All Words by:
DFITZ “Trash Witch”
Released by: Round Hill Records
Release Date: June 2nd, 2023
Genre: Rock
Links: https://buckcherry.com/
Line Up:
Josh Todd – vocals
Stevie Dacanay – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Kelly Lemieux – bass
Francis Ruiz – drums
Billy Rowe – rhythm and lead guitars, backing vocals
Tracklist:
01. This And That
02. Good Time
03. Keep On Fighting
04. Turn It On
05. Feels Like Love
06. One And Only
07. Shine Your Light
08. Let’s Get Wild
09. With You
10. Pain
Bonus Track:
11. Summer of 69
Hailing from Anaheim, California and formed in LA in the bangin’ year of 1995, bringing us hits like “Crazy Bitch” and “Lit Up”, Buckcherry has now brought us their 10th album aptly named Vol. 10.
Produced by industry giant Marti Frederikson, Vol. 10 features 10 original tracks and a rad homage to Bryan Addam’s timeless bop “Summer of ‘69”.
While channeling the 80’s/90’s rock and metal giants of the past, Vol. 10 was crafted with care in Nashville at Sienna Studios. These sleaze-rock giants have been producing jukebox anthem hits at local dive bars for almost 2 full decades, bringing that classic metal feel to us still in 2023. They are currently touring in the USA and internationally with highlight do-not-miss-shows including but not limited to:
- -Any date Buckcherry shares internationally with friends Skid Row.
- -July 9th at Hop Springs in Murfreesboro, TN with support from rising stars Wynton Existing who just released their album Sexual Death– as well as The Great Affairs.
- -August 5th in Plymouth, Indiana with Tesla.
It’s been 24 years since Buckcherry delivered us their Grammy-nominated self-titled album, and almost two years since Buckcherry brought us Hellbound in June of ‘21.
Let’s see what Vol. 10 is all about in a track by track throw down!
Track 1:
“This and That”
This bluesy track comes stomp-clapping in with vigor and Josh Todd sultrily sings the opening lyrics to Vol. 10–
“The freaks come out on a Friday night/
and that’s where the sugar gets made”
In that very instant, we know we are about to be going for a wild ride. Buckle up for Buckcherry. Get ready to go park in a field with Vol. 10 cranked up to the max, ready to watch your partner give you a private strip-tease with this album blasting loud.
We’re about to get sleazy, baby.
“When I come I won’t be messing around”.
Us too, Josh Todd, us too.
“This and That” is definitely a radio-ready jam, and sets the tone for the entirety of Vol. 10. It’s a fun album, with ups and downs in emotion, with plenty of sexual undertones we have come to know and love from Buckcherry; and we’re here to have a good time.
Track 2:
“Good Time”
Speaking of having a good time, no doubt here it is. Yet another extremely danceable bop by Buckcherry, “Good Time” is the second track of Vol. 10 bringing us smokey Southern strip-club vibes.
We’re told to shut up and hit the floor and that’s exactly what we’ll do.
Billy Rowe rips in with a late 80’s/early 90’s-esque guitar solo, which we will be blessed with throughout Vol. 10, effortlessly showcasing the sound that Buckcherry crafted in 95’ as well as Rowe’s own sound that evolved in his glam-rock/hair-metal days shredding guitar with Jetboy. His presence proves to be a great addition to what Vol. 10 has to give us.
Billy Rowe is the rug that ties the room together- if Billy Rowe’s guitar playing was a rug, and Vol. 10 was the room, and Buckcherry was the classic Coen Brother’s film The Big Lebowski.
Track 3:
“Keep on Fighting”
With some sweet, sweet feedback opening this jam, “Keep on Fighting” comes in with a punch to the face of this broken system.
Todd’s lyrics mention verbatim being caught in the rat race and living in someone else’s nightmare. Capitalism in the United States of America is seriously broken now more than ever, and independent creatives are taking the biggest hit. Josh Todd knows the struggle and articulates that in “Keep On Fighting” with tenacity.
