Welcome, dear readers, to Classic Rock’s Tracks Of The Week. Last week’s winners were Saxon, followed by Govt Mule in second and Baroness in third. Well done to them.
Below are some new prime cuts from the glorious butcher’s shop of rock, but which is the tastiest? You decide, by placing your vote at the foot of this page. Go on, get stuck in…
Red Hot Chili Peppers – Go Robot
Have you ever walked the streets wearing nothing but white body paint, a Clockwork Orange-style ‘jelly mould’ to protect yer modesty, and a bowler hat? Anthony Kiedis has, or rather he did for the Chilis’ new Saturday Night Fever-spoofing video (we don’t think it’s just his new ‘thing’…). The cool, syncopated fruits of their work with Danger Mouse on latest album The Getaway it’ll give you some Saturday night fever, on Friday. Or Saturday. Probably on Wednesday as well.
Alter Bridge – My Champion
Feeling a bit low? Need a pick-me-up to haul you out of your melancholia? Give this uplifting new cut from Alter Bridge’s forthcoming album (The Last Hero, out October 7) a spin. Hitting their stride as hard rock’s motivational speakers, or very manly cheerleaders, they’ll build you up with the power of positive thinking and big ‘ol riffs. We can get on board with that.
Blackberry Smoke – Sunrise In Texas
We’ve had rock’n’roll, a bit of funk, and now we’ve got a rather nice ballad. Not that this stops them rocking out with a bit of wah-wah guitar midway through, before relaxing into Skynyrd-rivalling prettiness. Seemingly tailor-made for gazing pensively out of your window at sunrise – preferably in Texas, natch – Blackberry Smoke’s latest taste of their new record, Like An Arrow, is a tender, cowboy-courting ode to human strife.
Feeder – Eskimo
Cracking track from lovely Welshies Feeder, box-fresh from their new album All Bright Electric. All soaring chorus, brooding yet more-ish melody and general sense of expansiveness, it’s one of the best things they’ve done in years. Doesn’t Buck Rogers, with its car-promoting charms, suddenly seem so sweet and long ago by contrast? Aww the nostalgia…
The Pineapple Thief – Tear You Up
Bruce Soord goes acoustic for this stripped-back version of Tear You Up, from latest PT record Your Wilderness. A great song in it’s full-bodied form, it works beautifully unplugged – creating more of a stark, haunting effect than its plugged-in counterpart. Compelling stuff.
Red Fang – Shadows
Four men go camping in a wood, then their icebox starts to run away, and then…well, hilarity and japes ensue, after a ‘Funny Or Die’ video in which two of the guys in the band upset some comic book nerds. Such action demands king-sized heavy rock to go with it, which this Portland foursome come bearing in spadefuls.
Beach Slang – Atom Bomb
Burn off some excess energy with this fistful of fuzzy, punky rock from Philadelphia’s hip young things Beach Slang. Comes with a side of Husker Du-infused weight for good measure. Best enjoyed at a late night house party. Or on your own with a litre of Coca Cola and enough room to throw some shapes.
Katatonia – Shifts
There are those who wish Katatonia would cheer up. Indeed, the progressively minded Swedes (and former death metallers) have made a lot of melancholy music, so you can understand the viewpoint. But having listened to the eloquently tragic Shifts we say no; why on earth would you try and do ‘happy’ when you do ‘sad’ so exquisitely? Don’t cheer up, Katatonia – you’re doing just fine as you are.
