There’s a Harder dirtier Blues rock edge to opener ‘Fools Gold’ and even more guitar. It’s a wonderful start and one that sets you immediately at ease if you’ve enjoyed these guys before and wondered if they could repeat the trick. The great news is that they’ve got even better and I’d go as far as to wager that Mother Rad may well be one of the best Blues-infused Hard Rock bands out there at the moment.
It’s a sublime opening and ‘Sticks and Stones’ that follows melds Whitesnake and Dio via Rainbow and is oh so sweet. If you loved bands like Cry of Love then this is what 2021 has to offer as an update of that essential soulful Rock and Roll.
‘Spread it all Around’ has a huge groove that carries you along to a sing along chorus; and ‘Matter of Time’ brings the big riff and drums to the fore to allow Keith Slack to shine; whilst ‘Without You’ takes things down a notch to show that these guys know exactly what to do with a ballad, it’s dripping with emotion, has a slight Southern sheen and some wonderful keys and guitar. Half way in you’ll be hooked.
And these guys race home with a wet sail too with ‘side two’ perhaps even bettering that wonderful opening. ‘Side to Side’ is a ‘get up and dance’ number that can’t fail to get you moving and ‘Cold Heat’ goes further adding some horns and real soul and funk into the mix, before ‘Ain’t Got the Blues’ smolders like Gary Moore meets David Coverdale. On a pretty flawless and immensely enjoyable album we close out with two beauties: ‘The One you Keep’ rides another great groove and comes together nicely before last track ‘Southland’ injects some Southern-fried feel good vines to close. It’s an uplifting way to close.
Mother Road take that Bluesy Rock you love and produce an album full of soul and emotion that stands out from the pack.
8.5/10