“I’m on the bottom but I got my faith, and I know there’s opportunity out there”.
This line is showcases exactly what it feels like to be a recovering addict and budding star in society for decades now.
For fan’s that follow Josh Todd lifestyle, we know he recently celebrated 27 years of sobriety, and crawled from the bottom to reach where he is now releasing his 10th studio album.
This anthem proves to be the inspiration that thousands need right now. Say that Serenity Prayer to whatever higher power suits you whether it be themselves or an entity or the universe as a whole, and keep on shredding.
Never stop fighting.
Whether you are fighting the stigma of addiction, fighting to get paid what you deserve for your creative pursuits, fighting how unaffordable groceries are for a family of one person and a cat let alone a family of five and two dogs, fighting unjust laws and governmental actions that will inevitably just take more of our tax dollars because they aren’t constitutional to go into motion in the first place, or what have you- make sure Buckcherry’s “Keep On Fighting” is playing on your car radio to amp you up.
We are left with a whammy outro on this bop, after hearing some of the punchiest drums delivered by Francis Ruiz on Vol. 10 thus far. Getting properly amped up to hop in the pit and jump around at one of Buckcherry’s gigs or in the solo pit in your rock-n-roll living room with this record on blast, Buckcherry’s 10th album is certainly appearing to deliver.
Track 4:
“Turn It On”
We are greeted with a simple isolated 4/4 bass drum beat that fully encompasses the following matter-of-fact artist statement from Josh Todd in prose to follow.
This track features that “F*** You” energy that we crave from Buckcherry.
Once again, Billy Rowe absolutely rips it on lead guitar. I was left thirsty for longer riffage, and hope that Rowe really milks this solo live because that’s what this track deserves.
Although the slight tonal syncopation in the isolated drums opening the track was bit off putting at first as a drummer myself, it proves talent in being able to live-record drums like that. Live recorded drumming without clipping and cropping and sample looping provides authenticity.
The drumming is also a bit too predictable for my tastes- the rolls proceeding the basic 4/4 builds are able to be seen from miles away.
Sometimes recording drums for a song less can be more-and that certainly was the case with “Turn it On”.
However, I would really like to have heard more variety articulated in what Ruiz wrote, but I feel like the focus was more so on the rest of the song with the drumming being pushed to the side as more of a metronome aspect for other players. I would like to gently remind that drums are the heart beat of a song, and while less can be more- variety and less predictability sticks harder to avid consumers of music. We long for creativity. If the goal was to sound corporate and sell to the masses however, the drumming on the track absolute made the sale. A little more thought into the drums would have really made this song soar, and while it’s a great track with a great message, the drums were underwhelming in the sense it felt “played safe”.
Track 5:
“Feels Like Love”
A hit that kisses the eardrums like an early 90’s classic love ballad that we’ve had for years, “Feels Like Love” coming in as Track 5 tugs on the heartstrings.
The mood of this jam gives me a feeling reminiscent of slow-dancing surrounded by hundreds of candles on the lake lit by a lover and filmed on a video-camcorder in a quarter of the frame-rate.
“Feels Like Love” is a beautiful love song perfect to throw on that mix-cd for your crush. That’s something that’s coming back, by the way.
“I don’t wanna waste my time, you take my breathe away”
Josh Todd wrote a beautiful love letter of a song. His words like a reassuring hug forehead to forehead. He paints a picture of hopeful longing and the provision of safety, one enchanting line at a time. His words make you feel at home, held in loving arms with trusting eyes.
Track 6
“One and Only”
Ruiz comes in hot with a tom-heavy John Bonham-reminiscent drum beat that really makes “One and Only” the potential radio-hit that it is.
The drums are fresh on this bop, and it shifts the mood for the rest of Vol. 10 and is absolutely the climax of such. From the ooo’s to the layered chorus to yet another fiery guitar solo from Rowe yet again, “One and Only” delivers.
