Crobot- Welcome To Fat City

Posted on September 28, 2016 by coralmccallum

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After a lengthy “mayoral” campaign, Crobot released their second album, Welcome To Fat City, via Nuclear Blast on 23 September.

Recorded at The Machine Shop and produced by Machine, as Crobot commented at the time, they’ve “brewed up a new batch of dirty tunes.” Eleven of them to be precise.

Title track Welcome To Fat City opens proceedings. A slightly subdued drum into lures the listener into Fat City then bang! Inspired by the late Hunter S Thompson of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas fame, Welcome To Fat City is a monster of an opener. It’s heavily populated with Crobot’s trademark 70’s bluesy/funk/rock. These boys are back in town with avengeance!

A couple of tracks from the record found their way into Crobot’s live set during 2015. Having already had the pleasure of hearing Play It Cool and Easy Money played live, I was keen to hear the recorded versions. Neither of them fail to deliver. Both of them translate well with Easy Money edging a little ahead for me personally. Love the harmonica. Love the element of sleaze to this one. A real dirty tune, boys!

Not For Sale is the first single to be released from the record. It’s the most commercial track but it’s still hard and heavy. No compromises here. Great riffs and a heavy bass line. Well done Messrs Bishop and Figueroa. “But who paid your debt to be here? No one and my soul is not for sale.” The only thing these boys from Pennsylvania have sold their souls to is their music.

Hold On For Dear Life has a beautiful melancholy intro. “I roam this lonely space. Desolate and afraid.” There’s a definite air of desperation here that Brandon conveys to perfection with his vocals. Some stunning guitars from Chris Bishop. Subtle and controlled. Love it!

Temple In The Sky and Right Between The Eyes see a return to the heavier side of Crobot. Brilliant bass and drums from Messrs Figueroa. And was that you channelling your inner Bruce Dickinson at the start of Right Between The Eyes, Mr Yeagley? Great vocals! Love the drums on this track! It definitely gets the listener right between the eyes!

Blood On The Snow oozes the classic Crobot funk/psychedelic/blues/stoner rock sound. One of the stand out tracks on this album. A potential single perhaps? Looking forward to hearing this one live.

Moment Of Truth is as close to a ballad as Crobot get. This is a stunningly intense track. Heavy blues influences. Great lyrics. I honestly think this is the first time I’ve ever heard the word cranium sung! My current favourite track on the album.

Plague Of The Mammoths brings things to a thundering conclusion. Chris Bishop gets to play with his beloved effects pedals. Great heavy bass line from Jake Figueroa. Solid drumming from Paul Figueroa and all topped off by another stunning vocal display by Brandon Yeagley. “Fearlessly. Defend. We’ll fight ‘til we avenge.”  That’s a fight I’m confident you’ll all win!

Second albums can often be a make or break point for a band. Welcome To Fat City doesn’t disappoint. These four boys from Pottsville Pa have built on the distinctive sound they delivered in Something Supernatural and developed it but without losing any of that raw passion that fills their live shows. Maybe I’m just a little bit biased here as I love these guys but I’m delighted to be welcomed to enter Fat City by its new mayor!

 

10/10

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images source vis Google

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Blues Pills – Lady In Gold

Posted on August 28, 2016 by coralmccallum

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I first stumbled across Blues Pills in December 2014 when I saw them support Rival Sons in Glasgow. By the time they reached the end of their short set, I was hooked.

So having already fallen in love with their self-titled debut album, I waited with growing excitement for the release of their second record.

Lady In Gold was released on 5 August via Nuclear Blast. Produced by Don Altersberg, Lady In Gold runs to ten tracks (nine new songs and one cover).

The title track opens the record with an instantly catchy honky tonk piano intro. Singing about the Lady In Gold being the “keeper of the soul”, there’s plenty of soul in Elin Larsson’s vocal performance. A performance that I’m sure soul queen Aretha Franklin would give a nod of approval to.

There’s a decided shift of style to this record when compared directly to Blues Pills’ debut. The psychedelia and soaring guitar sound with an edge of hippy chic have been moulded into a far more soulful, almost gospel, sound. It’s as though their musical journey has moved from the late 1960’s/early 1970’s  to the mid- late 1970’s.

I Felt A Change is a classic 1970’s power ballad. Beautiful organ and keyboards. Stunning simple and polished vocal performance, showing a warmth and maturity. But…where are the guitars?  Where’s the bass? Where’s Dorrian? Where’s Zack?

