Railroader
Having spent 4 weeks or so touring the UK, I’ve seen my fair share of bands out on the road, some of whom impressed me and some of whom left me unsure as to what I’d say if I had to review them. One band that stood out to me as one to look out for were Railroader, a three piece post grunge unit based up north, fronted by none other than Mr John Batty, a chap whose other projects we’ve featured a few times. Watching them in Sheffield, I was blown away at how they controlled the crowd, got everyone on side, and ended up owning the gig at the Leadmill, so it came as a shock when I heard they split not long afterwards. Still, the band gave me a copy of their EP, Too Old To Be Angry, at the gig, so I figured we’d get a review posted for them anyway!
Opening with WDKU (What Doesn’t Kill Us) there’s an immediate sense of post grunge sludginess, the power of the track oozing out of the speakers and enveloping you in a sense of upbeat rock goodness. There’s a raw edge to the recording which gives the track a serious amount of character, the sort of thing which shows off the band in their element, presenting you with their sound rather than the sound a producer wants you to hear. It’s also striking that this is a three piece band, their sound is far beyond what you’d expect from three chaps – somehow harnessing the power of a far bigger unit and throwing out a track full of catchy moments, moments which make you want to move, and the general sense of good time rock music. From Within continues this theme perfectly, once again lurching into life with a distorted guitar line, pounding bass rhythms and hammering drums. Syncopated at times, there’s more of a technical edge to this track, the sort of thing which keeps it interesting and alive where other tracks simply go through the motions. Catchy at other times, this is a live track, and one which, when they played it in Sheffield, really stood out as having some serious potential moving forwards.
Focusing on the bass for the opening of Lust Kills the progression seems to adopt a funky approach, moving more towards upbeat dance style rock, the sort of thing which is going to get people moving, singing along and feeding off of the energy of the band on stage. Somehow there seems to be an edge of classic rock thrown into the mix here as well, the sort of sound which gives the track roots of sorts, showing the bands influences and showing where their music has come from, the sort of thing which is all too often lost. Personally, this is one of my favourites off of the EP, definitely a track to make sure you check out. Closing with Everytime the band return to their more grungey roots for one final hurrah, closing as they began and showing that post grunge rock is alive and well in Doncaster (never thought I’d say that!). Upbeat and powerful throughout, this final track seems to suggest a new chapter, almost closing the EP but opening the door for the next record (although since they’ve now split up perhaps I was wrong when I wrote that…but still!). Another serious high point on the EP to close things, the EP does what any good record should do, leaves the audience wanting more but knowing they’ve thoroughly enjoyed what they’ve just heard.
It’s a real shame that Railroader have split up, and I mean that. All too often there’s going to be issues that get in the way of the music and, whilst I don’t know why they split up, I can’t help but feel that they all need to look at their music, look at what they’ve produced here and move forwards to keep things going. Having said that, I know John won’t sit still for long and that there’s going to be some new music coming from him soon – so watch this space!
To find out about Railroader, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening with WDKU (What Doesn’t Kill Us) there’s an immediate sense of post grunge sludginess, the power of the track oozing out of the speakers and enveloping you in a sense of upbeat rock goodness. There’s a raw edge to the recording which gives the track a serious amount of character, the sort of thing which shows off the band in their element, presenting you with their sound rather than the sound a producer wants you to hear. It’s also striking that this is a three piece band, their sound is far beyond what you’d expect from three chaps – somehow harnessing the power of a far bigger unit and throwing out a track full of catchy moments, moments which make you want to move, and the general sense of good time rock music. From Within continues this theme perfectly, once again lurching into life with a distorted guitar line, pounding bass rhythms and hammering drums. Syncopated at times, there’s more of a technical edge to this track, the sort of thing which keeps it interesting and alive where other tracks simply go through the motions. Catchy at other times, this is a live track, and one which, when they played it in Sheffield, really stood out as having some serious potential moving forwards.
Focusing on the bass for the opening of Lust Kills the progression seems to adopt a funky approach, moving more towards upbeat dance style rock, the sort of thing which is going to get people moving, singing along and feeding off of the energy of the band on stage. Somehow there seems to be an edge of classic rock thrown into the mix here as well, the sort of sound which gives the track roots of sorts, showing the bands influences and showing where their music has come from, the sort of thing which is all too often lost. Personally, this is one of my favourites off of the EP, definitely a track to make sure you check out. Closing with Everytime the band return to their more grungey roots for one final hurrah, closing as they began and showing that post grunge rock is alive and well in Doncaster (never thought I’d say that!). Upbeat and powerful throughout, this final track seems to suggest a new chapter, almost closing the EP but opening the door for the next record (although since they’ve now split up perhaps I was wrong when I wrote that…but still!). Another serious high point on the EP to close things, the EP does what any good record should do, leaves the audience wanting more but knowing they’ve thoroughly enjoyed what they’ve just heard.
