Devil's Gate Music
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“Rock/Blues with a Punk twist”. Quite an apt description that one. Dipster Dean covers bass duties with Eddie & The Hot Rods, he reprises that role with Headline Maniac, as well as taking lead vocals. Continuing The Hot Rods connection are drummer Simon Bowley and guitarist Chris Taylor. Completing the line-up is the chap behind the keys, Jack Hobbs. Introductions over with, what can you expect from ‘The Chronicles Of Dr Leddfoot’? ‘The Chronicles Of Dr Leddfoot’ features twelve tracks of catchy, high energy rock ‘n’ roll. Opening track ‘Save Me’ begins with a strong, buzzsaw guitar sound, which sets the tone for what follows over the length of the album. At heart, it’s a guitar album, with heaps of surprises. ‘Save Me’ hints at an outside influence from Norn Iron upstarts Therapy?, mainly through the killer guitar tones. But then Headline Maniac throw some fuzz into the mix and that comparison doesn’t seem so obvious. Then the slower, more melodic guitar fills kick in, and the comparison makes no sense at all. ‘Bad Luck Inc’ is welcomed into the world with a steady increase in sound, before the thick organ sound gives it a real atmospheric edge. The vibe throughout the four minutes might be a simple one, but it is ridiculously infectious. As are the vocals on ‘Not The One You Want’, more of an alternative feel to this one, and when the keyboards kick in, the track comes to life. With its funky effects laden groove, ‘Paradise’ is the standout track on the album. A fantastic mix of blues harmonica with what could be a classic Deep Purple-meets-John Paul Jones jam going on in the background, add a Peter Gunn-style pulsating throb, and you have a rather mysterious track. How do Headline Maniac follow that one up? With the full pelt ‘Where Did I Go Wrong’ then the barroom honky-tonk of ‘Out Of My Head, that’s how. Just as you think that you have Headline Maniac sussed, they drop the magical pair of ‘Outer Space’ and ‘Won’t Forget You’ into the mix. The former a soaring slice of anthemic rock, the latter a skull-rattling piece of music that really does need to be cranked up. Keep the volume dial pointed skywards for ‘Looking For Love’, especially when the killer guitar solo arrives. Worthy of anyone’s attention, ‘The Chronicles Of Dr Leddfoot’ is due for release July 2019, more information on how to pre-order can be found here. Review – Dave ]]>
