Category Archives: Album & EP Reviews

AARON LEWIS – The Road

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Aaron Lewis’s debut EP ‘Town Line’ saw the Staind frontman experimenting with a more country-based sound.  Having grown up with country music, he said the style felt natural to him.  The result was enjoyable, but not always wholly country in a purist sense – yes, there were rootsy leanings throughout and the songs were far more country than anything Staind would likely ever record, but a couple of the tunes still had a slight rock edge.  Still, it was country enough for him to gain a couple of award nominations from the Academy of Country Music.

A couple of years on, Lewis’s first full length release first capitalises on the promise of that EP and its first three tracks are pure gold.  Lead track ‘75’ begins with a very traditional sounding country guitar played with a deep twang, joined in the left channel by steel accompaniment.  …And then, with no messing around, Lewis offers some country staples – he’s “tired of missing the moments he won’t get back”, he’s tired of missing his loved ones, tired of motels.  It may be over familiar, but the well-worn tune and combined with an oft-told tale of road weariness seems to be an appropriate place to begin this record.  Its old-fashioned sentiments and tried-and-trusted arrangement (one which would suit almost any of Lewis’s forefathers) show a greater love and commitment to the genre than pretty much anything from his previous EP.  The easy groove and dobro which drives  the title cut is akin to southern groover JJ Cale at his most country influenced, while the more upbeat style allows for a few more lead guitar noodlings to provide musical interest, while Lewis himself offers a vocal with the confident style of a man who has been making country records for years.  In a slightly poppier style ‘Endless Summer’ is a feel good tune, full of harmonies.  By the time the chorus hits, it’s clear this was made for radio.  There’s a slightly more pointed guitar solo than on the previous two tracks, edging things slightly further toward country-rock territory; the general mood could (almost) be likened to one of Nickelback’s softer hits…only covered by a country star.  It may be the album’s most throwaway tune, but looking at the bigger picture, this opening trilogy of songs covers most of Lewis’s chosen musical moods in one triple-whammy.

From that point on, things don’t weaken.  The patriotic ‘Red, White & Blue’ features some pleasing hard twangin’ guitar counterbalanced by some syrupy steel guitar, and as such is classic new country, the kind that would suit Garth Brooks or any of his million-selling peers.  Perhaps part of the featured guitar solo is a little harder than on some country records, but it doesn’t intrude too much, or weaken the overall country vibes.  Vocally, Lewis may be slightly filtered, but the deep richness in his voice shines through.   ‘Lesson Learned’ is much more restrained, it’s pastel colours allowing Lewis to deliver one of his best performances.  Set against a dobro and steel guitars (with the dobro often rising to the fore), his commanding croon sounds terrific as he works his way through a thoughtful lyric, name-checking  Johnny Cash and advising us all to “slow down a little bit, take time, rewind, appreciate the little things that life provides”.  The closest ‘The Road’ gets to its predecessor is during ‘Forever’, where Lewis allows more grit to influence his vocal.  In turn, the drums are a little louder in places and some swirling organ fleshes out the loudest moments.  With a whole world of steel guitars thrown in, it’s still firmly country and is a great song for what it is, but those coming at this from a country fan’s perspective will certainly find a stronger affinity elsewhere.

Closing the disc, the ominously titled ‘Party In Hell’ is another woozy waltz.  Musically, it’s full of country music staples, with a dobro and particularly sharp lead guitar’s string-bent, hard twang punctuating each line with great effect.  With Lewis reflecting his place “washed up and burned out” while imagining a raucous gathering with Janis, Jimi, Rick James…and Jamey Johnson drinking from a brown paper bag, the mood may be a little more heavy handed, but the musical mood brings things full circle with the opening number ‘75’. This adds to the feeling that for musicians, it’s all about the road… and the road goes on forever.

