Kris Barras Band's 'Death Valley Paradise' - Album Review

'Local boy done good'-type stories are always ones to enjoy. There are not many South West-based bands and artists that have pushed through into the relative mainstream in recent years, with acts like Muse and Seth Lakeman being the notable exceptions, but the Kris Barras Band are the latest act to really start to make a name for themselves outside of the locality. I am relative newcomer to Barras' work, as I only started listening to his albums in 2020 following the recommendation of a friend. As Barras is from Torquay, which is not that far from where I live, I had heard of him previously - but for whatever reason it took this recommendation for me to get stuck in. 2019's Light It Up impressed, but it was seeing him live last year opening for Black Stone Cherry that really made me sit up and take notice. The stop of the Black Stone Cherry tour that I caught was in Exeter, which again is not that far from Torquay. As such, there were quite a few Barras fans in attendance - and he received a great reception throughout his time on stage. During this set, he played a number of songs which were, at the time, unreleased. Barras' older albums are generally quite bluesy, but these new songs showcased a much harder edge to his playing and songwriting - and they hooked me from the off. Those who know me well will know that, whilst I appreciate and enjoy it, the blues has never been my favourite genre of music. I liked the more hard rocking end of Barras' earlier work, however, but to hear all of these new heavier tracks live made me look forward to what was to come. The 2021 shows also debuted the new-look Kris Barras Band line-up, as bassist Kelpie McKenzie and drummer Billy Hammett joined forces with Barras - with long-time associate Josiah Manning switching from keyboards to guitar. Whilst I miss Manning's Hammond organ, the choice to add a second guitar to the sound has certainly allowed the Kris Barras Band to become more of an outright hard rock unit - with many of the new songs debuted last year relying on the big sound generated by two guitars. These songs were finally released properly last month - when Barras released his fourth studio album Death Valley Paradise. All of the songs debuted last year, alongside others, appear on this new album - and it is interesting to see that Barras wrote a number of them with various well-known modern rock songwriters such as Bob Marlette, Johnny Andrews, and Blair Daly; with Daly being the most involved. If I had not already heard a handful of the songs prior to the album's release, seeing these names would have concerned me, however. All three have done good work, but they have also been at least partly responsible for the dumbing down of some modern rock bands in my opinion, particularly Black Stone Cherry, but thankfully their input seems to have benefitted Barras. There is little trace of his old blues-based sound here, with Death Valley Paradise being something fresh-sounding and hard rocking.

One thing to note going into Death Valley Paradise is how compact it is. The album's 11 songs only total around 40 minutes of music, which makes it a very easy listen. Barras' older albums were generally around an hour long, so Death Valley Paradise can be seen as an exercise in cutting the fat to really focus on riffs and hooks. There are still plenty of great guitar solos here, but generally everything has been significantly streamlined. This may turn off some fans who prefer a bluesier sound, but those who appreciate modern hard rock riffs will find plenty to enjoy here. The opening cut, Dead Horses, is, for me, one of the finest songs here - and it could well be my favourite Barras-penned song to date. It was released as a single last year, and is a perfect representation of where Barras is musically at the moment. In many ways it is a microcosm of the rest of the album, as it contains all of the album's key touchstones. Following a short drum build-up, the song kicks off with the first of many great riffs that grace this album - before settling into a groovy verse that builds on the drum punch of the song's opening. It is a very simple song, but the combination of the riffing, the grooves, and the chorus' vocal hooks make it a winner - and it brings the best out of Barras as a singer. I have always enjoyed his voice, but his performance throughout this album is probably his best yet. His slightly husky voice is perfectly suited to the heavier sound on display - but he still managed to conjure up a number of memorable hooks during the chorus, which really soars. It is easily my favourite chorus on the album, and it has been stuck in my brain since first hearing it last year. Throw in a great shredded solo, backed up Manning's tough rhythm guitar grooves, and the song truly shines as one of the best true hard rock tracks of the year so far. Long Gone slows things down a little somewhat, and injects some of Barras' older blues-based sound into the album's modern hard rock style. There is a bit of a southern rock strut to the song, particularly early on due to its snaking main riff, whilst the verses turn the clock back a little with a somewhat more organic sound thanks to a thinner guitar tone. This sound works well, however, and helps to recall Barras' past - before the chorus thickens things up again to sound more modern. The chorus is another hooky one, albeit with a slower overall pace, whilst the guitar solo is much bluesier this time - to fit in with the song's overall southern rock vibe. My Parade is another of the album's singles, and a track that seems to be destined to be one of Barras' defining songs. It is a real anthem, and it opens with a percussive take on the song's chorus - before another big riff kicks in, followed by a stop-start verse that makes the most of Barras' husky voice. It is another simple track, but the punch of the verses is easy to latch into - and the occasional bass slide from McKenzie adds character. The chorus provides the main hooks however, and the chant-along nature of the its lyrics make it easy to latch onto. It has already become a live favourite - and it is a song that is sure to be in Barras' setlists for years to come.

These Voices opens with a snappy riff, that includes the occasional burst of twin lead guitar, but this hard rock vibe soon drops out - as the verses here are relatively low key. Of all the songs heard so far, it is the least heavy - although the opening riff is occasionally reprised to add weight. The verses rely heavily on the groove-based drumming of Hammett, and the lack of big riffing allows Barras to sing a slightly more delicate way. Even the choruses are relatively quiet, with chiming guitar melodies dominating in an almost U2-esque manner. There is still some punch to be found, however, and later verses and iterations of the chorus do feel somewhat chunkier - but on the whole the song is one that takes a lighter path. Who Needs Enemies ups the heaviness again, as well as the pace. With the exception of Dead Horses the album has generally been quite mid-paced up to this point, so the faster pace of Who Needs Enemies allows it to stand out. The verses are pretty energetic, with another strong Barras vocal and more stop-start riffing - whilst the chorus is much fuller-sounding with frantic guitar rhythms and a modern punk feel thanks to the pace. That being said, however, the song maintains some of the lightness of the previous song. Who Needs Enemies is rarely as heavy as the album's opening songs, which allows it to rely more on its pace and hooks to make an impact. It contains one of the album's best guitar solos in my opinion too, and the technical phrases from Barras help to make the song a memorable one. Devil You Know ups the heaviness again, and returns to the overall sound that fuelled the album's opening three songs. The pace from the previous song is retained however, so the song really packs a punch thanks to the mix of pace and slab-like riffing. The chorus is another hook-laden affair, and it has a real post-grunge feel thanks to Barras' smoky voice and the overall layering of sounds - with a focus on thick-sounding guitars. I also like how the verses often strip away the big sound heard elsewhere to allow the rhythm section to really shine - but the overall pace and heaviness never feels compromised by this. Wake Me When it's Over is more of a ballad, and the first real piece of respite on the album. These Voices toned things down somewhat, but Wake Me When it's Over does so in a much more significant way - with clean guitar-led verses and a much more delicate vocal from Barras. That is not to say that the song is totally stripped down or acoustic, as it is not, but it does sound quite different from everything else here. The choruses are still relatively rocking, as is Barras' solo section which is relatively lengthy and filled with emotive playing, but the whole vibe feels different - which allows the song to act as a bit of a mid-album break.

Hostage opens with some choppy riffing that Barras sings over, with a percussive drum backing, and the song stays this raw until the chorus rolls around, which is another hooky one. For me, however, the chorus of Hostage strays a little too close to American radio rock for comfort. I still like the hooks, but I hope that this is not a path that Barras treads too heavily going forward. The vast majority of this album manages to stay the right side of this line for me, but Hostage has moments which certainly feel like they came from Daly and co. in a big way. Modern American mainstream rock has a sound which I do not want British bands to re-create - and I hope that Barras remembers his roots when moving forward. I still like the song despite this, however, particularly its opening section. Cigarettes & Gasoline is a little similar to Long Gone, as it has something of a southern rock vibe thanks to a strong groove throughout and a bluesiness which is generally absent from the rest of the album. Thankfully the American radio rock vibes have already been cast aside here, and the track has a really rootsy vibe despite the overall heavy riffing that is present throughout. The chorus perhaps lacks a little punch, but it is the first here that does not quite hit the mark - which is not a bad return considering that the song is track nine of an 11-track album. The vibe itself makes the song enjoyable, though, and it is another strong effort. Bury Me has ballad-esque vibes, but it feels more rocking than Wake Me When it's Over thanks to some snaking riffing and the excellent bass playing throughout. It is certainly one of the album's gentlest songs, with a chorus that recalls These Voices thanks to some guitar arpeggios and a bit of synthy depth, but the moments that feature heavier riffing help to set the song apart from the album's main ballad. Bury Me instead is a bit of a hybrid piece, which includes a good mix of gentler and harder rocking moments that helps it to stand out. The album comes to a close with the riff-heavy Chaos which, like Dead Horses, is another song that seems to sum up everything that is great about the new-look Kris Barras Band. It is perhaps not as hooky or as hard-hitting as Dead Horses, but it is driven by a great riff that again has shades of southern rock to it - whilst the verses are a bit more laid back to allow the song to build towards a memorable chorus. There are better tracks here, but the song has a slightly epic feel to it that helps it to work well as an album closer. It is a very dynamic song, with a chorus that feels a bit more expansive than much of the rest of the album - which ends things on a rather forward-looking note. In truth, though, forward-looking is generally what this album is. It would be easy to be cynical and say that Barras has streamlined his sound in an attempt to reach a broader audience, but Death Valley Paradise feels very honest despite the outside involvement and rather significant shift in sound. There are glances back to his older albums, but I imagine that, going forward, this is how the Kris Barras Band will sound. Considering that Death Valley Paradise is probably his strongest album yet this is no bad thing, but I hope that he continues to remember his roots and does not allow the Dalys and Marlettes of this world to turn him into the latest casualty of American rock radio.

The album was released on 4th March 2022 via Mascot Records. Below is Barras' promotional video for Dead Horses.