Want to end your 2016 with an absolutely rocking album--maybe the best one of the year? Then listen to Mrs. W and run, don't walk, to pick up Glenn Hughes' latest release, Resonate.
This album is timeless. It's solid. It's intense and real. It's true rock 'n roll. It will rip your heart out and make you bang your head. This is what happens when a group of amazingly talented rockers get together and throw away the rule book.
The appropriately titled "Heavy" hits you hard right out of the gate. My rock 'n roll dreams are made of that riff. Hughes spits out the verse and wails over the chorus like the rock god he is. Listen to this song once, it will be in your head for a week. You're welcome:
You'll find kick ass guitar rocking all through Resonate. "Flow" is sludgy and metal as hell. "Let it Shine," "Steady," and "God of Money" also boast riffage that would not sound out of place on Active Rock radio.
But what makes Resonate infinitely more satisfying than anything you'd hear on rock radio--Soul and groove that only bassist/singer/King Badass Hughes can bring.
Hughes' voice is the heartbeat of this album. He feels every single word he sings...and if you don't feel it too, you have a damn heart of stone in your chest. Hughes doesn't even phone in an "it" or a "the." Get this--the band recorded Resonate live--so the guy is just that freaking good.
"How Long" is a standout. Hughes absolutely slays on this song--turning in some growling, beautiful screams at the end. "Landmines" is pure blues, dance-like-James-Brown goodness.The driving and thoughtful "Stumble and Go" is another one of my favorites.
Resonate's lyrics focus on perseverance, faith, and the idea that money can only take you so far. Hughes chooses his words carefully. If you just read the lyrics cold, they may not fall on the ear quite right, but each phrase weaves into the guitar and the groove perfectly.
If music doesn't take you on a sonic journey, if it doesn't have variety--it's boring. "Long Time Gone" is a great example of why Resonate is so killer. This album seems effortless yet painstakingly crafted at the same time. Hughes wrote and produced it, and the musicians who join him are more than up for the challenge of bringing his songs to life. The world needs more music like this:
I hope this inspires you to check out Resonate. Listen to it front to back. Then do it again.
Hughes has an insane catalog of work that I'm digging though right now. I've only scratched the surface. If you like Resonate, check out 2005's Soul Mover. He has also done some work with Black Sabbath's Tony Iommi that I am looking forward to diving into.
May your day be filled with Love & Rock 'n Roll,
--Mrs. W.
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