The Moshville Times - Review: Idlewar

Following their well-received debut EP ‘Dig in,’ Idlewar are back with the release of their ﬁrst full length album, Impulse. The trio from Orange County issue this record via Pledge/PHD and is out on the 30^th September. May I introduce you to the members of Idlewar… say hello to James Blake – vocals and bass, Rick Graham – guitar and Peter Pagonis – producer/drummer.

The album opens with “Stone in My Heel”, a throwback to Sabbath and early Clutch. This is an attention grabber the moment Rick Graham’s fingers cranks on that guitar. “Soul” crashes in with Queens of The Stone age swagger while James Blake adds an Ozzy tone to his vocals that matches well with the stoner sound they’ve garnered together. Keep an ear out for the guitar solo around the 2 and half minute mark,

The video for “Criminal” is at the bottom of the page and has been catching airtime. It has the touch of AC/DC vocally but not in a cover band way, a trap into which many other bands have fallen. “All That I’ve Got” adds another flow to this record. It’s much slower and Blake’s vocal performance is effortless. It’s in the mould of Soundgarden and one of the highlights of this record.

Rick Graham gives us one of his guitar riffs before we hear “Everybody gather round now, tell the story, of the righteous dead now”. This is “Glory”, with a superb groove added to the mix. James Blake is strong vocally and “Glory” should be added to your Idlewar playlist if you decide to create one. “Damage”, “Burn All This”, and the final “On Our Knees” brings the record to an end.

Impulse is an enjoyable introduction to Idlewar. Their evolution of infectious grooves has arrived in the world of rock. Their sound has swagger with a classic rock vibe to it. This sound will suit the dark depths of siotable music venues in the United Kingdom… and guess what, their UK tour starts later in the year supporting Stone Broken. Get along to one of these: