Album review: MOCKINGBIRD – Live Cuts! Wizzfest, Belgium 2013

June 25th, 2013 by david.wilson

Self Release (Release date – 20^th July 2013)

All too often new bands try too hard to conform to the latest trends and jump on whatever bandwagon is doing the rounds at that point. It’s refreshing then to find a band who are happy to stick to their ideals and play what they want to play, as is the case with Mockingbird.

The Irish trio love classic rock and make no apologies for that. This is the band’s debut album and was recorded at Wizzfest in Belgium earlier this year. The band was formed back in 2010 by Ian O’Sullivan and brothers Phil and Noel Cunningham and they have been playing and recording constantly in the intervening period.

The guys bring together the best of late 70’s and 80’s classic rock taking pointers from Thin Lizzy, AC/DC and Free. All tracks are based on solid riffs and a thumping rhythm section with a great vocal from O’Sullivan. Kicking off with ‘All That I Need’, the band rock hard and heavy. It may not be the most original or polished of sounds but shouldn’t real rock be a bit rough and ready with attitude to spare ?

‘Steal Your Heart’ follows with a great melodic chorus. This song was released as a single a while ago and reached number 2 in the Irish Download charts, it is a catchy number. Other highlights include the blues infused ‘Draggin’ Me Down’ and ‘Free Your Mind’ which strays into Motorhead territory.

This is an honest, straight forward rock album from a band with hard rock pumping through their veins. With good song writing, great guitar work and catchy choruses it makes for an entertaining listen. It may not be the best produced album of the year but it may be the one that comes closest to defining the ‘rock’ ethic.

****

David Wilson

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

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Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)