Steering Wheel Music 17

 

Jack White - Fear of the Dawn, album review

Noise

Fuzz noise and electrified fuzz noise and other fuzz. Played loud and listened to loud. Opening Taking Me Back takes me back to the beginnings of fuzz, though here the digital trajectories (or whatever they are) are fine enhancements. Is Fear of the Dawn Hawkwind and Motorhead conjoined? That's space riffing, I guess. Loads of wah-wah too, original and re-worked. The White Raven is something out of the 90s that I don't recognise but it is scouring in its continuance of noise. And then there's Hi-De-Ho: it reminds me of Zach Condon's Beirut, and then there are samples and other stuff I have had to read about, and I think its great playful noise. Next Eosophobia begins with pretty guitar work before breaking into noisy versions of this. I have been listening to this loud for a few plays and enjoying every time.

Eye Music 60

 

Paul Stanley's Soul Station - Then And Now, album review

The Soul Train…

…keeps on chugging by, though this one has been here in the station for a little while. Soul crooner Paul Stanley – yes, Kiss – really does, especially when letting off some falsetto steam. He has a backing soul orchestra/chorus that provides all the freight to deliver further substance to this soul journey. There are self-penned fine-enough numbers, but when you are conveying classics like Could It Be I’m Falling in Love, Ooo Baby Baby, Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me), Let’s Stay Together, The Tracks of My Tears and so on, the tracks are well laid already to assist – and with these, that backing support has the feel of history. Stanley isn’t trying to rework, and who in their right homage-leaning mind would? And the fact is a great song carries itself a long way. That said, I like the additionals to the wonderful You are Everything.

No Face Music 64

 

Mamas Gun - Cure The Jones, album review

Soul Vehicle Keeps on Coming

Continuing the ride on this soul vehicle (see previous two album postings), Mama’s Gun furthers the resurgent trajectory. UK-based and on their fifth album, this gorgeous one wears authentic sleeves of influence as well as any dressing in a soul past, musically speaking anyway. Inspirations are from the great and good, like Marvin Gaye in Looking for Moses – this not on a lead vocal but in the atmospheric other vocals and arrangements that wrap around it like the spatial surrounds of What’s Going On. There’s Smokey Robinson in You’re Too Hip (for Me Baby) and Ernie Isley guitar work in Winner’s Eyes. I don’t think there can be a fine line between pastiche and an original take as the latter is so wonderfully secured in this sweet and sparkling collection.

Formed in 2009, the band are currently a five-piece of Andy Platts (vocals), Terry Lewis (guitar), Dave Oliver (keys), Chris Boot (drums) and Cameron Dawson (bass). 

 

 

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Into the Distance Music 114