Beyond its primary classification, the track intersects with the Christian music bracket. The song’s lyrical content is characterized by the recurrent invocation of ‘Christ’. Also describing their instrumentation, ABRAM writes about the song having ‘a searing but beautiful section’.

While ABRAM’s notes specify piano, Hammond organ, and guitar, the final composition also features prominent, unlisted instrumentation. Specifically, the overall sound derives a heavy, driving intensity from the noticeable presence of drums and a deep bass line.

This sonic weight is elegantly counterbalanced by the female vocalist, whose angelic, sweet, and soft tone provides a delicate foil to the intensity. Her opening line, delivered in a relaxed, sweet, and soothing vocal style – ‘Where have you been?’ – is addressed directly to the angel.

Her lyrics reveal a narrative of absence: the angel had departed, remaining silently withdrawn even as the lady prayed time and again. She continues this narrative for several lines until the angel finally replies, his response delivered through deep, resonant male vocals.

Exhibiting an almost comical humanity, the angel offers an apology, justifying his silence by citing tiredness.

Thematically, the song explores a disordered world burdened by human problems, prompting a plea for divine intervention. Yet, the narrative suggests the supernatural forces themselves are bogged down in the demands of intercession. This raises a profound question: who, then, aids the supernatural? While this remains unanswered, the song’s underlying themes firmly place it within the religious genre.

The heaviness of the instrumentation is perfectly fitting, given that the song grapples with the inherently profound and challenging nature of religious questions. The angel itself is distressed, as the song tells us; the angel asking: ‘Where do angels get angels?’.

The angel’s query functions as a moment of existential inquiry within a fictional setting, but its implications extend further: the presence of such a question speaks not only to the needs of humanity, but also to the requirements of the divine. In this way, the song expertly challenges and addresses the listener’s assumptions, successfully posing a profound dilemma that the subsequent narrative attempts to resolve or at least confront.

The song’s extended runtime of over seven minutes is crucial; it provides the space necessary for the listener to register the angel’s distress. Coupled with the classical, almost symphonic soundscape, this duration acts as a catalyst, sonically transporting the audience to that strange domain where angels require aid from their own kind.

SCORE/Outstanding: This is an outstanding song on all fronts – vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally. It achieves the remarkable feat of both comforting and discomfiting the listener. While much more could be said, this concise analysis is sufficient to serve the integrity of this review.

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Dinosaur Stampede are:
Patrick “Packy” Thompson (…but ugly, Black Vomit, Jaysom Rallys) – Rhythm Guitar/Vocals
Keith Hartel (True Love, Adrenaline OD, Tammy Faye Starlite, Richard Lloyd, Motel Shootout, Pleased Youth, Handsome Dick Manitoba) – Lead Guitar/Vocals/Keyboards
Keith Kenny (Metal6000, legendary Red Suitcase one-man-band) – Lead Guitar/Vocals/Inspiration
Matt Kohut (Cold Soil Drifters, Ween, Chris Harford) – Bass
Sim Cain (Rollins Band, Ween, Dean Ween Group, J. Geils Band, Regressive Aid, Gone, Scorn Flakes) – Drums/Vocals/Wisdom

Dinosaur Stampede returns with their long-awaited second album, Big Sigh Country, co-produced by Sim Cain and New Jersey guitar legend Keith Kenny, who graces the album with his inspired and transcendent guitar work and backing vocals throughout, and was a creative and engineering force driving the project forward. Keith Hartel shifts from bass to provide some of the finest lead guitar work of his illustrious career (as well as background vocals, keyboards, and lead vocals on the new song “PLEAS”). Playing drums and co-producing the project, SIM CAIN brings his world-renowned knowledge, talent, and professionalism. The new album includes 8 original songs written by Packy Thompson and is set for release this fall. The band will be performing the new album in its entirety on November 1, 2025, at Randy Now’s Man Cave in Hightstown, NJ, USA.

So let’s have a listen …

The first song on the new album is called Bean. Well, folks, this is not country. The song starts with the tolling of a bell, then the full band kicks in playing an uptempo riff. The lead vocalist has a lonesome punk voice. The song in the chorus reminds me of some punk tunes. I like the effect on the lead guitar, giving it a warbly sound. Maybe the song is about Francis Bean Cobain? The chorus reminds me of some late-60s pop-rock bands.

Other Animals starts with a nice acoustic guitar riff, very nice. The singer’s voice is very distinctive. A little like Bob Dylan in its straining to sing quality. I like the slide guitar that appears halfway through the song. The songwriting is actually pretty good, if it could just get over the singer’s voice. If you listen, you’ll hear what I mean. It’s a very unique voice. I wonder what the same songs would sound like with a different lead singer. 

