Bar Room Rock
I've just showered and I'm sober so I'm not sure I'm in the right state to listen to this album. The Syracuse five-piece Brand New Sin, famed for playing beer swigging, dirty American rock, return with their third offering 'Tequila', and, in all honesty, the title says it all.
'Tequila' is a good ole honest slab of bar room rock music. It's quite a refreshing listen especially when the rock music scene is saturated with squeaky clean corporate friendly bands who have lost their soul and grrrrr on the whole music business conveyor belt. It's not that Brand New Sin sound a million miles from the Staind, Puddle of Mud, Creed, Nickelback crowd, in fact from an actual music point of view they're all of a similar ilk, but with Brand New Sin you have American rock that has an attitude, a rock n roll excitement that is sorely lacking in the above mentioned bands.
This type of dirty, low down rock isn't a new thing, Brand New Sin would slot nicely in between Black Label Society, Clutch and Corrosion of Conformity. I would go as far to say that if you like anything by these bands then I seriously recommend you pick up 'Tequila' as soon as possible. It may not be full of huge anthems or perhaps stand the test of time, but it'll have you nodding your head, playing air guitar and picking up the nearest can of beer and cracking open the ring pull. Which you must agree is a bigger reaction than most modern music will get from its listeners.
The songs on this disc are of a certain standard. There is very little filler on 'Tequila,' and as I sit and type I can't recall a single bad moment. Obviously there are songs that are better than others. 'Said and Done', 'Old' and 'Motormeth' are stand out rockers, and vocalist Joe Altier's duet with Pete Steele on 'Reaper Man' is another highlight. But it's 'Spare the Agony' that really delivers on this album. Its slow moody bass driven build up into an up tempo smokin' solo had me reaching for my air Les Paul.
The band have chosen to intersperse the tracks with half minute interludes, from the acoustic 'Ice Man' to the cigarette lighting, radio listening, whiskey pouring 'Acehole'. A clever idea that breaks up the album nicely without losing the flow of the project as a whole. The latter leads beautifully into a cover of 'House of the Rising Sun,' which is a great way to finish any long player.
I don't know how long I'll be playing 'Tequila,' but I've played it non stop since I first got my grubby mitts on it. It's not going to change the world but it might improve it for a little while, it all depends on how you like your American rock, with whiskey or without.