Into the Red is the most recent album from hard rock gig Bourbon House fronted by the soulful Lacey Crowe. The band’s retro style holds key notes of older classic rock and roll acts such as Led Zeppelin, Heart, and Janis Joplin, while keeping the overall sizzling attitude often seen in modern hard rock artists like Lilith Czar and Halestorm.
Lacey Crowe’s vocals growl and pave their way into the hearts of listeners, a songstress who has perfected the smooth, soul-bending croons and angsty bites of the blues.
The album’s first track titled “Dead in the Water,” gives off Black Sabbath-esque opening riffs and a spacey/underwater wah-pedal instrumental break preluding the bridge before Crowe’s vocals throw the song back into a more driven tempo complete with a standard hard rock guitar solo. “Dead in the Water” stands as the band’s top listened to track on Spotify.
“Bad For Me,” is the third track off Into the Red, a feel-good ferocious jam that brings out all the integrating old-school rock and roll sub-genres, a mix of metal, hard rock, blues and even hints of punk. Jason Clarke’s guitar skills shine throughout groovy progressions, giving the song its ‘cool cat’ edge which boldly compliments Crowe’s harsh growls and soft hums which she effortlessly switches between.
The bluesy soul keeps going, digging deeper in “I Got Trouble,” and exposing all of Crowe’s yearning vulnerability. Her croons on this track can entice any audience, a modern day siren come to life. The very essence of the song starts off as a bleeding ballad full of despair. Lyrics like I can’t feel my spirit anymore, left it a long time ago, are sung with a feeling of raging hopelessness and doom before switching to an almost villainous rhythm of acceptance and spite, a story waiting to be told. The tremendous depth of this song goes beyond any typical blues ballad, a showcase of raw talent and skill blending with good taste. Bourbon House released a music video to accompany the song.
“Devil On My Heels,” swings it back with that head-banging catchy rhythm and harmonies, a song that’s easy to shake and dance to. The chord progressions follow a heavier approach often seen in metal and hardcore acts.
Drums open on “Keep Your Head,” where the instrumentals particularly take most of the attention with Clarke’s guitar solos competing for their rightful spotlight.
“Slow Burn” follows the blues storytelling customs with wails and chants about a “town you gotta leave.” Lacey Crowe proves again how much of a natural she is with reaching those powerful depths and notes which bring the song to life, going hand and hand with the Zeppelin-style guitar riffs.
Bourbon House have been touring and creating legendary stories and sounds for the past few years, and all that shows in singles like “Bad for Me,” and “I Got Trouble,” along in their bops, “6000 Miles,” and the concluding track “Unavailable.” There is no lesser song on this album to start with or leave behind in your listening, as every aspect of Into The Red brings out a different approach, styled with that contagious hard rock flair. For those who are bias towards the golden era of classic rock and roll bands, Bourbon House performs a marvelous job in preserving the old-school retro sound whilst keeping their own fresh edge and attitude, a band for young and mature hard rock fans alike.
I’m Music Magazine Writer Alice Kearney
Connect with Bourbon House online:
https://www.bourbonhouserocks.com
https://www.facebook.com/bourbonhouseofficial
