Mostly Autumn - Bilston Review

Regular readers of this blog will realise by now that I listen to a lot of different bands. I am always on the lookout for new bands to listen to, but there are still those which I return to regularly. Due to the amount of bands that I like, it is hard to choose a genuine favourite. One band that is certainly in contention for that title, however, is Mostly Autumn. The York-based seven-piece were the first band that I saw live back in 2006, and they are also the band that I have seen live the most. As of this weekend just gone, I have now seen the band live 43 times. While I am sure that there are people who have seen the band live far more than I have, 43 is still a lot of times to see one band! Mostly Autumn's total is more than double that of my second most-seen band (The Quireboys) too, and they are a band for whom I will take every sensible (and occasionally not very sensible) opportunity to see that presents itself. As such, gaps between Mostly Autumn concerts are usually only a few months - as many years since 2006 have seen me attending 3 or 4 shows a year. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, prior to this past weekend it had been over two years since I had last seen the band. My last concert was in Reading in May 2019, as there were no other sensible options to catch the band live again later that year. 2020 was a washout for Mostly Autumn shows, predictably, so I knew that I really had to make the effort this year to see them again. Understandably, given how unpredictable the COVID-19 situation still is, the band only scheduled a handful of gigs for this year - but one was at The Robin 2 in Bilston, a real favourite venue of the band. I have never quite worked out why The Robin 2 is as busy as it is, given its somewhat strange location, but it has been a real haven for small and medium sized rock bands over the years. Mostly Autumn often play there a couple of times a year, and I have seen them there a handful of times in the past. The gig at The Robin 2 was the easiest show to get to, even with the venue's hotel being fully booked and the West Midlands Metro suspended - which meant the the Wolverhampton bus network was put to the test. Thankfully, Wolverhampton's buses, even on a Sunday night, were excellent - and I got to the venue at around 5:30pm. It was an early show, with the doors opening at 5pm, and when I got there a handful of people were already gathered inside. Given the snow that had been falling around the West Midlands I had wondered if the attendance would be affected, but by the time Mostly Autumn took to the stage at 7:30pm a pretty health crowd had gathered.

Before the band's show however, and relatively rarely for a Mostly Autumn concert, the growing crowd was treated to an hour or so of music from the duo MonkeyTrial. MonkeyTrial describe their music as ambient electronica, which is probably accurate, but it is a style of music that I know almost nothing about. I went into the duo's set with an open mind however, but sadly it did very little for me. The duo's music largely consisted of synth layers, with lots of fluid lead guitar providing the main melody lines. A Theremin was occasionally employed too, but largely the duo relied on the synths and the guitar. I think that the duo only played five tracks during their hour or so on stage, which meant that most of the pieces played were very long. By the time that they were half way through their second track, it became clear that much of what they were going to play throughout their set would sound very similar. All of their pieces essentially took on the same formula, and for me there was very little variety throughout. I do not claim to be an expert on ambient music, and I am sure that MonkeyTrial are a good representation of the genre, but some variety would have certainly been welcome. That being said, however, there were clearly people in attendance who really enjoyed what the duo were doing. MonkeyTrial seemed to sell quite a few CDs after their set, which is always good to see, so some people clearly 'got' their music. I think that it is fair to say that the duo were not for me, however, but it is always good to take in something outside of your comfort zone and try new things.

By the time 7:30pm rolled around, the crowd were ready for the main event. Mostly Autumn are known for their lengthy live shows, and the early start allowed them to really indulge. The band were on stage for probably around two and a half hours, which is pretty typical for them. They looked really happy to be back on stage at The Robin 2 again, and they also took the opportunity to promote their newly-released album Graveyard Star by featuring seven of the album's songs during their first of two sets. The seven Graveyard Star songs were played straight through as a sort of suite, with the lengthy title track kicking things off. Graveyard Star is a dark and layered album, so the live renditions of its songs really brought the best out of the band's seven members. Iain Jennings (keyboards) and Angela Gordon (flute/keyboards/whistles/recorder/vocals) often teamed up to deliver the songs' atmospheric sound, while Chris Johnson (vocals/guitar) constantly moved between electric and acoustic guitars to bulk out the tracks. The title track showcased everyone's strengths, with Bryan Josh (vocals/guitar) and frontwoman Olivia Sparnenn-Josh trading vocal lines throughout. The complex, multi-part song came across really well live, despite a slightly muddy sound mix affecting the evening's first couple of numbers, with its transitions sounding less jarring than on the album. It really set the tone for the rest of the suite, and the rest of the Graveyard Star material similarly impressed. A standout track for me was Shadows, which is one of the album's least interesting pieces in my opinion, but on stage it really came alive. Josh and Johnson sung the piece in tandem, and the raw, bluesy rock of the track allowed it to work well in the live setting. Sparnenn-Josh's two showcase ballads were excellent too, with This Endless War in particular shining. She has contributed a number of these epic ballads to the band's canon over the past decade, and This Endless War is one of her best. She soared vocally throughout, with the performance easily aping the studio version. The suite came to an upbeat end however with the energetic Spirit of Mankind and a really powerful version of Back in These Arms - which featured lots of lead guitar work from Josh and some folky additions from Gordon. The emphasis on the folk melodies within the relatively hard rock confines of the song harked back to the band's past somewhat - and brought the run of seven brand new songs to a powerful close. Two older numbers were then featured before the band took a short break, with Passengers being dusted off for its first outing for a few years. The soaring ballad is always a welcome addition to the band's set, but it was a barnstorming rendition of Mother Nature that was the true highlight. The song is always a live favourite, and Jennings' Pink Floyd-inspired keyboard solo is always a joy to hear. It ended the first hour or so of music perfectly, but there was still plenty more to come.

Following a half an hour break, the band came back to deliver another hour or so of excellent music. The second set was largely made up of songs from the band's last three albums, but there were a few old favourites thrown in too. The upbeat Tomorrow Dies kicked things off, with Sparnenn-Josh owning the song vocally, before Henry Rogers' drum barrage led into the snaking, Ritchie Blackmore-inspired In for the Bite - a song from one of Josh's solo albums. The gothic piece has always suited the band's sound however, and Sparnenn-Josh delivered the song with ease. A couple of songs from 2019's White Rainbow then followed, and given that the band probably would have toured the album more throughout 2020 it was good that a handful of songs from it were retained in the set. The highlight of the two was the symphonic Western Skies, which was excellent from Gordon's flute introduction to the driving keyboard-led closing section. It has always been one of my favourites from the album, and hearing it live again was a treat. Johnson's atmospheric, emotional Changing Lives then hit the spot as always, before the band went further back into their catalogue for the folk/AOR mash-up of Nowhere to Hide (Close My Eyes). The song is pretty much an ever-present fixture in the band's setlists, but the catchy number always goes down well. It is one that always gets the crowd singing along, and it was one of the few songs from before Sparnenn-Josh's time with the band that was played. It is great that the band's setlists are so forward-looking these days, but it is still fun to hear some of the old favourites too. The Spirit of Autumn Past - Part 2 was also dusted off for a relatively rare outing. There was a time when the song was essentially guaranteed at a Mostly Autumn gig, but over the past few years it has rarely been played. Its inclusion in the set was fitting, especially following the folky The House on the Hill, and it really added to the triumphant feel of the set as a whole. Gordon's closing flute salvo was as good as always, and the song unsurprisingly was warmly received by the crowd. It was left to the epic White Rainbow the bring the set to a close, and hearing the song live again was great. It has become one of my favourite Mostly Autumn songs over the past couple of years, and it works very well live - with the whole band shining. Josh gets a lot of time in the spotlight vocally early on, while Sparnenn-Josh gets to let rip later with some siren-like vocals. The instrumental mid-section borders on metal at times too, especially live, with Rogers' double bass drumming elevating the band to new heights. It brought the main show to a powerful close, and the band were treated to huge cheers as they left the stage. There was time for more, of course, and a three-song encore followed. The ever-present Heroes Never Die was as poignant as ever, with Josh's closing solo filled with even more passion than usual, while the slightly whimsical and melodic Forever and Beyond has cemented itself as the band's modern set-closer in recent years. Given the time of year, however, the band then decided to debut their recently-released Christmas song For Everyone at Christmastime - which allowed the night to end on a really joyous note. The whole crowd were involved with the song, and it was a lot of fun seeing the band play an original Christmas song - rather than one of their usual covers. The setlist was:

Graveyard Star

Skin of Mankind

Shadows

That Harder That You Hurt

This Endless War

Spirit of Mankind

Back in These Arms

Passengers

Mother Nature

-

Tomorrow Dies

In for the Bite [Bryan Josh solo material]

Into the Stars

Western Skies

Changing Lives

Nowhere to Hide (Close My Eyes)

The House on the Hill

The Spirit of Autumn Past - Part 2

White Rainbow

-

Heroes Never Die

Forever and Beyond

For Everyone at Christmastime

Seeing Mostly Autumn live again after two years was a real experience, and the concert will certainly be one of my gigs of the year. A Mostly Autumn concert often has the potential to be one, but the band seemed to be more on fire than usual following their enforced break from playing live. All being well the band will be able to play more live shows again next year, as the Graveyard Star material deserves to be heard in a live setting by more people. Hopefully the band will make a return to The Wharf in Tavistock next year, but I am certain that I will also make the effort to travel to see them again regardless - as on last weekend's showing the band are as good as ever.

