ALBUM REVIEW: Death Valley Paradise – Kris Barras Band
As one of the UK’s breakout artists over the last 18 months, KRIS BARRAS BAND are looking to cement their place within the charts with their new album Death Valley Paradise. Since the release of 2018’s The Divine And Dirty, the band have played to an audience of three million on BBC Radio 2 and played shows with the likes of BON JOVI and BLACK STONE CHERRY in the last year alone. This must be a dream come true for lead singer and guitarist Kris Barras, who has been playing and performing since the age of five.
Though he may be the namesake, Barras is not the only member of KRIS BARRAS BAND. Josiah J. Manning takes the helm on guitar, keeping songs driving forward along with the help of bassist Kelpie Mckenzie. The group is finalised by the addition of powerhouse drummer Billy Hammett, who enhances the music with consistent, machine-like drumming.
This album should not disappoint some of Barras’ more loyal fans who are more familiar with his work as a blues artist. If this is how you would classify yourself, then tracks like Long Gone and Cigarettes And Gasoline are sure to appeal to you. They encapsulate the features of a modern bluesy song and most of the band’s earlier music; fuzzy guitar, stomping and clapping, and Barras’ dulcet tones.
There is also plenty of music for newer fans of Barras to enjoy. A standout track from this category is the album opener Dead Horses. This track is up there with the best of them on Death Valley Paradise and incorporates each of the band members’ strengths to create what may be a masterclass in modern rock. It gives us very little time to ease ourselves into this album and instead throws us in headfirst. Barras’ raspy voice may lead us through the track, but the real showcase is in the extremely impressive guitar solo that should leave fans of more ‘classic’ bands happy. It truly is the perfect start to the album and sets the tone for the next ten tracks perfectly.
Near the halfway point of the album is another standout track: latest single Who Needs Enemies. Using more modern elements like background synths, this is definitely one for the younger fans. The chorus alone is extremely powerful, utilising vocal harmonies to create something that many will want to shout out loud – no doubt this will be the case throughout venues at the band’s headline tour this month with FLORENCE BLACK. Another case in which Barras decides to rip a ridiculous guitar solo from thin air, this song truly has something for each of the band’s fans with both classic and modern rock elements – an impressive mixture that’s usually tricky to nail.
Though they may have only recently come into more mainstream success, KRIS BARRAS BAND have displayed that their efforts are not in vain with this latest release, creating something that is equally as impressive as their previous discography. Death Valley Paradise has well and truly showed us that this band aren’t just the new flavour of the month, but that they are in fact here to stay.
Rating: 9/10
Death Valley Paradise is out now via Mascot Records/Mascot Label Group.
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