It can be hard to tell, sometimes, about the career progression (or otherwise) of a band in this age of dwindling physical sales, so sometimes all you have to go on is how often people are talking about a band, their “buzz” and their profile. Now, I accept this can create a false impression, but while they burst onto the scene with some UK-centric noise around Rise (Albert) in 2006, it seems very few are talking about Northern Ireland’s The Answer any more (if they were at all), and perception is of a band that have gone backwards, despite some pretty hefty touring with AC/DC.
Raise A Little Hell (Napalm) is their fifth album and kicks off with ‘Long Live The Renegades’, a mash of Deep Purple’s ‘Woman From Tokyo’ and Thunder’s ‘She’s So Fine’; Cormac Neeson’s smoky Bon Scott voice and Paul Mahon’s effortless bluesy licks bringing to life a track that will no doubt become a live favourite. Citing AC/DC and Thin Lizzy as main influences, the album proceeds to walk through the greats of yesterday; ‘The Other Side’ dances in the garden of Led Zeppelin and ‘Red’ kisses the feet of Whitesnake, ‘I Am What I Am’ and the title track are slower, bluesier numbers, while ‘Whiplash’ raises the pulse. The album is locked down by the constant heartbeat of solid bass and drums, and naturally references yesteryear with casual blues rock riffs.
However, as I’ve mentioned before elsewhere (Orden Ogan), by a fifth album I’m looking for some sort of legacy, some sort of statement, and the thing about The Answer is, that they aren’t. The Answer, that is. Or if they are, the question must be “name a decent, if unspectacular, rock band of the common-or-garden variety”, and while that’s harsh, should The Answer cease to be, there would be very little wailing or gnashing of teeth. These aren’t the sort of band to release a drop-your-trousers bone(r) fide classic.
That said, good music is good music, whether it’s bought by ten people or ten million. And Raise A Little Hell is simple, effective, good hard rocking music.
7.0/10
STEVE TOVEY