Drawing influence from an eclectic mix of sounds that includes Dead Weather, Led Zeppelin, and The Black Keys, the Melbourne, Australia rockers THE UGLY KINGS play gritty slabs of their “power blues” to their many fans.
Now they have released their Promised Land EP [June 2017] that brings their delta-blues grit to a wider audience.
We had a listen:
“Promised Land” is nervy and opens with the sincere cry “Don’t show me the way to the Promised Land, if you can be bought…”
And, of course, right away, we get a big groovy riff that is dark as tar and some sledgehammer drums. This bounces, pushes and crawls like a wounded beast treading through a boneyard. Well, that is, right up till the scream of rage as a flock of vulturish guitars is disturbed beyond all reason. This is an interesting and clever composition.
“Wash Me Of My Sins” however, feels like something from way back deep in the South.
This baptismal hymn of cleansing and has something of the Johnny Cash about it. The calm bass-baritone voice, the clickety-click rhythm and the simple lines. It all adds up. This sits somewhere between Big Bill Broonzy and gospelish depression-era Jimmie Rodgers. Competent, though.
Words: @neilmach 2017 ©
