Those Damn Crows

There is a fine tradition of rock bands coming out of Wales, whether it be Budgie or Man or Cowbois Rhos Botwnnog, they have shown individual styles and a real sense of originality. Add to that Those Damn Crows and on this showing they have the potential to be up there with The Manic Street Preachers.

The album explodes into life with ‘Don’t Give A Damn’ with massive drumbeats from Ronnie Huxford and choppy riffs courtesy of Ian ‘Shiner’ Thomas and Dave Winchurch, that just worm their way into your brain. Add to that Shane Freenhall’s passionate vocals and rock solid bass from Lloyd Wood and you get a quintessential modern hard rock outfit.

I think that one of the things I liked best about this album was their total lack of restraint – the way that they approach all of their music with careless abandon, not caring if they are creating rock anthems or punk but bringing in all the forms that influenced them growing up in Bridgend. There is no careless playing, they are tight as a drumskin, but there is nothing here that feels formulaic or programmed.

The first exposure I had to the band was as opening act to The Bad Flowers where I walked in to a packed Borderline to see Shane leading the cheering from the crowd as they blasted out ‘Rock And Roll Ain’t Dead’. The album version has the same huge impact and aggression as they put into the live set – no bad thing.

There is no shortage of passion in songs such as ‘Blink Of A Eye’ but the best of them is heard on numbers like ‘Seven Days’ which combines all the main facets of the band.

I think they are a band whose best days stretch out ahead of them. Planet Rock has already gotten strongly behind the band and if they can continue the quality of this album I can see them being major rock players in time to come.