Something you should be aware of from the off. This is classic hard edged, no compromise rock n roll in the finest tradition of Motorhead with their Deep Purple influences not afraid to show themselves and shout from the sidelines.
This unruly Denver quartet have been a going concern since 2015 and only seem to be growing stronger with every passing moment. 2019’s brilliant debut Dead Man’s Game introduced us to guitarist/vocalist Kam Wentworth, drummer Shaun Goodwin, bassist Grady O’Donnell and organ/flutist Leo Munoz but after one listen of Meanstreak coupled with a shot or two of whiskey they will feel like your new best mates.
The album sets it stall out with the chugging riffage and go-for-the-throat bombast of “Deathride”. It sounds like you would imagine and hope a track called “Deathride” would be. Essentially it’s exactly what you wanted but never knew you needed. I won’t say anymore on this track just go and listen and then tell me I’m wrong!
The title track, “Meanstreak”, needs to work some to keep the momentum flowing after the first track. All fears are immediately put back in their box. It follows a very similar path to the opener and two tracks in we are already getting the feeling of a band that know exactly who and what they are and have developed their own recognisable sound of a genre that is littered with copyists and generic filler.
The whole album never takes it’s foot off the accelerator, it may ease off slightly at times, such as the laid-back acoustic boogie blues of “Same Ol’ Blues” but it is never anything less than driving hard rock of the finest vintage. Tracks like “Bad News” and “Shake This Feelin’” were born to have the amps up to eleven. “Headed Down To Mexico” could be the Latin cousin of Motorhead’s “Going To Brazil”.
The album closes with “Fly Away” which allows a beautiful fuzzed guitar solo from Kam Wentworth to steal the show in an otherwise majestic construction of a track that confirms that this four-piece have psychedelic hard rock running through their blood.
In essence Love Gang manage to soak up the spirit of their heroes whilst turning it into something entirely their own. They look the part. They sound the part. They play the part. If you want rock ‘n roll…..you got it!!! Join the Love Gang.
Donnie’s Rating: 9/10 Check it out. You’ll be glad you did.
Meanstreak is out now through Heavy Psych Sounds
