The Mustangs are a pretty heavy rock band with some blues influence. What distinguishes this CD from many others in this crowded field is that all the songs are their own originals and that there is a fair bit of variety on display in the 11 tracks. Another distinguishing feature is the excellent harp playing of Derek Kingaby, who adds different textures that complement the guitars very well, preventing the band from having a standard-issue guitar-dominated sound.

The songs themselves are not just riffs with words, but are constructed as ‘proper songs’, the main feature being almost anthemic. Big choruses. The lyrics are printed in the booklet, showing that they take their song writing seriously. Lead singer Adam Norsworthy has a strong, higher register voice that carries the material well. The CD kicks off with some fat riffs and big chords on ‘Canada Eyes’ and in general the band has what might be considered a pretty ‘commercial’ sound, delivered in a well-produced way to grab the attention.

On ‘I’ll Meet You Anytime’,  a ska rhythm guitar part blends very well with some excellent harp work on what is essentially a blues song – the combination works well. ‘Dream The Day Away’ is not unlike a slower Zeppelin number and is one of the more effective tracks.

The general aim is for songs that have a simple and immediate impact. More variety kicks in with some of the later tracks, - the rock’n’roll ‘Thunder in the Air’, the soft rock of ‘Living With A Broken Heart’ and the acoustic closer ‘Precious Time’, which is in the country vein and features some good harmonies.

Overall, the CD shows that The Mustangs do mostly good old fashioned up tempo rock music, but that they have a bit more to offer than that.

Mark Harrison