Back Door Slam reviewed

Back Door Slam
Roll Away
(Blix Street)

Close your eyes and pop in Roll Away — maybe reverse that order or you may be at it awhile — and you’ll hear a band sounding much older than it is (perhaps by 20 years).

Appearing: July 20th at the World’s Largest Block Party at Old St. Pat’s Church in Chicago.

Now, part of that is an insult. Back Door Slam’s debut was recorded at an across-the-board lethargic tempo, that makes it sound like these guys haven’t moved well for years. The odds are a trio of 20-year-olds from Britain’s Isle Of Man wouldn’t require Cialis just to turn on their amps. But the other part is pure benediction. Davy Knowles’ voice has some Koko Taylor and Albert Collins in it. The band might be easily packaged for consumption by the jam and frat-rock crowd, but that dismisses admitted influences like Rory Gallagher and John Mayall. Back Door Slam would do well to pay attention to their heroes’ pop instincts as opposed to just the blues, and this research serves “Stay” and “It’ll All Come Around” well. Too often, however, Roll Away drags and needs more than drummer Ross Doyle’s Mitch Mitchell-isms on “Outside Woman Blues” to pull them through.

4

— Kevin Keegan

Category: Spins, Weekly