Album Review: Bruises

The Solomon Cole Band is a four piece band hailing from Waiheke Island. Their album Bruises is 10 tracks of Classic Rock reminiscent of bands like Lynard Skynard, Fleetwood Mac, The Doobie Brothers, ZZ Top and The Eagles and other such classic rock from that era. 

The brainchild of guitarist/vocalist Solomon Cole and bassist Lee Catlin, the band also includes vocalist Sophia Faalogo and drummer Dione Denize. I can almost guarantee by the sound of the album that the musicians involved in the project have paid their dues in pub rock covers bands. 

They’ve done a fine job on this album and as a producer myself I can hear that the Solomon Cole Band and everyone involved in this project are highly skilled musicians and most definitely perfectionists. The production faithfully recreates the sound of the classic rock era with expensive sounding reverb, gentle mastering that has left the dynamics in tact and a live energy to the recordings. It may or may not be recorded in analogue but it certainly sounds like it could be. As a reviewer who almost exclusively reviews Hip-Hop this is almost the complete opposite of my usual reviewing experience.

It’s safe to say that I’m not the target audience but I can guarantee that the adult contemporary pub rock loving crowd of New Zealand would love this album blasting on a hot summers day with a glass of wine or 8.
The songwriting is solid and seasoned with great use of BV’s and classic structural decisions. These guys have obviously been long time devoted students of the school of rock and in this album they’re teaching a master class in how to rock like the greats. 

Solomon Cole has a fantastic deep bluesy voice reminiscent of Gary Clarke Jnr and Sophia Faalogo really compliments the band with her beautiful pitch perfect soulfulness. The Rhythm section is immaculate and the guitar stands out with fantastic sounding riffs that compliment the songs and act as the driving force behind them. 

The songs on Bruises are in my opinion all fantastic masterpieces with the lead single Ring Your Bell bringing driving blues, instantly engaging electric guitar riffs and Tongue-in-Cheek lyrics. 

Bruises is to be released via Aeroplane Music records and is available from all good digital outlets.