Albany Down: The Outer Reach Review

The Outer Reach is the third studio album from the London based Albany Down. Paul Turley, Donna Peters, Paul Muir and Billy Dedman have fused into a very tight and powerful band with their own sound and style of rockin’ Blues in the best British tradition. Produced by Greg Haver and recorded at Modern World Studios, The Outer Reach is their best album yet.

The album opens with the epic “Feeding the Flame.” It’s soulful blend of Zeppelin, Bad Company and Deep Purple but with a very modern aesthetic sets you up nicely for the entire listening experience. Peters and Dedman hold down the groove while Turley’s guitar and Muir’s vocal simply soar.  The band shifts gears a bit with the horn drenched “Supersonic Girl.” The groove is so tight that it would make Tower of Power proud. “Mr. Hangman” with it’s dark lyrical theme has a slight southern rock vibe but grooves a lot harder than Skynyrd ever did. The ultra melodic power rock of “Home” will have audiences singing a long with their lighters swaying above their heads. “The Drop” is a bad ass riff with face melting guitar work from Turley and a power house vocal performance from Muir.

A lot of current blues based rock bands opt for a low-fi sound with fuzzy guitars and distorted vocals etc… Albany Down takes the complete opposite approach. Greg Haver’s larger than life production style screams “Albany Down is the biggest band ever!” And in a perfect world they would be.

Albany Down has done something unique. They have embraced their influences in a very overt way, while at the same time carving out a sound a vibe all their own. The Outer Reach contains zero filler. It is simply one great track after another. If putting out records packed with great songs and stellar performances makes you “retro” then Albany Down is guilty as charged.

The Review: 9.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Feeding the Flame
– Home
– The Drop
– Mr. Hangman
– Supersonic Girl

The Big Hit

– Feeding the Flame

Jack Berry: Mean Machine Review

Mean Machine is the second album from Nashville’s Jack Berry following Blues Rock Review’s #2 album of 2013, Heathen Heart. Berry is a Los Angeles to Nashville transplant who plays great riff rock with alt-pop flare that would make Jack White proud. The drums are loud and in your face. The bass hits you in the chest like a nine pound sledge hammer and the guitars are drenched in fuzz and octave pedal goodness.

The album kicks off with the balls out protest shuffle “Bad Dog.” It’s a simple but effective riff and warms your ears up for what’s to come. “Coal,” which sports an early Black Keys vibe, is a good example of how Berry weaves in various influences while still speaking in his own unique voice. “Heavy Hopes” is appropriately titled with it’s slow and sludgy, post Black Sabbath riff. The amps sound absolutely crushed. Could he actually be turned up to fabled eleven? “King of Diamonds” opens with a riff reminiscent of The Faces. Here Berry waxes melancholy, like the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He also visits this feel on the heavy yet emotional, “The Bull.”

Mean Machine is a great blues tinged alternative rock record with impassioned performances. Some may accuse Jack Berry of wearing his influences on his sleeve like on the Zeppelin inspired “Kiss Like,” which appeared on Heathen Heart and was re-recorded here, but he’s just so damn good that I don’t think that even matters. With Mean Machine, Jack Berry plants his foot firmly on the shores of the new world of alternative blues based rock.

The Review: 9/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Bad Dog
– Coal
– Heavy Hopes
– King of Diamonds
– Kiss Like
– The Bull

The Big Hit

– The Bull

Jack Berry The Bull by Jack Berry

The Temperance Movement: White Bear Review

White Bear is the highly anticipated follow up to 2014’sThe Temperance Movement. There has been a bit of a buzz about this record being a departure from their debut. The best way to describe it is that White Bear is a little more Faces-Stones-Black Crowes, and slightly less Zeppelin-Free than their debut. The real difference is simply a natural growth that we come to expect from truly great bands and The Temperance Movement delivers in spades.

All twelve jams are very memorable, rock and roll affairs.White Bear kicks off hard with “Three Bullets” and the call to battle “Get Yourself Free.” The latter has a groove in the verses that is absolutely infectious and erupts into a blistering anthem in the chorus.  “A Pleasant Peace I Feel” touches on something reminiscent of more psychedelic Beatles. It builds to a chaotic yet very satisfying roar. The opening power chords of “Modern Massacre” will have you thinking that someone slipped in a lost High Voltage era AC/DC track in there. It’s bold and beautiful and completely filthy, like real rock and roll is supposed to be.

Phil Campbell is the embodiment of rock roll abandon in the tradition of Chris Robinson, Steve Marriott and early Paul Rodgers. The guitar work of Paul Sayer and Luke Postashnick provides all the textures that you would expect of a great rock band. Their massive crunching is simply devastating and when combined with Damon Wilson’s bass and Nick Fyfe’s drums it generates enough menace to make you want to turn it up loud enough to piss off your parents.

White Bear is the answer to all those naysayers who proclaim “Rock is dead.” The Temperance Movement is proof that rock is not only alive but it’s as nasty and in-your-face as ever. The only criticism that I can offer is that White Bear should come with a label that says “For Best Results, Play At Full Volume!”

The Review: 9.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– A Pleasant Peace I Feel
– Get Yourself Free
– Oh Lorraine
– Modern Massacre
– Do The Revelation
– Three Bullets

The Big Hit

– Three Bullets