Sunday 27 May 2018

Willow Child - Paradise & Nadir (Album Review)


Release date: May 11th 2018. Label: StoneFree Records. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

Paradise & Nadir – Tracklisting

1.Little Owl 06:25
2.Eirene 03:58
3.Land Of Sloe 05:28
4.Starry Road 04:32
5.Beyond The Blue Fields 07:00
6.Red Wood 04:22
7.Mayflies 05:34
8.Unspoken 03:56

Members

Eva Kohl: vocals, guitar
Flo Ryan Kiss: guitar, backing vocals
Jonas Hartmann: organ
Javier Zulauf: bass
David Kohl: drums, backing vocals

Review

Paradise & Nadir is the new album from Psychedelic Heavy Blues Rockers Willow Child. The album is a very well made album and shows Willow Child’s passion for all things 70s Classic Rock. It’s not really original as a lot of bands are currently performing this style of music. Sometimes it can be hard to standout from the crowd. However Willow Child manage to be one of the better bands from this over-crowded genre. That’s perhaps down to the superb vocals from lead vocalist Eva and the insightful lyrics contained on the album.

The album is quite heavy in places and the band are excellent musicians going by the msuic they create throughout Paradise & Nadir. The heavy psychedelic sounds of the opening track – Little Owl – takes a few minutes to get accustomed to. From that point on, Willow Child are in complete control with their vintage blend of Psych, Blues, Classic and Stoner Rock.

The production is quite good with the Willow Child’s vintage sound feeling like it was actually recorded in the 1970s. Songs such as Eirene, Land Of Sloe, Beyond The Blue Fields, and Mayflies perhaps offer the best songs on the album.

I’m not the biggest fan of this style of music. However Willow Child have made me a fan of their music and I do want to hear more from the band in the future. As they have something positive and magical around their music that makes you want to immerse yourself with the superb riffs contained on the album.

This is an album solely for fans of Classic Rock/Retro Rock. If you’re looking for an album with a more modern sounding groove then you will perhaps be slightly disappointed. However if you’re in the mood for that harks back to do the days of 70s Classic Rock with a few moments of Progressive Rock then Paradise & Nadir is the album for you.

Words by Steve Howe

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