When I first saw Broken Banjo, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Though you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, I did. I didn’t think the collective image of the band worked. It seemed dysfunctional.
Then they played.
Needless to say I was impressed; their sound was raw, edgy and passionate. They have distinct influences drawn from the entire rock ‘n’ roll spectrum, from blues to metal. Right across the board Broken Banjo have made a name for themselves with their fusion of blues and rock.
Now, the trio have an EP due for release; “Bootleg Porn Volume III”.
Within moments of pressing play you are hit with dirty riffs and screaming vocals. “Outro” begins; slow tempo at first, a beautiful guitar riff reaches you before culminating in a blend of Lynott and Sewell’s vocals. It is still rough around the edges, there are times when the spark is lost, but you are drawn in and you can hear the potential building up.
“One Trick Pony” continues nicely, a blues inspired guitar riff with pulsating drum beats. Hoarse vocals seep in and let you know what Broken Banjo are all about; that raw, edgy beat, that unrefined sound you can’t get enough of. We have yet to hear the crashing drumbeats Sewell is ever so capable of producing, recollections of destroying drum-kits are ever present in my mind.
The momentum is building, and “One Trick Pony” and “Mosquito” offer the same progression of a grounded blues inspired sound. Each member brings a different element to the band; Liam Lynott’s vocals and guitar abilities are deeply blues focused, it appears to be a natural expression and is the driving force behind making Broken Banjo stand-out performers in the local scene, while Mike Sewell brings a heavy element with his drumming and crashes through the palette of harmonies that Harry Elvin brings to the table.
“Gaffa Tape” pulsates, it’s exciting. There is a hint of sexualisation, with lyrics open for interpretation. Notably, “You sound so different with a gun in your mouth” – in this sense it is reminiscent of Nickelback’s “Something in your Mouth” from the 2008 Dark Horse album. To others it may be more “hard-core punk than cowboy blues”. The song develops a crass nature and loses direction.
However “Le Barry” provides us with the much loved spice of blues rock, there are talks of selling your soul to the devil, which roots it firmly in the 60s era. It is a sure fire sing-a-long track and utilises the loud crunching riffs the band pride themselves on. The groove flows with this track and you can imagine it having an anthemic vibe if played in a dingy bar.
The EP is dark and intense, there are clear winners when it comes to defining who Broken Banjo are, but there are also hints towards an un-togetherness, a sense of longing, but with distinct vocals, crashing drumbeats and a heavy under-lying bass line, the momentum continues to grow.
Broken Banjo are set to play an EP release this Sunday in Chatham at MOJO. For more information head over to their Facebook page
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