German rockers The New Roses are set to release their fifth studio album tomorrow. Three years removed from their previous release, this marks the longest gap the band have had between albums. Having been a huge fan of this band from nearly their beginning, I’m super excited to listen to this. Let’s get into it!
Opening on the most recent single, ‘My Kinda Crazy’, the album gets off to a fun, upbeat start. The sleazy riff gives way to even sleazier vocals, the very embodiment of the 80s rock sound and lifestyle the band so very well encapsulate. It all builds into a HUGE, open, infectiously catchy chorus. The band’s songwriti8ng isn’t just built for arenas, it’s built for stadiums. We also get an awesome guitar solo from the latest edition to the band, Dizzy Daniels, showing off his impressive talent for the first time on track. The song has been on the playlist since it’s release, and rightfully so. It’s an awesome track and a great way to start the album!
‘Playing with Fire’ opens up straight into vocals and an awesome blues rock riff. The harmonies here are on point, and make even the verses catchy, never mind the also massive chorus. The lyrics are a little deeper and interesting while still being in keeping with the good-time and party theme of the album. It’s another good, fun track filled with some good vocals and playing. Also, that stripped back bit just before the last chorus with just Timmy’s vocals and the guitar sounded awesome and will go down a storm live with sone crowd interaction.
‘All I Ever Needed’ slows up the pace a little, giving us more of a ballad. It gives me massive Bon Jovi vibes. The acoustic guitar adds a lot to the sound, making it all sound even more epic. It goes without saying already that the chorus is catchy and stadium-filling, it being a standard of their sound from the start. This is a good, fun anthem and a fantastic love song. It’s also a credit to the band that this sort of track first so well this early in the album.
The albums lead single is up next. If you are at all familiar with the band, ‘Usual Suspects’ is everything you’d be expecting from a New Roses track. Big bluesy riffs, solid and bouncy rhythm and some upbeat, catchy vocals. I’ve been praising it for weeks now, ever since it came out and got firmly planted in my brain so that I have the chorus on repeat every other day, even without listening to it. It’s on multiple playlists of ours, also making it as our track of the week on Instagram and Spotify. If you haven’t checked this out yet I urge you to, you won’t be disappointed!
‘Warpaint’ channels similar feeling to the rest of the tracks so far. The energy is high, as is the tempo, and the second half of each verse where the lead comes in behind the vocals is great. Also, the lyrics were good fun, getting a little chuckle out of me. However, outside of those elements it didn’t stand out massively. The same can be said for ‘Sweet Gloria’, ‘The Lion in You’ and even the final single, ‘1st Time for Everything’. None are bad tracks at all, simply follow the New Roses formula to a T. They’re upbeat, fun and catchy, and some of the best choruses you’ll hear all year. I simply didn’t want to write that out another four times over when I could do it all at once!
Strangely ‘Dead Of Night’ follows a similar formula, but also feels pretty different to the previous tracks mentioned. It feels slightly darker and heavier, comparable more to Phil Campbell or Dead Daisies. Plus, the chorus is my favourite on the album, it feels so grand and epic, infectiously catchy. Plus, the southern rock riff is also awesome. I cannot gush enough about this track, I love it. Playlisted!
Then we have the final two slower tracks on the album. ‘True Love’ is a beautiful acoustic track, just Timmy’s vocals and acoustic guitaring guitar for the most part. The electric guitar, strings and harmonised vocals added so much to the track too, turning something so simple into something massive. I loved this a lot. Timmy’s voice sounded better than ever too, being a real highlight. Then there’s the closing track, ‘Veins of this Town’. It’s another good ballad, though it doesn’t quite live up to the other two on the album. Still, it’s a fantastic way to close out an album!
Overall: I now I’d love this, and this lived up to every single one of my expectations. Every track was amazing and they proved once again why they are my favourite (and one of the most underrated) bands out there today. I cannot recommend this band enough and hope this is the album to push them to the top of the rock world, like they so truly deserve. Go tcheck this out, no matter what you are doing. You need this in your life!
The Score: 9.5/10