Bad Mary’s third release, 2016’s ‘We Could Have Saved The World’ presented a great blend of pop punk and trashy rock, as if the band had absorbed little bits of the second Save Ferris album and Duff McKagan’s Loaded, before regurgitated them with bits of Bowling For Soup’s pop savvy, which created something of their own. It was the kind of EP that deserved to win fans quickly, and on their 2019 full length, the band showed off an equally impressive array of musical skills that suggested their love of classic styles wasn’t about to wear thin any time soon.
Tag Archives: rock
THE REAL GONE SINGLES BAR #1
Welcome to the Real Gone Singles Bar, a new feature where we explore some of the digital tracks that have been sent our way. We’ve always shied away from single coverage in the past, as the art of appreciating a full album is special, but listeners’ habits – and the way a lot of bands are releasing music – has changed. We’re now constantly finding ourselves with an inbox full of individual MP3s that fall by the wayside. Rounding up some of the best seemed like a good idea, and its something we’re hoping to take forward in tandem with our usual coverage. We hope you enjoy it and find something special enough to follow up!
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THE SHANG HI LOS – Aces, Eights And Heartbreaks
The debut EP from The Shang Hi Los was a little rough around the edges, but at its heart, it had some great songs. The musical marriage between guitarist Danny Kopko (Watts) and Jen D’Angora (Downbeat 5) seemed to be a perfect one, and their mix of garage rock and retro pop suggested great things ahead. A couple of years on, this full length album is bigger sounding, more slickly arranged and better produced, creating the kind of record that’s almost everything fans could’ve hoped for. By tackling various different styles throughout, it sometimes has a restless spirit, but some strong vocals – aplied brilliantly throughout – ensure the material hangs together well as a showcase for the Boston band’s talents.
HEAVENS EDGE – Get It Right
The 1990 debut from Heavens Edge is held in high esteem by some melodic metal fans. Released during the tail end of the big hair boom, the record mixed different rock and metal styles with some inconsistency, but when the record really hit the mark, it showed off a really talented band. From high octane solos and riffs on loan from Judas Priest’s ‘Point of Entry’ on ‘Play Dirty’, to unashamed party rock derived from Warrant (‘Skin To Skin’), a passable take on a Ratt-ish sound (‘Bad Reputation’) and even a couple of melodic rock standouts (‘Come Play The Game’, ‘Find Another Way’), it became an album with something of interest to many hard rock fans at the time. Unfortunately, their musical enthusiasm didn’t translate into mega worldwide acclaim – or sales figures – and following a few years of swimming against a musical tide, the band split in 1993.
TRAPEZE – Midnight Flyers: Complete Recordings Volume 2 – 1975-81
In the minds of many, Trapeze will be best remembered as the band that gave the now legendary Glenn Hughes his first major steps in the music world. On three albums recorded between 1969 and 1972, Hughes showed a strong vocal talent. Whether tackling strange psychedelic jams (as per the Trapeze debut), or losing himself within deep, soulful blues, it seemed there was nothing the young musician couldn’t take in his stride. It wasn’t until the release of 1972’s ‘You Are The Music…We’re Just The Band’, however, that Hughes and Trapeze really hit upon a perfect sound, with a blend of hard rock, blues and soul that would rival the likes of Free in terms of talent. As great as the album was – and remains – it failed to chart, but Trapeze hadn’t gone entirely unnoticed. Whilst playing live shows for the album, Hughes was headhunted by Ritchie Blackmore for a new line up of Deep Purple, and fter the release of their ‘Burn’ LP in 1974 – a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic – Glenn’s career was catapulted into the stratosphere.