Every time I get myself into an orgy of self-congratulation, I have to remind myself that most of what I proclaim is usually utter nonsense.
For example in football, Harry Kane is not a “one season wonder, who will never score once they work him out”. In cricket, Ben Stokes is not – as I memorably text my mate – a “poor man’s Chris Woakes.”
Music too: I must know that, right? Well back in the late 90s I saw Muse open for Feeder and explained long and loud to anyone that’d listen (and thank goodness I didn’t have a website then) that they “were shit that no one will ever hear of again”. A disclaimer here, I still believe Muse to be shit. 100% without shame.
Sometimes though, I get it right.
Back in 2016, for example, an album appeared. I think the band may have even sent it themselves, can’t remember. One listen to it had me gushing that they were “arena rock stars in waiting” so good was the thing.
That album was “The Murder And The Motive”, and the band was Those Damn Crows. Fast forward four years and the South Wales mob have set about proving that (as one of their songs says) “who says rock n roll is dead?”
It’s gone like this: “You got a venue of roughly the size that Black Star Riders, say, would play? Sound, mate, we’ll sell it out for you.” “Fancy getting a record in the top 40 album charts? No bother skipper, we’ll do that on pre-orders of this alone.
The thing about pre-orders, though is this. Your best advertising is word of mouth. Those that hear TDC telling their mates that “you heard this band? Seriously, you HAVE to check them out.”
Which brings us to “The Point Of No Return”. And, this, right here, is the solid gold thing that is going to see Those Damn Crows soar.
From the first five seconds of the opening riff to “Who Did It”, its obvious as the nose on your face. The band know it too. This is brilliant. Thick riffs, not this retro classic rock thing, this boring stuff that you kinda go “meh” – or I do anyway – but a fresh, shiny new collection. Oh and with choruses and hooks you could hang your coat on.
It doesn’t matter, really where you dip in here, the faster “Set In Stone”, the proudly sleazy “Sin On Skin” or the ridiculously catchy anthem to be yourself “Be You” and what you’re hearing is class. Class too, on their own terms, no one else’s.
The band have clearly put everything into this. On a piece I had on the site with singer Shane Greenhall, where he said this: “In order to grow as individuals and as a band, certain mindsets, relationships, and scenarios had to end. These conscious choices led us to make our most honest, emotional, and creative music yet. There was no going back.” It struck me then, and it strikes me now, listening to the piano led ballad “Never Win” that this is the be all and end all for everyone concerned. This is not something they are playing at. And if these lyrics aren’t personal, then I am flabbergasted. It just sounds so real.
In amongst it all, though, you’d best believe you can get your fists in the air and headbang to “Send The Reaper” and “Kingdom Of Dust” chugs along like all the best radio rock ever has.
And “Radio Rock” isn’t meant as a criticism. Other people can write “challenging” (it’s usually a by-word for rubbish) stuff these boys will get on with doing “Going Down”, which sounds like Thunder on steroids, to be fair.
“Long Time Dead” – which they played when I saw them support Stone Broken, if I recall – seems to encapsulate the vibe, “one life is all you got, why wouldn’t you make the most of it” sings Greenhall as if he really means it, and “King Of Second Chances” is genuinely heavier than all their peers, but twice as good.
“Go Get It” like the idea of making the most of it so much, it underlines the thing in bold, and “Hey Man (Look At Me Now) clearly has someone in mind that they want to make a point to. It’s made. Sorted. Trust me, there’s real feeling when the line: “who’s had the last laugh now? hits.
The whole thing is an open topped bus ride round the city as glitter cannons go off, it feels, but the last one, the bludgeoning of “Devil In My Pocket” doesn’t half sound good as they race down the fast lane, leaving the rest of us behind. There’s a bit where they sing “jump on board….” You couldn’t catch them, to be blunt.
The only conclusion is this: Lord knows what counts as a “new” band these days, but of the “new breed”, lets say, Those Damn Crows are the best by an absolute mile.
The last album was re-released back in 2018, and duly became the only record ever reviewed by me twice on this website. Their return, if you will, is better. Goodness me, if this was a US band they’d be filling arenas already (and there’s loads that do that are nowhere near this good, hi Alter Bridge and Shinedown, for clarity, I am talking about you).
This is the “Point Of No Return” for Those Damn Crows. They are the ones that are going to do it and break through the glass ceiling. All the best, boys, do us proud, yeah?
I’ve been listening to this all week to make sure I really believed this. I do, so I will make this statement now. This is the best hard rock record in years and years.
Rating 10/10
