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ALBUM REVIEW: Bad Touch Get You To “Shake A Leg” (Album out 5th October)

Bad Touch, formed in 2010, are an English Rock Band with a growing reputation. Their Classic Rock sound and style has earned them plenty of plaudits, and their 3rd album, “Shake a Leg”, is released October 5th on Marshall Records. You can pre-order it now.

The album opens with “Lift your Head” a solid classic rock track with slick vocals, strong harmonies and great guitar playing. It’s got an incredibly hooky chorus and it’s a very good opener.

Next up is “Hammer Falls”, it starts with a clean intro, with the drums slowly integrating in. A nice riff then breaks in, accompanied by high, soaring vocals. It’s a very melodic song, there’s also a nice bluesy solo.

“Too Many Times” opens with a groovy intro riff before moving into a stripped back verse section centred on crisp lead vocals. There’s a building pre-chorus and a big, classic rock chorus, as well as another good solo.

“Dressed To Kill” follows, it’s got a fuzzy intro lick and strong drumming that cuts out as fast paced vocals come in. I really enjoyed the style and mood of this song.

Next is “Skyman”, it opens with a beefy, groovy riff and soaring vocals and leads into a powerful, hooky chorus. It’s fast paced and has a huge amount of energy. There’s a great little post-chorus instrumental section featured fuzzed-out guitars and a brief but impressive solo.

Bad Touch have recently signed a worldwide album deal with Marshall Records, and released their new single “Skyman” in August.  They also announced a marathon 18 date “Shake A Leg” 2018 headline UK Tour with Special Guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics and Daxx & Roxane. You can get your tickets from www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours or www.seetickets.com

“I Belong” starts out quiet and moody. It’s got a bluesy feel and reminds me of old Kings of Leon. The song builds up for the chorus before falling back down, giving it a great sense of scale.

“Show Me What it Means” is a foot stomper that opens with a strong vocal intro, the vocals remain prominent throughout with a groovy riffs played underneath. It’s a nice, upbeat song.

“Tussle” opens with a drum intro and it’s got a strong chorus but overall a pretty generic song. “Take me Away” follows, it’s fuzzy and riffy but again doesn’t really stand out.

“Believe in Me” has a clean intro, it’s moody and downbeat before moving into a more driving, forceful tune. It’s a got the big, classic rock chorus that you expect by now.

Moving into the final section of the album, “Movin’ on up” again is a decent track but not overly noteworthy, while “Slow Tempest” is a downbeat, lead-vocal driven song. You can feel the energy of the album winding down, leading into the final track.

“Bury Me” is the final song on the album. It’s a sad, emotional song. It’s quiet and melancholy yet there’s something positive and hopeful about. It’s a very simple song without much flash, essentially just vocals and clean guitar. I really liked this song.

Overall, Shake a Leg is a great album. The style and tone of the album is hugely enjoyable and there’s a good mix of songs. There’s plenty of upbeat, foot stomping moments, but there’s also plenty of downbeat, self reflective tracks. I think the album rises and falls in the right places and is cohesive from start to finish.

I highly recommend it.

Review By Josh Farrell

“Shake A Leg” UK Tour 2018

With Special Guests Aaron Buchanan & The Cult Classics+ Daxx & Roxane
Tickets Available From: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours & www.seetickets.com

Newcastle University Union – Wednesday 17 October Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours  www.seetickets.com
Newcastle University Students’ Union, King’s Walk, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8QB www.nusu.co.uk/social/gigsandclubs

Cathouse Rock Club, Glasgow – Thursday 18 October Tickets: £16.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours  www.seetickets.com
15 Union Street, Glasgow, G1 3RB
https://cathouse.co.uk

Ironworks, Inverness – Friday 19 October Tickets: £16.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours  www.seetickets.com
122B Academy St, Inverness IV1 1LX
www.ironworksvenue.com

Bannerman’s, Edinburgh – Saturday 20 October Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
212 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1NQ
www.bannermanslive.co.uk

Academy 3, Manchester – Wednesday 31 October Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
Moss Ln E, Manchester M14 4PX
www.manchesteracademy.net

The Flowerpot, Derby – Thursday 1 November Tickets: £16.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
19-25 King St, Derby DE1 3DZ
www.rawpromo.co.uk

Welly 2, Hull – Friday 2 November Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
105-107 Beverley Road, Hull,HU3 1YA
www.hullboxoffice.com/venues/the-welly

Corporation, Sheffield – Saturday 3 November Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
2 Milton St, Sheffield S1 4JU
www.corporation.org.uk

The Wardrobe, Leeds – Monday 5 November Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
St. Peter’s Square, Quarry Hill, Leeds LS9 8AH
www.thewardrobe.co.uk

ARC, Stockton-On-Tees – Tuesday 6 November Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
Dovecot St, Stockton-on-Tees TS18 1LL
http://arconline.co.uk

Eleven, Stoke-On-Trent – Thursday 8 November Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
21a, Newfield Industrial Estate, Sandyford, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire ST6 5PD
www.elevenmusicvenue.co.uk

The Waterfront, Norwich – Friday 9 November Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
139-141 King St, Norwich NR1 1QH
https://thewaterfront.ticketabc.com/venues/thewaterfront

ULU Live, London – Saturday 10 November Tickets: £19.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
Malet Street, London, WC1E 7HY
http://ulu-live.co.uk

The 1865, Southampton – Thursday 15 November Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
Brunswick Square, Southampton, SO14 3AR
www.the1865.com

Cobblestones, Bridgewater – Friday 16 November Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
71 Eastover, Bridgwater, Somerset, TA6 5AP
www.thecobblestonesmusic.co.uk

Livewire, Saltash – Saturday 17 November Tickets: £15.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tour www.seetickets.com
9 Bath St, Plymouth, Devon, PL13LT
www.facebook.com/TheHubPlymouth

The Bullingdon, Oxford – Sunday 18 November Tickets: £17.00
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
162 Cowley Rd, Oxford OX4 1UE
www.thebullingdon.co.uk

The Robin 2, Wolverhampton – Monday 19 November Tickets£16.50
Book Tickets: www.badtouchrocks.co.uk/gigs-tours www.seetickets.com
20 -28 Mount Pleasant, Wolverhampton, Bilston WV14 7LJ
www.therobin.co.uk

Keep up-to-date with Bad Touch by visiting

BAD TOUCH / NORFOLK / Shot by Rob Blackham / www.blackhamimages.com

BAD TOUCH 

An unassuming college in Norfolk was where it began for rock five-piece Bad Touch. When they started out in 2010, Bad Touch performed covers in local pubs, but it wasn’t long before they started to compose their own songs and play original material.

Following in the footsteps of The Darkness, KT Tunstall and Arctic Monkeys, Bad Touch recorded their first EP at Leeders Farm Studio in 2012. This sparked a wave of new opportunities for the band, including the chance to perform in venues across the UK. Building a reputation as an outstanding live band, they soon earned themselves an Exposure Music Award, and received an invitation to play Hard Rock Hell.

The next two years saw Bad Touch reach new heights. Not only did they win the prestigious Marshall Ultimate Band Contest, but they also toured with a variety of hard rock artists including Bonafide, The Quireboys and Tyketto. They rocked the UK festival circuit with appearances at Download, Hard Rock Hell and Steelhouse.

Bad Touch’s eagerly awaited debut album came in April 2015. ‘Half Way Home’, which was recorded at Foel Studios, received rave reviews from the critics, including Classic Rock Magazine who said: “Straight-to-the-point classic hard rock –what’s not to like?” Capitalising on the success of their debut release, the band embarked on a full UK tour with Northern Irish rock band, The Answer.

Touring continued in 2016, with supports slots for Jared James Nichols, Kentucky Headhunters and Massive. The band rounded off their year on the road with the release of their second album ‘Truth Be Told’. The lead single, ‘99%’, was remixed for radio by legendary Rolling Stones producer, Chris Kimsey. Their critically acclaimed sound secured them a slot on the Planet Rock Roadstars tour as well as performances at Ramblin’ Man, Wildfire and Amplified. After a hectic festival season, Bad Touch headlined their first tour for ‘Planet Rock Presents’.

2018 is shaping up to be another defining year for Bad Touch, following their support tour with Skid Row in March and their recent worldwide album deal with Marshall Records.

LINE-UP

  • Stevie Westwood (Vocals)
  • Rob Glendinning (Guitar)
  • Daniel Seekings (Guitar)
  • Michael Bailey (Bass)
  • George Drewry (Drums)

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