Lynch Mob, Brotherhood

I'm amazed that after a few decades of closely following rock music, there are many bands from the 80s and 90s who not only are still around, but are still making great music. 

One of them that only gets better album by album is Lynch Mob.  The more I listen to them, the more I am blown away by their music.  Their newly released CD Brotherhood has had that effect on me and more.

What do I mean by more?

It has brought new and fresher meaning to the words solid, relentless, fresh, consistent, polished, crisp, among many other words I don't have the capacity of think of. With that said, you could listen to this one CD no fewer than a thousand times and always hear something different every time.  

It is said that things happen in 2s and 3s.  When it comes to Lynch Mob, it comes in 5s.  And it is only awesomeness.  You will hear and feel limitless attitude and unleashed hard rock-style creativity with the lyrical themes.  Complicated love, a confused mindset (that's the best way I can put it), and life on the road--you can't get much better than that.  If I didn't know any better, I would think these songs are in respective order on a soundtrack for a rock hard musical production.

The "storyline" only made me want to hear more, the boundless limits and talent of this band; no intermission needed.

In the years I have listened to Lynch Mob, I know they don't play only rock.  They have occasions where they'd play different styles of music.  Let's just say that when I heard "The Forgotten Maiden's Pearl," I felt like dancing into a calypso-style dance.  That's just my funny way of saying the acoustic guitar and Oni's voice complement each other.

Nothing is finer than the staccato intro for "Black Mountain." Jimmy's grooves are so clear, anyone listening who doesn't have rhythm can easily do it.  It gets even more intricate in "Dog Town Mystics." Let me just say that may have taken some supernatural ability, and is a pattern I'd advise other drummers to try to duplicate.  They are difficult times, but we all get through them, right?

Where the true heart is of Lynch Mob lies in "Miles Away."  There is something to be said about turning down the volume and turning up their hearts...and heartaches.  George is at his best in his bluesy guitar break.  For the record, I don't recall backup vocals giving me goosebumps.

It's in the last song on the CD "Until I Get My Gold" that you hear a fantastic culmination of talent and then some.  Lynch Mob-style fusion at its best.  If you hadn't heard the myriad facets of Oni's voice, you will in this song.  What a bow to put on the CD!  But you will only want to replay it, I promise you that.

Though I have heard many hard rock bands' albums and noticed some "weaknesses" (for a lack of better words) in their music, all I can say about Brotherhood is, you can certainly ask me to find one in this album.  But it may take a while.  I will never get around to that.  Instead, I'll be ever-captivated by the creativity, talent and professionalism Oni, George, Sean, and Jimmy generate in their music.

Brotherhood is a hard rock dessert, topped with whipped cream and a cherry, that continually makes listeners only come back for more (and it has no calories or fat, to boot).

Next time I look up the words solid, relentless, fresh, consistent, polished, and crisp in the dictionary, I expect to see a picture of Lynch Mob.