The Rudiments – Doctor Bone’s Fried Medicine
Review by Jack Foley
GLASGOW five-piece The Rudiments deliver their second release in the form of Doctor Bone’s Fried Medicine and continue to mark themselves out as an act to listen out for.
Built around husky vocals and ‘60s influenced melodies and guitars, the mini-album (of seven tracks) is capable of appealing to fans of the contemporary likes of Paul Weller and Mumford & Sons, as well as more classic artists such as Greg Allman and Dylan.
The band have even extended their line-up to help generate the fuller sound of the album, with Stuart Smith (lead vocals and guitar), Nicky Wright (guitar and backing vocals), Chris Goodwin (bass and backing vocals) and Dave Johnston (drums) now joined by Ryan Bonnyman (lead guitar and backing vocals).
And this is immediately evident on the hard-rocking opener For The Simpler Times, which drops a funky rock element complete with bongo sessions and Hammond organ. It’s a rollicking good opening.
The Weller comparisons can be found in its follow-up, Cardamon, which again impresses with its lively guitar work, while there’s a keen sense of Americana in the edgy riffs and rolling sound of On Yer Own.
Album favourite Start To Roll then follows, when Smith drops an even huskier vocal than we’re accustomed to and the band infuse the song with a rousing harmonica element (born from Dylan) that perfectly sets the scene for a foot-stomping blues-rocker. It’s head and shoulders the stand out moment.
But The Rudiments are nothing if not consistent throughout and Whisky From A Bowl is another country inflicted mid-tempo rocker that endears, Tetley Tea (Set You Free) adds a comical moment that’s inflicted with psychedelic country-rock elements, and The Last Hero of Switzerland rounds things off with a nice harmony and a laidback, dusky vibe that draws the album to a close in suitably sedate fashion.
On the evidence of this album, it shouldn’t be long before The Rudiments’ reach extends far beyond Glasgow.
Download picks: Start To Roll, For The Simpler Times, The Last Hero of Switzerland
Track listing: