California Breed – California Breed

What would we be without rock music? That may sound like a strange question, but what if the likes of The Who, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen, Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones didn’t exist?

That’s too brutal and painful of a thought, right? That’s because the impact rock has had on the lives of generation after generation is infinite. 

But wait, you don’t think so? Or did you actually put thought into the question, and you’re now irrationally over-thinking it by wondering if, half way into 2014, rock music is officially dead? Okay maybe that was a bit deep, but don’t worry if you do feel that way because super-group California Breed is a prime example that rock is still alive and okay.

Shortly after vocalist and bassist Glenn Hughes, drummer and son of Led Zeppelin’s finest, Jason Bonham, and blues rocker Joe Bonamassa disbanded Black Country Communion, Glenn and Jason formed California Breed along with guitarist Andrew Watt this year.

These guys are gifted and talented, collectively writing music that sounds like a modern and divine cluster of all those bands you had to think about in that question before. Hughes’ vocals are outstanding. His voice is versatile, with a falsetto, screaming and range that is absolutely mind-boggling and jam-packed with so much soul. It compliments Watt’s tasty blues and rock guitar riffs in the background, with last but not least Jason living up to his father’s name to provide some awesome drumming and rhythm.

The album is vast, with songs that all sound completely different from each other. The opening track The Way starts off with some funky hard rock blues guitar licks, and Glenn unleashing his inner James Browne to scream vocal lines and melodies. Jason’s drumming is outstanding, going off time a bit to add some dissonance in the chorus. Songs Chemical Rain, Scars, and Midnight Oil to name a few are similar by being hard blues. Invisible is a track that is a little bit more eclectic and different from the others; it’s a psychedelic hard rock blues tune with a trippy and awesome guitar intro is reminiscent of something Hendrix would kick off with.

Well there you have it. I hope that was enough to convince you that rock is still alive and well. All kidding aside though, these guys are undoubtedly some of the best musicians around, and we should be grateful to have an album that keeps our great past time alive and relevant. Give this album a listen, and let the music vicariously take you on a journey…

Joe Hoffman

California Breed was released on 19^th May 2014. For further information or to order the album visit California Breed’s website here.

Watch the video for Meet Me There here: