You’ve got to admire Billy Sheehan. Anyone who is dedicated enough to make the bass his speciality is certainly different from the norm. But is it like Lemmy says in his wonderful autobiography: “I had two choices; either stay a mediocre guitarist, or become a f*****’ great Bass player!”  

Sheehan of course excels on the four string (or is it five these days?) yet is still probably best known for his work on Dave Lee Roth’s ‘Eat ‘em And Smile’ debut solo album. He was also part of Mr Big, but perhaps we shouldn’t really go there. Anyway, it is incredible to think that it was around twenty years ago that he first worked with Diamond Dave. How time flies. So what is this new stuff all about? 

Well firstly lets just say that Sheehan is a master of what he does best i.e. play the bass guitar ridiculously well. Hence there will be fans out there (ok, musos) that will buy this regardless of what anybody says. But in all honesty I found this album disappointing. I dunno. I was expecting a little more than meaningless jams, with even more meaningless bass solos. This is pretentious, muso’s twaddle of the highest (or lowest) order. I suppose it is what his fans would want, but is it really too much to expect some like, er, songs? 

The vocals are courtesy of the man himself and full marks for having the bottle. But they are an acquired taste to put it mildly and Sheehan would have benefited far more from working with a top class singer. The lyrics are at least slightly original, but need a voice with character to bring them out properly. Sheehan ‘croons’ and it just goes over your head.  

Then there are the ‘songs’. Or rather lack of any. Clearly Sheehan’s ego is in full flight throughout this album and no one seems to have said: ‘Hang on a minute, Bill, what about some tunes?’ So whilst the musicianship is never in any doubt this one is for die-hard Sheehan fans only. Clearly if this had come out in 1985 instead of 2005 most of us would have been rolling around on the floor with a tennis racket having an orgasm. However it isn’t, and I didn’t (if you were wondering).  

Disappointing.

Let us know your views on 'Cosmic Troubadour'

Track List

Toss It on the Flame
Back in the Day
Suspense Is Killing Me
From the Backseat
Don't Look Down
Something She Said
Dreams of Discontent
Dig a Hole
Taj
Lift
Tower in the Sky
Long Walk Home
Indisputable Truth #1
Hope
Million Tears Ago

Line Up

Billy Sheehan - Vocals/Bass/Guitar
Ray Luzier - Drums
Simone Sello -  Extra Guitars