Lie Fight (The Truth) starts with a massive country bend and a loud solo. “She brought the truth to the lie fight.” Definitely a country tune, this one.
Pretty standard country song arrangement. A little boring, honestly.

Pleas starts with a Motown up and down riff, then falls into a two-chord vamp under the verse. The chorus kicks in and I’m hearing The Beatles, at least in the song arrangement. Interesting song so far. The singer’s voice takes some getting used to – sort of a nasally punk sound. I like this one.

Lump starts with a driving rock riff a’la Cream. Maybe a little Nirvana in this song arrangement. I like the riff. The lead guitars are mixed nicely and loud. The only thing this song needs is a better singer. But very nice production.

Undangled, Unsung has a Southern Rock sound at its core. Maybe a little blues in the way the vocals fall over the slow guitar riffs. For the vocals, you have to imagine a young Tom Waits wailing with a coarse voice after an acid trip. The guitars are mixed very loud in this track. Lots of soloing.

Broker Than Dirt starts with a folk riff, but played on an electric guitar. The song playfully bounces between chords. Sounds like Bob Dylan meets Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboys.

Salamis & Hookers starts with strange noises, almost helicopter-like in nature. I really like the nice chord vibe and particularly the lead guitar fuzzed and wah’d out. Not sure what the song is about, strange lyrics. I hear a lot of late ’60s and ’70s rock influences in many of these songs. I love the lead guitar jam at the end of this song, epic! Nice way to finish.

Overall, I like the songwriting, the instrument performances, and the production on all the songs. My only criticism is the sound of the voice.

SCORE/Good: Dinosaur Stampede delivers a new rock album full of interesting musical choices, excellent songwriting and musical arrangements, and a singer’s voice that only a mother could love. If you like good songwriting, though, check it out. Much love, Beth

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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The record opens with a thunderclap. The title track creeps in with a slow, tension-building drumbeat before exploding into a storm of guitars and shouted vocals that feel both furious and cathartic. The chant of “bongs not bombs” rings out like a protest and a joke at once, a fitting mission statement for a band that refuses to separate humour from conviction. It’s loud, abrasive, and deeply satisfying, the kind of song that makes you want to throw your head back and lose yourself in the noise.

Then, almost as if daring the listener to keep up, AM Gold pivots. The following song glides into an airy, melodic groove that feels like it was pulled straight out of a lost George Harrison session. The guitar sparkles, the rhythm skips along, and the mood brightens completely. That sort of tonal whiplash becomes the album’s secret weapon. Where many records lean on a single atmosphere, Bongs Not Bombs thrives on contrast. The duo seems intent on proving that heavy and light, cynical and hopeful, silly and sincere can all live within the same world.

Each song reveals a different facet of the band’s personality. Some numbers strike a political nerve, questioning dogma and authority with lines that feel pointed but never heavy-handed. Others turn inward, exploring personal exhaustion, detachment, or the absurdity of modern life. The writing has a mix of sharpness and self-awareness, and even when the lyrics border on the ridiculous, like the surreal ZZ Top homage “(Suckin’ On) Billy G’s Beard”, they’re delivered with a wink and a craftsmanship that makes them land.

Musically, the album moves confidently between textures. The duo’s chemistry shines in the way they layer sounds without ever overcrowding them. There’s an analogue warmth to the production that recalls the best of the 1970s, yet the clarity of the mix keeps everything crisp and immediate. Guitars snarl, shimmer, and sometimes wander into psychedelic territory. Fasano’s drumming drives the record forward with momentum that’s both technical and instinctive, grounding the more experimental flourishes. Together, they sound much bigger than two people have any right to.

In quieter moments, the songs take on unexpected emotional depth. There are tracks that lean toward melancholy, their slower tempos giving space for reflection and atmosphere. The vocals, often deep and resonant, lend a sense of gravity to even the more playful lyrics. At its best, the album balances its wild energy with real feeling, a sense that beneath the bravado lies something sincere and fragile.

One of the record’s most interesting qualities is its sense of structure. It doesn’t unfold like a random collection of songs but feels like a deliberate arc. The opening and closing tracks mirror each other with heavy, distorted energy, while the middle portion softens into more melodic and introspective territory. That cyclical design gives Bongs Not Bombs the feeling of a complete statement, a journey that begins in chaos, drifts through contemplation, and returns to noise with newfound perspective.

By the end, as the last distorted notes fade into a swirl of sound, there’s a sense of arrival, of having gone somewhere unpredictable and worth the trip. AM Gold has managed to create a record that celebrates the past without being trapped by it, that jokes without losing meaning, that rocks without apology but still finds moments of genuine beauty. Bongs Not Bombs is a thrilling listen from a band that sounds like it’s discovered exactly who it wants to be: fearless, funny, and unafraid to turn the volume all the way up.

