For a new band to release three albums in as many years is some achievement, and all three are high-quality blues-based rock makes it all the more special. Okay so the second album was a live recording but, as the debut Six Dusty Winds was worth shouting about, Ivy Gold are more than justified.
Now we have the second studio album, Broken Silence, about to be released and the combined CVs of the band – Tal Bergman (Joe Bonamassa, Billy Idol), Sebastian Eder (Avalon), Kevin Moore (Jennifer Rush), Anders Olinder (Glenn Hughes) with powerhouse vocalist Ms Manou – shine through as they bring their skills to bear on eleven (ten really, see later) new, powerful tracks.
The slow, sultry blues of the title track prove their abilities are at their peak with quiet to soaring vocals, blues-drenched guitar runs, and a superb solo. Elsewhere we get the bluesy funk of ‘No Ordinary Woman’ replete with horny horns and quality Hammond; the Hendrix-like ‘House of Cards’, the delicious bass lines that lead to the powerful, soulful blues ballad ‘Sacred Heart’ and the complex genius of ‘Broken Wings of Hope’.
The ‘bonus’ live track, ‘Old Love’ shows they can more than hack it on the stage with this slow, many-layered blues song. The eleventh track is twelve seconds of the intro to the first track…no, me neither!
Having listened extensively to the 2021 debut and Live at The Jovel, the live showcase of that album, I was expecting a similar set of quality blues rock on the new one: I was right, they have taken their early format, grown together and improved it beyond those expectations. The blues rock, soul and gospel influences are combined beautifully across the album, making a stand out in this crowded genre.
Broken Silence is out on 26th May.
