Released by: Rattle Shake Records
Release Date: Sept 9th, 2022
Genre: Blues Rock
Links: http://www.tylerbryantandtheshakedown.com/
Line Up:
Tyler Bryant – guitar/vocals
Caleb Crosby – drums
Graham Whitford – guitar
Tracklist:
1. Bare Bones
2. Ain’t None Watered Down
3. Ghostrider
4. Roots
5. Hard Learned
6. Shackles
7. Off the Rails
8. Good Thing
9. Sell Yourself
10. Tennessee
11. Sunday No Show
12. Midnight Oil
Always a risky move by establishing acts is the decision to change things up musically and make something that strays a bit further away from some of their past body of works. I guess you can speak of the same with Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown. On their latest offering, the guys not only went full pledge grassroots-inspired licks and beats but also decided to release the album via Rattle Shake Records. In a way is not surprising as the band has always concocted a DYI attitude with everything they do, so a grass root inspired record seems to fit the bill. How far away from their sound have they gone? Let’s take a look.
The single “Ain’t None Watered Down” plays to its grassroots beats, and TB and the boys certainly bring it back to their bare metal roots. The snake charmer riff here features an illuminary chorus, while simplistic in form yet dirty in its backbone, it gets what the band is trying to deliver just right. Another top cut comes via “Ghostrider” which provides a chunky opening riff, which leads Tyler to kick his vocals into high gear, a rhythm chorus line and drum line which portrays TBT in all its glory, and manages to keep enough of their past efforts with an edge of heaviness and sharp guitar licks.
The song “Roots” has all the feels as Tyler sings about his past influences and plays an homage to Roosevelt Twitty “Rosie” one of his inspirations when he learned to play. This tune is soulful, and honest and conveys pure emotion. The frenetic tempo in “Off The Rails” brings things back up a notch, the vibe in this one makes you stump your feet, and the guitars are stinging just right on what turns out to be one of the most upbeat tracks on the record. An homage to “Tennessee” embodies the feel of the record as Tyler boasts “Ain’t No Place Like Nashville, Tennesse”, a nice rootsy number that embodies the overall feel of the album.
Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown never strayed too far away from their true roots, always enough influence from their past music to set them apart in their sound. On “Shake The Roots” we have a full album dedicated and committed more than ever to what truly the heart feels. In so many ways it plays to a band that is not afraid to wear its influences on its sleeves. Yea they can make a hard-rocking record, or mix it up and play grassroots-inspired blues rock, the result is always refreshing.
Score: 8/10
Reviewed by: Shadow Editor
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- Grass Roots
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