CD REVIEW: STONE MACHINE – 10 Stones

CD REVIEW: STONE MACHINE – 10 Stones
Lion’s Pride Music
6 November, 2015
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7 ½ /10

 

Hard rocking blues straight from the ‘70s that recalls the likes of the heavier end of Foreigner (Use You Up, Dirty Sweet) and Montrose (Down South Mama), and a slight whiff of Southern fancy a la Skynyrd (Better Days).

Guitarist Dirk Blevins is the main man here, writing all the songs, and lending his torn-leather vocals to the ZZ Top-meets-Free groove of Slow Down, but his secret weapon is vocalist Jason Mays, himself a multi-instrumentalist and possessor of a voice that is part young Sammy Hagar, part Lou Gramm, and all force of nature.

Blevins and Mays make a formidable combination, versatile enough to cleave through the Free-like blues of Long Road and the slower flames-aloft heartstring-tugger Mr. Blues, as well as the groove rocker Queen Without A Crown.

10 Stones is a sort of ‘Best Of’ release that bundles tracks from their first three albums, alongside two new tracks, and for newcomers to the band like ourselves, it’s a perfect starting point.

Category: CD Reviews