Crooked Heart
Thursday, 01 December 2011 05:09 | 
Author: The Grouch | 
A couple of weeks ago I received an email from Chris Rogers of the band Recluse asking if I'd give a listen to their album Crooked Heart which is on Habit Formed Records out of the UK.
Don't bother going to http://habitformedrecords.com however, since their website is not completed and there is really nothing there to see. A more useful link is the band's site, http://www.recluseuk.co.uk/ although that too is pretty sparse.
Good luck actually contacting them as well; the reply I sent to their review request bounced because the mail box was too full. If you can actually find a copy of the album to download, here is what you will get, as summed up in their review request.
EDIT
Since I posted this the band contacted me to say that their label messed up. The band had no idea that the label was sending out this cheese.
Below is a copy of their current press bio:
Recluse are an Alt Rock band from Cardiff influenced by classic rock and alt-rock. They have been regularly playing the local South Wales scene over the last few years and gigs through out the UK with a great response to their live show.
Recluse released their debut studio album Crooked Heart on 28 October 2011 through HabitFormed Records, this is available worldwide from all major download sites (Amazon, CDbaby, I-Tunes etc.) with the physical pressings of the album available from December 2011.
The three guys in the band can make some noise. There are solid players and the vocals sound good - the guy can sing. This is most certainly a rock album. Is it like Nirvana? Hmmmm, it is like a Nirvana cover band. That is I have the feeling these guys absolutely rock when playing someone else's songs.
Are they like Zeppelin? Hardly. (Note this was in response to the press release the label sent out - any comparison to Led Zeppelin is irrelevant ) Sure they make a loud sound and they are in tune but something is missing. It's really difficult for me to put my finger on it as technically they are doing the right things. I think they could use a fourth member. Even the monster players in Zeppelin farmed out the vocals to Robert Plant. A singer, who only sings and or a second guitar would be a welcomed addition.
This is not to say that the music doesn't rock - it does and I find myself grooving to some of the tunes.
Track 2 - All of a Sudden - Maybe the most Nirvana like on the album. The guitar is raunchy, I dig the bass runs and his vocals sound great. These guys can play.
I also like track 3 - Passing Cars - It sounds like they have dubbed in a second guitar which fills out their sound nicely. Again the vocals sound great. The second guitar playing leads while the first rips chords is a great addition.
The rest of the album is a variation of the first three tracks:
That is track 1 Come On Over - which sounds like a good attempt, but for some reason kind of bugs me. It sounds rushed and crowded.
Tracks 2 and 3 - which are good, rock tracks that I can't criticize - in fact they really groove in places. I guess the best way to explain it, is that this reminds me of when I saw Mötley Crüe on their Shout at the Devil tour. While the rest of the crowd was going nuts and really hot chicks were taking off their shirts, I found myself thinking "Yeah, but there is something not quite right with the music." I couldn't really put my finger on it, but it bothered me enough that I didn't really enjoy the show (apart from the topless chicks).
That is how I feel about this album. It rocks, they are good players, the vocals are on and I'm sure more than one well developed young woman has shown her admiration for their playing by flashing some skin at the band, but there is something that just doesn't click for me.
I strongly urge you to give a listen for yourself, if you can find a copy of the album.
Grouch Rating a solid 3 scowls out of 5.
The album is available worldwide from all major download sites (Amazon, CDbaby, I-Tunes etc.) with the physical pressings of the album available from December 2011.
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Last Updated (Friday, 02 December 2011 16:44)