Ramblin’ Preachers – Sins & Virtues
With debut album Sins & Virtues Milton Keynes based quartet Ramblin' Preachers, who take influences from Southern rooted rock, blues rock and heavy Americana, all housed within a contemporary rock sound, have delivered on the potential first heard with 2020 debut single 'Mind Your Own Business,' and fully realised with later singles 'Better Than Me,' 'Jester' and 'Jealousy.'
Indeed so strong are the latter trio of songs it’s no surprise all feature on the ten track debut, which has the sound to go with the quality of songs and performances from Ross Connor (vocals, rhythm guitar), James Ives (lead guitar), Craig Howe (bass) and Richard Baker (drums), courtesy of a full-bodied production from Nick Burns, who also plays organ and percussion on a few numbers.
(A great mix, mastering and extra production comes from the talents of Wayne Proctor and Oli Brown; the latter also contributes additional guitar & backing vocals).
Opener 'Separate Ways' is a southern-tinged, Americana rock and roll winner that carries a lovely, American west coast vibe – to the degree that it wouldn’t be out of place on a Doobie Brothers album such as Cycles or Brotherhood (the fact that James Ives’ tasty little solo reminds of Tom Johnston is no bad thing).
The short (under three minutes) but riff-sharp 'Keep On,' a stop-start mid-tempo groover with melodic chorus, is another strong offering, as is the even shorter but sharper 'Jealousy.'
The latter, carried by an ear-worm riff, features a strong and biting vocal (and lyric) from Ross Connor ("don‘t care what you say about me, you know I’ll always be, the biggest success of your jealousy") and a wicked wah-effected solo from James Ives.
Compelling contrast is then provided by downtempo, soul-tinged ballad 'Jester.'
Ross Connor and James Ives shine on this track, the former through his best vocal of the entire album (and a slightly self-effacing but heartfelt lyric: "I am the Jester who fell for the Queen") and the latter via his beautifully complementary, soul-crying solo.
Craig Howe and Richard Baker then come into their own on another couple of sub-three-minute numbers (this is a band who follow the less is more mantra – nine tracks, 30 minutes; job done).
The edgy rock-blues of 'Forbidden,' underpinned by a solid rhythm and a couple of nifty shifts to the beat, provides the heaviest moment of the album; Messrs Howe & Baker then become the lock-tight, AC/DC styled rhythmic support to the air punching Rolling Stones meets southern rock and roll of 'Keep Doing You.'
The band then get a little funky on 'Better Than Me,' a number that lyrically focusses on resentfulness and the difficulty of accepting you’ve been replaced in a relationship.
'Hard Times' also carries a little funkiness but not to the same extent as the previous track – indeed it opens as if it’s going to be a Ramblin' interpretation of 'Born Under a Bad Sign' but settles itself into a "woah-oh" interjected, contemporary styled rhythm and rock blues.
The weightier but slightly slower tempo of 'Candles' makes for a great finisher.
Another driven by a repeating riff-refrain (an effective Ramblin’ Preachers trait), the sinewy rock blues number lyrically reinforces the old adage of better to burn out than fade away ("Cos I’ve been burning candles, from the start of the morning 'til the end of the day").
This is a very strong, musically impressive offering from Ramblin’ Preachers, bolstered by some thoughtful lyrical themes that reflect the album’s title.
As such, Sins & Virtues is a contender for best rock based debut album of the year.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Indeed so strong are the latter trio of songs it’s no surprise all feature on the ten track debut, which has the sound to go with the quality of songs and performances from Ross Connor (vocals, rhythm guitar), James Ives (lead guitar), Craig Howe (bass) and Richard Baker (drums), courtesy of a full-bodied production from Nick Burns, who also plays organ and percussion on a few numbers.
(A great mix, mastering and extra production comes from the talents of Wayne Proctor and Oli Brown; the latter also contributes additional guitar & backing vocals).
Opener 'Separate Ways' is a southern-tinged, Americana rock and roll winner that carries a lovely, American west coast vibe – to the degree that it wouldn’t be out of place on a Doobie Brothers album such as Cycles or Brotherhood (the fact that James Ives’ tasty little solo reminds of Tom Johnston is no bad thing).
The short (under three minutes) but riff-sharp 'Keep On,' a stop-start mid-tempo groover with melodic chorus, is another strong offering, as is the even shorter but sharper 'Jealousy.'
The latter, carried by an ear-worm riff, features a strong and biting vocal (and lyric) from Ross Connor ("don‘t care what you say about me, you know I’ll always be, the biggest success of your jealousy") and a wicked wah-effected solo from James Ives.
Compelling contrast is then provided by downtempo, soul-tinged ballad 'Jester.'
Ross Connor and James Ives shine on this track, the former through his best vocal of the entire album (and a slightly self-effacing but heartfelt lyric: "I am the Jester who fell for the Queen") and the latter via his beautifully complementary, soul-crying solo.
Craig Howe and Richard Baker then come into their own on another couple of sub-three-minute numbers (this is a band who follow the less is more mantra – nine tracks, 30 minutes; job done).
The edgy rock-blues of 'Forbidden,' underpinned by a solid rhythm and a couple of nifty shifts to the beat, provides the heaviest moment of the album; Messrs Howe & Baker then become the lock-tight, AC/DC styled rhythmic support to the air punching Rolling Stones meets southern rock and roll of 'Keep Doing You.'
The band then get a little funky on 'Better Than Me,' a number that lyrically focusses on resentfulness and the difficulty of accepting you’ve been replaced in a relationship.
'Hard Times' also carries a little funkiness but not to the same extent as the previous track – indeed it opens as if it’s going to be a Ramblin' interpretation of 'Born Under a Bad Sign' but settles itself into a "woah-oh" interjected, contemporary styled rhythm and rock blues.
The weightier but slightly slower tempo of 'Candles' makes for a great finisher.
Another driven by a repeating riff-refrain (an effective Ramblin’ Preachers trait), the sinewy rock blues number lyrically reinforces the old adage of better to burn out than fade away ("Cos I’ve been burning candles, from the start of the morning 'til the end of the day").
This is a very strong, musically impressive offering from Ramblin’ Preachers, bolstered by some thoughtful lyrical themes that reflect the album’s title.
As such, Sins & Virtues is a contender for best rock based debut album of the year.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