Jac Dalton
We were recently contacted about The Jac Dalton Band, a band described as personifying the meaning of the words melodic rock, and a 7 piece band who deliver a first class sound that will rock your world – which sounds pretty good to me! We were sent through a copy of Icarus to check out so figured the only way to find out more about this Australian band was to hit play and listen to their tracks for ourselves!
Opening the album with Waterline we get off to a solid start, the opening moments immediately setting up a melodic yet hard hitting tone, pulling you into the mix and showing what we’re in for. This is stadium rock done well, the sort of thing which is going to get you singing along, pumping a fist in the air and loving every moment of what you’re hearing. Powerful guitars hammer out the main riff of the track over a bassy backing rhythm section, the whole mix combining with the vocals to form a sound which is heavy yet restrained at the same time, the sort of sound which renews your faith in hard rock and reminds you why you started listening to it in the first place. For Your Love continues this idea further, this time combining the guitars with a soft piano line behind the mix, sounding almost like a Bon Jovi track from some aspects but holding much more power than the New Jersey unit ever managed. To me, this is a track which is going to find its full force on the live scene, the sort of track which is saved for later in the set and the sort of thing which gets every single person in the venue singing along – hell I was singing along after a couple of listens despite only being sat in the office here working! A definite high point on the album, 2 tracks in and everything is already looking damned good.
Eye Of The Storm ups the pace once again, this time hammering into being with a soaring lead line accompanied by more of that deep, rumbling bass which gives the track such depth. Powerful yet once again not all out, the restraint within this track means it’s a heavy one but one which people will be able to connect with, the sort of thing which propels a rock band into the spotlight and generates them an audience far beyond what we’d expect. Catchy from start to finish, Eye of the Storm is basically a lesson in how to write hard rock, almost offering up a lesson to other bands and letting them know that these guys mean serious, serious business. Continuing to push the boundaries of the album, Armed And Dangerous follows on and somehow adds in a real sense of funkiness to the mix, the sort of thing which is going to get your feet tapping, your head nodding, and people dancing along to the mix. Again, this is a track which has been purpose built for the live scene, and a track which I’d love to witness for myself. Imagine Aerosmith with an updated feel and you’re getting somewhere close to what’s on offer here, another solid track and a moment to make sure you check out.
Locked Cocked & Ready To Rock, Good To Go and title track Icarus all continue to push up the bar for the album, each track presenting a slightly different take on things but the whole time keeping the bands signature sound at the forefront of what we’re hearing. It’s when Back In Black comes about though that we’re shown one hell of an accomplishment, a cover of the ACDC track accompanied by added banjo. This is a serious track despite being a cover, and shows off the influences of the band as well as Jac himself, really giving us an insight into where their music came from. Despite being a cover there’s still a real sense of the bands own sound thrown into the mix here, making this a track that is impossible to resist, and one I know I’m going to be coming back to time and time again.
Suck Bang Blow returns us to the bands own signature sound, once again returning us to a world of distorted guitars, soaring lead lines and vocals which will have you signing along from the word go. Another track which seems to epitomise the sound of Hard Rock it’s nearly the end of the record and I’ve yet to come across a sub standard track, each one has quite simply blown the previous one away and pushed the level up to an incredible high. It’s only left then to State Of Rock to close the album, finishing with a crescendo of hammering bass rhythms, pounding drums, roaring guitar lines and vocals which are sure to echo around your head for days to come. Despite pushing the bar higher and higher across the album the band still manage to finish with a serious high point, and the track which I would consider my own personal favourite of them all. It’s a solid close to an album which has pushed the boundaries from start to finish!
I went into this album not really knowing what to expect, yet here I am now sitting and listening to the album for the 9th or 10th time, and still loving every single track on the record. From start to finish we’ve been shown what a band can do when they put their mind to it, how accomplished music can sound when it’s done well, and the reason why we should be listening to these guys from here onwards. If you’re looking for a serious dose of downright awesome hard rock, get on and check these guys out – you won’t be disappointed!
