Remember who you are... or at least who your influences are.
First impressions are crucial, so they say (whoever ‘they’ are), and this starts with a Gn’R-style aural assault. Nice one. ‘Fear, Love, Hate, Fight’ is ridiculously chantable, with a relentless, chugging rhythm, but falls a bit flat when compared with other tracks once the album really starts to get into the groove. ‘Out Tonight’ continues the chugging Gn’R impression, but with a Foos-style mainstream sensibility, coming across as a radio-friendly Velvet Revolver. It’s also the first song where you realise what an amazing guitarist they have - it has a brilliant but not overplayed solo.
On first play, ‘The Cellar Bar’ sounded a bit like 2 songs being played at once, until it settles into the chorus with steady ease. The lyrics are anthemic, but it’s here that a tiny niggle starts catching up with me. I’m already slightly disappointed by the vocals, not just on this song, but across the album. They’re weak at points, lacking the kind of guts, growl, or individuality of some of the great bands to which RBB clearly aspire. Still, at least the lyrics are clear, which is always a bonus, and there’s no hint of a return to the Axl impression of ‘Fear…’ I mention it on this track because it has bite, raw power, and you can just imagine the electricity of playing it live, where I think their vocalist would be in his element. Anyway, I can’t name a band whose best vocal performances were on their debut album. Again on ‘Rip You Up’, the vocals let it down slightly and you find yourself thinking “sing it like you mean it!” But the riff is fantastic, reminiscent of Zakk Wylde, and the rhythm solid and menacing, it’s not breaking new ground, but it certainly holds its own, as does ‘Beautiful Summer’.
I love the Metallica-influenced echo-drenched intro guitar for ‘Rise Again’, which gives way to the slow overdriven riff. This kind of tracks suits the vocals far more, and it really stands out as a classy track. ‘Lady’ treats us to more Velvet Revolver-isms and Zep-lite style riffing as played on the Sunset Strip.
Ah, here we clearly reach the band’s magnum opus, ‘Sweet Lover’. Surrounded by ‘Riders on the Storm’ thunderstorm effects, it falls somewhere between Whitesnake and Metallica, with Zep’s harmonic guitar twangs. There’s even a little bit of Mark Knopfler-style guitar in there. It is, in fact, their ‘No Quarter’. The vocals are good, but you can’t help wish there was going to be a David Coverdale blues roar in there. It’s the ‘think piece’ of the album, like Queen’s ‘Prophet’s Song’, it could be overlooked but still a great track.
Considering how good the rest of the album is, I’m relatively disappointed by the last two tracks. ‘O So Fine’ is basic, Jack White riffing. It’s not bad, but it’s a more stripped-back than the rest of the songs, just a little too messy. ‘Rock N’ Roll’ (we’ll forgive the unoriginal title here) is back to the Gn’R sound, and could easily be a compilation of all the other tracks. But how can you not love another rock and roll song about how great rock and roll is? Red Burns Black shall surely take their place next to the other notable revivalist bands on the circuit now, like Heaven’s Basement. And they’ll give them a run for their money.