Mike Ross - Electric Smoke
Independent blues rock artist Mike Ross (whose trademark fuzz/ slide blues comes with a healthy dose of rootsy Americana, acoustic & electric Nashville, a touch of Southern/ Allmans, and a splash of both the psychedelic and semi-improv stylings) has pulled out all the stops for what, it would seem, is his last solo endeavour, Electric Smoke.
From late 90s band beginnings Mike Ross went on to deliver an acclaimed solo run of six all-original albums, two re-issued/ rerecorded nuggets from those earlier band days and a brace of releases as part of triple-guitar threat RHR (Ross, Jack Hutchinson, Troy Redfern).
Ross has also played both sides of the pond, racked up millions of streams and garnered himself a dedicated, core fan-base who champion his every musical cause.
But, to quote the man himself, it’s "time to change the energy and do something new" (Ross will disclose more in the fullness of 2025 time), but not before delivering a final, limited edition solo offering for that aforementioned, incredibly supportive, fan-base.
Ploughing through a massive pile of recent demos the ever-prolific songwriter selected twenty to be recorded, completed and fully produced to become the special limited edition, 'splatter green' double vinyl, gatefold sleeve release Electric Smoke.
(Purchase of the vinyl album will come with a CD version, plus a download code for the digital version, which will only be available via Bandcamp).
Opening with a track entitled 'Better Days' (a lovely, mid-tempo acoustic-electric with a strong and effective harmony-chorus) could be a sign-off from Mike Ross before looking ahead to new challenges; lyrically however it’s more to do to with investing for what will be, one hopes, more positive times ahead ("I don’t want to give it away, I’m saving it up for better days").
'Better Days' also sets up what is unquestionably Mike Ross's most all-encompassing work, one that flits from lyrically positive moments (slow, slide-groover 'Keep Going') and fun rock 'n' roll ('Harder Again') to slide driven, funky blues ('Magic Bullet') and 60s/70s psychedelia (the shape-shifting and rather excellent 'Broken Toy').
Other gems on Sides One & Two include the swampy, slow stomp of 'Bus Blues,' 'Sweet Wine' (slow blues, Mike Ross style) and highlight of Record 1, the woozy six-and-a-half minutes of 'Land Ship.'
The latter is further enhanced by an Allman-esque, twin-guitar bridge and a higher vocal register on the choruses, which adds to the song’s dynamic.
In quality, and in terms of running the whole Mike Ross gamut, Sides Three & Four are every bit the equal of what has come before, from dark (but deceptively melodic) slow burn opener 'Wasting Time' to final number, the heavy folk-blues of 'My Friend' (a song late and great singer-songwriter Alan Hull would have been proud to call his own, had he still been with us).
'My Friend' also provides the album with its title ("all my dreams, and all my hopes, burn up in electric smoke!").
Between those strong and purposeful bookends you’ll find a myriad of Mike Ross styles, from the quirky eeriness of 'Mr Carter' and 50s jazz blues stylings of 'Thunderbird' to the swagger of 'The Devil' (AC/DC do blues rock) and alt-pop Americana meets Allmans charm of 'Too Many Parts.'
Mike Ross fans will also be delighted that his trademark, heavyweight fuzz blues (and wicked little six-string licks) is present and correct on the lyrical opposites of 'One Man' ("one man’s pleasure is another man’s pain; one man’s loss is another man’s gain").
Then there’s 'Tonight Tonight,' which can be construed as a rootsy rock blues nod to the Black Crowes or a cheeky dig at how easy it is to sound like the Happiness Bastards (each listener can decide).
If this is, indeed, the last solo album from Mike Ross, he could not have gone out on a better one, because it also stands strong as his finest.
It's also the perfect platform for him to jump off from to whatever new musical pastures await.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Extremely limited copies of Electric Smoke vinyl, which will be issued in December, remain.
Pre-order (including Digital only option): https://mikerossmusic.bigcartel.com/product/electric-smoke-vinyl
Other Mike Ross albums & merch: https://mikerossmusic.bigcartel.com/products
From late 90s band beginnings Mike Ross went on to deliver an acclaimed solo run of six all-original albums, two re-issued/ rerecorded nuggets from those earlier band days and a brace of releases as part of triple-guitar threat RHR (Ross, Jack Hutchinson, Troy Redfern).
Ross has also played both sides of the pond, racked up millions of streams and garnered himself a dedicated, core fan-base who champion his every musical cause.
But, to quote the man himself, it’s "time to change the energy and do something new" (Ross will disclose more in the fullness of 2025 time), but not before delivering a final, limited edition solo offering for that aforementioned, incredibly supportive, fan-base.
Ploughing through a massive pile of recent demos the ever-prolific songwriter selected twenty to be recorded, completed and fully produced to become the special limited edition, 'splatter green' double vinyl, gatefold sleeve release Electric Smoke.
(Purchase of the vinyl album will come with a CD version, plus a download code for the digital version, which will only be available via Bandcamp).
Opening with a track entitled 'Better Days' (a lovely, mid-tempo acoustic-electric with a strong and effective harmony-chorus) could be a sign-off from Mike Ross before looking ahead to new challenges; lyrically however it’s more to do to with investing for what will be, one hopes, more positive times ahead ("I don’t want to give it away, I’m saving it up for better days").
'Better Days' also sets up what is unquestionably Mike Ross's most all-encompassing work, one that flits from lyrically positive moments (slow, slide-groover 'Keep Going') and fun rock 'n' roll ('Harder Again') to slide driven, funky blues ('Magic Bullet') and 60s/70s psychedelia (the shape-shifting and rather excellent 'Broken Toy').
Other gems on Sides One & Two include the swampy, slow stomp of 'Bus Blues,' 'Sweet Wine' (slow blues, Mike Ross style) and highlight of Record 1, the woozy six-and-a-half minutes of 'Land Ship.'
The latter is further enhanced by an Allman-esque, twin-guitar bridge and a higher vocal register on the choruses, which adds to the song’s dynamic.
In quality, and in terms of running the whole Mike Ross gamut, Sides Three & Four are every bit the equal of what has come before, from dark (but deceptively melodic) slow burn opener 'Wasting Time' to final number, the heavy folk-blues of 'My Friend' (a song late and great singer-songwriter Alan Hull would have been proud to call his own, had he still been with us).
'My Friend' also provides the album with its title ("all my dreams, and all my hopes, burn up in electric smoke!").
Between those strong and purposeful bookends you’ll find a myriad of Mike Ross styles, from the quirky eeriness of 'Mr Carter' and 50s jazz blues stylings of 'Thunderbird' to the swagger of 'The Devil' (AC/DC do blues rock) and alt-pop Americana meets Allmans charm of 'Too Many Parts.'
Mike Ross fans will also be delighted that his trademark, heavyweight fuzz blues (and wicked little six-string licks) is present and correct on the lyrical opposites of 'One Man' ("one man’s pleasure is another man’s pain; one man’s loss is another man’s gain").
Then there’s 'Tonight Tonight,' which can be construed as a rootsy rock blues nod to the Black Crowes or a cheeky dig at how easy it is to sound like the Happiness Bastards (each listener can decide).
If this is, indeed, the last solo album from Mike Ross, he could not have gone out on a better one, because it also stands strong as his finest.
It's also the perfect platform for him to jump off from to whatever new musical pastures await.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Extremely limited copies of Electric Smoke vinyl, which will be issued in December, remain.
Pre-order (including Digital only option): https://mikerossmusic.bigcartel.com/product/electric-smoke-vinyl
Other Mike Ross albums & merch: https://mikerossmusic.bigcartel.com/products