CD REVIEW: DAVE EVANS – Nothing To Prove EP

Shane | 12 February 2014 | Reply

DAVE EVANS – Nothing To Prove EP
Rock Sector Records
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
8.5/10

The original ‘Badass’ and AC/DC’s founding lead singer is back with a blistering four track EP that shows he has no interest in trading on past glories.

Naming the EP Nothing To Prove is as much a statement of intent as it is a challenge to himself: you can be damn sure if the music wasn’t up to scratch that he would be cut down to size instantly.

Opener Put Up Or Shut Up is a similarly aggressive declaration, challenging the naysayers and bullshitters at their own game. Co-written with Absolva’s Chris Appleton, it features some of the raunchiest guitar work this side of heavy metal.

I Believe is an anthem, the likes of which they just don’t write any more. Full of melody and fist-pumping, chest-beating self-belief, Evans screeches ‘I live inside the music, where I know, I can be free.’ Tipping the cap to Slade’s glam stompers as much as metal’s stadium rock, it’s guaranteed to be a live favourite.

Reach For The Sky is the closest to metal on offer, featuring a chugging riff and Evans soaring on another affirmation to believe in yourself and go out and achieve your best. It’s feel good, hard rock at it’s best.

Closing proceedings is a version of Big Joe Williams’ blues standard Baby Please Don’t Go, which Evans has been playing since his year-long tenure with AC/DC around 1974. Here he presents his own version of the song, similar to AC/DC’s, but perhaps showing what the song was like before Bon Scott tried it on for size and featuring some searing guitar playing again from Appleton.

Nothing To Prove is an excellent hard rocking EP from a man who was there when hard rock evolved, and credit must be given not only for his role in that evolution, but also that he is still here forty years later making interesting, original music that is not in debt to his former band.

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