Last week’s winners were Ryan Hamilton And The Traitors, followed by Samarkind in second place and Gov’t Mule in third. Who will sway you this week? We have a smokin’ selection of the good stuff for your delectation and judgement – from rock’n’roll giants and new fish alike – so sit back, tune in and vote for your favourite.
Here’s Ryan Hamilton’s winning track from last week again. Isn’t it lovely?
Bad Company – Sweet Lil’ Sister (unreleased version)
Some delicious 70s hard rock’n’roll to kick off your bank holiday. The band that emerged from the ashes of Free (and actually became more popular than Free, even if they haven’t acquired quite the same ‘classic’ veneer) are releasing a deluxe edition of 1976’s Run With The Pack, from which this hitherto unreleased rendition of Sweet Lil’ Sister is taken.
Benjamin Booker – Right On You
Last year the New Orleans-based singer/guitarist went on a soul-searching trip to Mexico. He came back with identity-stamping second album Witness, including this dynamic opening track – a blend of psychedelic hoodoo, summery T.Rex-esque vibes and noisy garage rock.
Low Cut Connie – Controversy
We’re big fans of Low Cut Connie at Classic Rock towers – in all their boogieing, piano-thumping rock n’ roll glory – so were delighted to hear they’d covered Prince’s early earworm Controversy. It’s a super-sassy version, with all the strutting, funked up style and fearlessness of which the Purple One would’ve been proud.
Zakk Sabbath – War Pigs
Zakk ‘Ozzy/Black Label Society’ Wilde taking on one of Black Sabbath’s most replayable classics? One great chunkersaurus riff at a time? Who doesn’t want to hear that?? EXACTLY.
Highly Suspect – Little One
Big, moody American rock from moody American hotshots Highly Suspect. Since supporting Halestorm, Black Stone Cherry and Shinedown on the last Carnival Of Madness tour, the Massachusetts trio have spread their biting, highly personal gospel to a growing audience of pumped rock and metalheads. Just don’t be put off by that shiny boybandy hair…
Stone Sour – Fabuless
Beefy, hooky highlight from upcoming new album Hydrograd – in which Corey and co lean away from their alt metal staples in favour of a largely rockier, more melodic effect. Not that Fabuless lacks fury, far from it. It’s just good fun and riffy as well (buoyed by a colourful audience of wacky-waving-inflatable-arm-flailing-tube-men). We’ll take that.
Hellbound Hearts – Broken Hearted
If the Wildhearts spent more time listening to 00s metal, they might have sounded like these guys. This new tune (all about “when you realise the world is not a beautiful place”) from the Yorkshire-based alt rockers is both brooding and fantastically catchy.
Lonely Robot – Sigma
Some soaring ‘nu prog’ to finish, courtesy of (ex-It Bites man) John Mitchell’s ambitious outfit Lonely Robot – to all intents and purposes a solo project (Mitchell plays all instruments aside from drums on forthcoming album The Big Dream). Moving, contemplative yet ultimately uplifting stuff.
