Album Review: Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters - Show Me Your Teeth

We have a world full of musical choices to pick from at all times, but often there's nothing that hits the spot better than some good and simple rock and roll. It might not be hip, or cool, but the primal roots of rock are what so many of us crave, even when we don't know it. There's a reason why every time there are cries about rock dying out, all it takes is for a correction towards the origins for it to come back to life. Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters are a group from Cardiff that play rock and roll the old-school way, which is just how it should be. They have been on tour with members of Black Star Riders, so that tells you what you need to know about what they do, and how well they do it.

This is their second outing, and I will confess to this being my first time 'round with them. I saw a recommendation for the first single, and after listening to it once, it got me interested enough to seek out the rest of the record. Beth and her band hit the right marks, with a sound that is still gritty and powerful, but backing it up with hooks and choruses that stick with you more than most meat-and-potatoes rock is able to. The opening song, "Secrets", is all you need to be sold on them. The band behind Beth bangs out a crunchy four-four riff with a hint of smoke-filled bar fuzz, whereas Beth's vocals are sharp, and the hook is even a bit AOR. It's great stuff.

The influences extend around the rock world. "Give It All You're Got" sounds like a KISS track, specifically one that could have been on the "Sonic Boom" album. I know how that sounds, but it's actually a compliment. From this non-KISS fan, that album was actually really good. So too is "On And On", which is the quasi-ballad, although it's more of a light rock 80s anthem. It dials back the heaviness without getting sappy, and the melody is a showcase for Beth's vocals, which sound great as she delivers the smooth hook.

The style and sound of the record has hallmarks of the big rock hits women delivered in the 80s. I can hear bits of Joan Jett and Pat Benetar in Beth, and the band delivers the kind of simple rock and roll that often gets overlooked, because it doesn't sound flashy enough. But ask yourself this; when was the last time a phrygian prog riff in 7/8 time became popular? Simple works because simple is what can transcend the boundaries of music. That's nothing to be ashamed of.

With these dozen songs, the band proves they know what they're doing. Since their name popped up already, let's talk about Black Star Riders for a second. They are a band of veterans who put out an amazing debut record, and have since struggled to match that height. I'm not saying "Show Me Your Teeth" is the second coming of "All Hell Breaks Loose", but if you replaced Beth with Ricky Warwick, this would make a damn good Black Star Riders album. It's that kind of rock and roll, and far better written than I expect from bands that haven't reached the higher rungs of the ladder yet. I'm well impressed.

Beth Blade & The Beautiful Disasters don't have a gimmick, and they aren't flashy. What they are, though, is a good rock and roll band. "Show Me Your Teeth" is a testament to that.