Tracklist:-
1. Marauder
2. Green Sails
3. HMS Conan
It's not just Yorkshire that has a growing stoner/sludge/doom scene, as there's just as much rumbling coming from the other side of the Pennines in Lancashire and Cheshire. 1968 are the latest homegrown riff-lords to rise from the undergrowth and their self-titled EP was released in January, with the help of Black Bow Records and Conan's Chris Fielding. They're off on a two-date jaunt with PIST and BongCauldron next weekend, taking in London and Manchester. Anyway, I better get this review written before I fall asleep.
1968 approach things from a Kyuss/hard-rock angle and their groovy riffs do nothing to change that during EP opener Marauder. Jimi Ray Lazarus (if that is his real name) has a great set of pipes on him, while the rest of the band; Sam Orr (guitar), Bear (bass) and Tom Drury (drums) provide a great backdrop of psychedelic hard-rock. They’re following in the trails of some of the UK’s latest crop of trad/heavy metal worshipping bands and they’ve found a great support stable in Black Bow Records. Green Sails is full of urgency and grit. The drumming at the start of HMS Conan wouldn’t be out of place on a snotty punk record, but like the band the song is named after (or the warship), it’s not one of those blink-and-you’ll-miss-it numbers. It’s got all of 1968’s swagger and verve yet a heaviness that reminds you that there’s still something dangerous nestling within their music. This is an EP for music lovers and fans of good old hip-shaking rock.
You can stream and purchase the EP digitally below:-
1968 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/1968Band
Black Bow Records Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Black-Bow-Records