It’s been a while since we last heard from Grand Rezerva when they released their 2013 debut album ’48 Laws’ and after a few line-up changes and a couple of singles dropping in 2015 they’re back with what might be an even better record.
Of course a band named after Tequila is always going to purvey a suitably dirty strain of Rock and GR don’t disappoint. There’s a certain Ramones-like earthiness to the sound and a big dose of The Stooges in the background but on that canvas there’s a more modern vibe and a Mike Monroe-like melodic sensibility.
When it’s loud like on the title track it’s punk-sleaze abandon, and that’s a big part of the sound, even infusing the opening to more laid back tracks like ‘The Only One’ which sizzles then falls back onto an early eighties post-punk alternative verse structure. It’s therefore not just a straight Sleaze Rock record there’s more to it than that.
Sure there’s aggression like the spiky ‘Dead End’ but it’s a punk with the benefit of hindsight and full of melodies and hooks. At times you even get hints of latter-day ‘Punk’ bands like Green Day but whereas band like that lose their power in being too polished GR has those rough edges that real punks will love.
When it works it works well like the aforementioned ‘The Only One’ or the 2015 single ‘Crimson Ground’ which tears it up nicely. There’s plenty of other great tracks too like the stomp of ‘War’ and the epic ‘Save Yourself’ which really stands out nicely and shows that the band know how to write longer songs that can keep you hooked to the last.
At other times while it never gets bad it does sometimes feel a bit lazy, like on ‘Come Alive’ – it’s a perfectly good song that just needs a little more fire – it’s a tough one though balancing melody and fire without getting burnt. And it’s not a criticism, it’s a fine line between a great album and a real classic.
That really is the Crux of the album, the faster songs just grab you and the slower numbers either catch or don’t – at the end of the day though one thing I’m sure of though hearing this live would be a helluva night out!
TRACKLIST
Hell and High Water
Second Coming
The Only One
Dead End
Come Alive
Rock n Roll Junkie
War
Man of the Year
Crimson Ground
Save Yourself
Not Like You
