When I received the press kit for Lance Lopez’s latest album, Trouble Is Good, I was prefaced with the warning, “This is NOT a metal album.” That never stopped me in the past and it sure ain’t stopping me now. Look folks, the day I’m reviewing an Ed Sheeran album is the day I lose all credibility and should be immediately disregarded. That said, I’ve never had a problem reviewing metal-adjacent genres like AOR, progressive rock, and blues rock. Considering the increasing amount of clicks I receive on a daily basis, it seems you, the readers, don’t have a problem with this either.
As for Lance Lopez, he is one of those many bands/artists whose name I’ve heard throughout the years, but continuously fell into the, “I’ll check them out later category.” I’m not sure why I waited until now, especially considering his kinship with fellow hard rocking bluesmen Gary Hoey and our good friend Eric Gales. In fact, here’s a cool video of all 3 of them jamming together on Hendrix’s “Red House”, plus a character named Quinn Sullivan who I should probably check out as well. Anyways, enough of my lamentations. The past is the past and the future is here in the form of Lopez’s latest album, Trouble Is Good.
For the uninitiated, Lopez plays what I brand as hard southern blues. It’s hard rocking enough to draw in the Zeppelin/Sabbath burnouts, southern enough to be played at a Texas BBQ, and bluesy enough to raise the eyebrows of a seasoned elitist or two. He can play up an absolute storm, cranking out heavy handed riffs and sizzling hot solos like it’s second nature, but never coming off as overplaying. Everything works within the framework of the songs, most boasting a straightforward delivery and warm 70s rock sound. Look no further than “Wild Country”, “Trying in the Tri Star State”, and the title cut; songs boasting the rough and tumble power of ZZ Top and down home grooves of Skynyrd, yet without sounding like a rehash of either.
Also of note is Lopez’s unique and powerful vocals, which sound eerily close to Faces era Rod Stewart in its inflexion and delivery. Between his riffing, soloing, and singing, Lopez is an undisputed triple threat. Throw in his songwriting chops and we’ve got a quadruple threat. He amazingly manages to throw in some curveballs, yet without deviating the course of this album. “Uncivil War” is a soulful ballad done oh so right. “Reborn” fuses blues rock with the sugar-coated power pop of 70s AM radio. Closing it all out is the lengthy “Voyager: Sunrise, Voyager, I Am Ra”, which draws heavily from Zeppelin in its ambitious approach and underlying mysticism.
Put all these elements together and you’ve got one gripping package of classic rock music. Lopez is a force to be reckoned with, unleashing sheer hunger and firepower on Trouble Is Good. Contrary to its title, this album is far more than good. It’s great, and guaranteed to receive multiple spins in this household, especially on those hot, drunken nights when I’m blasting Rory Gallagher and Johnny Winter like there’s no tomorrow. Lawd have mercy!
8 out of 10
Label: Cleopatra Records
Genre: Blues Rock
For fans of: Johnny Winter, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd