I didn’t know I was looking for a new rock group to like until I clicked play on this album. There’s no apology here. This is not a half-hearted mixture of rock and some softer genre. This is just rock. It’s not even “and roll.” It’s just rock. It’s an interesting version of it, too. The vocals aren’t “screaming” but they aren’t exactly balladeering, either. They are rock vocals, mostly angry to accompany the guitars. Little Hurricane is a rock duo and they can really rock!
The second track on the album, “Trouble Ahead” immediately put me in the mind of a fighter’s walkout song. Think about it, “Trouble’s Coming” as a key lyric for the opponent. It’s got aggressive guitars and a climactic vocal that, though repetitive, is driving in a typical rock fashion. It doesn’t really sound like anyone in particular, but puts me in mind of late 90s rock for sure.
“Haunted Heart,” which seems like it would be dark, is really a story about love. The person the song is about clearly is an inspiration. “Be my life when I am dead… I’ll be your calm in the storm ahead.” It’s a great song about love and perseverance in the midst of trial. It was an unexpectedly positive message.
“Hold Me Back” is a nasty, filthy blues song. You know, in the way that Stevie Ray’s “Pride and Joy” gets you all excited about life. The album then downshifts to “Lies,” an introspective and mysterious song that seems fit for a soundtrack more than the middle of a rock album. “Lies” has an innate ability to make the listener feel guilty, or at least unsettled, the lead vocal, “When you’re with me baby I see right through your lies…” Wow. Grizzly. And good.
“Homewrecker” is the title track on the album and the song really brings energy. It has a lot of attitude from the very beginning. The vocal phrasing is typical rock fused with blues guitar chords. “Don’t you lie to me… you filthy little mother… you spend so much time trying to bring me down.” I am not sure who this song is about, but there’s a lot of anger here. It makes good music.
This is a rock duo that can really jam. It’s a rare balance to have this kind of fluency on both instruments and enjoyable vocals. Rock “vocals” can sometimes just be annoying screaming, but Little Hurricane have found the perfect balance here. This is an album that listeners will love to listen to without skips, start to finish. In fact, if our site had categories for the end of the year awards, it would be my immediate favorite for best rock album. It is definitely worth your time for fans of traditional American rock music.
