How do you like them Darkness boys? No? Well British rock is taking a second bite of the cherry in the form of THE BLACK VELVETS.
Remember real rock n roll? All big hair and bigger egos, whiskey, women and front men as camp as Boy Scouts. So here we are again: the result of an over eager twitching of an A&R pen trying to make a quick fortune, and the Black Velvets endeavouring to return a tired genre to its former glory with open, honest rock. If you like it fast, fierce and infectious you could do a lot worse: complete with singing drummers, questionable headgear and the mandatory riffs aplenty, they do put on a show.
Where Hawkins and Co. were more cock than rock, the Black Velvets have no qualms about stamping their authority and doing exactly what it says on the tin. ‘Get On Your Life’ packs a foot stomping, fist pounding chorus and is one of their finer moments preventing it from wallowing in the mire of AC/DC riffs and T Rex posturing. It’s unfortunate really that they only demonstrate in flashes their ability to beat and bolt their way through songs in furious Led Zeppelin fashion, whereas others see arduous riffs and personal air guitar meet and become true to stage.
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Yet their energy - or the fact they were at least able to avoid the taboo that is contrived, feeble rock ballads - suggests sincerity. The Black Velvets drink hard, play hard and until they fall foul of rigours of the industry, British rock is all the better for them. It's heart on your sleeve stuff, simple and soulless, so be thankful we aren’t being faced with another least Bon Jovi.
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