One of the biggest problems Earache Records faced in the nineties was in identifying a second-wave to follow on from their ground-breaking Death Metal and Grindcore revolutionaries; they had set an unreachable bar with their pioneers that, particularly with a rapidly moving undercurrent of a scene, continuing such a rich vein of form was nigh on impossible. Following their twenty-first century reinvention as a home par-excellence for the very best in Rock (of the Classic-tinged variety), they face a similar quandary… how do you follow-up Rival Sons, Temperance Movement, and Blackberry Smoke?
Well, if Those Damn Crows and their debut Murder And The Motive are any indications, then not only does the label still have a great ear for new talent, but the good times will most definitely continue to (rock n’) roll.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOm5W7CKpBQ
So, just where do the Welsh wizards fit in, in the grand scheme of things? Well, the Crows espouse a different type of Rock ethic to the aforementioned more retrospective bands in that, while steadfastly rooted in Rock n’ Roll, nonetheless brings a modern energy and swagger to proceedings – this very much an updated take on British Hard Rock, with a nod to post-Grunge and Metal that adds a perfect thickness and heaviness to their sound. You can chuck names such as Creed, Black Stone Cherry, and Thunder around as ball-park descriptors, but, really, Those Damn Crows establish their own ground on which to pitch their very fine tent, and those references don’t do justice to the depth and breadth of their sound.
Opting to keep the energy levels high throughout, and with some sensational hooks at every turn, Those Damn Crows have a nifty repertoire of the all killer, no filler variety; equally adept sashaying between nuances too, as they lead us from driving modern Hard Rock (‘I Don’t Give A Damn’) to the more light-hearted (anthem ‘Rock and Roll Ain’t Dead’); from the more considered and mature (‘Blink Of An Eye’, where Shane Greenhall touches on some gorgeous Eddie Vedder moments) to the metallic (‘Say It’) via the bluesy (‘Behind These Walls’).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1F3qdIct1U
Greenhall is an obvious focal point, instantly exuding that je né sais quoi that gives a great band the X-factor to become an exceptional one. Anthemic, rocking, earnest… it matters little what is required, it’s nailed as Greenhall moves between the styles in a way that reminds of the underrated Danny Bowes, but with a grungier timbre. However, to focus on just him would be to underplay the collective, for without the music there would be no song, and Those Damn Crows seem and feel like a “band”, and one who has proven without a shadow of a doubt they write a damn good rock song. Well, ten of them, in fact.
The commercial appeal of Those Damn Crows is an interesting proposition, too. From tiny acorns spawn mighty oaks and all that, but Murder And The Motive should be fertile ground enough to speed up the growth process and catapult the Crows high and far. This is a fully developed, high-quality record that exudes modern Rock n’ Roll class at every turn; conscious of the fifty years that have come before, cherry picking the best bits, and evolving and melding them into an excellent album.
8.0/10
STEVE TOVEY
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