The first release from
singer/songwriter Jude Cole (also this disc's producer) and actor Kiefer Sutherland's Ironworks imprint is an impressive if occasionally derivative album from the West Coast-based
Rocco Deluca. Backed by the three-piece
Burden band consisting of bass, drums, and additional percussion, the latter adding a propulsive element to the sound,
Deluca sticks primarily to Dobro, which imbues the disc with a more mysterious, exotic feel.
Deluca has sure listened to his
Led Zeppelin collection, though, and much of this seems heavily influenced by that band's more acoustic side, in particular Led Zeppelin III. The singer's voice shifts from a ghostly
Jack White/
Jeff Buckley style to the more deliberate howling of
Robert Plant and
the Cult's
Ian Astbury. There's a slight but consistent bluesy feel to this music that grounds it, in the same way as
the White Stripes and
Zeppelin reference the genre, but in a far less overt manner. Producer
Cole embellishes the project with subtle overdubs that layer these tracks, adding heft and colors to make them jump out of the speakers. Drummer
Ryan Carmen would do well to lose the overt
John Bonham-isms, especially on the majestic "Swing Low," a song that easily could have slotted into the
Zeppelin catalog, especially when
Deluca shifts into a
Plant-ish howl. The acoustic Dobro in the song brings an earthy quality that takes it back to the swamps.
The Cult-meets-
Zeppelin overtones explode on "Soul," which even adds
John Paul Jones-styled orchestration but takes a surprising turn with a middle section of feedback and percussion. These songs rock, but generally do so with a restrained quality that keeps them grounded and infuses the project with a classy edge that never seems forced or strained.
Cole leaves plenty of room for
Deluca's Dobro to slide and slither through the songs, bringing a unique quality to the sound even while the listener refers back to
White Stripes and
Zeppelin riffs. But
Deluca is talented enough to transcend these limitations, due to his sharp songwriting and genuinely moving vocals. The ballad "Mystified," with its slight
country touches, displays the tender underbelly to
Deluca's approach, one that is evident over much of this impressive debut. ~ Hal Horowitz, All Music Guide
