THE WIDOWBIRDS: Hearts Needle (HARD ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

While Shenandoah is still regularly played on the turntable for the greatest pleasure of the vintage Hard Rock fans that we are, here is that the monster Simon Meli and his troop are already back with his successor "Hearts Needle". And if the first opus had enthused our editorial staff, this one delights us and comes to confirm the potential of this group definitely a notch above these small comrades sometimes much more famous.

Even if it is always question here of Rock Folk tinted of Blues, the tone hardens clearly, letting much more often of aside the acoustic guitar. Meli's voice is thus more rough and powerful and confirms its incredible ease and its major place in the personality of The Widowbirds.

The first three titles confirm the progression of the group. Battle Cry' illustrates this progress with a raw Rock in the Led Zeppelin, so adapted to the voice half Robert Plant half Jeff Martin of Meli, while bringing in the rhythmic and certain choruses a soul and even ethnic side which makes all the characteristic of the group. And since we speak about Soul, here she is the queen on the heady 'Fire Burn, Fire Burn' between hammered rhythmic and echoed guitar or on the powerful 'Shake Your Love Maker' with the solo completely inhabited as we can hardly hear any more today.

If the band gets a bit quieter afterwards, it's only to put forward its soul even more in the name of tracks that will keep in your mind images of great wilderness. Daughter Of The Skies' and even more the sublime final 'Light On The Hill' (when the acoustic guitar is overtaken by poignant violins on a desperate vocal of Meli) remind by their softness the more intimate atmosphere of the first album. Calm Before The Storm' with its AC/DC accents linger the shadow of a Zeppelin on a Sioux camp with a rare authenticity. A combination for the least unusual but which brings to this album something unique and so authentic.

The Rock n' Roll remains for as much present in this second part of the album and returns even to its roots rich in flanger and echo which, passed to the grinder Windowbirds, gives titles like the Folk 'Shambala Sun' and a sweet 'Lovers Keeper' as a sunset in the fullness of the west.

The Rock n' Roll remains however present in this second part of album and even comes back to its roots rich in flanger and echo which, passed to the Widowbirds mill, gives titles like the Folk 'Shambala Sun' and a sweet 'Lovers Keeper' as a sunset in the western fields.

The Widowbirds delivers here a must-have album, even better mastered than "Shenandoah" because it is more balanced between strength and softness and rich of all the professionalism gained in two years of performing on the road. - Official website

THE WIDOWBIRDS

HEARTS NEEDLE

AUTRE LABEL

HARD ROCK