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Black 'N Blue: Hell Yeah

(Melodic) Hard Rock

4.0/5.0

Frontiers Records
Website MySpace
by Craig Hartranft,  05.02.2011

The resurrection of Eighties hard rock band Black 'N Blue began in 2003 with lead singer Jaime St. James, along with original members Jef Woop Warner (guitar), Patrick Young (bass). Work began shortly on Hell Yeah, only to be postponed by James filling the vocal slot for fellow Eighties stalwarts Warrant.T The crew returned to the project in 2088, and Hell Yeah, on Italy's Frontiers Records, will hit the stores in a few short weeks.

Depending on who you speak to or what you read, BnB in the Eighties, was either signature and inventive hard rock against the Sunset Strip mainstream, or just another band with big riffs, big hair, and big bravado, and so similar to everything else. I remember them and those days, but I'm not ready to offer a verdict. Let's just say that Black 'N Blue has easily picked up where they left off. Hell Yeah is bold, often heavy, hard rock with melodic lines and catchy hooks.

Honestly, the band is not breaking any new ground here. Yet Black 'N Blue sounds great. Most of this comes from Jaime St. James strong vocals, but also the bass and drum work of Young (b) and Pete Holmes (drums). To the latter, the most notable are Monkey (awesome) and Target. Mostly BnB blurs the line between straight hard rock and its twin melodic rock. I know it's a strange description. But Angry Drunk Son of a Bitch is a perfect example, as is the following So Long. They can offer a modest, steady paced, rocker with the ode to rock 'n roll Hail Hail or the aforementioned So Long. This song has son grand guitar work, another notable feature of Hell Yeah. Ultimately, Black 'N Blue is all about blistering, ready for the party, hard rock as the title track displays. And there no ballads, but some quizzical segues including the very funn Jaime's Got the Beer, the light acoustic Trippin' 45, and the very strange conclusion A Tribute to Hawking.

Overall, Hell Yeah finds Black 'N Blue doing what they love, 80's hard rock with melodic hooks, and having a heck of a lot of fun. A seminal or signuature album for a new era? I doubt it. But 23 years later, BnB still rocks. Recommended!

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

Hell Yeah finds Black 'N Blue doing what they love, 80's hard rock with melodic hooks, and having a heck of a lot of fun. A seminal or signuature album for a new era? I doubt it. But 23 years later, BnB still rocks.

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