BAD TOUCH – Half Way Home (2015)

Norfolk UK rockers BAD TOUCH may be a new name for some, but these guys have already opened The Answer’s last tour shows, and now are presenting their debut “Half Way Home“.
Formed as youngsters, some in high school, others in college five years ago, the band has a sound akin to classic Brit hard rock and American southern hard rock, mixed with some blues and a whole lot of dirt road grit.

“Half Way Home” is an album which leans confidently on the classic rock of Zeppelin and Bad Company, however it also possesses the solidity and grit that UK bands often lack when trying to convince in this style. Singer Stevie meshes Nev MacDonald (Skin) to Ronnie Van Zandt to offer up an authentic, powerful performance which never falls into pastiche or hero worship.
Instead this is a frontman confident enough to sound like himself, while being fully aware of what it takes to thrive in his band’s chosen genre.

He isn’t alone, guitar pair Rob G and Seeks a mix of hip thrusting riffs and blues drippin’ solos on the awesomely ridiculously “Good On Me (Jeans Song)”, thumpingly bombastic “Motherload”, which sounds like they’ve hijacked the riffs of a certain Mr. Page and ain’t giving them back, and glorious chant along “Wise Water”, which adds a strut and pout to proceedings.

The rhythm section of Bailey (rightly credited as “lead bass” in the notes – this boy can play) and George (he’s credited as drums, percussion, backing vocals and keyboards – phew!) are immense throughout, grooves built to gargantuan proportions time and again, without ever forgetting to take the rest of the band with them.
However “Half Way Home” isn’t just a full-on-a-thon, oh no, for the title track starts off swaying on its rocking chair on the porch before settling into a muscular mid-paced throb, while “Something Someone” and “No Excuse” surprise by proving this young act have the poise to convince while tugging the heartstrings.
Put simply Bad Touch has everything needed to succeed.

Impressively the standard never drops across an album that at under forty minutes could be seen as short, but simply begs for you to hit the play button a second time; “Half Way Home” hitting the mark on each and every one of its eleven tracks.
There’s a real sense that the UK Rock scene is finally waking from its slumbers and offering up a host of young bands with the smarts and the songs to gain notice across the globe. Bad Touch deserve to be at the forefront of that scene, with “Half Way Home” primed and ready to take you all the way.
If you listen to Gene Simmons declaring rock ‘n roll is dead, all you need is a band like Bad Touch to refute that.
VERY Recommended.

01 – Wise Water
02 – Waste My Time
03 – New Day
04 – Half Way Home
05 – Motherload
06 – Preacher
07 – Something Someone
08 – Sweet Little Secret
09 – No Excuse
10 – Good On Me (Jeans Song)
11 – Words I Never Said

Stevie – Vocals
Rob.G – Lead Guitar
Seeks – Guitar, backing vocals
Bailey – Bass, backing vocals
George – Drums, percussion, keyboards, backing vocals

BUY
www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/store