Track 7
“Shine Your Light”
I feel like this song doesn’t know if it wants to be a gospel song, a love ballad, an inspirational jam, or a sexy “let’s go at it” bop.
The rhyme scheme in the opening that repeats later on is very weak. The line that sold me on this song was as follows:
“I just wanna fuck because I finally feel alive”
I feel like a lot of us can resonate with that.
Otherwise, “Shine Your Light” sounds like it was a song that was written to throw on the album, just to add another track at the last last minute. This one should have stayed in the drafts, because the lyricism resembles that of a sloppy half-ass written poem.
However, I can’t slam that lead guitar solo. The empowerment of these solos are the truth.
Track 8
“Let’s Get Wild”
The guitar intro sounds like Eddie Van Halen and Dave Davies temporarily morphed into a single being and this riff was born.
“Let’s Get Wild” sounds like some sort of sick combination of Van Halen’s “Dance The Night Away” and The Kinks “You Really Got Me” and I can’t unhear it no matter how many times I play this track.
“I feel like going out tonight, I got some money cuz I just got paid”
Once again, now a common theme to just accept for Vol. 10 we get a killer guitar solo however again I wish it was longer. It left me wanting more- feeling like edging on a great guitar solo and nobody came.
Regardless, this is a fun track despite the feel of lack of originality.
Track 9
“With You”
To put it simply- this song doesn’t wow me at all. That guitar riff is almost a carbon copy mashup of Joan Jett & The Blackhearts “I Hate Myself For Loving You” and The Scorpion’s “Rock You Like A Hurricane”, and I’m not sure if those two riffs were meant to be combined. I couldn’t help but laugh.
The lack of an original feel to “With You” is painful. The track feels lazy, however it’s still a fun song especially if you count how many times that one part of “Rock You Like A Hurricane” is played throughout almost note for note.
Track 10
“Pain”
Josh Todd gave us a powerful piano-driven anthem that appears to be a jam screaming in sweet song about combatting addiction and the depression that comes with it .
In “Pain”, Vol. 10’s 10th track on their 10th album ever released- Todd captures the life cycle of addiction, the feelings of shame, the release of finding the courage to keep going, the desire to not feel anymore when you’re in it deep, and the recognition of finding the root of what hurts you the most.
His words touch on how pain is a tool for creation, but also how pain can be one’s downfall if the hurt is not nurtured.
Josh Todd and company made a powerful statement, and it’s beautiful to see a band use raw emotion and transmute dark feelings into something powerful like we have seen done here. Well done.
Track 11
“Summer of ‘69”
With the deep note of emptiness that “Pain” left us on, Buckcherry brings us back to life with a treat of a classic summer bop cover.
Originally written by Bryan Adams “Summer of ‘69” was an instant hit that still gets us all dancing as hard as it did when it was released in 1984. Absolutely timeless, “Summer of ‘69” is a lovely song and is as relevant now as it was then.
We have been gifted a breathe of fresh air on this totally classic jam, and it’s done well.
This was a great way to close out the album, and while I’m not typically a fan of bands covering songs this was a cover that was done with good taste.
So there we have it, a full rundown on Buckcherry’s Vol. 10! All in all, I feel like this album should get a 5.5/10. No rounding up or rounding down. The half point is absolutely necessary.
We had ups, we had downs, we had a multitude of killer guitar solos, we had some hot-takes, and we were left with a bonus cover as a treat; and it is sweeter than an ice cream cone in the sun. I’m a harsh critic that’s learning to be as least unforgiving as possible, and it’s a struggle at times.
Buckcherry easily brought us the “Dad Rock Album of the Year” for 2023. Vol. 10 is for dad’s of all ages, dad’s at heart, those channeling a hot & sleazy dad vibe, and those that are into hot & sleazy dads. Not bad- we can’t wait to see you on tour sleaze-balls.
Score: 5.5/10
Reviewed by: DFITZ “Trash Witch”
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