It’s a real shame that Railroader have split up, and I mean that. All too often there’s going to be issues that get in the way of the music and, whilst I don’t know why they split up, I can’t help but feel that they all need to look at their music, look at what they’ve produced here and move forwards to keep things going. Having said that, I know John won’t sit still for long and that there’s going to be some new music coming from him soon – so watch this space!
To find out about Railroader, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Railroader
We were recently contacted by John of new, three piece post grunge band Railroader, to see what we thought of some of the sounds they’ve been putting together in the studio recently. Mixing dirty guitar riffs and a powerful, driving rhythm section, this band may well be new to the scene but there sounds like there’s some serious potential in the waiting going on! John warned me in advance that the tracks would be rough, so I figured I’d check out what was on offer!
Too Late gets the selection going and immediately crafts a sound which combines a soft, melodic guitar line with a driving drum beat and a roving bass section, it’s a clear and definite sound from the band and it seems to work. The vocals are panned to the left in the mix and this adds something different to the mix, almost adding a sense of layering to the over all outcome you’re left with (whether this is intentional I don’t know, but it’s quite a cool effect!). The laid back and soft approach continues throughout the track, not pushing the boundaries of power too far and instead, just letting the catchy and melodic rhythms grab your attention.
With Every Call seems to mark a slightly different approach to things, sounding almost upbeat as it begins yet still managing to create a sense of old-skool rock and roll through the roving bass line. The pace of this track suggests this is going to be one which is going to work best on the live scene. Despite the faster beat to the track, once again this is another laid back and chilled out track, almost hinting at the capability to do heavier but not allowing themselves to fall into a trap of relying on distortion, instead allowing you to acclimatise to the sounds of the band. Before U Came (Rawk Version) comes up next and begins to show off some of the more gritty roots of the band, still keeping the over all feeling laid back but hinting at more, almost revealing a brief insight into the power of the band whilst not allowing it to fully shine through, it’s like the track is begging to be unleashed but they hold it back, something which I imagine will be worked through when the proper recordings are taken care of.
Closer is a very cool track, there’s something about the lead snippets which lead us into the track whilst a restrained guitar line roves around in the background, once again creating that sense of depth. This is a track which I’ll seriously look forward to hearing once it’s done and dusted, it’s got the potential to be a single, and a damned good one at that! The same can be said for Perfect Lie, another track which holds a lot of potential and is going to be one to keep an eye on. It’s difficult when you hear rough recordings as you’re never sure where the track is going to end up going, but the over-arching feeling here is that this is going to be an upbeat, uplifting and fun track – it’s just a shame we’ve only got a snippet!
As soon as Lives To Live reaches us the true potential of the band seems to be unleashed, the distortion pedal finally being found and a sense of rock suddenly flows through everything. Despite the raw and powerful track there’s a sense of melody still held within the music, allowing everything to form fully and showing that this is the sort of sound you really want to hear from the band, the more rocked up style which they’re evidently capable of! Before You Came thankfully follows much the same conventions of the previous track and keeps us running through the post-grunge era, the sense of melody combining with the power to craft a sound straight out of the 90’s, yet still sounding as fresh as it did back then. The catchy and powerful combination leaves you in no doubt that this is going to be a live band, a band which plays a set and leaves the crowd wanting to hear more. Sure, the vocals aren’t perfect, there’s levelling issues between some of the elements and the sound is rough, but this is the sort of sound you hear years down the line when the band has made it and they’re releasing a special edition with extras on it.
Everytime plays the hand of rock once again, launching us into the track through a sludgy bass line and keeping the pace firmly set on high. Once again the sound is rough but I don’t know if it matters right now, what we’re looking for is whether this is going to be a band to keep an eye out for, and I’ll save my own personal verdict until the end of this! Closing with Through These Eyes (even though it’s actually track number 1) you’re reminded of where the band have come from, who their influences have been and just what the music that made you love rock sounded like. This return to the olden days of grunge and rock is a welcome trip down memory lane and shows that if you want music, if you want fun, this could well be one to watch out for.
