Jason Sweeney – ‘Welcome to Bathvegas’ EP

The pandemic didn’t hamper his musical creativity either, with him taking the opportunity to host online acoustic gigs from his home studio whilst writing and recording songs for his first EP, ‘Unknown Direction’ which was released to much acclaim in June 2021. Lifting of restrictions eventually gave him the opportunity to showcase the songs in a live setting with his full band, in venues such as Bannerman’s in Edinburgh and Cathouse in Glasgow as well as at festivals such as Winterstorm and Wildfire. Those of us who were lucky enough to see him live with his band were also treated to some new and unheard songs… all of which can now be heard in their full recorded glory on his second EP, ‘Welcome to Bathvegas’, released on 7th January 2022.

Recorded at Stella Sound and mixed and mastered by Gordon McNeil, Jason kept the core of his live band to bring the songs to life with Scott Hannah (guitar), Craig Rolls (keyboards), Brian Stewart (bass) and Chris Kip Smith (drums) joining him in the studio to complement his own vocals and guitar. All songs were written by Jason with Scott Hannah co-writing on two. The title of the EP, ‘Welcome to Bathvegas’ is a homage to the music-mecca of the east of Scotland, the West Lothian town of Bathgate, with Las Vegas-inspired artwork by Rockfiend’s very own Michael Bruce.

In the name of full disclosure, I was fortunate enough to receive this EP from Jason a good few weeks before its January release… but in the vein of Lemony Snicket, a series of unfortunate life events conspired to delay this review from being written many weeks ago! With every cloud there’s a silver lining and the delay has given me the opportunity to listen to the EP repeatedly; in the living room through a top-end stereo system and speakers, in the car whilst driving to and from work, in the kitchen whilst cooking dinner (rare) and through headphones whilst out running (even rarer). So, I know the music well by now and am in a decent position to review it with in-depth aural knowledge!

The EP kicks off with ‘Without Love’, a song that Jason explained was inspired by personal relationships but also his connection with the rock community, whose support he holds dear. Therefore, it’s a song that’s very much in the vein of fan favourite ‘This is My Tribe’ from the first EP. To me, there’s a very Scottish rock feel to the intro of this song, evoking memories of Deacon Blue and Runrig. It may seem a strange thing to say but there’s something about the spacious, open sound and echoing guitar ditty in the opening few bars that could easily be used in a Visit Scotland advert! Just prior to the first verse, the bass and drums turn to a simple, driving march and Jason’s gravelly vocals burst to life. The chorus is as feel-good as a beer on a hot summer day with the lyrics questioning “without love, where would you be right now?” and proclaiming the benefits, impact and support that love and friendship can bring to someone’s life. The guitar solo doesn’t wander from the positive vibe of the song and is short and sweet, leading back to the chorus that brings the track to a close. It's a great start to the EP and most certainly gets the feel-good endorphins flowing whilst maybe… just maybe… forcing you to look at the impact certain people have on your own life.

Jason Sweeney makes no secret of his musical inspiration; 80s hard rock. The subject of this genre is often love, sex, heartache, partying… and drinking! Artists such as ZZ Top, AC/DC, Mr Big and many others have written songs about their favourite tipple or sharing a drink with friends and now Jason Sweeney can be added to that list! ‘Drinking for the Weekend’ is about the life of a musician and how travelling to gigs and performing on Saturdays means less chance to have a weekend tipple like the bulk of the population, restricting it to during the week. This track continues with the positive vibe of the opening track and is very much a party song with a dirty, bluesy riff, a smattering of Hammond organ… and some cowbell! Jason’s vocals in the verse are in a type of interplay with Scott Hannah’s guitar and it wouldn’t sound out of place in a blues bar… or even a country hoedown in a barn! Basically, anywhere where music is fun and dancing is encouraged! For those unfamiliar with Scottish parlance, the lyric “midweek swally” refers to drinking an alcoholic beverage on what could be referred to as a ‘school night’! The chorus is undeniably catchy and you just can’t help but sing-along, as my youngest son Gavin unconsciously did whilst I was writing this very paragraph! You could easily see the legendary George Thorogood rocking out to this song. Big shout out to Scott Hannah for some great lead guitar work all through the track but particularly in the background as the song approaches the end.

Next track ‘Love by the Hour’ is a departure from the formula of the opening salvo and is more of mid-tempo rocker in the same vein as Bon Jovi et al. Lyrically, it tackles the ups and downs of relationships where it’s all rosy one minute and a crying mess the next. In the olden days, it was called marriage… but I digress! Musically, the intro is very atmospheric, with bass and some lead guitar on a layer of synths. If a music video accompanied this song, there would be a lot of smoke and black and white images! I must admit that when I first heard this track live, I had chills and the recorded version is no different, as it’s everything I look for in a melodic hard rock-style song. The first verse is kept simple, keeping the feel of the atmospheric intro with Jason’s vocals accompanied by bare minimum keyboard chords by Craig Rolls and Brian Stewart’s bass quietly driving the tempo. In the second verse, the structure remains the same but the addition of drums and some rhythm guitar gives it that little bit more urgency. The chorus includes an infectious, repeating keyboard riff whilst the bridge leads to an excellent guitar solo that is effective whilst not being overplayed. Jason Sweeney’s vocal performance is excellent throughout and I’d argue that this is where his vocals are at their most comfortable and heartfelt, with emotion pitched at just the right level. If it was 1989, I’ve no doubt that this track would’ve been a hit on US rock radio.

The title of fourth track ‘Georgia Sunshine’ suggests it’s about the American state but it’s actually based on a true story about a girl who was severely injured in a motorcycle accident but instead of wallowing in self-pity, used her story to inspire positivity in others. It could very well be Jason Sweeney’s version of John Parr’s classic ‘St Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)’… a go-to song when inspiration is required in the face of adversity. It’s very much an upbeat, up-tempo song that matches the lyrical content, led by rhythm guitar, bass and drums but really brought to life by some brilliant piano in the verse and organ lower in the mix. The lyrics are most definitely food for thought, especially for those who have faced struggles in life; “You can ask why me. You can say ok, what can I do about this today. Gonna make a change, help people move on”. It’s a mantra we should all aspire to and Jason really should reach out to the subject of this song to let her know that her story is now told in music. Ironically, despite having nothing to do with sunshine or US states, the song does create a vibe of sunsets and more tropical places, such as its feel-good pull. This is one to blast out on the stereo in your open-top car… or at least at a family barbeque in the summer!

The final track ‘The Road I Take’ is about believing in what you want and taking the route that will best help you to achieve success, even if things don’t initially appear overly clear or even possible. Is this part-autobiographical and based on Jason Sweeney’s life and career? Very possibly… but ultimately, it’s something we all must consider at various points in our lives and careers. We need to be comfortable with our own roads and travels. But enough of my armchair philosophising! There’s a really funky vibe to the verses in this song, similar to what Extreme did to great acclaim in the early 90s and you’ll click your fingers and dance around to every word and note. But the chorus is where the magic really happens… and it’s the magic of pure, uplifting, hands-in-the-air arena rock! Live audiences will (and do!) love the “whooa, whooa, whooa” vocals which quite frankly demands audience participation. The whole band is on top form on this track, from the funky, solid rhythms to, well… that wonderful chorus! If there’s any justice in this world, Jason and the band will one day get to perform this to a large audience with every word and every “whooa” being sang back to them. That will be the day that the true power of this song becomes apparent. As the song itself says; “What’s meant to be will always find a way”.

‘Welcome to Bathvegas’ is the undeniable sound of Jason Sweeney building on the success of ‘Unknown Direction’. By keeping the core of his live band and by co-writing a few tracks with Scott Hannah, the music on this EP sounds strong and cohesive and is undoubtedly the mark of someone who is confident and assured as a songwriter. The addition of keyboards on this release has, in my opinion, helped to fill out the sound even more and has perhaps even helped to further highlight the contribution of the band members, all of whom seem to know exactly what the music needs from them.

If you want to sample the rocking sounds of ‘Bathvegas’, the EP is available on the usual digital platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music. If hard copies are more your kind of thing, signed CDs are available via the shop on Jason Sweeney’s Facebook page and while you’re there, why not treat yourself to a t-shirt too! Subscribe to Jason’s YouTube channel for even more content!

With more new music on the horizon in the near future, it appears that Bathgate is the creative place be. If Jason Sweeney’s current form is anything to go by, I say ‘Viva Bathvegas’!