TORA TORA – Bastards Of Beale [Japanese Edition +1] (2019)

Past year cult Memphis hard rockers TORA TORA were approached by Frontiers Music about recording a proper new studio album and they enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity. The resulting LP, “Bastards Of Beale” released today in Europe, while this Japan Edition plus a bonus track appeared a couple of weeks ago.

Tora Tora released two stupendous traditional hard rock records between the late ’80s and the beginning of the Nineties. Always a far cry from their more glammy mainstream peers and more spiritually connected to blue collar hard rock, for “Bastards Of Beale” the band’s return picks up where they left off, while not sounding even the slightest bit dated.
The new album brings back the magic of the band’s blues-rooted hard rock sound that gained them a loyal following upon their debut in the late ’80s.

Opener “Sons Of Zebedee” put things clear; Tora Tora rocking machine is intact, oiled, and with a slightly ‘classic rock’ feel, especially in the production sound.
“Giants Fall” is typical of both their work of the past and this record more specifically, because it grooves, it is basically blues rock and it has a hook and a chorus that many of their peers never did.
Looking back on those early records, actually, they were ahead of their time, because Tora Tora were racing somewhere different from the glam rockers.
Now everyone is adding a bit of blues or ‘classic rock elements’ to the mix.

The fact that all four original members are here doesn’t half help too. There is just a chemistry in the swagger of “Everbrite” Anthony Corder and Keith Douglas know instinctively when to trade licks and vocals.
“Silence The Sirens” is one of the album highlights, injecting some real urgency. There’s some grit in the engine room of drummer John Patterson and a chug in the bass of Patrick Francis, while “Son Of A Prodigal Son” has a bit of a country flavor, American acoustic rock in fact, as the scales and vocals are bluesy based.

“All Good Things” is essentially a party hard bluesy rockin’ tunes, then “Rose Of Jericho” offers a little bit of a homage to rock n’ roll itself. Almost as if they know they are standing on the shoulders of giants here. There’s even a line at the bridge that says “rock n roll ain’t dead yet…”
As if to prove that, the title track rocks like, well, a bastard frankly. The band takes its name from a Van Halen song and there is a bit of the carefree of Eddie’s lads here. “Jagger And Richards, Plant And Page, they were the ones that carried the flame, “ sings Corder, and he’s just the fan he always was, that much is clear.

That’s why this works. Because on “Bastards Of Beale” Tora Tora are merely playing the music they love. And dare we say would be listening to, if they weren’t playing it themselves – and not a ballad is to be seen, either.
Don’t worry about 25 years the band not releasing a new studio album. Don’t question what might have been. Just be grateful Tora Tora are back, the glorious bastards.
HIGHLY Recommended

01. Sons Of Zebedee
02. Giants Fall
03. Everbright
04. Silence The Sirens
05. Son Of A Prodigal Son
06. Lights Up The River
07. Let Us Be One
08. All Good Things
09. Rose Of Jericho
10. Vertigo
11. Bastards Of Beale
12. Vertigo (Acoustic) (Japan Bonus Track)

Anthony Corder – Vocals / Acoustic Guitars
Keith Douglas – Lead & Rhythm Guitars / Acoustic Guitars
Patrick Francis – Bass
John Patterson – Drums / Percussion

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www.cdjapan.co.jp/product/MICP-11463
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