This must be the kind of music Han Solo loads up
on the tape
deck in the Millennium Falcon. The first thing that hits you is the
guitar tone
– juicy, well-rounded and heavy . Then, once the catchy, stomping
grooves get
you headbanging along, there’s time to notice the rock solid rhythm
section,
the excellent vocals (lead and backing) and the tasty solos.
I still haven’t listened to Snake Thursday’s
first EP (also
up on Bandcamp), but Cruise Control is absolutely bursting with songs
that will
have fans of classic hard rock and good time stoner metal grinning from
ear to
ear. The obvious desert scene influences adhere here; but there’s an
added
piledriving heaviness – without losing that groovy swing – that reminds
me
equally of Orange Goblin or Spiritual Beggars at their best. There’s
even a
subtle Southern tinge that places the band in the extended lineage of ZZ
Top or
the latter-day southern swagger of Alabama Thunderpussy.
‘Worth the time’, which switches between rowdy,
uptempo
verses and dreamy choruses is a highlight here, building up to some
tasty
guitar jamming; something tells me frontman/guitarist Marcin Sikorski
has spent
time shredding to the likes of Alvin Lee. Another song that instantly
connected
with me was ‘Deep Gravity Well’, which features some particularly
delectable
eastern-tinged runs in the guitar solo section.
This is definitely a release that belongs on the
agenda anywhere
rock n’ roll still equals the surest ticket to good times. It’s solidly
crafted,
performed with feeling and talent, the heaviness is authentic , the
melodies
work and it shouldn’t take too long to start singing along to some of
these
tunes.
I’d also like to mention the cover art, which is
simple but
brilliant and left me with vivid visions of breakneck runs along the
rings of
Saturn, imperial cruisers in hit pursuit while Snake Thursday’s red hot
tunes
pump out of the car stereo…a great package. If there’s any justice,
it’ll soon
be picked up by a label with decent distribution and promotion
abilities.
words by Jayaprakash
Sathyamurthy
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