posted 2009-09-07
I saw these Swedish guys live last year at Hollywood's Cat Club when my band was playing there too and I really enjoyed their show. Therefore I was quite curious to hear their recordings.
While the opening song of the album "Bitter Cocktail" sounds a bit heavier than the rest of the album (apart from "I'm A Vibe" maybe and the METALLICA guitar riff in album closer "Left Alone"), you can feel that INNOCENT ROSIE get most of their influences from the 80s Sunset Strip scene without showing a contrived attitude and look like so many glam metal revivalist bands today. They have the hooks, the sleazy guitar riffs and occasional dirty bar piano on songs like "Knock Me Out", "Sex Talkin'", "Bad Habit Romance", "Wasteland" without forgetting about the bluesy intros and moods ("Let A Memory Die", Don't Drag Me Down" (and its QUIREBOYS feel)) So yes, they've got the right ingredients, but their force also resides in singer Oscar Kaleva who manages to find the right tone, feelings and vocal lines for each song on this album.
You'll also find an obvious VELVET REVOLVER influence in "Animal" and the band shows that they can also slow the tempo down on a song like "Shine, Shine, Shine".
The newsletters sent by their record label Swedmetal records show that INNOCENT ROSIE are doing pretty well in their home country. Well deserved!/Laurent.
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