SNAKECHARMER – Snakecharmer

Label: Frontiers Records

Release Date: January 25, 2013

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by: ToddStar

I love Whitesnake, but to be honest, the last couple releases didn’t do it for me.  I think the sound got away from the gritty bluesy rock I loved in the beginning.  Enter Snakecharmer.  Now, this isn’t another instance of a lead vocalist reinventing himself.  This is is a couple members of the band that are no longer associated with the band, but are very attached to the sound I loved.  “My Angel” opens the disc and reminds you instantly what great blues-rock is all about.  The guitar work is great and the vocals are inspiring.  “Accident Prone” keeps the groove alive and adds to the previous track.  The layered vocals and musicianship are top notch on this track.  There is a reason this is the first single.  “To The Rescue” has a great guitar riff to open the track, but when the bass line drops, you know you are in for a treat.  This track features some cool riffs and precision drumming that keeps the song on track.  “Falling Leaves” has a mellow intro that builds into a great track.  The emotion seems to drip from the guitar as the vocals add to the song.  “A Little Rock & Roll” brings the vibe back and soon I feel my foot tapping along to the contagious groove in this track.  This is a fun track that will draw comparisons to some classic rockers, with JLT fronted Deep Purple coming to mind.

“Turn Of The Screw” is different from the previous tracks and adds some depth to the disc.  The song kicks in after some vocal / guitar dueling, and this turns into a solid rocker.  This band just oozes blues rock.  The feel and vibe of each track builds on the last, without sounding repetitive.  “Smoking Gun” is another great track that benefits from the keyboards/organ in the background.  The sound is enough to add to the track, without drowning out anything else.  “Stand Up” has a cool keyboard intro that plays off of the guitar.  It is reminiscent of other tracks, without sounding like anything else.  The tune gets better as the vocals and bass add to the mix.  This disc keeps getting better and better.  “Guilty As Charged” has that organ sound that instantly jumps out at you, along with the pounding drums.  The song builds once the guitars and vocals kick in full force.  This is fun rock and roll, without being pretentious or preaching.  Snakecharmer is leading by example.  “Nothing To Lose” has a sexy funk-filled riff that opens the track.  The band is tight and plays well together, as witnessed on this track.  The mix is perfect, as the keep the guitars from drowning out the keyboards, the keyboards from overlapping the bass line, etc.  Disc closer “Cover Me In You” adds more depth, as this is a different sound yet again from the band.  This track ends the disc with a good vibe and feeling.  My only complaint is that this is the last track.  I can’t wait to see what else the band throws our way in the future.

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Category: CD Reviews