Gone So Long follows and, to me, it sounds like a Bond song. I’m looking for Daniel Craig here and I’m hearing too much Adele and not enough Elin. Great drumming from Andre Kvarnstrom and some soaring guitars (at last) from Dorrian Sorriaux go some way to rescuing this one as a Blues Pills song.

The Blues Pills sound from their debut returns in You Gotta Try. Love this sultry moody track. There’s a hint of gospel here but it’s accompanied by strong influences of Led Zeppelin. The hypnotic Blues Pills vibe is most definitely there in this one. Love it!

Won’t Go Back follows and finally Dorrian Sorriaux gets to use his beloved 1970’s effects. This track is more up tempo but again is filled with soul. Are we moving towards mid-late 1970’s disco a bit here too? I’m sure I caught a glimpse of a mirror ball…..

Lady In Gold concludes with a cover of Tony Joe White’s Elements And Things. “Can you hear the thunder?”  Yes- and I wish we’d heard more of it throughout this record. A powerful, thunderous song to conclude with that gives a glimmer of hope for a return to the Blues Pills of the previous record.

Second albums are always a bit of a “make or break” moment for a band. If you’ve enjoyed critical acclaim with the debut, you have to build on that and enhance things without losing the identity that attracted the accolades in the first instance. Have Blues Pills done that here?  I don’t think so….sorry.

Don’t get me wrong, Lady In Gold is a good album. There’s some stunning moments on it, the title track being the highlight for me personally, but I can sense it may divide their fan base. If you loved the psychedelic, fuzz laden sweeping guitars of their debut then you may feel a bit betrayed here. There are no star tracks Little Sun  or Devil Man. The raw energy is missing.

Lady in Gold is a mature, polished and more commercial record than their self-titled debut but it’s more soul then RnFnR.

 

6/10

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images sourced via Google – credits to the owners

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The Kentucky Headhunters at the O2 ABC Glasgow 27 July 2016 – a memorable night.

Posted on July 30, 2016 by coralmccallum

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For the first time this year, I headed off “unchaperoned” on the 5:25 train to Glasgow earlier this week. I’ll be honest, I do find it a bit daunting to be heading out to a gig on my own but I’d waited a long time for the opportunity to see these gentlemen play live.

I was destined for my favourite venue. Yes, the O2 ABC to see The Kentucky Headhunters play their first ever Scottish show.

As I sat gazing out of the train window, I tried to work out just how many years had passed since I first borrowed a copy of a Kentucky Headhunters LP from the local record library. (Let’s just say, it was a good few years ago before the launch of CDs.)

When I arrived at the O2 ABC there were a handful of fans already in line half an hour before the doors were due to open. While I waited in the queue, the band and the support band were all milling about the entrance chatting and taking photos. Already everything was very laid back.

Once inside I was pleasantly surprised when we were directed into the smaller room – the O2 ABC2.  While naturally disappointed for the band that they hadn’t drawn in more ticket sales, I realised that those of us who were there were in for something a bit special.

Bad Touch, a five piece band for Norwich, opened proceedings in front of a small but enthusiastic audience. These young guys played a passionate forty five minute set.  Their nine song set created the perfect atmosphere for the headline act. Highlights of their performance for me were Preacher, 99% and set closer Down. Definitely a band to keep a watchful eye on.

A few minutes later, the moment everyone in the room had been waiting for was upon us. The Kentucky Headhunters stepped out onto the tiny stage. (The O2 ABC2 is a very intimate room and the stage is somewhat  on the small side to say the least!) No frills. No setlists at their feet. Hell, not even their own drum kit on the stage! This was a stripped back, straight from the heart kind of rock’n’roll show.

Big Boss Man opened the ninety minute set. Standing right next to the stage, you could see the twinkle in Doug Phelps’ eyes at the warmth of the welcome they had been given by their Scottish fans.

For those unfamiliar with the Kentucky Headhunters and their music, their founding members Richard and Fred Young are the father and uncle of one John Fred Young, drummer with Black Stone Cherry. Watching Fred Young play, it’s all too easy to see who inspired John Fred’s playing! Mr Young Sr appeared on stage stripped to the waist, wearing red sneakers, blue jeans with red braces and a Davy Crockett hat!. Brilliantly eccentric!!

As they played through some of their classic numbers like Dumas Walker, Wishin’ Well and It’s Chitlin’ Time, it was obvious that the Headhunters were having as much fun as the audience.

Richard Young offered a heartfelt apology for not having played live in Scotland before, explaining he’d been too “chickenshit” to fly. (Apparently John Fred Young and Chris Robertson from Black Stone Cherry press ganged him into this eight date UK tour.)

