Head Honchos - Bring It On Home (CD)

Already reading the band name and the title kinda made me think this could be southern influenced, shit kickin’ hard rock. The CD starts off with ”Not For Me” and I wasn’t that far off target. It’s definitely shit kickin’ hard rock, but I guess it’s more bluesy than southern. ”Old And Tired” continues in a cool swing funk heavy blues vibe, actually with a touch of Stevie Salas, with is great in my book. Nice phat groove! ”Work” kicks up the tempo a notch. Slide guitar, chunky Hammond organ and a cook funky groove. Great energetic vocals and killer guitar licks. In ”Come Strong” they do give it a southern rock touch, but it also has a straight ahead blues rock vibe to it. It’s a track that has ”dance” written all over it. ”Next To You” kicks it off with a cool drum groove and some slide guitar. One of my favorites is the super grooving ”Whiskey Devil” and the band’s kick ass version of ”Going Down”. A really cool, groove oriented, swinging blues rock album with a southern touch.

Janne Stark

Year: 2018

Country: USA

Label: Grooveyard Records

The Devil In California - This Is Not For You (5 track CD EP)

After an outstanding debut album, which made you wonder if and how these American heavy southern rockers would be able to follow it up, they are back again. The band’s new 5-track EP ”This Is Not For You” proves these boys sure have more goodies of the same style, sound and quality to offer. Actually, it’s four tracks and a short spoken intro. After the intro, ”Push It Along” kicks off with some wah-guitar, leading into a heavy, groovy, riff rocker. They remind me a bit of Black Water Rising (who unfortunately haven’t managed to maintain the magic of their debut). ”As The Crow Flies” starts off with a short slide intro, then immediately kicks into groove mode. Heavy, chunky and relentless, with a short soft interlude, where singer Anthony Malson stretches his vocals a bit more than he usually does, before the chorus kicks in. Killer stuff indeed! ”Elsewhere” keeps the groove going with the precision of an old steam locomotive, with an added bluesy touch. The EP finishes, way too soon, with ”The Storm”, which starts out quite soft and unpredictable, until the band kicks in high gear, but only for a short moment. I really love the dry and in-your-face mix, where it sounds like the guitar is right next to you. Quite a different track, quite ambient, with a mix of soft and heavy parts weaving into each other. My only complaint would be that it starts out like there will be a great, bluesy guitar solo, but after just a few starting licks it ends. All in all a kick-ass EP, that gives me great hope for a new full length album. If you’re into bands like Black Water Rising, (early) Texas Hippie Coalition, Preacher Stone etc, check the out!!

Janne Stark

Country: USA

Year: 2017

Label: self-released

Count’s 77 – Soul Transfusion (CD)

This is the second effort from actor/club owner/singer Danny “Count” Koker. The man is not just a pretty face, he’s actually a pretty good singer as well. In some tracks, he reminds me a quite lot of Ron Chenier from Canuck hard rockers Fist. Gritty, mid/low pitch and pretty ballsy. Not bad in my book. He also surrounds himself with some pretty good musicians, including kick ass guitarist Stoney Curtis, who has made quite the name for himself through his solo discs. The first Count’s 77 album was quite good, but this one does kick it up a notch. It starts out with The Count’s version of Summer of 69, here known as Summer of ’77 (which I can personally relate to more than the Bryan Adams number). A catchy, poppy hard rocker with nice hooks. Hard Rock Band has a cool southern rock vibe to it, which reminds me a bit of The Boyzz mixed with 38 Special. Again, a bunch of nice hooks. Do You Feel Me? definitely picks up those aforementioned Fist references, both vocally and musically. If you remember and like Fist’s Thunder In Rock album, this should be up your alley. A really cool track, indeed! Without going into each of the songs, this is a really cool, no frills, straight ahead southern tinged hard rock album with great musicians, cool vocals and songs that rock really well. Recommended!

Janne Stark

Label: Shrapnel

Year: 2016

Country: USA