Page 39 - Black Velvet Issue 97

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YYYYY Excellent YYYY Very Good YYY Good
YY Listenable, Just Y Poor

some. Of course this band with catchy guitar hooks speed limits being broken. teeth into, as well as vocal
can do so much more than and lively drums, but a dif- At the other end of the harmonies that will be sure
this and this point is more ferent story is at play with scale, ‘Eight’ brings much to send shivers down your
than proven with ‘My Last lyrics such as ‘I can’t feel emotion with its slower- spine. ‘Slumber’, the first
Breath’, an incredible trib- the same without you, I’ll paced tracks. ‘Crushed single released, starts out
ute to family and one which pretend I’m fine for now’. Velvet’ is an example of calmly, yet as the track in-
is just saturated in emotion; ‘Walk All Day With You’ this and is a brilliant show- tensifies, the vocals reflect
it will bring a tear to the eye sees the band strip back in- case for vocalist Ron this shift and passion and
of even those with the cold- strumentals to an acoustic Young’s raspy vocal range emotion seeps through, de-
est of hearts and songs like guitar backing, while the which is perfectly suited for manding to be heard and
this are fast becoming an- album closes with ‘It’s Too songs like this. However, felt. Closing with ‘Your
BLACK STONE CHERRY other trademark of Black Much’, a despairing track some of the best work Laughter Never Leaves’,
FAMILY TREE Stone Cherry and the list of climaxing at an impas- comes at the end of the cathartic songwriting is
(MASCOT LABEL those who do it as good as sioned guitar solo, and the album; ‘Morning’ and paired with carefully-
GROUP) them is a very short one. final line of ‘I think I’ve had bonus track ‘Slow Ride’ weaved layers of instru-
Family matters and it Another increasingly com- enough’ will haunt you for being two more slower- mental work. This EP
has always had special im- mon characteristic are their weeks to come. paced tunes but with them demonstrates the band’s
portance for Black Stone party anthems. ‘Southern YYYY they treat us to some quite ability to master all aspects
Cherry and the theme runs Fried Friday Night’ is a Athena Kam incredible guitar work with of music, both in writing
strong throughout their song which will kick-start Loren Molinare and Alex and playing, and listeners
sixth studio album, ‘Family any occasion but all 13 Kane in top form as the in- will be left craving for more.
Tree’, in which they majes- tracks here will keep the strumentals to these songs YYYYY
tically combine all the party jumping and for Black are utterly majestic with Athena Kam
greatness this band has to Stone Cherry that party is bassist Pharoah Barrett
offer and hammers home showing no signs of ending and Tom Morris on drums SEASONS
that there are some things any time soon. playing their parts to per- CHAPTERS
they can do better than al- YYYYY fection. Ironically, in ‘Morn- (SEASONS)
most anyone. Michael Coventry ing’ Ron sings ‘being The third EP offering
The Southern sound of louder doesn’t make you by SEASONS sees them
this Kentucky four-piece re- MOOSE BLOOD right’, but listening to this honing in on the sound
mains as clear as the day I DON’T THINK I CAN DO loudly feels very right in- they’ve developed in the
their self-titled debut album THIS ANYMORE LITTLE CAESAR deed. Brilliant work gentle- past, whilst pushing their
dropped over ten years (HOPELESS) EIGHT men. creativity both lyrically and
ago but it’s wonderful to ‘I Don’t Think I Can Do (GOLDEN ROBOT) YYYYY musically. Guitarist Steve
see just how far they have This Anymore’ is the third ‘Too stupid for New Michael Coventry Watts commented that this
subtly evolved their music LP from Canterbury quartet York, too ugly for Holly- EP is ‘the most emotionally
over the years and the al- Moose Blood, and it sees wood’ is what Little Caesar LAYOVER involved collection of music
bums and have somehow the band visit previously claim to be on ‘Vegas’ but YOUR LAUGHTER that we have written as a
managed to retain their unexplored emotional terri- with ‘Eight’, their first studio NEVER LEAVES band’, and this is evidently
roots but still keep things tory. As guitarist Mark E. album in six years, they (FOX) displayed with the empow-
so fresh, different and inter- Osborne notes, “‘I Don’t have proved they are more After going on hiatus in ering lyrics ‘No, you won’t
