PILEDRIVER – Brothers In Boogie (2016)

Germans PILEDRIVER are known for being the ‘finest Status Quo tribute band’, in fact their name is the title of one album from the famous band, but their new album “Brothers In Boogie” contains original material, and as you suppose, it’s a classic rock affair and a very well done for sure.

While Piledriver‘s “Brothers In Boogie” offers a whopping 13 tracks and two additional bonus tracks which are alternate versions of two of the best songs on the album, I can honestly say that every track is a good one on this release.
All short, effective rockers, and all definitely have that old school groove yet sound really crisp and clean.
A lot of credit likely has to go to producer Stefan Kaufmann who most will know for being the drummer on most of Accept‘s earlier albums and later played guitar in U.D.O. for over 15 years.

Despite their origins as Status Quo tribute band Piledriver’s sound & style is more organic, guitar driven. More rocking I’d said. All are really good performers, plus quality, finesse, brilliant songwriting and moderate paced classic rock are all on hand making the songs very easy to enjoy.
The guitar playing and arrangements are stupendous. Most of the songs are written by guitarist and singer Michael Sommerhoff with lead guitarist Peter Wagner chipping in here and there, all adorned by classy keyboards and a steady rhythm section.

It is difficult to choose which are my favorite songs on “Brothers In Boogie” because every one of them is a good one. There is however one song which always stands out whenever I listen to the album and it’s the record closer “Last Words” which clocks in at over eight minutes. You also get the very condensed version as a bonus track and which is less than half in length.
The feel and atmosphere of “Last Words” reminds me a lot of the overall feel on Petra‘s Double Take. There’s something magical about “Last Words” and it’s obviously a special song for Sommerhoff who dedicated the track to the memory of his deceased father.

If I have to choose a few more highlights, I’d name single “Rock In A Crossfire-Hurricane,” the peppy “Together” and the harmony laden “Natural Born Rockers.”
Not surprisingly, there are two Status Quo covers consisting of “Don’t Think It Matters” and “Drifting Away.” While both songs fit in well with the rest of the tracks on the album and are quite enjoyable, I find them totally unnecessary given that Piledriver can more than hold their own writing their own songs and don’t need to be covering anyone’s based on the quality of their own penned tracks.

Listening to “Brothers In Boogie” you have the feeling that Piledriver had been around for a while given how tight the band sounds, and together with the great songwriting and crisp production make this album a very delectable slice of Classic Rock played with true emotion.
Very well done folks.

01 – One Way to Rock
02 – Together
03 – Rock in a Crossfire Hurricane
04 – Good Times
05 – Natural Born Rockers
06 – Fat Rat Boogie
07 – Mountain
08 – Frantic Groove
09 – Don’t Think It Matters
10 – Drifting Away
11 – Queen Obscene
12 – Lollipop Lolita
13 – Last Words
14 – Rock in a Crossfire Hurricane (Single Version)
15 – Last Words (Single Version)

Michael Sommerhoff – lead and harmony vocals, guitars
Peter Wagner – guitars, lead and harmony vocals
Rudi Peeters – keyboards, harmony vocals
Marc Herrmann – bass
Hans in ‘t Zandt – drums, harmony vocals

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www.grooves-inc.com/piledriver-brothers-boogie-rockwall-cd-pZZa1-2097560371.html
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