The Black Moods - 'Medicine'

Harks back to a time where bands made proper albums for proper fans of music to listen to.

Retro Rock is all the rage at the moment (don't you know) with bands like the excellent Rival Sons, Wolfmother and Monster Truck leading the way. Tempe, Arizona's The Black Moods 2012's self-titled debut album is still worth picking up if you can find it, but it's obvious that 'Medicine' is the album that will get them noticed as it hits the world at precisely the right time to be relevant.

There's nothing retro about the album's production, it's as pin sharp as it could be for 2016, but the music itself has a sixties/seventies style that brings to mind The Doors with more of a Pop twist. Think a lighter version of Rival Sons or The Black Keys and you won't be far off, even though there's frequent forays into The Killers territory as on the catchy 'Paralyzed' or the bass pulsing 'So Good'.



'Right Now Anywhere' has clear TD influences, complete with Psychedelic vocals to match. Opener 'Someone To Save Us' has a more Blues-orientated sound with its chiming guitar, yet it still retains the Jim Morrison edge as a result of the vocal delivery, whilst the early Matchbox Twenty hues of 'Too Late Now' proves that the band just write great songs – plain and simple.

In a world of single song downloads, it's worth noting that this album is worth buying in its entirety as it harks back to a time where bands made proper albums for proper fans of music to listen to.

Mike Newdeck