When you’re 80 years old you can pretty much do what you want, when you’re one of the most revered guitar players around you can also pretty much do what you want so it stands to reason that Robin Trower can pretty much do what he wants in 2025, so how about another album? An album of laid back R&B numbers that showcase that feel and expression of the instrument that is synonymous with the man who wrote Bridge Of Sighs.
Though he is now in his eighth decade Trower tours with the relish and rampancy of a man a third of his age, looking at completing a US and UK tour this year after having to cancel his previous one due to an operation. His want to create new music is inspiring to any bands who see fit to rest on their laurels a bit, after a legendary career, Trower still wants to write his next big song, his next spectacular showcase of these gifted hands.
From the defiant A Little Bit Of Freedom, through the strutting I Would Lose My Mind, the towering Bond-like Take This Hurt Away, the soulful Tangled Love or the funky Without A Trace, these tracks all have a little magic to them, inspired by the roots of the blues and soul music where Trower’s career began, he and his killer band of Drummer Chris Taggart, bassist Glenn Letsch, vocalist Richard Watts and the additions of Jess Hayes, all bring these tracks to life as Sam Winfield engineered/mixed them alongside Trower to bring that retro warmth. Tracked over the course of a yea, Trower touches on love, loss, politics and real emotions we all got through.
Keeping some of the lyrical content, interpreted through the brilliant vocals of Watts, close to his chest, Come And Find Me has a realness to it, a defiance, the thoughts and ideologies of a man who has seen it all and done it all. Still making that Stratocaster cry in 2025, Robin Trower can do what he wants, and what he wants is to play. 8/10
Now the band has changed line ups a few times since evolving from Fury UK into Absolva, but since the recording of this album Karl has left the band, Luke has taken over bass and Tom Atkinson of Vice and the other Fury has taken co-lead guitar. But the line up of Absolva doesn't really effect the music they make, it's Christopher Appleton who embodies Absolva's style the most and across six previous albums they have been cracking out British heavy rock with harmonic guitars, powerful choruses and a large dose of nostalgia for the classic UK metal era.
On Justice their seventh release they use their road worn experience to create another record of anthemic heavy metal while also calling in some favours from friends and alumni. David Marcelis (Thorium), Stu Block (Into Eternity) and Blaze Bayley himself to give some extra vocals to this album, adding to what is already a strong vocal harmony between Christopher and Luke, not mention the plentiful guitar solos for any air guitar fans to enjoy.
Justice has an overarching theme of Westerns, from cover art to the songs such as Freedom & Glory, Hero In Your Life and the title track, the heroes of the Old West prove to be an inspiration for this new record. Musically though Absolva stick to their guns with classic metal throughout, inspired by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest etc, they have yet to release a bad record and Justice continues the trend of muscular British metal. 8/10
Kadavar - I Just Want To Be A Sound (Clouds Hill)
Yes, yes that's all well and good but what sort of sound do you want to be? Well it's looks as if Berlin retro rockers Kadavar want to be a mash up of psychedelic-glam-indie, favouring bands such as Kasabian, Arcade Fire as well as deep dive into the modern psychedelic scene.
On Justice their seventh release they use their road worn experience to create another record of anthemic heavy metal while also calling in some favours from friends and alumni. David Marcelis (Thorium), Stu Block (Into Eternity) and Blaze Bayley himself to give some extra vocals to this album, adding to what is already a strong vocal harmony between Christopher and Luke, not mention the plentiful guitar solos for any air guitar fans to enjoy.
Justice has an overarching theme of Westerns, from cover art to the songs such as Freedom & Glory, Hero In Your Life and the title track, the heroes of the Old West prove to be an inspiration for this new record. Musically though Absolva stick to their guns with classic metal throughout, inspired by Iron Maiden, Judas Priest etc, they have yet to release a bad record and Justice continues the trend of muscular British metal. 8/10
Kadavar - I Just Want To Be A Sound (Clouds Hill)
Yes, yes that's all well and good but what sort of sound do you want to be? Well it's looks as if Berlin retro rockers Kadavar want to be a mash up of psychedelic-glam-indie, favouring bands such as Kasabian, Arcade Fire as well as deep dive into the modern psychedelic scene.
From their phasered title track which carries huge similarities to Arcade Fire’s Everything Now, through the dreamy Star and wistful Sunday Mornings, Kadavar have shifted from the style people may associate with them, born from a retro stomp of stoner/proto-metal, with I Just Want To Be Sound they adopt more of their Krautrock styles, through The Beatles trippyness (Until The End), and landing on that mid-90’s era of bands embracing the psychedelia of the 60’s but embellishing it with indie rock and dance music, with Regeneration and Strange Thoughts showcasing this.
So then this new album is an artistic step into unknown, beyond what has come before the band recently became a four piece adding guitarist/keyboardist Jascha Kreft to the core trio of guitarist/vocalist, Christoph Lindemann, drummer Christoph Bartelt and bassist Simon Bouteloup, this line-up change proving to be the catalyst for a re-writing of Kadavar’s musical palate. They turn up the fuzz pedal on the bass lines, they're bold and right up front, like a 'lead bass' locking down the swaggering, rhythm section on these grooving psychedelic tunes such as the Hysteria. They can still can rock though with Scar On My Guitar a searing garage rocker, the moody Let Me Be A Shadow or biting Truth.
Having been on the Kadavar journey since their debut, this shift is a little jarring but totally understood, they’re a band who fully absorb the eclectic Berlin music scene, shunning social media and trends while making their music as contemporary as they can. 7/10
Keyan & Connor Kaminski - Kinetic (Self Released)
Guitars prodigies Keyan and Connor Kaminski team up for this new EP. Entitled Kinetic comprises of three songs that move in all the best ways. The three tracks celebrate movement, the feature fluid lead guitar playing and grooving rhythms over 20 minutes of technically impressive, atmospheric and beautifully composed music.
British guitarist Kaminski is inspired by the prog metal greats and the new school bands like Intervals and Plini. He became a bit of an internet sensation with several high profile sponsorships including Strandberg. Keyan is an Australian who was also a 'content creator' before he started to release his own music, he's also got sponsorship, with Jackson Guitars and has had several high profile supports alongside Animals As Leaders.
Guitars prodigies Keyan and Connor Kaminski team up for this new EP. Entitled Kinetic comprises of three songs that move in all the best ways. The three tracks celebrate movement, the feature fluid lead guitar playing and grooving rhythms over 20 minutes of technically impressive, atmospheric and beautifully composed music.
British guitarist Kaminski is inspired by the prog metal greats and the new school bands like Intervals and Plini. He became a bit of an internet sensation with several high profile sponsorships including Strandberg. Keyan is an Australian who was also a 'content creator' before he started to release his own music, he's also got sponsorship, with Jackson Guitars and has had several high profile supports alongside Animals As Leaders.
The duo combine their talents on three tracks entitled, Swell, Oscillate and Pirouette (movement, Kinetic yeah?) each a showcase of their collective skills alongside bassist/producer Adam ‘Nolly’ Getgood and guitarist Jack Gardiner.
A wonderful journey through movement and motion, free flowing virtuosity abound. 7/10
No comments:
Post a Comment