Year of publication: 2022-06-24
Genre: Glam Rock/Metal
Publisher-label: Better Noise Music
”Welcome To The Show” is the debut album from rising Los Angeles classic hard rock band CLASSLESS ACT, co-produced by by world-class names such as Bob Rock, Michael Beinhorn, and Joe Chicarrelli, and featuring guest vocals from Mötley Crüe’s Vince Neil and The Darkness’ Justin Hawkins. The release comes in time to catch them on The Stadium Tour with Def Leppard, Mötley Crüe, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, and Poison.
After hear the first song on the album, immediately you get noticed of CLASSLESS ACT ability to sound both fresh and timeless.
The band certainly seemed honed on this debut album. Flying out of the traps like a butane fuelled Van Halen there’s a whirl of intensity and confidence that hits the peddle and doesn’t let up until the harmonica solo on the opener that bears their name. It’s slick, it’s solid and it’s a lot of fun and also sees a cameo from Vince Neil (that is neither here nor there in my opinion), but more power to them if a few more listen because of it.
The big question of course after an opener with all that energy is what do you do next?
The answer is bring in the next guest – Justin Hawkins to cameo on ‘This is For You’ which is a rather kick ass mid-tempo number that ticks all of the right boxes with a nice Darkness-fuelled flourish. It’s all going rather well so far!
And to underline that thought ‘Time To Bleed’ that follows has a bit of everything: great melodies, an earworm of a guitar line and an attitude that really underlines the Arena Rock tag.
We slow down for the first time for ‘On my Phone’ which comes across as a little trippy at first but builds nicely with some cool melodies and lets you have a closer look at vocalist Derek Day’s pipes. It’s also a song that shows some depth and adds a touch of quirkiness like say the afore-mentioned Darkness or The Struts to their sound.
‘All That We Are’ starts with some cool drums and a languid riff really showcasing the vocals, it’s a song that grows into monster, and ‘Made in Hell’ is another quirky one that starts out almost poppy before getting dirty, it’s a cool funky little thing that again I have to say, just works!
‘Storm Before the Calm’ is one of my favourite songs here and it’s one that really stretches things out not in that its an overly long song just that it reaches out for a more modern sound and grasps it without offending those who are a little more set in their ways. Very cool indeed.
Half way in ‘Haunting Love’ is a sizzler and the opening guitar just resonates ‘summer days’ it’s a great ‘head out on the highway’ rocker has a wonderful tone. It may even be my current favourite amongst some stiff competition, and man I love both that breakdown and the solo!
‘Walking Contradiction’ starts out with old school swing before it explodes, its got a great drive and rolling groove and twists and turns rather splendidly! ‘Give it To Me’ by contrast gets straight to the point and is probably my favourite vocal here and one of the best songs – it’s a real party of a song with great guitar, cowbell and the kitchen sink thrown in for good measure. You’ll love it!
On the home straight now, penultimate track ‘Circles’ is also the longest here and starts with a acoustic work out and builds, it’s the vibe of the Bluesier end of the vintage 80’s Strip with a hint of My Chemical Romance on the rider: it’s refreshingly light and breezy, gaining a harder edge as it rolls. By the end it’s right up there with my favourites.
Closing track ‘Thoughts From a Dying Man’ opens like a show tune, dark and melancholic, slow and scene-setting. Until it breaks like Queen used to so well into flamboyant guitar.
It’s wonderful stuff on a seriously good album from a real class act!
Tracklist:
01. Classless Act (feat. Vince Neil of Motley Crue) (3:15)
02. This Is For You (feat. Justin Hawkins) (3:27)
03. Time To Bleed (03:07)
04. On My Phone (3:51)
05. All That We Are (3:59)
06. Made In Hell (3:47)
07. Storm Before The Calm (3:48)
08. Haunting Love (4:14)
09. Walking Contradiction (3:43)
10. Give It To Me (2:30)
11. Circles (04:57)
12. Thoughts From A Dying Man (4:07)