Heavy Glow - The Filth and The Fury EP

Hear The Track Here

Last track out of the review blog bag this month is yet another new band to me. Heavy Glow are a three piece classic rock band from San Diego, CA who - judging by the writeups anyway - have all the right stuff. If, like me, your heart pounded that little bit faster with the words classic rock, let me throw some cold water out there. My problem with classic rock has always been the same. I lived through the 'classic' period when it was just known as rock music (that's ALL of it) and - to be honest - the endless regurgitation's haven't been pretty. To be sure I have come across some bands who can rightly claim to sound 'classic' - which is as much about arrangement as sound - but they are far and few between. Having said that, another blog request this month was from Dogs and Bones, an excellent LA based rock band of the old skool so maybe there is hope for American rock yet eh? ;) (Ed: Dude! you can't say that)

One of the hardest things to do with rock is to play in a trio, simply because there is a LOT of space to fill with very little. Each musician has to be at the very top of his game to really punch through. The very best of them, say Cream in their heyday, step out of a 'trio' sound and become something else entirely. Hard to see where the joins are, if you see what I mean. Funnily enough, Heavy Glow also mention another of my trio idols; Blue Cheer who were a great influence on this reviewer. So, it's obvious that I entered the actual review process with high hopes. Funny, on their Myspace they say that the EP has six tracks but I only seem to have five. Mind you, five of these tough little buggers are going to be more than enough for a massive nostalgia binge. The echoes from these tracks has had me trawling through the depths of time trying to find things these tracks reminded me of.

OK, so as we were discussing, classic rock music either is, or it isn't and The Filth and The Fury absolutely reeks of weed; right-on (maaan) stoner music for the masses. Who needs people to stomp your brains out when the music can do it soooo much better. As I've said before I don't consider myself an expert in any music except the music I grew up with. Now some forty years down the line, here is what it actually sounded like. Jared Mullins (gtr/vocals), Joe Brooks (bass) and Dan Kurtz (drums) do an incredible job on bringing the feel and sound back to life on every single one of the five tracks I have. Tell ya, when I heard Love Ghost (my fave), I had massive flashbacks from Hendrix, Robin Trower, and ten million more we've all forgotten. Then I went out for a bag of weed. Well, you would, wouldn't you? In all seriousness now, Heavy Glow are the real deal, as meaty as a hambone and as real as a punch in the face and any track off this EP will show just how on the money the writeups have been (for once, at least)

1969 anyone? MUST HAVE Classic rock.