Three times the laldy
Albany Down - The Outer Reach
Albany Down - The Outer Reach
"Difficult third album syndrome" is a phrase heard in musical commentary or review yet in the great scheme of third time arounds it’s arguable just how much weight it should carry outside of music fan debates.
Suffice to say the phrase came in to being via acts or artists who produced an excellent or notable debut, came up with an even stronger or truly outstanding second release and then failed to deliver on the third outing.
Contemporary British blues rock quartet Albany Down could well have fallen foul of "difficult third album syndrome" but, as it turns out, following a great debut in 2011 with South of the City and an even better offering in 2013 with Not Over Yet, there’s another phrase that applies to the band's third album The Outer Reach…
Knocked it out the park.
The powerhouse rock number 'Feeding the Flame' made quite the impact as the lead-off single and it makes quite the impact as the opening track on The Outer Reach; front man Paul Muir is in full voice, guitarist Paul Turley is in full cry and bassist Billy Dedman and drummer Donna Peters, making her studio debut (Peters joined the band in 2013) supply the rhythmic power from the Albany Down engine room.
'Feeding the Flame' is such a strong opening statement (it should be illegal to be this punchy, edgy, symphonic and melodic in one four minute song) the band could have been forgiven if they couldn’t quite follow it (difficult rest of the album syndrome?).
But follow it they have because The Outer Reach features incredibly strong song writing from a band that have kept things vibrant, introduced a few change ups and loudly and clearly showcased their musicianship within a passion for their craft.
Second number 'Do You Want Me Now' positively swaggers with energy and groove, blues-hot chips sparking from Paul Turley’s guitar while some organ keyboard adds a classic 70s rock vibe, but just when you think you have the sound of the band locked down along comes 'Supersonic Girl' to funk its way out the speakers with horn punctuations and an infectious chorus – Jamiroquai with attitude.
Fun song that 'Supersonic Girl' is, at the heart of Albany Down pumps blues blooded rock and the album doesn’t disappoint when the boys and girl get their blues on.
'Mr Hangman' slide guitars and southern blues rocks its way towards the gallows pole chorus with a defiance that’s reflected in the lyrics ("but I won’t go, ‘til the hangman calls, somebody else can swing instead!") while the hard blues ballad 'Like a Bullet' is led by some poignant, slightly fuzzed six-string remarks from Paul Turley and a stand-out vocal from Paul Muir (Muir and Thunder’s Danny Bowes are not overly similar singers in tonality but the former reminds of the latter as regards phrasing and ability to deliver exactly what a song needs).
'Like a Bullet' is also a song that Thunder guitarist Luke Morley (a consummate rock songwriter) will be wondering how the hell he didn’t manage to come up with it.
The Thunder references are well founded; as The Outer Reach continues through the weighty blues rock ballad 'Home' and the hard 'n' crunchy 'Revolution' it’s clear Albany Down have produced a third album with as much gravitas and sonic vibrancy as the Thunder boys did when they were Laughing on Judgement Day with a classic sophomore release under their arm.
The pacey and feisty 'The Drop,' driven by Donna Peters power-groove beat, manages to encapsulate the unfettered energy of Cream in full cry while being wholly contemporary in attitude – and volume.
Horns return to proceedings for the up-tempo 'Look What You’ve Done to Me' complete with "whoa-oh!" chorus chants (a song that was made for the live environment) while 'I Need You' starts as if it’s going to play out like a loud R&B shuffle Georgie Fame would enjoy singing before it ups the gears, ups the volume and rattles along in a flurry of high-energy fun.
As 'Feeding the Flame' was the perfect opener, 'Sing Me to Sleep' is the perfect closer.
Channeling the subtlest hint of a Zeppelin-esque vibe across it’s bluesy, string backed and fairly understated opening verses, a tasty little burst of six-string colour from Paul Turley leads to the 'Hey Jude' styled nah-nah nah-nah chorus outro before fading to leave only Paul Muir’s "Sleep Tonight" vocal over Paul Turley’s acoustic guitar.
Difficult third album syndrome?
Clearly somebody forgot to tell Albany Down because The Outer Reach is nothing less than a tour de force of contemporary blues rock power complimented by a little R&B light and shade – and in pole position to be FabricationsHQ's rock based album of the year.
