Gentlemen's Pistols - At Her Majesty's Pleasure

 

In addition to being a great guitarist, Bill Steer is also a busy mofo. He recently joined England’s regressive rockers Gentleman's Pistols and makes his recording debut on their new album At Her Majesty's Pleasure. I knew nothing about this band but heard the song “Living In Sin Again” on a Classic Rock magazine sampler and was impressed enough to pick up the album. If I was a little bit disappointed with the new Firebird, the Gentleman's Pistols far exceeded my expectations. I love this record! It’s the perfect mix of Black Sabbath and Thin Lizzy. Lots of bands owe a huge debt to Sabbath and GP. They’re not a doom metal band at all but just a straight up heavy rock band.

Some of the songs sound like they were birthed straight out of the instrumental jams on the first Black Sabbath record and then welded to outstanding duel guitars. For example, “Some Girls Don't Know What's Good For Them” uses Sabbath’s “Wicked World” as a starting point before venturing into Thin Lizzy “Massacre” turf. “I Wouldn’t Let You” has a strong early Iron Maiden feel that will have you doing the “Prowler” boogie with your tennis racket. They even get in a little Witchfinder General on “The Ravisher.” This song really kicks ass and will make you glad to put a Gentleman's Pistols patch on your denim jacket.

There are 12 songs on At Her Majesty's Pleasure and not one of them is a dud. It’s not often that when a 47 minute CD is over that I listen to the entire thing all over again but that’s been happening a lot lately with this one. Gentleman's Pistols is heavy enough for most metal fans but won’t scare away the hard rock crowd. If you have any blood, guts and beer inside you don’t miss out on this one. Heavy rock at it’s finest indeed.

--Woody

http://gentlemanspistols.com/

Massy Ferguson - Hard Water

Warren Zevon held the banner high until his death.  From 1978’s “Excitable Boy” through his 2003 swan song “Keep Me In Your Heart” Zevon epitomized the country folk rock synthesis with reflective, humorous, political and historical lyrics and a touch of vocals reminiscent of the some of the best and most successful folk rock balladeers or all time - Jackson Browne, the Eagles, Neil Young, the Jayhawks and Linda Ronstadt.   

When Zevon died the banner slowly fell to the ground.  By 2004 not even Browne, the Eagles, Young, the Jayhawks  or Ronstadt were producing new country folk rock music.  Browne was Running On Empty re-recording his past successes.  The Eagles were releasing a Greatest Hits album and vowing never to play live again unless Hell froze over. Young was performing his rock opera Greendale.  The Jayhawks had disbanded and Ronstadt was singing traditional jazz with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra.

No one picked up the banner for almost four years.  Some came to look at it.  A few kicked at it and several even tried to wave it a few times. But, it wasn’t until a group from the Pacific Northwest decided to clean it off and mend it that the country folk electric rock genre truly returned.  The band, Massy Ferguson, played with it on their first album Cold Equations. But they proudly hold Zevon’s banner high with the release of their second album Hard Water and  the legions of fans should be ready to follow.

Massy Ferguson, named after a tractor company, is comprised of Ethan Anderson, vocals/bass, Adam Monda, guitar/vocals, Tony Mann, keyboards and Dave Goedde, drums.  Anderson’s voice has a wonderful folk rock lilt -  a cross between the clarity of tone of Zevon and the snarl of John Hiatt.  Monda’s background vocals are spot on and his guitar work is melodic and inspired.  Mann knows when the keyboards should shine in, and when they should accent, the music.  Goedde’s drums are rock steady. 

Hard Water was completed in tragedy. Two days after the band heard the first mix for the album Mann’s 14-year-old son lost his life to a sudden and deadly form of meningitis.  The pain and devastation felt by the band carries through in the production values and adds a tragic, emotional and hopeful feel to the final edits. 

The album features rockers, ballads, observations and cautionary tales. Just like in Zevon’s best work, the band’s lyrics contain large scale visual dreams - Cold War imagery ("Sparks and Shrapnel"), true stories of a misguided Northwest militia ("Freedom County") tragic love songs ("Idle Threats and Cigarettes") and tales of regret (“Good Enough”.) This is a thinking man’s country folk rock, exactly the type lost in 2004.  Massy Ferguson brings it back, adds to it, and makes it even better. Where The Jayhawks left off Massy Ferguson begins.

Put this Seattle-based band on your “Must Watch” list.  Massy Ferguson plows fertile ground and produces a stellar harvest with Hard Water. To paraphrase the late Warren Zevon, this is a band to “keep in your heart.”


- Old School