These gentlemen from Kentucky delivered a fabulous rendition of House Of The Rising Sun, followed by a reprise of Stairway To The Outhouse (sorry,… Stairway To Heaven. Not sure what Messrs Page and Plant would have had to say about it.) Brilliant!

One of my personal highlights of their set was Dumas Walker as it was one of the first Headhunters’ songs I ever heard back in the late 1980’s. Loved it.

Another memorable moment was Spirit In The Sky. I love this song! The Glasgow crowd sang and danced their hearts out along to that one! Being so close to the stage, the band were watching us as closely as we were watching them so perhaps I better apologise now for my bad dancing!

Fred Young’s drum solo was another highlight a short while later. Even on a borrowed kit, he killed it!

Towards the latter portion of the set, Richard Young told the audience a story about how the Headhunters came to work with bluesman Johnnie Johnson. (The Chuck Berry classic Johnnie B Goode is reportedly a tribute to Johnnie Johnson.) The Headhunters worked with him shortly before his death in 2005 and have recorded a CD of his music, Meet Me In Bluesland. To follow his tale, Richard then introduced the next song Walking With The Wolf from the record. Awesome blues song that the Glasgow crowd fell in love with instantly. Greg Martin’s guitar playing during this and it has to be said throughout the entire night was stunning.

All good things have to come to an end though. Before beginning another classic, Davy Crockett, Fred Young donned a “See You, Jimmy” bunnet. Nice touch, sir! He also swapped places with the drummer from Bad Touch part way through the song so that he could dance his way up to the mic and lend his voice to the song. Highly entertaining.

As the Headhunters rounded their set off with Hey Jude, Bad Touch came out to join in the party. If the audience could’ve, they’d have been up on stage too!

Fantastic end to an incredible show and also the end of their first UK tour. Here’s hoping it won’t be their only UK tour.

I might have waited over twenty five years to see these guys but it was worth the wait.

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Thanks to Bad Touch for signing their set list for me

Thanks to The Kentucky Headhunters for the picks and for signing my CD.

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Biffy Clyro – Ellipsis

Posted on July 20, 2016 by coralmccallum

ELLIPSIS

Despite living less than fifty miles from this band’s hometown of Kilmarnock, I’ve arrived late to the Biffy Clyro party. Perhaps I should start this review with an apology…

Biffy Clyro first crossed my musical radar about six years ago when Boy Child asked me to buy him one of their albums. I did but I didn’t listen to it.

They launched themselves into my radar and, literally, had me swept off my feet (took me three songs to get my feet back on the floor) when I saw them play live at the MTV Worldstage double header show with Slash back in November 2014 at Glasgow’s O2 Academy. Their set on that occasion was mainly comprised of songs from 2009’s Only Revolutions album, the one that I’d bought years before for Boy Child. It was an incredible set!

Biffy Clyro recently released their seventh album, Ellipsis, on the Warner Bros label. The album opens with a little snatch of almost derisive laughter and captures front man, Simon Neil, scoffing “Record this?!” …eh… yes!

If I had to describe Ellipsis in only one word, I’d say emotional. Each and every song is filled with emotions – half angry; half personal and more than a tad haunted.

Simon Neil has spoken openly and candidly to the press about his emotional breakdown. The songs that make up Ellipsis see him explore the various aspects of this tormented period of his life and make for a powerful listening experience.

The album opens with The Wolves of Winter, the first song that the band recorded for the record. It’s an impressive start! It’s angsty. It’s aggressive. It’s fantastic! Biffy Clyro are back in business!

Friends And Enemies follows, complete with children’s choir in the background. Great drumming with an African tribal feel to it. This is an anthem about betrayal. “With friends as good as you who needs enemies.” Speaks volumes.

Animal Style completes the opening powerhouse trio. Another aggressive energetic track. “I didn’t want the captain’s role but I’ll steer us over highs and lows.” And you’re doing a grand job, Captain Neil.

Then suddenly the mood shifts with Re-arrange, written as an open letter from Simon to his wife. This song has a haunting fragility to it and is stunningly beautiful. “I wrote a hundred songs to make sense of the meaningless. I’ll un-write them if you help me clear up this mess.” The fact that Ellipsis was written, recorded and released suggests that Mrs Neil did. Thank you!

The anger and aggression returns a few tracks later with On A Bang. Strong punk/hardcore influences here. A complete change of tack for our captain. Awesome drumming from Ben Johnston. This song threatens to descend into a rant but Simon Neil holds his anger in check….just! “Why don’t you f**king do better?” I can’t help but wonder if the rant was directed inwards at himself.

