The blues with a healthy dose of rock and roll has never sounded so good.
Released on the 10th of March 2023, Voices is the sixth studio album from the American rock band The Cold Stares and will stun those of you who appreciate blues-based rock and roll for the Indiana based rockers have recorded a modern masterpiece.
Recorded, mixed, and mastered with kid gloves, Voices is one of the best albums you’re likely to hear in 2023 and is, without a doubt, one of the finest blues-based rock releases this reviewer has ever had the pleasure of hearing. There’s no extraneous musical interplay for every aspect is perfectly considered and even though the original lineup, up until this release, was presented as a duo with Chris Tapp (guitar/vocals) and Brian Mullins (drums) handling all musical aspects, the inclusion of bassist Bryce Klueh has added yet another dimension to their already exceptional blues-based rock style and sound signature.
Voices is subsequently their greatest creative endeavour and while I wouldn’t have ever thought that the band needed a dedicated bassist, based on the fullness of their previous releases, the addition only further amplifies their music.
Sonically, the Lossless Apple Music Stream is absolutely stunning. You’ll get that classic blues meets country meets rock vibe and you’ll find yourself constantly wanting to turn the volume up for music, especially in the modern era, is rarely produced so well. Yes, it’s a little louder than what may be considered ideal, but not obnoxiously so as the loudness is designed to merely bring it in line with other modern music mastering levels but at no time does that detract from the wondrous enveloping soundstage.
Adding to the sound of the record is the appealing cover art design. I don’t know about you, dear reader, but I love it when artists create modern record covers that hark back to those of yesteryear, particularly from the vinyl era. Granted, it doesn’t work for all styles of music, but it works for Voices and while I’ve yet to pick up a copy on vinyl, this is one album that would stand out on the larger canvas.
Nothing But The Blues, from the very first note, sets the tone for the entire album; a fantastic opener!
Come For Me has a little Eric Clapton influence, particularly from his classic cover of Cocaine. That correlation, intentional or otherwise, is a compliment, for the groove and guitar licks of both songs are infectious.
The Joy shifts the tone a little and for a moment I was taken back to the 90s as Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots were ringing in my ears due to the level of distortion used on The Joy. Joyous is one way, albeit a lazy way, to describe The Joy for its internal shifts are thoroughly enjoyable and that guitar solo is off the charts.
Lights Out picks up the tempo and has a greater focus on rock elements throughout. It’s like Led Zeppelin meets Deep Purple with a blues twist. Magnificent!
Got No Right is a fun little tune with a correlation that could be made to The Doors’ Roadhouse Blues. As much as I enjoy it, however, I feel it could have had a bolder focus on the guitar as it could have been a standout track had a grinding guitar element been added to this mix. Yes, I acknowledge the short solo, but it deserved more prominence throughout. While Got No Right wasn’t ever going to be a standout song on Voices, as an album track, it works perfectly in the chosen sequencing.
Sorry I Was Late is a sonic masterpiece and is the best song from Voices. Music such as this reminds me why I’m so passionate about music for it makes you stop, listen, and become captivated by the tale that is being presented audibly. Sorry I Was Late is one of those songs that has to be heard firsthand for there really isn’t an adequate word, or series of words, that can describe the feeling one gets from listening to such an exceptional song.
Voices is a great toe-tapping head-bopping title track. Unlike Got No Right, Voices has the bolder guitar element that I wish the aforementioned track had. Subsequently, if you’re not grooving along to this tune, you’re listening wrong.
Waiting For The Rain Again flows perfectly from Voices and has a killer guitar lick. Sometimes that is all that’s required for music to speak to you and while I’m not a music lover particularly focused on listening to and interpreting lyrics, instead choosing to listen to vocals as an instrument in the mix, it’s songs like this that have the perfect mix of all elements that allow me to intersperse the occasional lyric into my own thought process.
Sinnerman has a great low-fi sound that amplifies the song to heights that would have been missing without it. I am, however, glad that it was used as a technique and not applied to the entire album for its more monotonous tone works exceptionally well here, but would likely have detracted from the album experience should it have been overused. This is one aspect that allows me to appreciate The Cold Stares even more in that they’re not afraid to use a recording style but to use it sparingly and only to amplify the music.
Throw That Stone is akin to Sorry I Was Late in that it is sonically and musically impressive. I’d comment further, but it’s time to sit back and simply enjoy the song.
It’s Heavy picks up the tempo with a rocking tune. I love these shifts and the chosen sequencing was done brilliantly as the flow, and space between songs, don’t cause a jolt to the senses meaning that you can go from the more mellow, Throw That Stone, to the much weightier, It’s Heavy, and not skip a beat.
Thinking About Leaving Again is more of the same, you know, the good stuff! Despite diversity throughout, it could be said that much of The Cold Stares’ music seamlessly blends so well because it is so similar to the rest of the music within their catalogue. I wouldn’t fundamentally disagree for knowing what to expect offers a level of assurance that is arguably more important than an artistic tangent.
The Ghost is a beautiful closer. It slows the tempo down to a contemplative pace while simultaneously encouraging repeat listens of the album. However, it is that slow and continuous build that is the highlight here for you get a sense that the song could go into a blues-rock number but, instead, it remains very low-key and delicately ends without additional fanfare; perfect!
From start to finish you’re not going to find a tighter blues-based rock and roll album to sink yourself into. Yes, there are numerous classic albums that could be referenced, but The Cold Stares have written and recorded such an incredible album that I truly believe it is a landmark release and one that already has classic album status written all over it. You may disagree, and that’s your prerogative, but Voices is not only one of the very best albums from 2023, but one of the best albums ever recorded in all of music history; it’s that good!