Album Review: The Answer, Sundowners

While they haven’t exactly become household names on their home island, Co. Down’s The Answer have made friends and influenced legions of followers on mainland Europe and in the US, counting both Jimmy Page and Joe Elliott as fans, and opening for AC/DC on their Black Ice tour.

Their catchy brand of hard-rock owes a debt to classic ‘80s hair-metal acts like Cinderella and White Lion, with a smattering of Def Leppard thrown in for good measure. Current single ‘Livin’ On The Line’ ploughs a similar furrow to Bon Jovi in their pomp, while ‘Blood Brother’ is all chunky chords, catchy hooks, and the kind of melody that made Motley Crue millionaires in the 1980s.

There are echoes of Kings Of Leon on the relatively restrained title track, with a similar flavour of southern boogie on the likes of ‘Want You To Love Me’, ‘Get On Back’ and ‘Oh Cherry’. ‘Cold Heart’, meanwhile, channels Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Doobie Brothers, no bad thing.

It is a little samey at times, and it’s not going to win any award for innovation, but if straightforward good-time rawk is your thing, Sundowners is just the ticket.

Listen: ‘Sundowners’
Score: 7/10

Out now via 7hz productions/ada.