Riverdogs – California

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California Cover

Riverdogs – California
Frontiers Music s.r.l
Release Date: 07/07/2017

Running Time: 48:00
Review by Vikkie Richmond
8/10

Rock supremos Riverdogs are not a new band, in fact, they have been around since the wild, excessive days of the 1980s.  Featuring Vivian Campbell (Whitesnake, Dio, Def Leppard) on lead guitar, the band originally had a short career that saw the release of their debut, eponymously titled album, plus 1993’s “Bone” and “Absolutely Live” before going their separate ways.  They reformed in 2003, but it was not until much later, in 2011 that previously written material was released in the form of “World Gone Mad”.  Now, six years later, the Riverdogs are together once more and have crafted their fifth studio album, “California”.

The four piece features all of the original members and this eleven track album is an homage to good, old-fashioned, American rock and roll.  From the first note on the opener, “American Dream”, the riffs are infectious, the vocals are understated, the harmonies are sweet and frankly, this is a pretty timeless album.  It has elements of the 1980s / 1990s to it, but in no way does Riverdogs’ material sound tired, like some other reformed bands that are churning out the same old stuff, year after year.  Instead, it has a familiar sound, a comforting presence, like shrugging on a favourite, slightly worn leather jacket.  It feels … right.

Third track “Something Inside” has a dirty, enticing feel to it and the vocals showcase Rob Lamothe’s silky tones to a very pleasant degree.  There is a distinct change of tempo with the upbeat “Searching For A Signal” and the same can be said of “Catalina”, although the vibe on this one is a little more ‘classic’.

Will I still be listening to this in two, five, even ten years time?  It’s firmly on repeat for the short-term and I suspect it will be one of those records that I return to time after time, because it has an enduring appeal.  You can’t ask for much more than that from an album and I would recommend this one wholeheartedly.

Stand out tracks: American Dream; The Revolution Starts Tonight; The Heart Is A Mindless Bird.

TRACKLISTING:
01. American Dream
02. The Revolution Starts Tonight
03. Something Inside
04. Golden Glow
05. You’re Too Rock ‘n’ Roll
06. The Heart Is A Mindless Bird
07. Searching For A Signal
08. Welcome To The New Disaster
09. Ten Thousand Reasons
10. Catalina
11. I Don’t Know Anything

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Disclaimer:  This review is the sole property of Vikkie Richmond and Ever Metal.  It is strictly forbidden to reproduce any part of this review, unless you have the explicit permission of both parties; failure to comply will be treated as plagiarism and reported to the relevant authorities.

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Disclaimer: This review is solely the property of [user_login] and Ever Metal. It is strictly forbidden to copy any part of this review, unless you have the strict permission of both parties. Failure to adhere to this will be treated as plagiarism and will be reported to the relevant authorities.

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