Roadhouse

Roadhouse have been around a fair while – I first came across them around 20 years back – and they have been releasing albums and playing constantly on the European festival circuit as well as many festivals and shows her in Blighty.

On the harder side of Blues/rock and always featuring twin female voices in their lineup they now consist of Gary Boner on guitar and vocals. Chris Walker on guitars replaces Danny Gwillym, new drummer Frank Dymore (after the passing of longtime drummer Roger Hunt). Bill Hobley on bass. Kelly Marie and Mandie G on vocals.

It really is a belter of an album. The music is dark and moody and Boner’s vocals have a distinctly rough edge to them (which suits the music perfectly) while Kelly Marie and Mandie G both feature on different tracks, giving the music some real variety.
Like their live shows, the songs and the playing are really intense, building to massive crescendos and a real sense of music on the edge of destruction.
The peaks just keep on coming with every track managing to take the ear and bringing something new to the party. The title track opens with a blast of twin guitars before the vocals come in and the hard and gruff sound of Boner is only slightly balanced by Kelly & Marie. ‘Better Days’ follows in a much more considered manner, the guitars playing around each other and creating a hypnotic soundscape – the girls vocals are particularly affecting.
Kelly Marie takes lead vocal on ‘Steamboat Song’ which describes a Mississippi river trip except unlike most river songs, this one is a trip over the rapids with a driving riff and rhythm. The moody ‘Death Of The Blues’ with Mandie G on lead vocals is a real standout number which should go down brilliantly live.

The band’s history is long and complex but it is great to hear them still producing music that excites the band as well as the listeners.