Ruffyunz: III

Album number three from Ruffyunz could, if you hadn’t encountered them before, be confused for a Carmine Appice project album, what with the legendary drummer the only artist (of many on the album) pictured and named on the cover, and with his “The Godfather� nickname (is he usually called this?) also in place. However, the players who are the backbone of this endeavour are actually Ed Terry (vocals), Randy Pratt (bass & pedals) and JZ Barrell (guitar), with the latter two also producing the album.

The theme of this project is a well worn one, the core band - including Appice throughout - being joined by a myriad of guest players, and credit to Ruffyunz, because the cameos that they’ve attracted are right out of the top drawer. In this capacity it’s the two Pat’s - Thrall and Travers - that open with “Street Corner High�, a track that actually reminds more of the work Thrall did with Glenn Hughes than it does what the two guitarists created when they previously worked together. That said it’s a lithe, energetic way to kick things off and as you’d expect, both bring the fretboard fire without ever overstepping the mark. Next up comes Bumblefoot, aided and abetted by his often bandmate Derek Sherinian on keyboards, who between them and the stellar backing band, offer up a booming, pompous wallop of rock that simply bulges at the seams.

In truth, from those hefty openers, things don’t always run so smoothly, one-time Dio six-stringer Tracy G doing what he can on “Malevolent Fool�. The intention seems to be to head back into that Ronnie James Dio era Sabbath sound you might expect, but in truth, the results are pretty toothless. Vocally Terry is a versatile presence, fitting into the role of funkster, rocker and metalhead quite easily, but some of the compositions don’t really hit with the same force. Bumblefoot is once again brought in, but this time on the forceful push and shove of “Red Lines�. It’s a fun track, but nothing about it - other than Bumblefoot’s solo - really sticks in the mind and for me, that’s an underlying issue across III. “Playhouse� (Tony Franklin/Fernando Perdomo) is much more blues oriented in an early Whitesnake kind of way, but again, without really knowing what to do with it, whereas the Vinnie Moore and Jesse Berlin powered “Electric Mind Control� feels like it fell off a later era Glenn Hughes album - not that that’s a bad thing.

It’s Jim McCarty on slide guitar for “Cadillac Woman�, which possesses a welcome ZZ Top like slither, but it’s maybe the only track where Terry doesn’t seem quite able to chameleon himself into the sound the song needs. For me his voice is way too clear cut. On a personal note, it’s “Far Too Long� that initially grabbed my interest when I picked this disc up, I mean, any appearance from Dave Meniketti is worthy of celebration, even if the fuzzed up hard rock that houses his excellent guitar outburst doesn’t really have much in common with what he usually does. All of which leaves “Warm Oasis� with Billy “Spaceman� Patterson (who is credited with guitars & everything else!) to offer up some melodic blues shuffling, and “Hanging�, again with Tracy G, to close the album out without really snagging the attention.

When Ruffyunz really get stuck in with some heavy, funky, rock they do it with authority, no matter who the special guest turn is for that particular song. That for me is the issue here, if there were more top drawer songs included and less opportunities to play spot the superstar, the results might be a little more long lasting. As it is, this is fun while it spins, but quickly forgotten.

Track Listing
1. Street Corner High
2. Looking For The Edge
3. Malevolent Fool
4. Red Lines
5. Playhouse
6. Electric Mind Control
7. Cadillac Walk
8. Far Too Long
9. Warm Oasis
10. Hanging

Added: December 27th 2023
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Hyperspace Records
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Language: english

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