Having seen Bad Touch supporting the Kentucky Headhunters earlier this
year, it doesn’t surprise me that Truth
Be Told comes hurtling out of the traps like a greyhound after its
dinner. Energy and enthusiasm are their
stock in trade. What does surprise me is
the focus and quality that burst through in the first couple of tracks, ‘One
More Night’ and ‘99%’. The sound is terrific on these openers – bright guitars bouncing off
each other, swaggering bass, and booming drums.
The overall effect has the Black Crowes written all over the back, not least
because vocalist Stevie Westwood sounds remarkably similar to Chris Robinson
for a guy from Norfolk, and on these opening tracks the sound serves him well
too. On ‘99%’ in particular he sounds
entirely at ease, his phrasing on the money in the midst of a pleasingly varied
arrangement featuring the guitars of Rob Glendinning and Daniel Seekings ringing
in harmony.
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| Bad Touch - good ol' Southern boys from Norfolk
Pic by Rob Blackham
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Truth be told, things are a bit more mixed after that. Songs like ‘Heartbreaker, Soul Shaker’ and
‘Let The Sun Shine’, feel cursory, the former a bit predictable while the
latter is at least a solid slice of boogie.
‘Outlaw’ is a more dynamic affair, with good quiet passages, but when
they put their foot down the vocals strain to come through, and the lyric is
cliched. ‘I’m an outlaw, I’m always on
the run’? C’mon guys!
They do offer variety though. ‘Waiting
For This’ downshifts into something more ponderous, more European, with shades
of Zep and Michael Schenker in the jagged riff, rounded off with an excellent, adventurous
solo from Glendinning. ‘Take Your Time’ ventures
back on to Southern ground, but in a semi-acoustic vein, while on ‘Made To
Break’ the guitars back off and they rely more on the rhythm and the vocal to
carry the song.
Truth Be
Told is a good, bold album, and with a bit more discipline Bad Touch could
have made it even stronger. But meantime
‘One More Night’ and ‘99%’ still represent a firecracker of an opening that’s
worth anyone’s attention.
Truth Be Told is released on 2 December. Bad Touch are touring the UK from 19 November.
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