Bad Touch: Half Way Home

If you plan on catching Irish classic rockers The Answer any time soon, may I suggest you get there early. Why? Well, last year in Edinburgh I was introduced to the superbly melodic tones of The King Lot as they opened the show and this year Bad Touch were the band to open eyes and delight ears as they set The Answer's scene. Both acts have now released their first full length releases and if I hear a better debut than either over the next few months, then it will be the best 2015 has to offer. However let's focus on Norwich five-piece Bad Touch for now and, putting aside their questionable name, revel in their first offering, Half Way Home. It's an album which leans confidently on the classic rock of Zeppelin and Bad Company, however it also possesses the solidity and grit that UK bands often lack when trying to convince in this style. Singer Stevie meshes Nev MacDonald (Skin) to Ronnie Van Zandt to offer up an authentic, powerful performance which never falls into pastiche or hero worship. Instead this is a frontman confident enough to sound like himself, while being fully aware of what it takes to thrive in his band's chosen genre. However, he isn't alone, guitar pair Rob G and Seeks a mix of hip thrusting riffs and blues drippin' solos on the awesomely ridiculously "Good On Me (Jeans Song)", thumpingly bombastic "Motherload", which sounds like they've hijacked the riffs of a certain Mr. Page and ain't giving them back, and glorious chant along "Wise Water", which adds a strut and pout to proceedings.

The rhythm section of Bailey (rightly credited as "lead bass" in the notes – this boy can play) and George (and he's credited as drums, percussion, backing vocals (which having heard them live I can attest to being excellent) and keyboards – phew!) are immense throughout, grooves built to gargantuan proportions time and again, without ever forgetting to take the rest of the band with them. However Half Way Home isn't just a full-on-a-thon, oh no, for the title track starts off swaying on its rocking chair on the porch before settling into a muscular mid-paced throb, while "Something Someone" and "No Excuse" surprise by proving this young act have the poise to convince while tugging the heartstrings. Put simply Bad Touch has everything needed to succeed.

Impressively the standard never drops across an album that at under forty minutes could be seen as short, but simply begs for you to hit the play button a second time; Half Way Home hitting the mark on each and every one of its eleven tracks. There's a real sense that the UK rock scene is finally waking from its slumbers and offering up a host of young bands with the smarts and the songs to gain notice across the globe. Bad Touch deserve to be at the forefront of that scene, with Half Way Home primed and ready to take you all the way.

Track Listing
1. Wise Water
2. Waste My Time
3. New Day
4. Half Way Home
5. Motherload
6. Preacher
7. Something Someone
8. Sweet Little Secret
9. No Excuse
10. Good On me (Jeans Song)
11. Words I Never Said

Added: April 4th 2015
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Bad Touch online
Hits: 2000
Language: english

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