ALBUM REVIEW: Bad Luck & The Blues – Laurence Jones

Blues rocker LAURENCE JONES is back with latest studio record Bad Luck & The Blues. The latest offering from Jones, dubbed as ‘the future of blues’ by Classic Rock Magazine, sees a return to his love of bluesy rock ‘n’ roll but this time with a heavy twist. In comparison to his previous album, things seem to have taken on a moodier and darker tone, with elements taken from 70s and 80s classic rock but done in a way that keeps his suave, confident personality.

Opening with the title track, listeners are immediately made aware of this shift in sound with a loud rock ‘n’ roll intro that, frankly, sounds so cool and effortless, as if this talent comes naturally. Pairing that with a solid chorus and a rhythm that you’ll find yourself easily swaying along to and it makes for an intriguing start to the record.

As mentioned, Jones has taken some influence from the earlier decades of rock music but it’s also easy to spot some modern influence with artists like QUEENS OF THE STONE AGE and ROYAL BLOOD being named as the reasoning behind the album’s style along with heroes like JIMI HENDRIX and GARY MOORE. You can hear all of these influences at different points, and even more artists pop to mind elsewhere, like in I’m Gone, an anthemic rock song where you can hear influence from a range of arena rock artists like MUSE thanks to the guitar riffs and theatrical elements.

That’s not to say that Jones has completely moved away from the tropes of blues rock; Don’t You Leave Me This Way has those all too classic moody guitar solos that have you swaying along, songs like Woman and Take Control have a suave confidence, and Lost Broken features lyrics repeating that all too familiar urban legend of meeting the devil at the crossroads. Yet there’s something about all that which beautifully aligns with the heavier sound shift that makes everything intriguing.

It’s no wonder that Jones has received the accolades that he has and why many shows of his sell out quickly. His love of the blues rock genre is clear and the decision to incorporate darker elements works so well. Bad Luck & The Blues is a fun, cool, and dark record that anyone can enjoy, there’s not much else you could ask for.

Rating: 7/10

Bad Luck & The Blues is out now via Marshall Records.

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