SCORE / Outstanding – By the time the album closes, Bongs Not Bombs feels like more than just a collection of songs; it’s a statement of intent from a band determined to keep rock unpredictable. AM Gold manages to honour decades of influence without ever sounding nostalgic, blending power and personality in equal measure. The result is a record that hits hard, makes you think, and refuses to sit still. It’s the sound of two musicians chasing freedom through noise, and finding something real along the way.

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Dark Matter Rhapsody is an experimental cinematic rock project that lives in the intersection of psychology and symphony, fronted by Toby S. Reeves aka Rex Narratus. Previous reviews led to this project garnering outstanding ratings, described simply as ‘a sensory odyssey that paints emotion itself’.

In this instance, their newest release titled ‘The Doppelganger Trials’, is a even bolder exploration of identity and illusion. The project blends genres such as progressive rock, orchestral grandeur and narrative cohesion in a way that feels equal parts theatrical and introspective. At the core of the project lies Rex, an enigmatic narrator who embodies the human mind’s shifting reflections, questioning who we become when technology, ambition, and self-perception collide.

The Doppelganger Trials aim to examine the shadow of humanity: the persona we build to survive, and the versions of ourselves that fracture under pressure. It’s based on psychological concepts with mythic elements, presented through what is intended to be a musically fearless approach, crafted for listeners who crave meaning behind the melody.

It is also set in a world ruled by T.A.L.O.S which stands for the Total Algorithmic Logic Operating System. This AI ‘overlord’ manipulates insecurity and self-doubt to keep humanity compliant, reflecting the same social pressures that govern us today. Blending symphonic grandeur, dark electronica, and psychological storytelling, the album challenges listeners to confront control, reclaim authenticity and make the right choice before the system does. Rex also states that the concept of T.A.L.O.S isn’t merely science fiction, but an allegory for the systems that already own us- social approval, metrics, algorithms, reputations- all built from us, and the system in turn training us with the only way out is to remember who we were before the mirror started talking back.

All in all, it is pretty much a cautionary epic about control disguised as protection, and choice disguised as compliance. Its closing phrase, ‘You are now Dark Matter Rhapsody compliant, HUMAN.EXE‘, lands like a final verdict, chilling in its familiarity.

The album starts off pretty cinematically, with the use of dimensional mastering and effects to give it suspense and depth. The project reads off like an auditory version of a movie, oscillating between actual songs and narrated pieces. I will have to say that the mastering does vary a lot in songs within this album, with some aspects being phenomenal but not so great in other instances. One critique I do have about this work is how ‘conventional’ and predictable the chord structure is within the tracks. I get that it somewhat doubles as scoring for the idea behind the album, but in some instances it would be in the best interests of music to push the boundaries.

Echo Couriers follows suit being a hybrid of cinematic aspects and rock music. I am assuming due to the varied amount of voices and the history of the artist utilizing AI that some of these works, or the vocals were somewhat generated with AI, in which the artist can disprove if untrue. Otherwise, the vocals are really much in the mid-range. If you want to go to the dramatic route of music, I would say that Blutengel would be a better reference point on how to wield your vocals to fit a dramatic scape without it being extremely predictable. ‘Voice Inside The Glass’ also follows from the same convention, being an emotional song, but also not that striking.

There are some tracks that sound like it tries to incorporate aspects of funk and psychedelia to increase the value of unique it can be, like ‘Masks are Mandatory’, but there’s something off with the mastering, honestly. It has its merit as a standalone song, as something spunky and inspired by tracks like 24K Magic with a more theatrical and vintage spin to it, but after the previous tracks, it seems strange.

Otherwise, most of the tracks in this release do stick to the theme, trailing within a mixture of a dynamic and technologically inspired soundscape that resembles a sonic maze (The Influencer, The Compliance Report), extreme tracks that take you on a journey of compelling emotion and a strong will to it (You Got This, The Tribunal) and simply, heartfelt tracks that will definitely tug on your heartstrings regardless of whether you intend to thematically listen to the album or listen to a single track in isolate.

One of the plus points of the album is definitely its cohesive format and the addition of tracks like T.A.L.O.S Wants a Word or T.A.L.O.S Manifesto to keep the theme running. These days its getting more and more rare to scope for albums that do want to tell a story as elaborate as this, and I think the weaknesses of the album can be forgiven with the intent. I do think one of the most interesting and promising tracks on the album is ‘March of the Broken Self’, which contains a more militaristic and intensive soundscape with the least compositional and mastering issues.

