Reviews: The Struts, Dirty Honey, Rewolver, Seventh Crystal (Reviews By Matt Bladen)

The Struts - Pretty Vicious (Big Machine Records)

The bastard love child of The Stones, Def Leppard and Queen, The Struts have been flying the Union Jack for glammy hard rock for a number of years, and much like the Sheffield based band they are probably bigger overseas in the Good Ol’ USA than they are in their native country. Thankfully for them they are now getting the recognition here too, their incendiary live show filling up with some modern/classic rock anthems. Frontman Luke Spiller has said that this record “showcases each member’s strengths” and that it’s “some of my favourite music we’ve ever conjured up”. 

Kicking off with Too Good At Raising Hell they’ve definitely still got that hard rock swagger, though the title track dissipates any heart pumping the first song starts. It’s a bit mellower, and this seems to be a theme, just as they play a big rocker, a ballad (Hands On Me) or a mid-paced track kicks in to level the pace. Perhaps it’s a sequencing problem, or maybe they found that these are the songs that do the best on radio with the rockers saved for their live sets. Whatever it is there’s no denying the talent of the band, I’ve made mention before I’d like to hear more of guitarist Adam Slack, well we get loads of him here, taking his place as the Perry to Spiller’s Tyler, the Richards to his Jagger, much of his work in the verses is understated but he gets a solos section on nearly every song. Locking it all down as usual is bassist Jed Elliott and drummer Gethin Davies, who bring the bluesy rhythms to I Won’t Run, Do What You Want or Remember The Name and others basing The Struts as usual in the classics. 

Unfortunately Pretty Vicious seems a little too classic in it’s song writing, as some of the tracks are a bit too close to others for instance Too Good At Raising Hell is a lot like Best Of Both Worlds by Van Halen, the title track shares similarities with Small Town Boy by Bronski Beat, Remember The Name could be one of several Stones songs and Somebody Someday could be a Beatles song. There’s nothing wrong with this but for me it feels like The Struts are losing, not their identity, but their danger, Pretty Vicious actually feels quite safe, squarely aimed at Yanks and utilising their Britishness as a gimmick, rather than the surprise crossover appeal of their debut. I can’t blame them, it just doesn’t do what their earlier albums did. Maybe seeing them live will help. 6/10

Dirty Honey - Can't Find The Brakes (Dirt Records)

I wasn't around when Aerosmith first burst on to the scene but bloody hell I'm sure I've expereinced something similar with Can't Find The Brakes from bright young things Dirty Honey. Bluesy, sleazy, hard rock with louche easy guitar riffing and raw, sneering vocals. The foursome of Marc LaBelle (vocals), John Notto (guitar), Justin Smolian (bass) and new drummer Jaydon Bean made their way to Oz to record this second album with Nick DiDia behind the desk. 

Unlike their debut, this album saw them all in the same room togther and you can feel that unison and creativity bleed through this record on the smouldering gospel balladry of Roam, a track that wouldn't carry the same weight if they were seperated. Those gospel harmonies come on the Rival Sons/Zep of Get A Little High, the influence of drummer Jaydon's a cappella background very prominant. It's one of the factors that Dirty Honey have improved upon on Can't Find The Brakes, they can knock out a bluesy rock song with the best of them, Don't Put Out That Fire shows that right at the beginning or Ride On towards the end. But on a song such as Coming Home (Ballad Of The Shire), they really impress with an all acoustic number, that's driven by pathos and space again reminding me of Rival Sons/Zeppelin.

Emblazoned with lips, there are plenty of nods to The Rolling Stones on Can't Find The Breaks, but it's more about their authenticity to the blues based rock that they share with The Stones. They take what they need to make it modern inflecting classic blues rock with some 21st Century ideas, Satisfied is a sure fire radio hit while Rebel Son, brings some guitar shimmers and steady groove to close things out. L.A darlings Dirty Honey have raised their game with album number two, rock n roll and the blues in syncopation, driven by a young hungry band with all the skill of their forebears. Pick up this record if you're a rock fan, you won't regret it 9/10

Rewolver - Strange Times (Self Released)

Strange Times...Strange Times indeed. We find ourselves living in the strangest in human history, various intensely political wars without an end in sight, a global pandemic, permanent environmental changes, the global economy and the rise of the machines. It's bloody weird to say the least. For me and I hope many reading this music is the escape, even if it's lyrically inspired by what's going on around us, a good riff, head nodding groove or big chorus will make you feel, no matter how briefly that it all could be alright. 

Having been in gestation for a number of years Strange Times is the debut full length from Rewolver, a Swedish retro rock band, from the country that makes a new one every week. They released an EP in 2018 but finally their full length has arrived, though they have lost guitarist Tony Augustsson from the band, though he appears on the album, they have made an album of spacey grooves that befit the classic vocals of Spiritual Beggars frontman Apollo Papathanasio. He's given room to wail over these 70's inspired rock riffs, the mixing of Staffan Karlsson spreading the guitars/keys and the vocals/bass/drums across the two audio channels just like the old days, it adds lots of warm vinyl authenticity but don't try to listen without two speakers as you'll get a LOT of Magnus Eberhardsson Nagy's bass (though that's the point on Losing Steak). 

Anyway when you've got the headphones on and the volume turned up you can slip into the radiant rock riffs of Rewolver. Kicking off with Cosmic Relapse, the style is set from the first moment, desert rock meeting The Black Crowes, Daniel Landin's drums and percussion especially shaking your money maker, the use of wood blocks, cowbell and cymbals is really good throughout but it's integral to Speed Driver. Sonic Generator brings some indie-like guitar jangle from Tony and Mattias Augustsson, bringing a bit of distortion on Nightmare, Kaspar Dahlqvist's organs adding the eerie melody. 

From here things get darker again with Soul Collector, before the Aerosmith boogie comes on Down On My Luck. Apollo shifting between Sammy Hagar (Mr Clean) and David Coverdale (Road Of Misery). Serious classic rocking from Sweden, for fans of MKIII Deep Purple, Aerosmith and desert rock, Strange Times indeed but here's a distraction. 8/10

Seventh Crystal - Infinity (Frontiers Music Srl)

After releasing Wonderland earlier this year Swedish melodic rock band Seventh Crystal, chose five songs from their studio session they believed didn't belong on the album. These are the songs they have put on Infinity, shifting their focus a little but keeping the melodic rock/AOR style. You only get five tracks here but they are self-contained within this EP and yes they wouldn't have fit as well in Wonderland. 

The title track opens with choppy riffs from Emil Dornerus and Gustav Linde, they are in the driving seat as the big choruses come a few times before opening into a keyboard/guitar solo section, Johan Älvsång’s keys feeling a little like an afterthought, though not on Rivals or Ready Set Go. I’m not sure if it’s the copy I got but the production sounds a little weird, on Memory Lane the bass of Olof Gadd is really high in the mix, while the drums of Anton Roos are really low. Of course Seventh Crystal are based around the vocals of Kristian Fyhr, and he gives a great performance throughout.

The five tracks here are ok, but I wouldn’t say they’re more than B-Sides. It means that Infinity will probably only appeal to their fanbase. 6/10