Marcus Bonfanti: Shake The Walls Review

Shake The Walls is the third full-length album coming our way from British rocker Marcus Bonfanti. The record is packed with exactly the kind of minerals you would expect from a seasoned man of the Blues genre. It has the essence of love, grit and the long road a man and his band must follow to get recognition.

A punchy opening with “Alley Cat” is enough to get the blood pumping. It definitely has some quality riff-making and catchy melodic vocal lines going on. Bonfanti and co produce a big sound in a traditional way. “Cheap Whisky” is one tune that seems to echo Bonfanti’s life on the road. It is bold and honest in a lyrical and instrumental sense.

Another track of distinction is “Honest Boy.” Backed by a foot-tapping funky beat on the skins and silky bass line, the candid voice of Bonfanti works a set of wondrous hooks. Bonfanti’s idols of inspiration include legends such as Jimmy Page and George Harrison and there is certainly a spirit of theirs coming through in this album. A track like “Stone Me Sober” has that ’70s Zeppelin feel, especially in the tight call and response opening between the guitar and drums.

The album is rounded off with a neat acoustic song called “The Bittersweet.” It is a pretty pleasing end to an album of gritty amplified blues rock. More of the acoustic skills would be welcome as they show another prolific side to the musician. In all, this is a great record from a seasoned man; Shake The Walls is aptly named.

The Review: 8/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Alley Cat
– Cheap Whisky
– Honest Boy
– Stone Me Sober
– The Bittersweet

The Big Hit

– Cheap Whisky

Review by George Ward

Buy the album: Amazon | iTunes