Release Date: July 5, 2011
The L.A. rock ‘n’ roll machine Bowery Beasts entered the record scene this month with a debut EP entitled Heavy You. The six tracks on the record are a pulse-pounding trip catering to a swath of kids clinging to the prom and glam lifestyle that the grunge era was working to take over circa 1990. There is a nostalgic appeal to this EP in a sense that the Bowery Beasts bring a sound back to the music world that hasn’t seen light in two decades.
These crazy stage slayers are getting tons of attention in L.A. KROQ radio personality and guitarist for the Sex Pistols Steve Jones is touting the Bowery Beasts as his new favorite band. And why not, considering their EP is a rolling extravaganza of dynamic guitar play complimented in force by a small army of talented musicians. With all the hype out there, the album isn’t an entire collection of rockable tunes and lacks in areas where the music is more like filler instead of a raunchy, L.A.-infused rock block.
There are a couple of slower, acoustic songs on the record. “Amulet” has an acoustic opening eerily reminiscent of “Nutshell” by Alice in Chains. The thing that sets this song apart is when singer Marion Belle throws some Axl Rose vocal appeal and cranks the notch way up. The guitar breakdown at the end is long and beautiful to the point where it should be the background music for a sword fight in a Highlander sequel.
“He Was Your First Tattoo” and “White Diamond Babe” are both excellently executed and really help tie the EP together. “Tattoo” has a shitload of gritty garage guitar tossed together with Belle’s falsetto voice and a deep, pounding tom. The lyrics are calculated and punctual with every beat, wherein they creep through with the same power that leads Rush’s Geddy Lee’s voice across their songs. “Babe” quickly builds and carefully bridges the gap between the grunge sound of the ‘90s and the early metal heard in Black Sabbath’s music. Guitarist Jordan Wiggins has a commanding presence on the song and rips a lead through it like Mike McCready does for Pearl Jam.
“White Diamond Babe” along with “Amulet” bring that throwback air into the mix. Belle takes the breakdown on “Babe” to a whole new level with his hair band vocals in that he directs the finale into a full-on rock ‘n’ roll explosion.
Not every track on the EP is a drag down brawl, and “Rock and Roll Queen” brings around something slower and a little easier to take in for those who can’t handle a hair god voice pounding in their ears. It has a folk appeal similar to ’70s singer/songwriter Carole King. The song has an “at the end of a drug addiction and there’s nowhere to go but up” feeling. It may not be the strongest song on the EP but has an authoritative message.
Less exciting songs on the album include “Young Rockers” and a dirty rock ‘n’ roll cover of “Summertime Bluez.” “Young Rockers” sounds canned and more like background noise. It doesn’t showcase any of the band’s real abilities and lacks compassion to create a memorable experience. The cover of “Summertime Bluez” does get the blood flowing but, in the same respect of having canned music on an album, the song has the air of being played out. The summer is here, but why take time to cover a song when the talent is there is plenty of talent in the band?
Steve Jones is smart for putting his mark on this EP, though. As a package deal, it rocks hard and gives listeners a break from the humdrum of everyday garage music. The indie scene is flooded with cookie cutter crap and the Bowery Beasts turn their heads away from that to mold together something just as hot as the California sun. Heavy You is a great start for a West Coast band and it’s only a matter of time before they’re taking their talents throughout the rest of the US.
Bowery Beasts – Heavy You Tracklist:
- “He Was Your First Tattoo”
- “White Diamond Babe”
- “Young Rockers”
- “Amulet”
- “Rock and Roll Queen”
- “Summertime Bluez”
