Single Review: Band Of Skulls – ‘Asleep At The Wheel’
2 min read
Band Of Skulls’ new album Himalayan is due out in March of next year, but for now fans have been provided a taster in the form of the single Asleep At The Wheel.
The group has shared the stage with the likes of Muse and The Dead Weather, and the man behind the production of Band Of Skulls’ latest effort, Nick Launay, has worked with similarly impressive names – Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, for example.
There is perhaps then a lot to be expected from Asleep At The Wheel, but the track doesn’t disappoint. Its verses trudge along in this Tame Impala Elephant kind of way – with a similar muddiness to the guitar tone and similar semi-psychedelic intent. “Thank God for A.B.S., ‘cause where we are going is anyone’s guess” singer Russel Marsden then howls, rather aptly as it marks a stark rhythmic shift and movement into the song’s main riff, a heavy blues lick that doesn’t sound unlike a bit of Hendrix – think Manic Depression, maybe – but bigger. After a few times through this whole sequence, some almost heroic sounding vocal harmonies between Marsden and bassist Emma Richardson introduce a moaning guitar solo, which is provided with an extra helping of sultriness when seen/heard emanating from the curves of Marsden’s Gretsch guitar in the song’s video clip.
In terms of blues rock tracks, and especially those of this musical day and age, Asleep At The Wheel is as well-crafted as they come. It has me very eager to wrap my ears around the rest of Himalayan.
::: Renowned For Sound Music Reviews ::: Ben is a 21-year-old student whose taste in music consists of tunes that make him see things. Music for him is a very visual experience; a song has succeeded when it transports the listener somewhere. This is a quality Ben hopes to articulate in writing music reviews for RenownedForSound.com.
Ben capped off his school days at a Sydney high school catering specifically for the musically inclined, but now must balance his musical cravings with university study. To satisfy these cravings, Ben has played guitar in a few groups of differing styles but is often most contented just tinkering with the blues.
