Review: Original Son – “Currents”

Sell The Heart Records – 17 Feb 2022

Something old, something new, a pinch of sorrow, punk, and blues.

During my first pass through the record I kept getting drawn into thinking they sound like The Drowns but, the deeper I dove, the less that seemed to be the case. While there are definitely some similarities between the two, there’s a little more soul, albeit slightly seasoned with a pack of smokes, in singer Johnny Calderwood‘s voice and a more eclectic mix of influences that makes each song unique while maintaining a comfortable level of continuity. I also couldn’t help but hear a vocal sound akin to that of a certain singer associated with an iconic Crimson Ghost, among others, contrasted by bits and pieces of Billy Idol and small bite of Eddie Spaghetti. 

“Castles” begins with an eerie and ominous intro that creates a sense of foreboding and reminded me of the breakdown in The Offspring‘s “Gone Away” but soon gives way to a more uptempo offering, with grungy guitars, a punchy low end, and a simple yet effective rhythmic background, all of which continue throughout the course of Currents, complete with a call and response in the chorus. As the guitar solo hits in the end I’m getting accents of The Ataris. “Parasite” follows with characteristic raspy vocals and major chord melodies reminiscent of RVIVR while “Well’s Run Dry” showcases the first of many tasteful additions of the Hammond B3, the occasional walking bassline, a breakdown containing the dirtiest vocal delivery to be found on the album given by none other than Sick Of It All‘s Lou Koller, and has a hint of hardcore as if the Smoking Popes were covering Pennywise. I certainly didn’t expect that. 

“Currents,” the title track, strips things down to bare bones and seems to have a muse rooted in Mike Ness as I’m immediately reminded of Social Distortion with an almost clean, muted guitar sound while singing with a more gentle though still gravel tinged cantation and a slight back and forth between piano and a bit more of the B3, but builds to an abrupt ending. Short and sweet. 

Following is “The Avenues,” a 90’s alt rock addition to the track listing with Better Than Ezra vibes vis-a-vis “Good” while “Fire Away” has more of a garage rock sorta feel at first but the verses have me wondering if Johnny’s just channeling his inner Danzig. By the time they reach the chorus I’m getting a little bit of the Bouncing Souls. “The Turnaround,” with yet another appearance by the B3 giving it a touch more texture and, in addition to the simplistic solo, prominent rhythm section, and a slight vocal strain, I’m starting to notice a pleasant and predictable trend.

Speaking of trends, “Flesh and Bone,” with it’s Alkaline Trio inspired octave lead, has me hearing more of that horror punk hiding in the background. If the earliest iteration of the Misfits‘ members were more proficient at their instruments and had more of a radio friendly feel, they might sound a little like this. Wait, is that “a rebel yell?” It’s certainly somewhere in between. Finally, both “Shelter” and “Hymn For The Underground,” much like “Parasite,” feel like they sprinkled a little more of the Mattie Jo Canino inspired magic over a bluesy garage rock tune, the former leaning more towards a roots rock smothered Dillinger Four and the latter a bit more Banner Pilot. Maybe it’s the lead riffs? Maybe it’s just me. 

Either way, as a 3 piece, they make the most of the sounds at their disposal and the additional instrumentation adds subtle layers of sonic decoration rather than stealing the spotlight. They’re bending strings, busting out bouncing bass lines, belting out choruses from the bottoms of their bellies, hammering out beats like a blacksmith and making the best use of that brilliant B3. Simply put, these songs are boldly impassioned and the musicianship is beautiful. They seem to take influences from all over the rock and roll spectrum, both past and present, that might age almost as well as rock and roll itself.