Lost Dawn - Last Dawn (Easy Action Records)
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| Lost Dawn - Lost Dawn |
Release Date: Out Now
When I started this blog back in
2012 there were two intentions: one was to write about any and every piece of
music that came my way and the other was to shine some focus on the talent that
lies in the nooks and crannies of South West of England, an area often ignored
by the mainstream music world. With Falmouth trio Lost Dawn I am able to
satisfy both of those intentions with glee so settle in and let's go for a
journey that starts in a fishing town in the depths of Cornwall that is a
melting pot for an artistic community.
This debut album opens with 'Song
For Robert' and it's a strong start. Louis XIV swagger mixed with the tongue
curling attitude of T-Rex comes swirling out of the speakers through distorted
guitars and some seriously flared trousers. 'Breaking Bad' is more of a desert
morning garage rock piece with chugging guitars giving way to a slinky little
riff and the strained vocals of the wonderfully named Stanley Duke. On the glorious
'Wasting My Time' the snake-hipped style of the trio starts to shine through
and, despite the rough production quality, the song writing starts to really
hit its stride. By the time we reach 'Talk About It', Lost Dawn have hit peak
freak out with a Hunter S Thompson flavour running through the jangly, Gomez
guitars and shuffling rhythms. 'Count On Me' is an absolute delight with a sea
of cymbals crashing on the rocks of a circular guitar riff leaving you no
choice but to get yourself shipwrecked along with the rest of us, tempted by
the siren song of the chorus.
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| Lost Dawn - Are you ready? |
What I love so dearly about Lost
Dawn is that they are serious about their rock'n'roll but equally serious about
having fun with it which is so sorely lacking in most bands these days. Even on
the lackadaisical 'Darkest Night', you can feel the hours of jamming and
rehearsal in dark, grotty rooms come shining through like a light on the
horizon. 'The Fall' is far more groove based and the choppy guitars and rolling
bass evoke images of hazy clubs in LA frequented by men in huge fur coats and
women in, well, not very much at all. And this album just keeps on giving in
terms of freshness and creativity as the tabla rhythms and chug of 'Manchild'
are met with the semi-coherent mutterings of Duke channelling Bolan like a
trooper.
The hypnotically tribal drumming
of Benjamin Woods opens 'Four' and Duke is soon at it again, singing down a
tube of stoned hysteria like Syd Barrett
jamming with Black Sabbath. As the album approaches its tantric climax,
'Colussus' strides in to view with a couple of bottles of champagne and some
much stronger substances secreted about its person. And then there's 'Kennedy'.
An album of this magnitude needs to finish on an epic tune and the ten minute
closer is everything you could possible want in an album closer. Think Arcade
Fire, the Flaming Lips, Sgt Pepper era Beatles and Elbow all rolled in to a
slow burning, sitar infused tune that essentially encapsulates the breaking of
day when you've been up all night creating, writing, imagining and generally
getting the most out of life. Lost Dawn draw from the past, sure, but what they
do with those influences and reference points is so utterly clean, pure and
refreshing that it really doesn't matter. I'm pinning this to the mast right
now, this is my album of the year so far. There, I said it.
More information: https://www.facebook.com/lostdawnrock?fref=ts
Live Dates:
27th April - The Joker, Brighton w/Kit Wharton