Tesla - Mechanical Resonance Live

Share this on Facebook | Share this on Twitter

TESLA was one of those bands who came around during the hey-day of Glam and excess, but was really an anti-Glam band in many respects. They had their own sound, which was sophisticated for the times, and focused on aspects of strong songwriting, over radio play or imagery. The ended up being very popular in both aspects ironically, but they were just an honest and intelligent, hard-working band. “Mechanical Resonance” had a lot of really great songs and was one of those albums that, looking back, really stood out in the decade of the 1980’s. This is the live version of that album, which contains thirteen tracks.

All of the classics on the album are immediately recognizable. My favorites include the sleazy fox-trot of “Ez Come, Ez Go,” with that thumping low bass line, the confident charge of “Comin’ Atcha Live,” which is about as perfectly fitting for a live track as you could want, the dark and mysterious introspection of “Changes,” although the vocals struggle a little in this track. Some other favorites are the slow, blues fueled lament of “We’re No Good Together,” which is sort of sad but content at the same time, and the simple but pleasing riff in “Love Me,” which delivers that simple no frills kind of sound that I was talking about earlier. Strip away the glitter and the make-up when you listen to this album because image is not what they are pushing. “Lil Suzie” has always been one of my favorites as well, but it’s the massive classic “Modern Day Cowboy” that I’ve been waiting for. It’s just one of those unique songs in the genre that stands the test of time. Sometimes the classics that I have heard literally one hundred times get old, but not this one. Without a doubt, this live version of their debut studio album reminds me of simpler times and just great music.

Songwriting: 7
Originality: 7
Memorability: 7
Production: 6