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Seattle grunge, mixed with Californian desert rock, and a healthy dose of British steel… chuck them all in a blender, press start, and the end result is Brummie trio Crimson Star. ‘Bay View’ is their latest EP, and is pretty darn striking, for an unsigned band. Having famed producer Romesh Dodangoda on board has no doubt helped in making the EP sound so strong, but had the songs been of low quality, it would have been a case of polishing a turd. Thankfully, ‘Bay View’ is turd-free, and has this reviewer hastily checking the facts to ensure that Crimson Star are indeed ‘new’ and ‘undiscovered’. Facts checked, thanks to a nice bit of Facebook stalking, and it’s safe to move on to the music. 5 tracks that stick two fingers up at the band’s relative inexperience, taking in many twists and turns, it’s an EP that is fresh and modern sounding, but retro enough to keep Tommy Saxondale happy. For some unknown reason, trio’s make an almighty racket. Maybe they’re making up for the lack of numbers by playing that extra bit harder? Whatever the reason, ‘Bay View’ is a glorious noise, best summed up by the moody ‘Euthanise Me’, a staggering mix of beefy low-end bass and drums, needle sharp guitar licks, and tortured vocals. Throw in a cracking little swinging beat, and Crimson Star have produced something that, had they been American, Radio One would be wetting themselves over. Before we arrive at ‘Euthanise Me’ though, we spend a pleasant 10 minutes or so romping through some rather tasty guitar driven rock. Singer/guitarist James Shaw has a lovely rasping tone to his vocals, and lead single ‘The Pragmatist’ highlights this perfectly. At times Layne Staley, at times someone you are hearing for the first time. Darkness and light is a favourite cliché to use, but in Shaw’s case it’s apt. The engine room of bassist Roj Ash and drummer Ross Edginton make for quite a partnership, and they shine on the über-cool pairing of ‘La Prom’ and ‘Once’. Simple, unfussy playing that really stands out, again the end result is perfect for prime time radio. I’m totally loving the drum sound on ‘Once’. Rounding out the EP is ‘Gimme Some’, which features another stellar vocal performance from Shaw. He has that rare ability to produce a vocal that is both clean and raspy at the same time. His guitar playing is not too shabby either. Muse, Queens Of The Stone Age, and Alice In Chains are all good starting points if you are looking for a general idea of what Crimson Star sound like. Little parts of each. ‘Euthanise Me’ is alone worthy of the price of admission, but if you have a few quid spare to spend, check out Crimson Star online and pre-order the EP ready for its October release. Review: Dave Stott]]>
