Unsung Melody - Initial Thoughts. A review of Leogun's self-titled debut EP.

Leogun is a band that COMPLETELY took me by surprise. I was sent some information about them, and as always, I took the time to check into them. What I found, was simply game changing. They ignited my spirit and had me immediately thinking, could this band be the saviour of rock and roll? I have been hoping, looking, praying even for a good old Rock and Roll Revival. Bands like Rival Sons, and even Wolfmother to an extent had long raised my hopes that real rock was on it’s way back. Well, my friends, it has finally arrived, and it’s wearing shit-kickers. Recording the old fashioned way, straight to analog tape, Leogun has captured something extremely rare. I’ll go ahead and say it, they’ve captured lightning in a bottle. This 3-piece English rock band has given me hope! Usually with Initial Thoughts, I’ll give my thoughts on the highlights of the album, but since the EP only contains 4 songs, I’ll take a look at each song, and hopefully you enjoy them as much as I have. Be prepared to meet your new favorite Rock and Roll band.

Leading off the self titled EP, is the single Let’s Be Friends. When that fuzzy tone begins, and you hear that momentum building, you know you are about to rock. There is no doubt where this song is going to take you, and that’s to the ass-kicking that the band wants to hand you. With seemingly equal parts Wolfmother, Danko Jones, Led Zeppelin, and Andrew W.K., Leogun is making a statement. (Yeah, let all of those artists soak in for a minute.) Leogun are from England, but from the delivery, you’d swear Alabama, or any other Southern state. This is what Rock is missing. A grooving, balls to the wall, uninhibited good time. Excuse me, while I play this song again!

End Of The World is up next. Vocally, it reminds me of a band released in the mid-90’s. A band called Reef. They had one song called Place Your Hands On that did pretty well here in the States. That’s where that comparison ends though. This song has an element most would see as alien on a Rock album, that element is HORNS!!! Hell Yeah! With those fuzzy overtones, dancy backbeats, driving bassline, and of course those horns. Leogun is not only letting it all hang out, they are strutting their stuff with a confidence seen in very few bands. I say, if you got it, flaunt it! Leogun has IT. Whatever IT is, they have it, and have it in abundance. I simply can not stop bobbing my head, tapping my foot, playing air drums, and wishing I knew how to play trumpet. What a raucous party disguised as a song.

You Better Love Me, is a bit of a departure from the first two songs. Believe me, it’s still rocking though. I can almost hear a Myles Kennedy with Slash feel to this track. This song would fit extremely well on their new album actually. With a nice groove oriented structure, the vocals are certainly milder than the previous two songs, and that is exactly what this song needs. A soulful vocal like Tommy Smith’s is exactly what the world needs as a matter of fact. There’s a reason that artists like Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Bob Segar have touched millions of listeners. Sure they have some great songs, but it’s that soulful voice, that emotion that just drips from every note delivered that sets them apart from the pack. Tommy Smith has that kind of potential in a completely different genre than any of those artists mentioned.

Everyday is the last song on this EP, which really has just wet my appetite. This song is a COMPLETE departure from any of the other three songs on this release. On Everyday, Leogun scaled way back on the energy, and moved more to the ambience side of things. Creating a rich, full texture of sound, blanketed by a soft vocal delivery that is almost haunting in the verses. Bringing back the fuzz after the chorus, the song structure seems flipped, and I couldn’t be more happy about that. This track has completely captivated me. It’s something entirely different, fresh, new, yet it still has elements of that classic rock sound. This song is on my bucket list to see live. I’m betting it turns into a 20 min jam onstage, and would be amazing to witness. This song will surely garner a ton of Led Zeppelin comparisons, and absolutely rightfully so.

It seems obvious to me at this point, that Leogun may be new to me, but they are not new to writing music. The dynamics of this EP go from a party, to pure swagger, to extremely engaging, to mind-blowing. This album is one roller coaster of music, that stops on something that you can’t quite grasp the first ride through, and makes you immediately get right back in line to experience it all over again. I can say this without hesitation, I have never looked more forward to the release of a full-length album from a debut artist, than I am this one. This EP, while amazing, has really just given me the shakes. I need a fix, and only more Leogun (not more cowbell) is the prescription!

★★★★★★★★★★ – 10 out of 10 stars! Unsung Melody APPROVED!!!

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Check out the video to Let’s Be Friends by Leogun below: