Turbo Lovers-Hopelessly Addicted

Cracked Piston Recordings
2013

Let me see if I've got this straight. We've got a Youngstown, Ohio band that's named after a Judas Priest track, plays like Danko Jones-lead punk rock and roll version of AC/DC and is signed to a Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania record label? Is that what you're telling me? Yes? OK, works for me! With B.J. Lisko on guitar/vocals this Youngstown-based trio is rounded out by bassist Keith Colclough and drummer Christian DeSantis. "Hopelessly Addicted" is the latest release from a band that has been going at it for like 10 years now and has played with the likes of Electric Frankenstein, Whiskey Daredevils, Cadaver Dogs, Foxy Shazam, Kevin DuBrow (which is interesting as Quiet Riot is one of the group's on the band's diverse list of influences!), Boss Mustangs,The Hookers, The Cheats and The Queers! But the highlight for this Ohio rock and roll band would have to be the fact that the group has already made two separate appearances on Classic Rock Magazine compilations with their latest appearance being is the December 2013! Not too shabby right? The band's latest appearance is in a issue that is dedicated to the almighty AC/DC (imagine that kiddos) and finds the band sharing their awesome cut "Typhoon Killer" with the whole world! Talk about representing our scene and all!  That track, along with eight other cool cuts, can be found on the 30 minutes or so long "Hopelessly Addicted"  and is perfectly suited for those of us who just want to keep on rocking and rolling no matter how old or grey we get! Now, Besides AC/DC (who are reference all over this great album!) Turbo lovers have paid tribute to Zodiac Mindwarp and the Love Reaction as well as (at least live in one form or another) Huey Lewis! That is weirdly wonderful! But, back to this album or rather more of what makes Turbo Lover so unique. Besides AC/DC, Danko Jones and apparently Quiet Riot (!) the band lists the likes of Supersuckers, Iron Maiden, Blaze Bayley, The Unband, Krokus, Kiss, Wolfsbane, Gaza Strippers, Backyard Babies, Electric Frankenstein, Hanoi Rocks, Zeke, Speedealer, Hookers, Raven, Ratt, Danzig, Butch Walker, Motley Crue, Jackyl, Guns 'N' Roses, Metallica, The Dragons, Gluecifer, New Bomb Turks, Streetwalkin' Cheetahs, Bible of the Devil and White Wizzard as influences. That's more then a mouthful and a hell of a lot to wade through I realize. Check it though as this 9-track ripper is mostly preaching out a rock and roll sermon that (besides AC/DC and Danko Jones) rings the bells of hell for acts like the Dead Boys, Ramones, Green Day and Motörhead. Turbo Lovers' frontman B.J. Lisko is a little punk rock and a whole lot garage rocker and his band-mates Christian DeSantis and Keith Colclough help roll out the welcome mat for those people who are "Looking for nothing but a good time"! And a good time is what you will find of this 9-track release that is way too much fun to keep all to myself. As this is a "local" act for yours truly my next priority will be to see these three rockers live and in person! To that end I'll be looking to like their Facebook page while you all (wow, sounding kinda country there!) can find this one on iTunes and other sites that cater to digital downloads!

