STOLEN RHODES – Bend With The Wind (2016)
“Bend With The Wind” is the new album from Philadelphia, US rockers STOLEN RHODES. With more than 250 shows per year plus festivals, they opened for iconic artists such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Drivin’ N Cryin’ and Molly Hatchet, and are ready to tour all over Europe where, guess it, they are more popular than in their homeland.
Most bands have an amusing anecdote to tell whenever someone asks them about their name. In the case of Philadelphia quartet Stolen Rhodes, they have two.
“We had a Rhodes keyboard that was stolen from our singer earlier in his music career,” explains Kevin Cunningham, the band’s lead guitarist. And the other story? “The band may have commandeered a Rhodes at some point from an undisclosed location,” he sheepishly admits.
But despite the band’s sound include a strong keyboard presence, Stolen Rhodes is basically guitar driven, polished classic rock.
Stolen Rhodes’ songs easily could have existed in the late Seventies; there are lots of stadium infectious melodies, rousing choruses and juicy guitar solos. Obvious influences include Bad Company and the Allman Brothers, but also some The Answer and a pinch of Blackfoot’s groove.
In January 2016, Stolen Rhodes returned to the studio to record this “Bend With The Wind”. Tracked at Dylanava Studios outside of Philadelphia with the assistance of producer David Ivory (Halestorm, Silvertide) and mastered by legendary Ted Jensen (The Eagles, Foreigner, Ratt), the album includes several songs the group has road tested over the years, with a few that were written right in the studio.
While Stolen Rhodes’ songs wear their old-school influences proudly, the band is definitely not a nostalgia act. The group – and the updated production – manages to sound modern and fresh, the result of its seasoned musicianship.
The up-tempo melodic trio of ‘Sunshine Prophet,’ ‘Nowhere Fast’ and ‘Good Time Charlie’ (with some early The Answer on it) provide the band’s more rocking material, while things slow down with the mellow ‘Devil from Above’, the sweet acoustically filled ‘Save Me’ or the bluesy ‘Get on Board’.
‘Rosalita (Come out Tonight)’ has a fun groove and vibe that wraps the bands attitude into a cool rocker including vintage keys and sax that demonstrates another facet of the band’s ability & diversity, and keeps them from being pigeonholed to any one genre.
Very polished and organic, Stolen Rodes’ “Bend With The Wind” is another proof Classic Rock isn’t dead in America. This young band blends several influences resulting in an assorted collection of songs very well arranged, played and produced.
Really enjoyable
01 – Sunshine Prophet
02 – Good Time Charlie
03 – Devil from Above
04 – Preacherman
05 – Save Me
06 – Nowhere Fast
07 – Get on Board
08 – Makin’ Money
09 – So Long
10 – Rosalita (Come out Tonight)
Kevin Cunningham (guitar)
Jack Zaferes (bass)
Matt Pillion (vocals, guitar, keys, saxophone)
Chris James (drums)
BUY IT !
www.justforkicks.de/detail.asp?id=22633
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