September 4
Spinefarm
Airbourne are rapidly becoming Australia’s greatest ever rock export. Overseas festivals can’t get enough of the boys from Warrnambool, so much so that the band hasn’t had the time to play any home shows since November 2022. Although that is about to be rectified later this year when Airbourne appear as special guests for Guns N Roses, the only real way homegrown fans have been able to connect with the band in recent years has been with new music.
Of which there hasn’t been an albums worth for going on seven years with their last album Boneshaker coming out back in 2019. That is set to change this Friday, September 4, when the rock machine unleashes their new, self titled album with a firm dedication to the legends of rock and metal that have come before them – namely one Lemmy Kilmister. The singles released so far have been electrifying as expected, but can Airbourne deliver a whole album full of bangers? Let’s find out…
Opener Gutsy is just that. Starting with an almost blues feel and twang, it soon becomes apparent Airbourne are having the initial laugh as the guitars gather in volume and intensity to the level that Airbourne are known and loved for. Vocalist Joel O’Keeffe soon screams into the microphone as he tells us he’s “fired up and pissed off” which is exactly what we wanted to hear. Such is Airbourne‘s global love and respect they could easily deliver a run-of-the-mill slab of music and still appeal to the masses, but that has never been Airbourne’s style. Bless their cotton socks.
Alive After Death (Last Plane Out) fires up with a twin guitar assault from Joel and Brett “Bretty” Tyrrell and soon settles into a tasty groove as Joel‘s gravel tinged vocals set the story. This track was released as a single, so instead of me telling you all about it, you can go and check it out for yourself.
Here She Comes eases to life courtesy of some clean gang style vocals that suggest this may be on the quieter side of rock. Which it is, but even the softer side of Airbourne out rocks the heavier tracks of most other bands and it is actually refreshing to hear something a little unexpected. This one has radio track written all over it – whether or not that was the bands intention is unclear – but for mine if a hard rock band can twist one or two of their songs into something that appeals to the radio market, thus spreading the word of rock to a wider audience, that can only be a good thing.
Kid In A Candy Store arrives courtesy of a tasty guitar riff complete with reverb and from there things continue on a path to rock salvation. There is nothing groundbreaking or overtly technical about what Airbourne do, but their passion and zest for music is, and always has been, an infectious and vital part of their success. This song has it all. Big choruses, singalong moments, guitar solos and attitude. Lots of it.
Shy High chuggs out of the blocks with a steady rhythm that borders on blues rock. Again, this track has everything in exactly the right places, taking the basic rock blueprint and sprinkling more of whats needed and less of what isn’t throughout. A nice guitar solo dominates the landscape beautifully, with Airbourne allowing the music to dictate terms rather than attempt to control it’s heartbeat. Not an easy thing to do, but the result is sonic perfection for those who get it right.
Who Put The Rhythm In You has an almost introverted feel as it builds steadily over a harmonic interlude. Of course, this doesn’t last long before Airbourne turn the knob higher North and shake their hard rock booty directly in the face of anyone within earshot. This track – more than any other so far – has a definate AC/DC swagger to it and Airbourne continue to play to that strength without pausing for reflection.
Christmas Bonus arrives with the familiar jingling of Christmas bells as Joel cries “Ho Ho Ho” into the microphone and you get the feeling this particular Christmas song would be a better fit for the soundtrack of Bad Santa than those of the more family friendly variety. This is an upbeat, fun number that celebrates not just Christmas, but seemingly the joys of music that are within everyone’s grasp at any time of the year. But Christmas has always been special, and when you can spread that joy with Airbourne then who actually needs the fat fella in a red suit?
Last Man Standing kicks off with a stuttering guitar riff offset by some firms strokes on the floor tom as a swirling mass of guitar lays the sonic foundations. This is more of a conventional rock track with an even splattering of guitarplay mixed into the submissive underbelly perpetuated by the driving beauty of drums.
Although all of Airbourne‘s music can be neatly assembled under the banner of hard rock their sound never becomes stale or predictable. There’s enough subtle variances and deviations from expectations to add an even rougher exterior to what is already abrasive music, with even the moments of relative calm still offering little in form of respite.
Rock ‘N’ Roll Ya begins with a simple message about rock n roll that quickly becomes a masterclass in music as Airbourne ram the point home the only way they know how. Straight ahead, foot to the floor with the hazard lights firmly in the rear view. This track oozes rock n roll ambivelance, throwing out the challenge and then answering it themselves. This isn’t music meant to be scrutinised or layered analytically. It is music to make you move and feel alive and I defy anyone who listens to this album to honestly say it hasn’t done just that.
Bogotá looms ominously as a barrage of guitars and reverb fill the air before Ryan O’Keeffe attacks his kit and things get nasty and sleazy. This is an up tempo, driving song that ebbs and flows without veering too far away from its DNA, showcasing a different shade of the rock spectrum to where Airbourne usually reside. Don”t get me wrong, this is still pure, unbridled rock at its finest, but it also explores slightly different sonic territory to great effect. Cool track.
Hells Got No Vacancy fires up with a wicked guitar run that lays the mood for some foot stomping, headbanging goodness. This song bursts out of the gate and maintains a more urgent pace that is given added impetus by well placed blasts of guitar that add spice to an already hot dish. This is probably the most guitar driven song on the album and it seems that just as things are coming to a close as far as the album is concerned, Airbourne are just starting to warm up.
Send Me To Rock ‘N’ Roll Heaven breathes life amid a swirl of guitar and highhat shuffles, inviting Joel to the party as he engages the mic one last time on the album. This is an almost anthemic number – as the title suggests – and going by the names mentioned throughout the song is also a tribute to some of the greats of music who are no longer with us. It is a fitting and poignant way to finish Airbourne, paying homage to the past, present and future of rock n roll the only way Airbourne know how.
Loud, abrasive and full of fire.
