The NEW Bardots have been making waves with their raunchy blues numbers. Corporation Businessman was jagged and biting, with a strong backbeat, powerful vocals – and memorable lyric to boot. Thrill of the Night is the band’s latest anthem and its performance brings all of the same intensity, offering up some hard-hitting riffs of its own, superb hooks, and delightfully twisted social commentary. The single was released by Bongo Boy Records on the 14th of March.
The verses are shaped by some very melodic bass playing, and Wayne Olivieri (vocalist) delivers a frantic, angst-ridden vocal over the sour, minor-key progression. His dialogue covers everything from mental demons to dystopian realities and philosophical preaching while overdriven guitars ring out underneath.
When we reach the chorus, however, the atmosphere changes – the band change lanes, switching out minor chords for major ones and borrowing from the seventies rock playbook to craft some ultra-catchy harmonic hooks. This, combined with Olivieri’s suddenly relaxed demeanor provides a perfect counterpoint to the dark and gritty verses… “Just have some wine / Take a chill / Get a thrill of the night”.
There is some brilliant songwriting on display here. The start of each chorus features an ascending melody line that is mirrored by the guitars and vocals. Rather than climb in tandem, the bass stays anchored on the root note, setting up a dramatic release in tension when the band moves to the dominant chord. It sounds exactly like something Paul McCartney would have done.
Thrill of the Night is angular, rockin’, and ultimately very fun. The NEW Bardots have a knack for crafting tunes that capture the essence of yesteryear’s rock’n’roll and they’ve certainly hit the nail on the head with this one. An essential listen for fans of rock and blues everywhere.
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BELOW: Listen to Thrill of the Night and connect with their website and social media platforms. Please support The NEW Bardots by visiting them online, and playing, downloading, and/or purchasing their music, or attending a live show! And, as always, thank you for supporting real music!