Page 36 - Black Velvet Issue 86

BV86 albums pg4.qxd:BV86 pg36 07/09/2015 02:04 Page 1

BlackVelvetMagazine.Com - 36
Motion City Soundtrack lyrics. After ‘Life Is Beauti- Eat The Gun have once excellent with nice touches
have still got what it takes. ful’ (a smooth and almost again turned out an album like the dual guitar intro to
YYYY summery sounding song) of great music. If you ‘Saving You’, the wistful vo-
SBV and ‘I’m Your Man’ (a rous- haven’t heard them yet, cals of ‘Push Against The
ing bar-room styled tune) you really should give them Tide’ underscored by
BON JOVI comes ‘Burning Bridges’, a listen. heavy riffs and Gavin Ker-
BURNING BRIDGES the title track, to round off YYYY rigan’s crunching bass
(VIRGIN EMI) the release. It’s a funny, Clare Huckett rhythms, and the sinister
‘Burning Bridges’ tongue-in-cheek ‘f*ck you’ sound of ‘Web Of Lies’.
marks the end of an era. to the label. Written more GODSIZED Dan Kavanagh’s drums are
It’s been 30 years since recently, it shows Jon’s HEAVY LIES THE rock solid throughout, al-
MOTION CITY SOUND- Jon Bon Jovi signed to jokey side as well as his CROWN though especially strong on
TRACK Mercury Records. The con- disappointment. Musically, (METALVILLE) the magnificent ‘Out Of
PANIC STATIONS tract has not been renewed it’s a cheeky campfire sing- ‘Welcome To Hell’ is a Fear’. There’s even a bal-
(EPITAPH) yet one final album was along which even includes scorching metal beast with lad in the form of ‘Fade’,
Motion City Sound- due. Rather than giving the engineer Mike Rew on which to kick off ‘Heavy complete with a sublime
track are like home. When label a whole set of brand backing vocals. It ends the Lies The Crown’. Snarling, guitar solo. This is a very
you’ve been off on your new songs, Jon chose to album and era perfectly. distorted guitars and Chris accessible rock/metal
travels and finally return, dig into the archives to find Produced by John Shanks Charles’ frenetic solos con- album. It’s entertaining, the
it’s what you know and some old, unreleased and with some impressive trast with melodious, har- level of musicianship is
love, what you’ve missed songs for a ‘fan’ album. guitar work from him too, monised vocals in an very high, and if Godsized
and what feels good. The The album begins surpris- overall, ‘Burning Bridges’ is impressive display. Glen keep on producing goods
moment opening track ingly slow-paced - ‘A not a bad release for what Korner’s vocals are cleaner of this quality then they de-
‘Anything At All’ com- Teardrop To The Sea’ could it is and we look forward to than you might expect, with serve every success.
mences, it’s a reminder of have fit as a final song on the real new/next Bon Jovi nary a roar to be heard, but YYYY
everything Motion City any other album - yet be- album in 2016. full of power and passion. Clare Huckett
Soundtrack have been gins this one. Although it YYYY The crafting of the songs is
since they first formed in makes sense when you lis- SBV
1997. Yes, it’s been nearly ten to the lyrics, it starts at
20 years and it still feels the end - in relation to the EAT THE GUN
like everything you’ve ever band’s split with the label. HOWLINWOOD
wanted and need. Motion The song is deep, emo- (STEAMHAMMER/SPV)
City Soundtrack have such tional and somewhat sad - German melodic alt-
a pleasurable sound, up- like a teardrop to the sea rockers Eat The Gun set DOWNERS DIAMOND DAYS
beat yet melodic. ‘Anything would be. Things pick up themselves a hard task fol- NOOSE LOVE STRUCK KIDS
At All’ is a sprightly tune when ‘We Don’t Run’ takes lowing 2013’s ‘Stripped To (LOCAL COLOUR) (DIAMOND DAYS)
and turns up the feelgood over. By far our favourite The Bone’, an album which ‘Noose’ is the second Diamond Days
factor. The buoyant ‘It’s A song on the album and changed their approach to release from Downers, fea- showed with their ‘We’ve
Pleasure To Meet You’ is probably from Bon Jovi in writing. Fortunately they turing Bobby Pook, Chris Come A Long Way’ EP that
like a shoulder to lean on. quite a while. It’s a new have managed to rise to Tweedie, Will Craig and they know how to write
“You’re not alone,” sings song, hard rocking, gritty their own challenge. This is James Routh. ‘Graze’ great songs. ‘Love Struck
