Thunderhead

By David Lilly

From your speakers come ominous, dark-gray clouds of bass and cymbals rolling in with a foreboding presence ... the air you're breathing is noticeably changed - your attention is now rapt - and the wind becomes feral, whipping around as if it has been still for too long and must unleash some pent-up fury. Before you're able to run for cover, a stampeding downpour of guitars overcomes you. You're getting drenched with blues and doused with rock - you have experienced the beginning of "Fade to Black" and entered the world of Louisville blues-rockers Thunderhead.

"Gone Away" would be right at home in either the BTO or the Foghat catalogue. That, of course, is a compliment to this Louisville quartet. The third song finds Thunderhead between a rock and a "Hard" place, and they barnstorm their way vigorously right through. "Unfair" is the last offering here and is aptly named because it isn't fair that the CD ends so quickly. It rocks as hard as the other songs but shows a sensitive side lyrically ("I think I love you better/ All the time) that the music accentuates even as it puts the pedal to the metal toward the finale.

Yes, there's a 1970s rock influence, but Thunderhead's own meat is the main course of the musical meal here. This 4-song EP features drummer Ted McCumber, singer Scott Ware, guitarist Mark Ware and bassist Dave Tao and will leave blues-rock fans wanting more. And it's hot in here, so throw out the covers - these songs are originals. I urge you to turn off your cell-phone for seventeen minutes let this rockin' homegrown Thunderhead blow you away.