Known to rock fans as one third of RHR (also featuring Troy Redfearn and Jack J. Hutchinson), Mike Ross is a southern rocker with plenty of attitude and a brand-new record under his arm. The Clovis Limit Pt 2 is an absolute belter, predominantly tracked by Mike himself and featuring ten blazing songs that Mike describes as “made from piss, vinegar and tiny bits of stars”. Quite what percentage of piss was used to vinegar is up for debate, but one thing is certain, The Clovis Limit Pt 2, is one of those albums that will have you bouncing around the room before you know it thanks to the raw energy on display.
Greeting the listener with an ominous bass drone, Thanks A Lot opens proceedings with a crunchy riff that tips the hat to the likes of the Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule and ZZ Top. With Mike playing most of the instruments and Darren Lee nailing the beat, it’s a tough blues-rock opener that kicks the album off in style, even finding time to touch on early AC/DC as it boogies across its five-minute run time. If you believed this to be a one-off, None Of Your Business will soon convince you otherwise, as Mike launches himself at the track with feral energy. Gritty vocals, a surging melody and suitably hefty riffs all make for a cracking track that keeps the album moving apace. A tough blues with a swagger in its walk and a glint in its eye, The Only Place You Ever Take Me Is Down is awash with slithery slide and pinned to the floor by a beat that seems to thunder through the speakers. Reminiscent of Rory Gallagher at his most combustible, The Only Place… is one hell of an album highlight and a sure-fire killer when live music finally returns. Sensibly slowing the pace a touch (the audience need to breathe), Hammer (written by Paul Dent) belies its title and emerges as a sweet southern rocker, the likes of which the Allman Betts band offered on their recent Bless Your Heart outing. However, Mike’s not one to be constrained for long, and the glistening riffs of instrumental Tell Jerry pave the way for the funky strut of the bass and some suitably explosive lead work.
Kicking off the second half, the acoustic The Loser has a lovely southern shuffle that feels as if it was recorded on a porch somewhere as the sun slowly set. However, this is not the time to get too comfortable, and the spacey prog of the aptly-named Leviathan is there to shift gears and take the listener off to a different realm altogether. A haunting, beautifully played piece of music, it marks another album high point and it showcases the depth of the musicianship on offer here. Sensibly, Mike allows a little breathing room with the rather more sedate instrumental Unforgiven – all organ swirly and nimble guitar work reminiscent of Jeff Beck – before the swagger returns with Don’t Say A Word. With so much to admire, it’s hard to imagine it, but the album all leads up to the epic, nine-minute finale Shoot You If You Run. A hulking mix of fuzzed-up riffing, stalking bass and powerful vocals, it’s a mini-masterpiece that makes good on all the promise of the preceding nine tracks and sends the album as a whole over the top. It leaves you breathless and more than ready to follow Mike on whatever journey he cares to take next (especially as the next journey, is an uncredited eleventh track built around Grateful Dead harmonies and ethereal riffs cloaked in reverb).
The Clovis Limit Pt 2 is simply a great album. Exquisite musicianship, a production job that belies the fact that Mike tracked almost everything single-handed and a set of songs that effortlessly hook you in, all make for a truly phenomenal album to which you’ll return time and again. There’s really nothing more to be said, if you dig great music, you need this album in your life. 9.5/10
Find more at https://www.mikerossmusic.co.uk/
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