This really is an excellent compilation, there’s a great diverse range of sounds and styles from country blues, western, rock, folk and blues. The playing on each song is solid with some great guitar tones, riffs and solos and excellent vocals too. The arrangements and production are spot on too with great layering and selection of instruments.
What I especially like is that the songs are quite hard to pin down to a particular style, which does make a review more difficult but means that each song individually has a great sound and overall the album as a whole is simply brilliant.
Johnny Hate – Country’s Death There’s an urgency to this song which starts with an opening acoustic riff, ominous sounding bass drum, a great riff and a scream. The vocals have a spoken style at times and there’s great layering of instruments. There are also really nice solos in the song which has a brooding western quality, great changes in feel and a great edge of tension.
The Shannons – Ethina For me this song totally captures the essence of Americana. It has a great feel, the vocals are excellent and there’s some great bass and guitar playing too. I’m not sure how they’ve done it but their sound conjures up everything from the Allman Brothers, through Mary Chapin Carpenter to Robert Earl Keen and lots more in between.
Monogroove – When You Went Away This song has great drumming to open leading into a sax solo, vocals and jangly riff to give a great momentum. It’s a great sound, some lovely harmonies and great vocals, a great vibe.
Queen Bitch – Me and the Devil A brilliant hard rocking sound with a chunky riff to open, propelled by solid drumming and some nice background hammond type sounds. The song has excellent solos and vocals, great control with building and release of tension and some nice harmonies too.
Michael Brondstetter – Dark Cloud Blues This song has an excellent country blues feel, a great momentum propelled by great riffs and solos with nice changes of feel. Great building of tension in the song too.
Genuine Crude – Invisible This song has solo piano to open with a distorted / flange riff. It has a great momentum and has more of a rock sound. The vocals add a great tension and there’s a nice solo and change of feel.
Egon Erger – Grim This song has a great atmospheric opening, a 12 twelve string guitar type of sound. The vocals are excellent, telling a great bittersweet tale. There are some great organ type sounds and a lap steel guitar really add to the sound.
Johnny Hate on facebook
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The Shannons on facebook
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Monogroove on facebook
Monogroove on twitter
Queen Bitch Band on facebook
Queen Bitch Band on twitter
Michael Brondstetter on facebook
Michael Brondstetter on twitter
Genuine Crude on facebook
Genuine Crude on twitter
Egon Erger on facebook
Egon Erger on twitter
