“We are all family men, as in family is our biggest priority. We all have people that stand in this world alongside us, love us, and depend on us.”
Blues Rock
Simple Life is beautifully set-up, bringing together a blues-rock backdrop with Kirby’s own expressive and lightly raspy vocals, mixing in a touch of almost doo-wop style backing vocals – the finish is organic yet crisp and clean enough to really let you blast it at volume to immersive results.
“I can’t stop making music. I’m an artist. I don’t think I’d know what to do with myself if I wasn’t creating art or making music. I’m not good at fishing or golf.”
New American Hustle sees producer and multi-instrumentalist Ian Smith collaborate with a host of superb vocalists, amidst an array of hard-hitting and almost genre-free compositions; the likes of which pour through with precisely the level of grit, melody and rhythm required to lift you up and provide that perfectly alternative escapism that modern life craves.
There’s a hint of Rage Against The Machine to this style of performance, a welcomed nod to music’s past, though the UK twang and that classic hip hop confidence help take things somewhere decidedly refreshing.
They write from a place of depth, and they craft their songs based on those intentions & feelings – they don’t sit down & say ‘let’s write a country song, let’s write something blues-rock’, the concept & the moment comes first, which gives them purpose, and a quickly unique vibe that runs throughout these four songs.
Whereas some works can be hard to review, this wonderful collection wears its influences on its sleeve and is all the better for it. Unashamedly complex arrangements with no flab, terrific performances all round… what’s not to love?
Stephen Babcock’s brand new single is an easy hit that ticks a whole lot of different boxes. Pouring through with the simple rhythm of an MGMT piece but the vocal swagger and clarity of a blues-rock classic, Fight I Need goes on to become conceptually accessible yet presented in a refreshing and somewhat quirky manner.
“Baltimore is an eclectic hodgepodge of artistic freedom. We have long stood with one foot firmly planted in the Blues but aspire to seamlessly pivot from genre to genre. I can’t stress how important it is to keep that other foot firmly planted in the Blues!”
The whole thing begins to feel like a circus or carnival-style song – immense energy and multiple layers of colour, but an underlying concept that leans a little more towards depth of thought and even darkness.
You get a sense that the band have been doing this for years, doing nothing but this – honing their skills, building a level of oneness, writing and performing with absolute emotion and purpose; the perfect contenders for a lasting and respectable role within modern music.
Everything from the narrative, to the music and vocals has been meticulously crafted to enhance the storytelling in an invigoratingly novel way. It’s a triumphant beginning and one that makes me excited for things to come.