Difficult fourth album syndrome, anyone?
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Suffice to say the phrase came in to being via acts or artists who produced an excellent or notable debut, came up with an even stronger or truly outstanding second release and then failed to deliver on the third outing.
Contemporary British blues rock quartet Albany Down could well have fallen foul of "difficult third album syndrome" but, as it turns out, following a great debut in 2011 with South of the City and an even better offering in 2013 with Not Over Yet, there’s another phrase that applies to the band's third album The Outer Reach…
Knocked it out the park.
The powerhouse rock number 'Feeding the Flame' made quite the impact as the lead-off single and it makes quite the impact as the opening track on The Outer Reach; front man Paul Muir is in full voice, guitarist Paul Turley is in full cry and bassist Billy Dedman and drummer Donna Peters, making her studio debut (Peters joined the band in 2013) supply the rhythmic power from the Albany Down engine room.
'Feeding the Flame' is such a strong opening statement (it should be illegal to be this punchy, edgy, symphonic and melodic in one four minute song) the band could have been forgiven if they couldn’t quite follow it (difficult rest of the album syndrome?).
But follow it they have because The Outer Reach features incredibly strong song writing from a band that have kept things vibrant, introduced a few change ups and loudly and clearly showcased their musicianship within a passion for their craft.
Second number 'Do You Want Me Now' positively swaggers with energy and groove, blues-hot chips sparking from Paul Turley’s guitar while some organ keyboard adds a classic 70s rock vibe, but just when you think you have the sound of the band locked down along comes 'Supersonic Girl' to funk its way out the speakers with horn punctuations and an infectious chorus – Jamiroquai with attitude.
Fun song that 'Supersonic Girl' is, at the heart of Albany Down pumps blues blooded rock and the album doesn’t disappoint when the boys and girl get their blues on.
'Mr Hangman' slide guitars and southern blues rocks its way towards the gallows pole chorus with a defiance that’s reflected in the lyrics ("but I won’t go, ‘til the hangman calls, somebody else can swing instead!") while the hard blues ballad 'Like a Bullet' is led by some poignant, slightly fuzzed six-string remarks from Paul Turley and a stand-out vocal from Paul Muir (Muir and Thunder’s Danny Bowes are not overly similar singers in tonality but the former reminds of the latter as regards phrasing and ability to deliver exactly what a song needs).
'Like a Bullet' is also a song that Thunder guitarist Luke Morley (a consummate rock songwriter) will be wondering how the hell he didn’t manage to come up with it.
The Thunder references are well founded; as The Outer Reach continues through the weighty blues rock ballad 'Home' and the hard 'n' crunchy 'Revolution' it’s clear Albany Down have produced a third album with as much gravitas and sonic vibrancy as the Thunder boys did when they were Laughing on Judgement Day with a classic sophomore release under their arm.
The pacey and feisty 'The Drop,' driven by Donna Peters power-groove beat, manages to encapsulate the unfettered energy of Cream in full cry while being wholly contemporary in attitude – and volume.
Horns return to proceedings for the up-tempo 'Look What You’ve Done to Me' complete with "whoa-oh!" chorus chants (a song that was made for the live environment) while 'I Need You' starts as if it’s going to play out like a loud R&B shuffle Georgie Fame would enjoy singing before it ups the gears, ups the volume and rattles along in a flurry of high-energy fun.
As 'Feeding the Flame' was the perfect opener, 'Sing Me to Sleep' is the perfect closer.
Channeling the subtlest hint of a Zeppelin-esque vibe across it’s bluesy, string backed and fairly understated opening verses, a tasty little burst of six-string colour from Paul Turley leads to the 'Hey Jude' styled nah-nah nah-nah chorus outro before fading to leave only Paul Muir’s "Sleep Tonight" vocal over Paul Turley’s acoustic guitar.
Difficult third album syndrome?
Clearly somebody forgot to tell Albany Down because The Outer Reach is nothing less than a tour de force of contemporary blues rock power complimented by a little R&B light and shade – and in pole position to be FabricationsHQ's rock based album of the year.
Difficult fourth album syndrome, anyone?
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