esting. One of the main Think I Can Do This Any- than ideal for your stereo. 2016, Birmingham quartet break me, not this time
standouts of ‘Family Tree’ more’ is really us trying to ‘Eight’ is very much an Layover makes a tri- again’ in opening track
is the huge injection of work through some of what album of two halves but umphant return with their ‘Getaway’. A battering
blues to the album. This is has happened in our lives one of just one kind of qual- EP ‘Your Laughter Never drum gives way to a mas-
no doubt influenced by as a result of doing this ity and that is a very high Leaves’. Kicking off with sive introduction with ex-
their recent ‘Back To Blues’ band full time.” The album one. The 12-track album is the high-energy ‘Hunger quisite guitar harmonies in
EP, but the way they have kicks off with steady drums a near 50/50 split between Pains’, lively drumming and ‘One Last Night’, and it’s
combined this with that fa- and guitars, developing the no-nonsense, no-frills memorable guitar hooks not difficult to imagine a
miliar Black Stone Cherry into ‘Have I Told You hard rock the US rockers will lure you in, and it cer- stadium full of people jump-
stamp is so cleverly done, Enough?’ - a song that are best known , accompa- tainly makes a pop-punk ing along to this. In title
especially with the delicate sounds like it was plucked nied by an equally large statement. It smoothly tran- track ‘Chapters’, guitars
piano keys in ‘New Kinda from the golden era of presence of ballad-type sitions to a more melan- and bass rip through the
Feelin’’, which accompany American Midwest emo. rock and together they for- cholic section in 3/4 time, song with an unstoppable
the guitar work sublimely, Subtle vocal harmonies mulate a superb record. featuring intricate guitar energy, displaying musical
while the female backing and delicate counter-riffs The album roars away in backing and impassioned maturity well beyond that
vocals at the start of from guitars compliment trademark Little Caesar vocals. An exposed guitar expected of this young
‘James Brown’ is a classy, the soaring vocals, and the fashion with the storming provides accompaniment band. Soaring vocals in
attention-grabbing touch. first lyrics, ‘I know it’s combination of ‘21 Again’, for the first verse of ‘Coffee ‘Consequences’ combined
But please don’t fear harder each time’, set the ‘Mama Tried’ and the afore- And Fluoxetine’, a track with passionate instrumen-
that this is just a blues tone for the rest of the mentioned ‘Vegas’, all hefty that sees the band explor- tals closes this EP on a
album as it’s far from it. album. The pace slows in slabs of straight-up rock ing the more emo side of high, leaving the listener
‘Family Tree’ opens in ‘You Left In The Worst and roll, but in a top testa- the EP with lyrics such as satisfied and yearning for
hard-rocking style with a Way’, a short but hard-hit- ment to the band, they all ‘There’s so much that I’m more. This gripping EP is a
powerful double header of ting song accompanied by have their own characters. running from’, and the lush real tour de force, sure to
‘Bad Habit’ and the album’s a looping bass line and The opening track is full-on lower vocals in the first half keep listeners on their toes.
first single, ‘Burnin’, the lat- soulful guitars, while a tone hard rock, ‘Mama Tried’ is, of the track are contrasted SEASONS prove that they
ter grabbing you by the of regret and sorrow is despite its less than party- with the harsher vocals to- are a band that is ready to
throat with its stomping struck in ‘All The Time’, as suited lyrics, a great party wards the end. The band tackle the big stage, with
opening lick and these are impassioned guitars and anthem, and ‘Vegas’, much embraces their creative massive tracks that are
as good as any rock song vocal harmonies expose like ‘Straight Shooter’, side in ‘Hollow Me Out’, bound to get every single
the band has ever pro- swirling emotions under- should come with a warn- with unconventional time person up and moving!
duced, while the guitar neath. The upbeat ‘Pull Me ing as while both are awe- signatures and groovy YYYY
work of Ben Wells in the From The Floor’ sounds some driving tracks they rhythms that listeners are Athena Kam
title track is utterly awe- happy upon initial listening, are likely to result in some really able to sink their
ALBUMS