Not all rock is created equal. There are different veins of the style, but very seldom do we hear a style that so eloquently blends different elements of the genre. From rootsy blues style to more recent hard rock feel, Truett bring a true rock album that is sure to please a variety of indie rock fans.
The opening “Be Mine” has some of the saltiest blues licks we’ve heard all year. The resonator on the vocal is just enough to make it cut through, calling out the best of the old days with artists like Howlin’ Wolf. As the song unfolds, the grungy, gritty sound mires in some raw emotion. It’s a blues song at the end of the day, but it holds that gravity of the soul that makes both blues and rock something that stands.
“Left in the Dark” has a similar blues rock vibe, but takes it in a fresher, newer direction. The effect on the vocal is still there, but it has a coolness to it that sounds and feels different. The elements of the vocal that go into the higher register give the track an eerie, mesmerizing quality.
“Deliver Me” is the track that won the band this review and it’s easy to hear what the voters liked. It’s a cocky, aggressive track. It has a style like Arctic Monkeys, plenty of attitude and some really powerful guitar licks. The listener can’t help but be moved to each wrinkle in the evolving guitar licks through the track. It’s earthy and ethereal, doing the blues proud.
The final two tracks “Pound of Flesh” and “Crown of Thorns” are both more modern rock. They move away from some of the traditional blues elements, but it’s clear these guitars stay in blues tuning. The style is heavily influenced by modern metal, though, and that rawness and heaviness comes through in the writing. Where “Pound of Flesh” is raw and earthy again, “Crown of Thorns” moves into a more transcendent space. In fact, it’s the closest thing to a “light” song on the album.
Fans of blues rock like Led Zeppelin will want to give Truett a spin. That said, the lyrics are sometimes hard to understand, so the album’s strength is in the sound and the feeling more than the message. If you’re into something that will make you bear down with an earthy, gritty tone, then check out Truett.
