MP3: The Chair - September
I'm always stoked when a new package of promo CDs from Transubstans Records shows up because they've consistently got the best hard-rock going on, hands down. Graveyard, Sienna Root, Øresund Space Collective, Villebråd, the list goes on and on. Naturally there's a few clunkers in the catalog, but I typically find that the positive far outweighs the negative, though a few do fall somewhere in between and The Chair happens to be one of 'em. I dig the band's bluesy hard-rock style, but they've also got a corny side that reminds me of Kiss in a bad way. On the other hand, the more they sound like Blue Cheer, the happier I am and "September" definitely has that going on. I especially dig the way the main riff trades off with the vocals on the verse. It's not rocket science, but if the classic recipe works so well, why mess with it? That's what hard-rock revival is all about; it's called "classic" rock for a reason. This is good summer music that doesn't require much thought, nothing more. And there's no faulting a band with the balls to shout "Turn it up Scandinavia!" as they do in "Barn burner". Just like Kiss, it's goofy as hell, but also kinda bad-ass. I can appreciate that sort of party vibe in limited doses, if I'm in the right mood.
The Chair - September