On ‘The Road’, there’s even less musically – and thematically – connecting Lewis with his alt-rock day job than ever before, but in terms of where he is headed with his solo career, that can only be a good thing. Overall, this is a surprisingly good record, one which exceeds expectations.  With ten very strong numbers to be heard, it’s a release that those who like a little – or even a lot – of country music would be foolish not to make time for. Most importantly, for a man who hasn’t always been associated with the country scene, it’s far more country than about half of what’s often peddled in the name of the genre…

November 2012

LOVER UNDER COVER – Set The Night On Fire

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Lover Under Cover is a Swedish hard rock project formed around vocalist/multi-instrumentalist Mikael Carlsson.  This debut album – released on Escape Music – has a distinct Scandinavian slant, the songs sticking rigidly to the confines of some very European sounding hard rock.  To help bring his band to life, he has enlisted the help of a few faces that’ll be familiar to fans of the genre: Coldspell’s Perra Johnsson guests on drums, Last Autumn’s Dream’s Mikael Erlandsson handles keyboards and vocals, while Escape Music regular Martin Kronlund contributes various guitar parts and handles production duties.

In all honesty, this sounds exactly how you’d expect from something Swedish with Kronlund in the producer’s chair.  If run of the mill Scandinavian hard rock is your bag, Lover Under Cover may appeal, but be warned, you’ll have heard it all before…and almost countless times.  Perhaps more importantly, you’ll have heard this kind of thing performed far, far better by others. There are two big problems here: the first being the rather weak songwriting; the second, Erlandsson’s voice: while he’s sounded great in the past with Last Autumn’s Dream, he’s obviously having an off-day here. At his best he sounds like an unpolished Euro hard rock vocalist – certainly not of the calibre of Matti Alfonzetti, Goran Edman or Coldspell’s Niclas Swedentorp, for example.  At his worst, as is the case on ‘Angels Will Cry’, his raspy voice sounds like the work of a songwriter laying down a demo track for someone else to sing later.

The album’s best tune ‘Through The Storm’ is a reasonable mid-paced rocker with the kind of pompy chorus Gary Hughes (of Ten fame) would have turned into something epic sounding.  Erlandsson’s old fashioned organ lends a little more of a classic rock vibe, while the Celtic leanings of the twin guitars hint at sounds once heard from Gary Moore’s ‘Wild Frontier’ album.  Each element had the potential to make this a great track, but despite everyone – bar the lead vocal – turning in good performances, there’s still very much a sense that these musicians are capable of better.

The upbeat hard rock of ‘Flash In The Night’ features a reasonable bassline and piano accompaniment, but any initial promise is soon swept aside by a thin drum sound and a particularly uninspiring one-line chorus.  The aforementioned ‘Angels Will Cry’ – aside from being musically uninteresting – finds Erlandsson desperately trying to pull emotion from a very limited vocal range and sounding like a man with a slightly bad throat in the process.  A little better,  ‘Standing In Line’ kicks off with best foot forward with a twin lead guitar, before settling in for some safe, clichéd rock – again with a particularly half-arsed chorus and equally weak vocal performance.  The twin lead makes a welcome return, but Kronlund’s best efforts aren’t enough to salvage this tune…or indeed many of the others that make up this album’s eleven almost equally uninspiring numbers.

There’s very little else to be said about Lover Under Cover which doesn’t trot out variations on the various negative remarks already applied to the few songs covered in this review.  Even from a second division perspective, there’s almost nothing here to get excited about.

November 2012

RUBY THE HATCHET – Ouroboros

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Having already released a self-titled EP at the end of 2010, Philadelphia’s Ruby The Hatchet began to create a small buzz via a few cult music blogs.  For those who sang the band’s praises previously, their first full length release will be welcomed with open arms.  For the many yet to be enthralled by this band’s music – which previously included Real Gone, having missed that EP entirely first time around – it’s time to sit up and take note, for ‘Ouroboros’ is awesome.  On this release, sounding like a cross between Fu Manchu and The Dead Weather, Ruby The Hatchet split their talents between heavy stoner rock numbers and spooky late 60s influenced psych, proving equally adept at both.

