Song Review: Robin Trower - “Somebody Calling” (Live, 2024)

Working in a trio format has remained exciting across the decades because “everybody is trying to make up for the missing instrument.”

So says guitarist Robin Trower, in a statement accompanying the just-released video of him, singer/bassist Richard Watts and drummer Chris Taggart performing “Somebody Calling” in 2024 in the U.K.

“They have to watch me a bit, because obviously I’m leading and they have to follow - but they do a brilliant job,” Trower said.

Even as bandmates have come and gone over the years, Trower has remained remarkably consistent, cranking out guitar-based, blues-rock that always leaves room for Trower to strut his six-string stuff.

And he does that here, adding nearly three minutes to the 1977 original with slow-burning solos that singe rather than scorch as Watts and Taggart lay it down thick.

Grade card: Robin Trower - “Somebody Calling” (Live, 2024) - A

9:55 AM EDT June 1, 2026:

Robin Trower - "Life On Earth" From the album BLT (February 27, 1981)

Last song scrobbled from iTunes at Last.fm

I guess the quote-unquote classic records Trower made solo were his first three, and then it's thrown to the diehards such as myself from there, but if I can be permitted to nominate a cult classic, this is a very fine hard rock album, which perhaps does not get the recognition it deserves because it was released at a time when hard rock was at an ebb.

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