(Album Review) HOT BREATH - Rubbery Lips

Release date: April 9, 2021 (The Sign Records)

Written by Jeff Tighe

Formed in 2018, Swedish garage rockers Hot Breath unleash their debut album, Rubbery Lips, on the world. This is a 34 minute, 10 song slab of hard rock for fans who like toe-tapping rock'n'roll with a gritty edge.

The English language vocals are delivered by rhythm guitarist Jennifer Israelsson, whose voice sounds like a cross between Kim McAuliffe from Girlschool and Vince Neil of Motley Crue. Lead guitarist Karl Edfeldt's solos are interesting, but economical, since this is an album driven by the fast rocking riffs. Bassist Anton Frick Kallnin and drummer Jimmy Karlsson do a fine job supplying the backbeat required for this type of music.

Listening to this album reminds this reviewer of stumbling into a seedy bar where a hot rock'n'roll band you never heard of is playing. Nine of the ten songs are high quality, with only "Who's the One" standing out for its plodding mediocrity. Highlights include "Right Time", "Bad Feeling" "Last Barang" and "What to Do". But really, pretty much all the tracks save the one mentioned above are good.

"Magnetic" is a very catchy song that should have received airplay on college radio stations, but probably didn't. There is also an interesting cover of the Rolling Stones' 1986 rocker "One Hit (to the Body)", the original of which few people probably remember.

A very solid debut that foreshadows the possibility of even better releases in the future.

(7)