Reviews
The Lions Rampant
Play Rock N Roll
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The newest EP from The Lions Rampant is titled Play Rock n' Roll, and they do just that. It's a collection of blues-inspired rock songs that seem more like an invitation to their live shows than something you'd want to throw on for multiple deep listens.
It starts off with back-to-back rockers "70-30" and "Let us In! (come on)", both of which fly by propelled with fuzzed-out riffs, banged-out drums and gang vocals. In fact, they speed past so quickly that the second track is half over before you've realized that the first one ended. These two songs blend together so much, it brings to front the one fatal flaw in The Lions' modus operandi: lack of variety. Almost every here runs through with the same intensity and tempo, and the album ends up feeling a little long and repetitive. That could be a death signal for an EP, especially one this short at around 17 minutes. On their own though, each song represents a giddy blast of adrenaline that I could see on a party mix ready to get everyone pumped up. The best moment of the album comes when "Cryin' all the Time" warps itself into a kick-ass guitar jam half way through and wraps up the song on a serious high note.
So if cheap, catchy thrills are what you're looking for, The Lions Rampant get the job done. They get in, get out, and leave a melodic seed implanted in your brain that you might find yourself humming for days. The band would definitely shine in a live setting, banging out an alcohol-fueled set. Even on record you can hear they are tight, something that a band can live or die by. I just couldn't help but think "Yeah, but can they play anything else?"
Score: 6.5
- Dan Gorman