Airbourne – Runnin’ Wild
AIRBOURNE
RUNNIN’ WILD
Released 2007 (EMI), 2008 (Roadrunner)
Billboard Chart Position #106
Track List:
01. Stand Up For Rock ‘N’ Roll
02. Runnin’ Wild
03. Too Much, Too Young, Too Fast
04. Diamond In The Rough
05. Fat City
06. Blackjack
07. What’s Eatin’ You
08. Girls In Black
09. Cheap Wine & Cheaper Women
10. Heartbreaker
11. Let’s Ride (*2007 release)
11. Hellfire (*2008 release*)
Band Members:
Joel O’Keeffe – vocals and lead guitar
David Roads – guitar and backing vocals
Justin Street – bass and backing vocals
Ryan O’Keeffe – drums
Review:
“All right people! Welcome to the show!” Those are the first lyrics on the opening track “Stand Up For Rock ‘N’ Roll”. Welcome to the show indeed. Aussie rockers Airbourne are here. “Stand Up For Rock ‘N’ Roll” starts off with a musical crescendo build up that has you wondering what you are in for, but it doesn’t disappoint, it blasts straight into good old hard rock.
If you are like me and sick of waiting for a new AC/DC disc, Airbourne will fill the void you crave. They are like a modern day version of AC/DC, the band even has two brothers! Enough of the AC/DC comparisons though, this band kicks ass on their own merits. From the first track to the last, this just grabs you by the balls – if you happen to have them – and doesn’t let go. This is exactly what I wanted to hear, in this day and age when so many bands are doing what is flavor of the week, Airbourne are like a breath of fresh rock air.
I can’t even find a song on here I don’t like, but if I had to pick highlights, it would be “Stand Up For Rock ‘N’ Roll”, “What’s Eatin’ You” (which has a fantastic dance along anthem feel to it), and “Let’s Ride” (this is a stand out song as well with its perfectly sleazy and sexually charged lyrics, which of course any self respecting hard rock band should have). It’s all about rock, booze, chicks, sweat and sex, just the way it should be.
If you are expecting every song to sound different you will be disappointed. It may be “too much of the same” for some people, but it’s exactly the way I like it, you know what you are going to get and its pure rock n roll. These guys have energy to burn and you can almost feel the heat listening to them. Lead singer Joel O’Keeffe has the best raw rock voice I’ve heard come out of Australia since Jimmy Barnes.
In a recent interview, Airbourne said they were going for a pub rock sound – relentless, big and full, and that’s exactly what they’ve achieved.
If the rock music world was fair this band would be huge, in the meantime, turn it up loud and run wild.
www.airbournerock.com – www.myspace.com/airbournerock
Reviewed by Tania for Sleaze Roxx, July 2007.
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