Reviews roundup – The Dead Daisies vs. Laurence Jones Band vs. Jeanice Lee vs. Izz vs. Highway Hunters vs. Strangers Know More
THE DEAD DAISIES
Locked & Loaded: The Covers Album
Spitfire Music / SPV
I thought we were on a break! Well seems as though there are moves afoot in the Dead Daisies camp if the rumour mill is to be believed. But while they’re sunning themselves around their respective swimming pools surrounded by hoors and coke they’ve bunged out a covers album.
Not a new idea in the rock world. But this is a covers album largely containing previously released material as the Daisies have always included a couple of covers on their own albums. So the hmm factor is extremely high. Granted, they give good cover. Things start off with their riproaring take on my homeboys The Sensational Alex Harvey Band’s ‘Midnight Moses’. They’re no SAHB but they give it some welly.
There are also revisits to the worlds of Willie Dixon, The Faces, Grand Funk Railroad, The Who, Deep Purple and more. There are a couple of rarities to try and lure in the completist with the Beatleband’s ‘Helter Skelter’ (sigh) from the rareish “Face I Love” EP and a cover of Neil Young’s ‘Rockin in the Free World’ (sigh) recorded with a full sixty-piece Philharmonic orchestra. Is it an enjoyable album? Yes. Should you buy it? Not really. If you’re new to the band just buy their actual records. If you’re not you’ve probably got everything bar the Neil Young cover. And no-one really needs one of those.
LAURENCE JONES BAND
Laurence Jones Band
independent
He’s got a band now, hence the appendage. And they’ve written the album with Mr Jones along with producer Gregory Elias so things have changed a wee bit.
See, it looks as though Laurence Jones has cast an eye over the Later… audience and thought I’m having some of that. So this is certainly the most mainstream release from him to date. There are plenty of pop-ish hooks, memorable choruses and a band as tight as a .. well you know what.
It’s a reasonable enough move to try and make. He’s still a young fella me lad so plenty of time to try and attract a new audience. There’s certainly plenty of tunes here that would sound quite at home on daytime Radio 2. When things stay uptempo it’s very engaging as the opening ‘Everything’s Gonna Be Alright’ mines The Black Crowes and their antecedents. It’s also quite a clever move having female backing vocals on most of the tracks including this one as Mr Jones has always had quite a light voice.
Elsewhere songs like ‘Quite Like You’ have a funky undertow that reels you in with ease and it’s only when he slows things right down that things get a wee bit shaky. Some especial praise goes to Bennett Holland whose keyboard work is superb throughout. Mr Jones hasn’t left the blues entirely band as a listen to the delightful ‘Long Long Lonely Ride’ will attest but overall it’s a step away from the fringes. Fingers crossed it’ll all work out.
https://www.laurencejonesmusic.com
JEANICE LEE
Beyond Never
independent
First things first. They may be from just doon the road (for it is a they) but drummer Graeme Hamilton is nae relation. Unless he’s fae Polbeth, in which case he probably is.
So, yes, they’re based in Embra. And despite the singer being called Jeanice Lee, they insist that they are A Band. So there.
Still I need to be careful. I don’t want anyone setting fire to me. Again. Fortunately they’re pretty good at what they do. It’s fairly mainstream modern rock. Note that’s rock, not rawk. And for a band who only finalised their lineup last year they sound like well seasoned pros. So it’s their debut album, there’s lots of indie-ish moments but sometimes they do crank things up and that’s when my aged rawk ears perk up. I really liked ‘Freefall’, for example, which has a cracking wee riff. Now I’m not going to deny that Jeanice Lee (the singer not the band) has a very distinctive voice. She does. So gird yersel. It’s quite declamatory and (whisper it) musical theatre. They do a lot of moody but the moody they do do is good moody.
But it suits the words which all seem to be alluding to the fact that things in the world are a bit shit. I’m auld so I reckon there’s always a new low just round the corner. Musically, guitarist Marco Morelli is very impressive from beginning to end. That’s not to decry the bass player but as his one word name seems to indicate a man on the run, least said.
