Devil's Gate Music
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Originally founded in 2011 by Micky Moody and Neil Murray, two former members of Whitesnake from the pre-‘1987’ era, Snakecharmer play a healthy mix of hard rock and blues-based rock. Guitarist Moody has since departed and been replaced by Simon McBride who shares duties with Laurie Wisefield of Wishbone Ash fame. Add to the mix current Thunder/Magnum drummer Harry James, ex Ozzy keyboard player Adam Wakeman, and the great Chris Ousey of Heartland fame on vocals, and you have quite a prestigious line up. ‘Second Skin’ is the follow up to the self-titled debut, released in 2013, and continues where it left off. The album begins with “Sounds Like A Plan” which has a blues rock vibe and reminded me of Joanne Shaw Taylor and Whitesnake. There is a catchy melody, with seemingly effortless vocals which combine with fluid and vibrant guitars. The bass line from Neil Murray adds interest with its deep, rich sound. “That Kind Of Love” has a real 80’s power chord rock feel to me. It opens with a trademark Harry James drum sound and leads into great harmonies being created by the guitars. This is a real toe-tapping sound that had me smiling. Many of the harmonies and riffs are repeated during this track but, for me, it worked, as it drew me in and made me feel right at home. “Are You Ready To Fly” has a deep, rock vibe, that swaggers in with vibrant riffs, deep bass and thundering drums. This is a really accessible track that would do well on rock radio as it will appeal to many. It is one of those tracks that you can instantly hear being played live and going down an absolute storm. The searing riffs in the last third are worthy of any classic rock album. “Follow Me Under” continues in a similar vein, with a slight power ballad feel, the keys adding an additional layer of texture. This is sure to be a crowd pleaser too, the chorus is so catchy that it had me singing along after a couple of plays. “I’ll Take You As You Are” uses an acoustic guitar to emphasise this bluesy rock track that builds up into the chorus, where things really wind up a notch or two. The singing riffs help this to happen, whereas during the verses they have a more ethereal tone. However, in the second half, they shimmer with a power that lifts the whole track. The bass and drums kick off “Hell Of A Way To Live” adding a fuzzy, heavy atmosphere. The inspired riffs which scream and sneer throughout are a joy. This is a full-on rock track with a nod to the blues, and is another delight on this album. “Fade Away” is a ballad with smoky riffs, that wind around the drumming and vocals, adding texture and a richness to the overall feel of the track. These are accomplished and add a real beauty. “Dress It Up” is back to full rock, with its huge chorus and really catchy tune. It gets your toes tapping and head nodding, enhanced by the use of keys and cowbell to make this into another classic-feeling track. The initial feel is a bit like Free with its use of space to draw you in, however, once the vocals start, the sound is full on Snakecharmer. Another acoustic guitar starts “Punching Above My Weight” which has a light feeling until the flamboyant riffs shine through. Back to the blues for “Forgive & Forget” which uses space to highlight the quality of the workmanship on offer throughout this album. This track is groove laden, fluid and spacey. The hazy bass and keys bringing an hallucinogenic quality as this track shimmers and shines. “Where Do We Go From Here” is another slower track, bringing all of the elements of the former tracks together. It has blues and rock influences and has a slightly mournful quality with the repeated “where do we go from here, where is this going to lead us”. However, the second half of the track is back to rock influences as it builds powerfully to the end. This album is full of tracks that would not have been out of place back in the days when rock was played on commercial radio and big hair ruled. It is extremely accessible and will appeal to everyone. Anyone who still cranks up their radio to Whitesnake, Bon Jovi, Foreigner etc will be hooked as this is equally as catchy. It is also extremely well crafted, making it a winner in my book. Available now through Frontiers Music For more information on Snakecharmer, head over to their Facebook Review: Samantha Lamb ]]>
