Ian Blurton’s Future Now – Crimes of the City

Sometimes it’s just killer album art that knocks me over the edge to give an album a try. A sword thrust in the bleeding sky did the trick. More important, the band describing their influences. Ian Blurton’s group is all about the golden years of arena rock smashed into stoner rock.

The Canadian quartet pull off a modern version of the secret sauce of rock n roll. Nothing fancy, meaty guitar riffs, thumping bass and a sharp drum attack. From the great white north, usually is a tough sell for me. There is only one great Canadian rock group, Rush. Maybe now there are two. Bring on the hate mail.

Back to the band, Ian Blurton and company are in a rare air. Their music style just hits right. The album as a whole, is cohesive, consistent hard rock jam after jam. The last few weeks this rocker is on heavy rotation. Hook after riffing hook, the lead vocal and harmonies and are roughed up silk, just do the job. Where’s rock radio? How are these rockers not crushing the airwaves? All 10 songs are radio friendly time length, between 2:30 and 4:00 minutes long.

Maybe the band is smarter than I think, commercial radio is a bloated lazy mess. Standout songs on the album, no easy task, as mentioned above, the album flows very well. Here goes my take on what songs to try out: “Ends of August”, the lead track sets the tone on the 33-minute, 10 song set. It’s a rocker, plain and simple. The song could be mistaken for a track on the “Fast Times at Ridgemont High” film soundtrack. “Cast Away the Stones” A sweet rock n roll groove. Think smash up of stoner rock and arena rock. A fusion of two styles in my brain can’t quite think fit, they do. The band fits in a cavernous arena and a smoky dank underground rock n roll bar just the same. “Nocturnal Transmission” Hey! A rocker cheer kicks of the song. Flash back to the late 70s. A rock n roll engine fit for a party playlist. “Halfway Between Heaven and Hell” A sonic serpent, this song slithers. A song aptly titled. A pure rock rhythm intertwined with a mean bottom end, fuzzed bass.

Their bio sums up what their music is about: “FUTURE NOW’s music is as much a reflection of their collective experience as it is a tribute to the timeless qualities of rock. Their sound pulls from a broad spectrum of influences, ranging from the dark, riff-heavy world of early heavy metal to the more melodic, harmony-laden styles of classic hard rock.”

Future Now is a sign rock n roll is alive and well. For music fans who aren’t hooked on metal, this record is an excellent introduction to heavier rock music.

For fans of: Cheap Trick, Queens of the Stone Age, Fireball Ministry and Budgie this one to add to your rotation. https://ianblurton.bandcamp.com/album/crimes-of-the-city