Album Review: The Crown - 'The Crown'

17 April 2014 | 11:11 am | Staff Writer
Originally Appeared In

Rock n' damn roll kids.

It’s refreshing to see a liner note such as the following one in The Crown's debut album, "The following was NOT used in the recording: Autotune, click track, reamping, drum replacement of any kind, click to grid or quantizing. This is a pure recording of amps, instruments and microphones." In the current day where studio trickery is pretty much expected on the records we hear, it is nice to be reminded of what things actually sound like and a band happy to head outside without their make-up should be applauded.

Here's the clincher however, the album sounds great, it matches up to any over-produced rock record, which is a true credit to the skills of all involved with The Crown. Kicking off without the massive sounding 'Fooled By The Lover', the guitars state their case early, driving the track while the vocals soar over the top and the drums offer some serious groove.

This energy is matched by 'Fade Away', however this time, it is the drum’s turn to step up and steal the limelight. Fast paced sounding like Motorhead did in their youth, the energy levels for the record are locked in early. 'Nothing Better To Do' is a highlight and the band incorporate some blues rock into their sound without losing any of the grit or energy that came before it.

Props are given for the vocal pan on the lyric "one way trip to the otherside" in 'So Damn Pretty', ah production humour.

Things mellow out a touch in the beginning of 'Garden' and it would be good to hear some more diversity from this band who are clearly more than capable of straying comfortably away from the straight rocking.

Closing with 'Human Race', it's another riff heavy basher, which sums up everything that came before it well.

The Crown have come out boldly with a powerfully raw debut and it works well for them. With a little more diversity in their sound and song structures this band could do some great things, definitely one to watch.

1. Fooled By The Lover

2. Fade Away

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3. Too High To Die

4. Nothing Better To Do

5. Long Time Coming

6. Run Rabbit Run

7. So Damn Pretty

8. Garden

9. Home

10. Aint Nothing Wrong

11. Human Race