Massy Ferguson
Album: Victory & Ruins
Label: Spark & Shine
Tracks: 11
Website: http://www.massyfergusonband.com/

If you go to the Massy Ferguson website, you'll see the words 'American Rock Band' sat beside the band's banner, if you haven't yet heard anything from this Seattle combo, those words are definitely a start. Once you've heard "Victory & Ruins", you might think that you could replace the word American with Good Time Southern and be convinced that you've hit the nail on the head.

Without a doubt, Massy Ferguson have got that southern rock thing in the stride, right down to the silver tabs on the toes of their cowboy boots and when you think about it, that's not something you're hearing as much as you think you are because as blue collar America slowly turned to rust belt there was a nostalgic desire to hear the music of the bands that made it good whilst their communities thrived, rather than embrace a new wave of artists giving the sound their own kick, well Massy Ferguson seem to have got a good time going again.

Importantly they've made sure that whilst they draw on those classic southern rock themes, they are a lot more than a pastiche, they understand that they need to have their own seal, their own sound, something that makes them a band of the here and now, whilst acknowledging the root, well "Victory & Ruins" goes a long way towards achieving that, they even manage to persuade Zoe Muth to join them for a track.

This is not the most sophisticated album you'll ever here, it's not meant to be, this is music that's loud and kicking, it's strong black coffee, it's a cobweb blower, it' a good time, let down your hair, if you're fortunate enough to still have , grow yourself a beard and just go for it, Massy Ferguson have delivered an album that just lets you get away from it all, well for thirty eight minutes at least.

Neil King