Let It Melt
Palo Santo, 2019
8/10
While England’s Diesel Park West might not be a name you’re immediately familiar with, in their nearly 4 decade career the outfit have done just about everything a band can do in the business, and they’re still plugging away with new music and a long running creative spark.
The title track starts the listen with soulful, bluesy rockin’, where rugged yet tuneful vocals illuminate the setting, and “Pictures In The Hall” follows with an upbeat spirit of retro-rock where the rhythm section shines.
At the middle, “Scared Of Time” recruits country and folk ideas into the timeless, warm melodies, while “Everybody’s Nuts” flows with a vintage quality where gritty, bluesy guitars are in attendance.
Near the end, “You Got The Whole Thing Wrong” uses harmonicas and keys for a rollicking and rowdy album highlight, and “Across The Land” brings us a bouncy atmosphere of playful, addictive music. “Incredible Things” ends the listen with light melodies and the sort of feel good delivery that will sound just as great 20 years from now.
This 9th studio album is an exercise in rock’n’roll mastery from a band who remind us of all the things we love about The Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, Lou Reed and many other fixtures of rock’s past. Sure, they never did become household names like many of their peers in the early ‘90s, but I’d be willing to bet that Diesel Park West have a significantly stronger lasting power than most rock outfits who began in the ‘80s.
Travels well with: The Black Crowes- Amorica; The Waterboys- Where The Action Is