VEGA – ANARCHY & UNITY Album Release 17th Sept 2021 Frontiers Music
VEGA have been a favourite of mine for a while now, having picked up their first album Kiss of Life around 10 years ago, and also having known singer Nick Workman from his previous band Kick. Always melodic, with a touch of nu-metal edge that set them a little apart from the crowd, Anarchy & Unity is their seventh album release following up from Grit Your Teeth from early 2020, and the new record is very much in the same vein, but perhaps with an added maturity and bite.
James McNair is a hit country songwriter from Aiken, South Carolina. He’s probably one of those names you have never heard, but if you like your country music, then you will have heard a whole heap of his songs.
At age 7 with a Sears catalog electric guitar found in his grandmother’s attic, James learned his first chords. His father, Jim, let him pick through old boxes of records and started him on the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd and more. James learned to play along with the songs and developed a deep appreciation for well-crafted lyrics and melodies.
THE GEORGIA THUNDERBOLTS CAN WE GET A WITNESS Released – 15th October
The Georgia Thunderbolts are riding high. Having just been featured by Rolling Stone, who compared their “lean, muscular songs” to artists like Blackberry Smoke, The Steel Woods and Lynyrd Skynyrd, the band has “a full tank of gas and is heading down the road” in the new video for Take It Slow, out now via Mascot Records / Mascot Label Group, taken from the upcoming debut album, Can We Get A Witness.
“In Georgia, you hear Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers, and all of the greats everywhere,” says guitarist, Logan Tolbert. “Rock and roll is something that comes naturally for us. We feel like we can bring it back.” The press agree, with Classic Rock Magazine dubbing the band “your new favourite southern rock band,” and American Songwriter calling their recently released debut EP which contains 5 of the tracks on the album, “timeless.”
This is straight-up southern rock as it was meant to be played, mean and gritty dual guitars, southern twang in the vocals, and the piledriving bass and drums that powers it all along, and Take It Slow opens up the album with four minutes of totally in-your-face rock’n’roll. The guitars get louder and dirtier for Lend A Hand in keeping with the slower tempo, and TJ Lyle delivers a powerful lead vocal, before the chorus explodes into a wall of harmonies. The second verse is totally stripped back which makes the chorus even more of a contrast, before the solo kicks in, and there is a great little mid-section before the final chorus, with the whole song having tinges of Black Stone Cherry in the guitars and melodies.
A loud southern-rock ballad always gives the soul a boost, and So You Wanna Change The World delivers in spades, with Bristol Perry on the drums really adding an extra dimension to the track through the solidity of the beat, and the hammering snare that really defines the track. There is some wonderful and laid-back guitar work throughout, with a tasty solo, and a very mellow outro, showing off the skills of both Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert.
Looking For An Old Friend is the first track the band wrote, and really harks back to the golden era of southern rock, such as The Outlaws, Allman Brothers and of course Lynyrd Skynyrd, but this is definitely not a cheap knock-off of the classics, but a high-class fresh take on the genre, with the raw blues-rock guitars steeped in a soulful southern swagger. The backing vocals here are superb, with bassist Zach Everett doubling the lead line throughout with some classy harmonies.
Next up is the immense Spirit Of A Workin’ Man which is a tour-de-force from start to finish, and has a chorus that raises the hairs on the back of the neck. The guitars run an intricate pattern behind the verse which then blasts into the pre-chorus with some power-chords and accents. The solo is another ripper, and leads us back to another chorus before guitars and vocals give us an impassioned outro. This is an absolute gem, and may be the defining track on the record.
There is a chiming guitar riff opening up Midnight Rider, a brave but effective cover of the Allman Brothers classic from 1970, before some typical southern rock harmonies lead us into the song proper – again seeing Zach Everett providing the harmonies that create the very typical Thunderbolts sound. The guitars both show some unusual interplay before the second verse, before some wonderful harmonic progressions lead us on. Everett adds some great keyboards to the swagger of Be Good To Yourself which rolls along sweetly with a deliberate riff, classic chord sequences, and a southern rock drawl in the vocals. There is a nice touch in the “wooh ooohs” in the middle-eight which you can see being an extended crowd singalong live.
