Righto, let’s get the history out of the way. Eric Wagner IS the voice of Trouble. Don’t get me wrong, I bought and enjoyed last year’s offering from that band, ‘The Distortion Field’, and if I’d had a top twenty rather then a top ten list on Ave Noctum, that album would have been there. Considering the number of bands that tour with no original members, Trouble are to be congratulated on having their original twin guitar attack, and Kyle Thomas does a bang up job considering the massive shoes he has to fill, but with the eponymous ‘Blackfinger’ fans again have a chance to revel in the unique voice of Eric Wagner. Not that the band is a vanity project and vehicle for one man, rather a coming together some real talent.
‘I Am John’ is a superlative album opener, the mournful guitars and rhythm section perfectly complimenting Wagner’s world weary almost whispered vocals that manage to communicate emotion with a simple minimalism that few other singers could hope to match. There are no multi-octave busting pyrotechnics, rather an excellent restrained darkness and introversion. This same musicianship permeates follow up ‘Yellowood’ with a truly compelling riff that builds into an equally memorable solo, ultra fast wizardry being utterly unnecessary for the dirty tones that come out of the speakers. ‘Why God’ follows, a far more skilful demonstration of inner turmoil and questioning the universe then the lumpen autotuned Black Sabbath offering ‘God is Dead?’ (Sorry, couldn’t resist a dig at the most disappointing album of 2013 in my books).
For track after track the band show they are more then capable of writing and playing some excellent rock, from the gentle pastoral opening of ‘On Tuesday Morning’, to the stark melancholic cello and drum sound of ‘As Long As I’m With You’, through to the stripped back rock of ‘Here Comes The Rain’, arguably the song most reminiscent of Trouble. Again, I apologise for the comparison, but the track does have the classic bite of the band Mr Wagner formed so many years ago. The acoustic nature of ‘Keep Falling Down’ heightens the lyrical theme of bleak vulnerability, the electric solos not being obtrusive and lording over the sound of the track, rather supporting it.
This is an album of skill, maturity, and a coming together of excellent musicians. Whilst I write the review after only a few listens, I have no doubt it will get regular rotation on my player, and is liable to grow as repeated listenings will allow even more of its subtle nuances to be found. I won’t be at all surprised if come the end of the year ‘Blackfinger’ is firmly in my top 10 of 2014.
(8/10 Spenny)
www.facebook.com/blackfingermusic
Leave a Reply