DIRTY BOOTZ: Broken Toy (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Dirty Bootz is the creation of Geoffray Aznar, a musician-singer from France, who was nourished by punk, grunge of the great era and the rock of the 60s and 70s. It is his fascination for blues and country musicians capable of performing on their own that will push him to take the plunge into a solo artistic direction. Dirty Bootz will become finally a duet with the arrival of drummer Samuel Devauchelle, Aznar's only concession to his initial will.

This was the only compromise that Geoffray Aznar allowed himself because musically he mixed all his influences without discrimination. And the result is as original as it is refreshing. Starting from a blues-rock base, Aznar adds a bit of grunge nervousness, especially in the vocal accents, country roundness or folk sweetness. Dirty Bootz alternates fast and catchy tempos that inevitably make you stomp your feet like the arid 'Washing Machine', 'Dead Clouds In Your Pockets (and Sunshine Down in Mine)' that reminds you of the intensity of Foo Fighters or the boogie 'Bogeyman's Grin', and the more intimate moments with 'Welcome To The Sun' with deep blues roots, 'Never Say Goodbye (Outdoor Made)' played in picking for an exotic country effect or 'When She Comes' with a vocal tear that comes close to that of Kurt Cobain.

Dirty Bootz has perfectly assimilated the codes of these different styles and knows how to embellish his compositions to give an even more authentic colour. From the banjo in 'Never Say Goodbye (Outdoor Made)' to Geoffray's superb vocal performance between modesty and emotion, and from the bottleneck in 'Bogeyman's Grin', 'Burnt My Home' and the very grungy 'End Is A Start' as a nod to Nirvana. Dirty Bootz is a duo that sounds like a trio and the absence of bass is never felt. Dirty Bootz give his sound the means to occupy all the space with raw and drooling saturations with a good dose of fuzz and reverb ('Washing Machine') and a generous and relaxed drum set that resonates for a long time.

For a first album, Dirty Bootz carries high the colours of a grungy blues with a strong character. With "Broken Toy", Dirty Bootz is in line with a deep American blues and rock culture while giving an interpretation well anchored in the present. It is not only fans of the great outdoors and road trips who will be listening to this production. Anyone with an affinity for rock could be touched by the authenticity and quality of the duo's work. - Official website

DIRTY BOOTZ

BROKEN TOY

AUTRE LABEL

ROCK