Released: May 6th 2014
Chart Peak: 5
Black Stone Cherry are a band at an extremely crucial point in their career. Their extremely loyal following in the UK has assured that they have become THE must see rock act every time they tour. Their Download 2013 headline set on the second stage surely solidified them as future headliners of the whole damn thing. However there's some grumbling in the background as to whether the band have somehow lost their way. The first two albums (their self titled debut and 2008's 'Folklore and Superstition') were laced with heavy southern riffs and some great storytelling lyrics. Some fans were disappointed with the direction of their third album (2011's 'Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea') when the band traded the deep and meaningful tracks like 'Rain Wizard' and 'Ghost of Floyd Collins' for radio ready tracks like 'White Trash Millionaire' and 'Blame It On The Boom Boom'. 'Magic Mountain' has the unenviable job of pleasing the hardcore, old school BSC fans while continuing to challenge for the title of 'Greatest Rock Band on the Planet'. For this Black Stone Cherry fan at least I can happily report that anything and everything I could possibly want from this band is all represented on 'Magic Mountain'.
If there's one thing that Kentucky's favourite sons do well is pick the perfect track to set the tone for their albums. 'Holding On... To Letting Go' is heavy. The harmonies are there and Chris Robertson's vocals are stronger than ever. You get the sense straight away that you're in safe hands. 'Peace Pipe' and 'Bad Luck & Hard Love' follow in the same trend. However it is 'Peace Pipe' and lead single 'Me And Mary Jane' that highlight a bone of contention some fans have had with this album. Many of the tracks on this album allude to or are blatantly about smoking weed. Those same fans who loved the old fashioned story telling of the first two albums certainly won't or indeed don't enjoy the green smoking, partying version of Black Stone Cherry. Many have unfairly compared them to Nickelback who dropped their early grungy sound in order to sing about shagging and drinking everything in sight. I'm afraid I can't sit in the same camp as these fans when the music is THIS good! 'Me & Mary Jane' is undoubtedly one of the greatest singles in Black Stone Cherry history. Since when did every song written need to have some powerful, meaningful message? Tracks like 'Me & Mary Jane' and 'Fiesta Del Fuego' are the sound of a band having a shitload of fun! It's a band not taking themselves too seriously. Here's a question for you. Why do bands like Black Stone Cherry or Nickelback (hell even Kiss) write songs about rocking out, getting drunk and generally having an awesome time? Because they're ROCKSTARS! Now they're famous all over the world, they're going to enjoy the fruits of their labour and that's what's going to come through in their material.
Rant over! Anyway the pace is unrelenting with the title track and 'Never Surrender' upping the ante further. It's not until ballad 'Sometimes' that things start to slow down. While 'Runaway' earlier in the album would have fitted quite nicely on their last album, 'Sometimes' sits on this album perfectly and seem perfect for an acoustic section on their live show. It has the poignancy of fan favourite 'Things My Father Said' and could be a showstopper on the next UK tour if they choose to include it. The aforementioned 'Fiesta Del Fuego' is simply awesome but is strictly for the fan who 'blames it on the boom boom'. 'Dance Girl' is somewhat of a sequel of 'Let Me See You Shake' from the previous album at least in terms of lyrical content but 'Hollywood In Kentucky takes more from 'White Trash Millionaire'. The cynicism of 'Millionaire' combined with the laid back BBQ vibe of Nickelback's 'This Afternoon' make this one of the more memorable tracks on the album.
By the time you reach 'Remember Me' I'm sure you'll have made your mind up on 'Magic Mountain'. In some ways they've achieved quite the balance. Tracks like 'Bad Luck & Hard Love' or 'Sometimes' hark back to the Black Stone Cherry of old while 'Me & Mary Jane' and 'Fiesta Del Fuego' show us where the band are now four albums in. No matter whether you like what they write about these days or you don't there is no denying that the band sound as tight and heavy as ever and benefit heavily from Joe Barresi's production. 'Magic Mountain' is the closest the band have ever come to replicating just how amazing they are live and it personally makes me very excited to see them for a 5th time in October this year on their first ever headline tour. Judging that this album broke into the Top 5 in the album charts back in May indicates that 'Magic Mountain' is a rousing success and that when I get to the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield that the place will be packed to the rafters. Black Stone Cherry have made it and I couldn't be any happier.
9/10
Best Track: Fiesta Del Fuego
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