Tony Beliveau’s piano/keyboards are clearly the center of Crash Kings’ sound, but watching them play the Rave in Milwaukee it’s amazing how many times Mike Beliveau’s bass and Jason Morris’ drums carry the song while Tony sings. Crash Kings build power rock anthems and ballads without guitar partly through Tony’s keys but ultimately his vocals contribute the “lead guitar” part.
Crash Kings played a tight set packed with rocking grooves which is when they’re at their best. At times, they wander towards 70′s balladry like Journey, never getting all the way there but certainly too far from their best offerings–piano-driven gooks on hints of funk rhythms.
“1985″ is 80′s Billy Joel really ramped up. They channel AC/DC on “Carry On.” A new song, “Free My Soul,” has a Gospel hymn-like approach to Black Crowes rock. The single “Mountain Man” swaggers with Blind Melon jam. In many places, songs build to a chaotic, instrumental break that are really cranked up live. However, if they follow the crashing rock too far into loud, straight-forward rock, they lose their unique approach, lacking the interesting textures of other songs.
