Heavy Shoes is the fifth album from Indiana duo The Cold Stares, following on from 2019’s Ways. The duo have gained considerable exposure since their 2014 debut, with tracks featuring on TV adverts, shows and games (including Cyberpunk 2077) and a remarkable number of streams racked up. For this album, the band returned to the Sam Phillips Recording Studio in Nashville to cut the album that would become Heavy Shoes and that Nashville sound certainly adds an organic warmth to proceedings. Mixed by Mark Needham (The Killers, Fleetwood Mac) and mastered by Andy Vandette (Beastie Boys, Smashing Pumpkins), the record certainly sounds expansive, and the twelve tracks on offer here will surely add more fans to the band’s already impressive audience.
The album kicks off with the heavy, blues-rock stomp of Heavy Shoes, a dirty groove reminiscent of both Rival Sons and Royal Blood, with Brian Mullins’ tungsten beat nailing the Chris Tapp’s grinding riff firmly to the floor. The diabolical duo up the pace on the surging riff-a-thon of 40 Dead Men, a frantic blast that borrows dynamics from Soundgarden with a pinch of Crobot thrown in for good measure. Next up, while Take This Body From Me might be bluesier, there’s still plenty of rock to be found in a lead riff that wouldn’t sound out of place on an AC/DC album. As those unstoppable Australians have found, blues ‘n’ groove is a pretty unbeatable combination, and so it proves here. While a strong track in its own right, Hard Times suffers a touch from the curse of the duo, the octave shifted riff ‘n’ bass approach an overly familiar sound in an increasingly crowded space. As such, the lighter touch of In The Night Time is the more appealing, harking back to the sparse, psychedelic groove of The Animals and their ilk, as it sees the band offering something a little different from their peers.
Built around the sort of riff that powered the debut Audioslave album, Strange Light offers some impressive lead work, while the hotwired blues riff of Prosecution Blues feels like an industrial strength take on Led Zeppelin, the band treading well-worn ground in heavy, heavy boots. An album highlight, the sparkling blues rock of It’s A Game has an addictive melody and stripped-back sound that really works. Similarly, Save You From You, with its textured guitar swells and wah-inflected lead breaks showcases the band at their best and paves the way for the gritty You Wanted Love – a no-nonsense rocker that gets the blood pumping. A rather more classic number, Election Blues feels strangely timeless, with even the subject matter drawing the line “I think I’ve been here before…”, only for the music to become increasingly agitated as the track progresses. The record concludes with Dust In My Hands and it’s the ideal album closer, not least thanks to some beautifully-phrased lead work helping to give the piece a climactic feel.
Heavy Shoes is a strong album, albeit one that will feel familiar to those following the new school of blues-infused rock. At its best, Heavy Shoes steps away from its peers by focusing on a lighter sound and allowing a touch of classic rock ‘n’ roll to temper the blues grind. Elsewhere, tracks like Hard Times feel a touch more generic, but there are rare lapses in an otherwise impressive record. Well played and beautifully produced, Heavy Shoes is another strong album in The Cold Stares’ ever-expanding canon, and there’s more than enough to entice long-term fans and newcomers alike. 8/10
