Wednesday 15 April 2020

Hair Of The Dog - It's Just A Ride (Album Review)


Release date: April 3rd 2020. Label: Kozmik Artifactz. Format: CD/DD/Vinyl

It’s Just A Ride – Tracklisting

1.It's Just a Ride 06:48
2.Run & Hide 03:40
3.She Was 06:28
4.We the Cancer 09:03
5.Will They Forgive Us? 06:16
6.The Writing on the Wall 07:41

Members

Adam Holt - Guitar/Vocals
Jon Holt - Drums
Iain Thomson - Bass

Review

I kinda expected Hair Of The Dog’s new album – It’s Just A Ride – to partially use a speech by legendary and much missed comedian – Bill Hicks – and the album does open his with his classic “Just A Ride” monologue for the stunning opening title track. What follows next is the band getting down to business of playing a more stripped back style of 70s Prog/Stoner Rock with a heavy blues groove that has shades of Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath attached.

This album is less polished than their previous 3 albums and sees the band returning to their Hard Rock roots with a more simplistic approach especially where the production of the album is concerned. That’s not a bad thing and the album does sound great but with a vintage quality to it all. It’s Just A Ride flirts with dangerous Hard Rock Riffs and Soulful Melodies matched against the Classic Rock vocals of Adam Holt. The album does move into Psychedelic Stoner Rock territory and these provide the albums heaviest and finest moments which sees Hair Of The Dog call on their many years of experience of playing together and put to great use.

If you dig the heavy and hazy classic sounds of 70s Psychedelic Rock and Hard Rock or if you’re a long-time fan of the band then you know what to expect from these guys. Hair Of The Dog always deliver the goods and this album is no exception with the band writing a fine array of different styles of music to drown your soul and hearing with.

The other songs on the album such as: Run & Hide, She Was, We The Cancer and The Writing On The Wall, impressed myself the most with Hair Of The Dog exploring a different side that I hadn’t heard before. Screeching Progressive Guitars on Run & Hide offer a more experimental sound whilst retaining the trademark Hair Of The Dog sound.

The album is quite dark and daring especially with the lyrics written for certain parts of the album though it’s the music that always impresses the most.

Hair Of The Dog are continuing their excellent relationship with Kozmik Artifactz for this album and those guys like Ripple Music are one of the best labels releasing quality albums time and time again. Though, this is a review for Hair Of The Dog stunning new album.

It’s Just A Ride is a superbly made album that allows Hair Of The Dog to move their music into new musical territories and one that leaves you wondering where do the band go from here. Have they reached their creative peak. Let’s hope not….

Hair Of The Dog prove once again why they’re one of the standout Psychedelic Stoner Rock bands from the Underground Stoner Rock scene.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Kozmik Artifactz for the promo. It’s Just A Ride is available to buy now on CD/DD/Vinyl now via Kozmik Artifactz.

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