Before people run for the hills because of the words concept album, this is not Prog, it is a set of songs with a theme, but these songs stand up on their own and I'm not sure that listeners would notice it as a concept, story led, album if it didn't tell you so on the album cover.
I trust Ryan Allen more than enough to know his feet are on the ground and have watched and written about his career with great interest. The solo years as Ryan Allen And His Extra Arms,and I have compared him to being like Nick Piunti's noisy wayward son.
Then there is Extra Arms which is still more than alive, indeed some of these were songs intended for the band, but lockdown intervened and the return to recording resulted in writing a different batch of songs for What Is Even Happening Right Now an album that appeared in the IDHAS Best 100 Albums of 2022.
Extra Arms, being a band, ironed out a lot of Allen's punkier efforts and became a little more Indie Rock, a bit less shouty, but just as melodic and seemed more cohesive. But these songs and the concept nagged away at Allen and he returned to them and recorded the album himself.
We Have Returned
It is a great album and to be honest, sounds like a band album which shows how much he has developed, It is also even more commercial than what has gone before, at times edging towards Classic Rock, but firmly in Pop Rock.
Indeed, We Have Returned could be on a Nick Piunti album. It is an ace offering, a little 70s with a killer riff and changes part way through to something a little more Townsend and then goes all Indie Melodic Rock. Three songs in one, but it really works.
The title track is another melodic winner and again reminiscent of latter day The Who. Discovery veers a little towards Rush, Like The Ramones has the pace of The Ramones, but sounds a bit more like Rockpile and has a great Glam Rock chorus.
Stop The Train
Stop The Train is probably the nearest that you will get to a Ryan Allen ballad and Second Act has a riff that is close to Heavy Metal, but remains as catchy as hell. Earlier fans who compare this to his early stuff will not believe it is the same musician.
Just wait till you hear the riff on Because I Have To, it is wonderful. The only thing that doesn't quite work is Bought A Computer. You can understand the reason with its Ditch The Guitar sentiments and how it fits the narrative, but it comes across as the Instrumental version of Human League's Dare album. But even that song is redeemed when the album kicks in.
The |Last Rock Band is a splendid album. Riff laden with killer choruses and beautifully produced, arranged and written. Allen's vocal is restrained resulting in a more mellow sound that suits the material perfectly. Once a shouty Guitar Punk, the man is nearer and nearer to becoming a Rock Star.
Because I Have To
You can listen to and buy the album here. Release date is tomorrow, so the embeds will be inserted as soon as the songs are up on Bandcamp. With the difference between UK and US Time, this may be in the morning.
..............................................
No comments:
Post a Comment