Page 38 - Black Velvet Issue 96

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to form the perfect mix. The tional. ‘Ghost Of Shangri of 2018. Title track ‘Tech- than we have ever gone
album wraps up with ‘White La’ delivers a beautiful nology’ features tongue-in- before’. This is proven true
Knuckling’, in which the in- Eastern-sounding vibe cheek lyrics about social when Ricky sings ‘I still
struments are stripped while telling the story, from media, with Rob Damiani miss your voice, the way
away one by one until only his mother’s perspective, of highlighting his frustration your hands felt on my skin’
the drum is left. With a va- her trying to pick up the with technology when he in ‘In All Honesty’, in which
riety of styles and musical pieces and move the family sings ‘I once had friends, he also questions ‘Can you
content, the band exhibits to a new place to call but I can’t stand them now’. hear me?’, all compli-
their ability to craft an home. ‘Mother’ pours more With a solid rock beat on mented by expansive gui-
album that will have you on gratitude towards the the drums throughout the tar countermelodies and
the edge of your seat, fas- woman who had to be whole song, it is an open- concrete bass lines.
PRESS TO MECO cinated by each song. strong in order to protect ing track sure to hook you Elessar continue to demon-
HERE’S TO THE FA- ‘Here’s To The Fatigue’ will her children. In terms of in immediately. An 80s pop strate their knack for writing
TIGUE be one of your top albums vocal range, for most of the and hip-hop-inspired intro- emotive lyrics in ‘Saudade’,
(MARSHALL) of the year, and for that, we songs on this album Myles duction to ‘Stay Ignorant’ is where fluttering electric
Written in a concrete say here’s to Press to uses a lower tone, but dur- guaranteed to make you beats and flourishing cym-
garage on the backstreets MECO. ing ‘Mother’ you’ll hear him bop your head along to it, bal rolls create a more am-
of suburban Croydon and YYYYY reach for those higher and makes its way to a bient feel. Meanwhile,
crafted in a barn in Drip- Athena Kam notes more. “Your convic- soaring chorus, packed tracks like ‘Careless’ and
ping Springs, Texas, tion, your belief, how could with layers of guitar, bass, ‘Half Love’ are heavier and
‘Here’s To The Fatigue’ you choose that over me?” and drums. This anthemic faster, with some solid gui-
sees Press to MECO ven- Myles questions as sad- feel is maintained in ‘T- tar riffs and rhythm work
turing creatively and refin- ness and bitterness mix Shirt Song’, which sees the that are guaranteed to
ing the finesse of their during ‘Nothing But A band experiment with less hype you up. Slightly weak
debut album. This sopho- Name’, an open wound conventional accompany- sound quality lets down the
more album sees the band that hasn’t healed. ing instruments such as a band marginally, but the
building on their unconven- After which the haunting piano, trumpets and or- hooky choruses and com-
tional take on riffs, pop ‘Love Can Only Heal’ chestral strings. This atypi- mendable instrument work
hooks and 3-part vocals builds gently before a gui- cal instrument backing makes up for it. Elessar
that make this band tar solo erupts bringing the blend together to create an touches on shared human
unique. song to a climactic close. explosion of noise which experiences in this album,
Things are kicked off MYLES KENNEDY ‘The Year Of The Tiger’ re- makes you want to swing and this EP is a stepping
with ‘Intro’, which is exactly YEAR OF THE TIGER ally is an album you could your shirt along to the lyrics stone for bigger things in
as it states – an introduc- (NAPALM) listen to over and over. ‘I take my T-Shirt off, the future.
