I have always dug Slash. As a person he gives the impression of being sympathetic, he’s rock-star cool and there’s something with his playing that just speaks to me. No Guns N’ Roses without Slash! As a solo-artist, though, it’s been a bit up and down. His two records with his first outfit Slash’s Snakepit sure had its moments but were a bit on the uneven side but his first real solo album, the self-titled effort from 2010 with different singers was a great piece of music. That was the album that connected him with Alter Bridge vocalist Myles Kennedy – hence the name of the band the two now has together.
Together with the rhythm section of bassist Todd Kerns and drummer Brent Fitz with Frank Sidoris adding up on rhythm guitar, The Conspirators is now on their fourth effort nowadays paralleling with the Guns N’ Roses sort-of reunion. Everything started very well with their brilliant debut Apocalyptic Love (2012) but has since then been dropping quality wise by each release. World On Fire (2014) was a bit too much to digest with its seventeen songs bringing on a few fillers too many and the last record Living The Dream (2018) was indeed shorter but also slightly weaker. Now four years later it’s time for a new effort so let’s hope that the table’s turned for the better with this one.
The album kicks off promising with the lead-off single “The River Is Rising”, an electrified, energetic and crunchy nutcracker with raunchy and sleazy riffing in the vein of his early G N’R days. It’s fast-tracked and attitude laden with a ballsy beat and gut-punching rhythm with Kennedy’s splendid vocals on top and a juicy chorus that stands out. Good one. “Whatever Gets You By” is slower in pace, fatter and real riff-happy with a sweaty groove and takes a step towards 70’s Classic Rock albeit with a sleazy approach. It holds bluesier elements, it’s darker in mood and quite heavy yet with a striking refrain. Good stuff.
“C’est La Vie” starts out a bit more careful and laid-back even though it sports a juicy bass-line and a solid beat. It takes on a more bluesy outlook with some crispy riffs and some wah-wah guitar and a talkbox for good measure. The vocal-melodies lies on the smoother side with a slight nod to Kennedy’s mothership Alter Bridge, especially in the easily embraced chorus, a chorus that certainly holds water. Good one. “The Path Less Followed” is a standard, plain and simple straight ahead rocker with a tone of 80’s sleaze and a prominent Rolling Stones vibe where the solo could have been an outtake from an early G N’R recording. I dig the harmonized lead-parts but as a whole it’s somewhat anonymous and the chorus really goes nowhere. A decent track only.
“Actions Speak Louder Than Words” is a pretty much straight-up rock ‘n’ roll stomper, no fuss and direct in-your-face that will probably work better live than on record. It’s a down-to-earth rocker with intense riffing in the school of The Stones but even though the chorus is easily embraced, it hits the post out instead of in the goal. Ok but not more. “Spirit Love” is a mid-tempo tune yet quite heavy with a darker touch where the sitar gives the song a slight Asian flavor. It’s a powerful Hard Rock tune with some really cool and edgy guitar work and Kennedy really hits pay-dirt vocally. I like this one.
“Fill My World” brings on some slicker melodies and a smooth vocal arrangement. It’s upbeat with an 80’s vibe and a pop-rock outlook that also blends sleazier moments with some Alter Bridge like touches, especially vocally. It touches 80’s stadium rock power balladry too and the big chorus catches on pretty much right away. One of the album’s finest moments. “April Fool” is on the other side of the fence as it’s a super-groovy, chunky Classic Rock belter full of crunchy riffage, swinging rhythms and is down-to-earth and organic with a huge live-friendly feel. A damn good number that will get any festival crowd going.
The rough and edgy “Call Off The Dogs” comes on kicking and screaming with a hard punch, sleazy and dirty and right in your face. It’s fast, hard, slightly punky and even Motörhead-y. While all that might seem cool, the song is also unstructured and somewhat noisy and doesn’t stick at all. Not crap but fails to linger. It actually comes off as an unfinished demo. The closing track “Fall Back To Earth” is a slow, bluesy kind of ballad with an edge, quite soulful and embracing. It’s Classic Rock balladry, 70’s style with a darker soundscape, very down-to-earth and a gorgeous vocal-melody. It’s a six minute plus epic slow-burner that really gets under my skin. Very good.
As a whole, this is the weakest effort by this band but that’s not me saying it’s a bad record per se. I’d call this uneven with many ups but a few downs too many – and with downs I mean fillers that are listenable but doesn’t really stick at all. It’s a Slash record – no more no less where you more or less know beforehand what you’re gonna get. Slash is still a great guitarist in my book and he has lost none of his chops and Myles Kennedy, well what can I say, the guy’s an amazing singer. That goes for the rest of the band as well, great musicians. The production is earthy and breathing and I guess it works just as well from a device as in you car-stereo. I enjoy the album but they should be able to do – and have done – better stuff than this.
6/10
More Slash Featuring Myles Kennedy & The Conspirators reviews:
Apocalyptic Love
World On Fire
Living The Dream
Tracklist:
1. The River Is Rising
2. Whatever Gets You By
3. C’est La Vie
4. The Path Less Followed
5. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
6. Spirit Love
7. Fill My World
8. April Fool
9. Call Off The Dogs
10. Fall Back To Earth
CD & Festival reviews 