Black ‘n Blue are Back ‘n Better than ever! This album, the bands first since 1988 and the first on Frontiers Records, ‘Hell Yeah!’ sees the return of the original line up, minus only Tommy Thayer and the return of Jaime St. James who was last heard on record with Warrant but trust me, this is no Warrant album, this is what Jaime was meant to do. Come back to Black ‘n Blue and give the fans a kick ass album and they do just that with ‘Hell Yeah!’ Ripping straight into the opener ‘Monkey’ you know that Black ‘n Blue mean business on this album and they aren’t going to slow down. This is one heavy, chunky album, the production is so full and It’s truly well done, with the production being handled by guitarist Jef ‘Woop’ Warner It’s when we get to track 4 ‘Fools Bleed’ that I’ve found my stand out, yeah that is sensational, it’s a big power ballad that takes me back… Why don’t all songs sound like this anymore?
Now, I’m not sure why ‘Jaime’s Got the Beer’ but this throwaway bit of fun didn’t need to be in the middle of the album, maybe at the end. Mind you I bet I’ll be singing it at the end of the album. Although forgetting the previous, the album kicks back into gear with ‘Angry Drunk Son of a Bitch’ and another favourite in ‘So Long’ which sounds like it’s straight out of the 80’s and I love it, complete with a duelling guitar solo it’s a winner with a big updated sound and that fun groove we all know and love, how can it not be amazing? An awesome acoustic interlude leads us in to ‘Falling Down’ but what I’m finding with this album is that the later half is lacking the punch of the openers but with a few tracks to go let’s see if they can redeem themselves. ‘Candy’ and the title track ‘Hell Yeah!’ are big anthemic rockers with tearing riffs and would be great to hear live but it’s the Def Leppardesque track ‘World Goes Round’ that I truly like, it’s a little different to all the others on the album with an almost electro style beat to this one but I dig it, it’s a cool way to finish off the album. I’m not sure what the final ‘secret’ track ‘A Tribute to Hawking’ is all about but you can skip that one. Leave the album on the high note of the previous track.
Overall this really is a great rock record and it’s refreshing to hear an album like this so nice work Black ‘n Blue and welcome back! In closing, ‘Jaime’s Got the Beer, please bring it here…’ Damn it, see, I told you…
Tracks:
Monkey
Target
Hail Hail
Fool’s Bleed
C’mon
Jaime’s Got The Beer
Angry Drunk Son Of A Bitch
So Long
Trippin’
Falling Down
Candy
Hell Yeah!
World Goes Round
Essential Information
Musical Style: Hard Rock
Release date: May 13th in Europe and May 17th in North America
Label: Frontiers Records / Riot! Entertainment
Website: www.myspace.com/blacknblueofficial
Check it out if you like: 80’s hard rock
