Tommy Justice
The splendid chaps over at Skratch The Surface recently sent us through a copy of Setting Fire To History, the new album from Tommy Justice due out on the 3rd of December 2012. A English rock guitarist, Mr Justice cut his teeth playing in bands like Ruff Justice and PsychoHero before going solo in 2012. Since then he’s gone on to play the likes of Weyfest alongside 10cc and ASIA, and is now primed to release this album. Featuring updated songs from the Ruff Justice and PsychoHero days as well as some new tracks of his own, this promises to be a hard rock ride through music, so I figured I’d better hit play and see what was going on!
As Every Inch The Rock Star gets the album going one thing is very clear, this is some serious stuff! Immediately launching us into a stadium rock style melee of hammering guitar lines, pounding rhythms and gravelly vocal lines, the mix forms into something which is impossible to sit still to, the sort of thing which is going to get you moving, shaking and drinking along. There’s a real sense of 90’s style stadium rock here, adopting a sound which is far more accomplished than you might expect and showing us that hard rock is alive, well and being led with Tommy Justice at the helm. Love You to Death continues this approach once again, the opening moments of guitar work leaving you a drooling heap in the corner and destroying any hope you had of being that guitar god, this guy is simply pushing it up a notch. Managing to incorporate a serious dose of emotion and melody into the mix to make sure you can connect with the track, this is one which is smoother sounding than the previous track yet still manages to hold all of the drama and punch you’d expect from a hard rock album like this. I guess if I were to compare this to anyone it would have to be the massive hard rock bands like Bon Jovi and Aerosmith but with an element of Lordi thrown into the mix – which might sound odd, but it seems to work when you hear it. 2 tracks in and this album isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, it’s all looking good so far!
Let Me In once again continues the hard hitting approach, this time launching us into an anthem like melee of hammering guitar lines and more awesome rhythms to get you shaking, forming into something which is sure to become a live favourite from the off. Once again packing a punch from the off, there’s a really catchy edge added into this one meaning you’re going to be singing along as soon as you’ve heard it a couple of times, it’s got that feeling of being a track you want to hear more of, something which is going to push the record to the next level. Backstreets For Lovers sounds like it’s going to be a slow and bluesy number but don’t be deceived, as it kicks in we’re once again shown a hard rocking and groovy approach to things, the sort of track which will get asses shaking and beers flowing. This track is testament to the idea of never believing a name, somehow turning what sounds like a love song in its name into something far heavier, funkier and downright dirty. As a result, this track stands out as a serious high point on the album, and one of the tracks which I class amongst my favourites, definitely one to check out if you get a chance.
Open Ride once again manages to push the bar up to a new high, hammering into a track which packs all of the punch of a hard rock track but combines it with all of the funk and groove of a solid blues number. This is another track which showcases the guitar work of Tommy with aplomb, showing off how a guitar is more than just an instrument, it’s something which can create sounds which take you to a new place and show you what real music is. Everywhere I Look continues this approach of blowing our minds as we work our way through the album, this time slowing everything down and instead throwing in an acoustic guitar line to form an emotional and hard hitting track, the sort of thing which will get lighters in the air, arms swaying and people singing along. Turning from the soft acoustic ballad which starts this track and developing into a hard hitting anthem packed with emotional vocals, orchestral effects behind the music and subtle distortion, it’s like being transported back to your first love and feeling it all over again, in short, one hell of an awesome track.
Six Shot Blues, The Day They Sold The World, Thrill Seeker, If I Could Change and Take It All Away all continue to push the boundaries of what should be possible from a hard rock album, each track coming as a unique taste of his style and showing us just what he’s capable of, but all too soon we reach the end of the album and we’re only left with Rats With Wings to close things for us. Now, I say we’re only left with Rats With Wings to close the album, but what a finish it brings about. It’d be rude to say he’s saved the best for last on an album this accomplished but it comes mighty close, hammering towards the finish line with a raucous guitar line, funky backing rhythms and a real sense of old school hard rock designed for a damned good time. From start to finish this album pushed the limits of each track, so closing on a high seems only appropriate, but I’ve been left wanting more…..and more and more and more!
Well, what can I say about Tommy Justice and this album other than my word, that was rather good wasn’t it! From start to finish we’ve got an album which is catchy, powerful, good fun, emotional and straight down the line rocking – so there’s really nothing bad to say. I could go on and on, make a tit of myself gushing about how much I’ve enjoyed this album, how many times I’ve played it to my wife and son, and how annoyed my neighbours are getting with hearing it blasting out in my car as I arrive home in the evenings, but I won’t. I will simply say go and get this album, check this guy out, sit back, and remember why it is you love rock music all over again.
