AquaTramp are a five piece from Belfast who describe their sound as: “fire in the belly blues vocals, raunchy roaring guitar, deft driving bass, bone snapping drums underpinned by bursting lyrical imagery” and I won’t even attempt to describe them in my own words as this has it down to a tee. Citing inspiration from bands such as Nirvana, QOTSA and Clutch, AquaTramp have a much bluesier sound, whilst still sticking to their rock n roll roots.
Kyle Lockhart – Vocals
Jack Goligher- Guitar
Tiarnán Belshaw – Drums
Scott Anderson – Bass
Oisín Jayat – Guitar
Having released their debut EP in 2013, the boys are back for more in the form of their second EP, the grandly named Westworld: Talebearers of the Occident which was launched at Voodoo last night, alongside support from local bands Escobar, A Little Bitter and We Build Mountains.
Westworld (as we’re calling it for short) begins with the punchy Gut Rot Blues. Reminiscent of Million Dollar Reload, this track is a little dirty, a little sleazy and very very catchy. The drums, bass and guitar are all non-stop making it impossible not to admire these guys talent. Definitely my favourite of the three tracks, Gut Rot Blues will have you tapping your toes for days and yearning for some cheap beer from a dive bar in America’s Deep South.
A little slower than the last, but with equal punch Man Made showcases ‘fire in the belly blues’ perfectly with funky guitars and raw, gutteral vocals backed up by steady, earthy drums. It’s in this track that the Lockhart’s unique vocal style really hits hard and makes this song stand out.
Cherokee Woman is the final track of this short exhibition of southern-style bluesy rock perfection and like the previous tracks it delivers AquaTramp’s signature sound of gritty guitars, tight rhythm and coarse vocal delivery with attitude. With a slower build up than the previous two tracks, Cherokee Woman soon finds its feet and gets into the groove proving that AquaTramp are definitely ones to watch.
Overall this is an impressive offering from a relatively young band who make music beyond their years. Delivering catchy, heavy and interesting tunes, Westworld: Talebearers of the Occident will definitely be on repeat for quite some time.
The EP is available from BandCamp now!
