Album review: THE DEAD DAISIES – Light ‘Em Up

SPV [Release date 06.09.24]

One of my musical regrets in recent years is that I didn’t get to see The Dead Daisies UK tour with Glenn Hughes in December 2022 . As he does, Hughes sprinkled his gold dust over the band’s last two albums both vocally and in the songwriting department.

Fast forward to ‘Light ‘Em Up’ and it sees the band retreating to a more predictable classic rock ‘n’ roll approach. Frankly it’s all a bit underwhelming.

The band’s “supergroup” gloss offers much more potentially but there is a certain predictable quality to time-worn songs like ‘Times Are Changing’, ‘I Wanna Be Your Bitch’ and ‘Take A Long Line’.

Whether this is because it better suits the band’s returning vocalist John Corabi is food for thought. But we also have a lack of consistency over the years in the drum and bass department. And, sadly, Doug Aldrich is somewhat restrained throughout. All power chords and little flash. It’s all rather economical like the album overall which times out at a convenient two sides of vinyl.

If you like balls-out hard rock, and are not too discerning, this will tick your box. But with one exception (the turgid ‘Love That’ll Never Be’) the high-energy quotient provides no respite, not least to provide much-needed balance and contrast. And maybe some more flamboyant playing.

Aside from the stand-out title track – and ‘I’m Gonna Ride’ – there is nothing that really grabs the less committed listener, and it certainly doesn’t match the band’s pre-Hughes output.

“Light ‘Em Up”? Overall more a disappointing flicker than anything more enlightening. ***

Review by David Randall

Light ’Em Up World Tour 2024
THE DEAD DAISIES + The Treatment + The Bites

September 2024

6th BRIGHTON – Chalk
7th TORQUAY – The Foundry
8th SOUTHAMPTON – The 1865
10th HOLMFIRTH – Picturedrome
11th GLASGOW – SWG3
13th NOTTINGHAM – Rock City
14th WOLVERHAMPTON – KK’s Steel Mill
15th NEWCASTLE – Boiler Shop
17th MANCHESTER – O2 Ritz
18th SWANSEA – Patti Pavilion
20th BRISTOL – O2 Academy
21st LONDON – O2 Shepherd’s Bush Empire

Album review (Radiance, 2022)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

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 20 October 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 22 October 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 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 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)