Page 40 - Classic Rock (January 2020)
P. 40
BLACK STAR RIDERS
The Who
3 Another State Of Grace
NUCLEAR BLAST
“We wanted to make
a big, anthemic-
sounding record,”
said frontman Ricky
Warwick. “High-energy
’n’roll.” Another
rock
State Of Grace has all of that and more.
For their fourth album, Black Star
Riders had two new members making
their debut with the band, guitarist
Christian Martucci and drummer
Chad Szeliga, and a new producer, Jay
Ruston, who had mixed two previous
BSR albums. While some songs, notably
Tonight The Moonlight Let Me Down, have
echoes of Thin Lizzy – the band from
which Black Star Riders were born,
and in which guitarist Scott Gorham
starred in their glory days – there are new
sounds and ideas on this album: a flavour
of Americana in What Will It Take?,
a powerful protest song in Why Do You
Love Your Guns?. As Warwick put it: “The
Lizzy connection will always be there,
but this band stands on its own.” PE
Killer track: Why Do You Love Your Guns?
THE DARKNESS
2 aster Is Cancelled
E
COOKING VINYL
The Darkness don’t
make bad albums,
but for most of the
noughties their releases
haven’t quite equalled
the s
um of their
THE WHO RIVAL SONS spandex-clad parts. Easter Is Cancelled is
F
5 Who 4 eral Roots different. It’s an album that starts off good
POLYDOR The Who’s first album ATLANTIC Moving quickly past and gets better, an album of such
the teeth-grindingly whole thing live on tour. Such an approach
consistency that the band are playing the
in 13 years gives every
indication that it marks
disturbing (if
is normally a recipe for disgruntlement,
captivating) artwork
the last time Pete
but this record is different. Nine months
in the making, it’s a many-headed beast
– the little creatures
Townshend will address
the band’s constituency.
of th
e forest, weaned
of rock’n’roll’s glorious past – Queen,
Despite the personal nature of his lyrics, on the lactations of an apparently rabid of a collection, consuming a vast swathe
Townshend soundtracks lives, and Who dog – Rival Sons’ sixth full-length album AC/DC, Boston, the rest – and spitting it
finds My Generation’s central protagonist ups the ante on previous out in a denim ’n’ leather, glitter-dusted
a half-century older, yet still raging. accomplishments with a widescreen smorgasbord of thumping riffs and
Opening statement All This Music Will Fade range of bluesy balladry and swinging whip-smart songwriting nous. From the
tempers righteous fury with reluctant riffs. Titled after the band’s literal effervescent glee of Heart Explodes to the
resignation. Roger Daltrey remains roots-ward move (straight out of the peculiar vaudeville of Deck Chair and
Townshend’s perfect mouthpiece, still Led Zep III Bron-Yr-Aur playbook) to the jubilant Live ’Til I Die, it’s funny,
bringing bullish pugnaciousness to pastoral Tennessee, this ruralism informs it’s exuberant and it’s brilliantly
existential angst. You approach Rockin’ In much of the album, not least the performed. Those who struggle
Rage expecting swagger, but find astonishing run of five tracks at its core. with Justin Hawkins’s voice aren’t
Townshend feeling ‘like a leper… too old to From Look Away through to Imperial Joy, going to be swayed by Easter Is
fight’. Who works as a two-way mirror, rarely has such a rich quintet nestled so Cancelled, but for those who
reflecting Townshend’s specific situation comfortably together: the open-tuned truly love the band it’s
(a spokesman for his generation facing acoustic start of the former a reminder of how buoyant
feelings of irrelevance and abandonment) culminating in the euphoric gospel rock’n’roll can be in The
and that of the ageing ‘kids’ (for whom he’s of the latter. And while it’s Darkness’s hands. And
always spoken), no longer simply ‘alright’, tempting to view the whole as it’s not far off being the
but ‘grey’ and ‘afraid’. Offering way more a marker to the new kids in best thing they’ve
than Who-by-numbers, Who is relevant, town (you know who), ever done. FL
honest and essential. IF resist, and savour. TB Justin Hawkins, Killer track:
Killer track: All This Music Will Fade Killer track: Feral Roots The Darkness Live ’Til I Die
40 CLASSICROCKMAGAZINE.COM
