Mojo Thunder – The Infinite Hope
(Juno Music – 2024)
(Style: Country/Southern Blues)
I think I might be missing the point of this. There is nothing intrinsically wrong with it, but maybe the clean production has taken the edge off it, I don’t know. It is far smoother and effortless than I expected. It has tasty guitar solos, impassioned vocals, but for me it lacks the dynamics to make it stand out from the crowd.
To validate my point, I must go to the final track ‘Greetings From Western Art’ a song that guitar wise is filled with thrills that could have come off any Lynyrd Skynyrd album, it flows unrestrained like a ‘Freebird’. Now vocally, as with the rest of this album, it goes somewhere else entirely, it sounds so exposed and vulnerable. On one hand Infinite Thunder has a very modern feel reminiscent of Kings Of Leon, on the other it has a Southern rock feel, which creates a conflicting, but interesting listen.
The album cover depicts the band as cartoon super heroes who are here to save the Earth from bland contrived music. To me the music within does not match the image, they are not Kiss or even the power metal of Manowar, to be honest they don’t try to be. Other reviews describe this their sophomore album as being raw with gritty vocals, I don’t hear that at all, maybe it is the polished production that takes the edge off things.
Going back to the final track and to my ears the best one on the album, it is a song of two distinct parts. The first part could become a massive hit single if edited down and the amazing duelling guitars taken away, I don’t think the two parts really become one. The song should finish around 4.30 minutes and the guitars could be used elsewhere.
Many will disagree, but that is my honest opinion. My review may be confusing to you, what I am hearing is confusing to me. I really like ‘Sean Sullivan’s vocal delivery, and the musicianship is out of this world, but having listened to it repeatedly I cannot decide whether it gels together or not. I guess that is the magic of it, the mix of modern and old.
This Kentucky band Rock out on ‘Holy Ghost’ which features a throbbing rhythm section and insistent vocal. ‘Memphis’ is heartfelt with a sublime Country Blues tinge and feel. ‘Getting’ On A Binge’ offers a ZZ Top nuance in its structure as Mojo Thunder embrace another influence.
I will finish with, if only the production offered more grit and raw energy Infinite Hope would be one of my favourite albums of the year. Despite that it is an album of many colours which I have really enjoyed.
By Paul Mace