I think the artist has the capacity to present a body of work that far exceeds the predictability within this album. The conception of the album shows a huge propensity to think big and be creative, and I just think certain compositional risks need to be taken to honour that, without falling into the trope of expressing niche ideas with a format that ‘already exists’.

SCORE / Good – The Doppelganger Trials is an interesting concept album that takes imagery of technology to mirror back to ourselves what exactly we express within ourselves and the constraints within public presentation, society and the emotions involved. The artistic conceptualisation is immensely interesting, but the album unfortunately falls into predictable musical tropes often.

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‘Charleigh Getaway’ is the opening track. According to the band’s Bandcamp page, the song is about a woman ‘so sick and tired of abuse at the hands of her man that she takes matters into her own hands without considering the consequences. We’ll have to take the band’s word for it, as the song’s lyrics occasionally get drowned out by the heavy sound. Sound-wise, the track showcases Thom Braun’s drums and Jason ‘The Professor’ Kloosterman’s crunchy guitar. Rob Fontano provides the raspy vocals, with Ken Fioretti on bass.

Next is ‘Love Song’. Again, we hear the familiar raspy vocals, crunchy guitar, bass, and drums. Lyrically, the persona speaks of flying halfway across the country just to say ‘goodbye’ to a lover. That’s the core tension: the necessity of a farewell suggests a relationship gone sour. Love was no longer in the equation, replaced by obligation – a scenario that speaks to how some relationships endure out of duty rather than passion.

The subsequent track is ‘Nero’s Fiddle’. The song starts with a single, isolated lyric: ‘Showtime!’. This declaration is self-aware, acknowledging the band’s role as performers. The title itself alludes to self-awareness: Emperor Nero was famously linked to music. ‘Welcome to the show!’, we hear, before the song turns cynical with the line, ‘You came to see the empire burning’. Both the instrumental sound and the vocals are noticeably deeper on this track.

‘No More (Don’t Do It)’ follows. The mix of drums and guitar is excellent here. The lyrical persona reflects on past mistakes and proclaims they are now a changed person. The track features a persistent refrain: ‘I don’t do that thing’.

Up next is ‘Stone in my Shoe’. The band describes the song as ‘a rough and rowdy bluesy rocker’. This is the first time the band significantly ups the ante with the distorted guitar, featuring a high-gain crunch. The vocals are deeper but also laconic. The lyrical persona talks about a relationship being good when the lover was good, but acknowledges that it ‘wasn’t gonna stay that way’.

The title track, ‘Between the Tracks’, is next. While the crunch remains, it’s not as deep as it was in the previous song. The band writes that the track ‘cuts deep into life’s pitfalls and victories’. It’s a study in brutal realism – an analysis of life that ultimately speaks to the necessity of toughing it out. I’m tempted to interpret it specifically as toughing it out as a man.

‘Right Here’ is a love song with a sweet mix of guitar and drums. The lyrical persona is in a reflective mood: sitting at a bar, looking at an ex’s phone number, and observing that a year has passed. If their former partner wants to reconcile, the persona simply says they are ‘right here’.

‘Desperate Rider’ follows. The band notes they are unsure whether the song ‘seems to be either a sequel or prequel to Charleigh Getaway, exploring the journey of a woman on the run for her life’. This track features a bluesy guitar and bass, with the crunch guitar notably absent. There’s a vocal mix incorporating some singing and a speech-like delivery, reflecting the song’s narrative form. The persona recounts picking up a woman who tells them a story about realizing her man was dead at some point.

‘Sister Kratomite’ follows. Crunchy guitar returns, and the raspy vocals are mean and at times strained. The guitar and drums mix is excellent, and the distortion grows as the instruments eventually overpower the vocals. This track is a great reminder of the inherent coolness of distortion in rock music. Lyrically, this is an edgy song – the first time Dirty Work has been this provocative – with the persona expressing a desire to make Sister Kratomite cum. We also hear that she’s horny.

‘Hard Honesty’, the final song, again features an impressive crunch and drums. The vocals are deeper and edgy. The band writes about the song having honest lyrics, though I find the lyrics somewhat scattered.

SCORE/Excellent: This is an excellent crunch guitar and drums album. However, one has to mention the monotony of those instruments. If you love male voices and male singing, this one is for you.

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The track is definitely very spunky and filled with character, donning a very folksy-rock tune to it. The instruments are mastered quite well and the two musicians have provided a lot of dynamic to the track, making it quite desirable and palatable to listeners who may not be familiar with the genre.

The groove is extremely stable and consistent throughout the duration of the track, with a singable hook. The two vocalists are also quite proficient, and I can hear good control and pitch from both of them even with an organic feel. The instruments and guitar segments provide the track with a lot of motivic variation and definitely take it to the next level, giving the track an ’emotional’ and compositional peak.

Honestly, this is a great track that expresses itself to the point and with proficient tact to it. Hope to hear more from Jude & The Lost Cause.

Score/Good: Jude & The Lost Cause definitely impresses listeners with ‘On My Way’, proving it right that these old dogs can not simply lay down a groove, but throw the groove. It’s a track with lots of character, dynamics and soul to it.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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This has definitely cultivated itself into a career in music and independent releases. In this instance, he returns with his second album titled ‘This Selection Is Currently Unavailable’. He admits, that playing and recording in a self-imposed social bubble get can lonely at times. To curb these feelings, he occasionally invites his guitar buddies into his studio to lay down a guitar solo or two. Some of this at work will be apparent in the track ‘Six Pack of Bourbon’ with Francis Lusardi’s slide guitar solo, and Dave Croce’s solos on ‘Right Whatever’s Wrong’, ‘2 Night Stand’, ‘Born One’ and ‘I Try Not To Miss Her’.

All of the songs on the album are written by Marcus except ‘I Try Not to Miss Her’, which evidently shares writing credits with Croce himself.

Marcus also describes his genre as definitely pop/rock, but he also has the desire to explore beyond these constraints by writing country-flavoured tunes every now and then. With this current release, he explores themes such as lost love, the environment, hope, betrayal, loneliness and finding love- with ‘Whenever I Think of You’ dedicated to his wife and ‘Born One’ following the birth of his son.

The album is definitely very folksy and wholesome in its entirety, from ‘Right Whatever’s Wrong’ to ‘I Try Not To Miss Her’. It has the undertones of 70s folk-rock albums like Hunky Dory by David Bowie, especially with the way the sounds are mastered within this release. In another aspect, it does have more of a mid to late 70s feel (besides the early 70s references) from the style of synthesizers used within this release.

I’d say another interesting thing is that the percussive chops within the album and the rock-based songs also bear characteristics of songs from the 90s to a degree. It does contain the three eras I have mentioned very well quite simultaneously. However, it’s hard to say that people who are fans of music from the era would necessarily put this work on the same level, simply because of the mastering. It feels like as if in some instances, the vocals are not fully layered well with the instrumental, giving a slight amateurish feel with too much echo.

From a compositional aspect, the album is frankly not too shabby and does contain a healthy appetite for compositional variation and motivic variation. The songs are not too repetitive and all contain differing dynamics that fit the relative theme ascribed to each track. The addition of various solos- from guitars to MIDI trumpets show an intent to ‘add’ on to the track and give it more dynamics.

I think someone who does have a keen interest in music of that characterizes these particular eras would find a lot of comfort and solitude within the release, as it just ‘gets it’ while being authentic. Yes, there are mastering issues that wouldn’t necessarily make it sound like a modern album, but I think if you’re able to put yourself in the mind of the artist and to simply put, recreate its vibe in your head as you’re listening to it, it will eventually make a lot of sense.

There’s a lot of upbeat tracks within this release that transition into a ballad, and even some that remind me of The Archies. Perhaps, Marcus Liuzzi could work a little bit on his vocals besides the mastering aspect, as it does unfortunately give off an amateur vibe as well. His voice has a lot of potential, with its musky feel and clean delivery, but in songs like ‘Taking My Shot at Love’, the harmonizing aspect does not really sound that great. Another thing this release could benefit from is sound selection, and getting away from instrumentation that doesn’t sound organic enough. Ironically, the keys and the guitar segments sound really good in this release, it’s just some of the synths and the drumming samples (in some instances, it sounds too generic.)

As a personal project though, I think this album is pretty decent and can be shared with Marcus Liuzzi’s loved ones and associates. The songwriting is really intentional and possibly biographical, making it heartwarming and not cold at all. Despite the pitfalls of this album, I can feel the warmth and purity emanating from each verse, and that makes it wholesome.

SCORE / Mediocre to Good – ‘This Selection Is Currently Unavailable’ marks as an addition to Marcus Liuzzi’s world of releases, and delivers with a wholesome feel that pays homage to music influences of the past. It’s great for a personal project, and I don’t mean this with any snark, it is a highly personalised project that requires a specific niche audience to truly appreciate beyond face value.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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‘Train Wreck of a Day’ is the EP’s first song. It starts with a three-hit steel drum phrase. Then bass and strings kick in. There’s something sweet and artistic about the song’s introduction with the drums. The drum phrase disappears when strings and bass kick in, but that’s not to say the drums are gone.

