In 1984, the debut of an incredible American band was witnessed, yes, we are talking about Tesla, a highly effective band in their own right. They managed to compete with the leading exponents of Hard Rock in that same year. However, the band never quite took off as it should have. They were somewhat ‘overshadowed’ by the success of bands like Ratt, Motley Crue, Dokken, Twisted Sister, Bon Jovi, among others, just to name a few.
Undoubtedly, the band has always been underrated, as their Hard Rock was of tremendous quality. Nevertheless, their proposal remained within the realm of what the rest of the bands were doing at the time.
What can we listen to?
Very effective, flawless Hard Rock with no shortcomings in composition and execution. Possibly one of the best guitar duos in the history of rock, led by Frank Hannon and Tommy Skeoch, who constantly played with the figures in each of the songs. Beyond having a lead and rhythm guitar, Tesla proposed two guitars that took turns in the spotlight, creating a very guitar-centric and enjoyable listening experience.
The rhythm section is tightly knit, with an audible bass supporting each drum fill. The drums find perfect moments to introduce discreet yet high-quality arrangements.
Jeff Keith, on the other hand, as the lead vocalist, adds another trademark element to Tesla. With a high-range voice reminiscent of the ’80s rockstar style, it’s raspy, guttural at times, and above all, full of energy. Undoubtedly, a voice that can compete with the greats of rock, heavily influenced by the blues of Robert Plant.
Bass, guitar, drums, and vocals.
Although in songs like ‘We’re No Good Together,’ we can hear a piano in a very bluesy style, all the songs focus on the ‘True’ formula: Two guitars alternating between acoustic and electric, an incredible voice, bass, and a double bass drum kit. Tesla didn’t need more to create a great album that could be considered cult.
The ballads on the album are incredible, very much in the 80s power ballad style but with a highly identifiable rock touch. ‘Changes’ presents a passage full of emotion reinforced with some background pads, exploding with a riff very characteristic of the era. Meanwhile, ‘Little Suzi’ serves as a break with its modern classical guitar intro, providing a rest from all the energy that the album delivers in the previous songs. It’s a great song, but not an original composition, as it’s a cover of the band Ph.D.
The album continues, and we come across ‘Cover Queen,’ arguably the best song on the album. Here, we can hear a rhythm with a Funk influence, slow, deliberate, where each instrument has its moment in the spotlight.
Among the best debuts
Tesla made history in 1986 with one of the best debuts; “Mechanical Resonance” is a powerful album that, to this day, remains a classic admired by various enthusiasts. This band had everything to reach much higher heights; however, we consider that they never reached their full commercial climax. Nevertheless, they have great works that we will review later.
The guitars in “Mechanical Resonance” are tremendous. And what do you think about this work?
