Album Reviews Archives Über Röck

The artist by the nom de plume of CJ Wildheart should need absolutely no introduction to not only regular readers of this here always ever so humble website but lovers of classy rock ‘n’ roll music as a whole, as he was one of the similarly-monickered co-founders of one of perhaps the singularly most recognized and notorious glunk pop acts to have emerged from the Über Kingdom in the past two generations. After a nigh on 40-year interaction with the band that has experienced more stops and starts than a rain-sodden TT race, the firebrand sauceror (sic) has just unleashed his eighth, and perhaps most visceral and vital, solo album on an unsuspecting Überverse…

Glenn Kingsmore ‘Cairn Holy’ (Casualty Records)

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Best known as the drummer with Belfast punk legends/veterans (whichever term they prefer to use) The Defects, this latest solo album, his fifth, is a completely different prospect from what one might expect given its creators’ background and pedigree, but at the same time what one should expect from a solo offering, in that it treads different waters from those in which he normally swims…

Corpse Water ‘Something In The Water’ (GrindScene Records)

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If there is one man who has stood over the Northern Ireland grind scene (sic) like a colossus it is Pete Clarke. For the past decade the frontman of Strangle Wire, and before that Zombified and the brief industrial death spin-off The Obscene Machine, he has devoted almost his entire life to this most extreme of metal sub-genres, not least through his record company, via which he has not only profiled local acts from this particular wee corner of the Überverse but also championed genre legends such as Basement Torture Killings and Foetal Juice. Now, he has once again emerged from the darkened sewers of his hometown of Lisburn with his latest foul infestation of our senses and sensibilities…

Solace – ‘Fading Failing Ruin’ (Magnetic Eye Records)

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Originally rising from the ashes of Godspeed, New Jersey’s Solace celebrate their 30th anniversary this year with the release of their fifth studio album ‘Fading Failing Ruin’, their first in seven years. They’ve just completed their biggest run of gigs in those 30 years with a successful European tour including a prominent appearance at the Desertfest, so fans may already be familiar with one or two of the new tracks from what is a huge new chapter in the band’s career.

Von Hertzen Brothers ‘Stars Aligned’/’Nine Lives’ (DoingBeingMusic)

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The Von Hertzen Brothers’ 25th anniversary editions of ‘Stars Aligned’ (originally released in 2011) and ‘Nine Lives’ (2013) are more than nostalgic callbacks. Reissued as remixed and remastered double-vinyl sets with previously unreleased tracks, they underline just how naturally this band fuses progressive heft, melodic punch and emotional lift.

JOE BONAMASSA ‘THE SPIRIT OF RORY LIVE FROM CORK’ (J&R ADVENTURES)

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Taking on Rory Gallagher is a bold move. Taking him on head-first, with the weight of expectation from die-hard blues fans hanging in the air, is something else entirely. Dave O explains how Joe Bonamassa doesn’t just step into that arena – he owns it, even if he never quite tries to become the man himself.

DEAD PIONEERS ‘WAGON BURNER’ (HASSLE RECORDS)

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Starting out as an art project of proud Native American front man Gregg Deal, and mutating over time, by public demand, into a full blown working band, Dead Pioneers have made great strides and attracted considerable interest with the punk rock vibe and strong anti-fascist message of their first two albums. They’ve befriended Jello Biafra and toured with kindred spirits like Pennywise, Propaghandi, even Pearl Jam. Now they’re unleashing their potent third album ‘Wagon Burner’.

King Salami and The Cumberland Three – ‘16 Knockout Hits!’ (Damaged Goods)

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The brilliantly named King Salami and The Cumberland Three were formed by a Japanese punk, a French punk, a Spanish punk and a Caribbean tennis teacher 20 years ago this year. With a fearsome live reputation, they have knocked out numerous releases over those years, and now they celebrate that 20th anniversary with ‘16 Knockout Hits!’, a compilation of many of the best tracks from their back catalogue.

Samantha Fish ‘Paper Doll Live’ (Rounder Records)

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Samantha Fish has never been one to play it safe, and ‘Paper Doll Live’ finds her in full command of her blues-rock arsenal: snarling, soulful and utterly electrifying. Recorded at the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville, Tennessee, the album thrives on immediacy, turning a concert set into a vivid portrait of an artist whose songs seem to grow even more dangerous and dynamic on stage.

Samantha Martin And Delta Sugar ‘A Beautiful Buzz’ (Gypsy Soul Records)

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Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar have always sounded like a band with one boot in the church and the other in the backroom bar, and ‘A Beautiful Buzz’ bottles that tension beautifully. If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if Etta James, Sharon Jones and Joe Cocker all turned up for the same late-night revival, this gets perilously close.

JAYLER ‘VOICES UNHEARD’ (SILVER LINING MUSIC)

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Jayler’s debut album ‘Voices Unheard’ arrives with all the subtlety of a steel-toecap to the teeth, and frankly, that’s exactly what it needs. This debut doesn’t waste time chasing trends or polishing its boots for polite company – it kicks the door in and makes itself at home.

Category: Album Reviews