AUDREY HORNE – Waiting For The Night (Live) (Album Review)

A Little Band Info:

Audrey Horne are an amalgamation of musicians who have played in such metal groups as Enslaved and Sahg who are in this guise living out their 1970s (and early 80s) rock ‘n’ roll fantasies! They have been around since 2002 and have released 6 albums. They are a band I knew about but I confess never really checked out properly. Sitting here writing this review after listening to their first live album, Waiting For The Night, several times I feel like an absolute idiot for not doing so before. Being a live album what I want to hear is something that firstly gives an idea of what the gig was like and for it to make me wish I was there and indeed “feel” like I am whilst listening. This album 100% does. Both band and audience sound like they are having the best time with the audience very keen to join in clapping and singing. The band comprise of frontman singer Torkjell Rod (Toschie) 2 lead guitarists ala Thin Lizzy in both Arve Isdal (Ice Dale) and Thomas Tofthagen, bassist Espen Lien, drummer Kjetil Greve and possibly also a keyboard player unless the keys are pre-recorded which is possible as there was no name mentioned on the info sheet I received!

Into The Songs:

Right from the off, opening song “This Is War” there is crowd participation. The track is a mix of old school Iron Maiden mixed with glimpses of the riff in Blondie’s “Call Me” and is in your face anthemic stadium (it should be on this evidence) rock. This has a BIG chorus, as do most of the songs, they haven’t skimped on them at all. “Audrevolution” is a song from the band to the audience and the crowd responds beautifully. With the bass leading the way the crowd joins in. I like the chorus part of “welcome to the audio revolution, 666 is our own constitution”.

Many of the songs have a big Thin Lizzy vibe about them, a Celtic feel, even on at least one occasion on “Out Of The City” heading into Big Country territory. They are not scared to throw in other influences for instance on “Pretty Little Sunshine” there is a bass line repeated which comes from a soul track (I can hear the start but can’t work it out to the lyrics to know which actual song they are having fun with). There are some fine harmonies on this and the crowd belt out the title line without being asked at all!

The ballad “Sail Away” has a Pink Floyd feel to it, especially in the vocal. I was grabbed by the imagery in the lines “All I ever wanted to sail away, but I got caught up in the waves along the way”. I can imagine the crowd swaying along, lighters/mobile phones held aloft as they join in the words. “Light Your Way” is what would have happened (possibly) if the late great Jon Lord had jammed with Saxon! In fact, the little organ and key flourishes in several tracks add so much to the vibe and recreates the classic rock of days gone by superbly. The keys are quite prominent in “California” ebbing in and out of the sound whilst the guitars go full Lizzy. It is a right foot-stomper, one to bounce around merrily to. They do have moments where they go heavier such as “Threshold”. This is a fighting song, anthemic to the max, about standing strong and not being defeated. They build into it by doing the opening verse with just light drumming and keys with the crowd singing along with them totally stealing the last line of the first run-through of the chorus. They repeat all of that with full guns blazing, the crowd still is loud on the chorus! Throughout the extended guitar solos the crowd “Hey” joining in. It finishes with “Somebody told you they left me for dead, well call off the search team, cause I am still here”.

The song from which the title of the album comes from is a mass singalong. I found myself singing along listening to it, possibly not a good move having headphones on, although none of my neighbours have complained thus far, as it is infectious as the plague. There is a definite hint of “Motorhead” by either Hawkwind or Motorhead running through it. In my notes I have written “how can anyone not enjoy this?”. I stick by that. The song is about criminality, but to be honest it is all about that MASSIVE chorus of “I got tonight, you got tonight, we’ve got tonight, everybody’s waiting for the night”. Bloody marvellous.

My Final Thoughts (Can You Play Scotland Please!):

This is a fantastic live album full of songs to sing along with, melodies, hooks and will be loved by anyone who appreciates and hankers for old school 70s and 80s rock and metal. It is fun, it is party music. It also rocks! I hope lots of people buy this album especially in the UK (selfish time here) as it might encourage the band as well as promoters to set up some shows in the UK (Scotland as well, pretty please). I have a desperate desire to see them after listening to the live album. I also plan to buy the back catalogue partly due to loving the songs, but also to hear what additions they add live to them. That, I think shows how fine this live album is that I want to share a night with the band. I only wish I had paid attention earlier to them!

Out on Napalm Records Friday 28 February!

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