Robert Jon & The Wreck's new album "Red Moon Rising" Album Review.
One of the things I like about RJ&TW is that they release new material as often as a politician lies...
However that means that the album releases are not always the event that you want as you've heard most of it already.. so this time I've managed to go cold turkey and not listen to anything ahead of the album!
And first impressions- it's a brilliant album that has all the swagger and vibe of the classic era of Skynyrd, 38 Special and Blackfoot, brought bang up to date by some fantastically talented musicians.
It's not just their song writing talents or the musicianship, it is the whole package. It's not the number of notes they play, it's what they do in the gaps., with Robert Jon's voice perfectly capturing the mood of each song.
Stone Cold Killer - slide guitar intro into a timeless country rock - if you asked AI for an AC/DC country song... great track
Trouble - timeless southern rock vibes match the timeless southern rock song title
Ballad Of A Broken Hearted Man. Wonderful.
Red Moon Rising - I suspect this is the Audience Participation live track !
Photo Credit: © Rob Blackham
Dragging Me Down - mean dirty riff and solo... love that guitar tone! After I played the album - this was the earworm chorus I had going round my head .. until Down No More replaced it!
Hold on - standard track RJ&TW reminded me as a hybrid of Working for MCA and an old Montrose riff.
Down No More - probably my favourite track on the album. A perfect song that you instantly feel like you know even after one play. Warning: you will have this going round your head at 2am
Help Yourself - great track, struts around like it's the donkeys conkers.
Worried Mind - acoustics and harmonicas and a soulful slide guitar raise this atmospheric ballad above the standards of many other bands.
Give Love - another track showcasing piano and acoustics mainly until Henry James is unleashed and they go full Allman on us.
Rager (Bonus cd track) one of those tracks full of attitude and riffs that I suspect gets even louder and riffier live. I hope they play it.. just for that final solo!
hate to see you go (bonus cd track ) - classic RJ&TW. Other bands would give their plucking fingers for a song this good, and Robert Jon just throws it in as a bonus !
I know I've mentioned other bands here and I hate comparing bands, and I'm really not doing that - RJ&TW are unique, but I need a guide for those of you who are new to the band... so if you're a fan of Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Black Crowes ... just go buy this - it blows all of them away.
NR
