Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown: Electrified Review
I first heard Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown in 2019 on UK radio station Planet Rock with their fuzzed-up blast “On To The Next.” Safe to say, It transported me to a different era — they had a tight feel and compulsive classic rock vibe that clocked me square in the pearly whites.
Once I’d listened to the rest of the Truth and Lies album (2019), I could only marvel at their old-school blues-rock approach. Fireballing momentum through loud amps and vintage guitars, two very different records have since followed — Pressure (2020) with its palette of styles and Shake The Roots (2022), which provided a refreshing exploration of blues and rootsy rock.
While this latest release doesn’t come with an electric shock warning, the amps have been overloaded, the guitars have been fully wired, and the blues-soaked glug of Southern rock has been infused with an Electrified energy.
Venomous lead single “Snake Oil” hisses with a driving, serpentine groove, killer intro hook, and soaring guitar solo, as Bryant constricts the spirit from two of his favorite bands — Blackberry Smoke and The Black Crowes. It’s how rock ‘n’ roll is meant to be played.
This fiery sound and strut spill into many other tracks, such as the high-octane opener “Between The Lines,” with Bryant overlaying a dirty electric and fuzzy riff over a thumping rhythm section. At the same time, “Shake You Down” is frenetic and thunderous with the potent dual guitars backed by drums that must be made of rhino skins.
The band coasts a little more on “Crossfire,” with its smoldering ‘Devil on the shoulder, angel on the other‘ lyrics, but the well-crafted, hummable chorus is a shoo-in for their sweaty, packed shows.
No doubt Bryant and his boys could cradle this hard-hitting stuff all day, but it’s easy to forget that this Nashville crew can deliver the blues with aplomb. Then again, Bryant does warn us he has a “Trick Up My Sleeve” — just listen to the licks and solo on this melodic, soul-lifting number.”
They let their hair down again on “Dead To Rights,” with Bryant’s snarling, sneering vocals coming to the fore, along with more impressive fretwork (notably on the outro).
Bryant has labeled this 11-song-strong record as “potentially our most “authentically us” sounding album.” Given this is their second LP to be released under their own label Rattle Shake Records, you can feel a sense of ease and joy throughout, as summed up by the heavy honky tonk of “Carefree Easy Rollin” that closes proceedings.
While this three-piece Shakedown no longer has the services of bass player Ryan Fitzgerald to call on, the supercharged combo of Caleb Crosby (drum pounder) and Graham Whitford on guitar alongside the fiery frontman has gone out all circuit-breaking. It’s energetic, exhilarating, and most definitely electrified.