Small Wishes is a delightful find and a moment of light heartedness amidst all the emotions of Ellipsis. Yes, it’s a bit cheesy. A bit like an American happy family TV drama theme. Small Wishes has a strong country air and flavour of summer to it. Love the honky tonk piano. Great melody and the wolf howl is inspired. Love this wee song!

Howl follows on (more wolf references) and is perhaps the most commercial/radio friendly track on the album. Hints of the Foo Fighters here perhaps? Howl is sure to be a big fan favourite when played live. Again it echoes back to past torments – “Lately it’s hard to let you know that I’ll never learn” in the fan friendly chorus.

A standard version of Ellipsis draws to a close with People. Another change of mood. Horns and an acoustic guitar into. A very powerful song musically and lyrically. “Life illuminate dark.” Yes, it sure does. Gorgeous song.

There are two more gems on the deluxe edition of Ellipsis. The first of these Don’t Won’t Can’t has strong ska/reggae influences. A fantastic beat and my favourite line on the entire record. “By the time you reach thirty you’ll be useless as f**K.” Brilliant! (I guess, as I’m on the far side of forty five, I’m done for!)

In The Name Of The Wee Man (love that title) rounds things off in a defiant angry volatile display of talent. It suggests that Biffy Clyro are a force to be reckoned with…and I for one won’t disagree.

This album is a powerful emotional and, at times, very intimate musical journey. The personal nature of some of the songs may make some listeners uncomfortable. I however think that the band, especially Simon Neil, are to be commended for showing their vulnerable side to their fans here. Scots folk aren’t very good at admitting when things maybe aren’t quite right on an emotional level (“Och, I’m fine” – we’ve all heard it said and known it to be a lie) but the Scots are world class at pouring their hearts and souls into their music.

To reflect on the title for a moment – Ellipsis means “the omission from speech or writing of a word or words that are superfluous or able to be understood from contextual clues” It is the perfect title for this masterpiece. All the clues are there if you listen.

Loved it!

 

10/10

 

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Mark Harrison – Turpentine

Posted on June 28, 2016 by coralmccallum

Turpentine

Sometimes in life you stumble across an artist or band who perhaps doesn’t naturally fit with your preferred genre of music but who swiftly become your guilty pleasure.

Since I was first introduced to rootsy blues/folk maestro Mark Harrison, when I was asked to review his third album, The World Outside, almost two years ago, he’s become my guilty musical pleasure.

Turpentine is Mark’s fifth release and follows swiftly on the heels of his live album, On The Chicken Sandwich Train. It was recorded at London’s Heart of Gold Studios and produced by Tim Bazell.

Armed with his trademark National and 12 string acoustic guitars, Mark is ably accompanied by fellow musicians Charles Benfield (double bass and backing vocals) who appeared alongside Mark on 2015’s live recording, Ed Hopwood (drums, percussion, harmonica and backing vocals) and Paul Tkchenko (mandolin, piano. Organ and accordian).

Turpentine brings us thirteen, lucky for some, songs, all written by Mark Harrison. Three of these, Black Dog Moan, Hell Of A Story and Hardware Store, premiered on On The Chicken Sandwich Train but these, along with the remaining ten, are fresh and vibrant.

The album opens with Black Dog Moan. Instantly toe tapping, this upbeat song delivers a positive message in a slightly downbeat fashion that life’s not always perfect. This song contains perhaps my favourite line from the whole record. “And I really love the bits of her I can stand.” I’m pretty sure we’ve all felt like that about someone at some point in life!

One of the highlights of this record is The Treaty Of Dancing Rabbit Creek. This is a solid rootsy blues tale, telling the story of Greenwood Leflore and the Choctaw Indians in Mississippi in the 1830’s. Love the harmonica on this one. Great track!

Dog Rib is the only instrumental on the album and showcases not only Mark’s musical prowess but that of his fellow musicians. Stunning slide guitar work here. The bowed double bass is a subtle touch. When the drum beat begins, the toe begins to tap. Love it!

Next of Kin brings things down a notch and adds another dimension to proceedings. It’s slow rootsy blues vibe creates slightly sleepy mood. I can visualise myself sitting on a swing or a rocking chair on the front porch of a house in the Deep South at dusk while this is played. There’s a dark, swampy, gothic edge to this one. A powerful piece of music.

I want to meet Josephina Johnson! Maybe we’ve all met her. Maybe some of us are part Josephina. This track spins the tale of a formidable lady who might be walking down the street in downtown Chicago during the Great Depression or down the main street in a small town in the Mississippi Delta or she could be walking down the street ahead of you. Can you see her? Great simple song. No frills. Just good old honest playing. Inspired!