The Doobie Brothers' 'Liberté' - Album Review

I have only been listening to The Doobie Brothers properly for the last couple of years, but they have fast become one of my favourite bands. They never really made huge waves here in the UK, which probably contributed to my apathy when it came to giving them a proper listen, but they were a band that would occasionally come up in conversation. I had always intended to check them out, and even bought a couple of second-hand LPs of theirs a few years ago, but it took a documentary series from Katie Puckrik called I Can Go For That: The Smooth World of Yacht Rock to finally make me sit up and take notice. Having finally got into Steely Dan not too long before watching the programme, hearing the late-1970s incarnation of The Doobie Brothers made me a fan - and since then I have amassed their whole discography. Despite hearing songs like Takin' It to the Streets and What a Fool Believes on the documentary, the albums I started with were 1973's The Captain and Me and 1974's What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits - as these were the two LPs that I had picked up previously. I soon came to learn of the band's two eras: the Tom Johnston era and the Michael McDonald era; and grew to love both equally. For me, the eight-album run from 1972's Toulouse Street to 1980's One Step Closer is one of the best runs of albums from anyone out there - and even the albums that fall outside of that core run are packed full of great songs. All that was needed to complete my Doobie Brothers fandom was a new album to look forward to; but history suggested that this might be a long time coming. Despite remaining a busy touring act over the past couple of decades, new material from the band has been sparse. Prior to last month, the last album of original material to be released by the band, World Gone Crazy, came out in 2010 - with The Doobie Brothers largely becoming something of a nostalgia act since. This all changed last month, however, as the band released their fourteenth album of original material Liberté. I remember reading an article a couple of years ago suggesting that the band was working on a new EP with producer John Shanks, but clearly those sessions were fruitful as the EP turned into a full-length album. The twelve-track Liberté features the band's current core three of Johnston, Patrick Simmons, and John McFee alongside Shanks and a number of guest musicians. I have been enjoying the album a lot, but I have to admit that I was sceptical going in. Shanks is known as a pop producer, as well as being Jon Bon Jovi's right-hand man for the past couple of decades - during which time he has co-written a lot of Bon Jovi's recent bland output. With Shanks producing, co-writing, and performing on Liberté, I feared that it would be similarly bland. I was pleasantly surprised, then, to find that the album is not only a very Doobie Brothers-sounding album, but a very good Doobie Brothers-sounding album. The band's core mix of rock, blues, R&B, country, and folk is present; with the album's 12 songs containing plenty of subtle variety throughout. Given the album's digestible length too, the album has an old-school feel despite Shanks' modern production job.

One thing that I should get out of the way first, however, is that this is very much a Doobie Brothers and Shanks album. Shanks has co-written every song here, and is the dominant player musically throughout. The band's core members are largely relegated to singing the lead vocals and contributing some guitar work - but a lot of what you hear comes from Shanks. Multi-instrumentalist McFee only appears on five of the 12 songs, for example, and most of the band's long-time touring musicians are absent too - with the exception of keyboardist Bill Payne and bassist John Cowan (although only Cowan's voice was utilised). It would have been nice if the album had been more of a true band effort, but at least the spirit of The Doobie Brothers' sound resides within. The album kicks off with the catchy Oh Mexico, an upbeat pop rocker sung by Johnston that recalls the more laid back rockers found on the band's early albums. Session drummer Victor Indrizzo lays down a shuffling groove that really sets the tone for the the song, while Johnston and Shanks add jaunty guitar rhythms and bluesy slide guitar melodies. The combination works well, and the result is a groovy track that really sounds like The Doobie Brothers of old. It helps that Johnston's voice still sounds great, and he sings the song with real conviction - with even the slightly flamenco-influenced chorus packing a punch. It is easily the most obviously infectious song here, and it gets the album off to a strong start. Better Days introduces Simmons for the first time. Simmons has always spearheaded the country and folk side of the band, and it is fitting therefore that most of his songs here are laid back. Better Days is an acoustic-led piece that is filled with lots of gorgeous vocal harmonies -  as well as plenty of subtle guitar leads from Shanks. The keyboard talents of Payne are also on show throughout, who adds a lot of depth to the track with his subtle organ washes and occasional piano melodies. It is a song that showcases the overall depth that the album has, and repeated listens reveal more layers of instrumentation. Don't Ya Mess With Me shines the spotlight back on Johnston, and also ups the toughness. It is easily the most hard rocking track here, and it opens with a classic Johnston riff - which drives the verses with its brash chord changes. Session king Jeff Babko adds some subtle barroom piano, but it never dominates the song. This is very much a guitar-based track, but the piano adds depth, and a soaring hard rock-style guitar solo again recalls the band's early albums. The band have been playing this song on tour over the past few months, and I can see why. It is a high-energy track that is made to be heard live, with its catchy chorus and bluesy soloing sure to go down well.

Cannonball is another Simmons track, and it introduces his love of bluegrass to the album. Shanks' dobro dominates early on, but the song is very layered - with guitars from Simmons, McFee, and Shanks weaving in and out of each other throughout. Despite the song's country vibes, it is still a pretty upbeat song. The chorus is pretty catchy, which is helped by the song's jaunty pace, and a great little guitar refrain that rears its head a couple of minutes into the piece provides another hook. It is also one of the few songs here to feature the voices of all three band members - which gives the piece the band's authentic trademark vocal sound. Staying with Simmons, Wherever We Go ups the pace somewhat. It is not exactly a hard rocker, but there is a lot more energy here than in most of Simmons' other contributions to the album. The song is once again acoustic-led, but it is packed full of pop hooks - which perfectly suit Simmons' understated vocal delivery. Both of the band's two main singers still sound great vocally, and Simmons certainly does not sound 73 while singing the jaunty country rock track. The chorus is packed full of hooks, while Shanks' varied guitar playing mixes big acoustic guitar patterns with jangly leads to keep the song interesting. The American Dream is tougher and is built around a classic Johnston-sounding riff that is backed up by subtle slide melodies. Despite the tougher sound, the song is not exactly a hard rocker. There is still plenty of the band's trademark diversity throughout, and the bluegrass influences are still present. McFee adds both mandolin and banjo throughout, with the latter in particular showing up during the punchy chorus. The Doobie Brothers have never truly been a hard rock band, and their inclusion of a number of other sounds throughout their songs showcases this. Even a relatively rocking track like The American Dream can be twisted into a rootsy number with the additional of some bluegrass instrumentation - and that is a big part of what makes me such a big fan. Shine Your Light is more of a ballad, but it retains the country vibes of the last couple of tracks. Johnston is known for writing the band's more rocking material, but Shine Your Light is one of his compositions and it suits his voice nicely. It is not as country-influenced as a Simmons ballad would be, with some of the country elements instead replaced by a more atmospheric approach. It is one of the album's most atmospheric pieces overall, and as a result showcases the playing of Payne once again - who's organ and piano throughout are a big part of what makes the song great. We Are More Than Love is another slower song, but it is less atmospheric than the previous cut as it is built around Simmons' acoustic guitar playing. It is one of the simplest songs here, with subtle keyboards and drums backing up Simmons' guitar - but the best part of the song for me is the use of vocal harmonies. Johnston and Simmons harmonise well for the song's subtle chorus, and it is great to hear the two singing together - as the blend of their voices has always been a big part of the band's success.

Easy ups the pace again, and the track is a classic Doobie Brothers upbeat pop rocker. It is similar to Oh Mexico somewhat, but without that song's subtle flamenco influence, and it is packed with hooks. Energetic percussion compliments Indrizzo's drumming throughout, while McFee's occasional swells of lap steel ensure that the band's trademark bluegrass sounds once again included. Overall, however, the song is most memorable for its easy-going chorus. It is one of the album's catchiest moments, with big country-tinged vocal harmonies backing up Johnston throughout. It is another song that would easily work well live - and it is a throwback to the band's mid-1970s work. Just Can't Do This Alone is not quite as upbeat, but it maintains a jaunty pace throughout. Acoustic and electric guitars mix well throughout, while pulsing synths give some extra weight to the chorus. It is another song that contains lots of classic Doobie Brothers tropes, but there is also a bit of a modern sound throughout too. The keyboard sounds used are certainly less organic than would be typical for the band; and the country influence feels a bit more modern this time around. It works well however, and the closing guitar solo is packed full of melody. Simmons' final contribution to the album is the pure country of Good Thang. His guitjo (a six-string banjo) dominates the verses, while McFee adds some additional guitar textures. Like We Are More Than Love, the song is pretty simple overall. There is not as much depth here as there is in most of the other songs, but as a piece of pure country rock it succeeds. Again, the country sounds here are quite modern - but it works well. Simmons' voice throughout sounds strong, and the guitar solo soars - which is something of a theme here. The album comes to a close with the gentle Amen Old Friend, a Johnston ballad that has a big sound thanks to a string backing and plenty of vocal harmonies. Payne's piano is one of the song's dominant sounds, but Shanks' guitar playing is also strong. This is not a song that emphasises virtuoso playing, however, and instead it goes for a more emotional approach. The strings add a lot of depth, and help the song to soar, while the chorus' big vocal approach compliments the strings nicely. The way that the song has been arranged makes it sound like a true album closer too. The Doobie Brothers are rarely an epic-sounding band, but Amen Old Friend is as close to epic as they get thanks to the strings and the huge vocal arrangement. It ends the album on a gentle, but powerful, note and it shows the band's ability to write emotional pieces. As a relatively new fan of the band, hearing new material from them is great. Liberté is not a classic, but there is a lot to enjoy here - and the band's trademark mix of sounds is intact despite the huge involvement of Shanks. I imagine it will be some time before we hear more new material from the band, if we ever do again, but Liberté is a great addition to the band's strong catalogue - with a number of the songs here being real earworms.

The album was released on 29th October 2021 via Island Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Shine Your Light.

Dream Theater's 'A View from the Top of the World' - Album Review

2021 has been an excellent year for new music. When I come to put together my Albums of the Year list in a month's time it will be a real struggle to know what to include; and new albums are still being released that could challenge my established favourites. A band who will always be in contention when it comes to my Albums of the Year lists is the American progressive metal band Dream Theater. Dream Theater are, arguably, the most important band to progressive metal as a genre. There were bands playing progressive metal before Dream Theater debuted in 1989 with When Dream and Day Unite, but it was the Berklee-formed five-piece that truly solidified the genre and wrote lengthy and diverse compositions on the same level of those put out by many of the classic progressive rock bands of the 1970s. Dream Theater's ability to mix lengthy compositions with tight songwriting and soaring hooks has made them one of the biggest progressive metal bands in the world. The band, at least here in the UK, have achieved semi-mainstream acceptance and can fill some pretty decent-sized venues when they tour. The band have a great reputation for a reason, and it has been earnt by years of hard graft. Dream Theater rarely leave long gaps between their albums, and they always seem to be on the road - so it is no wonder that they are still held in such high regard more than 30 years into their career. That being said, some Dream Theater fans are hard to please. While some these days accuse the band of sticking too rigidly to an established formula, to me Dream Theater are a band that have honed a distinct sound over a number of years. The band might not take as many risks sound-wise as they once did, but Dream Theater are still the quintessential progressive metal band to me - and even their last few albums showcase a lot of variety. 2013's self-titled release (which I reviewed here) included a lengthy closer that had a bona fide passage of classical music within it; 2016's mammoth The Astonishing (which I also reviewed here) was a genuine rock opera that included frontman James LaBrie's best recorded vocal performance; and 2019's Distance Over Time (which, again, I reviewed here) stripped back some of the band's excess to create a punchy, hooky album that still sounded very much like Dream Theater. Two years on from Distance Over Time, Dream Theater are back with their fifteenth studio album A View from the Top of the World - which was released last month. Sound-wise, A View from the Top of the World sounds like a continuation of the punchiness of Distance Over Time, but with the prog injected back in in a big way. Distance Over Time was still a progressive metal album, of course, but A View from the Top of the World goes all out from a prog stand point. It is also the band's heaviest album for quite some time, with some of the downtuned and groovy riffing seeing the band sounding as aggressive as on parts of albums like 2007's Systematic Chaos and 2009's Black Clouds & Silver Linings.