An instant hit, ‘Black Tongue’ rolls along with tuneful menace. The downtuned riffs takes a huge cue from Fu Manchu and Kyuss, delivering some of the finest bottom end grooves you’re likely to hear. The music may be overly familiar, but what sets this apart from many other bands ploughing a similar doom and groove-oriented furrow is Jillian Taylor’s vocal. Don’t be thinking that Taylor’s delivery is light and airy though; her voice – although often subjected to various reverb effects – comes with enough belt to hold up against the riffs, and a level of passion which really captivates the listener. ‘Wicked Ones’ features another great vocal – ending with a wail that makes Taylor sound like the dark cousin of Stevie Nicks – but of great importance is the number’s huge riff: not quite metal, far beyond its blues roots, it’s the kind of meaty monolith that powers lots of good quality stoner/retro rock.  If that’s your bag, you’ll certainly get a thrill listening to this.

More upbeat, ‘Strange Hold’ is this album’s most danceable number.  The drums may dictate more of a swagger and bounce, but the result has just as much power as the more ominous ‘Black Tongue’.   Each member of the band brings equal brilliance to this short piece: the rhythm section is tight, the guitars have the kind of distorted dominance that befits such a Sabbath-inspired outing and the lead vocal once again has an extra something… The contrast between the tone of Jillian’s vocal and the fuzziness of the riffs works as brilliant musical yin yang.  Beyond a solid drum line, ‘Good God Damn’ is a tad atonal, but that was surely the band’s intention.  On this Dead Weather-eque workout, dressed in a little reverb, the lead voice sounds very cool.  Beyond that, the number doesn’t break far beyond some oddly demanding drones until the inevitable climax, topped by a guitar solo that’s more about reverb than notes and flashiness.  Generally, the music serves to draw attention farther to the vocal and drum parts – both of which are strong enough to carry this particular piece.

There are equally enjoyable moments where the band deviate from Fu Manchu inspired grooves and kick into more psych rock/rhythm ‘n’ blues fare.  The second half of ‘Can’t Get Him Away’ is such an offering.  Adding farther enjoyment to its distinctive fuzzed out rock, it has a dual vocal where Taylor is joined by gritty tones from drummer Owen Stewart – the result of which sounds kind of like Blue Cheer tackling Ten Years After, before being heavied up for extra impact. Going for atmospheres over intensity, ‘Holy Father’ is the softest and slowest number on the album, but is perhaps guitarist John Scarperia’s finest moment, swapping distortion for an echoing lead delivering no shortage of bluesy licks. A limited lyric means that any vocal is almost just extra instrumentation, adding a little something extra to the very late 60s/early 70s vibe.  Even better, the jangly ‘Nowhere’ sounds at first like it’s going to break into a tune by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, before blossoming into a psych rocker that could be described as an atmospheric groover.  Beneath the ringing guitar tones, bassist Mike Parise finds plenty of space to include busy riffs.  It’s great to hear him branching out farther from the usual unwavering approach Ruby’s music usually demands.

Ruby The Hatchet may not be especially big on choruses (some songs don’t have any, others don’t always fulfil potential, settling for a few one-liners), but everything else seriously makes up for that.  When it comes to style, these tunes have plenty.  Listen…and you won’t be sorry you did.  Don’t just take Real Gone’s word for it – after all, no amount of flowery prose makes up for hearing something first hand and ‘Ouroboros’ is worth any amount of time you’d care to invest in it.  It’s 2012’s best heavy psych/stoner record, bar none.

