PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
“You Can’t Kill Rock And Roll” and “You Can’t Stop Rock And Roll” proclaimed Ozzy Osbourne and Dee Snider some years ago. So “Ain’t Done Yet” is the statement added to them by Kim Simmonds, lead guitarist and vocalist for blues-rock band Savoy Brown and is also the title of their latest album released via Quarto Valley Records on 28th August 2020.
Kim Simmonds formed the band way back in London 1965 now at the ripe old age of 72 the Welsh performer shows no sign of stopping with his stunning new album “Ain’t Done Yet”. Backed by a tight rhythm section of Pat DeSalvo on bass guitar and Garnet Grimm on drums. Opening track ‘All Gone Wrong’ sets the album master plan out from the off with a rumbling groove as guitar notes grab you like fishing hooks. Kim sings with a laid back drawl as a midway guitar solo cuts through like a knife.
Bubbling basslines and snappy snares add a sparse but just enough backing to the jangling guitar chords and sun-kissed solos throughout ‘Devil’s Highway’ a truly beautiful song.
I was getting a lot of Dire Straits during ‘River On The Rise’ mainly from the melodies and sublime guitar work.
Very deep and almost hypnotic lyrics in ‘Borrowed Time’ are the template for a toe-tapping rhythm section and a guitar that reverberates.
The album title track ‘Ain’t Done Yet‘ will have you moving the furniture out of the way, so you can have a good old stomp around to this hard-rocking hoedown. Chopping riffs and a finger-clicking groove will have you cutting a rug with aplomb.
‘Feel Like A Gypsy‘ is a lengthy, almost ethereal epic that washes along like waves coming into the shore as it ends on a three-minute improvised guitar solo. Amazing!
Things toughen up as Kim delivers lyrics with a gleeful snarl in ‘Jaguar Car’, an example being “I got a jaguar car, got these fancy wheels. It could leave you standing, on your heels”. A hip-shaking rhythm section, hair raising harmonica from Kim sees in a guitar solo of slippery slide work. An abrasive outro solo follows some ballsy barroom boogie of the highest order.
Bright and breezy rhythm and blues fuels the fire for ‘Rocking In Louisiana’, perfect for playing full whack in the car with the windows down. A feelgood little ditty.
A shuddering main riff adds muscle to ‘Soho Girl‘ that could stop Godzilla in his tracks. Truly earthshaking!
Kim always closes Savoy Brown albums with an instrumental and that tradition continues here with ‘Crying Guitar‘. It lives up to its title as notes flow out to bring out the tears and to melt the coldest of hearts. A wondrous song to close a flawless album.
Ain’t Done Yet album track listing :-
All Gone Wrong.
Devil’s Highway.
River On The Rise.
Borrowed Time.
Ain’t Done Yet.
Feel Like A Gypsy.
Jaguar Car.
Rocking In Louisiana.
Soho Girl.
Crying Guitar.
Savoy Brown band line up :-
Kim Simmonds – Guitar/vocals/harmonica.
Pat DeSalvo – Bass guitar.
Garnet Grimm – Drums.
Savoy Brown band links can be found here :-
SAVOY BROWN ONLINEWEBSITE | FACEBOOK|TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY
The CD and vinyl editions of the album can be pre-ordered from Amazon at http://smarturl.it/AintDoneYet.
- £10.99
