Sometimes albums are just released out of time, think of all the great records being made today that would have ridden high in the charts in years gone by. Roxy Blue’s 1992 debut – ‘Want Some’ was on of those albums – had it been released even a couple of years earlier it would have been enough to break them big. But here we are 27 years later with the official follow up. Of course there have been other outings – three albums of collected demos and bits and pieces were released by FnA a few years back to tie up loose ends but as Todd told me a few weeks ago when we spoke, they came from old cassettes and they certainly weren’t intended for official release at the time (well worth checking out though if you’re a fan).
The temptation must have been surely to recreate the past and stick out a ‘Want Some II’? Now I would have jumped at that. But ‘Roxy Blue’ gives us something completely different instead – it’s the sound of a band who has been listening as Rock grew and changed over the past 27 years, and not just listening but enjoying the music they heard. As a result the album might be a jolt for fans – imagine The Beatles had put out ‘Please Please Me’ (their 1963 debut) then hit you with ‘Let It Be’ without hearing anything in between. That’s a bit what this is like. If ‘Want Some’ was 80’s Rock via Van Halen then this is Hard Rock with grunt and melody,and you know what? I loved it from first listen.
Make no mistake this time out the band is much heavier, but there are some great ballads in amongst the out and out rockers and for me Roxy Blue was always a band you knew could write a great ballad- here they come in the form of the wonderful ‘Collide’ which just happens to be my, and as it turns out so Todd tells me, the band’s favourite. But there’s also the wonderful ‘How Does It Feel’ that has a touch of Collective Soul about it too.
Before we get to that though the opener ‘Silver Lining’ really lays down the game plan, a thick groove searing guitars and a scorching vocal and backed up beautifully by fellow rockers ‘Rockstar Junkie,’ a single if I ever heard one, and ‘Scream’ which keeps the fire burning.
On a well balanced record that fails to add any hint of filler it’s the ballads as I said that just shade it for me but then you hear a track like the wonderful, pounding ‘Til the Well Runs Dry’ and the heavier numbers swing back into contention. This is an album to enjoy from end to end and it’s rare these days that you can say that.It might not be ‘Want Some Mark II’ but what it is is one of the best modern Rock records you’ll hear all year.
And for fact fans I’ll leave you with this: original members Todd Poole (vocals), Josh Weil (bass), and Scotty Trammell (drums) reunited for the record and are joined here by new guitarist Jeffrey Wade Caughron. (Original guitarist Sid “Boogie” Fletcher has left the music business for a successful career in dentistry.)
Tracklist: Silver Lining | Rockstar Junkie |Scream |Collide |Outta The Blue |Blinders |Til The Well Runs Dry |Human Race |How Does It Feel |What It’s Like |Overdrive
Line-up: Todd Poole – Vocals | Scott Trammell – Drums | Josh Weil – Bass| Jeff Caughron – Guitar
