Babyjane those shining lights of the Western Australian Rock scene sadly ‘expired’ on New Years Day 2016 whilst in L.A. Vocalist Andy Smith however has been quick to bounce back taking some of the songs he’d planned for the next Babyjane release along with a song he’d recorded in L.A. with original Love/Hate guitarist Jon E Love and created a new album with a number of other Perth musicians under the moniker ‘Sister Switchblade’ (a name I’ve loved since Canberra band Tonk christened their 2005 album thus).
The album perhaps unsurprisingly seems to pick up where Babyjane left off with the precisely-titled ‘Twenty Three Sins’ which shimmies and sways like the bastard son of Shark Island meets a street tough Poison on a dark night on the Sunset Strip. ‘Back to Babylon’ (no not a Torme or Babylon A.D. cover) has a harder Skid Row-like edge and the same ‘hard as nails’ guitars, whilst ‘Come Midnight’ lays down a nice solid groove.
The album takes a foot off the gas momentarily with the appropriately-titled ‘Breathe’ a gentle lilting ballad that ends nicely unresolved before its back to the Grind (sorry can’t help those Skid Row references creeping in) for ‘Downtown’ a mid tempo melodic chugging rocker that has that slight touch of early Motley in the verses and a nice gang vocal attack in the chorus.
Further in ‘No Enemies’ kicks back up the gears with a Metal edge; whilst ‘Sleeping With Snakes’ is all mid-tempo and moody, so far the variations are paying dividends, and its next track ‘Sweet Venus Salvation’ that really nails the sleaze rock sound that’s been simmering all along.
The album closes out with another two fine songs, the swagger is back for ‘Ground Zero’ and some nice guitars drive it home; while the tantalisingly titled ‘My Midnight Monkey’ closes the album proper with a dream-like strummed demi-ballad to put this new chapter to rest.
To think this all started with the end of Babyjane and Andy Smith getting right back on the horse – a mere week later recording bonus track ‘Sister Switchblade’ with Jon E Love (ex-Love/Hate) speaks loud of his determination. The song itself is a nice sleazy rocker a little deeper and darker than most here. It’s actually my current favourite too and Jon E kills the solo dead! A great addition and while it’s not Love/Hate in style it’s so cool to hear that guitar again.
It’s nice to hear an Aussie rock album that rides its 80’s influences without sounding derivative – Sister Switchblade’s debut is fresh and full of life: a real ‘must hear’ and a welcome kick-start to the recently rather depleted Perth Hard Rock scene. Andy Smith is back and he’s sounding pretty damn good.
Track listing for Best Served Cold:
01. Twenty Three Sins
02. Back To Babylon
03. Come Midnight
04. Breathe
05. Downtown
06. No Enemies
07. Sleeping With Snakes
08. Sweet Venus Salvation
09. Ground Zero
10. My Midnight Monkey
Bonus Track:
11. Sister Switchblade (featuring Jon E Love of Love/Hate)
Sister Switchblade will be releasing their debut album Best Served Cold at a CD release party at the Carine Tavern in Duncraig, Perth, Western Australia on May 13, 2017.
