Sideburn – Cherry Red
SIDEBURN
CHERRY RED
Released in 2008 (Sideburn/Suisa)
Track List:
01. Gimme The Way
02. Hurricane Race
03. Six Feet Under
04. Cherry Red
05. Lane
06. Rock And Roll Queen
07. Down And Dirty
08. Bring The Hammer Down
09. Ghost of 1980 (To Bon Scott)
10. Lipstick Lady
11. Wild Boy
12. Stand Your Ground
13. Gimme The Way (video)
Band Members:
Roland Pierrehumbert – lead/backing vocals, harp and slide guitar
Boris – lead guitar and backing vocals
Fred Gudit – rhythm guitar and backing vocals
Michael Demierre – bass and backing vocals
Lionel Blanc – drums and backing vocals
Additional Musicians:
Nicholas Maeder – backing vocals
Sebastian V. Maeder – backing vocals
Kit Riley – backing vocals
Travis Dragani – backing vocals
Eric Larpin – backing vocals
Production:
Mixed by Chris Diggelmann.
Mastered by Christoph Stickel.
Review:
I can summarize Sideburn in one single headline; ‘Nazareth Singer Joins AC/DC’. It’s really that simple, but it hasn’t always been a winning formula. This Swiss quintet has always had the talent, but I sometimes found their music uninspired and it seemed like the band were just going through the motions. I am proud to say that with Cherry Red Sideburn have smashed that stereotype into the ground, as this is, without a doubt, the group’s finest effort to date.
Whereas some of Sideburn‘s older material was often plodding and predictable, on this CD it seems like someone has lighten a fire under their ass. The band has gathered newfound energy and excitement that translates through the music, adding a breath of fresh air to a sound that has been played to death. Sideburn don’t have the intensity of an Airbourne or Bullet, but they don’t really need it either. They are the type of bar band that plays a steady boogie beat that would make Angus Young proud and succeed with memorable and simple guitar riffs.
“Gimme The Way”, “Cherry Red”, “Ghost of 1980” and “Wild Boy” have to rank up there as the band’s best material. All four of those songs, and many others on this album, are just straight-ahead rockers – nothing more and nothing less. Sideburn even ventures into guitar-oriented southern rock in places such as “Stand Your Ground” and to a lesser extent “Down And Dirty” (which has harmonica battling the guitars). The entire CD is based around the guitar, and the rhythm guitar work makes this album succeed in the same way it has worked for AC/DC repeatedly. Plus the guys don’t really slow things down, except maybe on “Lane”, as they just put their boots to the ground and deliver working-man’s rock ‘n’ roll.
With Cherry Red, Sideburn‘s fourth studio album, these guys have hit gold. It may have taken awhile, but now the group could easily share the stage with similar bands such as Rose Tattoo and Nazareth without looking out of place. I’m not sure what caused this slight transformation, but Cherry Red may go down as the best pub-rock album this year. In fact I guarantee that your leg will get sore from tapping your foot to this disc!
www.sideburn.ch – www.myspace.com/sideburnrock
Reviewed by Skid for Sleaze Roxx, November 2008.
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