Robin Trower - For Earth Below

  by Lisa Torem

published: 8 / 7 / 2025

Label: Select Label
Format: N/A

intro

Lisa Torem reflects on former Procol Harum guitarist Robin Trower's 1975 album 'For Earth Below' which has just been released in a 50th Anniversary edition.

On the heels of singer-songwriter-guitarist Robin Trower’s six-city May UK tour comes the 50th Anniversary reissue of ‘For Earth Below.’ The British artist’s third album, which came to fame in 1975 as a follow-up to the previous year’s ‘Bridge of Sighs,’ reached Number 5 on the U.S. Billboard Charts and launched Trower to super stardom. This package features remastered tracks in multiple iterations: CD, Vinyl, Digital, plus a series of Outtakes and Rarities, an extended stereo mix and a “Live at The Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall Concert” recording from 16 March 1975. In addition, there are BBC interviews and a BBC recorded concert from the year of the album’s release. The album is notable not only for its stylistic diversity and Trower’s distinctive tone but for a shift in the then-lineup. Drummer Bill Lordan had spent a year with American R & B band Sly and the Family Stone before replacing Reg Isadore and becoming part of the power trio with Trower and bassist vocalist James Dewar. Regarding the power trio zeitgeist, Lordan exclaimed in a recent press release: “I got to play all the drum licks that I would have played with Jimi Hendrix.’ ‘Shame the Devil’ boasts Trower’s remarkable Hendrix-style riff and Dewar’s passionate vocal assault. Trower’s solo is clean, bright and packed with emotion. At the outro., Lordan cuts in with supreme confidence, as Trower goes gangbusters on electronic effects. ‘It’s Only Money’ includes choral singing and Dewar in gruffer form. Trower’s otherworldly bends are matched by Lordan’s shimmering percussion. Trower’s melodic solo here is heart-wrenching. ‘Confessin’ Midnight’ relies on a whole new attitude. The funky arrangement is rife with effects and riffs. The straight-to-the point lyrics are consistent with blues writers, the likes of Willie Dixon. For the interlude and especially at the outro., Trower ramps up to the heavens with bold, disciplined statements. ‘Fine Day’ We’re greeted with Dewar’s higher range and gentler persuasion. After all, this is an uplifting love song—Trower sneaks picante licks amid the optimistic narrative. For ‘Alathea,’ Trower cranks up the burners from the very start and Dewar’s bassline waits for no one. Trower’s solo is unarguably white hot. ‘A Tale Untold’ Dewar’s growl is upheld by steady drum rolls. Trower’s effects latch on to the steady beat. The last measures pull the ballad back to a slow, luxurious boil. ‘Gonna Be More Suspicious’: The spare lyrics leave lots of room for Trower’s instrumental mirroring of the bluesy melody. ‘For Earth Below’: The album’s theme song begins with Trower’s manic electronic explosion but then edges into a psychedelic spell. Dewar’s voice is sweet, yet grainy and expressive. The background music is seamless, but Dewar’s vocal performance takes this closer to new heights. CD2’s “extended tracks” are best listened to after getting familiar with the original versions so you can really appreciate the nuance and there is a definitive amount to take in. Regarding CD3, it was really fun to hear Dewar’s alternative vocal tracks. I got a strong sense of his vocal adaptability. ‘Fine Day’ was my favorite. Dewar was born to sing it—the phrases rolled off his lips, and Trower trailed him like a blood hound on a fox hunt. ‘The Moody One,’ an intricate instrumental, was pure Trower alchemy. It was wonderful to hear a BBC mid-1970s interview in which Trower talked about his excitement when adding Lordan to the band, his early days as a rock/blues guitarist and his performance piece written for Jimi Hendrix, ‘Broken Barricades.’ These selections formed an unexpected lift. As for the final CD of a live performance, I felt as excited as the responsive audience members. The band carried out these classics with abandon and technical acuity. ‘Bridge of Sighs,’ which was my first introduction to Trower, was even more moving than I remembered; a spirited addition. ‘Daydream’ and ‘Lady Love’ were on an even keel as far as taking the ensemble on an evanescent ride and Dewar’s evocative phrasing against his band mate’s counterpunches rekindled memories of the great Joe Cocker. The stormy ‘Too Rolling Stoned’ underscored Trower’s scratchy guitar and acute awareness of melody. ‘The Fool and Me’ closed the Los Angeles concert section. The never-ending energy provided the perfect coda for this fantastic listening experience. Photo by Larry Schorr

Track Listing:-

Also In ReView

Band Links:-

Play in YouTube:-

Have a Listen:-

Picture Gallery:-