Blacktop Mojo – Blacktop Mojo
Release Date: 13th August 2021
Label: Self Release
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Genre: Texas Grunge, Hard Rock.
FFO: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Soundgarden, Black Stone Cherry.
Review By: Kenny Newall
Though hailing from Texas, BlacktopMojo’s latest self-titled release is worth well more than a lone star, but sadly falls short of the (ZZ) Top 5 star rating. Combining many things rock to give us what has been described as Texas Grunge, the grunge is more in the feel than the sound. Southern rock shines through, though ballad Latex shows Canadian influences in the what if we took the Nickelback sound, but added some decent songwriting approach.
The different influences and styles that go into their sound are maybe more of a hindrance, though, as this feels like a bitty album. Starting off with a couple of great rockers, they then mix in a bundle of slow and mid-tempo, with heavy and light, but it doesn’t flow. They seem to my ears to be trying too hard to hit the slow stadium anthem that’ll get the phones all lit alongside the occasional old school lighter and maybe land them a spot on a TV show’s outro track. But Macktop Blojo are definitely at their best when they rock, as heard in the standout openers Wicked Woman (video below) and Bed Tundy.
The problem with the album is, the expectation is set high on the opening duo. They then hit you with the slower Latex, where you think, nice, but let’s get a-rocking again. Only it doesn’t. It just wanders. I mean I tried to like it using the tried and tested method of more beer and more volume, but it takes until the 8th track, Do It For The Money to get me buzzing again. Now obviously the bar for that sort of thing has already been set out of reach of lesser mortals when Tesla Did It For The Money on The Great Radio Controversy and they then hit you with Yesterdaze Gone, whereas BM hit you with the album lowlight Hold Me Down.
Tail Lights, however ends the album with a Sambora-esque face scruncher of a solo, though the song itself is, well actually not that bad, but as it’s yet another slower track I’ve had enough by this point. The aforementioned Jealousy also has a rather fine melodic solo that’ll no doubt get bedroom players searching out the tab.
So 4 songs out of twelve with a few bits here and there means this is an album I’ll sadly not be revisiting. I’ll revisit the 4 songs right enough. Many may decry playlists, but they do help separate the raven from the chough.
(2.5 / 5)
