Music Review: The Answer - Everyday Demons

If ever a band had the perfect name it has to be The Answer. I guess the only better name for the foursome from Downpatrick, Northern Ireland would be 'The Answer To The Future Of Great Classic Rock', but that’s a bit of a mouthful.

This band arrived on the scene with their exceptional debut album Rise a couple of years ago. It was described by salivating rock journos the world over, as something akin to the answer itself. Kerrang and Classic Rock magazines were both quick to pick up on the band and have added their substantial backing ever since. Classic Rock described Rise as, ‘the best British rock debut of the decade’. They haven’t shifted from that position either.

It wasn’t just the scribblers who got excited, The Answer soon had even more heavyweight admirers such as Zeppelin legend Jimmy Page, and Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott. Then another guy who knows a few things about singing this brand of blues drenched rock, Paul Rodgers, added his enthusiastic support.

With an almost unseemly haste their rise (excuse the pun) earned them supporting slots with a few bands you may have heard of, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Whitesnake, Aerosmith, and most recently AC/DC. It doesn’t get much better does it? Having said that, we all know it could all go a bit flat if the second album isn’t right, right?

Yes, that last statement is a rock 'n' roll cliché but sadly it is also a very well established one. Several rising hotshots have fallen flat on their faces or at least lost momentum with a lacklustre follow up. Maybe it is because the expectations from all and sundry are just a little too high.

It doesn’t have to be that way of course. As a random example Led Zeppelin II gives a bit of a clue that there is also a well established tradition that second albums can also be rather special.

The Answer haven’t fallen into the trap that many secretly feared they would. They haven’t changed the formula. In other words they haven’t tried to fix something that clearly isn’t broken. As a result they have delivered an album that, if anything, takes the huge promise shown with Rise that logical and highly powerful step forward.

Article Author: Jeff Perkins

Jeff is a writer who lives in France. He writes CD/DVD box sets, music reviews and has had a book published about David Byron of Uriah Heep. He is 'busy' exploring the music of Europe with his wife Debbie and dog Dylan. It's Dylan that does the writing of course. …

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