Half Glass Woman has a sleazy, grungy blues rock riff to kick us off, with some blistering harmonica before TJ opens up the verse. This is contemporary southern blues rock at it’s very best, with the bass and drums providing the deliberate solid beat and all the accents, while the voice and guitars do their thing. Twin guitar-breaks share the soloing before the next chorus which sees the backing broken up, the harmonica run wild alongside the really powerful vocals. There is more of a Sweet Home Alabama feel to Dancin’ With The Devil with the guitars taking centre stage, backed up by some lovely Hammond organ, and lets us all take a breather.
Volume turned up, effects pedals kicked on, and the guitars crank out a monster riff in the title track Can I Get A Witness, with TJ delivering a snarling lower-register vocal in the verse before powering up into the chorus which sees him in full-throttle mode with power and clarity both to the fore, after which the guitars absolutely own the break. There is a cracker of a solo with some insane off-beat rhythms in the back which give this an extra dimension. Walk Tall Man is all off-beat urgency in the verse, and then southern rock harmony in the chorus, with a bit of Black Stone Cherry vibe in the tone and phrasing. More excellent guitar-work in the solo over that off-beat tempo, and a real looseness in the drumming through the mid-section and the closing choruses which just strengthens the southern feel.
Bar-room boogie is alive and well with It’s Alright with just a touch of the Free classis Alright Now, combined with straight-up southern rock. “But these Thunderbolts aren’t a low-voltage knockoff of the greats who came before,” Rolling Stone Magazine states; “Rather, they keep things fresh by committing to lean, muscular songs…Southern rock continues to thrive in the 21st century.” The album closes with the deliberate slow-burner of Set Me Free, with the intricate and insistent guitar riff, the power of the pre-chorus chords, and the intense blend of voice and guitars before and during the solo, and in the closing segment. There is an uplifting passion and emotion in the closing couple of minutes, which sees TJ Lyle absolutely let rip on the vocals, while both Riley ang Logan throw guitar break after guitar break as the 7 minute epic fades out.
So much of the music being released recently can potentially be classed as unoriginal and derivative – that is of course true in pretty much every genre, and every decade, and there is plenty of activity in the current crop of rock bands from both the UK and USA that harks back to the “golden days” of classic southern rock. The Georgia Thunderbolts don’t shy away from this at all, “We’re going for that timeless and classic sound with a modern twist and newer attitude,” exclaims Lyle. “We all grew up on rock music,” Riley adds. “If I could think of three words to describe us, they would be Hardworking, Determined, and Humble.” Bristol grins, “If I could think of three words, they would be Rock and Roll.”
DEAD MAN’S WHISKEY
BREAKOUT – EP
Released – October 1 st 2021
Dead Man’s Whiskey are a hard rock band from London UK. Formed in 2016, the 5-piece bring a powerful blend of classic and modern rock, combining heavy riffs with anthemic choruses and stadium sized power ballads.
Following the release of their 2017 debut album Under the Gun, and perhaps the re-mastered and re-packaged 2019 version, Dead Man’s Whiskey have wasted no time in becoming one of the UK’s hottest up and coming hard rock acts.
Darlinghurst have created a fresh sound in the Australian country sphere that’s as accessible as it is unique. Grounded in refined song writing, with a keen ear for melody, relatable lyricism and some exceptional musical performances, the band has a broad appeal that has been reflected in the success of Darlinghurst’s releases to date. Over the past two years the band has released four songs getting to No #1 the Music Network Countrytown HOT 50 chart, and this is the debut album, 2 years in the making.
Coming off their most successful album yet, Paradigm (which includes the massive single Viva La Victoria with 15 million streams and counting), Sweden’s Eclipse are back with their new studio album Wired.
Mercury Nashville’s newest band, Boy Named Banjo, released their new EP, Circles, on August 27th having supported Brothers Osborne, and then immediately played a sold-out show at the Ryman with The Cadillac Three. American Songwriter describes the project as, “Marrying a myriad of influences within the country / bluegrass / folk realm, Nashville-based quintet Boy Named Banjo sets an energetic pace for their forthcoming major-label debut
Australian teenage rock chick Cassidy Paris has just released her brand new 5-track EP titled ‘Flirt’.
The EP features the edgy pop-rock anthem, Wannabe (her 7th single at just 18yo), which sees Cassidy delivering a song based on personal experience about society’s obsession with popularity.
WICKED SMILE WAIT FOR THE NIGHT Released – Sept 24th 2021
Melbourne-based heavy rock band Wicked Smile is made up of 5 stalwarts of the Australian hard rock scene, fronted by charismatic powerhouse lead vocalist Danny Cecati (ex Pegazus & Eyefear) with Stevie Janevski (The Radio Sun, ex Black Majesty & Cyclone Tracy) and Dave Graham (ex In Malice’s Wake) on guitars, Glen Cav (ex Virtue) on bass and Jason Tyro on drums.
The debut EP, featuring Stevie J and Danny, backed by Paul Laine on bass, was released in 2020 and garnered some really positive responses from the underground rock and metal communities in Australia and over in the UK, where the band is tied up with the NWOCR crew, and performed at one of their excellent Webfest events.
The new album, Wait For The Night, again produced by Paul Laine (The Defiants & Danger Danger), kicks off with an absolute ripper in Date With The Devil, which has a killer riff, powerful rhythm superb lead breaks, and shows Danny’s vocal range to be pretty impressive – from a low throaty roar to soaring highs, with a lot of Bruce Dickenson and Rob Halford in the mix. Daze of Delirium was on the EP, and delivers a solid punch from the crushing guitars, but has a really catchy harmony chorus that my EP review compared to a cross between Backyard Babies and Reckless Love, hard, heavy and melodic at the same time.
Acoustic guitars and atmospheric keyboards open up Don’t Wait For Me, and sees Danny with a pure, clear vocal that spans several octaves and hits some impressive highs. The expectation builds through the song as you think it is going to explode, and sure enough the power ramps up as the solo erupts, leading into a true power-ballad for the final chorus, and then slowly fades back out as it started.
There is a more melodic rock feel to the next two tracks without losing the heaviness of the band’s overall sound. Killer At large sees some superb drumming from Jason, and a searing lead break from Stevie prior to each verse, in which Danny absolutely nails the vocals. If you love your Skid Row, Danger Danger and Dio then this band will hit a few of your hot buttons. The opening riffs to Last Goodbye are typical of the band’s sound, with a Randy Rhoads guitar feel, and a wall of harmony vocals that contribute to the immense sound. Stevie and Dave share the guitar heroics here, and the thought if this one being played live makes the mouth water. The ending is just awesome!
I assume the guys have re-recorded Love’s Got A Hold On You from the EP, and this still sounds huge, with the slightly menacing tone of the verse over the solid riff, before the superb pre-chorus and then the massive hook-line in the chorus that brings in hints of 1987-era Whitesnake, and a delightful harmony guitar break that leads into the final refrain and a reprise of that killer riff under Danny’s howls!
The beginning of Sign of Times provides an absolutely devastating riff from Stevie – very Jake E Lee or Vivian Campbell from those early Dio days, and Danny gives a barnstorming performance on lead vocals here, and the chorus is pure 1980’s melodic heavy rock. Solid bass and drums from Glen and Jason provide the piledriving foundations, and then Stevie opens up restrained but powerful solo that really shows off his dexterity and skill.
From the first seconds of Stronger you just know that this is going to be a crowd-pleaser, with a ball-tearing riff, enormous vocals, and then the catchiest chorus on the record with some epic backing harmonies. This takes me back to the likes of White Lion, Valentine and Hurricane – great melodic hard rock bands of the late 80’s and early 90’s, and Wicked Smile do this in style. The title track, Wait For The Night has another of those riffs, some harmony lead breaks, and a tour-de-force vocal performance from both Danny, and the backing in the chorus. The band are on fire from start to finish, lead guitars tracking the lead vocal melody, and bass and drums smashing out the accents.
Album-closer is another riff-fest and the opening passage is the most brutal thing the band has ever done. Danny’s opening vocals are dark and brooding, and the chorus keeps the malevolent feeling, while providing another example of a hugely contagious hook-line. We Fall is a killer track to end on, with a mid-section that sees the guitars let rip before diving back into a pre-chorus and chorus that showcase Danny’s almost operatic vocal style – so powerful and strong, with such clarity of tone that is quite unusual in the modern rock world. He also has the longest hair in the world!
I said in the EP review that there is nothing much totally new in the rock music world, and that remains true, however the Australian rock scene has generated a fairly small number of high-quality melodic hard rock albums – Roxus, BB Steal, Ragdoll, Electric Mary and Dellacoma all spring to mind, along with Stevie’s other band The Radio Sun. Wicked Smile have added a new dimension to this group, with a heavier tone, without abandoning the melodic sound that runs through the whole record. This band deserves to get some much wider exposure in the UK, Europe and USA when we are all allowed out again!
ROBERT JON & THE WRECK SHINE A LIGHT ON ME BROTHER Release Date – 3rd September 2021
Last Light on the Highway was one of my absolute favourite reviews of 2020, and the band one of the many great discoveries of the year, so it was terrific to find a new album on the horizon from Robert Jon & The Wreck, country blues-jam rockers from Southern California.
This is Australian country music at its very finest – a truckload of great songs delivered by the larger than life epitome of the genre in Jayne Denham – outdoing JBJ doing his outlaw cowboy rock in style and quality both!
The title track, Wanted, co-written with Matt Scullion and Tory Kemp, has a great video to go with it, and this was the inspiration behind the country-rock and western theme to the whole album.
KOLBY COOPER THE BOY FROM ANDERSON COUNTY – EP Released – August 2021 BBR MUSIC GROUP
Only three years out of high school, still living in his small East Texas hometown, twenty-one year old Kolby Cooper started selling out shows and clocking millions of streams using only his songs as muscle, earning streaming numbers typically reserved for household names. Amassing over 120 million on-demand streams to date, Cooper’s first EP as a signed artist, Boy From Anderson County, is out now via BBR Music Group / Wheelhouse Records in partnership with Combustion Music.
The scorching six-pack of tracks is doused in Kolby’s signature wailing guitar riffs, rough-hewn vocals full of conviction, flaming high-energy instrumentals and overly relatable lyrics from his rebel-rooted Lonestar State background.
THE WOLFE BROTHERS – KIDS ON CASSETTE Released – July 30th 2021
The Wolfe Brothers have earned themselves a solid reputation for their catchy singles and dynamic live shows, as well as their stellar work with Lee Kernaghan.
The upcoming EP Bastette Exposed was recorded at the Lounge Recording Studio in Wigan with producer Gareth Nuttall (Frank Turner). Taking influence from the Pretty Reckless, Halestorm and Starbenders among others, and fronted by Caroline Eve Kenyon who has more Amy Lee about her than Alissa White Gluz.
TROY REDFERN – The Fire Cosmic Released – August 6th RED7 Records
Blues-rock guitarist, singer- songwriter and dubbed Britain’s “King of Slide Guitar” Troy Redfern has produced an exceptional new album in The Fire Cosmic laden in layers of slide guitar and acoustic resonator sounds – raunchy, sleazy vintage blues rock.
