Blues-based kick ass Rock that gets the foot tapping and the air guitar swinging.
Another day, another German band sounding as American as apple pie. Not that there's anything wrong with this state of affairs if the band in question does a good job, and The New Roses may just have released one of the best "good time Rock 'n' Roll" albums of the year so far – so that's alright then.
It's their third album, after great reactions to the first two, and musically there's no new ground being broken here. This is Blues-based kick ass Rock that gets the foot tapping and the air guitar swinging, featuring choruses that grab you by the nuts and guitar solos that fit the songs perfectly. The vocals are beautifully throaty and not a million miles away from Steven Tyler, giving the impression that Timmy Rough (oh yes, and they have stupid names) smokes fifty fags a day and drinks whiskey by the gallon.
Maybe he does, who knows (his doctor, probably). This twelve track album (plus two bonus selections) is a marvellous amalgamation of AC/DC, Aerosmith, Black Stone Cherry and Guns 'N' Roses when they were good. It's loud, sleazy and above all fun. They even get away with a song called 'Life Ain't Easy (For A Boy With Long Hair)'; shit, I sang along with this one and I'm as bald as a Playmate's privates.
'One More For The Road' will absolutely delight fans of their previous release 'Dead Man's Voice'. The music is upbeat, melodic, well played and well-produced, it's simply kick ass Rock that says sit back and enjoy me. Seriously, I can listen to this all day – and have done so – without getting tired of it. Sometimes there's nothing wrong with nothing new, and The New Roses have low slung guitars and a bottle of Jack Daniels to prove it. One more for the road? Oh, go on then...
Alan Holloway