Stretch - Unfinished Business

Stretch - Unfinished Business - 2011

Stretch is a UK band of the 70´s that although having three well-received albums and a hit single did not fully capitalise on its initial success. The band comprised singer/guitarist Elmer Gantry and lead guitarist Kirby Gregory. Gantry´s early career included jamming with Jimi Hendrix and Jeff Beck before forming The Elmer Gantry Band whereas Gregory was in Curved Air. 

Unfinished Business’ is an apt title for the new album containing covers of well-known songs such as ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’ and ‘Showbiz Blues’ and an inevitable new version of ‘Why Did You Do It’ which is a bit more rock oriented than the original. The overall sound of the album is similar to the 70´s albums with a quite sparse production and Gantry´s vocal cords clearly have not diminished in any way. ‘Flames’ and ‘Can´t You Feel It’ are upbeat tracks - timeless rock in which Stretch excel. Slower tracks such as the cover of ‘I Need Your Love So Bad’, ‘Hoochie Coochie Man’ and ‘See That My Grave Is Kept Clean’ although excellently sung and played seem purposely produced to sound like they are from the original era of the band. The penultimate track, ‘I Just Wanna Make Love To You’, on paper not a good choice, actually works very well and the instruments are played as powerfully as the vocals are sung with power chords aplenty. The final track ‘I´ve Got My Mojo Working’ has a funky guitar sound and is a good and exciting end to the album.

01. Showbiz Blues
02. Why Did You Do It
03. Flames
04. I Need Your Love So Bad
05. Hoochie Coochie Man
06. Down In The Bottom
07. I Love The Life I Live
08. Can't You Feel It
09. See That My Grave Is Kept Clean
10. I Just Wanna Make Love To You
11. I've Got My Mojo Working





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