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Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors first appeared on our radar when they were handpicked by Ginger Wildheart as main support on his 2016 tour. Let’s face it, if anyone know’s how to spot a massive hook then it’s surely Ginger Wildheart. Purveyor of some of the catchiest rock songs produced over the last few decades, Ginger has one of the finest ears when it comes to rock with pop overtones and killer riffs, so when he waxes lyrical about Texan Ryan Hamilton & The Traitors, it’s a no-brainer to sit up and pay attention. Ryan Hamilton has since re-visited these shores on a solo acoustic tour, and will be back later this year with the band. Before that, we have the latest album, ‘The Devil’s In The Detail’, the perfect soundtrack to the summer, should it choose to put in an appearance…. Ryan Hamilton has a warm, fuzzy persona on stage, and this transfers easily into the studio, a vivid storyteller with a wry sense of humour, best displayed on the magical ‘We Never Should Have Moved To LA’. Hamilton falls into the Tom Petty/Ryan Adams groove quite easily, but it’s the British influence that helps make him stand out. Summing it up himself by saying…”Something really cool happens when you bring my classic rock, hair metal loving British band mates, and my old school country, pop/ rock loving Texan self together. It shouldn’t come together as organically as it does, but it works and we love it”. Did I forget to mention that Ginger plays most of the lead guitar on the album? My bad. Recorded in Scotland, in a “building that’s older than America”, and with the video for ‘Heavy Heart’ filmed in Ashby and Manchester, it’s fair to say that Hamilton is a convert to these shores. With more of a rock orientated sound on the album, it’s a great mix of feel-good anthems and personal reflections. ‘Smarter’ is such a perfect example of different styles meshing, classic rock n’ roll, beginning with an ultra-catchy, bouncing groove, it takes a turn and changes it up with a country twang for a few moments, before the guitars come back in and signal that the rock has returned. The aforementioned ‘We Never Should Have Moved To LA’ is ready made for lashings of audience participation. It’s not just the chorus that begs for some drunken sing-alongs, but the “insert handclaps here” segment as the song reaches its climax. ‘Gulf Of Mexico’ is another gorgeous slice of feel good pop/rock, Hamilton’s ode to warmer climates. ‘Scottish Mud’ might sound like it would be about the direct opposite of anything warm, but it’s a tale of Hamilton returning home after a visit over the wall, “Touched down in Texas with Scottish mud on my boots…” If these songs represent the happier, feel good aspect of Hamilton’s songwriting, then ‘Cheaters Never Change’ and ‘Heavy Heart’ represent him at his most vulnerable. Again, both songs showcase the differing styles on the album. ‘Cheaters Never Change’ features a stunning country guitar sound nestling away in the background, while ‘Heavy Heart’ has all the hallmarks of a hit in the making. Kerrang Radio have gone for it big time, but as usual, mainstream radio have ignored it. The solemn, heartfelt lyrics, mixed with the simplistic, soaring vocals and gorgeous arrangements, are perfect for shaking it up on drivetime radio. I’m not holding my breath in anticipation of hearing it any time soon though. The input of female backing vocalist Chrissy Barnacle is immeasurable. Subtle throughout the album, she gets her moment to shine on the stunning ‘Don’t Say I Told You So’. Quite similar in vocal styles to Hamilton, both very clean and precise, Barnacle has a warm, velvety voice that almost seems to reassure Hamilton that everything will be okay in the end. If a vocal performance could put its arm around you and say “it’s alright” then it’s this one. ‘The Devil’s In The Detail’ is an incredible album full of different styles and genres that shake up the norm. Ginger Wildheart introduces yet another winner. Available now to download here , CD copies available soon from the official Ryan Hamilton and The Traitors website Review: Dave Stott ]]>