With only seven songs and a runtime of just over 70 minutes, A View from the Top of the World really is proper prog. It is also one of the best-sounding Dream Theater albums in my opinion, helped by a great mix from veteran metal producer Andy Sneap. While some have criticised Dream Theater's production in the past, I have never really had an issue with the way any of their albums sound - even if some of their early albums are very 'of their time' production-wise. Distance Over Time was easily the punchiest that the band had sounded for a good few years, however, and that style continues on throughout A View from the Top of the World - but amplified by Sneap's clear-as-day mix. All five band members truly shine as a result, and the kick-off track (and lead single) The Alien is a great example of this. The song is quintessential Dream Theater, but back with a real knotty prog vengeance. A short drum barrage from Mike Mangini opens things up, before the first of many big riffs from guitarist John Petrucci kicks in - which the song's opening section is based around. Given the album's overall heaviness, Petrucci has really focused on his riff-writing here. There are so many memorable riffs throughout the album, and the opening to The Alien is just the first of many. Bassist John Myung, who is always audible, often adds little flourishes to deviate from the main riff; while keyboardist Jordan Rudess throws in his traditional counter-melodies. The song's lengthy intro is classic Dream Theater in scope too, with a brief mellow section containing an emotional Petrucci solo thrown in, and it sets up a song that really plays to the band's strengths. The song could be by no-one else, and when LaBrie starts to sing a couple of minutes in the final piece of the puzzle falls into place. LaBrie is still a commanding singer, and his performance throughout the album is great. The Alien sees him singing in a slightly lower register than usual, but his trademark tone is instantly recognisable. He carries the melodies perfectly, and his lyrics are packed full of the band's usual imagery. His grittier vocal delivery fits the song's overall heaviness; but the melodic touches are still there. The band's penchant for a lengthy solo is still present too, and the core instrumental mid-section of the song is typically impressive. It starts off with an Eastern-tinged Petrucci solo, backed by an off-kilter Mangini beat, before exploding into a fast-paced and chaotic Rudess solo. The song is classic Dream Theater in every way, and it is the perfect way to kick off the album. Answering the Call follows, and it retains the heaviness of the album's opening cut - but fuses it with soaring melodies akin to the sound the band forged on 2011's A Dramatic Turn of Events. Petrucci's guitar sounds weighty throughout, but the overall arrangement is much more overtly-melodic - with busy synth melodies, plenty of soaring guitar breaks, and a vocal from LaBrie which is more typical of his trademark style. The song is possibly not as overtly prog as some of the other cuts here too, and there are certainly shades of Distance Over Time within the song's crunchy and organ-drenched arrangement. Despite great performances from all involved, for me LaBrie is the standout performer throughout the song. He also wrote the song's lyrics, and his delivery is perfect for its mix of mid-paced, snaking heaviness and busy synth melodicism.

Up next is Invisible Monster - another of the album's singles and one of its shorter cuts. Despite the massive prog injection that A View from the Top of the World has received, there are still plenty of shades of the band's previous album throughout. Invisible Monster is one such song - and it is probably the album's simplest song from a songwriting and arrangement perspective. The verses have much more of a simple chug than is typical of the album, while Rudess' keyboards provide an atmospheric backing. There are, of course, a few little intricacies thrown in throughout, but on the whole this is Dream Theater at their most restrained. Even most of the guitar leads are Steve Rothery-esque and made up of a few choice notes, with Petrucci reining in his usual busy style to suit the song's more straight ahead sound. Such is a sound is familiar to Dream Theater however, and the band have written a number of songs like this over the years. They have done this style better in the past in my opinion, as Invisible Monster's chorus never really takes hold as it ought to, but it is still an enjoyable track that showcases the band at their most organic. Sleeping Giant is the longest song on the album up to this point, and is the second-longest overall. Following the relatively simple Invisible Monster, Sleeping Giant reintroduces the prog of the album's opening two songs - and even introduces a few tech metal-inspired sounds. Following a lengthy intro that is dominated by Rudess' busy keyboard work, the song settles into its main groove, which is polyrhythmic in a manner that TesseracT would be proud of. The song is not quite as angular as bands like TesseracT, however, but Petrucci's riff and Mangini's drum pattern certainly butt heads in that classic tech metal fashion - with each playing a slightly different rhythm. This sound works really well for Dream Theater, and their warm production stops the song from sounding too mechanical - which is what prevents me from ever being more than a casual fan of the tech metal genre. The sound does not dominate the song either, but it is certainly one of its core ingredients. More traditional Dream Theater sounds surround it, which give the song a real dynamic arrangement. A big Petrucci guitar lead is never too far away, and there are moments were LaBrie really soars vocally - such as on the chorus that occasionally surfaces during the song. Transcending Time takes a different direction again, and it is the latest entry in the band's on-going collection of songs that showcase their Rush influence. The song is easily the jauntiest thing on the album, and the opening melody is really uplifting - with Petrucci's guitar hook backed by Rudess' 1980s-esque synths. It is not wholly a bouncy pop rocker, however, as it still has a great prog arrangement. Parts of the verses are quite low key, with LaBrie singing against a piano backing, while other moments are full of life - with lots of great synth leads from Rudess. It is the sort of song that puts the sometimes-stated opinion to bed that Dream Theater only write serious music with no soul. Transcending Time is such an uplifting song from start to finish, with every section coming together perfectly to craft a song that is equal parts pop and prog.

Awaken the Master is perhaps the exact opposite of Transcending Time, however, as it is the album's heaviest track - and one of the band's heaviest songs for quite some time. Petrucci has been experimenting with 8-string guitars over the last couple of years, and Awaken the Master is the result. The song's main riff is downtuned and groovy, but ironically it does not stray into tech metal territory despite the instrument's presence. Sleeping Giant had more tech metal than Awaken the Master, but the riffing sounds beefy - meaning that there are very slight hints of nu-metal within the tones of the some of the riffs, but not enough for it to become the dominant sound. The song is still very clearly Dream Theater, and even the most downtuned-sounding sections are filled with Petrucci's trademark style and Rudess' counter-melodies. There is still plenty of diversity within the song too and it is not a relentless riff-a-thon. As with many of the band's songs there are gentler sections, but even these have a certain weight to them thanks to a great presence from Myung - who also wrote the song's lyrics. Myung's bass really drives the song, and his tone throughout perfectly suits the tones that Petrucci has come up with. There is even a section that sounds like a brief, effects-heavy bass solo from Myung, which then morphs into a more traditional guitar solo from Petrucci. Myung rarely gets such prominence in the band's sound, but Awaken the Master is just as much about his playing as it is about Petrucci's 8-string experiments. It is left to the album's 20-plus minute title track to close out the album. Dream Theater are no strangers to long-form compositions, but they have not breached the 20 minute mark too often in their career. As is to be expected A View from the Top of the World takes a few listens to fully appreciate, and I am sure that I will be discovering a lot more about the song over the coming months. That being said, it still has a lot of sections that instantly stand out. One section that I really like is the opening verse, and this is largely because of LaBrie's dominant vocal display. His vocal performance during the chugging verses is one of real power, and the band seem to melt away behind him - only to return in a big way for the pacier chorus which has a big hook. Due to the song's length, it is never really in a hurry to move on. This allows each section to get a chance to properly breathe, as well as plenty of the instrumental showboating that the band are known for. This does not always take the form of elongated solos, however, as there are a number of parts throughout the song that string a lot of riffs and musical patterns together in a Metallica-esque fashion. There are plenty of solos too, however it is actually some of the groove-based riffing that stands out the most for me throughout - and there is even a brief blast beat to keep an eye out for. Emotional, atmospheric sections are also present, which often act as a bed for LaBrie's excellent vocals - but much of the song is heavy to suit the overall tone of the album. It is a perfect collection of all that has come before, and it is another great entry into the band's lengthy epic collection. It is also a great way to end the album, as it wraps everything up nicely and in some ways comes full circle from The Alien. While this is an album that is very much like its title track (it needs a few listens to fully appreciate) there is still so much that hits instantly. Dream Theater have always managed to mix melody and complexity together so well, and A View from the Top of the World is another great example of this talent. The heaviness is a bonus too, and the album is another excellent album from the masters of progressive metal - who seem to show no signs of slowing down.

The album was released on 22nd October 2021 via InsideOut Music. Below is the band's promotional video for The Alien.

Marillion - Birmingham Review

Marillion have been one of my favourite bands since 2008, when I saw both the band and their former frontman Fish live within a few months of each other. Over the next few years I slowly amassed the band's extensive back catalogue; and they soon rose to the top of my list of favourite bands. Since that first gig in 2008, which was at the Cambridge rock Festival, I have managed to see the band live a further seven times - which included an all-time gig highlight at the Royal Albert Hall in 2017. As of last night, however, my Marillion gig count now stands at nine - as I travelled up to Birmingham to catch the band at the Symphony Hall. I saw the band at the same venue back in 2018 and it was a great night, so I was really looking forward see them there again. Marillion's current tour is their first run of shows since their 2019 tour, which saw the band augmented by a group of classical musicians, and also their first tour since the COVID-19 lockdowns. Thankfully, Marillion's touring activity was not significantly impacted by the pandemic. Their 2019 tour had concluded by the time any lockdown was announced, and I believe that the band had already decided to spend much of 2020 away from the road to concentrate on writing and recording a new album. Late last year, however, the band announced a UK tour for November 2021. At the time the prospect of any live music was looking pretty remote, but the band were optimistic and it paid off. The UK has largely been open for business again when it comes to live music since the summer - and all being well that will remain the case. For Marillion's dedicated fanbase, the prospect of a new tour is always an exciting one. In the run up to any tour there is always a lot of discussion online regarding the setlist; and with this tour there was also the prospect of new music. It was announced by the band a month or so ago that new material would be being debuted on the tour - and it was also recently announced that the band's new album, titled An Hour Before It's Dark, will be released in March next year. This certainly made the tour an extra special one, but in truth all of Marillion's recent tours have been special. The band are back to being in a position where they can fill some pretty good-sized venues, and seeing the band in somewhere like Birmingham's Symphony Hall is a much better experience than seeing them in somewhere like Sheffield's Corporation (as I did in 2012). Theatre-type venues are made for Marillion's music, so it is great that their fanbase has grown to such a level again.

