If you've spent any time over the last few years fretting that true, iron-clad, classic-sounding rock 'n' roll and big, fearless ambition are two things sorely lacking from the modern music scene, allow San Diego firebrands Mrs Henry. to set you straight with one of the most epic and bombastic rock albums of 2024 - Keep On Rising.
A three-act, thirty-eight track rock opera spectacular, Keep On Rising is a diverse, hit-stacked concept piece delving into the fictional story of Your Twenty-First Century Rising Star, a hungry, bright, spunky and reckless young rocker rising up through the ranks of the music scene, looking to make his mark on the world and seal his legacy, devouring every single part of the excitement and hedonism that comes with the territory.
Of course, anyone who has followed the life and career trajectory of rock's icons know how this story tends to go: Your Twenty-First Century Rising Star encounters all manners of fun adventures, wild characters and sobering reality checks along the way, all soundtracked by one of the most diverse and enthralling rock albums of recent years.
From the glam metal stomp of Kiss to the sleaze 'n' roll of Guns N' Roses to the boisterous stadium rock of AC/DC and The Rolling Stones to the high drama of Meat Loaf and classic musicals like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Keep On Rising has a dizzying array of styles and sounds that it rattles through in its two-plus hour run, never letting up in its ultimate goal: to create the definitive modern rock 'n' roll story through a universal experience we can all empathise with.
Mrs Henry. are no strangers to big time rock 'n' roll; they also moonlight as Chest Fever, the official, Robbie Robertson-endorsed revival of The Band, and in November of last year they produced and presented a sold-out show at Toronto's iconic Massey Hall for a special celebration of The Band's 1976 concert, The Last Waltz. This year, though, their focus has been on finally bringing to life the passion project the four-piece have worked on for over four years, with Keep On Rising's roots stretching as far back as the earliest days of the pandemic.
The record's release comes backed by a host of exciting physical formats, which include lush illustrations by respected artist Alan Forbes (The Black Crowes, Howlin Rain, Queens Of The Stone Age). The centrepiece of the release is undoubtedly the album's rainbow foil-wrapped box set, which features a three-disc, 180 gram vinyl set, a two-disc DC set and a special, 100-page book including lyrics, illustrations and iconography, not to mention the piano score and sheet music for gorgeous instrumental number, It’s Never Too Late … For An Overture!
The set is released worldwide on December 6 by Blind Owl Records, and you can pre-order your copy here. Whether you're a lifelong fan of ambitious rock operas such as The Wall, Tommy and The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway or are simply yearning for a nice, big slice of rock 'n' roll to give you some hope in the dark times, you need Keep On Rising in your life.