November 2012

MADNESS – Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da

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In the 80s, Madness put out a string of great albums. Moving effortlessly from ska based tunes to their own very distinct brand of bass and piano driven pop, they barely put a foot wrong in their formative years [comedy asian voices on 1982’s ‘Rise & Fall’, coupled with Mike Barson’s blacking up on that album’s sleeve being about the only wrongdoing prior to 1985].  Various reunions after 1992 have yielded reasonable pop music, with 2009’s ‘Liberty of Norton Folgate’ being the best of an average bunch, though little from the post-80s recordings resemble Madness at their best.

The band’s tenth album, the appallingly named ‘Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da’, continues Suggs and company’s ongoing spiral into mediocrity.  Nothing here is as embarrassing as the band’s 90’s woeful comeback hit ‘Lovestruck’, but – aside from two songs – very little here is actually inspiring.  At best, there are glimmers greatness manifesting in an unmistakable Barson tack piano (even if his playing lacks the fire of formative years) or a fine bassline (though Mark Bedford is notably absent; his place taken by session man Graham Bush).  For the most part, though, on this selection of “sophisticated” pop tunes, Madness sound like they’re going the motions with Graham “Suggs” MacPherson’s talk-based singing sounding incredibly half arsed on a good proportion of the material.

The album’s clear stand out ‘Death of a Rude Boy’ has a strong reggae base, it’s mid paced grooves and dark atmosphere tipping the hat to the Specials’ #1 hit ‘Ghost Town’ (something hammered home by a spooky harmonica sound).  While the chorus is a one liner, the band pull the best from it via some mildly sinister hamony vocals intercut by enjoyable tinkling from Barso’s tack-piano.  Also enjoyable, ‘How Can I Tell You’ features all the hallmarks of great Madness tunes past – upfront bass, good use of brass, a simple hook punctuating some faintly silly lyrics – delivered with relative enthusiasm.  It’s a tune which should connect with long-term fans while being quirky enough to attract the casual ‘greatest hits’ owner.

Beyond that, there’s nothing else genuinely exciting to be heard.  The jaunty sounding ‘Misery’ and the Smyth-penned ‘So Alive’ both utilise unashamed ska rhythms, but rather than having the ferocity of a 2-Tone recording, their near mid-pace is more of the traditional Blue Beat variety.  There’s nothing wrong with that particularly, but it only really makes these tunes a small step up from something from Suggs’s ‘Lone Ranger’ solo album.  Close your eyes and it’s not even that hard to imagine him contributing ‘So Alive’ to a Jools Holland & Friends album.  It’s lightweight and undemanding – and possibly enjoyable for some, yes – but classic Madness it ain’t.  When ‘So Alive’ is potentially one of the best tracks that ‘Oui Oui’ has to offer, that’s rather worrying.

Dipping into pop-ish territory, the Woodgate composition ‘Leon’ bristles along happily driven by a tack piano, unwavering bass line and a few more guitars than Madness ever employed previously.  It’s sunny vibe and reasonable chorus makes for a good enough pop tune, but even with these solid foundations, it doesn’t manage to ignite any genuine sparks.  The bouncy ‘Circus Freaks’ offers more sax than most of these tunes, but even then, Lee Thompson doesn’t contribute anything memorable; it’s Barson who (as is often the case on these songs) brings most to the table, whether it’s via a hard struck piano or carny-esque organ swirls.  As for the song itself, it’s easy to forget once it has ended.

The Northern Soul influence throughout ‘My Girl 2’ provides a strong musical base, but even that isn’t used to its full potential.  Over the top, Suggs trots out a bunch of lightweight lyrics with no staying power and even Barson offers a rare misfire – an ugly synth solo.  Thommo’s sax is possibly the only thing which stands out – and even that’s underused.  Still, even ‘MG2’ worst features fare better than anything on ‘La Luna’, a horrible mariachi inspired tune that’s mere muzak in comparison to its nearest equivalent – the lovely ‘Return of The Las Palmas 7’.

