Released in 2022, this the latest release from American band The Lizardz, who first came together some 35 years ago. These days the line-up is Milo Plante (guitars, vocals), Mark Larson (keyboards, vocals), Travis Plantico (drums, guitar, vocals) and Jamie Bruhn (bass, vocals) but they have also have a special guest in my old friend Jerry King (Cloud Over Jupiter, Moon X) on lead guitars. They originally started life as a covers band with a high work ethic, playing new songs at every gig, morphing into an originals outfit, somehow getting both Buck Dharma and Richie Castellano from Blue Öyster Cult playing on their debut. Of course the BÖC connection continues here with Jerry King recording albums with BÖC lyricist John Shirley.
As one would expect from a band who has been around as long as these guys, originally making a career from playing exactly what people want to hear (although band rules excluded them from ever playing “Freebird”, “Stairway To Heaven” or any Bob Seger), here is an album of feelgood American rock with plenty of balls. This is classic rock from the Seventies, loads of guitars, plenty of straight ahead verses with catchy choruses from guys who know what works to get an audience going, so we get hints of The Band, Tom Petty, Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds, even the aforementioned Bob Seger, all from that period of time 50 years ago when music was designed to be a good time. Given the year this was released there is no surprise that Covid is a topic, here telling the story of a band wondering what to do when all their bookings dry up, and what should they do when they have rehearsed together every Wednesday for 30 years?
Luckily, they decided to keep going, with the result being an album which is melodic classic hard rock with a full on American bent which is a load of fun from beginning to end. A hard-hitting rhythm section, classic old school organ, loads of core guitars with additional noodling over the top to provide additional melody, rough neck harmony vocals, what is there not to like? This is a blast.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
http://www.thelizardz.com/
