It’s not often that I get a request like this, but there’s always something new to try. Rock n’ Roll band Outraze requested a review on their Myspace tracks, something I’m not used to doing, but hey, not that I’m complaining. This rising band from Banbury have quite a few notches under their belt so far when it comes to gigs and acquiring new fans, so here’s a look at some of the music that made the band what they are today, or to be more exact, what they have on display…
First impressions on the band’s sound are light guitar tones that drift along on “You Still Walk On”, a bit of a placid track at the start as the riffs drag up a bit of an urgent beat to become a jumpy and hopeful sounding number. “Follow The Dream” continues with the lightness, mixing in some bluesy licks with the chords that mark out a slower pace, definitely one to get your lighter out for.
The acoustic version doesn’t quite have the same ethereal quality to it, but still carries it’s form pretty well as a tender moment amongst the hard rocky tracks that define the majority of the Outraze sound. Alonside these whimsical tracks are a few darker moments, most of them based in “Flatliner” which has a deep, malevolent riff with a few hard rock kicks marching along with a bassline that pumps out a solid beat.
Then more dark rocky moments come from “Under The Influence”, mainly from the deep, swaggering riffs though there’s a different, almost softer feel as the track goes along, more kin to some Stone Roses material. Overall, the sound fits the brit-rock slot quite comfortably (the band draw quite a few influences from this particular niche), echoes mostly of Oasis and the Rolling Stones, though Outraze have a varied sound to their outfit, mixing in some elements of punk along the way without sounding generic in the least.
Use of catchy riffs and solos like in “Under The Influence” and “You Still Walk On” also give a bit of a Stone Roses vibe which isn’t bad at all. But maybe I’m comparing Outraze to big names a bit too much, because one thing they do have a ballsy, wide-reaching sound that is all their own and is definitely solid enough to hold it’s own without any hassle.
Craig \m/
