How do you encapsulate that period in rock that dominated somewhere from the late ’60s to the mid and late ’70s that encapsulates everything that went under the term hard-edged rock and then look at it with the eyes (and ears) of the grunge and modern hard rock generations?
The answer may lie in Howl, the latest album from a band from Bend (Oregon) that goes under the name of Leadbetter Band.
Sounds like too many bands there, but then the sound of the album actually has the resonance of sounds from all those great bands of the above-mentioned era from, Led Zeppelin (“Middle Man”) to Bad Company (“Snake Oil”) and Allman Brothers (“Doesn’t Change a Thing”) to more modern variations like Black Crowes (“Waterdogs”) or Pearljam (“The Hammer”). Oh, and quite a few others in between.
While this just might sound like a bit of a mishmash that can be all over the place, The Leadbetter Band actually gives the album quite a uniform sound, with guitarist and vocalist Eric Leadbetter leading the way with good vocals and a not too pushy, very fluid guitar sound.
The band itself is in a good groove and is able to give what some listeners might consider a dated sound a refreshing look which will certainly bring back some fond memories to quite a few listeners.
While this type of sound may not be in the focus of the mainstream-oriented audiences these days, Howl and The Leadbetter Band show the good reasons why this type of music has enduring qualities.
