TYLER BRYANT & THE SHAKEDOWN-Pressure

Snakefarm Records

This band has been developing itself nicely resulting in their best CD ‘Truth & Lies’, released in June 2019. Now the fourth chapter entitled ‘Pressure’ is available. I described this band as a modern and younger version of the mighty Aerosmith and that was not based on the fact that guitarist Graham Whitford is the son of Brad Whitford of Aerosmith.

Just before the recording of ‘Pressure’ bass player Noah Denney left the group. Ryan Fitzgerald stepped in and played on the album but actually only got the position on a permanent bases after the promotion activities for this album started, so he is not really mentioned in the line-up that is being led by founder guitarist/singer Tyler Bryant. Caleb Crosby (drums) is still with the group that again has put a step forward when you are talking about their very inspired and driven rock/heavy rock music. Opener ,,Pressure’’ leaves no stone unturned. I have never heard the band sound as heavy as on this groovy track. A great start to the album and in fact the highlights keep coming with the extremely sensitive ballad ,,Like The Old Me’’ as my personal favourite. Tyler Bryant sounds so emotional yet in control there, it is just breath takingly beautiful as is ,,Misery’’, that is also very laid back. But we of course like the band best when they are rocking out with a stomper like ,,Automatic’’ floating on a great and heavy riff and pounding drums.

Bryant and his mates have used the extra time they had now for composing new songs extremely well. ‘Pressure’ has some real classic rock moments in combination with a pretty and very well balanced production (done by the band plus their engineer Roger Alan Nichols) and in my opinion the overall approach has become heavier and rockier. There are guest roles for Blackberry Smoke singer/guitarist Charlie Starr (,,Holdin’ My Breath’’) while also Rebecca Lovell of Larkin Poe makes an appearance on the album of hubby Tyler, just to keep it in the family. This is in more ways than one a bouncing and kick ass album with plenty of moments where the gas pedal goes full throttle only to be put in lower gear on other songs. It is what they call variation galore and there is plenty of it on ‘Pressure’!