Reviews
Dark Angel Review in Maverick Magazine
February 28, 2011 | Author admin
Roadhouse
DARK ANGEL
Roadhouse CB2
****
Root-rockers roar back with a classic
Roadhouse’s music has always been different, country-rock, heading into roots and blues, with a dark, cinematic world view, the still back routes of America laced with the dirtier back streets of London. This is the band’s 11th album and is the pinnacle of their achievements, rumbling, roaring and screaming in pain while never losing track of the country undertones.
Under the leadership of guitarist/singer/songwriter Gary Boner, the band have been constantly pushing back the boundaries, and from the opening ringing tones of Too Tired To Pray you’re in the Roadhouse world. There are few such bands who can get away with expansive pieces, but such is Roadhouse’s mastery that the eight minutes of the majestic title track seem normal.
The album’s success is in part due to Boner’s growing maturity as a writer, part of it is the band’s latest in a long line of lead guitarists, Danny Gwilym, whose playing takes things to a new level. There’s an inventive, rich, bluesy rock ‘n’ roll warmth, but there’s also the air of an early Clapton; imagine Cream playing in a roadhouse. Boner’s chugging, jangling rhythm is incessant and the solid rhythm section of Roger Hunt (drums) and Bill Hobley (bass) is still there from the very beginning is still there. The band’s unusual vocal approach is still there, too, a trio of female singers (Mandie G, Kellie Marie Hobbs, Suzi D) who at one moment appear to be adding backing to Boner, then switch to a lead harmony, then solo lead. The constant changes create an ensemble feel, rather like the Band where the boundaries of lead vocals were forever blurred.
Of the tracks, Boner’s Working Class Gospel Drinking Blues is a favourite (with Gwilym’s gut-wrenching lead guitar), but there are lighter numbers such as So Over You, co-written with Gwilym and Hobbs. A classic.
Nick Dalton
THE NEW CD DARK ANGEL IS READY – PLUS MORE GOOD NEWS
October 17, 2010 | Author admin
THE NEW CD IS READY – PLUS MORE GOOD NEWS
Dear All,
I’m delighted to announce that our new CD, Dark Angel has now been completed and is on schedule for release in the first week of November:
Amazingly with a few demo MP3 tracks whizzing about, it has been played in Canada, The USA (Kansas and Altlanta) and Essex. Some achievement for a CD that has not been released yet.
Cover art is once again by all time acclaimed CD cover artist, the legedary Vaughan Oliver. So you are not just buying a CD, you are buying a peice of collectible art.
Track Listing:
1. Too Tired To Pray – Traditonal Roadhouse rock out, but with a mutil layered production and underpinned by some great blues slide by Danny.
2. Rainmaker – Back to the Bands Country/Rock roots with desert sky slices of Americana and a massive hook. Wall of sound vocals from the Roadhouse Ladies.
3. Dark Angel – Arguably our greatest ever rock epic. A dark slice of Gothic with some heavenly vocal slices interlinked with some mean rocking.
4. Swamp Girl – People have asked me to lighten up on the songwriting front, so here we go with a ‘little’ tale of incest and murder in the everglades. Big one for the guitar fans.
5. Tornado – Dorothy and Toto go for a spin, dark and twisiting…..
6. Stormy Monday – Well we’ve played it for years. Some pure blues with a great vocal by the amazing Suzie.D
7. So Over You – The most commercial and current Roadhouse song ever. Think Smooth by Santana with matching guitar from Danny, but a totally contemporary hook and vocal by Kelly Marie Hobbs
8. Play With Fire – Mandie belts out an all time great rocker. Amazing slide from Danny, reminds of a young Dave Gilmour on ‘One of these Days’. Killer lead vocals -rock on Mands
9. Working Class Gospel Drinking Blues – It’s Bluesy, Gospelly, Rocky and its about drinking. Already a fave in the live set
10. Tellin Lies – A 2010 re-recording of our classic song.
We’ve been doing it this way for 6 years but have never captured it, now we have.
Advance orders to garyboner@btinternet.com…..
We have just singed an agency deal with up and coming new agency
Shelflife Productions
Agency link is www.shelflifeproductions.com Roadhouse page is www.shelflifeproductions.com/roadhouse
Check ou the gig list as The Dark Angel tour comes your way. At this moment all roads lead to Sutton (Via Margate and Brimingham and the Midlands):
– Sunday 7th November – Roadhouse, plus support, launch their new CD, Dark Angel at the Boom Boom Club Suton FC, Gander Green Lane…… check out details on Top promoter Pete Feenstra’s Website: www.realmusiclive
We need your support
Gary