Reviews roundup – SweetKiss Momma vs. Pete McDonough vs. Lawrence Blatt vs. Kickhunter

Reviews roundup – SweetKiss Momma vs. Pete McDonough vs. Lawrence Blatt vs. Kickhunter

SWEETKISS MOMMA
A Reckoning Is Coming
Self released

Let’s start things off today with Tacoma based Sweetkiss Momma, who are looking southwards and backwards for their seventies inspired southern roots rock.  And tis good.

Considering it’s been produced by a member of Wilco (drummer Ken Coomer), they actually manage to hold on to their balls for an engaging set of rock and roll.  They quite happily mix up roots rock with some Skynyyrd muscle on tunes like ‘Breathe Rebel’ and the title track, and even when they teeter on the edge of modern Americana, songs like ‘Same Old Stories’ retain some grit.

There is the odd bit of jangle which seems a tad out of place, but they generally keep on the right side of the road on an excellent set of southern rock.  A keeper.

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PETE McDONOUGH
Out Of The Drift
Elemental

Time to ease the pace a bit, with Pete McDonough, a Liverpudlian singer / songwriter, who has put out four solo albums prior to this.  However, his fifth sees him recording with an actual band, and it’s all rather engaging.  I’ve no idea what his actual solo performances were like, but judging by the quality of the songs, they should be worth checking out.  After all, you can’t polish a turd, and none of these songs have the reek of keech about them.

There are some really fine songs here, with the likes of ‘All The Way Home’, ‘Save Us From Ourselves’ and ‘Come On In’ meriting an instant hot on the repeat play button, and when the arrangements are enhanced with trumpet, cello and Hammond organ, it’s a sound that draws you right on.

Lyrically, he’s just as happy exploring his insides, as he is the world at large, and even if it’s probably two songs too long, it’s an album of good songs, well played.  And what more could you want?

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LAWRENCE BLATT
Emergence
LMB

I’mnot unfamiliar with the acoustic stylings of Mr Lawrence Blatt, with “Fibonacci’s Dream” and “Out Of The Woodwork” having graced Zeitgeist in years gone by.  So it’s a pleasure to catch up with him again on this new release, “Emergence”.

For those who don’t know, Mr Blatt plays the acoustic guitar. But he not only plays it exceptionally well, but he also writes some heady music, and knows how to arrange it perfectly, with a myriad of instrumentation, including violin, viola, cello, penny whistle and French horns.  Which means that, although it never breaks a sweat, there is always something interesting to hear, and something new waiting around the corner.

The music takes on a myriad of influences whether it’s the almost ethereal sounding ‘The Place Where Monarchs Go’ or the Romany sounds of ‘Polonoye’.  If this all sounds a bit new agey, well, yes it is, but there is considerably more depth to the music and the sounds than there is in a hundred pan pipe albums.  One to while away a summers evening to.

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KICKHUNTER
Southern Kicks
Phoenix

For sure, today we’re going to finish up with some Germanic southern rock from a band who’ve supported Lynyrd Skynyrd, Deep Purple und Molly Hatchet in the rock heartlands of Germany.

I vaguely recall that they used to peddle a biker rock sound, but they’ve mutated into something much better with the legally obligatory chick backing vocals and Hammond organ.  Which means they’re much better when they try to kick some ass, as they do on ‘Boogie Town’ and ‘Revolution’, than they are when they try to mellow down easy.  So it’s no thanks to ‘Ocean’.

Musically, they can mix things with the best of them as their rhythm section of bassist Markus Grosskopf  and drummer Karsten Kreppert have done time with Helloween and Zed Yago respectively.  Oh, and if you’re the person who nicked my 12″ vinyl copy of ‘Black Bone Song’, I hope you choke on it.

It’s a good time album, and anyone who has the balls to try and cover the Quo classic ‘Caroline’ deserves a hearty shake of the hand.

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