Turpentine is brought to a fitting close with Shake The House. There’s a real upbeat feel good vibe here. A ray of hope! As the liner notes explain “when blues music was invented, juke joints were the social scene- bars and shacks in small towns or on the edge of plantations for partying away from the gruesome rest of life”. The story goes that on occasion folks partied so hard that they went straight through the floor. (Cue a vision of the scene from Disney’s Aristocats where Scat Cat and his band crash through the floors of the house and keep on playing.) Great track to end on! We’ve shaken the house to its very foundations with this one! This would be a great set closer in the live arena…hint!

I’m going to be honest. I don’t have enough technical musical knowledge to do justice to describing Mark’s musicianship. To my uneducated ear, I recognise brilliance when I hear it and it resonates through every one of the thirteen songs on offer here.

Mike Harding, renowned folk musician and TV/radio presenter, has described Mark as “one of the British Isles’ great blues singers and guitarists…totally and absolutely original.” He’s right but he perhaps forgot to add that Mark is an incredible lyricist, spinning stories with every song.

So, if you allow yourself only one guilty musical pleasure this summer, treat yourself to a copy of Turpentine and Shake The House!

 

9/10

 

More information about Mark Harrison and his music can be found here:

http://www.markharrisonrootsmusic.com/shop.php

 

Mark Harrison

credits to the owners of the images sourced via Google

 

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A Tremonster Night With Tremonti

Posted on June 17, 2016 by coralmccallum

Last Monday evening I boarded the 525 train to Glasgow, picking up my chaperones, Boy Child and Facebook Son en route, and headed off out to play.

Our destination for the evening was the O2 ABC to see Tremonti in concert, fresh from their appearance at Download the day before.

As we marched our way up Sauchiehall Street, we paused at a junction to wait on the “wee green man”. I glanced across the street and found myself staring straight at Messrs Tremonti and Keegan (both on their phones otherwise I would’ve said hello) going the wrong way!

Almost half an hour later as we queued outside the venue, Messrs Tremonti and Keegan reappeared and then promptly disappeared into a nearby bagel shop.

Fifteen minutes before the doors were due to open one of the Showsec guys came striding past, entered said bagel shop and promptly returned with half the support act plus the two members of Tremonti.

Almost show time….or should that be dinner time?

Man The Mighty were the only support act of the evening. It’s a credit to them that the O2 ABC was pretty much full when they took to the stage at 7:30. Not many support acts are afforded the privilege of a full room. Man The Mighty blasted their way into their all too short half hour set (They may actually have been louder than the headliners). These four guys from Chicago have a huge future in front of them. Their set was a balance of songs from their debut album, I Am Icarus, and their recently released ep, Paper Crown.

Derek Smith on vocals is a mighty force to be reckoned with and soon had the Glasgow fans on side. Not to detract from the talents of Bass player Tyler Nelson and drummer Matt Harmening, but Tim Tournier on guitar was a joy to behold! So much talent on display. (Have you been taking lessons from Mark, Tim?)

Highlights of their set for me were Sick and Friend Or Foe. Eargasmic!

Hurry back to Glasgow, guys. We need to hear a full set from Man The Mighty!

A few short minutes later, the lights dimmed, the spotlights swept the stage and Tremonti stepped out, launching straight into Another Heart. Instantly there was a renewed energy in the room!

With Tremonti the songs fly off the frets hard and fast with the band cramming some sixteen numbers into a mere ninety minutes.

Another Heart was swiftly followed by Cauterize and You Waste Your Time. Next on the set was one of my personal favourites and possibly the highlight of the night – Flying Monkeys! It’s impossible to listen to this firm fan favourite without your head nodding in time. It’s hard. It’s heavy. It’s raw. It’s loud! Love it!

Dust was another highlight a few minutes later. Mark Tremonti’s opening vocals here were majestically controlled, highlighting just how much he has matured into the role of front man. Mark’s solo in Dust was incredible.

As the dust settled, Tremonti began the distinctive intro to one of the heaviest songs of the night- Brains! With strobe lighting illuminating the room, the mosh pit was in full force in the centre.

“Let me fucking hear you!” roared Mark Tremonti from the stage.

The fans obliged in true inimitable Glasgow style.

Arm Yourself and Decay continued the heaviest section of the set much to the moshers’ delight ( Boy Child and Facebook Son were in the thick of the mayhem- gulp!)

