Release Date: August 27, 2021 Genre: Rock, Hard Rock Label: Sonic Unyon Records
Danko Jones has been a staple in the Canadian rock scene for over two decades now. The rock trio from Toronto, Ontario, made up of vocalist/guitarist Danko Jones, bassist John "JC" Calabrese, and drummer Rich Knox, has been going strong for twenty-five years. The band first made a name for themselves from their live performances alone -something they're still known for to date. Some years later, the trio released their debut album, Born a Lion (2002), and since, another eight albums over the last nineteen years. With their tenth offering, Power Trio, the band named the forthcoming album with a significant title that embodies what the band wants to be classified at now ten full-length albums and twenty-five years into a historic music career. They are arguably seen as equal calibre to some of the great trios of the genre, such as ZZ Top, Rush, Motörhead, and The Jimi Hendrix Experience, to name a very select few.
Danko Jones once again reunited with legendary rock producer Eric Ratz for Power Trio. For those who are unfamiliar with Ratz's resume, he has produced countless albums for Canadian rock bands such as Arkells, Billy Talent, Big Wreck and the band's vocalist Ian Thornley, Die Mannequin, Monster Truck, Royal Tusk, to name a few. However, he hasn't just stopped at rock, having worked with artists of various genres such as Enrique Iglesias, Dragonette, Sarah Harmer, Cancer Bats, and many, many others.
Power Trio opens with the timely opener, "I Want Out." That good ol' classic, straight, no-bullshit rock sound Danko Jones has been rolling with time after time, album after album over the last twenty-five years rings out. The track is a powerful testament to the crazy times we have been living this past year and a half. Well, at least that's what I'm assuming Danko is proclaiming on the track. With how Power Trio is another product of the pandemic, it's one's assumption that the song was written about the initial lockdowns in 2020 and being stuck inside for a handful of months. On the album's lead single, "Saturday," Danko and the gang deliver another famous subject Danko Jones has mastered over the years, sex. Danko's powerful vocals shine bright on the infectious chorus of "Saturday." On the punkish rock number "Ship of Lies," Danko tackles the age of disinformation, whereas "Raise Some Hell" tackles raising some good old-fashioned hell in a very power-pop/pop-punk-sounding way. The riffy number "Blue Jean Denim Jumpsuit" cracks out the cowbell in its interesting intro, but ultimately, Danko sings about a woman, in you guessed it, a blue jean denim jumpsuit that he is starstruck seeing her wearing and viewing her as a goddess.
Some songs on the album mix and match genres and blend them like "Get To You," which mingles garage rock and punk. Additionally, "Get To You" has a bold melodic guitar solo that seared itself into my brain, and I'm humming as I finish writing this sentence. "Let's Rock Together" gives off that late '90s rock. You know, that notably would be heard in a song featured at the end of the summer movie everyone else was seeing at the movie theatre. Additionally, "Let's Rock Together" will be an absolute rager as part of their return to the stage. Which comes on August 28th in front of a lucky fifty-person show in Toronto and will be live-streamed online. Power Trio's penultimate number, "Flaunt It," the band delivers a fast-paced, power riff-riddled tune that's pretty different than the rest of the album and features backing vocals, a pretty rare occurrence in the Danko Jones camp.
Power Trio closes out with the massive track, "Start The Show." Jones, JC, and Knox channel their inner AC/DC for a blistering, electric banger about being off the walls and ready to play a show again. Unquestionably what the last eighteen months have done to any musician. "Start The Show" is undoubtedly going to be the opening number at their shows for many years to come. Additionally, in another rare occurrence for the trio, the track has a feature. "Start The Show" features legendary Motörhead guitarist Phil Campbell and lends his talents -and blistering guitar solos- to the closing track. Ironically, what's not better than having the guitarist to one of the biggest rock/metal trios on your album appropriately named Power Trio.