Strongly linking these largely uninteresting ditties  with their vibrant heyday, Madness drop in a few very familiar musical motifs from time to time, such as parts of ‘Embarrassment’ during the vocal and sax parts of ‘Never Knew Your Name’, ‘Kitchen Floor’s shameless ‘My Girl’ intro and definite ‘Mr Speaker’ tones from Barson during ‘Small World’.  In fairness, that’s probably to be expected from a band who actually have no striking new ideas left to give, but smug self-reference really doesn’t make any of these songs any better.

On ‘The Rise and Fall’ and ‘Keep Moving’ (released in 1982 and 1984 respectively) Madness proved that beyond the ska roots with which they were often labelled, they were a band capable of classy and distinctive pop arrangements.  Three decades down the line, it seems they don’t remember the magical formula they used in creating those albums.  ‘Death of a Rude Boy’ proves that Madness can still cut it when they try, but on most of ‘Oui Oui’, they just sound so bored.  On ‘Circus Freaks’, Suggs asks “why should anybody care?”, and sadly, when faced with such bland material, it feels like a painfully loaded question.  A once great band, sounding all but bereft of inspiration, only hardcore fans will find any real enjoyment in this…and even then, it’s possible to imagine they’ll lose interest pretty quickly.

November 2012

Posted in pop

THE FAULTS – Patients EP

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On The Faults’ debut EP (a self-titled release from 2011) the band’s two members, Oli (gtr/vox) and Tom (drums) hammered their way through four reverb-drenched songs, sticking rigidly to the confines of the two-man setup.  While their work didn’t actually bring anything of a new slant to the garage rock genre, the tunes were played with absolute conviction and with a great energy.  Their second release, ‘Patients’ brings the keen garage rock fan much more of the same.

Beginning this second EP in a really unsubtle fashion, ‘Patience’ opens with raucous drums and hammered guitar, over which Oli wails like a man possessed by demons, his voice fuzzed up to create an extra level of intensity. While fans of garage-based noises are likely to dig this, be warned: the general looseness displayed means they’re in danger of sounding more like The Strokes in a slightly drunken stupor than The White Stripes or New York’s mighty Dead Exs at their best.  Much better, ‘Peace of Mind’ mashes an early sixties Phil Spector inspired beat with a guitar jangle that’s almost got a Mexicana vibe – like something from a spaghetti western played in a garage.  Between the disjointed pieces of music, the voice has a very strong presence, bawled with very little restraint. The combination of interesting tune and vocal forcefulness makes this one of the EPs better offerings.

‘Chivalry’ is a standard issue garage rocker where, between the crashing cymbals and the threat of a lead guitar break which never manages to surface, The Faults’ play firmly to their strengths.  Slowing things down and potentially becoming a touch more interesting in doing so, ‘Summer’ brings in a slight tone of sixties pop to the song writing. With the shift in pace, Oli’s voice gets a brief opportunity to stretch out on some longer, croony notes.  Despite a stronger focus on the voice and stripping back the drums, the general tone stays within their fuzzed up remit – yes, it may sound a little poppier in its construction, but everything still comes with a truckload of reverb…and if you’ve dug The Faults’ thus far, chances are, you’ll dig this too.  The strongest – and most easily accessible track – ‘Leather Jacket’ brings more of a trashy rock ‘n’ roll aesthetic to The Faults’ sound, all groove-led drumming and spiky guitar.  Think Jon Spencer Blues Explosion circa ‘Orange’ (though with Spencer’s drunken Presley-isms replaced by something less stylised) and you’ll know where this is headed.  Upbeat and sweaty, this is the Australian duo’s finest (almpst) two minutes.

Even though perhaps three of the five songs aren’t quite as instant as ‘Quarter’ from The Faults’ previous release, there’s some ragged fun to be had from ‘Patients’.  It is not as sharp as it could have perhaps been, but rest assured, it gets better with each play. ‘Leather Jacket’, meanwhile, is a killer track – certainly great enough to make up for anything potentially lacking elsewhere.

October 2012