Swiss Rock and Roll is something of a mystery for most of the outside world and I must admit I’d not heard of Backwater till this one landed. This is their second album and was “inspired by rock played in the seventies and eighties” and was recorded ‘live’ in the foundry studios in Fribourg, whatever that means these days.
Reading the tracklist the warning bells ring. I’ve always been a little concerned about songs about ‘Jack The Ripper’ and though musically its not a horrible opening the semi-musical theatre nature of the song isn’t my cup of tea really. The twee Bluesy Groove of ‘Sweet Little Passion’ that follows similarly doesn’t get the blood rushing.
At this point I must admit I was wondering whether to press on but I’m glad I did. ‘Shine for me’ is better nice boogie-laced hard rock and I love the groove of ‘Rockin’ style’ which I must admit is mildly infectious!
There’s even a laid back 80’s Krokus/AC/DC vibe to ‘I Just Want Love’ and a nice old school wail and thrust to ‘Welcome to my World’ and the similarly vintage sounding ‘Rock ‘n’ Roll history’ is pretty nice too,and for e at least this is the core of the album that if I’m honest took a bit of getting into but certainty grows on you.
‘Rosie got a Gun’ is a shot of Southern-tinged boogie and ‘Angel of Devil’ a slower number, is a real arm-waver and a real highlight. Elsewhere ‘Overdrive’ adds some nice riff-driven hard rock; ‘Pictures on the Wall’ some more good-time old school boogie and ‘Ride Down’ a little Southern Rock edge. The album closes with ‘Whiskey in the Jar’ a boogie-laced original not a cover of the Folk song Thin Lizzy made immortal (though there is a stolen line).
I shouldn’t like this but I do.
Tracklist: 1. Jack The Ripper | 2. Sweet Little Passion | 3. Shine for me | 4. Rockin’ Style | 5. I Just Want Love | 6. Welcome to my World | 7. Rock ‘N’ Roll history | 8. Rosie got a Gun | 9. Angel of Devil | 10. Overdrive |11. Pictures on the Wall | 12. Ride Down | 13. Whiskey in the Jar