Vocal don’t take much time to kick in, and we hear John Luther sing, ‘I’m having a train wreck of a day’. There’s something funny about this line – or perhaps the act of someone singing that they’re having a bad day. But it’s not just a bad day: it’s a train wreck of a day! That’s a vivid hyperbolic metaphor.

After waking up, the lyrical persona’s morning starts with them finding their bed on the side. Then there’s extremely cold coffee. It’s a series about unfortunate events song. But the lyrical persona is upbeat. John Luther’s vocals rise in energy when his persona addresses an imaginary person, whom he tells he’s fine, begging them not to worry. They say they’ll make the time, them begging the time – some tautology right there.

The day gets worse, the persona recounting a series of more unfortunate events. And then they tell their addressee that just like they said, they’ll get over it.

The feeling I get from the repeated utterances by the persona saying they’ll get over it, is that their addressee seems not to believe that they won’t get over it. What this does – or what you get – is the vocalist going from slow singing to raising their voice.

This is a song about grinding on even though the odds are stacked against you. The singing, when not strained, is easy singing – just like the instrumentation. However, you get the bluesy guitar, which adds a melancholic, or sour, feeling to the song.

Up next is ‘Good Old Days’. It starts with a different three-hit steel drum phrase. The singing and tone on this song are upbeat, and there are additional vocals from the other band members. On the surface, it’s a cheesy song. Wonder House here references the good old days. But it’s a thought-provoking song, the lyrical persona saying that nobody told them when they were living in the good old days. They also go on to talk about how the young don’t think about the past. At some point, the soulful guitar and drums take over. There’s a lot of vocal variation in this song. The song stands in direct contrast with ‘Train Wreck of a Day’.

Although you still get the usual drums and bluesy guitar in ‘Sliding by the Window’, the song starts differently. The vocals here are delivered in a deeper register. Again, we encounter an upbeat song. Here, the EP enters the realm of romance. The lyrical persona talks about dark purple eyes, strawberry wine, and then mentions that ‘I wanted to know you’.

They reveal that their addressee made them believe. Then they launch into vocals that soar, invoking the rainbow, moon and mountain. At some point, John Luther hums ‘na na na’. Although the bluesy guitar takes a solo for a while (backed by drums of course), before that I feel like there’s a bit of a crunchy guitar.

If the distorted guitar is missing on the EP, it starts ‘Hush’. The song opens with the humming of ‘na na na’. It’s another energetic song, the vocals too fast. However, John Luther mixes the vocals. At some point, the voice drops, and you hear him go ‘Hush! Hush!’. Again we’re in Loveland, although the song speaks to heartbreak.

‘Drifting’ closes out the EP. It’s partly a whistling song. One of those songs that you find yourself whistling along. Lyrically, the song’s quite interesting. The persona is many things – or at least could be many things. They’ve been a gambler, they’ve been a king, they’re the Dalai Lama – but for all the things they could do, they tell the addressee that they’d rather be ‘drifting with you’.

SCORE/Excellent: Vocally and lyrically, the EP is unafraid to be experimental – even a little clownish. You hear both humming and whistling. To be fair, on these fronts the EP is more outstanding than merely excellent. What makes me settle for ‘excellent’, however, is the instrumentation. You get the blues guitar and drums, sure, but that’s the usual fare. The crunchy guitar was barely used. Still, the vocals and lyrics impressed me once again.

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The story behind the record adds a layer of gravity: written before a life-threatening hospitalisation and finished in its aftermath, the album stands as a defiant statement of survival and reflection. Yet even without knowing the backstory, the music itself conveys that sense of endurance and rediscovery.

From the opening moments, there’s a clear confidence in how Erickson fuses his Seattle grunge roots with melodic rock sensibilities. The guitars are driving, the rhythms tight, and his vocals deliver an emotional honesty that sets the tone for the entire project. The production throughout the album is clean but not sterile; it allows each layer to breathe while keeping the focus on the songwriting. You can tell that Erickson has spent years behind instruments and mixing boards, honing the ability to craft a song that feels full without being overproduced.

The record gradually shifts from harder-edged, riff-heavy rock toward more introspective and atmospheric tracks, reflecting the lyrical arc from confrontation to acceptance. The early songs pulse with energy and defiance, a kind of rallying cry against stagnation or regret. As the album moves forward, the tempo eases, the arrangements soften, and the lyrics turn inward. This change feels intentional, almost cinematic, as if the record is guiding the listener through the process of letting go. The slower, folk-infused moments reveal another side of Erickson’s artistry, one where vulnerability replaces volume and the focus moves toward storytelling and texture. These songs showcase the warmth of his voice and his ability to connect emotionally without relying on heavy instrumentation.

