 Harkening back to a time when music wasn’t as compartmentalized or bogged down with pointless marketing clichés comes Cold Truth, a good old fashioned kick ass band straight out of America’s backwoods. On their second album Do Whatcha Do this seasoned quartet from Murfreesboro Tennessee does exactly that, delivering thirteen high octane tracks in a straight ahead, no frills classic rock style that’s guaranteed to make you believe in the healing powers of rock ‘n roll once again . The band has concocted a winning formula by serving up a hearty dose of bluesy mid tempo rockers mixed with quieter introspective numbers. Whether they’re tearing up the white lines on the highway with “Diesel” and “Payin’ Dues” or getting low down and dirty on a track like “Shakedown”, the heavy guitars, soaring harmonies and killer vocals are a winning combination that will have you hooked right from the onset. The bottom end which is held down formidably by bassist Abe White and drummer Matt Green allows guitarist Kurt Menck plenty of space to fire off his impressive arsenal of tasty riffs and melodic leads. Vocalist Thane Shearon is the man out front and this guy can just flat out sing as he belts his way through the rough & tumble attitude of “Cold As Hell” and “Gimme Some” with remarkable ease. However, on slower numbers “Peace With Me” and the brilliant closing number “Light My Way” his voice resonates with a natural timbre and soulful emotion that many singers would die for. There isn’t one ounce of filler on this baby. Every single cut on Do Whatcha Do is an anthem celebrating the glory days of the gritty sounds of 70’s bands like Free and Humble Pie. If you dig the music featured here on Classic Rock Revisited then I’d strongly urge you to get behind these guys and pick up a copy of Do Whatcha Do pronto, because Cold Truth is keeping the flame alive!
Review by Ryan Sparks |
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Cold Truth is a Tennessee band whose members have been, without wishing to appear rude, around the block a few times. These aren't young upstarts doing spectacular if unimpressive things to appeal to the masses. These guys are here to make good music the old fashioned way... maybe with a modern twist. They have more laid-back cool than a leopard wearing sunglasses and radiate relaxation like a night at a Nashville pool party. The aural references on Do Whatcha Do are numerous. The obvious Bad Company and Lynyrd Skynyrd pointers are there, as are Led Zep and vintage Whitesnake cues. The result is a hybrid of blues and Southern influenced hard rock with a light sprinkling of country and folk. Singer Thane Shearon has a fantastic voice. He has a crystal clear sound with the perfect pitch and a husky edge. He's one of those vocalists who should be huge-mongously famous but, because he isn't an 18 year old waif with pervy marketing potential, he'll probably remain on the fringes of obscurity. Shame. 'Cold As Hell' starts things off. It's a perfectly nice, polite rocker. It isn't going to set the cornfields on fire, but it's a nice way of easing into the album. 'Diesel' is a tad heavier and reminiscent of upbeat Thunder. Close your eyes, sink back into your rocking chair, and Thane Shearon could actually be Danny Bowes. It's hard to describe just how good 'If That Ain't Enough' sounds. Imagine one of Paul Rodgers' bands on a good day and you'll be in the right ball park. The chorus is so catchy it's almost an epidemic. Awesome! Even better, 'Peace With Me' and 'Together' are just as vast. 'Peace With Me' is all about the through-flowing vibe. It doesn't do the big chorus thing, and instead focuses on a mellow brooding verse structure that has classic stamped all over it. 'Together' combines the best of both worlds. The verses are great, the chorus is as friendly as a giant teddy bear. 'This Time' boasts plenty of passion in the performance and some excellent guitar work from Kurt Menck. 'Whisper To Me' has a strong air of Stereophonics about it. A Tennessee band doing an impression of a group from South Wales is something to behold. Good song though. Do Whatcha Do, silly name aside, puts Cold Truth in a superb light. Everything on the release is one step ahead of what you'd normally expect. The fillers are good, the good tracks are brilliant, the production is exceptional and the performances are near-perfect. Okay, the 'good fillers' outnumber the brilliant songs, and the album is perhaps a little bit too cool for it's own good, but the result is still utterly excellent. Check out... The vocals. So creamy you could make pudding from them. Rock Realms |