Before Marillion took to the stage, and while the large crowd was gathering, those who turned up early were treated to half a hour or so of atmospheric music from Antimatter. While they are usually a full band, on this tour founder Mick Moss (vocals/guitar/percussion) and guitarist David Hall made up something of a stripped back Antimatter; and they performed a number of the band's songs in a more acoustic format. I was familiar with Antimatter in name only, largely due to a historic Anathema connection, but the duo's six-song set impressed. I am generally not a fan of stripped down acoustic sets, especially if I am not familiar with the material, but I liked what Antimatter were doing - and it helped that their set was not purely acoustic. Both Moss and Hall made use of looping throughout to add textures and depth; while Hall's electric guitar leads gave life to what would have otherwise been pretty typical acoustic arrangements of songs that usually sound much fuller. The band's set definitely reminded me of some of those Anathema acoustic sets from a few years ago, and I am not saying that because there are links between the two bands. The approach to Antimatter's acoustic arrangements were similar, and the songs were similarly layered. It is hard to gauge what the band usually sound like fully-fledged, but I have heard enough to want to explore the band's work further - so I will be picking up an Antimatter album or two in due course.

Half an hour or so following Antimatter's set the lights went down again and Marillion took to the stage. Unlike on recent tours, the overall set-up this time was relatively minimalist. The lightshow was a little restrained than in previous years, and the big screen that has been a feature for a while now was absent. The band also took to the stage with very little fanfare. They just walked on stage, soaked up the applause for a moment, and then immediately launched into Sounds That Can't Be Made. This relatively low key start, and setting, suited the vibe of the night however. The band are clearly really happy to be back on the road, and this was a show where the music was truly allowed to speak for itself - without all of the bells and whistles of recent tours. It helped that the setlist, which has been changing somewhat throughout the tour, was packed full of crowd pleasers. This was not an evening for deep cuts, and instead it was a celebration of what Marillion are best at - with the Symphony Hall crowd singing along throughout. Sounds That Can't Be Made worked well as intro, with its slower, percussive early section introducing the band - before the song took a big turn towards the end with Steve Rothery's (guitar) soaring solo and frontman Steve Hogarth's powerful ending vocal refrain. What followed was essentially two hours of greatest hits which, despite the triumphant nature of the set, still contained plenty of sombre moments. Both King and Fantastic Place proved early on that the band are still one of the most moving, while the jaunty acoustic-led Easter mixed heartfelt lyrics with a somewhat folky attitude - although again everything changed when Rothery launched into one of his trademark solos. A real treat for me was hearing a suite of songs from 1994's Brave however. I have sadly not had the opportunity to see the band perform the album in full, but hearing the opening three songs played as a little suite was a treat. Living With the Big Lie was one of the evening's most powerful moments for me, with drummer Ian Mosley powering through the crystal clear mix, but it was perhaps the poignant Runaway that was the overall highlight. Hogarth really nailed the vocal, while keyboardist Mark Kelly's soundscapes filled the venue. It was another Rothery solo, however, that made the song the highlight that it was - and it brought to the suite to an emotional close.

It was then time for something new, with the three-part Be Hard On Yourself wowing the crowd. Sound wise, the song sounds quite similar to the overall style that the band opted for on their last album, 2016's Fuck Everyone and Run. As Fuck Everyone and Run is one of my favourite recent Marillion albums, this continuation in sound is certainly welcome. Whether the rest of the album carries on in the same mould remains to be seen, but Be Hard On Yourself is certainly a good taster for what is to come next March - and the Birmingham crowd enjoyed hearing it. By this point there were only three songs left of the main set - but each brought a different vibe to the evening. The piano-led Afraid of Sunlight is always a live favourite, and its big chorus once again got the crowd going. It is a great representation of Marillion's core sound, and it led perfectly into the old-school pop rock bounce of The Release - with Hogarth attacking his guitar with venom throughout. It was left to the lengthy Neverland to bring the main set to a close, and it was great to hear the song back in the set after being rested for a couple of tours. It always works well as a set-closer, and the version in Birmingham was particularly powerful thanks to Hogarth's impassioned performance and some more excellent guitar playing. Even Kelly's keyboards temporarily cutting out could not ruin the performance, and the band left the stage to a standing ovation. Two encores followed: one that was lengthy and epic, and one that was low key and reflective. The first encore started with the pulsing Splintering Heart, which saw Hogarth alone on stage to sing the opening section before the rest of the band joined him when the song really kicked in - again with some excellent soloing. I had not seen the band play the song live since that Cambridge Rock Festival gig back in 2008, so it was great to hear it again now that I am a fully fledged Marillion fan. The lengthy The Leavers followed, and the multi-part Fuck Everyone and Run cut was warmly received. Given that the song is about being on tour, it seemed fitting for the band to play it again considering that they were celebrating being back on the road. The song's closing One Tonight section was particularly powerful, with the band and the crowd singing the lyrics as one. A brief step off the stage ended with bassist Pete Trewavas coming back armed with an acoustic guitar, which led into some flamenco-inspired silliness before the band rattled trough the Brave closer Made Again - which felt like a lovely little coda after all of the soaring rock that had preceded it. It was a great way to end a powerful evening of live music. The setlist was:

Sounds That Can't Be Made

King

Fantastic Place

Easter

Bridge

Living With the Big Lie

Runaway

Be Hard On Yourself - Part I: The Tear in the Big Picture

Be Hard On Yourself - Part II: Lust for Luxury

Be Hard On Yourself - Part III: You Can Learn

Afraid of Sunlight

The Release

Neverland

-

Splintering Heart

The Leavers - Part I: Wake Up in Music
The Leavers - Part II: The Remainers
The Leavers - Part III: Vapour Trails in the Sky
The Leavers - Part IV: The Jumble of Days
The Leavers - Part V: One Tonight

-

Made Again

The band left the stage to another standing ovation, and it was clear that everyone in the venue had had a great time. Some Marillion fans can be hard to please, and seek to find fault with everything that the band does, but I think even the most pessimistic and entitled fan would struggle to find a fault in last night's performance. Even the technical hitch with the keyboards did not stop the band from giving it their all, and a well behaved crowd lapped up every moment of it. With the new album due out in a few months, I hope that we will be able to look forward to another UK tour in the not too distant future - and given the band's recent track record of regular UK tours I imagine that they will be as keen as I am for them to get back out there.

Alcatrazz's 'V' - Album Review

It seems that Alcatrazz albums are like buses: there is not one for ages, and then two turn up at once. Having last released an album in 1986, the rock band returned last year with Born Innocent (which I reviewed here) - their fourth album and the first since their 2019 reunion. While frontman Graham Bonnet had toured under the Alcatrazz name between 2006 and 2014, the 2019 reunion was the first time that he was joined on a permanent basis by two of the band's other original members: bassist Gary Shea and keyboardist Jimmy Waldo. Both Shea and Waldo were ever-present during the band's classic era, and contributed to the three albums that Alcatrazz released during the 1980s. It was great to see three of the band's original members reconvene and write new music, but Born Innocent ended up being a bit of a strange beast. Whilst I enjoy it, in truth it is an Alcatrazz album in name only. There are so many guest musicians on the album, that it feels more like one of those Frontiers Records project releases than a true Alcatrazz album. Shea only played on about half of the album, and only five of the album's 13 songs were actually written (from a musical standpoint, at least, as Bonnet wrote most of the lyrics) by members of the band. It is my view that Born Innocent actually started life as the third Graham Bonnet Band album, and was hastily re-branded as the fourth Alcatrazz album when Shea came onboard - as Waldo had been part of Bonnet's solo band for a number of years. As such, Born Innocent never truly felt like Alcatrazz returning - and it did not surprise me when the band split at the end of 2020. Citing a disagreement regarding the band's management, Bonnet announced that he was leaving Alcatrazz to form his own version of the band - and that Doogie White (La Paz; Midnight Blue; Rainbow; Cornerstone; Yngwie Malmsteen's Rising Force; Tank; Michael Schenker's Temple of Rock) was replacing him. As much as the split did not surprise me, it was surprising that it was Bonnet who was conceding ground to Shea and Waldo. Bonnet has always been the focal point of Alcatrazz, and it has always been seen as essentially his band. Recent interviews with Shea, however, hint that Bonnet had to be persuaded to reform Alcatrazz in the first place - which gives further credence to my theory that Born Innocent was originally intended to be a Graham Bonnet Band album. Regardless of the ins and outs, however, Bonnet is out and White is in - and the band have been hard at work over the past year creating their fifth album. The appropriately titled V was released last month - and it shows that the new-look Alcatrazz is a much heavier and more neo-classical beast. Joining Shea, Waldo, and White on the album are guitarist Joe Stump and drummer Mark Benquechea - who both return from Born Innocent. White and Stump have written much of the album's material, with contributions throughout from Waldo, band manager Giles Lavery, and White's old Tank bandmate Cliff Evans (Tank; Killers) - the latter of which also plays bass on one track.

