Firebird - Firebird

Posted By : lom404 | Date : 11 Jun 2009 13:20:47 | Comments : 0 |

“

Bill Steer (ex-Carcass) hooks up with members of Cathedral and Spiritual Beggars? Sounds extremely promising. Thus it's extremely disappointing that Firebird sounds like a bar band most of the time, the best bar band in town but a bar band nonetheless. The right elements are occasionally present -- the weighty blues riff of "Stranger to Himself," the distorted bass rumble on "One Trick Pony," the acoustic Zeppelin-ish intro that leads into "Through the Fields." However, any potential is stunted by either bland changes or bland production. The only real bright spot is "Bollard," where a cool, lava lamp moodiness is offset by Steer's dense bottom-end guitar. Steer's vocals, nearing Jack Bruce territory, are also a strong point but cannot save the whole album. It's a plus that Firebird sounds nothing like Carcass but, because of the connection, one still expects a certain level of inventiveness and drive. Firebird come up lacking on both these points; hopefully the band will still find its voice and not settle on the sound of this debut.

”

Bill Steer (guitar, vocals, harmonica)
Ludwig Witt (drums)
Leo Smee (bass)

1 Meantime
2 Torn Down
3 Stranger to Himself
4 Bollard
5 One Trick Pony
6 Raise a Smile
7 Hardened Sole
8 Fat Cat Groan
9 Caught in the Quagmire
10 Through the Fields