LEADFOOT – Bring It On (1997 TMC)

This band was first brought to my attention courtesy of Tom Morwood.  Leadfoot might be considered a spinoff band from Corrosion of Confirmity.  Bassist Phil Swisher and vocalist Karl Agell were members on the critically acclaimed Blind album by that band.  Leadfoot has a similar kind of appeal.  It has groove, balls, guitars and no bullshit.  Bring It On is their debut.

One major issue with Bring It On is one common to so many records.  It features a strong, memorable and overall top drawer first side, leading into a dull and monotonous second side.  Too bad, because side one is really, really good.  The title track for example has all the qualities I like in stoner rock:  groove, howlin’ vocals, enough melody to get me by, and gutsy memorable guitars.  The drums have some swing to them, the guitars have a southern flavour, and the lyrics are cool and defiant.  “Bring It On” indeed.

Other standouts:

• “Soul Full of Lies”, throwing some snaky guitars down.
• “High Time”, my favourite.  It starts with a “Radar Love” vibe, but then goes sludgy awesome.
• “Roll All Over You”, an AC/DC-meets-Danzig prowler.
• “Right Between the Eyes”, just an assault of bass and groove.  Aptly named.
• “Ripe”, my other favourite.  This is just melodic singalong rock, though I have no idea what the lyrics are about.
• “Sooner”, a relentless battering of drums and chords.
• “Under the Sun”, which has a superficial resemblence to “Supernaut” by Black Sabbath.

And it’s pretty much downhill from there.  There’s nothing overtly wrong with the rest, just nothing overly special or memorable either.  At least in comparison to the far superior first half of the album.

3/5 stars