Mike Ross – Third Eye Open
Multi-faceted, independent rock artist Mike Ross (we’re using "rock" here as a catch-all for his trademark fuzz blues, acoustic & electric Americana/ Nashville ventures, sometimes Southern sojourns and on many an occasion semi-improv/ jam-created stylings) says of latest solo endeavour, Third Eye Open: "It’s a real bone shaker of a record; the fattest, nastiest, chunkiest thing I've ever done!"
As a reviewer/ writer, you tend to take what an artist and/ or their PR says with a pinch of positively promoted salt, trusting in your own words to provide the objective and hopefully positive parallel to any pre-release press.
In this case however Mike Ross has nailed it.
Third Eye Open takes in just about every musical influence Ross has, sonically shaping them around a big, bold, primarily gritty and guitar gutsy 12 song collection that ranges from brand new material to older/ archived bits and pieces (from never-used riffs to completed songs).
Equally ear-catching is how modern and big sounding this album is from Mike Ross (vocals, guitars, organ), Derek Randall (bass, vocals) & Darren Lee (drums).
Kudos in that regard go to Messrs Ross & Randall for the engineering & production job, along with Paul Win’s intentionally 'heavy' post-production mix; that modern sonic edge is all the more impressive given many of the songs are very 70s styled (but 21st century honed).
Opener 'I Swear,' a five minute slice of chunky, thick-riffed mid-tempo goodness (with bass and drums as muscly as the guitars) carries a change-up chorus that isn’t too far removed from the sort of thing Oasis used to catch attention with (whether you hear that as a good or bad thing is in the ear of the beholder; more importantly it reinforces Mike Ross’ knack for having an interesting mix of influences within a cohesive piece).
One of four songs to feature Mike Ross’s guitar-slinger buddy Jack J Hutchinson on additional/ chorus vocals), 'I Swear' also sets up a major lyrical theme of the album – an artist speaking (or rather singing) for many of us, sick and tired of lies, greed, hypocrisy and insincere moral correctness ("I swear!" indeed).
'Cool Water' (a song Mike Ross used to play with his old band Taller Than), with equally cool organ backing, marches to a similar thick-riffed beat but here with a catchy, up-tempo groove.
Following number, the eight-minute title track (another that doesn’t lyrically hang about), mixes and matches a sound akin to a heavyweight version of Steve Miller’s 'The Stake' meeting Mike Ross at his most bristling (complete with wicked guitar solo), all tempered by a mid-song, take-a-breath interlude.
'Born To Me' drops the tempo but still offers light and shade with Zeppelin-esque bursts of Jimmy Page-driven delight flitting between bluesier passages that resonate musically and lyrically ("misery loves company, maybe that’s why you were born to me").
The melodically shaped rock-blues of 'Fallen Down' is another Taller Than tune (which inexplicably never made it out of the rehearsal room) while 'Face By Your Window' is the album’s acoustic led delta blues moment (no Mike Ross album should ever be without one).
The sizzling swagger of 'The Preacher' (another to make use of an older, never used riff) and the quirky Joe Walsh-rock of mid-tempo groover 'Ugly Brain' (which takes aim at duplicity and behind-the-back behaviour) return to the core themes of Third Eye Open – big, fat sounding musical statements and lyrical sharpness.
As a reviewer/ writer, you tend to take what an artist and/ or their PR says with a pinch of positively promoted salt, trusting in your own words to provide the objective and hopefully positive parallel to any pre-release press.
In this case however Mike Ross has nailed it.
Third Eye Open takes in just about every musical influence Ross has, sonically shaping them around a big, bold, primarily gritty and guitar gutsy 12 song collection that ranges from brand new material to older/ archived bits and pieces (from never-used riffs to completed songs).
Equally ear-catching is how modern and big sounding this album is from Mike Ross (vocals, guitars, organ), Derek Randall (bass, vocals) & Darren Lee (drums).
Kudos in that regard go to Messrs Ross & Randall for the engineering & production job, along with Paul Win’s intentionally 'heavy' post-production mix; that modern sonic edge is all the more impressive given many of the songs are very 70s styled (but 21st century honed).
Opener 'I Swear,' a five minute slice of chunky, thick-riffed mid-tempo goodness (with bass and drums as muscly as the guitars) carries a change-up chorus that isn’t too far removed from the sort of thing Oasis used to catch attention with (whether you hear that as a good or bad thing is in the ear of the beholder; more importantly it reinforces Mike Ross’ knack for having an interesting mix of influences within a cohesive piece).
One of four songs to feature Mike Ross’s guitar-slinger buddy Jack J Hutchinson on additional/ chorus vocals), 'I Swear' also sets up a major lyrical theme of the album – an artist speaking (or rather singing) for many of us, sick and tired of lies, greed, hypocrisy and insincere moral correctness ("I swear!" indeed).
'Cool Water' (a song Mike Ross used to play with his old band Taller Than), with equally cool organ backing, marches to a similar thick-riffed beat but here with a catchy, up-tempo groove.
Following number, the eight-minute title track (another that doesn’t lyrically hang about), mixes and matches a sound akin to a heavyweight version of Steve Miller’s 'The Stake' meeting Mike Ross at his most bristling (complete with wicked guitar solo), all tempered by a mid-song, take-a-breath interlude.
'Born To Me' drops the tempo but still offers light and shade with Zeppelin-esque bursts of Jimmy Page-driven delight flitting between bluesier passages that resonate musically and lyrically ("misery loves company, maybe that’s why you were born to me").
The melodically shaped rock-blues of 'Fallen Down' is another Taller Than tune (which inexplicably never made it out of the rehearsal room) while 'Face By Your Window' is the album’s acoustic led delta blues moment (no Mike Ross album should ever be without one).
The sizzling swagger of 'The Preacher' (another to make use of an older, never used riff) and the quirky Joe Walsh-rock of mid-tempo groover 'Ugly Brain' (which takes aim at duplicity and behind-the-back behaviour) return to the core themes of Third Eye Open – big, fat sounding musical statements and lyrical sharpness.
There then follows three songs that Mike Ross considered for his recent Origin Story release (a collection of older numbers from his pre-solo/ early bands career of the 90s, now re-recorded).
The rhythmic, alt-rock blues of 'Eulogy' has an unsettling undercurrent that gives Third Eye Open yet another colour while the seven-and-half minute '(Be With You) Tonight' (think Tom Petty meets Nashville) features Mike Ross in duet with Jess Hayes.
The third of the older songs, the darker slow blues of 'Never No More' (with Brian Irwin on drums) is a perfect lyrical fit for the Third Eye theme – cleverly taking a double-edged swing at faceless modern music trends and the equally faceless, self-serving public opinion manipulators ("it’s all about the chorus but the words just ebb and flow; stripped of any meaning, well the story can’t be told – but now I’ve seen the truth I won’t sold").
The album closes with the gritty, pulsating and modern-sheened 'Kicks Like a Mule,' a seven-and-a-half minute mid-tempo rocker that comes complete with splashes of twin harmony guitar play (another trait no album by Mike Ross (an Allmans aficionado) should ever be without – and seldom is).
Having opened with a Mike Ross comment about Third Eye Open it’s fitting to close with another one:
"Hands down the biggest, most cohesive and meaningful thing I’ve ever put out."
Right again, Mike.
Third Eye Open, Third Ear Listening.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Third Eye Open will be released on 28th April.
Digital pre-saves available via https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/mikeross/third-eye-open
For fans of physical media, pre-orders are now open for the Third Eye Open CD and a limited-run of Splatter 12" Vinyl at shop.mikerossmusic.co.uk
The rhythmic, alt-rock blues of 'Eulogy' has an unsettling undercurrent that gives Third Eye Open yet another colour while the seven-and-half minute '(Be With You) Tonight' (think Tom Petty meets Nashville) features Mike Ross in duet with Jess Hayes.
The third of the older songs, the darker slow blues of 'Never No More' (with Brian Irwin on drums) is a perfect lyrical fit for the Third Eye theme – cleverly taking a double-edged swing at faceless modern music trends and the equally faceless, self-serving public opinion manipulators ("it’s all about the chorus but the words just ebb and flow; stripped of any meaning, well the story can’t be told – but now I’ve seen the truth I won’t sold").
The album closes with the gritty, pulsating and modern-sheened 'Kicks Like a Mule,' a seven-and-a-half minute mid-tempo rocker that comes complete with splashes of twin harmony guitar play (another trait no album by Mike Ross (an Allmans aficionado) should ever be without – and seldom is).
Having opened with a Mike Ross comment about Third Eye Open it’s fitting to close with another one:
"Hands down the biggest, most cohesive and meaningful thing I’ve ever put out."
Right again, Mike.
Third Eye Open, Third Ear Listening.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Third Eye Open will be released on 28th April.
Digital pre-saves available via https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/mikeross/third-eye-open
For fans of physical media, pre-orders are now open for the Third Eye Open CD and a limited-run of Splatter 12" Vinyl at shop.mikerossmusic.co.uk