Now that Trump is gone and Biden leads the world to global recession and possibly WW III,Kory Clarke returns with a new album with WS. The opening 'We re alive" sounds tired and uninspired, over some worn metal riffs and KC s gravy voice over a classic rebelion/metal rifforama. "One more for the road" has some interesting lyrics but im sorry i've run out of coke and whiskey and don't care so much for the rock n roll lifestyle in the covid world.The interest comes in the more uptempo songs where the punk origins enter "Hip hip Hooray', "Out on bail" (inspired from KC personal jail experience and his luck ,to stay behind the bars for just a few hours), "Cancelled culture" are set the world- and the listener- on fire. More edgy, more in your face, although the inspiration is a bit limited. MOTORHEAD, STOOGES and NYD are as always around but WS are no MC5. They need some better, fresh ideas for transfusion at the musical department.
Their lackluster image of today doesn't serve for the old fans and won't win for them any new. "Edge of the world" is a more metallic song, with some interest lyrics and the old doom-gloomy 90s metal atmosphere where KC lays the vocals over some cementing metal riffs."Yo yo" has the NY street vibe and a fine world playing with Led Zeppelin at the chorus. "The new Paradigm" struggles to prove WS are something more than past glories. Revolution has to be more than salty, venomous ,anti establishment lyrics. The old twelve bars at the back, serving a good musical background but WS have a heavy tradition on their shoulders and they need to keep up with it. The album is a decent effort in a world puzzled by COVID and recession but lacks the real anti authority feeling of the old days, or the sleaze of the early WS when they didn't want to be political.They're out on bail with this one, but they sure need to try harder for the next one.
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