If you want some great good time hard rock that makes you smile from ear to ear then this is your album of the year.
Hearing the single ‘Lift Your Head Up’ might be all you need to take a chance on this, the third album by UK Hard Rockers Bad Touch. It’s a great song and really gets a party started that never ends. I’ve listened to this album multiple times now and I can guarantee you its solid gold front snout to tail!
If you liked that opening kick then the hard rocking dynamics and sweet soulful vocals of ‘Hammer Falls’ will just confirm your suspicions, Bad Touch have hit a home run here and the album just keeps on giving. With your boat suitably floated ‘Too Many Times’ is launched with a crunching riff, and it hits all the right spots – there’s a great smokey flavour, driving vocal and nice bluesy feel before the breakdown allows Stevie some room for a few vocal gymnastics before a short but perfectly sweet solo kicks in. Three songs in you’ll be laying your money down.
Much as you may like that opening salvo be warned there’s plenty more where that came from. ‘Dressed to Kill’ is a great rock and roller designed to set you up for a night out, its high energy rock and roll to start any party. Dig deeper and you’ll find plenty more though. New single ‘Skyman’ for example adds some smokey swagger and a killer hook and ‘I Belong’ takes us to the midway point with real style. The song begins with birdsong and breaks in mellow and slow – unveiling a peaceful southern styled sound that suddenly bursts to life. It looks set to be a classic and could easily have closed the album and puts me in mind of that very first outing by The Black Crowes.
If you feared all the big guns had been fired then fear not – the second half of this ride is just as good: ‘Show Me What It Means’ is a great stomping rocker that connects immediately; whilst ‘Tussle’ lyrically takes on the struggle to find love and has a mild funky feel and my favourite guitar sound and solo on the album . Deeper in and you’ll find ‘Take Me Away’ revving the engines again, riding huge riff and delivering a rich bluesy ride; and ‘Believe in Me’ taking things down a level with its gentle southern rock- fueled searching demi-ballad about finding that one true love. It’s another keeper.
We close with three great songs: first up ‘Moving on Up’ finds a great groove and gets the feet moving, whilst one of my standouts (and as it turn’s out also Stevie’s – check out our interview next week) ‘Slow Tempest’ simply takes your breath away, starting off slow and strummed, Stevie’s voice full of soul, it smoulders and takes you on a journey, comforting and promising better days as it bursts into life. It might be a relatively simple song in the context of things here but it really resonates.
That leaves only ‘Bury Me’ another slower track that drips with emotion to close. It’s a great way to end what has turned out to be a helluva album. Bad Touch have already produced two records that are more than worthy of your attention but this is their crowning glory…. so far. If you love bluesy, southern-tinged hard rock you can’t miss this one.