tion to pave the way for the The years of waiting What gets you about Myles swinging it round my head’. YYYY
listener. A low distortion are over... Myles Kennedy is the sheer talent ‘Come Out To LA’ features Athena Kam
and the sound of a guitar Kennedy’s highly antici- the guy has to convey such more satirical lyrics regard-
plugging into an amp give pated solo album has fi- pure emotion not just lyri- ing the reality of Hollywood, THE PLOT IN YOU
‘Intro’ quite an industrial nally come to fruition! cally, but vocally too. Not as well as showcasing the DISPOSE
feel. The texture is slowly Making this solo record has only is he one of the best vocals of drummer Matt (FEARLESS)
built up, and there are brief not been an easy task for vocalists out there today he Donnelly. Synth and elec- This is the band’s
bursts of guitar and drums Myles. Since first hinting at is also an amazing musi- tronics dominate ‘Pretty’, fourth album but their first
to tease you and give you the idea of working on a cian in his own right and and a low range is used in for Fearless Records and
a flavour of what’s to come. solo project almost 10 this solo debut proves that the guitars, creating a is a real tour-de-force,
The first song of the album, years ago, the singer has for sure. It may not techni- heavy and grungy feel on making you feel that they
‘Familiar Ground’, features been busy juggling his time cally be the Year of the this track that runs straight threw everything at the
the same riffs that the lis- fronting two successful Tiger but it is definitely into ‘The Blues’, where making of it in the studio. It
tener was enticed with in bands - Alter Bridge and going to be the year of Rob’s falsetto provides a has clear and crisp produc-
‘Intro’, and it’s a very satis- Slash’s band, Myles Myles Kennedy. contrast and seduces you tion and some wonderful
fying moment when you fi- Kennedy and The Conspir- YYYY with breathy high notes. songs. The band comprise
nally hear the riff as a ators. As time went on Penny Gower Prepare to headbang some of longstanding members
whole. It’s a statement Myles managed to work on more in ‘Blood In The Landon Tewers (vocals),
opening song – with a mix- his own material in be- Water’, which has a slight Josh Childress (guitar) and
ture of fast-paced instru- tween bands, but after Biffy Clyro feel, with Biffy Ethan Yoder (bass), who
mentals and slow vocals, seven years the material Clyro being a band that have been there from the
upbeat riffs, and intricate he’d created had, he felt, Don Broco cites influence inception of the band, and
vocal harmonies, you are passed its shelf-life. Start- from. ‘Technology’ sees the together with Mathis Arnell
immediately drawn in and ing the writing process band tackling heavy sub- (drums) form a tight-knit
encapsulated by the again Myles found himself ject matters with boisterous sound that beautifully com-
album. The energy in ‘Fa- drifting to a subject place melodies in the typical Don pliments each other. The
miliar Ground’ is contrasted he had always avoided - Broco way, making you stand out track is ‘One Last
in ‘A Place In It All’, one of writing about the passing of want to jump and dance Time’, which really gives
the more reflective and his father. ‘Year Of The around before you catch everything that The Plot In
emotionally weary songs Tiger’ sees Myles taking DON BROCO the hard-hitting lyrics, and You are good at, from
on the album. Starting off his personal experience TECHNOLOGY this will be a release that quiet, understated portions
acoustic, the exposed vo- and painting an emotional (SHARPTONE) propels Don Broco to more of the song through to
cals allow you to hear the picture of the journey he Having teased fans greatness. searing vocals and musi-
passion and despair. Ques- and his family went through with five singles before the YYYYY cianship. You’ll love the
tioning lyrics like ‘Are we following his father’s death. release of the album, Don Athena Kam quirky ‘Happy’, which is
living, or just surviving’ Musically, the album is an Broco certainly live up to only a minute long but is re-
make you reflect and en- acoustic blues-influenced the excitement in their third ELESSAR ally clever. With the tracks
gage with the song, en- offering, incorporating an album ‘Technology’. Full of IS THIS ALL WE ARE ‘The One You Loved’ and
hancing the album array of instruments massive rock choruses, (ELESSAR) ‘Not Just Breathing’, work-
experience. ‘Howl’ picks throughout the songs, in- funky bass lines, and British alt-rockers ing the musical genre per-
the pace up again, and the cluding a resonator guitar, cross-genre influences that Elessar go more personal fectly but not altogether
powerful instrumental mandolin and banjo; the re- make Don Broco so in sophomore EP ‘Is This predictably. A really enjoy-
breakdowns are demon- sults are sonically pleasing. unique, the album is an All We Are’, with vocalist able and powerful album,
strative of this band’s ability The main focus though is hour of pure enjoyment and guitarist Ricky Powell which is well worth a listen.
to fuse instrumental techni- on Myles’ voice; his vocal and is already looking to be commenting that the EP YYYYY
cality and catchy melodies performance is excep- one of the biggest releases ‘went deeper emotionally Andy Shaw

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