Record Reviews

Album review: Danko Jones “Power Trio”

Canadian power trio Danko Jones hits us in the face with its tenth album.

The “Power Trio” album opens with “I Want Out” and the listener can immediately recognise Danko Jones’ trademark vocals and music. Danko Jones is not reinventing the wheel here. They have found their formula and they keep delivering world-class hard rock both in the studio and live on stage This is catchy hard rock with attitude. It is music made to be performed at sweaty, beer-soaked rock clubs or at rock festivals. It is music that should be the soundtrack to your pre-party at home. It is music to drink to, a soundtrack to your lovemaking or perhaps a substitute for sex that won’t happen. It’s that good. “Power Trio” is Danko’s tenth studio album. Vocalist and guitarist Danko Jones founded this power trio that bears his name together with bassist John Calabrese in 1996. Drummer Rich Knox is a later addition, having joined the band in 2013. Danko and his Canadian power trio are what rock’n’roll is all about, what it should be. It’s shaking and riffing. It’s rocking and rolling. It grabs you by the balls. This is a power trio up there with the best. The eleven tracks on the new album are high-energy and bursting with attitude. Danko has a way with words like few others in the music business. Danko’s storytelling is more in line with the best punk rockers and rappers than other hard rock artists. When those words are put to music and performed by Danko and his trio, we get hard rock heaven. My favourite tracks on the new album include “Good Lookin’”, “Saturday”, “Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit”, “Get to You”, “Flaunt It”, “Dangerous Kiss”… Well, OK, the whole album fits into my list of favourite songs. The album very fittingly finishes with “Start the Show”, a track which features a guest appearance from another power trio, Motörhead’s Phil Campbell. As has been the case with earlier Danko songs such as “I’m in a Band” and “I Gotta Rock”, here Danko sings about his love for performing with his band in front of his fans. This year, rock fans celebrate a quarter of a century of fab Canadian hard rock by this explosive trio. And yet it feels like they are only getting started.

Danko Jones’ new album “Power Trio” will be released on 27th August via the Mate In Germany label.

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