Magic Man [Import]

Rattlesnake Remedy (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (January 6, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Indie Europe/Zoom
• ASIN: B000JJ3R0C
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #778,454 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Blistering Rock n' Roll! (4.5 Stars), May 17, 2007

By 

freedom78 (Indiana) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Magic Man (Audio CD)

A fairly new band on the rock scene, Rattlesnake Remedy finally released their first full length album in their native Britain. It can be a bit pricey to acquire, for US fans, but I bought this one after hearing only four of the songs and, to say the least, I'm happy with that decision. The band's style is generally straight ahead hard rock, with vocals reminiscent of Bon Scott era AC/DC and bass lines similar to those you might find in an Appetite era Guns N' Roses song.

Black Sheep Fiddle (9/10)

---A straight ahead hard rocker that does a good job of showcasing the band's abilities. And, just when you think an extended break will end without a guitar solo, the band delivers. A strong opening track!

Drag You Down (10/10)

---The opening guitar licks of this song really grab you. They strike me as being both hard rock yet seem to have an almost folk melody to them. The song starts out hard, and tones it down about halfway through, before building back to a hard rock frenzy with a great solo that reminds me, at times, of something Slash might have done, back in the day.

Free To Feel (7/10)

---After two blistering opening tracks, the boys slow it down with this one. Certainly NOT a "power ballad," by any stretch. Actually, it goes at a decent pace, despite being one of the softer songs on the album. At points, this one reminds me of Dire Straits, though perhaps not so complex. A good soft rocker, but not the best on the album.

Payin' My Dues (9/10)

---And right back to the hard stuff, this is probably the bluesiest track on the album, and I love hearin' that harmonica at the beginning. This is one of the most reminiscent of AC/DC, in my opinion, and that's a good thing!

Reach For The Line (8/10)

---Perhaps the hardest rocker on the album, with a killer riff! I really enjoy this one, though I think the chorus is a bit weak but, as always, this song is made better by a break for a cool solo.

Killing Time (8/10)

---Another hard one, and the opposite of the track before it, in that I think this one has slightly weak verses but a stronger chorus. Of course, this allows the listener to admire the guitar work during the verses.

Angels Eyes (8/10)

---Ah, I was beginning to forget that these guys can write a ballad! Well, here's the second soft song and the first true ballad of the album. I particularly like this one, both for its content and for its placement on the album. If offers a good break from three straight hard rockers and is the closest thing to a true power ballad that this album offers.

Nothing Right (8/10)

---A bluesy, riff driven rock song and one of the least "hard" of the rock songs on here. I don't find this to be one of the stronger tracks on the album, but it's far from weak, and offers some good vocals and guitar work.

Falling Away (9/10)

---A very cool song, both for its riffs and unique chorus. This one may not sit as well with everyone as it does with me, and I'll admit that it took a few listens for me to really appreciate this as one of the best songs on the album. The solo isn't quite as good as those in other tracks, but it's still a strong one.

Freestyle (10/10)

---If you recognize Ted Nugent's "Stranglehold" for the amazing song that it is, then this one's for you. This is one of those slow, grinding songs, with some great, guitar driven atmosphere. It's slow, but not soft, by any means, and if you love to listen to someone just wrenching those great emotional notes out of a guitar, then you'll love this track.

Magic Man (9/10)

---A hard, medium-paced rocker, with a catchy, harmonious chorus, I can see why this is the title track. While it's not the best they offer on this album, it's probably the most easily accessible after one listen. It's a strong rock song near the end of the album and would be equally strong at the end of a show. It also features one of the longer solos on the album, and you won't catch me complaining about that.

Don't Say Goodbye (8/10)

---An interesting choice to close the album, though I do agree that there needed to be something harder between the atmospheric "Freestyle" and this one, which is almost like a rock n' roll lullaby. Acoustic and soothing, this song is like aloe on your skin, after the wicked sunburn the rest of the album gives you.

At the end of the day, this is an album that exceeded my expectations. If you go into it expecting epic hard rock masterpieces that last eight or nine minutes (Stairway to Heaven or November Rain, anyone?), you'll be disappointed. If you want to hear that kind of dirty, barroom rock n' roll that makes you feel like you need back-to-back showers, then you're in luck, because this is it, and I haven't heard it done better for a long time. If you like bands such as AC/DC, GNR, and Aerosmith, you'll like this. Also, other new(er) bands with similarly strong hard rockin' efforts that you might enjoy include Kid Ego, Kill Cheerleader, Bullets and Octane, Buckcherry, and Beautiful Creatures.