The album's opening track, Guardian Angel, perfectly shows off the heavier sound that the band have recently cultivated. Given Stump's love of neo-classical shredding, the album can often sound like an Yngwie Malmsteen release - and V sounds like a bit of a mix of Rainbow's 1995 album Stranger In Us All and Malmsteen's 2002 opus Attack!!. Both of these albums feature White's vocals, and V continues on in that trend with a monstrous guitar presence and plenty of hefty Hammond organ. Despite the new Alcatrazz line-up being firmly cemented, the band still felt the need to include a handful of guests here. Guardian Angel features both bassist Don Van Stavern (Riot V) and drummer Nigel Glockler (Toyah; Saxon; Thunderstorm). Van Stavern plays on three of the album's songs, while Glockler drums on two. I am not sure why this was necessary, as the new Alcatrazz band could easily cope without them. Irrespective of this, however, Guardian Angel is a great opener. It is a fast-paced neo-classic metal anthem, driven by Glockler's double bass drumming, and it is a real showcase for both White and Stump. Anyone who has been paying attention over the past 30 years will know of White's talents, and he sounds great throughout the album, but Stump is a revelation. He never truly got to shine on Born Innocent due to the sheer amount of guest guitarists, but throughout V he is unleashed. The main riff/melody of Guardian Angel is a perfect mix of Malmsteen and Ritchie Blackmore; with Waldo's ever-present organ adding some classic rock weight. Unlike a lot of Malmsteen's modern output, however, the songwriting is actually strong. Guardian Angel is a very memorable song, with a hooky chorus and a number of musical movements that stick in the brain. Stump's solo is unsurprisingly great, but they atmospheric keyboard-led section that precedes it is also excellent. The understanding between Stump and Waldo is great; and it is something that is displayed throughout the album. Nightwatch is similar, but this time it is driven by Benquechea's double bass drumming - rather than Glockler's. While Stump's guitar is still a big part of the song, Waldo's keyboards are higher in the mix this time. His spooky organ really helps to bring the song to life, while Stump and Van Stavern lay down a tight rhythm. Naturally, Stump throws in a few neo-classical licks - but this is a song that generally goes for a heavier sound overall that relies less on flashy leads (with the exception of his excellent solo). Sword of Deliverance is the first song here to feature all five of Alcatrazz's members, and it is a catchy album highlight that puts paid to the idea that they need any help (even if it is co-written by Evans). There are strong Deep Purple and Rainbow vibes here, as the pace is slowed down somewhat. Benquechea and Shea lay down a strong groove throughout, while Waldo's pulsing Hammond backs Stump's simple riffing. It was songs like this that made Stranger In Us All such a great comeback for Rainbow in the 1990s, and why White was the perfect fit for Blackmore's style. This song could have come from that album, and the big chorus is one of the album's hookiest moments.

Turn of the Wheel ups the pace again, but also turns the clock back. Malmsteen has often been ridiculed in recent years for his inability to actually write a proper song these days, but hearing Turn of the Wheel brings to mind a time in the 1980s when his albums were actually great. Stump's playing and songwriting style is like Malmsteen's from the 1980s, and in White he has found the perfect foil. The two work so well together, and their songwriting is full of a lot of interesting quirks - as well as lots of good old tropes. Turn of the Wheel has another catchy chorus, but I also really like the atmospheric pre-chorus section that features some great keyboard textures. Malmsteen used to do things like that too, before he wanted the spotlight on himself 100% of the time, and it shows that great songwriting is often more than the sum of its parts. Blackheart, the last song to feature Glockler, has a bit of a crunchy power metal vibe. The song is not particularly fast, however, but bands like HammerFall are certainly brought to mind here. There are neo-classical runs, but on the whole the song is much riffier - with Stump focusing on a lot of tough rhythm playing, while Waldo adds colour. The chorus emphasises the song's power metal roots too, with plenty of joyous vocal harmonies that help to give it a big sound. This is not something employed that often on the album, so it helps the song to stand out. Grace of God, which was co-written by and features Evans, is another strong mid-paced rocker that opens with its core chorus hook and remains very melodic throughout. Unlike Blackheart, which featured more riffing than lead guitar work, Grace of God is much more neo-classical in style. Evans' bass and the drums provide the main driving rhythm throughout, while much of Stump's playing is more melodic in nature. Even throughout the verses his playing is often quite lead-orientated. This does not detract from White's singing, but it means that when listening closely a lot of interesting little leads and melodies can be heard. It is unsurprising, then, that Stump's solo is also packed full of furious runs - and it is one of the album's speediest. Return to Nevermore is a slower song; following on in the grand tradition of tracks like Rainbow's Ariel and Malmsteen's Dark Ages. Neo-classical rockers have often written songs like this, with snaking Eastern-tinged melodies and plenty of room for atmospheric keyboard playing. The fact that the song is slower does not mean that it is a ballad, however, as there are still plenty of crunchy riffs throughout. The lumbering pace allows White a bit more space to shine, but Stump still makes his presence felt with his groovy riffing - as well as his lengthy solo. Target, the final song to feature Van Stavern, ups the pace again and returns to the style that the band used to open up the album with. The song is a hard-driving rocker, with lots more double bass drumming and rhythmic riffing. This is another song that features Waldo's keyboards in a more prominent role too. While Stump usually handles the lead interludes, Waldo plays them here - with the chorus in particular being backed by a great keyboard melody that perfectly compliments White's vocals.

Maybe Tomorrow slows the pace down somewhat, and it is another song with big Deep Purple vibes thanks to Waldo's organ regularly cutting through the mix. It is also one of the album's most atmospheric pieces; as throughout the song mixes hard rock sounds with slightly symphonic moments. The main riffs are typical of the album's sound, thanks to Waldo's organ and Stump's stabbing guitar patterns, while the verses see the band scale things back somewhat to be augmented by gentle strings and Waldo's piano. The song is not a ballad, however, as much of the song is still pretty heavy - but the atmospheric sections help to add some dynamics to the piece, and as a result the song is one of the album's more diverse cuts. House of Lies is another very Deep Purple and Rainbow-esque piece, so much so that the main riff is very reminiscent of Rainbow's All Night Long. This eyebrow-raising similarity aside, the track is a fun addition to the album. The Deep Purple and Rainbow channelled previously has largely been the bands' lengthier, more gothic sides - but it is nice to see the poppier side of Blackmore's playing also referenced. Stump's riffing throughout is similarly catchy, and Waldo backs him up perfectly in that classic Deep Purple style. Many of the songs on this album go for a much more epic sound, but House of Lies is almost carefree in comparison. This shift in tone is welcome, and the song is likely to be one that works well live thanks to its upbeat groove and sing-a-long chorus. Alice's Eyes is another upbeat track, but the poppiness of the previous song is gone - replaced instead by the album's typical heaviness. Benquechea's drumming throughout is punchy and relentless, while the instrumentation from Stump and Waldo is varied and frantic. The riffing is pretty straight forward, but both players often divert from the script to add little flourishes - which sound downtuned and heavy due to the song's gritty mood. The standout performer here for me, however, is White. He sings really well throughout the whole album, but his vocal melodies here are particularly great - and he hits some impressive high notes during the gothic choruses. The album's closing number, Dark Day for My Heart, is also its gentlest. V is a pretty relentlessly heavy album, but Dark Day for My Soul slows things down quite considerably and goes for more of a ballad-esque approach. Stump's guitar weight is featured much less here, with Waldo's varied keyboard playing instead in the spotlight. The early portions of the song are piano driven, while atmospheric Hammond takes over when the rest of the band join in. There are moments that up the heaviness somewhat, but they never reach the heights of the rest of the album. The song maintains its ballad feeling throughout as a result, and there is a greater emotional pull than usual - particularly during Stump's excellent solo. Given the album's overall heaviness, ending things on a relatively lighter note works well - and it shows that the new-look Alcatrazz are not all about one thing. While some may be sceptical about Alcatrazz without Bonnet, V shows that this new-look Alcatrazz are a force to be reckoned with. The songwriting throughout the album is very strong, and the neo-classical sounds are a real joy. Anyone who likes 1980s-style hard driving metal will love V, and I will be interested to see where Alcatrazz go next.

The album was released on 15th October 2021 via Silver Lining Music. Below is the band's promotional video for Grace of God.

The Georgia Thunderbolts' 'Can We Get a Witness' - Album Review

Discovering a new southern rock band is always a real treat. The genre has often been popular here in the UK, which is strange considering that we do not really make it ourselves, with its representatives old and new regularly visiting the country. Black Stone Cherry have recently completed a lengthy UK tour, playing to big crowds wherever they went, while bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet, and Blackberry Smoke are also regular visitors to these shores. A band that I hope will join them soon is The Georgia Thunderbolts, a young southern rock band that caught my attention last year with the release of their digital-only self-titled EP (which I reviewed here). Hailing from Rome, Georgia, the five-piece's EP was picked up by a few of the rock publications over here, and it was pushed quite heavily at the time. I enjoyed the EP a lot when it was released last year, and it was great hearing a new southern rock band that did not go all out for a heavy sound, nor rely too heavily on a number of country tropes. Newer southern rock is often either very riff-based and heavy (e.g. Black Stone Cherry) or significantly influenced by modern country (e.g. Blackberry Smoke); so it was great to hear a new southern rock band sounding rather old-school. It is lazy journalism to compare a southern rock band to Lynyrd Skynyrd, but for me The Georgia Thunderbolts genuinely channel a lot of the Jacksonville-based band in their songs. They can rock out when they want to, but they also have a bluesy groove in their songs - with frontman T.J. Lyle's laid back vocal style being similar to that of the late Ronnie Van Zant. Since releasing the EP, the band have been out on tour throughout America and have played a lot of shows with Black Stone Cherry. I believe that Black Stone Cherry have somewhat mentored the young band, and Richard Young (father of Black Stone Cherry's John Fred Young) is their manager. It is great to see Black Stone Cherry helping the next generation of southern rock; and I hope that they will bring The Georgia Thunderbolts to the UK with them next time they tour. In the meantime, however, there is still cause for celebration as last month the band released their debut album Can We Get a Witness. A look online, however, shows that the band actually released an album called Southern Rock from Rome in 2019, but this album looks to have only been locally released and as such is not available elsewhere. Can We Get a Witness, then, is technically the band's second album, but considering that most people will probably never hear Southern Rock from Rome it seems that the band is treating Cane We Get a Witness as their debut - especially as it has been released globally via Mascot Records. A number of the songs from Southern Rock from Rome have also been re-recorded for Can We Get a Witness - so in a way the new album (along with the self-titled EP) is a re-launch for the band. All five songs from the EP are present again here, meaning that the digital-only release was a teaser for what was to come.

