If you like your rock catchy and uncomplicated I recommend you investigate Chillihounds further.
Chillihounds is a band from Gothenburg, Sweden and have just released their fourth album ´Shake Your Skull´. The name of the album and the obvious skull based album artwork gave me a strong clue that the music was of the death metal variety. I was proved wrong by the end of bar 1 of the first song; this is classic/blues/boogie rock in the style of ZZ Top and a laid back AC/DC. Having changed its record label, the band has in the words of the lead singer/guitarist Gabriel Aadland produced an album which is less boogie and more black blues. I have never heard of this term but it sort of works; their sound on tracks such as ´Evil Mind Blues´ is a sleazy rock boogie with snarling vocals and reverb heavy guitars.
This is also a very easy to listen to album with a good mainstream feel courtesy of the band and co-producer Kristian Anttila. The vocals by Aadland, although not strong on range and clarity, are very commercial sounding. The backing vocals by the drummer and band co-founder, Stefan Johansson help add the depth to choruses. And talking of vocals, Aadland´s performance on ´Cain´ is very much in the Mick Jagger envelope.
The following track, ´Mark Of Cain´ is more retro blues with a vocal and harmonica question and answer verse; although I´m not an expert on the “harp”, this sounds like a very authentic rendition to me. The album is on the whole though in at least fourth gear and the album picks up nicely with the next tracks, ´Heartbeater´ and ´Love Pays No Rent´; the latter having a very catchy though complicated riff courtesy of Stefan Rasmusson. Of note on ´1979´ the guitar solo is supplied by Sator guitarist and producer of Hellacopters, Chips Kiesbye; this song also has a great chorus and will work well live.
The final track, ´Control´, is one of the album´s strongest tracks with a bass-heavy intro supplied by Carl Linnaeus and builds up slowly with vocals kicking in at the minute mark followed by increasingly resounding guitar power chords. A well placed wah-laden guitar solo breaks up proceedings for a while before the song moves up a gear into a closing boogie stomp.
The band´s motto is “No fashion, just rock ´n´ roll”; and if this attitude resonates with you and you like your rock catchy and uncomplicated I recommend you investigate Chillihounds further.
Rob McKenzie
Subscribe to this comment's feed
