STACK April 2017 Issue 150

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18 APRIL 2017
visit MUSIC REVIEWS
Rodney Crowell Close Ties
Rodney Crowell is a gifted
songwriter with an incredible knack
for telling a story, and singing with
heartfelt sincerity. Much awarded
and respected, he recently
released two outstanding albums
with longtime friend Emmylou
Harris. Close Ties is an honest and
deeply personal account of his life,
from moving to Nashville in 1972,
to his friendships with iconic artists
Guy and Susannah Clark (Guy sadly
passed away from lymphoma last
year), and all the way through his
50-plus years in the biz. Guests
include John Paul White (Civil
Wars), ex-wife Roseanne Cash
(daughter of Johnny) and Sheryl
Crow. Like a good wine, Crowell
just keeps getting better with age.
(NewWest Records)
Denise Hylands
Bleeding Knees Club
Chew The Gum
ChewThe Gum is only four tracks
long but it's full of the cheeky
garage punk that these Gold Coast
hooligans are best known for.
While founding member Jordan
Malane has stepped away from
the group, frontman Alex Wall
has added Nick Leighton (drums),
Gio Alexander (bass) and Michael
Barker (guitar) to the band to beef
out their fuzz-filled tracks. Cyber
Doom is for those wasting their
lives away online, title track Chew
The Gum calls to anyone who's
worked at something they love
until they hate it, and Sun House
is for the souls still thinking about
that fling last summer. Hopefully
this killer EP is a sign of things to
come. Let’s not leave it so long
between drinks next time.
(Inertia)Tim Lambert
Bad//Dreems Gutful
Our big burnt land has been in an electronic craze
for close to a decade, but before that we had our
golden era of music: rock ‘n’ roll. Leading the revival
are Adelaide maestros Bad//Dreems, and their
sophomore album Gutful is a no-frills, completely
honest account of life from four blokes still working
day jobs in between becoming one of the premier
live bands in the country. The ‘pub rock’ label isn’t something that sits
particularly well with the band but maybe that’s because of the chauvinistic
preconceptions that surround it. For me, it’s all about honest storytelling:
no bullsh-t, no effects and no social constructs around what popular music
should sound like – and Gutful ticks every box. The opening riff of Johnny
Irony – courtesy of axe-man Alex Cameron – slots somewhere in between
Cold Chisel and The Angels, while lead single Mob Rule tackles Australia’s
rising racial strains and the penetrating, tension-filled Feelings Remain is
the cry for help from anyone battling depression. There are also lighter
pockets: Make You Love Me is Bad//Dreems’ bleeding heart, while 1000
Miles Away and By My Side are your more traditional tales of heartbreak
and love. Any form of subtlety is removed for the title track: "Had a gutful of
speed and coke, had a gutful of your racist jokes, had a gutful of Australia
Day, had a gutful of the USA.” This is some of the most genuine, righteous
storytelling you’ll ever hear. (Ivy League Records)Tim Lambert
Body Count Bloodlust
Considering the ills currently facing
the world, a new Body Count
record seems like the perfect
response. Political and in your face,
the band – led by rapper Ice-T –
haven’t softened their approach,
making Bloodlust a release fans
will eagerly embrace. Ice-T rapping
over metal riffs was always going
to be intriguing, but it didn’t always
work; the presence of Vincent
Price (AKA Vince Dennis of Steel
Prophet) and most recently, Juan
of The Dead (AKA Juan Garcia of
Agent Steel) have upped the metal
credentials, giving Bloodlust the
musical crunch to back up the
verbal rhetoric. Guest appearances
from Dave Mustaine (Megadeth),
Randy Blythe (Lamb Of God) and
Max Cavalera (Sepultura), as well
as a cover of Slayer’s Raining
Blood, add to the experience.
(Century Media) Simon Lukic
Polish Club
Alright Already
“Watchuknow about us?” David
Novak sings on Polish Club’s
debut record. Not a lot, to be
honest, apart from the fact that a
Sydney duo hasn’t made this much
glorious noise since The Mess
Hall. Polish Club are alive on arrival,
injecting much-needed life into the
rock scene. If you’re looking for a
local retro reference point, their
brand of rock ’n’ soul, with hooks
aplenty, is like a slightly unhinged
version of Johnny Diesel and the
Injectors. And before the term
'R&B' was co-opted and corrupted,
it sounded very like Polish Club.
“Come party with me,” they sing
– an invitation you can’t resist. All
right, Polish Club are all ready for
stardom.
(Double Double/Island Records)
Jeff Jenkins
Ayreon The Source
Arjen Lucassen’s project Ayreon
has been the benchmark for
progressive metal/rock ever since
he released The Final Experiment
back in 1995. Lucassen’s nous
in using guest musicians – often
the cream of the genre's crop
– has paid dividends, not only
in raising Ayreon’s profile, but
expanding the musician's palette.
Like many past Ayreon releases,
The Source is a concept album,
covering a multitude of moods
and styles. Lucassen’s musicality
is astonishing when taken as
a whole, but his compositional
talent is exceptional. Unlike Dream
Theater, Ayreon is immersed in
the '70s, giving an album like
The Source a retro feel without
sounding antiquated.
(Mascot Label Group Cool Green
Recordings/Warner)
Simon Lukic
Little Hurricane
Same Sun Same Moon
Formed in San Diego, California
in 2010, Little Hurricane -
guitarist/lead singer Anthony
‘Tone’ Catalano and drummer/
singer Celeste ‘CC’ Spina - defy
the limitations of the 'rock
duo' label with their brilliantly
conceived new album.
Each of the dozen songs has
something different to offer:
fuzz guitar and thumping
bass on the title song, an
acoustic arrangement (Moon’s
Gone Cold), hints of reggae
(You Remind Me), a driving
instrumental (March Of The
Living), and two memorable
pop songs – Take It Slow, and
the unashamedly romantic
OTL (One True Love), which
references CC and Tone’s
marriage in 2016.
(Mascot) Billy Pinnell