave a Little Light On