All too soon Mark was introducing their final number, Wish You Well, with his usual request for a huge circle pit, with the caveat that the crowd keep it friendly and look after each other. The pit started to circle, almost spanning the room, but soon contracted into a standard mosher’s paradise.

And then it was done!

All evening I’d been standing a row back from the rail in front of bass player Tanner Keegan. In front of me was a young man of about twelve with his mum. He’d stood wide eyed and smiling all night. Tanner had been keeping an eye on him throughout the show. At the end of the set he had leaned forward from the edge of the stage to pass the boy his pick. The boy dropped it! Undeterred tanner passed him a second one which he caught. A lovely gesture!

For those who had purchased items from the merchandise stall the night wasn’t quite finished. While the majority of the tired fans trooped towards the door those of us with the neon wristbands waited patiently in line for the post show meet and greet.

As I reached the front of the queue I exchanged pleasantries with Eric Friedman and Garrett Whitlock, stealing a hot sweaty hug from each of them. Next in line was Mark Tremonti and I couldn’t resist asking if he’d enjoyed his pre-show bagel. With a slightly quizzical look he confessed that it hadn’t quite lived up to expectations. Tanner Keegan was last in line and I duly stole a fourth hug.

Sweaty hugs all exchanged and ticket duly signed it was time to head home, tired, very sweaty (it had been roasting hot in the venue) but happy.

Hurry back, guys, and try the coffee shop on the opposite side of the road next time

MTMTremonti 1Tremonti 2

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Rival Sons – Hollow Bones

Posted on June 10, 2016 by coralmccallum

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The long awaited successor to Rival Sons’ critically acclaimed Great Western Valkyrie is released on 10 June 2016.

Hollow Bones is the band’s fifth album and is released on Earache Records.

When Rival Sons decided to step into the studio everything was accomplished at quite some pace. They took a mere three weeks to record Hollow Bones at Nashville’s LCS Studio under the watchful eye of Grammy award winning producer Dave Cobb.

The album opens with Hollow Bones Pt1. Similar to the approach taken with Manifest Destiny on Head Down in 2012, Hollow Bones Pt 2 will appear later in the record. Instantly recognisable as Rival Sons, this is quite a short blues-influenced track. Short and sweet but sure to be a crowd favourite in the live arena.

Tied Up has already featured on the recent live sets across Europe. This track is bold with an edge of gothic menace to it. Filled with deep strong rhythms and a thundering riff, this is one of the album’s highlights. Love it!

Thundering Voices follows with a fabulous riff.  Great bass here too. Stunning vocal performance by Jay Buchanan on this one. A complex track with a delightful haunting edge to it.

Pretty Face brings a change of vibe a couple of tracks further on. Described by the band as an “electrifying anthem” this song is suitably quirky. It’s the epitome of the Rival Sons that the fans have come to know and love over the years.

In contrast, Fade Out is haunting, raw and filled with emotion. Soulful vocals blended with a blues/rock melody. Magnificent performances all round and some beautifully controlled drumming by Michael Miley. Another incredible vocal performance by Jay. Love it!

Black Coffee, a cover of the Humble Pie song, is perhaps a surprising inclusion on Hollow Bones. It was included in the “tour edition” of Great Western Valkyrie but it remains one of my personal favourites. (This should be my anthem considering my own caffeine habit!) Love Scot Holiday’s passionate guitar work on this one.

Hollow Bones Pt 2 follows and brings a contrasting track to Pt1. There’s a hint of spaghetti western at the very start with a smattering of Native American. There’s no denying the Led Zeppelin feel to this one. Hollow Bones Pt 2 is a deeply spiritual tracks, perhaps encapsulating the varying beliefs of the four members of Rival Sons.

The album is brought to a beautifully tender conclusion with the closing track All That I Want. For me personally, this is the star track. It is Jay Buchanan as his finest and rivals the likes of Jordan and Where I’ve Been. This song is truly breath taking. Scot Holiday takes a back seat here with his accompaniment as do his fellow musicians. Their performances are suitably subtle. All That I Want is as emotional a song as it’s possible to hear. I adore it!

With this record Rival Sons have surpassed all my expectations. There is nothing hollow about this album! It is filled to the brim with musical genius.

I can’t wait to hear these songs on the live stage and am now impatiently waiting for news of a UK tour (hint! Hint!)

 

10/10

 

 

 

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Man The Mighty – Paper Crown EP

Posted on June 5, 2016 by coralmccallum

man-the-mighty-paper-crown-ep

Paper Crown EP is Man The Mighty’s second release, the follow up to 2013’s critically acclaimed I Am Icarus.