It is an excellent debut, well produced and presented. One to investigate.
IZZ
Don’t Panic
Doone Records
Aye, aye. Prog behemoth alert!
For yes, this ninth studio album from well respected American progsters Izz features and 18 minute track as it’s centrepiece. Proper prog.
Izz have been on the go for 20 years or so now so they know what they’re doing. And what they do is seventies influenced melodic prog meets pomp. Which is a good thing. Although they also manage to remain slightly unpredictable. You know, you’re a prog band with two vocalists so of course you’re going to have a ten minute instrumental. I’m assuming it’s not a Coronarias Redig type moment and that Ms Byrnes and Ms Meades were too drunk to sing. No. They seem lovely.
So, musically, there is a lot of Yes going on. Another good thing. I should say seventies Yes, especially on the keyboard sounds. Guitarist Paul Bremner puts in a good shift but now that I think about it if you take is two minute solo noodle out of the middle this is a surprisingly short album. What’s that? 42 minutes or so. I endorse this. Too many prog bands feel obliged to fill out a CD at the expense of quality but there is none of that here. “42” is the name of the epic at the centre of this release and it really does merit epic status as the instrumentalists really shine. And let’s not forget that two of the blokes sing as well. So lots of room for explorations.
If you’re new to the world of Izz and appreciate traditionally rooted progressive rock then I recommend this wholeheartedly. You definitely won’t regret it.
HIGHWAY HUNTERS
Highway Hunters
independent
To the Canadian colonies! Actually, down with that sort of thing because this lot are from Montreal. You know, the ones who when you mention the Seven Years War, shrug their shoulders in Gallic style and wander off whistling.
Now if you like the keyboard heavy stylings of Vanilla Fudge and Deep Purple Mk 1 (and of course you do, unless you’re no right in the heid) I would suggest abandoning what passes for a review, head off to the internet and grab yourself a copy sharpish.
See, there’s lots of that. Which is, officially, a Very Good Thing. Granted, Highway Hunters do venture into the seventies sometimes but really it’s about the stonking sounds of a Hammond organ being treated in a manner unbecoming to such an elderly gentleman. If nothing of note had happened after the opening ‘Ain’t Got No Mama’ I would still have declared this record to be a winner. But it’s an album of winners and I spent most of the 38 minutes of music tipping my hat to the various members. I mean, come on, there’s an organ / bass guitar interplay breakdown. It’s why music was invented.
So who are they? To be honest, I’ve read the bio pages of the rhythm section and it didn’t mean a thing. Vocalist and organist Marine Lacoste has worked with Uncle Kracker (remember him?) and ‘Sunglasses At Night’ legend Corey Hart but she really should be a star in her own right. It’s actually not fair when someone is that good a keyboard player and a great vocalist. Gits. It’s all original material, primarily from the pen of bass man Yanni Aumont, bar a tune from Jim Peterik (the Survivor fella). Whisper it, but their own songs are better.
If your world is dominated by ‘And The Address’ and ‘Shotgun’ then you need this now. Pure dead brilliant.
STRANGERS KNOW MORE
In The Eye Of The Beholder
independent
Turns out that Chris Ames who is the main man behind Strangers No More has released two previous albums while he lived in France. But that’s no more and this is a brand new band that’s responsible for album number three with one time Department S fella Sam Burnett his new right hand man.
What you’re getting is a wee bit rootsy rock with some nods to the sound of bands like the Godfathers back in the day. There are a few hard driving riffs that teeter round the edge of blues rock in a Steve Gibbons Band kind of way. But for every ‘Move Along’ there’s a mid tempo ‘Street Corner Girl’ which wants to be Mink DeVille but ends up like Mark Knopfler.
That might be a good thing in your world but not in mine. The musicians do their job well and the vocals have an Ian Hunter / Steve Harley quality to them but it just misses for me. But if seventies influenced rootsish rock is your thing give it a go.
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St Columba’s Hospice Tribute Fund for Linda Hamilton
http://linda.hamilton.muchloved.com/
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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