To find out more about The Jac Dalton Band, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
Opening the album with Waterline we get off to a solid start, the opening moments immediately setting up a melodic yet hard hitting tone, pulling you into the mix and showing what we’re in for. This is stadium rock done well, the sort of thing which is going to get you singing along, pumping a fist in the air and loving every moment of what you’re hearing. Powerful guitars hammer out the main riff of the track over a bassy backing rhythm section, the whole mix combining with the vocals to form a sound which is heavy yet restrained at the same time, the sort of sound which renews your faith in hard rock and reminds you why you started listening to it in the first place. For Your Love continues this idea further, this time combining the guitars with a soft piano line behind the mix, sounding almost like a Bon Jovi track from some aspects but holding much more power than the New Jersey unit ever managed. To me, this is a track which is going to find its full force on the live scene, the sort of track which is saved for later in the set and the sort of thing which gets every single person in the venue singing along – hell I was singing along after a couple of listens despite only being sat in the office here working! A definite high point on the album, 2 tracks in and everything is already looking damned good.
Eye Of The Storm ups the pace once again, this time hammering into being with a soaring lead line accompanied by more of that deep, rumbling bass which gives the track such depth. Powerful yet once again not all out, the restraint within this track means it’s a heavy one but one which people will be able to connect with, the sort of thing which propels a rock band into the spotlight and generates them an audience far beyond what we’d expect. Catchy from start to finish, Eye of the Storm is basically a lesson in how to write hard rock, almost offering up a lesson to other bands and letting them know that these guys mean serious, serious business. Continuing to push the boundaries of the album, Armed And Dangerous follows on and somehow adds in a real sense of funkiness to the mix, the sort of thing which is going to get your feet tapping, your head nodding, and people dancing along to the mix. Again, this is a track which has been purpose built for the live scene, and a track which I’d love to witness for myself. Imagine Aerosmith with an updated feel and you’re getting somewhere close to what’s on offer here, another solid track and a moment to make sure you check out.
Locked Cocked & Ready To Rock, Good To Go and title track Icarus all continue to push up the bar for the album, each track presenting a slightly different take on things but the whole time keeping the bands signature sound at the forefront of what we’re hearing. It’s when Back In Black comes about though that we’re shown one hell of an accomplishment, a cover of the ACDC track accompanied by added banjo. This is a serious track despite being a cover, and shows off the influences of the band as well as Jac himself, really giving us an insight into where their music came from. Despite being a cover there’s still a real sense of the bands own sound thrown into the mix here, making this a track that is impossible to resist, and one I know I’m going to be coming back to time and time again.
Suck Bang Blow returns us to the bands own signature sound, once again returning us to a world of distorted guitars, soaring lead lines and vocals which will have you signing along from the word go. Another track which seems to epitomise the sound of Hard Rock it’s nearly the end of the record and I’ve yet to come across a sub standard track, each one has quite simply blown the previous one away and pushed the level up to an incredible high. It’s only left then to State Of Rock to close the album, finishing with a crescendo of hammering bass rhythms, pounding drums, roaring guitar lines and vocals which are sure to echo around your head for days to come. Despite pushing the bar higher and higher across the album the band still manage to finish with a serious high point, and the track which I would consider my own personal favourite of them all. It’s a solid close to an album which has pushed the boundaries from start to finish!
I went into this album not really knowing what to expect, yet here I am now sitting and listening to the album for the 9th or 10th time, and still loving every single track on the record. From start to finish we’ve been shown what a band can do when they put their mind to it, how accomplished music can sound when it’s done well, and the reason why we should be listening to these guys from here onwards. If you’re looking for a serious dose of downright awesome hard rock, get on and check these guys out – you won’t be disappointed!
To find out more about The Jac Dalton Band, check out their Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls