Reviews
Album Review: Foxy Shazam – The Church Of Rock And Roll
Jan 25th
How does the follow up to doesitrock.net’s 2010′s Album of the Year shape up in 2012?
Foxy Shazam – The Church Of Rock And Roll
RockOSaurus Says:
Foxy Shazam have taken their foot off the gas on their latest LP, leaving post-hardcore and rip roaring glam-rock sprawled over the trail. Hence it’s no great shock to hear that their latest album curbs the highly energised oddball glam-pop prevalent on releases. As a result the tempo has been significantly reigned. Yet they have made up for this by producing a fine collection of super sing-a-long pop classics with eclectic songwriting and equally varied melodies.
This slackening of pace has given their melodies a chance to sit back, take a breath and enjoy the spotlight. Resulting in a much more focused pop record that falls ever further into the Mercury valley of Queen with its accompanying classic rock guitars and jaunty piano’s circling ‘The Church Of Rock and Rolls‘ vocal centric ideal. The Churchy theme is prevalent throughout with the recurrence of religious track titling, soulful Gospel backing vocals and confessional lyrics (see ‘The Temple‘, ‘The Streets‘, ‘Forever Together‘ respectively).
From the instant the guitars properly kick in, it’s clear as day that Justin Hawkins has played a huge part in his role as producer. The guitar tone is almost identical to his in-limbo band Hot Leg, no bad thing as it’s just so stonkingly rock and roll! The Hawkins brothers influence doesn’t end there either. The Guitar work on the excellent driving rock anthem ‘Last Chance At Love‘ could easily be a lost forgotten The Darkness classic, especially when Nally lift his fine falsetto skywards…it’s strikingly similar, yet definitely different.
Throughout this record the vocals are the centrepiece, with Eric displaying a fine range of smooth croons , anthemic chorus lines and window smashing pitch changes. Maintaining innovating melodies, rarely sticking to a certain style, or mood, or instrument ensures this album never gets tiresome as it’s forever on the move. Exhibit A, Holy Touch: a big gospel romp-a-stomper, Exhibit B, Wasted Feelings: full of dynamic guitars, cool vocal effects and trumpets, Exhibit C: I Like It: vocal centric with bombastic melodies.
So a more laid back Foxy have re-surfaced, but all the delightfully odd characteristics, bonkers eclecticisms and natural born melody making abilities that made them so addictive in the past, are still here for all to enjoy. My only gripe would be the final few tracks do not stand up to the quality of what came before it.
TCORAR is first and foremost a great little pop record, with hard glam-rocking tendencies spontaneously wrangling for the control switch. An early treat for 2012!
DoesItRock Overall Score: 8.5/10
Listen to Foxy Shazam – The Church of Rock and Roll now on Spotify!
Album Review Shorts: Bear Cavalry – Maple Trails
Dec 14th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
Bear Cavalry – Maple Trails
Just in case you were feeling down as the days shorten, the nights grow longer and the depths of Winter start to take hold, Bear Cavalry’s latest sampler EP is here to raise the spirits. A surefire summer album which is bursting with multi instrumental vitality, beautifully versatile vocals and melodies to get your calypso on to. These tunes spring with energy and life wildly springing from spiky post punk guitars and African carnival vibes on Custom Hands while the lead track Roman Summer spins intricate melodies sprinkled with electro fizzes and a euphoric chorus. Despite the eclecticism on show, all the elements fuse together well including some unexpected surprises on Will Smith Solves The Rubik’s Cube..sombre verse, trumpet blowing chorus and indie toe tapping disco? Who knew?
There is a lot for the pop fan to love here. A splash of Little Comets shaken with some Kooks on a sandy wash of impulsive guitars will bring a dose of summer rushing right back up the aural canal! A highly promising EP.
The Rapture @ KoKo
Nov 18th
3rd November 2011
For a band of The Raptures influence, widespread appeal and substantial fan base it was with confusion that we arrive in Camden tonight. For we were not headed to The Roundhouse, neither The Electric Ballroom. Instead we’re greeted with the words ‘Sold Out’ plastered over the foyer of KoKo as we sought refuge from the harshly precipitous London Skies. This venue seems to get smaller with every visit and tonight was no different, stocked to the guilds with disco Derek’s and indie Irene’s. As it turns out the venue and the supply of reasonably priced (& chilled) beer were not the only things in short supply tonight.
The non publishing of their ‘Special Guests’ certainly got the crowds in early with the possibility of a one off unmissable performance. Not until you are over the threshold and beyond the ‘No Re-Entry’ signs is the secret revealed. The special name emblazoned on the lineup posters read…’Citizens’. Who? Clearly this was a shameless attempt by KoKo to get the punters in. As much as I like to bait the HMV Forum, at least they always display the set times outside. plus their beer is somehow cheaper and not poured haphazardly from lukewarm cans.
Citizens
After hearing Citizens soft high pitched vocalist from the bar I was surprised to find a bloke camouflaged as 80′s retro wallpaper. His homeogenous vocals fit their simple but uncannily catchy electro melodies and energised indie pop. Youthful and fresh, these guys music was mature way beyond their juvenile years. Combining uplifting melodies and repeatum clean guitar riffs they put in a solid performance.
The Rapture
From the get go, The Rapture‘s effortlessly cool vibes washed over the gently swaying crowds. Their sharpened clattering post punk guitar riffs combined with the kind of drumlines which tap subliminally into your feet, forcing them to dance dance dance!
New material was well received, it’s poppy angles and hook heavy vocal harmonies sending rolling waves of laid back coolness. The age old indie weapon, ‘the cow bell’ was particularly effective tonight at getting us all to strut our funky stuff.
It was the older classics which packed the most clout with The Gang if Four styled Echoes, party starter Whoo! Alright – Yeah…Uh Huh and the House of Jealous Lovers that gave birth to the cool indie dance-punk machine.
It was soon after these got their plays that The Rapture retired for a ‘well earned’ break. A 45 minute set…ok, that’s cool because that irritating poster said its a 2 hour performance. One song later and the sound of dismayed punters was clearly audible over the PA as the lights went up and we got booted out! Now I’ve been to quite a few of these shindigs before and I know 51 minutes for a headline set is pretty damn short! With a stunned feeling of injustice burning deep inside we headed for home.
The Rapture despite their shortened efforts formed a fantastic pocket of cool disco inflected indie in Camden tonight.
Album Review Shorts: The Trews – Hope & Ruin
Nov 4th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
The Trews – Hope & Ruin
RockOSaurus Says…
Canadian east coasters The Trews have not hit the UK shores as hard as they deserve with their pop rock and roll combination of precise guitars, tender ballads and all round good time tunes. Hope & Ruin is doing its damned best to change matters. This being their 4th LP, nothing too greatly has changed since last time out, but their knack for writing upllifting feel good rock songs underpinned by huge vocal bellows and infectious melodies remain strong. They have mixed up melancholy, mid-tempo and mega-sized thoughout making this a varied album with wider pop audience appeal. Though they have not distancing themselves too far from the rock crowd with thumping tunes such as opener Misery Loves Company and the powerful wah wah riffed People of the Deer. It can be a little too plodding towards the end, but with the majority of songs presented in such enjoyble pop packages it’s easy to overlook.
8
Album Review Shorts: The Subways – Money & Celebrity
Nov 1st
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
The Subways – Money & Celebrity
RockOSaurus Says…
Former garage rockers step out into the limelit world of celeb culture for their third spunky pop LP. Showbiz, money and fame all get a lyrical flow which fails to really grip the listener. In essence it is only those fickle glossy mag flickers who might! It’s a good job then that each tune is overflowing with melody and pop craft. Urgency and tempo rages on Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, super catchy vocal harmonies line Like I Love You and rippin’ garage guitars are scattered throughout We Don’t Need Money To Have A Good Time . Like Celebrity itself, this album is easy to criticise for it’s superficial and attention grabbing outlook. But In this case, it plays as a major strength throughout this strong collection of uplifting pop rockers.
7
Album Review Shorts: The Horrible Crowes – Elsie
Oct 29th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
The Horrible Crowes – Elsie
RockOSaurus Says…
Gaslight Anthem frontman’s side project is a deeply sombre affair, something which hugely suits his fantsastic lyrical character creations. With the throttle lifted it’s the focus on soulful rasping vocals and poetic musings that resonate the strongest. The wide ranging use if softly picked country guitars and organs give Elsie a lounging gospel feel of comfort despite its powerful emotional clout. The right balance of mood is struck throughout with Go Tell Everybody, one of a handful of bright noisier tuneis polar opposed by the almost confessional groove of Ladykiller. A darkly passionate and vivid album full of honest warmth. No more that could we expect from the heir to Springsteen’s throne!
