The worlds of Country and Hip Hop don’t often meet, but Country Rocker and producer Shooter Jennings and acclaimed rapper Yelawolf have teamed up to create their eponymous debut as a duo Sometimes Y (Slumerican). As you would expect from such divergent backgrounds, Sometimes Y is an eclectic record that is largely rock but takes many a wide and varied detour.
Ten years and two albums on from their farewell tour the Scorpions are still going, sharing a similar confusion about farewell tours as KISS, Motley Crue and Status Quo. The second of those post retirement albums is Rock Believer (Spinefarm Records), the German rockers 19th offering of big riffed, anthemic Classic Rock.
Slash featuring Myles Kennedy and The Conspirators have built up quite the reputation for blistering, modern Hard Rock. They are at it again with their new album 4, (Gibson Records / BMG), yep you guessed it their fourth record together and quite possibly their best. They called in the production skills of Dave Cobb, best known for Rival Sons and a whole host of Country music, and wanted to make a live rock record.
The pandemic and the many resultant lockdowns affected INTHEWHALE, with the depression, anger and uncertainty felt reflected on their new album Vanishing Point (Riot Records). An Alt Rock duo from Denver, with Nate Valdez on guitar and vocals and Eric Riley on drums and vocals, INTHEWHALE’s new album is a dark and angry serving of Grunge and Metal.
Despite 19 years in the business, American punk rockers The Bronx’s new album Bronx VI (Cooking Vinyl) is just as energetic and full on as ever. This is the sixth record – funnily enough – from the L.A. based quintet and ‘White Shadow’ starts things off with a bang; a tone setting blast of snappy punk, bristling with pace and swagger.
From the opening salvo of big bruising rocker ‘Wicked Woman’, you know what Blacktop Mojo’s new self titled album (Cuhmon Records) has in store – a heady mixture of Southern Rock, Grunge and Hard Rock. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Soundgarden and Black Stone Cherry are the ingredients, with the outcome being muscular riffs, big choruses, plenty of volume, and an angsty, grunge-like atmosphere.
Southern Rock maestros Blackberry Smoke are back with their seventh album You Hear Georgia (3 Legged Records/Thirty Tiger). The Georgian septet are deep in their groove by now and as the title suggests this new record pays homage to their home state, with Dave Cobb (Rival Sons, Europe) on production duties.
In 2019 things were on the up for the independent LA quartet Dirty Honey; their debut single ‘When I’m Gone’ topped the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts, they toured with Alter Bridge, Guns n Roses, and The Who and sold out their first headline tour in the first two months of 2020 but then covid reared its ugly head put life on hold. Finally things are opening up again and their debut album Dirty Honey is out, and its sound is firmly rooted in 1970s rock.
From the moment of Royal Blood’s self-titled debut seven years ago, the Bristolian duo’s rise was meteoric. Their music is simple, brutal, and effective – taking inspiration from Queens of the Stone Age and The White Stripes and combining big hooks, tasty riffs, and volume to full effect. This beefed-up take on indie rock can only take you so far though, so on the new album Typhoons (Warner Records), they looked toward Dance and Disco to broaden their sound. Continue reading
Since leaving Black Star Riders, Damon Johnson (ex-Alice Cooper, Brother Cane) has focused on his solo career, with his new album Battle Lessons (Double Dragon Records, Straight 8 Entertainment) with The Get Ready his second solo album in three years. Produced by Nick Raskulinecz (Foo Fighters, Rush, Mastodon) and joined by drummer Jarred Pope (Tom Keifer) and bassist Robbie Harrington (Steve Vai), Battle Lessons is a hook-filled slab of melodic Hard Rock.