Released on 3 June, Paper Crown is a six track EP from the boys from Illinois. For those who are unfamiliar with the band, Man The Mighty are a four piece band with Derek Smith on vocals/guitar, Tim Tournier on guitar/vocals. Tyler Nelson on bass and Matt Harmening on drums. A mighty talented quartet!

The Coldest Day in August opens the proceedings with some passionate drumming. It’s a strong powerful but melodic track that’s instantly enjoyable. For me there was a vibe of a 1980’s brat pack movie theme to it. (Not a bad thing, by the way!)

Dead Man Walking is next and sets a dark brooding tone. There’s a hint of synth, almost electronica in the intro but this is soon swept away as the song progresses. Great strong vocal performance on this one.

Friend Or Foe is hard and heavy from the off. When the vocals come in, the anger becomes more passionate but again in a melodic way. Love this one. Strong sweeping track.

Title track Paper Crown follows. There’s no denying the Mark Tremonti/Alter Bridge influences in the intro. Beautifully played. While not strictly a ballad. Paper Crown is the highlight of this EP.  Love the emotion in the band’s performance here and it showcases how much these guys have matured into their own sound. Looking forward to hearing this one live.

Man Made Thunder is a thundering track from the start. Hard. Heavy. Powerful. Again the vocals are strong and melodic without detracting from the energy of the song.

Trenches is the final track on this all too short record. Great riff. More of an 80’s vibe here again. The drumming on this track is perhaps the best in the EP. Stunning if brief guitar solo here too. A soaring conclusion that takes the listener’s breath away and leaves them begging for more.

There’s not a weak track on Paper Crown and, in my mind, it’s only fault is it’s too short (Hint for next time, guys!)

Really looking forward to hearing how these tracks translate to the live setting when I see Man The Mighty in Glasgow on 13 June.

 

9/10

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Tremonti – Dust

Posted on May 5, 2016 by coralmccallum

tremonti-dust

The third album from Tremonti, Dust, was released last week via Fret 12. Produced by the talented Michael “Elvis” Baskette, Dust is the “companion” album to 2015’s Cauterize. I use the term “companion” loosely. Both albums were recorded together, ten tracks on each. Prior to Dust’s release, concerns were voiced online that it may be a collection of B-sides.

WRONG!

Dust is a powerful beast of an album!

The record opens with My Last Mistake. With its aggressive thrash metal intro, Tremonti instantly grabs their listener by the throat! This one is hard and heavy, setting the tone from the off. There is a huge chorus here that fans are bound to love in the live setting.

Next up is The Cage, bringing another mind blowing speed metal riff from Mr Tremonti. Again there’s a strong fan friendly chorus. Star of this track has to be Garrett Whitlock on drums. Awesome drumming, young man!

Title track, Dust, slows things down for a few moments. This is a soaring epic song that really shows how Mark Tremonti has matured as a vocalist over the past few years. Dust is full of soul and there’s a passion in the delivery of this one. Love it!

Tore My Heart Out adds another dimension to this album. There’s more of a grunge/psychedelic feel to this track. It would also be fair to say that there’s an Alter Bridge feel to it too. Love it.

Catching Fire is yet another huge heavy and powerful track. More incredible riffs. Fantastic drumming – possibly the best drum track on the record. Huge fan friendly chorus. Really hope this one makes the set list when Tremonti tour next month…hint..hint.

Tremonti have saved the best till last on Dust. Like Cauterize before it, Dust concludes on a mellower note with Unable To See. Again, like Providence on Cauterize, this song could’ve found its way into the Alter Bridge file but I’m glad to say it didn’t. A stunningly delicately picked intro is followed by a warm heartfelt vocal performance from Mark Tremonti. Is it the strongest vocal track on the record? No. Is it the one with the most raw emotion and passion for the lyrics? Yes! My highlight of the whole album. Love love love it!

In all honesty there’s not a weak track on Dust. It has a different vibe to it than Cauterize, despite the two records being recorded simultaneously, but that’s not a bad thing.  There’s still strong speed and thrash metal influences mixed in with the grunge influences and Alter Bridge-esque moments but in essence that’s what Tremonti’s sound has evolved from.

Much as I love the bass tracks laid down by Wolfgang Van Halen, it would be fantastic if going forward we could hear what touring bassist Tanner Keegan could do in a studio setting.

All in all, an awesome third outing from Messrs Tremonti, Friedman, Whitlock and Van Halen. Can’t wait to hear how it all translates to the live stage.

