Dust And Bones : Rock And Roll Show

Tweet

by Joe Mis
Staff Writer

Dust And Bones rides out of St. Louis to unleash a signature mix of hard rock and sleaze rock on their second full-length release entitled Rock And Roll Show. This new release is miles ahead of their 2009 debut, Voodoo. Better songwriting, stronger performances and a more unified and distinct sound show that Dust And Bones doesn’t believe in the sophomore jinx.

Anyone who is into late ’80’s hard rock or sleaze rock will appreciate Dust And Bones. Definitely not of the ’80s musical generation, Dust And Bones formed in 2008 but somehow manage to capture the freewheeling and indulgent spirit of the decade in both words and music. Dust And Bones provides a window to the past, and the lyrical focus on the hard rocker’s triad of sex, drugs and rock & roll is a look back at what made hard rock the bane of Tipper Gore and the PMRC.

The hard rocking quartet consists of Nick Elmore (vocals and harmonica), Sean Quidgeon (guitars), Jon “Big Dawg” Jackson (bass) and Ryan Riggs (drums). They work well together and all do their part with backing vocals, giving the band a truly veteran sound. Their music is crunchy and energetic, but they never lose hold of the melody. Most tracks are filled with big hooks and catchy choruses, but their lyrics are crude and sleazy. Nick Elmore has the perfect voice for this style of rock – raspy and rough with a range wide enough to keep things interesting. Sean Quidgeon’s guitars are solid – he’s a fine bluesy rhythm player and his solos prove him to be a closet shredder. His guitars don’t dominate the music, but blend in well with bass and drums. Jackson and Riggs make a solid rhythm section, with Jackson’s bass prominent and impressive throughout. Riggs’ drumming is just flashy enough to catch the listener’s attention without being over-the-top. Every member of the band is a talented musician.

Rock And Roll Show is a major improvement over the band’s debut album. Voodoo was a decent album, but the band made too many of their “influences” too obvious and at times sounded like a copy or cover band. On this new release, the influences of AC/DC, Faster Pussycat, Guns N Roses, and the like are there, but have been blended together to give Dust And Bones their own sound. The album is well engineered and produced, with an overall sense of grit and warmth – a truly down-to-earth sound that any fan of ’80s rock will appreciate. The band’s one remaining weak spot is lyrics. While catchy and well written musically, some of the lyrical rhymes seem odd or forced – but this aspect has also improved since their debut album.

Musical highlights include: the great vocal performance on “Alice’s Wonderland;” the killer bass line and gritty guitars of “Better Off Without Me;” the incurably catchy hooks and great guitar solo on “Set Me Free;” and the long live rock vibes on the bluesy “Bleed Rock And Roll,” “One Hit Wonder” and “Rock And Roll Show”; and the outrageously raunchy lyrics to “Love Song” and “Tongue And Cheek.” Rock And Roll Show is full of great moments, and is good clean (well, not really clean) fun.

All in all, Rock And Roll Show is a solid album with few flaws. Dust And Bones’ music is raunchy and intense, and delivered with a great deal of swagger in rapid-fire high-energy style. If you are a fan of the old school sleaze rock scene, Rock And Roll Show will not disappoint. If your sensitivities are offended by the glories of the “sex, drugs, rock-and-roll lifestyle” – or you have little kids in the car – you might want to look elsewhere.

Genre: Hard Rock

Band:
Nick Elmore (vocals, harmonica)
Sean Quidgeon (guitars)
Jon “Big Dawg” Jackson (bass)
Ryan Riggs (drums)

Track Listing:
1. Alice’s Wonderland
2. Better Off Without Me
3. Hypnotize
4. Set You Free
5. Bleed Rock And Roll
6. Tulips
7. Love Song
8. Life Of The Party
9. Tongue And Cheek
10. One Hit Wonder
11. Rock And Roll Show
12. Shut Your Hole

Label: Indie (dist. By Perris Records)

Website: http://www.dustandbonesroxxx.com/

Hardrock Haven rating: 8.5/10