Insight & Critique
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact

Alex Richards Band - Alex Richards Band

5/18/2015

0 Comments

 
Picture
Alex Richards Band

Alex Richards Band
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Jack Dickinson

Alex Richards has been since the mid ‘1990s playing bars and sideshows around Boise, ID. In addition to having recorded with fellow Idaho artist Tommy Dirtweed as well as Seattle, WA band the Riffbrokers, Richards has had his own group that’s been together for at least 20 years. 

Despite the amount of time they’ve been together, music is not the group’s main source of employment. When not rehearsing or playing gigs, the members of the group have jobs in construction, screen-printing and education.  The only member of the group who plays music full time is the band’s drummer Mike Rundle. In addition to Rundle on drums, the band’s line up features Richards on lead guitar, Skully Davis on rhythm guitar and Josh Richards on bass.

While this latest self-titled record Alex Richards Band is not Richard’s first project, it’s only the second album recorded by the group since the release of their first record Easier in Dec. 2001. The album was released in December of last year and was recorded at the Audio Lab in Garden City, ID, a studio that has worked with big name acts like Eric Clapton, Alanis Morrisette and Sum 41.

Because they formed in the 1990s in the Northwestern United States, it’s no surprise that the Alex Richard’s Band’s sound is fast paced alt. country and blues rock sound that seems to be influenced by groups like the Black Crowes, Cracker and Camper Van Beethoven. 

The Camper Van Beethoven sound is particularly noticeable on tracks like “Chain” and “Dark Hollow” with a soulful violin playing over them. “Ashes” sounds like a track that belongs on a Rolling Stones album and bears similarities to the “Exile on Main St.”  track “Tumbling Dice.”

You can hear blues influences throughout the album when you listen to the freight train rhythm of tracks like “Blow Your Mind” or “Big Jet Plane” which sounds like a ‘50s rock n’ roll style jam by way of the Allman Brothers and features a prominent harmonica riff and Chuck Berry guitar licks. The most heartfelt song on the record would have to be “Diesel Engine,”,which has the sound of a feel good ‘90s pop song and talks about trucking on the road.

The Alex Richards Band seems content with the fact they haven’t earned a wider degree of fame from music and are happy with just being a small town bar band. After listening to this record however, it leaves the listener wanting more and wishing the group would stop living in their own private Idaho and start touring around the country.
Tweet
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

       Critique/insight

    We are dedicated to informing the public about the different types of independent  music that is available for your listening pleasure as well as giving the artist a professional critique from a seasoned music geek. We critique a wide variety of niche genres like experimental, IDM, electronic, ambient, shoegaze and much more.

    Tweets by divideanconqer
    Are you one of our faithful visitors who enjoys our website? Like us on Facebook


    Archives

    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012

Company

About
Contributors

Newsletter

Newsletter
Book Your Band
© Divide and Conquer 2022. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
  • DAC
  • Indie Music Album Reviews
  • About
  • Submissions
  • Top albums
  • Features
  • Contact