JOHN THE CONQUEROR - The Good Life

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Blues/Bluesrock | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 158 / 3-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 8/10 | Label: Alive | Autor: ML


The mix is right. Two cousins (singer and guitarist Pierre Moore and drummer Michael Gardner) from Jacksonville, Florida, one of the strongholds of Southern Rock, meet the Northerner Ryan Lynn. Musically it's always earthy and blues-coloured Southern Rock blows through most tracks. But rhythmically they counteract the whole thing again and again in the most subtle and musically finest way. From radio to punk you can find numerous cross-references. The songs of the second album are all written by Moore except for the great Randy Newman cover "Let's Burn Down The Cornfield". Despite their catchiness, they are very different. And despite this diversity a distinctive band sound emerges, which makes this album a little jewel. Many things on "The Good Life" sound as if they came from the rehearsal room of the Black Keys, whereas for John The Conqueror there are even slight point advantages over their colleagues due to the compelling singing of Pierre Moore. In other words, an album and a band that you shouldn't put on the long bank. Here you can do something good for yourself.

Top track: Mississippi Drinkin'

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