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With Skid Row on temporary hold while they seek a new vocalist, the time is perfect for co-founder, bassist, and songwriter Rachel Bolan to release his debut solo album, ‘Gargoyle Of The Garden State’, under the name BOLAN.
For those who prefer Perry to Tyler, Sambora to JBJ, Ace to either Gene or Paul, and Duff to Axl or Slash, Rachel Bolan, rather than Sebastian Bach, was always the go-to guy in Skid Row. Bolan was the one that you wanted to go for a beer with. The punk motherfucker you wanted by your side when shit went South. Plus, I mean, c’mon, his last name is a tip of the hat to the coolest cat ever – Marc Bolan.
With his love of punky rock n’ roll well documented, a Rachel Bolan solo album was not going to be anything other than a punk-fest, and anyone expecting Skid Row rehashes, or chilled acoustic singer-songwriter guff, then look away now as ‘Gargoyle Of The Garden State’ is an absolute riot. A five-alarm fire from New Jersey that really needs to be played loud. LOUDER!
Even with a smattering of guest musicians, the star of the show is Bolan. Handling most of the musical parts, he has his DNA all over the album. Opener ‘Anything But You’ sets the tone with its sharp, aggressive, punk 2-3-4 chords and raw, snarling vocals from the titular BOLAN. The layered backing vocals in the background are a nice touch, and the who-oohs that land as the song roars to a climax are wholly unexpected and bring a Phil Spector-ish quality with them. Nice. ‘At War With Myself’ features a guest slot from Danko Jones on guitar and vocals, and could be an offering from The Offspring, primo early The Offspring. Great fun; it is played at pace, with hooks galore (which seems to be the plot for ‘Gargoyle Of The Garden State’).
Strangely, the first three singles from the album feature as the opening three tracks, with the catchy-as-hell ‘Memory’ being the last of the three. This might suggest that the latter stages of the album suffer in quality, but the reality is far from it. ‘Jet Black Universe’ has a bounce that is hard to resist. Fantastically snotty vocals from Bolan (hints of Alice Cooper here and there), with some sizzling fretboard work from Nuno Bettencourt. Corey Taylor is clearly having a blast on the Sex Pistols-Ramones-influenced ‘Big Stick’, which is utterly gonzo and gets more nuts the louder it gets. ‘Pretty Hell’ and ‘Walk Away’ both have a killer Hanoi Rocks vibe about them, and instantly get the listener imagining a future tour where BOLAN opens for the Finnish icon.
On the subject of Monroe, the surprise in the pack comes courtesy of a collaboration with legendary NYC guitarist Steve Conte on ‘Bridges’, which is the least frenetic of the 11 tracks to be found on the album. Michael Monroe’s right-hand man handles the lead vocals on a track that begins with a hint of a David Bowie ‘Heroes’ influence, and soon settles into a gorgeous track that could have come from Conte’s days with the acclaimed ‘Company of Wolves’ (the 1990 self-titled debut album still gets a spin every other week here at DGM Towers). The result is sublime, and the standout track on an album of many.
Live dates? Please?
Available now via earMUSIC
Review – Dave
Images – copyright earMUSIC, credit: Anabel DFlux