Justin Pierre. ‘Over It Now’ and full of goodness. It’s a band that rightly has con- starts the three-track col- Kids’ keeps momentum
is about a past relationship. full of attitude and delec- fidence in their abilities lection with a mellowed out high. The single is filled
“I always hated those table hooks. ‘Saturday both as writers and per- introduction that quickly with harsh lyrics of how
techno songs you put on Night Gave Me Sunday formers, and they’re having erupts into a heavy rock in- suckish love can be, yet
my compilations” Justin Morning’ is a catchy tune, a great time with it. Title strumental. While the in- they are seemingly sugar-
sings. He sings from per- the chorus is very Nickel- track and opener ‘Howlin- strumentals grab your coated over with the pres-
sonal experiences. “You back-like, while ‘We All Fall wood’ is a strong start with attention, it’s the crisp, ence of Alex Fearn’s
hope for the best but the Down’ then calms the appealing rhythms and an soothing vocals given by smooth, harmonious vo-
best always leave you be- pace. It’s encouraging, like infectious drumbeat rum- Pook that leave listeners cals. Tom Shepherd (gui-
hind,” he reveals in ‘The a big brother, inspiring you bling throughout. ‘Blood On wanting more. ‘Erased’ is tar/vocals), Tom Jack
Samurai Code’. Final song to go for your dreams, do Your Hands’ is a monster of the epitome of the expres- Jackson (bass/vocals) and
‘Days Will Run Away’ is an what you want and not to a track which takes more of sion calm before the storm. Mark Highdale (drums/vo-
epic journey. It begins with be ‘scared to hit the a metal direction and is a It balances out relaxing cals) also bring their A-
a soft, mulling melancholy ground’. ‘Blind Love’ goes real aggressive head- verses with a thundering game with instrumentals
feel (‘Why is goodbye hard lower, with a tender, melan- banger. There’s a hint of rock chorus. ‘Grown Out’ that lead in heavy, manage
to say?” Justin muses) be- choly feel, for those going the industrial around the manages to keep those to mellow out during the
fore powering up. Musi- through tough times, while edges around this and melancholy-esque vocals verses and suddenly snap
cally, the album is mostly ‘Who Would You Die For’ other tracks, such as ‘Un- while amping up the instru- back to a strong, alterna-
upbeat, which puts the lis- almost has a seductive forgotten’ (another one with mentals to create the loud- tive rock presence through-
tener in a chirpy mood, de- quality. With electronics in a big chorus), which con- est song on ‘Noose’. out the entire chorus. Love
spite any reflective lyrics. the background it’s quite trasts with the countrified Having music this good to may be, as Fearn puts it,
The distinctive Moog syn- experimental. ‘Fingerprints’ rock of ‘Old Friend’, the their name, we can’t wait to “so last season”, but ‘Love
thesizer is as prominent as is like an old fashioned funkier intro of otherwise hear a lot more. Struck Kids’ will be stuck in
usual courtesy of Jesse waltz, again a seduction classic rocker ‘Take It YYYY your head for seasons to
Johnson, and all in all, imprint. There’s a sultry tale Away’, and the surprise of Hayli Zuccola come.
‘Panic Stations’ show that of passion behind the the acoustic finale ‘Anger’. YYYYY
Hayli Zuccola

Eatin’ Ain’t Cheatin’ - Fabulous Free From Factory Chocovered Crunchee Bites

AKA WHAT WE’VE MOSTLY BEEN CONSUMING SINCE THE LAST ISSUE...
The other month we had a band send us a bar of chocolate along with a CD for review. Note to bands: we’re vegan
(well, I am - Shari). I tend to get more offended than anything when a band sends a bar of dairy milk chocolate considering
that the dairy industry is awful abuse to cows. If you want to send something with a CD, please only send vegan items. Or
money. Or velvet. One thing we didn’t get sent - but would love if any band did send, are Fabulous Free From Factory’s
Dairy Free Chocovered Crunchee Bites. They are basically small pieces of vegan honeycomb toffee covered in vegan
chocolate. Delish! You can find them in vegan stores or visit www.fabulousfreefromfactory.co.uk for more info. They’re
AMAZE. Much better than milk chocolate items made from cruel dairy farms. Ditch dairy and try some of these instead!

ALBUMS / SINGLES