See you in Glasgow  in June, guys!

  

10/10

 

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Chris Cornell at Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall 29/04/16

Posted on May 2, 2016 by coralmccallum

Once again last Friday, I found myself climbing on board the 5.25 to Glasgow, accompanied by my good friend, Miss Rose Wine.

This time we were travelling to the civilised surroundings of Glasgow’s Royal Concert Hall, to be found at the top of the city’s Buchanan Street. It had been a long time since I had last visited the venue. (If memory serves me right, almost twenty years and the band on that occasion were Bjorn Again – no comment! I didn’t buy those tickets!!)

We arrived a little early for the show so headed into the Concert Hall’s café/restaurant. No queuing outside in the cold at this venue. Told you it was more civilised. Ha Ha. Both of us were in undecided mode as to what we wanted so I opted for a coffee and a scone while my friend chose to wash her scone and jam down with a glass of rose wine, hence the name! To each her own.

Just after seven we took our seats  – yes, seats!! –  in the auditorium. I’ll be honest, I was a little disappointed that we were seated so far back but we were still afforded a perfect view of the stage.

Oh—and the reason for our visit? We were here to see Chris Cornell’s live acoustic show as part of his current Higher Truth tour.

Opening act was Fantastic Negrito. This tall slender bundle of charismatic energy declared to the crowd that he was going to “turn the bull shit into good shit” and he most certainly did. For over half an hour, with piano accompaniment, the audience were treated to high quality, straight from the heart, rootsy blues with a heart of soul. Highlights of Negrito’s short set for me were An Honest Man and Eat My Cancer. Perhaps the other stars of his set were the loud golf trousers that Negrito said he’d paid £14 for earlier in the day. Great opening act and would love to hear a longer set from him someday. Check this guy out..there’s quite a back story there.(http://www.fantasticnegrito.com)

Shortly after 8.30, Chris Cornell stepped out on stage to a rapturous welcome from the Scottish sell-out crowd. He opened his marathon set with Before We Disappear from his current album Higher Truth.

I’ll be honest, I hadn’t really known what to expect from the evening. Chris is better known as the front man of Seattle rock bands Soundgarden and Audioslave, neither of which cross my radar too often. His solo stuff though, I really enjoy and I love his Higher Truth album.

A few songs in, Chris Cornell took a moment to pay tribute to the late great Prince and performed a spine tingling version of Nothing Compares 2 U, a song made famous by Sinead O’Connor back in 1990.  Definitely one of the highlights of the night.

Next up was one of my favourites but before he began the song, Chris treated the crowd to one of his many stories of the evening as he recounted a tale of how he came to purchase a mandolin some eighteen years ago then did nothing with it. He was accompanied on stage by Bryan Gibson, an incredible musician from South Carolina. On this occasion Bryan did the honours with the mandolin as they played the fabulous Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart. Love it!

With an extensive back catalogue to select from, the set was interspersed with acoustic covers of several Soundgarden and Audioslave classics. One of the highlights of the back catalogue was Black Hole Sun. Bryan is more famous as a cellist than a mandolin player and his performance on this one was breath taking. In fact, his performance all night was incredible! I didn’t know that a cello could be made to sound like that!

It goes almost without saying that Chris Cornell’s performance was fantastic. He is a super skilful musician and has a very distinctive fabulous voice that really lends itself to an acoustic setting. His versatility shone through when we were treated to two of his movie soundtrack songs, Misery Chain from 12 Years A Slave and You Know My Name from Casino Royale.

I was embarrassed thought by some of the audience’s reaction to Chris’s introduction to You Know My Name. The Queen may not be everyone’s favourite monarch but some of the loud comments were uncalled for. Give Chris his due, he ignored the drunken jeers and continued un-phased to make his point.

Wooden Jesus, a Temple of the Dog song, was another highlight of the main set. Fell a wee bit in love with this one.

The main set ended with a cover of The Beatles A Day In The Life.

Both Bryan and Chris earned themselves their first standing ovation of the night as they left the stage.

The encore, when they returned a few moments later was a lengthy one – five songs! Chris’s cover of One (U2 chords and Metallica lyrics) was perhaps my highlight of the night. Stunning performance! The mammoth two and a half hour, twenty seven song set drew to a close with a heartfelt dedication to the people of Paris and Brussels as Chris played Higher Truth. A perfect song to end a perfect show on.

Everyone in the room was on their feet once again. A stunningly epic acoustic night that’s sure to go down in Glasgow’s musical history books. I’m proud to say, “I was there.”

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photographs courtesy of Robert W Miller

 

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