Review by Ritchie Birnie for MPM
The King is back, long live the King. Mr Corabi is back where he belongs and to celebrate we have 10 new songs to dust off the cobwebs and to rock your world…it was like he never left.
I may be a bit harsh on Glenn Hughes here but as much as I think the guy is a Rock God he just didn’t Fit in with the Daises for me so this album and the upcoming tour were an adrenaline shot straight into the veins and Light ‘Em Up does not disappoint.
The title track kicks things off with a hint of AC/DC and the pace is kicking in and the groove is as sexy as hell. Mr Corabi part two slips right onto the back of part one and instantly you remember just how amazing this band is. Aldrich and Lowry are divine and Clufetus has also slipped back into the fold and this could very well be the best version of the band.
“Times Are Changing” comes at you with Corabi spitting lyrics with vengeance and the tempo is not letting up. This has a 60s vibe that is ramped up to 11.
With a title like “I Wanna be your Bitch” it is no surprise this sounds like a cross between Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper and John summons his inner Mr Furnier and this was instantly one of my all time favourite DD tracks.
We slip back to late 80s/ early 90s with “I’m Gonna Ride” and we are in Cult territory here but just listen to the production on this( and the whole album) as this is pristine. The songs are slipping by too quickly and every note is to perfection.
We have a heavy vibe on “Back to Zero”, a repetative beat down that wavers and slithers along with some very unusual destinations which slips into “Way Back Home” with its salty swagger, singalong beauty and that DD intensity.
Michael Devin lets loose on the bass on “Take a Long Line” and this is a fist pumping, high octane classic that Aerosmith built a career on.
“My Way and the Highway” slips back into the Iggy / Cooper pool and this catchy son of a bitch harks back to the songs that made me fall in love with Rock and become a lifelong devotee.
Everything is slowed down on “Love That’ll Never Be” and this is Corabi at his best. This is his slowed down Crue numbers or his excellent solo stuff. When it goes to ballad mode John excels, his voice was made for this and this is one quality track.
We wrap up the album with “Take My Soul” and this is a musical western, forget your wanted dead or alive, this has balls. The protracted opening, the staggered guitars and Corabi chewing tobacco and spitting rhymes and when the break down comes man oh man it is sublime.
Light ‘Em Up is the latest chapter and from only a few listens this is right up there with the best in the Daisies career. Old fans will love it, new fans will right on board and all the rest will be saying who the hell is this, they are amazing.
Pre-Order your copy of LIGHT ‘EM UP! https://thedeaddaisies.com/light-em-up-album
ROCK IS INDEED ALIVE & WELL! See you at a gig on the Light ‘Em Up UK Tour in Sept!
TOUR DATES:
UK – SEPTEMBER
06 – Chalk – Brighton
07 – The Foundry – Torquay
08 – The 1865 – Southampton
10 – Picturedrome – Holmfirth
11 – SWG3 – Glasgow
13 – Rock City – Nottingham
14 – KK’s Steel Mill – Wolverhampton
15 – Boiler Shop – Newcastle
17 – O2 Ritz – Manchester
18 – Patti Pavilion – Swansea
20 – O2 Academy – Bristol
21 – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire – London
https://thedeaddaisies.com/light-em-up-tour-2024
