There aren’t many bands that can show so many different influences and degrees of separation between each song yet somehow, they all feel connected, they all work in isolation as well, yet together it feels like the most unusual yet unbreakable family tree. It’s the Heston Blumenthal approach to making music… this shouldn’t work but by god it sounds glorious!
‘Rolling’ is another definitive highlight for me, instantly reeling me in, the vocals and changes in tempo are undeniably intoxicating, quite simply put, this epitomises everything that a rock song should be…
The band show a versatility and an enjoyment which makes pigeonholing them a difficult prospect. Therein lies a beauty. Sudden Waves have successfully managed to combine their favourite influences into one album whilst still retaining their own original outlook.
I have listened to this album about 20 times in the past few days, not only for the purpose of reviewing but quite simply because its immensely addictive, a mind blowing combination of poignant, powerful vocals and intense, versatile guitar playing.
To call Todd a drummer who sings a little is akin to the moment in ‘Waynes World’ when Garth sits behind the drumkit and when asked, admits that he plays “a little”.
The album features an impressive 11 songs and signs off with title track ‘We Will Ride’, a fantastic, hard hitting tune which will only leave listeners thirsty for the next instalment…
Angell’s voice feels like it was born through a deal with the Devil but the distorted guitar work on “The Value of Zero” , the thunderous drums and Benjamin Anderson keyboards create a fog of sound surrounding the band that bring to mind a darker dystopian version of the Doors.
So, if you fancy dipping your toes into the world of Aqualassie and the Sky Pumas you are in for a delightfully tantalising treat that will keep your head banging, feet tapping and face smiling!
We are living in strange and uncertain times and I hope to see Daxx & Roxane back on tour very soon, doing what they do best and showcasing their new ‘wares’ live on stage to fans old and new– in the interim, I will continue to familiarise myself with their latest release, it was definitely worth the wait!