The album consists of 13 songs: five of which were released last year; six of which are new originals; and two of which are covers. The album opens with one of the six new tracks, and the raw bluesy rock of Take It Slow perfectly introduces everything that The Georgia Thunderbolts are about in one package. The boogie-based riffing from guitarists Riley Couzzourt and Logan Tolbert kicks the album off in fine fashion, with some occasional bursts of harmonica from Lyle adding depth. There are songs here that are deeper, but as a slab of old-fashioned southern rock Take It Slow opens the album nicely. It has a great groove throughout, a punchy chorus that showcases Lyle's impressive vocal range, and a short guitar solo that is a sign of things to come. It is a catchy, bluesy track that is packed full of attitude - something which there is plenty more of to come. The next four songs are all culled from last year's EP, and the riffy Lend a Hand kicks the suite off. The song was the heaviest thing on the EP, and it is also one of heaviest things here. The Black Stone Cherry sound has rubbed off on the band somewhat; as the riffing throughout the song is less bluesy and more in-your-face - although there is plenty of excellent bass playing throughout from Zach Everett. His playing throughout the verses is impressive, and filled with snaking grooves; while the choruses are much heavier overall and backed by some screaming guitar leads. The guitar playing throughout the whole track is pretty fiery, however, which shows nicely what both Couzzourt and Tolbert can do. So You Wanna Change the World is very Lynyrd Skynyrd-influenced, particularly the more laid back side of the legendary band. The opening guitar lead brings to mind The Ballad of Curtis Loew somewhat; while Lyle's effortless vocal performance is one of the most Van Zant-esque efforts that I can recall. The song overall is relatively gentle, but it never really feels like a ballad. Young and David Barrick's raw production ensures that even the album's quieter moments have some bite to them, with the organic drum sound always adding weight. Bristol Perry's drumming keeps the song moving nicely; even though there are sections where he does not play; and the guitar solo attacks the track to add further bite. Looking for an Old Friend is also quite laid back, but there is a bit more energy throughout thanks to a jaunty country rock vibe. There is a lot of acoustic guitar in the mix, but the standout element of the song for me is the excellent slide guitar playing. The slide is pretty much ever-present throughout the piece, and its aching melodies add some blues depth to the country rock vibes - all of which forms a great bed for Lyle's warm vocals, especially during the catchy chorus.

Spirit of a Workin' Man is the last of the EP tracks, for now at least, and it returns to the more riff-heavy rock sound that opened the album. That being said, however, the song is surprisingly atmospheric - with verses built around some hypnotic guitar lines that are backed by some subtle Hammond organ. The song's intro and choruses are relatively hard rocking, so the contrast between the two approaches works nicely - and shows off the band's composition and arrangement skills. Some southern rock can be a bit leaden and lacking in any dynamics, but The Georgia Thunderbolts have already demonstrated that they have the talent to craft interesting songs - while remaining true to the southern rock sound. Spirit of a Workin' Man is one of the album's most interesting cuts from an arrangement perspective as a result of this mix of sounds; and it is a real highlight. The album's two covers follow, with a rendition of The Allman Brothers Band's Midnight Rider up first. Midnight Rider is a pretty generic choice for a southern rock band to cover; but I like what The Georgia Thunderbolts have done with it. Their version is much heavier than the original, with the acoustic guitars replaced with electric equivalents and a much stronger drum presence throughout. Lyle does justice to the song vocally, but perhaps the best part of this cover is the closing instrumental section that ups the heaviness and introduces a scorching, bluesy guitar solo. Be Good to Yourself, written by Free's Andy Fraser and later made famous by Frankie Miller, is a much more interesting choice for a cover, however, and the song's boogie rock vibes were made for a southern rock band to make the most of. I like the song a lot, and The Georgia Thunderbolt's version is excellent. It feels ever so slightly slower than the classic version, but the band's weighty riffing really makes it tick - and Lyle allows his voice to take on a grittier vibe throughout. Subtle piano also adds extra bounce to the song, which helps the track to be another overall highlight. The next five songs are all new cuts, with the very bluesy Half Glass Woman coming next. The song is one of the album's rawest, with plenty of room for Lyle's harmonica - which provides the main instrumental hook early on. The guitars and drums really crash throughout the song, which contributes to its raw sound, and the piece feels like a true blues throwback - akin to something that could have been found on the first album from The Allman Brothers Band. Dancin' With the Devil is more typical of the band's core sound however, with a subtle picked guitar line driving everything. Lyle and Everett are responsible for most of the album's keyboards, but this song features organ throughout from Paul Hatchett. His playing is quite prominent throughout the track, but the organ never takes anything away from the guitars - which still dominate. There is another great guitar solo here too, which helps to elevate the song further.

Can I Get a Witness follows and, along with Lend a Hand, it is one of the album's heaviest tracks. The main riff really packs a punch, and the relatively slow pace of the song only makes the strutting groove feel heavier. This is not purely a riff-fest however, as there is quite a lot going on throughout the song. Parts of the track are relatively atmospheric, with a strong keyboard backing, and Everett again gets to show off occasionally with some snaking bass lines. His playing really helps the song's grooves to stand out; which again only help to make the song sound heavier. There is a lot of groove in general throughout this album, but Can I Get a Witness might be the truest southern rock anthem here. I can imagine that the song works really well live; thanks to the big headbanging riffs and Lyle's screaming vocals; and the chorus is one of the album's truly anthemic moments. Walk Tall Man retains the groove of the previous song, but reins in the heaviness a little. The song still rocks, but there is more of an organic sound present throughout. This allows the pace to be upped somewhat, and the song has a bit more energy than is typical for the album. Perry's drumming creates a bit of a shuffling groove throughout; and it is this shuffle that keeps the song ticking. There are more memorable songs here, but the energy whipped up during the track is infectious - which helps it to stand out. It's Alright is a catchy song, which the band recently released as a single. It is quite a middle-of-the-road song sound-wise, but its bouncy riffs and catchy chorus makes it enjoyable. Again, there are better songs on the album - but as a laid back groovy rocker the song fulfils its brief. There are not many poppy moments on the album either, but It's Alright's chorus is one of them. Lyle's voice effortlessly carries the hooky melodies, while a jaunty guitar solo only adds to the track's pop sheen. It is a fun little song, and adds a light-hearted touch to the album. The album comes to a close with the relatively lengthy Set Me Free, which also closed last year's EP. The song feels like a restrained version of the trademark southern rock trope of having a long song with an epic closing guitar solo (Free Bird, Highway Song, Green Grass and High Tides, etc.); but cut down to fit with The Georgia Thunderbolt's relatively no-nonsense sound. It is the closest thing on the album to ballad too, which is typical of the song type, with gentle guitar picking dominating early on - as well as a strong organ presence to add depth. As expected, there is plenty of great lead guitar throughout. There is a lengthy, bluesy solo after the second chorus; while the song's closing moments also feature some extended soloing. The song never lets rip in Free Bird-esque fashion however. There is no five minute guitar solo here, but the closing section is still packed full of great playing - as well some vocal ad libs. It is a great album closer, and it really helps to bring all of the elements of album's core sound together. For a young band, Can We Get a Witness is a very well put together and intelligent southern rock album that is true to the genre without feeling like a poor imitation. The Georgia Thunderbolts are a band that have the potential to do big things in the southern rock world; and I hope that this album is just the start as I would love to hear more from them going forward.

The album was released on 15th October 2021 via Mascot Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Take It Slow.

Fish - Frome Review

Fish is one of the acts that I have seen live the most over the years. He is my third most-seen act (now tied with Touchstone on eleven gigs each), behind only Mostly Autumn and The Quireboys, and an evening out with Fish is always a lot of fun. I first saw him live back in 2008 at The Wharf in Tavistock, and I have now seen him a further 10 times (including the two days of his 2012 convention in Leamington Spa) - with the 11th coming last night at the Cheese & Grain in Frome. Fish's current tour, which is celebrating both his 1990 debut solo album Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors and his 2020 release Weltschmerz, has unsurprisingly been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I was supposed to see him at the Cheese & Grain back in March of 2020, but the tour was cancelled after the opening night as the band could sense that lockdowns etc. were looming. The tour was then rescheduled to include an Exeter date, only for the shows to once again be cancelled. The current tour was then announced, with the South West offering being at the SWX in Bristol. Tickets were once again bought, only for the venue to catch fire a few months ago! Luckily the show was able to be moved back to the Cheese & Grain - bringing things full circle. I had not visited Frome before and, while the town did not really impress, the Cheese & Grain turned out to be a great venue. It was much bigger than I was expecting it to be, as I had pictured something similar to The Wharf - but the stage was much larger, as was the actual room itself. Frome seems a strange place to have a venue the size of the Cheese & Grain, but it is one of a number of similar venues across the South West - all of which deserve to be utilised more due to their excellent facilities. I am not likely to return to Frome regularly, as there are likely to be more accessible options on most tours, but should I need to return to the Cheese & Grain I will know that the venue is at least excellent - even if there is little-to-no affordable food available to weekday gig-goers in the town. Considering how long Fish has had to wait for this tour, it was great to see the venue packed. Given that the show was originally supposed to be in Bristol I had wondered if this would affect the attendance, but the hall was pretty full throughout. Fish is known to attract a certain breed of annoying fan to his shows too, but the Frome crowd was easily the most well behaved of any Fish crowd that I have been a part of - which was a real treat as sometimes the behaviour his 'fans' can spoil parts of the evening.

Opening the show, as was the case when I last saw Fish live in December 2018, was Doris Brendel and her band. Brendel is, once again, singing backing vocals with Fish's band on this tour - so her being the support act made sense, even if I find it a bit lazy when artists take the same support act out with them on multiple tours. Perhaps if I was a fan of Brendel's then I would have thought differently, but her 2018 set did little to win me over. She has a sound that mixes somewhat punky rock with prog, which sometimes works well - but other times the combination works less well. That being said, however, the former Violet Hour frontwoman is certainly a charismatic performer. She and her band put on a strong showing throughout the 40 or so minutes that they were on stage in Frome - and I certainly enjoyed her more this time than I did three years ago. Much of the set seemed to come from a newly released album, so it is possible that Brendel's new music is more to my taste. There were still some songs that did little for me, but a few (particularly early on) did pack a bit of a punch - with Brendel's smoky voice mixing nicely with the guitar playing of Lee Dunham. I cannot say that I was really converted to Brendel's music, but it was nice to be pleasantly surprised and enjoy her set more than I was expecting to. Her bouncy music and infectious personality certainly helped warm the crowd up for Fish - which is the goal of any support act.

Half an hour or so following Brendel's set, the house lights went down and Fish's band gradually took to the stage while the slow-burning intro of The Grace of God played over the venue's PA. Brendel, Steve Vantsis (bass guitar/vocals), and Gavin Griffiths (drums) are all still a part of Fish's band, with newer faces John Mitchell (guitar) and Spencer Cozens (keyboards/vocals) joining them. Fish has had a few people come and go from his band over the years that I have been following him, but the current five-piece that back him up might be the best configuration that I have seen with him. Considering that the Frome show was only the line-up's second show together, the band was extremely tight - and Fish sounded the best that he has in years vocally following an extended break from touring. As mentioned above, this current tour is celebrating two different albums. The whole of Vigil in a Wilderness of Mirrors was played throughout the evening; while five songs from the mammoth, recently-released double album Weltschmerz were also played. A couple of old Marillion favourites were thrown in for good measure, and were enjoyed by the crowd, but I liked it that the set was very Fish-centric following a few tours that focused a lot on his Marillion past. It was great hearing a good chunk of the Weltschmerz album played live too; and the slow-paced The Grace of God was a good opening number with its atmospheric build up and emotionally-charged vocal. The set was well-paced too, and it mixed rockier numbers and more atmospheric pieces throughout. Big Wedge certainly injected some pace early on, as did the groovy and percussive Man With a Stick, but the next portion of the set was pretty much focused on some of Fish's slower, more progressive pieces. The highlights here were a powerful rendition of Vigil, which has always been a live favourite, and the meandering new cut Rose of Damascus. I was not sure how the 15-plus minute Weltschmerz centrepiece was going to work live, but the atmospheric song came over really well - thanks to some snaking Vantsis bass playing and a great solo from Mitchell.

There was then another injection of pace with the punky Marillion classic He Knows You Know, a song which brought the best out of new keyboardist Cozens. Fish has always struggled get the right keyboardist on board, but Cozens is an experienced professional who impressed throughout. His old-school synth leads during He Knows You Know were just right, and I felt that his presence really lifted the band in general throughout the gig. This energy continued on through the heavier Weltschmerz and the energetic but more low key This Party's Over, before things slowed down again with a stunning rendition of Cliché. The song was previously seen as a bit of a centrepiece of Frank Usher, one of Fish's long-standing guitarists, so it has not been featured live much of late. Mitchell's renditions of the classic leads and solos were excellent however, and the song really soared - with Fish's well-rested voice bringing the best out of the relatively simple lyric. The main set was then rounded out in muscular fashion with the hard-driving rock of View From the Hill, and the large crowd cheered loudly as Fish and his band left the stage. Not one but two encores followed. Fish and Cozens eased the crowd back in with a great version of the piano ballad A Gentleman's Excuse Me, which should have convinced the whole room that Cozens is one of the best keyboardists that Fish has ever worked with, but it was a punchy rendition of Marillion's Fugazi that impressed the most. Fish has not performed the song that much in recent years, but with the new special edition of the album still being digested by many it seemed fitting to dust the track off once again. The ending section proved to be a big sing-a-long, as is to be expected, and the song was one of the highlights of the night as a result. Following another brief walk off-stage, the band were back once again for The Company. The folky number has always been a live favourite of Fish's fans, and it proved to be the excellent coda to an excellent evening - and the large crowd made their appreciation heard while Fish and his band were taking their bows. The setlist was:

The Grace of God

Big Wedge

Man With a Stick

State of Mind

Family Business

Vigil

Rose of Damascus

He Knows You Know [Marillion material]

Weltschmerz

This Party's Over

Cliché

View From the Hill

-

A Gentleman's Excuse Me

Fugazi [Marillion material]

-

The Company

Due to a great setlist, a great performance, and a great atmosphere, yesterday's Fish gig in Frome was one of the best from him that I have seen. It was so refreshing to go to a Fish show that was not plagued by people shouting out inane things throughout the evening or by incessant talking throughout the less well-known songs too. I do wonder if his recent more Marillion-centric setlists have attracted a lot of casual fans who were only interested in hearing the Marillion songs and making their presence felt - whereas a more Fish-focused set only attracts those who want to actually hear the songs being played. Either way, the crowd were great throughout - and the atmosphere in the room was electric. With Fish winding down to an eventual retirement, there may be relatively few opportunities left for me to catch him live, and if the future gigs are as good as last night's then he will certainly go out on a well-deserved high.

Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons - Birmingham Review

I have been lucky of late when it comes to finding replacements for postponed gigs. Despite the UK being largely 'open for business' currently when it comes to live music, the same cannot be said for many European countries. As such, those tours which rely heavily on dates in mainland Europe to make them financially viable are still being postponed - meaning that a lot of the bigger bands' European tours are still falling foul of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this, I have still managed to get to a lot of gigs since the summer - and I have even managed to replace a few cancelled shows with others in the same city to ensure that travel plans can remain intact. Last month Blaze Bayley replaced Opeth's postponed London show, while yesterday I took in Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons at the O2 Institute 2 in Birmingham's Digbeth. Phil and Co. replaced a Trivium show that will now take place in January 2023(!), but as replacements go a night with the former Motörhead guitarist is a bit of a jackpot hit. Before yesterday, I had seen the band live five times - and each time was a memorable night. The band's two albums and lone EP are packed full of catchy metal anthems, while Phil's Motörhead legacy helps to bulk out the setlists. Over the past few years the band have become real fixtures of the UK rock and metal scene. They are often out on tour, and they have shown over the years that they are not afraid to play venues that are somewhat off the beaten path - so much so that I have seen them live three times in the South West alone. With the exception of a fun acoustic show from The Quireboys' Spike back in May, Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons helped to kick off my gigging year back in July when they played a strong set along with Orange Goblin, Massive Wagons, and others at The Yard near Truro in Cornwall. It was a treat to see the band in Cornwall, and it was a great addition to previous local gigs in Plymouth and Exeter. Sadly their closest show to Plymouth on this tour is in Bristol later this week, and I could not really justify taking any more time off work this month to go to the gig when I had seen the band fairly recently. I was delighted then when I was able to replace Trivium's postponed Birmingham show with a Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons gig on the same night across town. It was also a good opportunity to reacquaint myself with the O2 Institute 2, a venue which I had not been to for a number of years. It looks like it has been done up somewhat since I last visited, and from my position on the barrier the sound was excellent for most of the night - with a notable exception, more on that later.

Before the headliner's set, however, the good-sized crowd was treated to two short support slots. The first was courtesy of The Nova Hawks, a six-piece organic blues rock band - which included a guitarist who had come dressed up as Dickey Betts circa 1975. On a more serious note, however, those who have been following this tour know that its main support act was supposed to be Wolf Jaw - until the sudden and shock passing of their frontman Tom Leighton last month. The tour is continuing on in his memory, but the Birmingham show was made into more of a tribute due to the presence of Tom's widow Heather - who fronts The Nova Hawks. She led heartfelt tributes to her late husband from the stage, and dedicated some of her band's numbers to him - but perhaps her best tribute to him was her passionate performance. The Nova Hawks play a sort of blues that is expansive, percussive, and filled with slide guitar - and as such requires a big voice. Heather's voice suits the band's sound perfectly, and she really belted it out during the band's 30 or so minutes on stage. Slide guitar riffs, quirky solos, and some of the most powerful drumming to ever be played on a tiny drum kit made The Nova Hawks' set a really enjoyable one. Having looked online, it seems that the band are quite new - although they did release their debut album Redemption earlier in the year. I will be picking up a copy of the album shortly as I really enjoyed what I heard. I hope that this is a band that will start to make some waves going forward, as their powerful performance showed a lot of potential.

Up next was the Welsh three-piece Florence Black, who are joining Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons on most of the dates on this tour. I had heard a lot of good things about Florence Black, so I was looking forward to seeing them live, but sadly they did not really do a whole lot for me. I do not think it helped, however, that the sound mix opted for was the 'everything louder than everything else' option - which meant that the bass and the drums really drowned everything else out. As such, any nuance in the music was totally lost - and most of the songs crashed by without any real dynamics or respite. The only song that really stuck out to me was the slower Sun & Moon, which was less heavy and as such I could actually hear what was going on properly. It revealed that Tristan Thomas (vocals/guitar) actually has a great voice when it is not buried under a mush of volume, and his guitar playing throughout the song was full of bluesy licks that had a Mark Knopfler-esque flavour at times. It is a shame that the mix was so loud, as I imagine that as a result I did not get a true representation of what Florence Black are about. I think that they are probably heavier than I expected them to be, but when a live sound mix is so loud and mushy it can be hard to tell what is going on. It is not really fair for me to judge Florence Black on this performance as a result, so I hope that in the future I will get another opportunity to see the band live. I would like to hear the band properly so that I can understand what all of the fuss is about - but for now I shall reserve judgement until such an opportunity presents itself.

Luckily the sound for Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons was much better, and when the band hit the stage with the anthemic We're the Bastards the venue erupted. This was despite Phil suffering from guitar trouble throughout the song (a roadie had been fiddling with the guitar constantly throughout the changeover only for something to immediately break), but he got it working in time for his first solo of the evening - which the crowd duly acknowledged. Following the recent departure of Neil Starr, and Buffalo Summer's Andrew Wood's period as a stand-in coming to an end, the band were joined by yet another singer in Joel Peters. Peters has been fronting the band throughout the tour, but it is unclear whether he is another stand-in or whether he will be the band's permanent singer going forward. While I thought that Wood had a better voice, Peters is the better frontman. He was all over the stage throughout the band's set, and he provided a focal point that the band have always lacked (Starr was often quite reserved on stage, as was Wood). His voice still suited the material well too, so as a complete package Peters is a great fit. With him at the helm the band felt even more energetic than usual too, and it helped that a lot of faster tracks were played. New songs like Bite My Tongue and Son of a Gun sat nicely alongside Motörhead classics Rock Out and Born to Raise Hell early on, and the band steamed through track after track without ever really pausing for breath. The setlist was largely an expanded version of the one that was played at the Truro show earlier in the year, but it was padded out to make it headline length. It was great to hear Spiders from the band's first EP, while the fast-paced Get On Your Knees was as good as ever - with its customary crowd sing-a-long section in the middle getting a healthy response from those in the room. Phil then plugged his 2019 solo album Old Lions Still Roar by playing the stomping single These Old Boots. Todd Campbell (guitar/vocals) played a shredding solo during the song, while Tyla Campbell (bass guitar/vocals) had his own time in the spotlight shortly after as he introduced the Motörhead classic Ace of Spades with a rumbling bassline. The band's customary cover of Hawkwind's Silver Machine and their own anthem Ringleader brought the main set to a close, and the crowd cheered loudly as the band left the stage. Drawn back by the noise, a four-song encore followed. Two Motörhead songs and two more originals made up this excellent mini set, with the bluesy Going for Brazil whipping up some more energy, before the doomy Dark Days proved to be the set's only slower moment. The punchy Big Mouth and a sing-a-long heavy Killed by Death brought the evening to a close, and given the energy throughout the set I very much doubt that anyone left disappointed. The setlist was:

We're the Bastards

Bite My Tongue

Rock Out [Motörhead cover]

Spiders

Son of a Gun

Born to Raise Hell [Motörhead cover]

High Rule

Get On Your Knees

These Old Boots [Phil Campbell solo material]

Ace of Spades [Motörhead cover]

Silver Machine [Hawkwind cover]

Ringleader

-

Going to Brazil [Motörhead cover]

Dark Days

Big Mouth

Killed by Death [Motörhead cover]

Seeing Phil Campbell and the Bastard Sons live is always a real treat, and I am glad that I got to catch this tour after all - even if it means having to wait quite a long time to see Trivium! The band always bring the energy, and there is a reason why they have already become a much-loved feature of the British rock and metal scene. Their shows are old-fashioned, no-nonsense displays of riffy heavy metal, and they are a band that I will take every opportunity that I get to see them live as a result.

Wayward Sons' 'Even Up the Score' - Album Review

I always thought that it was a shame that until a few years ago, following the break-up of Little Angels in 1994, Toby Jepson struggled to find a musical home for himself. With the exception of a Little Angels reunion that took place in 2012 and 2013, the singer spent the rest of his time either away from the music industry entirely or as a member of a number of different established bands. These stints in other bands, such as Gun and Fastaway, were short lived; and a sporadic solo career never really took off. This lengthy time in the wilderness was a real shame, as Jepson deserved better. Little Angels were seemingly on an upward trajectory throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s - so much so that 1993's Jam, the band's final album, went to Number 1 in the Official UK Album Charts. This success was not enough to keep the band from splitting up a year later however, but I wonder what sort of future the band would have had had they kept going at the time. The optimist in me hopes that they would have pushed on from Jam's success, but the realist in me thinks that they would have probably seen a drop-off in popularity. By the mid 1990s, the British rock scene that had kicked off during the late 1980s was waning - with bands like The Quireboys, Thunder, and The Almighty starting to see a decline in popularity. Little Angels would have probably followed suit had they not broken up, but a successful 2012 reunion tour proved that there was still a lot of love out there for a band. I think it is fair to say that the Little Angels reunion also did wonders for Jepson's profile. Around the same time as the 2012 tour he joined the Dio Disciples, which put him back in the spotlight, and his solo career seemed to pick up somewhat too. He also started to work as a producer, and he helped Saxon to put together one of their best recent albums in 2011's Call to Arms. In recent years, however, Jepson has been the busiest that he has been for quite a while. In 2017 he put together the band Wayward Sons, which has been his main musical outlet ever since. For the first time since Little Angels, Jepson finally has a home - and Wayward Sons have been touring and putting out albums at an impressive rate over the past few years. The band's second album, The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be (which I reviewed here), was released in 2019 - not long after I saw the band put on a strong set supporting Black Star Riders in Bristol. Two years on, and following a busy summer festival period, Wayward Sons are back with their third album Even Up the Score - a catchy hard rock release that returns to the more in-your-face sound featured on their 2017 debut album Ghosts of Yet to Come. The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be was a bit more varied sound-wise, but Even Up the Score is much punchier - with plenty of riffs and hooks to keep things interesting.

Despite having 12 tracks, Even Up the Score is an album that really flies by. The songs here are all relatively short; aiding the album's punchy nature; which is a big reason it makes an immediate impact. Even Up the Score is not a complicated album by any means, and the opening title track is testament to this. Following a brief drum crash from Phil Martini, a great Deep Purple-esque guitar riff kicks in. Jepson and fellow guitarist Sam Wood nail the groove-based rolling riff perfectly, while Dave Kemp backs them up nicely with his Hammond organ. There are a lot of Deep Purple, particularly the Mk. III iteration of the band, tropes to be found throughout the song. Kemp's Hammond playing is busy and filled with classically-infused melodies, while Martini's drumming has a real swing to it. The chorus is much more urgent however, and contrasts nicely with the rest of the song, with punky beats and a strong Jepson vocal providing a big hook. Big Day, which follows, is less Deep Purple influenced, but there is still plenty of glistening organ throughout. Kemp, who has recently stepped back from the band due to health issues, puts on a great show throughout the album. He knows when to dominate the mix, but even his subtle additions really bulk the album out. Big Day shows off his more subtle approach, with the guitars instead dominating rhythmically - while Jepson's vocal melodies take centre stage. The chorus has something of a playful melody that sounds similar to some of the more carnival-esque moments on the band's previous album - but the energy is overall more similar to Wayward Sons' debut album. A lengthy Wood solo injects some classic rock swagger into the track too, and the song is a strong cut that contributes to the album opening in fine fashion with a solid one-two punch. Sign of the Times is similar, but it feels somewhat heavier overall. The production, courtesy of the band and Chris D'Adda, is raw enough to allow the band to sound heavy - but there is still a lushness throughout, largely thanks to Kemp's keyboards. His organ forms a great bed for the track again, but this is another guitar-heavy song that features barrelling riffs and a great old-school heavy blues rock aesthetic - albeit turned up to 11 with its fast pace and punchy Martini drum performance. Bloody Typical slows things down somewhat following three fast-paced rockers, and instead opts for a mid-paced power pop-esque groove that sounds more like something that could have sat on the band's previous album. The CD booklet reveals that some of the album was recorded in the spring of 2019, which would suggest that some of the tracks originated during the sessions for The Truth Ain't What It Used To Be. I would not be surprised if this song was one of those numbers, as it has a sound more akin to the slightly more experimental vibe of that album - which Cheap Trick-esque pop melodies and a relatively stripped back groove. A harmonised Wood solo adds some classic rock spirit, but on the whole Bloody Typical is much poppier than the album's typical sound.

Faith in Fools retains a similar pace to Bloody Typical, but it ups the heaviness again. Despite a number of hard rocking riffs, the song is generally quite dynamic - with big riffs sitting nicely side-by-side with more atmospheric sections. Wood lays down a number of great bluesy guitar lines throughout the track, while the verses and pretty stripped back - with Kemp's keyboards and Nic Wastell's bass forming the base for Jepson's vocals. These relatively low key verses allow the choruses, which ramp up with powerful guitar chords and louder drums, to hit harder - and they are big sing-a-long moments as a result. Jepson has always had a knack for writing strong choruses, and the one here has something of anthemic vibe - which suits the song's somewhat slower pace nicely. Fake is similar structure-wise, but instead of going for a somewhat atmospheric vibe the verses are much more groove-based and bluesy. Wastell's bass dominates the verses; his snaking basslines fitting the punchy drum groove nicely; while the choruses are heavier with a big guitar presence and an organic keyboard melody. The song is certainly not as heavy as the album's opening numbers, but following Bloody Typical and Faith in Fools it feels heavy. The guitar riffing here is much more potent, and the rumble of the bass throughout grounds the song well. Downfall has a real Thin Lizzy vibe in my opinion, and it ups the pace again to deliver a snappy experience. The song is not filled with harmony guitar leads, but it is a riff-based rocker in the vein of Thin Lizzy songs like Bad Reputation. The song's main riff, and the guitar tone throughout, is very Thin Lizzy esque - and even Jepson's vocal delivery is seems to channel the late Phil Lynott a little. Perhaps touring with Black Star Riders in 2019 rubbed off on the band somewhat, as there is definitely a little of the Thin Lizzy legacy on display here. Wood's explosive guitar solo is not very Scott Gorham-esque, however, but it is packed with great bluesy licks and shredded lead lines. It fits the song perfectly, and the track is another highlight thanks to its energy and potent riff. Tip of My Tongue is more of a mid-paced song, and it is another relatively dynamic piece that moves between louder and quieter sections with ease. The opening riff has some real weight behind it, but the verses are much quieter. Wastell's bass is once again the main ingredient throughout the verses, although there is plenty of depth added by Kemp's keyboards. As with some of the previous songs here too, the choruses ramp up somewhat - although the track lacks the heaviness of much of the album, with the power pop-esque sound of Bloody Typical revisited somewhat instead.

Looking for a Reason opens with a great bass and drum groove, which Wood soon adds to with some effects-heavy guitar stabs. This relatively sparse intro is short lived however, as the track soon kicks off properly by picking up the pace. Jepson injects some punk energy into the song with some tough rhythm playing and machine gun vocal melodies, and the song overall is one of the album's highest energy pieces. Despite this, however, there is still plenty of time for some great classic rock-esque virtuosity. Kemp's organ solo roars out of the speakers, and then Wood takes over to deliver a tasty blues-based solo that also packs a punch. It is a song that really channels the energy of the band's debut album, and due to its pace it is likely to become a live favourite in the future. Land of the Blind once again returns to the Thin Lizzy influence that was flirted with earlier, although this time the Irish band's sound is toyed with more subtly. The song's opening features some brief moments of harmony lead guitar, which remind me of Thin Lizzy, but the rest of the song is more typical of Wayward Sons' core sound. There is a bit less energy this time, which allows the music itself to be a little more overtly melodic. The choruses in particular feature lots of melodic playing, with Wastell's bass pushing everything along, which is a perfect backing for Jepson's folky, storytelling lyrical delivery. A lengthy guitar solo from Wood closes the song out nicely too, and the track is another highlight due to its overall emphasis on melody. They Know ups the heaviness again, at least early on, with the song's opening riff being one of the album's most in-your-face and powerful. It actually reminds me somewhat of Until the End from the band's debut album, which suggests that Wayward Sons have already settled on their core sound. The song is a little more varied than the anthemic Until the End, however, with lots of great guitar soloing throughout and some occasional prominent piano lines from Kemp. It is a song that mixes the band's core sound nicely with some other influences, with the overall mix of sounds working well together. The album then comes to a close with the slower This Party's Over, which has the feel of a true closing number due to its big sound and theatrical vibe. It is a song that brings out the best of the whole band, and everyone pulls together to deliver its big sound. Kemp is the standout performer throughout, with his diverse array of keyboard sounds, but Jepson again shines with a powerful vocal performance that suits the song's more deliberate pacing nicely. The band also make a relatively rare use of some big backing vocals throughout the song too which, along with a few other tricks, make the track the album's perfect coda. It also makes it clear that, despite its short length, Even Up the Score is a well-paced and varied album - which packs a lot into its 12 songs. There is a lot to like here for fans of classic rock, and Jepson has once again shown why he is a great melodic songwriter. It is great to see Wayward Sons continue to go from strength to strength, and I hope that there is a lot more to come from the band in the future.

The album was released on 8th October 2021 via Frontiers Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Faith in Fools.