Broken Banjo
We were recently contacted by Broken Banjo, a blues rock unit from Medway in Kent who offer up a blend of blues with rock n roll. Getting out there and offering up a sound more ‘palatable’ than some of the acts the area spawns, these guys put us on to their Bootleg Porn EP, to check out what we thought. As such, we thought that the best way forwards was to hit play and see what was on offer!
Opening with Outro (odd….but we’ll go with it) we’re thrown into a soft mix of elements, the guitars and bass mixing with the drums to craft a sound which is melodic and laid back, the sort of thing which is going to sit you back and make you listen to what’s on offer without being overbearing or over the top. Adding in the more blues rock element as the track gets going, the lead guitar line soars over the backing track propelling the track to a new level, a place where the music is all that matters and we’re left looking on and just listening to their cleanly crafted mix. Adding in a heavier element as the vocals come into the mix, the sound on offer here is one which isn’t heavy, but isn’t soft, it walks that middle ground that few bands manage to walk on, providing the sort of sound that’s going to work in dark and smokey room where all you want to do is sit back and let the music wash over you.
Leading straight on to One Trick Pony, the bass line continues the bluesy approach of the sound and combines with a walking guitar line, once again forming into a sound which makes you want to nod, tap your feet and pick up a guitar to join in. Raspy vocals bolster the mix and the result is a track which is almost catchy, yet pulls back from becoming too mainstream so that the honesty is evident within the track. This is one of the tracks which really stood out to me from the selection, the sort of track which works well to keep you listening and leaves you wanting more as it comes to a close. Moving on to Gaffer Tape the blue rock theme continues, this time adopting a more upbeat and raucous approach which is sure to get people moving from the word go. This is a track which seems perfectly crafted for the live scene, the sort of track which is going to ignite a live crowd and get a venue really pumping. The upbeat guitars combine with the hard hitting bass rhythms forming into a sound which is melodic but at the same time, packs one hell of a punch – definitely a track to make sure you check out.
Mosquito is perhaps more stereotypical of what you might expect of a band of this genre, pumping out a track which is firmly rooted in the blues, and one which is sure to get you reaching for that volume up button. Despite the familiar guitar style adopted here, there’s a real sense of freshness in the track, pointing at the unique approach of the band and their ability to take a sound and make it their own from start to finish. It’s only then left to Le Barry to close things off, adopting the old saying of leaving us wanting more but finishing on a note which points at the direction we can expect the band to be headed in with their next offering. As the opening moments of the track got going I found myself thinking of ska style stuff, the bass line walking us through things and the guitar backing off to allow the vocals to do their work. With this upbeat opening, the track gradually returns to the more expected style of the band and reveals that blues and rock run deep with these guys. A great track to close a great selection, and a final moment which had me reaching for my guitar, just to have a play along.
I’ve come across a fair few bands that say they’re looking at the blues and things, but Broken Banjo are one of the first who have done it, and done it well. From start to finish we’re shown what the band are capable of, and the sort of style we can expect to hear from them – and it’s left me thinking I want to get out to see them live. Definitely a band we need to be keeping an eye on, I’ll be very interested to see what comes next!
To find out more about Broken Banjo, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with Outro (odd….but we’ll go with it) we’re thrown into a soft mix of elements, the guitars and bass mixing with the drums to craft a sound which is melodic and laid back, the sort of thing which is going to sit you back and make you listen to what’s on offer without being overbearing or over the top. Adding in the more blues rock element as the track gets going, the lead guitar line soars over the backing track propelling the track to a new level, a place where the music is all that matters and we’re left looking on and just listening to their cleanly crafted mix. Adding in a heavier element as the vocals come into the mix, the sound on offer here is one which isn’t heavy, but isn’t soft, it walks that middle ground that few bands manage to walk on, providing the sort of sound that’s going to work in dark and smokey room where all you want to do is sit back and let the music wash over you.
Leading straight on to One Trick Pony, the bass line continues the bluesy approach of the sound and combines with a walking guitar line, once again forming into a sound which makes you want to nod, tap your feet and pick up a guitar to join in. Raspy vocals bolster the mix and the result is a track which is almost catchy, yet pulls back from becoming too mainstream so that the honesty is evident within the track. This is one of the tracks which really stood out to me from the selection, the sort of track which works well to keep you listening and leaves you wanting more as it comes to a close. Moving on to Gaffer Tape the blue rock theme continues, this time adopting a more upbeat and raucous approach which is sure to get people moving from the word go. This is a track which seems perfectly crafted for the live scene, the sort of track which is going to ignite a live crowd and get a venue really pumping. The upbeat guitars combine with the hard hitting bass rhythms forming into a sound which is melodic but at the same time, packs one hell of a punch – definitely a track to make sure you check out.
Mosquito is perhaps more stereotypical of what you might expect of a band of this genre, pumping out a track which is firmly rooted in the blues, and one which is sure to get you reaching for that volume up button. Despite the familiar guitar style adopted here, there’s a real sense of freshness in the track, pointing at the unique approach of the band and their ability to take a sound and make it their own from start to finish. It’s only then left to Le Barry to close things off, adopting the old saying of leaving us wanting more but finishing on a note which points at the direction we can expect the band to be headed in with their next offering. As the opening moments of the track got going I found myself thinking of ska style stuff, the bass line walking us through things and the guitar backing off to allow the vocals to do their work. With this upbeat opening, the track gradually returns to the more expected style of the band and reveals that blues and rock run deep with these guys. A great track to close a great selection, and a final moment which had me reaching for my guitar, just to have a play along.
I’ve come across a fair few bands that say they’re looking at the blues and things, but Broken Banjo are one of the first who have done it, and done it well. From start to finish we’re shown what the band are capable of, and the sort of style we can expect to hear from them – and it’s left me thinking I want to get out to see them live. Definitely a band we need to be keeping an eye on, I’ll be very interested to see what comes next!
To find out more about Broken Banjo, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls