All killer no filler.

There is something satisfyingly British about ‘Colossus’, the debut album from the Bedford based blues rock five piece Pearl Handed Revolver. It’s an album that basks in the glory of the late 60’s and early 70’s when British bands like The Animals, Cream, Free, Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple ruled the world and I can hear elements of these artists woven into the relaxed but hard hitting, psychedelic blues of Pearl Handed Revolver. The thing about this type of music is that it effortlessly transcends the fads and trends of the last four decades and is just as relevant now as it ever has been. You just need to look at the recent success of bands like Rival Sons for proof of that.

This album is ‘Colossus’ by name and colossal by nature containing ten tracks of exquisitely constructed hard rock. Recorded live the studio, the sound is so honest and authentic that I’m sure if you listened close enough you could hear the hum of the tubes in the amplifiers or the squeak of the kick drum pedal. There’s no studio trickery, no bullshit just five supremely talented guys in a room creating music from the heart. It makes you wish that all albums could be made this way doesn’t it?

Anyway, before I get all teary eyed and sentimental what about the songs? Well the album kicks off with a couple of groovy rockers ‘Stone Thrower’ and ‘Maybe In Time’ driven by Simon Rinaldo’s superlative Hammond organ patterns and the intuitive feel of Andy Paris’ guitar. Now I’m a real sucker for the Hammond organ and it (or its modern equivalent at any rate) is all over this album either providing the main riff or just adding colour or texture to the songs. On ‘Woman Made A Man Out Of Me’ the band delve into the Delta Blues with a real down n’dirty riff and some lovely blues harp touches. Vocalist Lee Vernon’s voice has a smokey, roughly hewn charm about it. On this track he sounds like Billy Gibbons after a night on the tequila and it fits the mood very well. The acoustic intro to ‘Resonate’ has a real Led Zep III feel and builds into one of my favourite cuts on the album in all its restrained beauty and power. The rhythm and blues/soul of ‘Stop Me Dead’ is up next followed by another cracking ballad ‘She Can Dance’. The Hammond motif of ‘White Lines’ harks back to the sound that The Animal made famous all those years ago. The album closes with ‘I Will Rise’ and ‘Colossus’, a couple of psychedelic blues monsters, that just drip with menace and emotion.

I just can’t say enough good things about this album which I can truly say is all killer no filler. But don’t take my word for it, check it out for yourself and I guarantee that you too will be captivated by what it has to offer.

Alister Strachan