No Roller

No Roller

High Places by Narrow Roads

Angela Macari O’Looney


This debut album takes you on a journey of eclectic melody lines and rhythms, all written and developed by the band themselves.
Aaron Laidlaw – Guitars, Damien Farrell – Drums, David Clarke – Vocals, Tom Dunne – Bass and Warren Solan – Guitars describe their sound as Rock/ Indie/ Acoustic and influences include The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Nirvana, Oasis and a mash- mash of various greats, all of whom can be detected filtering through in each of the eleven tracks.
The cover art on ‘High Places by Narrow Roads’ brings to mind for me a huge floatie I spotted in a shop while on holiday in Lanzarote recently. It’s a toy Crocodile grinning out at you and on closer inspection you realise that a bit of trick photography is in play. He’s not as big or threatening as he seems!

It reflects the sentiments in some of the lyrics in their songs and is quite apt in that the guys describe their sound on their My Space page, as being like ‘moving back from a lake because you see waves’ and a few other weird sensations.
Of all this compilation of songs I have definite favourites, yet all didn’t reach me as riveting. However I warmed to this band’s ingenuity for strategically placed key changes, plus riffs and hooks which brighten up a composition and give it life.

Nova Scotia

This is fast, beginning with bass and developing to a simple, but catchy guitar riff. The verse has this sustained note at the end of each line, which I like. Clarke’s vocals are well demonstrated here, with an appealing grittiness. The guitar is quite special too as lead is infused throughout the entire number, with riffs that are fluent and sweet.

Play the Fool

I love this one.
The intro consists of an acoustic strummed slowly, joined by slow chords on the second guitar. It then bursts into life for a lively verse with a delicious melody line. The highlight for me here is the way this number changes key for the guitar break, then suddenly changes back to the original key for the verse.
This song has a sing-along quality and the lead solo is pretty exceptional, even though it’s short. At the very end of it Damien adds the rattlesnake sound of Mace, for a final pinch of spice!

Easily Led

This has a plucked intro and is a melancholic love song, with a dramatic chorus. Backing vocals add sweetness to this number, which is soulfully performed by Dave Clarke. The Guitar break has the same sense of urgency in it as the lyrics. This is a well written song and has classic written all over it!

Young is a number which I didn’t like that much initially, but it takes off as it develops and there’s a keyboard in there which for me is the prettiest part of it. The melody is sweet. Having said this, there’s a mournfulness about it that is for me just a bit too dreary.

Picture of Health

The riff in the intro and throughout this number is the highlight for me. Classic Rock with real oomph!
Bass in the verse is sexy, the chorus is just perfect and the lyrics are cynical;You’d be right to laugh at me/ I’m shining shoes in your dynasty/ Look at you you’re a picture of health/ I write a song about killing myself.
Growling vocals are powerful and go right down to your boots, while f..ng sensational riffs and a screaming lead solo emphasise this band’s original and appealing style.

You and Me

This number would bring to mind a combination of lots of genres and big names. Bob Dylan’s rough meets Bruce Springsteen’s smooth, then throw a splash of U2 and Thin Lizzy into the mix. I like the way in the chorus Dave goes from a low octave right up to the higher one, creating dynamic.
This song is superbly performed and would be fabulous at a big open air gig.

Never get the chance has a sweet melody and is a love song with a catchy guitar riff in it. It goes from a softly sung verse to a more dynamic chorus. Bass gets to shine in this number and there are barely there backing vocals, which I like.

After this I find the songs become a little less remarkable, with the exception perhaps of Simple Life, where the lead guitar is pretty good and the bit where a harmonica comes in.

The moodiness seems to take over in all of them and they tend to blend into one another. One or two faster songs should have been in there somewhere to break this. This said No Roller are extremely promising and with such accomplished musicians on board and the knack of creating a classic like Play the Fool and some of the other gems here, they are looking at a bright future and are sure to draw a large fan base wherever they go.