Six Mile Wide - Washoose EP

Six Mile Wide are a hard rock band from Ayrshire. They were playing Harley's in Ayr a few weeks back and I got their E.P. to check out before I went to see them. When you hear the thrash of guitars from the first track you know that you are in the hard rock/metal genre. I have a tenuous relationship with hard rock as a genre - growing up obsessed with Led Zeppelin means that I know where it all comes from but some of the stuff that led on from that in the 80's was diabolical, and not in a good way. As a simple judgement of where the division line lies, I like hard rock but I don't like metal. As far as I can see - hard rock disappeared sometime in the late 80's and metal continued to regurgitate the same thing again again for the rest of time...

Anyway - less of my diatribe. Six Mile Wide seem to sit on the 'Hard Rock' side of the spectrum. It's foot to the floor meat and two veg rock and roll.

From track one(Your Mine) you can see that the band have their chops and they seem to know each other pretty well. The track has an interesting start and good dynamics. The track is recorded very well. If anything there is too much reverb on the drums for my liking, but it gives the whole thing a Bonham-esque sound. The best thing about track one is the ferocious onslaught of guitars which leave nothing to the imagination

The way Track two(am I home yet) starts reminds of me Ænema by Tool, but once the backing vocals start we are transported back to the "Denim years" It's a good track but I've realised why the drums were sunk with reverb. They are using an electronic kit, so the drums are a little bit perfect and to hide it they are sunk in the mix a little. They've done it very well, and I almost didn't notice, but it's the one thing I'd change in the mix.

Track 3(let it go) has a more modern drum sound. This along with a slightly exotic sounding guitar gives the ear a rest from the onslaught of the first two tracks. The vocals have a punkier feel which makes the song pretty interesting, by the end of the song, there's a real build and the band move toward a more metal feel - making it a pretty impressive song compositionally.

Never break, track 4 is full on riff rock. The chorus goes a little Soundgarden-ey and the sound is more 90's than it is 80's. Its a good track - probably the heaviest on the EP.

Sick smile(track 5) has a catchy hook and starts with a classic build. It's quality convinces you that the band can churn out some pretty high quality rock again and again. It is as strong as all the other choruses on the EP and you end yourself singing along after only a few plays.

All in all it's a well recorded good EP and it bodes well for a full album. Once the electronic drums have been heard - they can't be un-heard and while it doesn't pose a big problem - I think for me it's the biggest weakness of an otherwise pretty solid sound. I do, however understand the convenience of electronic drums for live work and practicing, I just wish they would stay organic when they were recording.

Seen live, the band are a force to be reckoned with, and you could do worse than checking them out if they make it to your neck of the woods.

Moo - Wanted

I first discovered Moo in a bar(Maloe Melo) in Amsterdam. I was there to see another band who they were supporting. As soon as I walked in. I saw some cowboy hats and heard the familiar twang and though. "Oh no… it's a country band". I'm not a big fan of country. I am slowly getting into Johnny Cash via the American Recordings, but in general country doesn't do it for me.

I soon realised, that they had a pretty good energy and that it probably would't be too bad. They must have seen me coming, because the next song they did was the theme from the TV programme Rawhide. I'm sure there is a TV programme called rawhide, but I know it from the Blue Brothers. I'm sold. They clearly have a good enough knowledge of good music to push the boundaries of their three man country punk.

I picked up a copy of their album - Wanted.

Other than one original, the album is made up covers. For the most part these are pretty well known, and many of them were not written for a country three piece.

The band are dublin based but are fronted by charismatic Italian called Claudio Mercante. How he found country or how he ended up in Dublin is a mystery to me. Luckily he sings without a hint of an agent - Irish, Italian or otherwise, so the music remains pure.

The album is very well recorded. No thrills, and it sounds like it could have been recorded just about any time in the past 50 years, if it wasn't for the fact that their are Gnarls Barkley covers on it.

Claudio is ably supported by Darren Flynn on bass, and Art Lorigan on drums. Both perform back up vocals. Darren is full of energy and according to the bands Facebook photos, looks like Jesus with a hangover. I think this is a perfect description, but I've also realised it fits me a little as well. My apologies to Art - he was tucked away in the corner in Amsterdam, so I never saw him. He provided a great backbone and provides a great backbone on the album.

The album never takes itself too seriously, and I think almost everyone will know at least a few songs already. The guitar work is wonderful. The band are by no means a novelty band. The song choice wouldn't include and amazing rendition of 'Lucky' by Radiohead if this were the case. They would have chosen Creep. No that I've heard it I want more. The problem with basing a band on genre is that they have painted themselves into a corner a little. Will an album of original songs be as much fun? Until then, if you are looking for some rocking music for your collection then you could do worse than picking up this album.

The band have their own website.

They can be found on Facebook here

And you can support the boys by buying their album here:

Amazon link
iTunes Link