Review: Robin Trower ‘Come and Find Me’
By Hal Horowitz
At 80 years old, veteran rocker Robin Trower knows he is in the closing chapter of a remarkably prolific and influential career, one that began as guitarist for Procol Harum back in 1967. Over the past 50-plus years as a solo artist, he has delivered nearly 30 studio albums and a batch of live ones. His instantly recognizable fluid, bluesy, Hendrix-drenched licks, with reverb cranked, has remained his calling card and is one of rock’s most distinctive sounds.
Medical issues forced rescheduling of dates last year. But he bounced back and made up those shows on an extensive 2025 tour. Along with a return to the road he recorded ‘Come and Find Me’ with his usual sparse lineup of bass (Trower overdubs it on all but two tracks), drums, and a few singers.
Although previous releases like 2023s ‘Joyful Sky’ (with female soul vocalist Sari Schorr) and 2020s ‘United State of Mind’ (featuring reggae singer Maxi Priest) pushed into a more R&B-inflected environment, this 11 song set returns to well-trodden territory. Longtime singer Richard Watts, who has been with the Trower band on and off for the past few decades, is here and female vocalist Jess Hayes makes an appearance on two selections. But generally this doesn’t stray from the Trower approach fans recognize and identify with.
The wah-wah pedal gets charged up on the opening mid-tempo “A Little Bit of Freedom,” featuring lyrics more socio-politically charged lyrics than what Trower usually trades in. But when the characteristically molten, quicksilver solo appears at 1:20, it’s clear the guitarist is in familiar terrain and has stayed sharp instrumentally despite that health scare.
His dreamier side dominates. Songs such as “Capture the Life Begun” (a typically elusive and vague title), the slow psychedelic blues of “Take This Hurt Away” (Trower says it’s his idea of a James Bond song), “Time Stood Still,” and the oozing “Come and Find Me” slot into the shoes of the wistful “Daydream” from 1973s debut. Except for vocals (no one can replicate the late James Dewer), these could all have been included on that album.
He locks into a subtle, supple funk riff on “One Go Round” and picks up the pace for “I Fly Straight to You” where experienced followers will recognize similarities to “Somebody Calling.” Hayes’ gospel inflected vocals cohere perfectly with the Cream-influenced “Tangled Love” and the surging rhythms of “Without a Trace” push Trower into tougher but still pensive fields where his acid-soaked solos dig deeper.
On first spin, ‘Come and Find Me’ seems like yet another classy if modest Trower collection, covering the sonic spectrum he has already proven himself a master of. But repeated playings reveal beguiling melodies along with six-string work, that while not as colorful as in the past, meets his established high standards. And Watts is a terrific singer.
Trower has never relied on speed or flash, preferring to concentrate on his unique tone and spaces between the notes to drive the sound. Those qualities continue to define him on what might be one of his final recordings. If so, he goes out in style.
Pre-order the album here
“One Go Round”
Leave A Comment