Share the post "Album review: ANTHONY ROSANO AND THE CONQUEROOS – Anthony Rosano And The Conqueroos"
Self release [Release date 11.04.17]
Anthony Rosano & The Conqueroos hail from Virginia, so presumably the decision to hook up with producer/guitarist Mike Zito and high profile engineer David Ferrell and record in New Orleans was in the hope that some of 2nd line funky rhythms might rub off on them.
And while there are certainly some funky moments here, there’s also blues-rock, southern rock and Americana with a rootsy ending.
The self titled 11 track album is full of well worked songs, spirited playing and some great solos, but it ultimately lacks a big vocal presence.
There’s actually some moments when Anthony Rosano’s excellent guitar playing does his best taking for him, while his vocals are more workmanlike than authoritative.
That said, there’s barely a poor track on here, as the road tested band stretches out under the watchful eye of producer Zito who occasionally adds his own guitar and bv’s.
The opening ‘28 Days’ comes with Zito’s boisterous imprint, but it’s the kind of blues-rock bluster that only intermittently rears its head. The album pulls in different stylistic directions, but doesn’t always stay long enough in any one genre to leave an enduring stamp.
The tightly wrought shuffle ‘Give Me Strength’ finds the band playing to its strengths, with the seamless rhythm section of bassist Paul Warren and drummer Scott Smith pushing the front line players to the max. Jeremy “JB” Bustillos doubles on sax and harp takes the first harp solo with a great John Popper style tone, as the band boogie’s in and out of an impressive track.
The slick ‘You Don’t Know Me’ is also a decent song with a killer harp and steely guitar break, but again needs better phrasing, while the sax-led ‘Love Got A Hold On Me’ adds a funk quotient to a good composition, which benefits from welcome bv’s and an insistent hook.
It’s all good stuff and would certainly fill a blues club dance floor by the end of the night, but in terms of standing out in an already over populated blues circuit the band needs a stronger identity.
The autobiographical ballad ‘Long Island Sound’ is a step in that direction. It features a strong narrative and boasts special guest Johnny Sansone on accordion, while the sledgehammer blues of ‘Bound To You’ brings contrast and diversity. Rosano adds a defining guitar solo, which he narrowly fails to emulate with his vocal phrasing on the outro.
He’s much better on the southern rock influenced ‘Blackbird’, with an almost belligerent vocal attack that is offset by harmony guitars and his own uplifting solo.
‘Revolve’ also impresses from the opening sax and guitar double lines to the repeated hook which gives the funky song unexpected momentum. There’s even a quasi-psychedelic breakdown, before a trademark solo from Rosano and a perfunctory ending. Clocking in at just over 3 minutes it’s a succinct appraisal of what the band do so well.
Best of all, is the staccato funk of ‘Shakin’ In The Veins’ which cleverly evokes the ‘needle and spoon’ lyrical subject matter. Special guest Anders Osborne shapes the song to his own ends with some deft slide work, while “JB” Bastillo adds some great wailing harp as the song explodes on a short frenzied middle section.
The band saves the best to last, with the rootsy ‘Proud of My Sins’, which features Rosano on mandolin and Michael Harvey on fiddle. It’s the triumph of simplicity over bluster and evokes both The Band and even the Stones in their country phase.
It’s a great song that belatedly gives the band the sort of identity that the rest of the album strives for, but only partially achieves. ***½
Review by Pete Feenstra
Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK
Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
Next session: Sunday 19 January
Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio
David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 1 December 2024.
UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 3 December 2024.
How to Listen Live?
Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)
Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”
Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.
More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com
Power Plays w/c 9 December 2024
In this sequence we play ‘The Best of 2024′ GRTR! reviewer selections
Featured Albums w/c 9 December 2024
09:00-12:00 The Best of 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2024 (Singer Songwriter)
Popular (last 10 days)
Share the post "Album review: ANTHONY ROSANO AND THE CONQUEROOS – Anthony Rosano And The Conqueroos"
PDF - you can delete unwanted sections
