Simon McBride – Since Then (Nugene Records).
Since Then is Northern Irishman Simon McBride’s second album, his first being the critically acclaimed Rich Man Falling in 2008. A winner of Guitarist Magazine’s Young Guitarist of the Year and endorsed by guitar builder Paul Reed Smith by the time he was 15, it was inevitable that he would go on to greater things. Stints in Sweet Savage (replacing Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell) and Andrew Strong’s band led to him taking the solo plunge and the aforementioned debut album. The 14 self-penned tracks of Since Then open with Take My Hand, which is a full throttle opener with Adrian McIlduff’s drum kit at breaking point and electrifying slide guitar from McBride. Hell Waters Rising is a blues rock title if I’ve ever heard one and this pounding track is just the type of song to rock out to. Superb guitar from McBride and he definitely knows what buttons to press. Acoustic guitar makes an appearance on Save Me and McBride’s very good rock voice comes into its own. This is a grower, starting in ballad style and building up into a soft rocker. Down To The Wire is a high class slow blues. Joe Bonamassa must be an influence as I can hear him all over this. McBride is a new star is on the blues horizon. Be My Baby is Jimi Hendrix meets Kansas City blues -- oddly catchy with McBride’s guitar stinging you at every turn. From The Other Side is rhythmic blues rock and although there’s a lot of guys out there doing this kind of stuff McBride more than holds his own. It’s back to slide guitar with The Promise and to great effect too with the power chorus on this good time rocker reaching down your throat and playing with your insides.
Tear Down Your Soul is a funky rocker and I now feel that I’ve known Simon McBride forever. Dead Man Walking has a resonator in there somewhere but it gets dwarfed by McBride’s slashing electric guitar. However, it’s another high class blues rocker and he is a master of the chorus. Even though this one is simple it’s the power chords that do for you again. Dancing On The Sidewalk is a mid-paced rocker with a funky edge and Sweet Angel has shades of Gary Moore’s Still Got The Blues For You in its opening but it’s much more than that. McBride’s guitar goes straight to your heart. He has the Dobro out again for Coming Home but this time it gets a higher billing. This has intricate guitar work over a pounding beat. I know that I mentioned Mr Bonamassa before but McBride is so similar vocally on Devils Road it’s uncanny. This is a strange one with Paul Hamilton’s drums on the off beat and it may have been better with just voice and guitar -- a fast paced blues, country, hip hop crossover! He finishes with The Truth, a short instrumental lament with piercing guitar which draws out his Celtic origins.
Simon McBride has the class to challenge the might of the Provogue Records guitarist stable.
http://www.simonmcbride.net/
http://www.nugenerecords.com/
David Blue.
Since Then is Northern Irishman Simon McBride’s second album, his first being the critically acclaimed Rich Man Falling in 2008. A winner of Guitarist Magazine’s Young Guitarist of the Year and endorsed by guitar builder Paul Reed Smith by the time he was 15, it was inevitable that he would go on to greater things. Stints in Sweet Savage (replacing Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell) and Andrew Strong’s band led to him taking the solo plunge and the aforementioned debut album. The 14 self-penned tracks of Since Then open with Take My Hand, which is a full throttle opener with Adrian McIlduff’s drum kit at breaking point and electrifying slide guitar from McBride. Hell Waters Rising is a blues rock title if I’ve ever heard one and this pounding track is just the type of song to rock out to. Superb guitar from McBride and he definitely knows what buttons to press. Acoustic guitar makes an appearance on Save Me and McBride’s very good rock voice comes into its own. This is a grower, starting in ballad style and building up into a soft rocker. Down To The Wire is a high class slow blues. Joe Bonamassa must be an influence as I can hear him all over this. McBride is a new star is on the blues horizon. Be My Baby is Jimi Hendrix meets Kansas City blues -- oddly catchy with McBride’s guitar stinging you at every turn. From The Other Side is rhythmic blues rock and although there’s a lot of guys out there doing this kind of stuff McBride more than holds his own. It’s back to slide guitar with The Promise and to great effect too with the power chorus on this good time rocker reaching down your throat and playing with your insides.
Tear Down Your Soul is a funky rocker and I now feel that I’ve known Simon McBride forever. Dead Man Walking has a resonator in there somewhere but it gets dwarfed by McBride’s slashing electric guitar. However, it’s another high class blues rocker and he is a master of the chorus. Even though this one is simple it’s the power chords that do for you again. Dancing On The Sidewalk is a mid-paced rocker with a funky edge and Sweet Angel has shades of Gary Moore’s Still Got The Blues For You in its opening but it’s much more than that. McBride’s guitar goes straight to your heart. He has the Dobro out again for Coming Home but this time it gets a higher billing. This has intricate guitar work over a pounding beat. I know that I mentioned Mr Bonamassa before but McBride is so similar vocally on Devils Road it’s uncanny. This is a strange one with Paul Hamilton’s drums on the off beat and it may have been better with just voice and guitar -- a fast paced blues, country, hip hop crossover! He finishes with The Truth, a short instrumental lament with piercing guitar which draws out his Celtic origins.
Simon McBride has the class to challenge the might of the Provogue Records guitarist stable.
http://www.simonmcbride.net/
http://www.nugenerecords.com/
David Blue.
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