Black Bone Child: Alligator

Releasing two albums on the same day is usually the preserve of either the megastar (Bruce Springsteen, Kiss), or the slightly misguided (ehhh...Bruce Springsteen, Kiss), however Austin Texas duo come four piece Black Bone Child have taken this feat upon themselves. Having completely missed out on BBC's debut release, my first instinct was to be wary of any band willing to add their name to that list. However with Alligator and Take You Blind (reviewed elsewhere), the reasons behind the dual release become completely clear and, it has to be said, fully merited. Whilst Alligator is BBC in full flow racing through some tremendous bluesy inspired rock and roll, Take You Blind is the main duo in the group Donny James and Kenneth M. Stripped back to an acoustic twosome.

So concentrating on Alligator: what you get here is eleven tracks of high energy, raucous and roll that shakes, rattles and steamrolls you into a quick submission and before you know where you are, you'll be hollering along to the hand clapping, foot stomp of "True Love Too Late" or scowling your way through the menacing march of "This Disease". "Turn It Up" makes it time to break out the air harmonica, and hand slap the table within an inch of its life as your bass drum foot comes dangerously close to pounding a hole through the floorboards.

The more this Alligator spins, the catchier and more infectious it becomes and within the space of three or four listens the whole album has a warmth that makes listening to the songs more like welcoming old friends round for a rabble rousing blues infused jam session where the drink flows freely.

I've only picked out three tracks, however in truth any of the songs included here are worthy of praise and the good time, yet remarkably non-throwaway rock that Black Bone Child throw out with ease, must be stunning to witness live. Time to seek out that debut album I think, as I want to get me more Black Bone Child!

Track Listing
1. Run Away
2. Be Your Man
3. You Oughta Know
4. Baby Baby
5. Little Bird
6. True Love Too Late
7. Turn It Up
8. Flames Are Warm
9. What I Know Ain't Right
10. This Disease
11. Devil's Teeth

Added: April 11th 2010
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Band's MySpace Page
Hits: 1963
Language: english

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