I love The Dead Daisies. I know that there are mixed feelings about this band out there – many has dissed the band because “they don’t do anything new”, that they wear their influences too visible on their sleeves. I’m fully aware of that, The Dead Daisies has never been revolutionary and that was never the point either. They’re just a good-time Rock And Roll band, here to kick up some dust and throw out some damn fine songs while doing it. For the last three albums, the sliding-doors of members walking in and out of the band seemed to have shut and that the line-up now looked quite stable, which is why it came as a big surprise when singer John Corabi (The Scream, Mötley Crüe, Union) and bass-player Marco Mendoza (Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Blue Murder, Black Star Riders) decided to leave the band.
On the other hand, guitarist David Lowy – the guy who started the band – has aways said that The Dead Daisies is more of an institution that will have musicians coming and going but somehow I had the feeling that Lowy, Corabi, Mendoza, guitarist Doug Aldrich (Lion, Bad Moon Rising, Whitesnake, Dio, Revolution Saints, Burning Rain) and drummer Deen Castronovo (Bad English, Journey, Revolution Saints) had found their home within this band. What was even more surprising was that the replacement came in one person – the one and only Glenn Hughes (Deep purple, Black Sabbath, Trapeze, Black Country Communion, California Breed, Hughes/Thrall). Wow, that’s impressing to say the least – and very intriguing. Being somewhat disappointed by the absence of Corabi and Mendoza, I couldn’t look forward enough to hear this version of the band. And speaking of sliding doors, the album was hardly out before Castronovo threw in his resignation. Ex- Ozzy/Black Sabbath/Rob Zombie drummer Tommy Clufetos will now be the drummer when touring is allowed again.
The Daisies gets going and shoots from the hip right away when the latest single and title-track with the subtitle “Shake The Memory” opens the album. It’s an upbeat Classic Rock stomper with some crunchy guitars, a steady beat and a flowing groove – Hughes and Castronovo sure have found each other rhythmically. The song tumbles and shakes with an instant live feel and a striking chorus that hits where it should. Style-wise it reminds me of Hughes’ later days solo-stuff with the beefy ground of the two latest Daisies-albums. Killer stuff! “Like No Other (Bassline)” is a total groove-monster, punchy and fat with a huge 70’s vibe. With Glenn’s bass on fire, a shit-hot drum beat and Doug Aldrich’s crunchy guitars, the song is a Classic Rock beast with another splendid refrain that takes no prisoners. Amazingly good.
“Come Alive” is a pretty straight-forward hard-rocker, punchy and raw and it reminds of the last Dead Daisies album Burn It Down with Hughes vocal-melodies on top. The guitar-sound is massive, the rhythm is heavy and bouncy – Hughes’ basslines are slightly funky as well – and the refrain is in-your-face. It’s another cracking tune, direct and without any fuss. Good one indeed. Another single, “Bustle And Flow” is a beefy rocker, edgy with an enormous groove and attitude. It’s a Classic Rock belter, raunchy and heavy with an instant spark and a rowdy swing that screams “Take me to the stage – NOW!” Big hooks, memorable melodies and an effective chorus takes the tune to the win. Very good.
On a heavier and darker note, “My Fate” comes along slower in pace with some subtle riffage from Aldrich. The verses is pretty down-beat and held back with a heavy Classic Rock 70’s ballad mode but roughens up plenty when the startling chorus arrives. The riffing turns Black Sabbath like, full of vigour and sparks. Fact is, the tune goes from a bit sparse to headbang-friendly. It’s a powerful, dynamic and resplendent piece of music. Damn good. “Chosen And Justified” balances on a wire between 70’s Classic Rock and 80’s melodic Hard Rock and brings along some crunchy and raw guitars with some fat riffing and a splendid interaction between Hughes and Castronovo rhythmically which creates an intense groove. It’s a pretty straight-forward hard-rocker – a good song but not as strong as the previous ones.
Aldrich releases his inner Jimmy Page when the Zeppelin riff-fest that is “Saving Grace” comes along. The Dead Daisies has always had a soft spot for Aerosmith and that shows in the track as well. Driven guitars, edgy and rough and solid, steady and ballsy drumming makes the tune the one that sounds most like their earlier stuff but changes character a bit with Hughes’ funky basslines and personal vocal-melodies. There’s an underlying vibe of the last two Dead Daisies albums musically but it’s not hard to draw parallells toHughes’ other band Black Country Communion – and that blending fits like a glove. It’s big on grooves, hooks and a meaty chorus that holds both intensity and catchiness. Very good.
“Unspoken” was one of the first tracks released when it was revealed that Hughes had joined the band and my first impression left me a bit underwhelmed. It’s a beefy rock-rambler not a far cry from the self-titled and only album Hughes made with California Breed. It’s a straight ahead rock-belter and while I enjoy it more now than I did then, it still doesn’t hold up as well as the rest of the songs. It’s ok, though. Dead Daisies has always been fond of covers and this album is no exception. This time they had interpreted Humble Pie’s old rock-swinger “30 Days In The Hole”, also covered by artists such as Mr Big and Ace Frehley. It’s an awesome track to begin with and these guys makes a terrific version of it with Hughes and Castronovo sharing vocal-duties. Who has made the best version of it then? I put my vote on these guys.
The first song ever released by this version of the band almost a year ago, “Righteous Days” really blew me away. This upbeat, fat and heavy rocker comes across as something Hughes could have rounded up for his Resonate (2016) album but forgot about for some reason It’s a raw Classic Rock number with big guitars, stomp-grooved rhythms with an in-your-face outlook and Hughes masterful vocals on top. Hooky melodies, a kicking-up-dust attitude and a chorus that won’t leave you alone makes this song yet another winner here. Fabulous! They end the album on a frugal note with the calming and even tranquil ballad “Far Away”. With a flowing rhythm and a spacey atmosphere in the verses the tune changes character when the solo-part comes in and the song heavies up with some crunchy guitars before the song goes back into its ballad-self albeit this time a bit more orchestrated. The tune then ends on a heavier, upbeat note when the whole bands goes off into a rocking jam-session. What a killer.
This is a solid record. This is a great record. The Dead Daisies continues to deliver the goods no matter who’s in the band. This album really could pass as a new Glenn Hughes solo album but with the more sleazy, raunchy and rawer sound that this band has had on their last couple of records albeit a bit redefined. To find a bad song on here is simply impossible and Hughes proves that he still is the Voice Of Rock and the fact that Castronovo has left the band is a huge surprise when he and Hughes seem to feed off each other rhythmically – this line-up would have been a beast live! Being an institution where members come and go, according to Lowy, it remains to be seen if this version will continue as a unit or if this is a one-off after the touring (whenever that will happen). I keep my fingers crossed that this isn’t the first and last Hughes fronted Daisies record.
8/10
More The Dead Daisies reviews:
Revolución
Make Some Noise
Burn It Down
Tracklist:
1. Holy Ground (Shake The Memory)
2. Like No Other (Bassline)
3. Come Alive
4. Bustle And Flow
5. My Fate
6. Chosen And Justified
7. Saving Grace
8. Unspoken
9. 30 Days In The Hole
10. Righteous Days
11. Far Away
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