DeepSeaGreen - DeepSeaGreen LP

Hear The Track Here

I don't know why I am so surprised whenever I come across a local (to me anyway) band. London, after all, is wall to wall bands, kinda like Soundclick in real life. The reason is because London has (still) venues where the really small bands can start out. Camden Town (an area of North London) has always been a great area for 'pub' gigs, and I deplore the commercialisation that is creeping into the area on the back of the so-called Camden Crawl to the blatantly commercialised ITunes sessions at the famed Roundhouse. IMHO, young bands just starting out NEED rough places and even rougher audiences, it definitely sorts the men from the boys, the wannabees from the notafuckinghopeinhell's. One such gig, the Bull & Gate - which DSG have played and have the video to prove it - is rough, tough and a real challenge for bands, UNLESS you know what you are about. If you know that, you bring your own audience, be prepared for the Sound From Hell PA system and rock like the proverbial son of a bitch.

Meh, anyone could do that right??

So DeepSeaGreen are comprised of brothers Jon and Dan Jefford, Marco Menestrina and Trent Halliday and what we are looking at today is their self-titled 10 track debut album. Suffice to say that DSG gambol in the musical fields I grew up in, what these days is known as classic rock and if you don't know what that is take a look at the band's influences - that should show you exactly what it should sound like. I really don't consider myself an expert in most musical areas but I do when it comes to rock, this is the music I have spent most of my life living and breathing, and I know what works and what doesn't. DSG pretty much nailed it with Plastic Lazarus (the opening track) and the rest of the album only kept hammering on that theme. Back in the 1970's I saw loads of bands starting off; Spooky Tooth, Free and Fleetwood Mac (when they were a kickass blues band) and the reason I mention these three bands is because they are the bands who DeepSeaGreen remind me of. Although the vocalist sounds much, much lighter than Paul Rodgers, the backline sounds exactly like early Free - and believe me in this genre that is a very good thing.

As regular readers will know I am a big champion of modern Classic Rock bands and I've found a few for you over the years - Avalanche being one of the most well known these days. Well, better get used to seeing a bit more of DeepSeaGreen because they have everything you need; classic sounds, classic songs and cast iron gonads to round it all out. Put it like this, most 1o track albums have a fair component of what are known as 'filler' tracks, decent enough music just not as immediate or catchy as the highlights. DeepSeaGreen deliver ten good songs, reeking with cred and authenticity which will find much favour with rock animals like me. One small note, personally I thought the band could have sounded a LOT tougher than this recording shows, and I'm sure it doesn't capture anything like the power they would have live. Mind you, second album is imminent so hopefully they will have this small problem fixed. As usual, my fingers are crossed...

Highly Recommended Classic Rock from London Taaaahn...awight mate!!