EP review: JASON SWEENEY – Welcome To Bathvegas

Facebook [Release date 07.01.22]

We’ve played a couple of songs Jason Sweeney released last year on GRTR! Radio, including the rather good ‘She’s A Fighter’. Now he kicks off 2022 with a new five song EP where he is joined by Scott Hannah (guitar), Craig Rolls (keys), Brian Stewart (bass) and Chris Kip Smith (drums).

The EP starts off with the classy melodic rocker ‘Without Love’, complete with parptastic keyboard fills. Chances are if you enjoy the likes of Nestor or Night Flight Orchestra you’ll like this 80s influenced tune. ‘Drinking For The Weekend’ (with plenty of cowbell throughout!), is a raucous rocker that is one of those good time songs, perfect as a musical pick me up.

‘Love By The Hour’ is pretty standard fare, however, the pace picks up nicely on ‘Georgia Sunshine’. The guitar riffs neatly combining with the piano, with another fine guitar solo on the outro. ‘The Road I Take’ sees the EP out with the sort of tune Bon Jovi used to do. Good use of harmony vocals on this one.

Musically this one hits the spot as Jason Sweeney has assembled a good bunch of musicians. The production allows each instrument to be heard clearly, none of that overly cluttered sound that has spoiled a few recent melodic rock releases by other artists.

Jason Sweeney deserves to be more widely known based on the highly enjoyable EP. Lovers of melodic hard rock should investigate and invest in this EP pronto. ****

Review by Jason Ritchie

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

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Power Plays w/c 7 April 2025

SEVEN BLOOD To The Unknown (indie)
FROM FALL TO SPRING Incomplete (Arising Empire)
POP EVIL Side Effects (MNRK Heavy)
ERJA LYYTINEN Abyss (Tuohi Records)
SKY VALLEY MISTRESS Too Many Ghosts (New Heavy Sounds)

Featured Albums w/c 7 April 2025

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003 – 2024 (Singer Songwriter)

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