Musings: Love Gang - Meanstreak

First Musings column of the year and boy, are we off to a great start! I give you Love Gang, a hard rock/classic rock band with strong ‘70s vibes. Formed in 2015, the Denver, Colorado quartet will be unleashing their sophomore record, Meanstreak, via Heavy Psych Sounds Records on January 27^th.

Right off the bat, “Deathride” hits it out of the park: pure rock ‘n’ roll from the ‘70s time machine. A killer motorcycle tune with echoes of Deep Purple and a pinch of Sabbath’s “Paranoid”. It’s followed by the title track which was also the lead single of the album and it’s easy to see why: a head-bobbing song with a catchy chorus, riffs-a-plenty, and menacing rhythm section. “Bad News” keeps the fun going—let the good times roll! A groovy track with some great slide guitar. “Blinded by Fear”, the second single, has a cool build-up featuring a Hammond organ and is a solid track from start to finish. A war song that feels timeless and timely. “Shake this Feelin’” has got the band playing tight, providing us with another tune to make us want to sing along. “Headed Down to Mexico” is the longest cut, running at 6 minutes, and is another driving song, the storytelling kind. It turns into a smoky, bluesy instrumental for its latter third and is the perfect transition to the next song, “Same Ol’ Blues”. That little blues number is a beauty, featuring a lovely harmonica. They went and saved the best for last, in my humble opinion, as my pick for favourite track brings things to a close: “Fly Away”. It features a splendid guitar solo and wailing guitars; it’s just overall a perfect rock tune.

Love Gang have arrived! I love the sound of this band, no pun intended. They absolutely nail the old school hard rock sound of the glory days of classic rock. Their lyrics cover a broad range of topics, from serious matters to simple good times. The superb musicianship paired with Kam Wentworth’s raspy vocals make for an impeccable blend of rock ‘n’ roll. Twelve months from now, I’ll still be talking about Meanstreak. This is the first must-own record of 2023 and you should add it to your collection ASAP!

Heavy Psych Sounds’ Love Gang Bandcamp Page: https://heavypsychsoundsrecords.bandcamp.com/album/love-gang-meanstreak

Love Gang on Bandcamp: https://lovegangco.bandcamp.com/music