Sideburn-Electrify

AOR Heaven
2013

On Sideburn's latest release, which features 11 regular tracks on the digital version with 1 bonus cut added onto the vinyl version ("Lazy Daisy Live") and 2 additional bonus cuts ("Never Kill The Chicken Live" and the Beau Hill-mixed "Rockstar") added on to the CD, it takes only a few seconds of album opener "Bite The Bullet" to see where it is this one is going. If the thought of Bon Scott-era AC/DC forming a supergroup with the likes of Rose Tattoo, Krokus and, to a lesser extent, Cinderella and ZZ Top is the stuff that you lay awake at night dreaming about then put down that mouse in your hand and head right here: http://www.sideburn.ch/. Don't ask any questions friends. Just work your way over to this Swiss act's website and you'll be able to find out how to order this CD for yourself. For this is one band that has the whole AC/DC, Rose Tattoo and Krokus vibe down pat. Well, mostly it's AC/DC, but you get my drift. If you need a little more then just that description to persuade you though then read on. These Swiss rockers are in no way new to the party even if their latest release sounds new and fresh! Of course there is a reason they sound so "young" as we will find out shorty, but for now a very brief history lesson is in order. The band's story goes way back to the mid-eighties when they were first known as Genocide. Back then it was all about then kind of traditional heavy metal that is born out of a love and respect for bands like Judas Priest. The more "modern" version of Sideburn though is traced back to 1997 or so. Their first album as Sideburn was the aptly-titled "Sell Your Soul (For Rock 'n' Roll)" on which the group began their new life as followers of the almighty rock and roll riff! Fast forward to the here and now and on "Electrify" the group welcomes in fresh blood in the form of three new "young" members. Joining this rock and roll train are guitarist Lawrence Lina & Mike Riffart and bass player Nick Thornton. These younger rockers add extra fuel to the fire that is Sideburn and make an album like "Electrify" sound almost young and hip! Sideburn, which is fronted by the rustic lead vocals of  Roland Pierrehumbert (Roland also plays harmonica here!) and completed by drummer Lionel Blanc, converge on the exact spot on the map where hard rock and classic rock meet and, thanks to the added young blood, they do it in a fashion where it sounds both modern and historical! In addition to the group's mentioned above this is a release that seems like it would be well-suited for fans of  The Godz, The Angels and Airbourne. The leads are terrific examples of a time long passed when honest, old-school rock and roll/hard rock still ruled the radio and group's sung about what mattered most (women, rocking out, partying, etc). The music sizzles with electricity in a way that groups like Kix used to and in their hearts the members of Sideburn sure seem as if they are all about the glory of rock and roll and everything that goes along with that! It's obvious from the get-go that they are having a fun time at what they are doing and they want their fans to have just as good of a time too! Given the album's various song-titles here like "Devil May Care", "Bad Boys, Bad Girls, Rock 'n' Roll" and "Shady Katy" (which is one catchy number!) you know this album caters to the blue jeans and leather jacket crowd, but with it's easily accessible take on barroom blues rock ("Black Powder") there is more to this one then initially meets the eye! This is one band that isn't afraid to try their hand at something "unusually". The band throws a crazy curve ball the listener's way with countrified rockers such as the Kid Rock-like "Bad Reputation" (which is pretty damn fine!) and the near honky tonk number "Destination Nowhere"! Both work in their own right and add an extra (and quite different!) twist to an otherwise near-nonstop rock fest! Other then those two tracks (which end the regular version of this album by the way) it's all about high energy rock and roll folks so if country-tinged hard rock isn't your thing it's not as if it really defines the direction of "Electrify". Much like other bands I've had the pleasure of covering this past year such as AC Angry, 42 Decibel and The Deep End (all of which are equally recommended) Sideburn offer the listener an alternative to modern radio rock/radio metal's stranglehold. This is real, honest to God, (hard) rock and roll which should never, ever fall out of grace!

42 Decibel-Hard Rock n Roll

Steamhammer SPV
2013

Taking a look at 42 Decibel's "Hard Rock n Roll" would most likely leave you with the impression that they hail from Scandinavia. If you were to take a listen though you'd likely think that these guys hailed from Australia. After all this one is straight-up rock and roll with an appreciation for all things AC/DC. From vocalist/guitarist Junior Figueroad's take on Bon Scott boogie rock to the songs themselves, which sport titles like "Scotch Drinker" and "Gimme A Drink", it would be a no-brainer right? They've got to hail from Australia the home of AC/DC and Deep End right? Actually no. It's not even the US, England or Germany. Try Argentina. Yes, Argentina. Here we have a band that swings from the same branches as AC/DC, The Answer, Deep End and Buckcherry and yet they hail from not one of the hot spots of rock and roll. Regardless of where they may hail from this is one swagger-filled LP. The same raw sexual appeal that drove Bon Scott and his mates to the top of the charts finds it's footing here. This thing bleeds animal magnetism. Formed by drummer Nicko Cambiasso at the start of 2010, with they're first recording, a 7-track demo, in debuting in the spring 2010, the band is rounded out by bassist Chris Marck Towers and rhythm/slide guitarist Billy Bob Riley. While the influences are more then just AC/DC, what with Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival, ZZ Top, Led Zeppelin, Rose Tattoo, Elvis Presley, Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Lynyrd Skynyrd all being mentioned, the Brian Johnson lead band is the obvious starting point as far as descriptions go. While that might mark 42 Decibel as clones to some it's all in good taste as these tracks charm their way up and down your spine and make you want to settle in to "Drinkin' Margaritas". With one the tracks that either directly ("Drinkin' Margaritas") or indirectly ("Take Me" and pretty much every other track LOL!) reference drinking this one would make for a rather wicked party record. In the end this debut is easy to fall for just like the woman referenced in "Drunk Love"!