ALBUM REVIEW: Light ‘Em Up – The Dead Daisies
Australian-American rock band THE DEAD DAISIES have gone from strength to strength since the release of their self-titled album in 2013. They’ve shared stages with the likes of GUNS N’ ROSES, AEROSMITH and DEF LEPPARD, and have also gone out on several successful headline tours, building a dedicated fanbase with six studio albums, one live cover album, and a ‘Best Of‘ album. Now they return with their seventh full-length Light ‘Em Up.
The ten-track album starts off with a bang, with the rough, raw and gritty title track sounding like it stepped straight out of the 1970s, which makes sense as the band are known for taking influences from that era. Although the lyrics get a little repetitive by the end, it’s a great start to the album. Next track Times Are Changing is a fast-paced rock song whereas I Wanna Be Your Bitch continues with the same kind of rawness as the opener.
Although all the tracks on the album sound like old school rock songs, they are different enough from one another to ensure that they don’t all bleed into one long-running song. For example, I’m Gonna Ride has a country rock sound, whereas Way Back Home is a fast-paced hard rock song. Most of the tracks are fast-paced and guitar-driven, with a few exceptions like Take A Long Line, which is a bass-heavy song.
The majority of the songs – with the exception of the last two – don’t go over the three-minute mark, but none of them sound unfinished or rushed. Even the longer songs at the end don’t ruin the pacing as they are only a couple of minutes longer than the others. Love That’ll Never Be is a slower-paced country rock song that uses the slowness to emphasise the band’s care and attention to detail, while closer Take My Soul starts off slow but picks up the pace as it goes on, bringing the album full circle.
Overall, Light ‘Em Up is a brilliant addition to THE DEAD DAISIES‘ discography. It can sometimes feel like there is so much rock music out there that the genre can feel stale or uninventive. But not here. By going back to the sound that was popular in the 1970s, the band give rock music a fresh lick of paint. It fits into their established sound whilst also serving as a great introduction for newcomers. Even though this is their seventh album, THE DEAD DAISIES still sound at the top of their game, and it is clear that they haven’t run out of stamina. If you’re looking for an album that is both simplistic and brilliant, then this is the one for you.
Rating: 8/10
Light ‘Em Up is out now via The Dead Daisies PTY LTD/SPV.
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