Bad Touch Truth Be Told cd review

Bad Touch will release their second studio album "Truth Be Told" on Bad Touch Records, with distribution via Cadiz, on Friday 2nd December 2016 and is the follow up to 2015's critically acclaimed debut Half Way Home.

I was fortunate to catch the band live last year and they impressed with their brand of classic rock which draws from the same well as Free,The Black Crowes and Blackberry Smoke.

Good time rock n'roll that makes your body move your foot tap and your face turns into a permanent grin and there aren't many bands around that can do that to you.

They have a real groove a real soul and a real passion for the music that you can feel and they may not be breaking any new musical boundaries but when it is played with such feel you can only find yourself wrapped up in it's textures and tones.

The album  was recorded at Mwnci Studios in Wales and features the singles "99%" and "Made To Break", both of which were remixed for radio by the legendary Rolling Stones engineer and co-producer, Chris Kimsey. 

12 tracks 49 minutes to digest and opener One More Night sees the band instantly hit their groove with a Black Crowes infused rocker with some of my beloved light and shade mid song as the band take it down that before a band workout and some very cool guitar melodies added to the very full mix.Stevie Westwood on vocals shows off his full range alongside the ebb and flow of the main guitar riff.

99% is a pure summer song made for top down car journeys alongside the Pacific Ocean with its rolling guitar riff and catchy as hell chorus with a hook the size needed to catch a Blue Whale.Again extra guitar melodies added where required by Rob Glendinning and Daniel Seekings on guitar that only add to the song and this will have fans across the world dancing like crazy in the aisles in the live setting.



Waiting For The Sun sees a stop start dirty guitar riff and the rhythm section of Michael Bailey on bass and George Drewry excel on a song that builds to a big chorus and more light and shade leanings mid song with some wonderful bass rumblings and then a superb guitar that is all feel and you can hear every note picked.

Under My Skin sees the band taking one line and then Stevie the next on the first verse which gives it a different feel and some huge backing vocal on the chorus.

Heartbreaker Soulshaker is a short sharp rocker with a funky guitar riff with a driving drum rhythm and a big big chorus with Stevie hanging onto the notes like his life depends on it before a guitar solo that hits the spot just so.

Take The Time takes it down with a mid paced stop start riff as Stevie pours his heart into a song about reflecting and taking the time and you will be fine.Good words sir.

Let The Sun Shine is another rocker with summer written all over it with a feel good number with Stevie and backing vocals all over it and a great chorus and before you know it in 2 minutes and 11 seconds all done.Wow.A live favourite for sure.

My Mother Told Me starts on a band workout with an upbeat guitar riff and drum rhythm and big chorus with even bigger backing vocals.

Outlaw is simply fantastic.After an acoustic guitar intro it has a quite wonderful guitar solo melody before it goes back to acoustic and it builds back to the main guitar riff in the big chorus.The guitar solo builds and builds and for the second half of the song continues under Stevie's vocal and backing vocals.Love it so much I just keep playing it.There is a maturity to the song that a second album brings and will be a joy live.

Made to Break sees the main guitar riff dipping in and out as Stevie's vocal style does the same before the band take it way down after the guitar solo before a quick build back into the chorus again.

Healing Hand is a rocker with a great vibe to it before The Mountain finishes the album in style.After an acoustic guitar start and Stevie really lowers his register before the band kick for the chorus and then back to the acoustic on the second verse.Again maturity in their song writing screams out and the big guitar solo mid song as the band rock out is stunning on an epic number built to finish albums in style and make you want more.

Truth Be Told sees Bad Touch developing their style and pushing onto a new level and we can only marvel at what happens next.

Superb.


Photo Credit: © Rob Blackham