The second album from Lonerider is a monster slab of chunky, upbeat, feel good, strong melodic/classic rock of the highest order.
That’s probably not a surprise with the band consisting of the soaring vocals of Steve Overland, the great Simon Kirke on drums, Steve Morris on guitar and Chris Childs on bass.
Quite a line-up eh? These days the term “supergroup” is over used and often disappoints, but not here with Lonerider.
Sundown is very probably the best album Bad Company never did. Musically it’s a bit of a mixture of say Straight Shooter and Dangerous Age.
A dozen proper songs in that classic Bad Company style and one cannot help but draw comparisons.
Overland has a superb set of pipes and here sounds not unlike Paul Rogers and Brian Howe. Kirke does what Kirke does best as the human metronome. Rock solid behind the kit. He locks in tight with Childs. Morris throws out the chunky chords and riffs allied with sublime soloing.
Fantasyland opens things up with an excellent feel good punchy rocker with a huge hook which is impossibly catchy. You know you’re in for a treat if what follows is as good – and it is.
Cross the Border rattles along with Childs cutting lose with some slide guitar. Harder Love takes things back more towards Bad Company territory.
Harder Love slows the tempo down a little before Overland gets a bit soulful on When You Got Nothing.
Yesterday’s News picks up the pace as do Badlands and Wild River. Prayer for the Lonely goes all slow-burning broody bluesy edge with gives Overland space to show how good he is vocally at this sort of stuff.
Devil Road is a superb closer. Thumping along with the riff and more Overland vocal supremacy.
With Sundown, Lonerider give us classic rock as it should be done. Not surprising given the pedigree and talent of the line-up.
Have a listen to Fantasyland:
Bought my copy of the CD directly from the label, Escape Music. It came with a card hand-signed by the band which I understand is limited to the first 500 copies. Perhaps you’ll get one too. If you miss out, you’ll still have the album to enjoy.
Here’s the link to the Escape Music shop:
https://www.the-music-shop.net/