Hungry for a Queens of the Stone Age replacement? In modern rock music few bands can really pull off that dark bluesy stoner rock like Josh Homme, but Queens have been been festering in their grimy petri dish for comfortably over 20 years now, with their best days behind them even to their most loyal fans. So if this sounds like you and you’re really looking for something familiarly fresh, let me introduce you to Next Day Shakes.
Hailing from Wales, a fact that you can catch in the agro-syrupy vocals, they have been gearing up for their debut EP which is now finally upon us all. Though it only features three tracks, you are shown all that you need to know that what you are experiencing is more than just a homage to Homme but a solid evolution, with country lyricism and bluesy soul leaking from its pours.
Packed from front to back with riffs and solos and regret, it takes very few seconds for you to know what you’re in for. Lyrically, they keep it in the realm of basic country with the traditional topics of love (and the lack there of), gambling (a topic you really don’t hear a lot these days, actually making its inclusion seem fresh), and as their band name may suggest, alcohol (and the lack there of). To me their seems to be something missing in the vocal mix that at a few points doesn’t quite do the lyrics justice, something I’m sure will be remedied following success moving forward.
That being said, their instrumentals consistently kick like a horse, with guitar solos that are real throwbacks to a simpler, rockier time. If you do truly have a soft spot for QotSA or simply stoner rock and blues in general, then I’m pretty sure giving Next Day Shakes a go will lead to a very fruitful find. They’re not the finished product yet, but chuck some time and refinement in with the raw energy and vibes they have, and you have damn it
KEY TRACK: HEAD ABOVE
FFO: QOSA, Black Keys, Dead Meat
Photo: Next Day Shakes (Facebook)
