Review by Anthony Nguyen & Staff
The musical child of early-Aerosmith and Johnny Winter, Izzie's Caravan traces it's roots back to Southern Ontario when Izzie (guitar) and Sim (vocalist) met up in early 2000's to start their musical journey. The group disbanded after a few years and Izzie took a decade long hiatus from music. In 2019 Izzie returned to his primary passion of blues-rock music (heavily inspired by Buddy Guy, Lightnin Hopkins, Aerosmith, Stevie Ray, Clapton) and released 'Leo's Guitar', an EP of slamming blues rock tracks, and followed it up with the melancholic EP titled 'Zephyrs' in 2020. Rejuvenated and firing on all cylinders, Izzie went back to the studio and released his latest Johnny Winter inspired record called 'ON THE PULL' in June 2020. The EP has gained much success with 'Drownin' Man's Blues' reaching #1 on iTunes (South Africa) and the title track 'On The Pull' reaching Jamband Radio Charts, EuroIndie Music Charts, and World Indie Music Charts. Reunited with Sim, the band is currently working on it's latest full-length album titled 'BLOW THE LID' for an early 2021 release.
“On the Pull” by Izzie’s Caravan is an absolute thriller from start to finish. Every instrument just screams energy, and the song oozes enthusiasm with every note. The guitars steal the show and are extremely robust, and their tone is excellently coordinated. None of the guitars seem to step on top of each other and they all to seem to work together in a rocking harmony.
The drums are tight and very punchy, while still maintaining their wild emotion. It’s nearly impossible to not feel the enthusiasm and charisma of the drummer. Although not in the limelight, the organ adds nice grit and glues all the parts together. The vocal performance is also a standout. It feels well placed in the mix, maintaining clarity while not sitting on top of the instrumentation. Along with the rest of the band, the lead vocals has all the attitude and ferocity you would expect from a true blues rock band.
The intro ropes you in immediately, with a radio like introduction as it warps into a guitar bonanza. The verse which introduces the excellent vocals are a force to be reckoned with. The song wastes no time getting that special “head banging” quality going on. The guitars take center stage for a lot of the piece, which is no surprise considering the musicianship is outstanding and they work so well with one another.
There are no shortage of stylish licks and riffs that keep the song interesting throughout. Towards the climax of the composition there is an intense solo that is absolutely riveting. It flows so well, and it feels as if the guitarist is literally five feet away setting his soul alight for the audience. The last chorus is an explosion of guitars, vocals and just raw rock charisma.
The real magic of this song lies in its astounding ability to make you experience the feeling of standing in the house of blues, beer in hand, with the band playing their hearts out right in front of you. That visceral feeling of standing in the crowd, head banging furiously to every kick stomp is something that is encapsulated perfectly in this song.
The song is inspired by some of the bandmates having some fun with some amusing, yet truthful times in their lives. The name, “On the Pull” is slang for a night out on the town, and that crazy and fun energy bleeds into the arrangement and playing. The lyrics, “Friday night at the discotheque Sally's swinging with the best” is an excellent example of that “thank god it’s the weekend, let’s grab a beer” vibe that the song pulls off so well.
“On the Pull” by Izzie’s caravan is a certified blast to listen to, with some of the best band dynamics and guitar performances that listeners will hear all year.
Stream on Spotify.
Connect on Facebook.
For more information on Izzie's Caravan, please visit their website.
Commenti