Blog Post
Land of Gypsies - 'Land of Gypsies'
Iain McArthur • Jan 12, 2022
Album Review
This wee gem was included in a Frontiers batch that sneaked out just before Xmas which I had overlooked until now. I think maybe the slightly generic name put me off giving it priority over present wrapping but I’m glad I played it eventually as it would have been a shame to miss this.
The band are based around vocalist Terry Ilous from cult band XYZ and producer / bassist Fabrizio Grossi along with his Supersonic Blues Machine mate, Serge Simic on guitar. Together, they’ve crafted a very smart retro classic rock sound but underpinned by a solid blues groove, kind of in the style of Bad Co but topped off with powerful but melodic vocals from Frenchman, Ilous. They’ve also got quality guys like Eric Ragno and JK Northrup dropping in too.
You’ll definitely feel the groove in “Shattered” and “Believe” which is even a bit Zeppy at times. Some of the song titles like “Trouble”, Rambling Man” and “Rescue Me” sound a bit recycled but they stand up very nicely in their own right when you hear them and “Long Summer Day” is a feel-good radio song to brighten up your day. Well worth a listen.