What’s most striking is how Don’t Look Back manages to hold together such contrasting moods. Even as it moves from gritty rock to reflective balladry, there’s a cohesive thread, a sense that every track belongs to the same world. Erickson’s lyrical themes of redemption, perseverance, and self-examination appear consistently, anchoring the shifts in tone. His words often evoke isolation and resilience, but they also carry a quiet hopefulness that keeps the album from sinking into despair.

Vocally, Erickson finds his best moments when he leans into sincerity rather than force. On the heavier songs, his voice cuts through with conviction, but on the slower tracks, there’s an intimacy that feels earned. It’s in these quieter passages that his growth as both a singer and a lyricist becomes clear. The instrumentation across the record complements that evolution, intricate guitar lines, steady percussion, and the occasional synth layer giving depth to the sound without overshadowing the vocals.

By the time the final track closes, there’s a palpable sense of completion. The return to the harder, more energetic sound of the album’s beginning creates a satisfying full-circle moment, as if Erickson is stepping back into the light after the reflective journey of the middle tracks. It’s a reminder that Don’t Look Back isn’t just a title but a personal philosophy, one earned through hardship and expressed through craft.

As a debut album, it’s ambitious yet grounded, emotionally charged yet technically sharp. It showcases a musician who has lived enough to mean what he sings, and who finally has the tools to bring his vision fully to life. Don’t Look Back feels like both a conclusion and a beginning, the closing of one chapter and the confident opening of another for Royal Vagabond.

SCORE / Excellent – Don’t Look Back ultimately stands as a testament to resilience, not just a collection of songs, but the sound of someone refusing to give in. It’s a powerful introduction to Royal Vagabond’s voice as both a musician and a storyteller, and it suggests that Pete Erickson’s best work is still ahead of him.

[We rank singles, EPs, and albums on a scale of Poor, Mediocre, Good, Excellent, and Outstanding]

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‘River Festival’ is the album’s first song. It’s instrumental and goes without vocals. This is a song where you just sit back, relax and listen without worrying about the non-existent words. I fell in love with the song from the start. Perhaps it’s the drums. And then you get the slightly distorted rock guitar. At some point, there’s an organ which produces this melodic, if not cheesy tune. Say what you will, but it’s a happy song. There’s also a blues guitar.

So while this and that instrument comes and go, drums remain in the background. At one point, after all instruments have disappeared, you just have the rock guitar playing, which is then followed by the blues guitar.  

Drums and distorted guitar – understated drums, I should say – meet us again on ‘You Did It To Yourself’. The drums again are persistent, and you have the guitar playing and then pausing in a stop-start sequence.

And just the second you start thinking that you’re about to get another song without vocals, we are introduced to Brad Dubay and his voice in the 45^th second. ‘Oh, baby! You did it to yourself!’, he sings.

This leaves me thinking: this guy has got a nice voice. Although I find his voice nice, I imagine it would be super nice if it was deeper. Perhaps that’s me wanting a deep blues voice that’s soothing. That’s not what you get from Brad Dubay. His voice is rather edgy or a little rough.

I know I might be contradicting my earlier statement about his voice being nice, but here’s my justification: his voice is not pop or deep either. Somewhere in the middle.

Instrument-wise, the mixture of guitar and vintage Hammond organ on ‘You Did It To Yourself’ is out of this world, and when he lets those two instruments play, again you just wanna sway your head, close your eyes and be lost in the song.

Lyrics-wise, it’s a love song, you will – and Brad Dubay uses a couple of devices here. The lyrical persona seems to be having a moment of schadenfreude. They say there’s no equivalent of this German word in English, but it’s more like, ‘Look I told you not to do this. But you went and did it. So I’m not gonna feel sorry for you’. Except in this case, the person in question is a lover. In the Nguni languages, we say ‘uzenzile akakhalelwa’. This is more like, ‘If you put yourself in a tight situation, we’re not gonna cry for you’. Hard realism, if you will.

The persona loved the lover, but is hyperbolic, if you will: while they say that they have always loved the lover – loving them like nobody else – they first ask whether they realize what the lover meant to them, later then saying they’d have given them everything in the deeper sea. That line is cheesy, but if the instrumentation on the song is cheesy too, I’m all for it.

Distorted guitar starts us off on ‘The Traveller’. Brad Dubay sounds different here, if not understated. You’d swear he was another singer – perhaps a young pop singer. The usual instruments are here, with the instrumentation almost similar with that on the previous song. This gives the album the same feel – which is my way of trying not to be critical of sameness. But, if there’s anything different here, it’s that the distorted guitar seems to be the mainstay instrument on the song, and at times it just plays. Vocally, you feel that Brad Dubay was in a mood to sing.

Whenever I review a song where I feel the musicians just wanted to song, I can never be too critical of the song even if it might not be a great song.

Drums in quick succession start us of on ‘Cannonball’, the second song without vocals on Power 9. Of course they don’t go alone. This album makes sure the distorted guitar is a regular companion. There’s a grunge feel to the song – but it’s a grunge setup with melodic accompaniment.

Although the drums are less furious, at some points in the background, Brad Dubay lets them play solo at some point. But if the distorted guitar is commonplace on the album, at some point Brad Dubay twists it in a different and thick manner – this to a listener’s delight. If there’s no rock without the crunchy guitar, then at least you have to have it in different variations. Say what you will of the song – one minute you think drums are the star of the show, and the next minute you have the guitar. Brad Dubay always keeps you on the move.

The tempo is rather low on ‘In Love With You’. At one point, I’m happy that our lyrical persona is in love, and my happiness seems immature when I hear that they seem to want this lover back. You get the blues guitar here. Brad Dubay’s voice sounds the sweetest here. I’m left thinking you’ll still have a nice song even if all the instruments were to be removed. I can’t get enough of the part where he sings ‘Cause I love you’, a part which he repeats a number of times.

Distorted guitar and his usual edgy voice return on ‘On The Road’, a song that might just as well be the title of Jack Kerouac’s novel. The crunchy guitar has some thick distortion to it. And Brad Dubay’s Hammond is present again. Solo at some point, it’s a different type of crunch. When you listen to this – drums also playing – you can’t help moving your leg – or at least you want to reach for your imaginary drums or guitar.

‘Headed out on the road’, are some of the lyrics I make out. I like the song’s content being not about love. ‘Hot sun beating down’, you hear him sing, and at another time, ‘going from town to town’.

The crunchy guitar is still with us early on  ‘Don’t Want No Doctor’. It disappears, making way for a thick beat, which is accompanied by melodic touches. The lyrical persona here doesn’t want no doctor, and wants to be left alone. All they need, they say, is to be taken home, since the pills are killing them. It’s a strange song, and I don’t think Brad Dubay has done justice to the story. However you wanna read it, though, this is protest song and we get the message: our persona doesn’t want no doctor. Surely, doctors listening to the song also get the message!

From a song with a provocative title, we now go to happy land with ‘Heavenly Paradise’. Brad Dubay leaves the songs without vocals to the ones with utopian-sounding titles. You get the piano here, and the sentimental key is left to do its thing.

Drums and bluesy guitar start us off on ‘Choose Love’. Brad Dubay’s voice is edgy once more on the song. He’s upbeat on the song. That characteristic alone makes this song a ten out of ten! Thematically, this is a song where the lyrical persona says they’ve got an important message – a message that would brighten people up if they listened. The power is with them, we hear, to choose love – a thing they admit it’s not easy. A song of encouragement, really.

Although the instrumentation proceeds to the usual, the sound is different on ‘If You Wanna Be Mine’. You get the Hammond sound, and the drums – although they are heavy and not too rhythmic. ‘If you wanna be mine’, Brad Dubay’s refrain goes for a number of times, before he then says, ‘treat me fine’. Rhyming is achieved by Brad Dubay going, ‘If you wanna be mine, treat me fine’. And then, using repetition once more, you hear him go, ‘You look so divine!’. He sings this a number of times before he goes, ‘maybe that’s my sign!’. This shows him twisting the hooks.

Brad Dubay sings early on ‘I’ve Been Your Fool’. There’s that edginess in his voice. Perhaps some wariness. You hear him sing, ‘I’ve been your fool. I’ve been blind to you’. ‘Our love’s gone’, he also sings, and you can’t help but start feeling for the lyrical persona. The organ here is sentimental, to say nothing of the guitar.

As it was at the beginning of Planet 9, so it is at the end. Having started with a song without vocals, we end with ‘Nebula’ – another track without words. There’s a slow build start to the song. Although you go through different moods because of the instruments like the bluesy guitar, thicker than usual drums and piano, the song is partly melancholic. Other parts might not be as melancholic. Either way, the melancholic does not go away for me.

SCORE/Excellent: To say that this is an excellent album is perhaps an understatement. The guitar licks are as much as the melodic sounds, but even if that might be a stretch, this sound is monotonous. So it perhaps feels a bit harsh for me not to give Planet 9 an outstanding score, but on the whole it misses a couple of points.

When it comes to blues or jazz, you expect the saxophone to be present.  I wanted it to be there but it never came through.

Brad Dubay plays multiple instruments, but a part of me asks: why can’t he pick one and explore it in a number of ways? Of course, that’s a mental experiment from my side.        

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