Dead Mans Handle
I absolutely love discovering new music, especially when it is quite by accident. I came across Chasin’ The Train just like that – I had been driving for hours to get to the Call of the Wild festival last year, the traffic had been a nightmare, it took me longer than I care to remember to get to the festival, by the time I arrived, I was knackered. As I got out of the car, I heard this really cool blues harp playing in the background and I knew I just had to investigate. Even before signing in, I had to see who was playing that sweet music. And behold, it was Chasin’ the Train! (Check out my COTW interview here)
Fast forward twelve months and Chasin’ the Train are releasing their debut album, ‘Dead Man’s Handle’. With ‘Howlin’ Bob’ Clements on blues harp and backing vocals, Tom Cuddihy on lead vocals and acoustic guitars, Peter Jamieson on bass guitars, keyboards and backing vocals, Jason ‘Moon Drummer’ Little on drums and percussion, and Rory Nelson on guitars and backing vocals. What an album this is.
Opening with ‘Beat up Ford’, this is a real belter. Beginning with the crunchy sound effect of an engine roaring into life, then comes the Chuck Berry infused guitar. With this intro, this could be straight out of 50’s America. This song is real American road trip music! Howling Bob’s blues harp kicking in, almost dancing with the guitar as they solo. This is high energy rock and roll. The guitar though, whilst sticking with the blues solo format, feels modern and edgy and brings this classic sounding song right into the present day. I love it! This song is guaranteed to get your foot tapping and your head bobbing and this is only the first song – as album openers go, this certainly packs a punch.
FWPB is up next, opening with a really cool Santana inspired guitar solo that Howlin Bob replicates on the blues harp, this is song about the absurdity of first world problems! Shops not having the right products when you go in, your phone battery dying, this is an anthem for this generation! I wonder if there’ll be a Coronavirus verse added, about the shortage of loo rolls… I love the solo in the middle, again the guitar and harp dancing with each other throughout.
Next up is Temporary Man, opening with that nostalgic crackle that you get on a vinyl and then the slide guitar comes in. Wow. That slide is amazing. This feels cool, laid back and chilled and it is for the first fifteen seconds until the crash of a drum fill comes in and everything speeds up. Jason ‘Moon Drummer’ Little, living up to his namesake of Keith Moon, hammering those drums just as hard! The rhythm section is out of the world, Peter Jamieson and ‘Moon’ working so closely together to keep that engine rolling! The slide guitar is back, but now its electric and boy does it sound great! In fact, this song is one of my favourites on the album, the whole band are on fire and vocalist Tom just oozes cool as he sings. What a great voice!
The album continues, I particularly enjoyed ‘Whiskey Bottle’, talking about the perils of drinking alone. The crunchy guitar sounds great and again, that blues harp is magnificent. Too much sugar is another great track, beginning with a real classic blues bass riff. I really enjoyed it, again, like the first track, I could imagine myself in 1950’s America listening to this!
Possibly it’s the most bluesy track on the album, Exit Wounds’ really sings. This is straight up blues, it’s a million miles away from the raucous blues rock of the rest of the album. My God does it sing! I absolutely love it, its stripped back and raw and I cant get enough! And what a guitar solo too, amazing!
The digital album comes to a close with Don’t you Lie to Me. What a way to finish the album. It’s a future blues rock classic, believe me. The song is a five minute epic, I’d say the rockiest song on the album, it could quite easily rub shoulders with a Bruce Springsteen track or Neil Young epic! Yes, that good! For people that buy the physical album and mine is on its way, there are two bonus tracks – an acoustic version of Down Home and Holy Isle Morning and believe me, this is an album you want to buy and hold in your hands!
What an incredible album. Chasin’ the Train have done something that a lot of bands struggle to do. They have bridged the gap between blues and rock. Are they a great blues band that rock a little, or are they a great rock band that play the blues? No, they are all of the above. They are a fantastic blend of the two! You have to see them live, they are explosive on stage and this album is a must to add to your record collection. Believe me, you won’t be disappointed!
Released By: Chasin’ The Train (Self Release)
Release Date: 3rd April 2020
