Federal Charm – Passenger
(Wire Sound – 2018)
The bluesy rocking quartet who have a retro rock and blues sound that comes across as like an almost modern day Led Zeppelin without completely clicheing or becoming a bad parody tribute.
A bnd who regrouped since their previous outing – a new singer in the large ranged hemisphere that is Tom Guyer and Drummer, Josh Zahler with the lineup completed by Paul Bowe (Lead Guitar), Kyle Ross (Guitar/Keyboard/Vocals) and L. D. Morawski (Bass).
Highlights include the opening 'Swing Sinner' about a boy called Joe who kills his abusive drunken father that is very and it's immediate follow up ' Choke' that concerns a relationship that never happened that that both have elaborate stop start all over the place unsettling blues-rock melodies.
Later on there is the gutsy and building moderate rocker 'Get Through' with it's cavernous echo and wailing solo about a broken relationship and the now and then delta-guitar work to be found in 'Concrete Creature' about the destruction of nature and the closing 'Parting Words' about divorce with it's drum-led drive that is enveloped by Tom's wailing vocals and some fat deep guitar sounds.
A group that is bound to grow on you.
8.5/10
By Glenn Milligan