Captain Black Beard | Hey Man
by Joe Mis
Staff Writer
Sweden’s music scene has expanded considerably and the country is now well and truly much more than just the birthplace of melodic death metal. The latest example of this broader scene is Captain Black Beard, a melodic/pop rock quartet with a definite softer but well-polished edge.
Formed in late 2009 and doing well on the club circuit in Stockholm, Captain Black Beard entered the studio in 2010 to record their debut album, Hey Man, with the support of producer David Castillo (Opeth, Katatonia). The album was officially released on 28-May-2011, and sound-wise is a mix of old school glam with modern melodic rock. Sakaria Björklund fronts the band and provides some guitars. His voice is warm and clear, well suited to the band’s musical style. Fredrik Svensson also plays guitar, and the two make a decent duo and handle both the fast stuff and acoustic lines well. Victor Högberg (drums) and Robert Majd (bass) make a solid and capable bottom end. Their songs are simple and well structured, and the members of Captain Black Beard work well as a team.
The album opens on a high with two upbeat party anthems of straight up hard rock. “Hey Man” features a great high energy vocal line and solid musicianship. Catchy guitar hooks on “Don’t Turn Your Back On Love,” supported by solid contributions from bass and drums, grab the listener and get feet tapping and hands clapping. The tone of the album changes with the third track – a lot of the grit goes away and more pop / commercial elements become apparent. “Rock Is My Life” and “American Dream” are both radio ready pop rock tunes that demonstrate the band’s natural talents and abilities. Both feature solid vocals and tight guitars. Other musical highlights are the fine vocal performance on “Concrete Jungle,” the infectiously upbeat rhythm line of “Ex-Convict,” the heavier guitar riffs melded with pop-rock vocals in “No Worries,” the neat acoustic work on “Summer Nights,” and the touch of sleaze rock worked into “Rockin’ Body.”
Despite the somewhat goofy name, Captain Black Beard delivers energetic and upbeat modern rock. Fans of ’80s or ’90s glam or commercial rock will be immediately at home as Hey Man harkens back to the energy and party atmosphere of those decades gone by, but they are not an ’80s rock band. What sets the Captain’s music apart are the fine production values and slick performances, along with the modern aural touches that bring their sound fully into the present day.
Hey Man is not a heavy or hard album in any sense, but rather a collection of 11 radio friendly commercial rock tracks in a variety of styles. If you like the “softer” side of rock and don’t mind the commercial sound, then Captain Black Beard will definitely appeal. They are a young band with plenty of time to grow.
The band has announced a small US tour, so if you’re interested check them out at the following New York area venues: Nov. 26th at Arlene’s Grocery (New York, NY), Nov. 28th at The Trash Bar (Brooklyn, NY) and Nov. 29th at The Saint (Asbury Park, NJ).
Genre: Melodic Rock
Band:
Sakaria Björklund (vocals, guitar)
Victor Högberg (drums)
Fredrik Svensson (guitar)
Robert Majd (bass)
Track Listing:
1. Hey Man
2. Don’t Turn Your Back On Love
3. Rock Is My Life
4. American Dream
5. Concrete Jungle
6. Ex-Convict
7. No Worries
8. Summer Nights
9. True Love
10. Rock Bottom
11. Rockin’ Body
Label: Indie
Website: http://captainblackbeard.net/
Hardrock Haven rating: 8/10