Blindside Blues Band - Raised On Rock (2010)

The fact that Mike Onesko is not a house hold name perfectly illustrates that the music business does not reward those who genuinely live, breath and sweat for good old rock and roll. Onesko's main musical outlet over the last 17 years has been the hard hitting blues rock masters that are Blindside Blues Band and during that time some impressive names have passed through their ranks, including Greg Chaisson (Badlands, Red Sea and Legs Diamond among others), Jeff Martin (Leatherwolf, Badlands, Racer X, Paul Gilbert), James Lomenzo (White Lion, David Lee Roth, Megadeth and various Zakk Wylde projects), along with guitar godfather Mike Varney and drummer extraordinaire Aynsley Dunbar.

Now with a stellar previous cast list like that, where do the Blindside Blues Band find themselves in 2010? Well the honest answer is brasher, bolder and better than ever, Onesko now has long time co conspirators Scott Johnson on second guitar and Kier Staeheli on bass with him alongside Emery Ceo who keeps everything locked down with his impeccable time keeping. Sound wise, well if you have encountered BBB before then the fact that Raised On Rock is absolutely jam packed with hard rocking blues anthems of the highest order, will come as no surprise and as with the other recent Grooveyard Records releases, a hard hitting yet warm production, this time by Onesko himself, only raises the overall effect.

Opening with the sound of somebody desperately searching for some killer tunes on an FM radio, a quiet, yet compelling riff is finally settled on before it grows in stature and then smacks you with an adrenalin rush of authentic riffing that immediately announces that Raised On Rock, the album and song, couldn't have been more aptly named. With a Phil Mogg meets Billy Gibbons holler, Onesko has the perfect bourbon soaked voice to blend with his and Johnson's wall of guitar. The song itself contains some fantastic fret work from both six string masters, as Onesko has total confidence that he can launch into emotion soaked soloing while Johnson, Staeheli and Ceo nail the groove bounding along behind him. From there with the potent agenda set, Blindside Blues Band set about applying it to a tremendous set of songs that not only stand up to repeated listens, but actually become more seductive with every spin. The likes of "War In The Streets", with its infectious stomp, "World On Fire" and it's Hendrix inspired riff and the slow steady attack that is "Backstreet Rider" really highlight that this is a band not just capable of putting together blues soaked hard heavy rock, but that it is delivered with class, precision and feel that leaves you in no doubt that every member of the band live for this style of music.

Raised On Rock also contains a variety not always prevalent in this genre with real driving rockers like "Wave On" being tempered with the deep stylish groove of the Johnny Cash classic "Folsom Prison Blues" or the more reserved, yet equally effective songs "Love Is Worth The Blues" and the wonderfully emotive "hidden bonus track". Never at any point during this disc is there a danger of things becoming one dimensional.

As previously mentioned the sound on this disc is first class and Onesko and Johnson's guitar tone is a joy to behold and for any serious lover of authentic 70's styled hard hitting blues this is an album you shouldn't be without.

Steven Reid (Sea Of Tranquility) (March - 2010)



1. RAISED ON ROCK
2. NIGHT TRAIN
3. FOLSOM PRISON BLUES
4. WAVE ON
5. CHILD OF THE SUN
6. WAR IN THE STREETS
7. TAKE YOU DOWN
8. BURY THE AXE
9. WORLD ON FIRE
10. LOVE IS WORTH THE BLUES
11. BACKSTREET RIDER
12. BORN WITH THE BLUES

320AAC
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