Bison Hip – Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life
Glasgow based blues rock and soul quintet Bison Hip are, by their own admission, late for the party.
Forming in 2020 the band of middle-aged mates – Paul Sloway (vocals), John Gilmour Smith (guitars), Malcolm Button (drums), Graeme Carswell (bass) and Steven Radziwonik (keys) – delivered two excellent EPs in 2022, which allowed for a testing of the bluesy waters.
Truth be told however the EP songs (primarily from prolific songwriter John Gilmour Smith, with contributions from Paul Sloway) were of such quality that combined, they would have made a seriously impressive 10 track debut album.
The full length debut wasn’t far behind however; the equally impressive Older Stronger Better appearing in 2023.
And so to 2024 and Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life, a title that takes its lead from the debut’s declaration of being in a good, life experienced place, whilst proudly declaring there’s plenty of life and music yet to come, and enjoying that life on your own terms – a statement that's reinforced on the title track, which kicks off the album.
Opening with a fairly staid but forthright vocal from Paul Sloway, which fits the purpose of the it's-my-life lyrics ("you can take your money and your strong advice; you can stick them away where the sun never shines"), the song then swings into mid-tempo, big-beat gear with a Stones meets Bad Company vibe and a fun run of nah na-nah na nah's that Thunder would be proud to call their own.
Both song and vocal build until Sloway hits a song ending high note, as if to underline and re-emphasise the song’s essence, and title.
Lead-off single 'Parasite' (another where the band aren’t lyrically missing and hitting the wall) is a nifty and gritty little boogie complete with driving rhythm and some wicked little licks from John Gilmour Smith.
Forming in 2020 the band of middle-aged mates – Paul Sloway (vocals), John Gilmour Smith (guitars), Malcolm Button (drums), Graeme Carswell (bass) and Steven Radziwonik (keys) – delivered two excellent EPs in 2022, which allowed for a testing of the bluesy waters.
Truth be told however the EP songs (primarily from prolific songwriter John Gilmour Smith, with contributions from Paul Sloway) were of such quality that combined, they would have made a seriously impressive 10 track debut album.
The full length debut wasn’t far behind however; the equally impressive Older Stronger Better appearing in 2023.
And so to 2024 and Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life, a title that takes its lead from the debut’s declaration of being in a good, life experienced place, whilst proudly declaring there’s plenty of life and music yet to come, and enjoying that life on your own terms – a statement that's reinforced on the title track, which kicks off the album.
Opening with a fairly staid but forthright vocal from Paul Sloway, which fits the purpose of the it's-my-life lyrics ("you can take your money and your strong advice; you can stick them away where the sun never shines"), the song then swings into mid-tempo, big-beat gear with a Stones meets Bad Company vibe and a fun run of nah na-nah na nah's that Thunder would be proud to call their own.
Both song and vocal build until Sloway hits a song ending high note, as if to underline and re-emphasise the song’s essence, and title.
Lead-off single 'Parasite' (another where the band aren’t lyrically missing and hitting the wall) is a nifty and gritty little boogie complete with driving rhythm and some wicked little licks from John Gilmour Smith.
'The Money' drops the tempo in exchange for a more soulful, laid back groove (and some nice keys work from Steven Radziwonik) before 'Surrender' ups the rock-blues quotient with bags of mid-tempo attitude, a nice C part that sets up another tasty solo from John Gilmour Smith and further flourishes from Radziwonik. (Mention here too for Messrs Button & Carswell, who anchor the whole number with lock-tight precision).
Having a seven minute, soul-blues ballad as the fulcrum point of the album was a brave choice, but the right one, given the gorgeous nature of 'The Bullfighter.'
Delicate keys act as the canvas for John Gilmour Smith to spray a number of lovely melodic accentuations over, while his solo that takes the song to its conclusion is his best of the album (there’s also a lovely piano solo from Steven Radziwonik).
That Paul Sloway keeps his vocal soft and soulful to better express the lyrics only adds to the beautifully understated nature of one of the band’s best songs to date.
The short, sharp and shufflin' 'Start a Fire' and acoustic, harmonica & vocal number 'Grateful' are the blues moments of the album, as is late night blues club number 'Blues For the Unforgiven' (Paul Sloway’s voice and vocal suit the scene setting verses here, but he’s not quite as comfortable on the swaying chorus).
Bison Hip then move from the blues club to the jazz club for the finger clicking vibe of soul-swing number 'Still Something Left in the Tank,' which lyrically reinforces the album’s theme ("too young to be thinking of Heaven, my body feels old but my mind’s twenty-seven").
'Don’t Follow Me Down' then ups the amps to present the rockiest number on the album, one that sounds like Foreigner, had they been a blues-rock band (the song also sports a nice sense of light and shade dynamics).
If 'The Bullfighter' is the centre-piece of the album, 'Take it Out On Me' is the perfect and poignant, accepting blame sign off.
A gorgeous ballad that features a great Paul Sloway vocal and a solo from John Gilmour Smith that plays in perfect melodic sympathy, 'Take it Out On Me' is further heightened by having a similar but slower rhythmic and melody structure to the Elvin Bishop classic 'Fooled Around And Fell In Love' (so much so that you’re waiting for the "Fooled around! (fooled around!)" call and answer outro backing that never comes).
Two EP’s and two albums worth of real songs about real life by real musicians? Yes please.
But Bison Hip are only just getting started. Welcome to the rest of their musical lives.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life will be released on the 17th May (CD, Download, Streaming)
Having a seven minute, soul-blues ballad as the fulcrum point of the album was a brave choice, but the right one, given the gorgeous nature of 'The Bullfighter.'
Delicate keys act as the canvas for John Gilmour Smith to spray a number of lovely melodic accentuations over, while his solo that takes the song to its conclusion is his best of the album (there’s also a lovely piano solo from Steven Radziwonik).
That Paul Sloway keeps his vocal soft and soulful to better express the lyrics only adds to the beautifully understated nature of one of the band’s best songs to date.
The short, sharp and shufflin' 'Start a Fire' and acoustic, harmonica & vocal number 'Grateful' are the blues moments of the album, as is late night blues club number 'Blues For the Unforgiven' (Paul Sloway’s voice and vocal suit the scene setting verses here, but he’s not quite as comfortable on the swaying chorus).
Bison Hip then move from the blues club to the jazz club for the finger clicking vibe of soul-swing number 'Still Something Left in the Tank,' which lyrically reinforces the album’s theme ("too young to be thinking of Heaven, my body feels old but my mind’s twenty-seven").
'Don’t Follow Me Down' then ups the amps to present the rockiest number on the album, one that sounds like Foreigner, had they been a blues-rock band (the song also sports a nice sense of light and shade dynamics).
If 'The Bullfighter' is the centre-piece of the album, 'Take it Out On Me' is the perfect and poignant, accepting blame sign off.
A gorgeous ballad that features a great Paul Sloway vocal and a solo from John Gilmour Smith that plays in perfect melodic sympathy, 'Take it Out On Me' is further heightened by having a similar but slower rhythmic and melody structure to the Elvin Bishop classic 'Fooled Around And Fell In Love' (so much so that you’re waiting for the "Fooled around! (fooled around!)" call and answer outro backing that never comes).
Two EP’s and two albums worth of real songs about real life by real musicians? Yes please.
But Bison Hip are only just getting started. Welcome to the rest of their musical lives.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Welcome To The Rest Of Your Life will be released on the 17th May (CD, Download, Streaming)