When I was a kid, the sound of unbridled distortion and the rock music it carried on its shoulders so gracefully was everything. Hearing music for the first time that pushes my mind, heart and soul has always provided me with lasting memories. When the play button is pressed on the self-titled debut of Blackwater James, you know that they are serious producers of real rock music. Nashville's Chris James (lead vocal and guitar), Josh Burns (bass), Deanna Passarella (guitar), and Todd Schlosser (drums) play to destroy the boring world of radio friendly rock and take back the true meaning of rock and roll. On this eleven-track assault, Blackwater James has no problem showing you their guts to heart style mixed with a large well of influences.
Within the first few notes, "All Fired Up" plows over your eardrums with powerful hard rock grit. It immediately takes a deep bite with razor sharp fangs, but doesn't lose track of its sex appeal and warmth. This AC/DC-Motley Crue love child is tight and unforgiving with its perfect array of guitar tonality. "Midnight Train" comes at you with a punch of bluesy rock, excellent vocals and some brilliant guitar work. The lead is fueled with high-octane gasoline but keeps it classy and tastes sweet by the finish. "Scandalize" growls with a mix of hot soul and bad boy attitude. This song flows with dirty, wet wah pedal making the guitar tones cut like a switchblade.
"Roses and Rain" moves in with an excellent introduction proceeding with tight, stomping punches and hooky guitar riffs. There is no room for boring guitar riffs or dull notes in this piece. It is all heart and soul. The smooth and seductive "Taste" once again shows the listener how much the guitar rules. The fist pumping, dance in the isles sprit makes your ears perk up immediately. "Stand up" is a reminder of the Seattle sound but has a swampy flavor attached to its hip. Some nice warm flavor is tastefully followed with a spicy afterburner containing excellent vocals and a crunchy guitar finale.
The next set of tunes, “Stone Cold" and "Sick Generation" follow the same recipe as the lead track again showing the brilliant musicianship and hook filled genius that should make this band stand proud. A personal favorite, “Wake Me" shows the versatility of this band and their bandwidth as songwriters and vocalist. Soft and sweet, this mixture of masterful vocals, guitar tone and lush arrangements captured my ears after the first few notes. It was a pleasant listen strong enough to immediately prompt my hand to hit the play button over and over.
"Rock Steady" provides the last attack of crunch on this high output creation. Like the other rockers on the record, it is a perfect mixture of classic guitar rock, high energy and interesting texture. There will be no question in the listeners mind that Chris James and his band of swagger not only know how to fight the battle but how to win the war. The final track, another personal favorite,"8 Letters Gone" begins with a precious piano intro and leads smoothly into a sweet, warm ballad which dials down the collection with grace and charm. This recording has the perfect mix of amplified, hard edge rock and intelligently placed dynamics, tone and emotion. Like the classic collections of the 1970’s, this Nashville band is the real deal. Hopefully, Blackwater James will win the hearts of new listeners and prompt them to feed upon what makes this band lay it down hard. Thankfully, my inner child has been fed with a healthy portion.
"Blackwater James" is on sale June 23, 2009 from Self-Released.
