We get CD's from many bands to review and most of them are easy to
categorise. This CD from Alien Stash Tin (AST) is not so easy. With
a name like that you would expect 60's stoner music, but that's not
it, I have seen them live and then I would have classed them as 'bluesish'
but it's not that either. I guess what I am trying to say is that
AST have made something different and unique. A professional glass
mastered CD with classy artwork and on the whole very well
recorded and produced.
Seven Sisters is
up-tempo with a punkish rocky feel about it, 'punk rock' maybe, no
it's not that either.
Easy Road
starts with some neat blues harmonica that leads into something that
has a touch of Fleetwood Mac about it.
Tree Dogs is an outstanding track,
with a great double tempo chorus. Once again it has that 'punkish
rocky' feel.
Sidelines is a bit of a
change in that it is a tad on the funky side, a bit like a Clapton/JJ
Cale track. Fits in nicely with the feel of the album,
Doesn't have to be that way. Bloody
hell, this could almost be a Blondie track. This is doing my head
in!
A Rat in a Maze 80's electro pop
punk with a brilliant sax solo or two and an amusing lyric.
Watching you is a standard rock track
and not so interesting as the previous. Don't get me wrong here, it
is still better than average.
Transitory
Bird Could be an Ian Dury and the Blockheads track. In my
opinion this is the best track on the album.
Stone is another very good track.
Soldiers song has #ucking bag pipes
on it. This song is so very nearly spectacular. The concept is
there, it is moody and has good dynamic range. The pipes add to it
and give it atmosphere. It is let down however by the lead vocal and
the production. This song is potentially so good that it needs to be
worked on. If AST take this little gem back into the studio and work
on it for however long it takes, they will have something to be
soooo proud of.
Waiting for the world is easy enough
to describe, simple boogy-woogy. A space filler.
The last track. What you on boys???
This album is very very good. It is
unique. It is obviously the result of a lot of intense work. If all
musicians could produce an album of this quality in their lifetime,
they would die happy. Off it goes, straight into the Bristol Rocks
top 10, well done AST!
Album is available to buy at Fopp in Park Street, Bristol and also
via cdunsigned.com and it's
only a fiver!
