Album Review: The Dead Daisies - Holy Ground

Since the last time we heard from The Dead Daisies, a major shift has happened. John Corabi is out, and Glenn Hughes is in as the lead singer. I find it a curious decision, since bringing in someone in their late 60s doesn't sound like a solid long-term plan. It has all the earmarks of The Dead Daisies committing to being an ever-changing collection of whatever doesn't have anything else to do at the time. That's very dangerous, since I can't imagine how one declares themselves to be a fan of a band that seemingly has no set identity.

The Dead Daisies are still a straight-ahead rock band, but the new lineup does have some new tendencies. Hughes' bass is more prominent both in the mix and with some of the riffs, and his penchant for letting backing vocals do some of the heavy lifting in the choruses is something a bit different. I also don't think they would have written a song asking, "can you feel my bassline?" if Hughes hadn't joined. I'm not entirely clear if he's seriously asking if we love his bass playing, or if it's supposed to be a euphemism.

The Daisies get a bit heavier and bluesier in this guise, which I suppose is an indication of how much sway Hughes had in putting this album together. It sounds much more like his own most recent solo album than the last time I heard The Dead Daisies. The heavier sound gives Hughes more opportunity to wail away, his voice seemingly ageless as he continues to belt out songs few men his age would be able to handle.

This also means the album is filled with more 'riff and wail' songs than usual, with more focus on power than on melodies. That's not my preferred style of rock, but it will hold strong appeal for a lot of people. This is the kind of rock you put on, and you can nod your head and bounce your foot to. It isn't funk, as Hughes is apt to mix in, but it has more groove to it than usual. Taken all together, it makes The Dead Daisies a better band than before, a louder group that demands your attention rather than politely asking for it.

So yes, "Holy Ground" is the best Dead Daisies album yet, and it's because of their malleable identity. Peter Sellers once remarked he was so good at playing so many characters because he had no personality of his own. I don't mean this to sound harsh, but that's what The Dead Daisies remind me of. They take on the tone and tenor of whomever comes into their ranks, and Glenn Hughes is the strongest songwriting voice they have yet had, so perhaps by osmosis they have been imbued with what they have always needed.

The Dead Daisies are finally living up to the potential of their veteran membership, and it's great to hear them deliver an album that rocks this hard.