To find out more about Tommy Justice, check out his Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
As Every Inch The Rock Star gets the album going one thing is very clear, this is some serious stuff! Immediately launching us into a stadium rock style melee of hammering guitar lines, pounding rhythms and gravelly vocal lines, the mix forms into something which is impossible to sit still to, the sort of thing which is going to get you moving, shaking and drinking along. There’s a real sense of 90’s style stadium rock here, adopting a sound which is far more accomplished than you might expect and showing us that hard rock is alive, well and being led with Tommy Justice at the helm. Love You to Death continues this approach once again, the opening moments of guitar work leaving you a drooling heap in the corner and destroying any hope you had of being that guitar god, this guy is simply pushing it up a notch. Managing to incorporate a serious dose of emotion and melody into the mix to make sure you can connect with the track, this is one which is smoother sounding than the previous track yet still manages to hold all of the drama and punch you’d expect from a hard rock album like this. I guess if I were to compare this to anyone it would have to be the massive hard rock bands like Bon Jovi and Aerosmith but with an element of Lordi thrown into the mix – which might sound odd, but it seems to work when you hear it. 2 tracks in and this album isn’t showing any signs of slowing down, it’s all looking good so far!
Let Me In once again continues the hard hitting approach, this time launching us into an anthem like melee of hammering guitar lines and more awesome rhythms to get you shaking, forming into something which is sure to become a live favourite from the off. Once again packing a punch from the off, there’s a really catchy edge added into this one meaning you’re going to be singing along as soon as you’ve heard it a couple of times, it’s got that feeling of being a track you want to hear more of, something which is going to push the record to the next level. Backstreets For Lovers sounds like it’s going to be a slow and bluesy number but don’t be deceived, as it kicks in we’re once again shown a hard rocking and groovy approach to things, the sort of track which will get asses shaking and beers flowing. This track is testament to the idea of never believing a name, somehow turning what sounds like a love song in its name into something far heavier, funkier and downright dirty. As a result, this track stands out as a serious high point on the album, and one of the tracks which I class amongst my favourites, definitely one to check out if you get a chance.
Open Ride once again manages to push the bar up to a new high, hammering into a track which packs all of the punch of a hard rock track but combines it with all of the funk and groove of a solid blues number. This is another track which showcases the guitar work of Tommy with aplomb, showing off how a guitar is more than just an instrument, it’s something which can create sounds which take you to a new place and show you what real music is. Everywhere I Look continues this approach of blowing our minds as we work our way through the album, this time slowing everything down and instead throwing in an acoustic guitar line to form an emotional and hard hitting track, the sort of thing which will get lighters in the air, arms swaying and people singing along. Turning from the soft acoustic ballad which starts this track and developing into a hard hitting anthem packed with emotional vocals, orchestral effects behind the music and subtle distortion, it’s like being transported back to your first love and feeling it all over again, in short, one hell of an awesome track.
Six Shot Blues, The Day They Sold The World, Thrill Seeker, If I Could Change and Take It All Away all continue to push the boundaries of what should be possible from a hard rock album, each track coming as a unique taste of his style and showing us just what he’s capable of, but all too soon we reach the end of the album and we’re only left with Rats With Wings to close things for us. Now, I say we’re only left with Rats With Wings to close the album, but what a finish it brings about. It’d be rude to say he’s saved the best for last on an album this accomplished but it comes mighty close, hammering towards the finish line with a raucous guitar line, funky backing rhythms and a real sense of old school hard rock designed for a damned good time. From start to finish this album pushed the limits of each track, so closing on a high seems only appropriate, but I’ve been left wanting more…..and more and more and more!
Well, what can I say about Tommy Justice and this album other than my word, that was rather good wasn’t it! From start to finish we’ve got an album which is catchy, powerful, good fun, emotional and straight down the line rocking – so there’s really nothing bad to say. I could go on and on, make a tit of myself gushing about how much I’ve enjoyed this album, how many times I’ve played it to my wife and son, and how annoyed my neighbours are getting with hearing it blasting out in my car as I arrive home in the evenings, but I won’t. I will simply say go and get this album, check this guy out, sit back, and remember why it is you love rock music all over again.
To find out more about Tommy Justice, check out his Facebook page HERE.
Words: Dave Nicholls