I always worry a little when bands tell me that the sound I am going to hear is rough, but a lot of the time I end up still managing to hear potential or what they’re trying to do, and that’s what happened here. Sure this is rougher than rough at times, but there’s a sense that this music holds a lot of potential to be massively well received on the live circuit. Grunge is a genre that has been done a few times in the past so it’s another worry when bands say they’re going down that route, but these guys have managed to create a fresh approach to that as well, ending up with a selection of tracks which I can honestly say I’m really looking forward to hearing once they’re all done and dusted.
This is going to be a band to watch, so to find out more, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Too Late gets the selection going and immediately crafts a sound which combines a soft, melodic guitar line with a driving drum beat and a roving bass section, it’s a clear and definite sound from the band and it seems to work. The vocals are panned to the left in the mix and this adds something different to the mix, almost adding a sense of layering to the over all outcome you’re left with (whether this is intentional I don’t know, but it’s quite a cool effect!). The laid back and soft approach continues throughout the track, not pushing the boundaries of power too far and instead, just letting the catchy and melodic rhythms grab your attention.
With Every Call seems to mark a slightly different approach to things, sounding almost upbeat as it begins yet still managing to create a sense of old-skool rock and roll through the roving bass line. The pace of this track suggests this is going to be one which is going to work best on the live scene. Despite the faster beat to the track, once again this is another laid back and chilled out track, almost hinting at the capability to do heavier but not allowing themselves to fall into a trap of relying on distortion, instead allowing you to acclimatise to the sounds of the band. Before U Came (Rawk Version) comes up next and begins to show off some of the more gritty roots of the band, still keeping the over all feeling laid back but hinting at more, almost revealing a brief insight into the power of the band whilst not allowing it to fully shine through, it’s like the track is begging to be unleashed but they hold it back, something which I imagine will be worked through when the proper recordings are taken care of.
Closer is a very cool track, there’s something about the lead snippets which lead us into the track whilst a restrained guitar line roves around in the background, once again creating that sense of depth. This is a track which I’ll seriously look forward to hearing once it’s done and dusted, it’s got the potential to be a single, and a damned good one at that! The same can be said for Perfect Lie, another track which holds a lot of potential and is going to be one to keep an eye on. It’s difficult when you hear rough recordings as you’re never sure where the track is going to end up going, but the over-arching feeling here is that this is going to be an upbeat, uplifting and fun track – it’s just a shame we’ve only got a snippet!
As soon as Lives To Live reaches us the true potential of the band seems to be unleashed, the distortion pedal finally being found and a sense of rock suddenly flows through everything. Despite the raw and powerful track there’s a sense of melody still held within the music, allowing everything to form fully and showing that this is the sort of sound you really want to hear from the band, the more rocked up style which they’re evidently capable of! Before You Came thankfully follows much the same conventions of the previous track and keeps us running through the post-grunge era, the sense of melody combining with the power to craft a sound straight out of the 90’s, yet still sounding as fresh as it did back then. The catchy and powerful combination leaves you in no doubt that this is going to be a live band, a band which plays a set and leaves the crowd wanting to hear more. Sure, the vocals aren’t perfect, there’s levelling issues between some of the elements and the sound is rough, but this is the sort of sound you hear years down the line when the band has made it and they’re releasing a special edition with extras on it.
Everytime plays the hand of rock once again, launching us into the track through a sludgy bass line and keeping the pace firmly set on high. Once again the sound is rough but I don’t know if it matters right now, what we’re looking for is whether this is going to be a band to keep an eye out for, and I’ll save my own personal verdict until the end of this! Closing with Through These Eyes (even though it’s actually track number 1) you’re reminded of where the band have come from, who their influences have been and just what the music that made you love rock sounded like. This return to the olden days of grunge and rock is a welcome trip down memory lane and shows that if you want music, if you want fun, this could well be one to watch out for.
I always worry a little when bands tell me that the sound I am going to hear is rough, but a lot of the time I end up still managing to hear potential or what they’re trying to do, and that’s what happened here. Sure this is rougher than rough at times, but there’s a sense that this music holds a lot of potential to be massively well received on the live circuit. Grunge is a genre that has been done a few times in the past so it’s another worry when bands say they’re going down that route, but these guys have managed to create a fresh approach to that as well, ending up with a selection of tracks which I can honestly say I’m really looking forward to hearing once they’re all done and dusted.
This is going to be a band to watch, so to find out more, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls