It never ceases to amaze me how many veteran bands that I have never even heard of are out there. This is the best part of being a music reviewer. For more than a decade Texas rockers Riverboat Gamblers have been delivering energetic slabs of raw, garage rock to those in the know and if their latest, Underneath the Owl, is any indication of their past releases, those of us on the outside have been truly missing out.
Riverboat Gamblers sound is nothing. In fact, it’s a formula that has stood the test of time. Blazing guitars, anthemic vocals, and a rhythm section that can settle into a groove or lay waste to their surroundings depending on what the song calls for. I would call Underneath the Owl a cross between Pink Spiders and Buckcherry but, in reality, the band was likely around before either. The band has been rockin’ since the late nineties when Nu-Metal and Hip Hop ruled the world so it’s not such a wonder they have gotten lost in the shuffle.
Pretty much every song here is a highlight. Unlike many Rock albums, nothing really screams single!, it’s just solid and enjoyable from start to finish. The album opener “DissDisssDissKissKissKiss” kicks the album off in exactly the right way, with lots of energy and plenty of Rock N’ Roll swagger. “Pilgrims in an Unholy Land” is excellent as well and would probably be my favorite track if forced to pick one. It’s got this huge bombastic sound that just makes you want to sing along and become unified with the other misfits of the world. The aptly titled “The Tearjerker” is the only weak moment in my opinion, but it’s largely due to the Country-tinge which I don’t care for at all, particularly on a Rock album.
Overall this is a great album though. I highly recommend it if you like honest, upbeat, powerhouse Rock N’ Roll without all the mass market bs.
Reviewed by Mark Fisher
