If you’ve ever watched VH1 Classic feature scores of washed up, bandanna-capped, over-the-hill rockers or stopped in at your local watering hole to hear the old fogies butcher “All Along the Watchtower”, you may need a classic rock wake-up call. If such demonstrations have begun to create doubts in your mind about the relevance of 70s-style guitar rock, one listen to Ohio's BLINDSIDE BLUES BAND will quickly smooth your ruffled feathers.

The band makes no apologies about their triple-guitar assault. The riffs are golden brown in an early 70s sort of way (think MOUNTAIN or POOBAH), and the trio of Mike Onesco, Scott Johnson, and Bill Gressock cover the listener in copious amounts of sweet TROWER-esque guitar nectar. Onesko’s husky vocals (which sound hauntingly similar to Mark Shelton from MANILLA ROAD) are particularly dark and alluring, sliding over cuts like “Mercury Man” and the grungy “Time Before the Sun” like some weathered reptile. Their off-center cover choices are also captivating (CREAM’s “Outside Woman Blues” and UFO’s “Pack It Up and Go”), giving your ‘ol noggin something familiar to chew on for the first few listens while the originals sink in. Every track is packed to the rafters with bloozy jam-band guitar frenzies, but none really ramble on too long, and they’re all delivered with a down-to-earth, “Don’t forget to tip your waitresses” kind of bar-band savvy. Personally, I found the MAHOGANY RUSH flavor of “Gypsy Blood” and “Sacred Son” to be the most irresistible of the lot. So if you’re a big fan of the six-string, and perhaps tired of classic rock being epitomized by Dee Snider and Kevin Cronin discussing tour bus etiquette, pick this up.

- Marchman

OFFICIAL SITE: www.mikeoneskoband.com

MP3 SOUND SCRAP: Electric Woman

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