Geoff Carne and the RawRox Band are back following last year’s “Rock the Blues” E.P. with “Rise Again,” out on the 16th of June, 2023. It once again crosses the British melodic rock genre with blues influences. Having produced two albums during the lockdown period of 2021’s ‘Shakedown’ and ‘Big Town,’ Geoff Carne notes that follow-up releases of E.P.s are proving more sustainable in terms of the availability of the Raw Rox Band members and more ideal for listeners within the digital age of single songs.
Geoff Carne by Tony Mottram
Turning to the EP review,
“If There’s a Heaven” gets us off to a great start. I can’t help but smile listening to this, and the honky tonk piano and harmonica touches make for a very satisfying listening experience. I’m sure it would roll along supremely well live, and it put me in an entirely positive vibe listening to it.
“It’s the Not Knowing” takes us to some rough edged rock and blues. It has a good beat and a crisp, modern blues sound. I liked the guitar breaks in the middle and the swirling sound instrumental that sits under sections of the track.
“Lipstick Traces,” hits you right from the start. It has more of a bitter taste in the lyrics and a great drum sound. The feel of this, and indeed the other songs on the EP, is melodic, and there are plenty of catchy moments that keep you singing along.
“Love the Blues” tells the story of “broken hearts and broken promises.” It remains upbeat for all this! I liked the groove, and the vocals are really strong here, with fine guitars in the mix and a solid rhythm section.
“Rise Again” is a song about fighting back. It is the boxer getting off the floor, the guy who has been put down and stabbed in the back is dusting himself down and being more successful than ever! It has an American airwaves feel to it, and it is the best track on the EP.
And now a general look at the EP – it’s damn good! There was not a single track that I didn’t like, and there were two standouts: “Rise Again” and “Lipstick Traces,” which will head straight to my playlist. I left listening to this with a smile on my face and a sense of positivity to face the day. It may be hot, hot, hot outside at the moment, but some seriously cool blues await the listener here.
The Geoff Carne Website is linked here .
You can download the EP from here.
6 songs, 16 minutes
By Stevie Ritson
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