Night Horse

Sophomore album Perdition Hymns finds Night Horse delving even further into unexpectedly Black Crowes-meets-Tricky Woo territory, thanks to a shuffling undertone reminiscent of the former's Southern boogie rock as infiltrated by the latter's oddball psychedelic, soul-based shift on later albums. Featuring plenty of shout-heavy verses rolling over an extended guitar solo, one-line hooks and plenty of those distorted six-strings backed by hooting organs that made superstars of Deep Purple, the Allman Brothers and other blue-collar acts, the album revels in the spirit of loose jams, free rides and booze-fuelled fun. Occasionally it can be a bit much, when the band forget that people are listening to their endless meandering, but when they nail it, the results are an upbeat, big guitar feel that finally escapes the trappings of Lynyrd Skynyrd clones and embraces that of Thin Lizzy and Alice Cooper instead. Not entirely original but enjoyable, Perdition Hymns is the perfect step up from 2008 debut The Dark Won't Hide You.