7.5
Album Review Shorts: Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
Oct 26th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
Reckless Love – Animal Attraction
After a suprisingly great debut album of 80′s pop metal harking power rock that was far better than it ought to be, the flying Finn’s are back with more hairsprayed pop-rock antics. They’re huge arena sized rock is chock-a-block with overly emphasized Def Leppard songwriting aspirations, Bon Jovi’s hair and Van Halen keyboards to complete their full house of 80′s rock influences. But whilst the debut was fun, packed with memorable melodies and great sing-a-long moments, Animal Attractions stubles and falls on it’s make-up strewn face. This is mainly because it feels just too much like a mashup of melodies plucked from the aforementioned 80′s heavyweights. From the duh-duh-duh-duh’s on Dirty Dreams (Cutting Crew – I Just Died in Your Arms), the keyboard’s on Hot (Van Halen – Jump) and the vocal harmonies on Animal Attraction (Def Leppard – Animal) show that these songs barely classify as ‘new’. There are some cracking tunes regardless, such as Speedin’, but yet I’m always left wondering “Haven’t I heard that before?”. If you love big fun 80′s compilations you’ll find much to love here. But if you already own one…chance are, you “have” heard this album before.
4
Album Review Shorts: Banquets – Top Button, Bottom Shelf
Oct 16th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
Banquets – Top Button, Bottom Shelf
RockOSaurus Says…
Barely clocking in at 30 mins in length, this the ‘full’ debut LP from New Jerseys latest laureats. Akin to Motion City Soundtrack and the Gaslight Anthem of old, they play with energetic punky guitars bursting with hooks and a real focus on vocal excellence. Following a muscular pop-punk formula their catchy power chords riffs are both accessible and cut with a raw energy which flows like wildfire through this cracking little album. Melody explodes from every perceivable angle and the uptempo racing riffs rarely relent. The sheened poppy vocals are stacked with big chorus harmonies, rapidfire wordplay, gang vocals and more ooh ooh’s than the Weezer back catalogue. As this album races along, it’s very difficult to fault for it’s determination to fit as much pop power as possible into it’s short lifespan. A very impressive debut from a band clearly destined for bigger things!
9
Album Reviews: The Answer – Revival
Oct 13th
After almost two years on tour with Ac/Dc it was only inevitable the return of The Answer was going to be special!
The Answer – Revival
RockOSaurus Says:
Revival. It’s a pretty accurate title as it’s sparked life back into the stalled rise of Northern Irelands classic rock sons, The Answer! Right from the word go this LP has the blues flooding through it’s veins, showing it’s vinyl crackled charms and quickly baring it’s snarling teeth! The simple blues riff is totally revitalised here with brilliant production effortlessly toeing the line between old school style and new school power!
Song writing is incredibly tight with fuller and more dynamic layered sounds from staple blues weapons, the harmonica and psychedelic organs on top of their Les Paul Standard attack . The overly Americanised lyrics grate somewhat if you want to be pedantic,, but the booming chorus melodies are catchy enough to wash away these critiques.
This is a start to finish classic rock bruiser with hook heavy melodies, traditional blues riffs, blistering guitar solos and superb vocals from Cormac Neeson’s stunning set of pipes. Trouble drips with retro flair, Use Me cranks the amps, female backing vocals bring a new slant on Nowhere Freeway, while Caught In The Riverbed fires fretboard flares at will and New Day Rising‘s driven by of the best tremolo picked riffs this side of Thunderstruck!
Their time on tour with Ac/Dc has obviously rubbed off in abundance, almost matching the biggest rockers in the world for both raw power and total addictiveness! Revival is a fantastic return to form, one no rock lover should be without!
DoesItRock Overall Score: 9/10
Listen to The Answer – Revival now on Spotify!
Album Review Shorts: Bomb The Music Industry! – Vacation
Oct 10th
Short & sweet album reviews that never miss the point…
Bomb The Music Industry! – Vacation
RockOSaurus Says…
What a difference an album makes. Always known for their quirks and DIY ethics, this blows all their previous records out of the water with the change of direction into a indie rock land overdriven with pop melodies and clean vocals. Taking their foot of the pedal slightly and laying back somewhat, their tunes really find their feet and lodge themselves in your head. Ability to comprehend the vocals is a big win win, and with more emphasis on melody over speed makes this an incredibly enjoyable album. They still sail way out into the eclectic ocean mixing up tempo’s, synthy breaks, jagged punk guitar led numbers (Vocal Coach), lyrically potent acoustic strummers (Can’t Complain), Noise Rock (Savers) and more BTMI! trad tunes Everybody That You Love given a loving polish and pop makeover, Never to be second guessed this is an ever twisting album of wildly varied brilliance.
8
