The legendary rock supergroup BLACK COUNTRY COMMUNION —which includes celebrated musicians Joe Bonamassa, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham, and Derek Sherinian— have announced the June 14th, 2024 global release of their eagerly awaited fifth studio album, pragmatically titled V.
The band’s instantly identifiable fusion of timeless blues & exhilarating rock, paired with extraordinarily vivid storylines, has brought them success across the years and defined the band as the go-to spiritual stewards of the classic 1970s rock sound.
explodes from the speakers, tearing through the listener’s dull hangover of complacency with loud guitars, strong bass notes, bold rhythms, and thought-provoking vocals …
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Produced by the band’s longstanding collaborator Kevin Shirley, ‘V‘ represents a newfound vigour and an expansion of a distinctive sound, as the album constitutes a significant turning point in the outfit’s already illustrious career. Shirley effectively conveys the spirit of the band’s journey, by saying:
“For a band that started out as a collection of the best practitioners of their instruments, they very quickly found a unique sound. This time around, it has more purpose, the riffs are tougher, and there are hooks!
Yes, hooks! It’s the most cohesive record, full of soul and grit, and I think this is the one that’s going to be the benchmark for Black Country Communion.”
We had a listen to the album:
Enlighten explores themes of self-awareness & spiritual development, with Bonamassa’s intricate guitar and Hughes’s incredibly captivating lyrics masterfully conveying complex creative ideas.
The song epitomises the band’s signature blend of catchy hard rock & evocatively moving blues, and is a testament to the Communion’s growth… both as a team endeavour and also a sign of these musicians’ mutual regard, generosity, and admiration for each other as artists.
Red Sun explodes from the speakers, tearing through a listener’s dull hangover of complacency with loud guitars, strong bass notes, bold rhythms, and thought-provoking vocals which lend us (the listener) the essentialness & strength we need to face our own daily challenges. This is empowering!
The smoky, funk-fueled Stay Free has gallopading rhythms, with Hughes accomplishing lower range vocal tones than usual to create a powder-keg dangerous supercapable stadium-level rocker that combines the expressive attitude of 1970s Bad Company with the symmetrical impact & undisputed buzziness of Houses of the Holy era Led Zeppelin. Freeing!
This sensational album concludes with ‘The Open Road‘ which is another grooveadelic jounce with a conspicuous Dancing in the Street sensibility and playful stylishness. The song is about time passing and moving on a journey through life, so it contains a melancholic atmosphere, yet this song is also about pushing oneself forward, so the piece woogies & waltzes with an unapologetic, toe-tapping, and completely vital freshness.
Words: © Neil Mach
Photos: © Rob Bondurant
Cover Art Designed by Hugh Syme
Pre-order link: https://shop.jbonamassa.com/collections/bcc-v
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