What the world need now is another rock band. A rock band in the traditional sense, of course, and Hazel Gaze certainly seems to be such a band and their album is the kind of album that deserves to be released on vinyl in a textured gatefold sleeve just like they did when rock was one tour bus away from depravity.
The nine songs here are solid as a rock – naturally – and are sung with the right mix of bourbon and gravel with a pleasing dash of honey in the backing vocals. The riffs keep on coming as you would expect of a band that can make any Friday night come alive and, although the lyrics are never going to go left of centre, there is more than enough blue collar sentimentality and theatrical intent to make a song like “Until I See You Again” into a Free style beer drinking anthem. There’s always time for another beer.
It’s not all straight down the line muscularity though for there are also delicate interludes like “Old Soul” and the emotional overload of “Father’s Ruin” to add a degree of counterpoint that seems perfectly convincing yet, when it comes down to it, we know we are all still here for that Friday night party.
You don’t need poetry when you are singing from the heart. Hazel Gaze do just that. No subterfuge just straight, honest rock music that sounds like it always has and always will do. I want to be on their tour bus.