When the pandemic hit and no touring was possible, many bands took the time to go back to the drawing table and simply write new music. This shows vividly as there’s been more or less an explosion of album releases this year. Bands that usually takes three, four, five years in between albums all of a sudden had new releases out the year after their last one. British Classic Rock Thunder – a band that don’t need further introductions – released a brilliant album, All The Right Noises, last year that they couldn’t tour and is now current with not just a new record but a double album – 16 songs. With the band’s last three albums fresh in mind, all solid efforts, expectations of another killer record naturally raises but one might just wonder how a veteran band in 2022 can write, record and mix a record of 16 songs in just one year without tampering with the quality?
Opener and kick-off single “The Western Sky” says “hey, buddy, no worries” because this one’s as far from from a rush-job as it gets. It’s a bonafide classic Thunder stomper – bouncy, swinging with crunchy riffs on a straight ahead note. It’s an edgy and quite robust Classic Rock belter, a bit heavier than we’re used to but still Thunder all the way. It’s catchy and embracing with a affable live-feel. Very good. The mid-paced “One Day We’ll Be Free Again” opens with a down n’ dirty riff on a hard-hitting drum-beat. It holds a ballsy groove, some bluesy licks and gospel-smelling back-up vocals and damn strong main-melody. The chorus holds a big Arena Rock swagger with an infectious hook. Killer stuff.
The acoustic guitar driven “Even If It Takes A Lifetime” throws some chunky grooves our way with an insert of both Country n’ Western, Blues and old-time Rock ‘n’ Roll complete with a nice piano. It’s a slow-burner on the ballady side with some southern tinged Rolling Stones influences, very 70’s laden. The chorus comes with a direct hook albeit not on a hitty note. Good one. “Black”, as the title suggests, is a darker piece. It’s groovy yet still mellow and melancholic but the rhythm is still solid. There’s an almost alternative touch to it but more so it inserts 70’s Glam Rock vibes – a song of contrasts. It’s a good song but it never really grab a hold on me.
“Unraveling” is a low-key, brittle and down-beat acoustic ballad, very earthy and organic with an emotional ambience all over. It takes on a certain groove when the band joins in after a while but still very sensitive and down-to-earth. The melodies are on the smoother side and at times Beatles-like but it never gets slick or glossy. A damn good song that went under my skin right off the bat. “The Dead City” takes us back to classic Thunder – very direct on a straight-forward rhythm and a tough, stellar beat and a raunchy outlook. It’s a crowd-pleasing, steady rocker with some raucous guitars with the refrain hitting the target directly. Very good.
“Last Orders” takes us back to more balladry even though it holds a faster tempo and an upbeat swing. It’s a juicy pop-rocker that blends acoustic and electric guitars with some fine blues-licks along the way. Luke Morley sings the first part of the song with Danny Bowes taking over the rest and there’s also a blues-funk guitar break. It’s a slow-builder and more of semi-ballad of sorts. Good one. The fat-grooved, crunchy and raw Classic Rock stomper “All The Way” ends the first part with a beefy, stompy groove and some ferocious Hard Rock edged guitars. It’s a song perfect for the live environment with an Arena Rock swagger complete with a striking chorus to die for. Great.
“Side Two” opens up with the single “Dancing In The Sunshine”, a positive, uplifting über-catchy Classic Rock bouncer with a distinct, massive groove in the school of The Rolling Stones. This one’s a stellar party-rocker with a feel-good flow and crack-open a cold one in the sun vibe. It’s a summer-song indeed with a happy atmosphere and needless to say, every melody comes with a hook and the chorus is nothing short of a home-run. Love it. The album really takes a left-turn with the with blues-soul-pop lounge-music number “Big Pink Supermoon”. It’s classic pop-rock 70’s style with jazzy bits as well with a big piano involved and it holds a massive groove to it too. The guitar solo is sizzling and a saxophone solo is another turn here. This is brilliant!
Going for a classic 80’s Thunder meets 70’s Classic Rock vibe, the single “Across The Nation” is a straight ahead, in-your-face rocker with some crunchy riffing and a big groove. It’s a lively tune, upbeat and firey and the live-feel is prominent here and I guess it’s on the stage this one will come off the best. It’s a good number without a doubt with some direct hooks. “Just A Grifter” is another slow-burner, even folky with acoustic guitars, accordion and violin with a loungy feel and also somewhat jazzy with a recurring saxophone and bluesy vibes. It’s a soothing ballad with a calming touch. It’s pretty good song but “Big Pink Supermoon” is way better.
“I Don’t Believe The World” is a slow-beat yet highly groovy rocker with a big, dark bluesy feel. The guitars crunches with an organic rawness, the riffs are raunchy and the beat is rhythmic with a piano inserted. The song blends some gutsy lead vocals with souly backing vocals and harmonies. It’s a rootsy song for sure with strong melodies and a static chorus. Good one. On a steady, solid beat, the highly groove laden punch-rocker “Disconnected” is crunchy and raw Classic Rock, very bouncy with another prominent live-feel that will kick some major ass from the stage. It’s a footstomper with a striking chorus that sticks without being aimed for having another hit. Great.
The atmosphere changes radically when the slow, mellow and brittle “Is Anybody Out There?” makes its entrance. It’s an organic, stripped down and low-key piano-ballad, slightly orchestrated with a saddening ambience and a 70’s feel. It’s very emotional with vocal melodies that goes right for the heart. It’s a fragile tearjerker – very heartfelt and honest. Very good. That album closes with “No Smoke Without Fire” that starts out held-back and down-beat but soon changes structure and creates a big, stompy groove, rhythmic with some Classic Rock bluesy edges where the raunchy guitars rips and tears. It’s slightly dark and combines crunchy Hard Rock with soulful back-up vocal harmonies and contagious chorus on top. Good one.
As much as this is another really good album from Thunder – because it is a really good album – it also comes with some flaws. And those flaws doesn’t necessarily come in the song-quality department even if it contains the odd filler but with the fact that this double-album thing is a bit of an overkill. There are too many songs and the record is too long. When lots of bands now after the pandemic releases new albums a 16 song album is a bit overmuch, in my humble opinion. What they should’ve done is to release ten songs, save six and write a few more and then release another record in a year or so. That being said, there’s a whole lot to be enjoyed here and Thunder has once again proven to us that they’re still a force to be reckoned with.
7/10
More Thunder reviews:
Wonder Days
Rip It Up
All The Right Noises
Tracklist:
1. The Western Sky
2. One Day We’ll Be Free Again
3. Even If It Takes A Lifetime
4. Black
5. Unraveling
6. The Dead City
7. Last Orders
8. All The Way
9. Dancing In The Sunshine
10. Big Pink Supermoon
11. Across The Nation
12. Just A Grifter
13. I Don’t Believe The World
14. Disconnected
15. Is Anybody Out There?
16. No Smoke Without Fire
CD & Festival reviews 