Chicago-based power rock trio She Rides Tigers roars across the rock music landscape with their dynamic, tuneful, and compelling new album Scars. It follows on the trail of first EP, Standing On The Edge, which came out in 2015.
Scars unleashes on limited edition vinyl on April 26th, and Rebel Noise is psyched to host the premiere of the LP a day ahead of its release.
Comprised of Joe O'Leary (guitar, vocals), James Scott (bass, vocals), and Ryan Birkett (drums), She Rides Tigers asserts its dominance over the rock realm by evolving their classic rock ‘n’ roll sound to include psych-rock, British rock, power pop, and other genres while highlighting their skills at evoking the best in these fields.
Lead single and album opener “Scars Of Allegory” winds along with a gritty dreaminess. Direct, yet wistful vocals are lifted up by luminous guitar burn, and deepened by a shadowy bass line. The heavily churning alt-rocker “Perfect Crime” roils with distorted guitar turmoil, weighty drum strikes, and exclaimed vocals.
Glam rocker “Take A Bow” struts by with ‘70s classic rock sex appeal, all confidently preening vocals, reverberating guitar jags, and lively drum hits. The bass line grooves hard on the blues-rock number “Heart Worth Breaking”. The start-stop staccato tempo is highly controlled, but then lets loose on the driving chorus.
A soft scintillation runs through the guitars on the propulsive “Out Of My Mind” as the bass line grinds with the strict drum beat. The vocals are delivered at times with a slight tremble, yet always clear and assured. Uplifting “Something To Believe In” is an up-tempo track filled with bashed cymbals, a cheery vocal tone, and smooth tangle of guitar and bass.
The perceptive lyrics of the song (“We’re all running from something / until we turn around.”) is just one example of the multitude that are woven into the sonic fabric of Scars. While relationships in all their glory and tumult are at the core of the songwriting, topics like inner fortitude and personal worth and meaning are also examined.
Thick guitar fuzz, quick drum strikes, and tambourine jangle on “No Way Out” create a stomping ‘70s-era classic rock pace. The shadowy running bass line, urgent vocals, and at times psychedelic guitar line adds a foreboding and stormy dimension to the song.
Lyrically pointed album-ender “Should’ve Known Better” continues with the psych-rock motif and is rife with regretful vocals that fretfully posit, “What happens to your world / when your money has no meaning? / … What happens to your grip / when you finally lose control?” The reverberating guitar, dark bass line, and pounding drums run wild ‘n’ free for a long passage, showcasing the band’s musical chops.
Scars is a top-notch rock album for all the right reasons: high quality all around, from the melodic songwriting and involving sonics to the astute lyrics, bold vocals, and spirited attitude. Scars show that you’ve been touched by life, for better and worse, and She Rides Tigers put their experiences down in song on their captivating new album.
The band will be celebrating the release with a show at Reggie’s Music Joint in Chicago on Saturday, April 27th.
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