I first heard All Trouble, at the Eat the Rich festival deep in Trondheim’s shanty town — aka Svartlamon. I was immediately impressed by the energy and drive that was coming from the stage and sweeping through the modest sized audience like avian bird flu. It was an infectious atmosphere that seemed to manifest familiarity and fondness for what, I later learned, were mostly brand new songs. Perhaps, it was their familiar, no nonsense setup (drums, bass, two guitars), which has rippled through the ages of popular music, or their undoubted nods and influences that collectively appealed to the misfit rock flock in the twilight of that summer’s night — whatever it was, it was potent stuff and I was eager to learn if it could be bottled.
All too often, in my personal experience, have I felt the dawning of frustration upon hearing an album, purchased amidst the frenzied haze of enthusiasm that follows a truly bitching gig, only to be crestfallen when faced with the reproduction on hardware — much like the hand stamp gained upon entry, the appeal has faded in the light of the day. Nevertheless, this album was a long time in the making, from that first energetic performance, and though the hand stamp may be long gone, the song remains the same!
All Trouble’s First Album, like the title, is stripped down and honest. With red raw lyrics and guitar, driving rhythm and blistering beats, AT are knee deep in that late sixties garage vibe, doffing their cap to The Stooges, The Ramones and even the more finessed and refined anarchy of the Who — especially in “To The City” with its grandiose guitar glides, neat blues picking, Moon lit drum splashes and sweet, sweet melodic progression…
Brilliantly produced, there is no question that the bullishness and brashness of the AT sound has been successfully bottled — with the essence of the live performances opened up with every listen. Devoid of all superfluous hang ups and fancy-Danery, this album is down to earth and real, perfectly illustrated in the working man’s lament — “Comatose” (track 8). Simply put, as they would no doubt want it, this album serves up rock and roll, and it serves it up well!
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