ALBUM REVIEW: Small Town Saviours – Small Town Saviours
SMALL TOWN SAVIOURS’ self-titled debut album sets out to explore different musical styles, taking listeners on a journey through several genres. While the band can be broadly labelled as rock ‘n’ roll, they can perform in multiple different styles, and with the release of their debut, SMALL TOWN SAVIOURS will try to demonstrate everything they can do in the form of an upbeat and powerful rock album.
Opening the album is No Rats, No Snakes, No Second Takes, a very big, glam-rock inspired song with powerful metal style guitars and relentless vocals. With a memorable chorus and fun lyrics, the tone is set, and it’s clear this album will be nothing short of intense. Next is E.N.E.M.Y, which has a similar sound and the same dramatic guitars, but with really interesting lyrics. Many of the tracks have a fun, light-hearted feel to them, and although SMALL TOWN SAVIOURS are a UK-based band, they seem to have that American rock style down.
Continuing the upbeat positivity is Ride It Out, but where the lyrics can sometimes seem a bit generic, the imagery here is unique. Something undeniable about this album is that the vocalist Lance Skybaby has an extremely strong and versatile voice, fitting the classic rock sound well but adding the occasional growl and scream, making the pre-chorus on Boy Who Cried Wolf really stand out. Another real highlight is Drama Queens, despite its slightly cheesy title and chorus, and the lyrics in the verses bring a rare brutal honesty to the album.
While many of the songs do follow the same style, there are some exceptions, and London Ain’t Calling is one. More on the punk side, with many references to older punk bands, it certainly proves SMALL TOWN SAVIOURS can adapt their sound. It really stands out as one of the better songs, although that might be a biased perspective coming from a punk fan; the imagery showcases their lyrical talent, and the vocals adapt to sound less extravagant and more controlled.
Following a similar style is It’s All Going To Hell, a track with a cool bassline and shouting vocals which bring a more political edge to the album. Wild West (Berkshire), despite its incredible title, is a little more like marmite, but fans of the country genre will probably really enjoy it, and it does show off the band’s variation. Ending with Moving On, they introduce one last difference in their sound in the form of a GREEN DAY/FOO FIGHTERS influenced anthem. It’s easily one of the best songs on the record, and one that ends the album on a high note.
SMALL TOWN SAVIOURS have definitely proved they can do variation, and do it well, with some of the songs really standing out. While the album as a whole might not appeal to everyone, there is definitely something in there for everybody, and at the risk of sounding biased, this could definitely be a band to watch out for if they leaned further into their punk sound.
Rating: 7/10
Small Town Saviours is out now via self-release.
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