So with a little knowledge of the band behind us it's time to focus on the music which as I said is intriguing mix of styles the title track opens the record with (Monsieur Paul's) bass-led heaviness on a track that features 2 bases and a kookiness of bands such as The Pixies, Flesh Tight mixes the band's major soundalike QOTSA with the fuzzy blues of The Black Keys, with this element coming back on Upstairs Box. Colossus is the bands fifth album and it sees the band still taking risks that would deter other bands, there's a Sgt Peppers haze about Afterglow while Breathlessness is built around Mario's drums and Ruben Block's jangling guitars and reminds me of The Manic Street Preachers.
This a record that may divide opinion every song is drastically different to the one that came previously it means that the record never gets boring but it doesn't find a groove either, I'd suggest building your way up from their debut as Colossus is their most accomplished but most complicated album to date, it sees the band taking a lighter touch than their earlier sledgehammer approach it's inventive, organic music drawn from the minds of three talented individuals. Check it out if you want something a little out of the ordinary that our European cousins are ahead of the curve on. 8/10
Kryptonite: Kryptonite (Frontiers Records)
Kryptonite are another collaborative project that has come to fruition under the Frontiers Records barrier the band are made up of Poodle frontman Jakob Samuel and Treat bassist Robben Egberg both are very familiar with the go to Frontiers melodic metal sound which is what you get with this record Keeping The Dream Alive brings the pounding pop rock of The Poodles with Fallen Angels and the horrible Knowing Both Of Us being the album's love ballads. Opener Chasing Fire is a latter period Dio-like song that puts Frontiers golden boy Michael Palace in the axe slinging Craig Goldy position, his playing is excellent throughout reinforcing his status as a modern virtuoso.
With Samuel and Egberg the band have name recognition but it's once again the backroom that makes these collaborative records work with Palace on guitars Mustasch's drummer Robban Back plays a lot softer than he does in his day job but still with a big powerful beat on the electronic rockers such as Love Can Be Stronger. The crisp production comes from long term Frontiers producer/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio but a band is made by it's songs and there are one too many ballads and mid paced tracks on this album, when things get heavier on songs like Get Out Get Gone Kryptonite are dynamite unfortunately with these songs a bit few and far between meaning that this Kryptonite is more effective to Clark Kent than Superman. 7/10
Carousel Vertigo: Revenge Of Rock N Roll (Molano Music)
Carousel Vertigo are here to save rock n roll and any band that gets the tag of "simply amazing" from "Whispering" Bob Harris are well on their way to bringing back our favourite type of music. The Parisian band draw heavily from the bluesy hard rock bands like Bad Company, Aerosmith, Grand Funk and Humble Pie Thunder fronted by Paul Stanley and that gives you something to expect. Revenge Of Rock N Roll is their second record and it's chock full of the typical sounds you'd expect from a blues based rock band. Frontman, the Gibson guitar endorsed Vincent Martinez is the nucleus of the band he sings with a range that moves from a whiskey soaked shout to a honey-hued croon that's the sum of two Paul's, Stanley and Rodgers.
As any real rockstar would he also combines singing with fretboard wizardry letting loose with his guitar when he sees fit and playing awesome leads on this record. His partner in crime is American Jansen Press who makes sure the foundations are taken care of Jansen is the walking blues beat on Honey Do and can switch to lead easily providing this record with a guitar partnership like Brad Whitford and Joe Perry or Marriott and Frampton. The songs on this record are great classic hard rock steeped in the blues, organs bubble on opener foot-stomping 80's riff of No More Hesitatin', there are brass parps on the title track which swings like a Thunder track, Hideaway is a slow burner with a solo that unveils it's majesty. They say rock is dead? Well long live rock! Carousel Vertigo are well on their way to saving it. 8/10
Kryptonite: Kryptonite (Frontiers Records)
Kryptonite are another collaborative project that has come to fruition under the Frontiers Records barrier the band are made up of Poodle frontman Jakob Samuel and Treat bassist Robben Egberg both are very familiar with the go to Frontiers melodic metal sound which is what you get with this record Keeping The Dream Alive brings the pounding pop rock of The Poodles with Fallen Angels and the horrible Knowing Both Of Us being the album's love ballads. Opener Chasing Fire is a latter period Dio-like song that puts Frontiers golden boy Michael Palace in the axe slinging Craig Goldy position, his playing is excellent throughout reinforcing his status as a modern virtuoso.
With Samuel and Egberg the band have name recognition but it's once again the backroom that makes these collaborative records work with Palace on guitars Mustasch's drummer Robban Back plays a lot softer than he does in his day job but still with a big powerful beat on the electronic rockers such as Love Can Be Stronger. The crisp production comes from long term Frontiers producer/keyboardist Alessandro Del Vecchio but a band is made by it's songs and there are one too many ballads and mid paced tracks on this album, when things get heavier on songs like Get Out Get Gone Kryptonite are dynamite unfortunately with these songs a bit few and far between meaning that this Kryptonite is more effective to Clark Kent than Superman. 7/10
Carousel Vertigo: Revenge Of Rock N Roll (Molano Music)
Carousel Vertigo are here to save rock n roll and any band that gets the tag of "simply amazing" from "Whispering" Bob Harris are well on their way to bringing back our favourite type of music. The Parisian band draw heavily from the bluesy hard rock bands like Bad Company, Aerosmith, Grand Funk and Humble Pie Thunder fronted by Paul Stanley and that gives you something to expect. Revenge Of Rock N Roll is their second record and it's chock full of the typical sounds you'd expect from a blues based rock band. Frontman, the Gibson guitar endorsed Vincent Martinez is the nucleus of the band he sings with a range that moves from a whiskey soaked shout to a honey-hued croon that's the sum of two Paul's, Stanley and Rodgers.
As any real rockstar would he also combines singing with fretboard wizardry letting loose with his guitar when he sees fit and playing awesome leads on this record. His partner in crime is American Jansen Press who makes sure the foundations are taken care of Jansen is the walking blues beat on Honey Do and can switch to lead easily providing this record with a guitar partnership like Brad Whitford and Joe Perry or Marriott and Frampton. The songs on this record are great classic hard rock steeped in the blues, organs bubble on opener foot-stomping 80's riff of No More Hesitatin', there are brass parps on the title track which swings like a Thunder track, Hideaway is a slow burner with a solo that unveils it's majesty. They say rock is dead? Well long live rock! Carousel Vertigo are well on their way to saving it. 8/10
No comments:
Post a Comment